The relationship between the perceived value of supplementary online components, and student roles and responsibilities
Online delivery is becoming more widely used to enhance face-to-face provision within the tertiary sector. What is the value of such supplementation in the learning process? This notion of value is explored through examination of the responses and online output of over 50 students involved in two 3 year units, each of which used online supplementation. These responses and output are then analysed within teacher-centred and student-centred models of teaching. The findings suggest that the level and amount of self-directed learning undertaken by the students in the supplementary online component is related to the approach to teaching and learning adopted by the lecturer.
To post or not to post : undergraduate student perceptions about participating in online discussions
Computer mediated conferencing (CMC) is now a common feature of blended learning environments where students learn in both face to face and online settings. While many teachers recognize the value of online discussions for learning, students appear to have different perspectives. Consequently, their participation in online discussions is often sporadic and not genuinely interactive. This paper examines these issues and provides student perspectives about participation in online discussions which arose from a case study in a conceptually difficult subject. Systems data indicated low numbers of posted messages. Student interviews provide some insights into this lack of participation, and identify the influence of the curriculum design, especially the nature of the learning activity, and its connection to other aspects of the course, for example, assessment and the regular class sessions. Other influential factors include the student’s ideas about learning, managing demands on their time and their acceptance of CMC. The paper also provides recommendations for improving participation in online discussions.
Carbon Dioxide Elimination from Circle Systems
Ten various circle systems were studied in model experiments. All the experiments were performed using a Waters cannister containing 675–685 g of Durasorbr̀. 300 ml of carbon dioxide were supplied to the system per min. The efficacy of these systems was expressed as the time taken to demonstrate a concentration of 0.6% carbon dioxide in the gas mixture supplied to the patient connection during each respiratory cycle. The carbon dioxide elimination was studied at a gas flow of 2, 4 and 6 1 per min. All the systems showed an effective carbon dioxide elimination for 6 h or more at a flow of 2 1. An increasing efficacy was found with increasing flow, but to a varying extent.