Spin labile conducting metallopolymers : a new architecture for hybrid multifunctional materials

The synthesis of 3-ethynylthienyl- (2.07), 3-ethynylterthienyl- (2.19) substituted qsal [qsalH = N-(8-quinolyl)salicylaldimine] and 3,3' -diethynyl-2,2' -bithienyl bridging bisqsal (5.06) ligands are described along with the preparation and characterization of eight cationic iron(III) complexes containing these ligands with a selection of counteranions [(2.07) with: SCN- (2.08), PF6- (2.09), and CI04- (2.10); (2.19) with PF6 - (2.20); (5.06) with: cr (5.07), SeN- (5.08), PF6- (5.09), and CI04- (5.10)]. Spin-crossover is observed in the solid state for (2.08) - (2.10) and (5.07) - (5.10), including a ve ry rare S = 5/2 to 3/2 spin-crossover in complex (2.09). The unusal reduction of complex (2.10) produces a high-spin iron(I1) complex (2.12). Six iron(II) complexes that are derived from thienyl analogues of bispicen [bispicen = bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-diamine] [2,5-thienyl substituents = H- (3.11), Phenyl- (3.12), 2- thienyl (3.13) or N-phenyl-2-pyridinalimine ligands [2,5-phenyl substituents = diphenyl (3.23), di(2-thienyl) (3.24), 4-phenyl substituent = 3-thienyl (3.25)] are reported Complexes (3.11), (3.23) and (3.25) display thermal spin-crossover in the solid state and (3.12) remains high-spin at all temperatures. Complex (3.13) rearranges to form an iron(II) complex (3.14) with temperature dependent magnetic properties be s t described as a one-dimensional ferromagnetic chain, with interchain antiferromagnetic interactions and/or ZFS dominant at low temperatures. Magnetic succeptibility and Mossbauer data for complex (3.24) display a temperature dependent mixture of spin isomers. The preparation and characterization of two cobalt(II) complexes containing 3- ethynylthienyl- (4.04) and 3-ethynylterhienyl- (4.06) substituted bipyridine ligands [(4.05): [Co(dbsqh(4.04)]; (4.07): [Co(dbsq)2(4.06)]] [dbsq = 3,5-dbsq=3,5-di-tert-butylI ,2-semiquinonate] are reported. Complexes (4.05) and (4.07) exhibit thermal valence tautomerism in the solid state and in solution. Self assembly of complex (2.10) into polymeric spheres (6.11) afforded the first spincrossover, polydisperse, micro- to nanoscale material of its kind. . Complexes (2.20), (3.24) and (4.07) also form polymers through electrochemical synthesis to produce hybrid metaUopolymer films (6.12), (6.15) and (6.16), respectively. The films have been characterized by EDX, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrate that spin lability is operative in the polymers and conductivity measurements confirm the electron transport properties. Polymer (6.15) has a persistent oxidized state that shows a significant decrease in electrical resistance.

Mediating Influence of Physical Fitness on the Relationship between Academic Performance and Motor Proficiency

We explored the potential mediating influence of physical fitness on the relationship between academic performance and motor proficiency in children. 1864 students (F:926, M:938, age 11.91 (SD:0.34). Academic achievement was derived from an average of standardized tests of reading, writing, and math. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Performance (short-form) determined motor proficiency. Fitness (peak oxygen uptake) was established with the Léger 20-m Shuttle Run Test. OLS regression identified several significant predictors of academic performance. After controlling for age (p=0.0135), gender (p<0.0001), and parental education (p<0.0001), motor proficiency (p<0.0001), was significant. After adding physical fitness (p=0.0030) to the model the effect of motor proficiency remained significant however the point estimate was reduced from 0.0034 (p<0.0001) to 0.0026 (p<0.0001). These results suggest that physical fitness plays a mediating role on the relationship between academic performance and motor proficiency although both aerobic fitness and motor proficiency have independent roles.

Academic advising, eh : a profile of undergraduate academic advising at Ontario universities

Despite its importance to postsecondary students' success, there is little known about academic advisement in Canada. Academic advising can be a very intensive and demanding job, yet it is not well understood what duties or student populations of advising make it so. On a practical level, this study sought to learn more about academic advisement in Ontario universities and provide a general overview of who advisors are and what they do. This study also investigated academic advising duties and time allocation for these responsibilities in an attempt to relate theory to practice incorporating Vilfredo Pareto's theoretical underpinnings to confirm or negate the applicability of the Pareto Principle in relationship to time utilization by advisors. Essentially this study sought to discover which students require the greatest advisement time and effort, and how advisors could apply these findings to their work. Academic advising professionals in Ontario universities were asked to complete a researcher-designed electronic survey. Quantitative data from the responses were analyzed to describe generalized features of academic advising at Ontario universities. Discussion and implications for practice will prompt advisors and institutions using the results of this study to measure themselves against a provincial assessment. Advisors' awareness of time allocation to different student groups can help focus attention where new strategies are needed to maximize time and efforts. This study found that caseload and time spent with student populations were proportional. Regular undergraduate students accounted for the greatest amount of caseload and time followed by working with students struggling academically. This study highlights the need for further evaluation, education, and research in academic advising in Canadian higher education.

Turning points : meaning-making and its association with psychological well-being, academic achievement and parental relationship quality among adolescents

There is substantial research linking meaning-making ability and psychological well-being in the context of turning point events. Still, an important research question remains: whether individuals who report meaning-making and psychological well-being were already better adjusted psychologically, prior to the experience of their turning point. In addition, the role of meaning-making on academic achievement and parental relationship quality has received little empirical attention although both variables have been shown to be positively associated with positive adjustment among adolescents. This longitudinal study examined differences in psychological well-being, academic achievement, and parental relationship quality between adolescents who reported meaning-making (lessons or insights) and those who reported no meaning-making within their turning point narratives. Participants were 803 (52% female) grade 12 adolescents, 26% (N = 209) of whom had reported experiencing a turning point. Participants also completed measures on the outcome variables (psychological well-being, academic achievement, and parental relationship quality) 3 years prior, when they were in grade 9. MANOVA results indicated that, of the participants who experienced a turning point, adolescents who reported meaning-making reported significantly higher psychological wellbeing and more positive parental relationship quality than adolescents who reported no meaningmaking. Importantly, these two groups did not differ on the outcome variables prior to their experience of a turning point event when they were in grade 9. Academic achievement scores did not differ significantly between adolescents who reported meaning-making and those who reported no meaning-making. These findings highlight the importance of meaning-making in relation to positive adjustment subsequent to a turning point among adolescents.

Office of the University President Sous fonds: Dr. James A. Gibson

Dr. James A. Gibson was born in Ottawa on January 29, 1912 to John W. and Belle Gibson. At an early age the family moved to Victoria, B.C. where John W. Gibson was a director of the Elementary Agricultural Education Branch, Department of Education. Gibson received his early education in Victoria, receiving a B.A. (honours) at UBC in 1931. In 1931 he was awarded the Rhodes scholarship and received his B.A., M.A., B.Litt and D. Phil at New College, Oxford. This was to be the beginning of a long and dedicated relationship with the Rhodes Scholar Association. Upon his return to Canada, Dr. Gibson lectured in Economics and Government at the University of British Columbia. In 1938 he was married to Caroline Stein in Philadelphia, and the same year joined the staff of the Department of External Affairs as a Foreign Service officer. Within twenty minutes of his arrival he was seconded to the Office of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs, W. L. Mackenzie King in charge of War Records and Liaison Officer. This was a critical time in the history of Canada, and Dr. Gibson experienced firsthand several milestones, including the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939. Dr. Gibson was present at the formation of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945, being part of the Prime Minister’s professional staff as well as attending conferences in Washington, Quebec and London as an advisor to the Canadian delegation. Gibson contributed many articles to the publication bout de papier about his experiences during these years. After his resignation in 1947, Gibson joined the staff of the fledgling Carleton College, as a lecturer. In 1949 he was appointed a professor and in 1951 became Dean of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Gibson acted as President from 1955 to 1956 upon the sudden death of Dr. MacOdrum. In 1963 Dr. Gibson accepted the invitation of the Brock University Founders’ Committee, chaired by Arthur Schmon, to become the founding president. Dr. Gibson guided the new University from a converted refrigeration plant, to an ever expanding University campus on the brow of the Niagara Escarpment. Dr. Gibson remained firmly “attached” to Brock University. Even after official retirement, in 1974, he retained the title President Emeritus. Gibson’s final official contribution was an unpublished ten year history of the University. In retirement Gibson remained active in scholarly pursuits. He was a visiting scholar at the Center of Canadian Studies, University of Edinburgh; continued his ongoing research activities focusing on W. L. Mackenzie King, the Office of the Governor General of Canada, and political prisoners transported to Van Dieman’s Land. He remained active in the Canadian Association of Rhodes Scholars, becoming editor from 1975 to 1994 and was appointed Editor Emeritus and Director for Life in 1995 in honour of his dedicated and outstanding service. In 1993 he was awarded one of Canada’s highest achievements, the Order of Canada. Gibson retained close ties with Brock University and many of its faculty. He maintained an office in the Politics Department where he became a vital part of the department. In 1996 Brock University honoured Gibson by naming the University Library in his honour. James A. Gibson Library staff was instrumental in celebrating the 90th birthday of Gibson in 2002, with a widely attended party in the Pond Inlet where many former students, including Silver Badgers. The attendees also included former and current colleagues from Brock University, Canadian Rhodes Scholars Association, family and friends. Gibson was later to remark that the highlight of this event was the gift of his original academic robe which he had personally designed in 1964. In 2003 Dr. Gibson moved to Ottawa to be near some of his children and the city of his birth and early career. In that year “two visits to Brock ensued: the first, to attend a special celebration of the James A. Gibson Library; his late to attend the 74th Convocation on Saturday, October 18, 2003. A week later, in Ottawa, he went for a long walk, returned to his residence, Rideau Gardens, went into the lounge area, took off his coat and folded it up, put it on the back of his chair, sat down, folded his hands in his lap, closed his eyes, and died”. With sources from: Carleton University The Charlatan, Gibson CV, and Memorial Service Programme

Educator Evaluation of Academic and Social Competence in Students with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Relative to Assessed Performance and Sense of Belonging

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is the leading cause of death and disability amongst children and adolescents andpresents itself with challenges associated in cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioural domains. These changes may interfere with academic performance and social inclusion, influencing self-esteem and personal success. The current study examined a subset of data to capture the sense of academic and social belonging for students with ABI as a function of the classroom teachers’ subjective perception of ability, their ABI knowledge, and student identification. Overall, a discrepancy was found between educators’ subjective ratings of student performance and students’ neurocognitive capacity. Educator knowledge and identification of ABI influenced student success in academic and social domains independent of teaching approach. This research has implications for the identification of ABI in the classroom and related challenges students experience. Educators are underprepared for the reintegration of students returning to school and lack appropriate knowledge and strategies to accommodate individual needs.

How Learning Styles, Chemistry Attitudes and Experiences, Confidence, and Demographics Correlate with Academic Success in First and Second Year Chemistry Courses

At Brock University, the Faculty of Mathematics and Science currently has one of the highest percentages of students on academic probation, with many students reporting the most difficulty with Introductory Chemistry in first year and Organic Chemistry in second year. To identify strategies to improve students' performance and reduce the number of students on academic probation, a multi-year research project was undertaken involving several chemistry courses. Students were asked to complete three questionnaires, and provide consent to obtain their final Chemistry grade from the Registrar's Office. Research began at the end of the 2007-08 academic year with CHEM IPOO, and in the 2008-09 academic year, students in the larger CHEM IF92 Introductory Chemistry course were invited to participate in this research near the beginning of the academic year. Students who went on to take second year Organic and Analytical Chemistry were asked to complete these questionnaires in each second year course. The three questionnaires included the Kolb Learning Styles Inventory (Kolb, 1984) modified to include specific reference to Chemistry in each question, Dalgety, ColI, and Jones' (2002) Chemistry Attitudes and Experiences Questionnaire (CAEQ), and lastly, a demographic survey. Correlations were found between learning style and academic success; concrete learners were not as successful as abstract learners. Differences were noted between females and males with respect to learning styles, academic success, and confidence. Several differences were also noted between those who are the First in the Family to attend university and those who are not First in the Family to attend university.

Exploring Academic (Di)stress and Help-Seeking in Faculty of Education Students

This is a study of education students’ conceptions of and experiences with academic stress and help-seeking. The study explored teacher education and Master of Education students’ academic stress by examining causes of academic stress and how these stressors affect students’ academic and university experiences. Stress-related help-seeking was also a focus of this study, and was explored using inquiries regarding where participants sought stress-related support. Additionally, exploring students’ use of the Internet for stress-related information or support was a goal of this study. These research goals were pursued using a qualitative methodology that applied grounded theory design. Consequently, data were used to develop a theory that would contribute to existing literature. Specifically, participant descriptions related to causes of and responses to academic stress aligned with Maslow’s (1954) theory of human motivation and Alderfer’s (1969) E. R. G. theory, and led to theoretical contributions that took a hierarchy of student needs and motivation into consideration.

Recreational Reading of International Students in Academic Libraries

survey of international students in a university library as to whether or not they engage in recreational reading and if they think it helps their language learning

We need to have a conversation about OpenURL, a close look at a corpus of error reports from the 2013 academic year. Or, How I learned to stop worrying and give up on clean metadata.

Presented at Access 2014, winner of poster contest.

Perceptions of Adolescent Males and Their Parents as to Factors That Influence the Young Men's Academic Performance

Postsecondary enrolments of young males has been declining since the mid-1980s. The decline can be attributed, at least in part, to boys and young men being unable to compete for a fixed number of available places in institutions of higher learning, whether in community college or university. This inability to compete stems from their academic performance in secondary school. This study interviewed adolescent males and their parents as to their perceptions of a number of factors that may contribute to their academic performance. Those factors included noncognitive skills, dimensions of character, perceptions of teachers, general attitudes towards school, and likes and dislikes on a range of course subjects. One of the most important findings was that only one of the seven adolescent male participants was considering a future career that would require a university degree. Other findings showed the young men's noncognitive skills were weak, particularly in relation to time management skills and their unwillingness to ask for help with schoolwork and homework. Most of the young men expressed a dislike for mathematics beyond high school, a subject key to the study, of the natural sciences, engineering, technology, and business. Recommendations include school reforms both inside the classroom and beyond. Additionally, a framework using project management theory and practice has been proposed to improve noncognitive skills, dimensions of character, and executive function.

Copyright in the Stacks: The Chilling Effects of Unclear Copyright Interpretations in the Canadian Academic Library

Presented at the Annual Conference of the Canadian Political Science Association, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, May 27, 2014

Photograph - A dog sitting on a Boat tie off

A dog sitting on a dock boat tie off point.

The Mediating Role of Perceived Scholastic Competence in the Relationship Between Motor Coordination and Academic Performance

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are often referred to as clumsy because of their compromised motor coordination. Clumsiness and slow movement performances while scripting in children with DCD often result in poor academic performance and a diminished sense of scholastic competence. This study purported to examine the mediating role of perceived scholastic competence in the relationship between motor coordination and academic performance in children in grade six. Children receive a great deal of comparative information on their academic performances, which influence a student's sense of scholastic competence and self-efficacy. The amount of perceived academic self-efficacy has significant impact on academic performance, their willingness to complete academic tasks, and their self-motivation to improve where necessary. Independent t-tests reveal a significant difference (p < .001) between DCD and non-DCD groups when compared against their overall grade six average with the DCD group performing significantly lower. Independent t-tests found no significant difference between DCD and non-DCD groups for perceived scholastic competence. However, multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant mediating role of 15% by perceived scholastic competence when examining the relationship between motor coordination and academic performance. While children with probable DCD may not rate their perceived scholastic competence as less than their healthy peers, there is a significant mediating effect on their academic performance.

Investigation of Frustrated Quasi-One-Dimensional Quantum Spin-Chain Materials

Copper arsenite CuAs2O4 and Copper antimonite CuSb2O4 are S=1/2 (Cu2+ 3d9 electronic configuration) quasi-one-dimensional quantum spin-chain compounds. Both compounds crystallize with tetragonal structures containing edge sharing CuO6 octahedra chains which experience Jahn-Teller distortions. The basal planes of the octahedra link together to form CuO2 ribbon-chains which harbor Cu2+ spin-chains. These compounds are magnetically frustrated with competing nearest-neighbour and next-nearest-neighbour intrachain spin-exchange interactions. Despite the similarities between CuAs2O4 and CuSb2O4, they exhibit very different magnetic properties. In this thesis work, the physical properties of CuAs2O4 and CuSb2O4 are investigated using a variety of experimental techniques which include x-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility measurements, heat capacity measurements, Raman spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, neutron diffraction, and dielectric capacitance measurements. CuAs2O4 exhibits dominant ferromagnetic nearest-neighbour and weaker antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbour intrachain spin-exchange interactions. The ratio of the intrachain interactions amounts to Jnn/Jnnn = -4.1. CuAs2O4 was found to order with a ferromagnetic groundstate below TC = 7.4 K. An extensive physical characterization of the magnetic and structural properties of CuAs2O4 was carried out. Under the effect of hydrostatic pressure, CuAs2O4 was found to undergo a structural phase transition at 9 GPa to a new spin-chain structure. The structural phase transition is accompanied by a severe alteration of the magnetic properties. The high-pressure phase exhibits dominant ferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbour spin-exchange interactions and weaker ferromagnetic nearest-neighbour interactions. The ratio of the intrachain interactions in the high-pressure phase was found to be Jnn/Jnnn = 0.3. Structural and magnetic characterizations under hydrostatic pressure are reported and a relationship between the structural and magnetic properties was established. CuSb2O4 orders antiferromagnetically below TN = 1.8 K with an incommensurate helicoidal magnetic structure. CuSb2O4 is characterized by ferromagnetic nearest-neighbour and antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbour spin-exchange interactions with Jnn/Jnnn = -1.8. A (H, T) magnetic phase diagram was constructed using low-temperature magnetization and heat capacity measurements. The resulting phase diagram contains multiple phases as a consequence of the strong intrachain magnetic frustration. Indications of ferroelectricity were observed in the incommensurate antiferromagnetic phase.