Thompson Rivers University
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Introducing the Basics of Evidence- Based Practice to Entry-Level Undergraduates
No full textBackground: Entry-level nursing undergraduate students have a limited introduction to evidence based practice (EBP) and may be unaware of the utilization of research in EBP. There is a necessity to explore the perceptions of nursing students regarding the use of EBP in clinical nursing practice.
Review: Current literature lacks evidence-based results about the knowledge and practices that could be initiated and implemented to enhance teaching and learning of EBP to entry-level undergraduate students.
Aim: To explore the perceptions, knowledge and use of EBP among the entry-level undergraduate students.
Methods: A qualitative case study approach to explore the perceptions and experiences of a research coach mentored by a faculty member in the selected course for a group of nursing students.
Results: The Research Coach program focused on the EBP project in the class room is ongoing. The results of mentoring students are in process and will be disseminated in March.
Conclusion: The findings from mentoring the students will be beneficial to understand the nursing students’ perceptions and understanding of EBP in classroom and clinical application.
Implications: The Research Coach program has implications for enhancing best teaching practices that would provide a strong foundation for increasing knowledge and practices of EBP among the nursing students
Biomineralization by Bacteria Isolated from the Popcorn Speleothem Sample of the Iron Curtain Cave in Chilliwack, BC, Canada
No full textThe enzyme urease has been identified as a virulence factor in many bacteria due to its multiple roles in human disease pathogenesis. For example, urease has been observed to contribute to the precipitation of ions resulting in kidney stones. Urease catalyzes the conversion of urea into ammonia and bicarbonate. The bicarbonate ion produced is transferred to the surface of the bacterial cell, where it will then bind with calcium in the environment to form calcium carbonate. The bacteria are sites of nucleation on which calcium carbonate crystals can form. Bacteria that produce calcium carbonate using this reaction are currently being studied for their potential applications in biocement techniques. However, the role of this pathway in cave formations is not well understood yet.
The present study aims to investigate the bacterial community composition of a popcorn speleothem found within the Iron Curtain Cave in Chilliwack, BC using primarily culture-dependent techniques. Forty-four isolates of bacteria were isolated from the collected samples using NA, d10NA, and R2A media cultured at 8°C for 7-21 days. These isolates were then subcultured to obtain single colonies for the urease enzyme and nitrogen-reductase activity screening. The positive candidates were then grown on B4 medium at 8°C until calcium crystals were observed under a dissecting microscope. Information gathered will help researchers understand whether these bacteria can be induced to produce calcium carbonate crystals in a laboratory setting. Overall, the results may provide supporting evidence that the bacteria could have some degree of involvement in the formation of the cave speleothems
Lululemon Athletica Inc. Investment Research
No full textThe purpose of the research report is to provide a buy, sell or hold recommendation for Lululemon Inc., an athletic apparel retailer company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Previous to evaluating the company, it was necessary to learn about the business; its products, market segments and strategy. In addition, an industry overview and a competitive positioning were required. To evaluate the business, it was also necessary to know its investment risks as those can greatly affect the company in the future. After developing a general overview of Lululemon, the next step was to do a financial analysis in order to understand its main characteristics relating to liquidity, asset management, leverage and profitability. The previous steps oriented us to our goal, which is Lululemon´s valuation. Several approaches were used to make either a buy, hold or sell recommendation: market multiples and discounted cash flows. With company information we estimated the price-earnings (P/E) multiple and with industry information we estimated the price-book (P/BV) value multiple using a multi-regression model. Both approaches provided information with which we could conclude that Lululemon was fairly priced. The final approach was discounted cash flows (FCFE), based on which the company could be considered to be slightly overpriced. As the three prices obtained were close to the closing price on November 29, 2018, we issued a hold recommendation for Lululemon. Nonetheless, the third approach was based on a modest growth estimate for the coming years. Other analysts assumed higher growth rates, which we considered to be overstated. Those growth rates are high for a company who is in such a competitive industry. Lululemon will not be able to continue growing at that rate for a long period. The conclusion was then a hold recommendation but with caution. Once competitors begin to react more strongly to Lululemon’s advantageous high growth position, the recommendation is to sell
Big Data Reduction: Lessons Learned from Analyzing One Billion Dota 2 Matches
No full textThe availability of large datasets of player choices in popular online computer games presents an opportunity to identify sudden changes in choice patterns and explore what factors may contribute to such changes. However, the size and scope of large datasets raises big data reduction problems. This study uses a large dataset of over one billion games played in the online computer game Dota 2 as a starting point to examine possible solutions applicable to individual researchers with limited computational resources
Indigenizing Curriculums of Higher Education – A Case Study at Thompson Rivers University
No full textMuch like the work of MacMath and Hall, this work is in response to more than 160 years of forcefully relocating Canadian Indigenous children to residential schools, the birthplace of the dominant eurocentric education system in Canada (2018). To date, little research has been done on whether teachings of culture and Indigenous knowledges in higher education would positively shift people’s perceptions on Indigenous people. Generally speaking, the Canadian perception of Indigenous people is colored by years of intergenerational trauma and ignorance, perpetuated by what is taught in Western education systems. This was confirmed through personal experience working with the general public this summer via a baseline study with BC Ferries and Parks Canada. This study uses a combination of qualitative and Indigenous research methodologies to assess whether the exposure to Indigenous history, knowledges, and content ultimately affects students’ perceptions surrounding Indigenous people. The results of the surveys indicate that exposure to Indigenous content and knowledges shift perceptions within a higher education setting. The presentation of material and transmission of knowledge through multiple perspectives ultimately showed differences across three survey collection points. More research is needed into finding effective strategies to increase Indigenous student success in higher education environments, as well as to facilitate a deeper understanding of alternative ways of knowing within non-Indigenous individuals entering the workforce. Furthermore, there is a need for more research into the Indigenous student experience in Canada, and the role that institutions play in student outcomes
Poster Drop-off
No full textPoster presenters who did not send in their poster files in early for free printing and instead chose to make their own printing arrangements can drop their posters off between 1-5pm.
Presenters who sent in their poster files for the conference organizers to print: we\u27ll have your posters ready and hung up for you when you arrive on Friday March 29; please check in at the Registration Table when you arrive, before heading to your poster. You\u27ll be given your name tag, print program, and conference certificate. There is no need for you to come in on Thursday March 28
Bucko the Hamster
No full textA reading of Bucko the Hamster . This original surrealist fiction short story delves into the psyche of a parent attempting to deal with the loss of a daughter. The story details the protagonist\u27s attempts to create a life for themselves within the constraints of the society in which they live before realizing that they must seek inside themselves for validation and slough off the expectations and wants of the people around them. I wrote this piece while on a Study Abroad bilateral exchange at the University of Chichester in England, though at the time wasn\u27t aware of the importance it would come to have for me in its reflection of my own ability to overcome loss and grief, and find my place in the world
SESSION 1.1: Reading from \u3ci\u3eEcholocation\u3c/i\u3e: Fiction from the BC Interior
No full textKamloops author and creative writing instructor Karen Hofmann will read from her newly-released work of BC-based fiction, Echolocation. In this collection of short stories, characters struggle to connect or disconnect from entanglements and relationships. A newlywed pair of students transform into feral beasts during the hardships of a remote research expedition; backbiting faculty members strip down during a post-conference BBQ; an heretical nun explores the possibility of a new life by imaginatively excavating the fossils of BC\u27s Burgess Shale; and an overly-ambitious bylaw officer determines to make her mark on the city\u27s suburban streets
SESSION 2.3: Agricultural Diversity in BC’s Thompson and Cariboo Regions
No full textAgriculture in the southern interior of BC has always involved some diversity in terms of the variety of crops grown, the combination of livestock raised, agri-tourism activities, and non-farm employment. However, the impact of the Mad Cow disease crisis of 2003 and climate change has reaffirmed the importance of agricultural diversity. The purpose of this presentation is to give an overview of agriculture in the Thompson and Cariboo regions and highlight some of the diversified farm operations and future trends. The Thompson region is general warmer and drier than the Cariboo and has a larger urban centre – Kamloops. We compare the two regions based on exploratory interviews with farm and ranch operators, regional planners, and an agrologist. Our preliminary results are that farmers are open to experimenting with new crops or activities. Second, agri-tourism is growing, particularly in the Kamloops area where four wineries exist. Third, most producers depend on farmers’ markets or direct marketing, even in the Lower Mainland. Meanwhile, some family farms are being corporatized and consolidated, which can help a farm, for example, to become certified organic. The principal conclusion is that while diversification – particularly, agri-tourism -- is one way that operations are surviving or prospering, other farms are being bought up and consolidated