Disabling myth or writing for the world: the secondary schools language project in the Eastern Province, South Africa

The majority of learners in South African schools are black, and they learn through English as a second language (L2). This contrasts with white students who learn through their first language (L1), English or Afrikaans. Most black students in South Africa are multilingual, and new developments in the curriculum promise to value this achievement. Even now, young black students display considerable competence in their written English when they use electronic links to communicate with fellow students and adults worldwide. Computers motivate students as writers and language learners. One of the many disabling myths that threatens to impede progress towards equity in educational outcomes in South Africa is the myth that teachers of writing in historically black schools will wait a very long time for the technologies of word processing and e-mail to be available to them. In the Eastern Province many schools have no telephones or electricity. The ANC Government is struggling to meet basic needs quickly and computers could then be used to promote equity among learners. In this study, students had only limited access to keyboard and e-mail facilities, yet the enthusiasm and concentration computers generated meant that they could leapfrog many hours of classroom instruction

Exploiting the potential of large databases of electronic health records for research using rapid search algorithms and an intuitive query interface.

Objective: UK primary care databases, which contain diagnostic, demographic and prescribing information for millions of patients geographically representative of the UK, represent a significant resource for health services and clinical research. They can be used to identify patients with a specified disease or condition (phenotyping) and to investigate patterns of diagnosis and symptoms. Currently, extracting such information manually is time-consuming and requires considerable expertise. In order to exploit more fully the potential of these large and complex databases, our interdisciplinary team developed generic methods allowing access to different types of user. Materials and methods: Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink database, we have developed an online user-focused system (TrialViz), which enables users interactively to select suitable medical general practices based on two criteria: suitability of the patient base for the intended study (phenotyping) and measures of data quality. Results: An end-to-end system, underpinned by an innovative search algorithm, allows the user to extract information in near real-time via an intuitive query interface and to explore this information using interactive visualization tools. A usability evaluation of this system produced positive results. Discussion: We present the challenges and results in the development of TrialViz and our plans for its extension for wider applications of clinical research. Conclusions: Our fast search algorithms and simple query algorithms represent a significant advance for users of clinical research databases

Limits on the small scale structure of the diffuse cosmic X-rays

Autocorrelation functions for diffuse cosmic X ray

Supporting induction: relationships count

This article examines the structural changes to the induction of teachers in Scotland using the perceptions of a group of final year student teachers. This group would be the first probationer teachers to experience revised arrangements for new teacher induction in 37 years. Their preferences and concerns are highlighted, as the new procedures roll out in schools nationwide, in an attempt to stress the importance of relationships to the success of the induction scheme. The argument put forward in this article is based on the notion that personal intelligence is central to effective relationships and therefore crucially important in the context of this mentoring relationship. The views of our sample provide evidence to suggest that the quality of interactions between the mentor and the probationer teacher are paramount in providing a good induction experience. These views are substantiated by experiences in England and in induction literature elsewhere. A synthesis of this evidence is used to make recommendations for those involved in supporting induction in schools, local authorities or teacher education institutions

Distribution of the Galactic Bulge emission at |b|>2deg according to the RXTE Galactic Center scans

We present an analysis of the Galactic bulge emission observed by the RXTE/PCA during a set of scans over the Galactic Center field, performed in 1999-2001. The total exposure time of these observations is close to 700 ksec. We construct the distribution of Galactic ridge emission intensity and spectral parameters up to Galactic latitudes b=-10deg;+9deg. We show that the intensity distribution of the ridge emission at |b|>2deg could be well described by an exponential model with e-folding width b_0~ 3.3deg. Best-fit spectral parameters do not show statistically significant changes over Galactic latitudeComment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Resolving the Galactic X-ray background

We use Chandra deep observations of the Galactic Center (GC) region to improve the constraints on the unresolved fraction of the Galactic X-ray background (also known as the Galactic ridge X-ray emission). We emphasize the importance of correcting the measured source counts at low fluxes for bias associated with Poisson noise. We find that at distances of 2'-4' from Sgr A* at least ~40% of the total X-ray emission in the energy band 4-8 keV originates from point sources with luminosities L(2-10 keV)> 10^{31} erg/sec. From a comparison of the source number-flux function in the GC region with the known luminosity function of faint X-ray sources in the Solar vicinity, we infer that Chandra has already resolved a large fraction of the cumulative contribution of cataclysmic variables to the total X-ray flux from the GC region. This comparison further indicates that most of the yet unresolved ~60% of the X-ray flux from the GC region is likely produced by weak cataclysmic variables and coronally active stars with L(2-10 keV)<10^{31} erg/sec. We conclude that the bulk of the Galactic X-ray background is produced by discrete sources.Comment: Submitted to A&

HS 2237+8154 : on the onset of mass transfer or entering the period gap?

We report follow-up observations of a new white dwarf/red dwarf binary HS 2237+8154, identified as a blue variable star from the Hamburg Quasar Survey. Ellipsoidal modulation observed in the R band as well as the radial velocity variations measured from time-resolved spectroscopy determine the orbital period to be Porb = 178.10 +- 0.08 min. The optical spectrum of HS 2237+8154 is well described by a combination of a Teff = 11500 +- 1500 K white dwarf (assuming log g = 8) and a dM 3.5 +- 0.5 secondary star. The distance implied from the flux scaling factors of both stellar components is d = 105 +- 25 pc. Combining the constraints obtained from the radial velocity of the secondary and from the ellipsoidal modulation, we derive a binary inclination of i = 50-70 and stellar masses of and Mwd = 0.47-0.67 M and Msec = 0.2-0.4 M. All observations imply that the secondary star must be nearly Roche-lobe filling. Consequently, HS 2237+8154 may be either a pre-cataclysmic variable close to the start of mass transfer, or - considering its orbital period - a cataclysmic variable that terminated mass transfer and entered the period gap, or a hibernating nova

What makes a good induction supporter?

The Teacher Induction Scheme, introduced in 2002, marked the first major change to new teacher induction in Scotland in 37 years. This paper gives an outline of these changes set against developments in mentoring theory in the wider context. It argues that the personal qualities of the induction supporter are crucial to developing an effective mentoring relationship. The views of student teachers are used to describe preferred characteristics of effective mentors and effective induction provision. A person specification is created by the comments of the "Class of 2002" — the first probationer teachers to have taken part in the Scheme

Click-Enter-Send: The Relationship Experiences of People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired in Text-Based Workspaces

Companies have increasingly turned to text-based communications to recruit, hire, and manage a distributed remote workforce. For people who are blind or visually impaired, this movement presents both challenges and opportunities for attaining and retaining employment. Does the potential isolation of telework have a negative effect on workplace relationships for people who are blind or visually impaired? Does participation in text-based workspaces mitigate stereotypes and stigmatization experienced by people with visible disabilities? Using a constructivist grounded theory framework, this study explored how people who are blind or visually impaired experience relationships in text-based workspaces. Building and maintaining social connections and networks is critical for employment success, so understanding the factors at play in text-based workplace communications is key. Interviews with 18 blind or visually impaired professionals revealed a number of ways individuals connected with colleagues, cultivated professional identity, and built extended networks. This happened despite challenges from technologies and organizational processes that failed to account for employees who are visually impaired. This investigation resulted in the development of an emergent theory and a model that can advance policies and practices for employers and for employment training and support programs. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu/) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu/)