Multimedia technology as the catalyst for a new form of literacy

In the last few decades physical mobility has become one of the key elements of contemporary societies. This centrality of mobility also means the development of a new kind of social exclusion caused by the problems of living in a social context in which one has to be increasingly “on the move” to access goods and services. In this article, based on fieldwork conducted with 20 low-income family inhabitants of the city of Santiago, Chile, we study the role that mobile phone usage has in relation to physical mobility in the everyday lives of these individuals. Through an analysis of the pattern of usage and mobility of these devices, we arrive at the conclusion that rather than giving rise to an experience of constant mobility and “anytime–anywhere” availability, the individuals studied face limitations and exclusions that profoundly constrict the potential “mobility” afforded by these devices.     

THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE

Despite the many systems — political, social and cultural — in the world, achieving excellence is a common goal. It should not be confused with elitism or simply success, but involves experts, leaders, even heroes: people who set standards and serve as examples to others, in sport, the arts, business, technology. The pursuit of excellence provides motivation; it sets targets and goals, not only for nations but also for personal development. The crucial issue is that of how a society can ensure that all citizens have the chance to fulfil their potentials. What is needed is an environment in which excellence can flourish through provision of incentives, tools and equipment, teaching and support. In all of this, education plays a vital role. It must provide an appropriate climate of challenge, the necessary resources, opportunities for assessment and stocktaking and, finally, competition.     

Relating Gestures and Speech: An analysis of students' conceptions about geological sedimentary processes

Advances in cognitive science and educational research indicate that a significant part of spatial cognition is facilitated by gesture (e.g. giving directions, or describing objects or landscape features). We aligned the analysis of gestures with conceptual metaphor theory to probe the use of mental image schemas as a source of concept representations for students' learning of sedimentary processes. A hermeneutical approach enabled us to access student meaning-making from students' verbal reports and gestures about four core geological ideas that involve sea-level change and sediment deposition. The study included 25 students from three US universities. Participants were enrolled in upper-level undergraduate courses on sedimentology and stratigraphy. We used semi-structured interviews for data collection. Our gesture coding focused on three types of gestures: deictic, iconic, and metaphoric. From analysis of video recorded interviews, we interpreted image schemas in gestures and verbal reports. Results suggested that students attempted to make more iconic and metaphoric gestures when dealing with abstract concepts, such as relative sea level, base level, and unconformities. Based on the analysis of gestures that recreated certain patterns including time, strata, and sea-level fluctuations, we reasoned that proper representational gestures may indicate completeness in conceptual understanding. We concluded that students rely on image schemas to develop ideas about complex sedimentary systems. Our research also supports the hypothesis that gestures provide an independent and non-linguistic indicator of image schemas that shape conceptual development, and also play a role in the construction and communication of complex spatial and temporal concepts in the geosciences.     

A Competency Model for Process Dynamics and Control and Its Use for Test Construction at University Level

This study examined students’ competencies in engineering education at the university level. First, we developed a competency model in one specific field of engineering: process dynamics and control. Then, the theoretical model was used as a frame to construct test items to measure students’ competencies comprehensively. In the empirical application, the reliability of the test was examined. The results confirmed the applicability of the theory-based test. Also, associations between students’ competencies and individual characteristics were explored. Students who showed higher competencies could be identified based on their individual characteristics, such as participation in self-assessments. Finally, we demonstrated how to apply the standards of theory-based testing to everyday routines at the university and also highlighted some challenging issues to be considered when implementing theory-based testing in practice. This approach could be valuable: Tests based on theoretically sound models allow for appropriate measurement of students’ competencies in higher education.     

Improving Silent Reading Performance Through Feedback on Eye Movements: A Feasibility Study

This feasibility study investigated if feedback about individual eye movements, reflecting varying word processing stages, can improve reading performance. Twenty-five university students read 90 newspaper articles during 9 eye-tracking sessions. Training group participants (n = 12) were individually briefed before each session, which eye movement parameter(s) (fixation count, first fixation duration, regression, and/or skipping) to address, and informed about changes achieved in preceding sessions. Control group participants (n = 13) were told that self-instruction to read faster would produce training gains. Total fixation times decreased significantly more for training than for control group participants. Important to note, faster reading did not impair comprehension. Results are interpreted as first indications for a possible applicability of the feedback approach to silent reading. In addition to implications for future studies, alternative result interpretations (e.g., motivational effects, reduction of mindless reading) are discussed.     

CO2-Einsparpotenziale des Energietr?gers Erdgas

Zusammenfassung Angesichts der staatlichen Klimaschutzziele stellt sich die Frage, wie diese mit m?glichst geringer Beeintr?chtigung einer sicheren Versorgung zu günstigen Preisen erreichbar sind. Erdgas, das im Vergleich zu anderen fossilen Energietr?gern deutlich kohlenstoff?rmer ist und darüber hinaus bei der Verbrennung auch keine weiteren Schadstoffe emittiert, kann hier einen Beitrag leisten. Gegenw?rtig hat Erdgas für die Versorgung mit W?rme sowie bei der Erzeugung von Strom eine erhebliche Bedeutung, die zukünftig weiter wachsen wird. Anhand verschiedener Szenarien werden Prognosen zur weiteren Entwicklung von Erdgas und die Auswirkungen auf die CO₂-Emissionen angestellt. Es zeigt sich, dass der Anteil von Erdgas im Bereich der W?rmeversorgung von 46 % auf 56 % steigen wird. Durch ?nderung des Energiemix und Effizienzsteigerungen kann der CO₂-Aussto? für Raumw?rme daher bis 2020 um 8,3 % gesenkt werden. Für die Stromerzeugung werden alternative Szenarien berechnet. Beim derzeitigen Energiemix k?me es zu einer j?hrlichen Steigerung des CO₂-Aussto?es um 0,8 %. Würde Kohle komplett durch Gas ersetzt, k?nnte der CO₂-Aussto? j?hrlich um 1,9 % gesenkt werden.

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Given the governmental climate targets, the question arises how these targets can be achieved without affecting a secure and cheap energy supply. As natural gas causes less carbon emissions than any other fossil fuel it might be able to make a contribution in this regard. Currently, in the generation of heat and power natural gas plays a significant role, which will further increase in the future. Using several scenarios, we predict the development of the importance of natural gas and the consequences for carbon emissions. The calculations show that the share of natural gas for the supply of heat will increase from 46 % to 56 %. Efficiency increases together with changes in the structure of power generation can reduce heating-related carbon emissions by 8.3 % until 2020. For power generation, we calculate alternative scenarios. If the current structure of power generation is held constant, carbon emissions will increase by 0.8 % p.a. If instead natural gas completely replaces coal and lignite, the carbon emissions will be reduced by 1.9 % per year.

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Dieser Beitrag ist eine Kurzfassung der Studie „Wirtschaftsfaktor Erdgasbranche“, HWWI Policy Paper 1–3, Hamburg     

Are there differences in ethnic majority and minority adolescents’ friendships preferences and social influence with regard to their academic achievement?

Research has established that adolescents both befriend peers based on their academic achievement and adjust their own achievement to that of their friends’ over time. However, these processes may be different for ethnic minority students, because some of them may adhere to an oppositional culture that rejects striving for academic success. We examine respective differences between self-identified ethnic minority and majority students using longitudinal social network analysis (stochastic actor-oriented models) in a sample of 1175 students (aged 13) from 12 grade-level networks in Germany secondary schools. Among the students, we find that academically successful students in particular prefer friends with high grades, but that students with poor grades exert more social influence on their friends to adjust their performance. Moreover, while minority students are indeed less inclined to select friends with higher grades, both ethnic majority and minority youth prefer friends with similar academic achievement and are similarly influenced by their friends’ achievement. However, social influence is stronger from same-ethnic than from inter-ethnic friends. In sum, there is mixed evidence for an oppositional culture among ethnic minority students in our sample.     

International fieldschool reciprocity: using a whole-of-university approach to create positive change in Northern Uganda

ABSTRACT

International fieldschools to developing countries have become an important component of the university curriculum because they provide experiential learning and research skills, while also contributing a range of soft skills such as resilience, empathy, resourcefulness, critical thinking, and cross-cultural communication. Yet, with the increasing popularity of ‘developing world’ fieldschools, an ever-more pertinent question to ask is, cui bono? Who benefits when relatively ‘privileged’ students from wealthy countries travel to visit ‘underprivileged’ communities in poorer parts of the world? In this article, we contribute to the discussion about fieldschool reciprocity using data from a newly established program in Northern Uganda, established as part of the University of New South Wales’ UNSW2025 strategy. We show that a whole-of-university approach has significant benefits for staff and students from both institutions, more diffuse benefits for the wider Ugandan host community, as well as the potential to create synergies to leverage community transformation. We also look at challenges that include: power differentials, uncertainty in the field environment, sustainability, and the ability to maintain collaborative equity between institutions over the long term.