Quantifying attitude to chemistry in students at the University of the South Pacific

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Brown ◽  
B. N. Sharma ◽  
L. Wakeling ◽  
M. Naiker ◽  
S. Chandra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Institution ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
First Year ◽  
The South ◽  
Teaching Chemistry ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Pooled Data ◽  
Oblimin Rotation ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The attitude towards the study of chemistry for new entrant chemistry students from a multi-national, regional, tertiary educational institution in the South Pacific was investigated using a purpose-designed diagnostic instrument. The Attitude toward the Study of Chemistry Inventory (ASCI) was used to quantify attitude in a cohort of first year undergraduate (n = 144) and foundation (n = 108) chemistry students. A similar, generally positive attitude to the study of chemistry was shown by both groups of students. Exploratory factor analysis using principle axis factoring and direct oblimin rotation was used to identify factors within the pooled data. Three factors accounted for more than 50% of the total variance, while Cronbach's alpha values for the factors 1, 2 and 3 were 0.92, 0.68 and 0.78, respectively. Factors 1 and 2 were consistent with known constructs of attitude, namely affective (factor 1) and cognitive (factor 2). However, the other factor (3) identified in this study was designated “Value”, which may reflect the students' choice of chemistry as a career path. ASCI may be a suitable tool for monitoring students' attitude throughout a degree and also to monitor the impact of novel approaches for teaching chemistry and engaging students.

scholarly journals Performance of FCAE diploma holders at USP

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
U J Dixit ◽  
V U Dixit ◽  
M V Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
First Year ◽  
The South ◽  
Similar Nature ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Advanced Education ◽  
Study Programme ◽  
The University

The University of the South Pacific (USP is currently attracting many students who have completed a Diploma at the Fiji College of Advanced Education (FCAE) into its study programmes. These students are not required to do certain courses, mostly those at the first year level, as they had done courses of a similar nature at FCAE and hence these are cross-credited towards their study programme as USP. In order to ensure that the granting of cross-credits for these FCAE courses is justified, USP needs to study the performance of these students. In this paper, we have carried out a statistical analysis using the Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPA) of all 67 such students. Results of the analysis indicate that the performance of these students justifies the granting of cross-credits.

Tourism Development in the South Pacific: The Cases of Nauru and Tuvalu

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Towner ◽  
Semisi Taumoepeau
Keyword(s):  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Tourism Development ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
The South ◽  
South Pacific Ocean ◽  
Economic Survival ◽  
Processing Centre ◽  
Remote Island ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Tuvalu and Nauru are isolated developing island nations located in the South Pacific Ocean. In contrast to the established larger Pacific destinations such as Fiji and Tahiti, the tourism industries on both Tuvalu and Nauru are in their infancy. Tourism development in these remote island nations faces a myriad of challenges which include a lack of infrastructure, environmental susceptibility, economic vulnerability, difficulties with access and considerable distances from major tourist markets. This paper reviews tourism on Tuvalu and Nauru and evaluates their current situation regarding potential tourism development through workshops with relevant stakeholders, surveys and subsequent SWOT analysis. The results of the paper outlined a large number of challenges faced by Tuvalu and Nauru due to their geographic location but also highlighted that both Islands possess fascinating and unique features that have the potential to attract niche tourism markets. A key finding of this paper is that the tourism stimulus or potential attraction can also be the chief threat to the islands’ economic survival hence the two edges of the sword. Further research is required to assess the effect of the withdrawal of the Refugee Processing Centre on Nauru’s economy and to evaluate the impact of climate change on Tuvalu’s society and potential adaption strategies.

Book Review of Teaching and Learning with Technology: Pushing boundaries and breaking down walls

Open Praxis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 569
Author(s):  
Ramesh Chander Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
The South ◽  
The University ◽  
Learning With Technology

Book review of Teaching and Learning with Technology: Pushing boundaries and breaking down walls, edited by Som Naidu and Sharishna Narayan and published in 2020 by The University of the South Pacific Press.

scholarly journals EDITORIAL: Pacific media advocacy

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-10
Author(s):  
David Robie
Keyword(s):  
Solomon Islands ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Journalism Education ◽  
The South ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Media Advocacy ◽  
Regional University ◽  
National University ◽  
The Media ◽  
The University

IN SAMOA during July 2015, a new Pacific journalism education and training advocacy era was born with the establishment of the Media Educators Pacific (MEP) after a talkfest had gone on for years about the need for such a body. A draft constitution had even been floated at a journalism education conference hosted at the University of the South Pacific in 2012. The initiative created unity of sorts between the Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET) media institutes from Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and the regional University of the South Pacific journalism programme. Founding president Misa Vicky Lepou of the National University of Samoa pledged at the time to produce a vision with a difference:

The role of air-sea coupling on the simulation of intraseasonal rainfall variability over the South Pacific in ECHAM5-SIT

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil Kumar Pariyar ◽  
Noel Keenlyside ◽  
Wan-Ling Tseng
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Intraseasonal Variability ◽  
Phase Relationship ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
South Pacific Convergence Zone ◽  
The South ◽  
The Impact

<p><span>We investigate the impact of air-sea coupling on the simulation of the intraseasonal variability of rainfall over the South Pacific using the ECHAM5 atmospheric general circulation model coupled with Snow-Ice-Thermocline (SIT) ocean model. We compare the fully coupled simulation with two uncoupled simulations forced with sea surface temperature (SST) climatology and daily SST from the coupled model. The intraseasonal rainfall variability over the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) is reduced by 17% in the uncoupled model forced with SST climatology and increased by 8% in the uncoupled simulation forced with daily SST. The coupled model best simulates the key characteristics of the two intraseasonal rainfall modes of variability in the South Pacific, as identified by an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. The spatial structure of the two EOF modes in all three simulations is very similar, suggesting these modes are independent of air-sea coupling and primarily generated by the dynamics of the atmosphere. The southeastward propagation of rainfall anomalies associated with two leading rainfall modes in the South Pacific depends upon the eastward propagating </span><span>Madden-Julian Oscillation (</span><span>MJO</span><span>)</span><span> signals over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Air-sea interaction seems crucial for such propagation as both eastward and southeastward propagations substantially reduced in the uncoupled model forced with SST climatology. Prescribing daily SST from the coupled model improves the simulation of both eastward and southeastward propagations in the uncoupled model forced with daily SST, showing the role of SST variability on the propagation of the intraseasonal variability, but the periodicity differs from the coupled model. The change in the periodicity is attributed to a weaker SST-rainfall relationship that shifts from SST leading rainfall to a nearly in-phase relationship in the uncoupled model forced with daily SST.</span></p>

Developing Culturally Inclusive Educational Multimedia in the South Pacific

2008 ◽  
pp. 1031-1041
Author(s):  
C. Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Interaction Design ◽  
Interface Design ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
The South ◽  
Educational Multimedia ◽  
The University

This chapter explores how educational technology can be developed according to indigenous learning approaches of the South Pacific. It is based on an expansive research and development project conducted 2003-2004 at The University of the South Pacific (USP). After an introduction to several aspects of indigenous South Pacific learning approaches and their usage in the formal learning sector, I make several recommendations for instructional technology design based on these principles, illustrated with examples of educational technology projects that apply these recommendations. Specifically, we follow educational multimedia efforts at USP that enable learning in wholes, encourage observation and imitation and utilize vernacular metaphors and languages. This includes recommendations for interface design, interaction design and decentralized content localization.

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