Social presence online: networking learners at a distance

This paper draws on two studies which researched the use of online small group environments where collaborative learning is a central structure for learning. The establishment of social presence is facilitated through the socio-affective aspect of small group interaction which contributed to the effectiveness of learning online. Social presence, the ability of online learners to project themselves into a textual environment which has few visual or contextual cues, will be explored as an important element in facilitating effective online learning. The teacher's role in helping students project their online social presence and in establishing an environment for learning within the larger group computer conference will also be discussed.

Spatial model for predicting the presence of cinnamon fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in sclerophyll vegetation communities in south-eastern Australia

The pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi causes extensive 'dieback' of Australian native vegetation. This study investigated the distribution of infection in an area of significant sclerophyll vegetation in Australia. It aimed to determine the relationship of infection to site variables and to develop a predictive model of infection. Site variables recorded at 50 study sites included aspect, slope, altitude, proximity to road and road characteristics, soil profile characteristics and vegetation attributes. Soil and plant tissues were assayed for the presence of the pathogen. A geographical information systyem (GIS) was employed to provide accurate estimations of spatial variables and develop a predictive model for the distribution of P. cinnamomi. The pathogen was isolated from 76% of the study sites. Of the 17 site variables initially investigated during the study a logistic regression model identified only two, elevation and sun-index, as significant in determining the probability of infection. The presence of P. cinnamomi infection was negatively associated with elevation and positively associated with sun-index. The model predicted that up to 74% of the study area (11 875 ha) had a high probability of being affected by P. cinnamomi. However, the present areas of infection were small, providing an opportunity for management to minimize spread into highly susceptible uninvaded areas.

The presence of an-other: the prescience of racism in post-modern times

In this paper, I explore conversations with teachers and parents at one Melbourne secondary school, as the modern definition of identity,defined at the end of the 1980s, took on the fluidity of post-modern definition a decade later. Even as identification seemed contingent and negotiated, and difference seemed to disappear, teachers and parents continued to understand their identity in relation to the ambivalent definition of others. This became increasingly frightening as notions of otherness, and therefore of self, became increasingly fluid and unclear. That which seemed other and outside, now appears as part-of-us and inside-us-all. Even as descriptions of difference, and thereforeidentity, become more fluid, conceptions of otherness – and therefore – self, do not disappear. Prescient manifestations of exclusion and racism are contiguous with, yet in juxtaposition to, older forms.

Presence and properties of cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes of the gecarcinid land crabs Gecarcoidea natalis and Discoplax hirtipes.

Digestive juice from the herbivorous gecarcinid land crabs Gecarcoidea natalis and Discoplax hirtipes exhibited total cellulase activity and activities of two cellulase enzymes; endo-ß-1,4-glucanase and ß-1,4-glucosidase. These enzymes hydrolysed native cellulose to glucose. The digestive juice of both species also contained laminarinase, licheninase and xylanase, which hydrolysed laminarin, lichenin and xylan, respectively, to component sugars. The pH optima of ß-1,4-glucosidase, endo-ß-1,4-glucanase and total cellulase from G. natalis were 4–5.5, 5.5 and 5.5–7, respectively. In the digestive juice from D. hirtipes, the corresponding values were 4–7, 5.5–7 and 4–9, respectively. The pH of the digestive juice was 6.69±0.03 for G. natalis and 6.03±0.04 for D. hirtipes and it is likely that the cellulases operate near maximally in vivo. In G. natalis, total cellulase activity and endo-ß-1,4-glucanase activity were higher than in D. hirtipes, and the former species can thus hydrolyse cellulose more rapidly. ß-1,4-glucosidase from G. natalis was inhibited less by glucono-D-lactone (Ki=11.12 mmol l-1) than was the ß-1,4-glucosidase from D. hirtipes (Ki=4.53 mmol l-1). The greater resistance to inhibition by the ß-1,4-glucosidase from G. natalis may contribute to the efficiency of the cellulase system in vivo by counteracting the effects of product inhibition and possibly dietary tannins. The activity of ß-1,4-glucosidase in the digestive juice of D. hirtipes was higher than that of G. natalis.

The phenomenon of presence within contemporary nursing practice: A literature review

Nursing practice underpinned by humanistic values may promote presence experiences within nurse-patient interactions. These interactions are powerful and beneficial both to nurse and patient. However, the phenomenon of presence is surrounded by competing and confused definitions. Whilst presence is arguably a core aspect of nursing practice, current health care environments significantly influence nurses' opportunities to experience presence.

Service failure and recovery in the presence of service guarantees

This paper presents a conceptual model and propositions outlining how, in a service recovery encounter, service guarantees (unconditional and specific) operate in conjunction with other organisational recovery variables (guarantee facilitation and service provider concern), to influence customers’ justice perceptions and subsequent satisfaction evaluations.

Parallel I/O scheduling in the presence of data duplication on multiprogrammed cluster computing systems

The widespread adoption of cluster computing as a high performance computing platform has seen the growth of data intensive scientific, engineering and commercial applications such as digital libraries, climate modeling, computational chemistry, computational fluid dynamics and image repositories. However, I/O subsystem performance has not been keeping pace with processor and memory performance, and is fast becoming the dominant factor in overall system performance.  Thus, parallel I/O has become a necessity in the face of performance improvements in other areas of computing systems. This paper addresses the problem of parallel I/O scheduling on cluster computing systems in the presence of data replication.  We propose two new I/O scheduling algorithms and evaluate the relative performance of the proposed policies against two existing approaches.  Simulation results show that the proposed policies perform substantially better than the baseline policies.

Family member presence during resuscitation in the emergency department: an Australian perspective

Objective: The practice of family member presence during resuscitation in the ED has attracted widespread attention over the last few decades. Despite the recommendations of international organizations, clinical staff remain reluctant to engage in this practice in many EDs. This paper separates the evidence from opinion to determine the current state of knowledge about this practice.

Methods: A search strategy was developed and used to locate research based publications, which were subsequently reviewed for the strength of evidence providing the basis for recommendations.

Results: The literature was examined to reveal what patients and their family members want; the outcomes of family presence during resuscitation for patients and their family members; staff views and practices regarding family presence during resuscitation. Findings suggest that providing the opportunity to be with their critically ill family member is both important to and beneficial for families, however, disparity in staff views has been identified as a major obstacle to family presence during resuscitation. Examination of published guidelines and staff practices described in the literature revealed consistent elements.

Conclusion: Although critics point to the lack of rigour in this body of literature, the current state of knowledge suggests merit in pursuing future research to examine and measure effects of family member presence during resuscitation on patients, family members and healthcare providers.

Moving from a web presence to e-commerce : the importance of a business-web strategy for small-business owners

More than half of small businesses in Australia (57%) use a website to promote their business. Having an effective website is an important step for small business owners moving towards e-commerce. The research suggests that once a business has a clear online strategy through a website they are more likely to move to e-commerce. While many small business owners have a business strategy, it is often the case that this strategy does not include their Web presence. This paper describes the results of interviews with small business owners and assessment of their websites. We identify elements that are important for small business owners developing a business-Web strategy. The research indicates that many owners see their websites as little more than an advertising medium and few are ready for the move to e-commerce. Identifying the level of maturity of a small business owner's business-Web strategy however can help us understand how prepared a small business owner is to move to e-commerce.

Teaching presence in computer conferencing : lessons from the United States and Australia

This paper uses the category of teaching presence as a framework to analyze and compare teaching presence in two computer conference contexts. Teaching presence is defined as the design, facilitation, and direction of cognitive and social processes. This paper is based on an interview designed to capture reflections about teaching practices of two instructors, one from the United States and the other from Australia. We first present individual case studies of the two computer conference contexts, followed by conclusions and implications for research and practice.

'Cum together' : spectatorship, presence and La Fura Baus' XXX

Based on the Marquis De Sade's novel, Philosophy in the Bedroom, XXX, a controversial work by the Spanish Performance group La Fura Dels, has divided critics and audiences in Europe and Australia. On the one hand, the performance has been chastised for its lack of intellectual coherence and tedium. On the other hand, it has been lauded as a piece of innovative theatre that addresses the audience's senses through a variety of theatrical and multi-media devices in order to challenge their preconceptions about the connections between sex and politics in contemporary culture. Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Stephen Dunne asks "Why is this so desperately-naughty show so dull to watch?"

This paper challenges Dunne's assessment of the performance by examining the relationship between the performers and spectators in terms of what Susan Melrose calls theatre's specular and somatic economies in order to analyse the specific ways in which XXX simultaneously challenges and confounds traditional notions of theatrical spectatorship.

Somatic encounters: affect, presence and value in aesthetic practice

Reproduced with the specific permission of the copyright owner.