Teaching and Learning in Interdisciplinary Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Interdisciplinary higher education aims to develop boundary-crossing skills, such as interdisciplinary thinking. In the present review study, interdisciplinary thinking was defined as the capacity to integrate knowledge of two or more disciplines to produce a cognitive advancement in ways that would have been impossible or unlikely through single disciplinary means. It was considered as a complex cognitive skill that constituted of a number of subskills. The review was accomplished by means of a systematic search within four scientific literature databases followed by a critical analysis. The review showed that, to date, scientific research into teaching and learning in interdisciplinary higher education has remained limited and explorative. The research advanced the understanding of the necessary subskills of interdisciplinary thinking and typical conditions for enabling the development of interdisciplinary thinking. This understanding provides a platform from which the theory and practice of interdisciplinary higher education can move forwar

Interdisciplinary thinking in agricultural and life sciences higher education

Interdisciplinary thinking as a skill appears to be of value to higher education students and those in employment. This idea is explored with reference to the agricultural and life sciences. The need for further understanding of the development of interdisciplinary thinking is acknowledged. This is closely related to the requirement for well-founded curriculum and course design. This publication presents a brief introduction to a systematic review of scientific research into teaching and learning in interdisciplinary higher education. While tentative, the understanding arising from the review findings is considered to be of potential value to educational practice. A selection of the review findings is presented by way of illustration. The selection is believed to be of relevance to the agricultural and life sciences. The review findings presented here take the form of interdisciplinary thinking sub skills and enabling condition

Populations of Pear Thrips, \u3ci\u3eTaeniothrips Inconsequens\u3c/i\u3e (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Sugar Maple Stands in Vermont: 1989-2005

Development of an effective IPM strategy for pear thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a pest of sugar maple, Acer saccharum Marshall, demands an understanding of their population fluctuations over time. Pear thrips populations were monitored using a standardized soil sampling method every fall from 1989 – 2005 in 14 counties of Vermont (U.S.). Data from individual sites were combined into north, central and south regions. High numbers of thrips emerged from soil sampled in 1989, 1990, 1993 and 2001, particularly in the north region (Washington, Lamoille, and Franklin counties). The central and south regions had lower pear thrips populations over all years. These results provide, for the first time, fundamental knowledge of pear thrips populations across a wide geographical area of Vermont and will assist in the design of suitable control strategies for pear thrips in the future

Studi Penggunaan Balok Lintel Pada Bangunan Gedung Infilled Frame 2 Lantai Menggunakan SAP2000

The two stories building construction or which is commonly called the two stories building these days is very popular in Indonesia. The type of multistories building technology that develop in the world of construction is very diverse, this development is can not be separated from the anticipation of the various of loading conditions. Based on that facts, the research of the use of lintel beams in 2 stories infilled frame buildings is conducted. The analysis can be done by using SAP2000 software. The structure model analyzed by comparing the structure responses between the building that use the lintel beams system and the other one is the building that don’t use that system, where as the idealized loading is same. The result of the analysis obtained by using the lintel beams system the value of maximum x and y axis base shear respectively are 344,088 KN and 363,001 KN, the maximum column moment is occurred in column 84 with the value is 99,58 kNm, and the maximum x axis lateral drift is occurred in joint 128 with the value is 0.000401 m, while the y axis is occurred in joint 105, 128 with the value is 0,000533 m. The analysis result that obtained for the building that don’t use the lintel beam system, the x and y axis maximum base shear value respectively is 336,425 KN and 354,539 KN, the maximum column moment occurs in column 84 is 98,98 kNm, and the x axis maximum drift lateral occurs in joint 128 with value is 0,000406, while the y axis maximum lateral drift occurs in joint 105, 128 with value is 0,000532. So we obtained the percentage comparison on base shear value between 2 stories infilled frame building that use lintel beams system and the building that doesn’t use the lintel beams system for x axis is 1,45% and y axis is 1,13% , and for the percentage comparison on maximum column moment value is 0,30% , while the percentage comparison on drift lateral value for x axis is 0,62% and y axis is 0,09

Online discussion compensates for suboptimal timing of supportive information presentation in a digitally supported learning environment

This study used a sequential set-up to investigate the consecutive effects of timing of supportive information presentation (information before vs. information during the learning task clusters) in interactive digital learning materials (IDLMs) and type of collaboration (personal discussion vs. online discussion) in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) on student knowledge construction. Students (N = 87) were first randomly assigned to the two information presentation conditions to work individually on a case-based assignment in IDLM. Students who received information during learning task clusters tended to show better results on knowledge construction than those who received information only before each cluster. The students within the two separate information presentation conditions were then randomly assigned to pairs to discuss the outcomes of their assignments under either the personal discussion or online discussion condition in CSCL. When supportive information had been presented before each learning task cluster, online discussion led to better results than personal discussion. When supportive information had been presented during the learning task clusters, however, the online and personal discussion conditions had no differential effect on knowledge construction. Online discussion in CSCL appeared to compensate for suboptimal timing of presentation of supportive information before the learning task clusters in IDLM

Upper respiratory tract infection heterologous immunization and meningococcal disease

To test the hypothesis that an episode of upper respiratory tract infection or heterologous immunisation is a predisposing factor for the occurrence of meningococcal disease, data from 377 cases of meningococcal disease and their household contacts (n = 1124) were analysed by conditional logistic regression analysis with stratification for household. The odds ratio for a recent upper respiratory tract infection for patients versus household contacts, adjusted for age and the presence of an underlying predisposing disease, was 2.8 and that for recent heterologous immunisation 1.0. These results support previous observations regarding the association between a preceding upper respiratory tract infection and the occurrence of meningococcal disease; however, no association was found between preceding heterologous immunisation and meningococcal disease. Therefore, increased alertness after heterologous immunisation does not seem warrante

A literature review of dual disaster challenges for resilient office building toward reducing disaster risks

Flood is acknowledged as the most common natural disaster in several parts of the globe. For Malaysia, flood is considered as the most frequent natural disaster, with the frequency of at least once a year. The risks of flood can be seen through property loss and damages, infrastructure casualties, and disruption to socio-economic activities. Adding to that, Malaysia also faced the flood during the pandemic when it hit several states, namely Pahang, Johor, and Kelantan, during the monsoon season in 2020 and 2021, amid the rising cases of Covid-19. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges for disaster response, calling for the new norms to be quickly established for better disaster risk reduction. Several mitigation strategies have been taken by the government to reduce the risks of floods in Malaysia. As office buildings possess important roles in delivering effective services to the public while maintaining their critical documents, this paper focuses on providing related literature on building resilience. Having an early understanding of the core elements of office building resilience in dual disaster challenges will provide the basis for further investigation in the later stage of data collection