Should I stay or should I go?: Rural and remote students in first year university stem courses

Research on the achievement of rural and remote students in science and mathematics is located within a context of falling levels of participation in physical science and mathematics courses in Australian schools, and underrepresentation of rural students in higher education. International studies such as the Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA), have reported lower levels of mathematical and scientific literacy in Australian students from rural and remote schools (Thomson et al, 2011). The SiMERR national survey of science, mathematics and ICT education in rural and regional Australia (Lyons et al, 2006) identified factors affecting student achievement in rural and remote schools. Many of the issues faced by rural and remote students in their schools are likely to have implications on their university enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. For example, rural and remote students are less likely to attend university in general than their city counterparts and higher university attrition rates have been reported for remote students nationally. This paper examines the responses of a sample of rural/remote Australian first year STEM students at Australian universities to two questions. These related to their intentions to complete the course; and whether -and if so, why- they had ever considered withdrawing from their course. Results indicated that rural students who were still in their course by the end of first year were no more or less likely to consider withdrawing than were their peers from more populous centres. However, almost 20% of the rural cohort had considered withdrawing at some stage in their course, and their explanations provide insights into the reasoning of those who may not persist with their courses at university. These results, in the context of the greater attrition rate of remote students from university, point to the need to identify factors that positively impact on rural and remote students’ interest and achievement in science and mathematics. It also highlights a need for future research into the particular issues remote students may face in deciding whether or not to do science at the two key transition points of senior school and university/TAFE studies, and whether or not to persist in their tertiary studies. This paper is positioned at the intersection of two problems in Australian education. The first is a context of falling levels of participation in physical science and mathematics courses in Australian universities. The second is persistent inequitable access to, and retention in, tertiary education for students from rural and remote areas. Despite considerable research attention to both of these areas over recent years these problems have thus far proved to be intractable. This paper therefore aims to briefly review the relevant Australian literature pertaining to these issues; that is, declining STEM enrolments, and the underrepresentation and retention of rural/remote students in higher education. Given the related problems in these two overlapping domains, we then explore the views of first year rural students enrolled in courses, in relation to their intentions of withdrawing (or not) and the associated reasons for their views.

Inventing the Future: Intellectual Property and 3D Printing

A new technology – 3D printing – has the potential to make radical changes to aspects of the way in which we live. Put simply, it allows people to download designs and turn them into physical objects by laying down successive layers of material. Replacements or parts for household objects such as toys, utensils and gadgets could become available at the press of a button. With this innovation, however, comes the need to consider impacts on a wide range of forms of intellectual property, as Dr Matthew Rimmer explains. 3D Printing is the latest in a long line of disruptive technologies – including photocopiers, cassette recorders, MP3 players, personal computers, peer to peer networks, and wikis – which have challenged intellectual property laws, policies, practices, and norms. As The Economist has observed, ‘Tinkerers with machines that turn binary digits into molecules are pioneering a whole new way of making things—one that could well rewrite the rules of manufacturing in much the same way as the PC trashed the traditional world of computing.’

Coaching knowledge, learning and mentoring in the Australian Football League

Understanding the work of Senior and Assistant Coaches in the AFL is important to better develop the next generation of performance coaches. Hence the focus of this research was to examine the knowledge, competences and learning of senior and assistant coaches in the Australian Football League. Specifically, the research sought to understand the ways in which Senior and Assistant Coaches in the AFL have come to know their “craft” with the particular aim of enhancing future coaching practice. Performance coaching is generally regarded as a cognitive activity and therefore “getting inside the heads” of AFL coaches will assist in our understanding of the complex coaching work in which they are engaged. In-depth interviews provided coaches an opportunity to reflect on their practices and how they learned their craft. Fundamental to this research was an understanding that the AFL and each club within the league be regarded as learning organizations and workplaces where learning takes place. Moreover the process of mentoring is regarded as a central learning process and a significant factor contributing to improved professional coaching practice. This applied research aims to inform coach development in Australian football, the annual review process (quality of performance) of employed coaches, and the recruitment of coaches in the AFL. Improving the quality of coaching in the AFL will, in turn, improve the performance of the players and teams, and subsequently enhance the continued development and sustainability of the game.

"Oma entinen on palannut takaisin elämään" : Kuntoutuksen vaikuttavuus aikuisena kuuroutuneiden henkilöiden elämänhallintaan ja psykososiaaliseen hyvinvointiin

Objective The objective of this study was to learn about the psychosocial well-being and life management of Finnish adults with late deafness or hearing loss and to observe the effectiveness of the rehabilitation courses they participated in. Methods For my study I used indicators which were suitable for the evaluation of life management and psychosocial well-being of late-deafened adults. The first part of the study was conducted during 2009 as a questionnaire on three rehabilitation courses in Kopola, a course center of the Finnish Federation of Hard of Hearing. The follow-up study was done at the third period of the courses during 2009 2010. The questionnaire contained both open and structured questions. The questionnaire consisted of five areas concerning life management and psychosocial well-being: sense of coherence (life management), human relations and social support, mood, self-esteem and satisfaction with life. I also asked the participants to reflect on their experiences of group rehabilitation. Results and conclusions The participants consisted of seven women and three men. They were approximately 63 years old and were all retired. Loss of hearing was described to have affected their social life, free time, and in general made their lives more difficult. From the course the participants hoped to gain new skills such as signed speech and lip-reading, uplift their mood, accept their loss of hearing and experience peer support. After the courses they replied that they had more close relations with whom they also were a little more in contact with. More participants were satisfied with e.g. their ability to take care of themselves, their free time, financial situation, family life, mental resources and physical shape. Majority of the participants showed symptoms of depression when the courses started, but at the end of the courses these signs had moderated or disappeared for most of them. The participants felt that during the rehabilitation they had been heard, respected, accepted and been taken care of. The course provided the possibility for confiding, and the discussions gave the participants support and consolidation. In conclusion, the course affected positively on the acclimatization to the hearing loss and the empowerment of the participants. The results of this study can be utilized in disability services, the development of rehabilitation and in the social- and health services of senior citizens.

O regressismo e o conservadorismo no periódico O Brasil

O presente trabalho consiste no estudo e na analise de algumas materias do periodico 'O Brasil', nos anos de 1840 a 1843, a fim de estabelecer como que se deu a conformaçao da identidade politica dos regressistas, futuros conservadores, frente a de seus antagonistas politicos, os progressistas, futuros liberais. Essa identidade foi sendo definida através do embate politico estabelecida na imprensa do século XIX entre os principais representantes dos grupos politicos. A imprensa foi sendo utilizada não só para divulgar suas ideias e ideais, mas como um espaço possível de produçao de conhecimento e significados. Dessa feita, a fim de se perceber em que base a identidade politica partidária regressista / conservadora foi sendo conformada e divulgada, abordam-se dois temas: a antecipação da maioridade de D. Pedro II e a Revolta Liberal de 1842; acrescidos pela análise de um Dicionario Crítico da Língua Politica, que foi divulgado e problematizado nas páginas do 'O Brasil' em 1843. A discussão sobre a maioridade do jovem monarca e depois a sua concretização exigiu de ambos os grupos politicos em maior definição de seus projetos de ação e de seus posicionamentos, a ponto de suas identidades irem sendo delimitadas e rearanjadas. A análise dos conflitos armados de São Paulo e Minas Gerais, em 1842, possibilitou visualizar um desenho mais polarizado das identidades politicas partidarias que passaram a ser denominados de liberais e conservadores. O dicionário político publicado e problematizado nas páginas do 'O Brasil' retratou em palavras a dinâmica de conformação e re-significação dessas identidades politicas.

Dragões de papel: o jornalismo impresso ante os caminhos para o golpe civil-militar (1955/1964)

Esta pesquisa avalia a imprensa brasileira da década anterior ao golpe civil-militar (1955/64) que encerrou a experiência democrática. O objetivo é verificar como o jornalismo de vertente liberal reagiu às transformações políticas e sociais do período, buscando identificar a possível influência deste setor sobre a opinião pública. Tratando especificamente do jornalismo impresso, a análise buscará entender como as empresas jornalísticas atuaram politicamente em favor de interesses econômicos e ideológicos.

Dos prelos da impressão régia, a cultura científica do período joanino (1808-1821)

O presente estudo examina o momento fundador da imprensa no Brasil em 1808 e a rotina de funcionamento da Impressão Régia, no Rio de Janeiro, entre 1808 e 1821. Qual era sua estrutura administrativa, sua ordem de despesas, a natureza das ocupações funcionais, enfim, qual era a lógica de funcionamento da casa impressora oficial da Corte no início do Oitocentos? Qual o lugar ocupado pelos impressos naquele contexto?Para melhor compreender a estrutura, a rotina administrativa e de funcionamento da Impressão Régia no Rio de Janeiro, mas, principalmente, os usos e funções da régia tipografia no momento de seu estabelecimento por iniciativa do príncipe regente d. João, foi analisada também parte de sua produção, qual seja, os títulos dedicados às Ciências e às Artes. A partir desses livros, localizados no acervo da Biblioteca Nacional do Rio de Janeiro e na Biblioteca Guita e José Mindlin, em São Paulo, foram estudadas as características biobibliográficas de seus autores e a relação dos mesmos com o poder oficial.Foi possível identificar que os autores dos títulos examinados eram herdeiros da tradição ilustrada portuguesa. Partilhando de uma mesma cultura política, possuíam laços estreitos com membros da Corte, prestando obediência ao príncipe, sendo alguns autores, inclusive, integrantes da junta diretora da Impressão Régia.Assim, além da rotina e funcionamento da casa impressora da Corte, no Rio de Janeiro de d. João, o presente trabalho examina tomando como fonte de análise sua produção editorial no campo das Ciências e das Artes a formação da cultura científica do período Joanino e a rede de sociabilidades existente no Rio de Janeiro, entre 1808 e 1821.

Imprensa e poder: discursos e projetos políticos de Francisco Salles Torres Homem (1840-1849)

O presente trabalho procura analisar os discursos de Francisco de Salles Torres Homem, produzidos na imprensa entre 1840 e 1849, momento em que fez parte da facção política liberal. No Período Regencial iniciou a sua atuação no jornalismo, e nos primeiros anos do Segundo Reinado, já aparecia como um importante redator de jornais, panfletário e político. Durante a Revolução Liberal de 1842, participou ativamente do conflito, e no período da Revolução Praieira em 1848, e escreveu o seu mais inflamado e comentado panfleto O Libelo do Povo, onde fez duras críticas ao governo, recebendo grande repercussão na imprensa da época. Esta foi considerada pelos seus biógrafos como a sua fase mais revolucionária, seus discursos foram produzidos em momentos específicos de grande debate de ideias, e expressavam as concepções políticas e ideológicas dos liberais. Naquela época, Salles Torres Homem utilizou à palavra impressa, para defender os interesses dos liberais ao poder.

O novo por escrito: cinema, crítica, nacionalismo (196064)

Este trabalho teve dois objetivos fundamentais: definir a arquitetura conceitual do que chamamos discurso do Cinema Novo; e analisar as formas como o movimento foi recebido pela crítica, com o objetivo de compreender o que o Cinema Novo deve, em termos discursivos e de prestígio, a esse diálogo. Partindo do conceito de campo cultural tal como pensado pelo sociólogo Pierre Bourdieu, ou seja, como espaço de lutas simbólicas pelo controle de lugares de poder e dos índices de valor que definem uma determinada atividade cultural, conclui-se que o prestígio alcançado pelo Cinema Novo já em seus primeiros anos se deve fundamentalmente à capacidade do grupo em responder a demanda dos setores simbolicamente dominantes da crítica por um cinema que fosse ao mesmo tempo autêntico, com toda ambiguidade que guarda o termo, e moderno, segundo as convenções estabelecidas pelas cinematografias europeias, como o neorrealismo e a Nouvelle Vague. Assim, tal como compreendemos, o Cinema Novo foi uma estratégia de comunicação e de inserção no campo cinematográfico brasileiro. Nesse trabalho, não nos propusemos analisar os filmes, cuja descrição foi feita apenas quando acreditamos fundamental para a compreensão do discurso crítico. Nossas fontes foram fundamentalmente artigos da crítica cinematográfica publicados na imprensa cultural da época. Para análise desses artigos, nos valemos das reflexões teóricas de Mikhail Bakhtin sobre a linguagem e das ferramentas teóricas da análise do discurso tal como apresentada por Michel Pêcheux e alguns comentadores de sua obra, como Eni Orlandi e José Luiz Fiorin

织金新华磷矿成矿作用的微束分析研究

海相沉积磷块岩的成因研究，经历了一百多年的历史，学者先后提出了多种成因假说。但至今，沉积磷块岩的成因仍然是一个有争议的问题，尤其是对于具体的磷矿床，不同学者往往会有重要分歧。 沉积磷块岩之所以存在着多种成因假说之间的争议，存在着成磷机制的重要分歧，相当重要的原因就在于，大量宏观上的有关含磷岩系时空分布规律、沉积盆地岩相古地理景观、矿石微量元素、稀土元素地球化学和同位素地球化学等等研究的同时，缺少对含磷岩系磷酸盐组分内部结构微观上的深入解剖。由于许多磷灰石，不管是生物成因，或者是化学成因，或者是胶体化学成因，它们通常以（超）微细粒集合体的形式产出，偏光显微镜下都呈均质特征。所以，磷块岩成因研究必须引入现代先进的测试分析手段。 本文选择电子探针（EPMA）和分析型电子显微镜(AEM)，以织金新华磷矿为研究对象，研究磷酸盐组分的成因类型、各类型磷酸盐组分的微区成分、显微结构、磷酸盐的沉积富集形态及其精细至纳米级的精细结构，在此基础上讨论新华磷矿的成矿机制。 依据电子探针的背散射电子成像、扫描二次电子成像和微区成分分析的研究结果以及分析型电子显微镜的透射电子成像分析、选区电子衍射分析和微区能谱成分分析的研究结果，将织金新华磷块岩的磷酸盐组分划分为下列四种类型：碎屑磷灰石、无定形磷酸盐组分、生物屑磷灰石和球粒状磷酸盐。不同类型的磷酸盐具有不同的（超）显微结构，具有不同的成因过程。这种成因分类，突破了以往磷块岩岩石学研究中将胶磷矿当作新华磷矿磷酸盐唯一的产出形式的局限，是研究其成矿作用的重要基础。 利用分析型电子显微镜对碎屑磷灰石的超显微结构的研究获得氟磷灰石的单晶电子图像。研究结果表明：氟磷灰石晶形完美，呈假六方粒状。单晶大小多为60纳米至160纳米。碎屑磷灰石是氟磷灰石晶体的集合体。集合体内部各晶体的结晶取向杂乱无章，是早期化学结晶形成的氟磷灰石晶体，后期在沉积盆地靠表面的物理吸附形成碎屑团粒，再在成岩过程中遭受挤压形变。 分析型电子显微镜的超显微结构研究得到无定形磷酸盐组分内部残留的生物胞内磷灰石质点的透射电子图像，显示胞内磷灰石质点呈浑圆粒状，大小仅为10纳米左右，代表成矿生物聚磷的最原始形式。 本文研究认为：织金新华磷矿是多种成矿因素综合作用的结果，不同类型的磷酸盐组分具有不同的成因过程： 1．组成碎屑磷灰石的氟磷灰石形成于化学结晶作用，可能与Rodinia超大陆裂解有关的洋底热水作用有关。热水作用为上升洋流提供了溶解态的磷和超微细粒氟磷灰石晶体。在矿区半封闭的沉积环境下，上升洋流携带来的超微细粒氟磷灰石单晶团聚成35微米至300微米的碎屑团粒，经沉淀和成岩期挤压固结形成磷灰石碎屑。 2．无定形磷酸盐组分的形成与生物成磷作用有明显的联系。本文发现，无定形磷酸盐组分主要由生物磷灰石和有机生物残留物组成。海水中磷化的微生物群落沉降到水体底层，实现海水中的溶解态磷向沉积物的迁移固定。在成岩作用早期发生了初步的磷的富集，无定形磷酸盐组分内部形成生物磷灰石集合体，最大约200纳米，最小40纳米，多数约100纳米。它是纳米生物磷灰石的多晶集合体，呈不规则粒状分布于残留干酪根内部；成岩期的磷酸盐化作用直接发生在无定形磷酸盐组分的内部，形成富磷酸盐的微细丝状、网状物，它们就是磷灰石团簇。磷灰石团簇由小于300纳米的不规则磷灰石团块组成，具有纳米微晶结构。成分上，常共生有少量的泥质、硅质和氢氧化铁。 3．生物屑磷灰石直接形成于生物成矿作用，是生物结构的磷酸盐化。 4．球粒状磷酸盐组分内核代表海底沉积的磷质淤泥，成分与微观结构均较为复杂多样，是成矿微生物的聚磷沉积作用和成岩作用早期磷酸盐化的产物，在固结之前经水动力作用抛到海水中成球粒；壳层是在内核处于悬浮状态下在海水中吸附热水化学结晶的（超）微细粒氟磷灰石晶体形成的，具有与碎屑磷灰石相同的成分和结构。 对于织金新华磷矿，化学结晶、物理吸附沉积形成的碎屑磷灰石是最稳定、最基本的成矿方式，但仅形成贫磷矿石。当有生物成磷作用叠加时，矿石才能得到进一步的富集。

JUSTEIS: JISC Usage Surveys: Trends in Electronic Information Services Final report 2003/2004 Cycle Five

Urquhart, C., Spink, S., Thomas, R., Yeoman, A., Durbin, J., Turner, J., Fenton, R. & Armstrong, C. (2004). JUSTEIS: JISC Usage Surveys: Trends in Electronic Information Services Final report 2003/2004 Cycle Five. Aberystwyth: Department of Information Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth. Sponsorship: JISC

Non-agrocultural co-peratives and economy transformation in Cuba: politic processes and strategies

Contribution of co-operatives has been demonstrated since the 1970s as the main development line in agricultural production in Cuba. In contrast, there has been a late recognition of urban co-operatives, even if the need of transformations based on the realization of property in different territorial scenarios had been identified. The article analyses the reform processes launched since the first decade of the 21st century focusing on the nature of the initiatives fostering formation and promotion of nonagricultural co-operatives including follow up of their performance. The potential and limitations of the recent experiences are examined in order to reflect on the organizational processes and transformations from the point of view of their members. To conclude, some questions are posed about whether these co-operatives are capable of avoiding the impact of earlier employment circumstances and of developing strategies aimed at reinforcing voluntary membership and autonomy on which they are founded.

Pupil participation in school life: an approach from the educational community

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989) is currently the most ratified international treaty. Several authors have highlighted its potential for both a moral education and citizenship. However, paradoxically, different studies report its limited or occasional incorporation into school practices. This article explores experiences of participation in schools,the third P of the CRC, from the plurality of voices and actors of the educational community,by means of 14 discussion groups in 11 autonomous communities in Spain. Discourse analysis evidence low levels of student participation in school life. But, at the same time, a favorable educational environment for the development of projects that contribute to child participation is found, as well as for the incorporation of the CRC as a mover and a referential integrator of the different schools projects. However, it is also an educational background conductive to projects for its development, such as the incorporation of the CRC as a referential integrator of the schools projects.