International student use of university health and counselling services

A large sample of international students attending an Australian metropolitan university provided data concerning use of university health and counselling services—their perceived need for help, resultant help-seeking, satisfaction with help given, explanations for not seeking help when in need, and variables that predicted help-seeking. Using as criterion the individual’s perceived need for help, we found students were under-utilizing both health and counselling services. Those who did seek help evaluated their experiences positively. The gap between need and action is a concern. Students explained failure to act in terms of insufficient seriousness of problems, lack of information about services and, to a lesser extent, doubts and discomfort about the services. Contrary to views commonly expressed in the literature, student perceptions and responses showed few differences based on cultural background. Within-person variables played a stronger role than culture in accounting for students’ help-seeking decisions.     

Considering science and language arts connections: A study of teacher cognition

The Elementary Science Integration Project (ESIP) brought together teachers knowledgeable about, and committed to, whole-language instruction with their science-oriented counterparts to explore connections between the disciplines and build from teachers' strengths. By recognizing commonalities, that both hands-on science and whole language center on inquiry and focus on children's learning processes, ESIP was designed to reveal the issues both groups of teachers see as important as they go about making classroom decisions. The ultimate goal of the project was to promote science as central to cross-curricular study, thus increasing the comfort level of teachers, the amount of time devoted to science in the classroom, and an interest in inquiry. This article described the project and identified the considerations teachers used to evaluate science–language-arts connections. Twenty expert and 7 novice teachers worked together over a 2-year period to construct and elaborate their own understandings of curricular integrátion, designing action research projects to explore their newfound understandings. Teachers kept journals and participated in extensive group discussions and interviews that provided the data sources for this article. Results revealed the influence of teachers' scholarly and pedagogical orientations on the way they think about science–language-arts connections and the influence of personal experiences in convincing teachers that science–language-arts connections are worth fostering in the classroom.     

Theory and practice: Science for undergraduates of limited English proficiency

Between 1980 and 1990, the total number of Asian, Hispanic, American Indian, and foreign undergraduates increased by more than 50% at public and private, four-year and two-year colleges. Many of these students may be of limited English proficiency, suggesting that the traditional science lecture/lab format may need modification to incorporate the theory of second language acquisition as it pertains to the practice of content instruction. Various methods exist to improve science instruction for limited English proficient undergraduates. These included the adjunct and tutorial models, sheltered or bridge science instruction, faculty development, and science instruction in the students' native language. Any plan for science education reform at the collegiate level or for increasing minority participation in science must address the needs of the growing population of undergraduates who speak English as a second language.     

The international student experience: three styles of adaptation

The subjective well-being of a sample of 979 international students attending a large metropolitan university in Melbourne, Australia, was investigated. A person-focussed approach was used to determine whether different ways of adapting, based on patterns of well-being, could be discerned. Cluster analysis of responses on 21 measures identified three different patterns: positive and connected (58.8% of students), unconnected and stressed (34.4%), and distressed and risk-taking (6.7%). Tests of the concurrent validity of the typology were significant. Demographic factors were not particularly helpful in distinguishing among the three patterns of well-being. The results provide universities with knowledge pertinent to provision of appropriate international student support.     

Paper-based colorimetric enzyme linked immunosorbent assay fabricated by laser induced forward transfer

We report the Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) of antibodies from a liquid donor film onto paper receivers for application as point-of-care diagnostic sensors. To minimise the loss of functionality of the active biomolecules during transfer, a dynamic release layer was employed to shield the biomaterial from direct exposure to the pulsed laser source. Cellulose paper was chosen as the ideal receiver because of its inherent bio-compatibility, liquid transport properties, wide availability and low cost, all of which make it an efficient and suitable platform for point-of-care diagnostic sensors. Both enzyme-tagged and untagged IgG antibodies were LIFT-printed and their functionality was confirmed via a colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Localisation of the printed antibodies was exhibited, which can allow the creation of complex 2-d patterns such as QR codes or letters for use in a final working device. Finally, a calibration curve was determined that related the intensity of the colour obtained to the concentration of active antibodies to enable quantitative assessment of the device performance. The motivation for this work was to implement a laser-based procedure for manufacturing low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic devices on paper.