Improving instructional effectiveness with computer‐mediated communication

This study explores the use of asynchronous Computer‐Mediated Communication (CMC) in the delivery of instructional content, and points up the interaction among learners, as well as between learners and instructors. The instructional content in the project described was available to learners online as Microsoft Word documents, with email being used for communicating within the student group. Many students, as well as some of the instructors, felt uncomfortable with the flexibility and openness that a CMC environment allowed. However, once familiar with this process of instruction and interaction, learners were able to work consistently at their own pace, and understand that instructors are interested in every individual learner's opinion and in the collective views of the group. It was evident that a CMC‐based instructional delivery system, when carefully planned, has the potential to facilitate that outcome, and to improve instructional effectiveness

Formalising the multidimensional nature of social networks

Individuals interact with conspecifics in a number of behavioural contexts or dimensions. Here, we formalise this by considering a social network between n individuals interacting in b behavioural dimensions as a nxnxb multidimensional object. In addition, we propose that the topology of this object is driven by individual needs to reduce uncertainty about the outcomes of interactions in one or more dimension. The proposal grounds social network dynamics and evolution in individual selection processes and allows us to define the uncertainty of the social network as the joint entropy of its constituent interaction networks. In support of these propositions we use simulations and natural 'knock-outs' in a free-ranging baboon troop to show (i) that such an object can display a small-world state and (ii) that, as predicted, changes in interactions after social perturbations lead to a more certain social network, in which the outcomes of interactions are easier for members to predict. This new formalisation of social networks provides a framework within which to predict network dynamics and evolution under the assumption that it is driven by individuals seeking to reduce the uncertainty of their social environment.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Limits on non-local correlations from the structure of the local state space

The outcomes of measurements on entangled quantum systems can be nonlocally correlated. However, while it is easy to write down toy theories allowing arbitrary nonlocal correlations, those allowed in quantum mechanics are limited. Quantum correlations cannot, for example, violate a principle known as macroscopic locality, which implies that they cannot violate Tsirelson's bound. This work shows that there is a connection between the strength of nonlocal correlations in a physical theory, and the structure of the state spaces of individual systems. This is illustrated by a family of models in which local state spaces are regular polygons, where a natural analogue of a maximally entangled state of two systems exists. We characterize the nonlocal correlations obtainable from such states. The family allows us to study the transition between classical, quantum, and super-quantum correlations, by varying only the local state space. We show that the strength of nonlocal correlations - in particular whether the maximally entangled state violates Tsirelson's bound or not - depends crucially on a simple geometric property of the local state space, known as strong self-duality. This result is seen to be a special case of a general theorem, which states that a broad class of entangled states in probabilistic theories - including, by extension, all bipartite classical and quantum states - cannot violate macroscopic locality. Finally, our results show that there exist models which are locally almost indistinguishable from quantum mechanics, but can nevertheless generate maximally nonlocal correlations.Comment: 26 pages, 4 figures. v2: Document structure changed. Main theorem has been extended. It applies to all quantum states now. v3: new abstrac

Factors enabling a successful transition to boarding school for Australian Aboriginal students

Boarding school has been and continues to be an important stage in the educational experiences of many Aboriginal people living in remote communities in Northern Territory, Australia. The experience of moving away from family, land and community presents many challenges for students moving to boarding school and managing the dramatic transition between two vastly different cultures. This study focused on identifying the factors that help students successfully transition from a remote community to boarding school. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to investigate and analyse the experiences of Aboriginal students at a regional boarding school in the Northern Territory. Critical race theory was used as a theoretical lens throughout the study design, data collection, analysis and discussion. Quantitative enrolment data from 108 boarding students was analysed to identify aspects that correlated with a successful transition to boarding school. These findings were incorporated into two focus group discussions and one semi structured interview with students from a boarding school in Darwin, Northern Territory. The qualitative data was thematically analysed to draw themes and sub themes for further discussion. The findings indicate that the transition from small, remote communities is highly challenging. In particular the impact of being away from family and community led to feelings of homesickness and a loss of cultural knowledge and connection to land. Students recognise in the need to return to country, family and community to maintain cultural connections which questions the often assumed benefits of boarding school. Both the quantitative and qualitative data indicate that parents, family and community members provide important mechanisms of support and ensure a successful transition. In particular family support helps students to deal with homesickness, provide encouragement and help maintain a connection to culture. This thesis, provides an important addition to an emerging area of research about the important transition from Aboriginal communities to boarding school. The study focused on the experiences of students at one school in the Northern Territory and records and presents student voices and experiences undertaking the transition to boarding school. Hearing more student voices will enable all of us to gain a clearer appreciation of the impact of transitioning to boarding school for young Aboriginal people, and what can be done to improve it

Food aid for market development in Sub-Saharan Africa

"Food aid remains significant for food availability in many low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, helping to reduce the gap between food consumption needs and supply from domestic production and inventories and commercial imports. Food aid remains a contentious subject, however, and there have been many recent pleas for more effective use of the resource. This study explores how food aid might be used for domestic food market development to facilitate poverty alleviation and economic growth. There are obvious risks to using food aid for market development, just as there have been in using food aid to try to stimulate agricultural development. Because food aid necessarily expands local food supply, it needs to be well targeted if adverse producer price effects are to be avoided. In particular, if food aid can be targeted so as to relieve short-term working capital and transport capacity constraints to the development of downstream processing and distribution capacity in recipient country food marketing channels, for example by helping build farmer cooperative groups, then food aid could have salutary effects on sub-Saharan African agriculture." Authors' Abstract

A field survey on the indoor environmental quality of the UK primary school classroom

The indoor environmental quality (thermal, visual, acoustic and air quality) of the primary school classroom has an impact on pupils' learning and wellbeing. A field study, conducted on random days from 2012 to 2013, was carried out in 203 classrooms from 30 primary schools in 3 areas within the UK. Physical parameters were measured at the site: illuminance, air temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration and noise level. It was inferred that: 30.9% classrooms did not meet the proposed standards limiting the level of CO2 levels; light levels were found to be notably low (less than 500lux) because the pedagogy was reliant on smart boards; high noise levels (between 40 to 80dBA) were caused mainly from the adjacent activity areas to the classroom. Based on the findings, practical suggestions are proposed to maximise the environmental benefit to the pupil