Curtin University

About: Curtin University is a education organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Zircon. The organization has 14257 authors who have published 48997 publications receiving 1336531 citations. The organization is also known as: WAIT & Western Australian Institute of Technology.

Development and Validation of an Instrument for Assessing Distance Education Learning Environments in Higher Education: The Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES).

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new learning environments instrument designed to aid investigators and practitioners in measuring and researching the psychosocial learning environment in post-secondary distance education. Using a three-stage approach, the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES) was developed, field-tested with 680 distance education students, and then validated. The DELES has 34 items allocated to six scales: (1) Instructor Support; (2) Student Interaction and Collaboration; (3) Personal Relevance; (4) Authentic Learning; (5) Active Learning; and (6) Student Autonomy. An additional scale of Enjoyment was included in this study to explore associations between the psychosocial learning environment and student affective traits. Each learning environment item had a factor loading of at least 0.50 with its own scale, and less than 0.50 with all other scales. The alpha reliability coefficient for each scale ranged from 0.75 to 0.94. Simple correlations between Enjoyment and the DELES scales ranged from 0.12 to 0.31, with the scale of Personal Relevance having the strongest correlation with Enjoyment when all other scales were mutually controlled. The DELES, an online instrument that can be utilized by students at any location, eliminates data transfer errors and does not allow for non-responses, adding to the overall validity of the instrument. The development of DELES relied extensively on literature pertaining to high-quality distance education and expert content validation techniques. It treats distance learning as having a distinct social-psychological climate unlike those found in other post-secondary classroom environments.

A reference genome for pea provides insight into legume genome evolution

Abstract: We report the first annotated chromosome-level reference genome assembly for pea, Gregor Mendel’s original genetic model. Phylogenetics and paleogenomics show genomic rearrangements across legumes and suggest a major role for repetitive elements in pea genome evolution. Compared to other sequenced Leguminosae genomes, the pea genome shows intense gene dynamics, most likely associated with genome size expansion when the Fabeae diverged from its sister tribes. During Pisum evolution, translocation and transposition differentially occurred across lineages. This reference sequence will accelerate our understanding of the molecular basis of agronomically important traits and support crop improvement.

Thermodynamic changes in mechanochemically synthesized magnesium hydride nanoparticles.

Abstract: The thermodynamic properties of magnesium hydride nanoparticles have been investigated by hydrogen decomposition pressure measurements using the Sieverts technique. A mechanochemical method was used to synthesize MgH(2) nanoparticles (down to approximately 7 nm in size) embedded in a LiCl salt matrix. In comparison to bulk MgH(2), the mechanochemically produced MgH(2) with the smallest particle size showed a small but measurable decrease in the decomposition reaction enthalpy (DeltaH decrease of 2.84 kJ/mol H(2) from DeltaH(bulk) = 74.06 +/- 0.42 kJ/mol H(2) to DeltaH(nano) = 71.22 +/- 0.49 kJ/mol H(2)). The reduction in DeltaH matches theoretical predictions and was also coupled with a similar reduction in reaction entropy (DeltaS decrease of 3.8 J/mol H(2)/K from DeltaS(bulk) = 133.4 +/- 0.7 J/mol H(2)/K to DeltaS(nano) = 129.6 +/- 0.8 J/mol H(2)/K). The thermodynamic changes in the MgH(2) nanoparticle system correspond to a drop in the 1 bar hydrogen equilibrium temperature (T(1 bar)) by approximately 6 degrees C to 276.2 +/- 2.4 degrees C in contrast to the bulk MgH(2) system at 281.8 +/- 2.2 degrees C. The reduction in the desorption temperature is less than that expected from theoretical studies due to the decrease in DeltaS that acts to partially counteract the effect from the change in DeltaH.