Embedded use of iPads to enhance student engagement and retention in technical education

This paper focusses on attracting and retaining young people into technical disciplines. It introduces a new model of technical education from age 14 that the UK Government initiated in 2008. A concept of University led Technical Colleges (UTCs) for 14-19 year olds. These state supported schools, sponsored by a University, have technical curricula, technologically enabled learning environments and strong engagement with employers. As new schools they have been able to recruit outstanding staff that are conversant with the use of technology to enhance learning and all students have their own iPads. The Aston University Engineering Academy opened in September 2012 and a recent survey of staff, students and parents has provided both qualitative and quantitative data on the benefits to motivation and learning of these embedded iPads. The devices have also had advantages for the management of data on student achievement from a leadership, teaching staff and parental view point.

Invariants sémantiques et constructions syntaxiques

This article looks at the conditions under which a construction has an own interpretation. Interpreting the first proposal of the type constructions modalisante I think that P is considered. It is shown that these interpretations can be fully explained by parsing of the sequence I think than a subordinated, resulting in a set of undesirable consequences. The ability to handle this sequence as a construction in the theoretical that gives this constructionnelle grammar concept is envisaged to assess the relationships between form, meaning sense, compositionnalité and invariant. Cet article s'intéresse aux conditions suivant lesquelles une construction possède une interprétation qui lui est propre. L'interprétation modalisante de la première proposition des constructions du type Je crois que P est considérée. Il est montré que ces interprétations ne peuvent être pleinement expliquées par l'analyse syntaxique faisant de la séquence Je crois que une subordonnée, qui entraîne un ensemble de conséquences indésirables. La possibilité de traiter cette séquence comme une construction dans le sens théorique que donne à cette notion la Grammaire constructionnelle est envisagée, permettant d'apprécier les rapports entre forme, sens, compositionnalité et invariant.

Embedded progressive-three-layered fiber long-period gratings for respiratory monitoring

A long-period grating (LPG) was written into a progressive three-layered single-mode fiber that was embedded into a flexible platform as a curvature sensor. The spectral location and profile of the LPGs were unaltered after implantation in the platform. The curvature sensitivity was 3.747 nm m with a resolution of ± 1.1 × 10-2 m-1. The bend sensor is intended to be part of a respiratory monitoring system and was tested on a resuscitation training manikin. © 2003 society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Media constructions of sleep and sleep disorders:A study of UK national newspapers

Medicalisation, healthicisation and 'personal' strategies have been identified as the main factors contributing to the socially mediated experience of sleep and sleep disorders in modern societies. Medicalisation and healthicisation are publicly available discourses. But the degree to which apparently 'personal' strategies for managing sleep are presented in popular media has been underestimated. This study of the coverage of 5 UK newspapers shows that both medicalised and healthicised discourses are concentrated in the 'serious' press. The tabloid press is more likely to constitute sleep as a private realm and tabloid readers are therefore relatively less exposed to officially sanctioned forms of knowledge about sleep. Analysis of Daily Mail coverage shows, though, that women's 'personal' strategies for managing sleep are far from being private solutions. The Mail presents this topic as a component of its social construction of a 'Middle England' lifestyle, giving these apparently 'personal' solutions a political resonance. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart structure sensors based on embedded fibre Bragg grating arrays in aluminium alloy matrix by ultrasonic consolidation

Smart structure sensors based on embedded fibre Bragg grating (FBG) arrays in aluminium alloy matrix by ultrasonic consolidation (UC) technique have been proposed and demonstrated successfully. The temperature, loading and bending responses of the embedded FBG arrays have been systematically characterized. The embedded FBGs exhibit an average temperature sensitivity of ~36 pm °C-1, which is three times higher than that of normal FBGs, a bending sensitivity of 0.73 nm/m-1 and a loading responsivity of ~0.1 nm kg-1 within the dynamic range from 0 kg to 3 kg. These initial experimental results clearly demonstrate that the UC produced metal matrix structures can be embedded with FBG sensor arrays to become smart structures with capabilities to monitor the structure operation and health conditions in applications.

Embedded progressive-three-layered fiber long-period gratings for respiratory monitoring

A long-period grating (LPG) was written into a progressive three-layered single-mode fiber that was embedded into a flexible platform as a curvature sensor. The spectral location and profile of the LPGs were unaltered after implantation in the platform. The curvature sensitivity was 3.747 nm m with a resolution of ±1.1×10–2 m–1. The bend sensor is intended to be part of a respiratory monitoring system and was tested on a resuscitation training manikin.