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English Proficiency and Participation in Online Discussion for Learning
No full textThe CELDA conference is organized to address issues of learning process in digital ages. In the conference, educational researchers and practitioners presented their findings and experiences in different context. In the session regarding Technology, Learning and Expertise, I presented my work on the language barrier faced by non-native English speakers in online discussion. The presentation receive a couple of feedback, including one suggestion to look for relationship between perceived English proficiency and home language spoken. It will be investigated in the next round of the study.Does English proficiency affect participation in online discussion? This study polled 14 students from a postgraduate online course that require online discussion. The students are divided into groups according to their home language spoken and self-assessed English proficiency, and measure against their participation level in the required discussion forums. It is found that students who speak English at home posts more and longer, and students who rate themselves proficient in English post more and longer. However, literature suggests that factors affecting participation are multi-faceted. Although the current findings suggest a significant relationship between English proficiency and participation level, more work is required to understand the mechanis
Reconstructing History in Vassanji's 'The Magic of Saida'
No full textThe A&PDF travel funding enabled me to go to London, U.K. to make a presentation at this international conference on M.G. Vassanji, a Canadian writer of East African and South Asian origins.
The paper was well received. There were many other quality papers at this international conference. The organizers are planning to collect some of these papers along with others from commonwealth countries to produce an edited volume of critical essays on the works of novelist, M.G. Vassanji.M.G. Vassanji's novel, The Magic of Saida (2012) deals with the return journey of Kamal Punja, a Canadian medical doctor searching for his past in Africa. The novel has two narrators: The first is Kamal who recalls the story of his early life in Tanzania and his search for the mysterious woman, Saida. The second narrator is Martin Kogoma, a publisher, who listens to Kamal's story and comments on past and present events in Africa. In trying to remember his life Kamal also reconstructs the lost history of the Indian communities in Tanzania.
The paper tries to critically examine the relationship between Kamal's life story and the reconstructed history of communities in Tanzania. Using post-colonial theories we will consider the following topics: the phenomenon of the return journey among immigrants; identity and ethnic duality; memory and the loss of memory; and different perspectives in writing history.
The narrative framing of dual narrators may remind the reader of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, however the relationship between Canada and African is different from that of European countries. There are many references in The Magic of Saida to the German colonization of the Tanganyika territory and the later occupation by the British. The literary links between Canada and African include Margaret Laurence's This Side Jordan (1960) and The Tomorrow-Tamer (1963) and Dave Godfrey's The New Ancestors (1970). Vassanji also reminds us of the South Asian migrations to East Africa
Causes of Banking Crises: Deregulation, Credit Booms and Asset Bubbles, Then and Now
No full textIt was a pleasure as well as an opportunity to attend the Allied Social Sciences Association meetings in Philadelphia, held on January 2 –5.
I presented my paper, “Causes of Banking Crises: Deregulation, Credit Booms and Asset Bubbles, Then and Now” on January 3rd at the session, “Growth and Socioeconomic Policy.” The analysis and the results of the paper received appreciation from the session participants. I also heard some useful comments that are expected to enrich my next paper on a similar topic.
The annual meetings of the Allied Social Sciences Association, organized mainly by the American Economic Association, is one of the largest conferences in the whole world held annually in my field. Academics, researchers and professionals from around the globe attended and presented at the conference. It was, therefore, also an opportunity to attend other sessions and hear how economics and finance researchers from different countries are analyzing the recent global crisis and the ongoing policy debates in Europe and North America. I also attended a very important panel discussion on the current macroeconomic policy issues. The experience and knowledge gained from these sessions will be useful, as my current research is also in these areas.We examine similarities in the run-up to banking crises using two essential criteria for their predictability: i) the percentage of a specified number of years prior to a crisis correctly called; and ii) the percentage of true alarms of total alarms for a crisis. Using panel logit models we find that a banking crisis will be sparked by the collapse of a real asset bubble. While such bubbles are associated with popular stories of a new era and an increasingly deregulated financial system, in most cases, this would occur even in the absence of sustained surges of capital inflow, accumulation of public debt, central banks’ low interest rate policies, or structural shocks retarding growth. We also find that a protracted increase in income inequality in the US and other countries helped to inflate the recent housing bubble
Final Mapping Report: Environmental Organizations
No full textIn 2010 the BALTA Mapping Team completed their survey of social economy organizations in Alberta and British Columbia. An important finding of this Mapping research was that a subsection of the population indicated that they fulfilled an environmental mission alongside their social mission. This reports describes this subset of environmental social economy organizations in terms of their complementary missions, organizational structures and impacts on society.BALT
Nurturing Neighbourhoods: Parent Outreach Worker Program, Guelph, Ontario.
Full text linkThe "Parent Outreach Worker Program" (POW program) aims to identify, reach out to, and assist families with children who may be isolated or otherwise struggling by providing them with increased access to services and support. The POW program is currently being piloted in two priority neighbourhoods of Guelph, Ontario. The POW program is part of a cross-sectoral, community-based "Nurturing Neighbourhoods" initiative that is grounded in the philosophies and principles related to the social determinants of health, health equity, and early help in child welfare.
This report details the findings of an evaluation that was conducted in 2013-2014 to determine whether the POW program is being delivered as planned and the extent to which it is achieving its intended outcomes. Evidence used for the evaluation include program implementation data inputted by the Parent Outreach Workers (POWs) and a series of interviews and focus groups conducted with program stakeholders including the POWs, parents who use the POW program, and a variety of associated service providers and community resource people.
This early evaluation evidence indicates clearly that the POW program is generating very significant outcomes for priority families as direct supports and as intermediaries between those families and the community resources they need. The POWs occupy an important space in marginalized communities, the evaluation evidence shows, between formal services, informal community supports, and the families most in need of support.
Also emerging from the evaluation data are some key "Impact Pathways" through which the POW program is generating results. These Impact Pathways reflect many of the strategies found to be effective in research literature on other outreach programs, and as such may serve as a best practices framework for the establishment of similar programs in other neighbourhoods.Guelph Community Health Centre, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, Family & Children's Services of Guelph and Wellington Coun
Complexity, Healthcare Systems and the Aporias of Healthcare Reform
No full textThe First International Conference on Public Policy was a three day conference at Sciences PO in Grenoble that afforded me a unique opportunity to hear about general trends, and cutting edge approaches to public policy analysis. About 900 scholars from around the world attended and, despite the 8 am to 8pm schedule on each of the three days and the beautiful setting, all sessions that I saw were well-attended and usually generated vibrant discussions. I believe that I contributed to both the mission of the conference and the mission of my own university by representing AU at this inaugural event.
My own paper was well received, and while there were some hard questions asked about the theoretical approach used (that of Complex Adaptive Systems, or CAS) and its application to health care. On the positive side, one firm conclusion is that complexity theory is a valuable antidote to economic analysis and rational policy models, the value of which is greatest when applied to relationships characterized by high predictability and linearity, but which can produce sub-optimal results when applied in the “zone of complexity”, where consequences of actions are not so predictable and not so prone to agreement. By supplying a methodology (agent-based modeling) that can be used in place of short-term efficiency, complexity analysis can greatly aid health policy decision-makers.
On the negative side, the point was stressed that advocates of complexity theory often speak of “rational policy making” and “managerialist approaches” in stereotypical terms, and complexity approaches such as the one sketched in my paper need to accept that there is a place for top-down, as well as bottom –up (or “emergent”) approaches to health care analysis.
The over-all result of this activity is that there was widespread agreement that I had demonstrated the promising nature of CAS and complexity theory, but further specification of problems and clearer demonstration of its added value will be needed in the future if this is to become a major paradigm within health policy analysis.Paradoxically, “complexity” in health care systems has spurred both an application of complexity theory to health care organizations and a greater assertion of health care’s essentially political nature. This “increasingly stark dialectic between technical complexity and democratic expectation” ( Fierlbeck, Health Care in Canada: A Citizens’ Guide to Policy: 319) in the health field is part of what lies behind Frank Fischer’s Deweyan call in Democracy & Expertise for more “deliberative forms of interactive inquiry” and promotion of “practical knowledge that brings technical findings together with the political values and social assumptions to which they relate” (2009:6-7).
This paper examines the applicability of complexity theory in health care organizations, and reviews such preliminary assessments that are contained in David Kernick’s empirical survey Complexity And Healthcare Organization (2004), Sturmberg and Martin’s, Handbook of Systems and Complexity in Health, (2013) . The paper then draws lessons for health care reform, with due attention to common themes as well as disagreements between analysts and theorists of health care complexity. One firm conclusion is that complexity theory is a valuable antidote to economic analysis and rational policy models the value of which is greatest when applied to relationships characterized by high predictability and linearity
A Framework for Enabling Incidental Learning on the Web
Full text linkWith the support of this A&PDF fund, I was able to attend International Conference on Cyber Crime and Computer Forensic 2013The 2013 International Conference on e-Learning, e-Business, Enterprise Information Systems, and e-Government held in Las Vegas, USA, and presented a paper titled A Framework for Enabling Incidental Learning on the Web. From the feedback's from the attendees, I see both the values of the research and the challenges ahead. This has made me become more diligent to work on the topic.Incidental learning is learning something without intent, which usually happens at the time that is not dedicated to learn that thing. Examples of such time include work, game play and activities for leisure. In today’s life of many people, a lot of time is spent on the surfing the Web. Should incidental learning be effectively implemented for individuals using the Web, it would make learning more effective for many. This can be especially true for adult learners since they most likely have less time dedicated to learning, or don’t have any dedicated time for learning at all. In this paper we present a framework for enabling incidental learning on the Web. The framework identify six key elements for incidental learning on the web, describe a general process of incidental learning, two types of incidental learning and nine scenarios of incidental learning on the web. Finally, the framework prescribes a list of theories and essential technologies that are important for enabling incidental learning on the web
Writing for Publication and Nurse Practitioners Readiness for Practice
No full textWriting for publication is an important part of academic and professional practice. This presentation provides a brief review of important points to consider when writing an article to be submitted for publication. Topics addressed include reasons for publishing, selecting a topic and journal and issues such as referencing, plagiarism and overcoming writer’s block.Writing for Publication: Debbie Fraser
An integral component of furthering nursing knowledge, scholarly writing is a part of any advanced practice nursing role. Too often however, as busy professionals we find reasons to allow a writing project to fall off the side of the desk. Sitting down in front of a blinking cursor and an empty screen can be a daunting prospect. This session will provide some insight into the world of publishing and will address selecting a topic and a journal as well as the nitty gritty of the writing process.
Nurse Practitioners Readiness for Practice
Submitting authors: Dr Kimberley Lamarche, RN NP, DNP; Debbie Fraser, RN NP, MN; Dr Jennifer Knopp-Sihota, RN NP, PhD; Tina MacNamara, RN NP, MN; Dr Roberta Heale, RN NP, DNP
Background: Appropriate training and educational programs need to reflect changing and increasing clinical performance expectations and meet the changing needs of the NP student in a modern-day, online learning environment. This research provides information describing how newly graduated NPs perceive that their graduate education has prepared them for practice. When discussing the significance of understanding these perceptions based on the NP Preparedness tool, Hart (2007) reflected that “practicing NPs are the basis of the NP profession, and their views need to be sought, listened to, and reflected upon as we advance toward expanded preparation.”
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceived level of preparedness of NP program alumni for practice. Specific levels of perceived preparation in select clinical content areas as well as students perceived barriers to online education were determined.
Data Sources: 50 participants responded to a two separate surveys: Nurse Practitioners Preparedness for Practice Survey and Survey of Student Barriers to eLearning. Data will be presented to describe the level of perceived preparedness as an NP upon graduation, factors during the first year that affected their ability to integrate into the practice setting (i.e. mentoring, clinical support), and barriers to eLearning.
Implications for Practice: A clear need for more data relating to NP preparedness for professional practice is obvious (Keough et al, 2010; Hart et al, 2007, Woolsey, 2006; Dunaway & Running, 2009). This study provides valuable information on how students perceive their preparation for practice as they exit their formal education and transition to working professionals. Further, with a solid understanding of changing NP student needs within the modern-day context of e-learning, faculty, administrators, and nursing peers can appropriately guide the continuing development of NP professional training programs for the betterment of advanced nursing practice in Canada
Increase in daily steps after a 6-month lifestyle intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes in primary care: a controlled Trial
No full textMy work on healthy eating and active living for diabetes in primary care networks was presented with a poster. My work was well received among a large international community at the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress meeting in Melbourne Australia. The opportunity to discuss our health care system and how service delivery takes place for diabetes self-management was of interest to many of international delegates. The international presence at the conference permitted recognition of my research, and Athabasca University.Background: Healthy eating and active living are cornerstones of diabetes management, yet due to a number of systematic factors, patients in primary care settings don’t often receive adequate support for lifestyle change. Our aim was to determine the effectiveness of a certified exercise specialist led behavioral support program for adults with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes when implemented in primary care.
Methods: Eligible participants from four large non-metro primary care networks in Alberta, Canada were assigned, using a controlled time-series “On-Off” allocation, to either a usual care control group or a pedometer-based walking program led by a certified exercise specialist. The program targeted increased daily walking for the first 3 months followed by a brisk walking speed target and increased substitution of low- relative to high-glycemic index foods over the next 3 months. The primary outcome was physical activity at 6-months, ascertained objectively using pedometers. Secondary outcomes included dietary and relevant clinical markers (e.g, A1c, blood pressure, BMI). We compared outcomes using random effects models, with intent-to-treat analyses.
Results: Of 1000 eligible patients contacted, 198 were enrolled. Of these, 96 were allocated to control and 102 to the intervention. Overall, 50% women, mean age 59.5(SD 8.3) years, A1c 6.8% (SD 1.1), BMI 33.9 kg/m2 (SD 6.8), systolic pressure 125.7 mmHg (SD 16.1), average daily caloric intake 1285.8 (SD 458), average glycemic index 51.1 (4.6), average daily steps 5879 (SD 3130). The control group was older (3.3 years; p=0.005), otherwise no other group differences were observed at baseline. Mean daily pedometer steps increased for the intervention compared to the control at 3-months (1293 [SD 2698] vs. 418 [SD 2458] and 6-months (1481 [SD 2631] vs. 336 [SD 2712]; adjusted p=0.004). No significant differences were observed for diet or clinical outcomes.
Discussion: A 6-month behavioral support program delivered in primary care by a certified exercise specialist can be effective for increasing daily physical activity among adults with recently diagnosed diabetes. Given that the enrolled patients were generally already at recommended clinical targets, the increase in daily steps was not, however, associated with improved metabolic outcomes
Designing a Multiagent System for Course-Offering Determination
Full text linkI attended a doctoral symposium of the conference. It was very good to know about how to guide PhD students to conduct high-quality research and complete PhD program.
I attended all the keynote sessions of the conference. The presentation on Computational Disaster Management by Professor Pascal Van Hentenryck was very insightful and encouraging. The talk on “Agents might not be people” by Professor Nigel Gilbert was illuminating.
The talk on “Satisfiability to Linear Algebra” by Professor Fangzhen Lin was revealing.
I attended almost all sections of PRIMA 2013 and some presentations of AI 2013. They reflect the advancement of the field. The discussions with the people on-site were very interesting and helpful to my future research.
Also, it was great to talk to active researchers in the field and exchanged ideas of our research and explored the possibility of collaboration.This paper describes the design of a multiagent system that facilitates course-offering decision making for a program in an institution. We first model course offering determination for upcoming semester as a multi-winner election with exogenous constraints which is a problem for computational social choice in multiagent systems, which has rarely been considered. Then, the paper describes the architecture and models of the multiagent system for course offering determination with Gaia role model methodology, TROPOS strategic actor diagram, Agent Unified Modeling Language (AUML) sequence diagram for a multi-agent negotiation interaction protocol, and Pseudo-code algorithms for generating fractional votes and course election protocol. A novel course selection preference model for students has been proposed and described formally. The effectiveness of the approach and the implemented system has been showed with the initial experimental results