Supporting organizational change: Fostering a more flexible approach to course delivery

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) adopted a flexible delivery policy in 1996. The main objective of the policy was to develop a more student‐centred approach to teaching and learning, since QUTs student population is predominantly part‐time, ‘mature age’, already in employment, and very diverse in cultural and academic background For many staff, the policy was threatening: staff were uncertain where they might begin to adapt their traditional face‐to‐face teaching approaches to overcome the limitations associated with time and place, and they were fearful that their teaching role and academic expertise might be superseded by a technological alternative. They lacked confidence to incorporate appropriate and relevant technologies in an innovative and effective way to support student learning objectives. This paper focuses on the implementation of QUTs policy. It highlights the role of a central services department, Teaching and Learning Support Services (TALSS), in providing training and fostering cultural change across the university. The implementation was guided by a model of flexible education and a set of principles underpinning a ‘whole of organization approach to flexible delivery. Strategies for supporting innovators, sharing experience across disciplines, co‐ordinating and focusing the support of educational developers, and embedding staff development processes are outlined The success and limitations of the organizational change strategy are summarized as ‘lessons learned’ to inform ongoing institutional policy and procedures

Promoviendo la profesión académica australiana

In a context of the casualisation of the workforce, increased technology-mediated teaching, and higher research expectations, the authors explored the changing nature of Australian academic service – that is, service to the university, the community and the profession/discipline. As one element of promotion in universities, academic Service in the higher education sector is ill defined, and poorly described in comparison to the Research and Teaching elements of an academic’s role. While the authors saw some evidence of Australian universities paying greater attention to the ‘Service’ Domain, there remains inconsistent and ambiguous documentation and guidance provided by universities about this Domain. From their review of promotion documentation of 24 percent of Australian universities, the authors identified four key elements which universities could provide to assist academics to develop their promotion applications with respect to their service achievements: descriptions of expected practices in each area of service, and at each academic level; details of evidence that can be used to demonstrate the practices and their impact; case studies which demonstrate the practices, evidence and impact expected at each academic level in the Service Domain; and a definition of Service. As academic work is dramatically altered in consequence of a global epidemic, it is critical to identify specific practical steps institutions can take to assist staff to advance in their careers.En un contexto de informalización de la fuerza laboral, aumento de la enseñanza mediada por la tecnología y mayores expectativas de investigación, los autores exploraron la naturaleza cambiante del servicio académico australiano, es decir, el servicio a la universidad, la comunidad y la profesión o disciplina. Dado que es un elemento de promoción en las universidades, el servicio académico en el sector de la educación superior está mal definido y pobremente descrito en comparación con los aspectos de investigación y docencia en el quehacer de un académico. Si bien los autores observaron evidencia de que las universidades australianas prestan mayor atención al dominio del "servicio", las universidades siguen otorgando protocolos y orientaciones poco consistentes y ambiguas sobre este dominio. Basándose en su revisión de los documentos de respaldo de promoción del 24 por ciento de las universidades australianas, los autores identificaron cuatro elementos clave que las universidades podrían proporcionar para ayudar a los académicos a desarrollar sus postulaciones de promoción con respecto a sus logros de servicio: descripciones de las prácticas esperadas en cada área de servicio, y para cada nivel académico; detalles de evidencia que puedan usarse para demostrar las prácticas y su impacto; estudios de caso que demuestren las prácticas, la evidencia y el impacto esperado en cada nivel académico en el dominio del servicio; y una definición de servicio. Como el trabajo académico se ha visto alterado dramáticamente como consecuencia de una epidemia mundial, es fundamental identificar los pasos prácticos específicos que las instituciones pueden tomar para ayudar al personal a avanzar en sus carreras

DECISIVE Test Methods Handbook: Test Methods for Evaluating sUAS in Subterranean and Constrained Indoor Environments, Version 1.1

This handbook outlines all test methods developed under the Development and Execution of Comprehensive and Integrated Subterranean Intelligent Vehicle Evaluations (DECISIVE) project by the University of Massachusetts Lowell for evaluating small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) performance in subterranean and constrained indoor environments, spanning communications, field readiness, interface, obstacle avoidance, navigation, mapping, autonomy, trust, and situation awareness. For sUAS deployment in subterranean and constrained indoor environments, this puts forth two assumptions about applicable sUAS to be evaluated using these test methods: (1) able to operate without access to GPS signal, and (2) width from prop top to prop tip does not exceed 91 cm (36 in) wide (i.e., can physically fit through a typical doorway, although successful navigation through is not guaranteed). All test methods are specified using a common format: Purpose, Summary of Test Method, Apparatus and Artifacts, Equipment, Metrics, Procedure, and Example Data. All test methods are designed to be run in real-world environments (e.g., MOUT sites) or using fabricated apparatuses (e.g., test bays built from wood, or contained inside of one or more shipping containers).Comment: Approved for public release: PAO #PR2022_4705

DECISIVE Benchmarking Data Report: sUAS Performance Results from Phase I

This report reviews all results derived from performance benchmarking conducted during Phase I of the Development and Execution of Comprehensive and Integrated Subterranean Intelligent Vehicle Evaluations (DECISIVE) project by the University of Massachusetts Lowell, using the test methods specified in the DECISIVE Test Methods Handbook v1.1 for evaluating small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) performance in subterranean and constrained indoor environments, spanning communications, field readiness, interface, obstacle avoidance, navigation, mapping, autonomy, trust, and situation awareness. Using those 20 test methods, over 230 tests were conducted across 8 sUAS platforms: Cleo Robotics Dronut X1P (P = prototype), FLIR Black Hornet PRS, Flyability Elios 2 GOV, Lumenier Nighthawk V3, Parrot ANAFI USA GOV, Skydio X2D, Teal Golden Eagle, and Vantage Robotics Vesper. Best in class criteria is specified for each applicable test method and the sUAS that match this criteria are named for each test method, including a high-level executive summary of their performance.Comment: Approved for public release: PAO #PR2023_74172; arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2211.0180

Visual short-term memory impairments in presymptomatic familial Alzheimer's disease: A longitudinal observational study.

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) deficits including VSTM binding have been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from preclinical to dementia stages, cross-sectionally. Yet, longitudinal investigations are lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate VSTM function longitudinally and in relation to expected symptom onset in a cohort of familial Alzheimer's disease. Ninety-nine individuals (23 presymptomatic; 9 symptomatic and 67 controls) were included in an extension cross-sectional study and a sub-sample of 48 (23 presymptomatic carriers, 6 symptomatic and 19 controls), attending two to five visits with a median interval of 1.3 years, included in the longitudinal study. Participants completed the "What was where?" relational binding task (which measures memory for object identification, localisation and object-location binding under different conditions of memory load and delay), neuropsychology assessments and genetic testing. Compared to controls, presymptomatic carriers within 8.5 years of estimated symptom onset showed a faster rate of decline in localisation performance in long-delay conditions (4s) and in traditional neuropsychology measures of verbal episodic memory. This study represents the first longitudinal VSTM investigation and shows that changes in memory resolution may be sensitive to tracking cognitive decline in preclinical AD at least as early as changes in the more traditional verbal episodic memory tasks

The impact of learning technologies on workload

Over the past decade, most Australian universities have moved increasingly towards online course delivery for both undergraduate and graduate programs. In many cases, online teaching is becoming part of routine teaching loads. Yet detailed and accurate workload data are not readily available

Out of hours: final report of the project e-teaching leadership: planning and implementing a benefits-oriented costs model for technology enhanced learning

Over the past decade, most Australian universities have moved increasingly towards online course delivery for both undergraduate and graduate programs. In almost all cases, online teaching is part of routine teaching loads. Yet detailed and accurate financial and workload data are not readily available. As a result, institutional policies are often guided more by untested assumptions about reduction of costs per student unit, rather than being evidence-based and teacher-focused, with the result that implementation of new technologies for online teaching intended to reduce costs per student 'unit' results in a 'black hole' of additional expense