Vocatives

We introduce the term ‘mixed social environments’ as a strategic learning construct to augment student interaction when utilizing virtual world environments such as Second Life in the classroom. While an increasing number of institutions are investigating the use of virtual world environments for enhanced learning, at present there are at least three major areas that are underdeveloped: interdisciplinary research, documentation of best practices, and exploration of the use of mixed social environments. In the spring of 2007, a new interdisciplinary research seminar addressing these aspects was offered at a large American university. We present an overview of the resultant learning artifacts, outcomes, and research questions in hopes of helping to inform best practices, expand interdisciplinary research, and assist in the design of future mixed social environments for enhanced learning.

Ensuring that test-score use brings about socially positive consequences for test-takers is an important aspect of test validation. While many studies use an inductive approach to evaluate test consequences, few studies have implemented Appraisal analysis. To that end, this case study investigated the test consequences of an English reading placement test administered at a large American university. In this study, English as a second language (ESL) students (n=8) who took the placement test and an ESL reading course were interviewed; an Appraisal analysis was conducted to identify the students’ positive and/or negative perceptions toward the placement test and reading course. Using an argument-based approach to validity framework, the findings were treated as evidence to evaluate the test consequences of the placement test. The results showed that, while taking the ESL course helped students gain some valuable academic reading skills, students felt that test anxiety, fatigue, and verbally demanding questions hindered their test performances. Understanding what students experienced while taking the test can help test-developers devise solutions that will improve the test-taking situation for future test-takers. This study also illustrates how an Appraisal analysis of test-takers’ discourses can provide a systematic and fine-grained approach to evaluating positive and/or negative test consequences.

An examination timetabling problem at a large American university is presented. Although there are some important differences, the solution approach is based on the ITC 2007 winning solver which is integrated in the open source university timetabling system UniTime. In this work, nine real world benchmark data sets are made publicly available and the results on four of them are presented in this paper. A new approach to further decreasing the number of student conflicts by allowing some exams to be split into multiple examination periods is also studied.

Background: Anomalies in the accommodation or vergence system have been clearly associated with symptoms of visual discomfort. However, there has been little research investigating non-visual factors that could be associated with visual discomfort. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between somatic amplification and visual discomfort as measured by the survey developed by Conlon et al and the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) in a group of graduate students. Methods: Fifty-four students between 18 and 30 years of age with 36 being female participated in the study. Students filled out the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), and the visual discomfort surveys developed by Conlon et al and the CISS. All students were screened for visual acuity, uncorrected refractive error, and illnesses or medication use that would adversely impact vision. The association between the SSAS and the Conlon et al survey and the CISS was assessed using the Pearson correlations and t-tests were used to compare SSAS scores in students scoring high and low on each survey of visual discomfort. Results: The correlation between the SSAS and the survey developed by Conlon et al was small (r=0.28) as was the association with the CISS (r=0.30). Both correlations were statistically significant, p=0.04 and p=0.03, respectively. The SSAS score was higher in the high discomfort group for the CISS (p=0.006) but this was not replicated with the Conlon et al survey (p=0.09). Conclusions: The SSAS showed a small correlation with the two surveys of visual discomfort that was statistically significant. Somatic amplification has a small impact on symptoms of visual discomfort in our group of graduate students.

Extending the reach of pediatric nursing practice

This paper describes the development of what might be considered the first successful ultralight sailplane. The SWIFT is a high performance foot-launched glider, designed to combine some of the convenience of hang gliders with the soaring performance of sailplanes. It takes off and lands like a hang glider, yet maintains exceptional performance at high speeds, achieving a lift-to-drag ratio of about 25:1. Although it is a fullycantilevered rigid wing with aerodynamic controls and flaps, it is light enough to launch by running from a hillside and is easily transported on the top of a car. This paper describes the design, development, and flying of this unique aircraft. Introduction and Background Pioneers of heavier-than-air flight were inspired with the idea of being able to fly like birds not for the purpose of efficient, high-speed transportation, but for the shear freedom that such a capability would permit. This was the motivation for, and is the appeal of, modern soaring aircraft such as paragliders, hang gliders, and sailplanes. Although the performance of sailplanes has increased dramatically over many decades so that lift-to-drag ratios of 60:1 have been achieved and 1000 km flights are possible, certain aspects of high performance sailplanes seem counter to the vision espoused by Lilienthal and others [1]. Especially for a group of graduate students in the San Francisco Bay Area, the cost of sailplane flying, along with the long drive to an airport that supported such activities, meant that achieving the goal of bird-like flight was only somewhat more realizable than it was 100 years ago. That one was often restricted to flights near this airport also made the reality of soaring somewhat less inspiring than the vision. This, of course, was one of the reasons that the sport of hang gliding became popular. But while hang gliding avoided many of the problematic aspects of sailplane flying, it introduced new difficulties. Hang gliders were inexpensive and could be flown from many local sites, but their performance was such that long distance flights were uncommon. Flying was often restricted to a very small corridor on a ridge, and more often than not, consisted of an unimpressively short glide to the bottom of the hill. Furthermore, the simple, yet subtle, techniques for hang glider control using pilot weightshift seemed to limit further performance improvements and led to less than ideal handling qualities under some flight conditions. In 1985, I recruited a group of outstanding graduate students at Stanford, many of whom were hang glider or sailplane pilots, to investigate what was possible at the boundary between these two aircraft types. The idea was to consider the possibility of an airplane that would fly at the speed of birds, permitting launching and landing like a hang glider, yet with the performance and control that would permit extended soaring flights on good days. With affordable computational aerodynamic analysis capabilities improving, composite structures evolving, and with some specific concepts for efficient tailless aircraft configurations, we began the design of a foot-launched sailplane that would eventually become the SWIFT. Of course, we were not the only ones working on such ideas. Designs such as the Mitchell Wing, the Canard 2FL, and lightweight sailplanes inspired by the SSA's homebuilders' workshops suggested that such an airplane might be feasible. Of particular relevance was the work of Brian Robbins, Erik Beckman, and Brian Porter of BrightStar Gliders, just two hours North of Stanford. BrightStar had been developing a rigid wing hang glider, called the Odyssey, which Brian Porter piloted to first place in the 1989 U.S. National Hang Glider Championships. Brian Robbins suggested that the Stanford group might improve the Odyssey's airfoils somewhat; but after several evenings of discussions, we agreed to pursue a radically new design. Four months later, in December of 1989, the SWIFT took to the air over a small hill in Marin County. Professor, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Associate Fellow AIAA Copyright ©2000 by Ilan Kroo. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with Permission.

Over the last 40 years, many environmental design researchers have examined the environment’s impact on people and sought answers to questions on personal feelings with the environment and how people become attached to a place and develop feelings about it. Research in place attachment has primarily focused on the social aspect, leaving a gap in the literature related to concepts of the built environment. The present study seeks to fill this gap by addressing the issue of physical place attachment among specific groups of international graduate students at Texas Tech University, a large public university in West Texas. Previous studies focused on generic and largescale place concepts such as the physical neighborhood ambiance. This study, by contrast, examines how international students from China and India choose and develop an attachment to study spaces around the university. A grounded qualitative research design was selected as the exploratory method of studying how international graduate students select, interact with, and create an attachment to preferred study places on and off-campus. The researcher conducted semi-structured individual and focus group interviews with a purposive sample of 50 Indian and Chinese participants. The results revealed some similarities and differences between Indian and Chinese graduate students in their most and least-preferred physical design and ideal study places. Both groups preferred quietness and natural light. However, Chinese graduate students preferred to study alone, while Indian graduate students felt motivated and supported when studying with others.

Podcasting in higher education: What are the implications for teaching and learning?

A Review of:
 Downey, K., Zhang, Y., Urbano, C., & Klinger, T. (2014). A comparative study of print book and DDA e-book acquisition and use. Technical Services Quarterly, 31 (2), 139-160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07317131.2014.875379
 
 Abstract
 
 Objective – To compare usage of demand-driven acquisition (DDA) e-books with print books to help determine if one acquisition model better serves the needs of library users and return on investment.
 
 Design – Case study.
 
 Setting – Library system of a large American public university. 
 
 Subjects – 22,018 DDA e-book discovery records, 456 purchased e-book records, and 20,030 print item records were examined.
 
 Method – The researchers examined usage statistics, circulation statistics, and cost measures of DDA e-books and print books. E-books were purchased in 2012 and print books were purchased by the start of the DDA project (January 2012).
 
 Main Results – All but one of the 456 DDA-triggered e-books had repeated use within the first year, totalling 2,484 user sessions. 90% of the triggered e-books had 2-9 user sessions, and over half had at least 4 user sessions. E-books were most used in classes N (fine arts), P (Language and Literature), and R (Medicine). E-books in T (Technology) had a lower percentage of user sessions compared to other subject areas. 712 (3.2%) of the e-books in the discovery pool were used without triggering a purchase. Usage of e-books in the discovery pool (those used but not triggering a purchase) showed a consistent use of e-books by subject. E-books in Class B (Philosophy, Psychology, Religion) were used more in the discovery pool without actually being purchased, suggesting a light use of a wide range of books in this subject area. In contrast, Class R (Medicine) saw less use in the discovery pool than what was actually purchased, suggesting heavier and more focused use of triggered e-books in this area. Only 62.5% of the 20,030 purchased print books included in the study were used in the first 1 to 2.5 years they were added to the collection (i.e., 37.5% were not used in that time period). Half of the print books were used no more than once (once or no use), and more than 90% were used fewer than 10 times. Print books in Class Q (Science) contributed to only 7.5% of the total circulations, suggesting print books are underused in this subject area. 10.2% of total circulation of print books in Class R (Medicine) suggests print books are better used in this area. Print acquisition and use occur more often in classes N (Fine Arts) and P (Language and Literature). The average cost for DDA e-books was of $98.52 per book. The average price per print book was $59.53. The unit cost per print book was $17.73 per use. Depending on various measures, cost per use for e-books ranged from $17.73 to $29.15 per use. (If the measurement included the free use of non-triggered DDA books, the cost per use was $18.07, essentially the same as the print cost).
 
 Conclusion – Both print books and DDA e-books are proportionately distributed across most subject areas. Although DDA and print cost per use are equal, DDA leads to much more active use overall.

Sexual violence is a rampant problem on college campuses. One of the most popular ways to curb this issue in universities is bystander intervention training. Bystander intervention behavior involves identifying a problem and acting as a third party to de-escalate a situation. In this study, we explore how media can play a role in bystander intervention behavior, specifically where sex-related situations involving alcohol. The literature suggests that both crime dramas and reality dating television shows can influence sex- and relationship-related behaviors and attitudes. Based on that, we investigate if this influence extends to bystander intervention behavior. Using an integrative model of behavioral prediction framework, we hypothesized that exposure to crime drama depictions of bystander behavior, exposure to reality dating television shows depictions of bystander behavior, bystander intervention attitudes, bystander intervention efficacy, and bystander intervention norms are all positively associated with bystander intervention behavior, whereas alcohol consumption is negatively associated with the behavior. We tested our hypotheses by conducting an online survey with 195 college students in a large American public university and analyzing the data using hierarchical regression. Indeed, exposure to crime dramas and reality dating shows was positively associated with bystander behavior, as well as efficacy and attitudes. Bystander norms were negatively associated with bystander behavior, and alcohol consumption was not significant. This study builds upon our understanding of the role of media in relation to sexual violence situations, in this case specifically bystander intervention behavior. Future research should explore this connection from a longitudinal and experimental perspective.

During the spring semester of 2006, at the large land-grant American university where I work, I taught a regularly offered course for senior English majors entitled ‘Special Topics in Lesbian and Gay Studies’. The topic this time was Assimilation, and the class investigated the ongoing process of incorporating gays and lesbians into mainstream society, reviewing the history of the lesbian and gay civil rights movement and then addressing such issues as gay marriage and the commercialization of gay culture. Readings for the course consisted of books and articles by popular authors (Mark Simpson, Sidney Abbott, and Barbara Love) and academic queer theorists (Shane Phelan, Michael Warner) ranging from the 1950s to the present, as well as four films intended to showcase changing perspectives on lesbian and gay identity, including The Children’s Hour and Latter Days. As is usually the case in such classes, about half of the 29 students were straight, the other half gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and the gender breakdown was roughly the same as that of other senior-level courses in the English Department (60 per cent female and 40 per cent male).KeywordsSexual OrientationHegemonic MasculinityCollege ClassroomGender PresentationStraight WomanThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use an affordance approach to understand how university faculty use and value their workspace and respond to proposed spatial changes. Design/methodology/approach A mixed method survey was given to faculty in the college of engineering at a large public American university. Data were analyzed using an affordance lens. Findings The analysis indicates that the majority of engineering faculty highly value private offices and appears resistant to non-traditional workspace arrangements. Research limitations/implications The authors performed the analysis with a relatively small sample (n=46). Practical implications University administrators need to communicate with faculty and take their opinions on spatial changes seriously. Changes to space may affect STEM faculty retention. Social implications This paper could affect the quality of work life for university faculty. Originality/value The paper provide needed research on how faculty use and value their workspace while discussing the implications of alternative workspaces within the academy. Theoretically, the authors contribute to ongoing research on relationship between material and social aspects of organizational spaces.

Compassion fatigue, presenteeism, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), and resiliency levels of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students

ABSTRACTClubs constitute a prominant co-curricular activity to prepare students for effective professional careers, yet the role of engineering clubs in students' professional formation is poorly understood. This qualitative, comparative case study investigated three student engineering clubs at a large American public university. The clubs included a domestic chemical reaction car competition; a formula racing club that partners with a German team and competes both domestically and internationally; and a humanitarian engineering club centred on service learning projects in developing countries. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with participants (N = 19) and observations of club work sessions (N = 27). Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as the analytical framework, the transcribed interviews were coded to characterise the activity in each club. The findings demonstrate that a confluence of elements, especially decision-making rules and division of labour, leads to a fundamentally distinct activity system in each club. Consequently, each club differs in the ways it influences students’ professional formation. More generally, this study illustrates the potential of CHAT for analysis of co-curricular activity that can lead to alternative approaches to activity design.

Anonymous student teacher evaluations are commonly used to evaluate the quality of computing instructors at the university level. However, such teaching evaluations are subject to gender and sex-based biases, calling into question their utility and scope. In this paper, we first use data from a large public American university to replicate previous findings showing that significant sex-related differences persist in computing teaching evaluations. Intriguingly, we find that the sex-differences in computing teaching evaluations are primarily driven by bias involving professors, while significant sex-based differences for student-instructors are not observed. Finally, we place the magnitude of the sex-based differences we observe into a broader engineering context.