The use of a publishing platform to facilitate the adaptation and development of Open Textbooks: A Pilot Report

After a successful proof of concept to expand the university’s commitment to Open Educational Resources (OER), a pilot program was launched to facilitate the adaptation and development of Open Textbooks by academic staff for students as well as broader audiences. The pilot involved the use of the publishing platform Pressbooks as a mechanism to raise awareness of Open Educational Resources, and to provide a university-supported tool with which to develop Open Textbooks. Commencing in Semester 2, 2020, participants in the pilot received vendor training from Pressbooks, as well as support from learning and teaching and library staff. Pilot participants used the Pressbooks platform in a number of ways. Academics created textbooks as course material in a single unit, academics adapted open textbooks for Australian contexts over a number of units, and academics created open textbooks based on their research and not for a specific unit of study. Of the 13 pilot participants, five open textbooks were created, with one still in development. Responses to the pilot were mixed. Student feedback on the use of Pressbooks indicates that they enjoyed the structured and easy-to-read course material. Other students expressed frustration with the higher workload expectations of consuming material online prior to participating in synchronous classes. Students appreciated the zero cost of engaging with an open textbook. Academic feedback was also mixed, with some appreciating the flexibility and engagement that they can achieve in Pressbooks. Others were discouraged by the amount of time spent on creating material for little perceived benefit. The majority of academic staff who developed a textbook using Pressbooks would like to continue to use the platform.

Subduction and exhumation slip accommodation at depths of 10–80 km inferred from field geology of exhumed rocks: Evidence for temporal-spatial localization of slip

ABSTRACT Field relationships in the Franciscan Complex of California suggest localization of subduction slip in narrow zones (≤300 m thick) at the depths of ∼10–80 km. Accretionary and non-accretionary subduction slip over the ca. 150 Ma of Franciscan history was accommodated across the structural thickness of the complex (maximum of ∼30 km). During accretion of a specific unit (<5 Ma), subduction slip (accretionary subduction slip) deformed the full thickness of the accreting unit (≤5 km), primarily on discrete faults of <20 m in thickness, with the remainder accommodated by penetrative deformation. Some faults accommodating accretionary subduction slip formed anastomosing zones ≤200 m thick that resulted in block-in-matrix (tectonic mélange) relationships but did not emplace exotic blocks. Mélange horizons with exotic blocks range in thickness from 0.5 m to 1 km. These apparently formed by sedimentary processes as part of the trench fill prior to subsequent deformation during subduction-accretion. Accretionary subduction slip was localized within some of these mélanges in zones ≤300 m thick. Such deformation obscured primary sedimentary textures. Non-accretionary subduction faults separate units accreted at different times, but these <100-m-thick fault zones capture a small fraction of associated subduction slip because of footwall subduction and likely removal of hanging wall by subduction erosion. Most exhumation was accommodated by discrete faults ≤30 m thick. Structural, geochronologic, and plate motion data suggest that of the ∼13,000 km of subduction during the ca. 150 Ma assembly of the Franciscan Complex, ∼2000 km was associated with accretion.

Main results of the diamond, precious metal, and base metal mineral resource base reproduction using the declarative principle of licensing

The article presents the results of geological exploration for diamonds, precious metals, and base metals, conducted in the Russian Federation in consistence with licenses granted based on the declarative principle, beginning from the moment this mechanism was introduced. Key aspects of changes in the legislative regulation of this mechanism are represented. The information on the planned and factual financing of these works, on the number of the issued licenses, and on the respective increase in the resources and reserves of precious metals is provided. Specific (unit) indicators of the mineral reserve increase and of the respective costs were proposed, based on which the effectiveness of geological exploration was determined for projects performed in administrative subjects of the Russian Federation in consistence with the licenses granted by the declarative principle. Problems in implementation of the mechanism were identified. Recommendations for elimination of these problems are proposed.

A Multimodal Analysis of Hyperbolic Devices in Advertisements of Health and Beauty Products

This paper examines the use of one of the most common linguistic devices which is hyperbole. It shows how hyperbolic devices are used as an aspect of exaggeration or overstatement for an extra effect in which the speaker can use hyperbole to add something extra to a situation in order to exaggerate his idea or speech. It is, like other figures of speech, used to express a negative or positive attitude of a specific unit of language. Thus, this paper is set against a background of using hyperbole concerning two main fields (advertisements and propaganda). So, the use of hyperbole will be implied by analyzing them concerning their meaning) literal and non-literal). Methodology of this study follows the specific model of analysis adopted from Barthes (1977) cited in Machin (2007).

THE LEVEL OF PERCEPTION OF STUDENTS TOWARDS FI SABILILLAHS ZAKAT DISTRIBUTION: CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA

In Malaysia, management-related zakat issues differ between each state. Besides, most higher education institutions in Malaysia have a specific unit or department which handles the collection and distribution of zakat in their institutions. However, the distribution of zakat to fisabilillahbeneficiary (asnaf), students comprehension and trust remain uncertain. This study evaluates the level of awareness among students related to the Awqaf and Zakat Center (PWZ) and their perception of zakat distribution to fisabilillahasnaf in UniversitiSains Islam Malaysia.This research uses a quantitative approach to collect data via the questionnaire. One hundred (100) students from UniversitiSains Islam Malaysia are among the samples. The result shows that while respondents have a good understanding of zakat management mean at (3.91), adequate information has not been obtained from certain management elements such as customer relations mean at (1.30) and advertising mean at (0.80). Besides, the zakat distribution criterion remains uncertain mean at (1.36). The finding shows that most respondents lack faith in the distribution of zakat from PWZ while being aware of the work of PWZ. Therefore, PWZ should play an essential role in supporting financially burdened students.

Time category of English folktale „The Seal-Catcher”

This article is dedicated to the study of time category in the English folktale „The Seal-Catcher”. Folktale has always been considered as the unique component of folklore. All peoples of the world have been describing the pastime events through the folklore, in particular, through the folktale. A folktale is the world’s heritage unit. It has been transferred from one generation to another to tell about how people lived many years ago, how they worked, built relationship, which valuables they had etc. Folktales as long as anecdotes, fables, songs and other folklore components were told in oral. In this article the usage of time category in the English folktale „The Seal-Catcher” is researched. The object of the study is the folktale „The Seal-Catcher”. The aim is to determine the characteristics of the means of expressing the category of time in the English folktale. The term temporality is used as the synonym to the term time. In other words, temporality is the category of time being mostly used in specific unit. The category of time includes not only the time forms but also lexical means of linguistic expression of time. Time relation and time characteristics are studied in this article on the materials of the folktale „The Seal-Catcher”. In this folktale the most commonly used tense is Past Simple tense – 85%. The time category is mainly built on the Past Indefinite grammatical constructions. Application of Present Indefinite tense is not characteristic for this folktale. The further research is considered to be promising when to study modality of English folktales as the way of motivation to the action.

Replacement of Radiographic Testing with Automated Ultrasonic Inspection with Data Visualization

The article considers practically significant cases of substantiation of radiographic inspection replacement with automated ultrasound. Justifications are carried out by comparing the technical capabilities of existing methods for specific unit under test. The comparison is made according to the following defining directions: 1) possibilities of detecting inconsistencies depending on their danger; 2) information content of inspection results; 3) possibility of visual representation and long-term storage of control results. Examples of justification of such replacement for cases of thick-walled austenitic connection of the ITER thermonuclear reactor diverter support, annular welded joints of pipelines of various purposes, turbine rotors, welded joints of pipelines of the NPP pressure compensation system are given.

Redrawing Hot Spots of Crime in Dallas, Texas

In this work we evaluate the predictive capability of identifying long term, micro place hot spots in Dallas, Texas. We create hot spots using a clustering algorithm, using law enforcement cost of responding to crime estimates as weights. Relative to the much larger current hot spot areas defined by the Dallas Police Department, our identified hot spots are much smaller (under 3 square miles), and capture crime cost at a higher density. We also show that the clustering algorithm captures a wide array of hot spot types; some one or two addresses, some street segments, and others an agglomeration of larger areas. This suggests identifying hot spots based on a specific unit of aggregation (e.g. addresses, street segments), may be less efficient than using a clustering technique in practice.