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Using H5P to create interactive instructional videos
No full textA growing body of educational research is demonstrating the improvements to learning gains and student performance that can be promoted by a flipped classroom model in university courses. A core aspect of the flipped-class model is the student viewing of a pre-class instructional video, allotting time for an in-class activity during the following lecture. Flipped classroom instructional videos were prepared for a first-year general chemistry course at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. Unlike the overwhelming majority of flipped-class video resources, these videos are not just narrated screen capture used for passive learning. Rather, they are anchored in live instructor recordings, supplemented by animations, narrated screen capture, experimental laboratory demonstrations, and interactive questions. Interactive questions were embedded within the instructional videos, allowing the viewer to engage with the media, and restore the active learning component intended in a flipped class delivery. The addition of the interactive technology created a learner-centered educational tool that allowed the viewer to learn at their own pace and monitor the progression of their learning. This session will provide a demonstration and an opportunity to learn how and when to utilize interactive technology
2 - What is a Postdoc Anyway? Another side of research and teaching at TRU
No full textWhat does a postdoctoral research fellow do at Thompson Rivers University? Postdocs are not all alike, in part depending on the discipline they’re in, but also depending on the specifics of the particular position as determined by you and your supervisor. My role as a postdoctoral researcher in the Rural Livelihoods and Sustainable Communities lab takes many forms, including research, teaching, and student supervision and mentorship. It is an intersection of research and teaching. I will discuss the ways in which my position adds to the knowledge being generated at TRU, how that informs and keeps my teaching current, and how both these activities benefit and enrich student learning. In this 15-minute lightening presentation I will outline my role(s) as a postdoctoral research fellow at TRU. I will also talk about the different types of postdocs and how the goals of the faculty member and postdoctoral fellow inform the work that is carried out. I will speak specifically to my role in teaching, as well as the importance of incorporating my own research into my teaching, to keep it current and relevant
2 - Engaging across disciplines – Transformative education in the human services
Get PDFEducation that prepares students to work ethically in the margins with vulnerable and diverse populations demands deep learning and exploration of self to challenge biases and develop new ways of understanding complex social issues. Human service work is about societal transformation as well as individual transformation. Human service learning itself can be difficult and transformational. We do not seek to develop static knowledge about theory. We aim to empower students to develop critical and compassionate thinking so that they may be empowered to create social change. To accomplish this deep learning, we must transcend the interdisciplinary knowledge base at the foundation of human services. This sort of teaching demands that we do more than collaborate across ideology. It demands that we transcend boundaries to prevent unwitting adherence to disciplinary dogma to create new knowledge bases inspiring students to develop innovative ways of re-envisioning our social worlds. Blending perspectives from child and youth care and social work, we have not only enriched our own teaching, but have also uncovered novel approaches to enhance curricula and expand the threshold of possibility for each student. This process of connecting and exploring beyond our own disciplinary knowledge bases has not always been easy and it has required trust in the process and in the relationship between colleagues. In our speed presentation we will share why we engage in transdisciplinary work and how it has resulted in growth in our own teaching practices
1C: Large-scale Programs in Small Rural Libraries
No full textWorking in a small rural library comes with many challenges, and one of the biggest is engaging with your community through programs, with limited resources in your tool belt. This session will look at how to decide what type of program will add value to your community and how to implement these programs through community partnerships to maximize community engagement. Using examples from my experiences with planning large-scale programs such as GeekCon in an urban library and then adapting those large-scale ideas to a rural library, I will share my strategies for planning, researching and implementing programs, including leveraging assets with community partnerships to maximize the reach and impact of a program. Examples of my rural library programs will include my Teen Hunger Games program, Harry Potter program, Firefighting storytime, some of my outdoor programs, and more! I will also discuss future program ideas, resources and have time for questions and open discussion
Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse: The Differences in Perceptions of Animal Companions Between survivors and Non-experiencers of Abuse
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to explore the differences in perceptions of animal companions between survivors and non-experiencers of domestic violence (DV). Survivors in the shelter group (SG) were interviewed via focus group method. Non-experiencers in the community group (CG) were interviewed via semi-structured interview method. Participants were adult women with previous and/or current animal companions. Transcripts were analyzed in terms of thematic analysis. Three key themes, with various subthemes emerged: Theme 1: Relationship between guardian and animal companion; Theme 2: Animal companion perceived as important by guardian; and Theme 3: Relationship between animal companions and abuse. Overall, many women viewed their animal companions as important and as members of the family. The SG women were separated from their animal companions, viewed money as a barrier to having animals, and viewed animals as a protective support system. The CG women were generally not separated from the animal companions, did not view money as a barrier to having animals, and perceived their animals as a form of responsibility rather than support. As existing literature (e.g., Meyer, 2012; Barrett et al., 2018; Stevenson, Fitzgerald & Barrett, 2018) indicates that many women delay leaving abusive relationships due to concern for their animal companions, the goal of this research is to ensure that both human and nonhuman survivors of violence are safe in situations of DV. Given that SG women saw their animals as sources of protection and support, domestic violence shelters should allow animal companions. To mitigate potential issues surrounding having animals in shelters (e.g., fears and allergies), there should be specific rules in place. Overall, housing should aim to allow companion animals and not discriminate against those with animals (speciesism). The goal is to see a future where, regardless of species, all survivors of domestic violence are allowed in a safe space
Signal Enhancement for the Sensitive Detection of Nisin in Milk by Capillary Electrophoresis
No full textNisin is a class A1 lantibiotic produced from the Gram-negative bacteria Lactococcus lactis, and it is widely used as a preservative in alcoholic beverages and foods such as dairy products. To date, nisin is the lantibiotic that is FDA approved and a GRAS (generally regarded safe) bio-preservative due to its low toxicity. Besides, it is effective against the growth of Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium and the common food pathogen Listeria monocytogene. However, one problem associated with using nisin as a preservative is that its activity degrades over time due to changes in temperature, pH, and some components of the food. Therefore, this project will use micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) to not only determine the quantity of nisin added to milk products but also to monitor its stability throughout the product’s shelf life. In addition, the technique called large volume sample stacking (LVSS) will be applied to enhance the sensitivity of the MEKC method. Also, the detection limit of the LVSS-MEKC method will be improved by incorporating the sample preparation technique of solid-phase extraction (SPE), which can be used to extract and preconcentrate traces of nisin and remove interfering components from the sample matrix. The results obtained in this work will be compared to the previous study done with just MEKC. Successful optimization of the SPE-LVSS-MEKC method will be beneficial not only to food industries but also to alcoholic beverage industries. This method would present an inexpensive, fast, and easy way to monitor and determine the quantity of nisin in different food and alcohol products such as dairy products, meats and wines
Aqueous Film-Forming Foams and Associated Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Their Effects on Microbial Community Composition
No full textAqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) are composed of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of synthetic aliphatic compounds. When used to fight fires, these compounds are often released in large quantities directly into the environment. Due to the structural stability of PFAS, these compounds do not undergo spontaneous degradation under environmental conditions and are therefore prone to bioaccumulation in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Though the effect of PFAS on microbial community composition is not well understood, microbes perform certain ecological functions such as co-contaminant degradation, which may alter the composition of these compounds in the environment and influence patterns of community composition. To assess the effects of PFAS contamination on microbial community composition, soil samples were obtained from several contaminated sites, including airports, military training bases, and sites of previous fires, throughout Eastern Canada. DNA was extracted from samples and 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequencing was completed to characterize bacterial and fungal community composition, respectively. Community composition and diversity were compared using RStudio. This study is improving understanding of the functional consequences of PFAS exposure in microbial community composition and the bioremediation potential of certain bacterial species
Analysis of Particulates in the Air on the Kamloops Indian Band Reserve
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MiniVol Tactical Air Samplers were placed in three locations to collect samples from January 30 – February 29, 2020. Two sampling locations resided on the Kamloops Indian Band reserve, one residential area in Sun Rivers and one industrial location on Athabasca Way; one remained at the TRU Weather Station to collect background. The PM2.5 matter collected on membrane filter papers over an average period of 24 hours. Concentrations of metals—lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, zinc and iron—were determined spectroscopically. Filter papers were prepared for metal analysis by microwave digestion (Anton Paar Multiwave GO) with Aqua Regia and relative amounts were determined using a Varian Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (F-AAS). Small, but detectable levels of metals were found. The relative amounts of metal varied by location, with higher concentrations corresponding to the sampler in the industrial location. This project was carried out with the permission of the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Band council, who provided the air-samplers