Online learning presents an opportunity to expand access to higher education to traditionally underrepresented students. However the challenges for these students may persist even when study is undertaken off campus. Fostering a sense of belonging and personal connection to learning may present a way to improve the learning experience and retention of these students, especially in the first year. In a qualitative study of university students from nontraditional backgrounds and academics, sense of belonging was found as a characteristic highly valued in online courses. How sense of belonging was understood and experienced by students, and the strategies used by academics to foster belonging in online learning are discussed.

1. Which sex should care for offspring depends on the cost and benefits of the behaviour for each sex. Understanding these differences between the sexes is a fundamental step to explain the evolution of animal societies, but it is often difficult to quantify them empirically. A possible approach is to investigate two closely related species that perform a very similar type of care but in which the caring sex differs.2. Using field and laboratory data, we estimated the benefits and costs of parental care in two species of assassin bugs with very similar ecologies: Rhinocoris tristis, which has exclusive paternal care, and Rhinocoris carmelita, which has exclusive maternal care.3. In both species, the main benefit of care was a reduction in parasitism and predation of eggs. Guarding R. tristis males consumed eggs (filial cannibalism), and thus managed not to lose weight, but R. carmelita females paid the full energetic cost of care. Guarding male R. tristis incurred survival costs relative to non-guarding male and female conspecifics.4. Very high population density and female preference for males already guarding eggs (a preference previously recorded in fish) minimised the promiscuity cost of paternal care in R. tristis, explaining the difference in care pattern between the two species.

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Bennett, S.; Kosta, Lisa; Agostinho, S.; Lockyer, L.; Jones, J.; and Harper, B., "Understanding the design context for Australian university teachers: Implications for the future of learning design" (2009 DescriptionBased on the premise that support for university teachers in designing their units will improve teaching and ultimately improve the quality of student learning outcomes, recent interest in the development of tools and strategies has gained momentum. This paper reports on a study that has examined the contexts in which Australian university teachers design in order to understand what role design support tools and strategies could play. It appears that Australian university teachers can exercise a high degree of choice in terms of design, indicating that there may be opportunities for teachers to consider using reusable learning designs. AbstractBased on the premise that support for university teachers in designing their units will improve teaching and ultimately improve the quality of student learning outcomes, recent interest in the development of tools and strategies has gained momentum. This paper reports on a study that has examined the contexts in which Australian university teachers design in order to understand what role design support tools and strategies could play. It appears that Australian university teachers can exercise a high degree of choice in terms of design, indicating that there may be opportunities for teachers to consider using reusable learning designs. IntroductionRecent interest in the development of tools and strategies to support university teachers design their units is based on the premise that such supports will improve teaching and ultimately improve the quality of student learning outcomes. This body of work includes a varied set of related approaches such as online collections that enable teachers to publish, search for and comment on learning and teaching ideas. Examples include the Technology-Supported Learning Database

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General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms AbstractUnderstanding early organic matter alteration and preservation in marine carbonate-evaporite systems could improve understanding of carbon cycling and hydrocarbon source rock prediction in such environments. It is possible that organic-rich microbial mats are important contributors to preserved hydrocarbons, and to explore this we examined changes in lipid composition in such a mat from a mesohaline intertidal lagoon, eastern Qatar. The mat reaches > 5 cm thickness over a carbonate mud substrate, rich in seagrass, gastropods and other small bioclasts. Clear lamination, with distinct downward colour changes from green to pink to brown, reflects different microbial mat communities. The layers contain spheroids of probable dolomite, the precipitation of which was plausibly bacterially-mediated. Lipids [n-alkanes, fatty acids (FAs), hopanoids, isoprenoid hydrocarbons, dialkyl glycerol diethers (DAGEs), and isoprenoid (0 to 4) and branched (Ia to IIIa) GDGTs] reflect the diverse mat-building phototrophic, heterotrophic and chemoorganotrophic microorganisms, as well as some likely allochthonous material (i.e. steroids, n-alkanols, high molecular weight nalkanes). The lipids clearly document the change in microbial community, with phytene being the predominant hydrocarbon in the phototrophic surface layer. Oxygen and pH drop significantly 0.2 cm below the mat surface, coincident with the predominance of Deltaproteobacteria and increased concentrations of archaeal and bacterial glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids andC 15 /C 16 and C 16 /C 17 dialkyl glycerol ether lipids in the deeper layers. Archaeol, likely of methanogen origin, is most abundant in the deepest layer. Allochthonous inputs occur throughout the mat, including abundant steroids, especially dinosterol and dinostanol, that are possibly related to periodic algal (dinoflagellate) blooms in the Arabian Gulf. Both n-alkanes and n-alkanols appear to be derived from seagrass. Organic matter contents decrease in the deepest mat; this suggests an overall low preservation potential of OM in intertidal mesohaline-hypersaline mats of the Arabian Gulf, which in turn suggests that these are not the major source of hydrocarbons in microbially-dominated carbonateevaporite systems.2

Problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education focuses on preparing independent learners for continuing, self-directed, professional development beyond the classroom. Skills in self-regulated learning (SRL) are important for success in PBL and ongoing professional practice. However, the development of SRL skills is often left to chance. This study presents the investigated outcomes for students when support for the development of SRL was embedded in a PBL medical curriculum. This investigation involved design, delivery and testing of SRL support, embedded into the first phase of a four-year, graduate-entry MBBS degree. The intervention included concept mapping and goal-setting activities through iterative processes of planning, monitoring and reflecting on learning. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data from seven students to develop case studies of engagement with, and outcomes from, the SRL support. The findings indicate that students who actively engaged with support for SRL demonstrated increases in cognitive and metacognitive functioning. Students also reported a greater sense of confidence in and control over their approaches to learning in PBL. This study advances understanding about how the development of SRL can be integrated into PBL. AbstractProblem-based learning (PBL) in medical education focuses on preparing independent learners for continuing, self-directed, professional development beyond the classroom. Skills in self-regulated learning (SRL) are important for success in PBL and ongoing professional practice. However, the development of SRL skills is often left to chance.The study presented here investigated outcomes for students when support for the development of SRL was embedded in a PBL medical curriculum.This investigation involved design, delivery, and testing of SRL support, embedded into the first phase of a four-year, graduate-entry MBBS degree. The intervention included concept mapping and goal-setting activities through iterative processes of planning, monitoring and reflecting on learning. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data from seven students to develop case studies of engagement with, and outcomes from, the SRL support.The findings indicate that students who actively engaged with support for SRL demonstrated increases in cognitive and metacognitive functioning. Students also reported a greater sense of confidence in and control over their approaches to learning in PBL. This study advances understanding about the how the development of SRL can be integrated into PBL.3

Key global and Australasian bodies have reported research suggesting the accounting profession is one of the most vulnerable to disruption through automation and changed business models. For universities seeking to improve the employability of graduates and professional bodies seeking to support professional members on a successful lifelong career, the research presented in this paper reconfirmed the need to reappraise the capabilities that would enhance professional practice and lead to sustained careers. This report presents the findings from a validation process across Australia and New Zealand that includes 2,074 responses to a survey conducted by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. The report confirms 24 capabilities, including six considered essential requirements for every professional seeking to work in accounting, finance, and related work roles. The findings provide evidence that these capabilities, in contrast to recent reports suggesting employment opportunities for accounting graduates are in decline, can create opportunities for sustainable careers. The validation project and survey results provide unexpected insight into the capabilities of different age groups and professionals at different career stages that are considered important. The paper outlines how this research will not only inform continuing professional education for members but also help refine the design of post-graduate curriculum and continuing professional development.