Beyond the middle: A report about literacy and numeracy development of target group students in the middle years of schooling: Volume 1

The report was commissioned by the Department of Education, Science and Training to investigate the perceived efficacy of middle years programmes in all States and Territories in improving the quality of teaching, learning and student outcomes, especially in literacy and numeracy and for student members of particular target groups. These target groups included students from lower socio-economic communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, students with a language background other than English, rural and remote students, and students struggling with the transition from middle/upper primary to the junior secondary years. The project involved large scale national and international literature reviews on Australian and international middle years approaches as well as an analysis of key literacy and numeracy teaching and learning strategies being used. In the report, there is emergent evidence of the relative efficacy of a combination of explicit state policy, dedicated funding and curriculum and professional development frameworks that are focused on the improvement of classroom pedagogy in the middle years. The programs that evidenced the greatest current and potential value for target group students tended to have developed in state policy environments that encouraged a structural rather than adjunct approach to middle years innovations. The authors conclude that in order to translate the gains made into sustainable improvement of educational results in literacy and numeracy for target groups, there is a need for a second generation of middle years theorising, research, development and practice.

A dynamic model with on-line identification for rotary sugar drying processes

A dynamic modelling methodology, which combines on-line variable estimation and parameter identification with physical laws to form an adaptive model for rotary sugar drying processes, is developed in this paper. In contrast to the conventional rate-based models using empirical transfer coefficients, the heat and mass transfer rates are estimated by using on-line measurements in the new model. Furthermore, a set of improved sectional solid transport equations with localized parameters is developed in this work to reidentified on-line using measurement data, the model is able to closely track the dynamic behaviour of rotary drying processes within a broad range of operational conditions. This adaptive model is validated against experimental data obtained from a pilot-scale rotary sugar dryer. The proposed modelling methodology can be easily incorporated into nonlinear model based control schemes to form a unified modelling and control framework.place the global correlation for the computation of solid retention time. Since a number of key model variables and parameters are identified on-line using measurement data, the model is able to closely track the dynamic behaviour of rotary drying processes within a broad range of operational conditions. This adaptive model is validated against experimental data obtained from a pilot-scale rotary sugar dryer. The proposed modelling methodology can be easily incorporated into nonlinear model based control schemes to form a unified modelling and control framework.

Investigation of the effects of chrome ball charge on slurry rheology and milling performance

Ten surveys of the ball milling circuit at the Mt Isa Mines (MIM) Copper Concentrator were conducted aiming to identify any changes in slurry theology caused by the use of chrome balls charge, and the associated effect on grinding performance. Slurry theology was measured using an on-line viscometer. The data were mass balanced and analysed with statistical tools. Comparison of the rheogram demonstrated that slurry density and fines content affected slurry rheology significantly, while the effect of the chrome ball charge being negligible. Statistical analysis showed the effects of mill throughput and cyclone efficiency on the Grinding Index (a term describing the overall breakage). There was no difference in the Grinding Index between using the chrome ball charge and the ordinary steel ball charge. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflections on onset-rime and phoneme sensitivity as predictors of beginning word reading

Rival claims have been made concerning the importance of rime sensitivity as a predictor of early word reading skill. Hulme et al. (2002) suggested that phoneme sensitivity is more strongly predictive of word reading ability than is onset-rime sensitivity. An examination of two independent data sets suggests that, although onset-rime sensitivity typically predicts school entrants' later word reading skill, phoneme sensitivity does predict more variation. However, multiple regression analyses do not reveal the level of phonological sensitivity that children need in order to understand alphabetic reading instruction. This issue is crucial to the detection of children at risk for reading failure and for the design of intervention programs for these children. A different analytic strategy is described for addressing this issue. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

An on-line investigation of lexical ambiguity processing in schizophrenia

The processing of lexical ambiguity in context was investigated in eight individuals with schizophrenia and a matched control group. Participants made speeded lexical decisions on the third word in auditory word triplets representing concordant (coin-bank-money), discordant (river-bank-money). neutral (day-bank-money), and unrelated (river-day-money) conditions. When the interstimulus interval (ISI) between the words was 100 ms. individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated priming consistent with selective. context-based lexical activation. At 1250 ms ISI a pattern of nonselective meaning facilitation was obtained. These results suggest an attentional breakdown in the sustained inhibition of meanings on the basis of lexical context. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Impact of commercial fishing on Trindade Island and Martin Vaz Archipelago, Brazil : characteristics, conservation status of the species involved and prospects for preservation

Reportamos atividades de pesca comerciais no complexo insular mais afastado da costa brasileira: Ilha da Trindade e Arquipélago Martin Vaz. As atividades foram estudadas através de embarques e entrevistas com os mestres e pescadores das embarcações durante uma expedição cientifica realizada entre fevereiro e abril de 2007. Quatro modalidades de atividades de pesca são realizadas na região, capturando ao menos sete espécies que possuem algum risco de extinção. O estabelecimento de normas específicas de restrição para atividades que pescam sobre os recifes das ilhas é uma alternativa para a conservação das espécies ameaçadas. O monitoramento das embarcações pode ocorrer via satélite através do programa nacional de rastreamento de embarcações pesqueiras (PREPS).

A narratividade do Hip Hop e suas interfaces com o contexto educacional

A presente tese de doutoramento em Educação aborda a cultura do Hip Hop e sua relação com o contexto educativo. Insere-se nas discussões da linha de pesquisa em Educação e Linguagens e problematiza o espaço escolar, enquanto espaço de reprodução da ideologia hegemônica, analisando o projeto “Escola de Rimas”, desenvolvido na Grande Vitória, como movimento de resistência e ressignificação cultural na escola. Parte da pergunta: Como as práticas discursivas do Hip Hop podem ressignificar o contexto escolar? A presente tese aborda a cultura do Hip Hop como campo discursivo singular de uma experiência narrativa (BENJAMIN, 1986; BONDÍA, 2001) e de uma subjetividade eticamente responsável (BAKHTIN, 1992a; 1992b; 2010), fundada no princípio da alteridade (PONZIO, 2009), e o analisa a partir de uma perspectiva crítica e dialógica (FREIRE, 1981; 1994; 1995; GIROUX, 1986; 1987; BRANDÃO, 1986; BAKHTIN, 1992a; 1992b; 2010). Desenvolve a pesquisa em um contexto limiar entre a escola e a cultura hip hop e dimensiona o debate das culturas marginais nos contextos educativos, voltando-se para os sujeitos e suas experiências narrativas, avaliando a interação de algumas de suas práticas discursivas com o processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Para isso, analisa o projeto cultural “Escola de Rimas”, criado pelos próprios ativistas do movimento hip hop da Grande Vitória e desenvolvido em uma escola da rede pública estadual de ensino do Espírito Santo, com o objetivo de discutir o seu papel em um processo de ressignificação educacional. Como hipótese de trabalho defende-se que o espaço escolar, como espaço de disputas, é ressignificado com a introdução de outras práticas discursivas e culturais, entre elas o hip hop, que aponta para a necessidade de ouvir responsiva e responsavelmente as narrativas dos educandos, contribuindo, assim, para a formação crítica desses sujeitos e enfrentando, ao mesmo tempo, práticas de exclusão historicamente instituídas.

Solid-state Marx based two-switch voltage modulator for the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research

A new circuit topology is proposed to replace the actual pulse transformer and thyratron based resonant modulator that supplies the 60 kV target potential for the ion acceleration of the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator accelerator, the stability of which is critical for the mass resolution downstream separator, at the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The improved modulator uses two solid-state switches working together, each one based on the Marx generator concept, operating as series and parallel switches, reducing the stress on the series stacked semiconductors, and also as auxiliary pulse generator in order to fulfill the target requirements. Preliminary results of a 10 kV prototype, using 1200 V insulated gate bipolar transistors and capacitors in the solid-state Marx circuits, ten stages each, with an electrical equivalent circuit of the target, are presented, demonstrating both the improved voltage stability and pulse flexibility potential wanted for this new modulator.

Learning to manage in knowledge based organizations: the role of portfolios

Paper presented at the 8th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Barcelona, 6-7 Sep. 2008 URL: http://www.academic-conferences.org/eckm/eckm2007/eckm07-home.htm

Knowledge sharing and learning processes: case study of portuguese technological schools and higher education institutions

Paper to be presented at the ESREA Conference Learning to Change? The Role of Identity and Learning Careers in Adult Education, 7-8 December, 2006, Université Catholique Louvain, Louvain–la-Neuve, Belgium