2,045 research outputs found
Developing independent learning skills via the web
This poster presentation examines the impact of the web-based resources produced to develop information literacy and research skills required to complete the dissertation module for a BSc in Information Management. This module was selected because of its emphasis on independent learning, and web resources were designed to provide a support framework that would enable students to operate as effective independent learners. Preliminary findings have shown that students at the advanced level of the degree are not equipped with independent learning skills and are particularly poor at the types of competences promoted by the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL)’s Information Skills model. We will assess the effectiveness of the web-based resources to develop these skills by examining student and peer-based feedback
Ordinary differential equations and descriptive set theory: uniqueness and globality of solutions of Cauchy problems in one dimension
We study some natural sets arising in the theory of ordinary differential
equations in one variable from the point of view of descriptive set theory and
in particular classify them within the Borel hierarchy. We prove that the set
of Cauchy problems for ordinary differential equations which have a unique
solution is -complete and that the set of Cauchy problems which
locally have a unique solution is -complete. We prove that the set
of Cauchy problems which have a global solution is -complete and
that the set of ordinary differential equation which have a global solution for
every initial condition is -complete. We prove that the set of Cauchy
problems for which both uniqueness and globality hold is -complete
The EUV spectrum of the Sun: SOHO CDS NIS radiances during solar cycle 23
For the first time, we present and discuss EUV radiances of the solar
transition region (TR) and corona obtained during a solar cycle. The
measurements were obtained with the SOHO/coronal diagnostic spectrometer (CDS)
during the period from 1996 to 2010. We find that limb-brightening
significantly affects any characterisation of the solar radiances. We present
the limb-brightening function for the main lines and find that it does not
change measurably during the cycle. We confirm earlier findings that the
radiance histogram of the cooler lines have a well defined, log-normal
quiet-Sun component, although our results differ from previous ones. The width
of the lowest-radiance log-normal distribution is constant along the cycle.
Both the analysis of the centre-to-limb variation and of the radiance
statistical distribution point to a constant QS emission along solar cycle 23.
Lines formed above 1 MK are dramatically affected by the presence of active
regions, and indeed, no "quiet Sun" region can be defined during periods of
maximum activity. Much of the irradiance variability in lines formed below 1.5
MK is due to a change in the emitting area. For hotter lines, the emitting area
saturates to almost 100% of full solar disk at the maximum of activity, while
simultaneously the emission due to active regions increases by more than an
order of magnitude. We show that structures around active regions, sometimes
referred to as dark halos or dark canopies, are common and discuss their
similarities and differences with coronal holes. In particular, we show how
they are well visible in TR lines, contrary to coronal holes.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables; in press in: Astronomy & Astrophysic
Information literacy education in the UK: reflections on perspectives and practical approaches of curricular integration
This paper has two main aims, to present the current position of information literacy education in UK-based academic institutions and to propose a strategy that ensures the integration of this phenomenon in learning and teaching institutional practices. The first part of the paper offers an insight into the perceptions of information literacy by exploring four distinct perspectives, including the institutional angle and the views associated with faculty staff, library staff and students. What transpires from the findings is that information literacy from an institutional perspective is dominated by the need to measure information skills within the context of information as a discipline in its own right. Another issue that is raised by the data points to a great deal of misinformation regarding information literacy, and that, as a result, a clear marketing strategy must be adopted by information professionals to address the misconceptions held by faculty staff and students alike. We aim to address these points by drawing on recent scholarship and research in the field which demonstrates the validity of information literacy as a process for fostering independent learning. The second part of the paper explains how a Fellowship project has placed information literacy on the pedagogical agenda of the University of Staffordshire in the UK by promoting information literacy education as an integrated element of the curriculum
Modelling solar low-lying cool loops with optically thick radiative losses
We investigate the increase of the DEM (differential emission measure)
towards the chromosphere due to small and cool magnetic loops (height
~Mm, ~K). In a previous paper we analysed the
conditions of existence and stability of these loops through hydrodynamic
simulations, focusing on their dependence on the details of the optically thin
radiative loss function used. In this paper, we extend those hydrodynamic
simulations to verify if this class of loops exists and it is stable when using
an optically thick radiative loss function. We study two cases: constant
background heating and a heating depending on the density. The contribution to
the transition region EUV output of these loops is also calculated and
presented. We find that stable, quasi-static cool loops can be obtained by
using an optically thick radiative loss function and a background heating
depending on the density. The DEMs of these loops, however, fail to reproduce
the observed DEM for temperatures between . We also show the
transient phase of a dynamic loop obtained by considering constant heating rate
and find that its average DEM, interpreted as a set of evolving dynamic loops,
reproduces quite well the observed DEM.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A on Aug 21st 2015. arXiv admin note:
text overlap with arXiv:1112.030
Italy seen through British eyes: a European middle power?
This article analyses the British perceptions of contemporary Italy and Italian politics. Through the use of a number of sources (parliamentary debates, governmental documents, newspaper articles and interviews) it argues that Italy is not perceived, within Great Britain, as a great power within the European system nor it is viewed as a peripheral actor. Rather, it suggests that Italy seems to have finally found in the post-Cold War scenario its proper role–a European middle power, with important responsibilities within a regional sub-system. A frequent request–and expectation–coming from British politics and society is that Italy should take on more international responsibilities, even in the sphere of defence–as the different readings of Italy's role and leadership in Afghanistan and Lebanon reveal. However, Italy's ability to play this role is believed to be hampered by several factors: its uncertain political situation, its unwillingness to engage in military operations, its reluctance to respect international commitments and its structural economic problems. As a result, further possibilities of cooperation with other international partners as well as its potential for autonomous action on the international stage are, in several cases, precluded. Moreover, if the relations between Italy and the UK are usually seen in a positive way, and Italy is viewed as a reliable partner, the nature of the cooperation between the two countries is often considered to be fragile and based on short-term common interests and strategies
Solving Irregular Strip Packing Problems With Free Rotations Using Separation Lines
Solving nesting problems or irregular strip packing problems is to position
polygons in a fixed width and unlimited length strip, obeying polygon integrity
containment constraints and non-overlapping constraints, in order to minimize
the used length of the strip. To ensure non-overlapping, we used separation
lines. A straight line is a separation line if given two polygons, all vertices
of one of the polygons are on one side of the line or on the line, and all
vertices of the other polygon are on the other side of the line or on the line.
Since we are considering free rotations of the polygons and separation lines,
the mathematical model of the studied problem is nonlinear. Therefore, we use
the nonlinear programming solver IPOPT (an algorithm of interior points type),
which is part of COIN-OR. Computational tests were run using established
benchmark instances and the results were compared with the ones obtained with
other methodologies in the literature that use free rotation
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