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Incubation centres and the teaching of entrepreneurship: bridging theory and practice
Full text linkThis paper argues that collaboration between Higher Education Institutions and Incubation Centres can contribute to the embedding of entrepreneurship in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The study aims to address the dearth of research on the teaching of entrepreneurship to non-business students and to provide a framework to implement the proposed pedagogical approach. Enterprise Ireland has funded business incubation centres on college campuses across Ireland in order to provide a supportive environment for start-up companies. The work is based in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) which has two Incubation Centres. The research question addressed in this paper is: How can incubation centres support the teaching of entrepreneurship to engineering undergraduate students? The theoretical framework for the study is Donald Schön’s seminal work on the topic of reflective practice. The methodological approach is action research with particular emphasis on “doing action research in your own organisation” as proposed by Coghlan and Brannick. The study makes a contribution by developing a process for collaboration between engineering students and incubation centres that can be replicated in other pedagogical situations
An effective method for the preparation of high temperature stable anatase TiO2 photocatalysts
No full texttAn efficient, rapid and straightforward method for the preparation of nitrogen and fluorine (N, F) codopedhigh temperature stable anatase using a microwave pre-treatment is reported. Using a single source,ammonium fluoride (NH4F) for both nitrogen and fluorine, effective doping of the precursor titaniumisopropoxide (TTIP) was possible. These samples were characterised for their structural and opticalproperties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform IR (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and UV–visspectroscopy. In terms of the anatase to rutile transition enhancement using a novel microwave assistedtechnique, the sample prepared in a composition of 1:8 TiO2: NH4F at 1200◦C was seen to be most effec-tive, having stable anatase present at 57.1% compared to undoped TiO2being 100% rutile from 900◦C. Thismethod involves the production of ammonium oxofluorotitanates (NH4TiOF3) at low temperatures. Theinclusion of these intermediates greatly reduces the particle size growth and delays the anatase to rutiletransition. The photocatalytic activity of these materials was studied by analysing the degradation of anorganic dye, rhodamine 6G as a model system and the rate constant was calculated by pseudo-first-orderkinetics. These results showed that the doped sample (0.0225 min−1) was three times more active thanthe undoped sample (0.0076 min−1) and over seven times faster than the commercial TiO2photocatalyststandard Degussa P-25 calcined at 1200◦C (0.0030 min−1). The formation of intermediate compounds,oxofluorotitanates, was identified as the major reason for a delay in the anatase to rutile transition
Learning information literacy skills through library instruction: an Irish higher education case study of first year students
Full text linkFirst year students in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) participate in a mandatory Learning & Innovation Skills (LIS) module to ease the transition from second to third level education. To complement this odule\ud
the library offers four standalone library instruction sessions which aim to provide students with the key competencies to learn information literacy (IL)\ud
skills. There is significant existing research on information literacy and evaluating library instruction internationally, however, a lesser amount is published on the Irish perspective. Using a mixed method case study, the\ud
objective of this research is to examine GMIT’s experience of learning\ud
information literacy skills through library instruction. The research is GMIT specific but is valuable to the wider audience; it proposes to expand on prior higher education information literacy studies. The research does not\ud
endeavour to analyse library instruction beyond the four sessions delivered to\ud
compliment the LIS module. Furthermore the study is not attempting a\ud
retrospective analysis of the sessions, or a generalisation of all library instruction within the institute. The research will be the first in-depth analysis of the library’s elements of GMIT’s LIS module. The research gives significant\ud
insight into learning information literacy skills through library instruction and will help with future developments of the library instruction sessions. The findings indicate that students benefit from library instruction sessions; however a more progressional approach to teaching information literacy may be more beneficial than the method currently employed
Identification and quality assessment of high nature value (HNV) farmland in the North-West of Ireland
No full textHigh Nature Value (HNV) farmland is farmland that is managed at low intensity and\ud
which supports a high diversity of flora and fauna. HNV farmland has been\ud
acknowledged as being essential to the conservation of biodiversity in Europe. In\ud
recent years, as agricultural support payments have progressively incorporated\ud
measures to support farmland biodiversity, the identification and enhancement of\ud
HNV farmland has become increasingly important. To date methods of identifying\ud
HNV farmland have been highly variable amongst E.U. Member States or even\ud
within countries. Additionally, methods of measuring the quality of HNV regions\ud
have been limited and have had variable successes. This provides the incentive for\ud
this study which examined the habitat composition of 60 farms in the Counties\ud
Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim in the north-west of Ireland. This data was used to aid the\ud
identification of HNV farmland in Ireland and development of HNV grassland\ud
quality assessment.\ud
The first part of this study works towards developing a nature value index for\ud
pastoral farmland in a Northern Atlantic biogeographic region. Using data from 30\ud
farms, a simple 10 point nature value index was developed following a five step\ud
statistical process. The benefit of this index is that it is based on three easily\ud
measured variables i.e. (i) proportion of improved agricultural grassland on a farm,\ud
(ii) stocking density and (iii) length of linear habitats per hectare on a farm. These\ud
values are combined to assign a nature value score to a farm. This score has the\ud
potential to be used as an identification tool for HNV farmland and could also be\ud
used to inform targeting of agri-environment supports and monitoring of the success\ud
(or failures) of measures within such schemes.\ud
The second part of this study aims to increase the understanding of the farm types\ud
that are associated with HNV landscapes. Using farm biodiversity values and farm\ud
management values, four distinct farm types within a HNV landscape have been\ud
identified. These farm types represent the gradient of management intensities in a\ud
HNV landscape. This information can be used to inform the development of future\ud
agri-environment schemes and highlights those areas which may benefit from\ud
targeted supports to enhance and maintain biodiversity levels.\ud
The final section of this study examines the vegetation groupings associated with\ud
HNV farmland and investigates the potential of assessing the floristic quality of\ud
fields in HNV landscapes. Four primary vegetation groups associated with HNV\ud
farmland were identified and described using cluster analysis and indicator species\ud
analysis. Additionally, a measure of the quality of fields within this landscape was\ud
developed based on HNV grassland indicator species. This measure of quality was\ud
found to relate to the nature value index developed in part one of this study. The use\ud
of the quality score in combination with the nature value index provides a holistic\ud
measure of the biodiversity value of HNV farmland in pastoral regions. These\ud
measures have the potential to be used as part of targeted agri-environmental\ud
schemes
Irish Traveller women negotiating home and school environments : identity, space and embodiment
Full text linkThe purpose of this research is to investigate the manner in which Traveller women\ud
negotiate different spaces, in particular, the home-school interface within the context of\ud
a rapidly changing society. Previous writers (Helleiner 2000; Okely 1983) on Gypsy\ud
Traveller women recognised that withdrawal from the workforce into the home place\ud
has led to a reduction in Traveller women’s participation in the wider society, and\ud
contributes to a decrease in female pollution taboos (Okely 1975). Yet increasing\ud
engagement by Traveller women within the educational sector has had a significant\ud
impact of the way in which Traveller women’s identity is understood and negotiated\ud
both within and between communities. Through a detailed exploration, from a\ud
distinctly gendered, cross-generational perspective, this research foregrounds the voices\ud
of mothers and daughters from an ethnographic perspective, located in Baile Lucht Siúil\ud
in the Republic of Ireland.\ud
The key finding from this research is that gender plays the most important role in\ud
shaping Traveller identity. By focussing on the disjuncture between the generations, and\ud
building on ideas of Okely (1975, 1983) and Gay y Blasco (1997, 1999) the study draws\ud
attention to the importance of ritual hygiene practices observed through embodied\ud
performances as a way of preserving and maintaining group boundaries that are\ud
understood through moral performances located at the site of the body. The changing\ud
perceptions of ethnic and national identities are ascribed moral values understood\ud
through the unique relationship between Ireland and England. I argue that evidence of\ud
familial expectations centre around a performed and enacted morality relating to\ud
deportment, behaviour and dress as evidence of female sexuality.\ud
This research offers new insights and understandings of Gypsy / Traveller women in\ud
Ireland, both by conveying their voices and by providing a context in which they could\ud
explore their feelings about their roles in a changing environment
2D nanostructures for water purification: graphene and beyond
No full textOwing to their atomically thin structure, large surface area and mechanical strength, 2D nanoporous\ud
materials are considered to be suitable alternatives for existing desalination and water purification membrane\ud
materials. Recent progress in the development of nanoporous graphene based materials has generated\ud
enormous potential for water purification technologies. Progress in the development of nanoporous\ud
graphene and graphene oxide (GO) membranes, the mechanism of graphene molecular sieve action,\ud
structural design, hydrophilic nature, mechanical strength and antifouling properties and the principal\ud
challenges associated with nanopore generation are discussed in detail. Subsequently, the recent applications\ud
and performance of newly developed 2D materials such as 2D boron nitride (BN) nanosheets,\ud
graphyne, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), tungsten chalcogenides (WS2) and titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) are\ud
highlighted. In addition, the challenges affecting 2D nanostructures for water purification are highlighted\ud
and their applications in the water purification industry are discussed. Though only a few 2D materials\ud
have been explored so far for water treatment applications, this emerging field of research is set to attract\ud
a great deal of attention in the near future
Highly efficient F, Cu doped TiO2 anti-bacterial visible light active photocatalytic coatings to combat hospital-acquired infections
No full textBacterial infections are a major threat to the health of patients in healthcare facilities including\ud
hospitals. One of the major causes of patient morbidity is infection with Staphylococcus aureus. One\ud
of the the most dominant nosocomial bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)\ud
have been reported to survive on hospital surfaces (e.g. privacy window glasses) for up to 5 months.\ud
None of the current anti-bacterial technology is efficient in eliminating Staphylococcus aureus. A novel\ud
transparent, immobilised and superhydrophilic coating of titanium dioxide, co-doped with fluorine and\ud
copper has been prepared on float glass substrates. Antibacterial activity has demonstrated (by using\ud
Staphylococcus aureus), resulting from a combination of visible light activated (VLA) photocatalysis and\ud
copper ion toxicity. Co-doping with copper and fluorine has been shown to improve the performance of\ud
the coating, relative to a purely fluorine-doped VLA photocatalyst. Reductions in bacterial population of\ud
log10 = 4.2 under visible light irradiation and log10 = 1.8 in darkness have been achieved, compared with\ud
log10 = 1.8 under visible light irradiation and no activity, for a purely fluorine-doped titania. Generation\ud
of reactive oxygen species from the photocatalytic coatings is the major factor that significantly reduces\ud
the bacterial growth on the glass surfaces
The lecturer-as-learner; a critical analysis of a team teaching pilot programme
Full text linkIn an attempt to displace traditional lecturing hierarchies with a co-learning dynamic, the lecturer-as-learner paradigm was explored in GMIT Letterfrack. An action research study was carried out in the context of a final year level 8 degree Professional Studies module (2012-2013) which had a cohort of nineteen students. Two lecturers piloted a team teaching model of delivery in order to explore the effectiveness of parallel teaching, alternate teaching, and co-teaching formats. A co-learning model was adopted, where lecturers participated in the dual roles of lecturer and learner, in structured dialogue with students. This study had two strands; the first, a participating lecturer, conducted an in-depth critical reflection on his team teaching experience, the second a participating student, conducted a final year thesis on the effectiveness of the team teaching delivery
Real-time monitoring of a hybrid precast and in-situ concrete flat slab system
Full text linkThis paper presents a scheme developed for instrumentation and monitoring of the structural performance of a hybrid precast and in-situ concrete flat slab system employed in an educational building. The system contains a precast plate flooring slab, which is composed of a thin reinforced concrete plate incorporating a steel lattice girder and all reinforcement required by design. A top mat of reinforcement is placed on site, as well as reinforcing stitching bars across the precast slab joints to ensure shear transfer and two way bending action. The concrete topping is then placed on site. Preliminary data obtained from the instrumented building are discussed. Continuous monitoring of the data will allow long term effects, such as creep, to also be monitored and compared with design guidelines
