Learning Experiences in Programming: The Motivating Effect of a Physical Interface

A study of undergraduate students learning to program compared the use of a physical interface with use of a screen-based equivalent interface to obtain insights into what made for an engaging learning experience. Emotions characterized by the HUMAINE scheme were analysed, identifying the links between the emotions experienced during programming and their origin. By capturing the emotional experiences of learners immediately after a programming experience, evidence was collected of the very positive emotions experienced by learners developing a program using a physical interface (Arduino) in comparison with a similar program developed using a screen-based equivalent interface

Learning Dimensions: Lessons from Field Studies

In this paper, we describe work to investigate the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. Background research informed the design of four fieldwork studies involving a range of age groups to explore how programming tasks could best be framed to motivate learners. Our empirical findings from these four studies, described here, contributed to the design of a set of programming "Learning Dimensions" (LDs). The LDs provide educators with insights to support key design decisions for the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. This paper describes the background to the identification of these LDs and how they could address the design and delivery of highly engaging programming learning tasks. A web application has been authored to support educators in the application of the LDs to their lesson design

E-learning Series No. 1: A guide for senior managers

This guide to e-learning for senior managers in universities outlines the context for e-learning and its use in higher education, both nationally and internationally. It identifies potential benefits and addresses the key issues in implementing e-learning successfully, including costs. It also highlights likely future developments

The Very Model of a Modern Engineer: Status, Education, and the Engineering Institute of Canada, 1925-1932

Between 1925 and 1932, the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC)—one of the oldest professional organizations for engineers in Canada—advocated vigorously for the inclusion of cultural and communications courses in university engineering curricula. Motivated by the perceived inferiority of engineering in comparison to the medical and law professions, this effort led to an important reconsideration of the social status and professional identity of engineers. The EIC challenged the self-identification of engineers as technical experts and forced the engineering profession to re-evaluate its pedagogical and public priorities. This paper documents changes in engineering mentalities between 1925 and 1932 and argues that, in these years, Canadian engineers fostered a broader understanding of their role in society.Entre 1925 et 1932, l’Institut canadien des ingénieurs (ICE) — un des plus anciens organismes professionnels des ingénieurs au Canada — promut le renforcement de la formation culturelle et des capacités de communication des étudiants en génie aux universités canadiennes. Stimulée par la perception que les ingénieurs ne gagnaient pas le respect accordé aux médecins et aux avocats, cette initiative lançait une réévaluation du standing social et de l’identité professionnelle des ingénieurs. L’ICE s’interrogeait sur l’identification auto-appropriée des ingénieurs en tant qu’experts techniques et insistait que les ingénieurs reconsidèrent leurs priorités pédagogiques et publiques. Cet article décrit l’évolution de l’image de soi des ingénieurs entre 1925 et 1932 et conclut que les ingénieurs canadiens ont bâti une meilleure compréhension de leur rôle dans la société canadienne

The Inositol- 1,4,5=Trisphosphate System Is Involved in Rapid Effects of Aldosterone in Human Mononuclear Leukocytes

There is increasing evidence for rapid steroid action on electrolyte transport in human mononuclear leukocytes (HML). In HML, aldosterone stimulates the Na+/H+ antiporter within a few minutes. Because a variety of hormones and growth factors activate the Na+/H+ antiporter via protein kinase C and inositol phospholipids, a possible involvement of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) in the rapid effects of aldosterone in HML was investigated. The stimulation of IP3 generation was started by the addition of aldosterone, concanavalin A, or other steroids. A significant increase in IP3 levels by aldosterone (1 nmol/L, P < 0.05) was found after 1 min, similar to that found after concanavalin A (25 micrograms/mL). Aldosterone caused a concentration-dependent elevation of IP3 levels, with an apparent EC50 of approximately 0.1 nmol/L. Fludrocortisone stimulated IP3 generation at similar concentrations, whereas a weaker IP3 stimulation by glucocorticoids (hydrocortisone, dexamethasone) occurred at micromolar concentrations only. Canrenone, a potent inhibitor of classical aldosterone action, was not effective up to a concentration of 100 nmol/L. These findings show kinetic and pharmacological similarities with both the functional data on Na+/H+ antiport stimulation by aldosterone and the studies of 125I-aldosterone binding to plasma membranes of HML. Thus, these data are the first to indicate an involvement of the phosphoinositide pathway in the rapid membrane effects of aldosterone

"New" and distributed leadership in quality and safety in healthcare, or "old" and hierarchical? : An interview study with strategic stakeholders

Peer reviewedPostprin

Between town and country: shifting identity and migrant youth in Uganda

ABSTRACTIn Uganda, as in many other African countries, increasing numbers of 15–24 year olds are migrating to urban areas to look for work and educational opportunities. We explore the shifting sense of identity amongst youth migrants in Uganda as they struggle to reconcile the differences in social norms between the rural settings in which they are brought up and the urban environment in which they now live. The experience of migration significantly impacts on the transition from youths to adults by influencing their perception of their own identity as well as the expectations of society. Young people often hold conflicting views of their rural and urban experiences, suggesting that understanding rural and urban realities as distinct entities does not reflect the complex relationship, and possible confusion, of the migrant experience. In contrast to existing literature on migrant identities, which has tended to focus on the identity shift experienced by adult transnational migrants, this reveals the particular challenges faced by youth migrants whose adult self is not yet formed.</jats:p

The friends and family test : a qualitative study of concerns that influence the willingness of English National Health Service staff to recommend their organisation

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Designing for users: Online informaiton literacy in the Middle East

Librarians from Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) report on an empirical evaluation of the relevance and value of Infoasis (http://www.zu.ac.a /infoasis), a Webbased information literacy tutorial developed and tailored to the Arab student population of the Emirates. After the successful implementation of this project, questions arose about the value of maintaining Infoasis, given the time intensive nature of this activity. Was the tutorial relevant and useful to students? Was it being used by students, and what factors contributed to the engagement (or not) of students with the tutorial? Survey results concluded that students found the tutorial both relevant and useful to their studies and that the design features tailored to the needs of the undergraduate Arab population were effective in ensuring usability. Reasons for poor usage of Infoasis outside the classroom are discussed