Kazan Federal University

About: Kazan Federal University is a education organization based out in Kazan’, Russia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Chemistry. The organization has 9868 authors who have published 14390 publications receiving 135726 citations. The organization is also known as: Kazan (Volga region) Federal University & Kazan State University.

Mediating Knowledge through Peer-to-Peer Interaction in a Multicultural Online Learning Environment: A Case Study of International Students in the US

Abstract: The continuous growth of online learning and its movement towards cross-border and cross-culture education has recently taken a new turn with the epic hype that currently surrounds the development of massive open online courses (MOOCs) (Beattie-Moss, 2013). This development brings to focus the experiences of international students who take online courses designed and offered within the paradigm of Western pedagogy. Employing a sociocultural theoretical framework (Vygotsky, 1978; Scollon & Scollon, 2001), this paper examines the mediating roles that peers may play in the context of multicultural online learning environments. This two-stage, mixed methods study explored the experiences of 12 international graduate students who took fully online courses in a large research university in the northeastern region of the United States. The data included a survey, online interviews, as well as a case study that took a close look at the experiences of a female student from China. Findings of the study demonstrated that international students that come from diverse native academic backgrounds and cultures may necessitate a close relationship with peers they meet in the US courses. Peers become invaluable mediators of knowledge for international students who seek peer assistance to compensate for the lack of culture-specific knowledge and skills and to satisfy their interest in the host culture. The study suggests that course developers and facilitators should be proactive when assigning group projects and activities so as to enable close peer-to-peer interaction and opportunities for building personal relationships with other class members.

Clay-based drug-delivery systems: what does the future hold?

Abstract: Clays for drug delivery have been used from ancient time due to the large availability of clay minerals and their unprecedented properties. The empirical use of nanoclays from the past is converted in a stimulating scientific task aimed at building up nanoarchitectonic vehicles for drug delivery in a targeted and stimuli-responsive fashion. Here the historical aspects are discussed; next the modern examples of applications of different clay-based materials are discussed. A special focus is given to halloysite clay nanotubes, which are an emerging and very promising nanomaterial for drug-delivery purposes due to its special morphology and unique chemical properties. Advantages and limitations of these natural nanomaterials are critically discussed pointing out the future perspectives and directions for further research.

Strong Reduction in Amplitude of the Interfacial Segmental Dynamics in Polymer Nanocomposites

Abstract: Despite the wide use of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) in various applications, our understanding of the microscopic parameters controlling their macroscopic properties remains limited. In this study, we examine the dielectric strength of segmental dynamics, ΔeIL(T) in the interfacial polymer layer surrounding the nanoparticles in PNCs. The presented analysis reveals a significant drop in ΔeIL(T) and its anomalous temperature dependence in the polymer layer adsorbed to nanoparticles. The drop in ΔeIL(T) was observed in all samples regardless of whether segmental relaxation time in the interfacial layer was slower or faster than in the bulk polymer, excluding interpretation of the “dead” layer. We ascribe the observed decrease in the dielectric strength to the restricted amplitude of segmental relaxation in the interfacial/adsorbed layer. Our results provide a new perspective on discussion of dynamics in the interfacial layer in PNCs and thin polymer films, demonstrating that not only segmental relaxation time but also its amplitude can be strongly affected by the interface.