Educational innovation, learning technologies and Virtual culture potential’

Learning technologies are regularly associated with innovative teaching but will they contribute to profound innovations in education itself? This paper addresses the question by building upon Merlin Donald's co‐evolutionary theory of mind, cognition and culture. He claimed that the invention of technologies for storing and sharing external symbol systems, such as writing, gave rise to a ‘theoretic culture’ with rich symbolic representations and a resultant need for formal education. More recently, Shaffer and Kaput have claimed that the development of external and shared symbol‐processing technologies is giving rise to an emerging ‘virtual culture’. They argue that mathematics curricula are grounded in theoretic culture and should change to meet the novel demands of ‘virtual culture’ for symbol‐processing and representational fluency. The generic character of their cultural claim is noted in this paper and it is suggested that equivalent pedagogic arguments are applicable across the educational spectrum. Hence, four general characteristics of virtual culture are proposed, against which applications of learning technologies can be evaluated for their innovative potential. Two illustrative uses of learning technologies are evaluated in terms of their ‘virtual culture potential’ and some anticipated questions about this approach are discussed towards the end of the paper

Simulation modelling: Educational development roles for learning technologists

Simulation modelling was in the mainstream of CAL development in the 1980s when the late David Squires introduced this author to the Dynamic Modelling System. Since those early days, it seems that simulation modelling has drifted into a learning technology backwater to become a member of Laurillard's underutilized, ‘adaptive and productive’ media. Referring to her Conversational Framework, Laurillard constructs a pedagogic case for modelling as a productive student activity but provides few references to current practice and available resources. This paper seeks to complement her account by highlighting the pioneering initiatives of the Computers in the Curriculum Project and more recent developments in systems modelling within geographic and business education. The latter include improvements to system dynamics modelling programs such as STELLA®, the publication of introductory textbooks, and the emergence of online resources. The paper indicates several ways in which modelling activities may be approached and identifies some educational development roles for learning technologists. The paper concludes by advocating simulation modelling as an exemplary use of learning technologies ‐ one that realizes their creative‐transformative potential

Re-examining the Impact of the National Minimum Wage on Earnings, Employment and Hours: The Importance of Recession and Firm Size

Research to date suggests that the UK National Minimum Wage (NMW) has raised the earnings of low paid workers, without significantly affecting their employment opportunities. We re-examine existing evidence and suggest the picture is less clear cut. We explore whether the impacts of the NMW differ for workers in different size firms. Examining more recent data we investigate whether the NMW has affected the employment opportunities of low paid workers during the recession. In contrast to previous research we find some evidence to suggest that the introduction of the NMW may have had a small adverse impact on the employment opportunities of particular low paid workers, although, in line with previous research, for many low paid workers we find no impact. In general, it is not obvious that the impacts of the NMW on employment have differed over the business cycle. In comparison to other workers, low paid workers are more likely to work in smaller firms. We find that on average any potentially harmful effects of the NMW on the employment chances of low paid workers tend to be more significant amongst employees in large firms. Identification of the average hours effects of the NMW is hampered by the difficulty in finding a suitable control group

The impact on employment of the age related increases in the National Minimum Wage

In this paper we use a regression discontinuity approach to analyse the effect of the legislated increase in the UK National Minimum Wage (NMW) at age 22 on various labour market outcomes. Using data from the Labour Force Survey we find a statistically significant 5% point increase in the employment rate of the low skilled at age 22 years. This is almost wholly explained by a decline in unemployment among men and inactivity among women. We find no effect before the NMW was introduced and no effect at age 21 or 23 years. Our results are robust to a range of specification and tests

Group algebras and enveloping algebras with nonmatrix and semigroup identities

Let K be a field of positive characteristic p, let R be either a group algebra K[G] or a restricted enveloping algebra u(L), and let I be the augmentation ideal of R. We first characterize those R for which I satisfies a polynomial identity not satisfied by the algebra of all 2-by-2 matrices over K. Then we examine those R for which I satisfies a semigroup identity (that is, a polynomial identity which can be written as the difference of two monomials).Comment: 11 pages. Written in LaTeX2

The employment and hours of work effects of the changing National Minimum Wage

This report is about the employment impacts of National Minimum Wage (NMW) rises in the period 2001-2006. This was a period where the NMW rose substantially in excess of average earnings. The report presents results based on analysis of individual Labour Force Survey (LFS) data and Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data together with local area analysis. The focus of the analysis is threefold. First, it investigates changes in wages as a response to increases in the NMW. Second, it analyses employment to see if changes in the NMW influenced individual job retention and job exit, job entry, local area employment and unemployment rates. Third, it focusses on analysis of hours worked to see if employers changed hours worked as a response to changes in the NMW

The UK Minimum Wage at Age 22: A Regression Discontinuity Approach

A regression discontinuity approach is used to analyse the effect of the legislated increase in the UK National Minimum Wage (NMW) that occurs at age 22 on various labour market outcomes. Using data from the Labour Force Survey we find a 2- 4% point increase in the employment rate of low skilled individuals. Unemployment declines among men and inactivity among women. We find no such effect before the NMW was introduced and no robust impacts at age 21 or 23 years. Our results are robust to a range of specification tests.Minimum Wage Legislation, Low Wage

Development and growth of hatchery-reared larval Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus)

Although the Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) is a prime candidate for aquaculture, the problematic production of juveniles remains a major impediment to commercial culture of this species. In order to improve the understanding of larval development and to refine hatchery production techniques, this study was conducted to characterize development and growth of Florida pompano from hatching through metamorphosis by using digital photography and image analysis. Newly hatched larvae were transparent and had a large, elongate yolk sac and single oil globule. The lower and upper jaws as well as the digestive tract were not fully developed at hatching. Rotifers were observed in the stomach of larvae at three days after hatching (DAH), and Artemia spp. were observed in the stomach of larvae at 14 DAH. Growth rates calculated from total length measurements were 0.22 ±0.04, 0.23 ±0.12, and 0.35 ±0.09 mm/d for each of the larval rearing trials. The mouth gape of larvae was 0.266 ±0.075 mm at first feeding and increased with a growth rate of 0.13 ± 0.04 mm/d. Predicted values for optimal prey sizes ranged from 80 to 130 μm at 3 DAH, 160 to 267 μm at 5 DAH, and 454 to 757 μm at 10 DAH. Based on the findings of this study, a refined feeding regime was developed to provide stage- and size-specific guidelines for feeding Florida pompano larvae reared under hatchery co