Methodological developments in phenomenography : investing using information to learn in the discipline classroom

This paper discusses methodological developments in phenomenography that make it apropos for the study of teaching and learning to use information in educational environments. Phenomenography is typically used to analyze interview data to determine different ways of experiencing a phenomenon. There is an established tradition of phenomenographic research in the study of information literacy (ex: Bruce, 1997; 2008; Lupton, 2008; Webber, Boon, & Johnston, 2005). Drawing from the large body of evidence complied in two decades of research, phenomenographers developed variation theory, which explains what a learner can feasibly learn from a classroom lesson based on how the phenomenon being studied is presented (Marton, Runesson, & Tsui, 2004). Variation theory’s ability to establish the critical conditions necessary for learning to occur has resulted in the use of phenomenographic methods to study classroom interactions by collecting and analyzing naturalistic data through observation, as well as interviews concerning teachers’ intentions and students’ different experiences of classroom lessons. Describing the methodological developments of phenomenography in relation to understanding the classroom experience, this paper discusses the potential benefits and challenges of utilizing such methods to research the experiences of teaching and learning to use information in discipline-focused classrooms. The application of phenomenographic methodology for this purpose is exemplified with an ongoing study that explores how students learned to use information in an undergraduate language and gender course (Maybee, Bruce, Lupton, & Rebmann, in press). This paper suggests that by providing a nuanced understanding of what is intended for students to learn about using information, and relating that to what transpires in the classroom and how students experience these lessons, phenomenography and variation theory offer a viable framework for further understanding and improving how students are taught, and learn to use information.

Street computing : towards an integrated open data Application Programming Interface (API) for cities

This special issue of the Journal of Urban Technology brings together five articles that are based on presentations given at the Street Computing Workshop held on 24 November 2009 in Melbourne in conjunction with the Australian Computer- Human Interaction conference (OZCHI 2009). Our own article introduces the Street Computing vision and explores the potential, challenges, and foundations of this research trajectory. In order to do so, we first look at the currently available sources of information and discuss their link to existing research efforts. Section 2 then introduces the notion of Street Computing and our research approach in more detail. Section 3 looks beyond the core concept itself and summarizes related work in this field of interest. We conclude by introducing the papers that have been contributed to this special issue.

Cetuximab plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (FLEX) : an open-label randomised phase III trial

Background: Use of cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), has the potential to increase survival in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. We therefore compared chemotherapy plus cetuximab with chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced EGFR-positive non-small-cell lung cancer. Methods: In a multinational, multicentre, open-label, phase III trial, chemotherapy-naive patients (≥18 years) with advanced EGFR-expressing histologically or cytologically proven stage wet IIIB or stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to chemotherapy plus cetuximab or just chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was cisplatin 80 mg/m 2 intravenous infusion on day 1, and vinorelbine 25 mg/m 2 intravenous infusion on days 1 and 8 of every 3-week cycle) for up to six cycles. Cetuximab-at a starting dose of 400 mg/m 2 intravenous infusion over 2 h on day 1, and from day 8 onwards at 250 mg/m 2 over 1 h per week-was continued after the end of chemotherapy until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity had occurred. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Analysis was by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00148798. Findings: Between October, 2004, and January, 2006, 1125 patients were randomly assigned to chemotherapy plus cetuximab (n=557) or chemotherapy alone (n=568). Patients given chemotherapy plus cetuximab survived longer than those in the chemotherapy-alone group (median 11·3 months vs 10·1 months; hazard ratio for death 0·871 [95% CI 0·762-0·996]; p=0·044). The main cetuximab-related adverse event was acne-like rash (57 [10%] of 548, grade 3). Interpretation: Addition of cetuximab to platinum-based chemotherapy represents a new treatment option for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Funding: Merck KGaA. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How to Facilitate Open Disclosure Simulations

Open Disclosure comprises two main components: Clinician Disclosure (CD), an informal process usually conducted by the treating clinician; and Formal Open Disclosure (FOD), a more structured process led by a senior clinician trained as an Open Disclosure Consultant. Training programs for both CD and FOD incorporate interactive role-play based scenarios called ‘simulations’. This section of the Open Disclosure Training Program Handbook provides guidelines and resources for facilitating the simulation components of both Clinician Disclosure and Open Disclosure Consultant training.

Facebook, telecollaboration, and international access to technology in the classroom

This study uses the well-known social networking site, Facebook (FB), for a study of differences in perceptions on the use of technologies in the classroom around the world. This study is part of a larger project exploring telecollaboration and the use of online discussions between graduate students in an online masters program based in Australia and students in the graduate education program at a regional university in Greece. Postings reveal more similarities between the situations and perceptions of the participants from the different countries than differences. Most participants indicated that while they and their students had access in general to computers and the internet, they did not necessarily have this access in the classroom. Even when technologies were available in schools, participants identified a critical need for professional development to increase teachers’ use of ICT. These findings are relevant to educators and policy development in terms of implementation of ICT or social networking in the language classroom.

μAV - Design and implementation of an open source micro quadrotor

This paper presents the design of μAV, a palm size open source micro quadrotor constructed on a single Printed Circuit Board. The aim of the micro quadrotor is to provide a lightweight (approximately 86g) and cheap robotic research platform that can be used for a range of robotic applications. One possible application could be a cheap test bed for robotic swarm research. The goal of this paper is to give an overview of the design and capabilities of the micro quadrotor. The micro quadrotor is complete with a 9 Degree of Freedom Inertial Measurement Unit, a Gumstix Overo® Computer-On-Module which can run the widely used Robot Operating System (ROS) for use with other research algorithms.

Magnetic convection heat transfer in an open-ended enclosure filled with paramagnetic fluids

Numerical simulations of thermomagnetic convection of paramagnetic fluids placed in a micro-gravity condition (g ≈ 0) and under a uniform vertical gradient magnetic field in an open ended square enclosure with ramp heating temperature condition applied on a vertical wall is investigated in this study. In presence of the strong magnetic gradient field thermal convection of the paramagnetic fluid might take place even in a zero-gravity environment as a direct consequence of temperature differences occurring within the fluid. The thermal boundary layer develops adjacent to the hot wall as soon as the ramp temperature condition is applied on it. There are two scenarios can be observed based on the ramp heating time. The steady state of the thermal boundary layer can be reached before the ramp time is finished or vice versa. If the ramp time is larger than the quasi-steady time then the thermal boundary layer is in a quasi-steady mode with convection balancing conduction after the quasi-steady time. Further increase of the heat input simply accelerates the flow to maintain the proper thermal balance. Finally, the boundary layer becomes completely steady state when the ramp time is finished. Effects of magnetic Rayleigh number, Prandtl number and paramagnetic fluid parameter on the flow pattern and heat transfer are presented.

Discomfort glare in open plan green buildings

This study presents the largest-known, investigation on discomfort glare with 493 surveys collected from five green buildings in Brisbane, Australia. The study was conducted on full-time employees, working under their everyday lighting conditions, all of whom had no affiliation with the research institution. The survey consisted of a specially tailored questionnaire to assess potential factors relating to discomfort glare. Luminance maps extracted from high dynamic range (HDR) images were used to capture the luminous environment of the occupants. Occupants who experienced glare on their monitor and/or electric glare were excluded from analysis leaving 419 available surveys. Occupants were more sensitive to glare than any of the tested indices accounted for. A new index, the UGP was developed to take into account the scope of results in the investigation. The index is based on a linear transformation of the UGR to calculate a probability of disturbed persons. However all glare indices had some correlation to discomfort, and statistically there was no difference between the DGI, UGR and CGI. The UGP broadly reflects the demographics of the working population in Australia and the new index is applicable to open plan green buildings.

A short-term production scheduling methodology for open-pit mines

A multi-resource multi-stage scheduling methodology is developed to solve short-term open-pit mine production scheduling problems as a generic multi-resource multi-stage scheduling problem. It is modelled using essential characteristics of short-term mining production operations such as drilling, sampling, blasting and excavating under the capacity constraints of mining equipment at each processing stage. Based on an extended disjunctive graph model, a shifting-bottleneck-procedure algorithm is enhanced and applied to obtain feasible short-term open-pit mine production schedules and near-optimal solutions. The proposed methodology and its solution quality are verified and validated using a real mining case study.

"What's the problem?" One teacher's response to conflict in an early childhood classroom

Scholars in Context: Prospects and Transitions is an edited collection of papers from Face to Face, the 1996 University of Queensland Graduate School of Education Postgraduate Conference. It presents current research undertaken in one of Australia's largest and leading centres for postgraduate research in education. The book is divided into three sections: classrooms through different lenses, in which a variety of classroom related issues are addressed through a range of frameworks; the big picture: global issues, which provides national and international perspectives on policy and cultural issues in a range of education sectors; and framing the individual: perspectives and insights, which includes different strands of research into individuals' development in the context of families and schools. Scholars in Context: Prospects and Transitions demonstrates how current researchers maintain a commitment to innovation and rigour, despite the current uncertainties that bedevil higher education. The work presented here makes a significant contribution to many fields of education research. The range of issues this collection addresses, the variety of theoretical and analytical perspectives adopted, and the scholarship evidenced in each contribution, make this text a valuable compendium of very recent work in education research.

The serious and playful work of gender : talk and social order in a preschool classroom

This chapter reports some observations made of the social interactions of girls and boys, aged 3 to 5 years, in play situations in a preschool classroom of a childcare centre. It provides an alternate framework for early childhood educators to become aware of how preschool children construct their gendered social organizations. As girls and boys organise and build their social worlds of play through their talk-in-interaction, they are building their social orders. In this chapter, an analysis of one episode of children's play has, as its focus , the methods that some girls and boys use in their talk and activity to make sense of their everyday interactions. The analysis of play shows the children's real life work of constructing and maintaining gendered social orders in their lived everyday social worlds. A close reading of the transcript of an episode illustrates how two girls turn they boys' masculine practices o ritualized threats into performance. By so doing, they show that while they know masculine discourse, and can perform it themselves, they do not actually 'own' it in the same way that the boys do. In this way, gender is established not as a social density but as a shaped dynamic practice that is ongoing, build by relational encounters and shaped by the collective performances of the participants.

Knowledge unlatched : encouraging innovation in academic publishing through collective action and Open Access licensing

This case study examines the way in which Knowledge Unlatched is combining collective action and open access licenses to encourage innovation in markets for specialist academic books. Knowledge Unlatched is a not for profit organisation that has been established to help a global community of libraries coordinate their book purchasing activities more effectively and, in so doing, to ensure that books librarians select for their own collections become available for free for anyone in the world to read. The Knowledge Unlatched model is an attempt to re-coordinate a market in order to facilitate a transition to digitally appropriate publishing models that include open access. It offers librarians an opportunity to facilitate the open access publication of books that their own readers would value access to. It provides publishers with a stable income stream on titles selected by libraries, as well as an ability to continue selling books to a wider market on their own terms. Knowledge Unlatched provides a rich case study for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding how innovations in procurement practices can be used to stimulate more effective, equitable markets for socially valuable products.