Teaching and learning family and consumer sciences through K-W-L charts

While much of the control and many of the activities found in today’s classrooms have been placed in the hands of the learners and learning has become inquiry-based, there remains a need for teachers to use teaching tools that would facilitate this student-centered teaching process. This article identifies the K-W-L Chart as one such tool and follows a case study of four Kuwaiti ‘Family and Consumer Sciences’ teaching / learning events to evaluate their ability to enhance the learning outcomes of eight students. The research was designed from a qualitative, multi-tiered design approach and was assessed through a constant comparative method of data analysis of interview responses, classroom observations and worksheet-assessments. The results showed that the use of K-W-L Charts influenced the teachers and learners toward a more inquiry-based approach and facilitated a more student-centered and collaborative learning environment, raising the level of interest and the amount of personal input given by the students.

Heteroscedastic probabilistic linear discriminant analysis for manifold learning in video-based face recognition

To recognize faces in video, face appearances have been widely modeled as piece-wise local linear models which linearly approximate the smooth yet non-linear low dimensional face appearance manifolds. The choice of representations of the local models is crucial. Most of the existing methods learn each local model individually meaning that they only anticipate variations within each class. In this work, we propose to represent local models as Gaussian distributions which are learned simultaneously using the heteroscedastic probabilistic linear discriminant analysis (PLDA). Each gallery video is therefore represented as a collection of such distributions. With the PLDA, not only the within-class variations are estimated during the training, the separability between classes is also maximized leading to an improved discrimination. The heteroscedastic PLDA itself is adapted from the standard PLDA to approximate face appearance manifolds more accurately. Instead of assuming a single global within-class covariance, the heteroscedastic PLDA learns different within-class covariances specific to each local model. In the recognition phase, a probe video is matched against gallery samples through the fusion of point-to-model distances. Experiments on the Honda and MoBo datasets have shown the merit of the proposed method which achieves better performance than the state-of-the-art technique.

Improving opportunity recognition and business performance in small and medium manufacturing enterprises through design innovation programs

Increasing awareness of the benefits of stimulating entrepreneurial behaviour in small and medium enterprises has fostered strong interest in innovation programs. Recently many western countries have invested in design innovation for better firm performance. This research presents some early findings from a study of companies that participated in a holistic approach to design innovation, where the outcomes include better business performance and better market positioning in global markets. Preliminary findings from in-depth semi-structured interviews indicate the importance of firm openness to new ways of working and to developing new processes of strategic entrepreneurship. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

How the environment affects opportunity recognition by entrepreneurs at the bottom of the pyramid

There is an army of bottom of the pyramid entrepreneurs (BOPE) who have the potential to transform developing economies, if they can identify and exploit business opportunities. BOPE could have unidentified resources that could lead to the recognition of radical new opportunities. This study paper asks how environmental factors and identification of resources affect Opportunity Recognition by BOP entrepreneurs in developing economies. To investigate this research question we conduct a literature review and plan semi-structured interviews of existing and nascent entrepreneurs in the largest and arguably the poorest country in Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this paper we review the context of BOPE and describe the methodology we will use to gather and analyse data. Finally, we describe our access to suitable respondents for this study and how it will be conducted.

I-vector based speaker recognition using advanced channel compensation techniques

This paper investigates advanced channel compensation techniques for the purpose of improving i-vector speaker verification performance in the presence of high intersession variability using the NIST 2008 and 2010 SRE corpora. The performance of four channel compensation techniques: (a) weighted maximum margin criterion (WMMC), (b) source-normalized WMMC (SN-WMMC), (c) weighted linear discriminant analysis (WLDA), and; (d) source-normalized WLDA (SN-WLDA) have been investigated. We show that, by extracting the discriminatory information between pairs of speakers as well as capturing the source variation information in the development i-vector space, the SN-WLDA based cosine similarity scoring (CSS) i-vector system is shown to provide over 20% improvement in EER for NIST 2008 interview and microphone verification and over 10% improvement in EER for NIST 2008 telephone verification, when compared to SN-LDA based CSS i-vector system. Further, score-level fusion techniques are analyzed to combine the best channel compensation approaches, to provide over 8% improvement in DCF over the best single approach, (SN-WLDA), for NIST 2008 interview/ telephone enrolment-verification condition. Finally, we demonstrate that the improvements found in the context of CSS also generalize to state-of-the-art GPLDA with up to 14% relative improvement in EER for NIST SRE 2010 interview and microphone verification and over 7% relative improvement in EER for NIST SRE 2010 telephone verification.

Escalation of conflict in large private family businesses

This study investigates escalation of intra-familial conflicts in family top management teams. Using a Critical Incident Technique approach, this study uses interviews to collect data from 23 family and non-family individuals and groups within six large-scale privately-held family businesses in Indonesia. The study develops a theoretical model to explain why family business conflicts escalate and become destructive. An inductive content analysis found that the use of a dominating strategy by both parties in dealing with conflict, the expression of negative emotions, and the involvement of non-family employees are more likely to cause escalation. This study contributes to the theory of family business conflict to help family business more satisfying and productive.

The family participation in child care project : educator views

The capacity of educators to work in partnership with families is considered to be a hallmark of quality practice in education and care. The rationale is that ‘children thrive when families and educators work together in partnership to support young children’s learning’ (DEEWR 2009, p. 9).To support genuine partnerships, the Brisbane South Professional Support Network (PSN) is leading a collaborative project, with the Health and Community Services Workforce Council and Queensland University of Technology (QUT), known as the ‘Family Participation in ECEC project’. The overarching aim of the project is to investigate different perspectives of family partnership in ECEC, with a focus on information sharing, information seeking and family participation,to build educator capacity to establish and maintain genuine partnerships with families. Maintaining a practical focus, and linking to the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (Quality Area 6), the study findings offer insight into the different ways that diverse families and educators may view and experience partnership, and as such provide a sound basis for critical reflection, professional learning and improved practice.

Embedding graphic organisers in the teaching and learning of family and consumer sciences (home economics) in Kuwait

Educational reforms currently being enacted in Kuwaiti Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) in response to contemporary demands for increased student-centred teaching and learning are challenging for FCS teachers due to their limited experience with student-centred learning tools such as Graphic Organisers (GOs). To adopt these reforms, Kuwaiti teachers require a better understanding of and competency in promoting cognitive learning processes that will maximise student-centred learning approaches. This study followed the experiences of four Grade 6 FCS Kuwaiti teachers as they undertook a Professional Development (PD) program specifically designed to advance their understanding of the use of GOs and then as they implemented what they had learned in their Grade 6 FCS classroom. The PD program developed for this study was informed by Nasseh.s competency PD model as well as Piaget and Ausubel.s cognitive theories. This model enabled an assessment and evaluation of the development of the teachers. competencies as an outcome of the PD program in terms of the adoption of GOs, in particular, and their capacity to use GOs to engage students in personalised, in-depth, learning through critical thinking and understanding. The research revealed that the PD program was influential in reforming the teachers. learning, understanding of and competency in, cognitive and visual theories of learning, so that they facilitated student-centred teaching and learning processes that enabled students to adopt and adapt GOs in constructivist learning. The implementation of five GOs - Flow Chart, Concept Maps, K-W-L Chart, Fishbone Diagram and Venn Diagram - as learning tools in classrooms was investigated to find if changes in pedagogical approach for supporting conceptual learning through cognitive information processing would reduce the cognitive work load of students and produce better learning approaches. The study as evidenced by the participant teachers. responses and classroom observations, showed a marked increase in student interest, participation, critical thought, problem solving skills, as a result of using GOs, compared to using traditional teaching and learning methods. A theoretical model was developed from the study based on the premise that teachers. knowledge of the subject, pedagogy and student learning precede the implementation of student-centred learning reform, that it plays an important role in the implementation of student-centred learning and that it brings about a change in teaching practice. The model affirmed that observed change in teaching-practice included aspects of teachers. beliefs, as well as confidence and effect on workplace and on student learning, including engagement, understanding, critical thinking and problem solving. The model assumed that change in teaching practice is inseparable from teachers. lifelong PD needs related to knowledge, understanding, skills and competency. These findings produced a set of preliminary guidelines for establishing student-centred constructivist strategies in Kuwaiti education while retaining Kuwait.s cultural uniqueness.

Do we need to use an accountant? The sales growth and survival benefits to family SMEs

This article explores the relationship between the usage of an external accountant and family firm sales growth and survival. Using a longitudinal panel of Australian small and medium sized family enterprises, we find that external accountants have a positive impact on sales growth and survival. We also find that the degree to which the accountant is acquainted with the family and the firm’s needs, which we term as embeddedness, moderates these positive outcomes. Furthermore, we find that appropriate strategic planning processes are necessary to maximize the sales growth benefit; however, these processes are not necessary to gain the survival benefit.

Advice to consult a general medical practitioner in Western Australia : Could it be cancer?

Background: Many people will consult a medical practitioner about lower bowel symptoms, and the demand for access to general practitioners (GPs) is growing. We do not know if people recognise the symptoms of lower bowel cancer when advising others about the need to consult a doctor. A structured vignette survey was conducted in Western Australia. Method: Participants were recruited from the waiting rooms at five general practices. Respondents were invited to complete self-administered questionnaires containing nine vignettes chosen at random from a pool of 64 based on six clinical variables. Twenty-seven vignettes described high-risk bowel cancer scenarios. Respondents were asked if they would recommend a medical consultation for the case described and whether they believed the scenario was a cancer presentation. Logistic regression was used to estimate the independent effects of each variable on the respondent's judgement. Two-hundred and sixty-eight completed responses were collected over eight weeks. Results: The majority (61%) of respondents were female, aged 40 years and older. A history of rectal bleeding, six weeks of symptoms, and weight loss independently increased the odds of recommending a consultation with a medical practitioner by a factor of 7.64, 4.11 and 1.86, respectively. Most cases that were identified as cancer (75.2%) would not be classified as such on current research evidence. Factors that predict recognition of cancer presentations include rectal bleeding, weight loss and diarrhoea.

The nature of intra-familial conflict in large-scale privately-held family businesses in Indonesia

This thesis is a qualitative study aimed at better capturing the complexity of conflict in family businesses. An inductive content analysis revealed two important issues: the dynamics of intergenerational conflicts and the escalation process of conflicts. The results demonstrated that conflicts are more likely to be intergenerational than intra-generational due to the role of senior members in daily business operations, generational differences, and a perception gap that exist between generations concerning each other’s competencies in doing the business. Furthermore, the set of factors contributing to conflict escalation is related to how family members handle the conflict, how they manage their emotions, and how they are able to avoid non-family employee involvement. These findings provide a foundation for taking preventative actions, implementing strategies for managing conflicts or devising effective solutions for resolving conflicts before they become more destructive.

A longitudinal study of grieving in family caregivers of people with dementia

A longitudinal study of grieving in family caregivers of people with dementia Recent research into dementia has identified the long term impact that the role of care giving for a relative with dementia has on family members This is largely due to the cognitive decline that characterises dementia and the losses that can be directly attributed to this. These losses include loss of memories, relationships and intimacy, and are often ambiguous so that the grief that accompanies them is commonly not recognised or acknowledged. The role and impact of pre-death or anticipatory grief has not previously been widely considered as a factor influencing health and well-being of family caregivers. Studies of grief in caregivers of a relative with dementia have concluded that grief is one of the greatest barriers to care giving and is a primary determinant of caregiver well-being. The accumulation of losses, in conjunction with experiences unique to dementia care giving, place family caregivers at risk of complicated grief. This occurs when integration of the death does not take place following bereavement and has been associated with a range of negative health outcomes. The aim of this research was to determine the influence of grief, in addition to other factors representing both positive and negative aspects of the role, on the health related quality of life of family caregivers of people with dementia, prior to and following the death of their relative with dementia. An exploratory research project underpinned by a conceptual framework of caregivers’ adaptation in the context of subjective appraisal of the strains and gains in their role was undertaken. The research comprised three studies. Study 1 was a scoping study that involved a series of semi-structured interviews with thirteen participants who were family caregivers of people with severe dementia or whose relative with dementia had died in the previous twelve months. The results of this study in conjunction with factors identified in the literature informed data collection for the further studies. Study 2 was a cross sectional survey of fifty caregivers recruited when their relative was in the moderate to severe stage of dementia. This study provided the baseline data for Study 3, a prospective cohort follow up study. Study 3 consisted of seventeen participants followed up at two time points after the death of their relative with dementia: six weeks and then six months following the death of the relative with dementia. The scoping study indicated that differences in appraisal of the care giving role and encounters with health professionals were related to levels of grief of caregivers prior to and following the death of the relative with dementia. This was supported in the baseline and follow up studies. In the baseline study, after adjusting for all variables in multivariate regression models, subjective appraisal of burden was found to make a significant contribution (p<.05) to mental health related quality of life. The two dependent variables, anticipatory grief and mental health related quality of life, were significantly (p<.01) correlated at a bivariate level. In the follow up study, linear mixed modelling and multiple regression analysis of data found that subjective appraisal of burden and resilience were significantly associated (p<.05 and p<.01, respectively) with mental health related quality of life over time. In addition, bereavement and complicated grief were significantly associated (p<.05) with mental health following the death of the relative. In this study social support and satisfaction with end of life care were found to be statistically associated (p<.05) with physical health related quality of life over time. The strong relationship between grief of caregivers and their health related quality of life over the entire care giving trajectory and period following the death of their relative highlights the urgent need for further research and interventions in this area. Overall results indicate that addressing the risk and protective factors including subjective appraisal of their care giving role, resilience, social support and satisfaction with end of life care of their relative, has the potential to both ameliorate negative health outcomes and to promote improved health for these caregivers. This research provides important information for development of targeted and appropriate interventions that aim to promote resilience and reduce the personal burden on caregivers of people with dementia.

Insect odour perception: recognition of odour components by flower foraging moths

Odours emitted by flowers are complex blends of volatile compounds. These odours are learnt by flower-visiting insect species, improving their recognition of rewarding flowers and thus foraging efficiency. We investigated the flexibility of floral odour learning by testing whether adult moths recognize single compounds common to flowers on which they forage. Dual choice preference tests on Helicoverpa armigera moths allowed free flying moths to forage on one of three flower species; Argyranthemum frutescens (federation daisy), Cajanus cajan (pigeonpea) or Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). Results showed that, (i) a benzenoid (phenylacetaldehyde) and a monoterpene (linalool) were subsequently recognized after visits to flowers that emitted these volatile constituents, (ii) in a preference test, other monoterpenes in the flowers' odour did not affect the moths' ability to recognize the monoterpene linalool and (iii) relative preferences for two volatiles changed after foraging experience on a single flower species that emitted both volatiles. The importance of using free flying insects and real flowers to understand the mechanisms involved in floral odour learning in nature are discussed in the context of our findings.

Regulating bereavement : inquests, family pressure and the gate keeping of suicide statistics

This study of English Coronial practice raises a number of questions, not only regarding state investigations of suicide, but also of the role of the Coroner itself. Following observations at over 20 inquests into possible suicides, and in-depth interviews with six Coroners, three main issue emerged: first, there exists considerable slippage between different Coroners over which deaths are likely to be classified as suicide; second, the high standard of proof required, and immense pressure faced by Coroners from family members at inquest to reach any verdict other than suicide, can significantly depress likely suicide rates; and finally, Coroners feel no professional obligation, either individually or collectively, to contribute to the production of consistent and useful social data regarding suicide—arguably rendering comparative suicide statistics relatively worthless. These issues lead, ultimately, to a more important question about the role we expect Coroners to play within social governance, and within an effective, contemporary democracy.

Vision-based place recognition : how low can you go?

In this paper we use the algorithm SeqSLAM to address the question, how little and what quality of visual information is needed to localize along a familiar route? We conduct a comprehensive investigation of place recognition performance on seven datasets while varying image resolution (primarily 1 to 512 pixel images), pixel bit depth, field of view, motion blur, image compression and matching sequence length. Results confirm that place recognition using single images or short image sequences is poor, but improves to match or exceed current benchmarks as the matching sequence length increases. We then present place recognition results from two experiments where low-quality imagery is directly caused by sensor limitations; in one, place recognition is achieved along an unlit mountain road by using noisy, long-exposure blurred images, and in the other, two single pixel light sensors are used to localize in an indoor environment. We also show failure modes caused by pose variance and sequence aliasing, and discuss ways in which they may be overcome. By showing how place recognition along a route is feasible even with severely degraded image sequences, we hope to provoke a re-examination of how we develop and test future localization and mapping systems.