The importance of power dynamics in the development of asynchronous online learning communities

This research explored how a more student-directed learning design can support the creation of togetherness and belonging in a community of distance learners in formal higher education. Postgraduate students in a New Zealand School of Education experienced two different learning tasks as part of their online distance learning studies. The tasks centered around two online asynchronous discussions each for the same period of time and with the same group of students, but following two different learning design principles. All messages were analyzed using a twostep analysis process, content analysis and social network analysis. Although the findings showed a balance of power between the tutor and the students in the first high e-moderated activity, a better pattern of group interaction and community feeling was found in the low e-moderated activity. The paper will discuss the findings in terms of the implications for learning design and the role of the tutor.

Group or individual tinnitus therapy:what matters to participants?

Objective: To explore the 'active ingredient' of tinnitus therapy groups. Study design: The design was an inductive qualitative study informed by grounded theory. Eight participants, four from a tinnitus group and four from individual therapy with similar content, were invited to discuss their experiences of tinnitus therapy. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a constant comparative approach. Results: The findings revealed that group experiences facilitate information exchange and social comparison, which facilitates coping. Conclusions: The human dynamics of groups may have an additional therapeutic benefit. © 2011 Informa Healthcare.

UK and US board director perceptions of the significance of gender and racial diversity on board governance

This mixed-methods study examines the perceptions and opinions of United Kingdom FTSE 350, and US Fortune 500 board of director members regarding the significance of gender and racial diversity on board governance. Perceptions were gathered from eighty-two directors using self-reported surveys and semi-structured interviews. This thesis provides: (1) an opportunity to investigate the perceptions (opinions) of directors regarding the effects of board gender and racial diversity on new board appointments and on the dynamics of board decision making (2) an opportunity to investigate the perception (opinions) of directors regarding the effects of social capital, new board appointments and the dynamics of board decision making, and (3) an opportunity to investigate comparatively the differences between UK and US director perceptions regarding the effects of board gender and racial diversity on new board appointments and board decision making. My findings indicate that directors believe that expertise and experience are by far the most important attributes when decisions on the selection of new directors are being considered. While US directors report observing tangible benefits to gender and racial diversity, for their firms, as well as a willingness to consider diversity as an attribute in the selection process; most UK directors were strongly opposed to positive discrimination measures.1 A majority of directors do not believe that their own demographic characteristics, such as race or gender were attributes to their being selected to a board position; however white males perceive that these attributes were considered attributes to the appointment of diverse directors. Moreover, in the United Kingdom, male directors reported that they may be at a disadvantage for board selection when compared to their female counterparts, hence advocating for a selection process with minimal considerations of the demographic characteristics of new directors. Directors do not seem to consider diverse social capital of directors when making board appointments. Instead, US directors were more likely to be assisted in board appointments by their having similar social capital, and UK directors indicated that they only consider director expertise, and that expertise is considered to ensure a broad mix of skills and professional experience on the board.

Structure of the Unit Group of FD10

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 16U60, 20C05.

Dynamics of cholesteric liquid crystals in the presence of a random magnetic field:stochastic dynamics of cholesteric liquid crystal

Based on dynamic renormalization group techniques, this letter analyzes the effects of external stochastic perturbations on the dynamical properties of cholesteric liquid crystals, studied in presence of a random magnetic field. Our analysis quantifies the nature of the temperature dependence of the dynamics; the results also highlight a hitherto unexplored regime in cholesteric liquid crystal dynamics. We show that stochastic fluctuations drive the system to a second-ordered Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition point, eventually leading to a Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality class. The results go beyond quasi-first order mean-field theories, and provides the first theoretical understanding of a KPZ phase in distorted nematic liquid crystal dynamics.

Control of the in-cavity dynamics in mode-locked fibre lasers

At the level of fundamental research, fibre lasers provide convenient and reproducible experimental settings for the study of a variety of nonlinear dynamical processes, while at the applied research level, pulses with different and optimised features – e.g., in terms of pulse duration, temporal and/or spectral intensity profile, energy, repetition rate and emission bandwidth – are sought with the general constraint of developing efficient cavity architectures. In this talk, we review our recent progress on the realisation of different regimes of pulse generation in passively mode-locked fibre lasers through control of the in-cavity propagation dynamics. We report on the possibility to achieve both parabolic self-similar and triangular pulse shaping in a mode-locked fibre laser via adjustment of the net normal dispersion and integrated gain of the cavity [1]. We also show that careful control of the gain/loss parameters of a net-normal dispersion laser cavity provides the means of achieving switching among Gaussian pulse, dissipative soliton and similariton pulse solutions in the cavity [2,3]. Furthermore, we report on our recent theoretical and experimental studies of pulse shaping by inclusion of an amplitude and phase spectral filter into the cavity of a laser. We numerically demonstrate that a mode-locked fibre laser can operate in dif- ferent pulse-generation regimes, including parabolic, flattop and triangular waveform generations, depending on the amplitude profile of the in-cavity spectral filter [4]. An application of technique using a flat-top spectral filter is demonstrated to achieve the direct generation of sinc-shaped optical Nyquist pulses of high quality and of a widely tuneable bandwidth from the laser [5]. We also report on a recently-developed versa- tile erbium-doped fibre laser, in which conventional soliton, dispersion-managed soli- ton (stretched-pulse) and dissipative soliton mode-locking regimes can be selectively and reliably targeted by programming different group-velocity dispersion profiles and bandwidths on an in-cavity programmable filter [6]. References: 1. S. Boscolo and S. K. Turitsyn, Phys. Rev. A 85, 043811 (2012). 2. J. Peng et al., Phys. Rev. A 86, 033808 (2012). 3. J. Peng, Opt. Express 24, 3046-3054 (2016). 4. S. Boscolo, C. Finot, H. Karakuzu, and P. Petropoulos, Opt. Lett. 39, 438-441 (2014). 5. S. Boscolo, C. Finot, and S. K. Turitsyn, IEEE Photon. J. 7, 7802008 (2015). 6. J. Peng and S. Boscolo, Sci. Rep. 6, 25995 (2016).

Fish population dynamics in a seasonally varying wetland

Small fishes in seasonally flooded environments such as the Everglades are capable of spreading into newly flooded areas and building up substantial biomass. Passive drift cannot account for the rapidity of observed population expansions. To test the ‘reaction–diffusion’ mechanism for spread of the fish, we estimated their diffusion coefficient and applied a reaction–diffusion model. This mechanism was also too weak to account for the spatial dynamics. Two other hypotheses were tested through modeling. The first—the ‘refuge mechanism’—hypothesizes that small remnant populations of small fishes survive the dry season in small permanent bodies of water (refugia), sites where the water level is otherwise below the surface. The second mechanism, which we call the ‘dynamic ideal free distribution mechanism’ is that consumption by the fish creates a prey density gradient and that fish taxis along this gradient can lead to rapid population expansion in space. We examined the two alternatives and concluded that although refugia may play an important role in recolonization by the fish population during reflooding, only the second, taxis in the direction of the flooding front, seems capable of matching empirical observations. This study has important implications for management of wetlands, as fish biomass is an essential support of higher trophic levels.

Peru’s Shining Path: Recent Dynamics and Future Prospects

Although soundly defeated in the early to mid-1990s, Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) did not disappear. Over the past five years, it has reemerged in a substantially different form, with both a military and a political component. The organization, once again coordinated by jailed leader Abimael Guzmán Reynoso, has eschewed shorter-term military objectives in favor of a longer-term strategy of slowly rebuilding popular support and establishing a party within the Peruvian political system. In so doing, it has also moved from extreme Maoist ideological rigidity to a more pragmatic, though perhaps only tactical, approach. Financial support is derived once again from cocaine production and trafficking in the Upper Huallaga Valley (UHV). Although there may be some individual exceptions, Shining Path is not a narcoterrorist organization. At the same time, Sendero is still very small, in no way a threat to the Peruvian state, and divided. The Lima-based political organization and the military wing in the UHV continue to follow Guzmán‟s leadership, while the Apurímac-Ene Valleys (VRAE) group remains committed to the armed struggle. The Government of Peru (GOP) response to date, both military and civilian, has been inadequate. VRAE military operations are hampered by poor leadership, ill-trained troops, and an outdated strategy. VRAE development resources have been cut, and the long-promised paved road remains in the planning stage. Without significant GOP adjustments, Shining Path is likely to continue to grow.

Singing About Expected Behaviors for Group Instruction

The proposed study will be displayed on a poster board that contains the research methods and results due to the use of music intervention with students with ASD.

Five times daily: the dynamics of prayer worship among Muslim immigrants in St. John's, NL

This thesis explores the ritual of prayer among Muslim immigrants in the city of St. John's, NL. Immigration across national, cultural, religious, and ethnic borders is a moment in an individual's life marked by significant change. My premise is that in such contexts the relatively conservative nature of religious ritual can supply much-needed continuity, comfort, and consolation for individuals living through the immigrant experience. As well, ritual forms are often put under stress when transferred to a considerably different place and cultural context, where “facts on the ground” may be obstacles to traditional and familiar ritual forms. Changes to the understanding or practice of ritual are common in new cultural and geographic situations, and ritual itself often becomes not merely a means of social identification and cohesion, but a practical tool in processing change - in the context of immigration, in learning to live in a new community. St. John's is a lively and historic city and while Muslim immigrants may be a small group within it they nevertheless contribute to the city's energy and atmosphere. This thesis endeavours to better understand the life stories of ten of these newcomers to St. John's, focusing on their religious backgrounds and lives. In particular, this thesis seeks to better understand the place of prayer in the immigrant experience.

Weak coupling of acoustic-like phonons and magnon dynamics in incommensurate spin ladder compound Sr14Cu24O41

Intriguing lattice dynamics has been predicted for aperiodic crystals that contain incommensurate substructures. Here we report inelastic neutron scattering measurements of phonon and magnon dispersions in Sr14Cu24O41, which contains incommensurate one-dimensional (1D) chain and two-dimensional (2D) ladder substructures. Two distinct acoustic phonon-like modes, corresponding to the sliding motion of one sublattice against the other, are observed for atomic motions polarized along the incommensurate axis. In the long wavelength limit, it is found that the sliding mode shows a remarkably small energy gap of 1.7-1.9 meV, indicating very weak interactions between the two incommensurate sublattices. The measurements also reveal a gapped and steep linear magnon dispersion of the ladder sublattice. The high group velocity of this magnon branch and weak coupling with acoustic phonons can explain the large magnon thermal conductivity in Sr14Cu24O41 crystals. In addition, the magnon specific heat is determined from the measured total specific heat and phonon density of states, and exhibits a Schottky anomaly due to gapped magnon modes of the spin chains. These findings offer new insights into the phonon and magnon dynamics and thermal transport properties of incommensurate magnetic crystals that contain low-dimensional substructures.

Polymer Fluid Dynamics: Continuum and Molecular Appoaches

To solve problems in polymer fluid dynamics, one needs the equation of continuity, motion, and energy. The last two equations contain the stress tensor and the heat-flux vector for the material. There are two ways to formulate the stress tensor: (1) one can write a continuum expression for the stress tensor in terms of kinematic tensors, or (2) one can select a molecular model that represents the polymer molecule, and then develop an expression for the stress tensor from kinetic theory. The advantage of the kinetic theory approach is that one gets information about the relation between the molecular structure of the polymers and the rheological properties. In this review, we restrict the discussion primarily to the simplest stress tensor expressions or “constitutive equations” containing from two to four adjustable parameters, although we do indicate how these formulations may be extended to give more complicated expressions. We also explore how these simplest expressions are recovered as special cases of a more general framework, the Oldroyd 8-constant model. The virtue of studying the simplest models is that we can discover some general notions as to which types of empiricisms or which types of molecular models seem to be worth investigating further. We also explore equivalences between continuum and molecular approaches. We restrict the discussion to several types of simple flows, such as shearing flows and extensional flows. These are the flows that are of greatest importance in industrial operations. Furthermore, if these simple flows cannot be well described by continuum or molecular models, then it is not necessary to lavish time and energy to apply them to more complex flow problems.

The dynamics of neutrino-driven supernova explosions after shock revival in 2D and 3D

We study the growth of the explosion energy after shock revival in neutrino-driven explosions in two and three dimensions (2D/3D) using multi-group neutrino hydrodynamics simulations of an 11.2 M⊙ star. The 3D model shows a faster and steadier growth of the explosion energy and already shows signs of subsiding accretion after one second. By contrast, the growth of the explosion energy in 2D is unsteady, and accretion lasts for several seconds as confirmed by additional long-time simulations of stars of similar masses. Appreciable explosion energies can still be reached, albeit at the expense of rather high neutron star masses. In 2D, the binding energy at the gain radius is larger because the strong excitation of downward-propagating g modes removes energy from the freshly accreted material in the downflows. Consequently, the mass outflow rate is considerably lower in 2D than in 3D. This is only partially compensated by additional heating by outward-propagating acoustic waves in 2D. Moreover, the mass outflow rate in 2D is reduced because much of the neutrino energy deposition occurs in downflows or bubbles confined by secondary shocks without driving outflows. Episodic constriction of outflows and vertical mixing of colder shocked material and hot, neutrino-heated ejecta due to Rayleigh–Taylor instability further hamper the growth of the explosion energy in 2D. Further simulations will be necessary to determine whether these effects are generic over a wider range of supernova progenitors.

Northern Ireland Policing Board Confidence in Policing Research: Key Drivers of Confidence

In January 2014, the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) commissioned the University of Ulster to conduct research into public confidence in policing to help inform the work of the Board and its oversight of police service delivery. More specifically, the research team were tasked with exploring ‘the key drivers of confidence in Northern Ireland’. To date, the subject of ‘confidence in policing’ within a Northern Ireland context has been relatively under researched, both in academic and policy terms. Thus, the present research is the first empirical research to be produced in the country to empirically assess confidence in policing from a cross section of society – including the key dynamics and drivers that underpin police confidence at a community level.

The report begins with a comprehensive review of academic literature, policy documents and contemporary events related to confidence in policing. The research then provides an overview of the methodology used to undertake the research, with the remainder of the report comprised of the findings from the survey. The report concludes with an overview of the central findings along with a series of recommendations.