154 research outputs found
Students' experiences and expectations of technologies: an Australian study designed to inform planning and development decisions
No full textThe pace of technological change accompanied by an evolution in social, work-based and study behaviours and norms poses particular challenges for universities as they strive to develop high quality and sustainable technology-rich learning environments. Maintaining currency with the latest advances is resource intensive, hence the costs incurred in upgrading existing and introducing new technologies need to be carefully weighed up against the potential benefits to students. This calls for a multidimensional approach to planning, with the student voice being an important dimension. Three Australian universities have recently completed a project to gain a better understanding of students\u27 experiences and expectations of technologies in everyday life and for study purposes. The LMS and 25 other technologies ranging from established university offerings (email, learning management systems) to freely available social networking technologies (YouTube, Facebook) were surveyed. More than 10,000 students responded. This paper discusses the development of the survey and presents the broad trends that have emerged in relation to the current use of technologies and desired future use of these for learning purposes. The implications of the survey findings for developing institutional infrastructure to engage students and support their learning are highlighted
A study of four key aspects within five bargaining councils over the period 1995 to 2010
No full textThe research focused on bargaining councils in five industries as statutory institutions for centralised collective bargaining. The purpose was to determine how bargaining councils adapted to the changing environment during the 15-year period from 1995 to 2010, with a particular focus on representivity, the main agreement (wages and conditions of service), benefit funds, dispute resolution and other related developments
An evaluation of skills development in a sample of metal and engineering firms in Gauteng
No full textIncludes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-127).The metal and engineering industry is one of the most significant contributors to South Africa’s manufacturing employment and economic performance. In recent times though debate regarding the industry has centered on reported critical skills shortages, alluding to decreased employment and performance. Studies confirmed that skills shortages at artisan, technical, engineering and management levels existed with artisans representing the most critical skills shortage in the industry. This study evaluates the nature and extent of skills development taking place in a sample of metal and engineering firms located in the industry’s most significant province, Gauteng. Research was conducted through interviews with skills development representatives from a non-randomly selected sample of firms belonging to three categories in the metals beneficiation value chain, namely: raw material processing firms; intermediate product producing firms and finished product producing firms
Translational research on the endocannabinoid system using postmortem brain tissue of mood disorder patients and an animal model of fear and stress
No full textPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that affects approximately 7% of the population. Individuals with PTSD experience significant functional impairments such as occupational and social dysfunction, as well as physical and mental health problems. A growing evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system is involved in mood and anxiety disorders and may be an important drug target for the treatment of PTSD. Using gene expression microarrays and quantitative PCR, we investigated expression profiles of cannabinoid receptor genes (CNR1 and CNR2) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of humans and rodents. These subjects include a developmental cohort of normal individuals (n=46) ranging in age from birth to 49 years, a cohort of mood disorder patients (n=59) and unaffected age-matched controls (n=47), and mice selectively bred for high and low fear memory (n=26). Using a Pavlovian fear conditioning and extinction paradigm, we studied potential association between fear memory and cannabinoid receptor expression in multiple brain regions such as the PFC, caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus and cerebellum of mice. The expression profiles of cannabinoid receptors were age-dependent and disease-specific. For example, CNR1, but not CNR2, levels were gradually decreased in the PFC of normal humans during postnatal development. In postmortem brains, CNR1 levels were increased in the subjects with major depression while decreased in the subjects with bipolar disorder as compared to the unaffected controls. Extinction of conditioned fear was associated with CNR1 expression levels in the PFC of mice. Increased CNR1 levels in the PFC of individuals with major depression and of mice with high fear suggest a common biological mechanism underlying stressful experience and depressive symptoms. Our translational approach combines data from the animal model of fear and stress, and from postmortem brains with mood disorders to enhance our understanding on the endocannabinoid system that may underlie these disorders
The Stanley Neuropathology Consortium Integrative Database: a Novel, Web-Based Tool for Exploring Neuropathological Markers in Psychiatric Disorders and the Biological Processes Associated with Abnormalities of Those Markers
No full text
Stress reduction, immune response, and human immunodeficiency virus: Treatment combining biofeedback, music, relaxation, and guided imagery
No full textThis study investigated the effectiveness of psychosocial treatment in reducing stress, improving mood and enhancing immune functioning in gay males diagnosed HIV seropositive. A J & J I-30 Biofeedback System monitored muscle potential, respiration, heart rate, electrodermal response and temperature during sessions where participants received training and/or were subject to a stress profile. Home practice tapes were provided. Results showed a delayed treatment effect in reducing stress and symptom severity and improving mood for two participants. One participant showed improvement in hardiness. Stress Profile results showed decreases in muscle potential during stress for three participants. All participants improved during recovery. During EMG biofeedback sessions, two participants improved. Within sessions, immune functioning improved for three participants. Overall, results suggest that participants learned skills that enabled them to better adapt to stress, and access, perhaps through a change in consciousness, some mechanism through which immune functioning improved in the short term. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.
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