Implementation of open educational resources in a nursing programme: experiences and reflections

The IMPOER project (implementation of open educational resources, OER) aimed to implement OER in a nursing programme at Dalarna University, Sweden. The university and its nursing programme have long engaged in e-learning, and the nursing programme has recently been awarded the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities E-xcellence Associates Quality Label. The quality award was based on the creation of a roadmap for the continuous development of e-learning and the implementation of OER. The results of the study illustrated that overall, the students and the educators were positive about using OER. They considered that this approach was a new way of learning, and they appreciated the fact that OER were free and easy to access. However, they felt overwhelmed by the amount of material that was available and they were concerned about quality. If the use of OER is to be sustainable, a change in attitudes and practices among students and teachers is likely needed regarding the use of resources on the web.     

Breaking with Tradition: Using Rapid Prototyping In The Software Engineering Course

One approach to the development of software, which has received considerable attention in the software engineering literature, is rapid prototyping. We describe the rapid prototyping methodology and discuss some of its advantages and disadvantages. We then focus on the use of rapid prototyping in the project component of the typical undergraduate software engineering course. Several approaches to prototyping are described, along with various automated tools that support prototyping. Our experiences with prototyping in our undergraduate software engineering course are described, and we draw a number of conclusions vis a vis the use of prototyping.     

Briefly noted

THE ART OF RHETORIC IN THE ROMAN WORLD. By George Kennedy. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1972; pp. xvi+658. $18.50; paper $9.75.     

Characterization of 17th Century Mughal tile glazes from Shahdara Complex,Lahore-Pakistan

The glazed tile decorative art was one of the widely used ornamental techniques for the monumental buildings during the Mughal period, in Pakistan. Coloured tile samples from Jahangir tomb were analyzed to know the glaze composition and to identify the colouring phases used at that time. The study was performed using light microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (SEM-EDS), Raman spectroscopy (RS) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). These complementary analytical techniques allowed characterizing the samples as alkali glazes made from plant ashes. The results indicated the use of lead-tin yellow type II for yellow glazes, cobalt and copper for blue glazes, mixtures of yellow and blue glazes for the green glazes, manganese for purple glazes, and a transparent glaze layer for white glazes.     

The regulation of release parameters in underarm precision throwing

The aim of this study was to determine if adults spontaneously exploit the laws of physics to achieve better accuracy when throwing at various distances. Eight adults performed 25 underarm throws at five horizontal circular targets located 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 m away with a constant 5% relative accuracy requirement. Angle and speed of the ball at release were found to increase with throwing distance, while the coordinates of the release point did not change significantly. These results support the idea that people minimize the variability in impact distance by adapting both the angle and the speed at ball release following a mechanical optimum predicted by the laws of physics. Moreover, variability in distance was found to be less than expected because of independent variations in the angle and speed at ball release. Hence, the control of precision throwing seems to imply compensatory variability, as frequently reported in the control of skilled actions.     

Exercise training and impaired glucose tolerance in obese humans

Abstract

Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) are at greater risk of developing diabetes than in normoglycaemia. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of 12-weeks exercise training in obese humans with IGT. Eleven participants (6 males and 5 females; 49±9 years; mean Body Mass Index (BMI) 32.4 kg · m^?2), completed a 12-week brisk walking intervention (30 min per day, five days a week (d · wk^?1), at 65% of age-predicted maximal heart rate (HR_max). Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, pulse wave velocity (PWV, to determine arterial stiffness) and blood pressure (BP) were examined at baseline and post intervention. Fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, insulin, blood lipids, indices of oxidative stress and inflammation (lipid hydroperoxides; superoxide dismutase; multimeric adiponectin concentration and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) were also determined. Post intervention, PWV (9.08±1.27 m · s^?1 vs. 8.39±1.21 m · s^?1), systolic BP (145.4±14.5 vs. 135.8±14.9 mmHg), triglycerides (1.52±0.53 mmol ^. L^?1 vs. 1.31±0.54 mmol ^. L^?1), lipid hydroperoxides (1.20±0.47 μM · L^?1 vs. 0.79±0.32 μM · L^?1) and anthropometric measures decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Moderate intensity exercise training improves upper limb vascular function in obese humans with IGT, possibly by improving triglyceride metabolism, which may subsequently reduce oxidative stress. These changes were independent of multimeric adiponectin modification and alterations in other blood biomarkers.     

Using Sociodrama to Help Young Children Problem Solve

Sociodrama is an arts-based, action-oriented tool of individual and collective social exploration and creative problem solving that allows participants to explore and find potential resolutions to issues of concern and conflict in their lives. This article describes how Early Years educators can begin to implement basic sociodrama into their existing programs in order to help children represent, explore, and reflect upon issues and problems of social importance.     

Implementing Education for Sustainable Development in schools: learning from teachers’ reflections

In recent years, in the UK, there has been a significant focus on research in Education for Sustainable Development/Global Citizenship Education (ESD/GCE) in initial teacher education and on projects and initiatives used with pupils in schools. However, there has been less specific focus on the ‘voices’ of teachers who have undertaken such projects: the documentation of their perceptions of effective pedagogy for the development of their pupils’ learning and, importantly, the development of their own concepts and values in relation to sustainability education as a result of implementing ESD/GCE-related topics. This paper aims to provide data from this relatively under-reported area. It examines what the teachers learned about effective pedagogy from undertaking a systematic study of their own practice in ESD/GCE-based topics, and it highlights the development of their own understanding of, and values about the place of ESD/GCE in the curriculum. The paper presents an analysis of the reflective journals kept by 10 teachers during the planning and implementation of ESD/GCE projects within their own classrooms. Findings emerging from the study were that critical reflection on their work gave the teachers the confidence to adopt the more learner-centred pedagogy of ESD/GCE, and that teachers, too, were able to benefit from the participation in ESD/GCE activities.     

Exercise training and impaired glucose tolerance in obese humans

Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) are at greater risk of developing diabetes than in normoglycaemia. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of 12-weeks exercise training in obese humans with IGT. Eleven participants (6 males and 5 females; 49±9 years; mean Body Mass Index (BMI) 32.4 kg · m(-2)), completed a 12-week brisk walking intervention (30 min per day, five days a week (d · wk(-1)), at 65% of age-predicted maximal heart rate (HR(max)). Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, pulse wave velocity (PWV, to determine arterial stiffness) and blood pressure (BP) were examined at baseline and post intervention. Fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, insulin, blood lipids, indices of oxidative stress and inflammation (lipid hydroperoxides; superoxide dismutase; multimeric adiponectin concentration and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) were also determined. Post intervention, PWV (9.08±1.27 m · s(-1) vs. 8.39±1.21 m · s(-1)), systolic BP (145.4±14.5 vs. 135.8±14.9 mmHg), triglycerides (1.52±0.53 mmol · L(-1) vs. 1.31±0.54 mmol · L(-1)), lipid hydroperoxides (1.20±0.47 μM · L(-1) vs. 0.79±0.32 μM · L(-1)) and anthropometric measures decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Moderate intensity exercise training improves upper limb vascular function in obese humans with IGT, possibly by improving triglyceride metabolism, which may subsequently reduce oxidative stress. These changes were independent of multimeric adiponectin modification and alterations in other blood biomarkers.