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Measuring the Effectiveness of Mathematics Support resources
Guides (2)
evaluation of mathematics support centres - a review of the literature (sigma)
This sigma guide reviews published literature concerning the evaluation of mathematics support centres. There is a growing body of research studies, which have
looked into a number of areas such as: the establishment
of a MSC; the usage of MSCs and mechanisms for recording
usage data; feedback from students and staff and ways
to collect this; effects on achievement, pass rates and
retention rates; and the prevalence of MSCs in the higher
education sector. More recently researchers have begun
to examine the effects of MSCs on undergraduatesâ??
mathematics learning experiences and mathematical
confidence, and to address issues concerning students who
are â??at riskâ?? or underachieving and not engaging with the
facilities offered by their MSC.
This report reviews and synthesises all the available
published research evidence so that informed decisions can
be made about the value of mathematics support activity and
the targeting of future funding.
Gathering student feedback on mathematics and statistics support provision - A guide for those running mathematics support centres (sigma)
This sigma guide has been written for those who are responsible for managing mathematics support centres. It is the culmination of a project involving staff from many support centres around the UK. Authored by Dr David Green, Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University, it contains a wealth of advice and information for those who want to gather student feedback, and contains examples of forms which are currently being used.
Research Papers (40)
A Hub Service: Extending the Support Provided by One Institution to Students of Other Local Institutions
C. Trott, S. Drew &, and H. Maddocks. (2013) A Hub Service: Extending the Support Provided by One Institution to Students of Other Local Institutions. MSOR Connections 13(1), 18-23. DOI: 10.11120/msor.2013.13010018
We report on the experience of Loughborough Universityâ??s Eureka Centre for Mathematical Confidence in establishing a small pilot project to provide one-to-one mathematics support for neurodiverse students who attend other local universities and where no such provision is available. We outline the background to the scheme and report on the three students involved.
Read More: http://journals.heacademy.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.11120/msor.2013.13010018
A Multifaceted Approach to Numeracy Support for Life Sciences Students
Undergraduate life sciences studies require students to possess certain key numeracy skills and these same skills are sought from graduates by employers. Since September 2011 we have offered optional attendance drop-in sessions and locally produced online resources to support students with the numeracy requirements of our life sciences undergraduate courses. Details of the content of this support along with attendance figures and importantly student feedback are presented here.
Chrystalla Ferrier: (2013) A Multifaceted Approach to Numeracy Support for Life Sciences Students. MSOR Connections 13(2), 24-30. DOI: 10.11120/msor.2013.00013
A Practitioner's Guide to Implementing Cross-Disciplinary Links in a Mathematics Support Program
With widening participation in the university sector and the reduction in pre-requisites for entry into many university science courses, students are arriving at university with reduced competencies in mathematics. As quantitative skills are crucial for study in science, under-preparation has direct effects on multiple disciplines. The Maths Skills Program for first year science and statistics students at La Trobe University was developed in collaboration with science coordinators to provide students with mathematics support that highlights the relevance of mathematics to their disciplines. In evaluating the program, both the students and science coordinators were surveyed. The student responses on questionnaires indicated the students saw the relevance of the program to their educational goals, believed the questions written in context helped them learn their subject, and the focus on relevance helped them understand how mathematics was related to their subject. This was in line with the responses from the science coordinators who found the program to be relevant to their disciplines and assisted students in applying mathematics in context.
Deborah C. Jackson, Elizabeth D. Johnson, Tania M. Blanksby. (2014) A Practitioner's Guide to Implementing
Cross-Disciplinary Links in a Mathematics Support Program. IJISME, Vol 22, No 1.
An Evaluation of the Use of a Nursing Medication Formula Card as an Educational Tool
This paper by Shazia Ahmed, Jane Joy, and Deirdre Moriarty describes the evaluation of a formula card for nursing students created at the University of Glasgow. (2013) MSOR Connections 13(1), 41-44. DOI: 10.11120/msor.2013.13010041
CETL-MSOR Conference Proceeding 2006
Proceedings of the CETL-MSOR Conference 2006, held at Loughborough University 11-12 September 2006, edited by David Green and published by the MSOR Network.
Developing a statistical advisory service through effective partnerships
Statistical Advisory Services are an innovative and valued approach to providing statistical advice centrally to final year undergraduate and postgraduate students. This paper reflects on the experiences of a new UK university in developing such a service through a HE STEM Practice Transfer Adopters partnership project. The Projectâ??s adopted strategies to partner with other university stakeholders are evaluated. In particular, partnerships with faculty- based staff and running staff development training courses are identified as effective development strategies.
Peter Samuels and Maggie Gibson (2013) Developing a statistical advisory service through effective
partnerships, HEA STEM, http://wwwnew1.
Do We Deliver Effective Maths Support for Students?
Nilsson, Galina and Luchinskaya, Elena. (2012) Do We Deliver Effective Maths Support for Students? The European Conference on Educational Research 2012: Cadiz, 18-21 September 2012 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-4860. This study analyses the efficiency of maths support provision in two universities: Leeds Metropolitan University, UK and University West, Sweden and is part of an ongoing research collaboration between the two universities. The present work reflects the first stage of this research and is focused on evaluating the efficiency of the maths support in these two institutions from the perspectives of academic staff. The next stage of our research will include the analysis of this provision from the students' perspectives.
Dyslexia in Higher Education: Implications for Maths Anxiety
This study examined levels of mathematics and statistics anxiety, as well as general mental health amongst undergraduate students with dyslexia (n?=?28) and those without dyslexia (n?=?71). Students with dyslexia had higher levels of mathematics anxiety relative to those without dyslexia, while statistics anxiety and general mental health were comparable for both reading ability groups. In terms of coping strategies, undergraduates with dyslexia tended to use planning-based strategies and seek instrumental support more frequently than those without dyslexia. Higher mathematics anxiety was associated with having a dyslexia diagnosis, as well as greater levels of worrying, denial, seeking instrumental support and less use of the positive reinterpretation coping strategy. By contrast, statistics anxiety was not predicted by dyslexia diagnosis, but was instead predicted by overall worrying and the use of denial and emotion focused coping strategies. The results suggest that disability practitioners should be aware that university students with dyslexia are at risk of high mathematics anxiety. Additionally, effective anxiety reduction strategies such as positive reframing and thought challenging would form a useful addition to the support package delivered to many students with dyslexia.
Jordan J.-A., McGladdery G. and Dyer K. (2014), Dyslexia in Higher Education: Implications for Maths Anxiety,
Statistics Anxiety and Psychological Well-being, Dyslexia, 20 (3), pages 225–240, doi: 10.1002/dys.1478
Evaluation of mathematics support centres: a literature review
Janette Matthews, Tony Croft, Duncan Lawson, and Dagmar Waller. (2013) Evaluation of mathematics support centres: a literature review. Teaching Mathematics Applications. first published online September 3, 2013 doi:10.1093/teamat/hrt013
Mathematics Support Centres (MSCs) have been established at universities in the UK and a number of other countries, of which colleagues from Australia and Ireland have been the most prolific in publishing about their work. Their main functions are to address issues surrounding the transition to university mathematics and to support students' learning of mathematics and statistics across the wide variety of undergraduate courses.
There is a growing body of research examining the operation and impact of MSCs. This article will review and synthesize available published research evidence so that informed decisions can be made about the value of mathematics support activity and the targeting of future funding. Evidence will be shown of the evaluation of MSCs in each of the following areas:
the collection of data and the challenges that are presented in both quantitative and qualitative studies;
analysis demonstrating MSC usage and activity;
analysis showing the impact of MSCs on students, staff and the institution.
The article will conclude by identifying areas where further research would be helpful.
Evaluation of the University of Limerick Mathematics Learning Centre
In a time when mathematical unpreparedness is rife and learning support is most urgently needed, this investigation by Claire Carroll and supervised by Dr. Olivia Gill. (2011)
seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the mathematics learning centre in the University of Limerick. Qualitative and quantitative data on the impact of the mathematics learning centre on the students' mathematics education and students' attitudes towards mathematics were collected through the use of student questionnaires. Analysis of this data provides significant evidence that the mathematics learning centre is making an invaluable contribution to the mathematical experience of the students who are availing of its services. The results of this study strongly support the belief that mathematics learning centres have the potential to provide students with both the affective and cognitive support that is so critical to many of the students entering third level education presently.
Increasing the impact of mathematics support on aiding student transition in higher education.,
This article presents a novel approach to maths support designed and adopted by the University of Lincoln, School of Engineering, to bridge this transition gap for students, offer continued support through Assessment for Learning and Individual Learning Plans, and ultimately increase student achievement, engagement and retention. The article then extends this proven approach and discusses recently implemented enhancements through the use of online diagnostic testing and a 'student expert' system to harness mathematical knowledge held by those gifted and talented students (often overlooked by higher education institutions) and to promote peer-to-peer mentoring. The article shows that with the proven system in place, there is a marked increase in student retention compared with national benchmark data, and an increase in student engagement and achievement measured through student feedback and assessments.
M. Gallimore and J. Stewart, (2014) Increasing the impact of mathematics support on aiding student
transition in higher education., Teaching Mathematics Applications, 33 (2), 98-109, doi:10.1093/teamat/hru008
Investigating the Engagement of Mature Students with Mathematics Learning Support
The Mathematics Learning Support Centre (MLSC) in the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) provides free mathematical support to all DIT students. This support is primarily delivered through a drop-in service, where students can receive one-to-one tuition, without an appointment, in any area of mathematics. In the first semester of the 2013/14 academic year a significant proportion (approximately 42%) of students that availed of this drop-in service were mature students enrolled in Engineering programmes. This is of particular interest as mature students constitute a relatively small proportion of the total student body, motivating a deeper study of the reasons for the high levels of engagement in this cohort. To this end two focus groups were conducted, involving both those who did and did not attend the MLSC. Particular interest was paid to the motivations for attendance/reasons for non-attendance. The motivations of mature students were found to be multifaceted while the reasons for non-engagement given were mostly in line with the literature. In addition some quantitative analysis was carried to determine what effect the MLSC had on studentâ??s academic performance.
Cormac Breen, Michael Carr and Mark Prendergast (2014) Investigating the Engagement of Mature Students
with Mathematics Learning Support. Proceedings of the 17th Mathematics Working Group Seminar, Dublin
2014, http://sefi.htwaalen.
Investigation of completion rates of engineering students
This paper by ROSS CUTHBERT and HELEN MACGILLIVRAY discusses analysis of data on initiatives to improve retention rates on engineering degree programmes at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. The paper was presented at Delta 07 - the Southern Hemisphere Symposium on Undergraduate Mathematics Teaching. The Mathematics Access Centre at QUT offers optional extra support and examination workshops. The paper reports that students accessing these are nearly twice as likely to complete the course as the whole cohort, and half as likely to discontinue engineering. (2007)
Is Mathematics Support worthwhile ? An overview of the 3rd Irish Workshop on Mathematics Learning and Support Centres
This paper, by Mac an Bhaird & O'Shea, is an overview of the 3rd Irish Irish Workshop on Mathematics Support and Learning Centres. Being able to accurately evaluate support centre services is a very important issue. We hosted this conference inviting speakers from support centres in Ireland and leading experts in the UK to discuss the procedures they use to evaluate their services. This paper is an overview of the talks given and contains many relevant links for similar material in the area
Justifying the existence of Mathematics Learning Support; Measuring the effectiveness of a Mathematics Learning Centre
In this paper by Olivia Gill and John O'Donoghue, the authors look at various ways of measuring the success of the Mathematics Learning Centre at the University of Limerick.
Learning Support and students studying mathematics and statistics
FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS YOU MAY BE UNABLE TO ACCESS THIS LINK DIRECTLY. This paper, by Helen MacGillivray, Queensland University of Technology, describes learning support in mathematics and statistics in Australian universities. Analysis of data for students studying mathematics and statistics contributes to growing evidence that such learning support is fulfilling needs across the range of student capabilities, including students choosing mathematics degree programs.
It is published in the International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology:
Volume 40, Issue 4, First published 2009, Pages 455-472, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/.VC0o4b4r8rc
Mathematics Support - support for all ?
Mathematics Support - support for all ? Godfrey Pell & Tony Croft, published in the journal Teaching Mathematics and its Applications (2008) doi: 10.1093/teamat/hrn015.
This research paper describes and analyses data from a cohort of engineering students.
Some made good use of a mathematics learning support centre; others didn't.
Many frequent users are quite competent and simply want to do better. The authors conclude, that in their particular study, mathematics support improved the pass rate by about 3%.
Measuring maths study support
FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS DIRECT ACCESS TO THIS PAPER MAY BE UNAVAILABLE. This research paper by Chetna Patel and John Little, Robert Gordon University,
presents evidence that maths study support can increase maths related module pass rates and scores for undergraduate engineering students.
The paper is published in Teaching Mathematics and its Applications (2006) 25 (3): 131-138.
doi: 10.1093/teamat/hri031.
Measuring the effectiveness of a maths learning support centre - the DCU experience
This research paper by Donal Dowling and Brien Nolan, Dublin City University, reports upon efforts to measure the effectiveness of the Maths Learning Centre at Dublin City University. It provides a model of measuring effectiveness which compares the pass rates of "at risk" students who did or did not visit the mathematics support centre. The model shows that in each of the two years studied the centre made a direct contribution to the success of approximately 11 students. The paper was presented at the CETL MSOR Conference in September 2006.
Offering Training to Postgraduates who Tutor in Mathematics Support Centres
Tony Croft, Shazia Ahmed, Verity Aiken, Leslie Fletcher, Michael Grove, Andrew Mead, Chetna Patel, and Robert Wilson: (2013) Offering Training to Postgraduates who Tutor in Mathematics Support Centres. MSOR Connections 13(1), 3-7. DOI: 10.11120/msor.2013.13010003
This report summarises the deliberations which took place during a workshop held to discuss issues to consider when recruiting and training postgraduates to work in mathematics support centres. It distils the current wisdom of a group of mathematics support professionals with experience of managing and tutoring in mathematics support centres. There exists an active national network (the sigma network) for those involved in university mathematics and statistics support; this report concludes by identifying how members of the higher education community may participate in this network.
Participation (Diagnosis + Prescription) = Resolution
This paper by CHETNA PATEL, The Robert Gordon University, demonstrates how appropriate mathematical diagnosis followed by study support improves engineering students' performance.
The paper is published in MSOR Connections (Vol. 4 No.2) May 2004.
Piloting an online mathematics and statistics tutoring service
Pettigrew, J., & Shearman, (2014) D. Piloting an online mathematics and statistics tutoring service.
30th ascilite Conference 2013 Proceedings,
In early 2013 the Mathematics Education Support Hub at the University of Western Sydney launched a tutoring service to support students' mathematical and statistical learning in an online environment. Until the end of its pilot implementation in mid 2013, the service operated at all times as a moderated question and answer forum located within the University's Learning Management System (a version of Blackboard Learn known as vUWS). It also featured a 'virtual classroom', which allowed students to interact with mathematics and statistics support staff in a web conferencing space equipped with a wide range of digital communication tools. This paper refers to the service as it was offered in discussing a range of general issues and questions associated with its pilot implementation. Particular attention is given to the issues of pedagogy in a purely online teaching and learning context and communicating asynchronously and synchronously using mathematical language and notation.
Predicting Performance of first year engineering students and the importance of assessment tools therein
This research paper by Lee, Harrison, Pell and Robinson presents statistical regression models which aim to predict overall first year mechanical engineering students' performance. Data was collected on overall first year mark against 14 variables. The regression models produced showed the positive effect of almost one grade boundary of students visiting the mathematics learning support centre.
The paper is published in Engineering Education, 2008, 3(1), 44-51. DOI: 10.11120/ened.2008.03010044
Preparing students for university mathematics through a maths readiness workshop
First year science students often lack confidence at the start of their course regarding their mathematical skills. A maths
readiness workshop has been designed at Monash University Gippsland campus to give students confidence in their
mathematical ability prior to the beginning of semester. It also helps students to identify very early if they should opt in to the
various maths support programs offered at the campus. The workshop has been designed in conjunction with first year coordinators
to specifically target mathematical content relevant to first year biology and chemistry including rearranging formulae,
logarithms and exponentials, and physical quantities and their units. Students self-select into the workshop based on a short
presentation during O-week activities. Results of student evaluations and reflections of the facilitators will be presented.
Barbie C. Panther, Samantha Black, Jo-ann Larkins (2013) Preparing students for university mathematics through a maths readiness workshop. Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Australian National University, Sept 19th to Sept 21st, 2013, page 57, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-2-2.
Provision of maths support for student in higher education institutions
Nilsson, Galina and Luchinskaya, D. (2012) Provision of maths support for student in higher education institutions, The 40th Annual Congress of the Nordic Educational Research Association: March 8-10, 2012, Copenhagen, http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-4859
This study analyses the efficiency of maths support provision in two universities: Leeds Metropolitan University, UK and Högskolan Väst, Sweden. This is an on-going collaboration between two universities and in this paper we present the results of this study focussing on the academic staff prospective, using questionnaires, observations and interviews with tutors.
Responding to the Mathematics Problem : The Implementation of Institutional Support Mechanisms
This volume arose from a conference, 'Addressing the Quantitative Skills Gap: Establishing
and Sustaining Cross-Curricular Mathematical Support in Higher Education', held at the
University of St Andrews in 2007. The aim of that conference, and of this volume of
collected essays, is to explore the logistics and economics of establishing and sustaining
institution-wide mathematics support provision.
We explore a range models for delivering mathematical support accommodating an even
wider range of budgets. Additionally, we identify how universities can call upon their maths
support provision to demonstrate that they are addressing institutional agendas including
quality enhancement, employability and skills, the first year experience, flexible delivery,
retention, and the student learning experience. Looking to the future we note how
mathematics support has broadened from its original focus on the STEM subjects and
discuss how emerging technologies are being exploited for its provision.
Strengthening student engagement with quantitative subjects in a Business Faculty
This paper reflects on the results of research undertaken at a large UK university relating to the teaching of quantitative subjects within a Business Faculty. It builds on a simple model of student engagement and, through the description of three case studies, describes research undertaken and developments implemented to strengthen aspects of the model, enhance student engagement and help meet the requirements of employers in terms of graduate skills. The paper also outlines some areas for future research.
Jon Warwick and Anna Howard (2014) Strengthening student engagement with quantitative subjects in a
Business Faculty. e-Journal of Business Education & Scholarship of Teaching, 8(1) pp: 32-43.
Student non-engagement with mathematics learning supports
Ciarán Mac an Bhaird, Olivia Fitzmaurice, Eabhnat Ní Fhloinn, and Ciarán O'Sullivan (2013). Student
non-engagement with mathematics learning supports, Teaching Mathematics and its Applications, 32
(4), 191-205, doi: 10.1093/teamat/hrt018.
Large numbers of students entering higher education take some level of mathematics as part of their degrees, and it is widely reported that a considerable minority of these students demonstrate a lack of the basic mathematical skills that they require to succeed. A common response has been the establishment of mathematics learning supports to give students the opportunity to reach the levels required. Research has shown that in general, although the supports appear to impact positively on students who avail of them, a significant number of students do not engage appropriately. This article presents preliminary findings from a national survey carried out at nine Higher Education Institutions in Ireland, focusing on the reasons given by students for their lack of engagement with the extra supports. It looks at the students' mathematical backgrounds; the type of institution they attend, and discusses what these students reported would encourage them to avail of the supports.
Student perception of the impact of mathematics support in higher education
Ni Fhloinn, E., Fitzmaurice O., Bhaird, C. M., & O'Sullivan, C. (2014). Student perception of the impact of mathematics support in higher education. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 45 (7) 953-967., DOI:10.1080/0020739X.2014.892161
Mathematics support in higher education has become increasingly widespread over the past two decades, particularly in the UK, Ireland and Australia. Despite this, reliable evaluation of mathematics support continues to present challenges for those working in this area. One reason is because ideally, properly structured support should function as an integral part of the overall educational experience of the student, in tandem with lectures and tutorials. When this occurs, it makes it difficult to isolate the impact of mathematics support from these other entities. In this paper, the results of a large-scale nationwide survey conducted with first-year service mathematics students in nine higher education institutes in Ireland are considered, exploring studentsâ?? perceptions of the impact of mathematics support upon their retention, mathematical confidence, examination performance and overall ability to cope with the mathematical demands they face. Students were extremely positive about the effectiveness of mathematics support in all of these areas, providing valuable insights into the value of learning support in mathematics.
Success in engineering mathematics through mathematics support and changes to engineering maths lectures at Harper Adams
This article by Sarah Parsons (Harper Adams University College) describes the positive effects on examination results of introducing mathematics support and implementing other changes.
The article presents data which shows that significantly improved results followed from changes introduced in 2001 which included substantial mathematics support provision. However, because many other changes (changed content, separate lectures for some groups, diagnostic testing etc)
were introduced at the same time it is not possible to isolate particular effects of the mathematics support provision. Nevertheless external examiner comments reflect the value of mathematics support.
The article is published in MSOR Connections Feb 2005 Vol. 5 No.1.
Summer internships in sigma-sw
Matthew Taylor, Ollie Bond, Callum Anderson and Andrew Kennedy. (2012) Summer internships in sigma-sw. MSOR Connections 12(1), 23-27. DOI: 10.11120/msor.2012.12010023
We report on the experience of Loughborough Universityâ??s Eureka Centre for Mathematical Confidence in establishing a small pilot project to provide one-to-one mathematics support for neurodiverse students who attend other local universities and where no such provision is available. We outline the background to the scheme and report on the three students involved.
Supporting students making the transition from school to university– A national and local view of the maths skills crisis in the UK
The authors have first-hand experience of supporting students with weak maths skills making the transition from School to University within a Business School. In this paper the authors will summarise the key messages and recommendations to emerge from the literature in the light of their own experiences and research findings. We will also give an overview of the types of open source software that are currently available for maths skills support in the UK, and consider ways in which such on-line resources might be utilised in order to encourage and enhance students' development of maths skills in a Business School context.
Cottee M., Relph A. and Robins, K. (2013) Supporting students making the transition from school to university– A national and local view of the maths skills crisis in the UK.
The extent of mathematics learning support in UK higher education—the 2012 survey
Glynis Perkin, Tony Croft and Duncan Lawson. (2013) The extent of mathematics learning support in UK higher education—the 2012 survey. Teaching Mathematics Applications, 32 (4), 165-172 doi:10.1093/teamat/hrt014.
Many higher education institutions have introduced some kind of mathematics learning support provision in response to the well-documented 'mathematics problem'. In 2001 and 2004 two independent studies were undertaken to assess the number of universities offering mathematics learning support to students in addition to that provided through lectures, tutorials and the personal tutorial system. The results of these surveys showed a growth in the number of institutions providing support from 46 to 66. In this article we report on a survey carried out in 2012 to establish the current position regarding the provision of mathematics learning support in UK universities. In addition to determining the number of institutions providing mathematics learning support—there has been a further rise to 88—the article analyses the distribution of mathematics learning support by university mission group and by the type of support provided. The main findings are that the extent of mathematics learning support provision is largely independent of mission group and the dominant provision is drop-in support.
The impact of the mathematics support centre on the grades of first year students at the National University of Ireland Maynouth
This paper, by Mac an Bhaird, Morgan & O'Shea, is an analysis of first year students' grades in the academic year 2007-2008. We compared the grades of students who attended the MSC and those who did not. To compare students of similar abilities, we split the groups (First Arts and First Science) up into smaller groups depending on their grades (Leaving Cert) at the end of second level. There was a significant difference in all sub groups. We then expanded by comparing the grades of students depending on the results of their proficiency tests. Again there was a significant difference. All students seems to benefit from support but this is particularly true for 'at-risk' students.
Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications (2009) 28,117-122 doi:10.1093/teamat/hrp014
To investigate the potential of emerging eLearning technologies to enhance online support for students of mathematics
A report by Brendan Cooney on a project is to investigate possible technologies that enable the transmission of mathematical content, conversations in mathematics, the posing of problems and transfer of solutions in an effective and efficient manner. The intention is to trial various technologies and then to implement the chosen technology for online delivery of mathematics support to RMIT students. (2013)
Towards a culture of data collection & analysis
The past decade or so has seen a huge growth in the number of mathematics
support centres within UK higher education institutions as they come to terms
with an increasing volume of students who are poorly prepared for the
mathematical demands of their chosen courses. In other parts of the world we
observe similar developments. In the early years many centres were short-lived
enterprises staffed either by concerned volunteers who found a few hours in the
week to offer additional support, or alternatively by part-time staff on short-term
contracts. More recently, we have observed a trend to more substantial support
centres many of which attract central funding and dedicated staff. Given this
trend there is a need to ask whether our efforts are worthwhile, how we might
know this, and whether we can justify ongoing funding. This talk by TONY CROFT from Loughborough University at the 3rd Irish Workshop on Mathematics Learning Support Centres, 2008, NUI Maynooth will describe
some of the challenges associated with acquiring data on effectiveness. Various
ways in which we can measure our success will be explored. Finally, several
exemplars will be provided of work being undertaken to capture the sort of
evidence required to secure continued funding of mathematics support centres.
Towards a culture of data collection & analysis
The past decade or so has seen a huge growth in the number of mathematics
support centres within UK higher education institutions as they come to terms
with an increasing volume of students who are poorly prepared for the
mathematical demands of their chosen courses. In other parts of the world we
observe similar developments. In the early years many centres were short-lived
enterprises staffed either by concerned volunteers who found a few hours in the
week to offer additional support, or alternatively by part-time staff on short-term
contracts. More recently, we have observed a trend to more substantial support
centres many of which attract central funding and dedicated staff. Given this
trend there is a need to ask whether our efforts are worthwhile, how we might
know this, and whether we can justify ongoing funding. This talk by TONY CROFT of Loughborough University at Queensland University of Technology, 2009, will describe
some of the challenges associated with acquiring data on effectiveness. Various
ways in which we can measure our success will be explored. Finally, several
exemplars will be provided of work being undertaken to capture the sort of
evidence required to secure continued funding of mathematics support centres.
Transition difficulties from FE to HE - What is the situation and what can we do about it?
Cheryl Voake, Lisa Taylor and Rob Wilson. (2013) Transition difficulties from FE to HE - What is the situation and what can we do about it? MSOR Connections, Volume 13, Issue 2: 6-14. DOI: 10.11120/msor.2013.00014
A common complaint from staff in Higher Education (HE) is that students arrive from Further Education (FE) providers with a lack of awareness of what to expect at university. This is manifested by an unpreparedness and, in some cases, an unwillingness for autonomous learning and self-responsibility.
This study was designed to assess student awareness and preparedness for HE, with a particular focus on Mathematics. This was achieved via FE student and teacher questionnaires and a focus group, which crucially allowed judgement between studentsâ?? perceived awareness and their actual awareness. The focus group also gave FE students an opportunity to quiz HE students on their experiences and opinions, and gave the HE students the opportunity to provide information they felt was missing from their own transition to university.
University students - perspectives on diagnostic testing in mathematics
Ni fhloinn, E., Bhaird, C. M., & Nolan, B. (2014). University students' perspectives on diagnostic testing in mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 45 (1), 58-74. DOI:10.1080/0020739X.2013.790508
Many universities issue mathematical diagnostic tests to incoming first-year students, covering a range of the basic concepts with which they should be comfortable from secondary school. As far as many lecturers are concerned, the purpose of this test is to determine the students' mathematical knowledge on entry. It should also provide an early indication of which students are likely to need additional help, and hopefully encourage such students to avail of extra support mechanisms at an early stage. However, it is not clear that students recognize these intentions and there is a fear that students who score poorly in the test will have their confidence further damaged in relation to mathematics and will be reluctant to seek help. To this end, a questionnaire was developed to explore studentsâ?? perspectives on diagnostic testing. Analysis of responses received to the questionnaire provided an interesting insight into studentsâ?? perspectives including the optimum time to conduct such a test, their views on the aims of diagnostic testing, whether they feel that testing is a good idea, and their attitudes to the support systems put in place to help those who scored poorly in the test.
Widening Participation in subjects requiring data handling skills: the MathsAid Project
FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS DIRECT ACCESS TO THIS PAPER MAY BE UNAVAILABLE. MathsAid is a university-wide maths support service offering one-to-one tutorial support and more.
This paper by Atkins, May and Marks-Maran (Kingston University, UK) discusses the initiative and provides information about its evaluation by questionnaire, usage data and interviews with students.
The paper is published in the Journal of Further and Higher Education, Vol. 29. No. 4 (2005) pp 353-365. DOI:10.1080/03098770500353607
Staff Resources (1)
Maths Support for Students
A comprehensive collection of case studies,
intended to assist you with the challenge of enhancing the basic
mathematical skills of engineering or science students. These case studies
focus particularly on mathematics support.


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subset: commoncrawl


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A writer's greatest disappointments are readers who have knee-jerk responses. Not all readers, of course. Some readers are thoughtful and supportive. Others express thanks for opening their eyes. But the majority are happy when a writer tells them what they want to hear and are unhappy when he writes what they don't want to hear.
For the left-wing, Ronald Reagan is the great bogeyman. Those on the left don't understand supply-side economics as a macroeconomic innovation that cured stagflation by utilizing the impact of fiscal policy on aggregate supply. Instead, they see "trickle-down economics" and tax cuts for the rich. Leftists don't understand that the Reagan administration intervened in Grenada and Nicaragua in order to signal to the Soviets that there would be no more Soviet expansion or client states and that it was time to negotiate the end of the Cold War. Instead, leftists see in Reagan the origin of rule by the one percent and the neoconservatives' wars for US hegemony.
In 1981 curtailing inflation meant collapsing nominal GNP and tax revenues. The result would be budget deficits – anathema to Republicans – during the period of readjustment. Ending the Cold War meant curtailing the military/security complex and raised the specter in conservative circles of "the anti-Christ" Gorbachev deceiving Reagan and taking over the world.
In pursuing his two main goals, Reagan was up against his own constituency and relied on rhetoric to keep his constituency on board with his agenda. The left wing heard the rhetoric but failed to comprehend the agenda.
When I explain these facts, easily and abundantly documented, some of leftish persuasion send in condescending and insulting emails telling me that they look forward to the day that I stop lying about Reagan and tell the truth about Reagan like I do about everything else.
"Knee-jerk liberal" is a favorite term of conservatives. But conservatives can be just as knee-jerk. When I object to Washington's wars, the mistreatment of detainees and the suspension of civil liberties, some on the right tell me that if I hate America so much I should move to Cuba. Many Republicans cannot get their minds around the fact that if civil liberties are subject to the government's arbitrary discretion, then civil liberties do not exist. The flag-waving element of the population is prone to confuse loyalty to the country with loyalty to the government, unless, of course, there's a Democrat in the White House.
Rationally, it makes no sense for readers to think that a writer who would lie to them about one thing would tell them the truth about another. But as long as they hear what they want to hear, it is the truth. If they don't want to hear it, it is a lie.
Both left and right also confuse explanations with justifications.
When a writer writes about the perils that we as a society face and the implications, it is very discouraging for the writer to know that many readers will not listen unless it is what they want to hear. This discouragement is precisely what every truth-teller faces, which is why there are so few of them.
This is one reason I stopped writing a couple of years ago. I found that solid facts and sound analysis could not penetrate brainwashed and closed minds seeking vindication to keep the mind locked tightly against unsettling truths. Americans want to have their beliefs vindicated more than they want the truth. The success of print and TV pundits is based on allying with a prominent point of view or interest group and serving it. Those served make the writer or talking head successful. I never thought much of that kind of success.
But success as a whore is about the only kind of success that can occur in Washington or in the media these days. Those who refuse to prostitute themselves arouse pity and denunciation, not admiration. A couple of years ago an acquaintance from a university in the Northeast called me to say he had recently had lunch with some of my former associates in Washington. When he inquired about me, he said the response was, "Poor Craig, if he hadn't turned critic, he would be worth tens of millions of dollars like us."
I replied that my former associates were undoubtedly correct. My acquaintance said that he hadn't realized that he was having lunch with a bunch of prostitutes.
The incentive to speak the truth and the reward for doing so are very weak. And not just for a writer, but also for academics and experts who can make far more money by lying than by telling the truth. How else would we have got GMOs, jobs offshoring, the "unitary executive" and a deregulated financial system? It is a very lucrative career to testify as an expert in civil lawsuits. It is part of America's romance with the lie that experts purchased by the opposing sides in a lawsuit battle it out as gladiators seeking the jury's thumbs-up.
And look at Congress. The two members of the House who stood up for the Constitution and truth in government will soon be gone. Ron Paul is stepping down and Dennis Kucinich was redistricted out of his seat. As for the Senate, these thoughtful personages recently voted 90-1 to declare war on Iran, as the sole dissenter, Rand Paul, pointed out. The Senate is very much aware, although only a few will publicly admit it, that the US has been totally frustrated and held to a standoff, if not a defeat, in Afghanistan and is unable to subdue the Taliban. Despite this, the Senate wants a war with Iran, a war which could easily turn out to be even less successful. Obviously, the Senate not only lies to the public but also to itself.
Last week the Pentagon chief, Panetta, told China that the new US naval, air, and troop bases surrounding China are not directed at China. What else could be the purpose of the new bases? Washington is so accustomed to lying and to being believed that Panetta actually thinks China will believe his completely transparent lie. Panetta has confused China with the American people: Tell them what they want to hear, and they will believe it.
Americans live in a matrix of lies. They seldom encounter a truthful statement.There is no evidence that Americans can any longer tell the difference between the truth and a lie. Americans fell for all of these lies and more: Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction and al Qaeda connections. Saddam Hussein's troops seized Kuwaiti babies from incubators and threw them on the floor. Gaddafi fed his troops Viagra to help them rape Libyan women. Iran has a nuclear weapons program. Change – yes we can!
The US is "the indispensable country." America is broke because of food stamps and Social Security, not because of wars, bankster bailouts and a failing economy. Russia is America's number one enemy. China is America's number one enemy. Iran is a terrorist state. Jobs offshoring is free trade and good for the US economy. Israel is America's most loyal ally. The US missile shield surrounding Russia is not directed at Russia. The South China sea is an area of US national interest. Financial markets are self-regulating.
The list is endless. Lies dominate every policy discussion, every political decision. The most successful people in America are liars.
The endless lies have created a culture of delusion. And this is why America is lost. The beliefs of many Americans, perhaps a majority, are comprised of lies. These beliefs have become emotional crutches, and Americans will fight to defend the lies that they believe. The inability of Americans to accept facts that are contrary to their beliefs is the reason the country is leaderless and will remain so. Unless scales fall from Americans' eyes, Americans are doomed.


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Edward Andersson considers why it takes a crisis for us to think innovatively about democracy.
With parts of London going up in flame and the Prime Minister cutting his holiday short it seems appropriate to write a blog about crisis and its role in democratic innovation. I wasn't planning to write about the riots. Instead I wanted to reflect on the Icelandic Constitutional Assembly, a group of 25 elected citizens who have been busy over the past few months drafting what the media is calling 'the world's first crowd sourced constitution'. The Assembly has now handed in their recommended constitution to the Althingi (Icelandic parliament). This has rightly been hailed as a major democratic innovation; Iceland is rapidly establishing itself as a world leader in Open Government and e-Participation. Unlike examples of crowd sourcing we've seen elsewhere which have used a simplistic approach (akin to throwing something online, calling for anonymous comments and hoping for the best) the Icelandic Constitutional Assembly has avoided the risk of flame wars and interest group capture by complementing online engagement with face to face deliberation and in depth discussion. Writing a new constitution is serious business and the Icelandic organizers have risen to the challenge admirably. I would love to see a similar level of inventiveness and boldness from UK policy makers. A similar approach to that taken in Iceland could have made the referendum on electoral reform more meaningful for example. Annie Quick wrote a good piece on why deliberation was vital back then. The thing is democratic innovation at the moment seems to be largely driven by crisis; game changing innovations follow system shattering events. In Iceland the galvanizing crisis was the financial meltdown in 2008. Known locally as 'Hrun' (Icelandic for 'downfall') the country found itself owning over ten times its annual GDP, with an almost worthless currency and at the mercy of the IMF. This led to unprecedented uproar in the otherwise stable small nation of 320,000 inhabitants. Protests and demonstrations led to the fall of the government followed by soul searching and a growing realization that something had been systematically wrong in society. This is the background which helps explain Iceland's efforts to involve citizens in rewriting its constitution. Without the crisis Iceland would probably have muddled through with the constitution they had before. It is a similar story with many other democratic innovations across the world. Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre (PDF document), (PDF document) possibly the most quoted (some would argue over quoted) example of democratic innovation in the world. In the celebration over the past decades we easily forget that the innovation only happened in 1989 when city was on verge of bankruptcy. In hindsight politicians are quick to claim that Participatory Budgeting was the result of foresight and genius, whereas at the time it was an act of desperation. Another rightly celebrated innovation is the 2004 British Columbia Citizens' Assembly on electoral reform. This great example of far reaching deliberation around voting systems only occurred after the 1996 election where the party which won the largest percentage of votes got fewer seats than its main rival and was unable to form a government. There are also good examples from the UK where long needed innovation only happened after things went badly wrong; for example in 2001 riots in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley led to much needed investment in community cohesion and engagement (hopefully we can expect to see the same thing happen in London post riots). In the same year the general election had a record low turnout which prompted politicians and policy makers to take action on citizenship and democracy. This was an area which had needed attention and investment for a long time, but only received after things clearly went wrong. So we clearly don't innovate just because something is important; it has to be urgent as well. Is this a problem? After all, most of us probably procrastinated at school – delaying essays until the night before – and we survived. There's even a school of thought which celebrates crisis as a driver for change. Rham Emmanuel (Obama's former chief of staff) famously said "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste". I think that relying on crisis to provide the impetus for innovation is dangerous and the Obama administration shows why. Buffeted by too many crises that have been allowed to grow too big (including the political gridlock, the downgrade of credit rating and discord around health care reform) the administration is overstretched, underfunded and understaffed. Innovations driven by crisis can be tokenistic, ill conceived and demoralizing. The wide range of project ideas submitted to NESTA for the Creative Councils programme (PDF document)shows that democratic innovation is alive and well in local government. However, many of these ideas have only become politically possible in the context of the economic crisis, which ironically means that it is hard to fund them. How much more effective could these innovations have been if they had been implemented in a time of economic wealth? Surely it shouldn't need to be like this? How do we innovate and democratize without having to see things taken to a crisis point beforehand? There must be a way to pick up on the signals that change is needed before the economy tanks, public trust nosedives or storefronts erupt in flames. Something for me to ponder as I carefully cycle home on streets strewn with crushed glass and shattered trust… |
Edward Andersson
This blog is a repository for posts I have made over the years at Involve as well as more personal reflections. Archives
October 2013


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There was an online event with @ISE Ecosystem @HabitTrade @X ForceCapital @DA AGE @4metas on Aug 28, 12 PM UTC. The topic of this Space is Enduring RWA Trends: Delving into Niche Sectors and Future Prospects.
It is a great honor for this SPACE to invite some of the most popular recent cryptocurrency projects as guests, especially the rising star of RWA – ISE Ecosystem. Here we share the wonderful insights of ISE Ecosystem representative Steven, CMO at ISE, on Twitter Space.
What propels the continuous growth of RWA?
The primary driving force behind bringing real-world assets into the crypto world is the ability to provide a stable risk-free yield for the crypto market, particularly in the macroeconomic context. Currently, most mature RWA projects are implemented through DeFi protocols' one-sided demand for real-world assets, such as the need for asset management. Native on-chain earnings mainly stem from activities like staking, trading, and lending.
How does RWA follow a specific path to realization?
The specific implementation path for on-chain RWA assets could involve a strategy similar to asset securitization. This might include establishing Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to support the underlying assets, offering control, management, and risk isolation.
For instance, an RWA project involving US Treasury bonds can take two paths: (1) the Off-Chain to On-Chain path represented by traditional compliant funds and (2) the On-Chain to Off-Chain path dominated by DeFi protocols. Given that the primary driver behind RWAs currently comes from the crypto world, the exploration of RWA projects within DeFi protocols is more mature.
Which categories of RWA assets do the participants favor? Kindly elaborate on their rationale.
Guests favor RWA projects related to real estate.
Can RWA play a pivotal role in advancing the DEFI landscape?
RWA can indeed foster the development of the DeFi sector. The beneficiaries of RWA application might not necessarily be the issuers of RWA assets, but rather entities like MakerDAO or other DeFi protocols. Due to the composability factor, participants in the DeFi ecosystem often capture the ultimate benefits.
Which regions are poised to witness tangible application of RWA narratives?
Currently, it appears that several new issuers of US Treasury bonds are mostly based in the Asian region, with several in Singapore and Hong Kong. While many operate from Hong Kong or Singapore, they might structure their operations using entities like the BVI or the Cayman Islands. On the other hand, the United States might be more cautious about regulatory risks. Early on, the development in this area might resemble the trajectory of Tether's early development, with offshore operations initially. However, it's likely that institutions in the US will also participate, as seen with projects like Circle. Recent projects seem to have started from Singapore and Hong Kong. Additionally, the Asia region's significant demand for the US dollar, particularly in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, suggests that these areas are likely to be active participants.
All in all, ISE is a decentralized RWA infrastructure with blockchain security that lets you invest in realworld assets like real estate, bonds, and gold.
If you want to review the exciting content of this SPACE, please go to:
If you want to know more about ISE, please find out their official links in https://linktr.ee/industrialecology


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Thursday, August 30, 2012
Type 052D LUYANG III-Class DDG, what we do know so far
According to people who have seen the ship at HSH here are the observations.
1. Main mast is slightly different on the top, similar to 054A.
2. The space between the aft mast and aft VLS is still there, indicating no extended VLS area and probably still gonna have the two quad pack YJ62.
3. Nothing is installed on top of the hangar, indicating it'll be HQ10 not the deck penetrating 730.
4. Aft mast is the same so it's still the good ole 517 radar.
Here is a interesting diagram showing the main gun is moved forward by a little bit compare to the 052C, also shows how massive the new arrays are.
-- hmmwv


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Pugh's Almanac
Pugh's Almanac
An annual commercial guide to Queensland businesses, places and events. It was published early in the year summarising significant events from the previous year and listing tides, weather, astronomical and historical data supplemented by a directory of government and non-government professions and businesses.
Date range: 1859-1927.


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Justin Moore's Family Got an Adorable New Puppy Named Fancy
Justin Moore's already large family — he and his wife, Kate, have four kids under the age of 12 as well as two Great Danes — has gained a new member. The newest addition to the household is an adorable, fluffy, black-and-white Aussiedoodle puppy named Fancy.
As sweet as Fancy might be, Moore admits to People that he's still coming around to the idea of having a new pet in the household.
"She's a cute little dog, but I said right off the bat, I'm not cleaning up poop or pee," the singer jokes.
Part of that hesitation comes from the fact that he's still mourning the loss of another beloved dog. Hank, a West Highland-Scottish terrier who was Moore's longtime best friend, died in June of 2020 at the age of 16. Hank had been battling kidney failure, and the family had to make the difficult decision to put him down after a seizure.
"Honestly, nothing can replace Hank ... or at least that's where I am at right now," Moore admits. "That's probably juvenile of me, I know, to say something like that. But it's the truth."
And when his family first broached the idea of getting another dog, the singer says he initially said no. "I was totally opposed to it. I didn't want to think about loving something else after him for a while," he remembers.
However, his wife saw things differently.
"It sheds light on our different personalities. She had to 'replace' him, if you will, right away. It was definitely a long discussion between the two of us," the singer explains. "I guess it's a funny thing now, but my wife and I rarely fight, ever. I mean, it's normal for couples to argue, but yeah, this was a good one. But as with most battles in my household, I lost."
And like legions of dads before him who are initially cool on the idea of adopting a new family pet, Moore knows that sooner or later, he'll probably soften up to little Fancy. But for now, he says, his family is providing the puppy with as much love and affection as she can handle.
"I haven't even held her yet," Moore reveals. "I guess I'm trying to prove a point, which is just ridiculous. But seriously, with the girls and even [our 3-year-old son] South, there is not a lot of opportunities to hold her. She is not lacking in love, that's for sure."
In the meantime, Moore is keeping busy with new music. He put out "We Didn't Have Much," the first single off of his as-yet-unannounced next album, in October.
See Country Singers' Most Adorable Pets


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Modern classical and avant garde concert music of the 20th and 21st centuries forms the primary focus of this blog. It is hoped that through the discussions a picture will emerge of modern music, its heritage, and what it means for us.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Crossing: A Marvelous Choral Group and Their Release "It is Time"
Romanian poet Paul Celan may not get a great deal of attention here in the States. In the cultural dark ages of the present that is perhaps to be expected. NO modern poetry gets much in the way of attention. Though we lament the dearth of poetry dissemination as a whole we must give recognition (when it is due) to those artists and composers who creatively adapt important modern poetic texts to musical settings.
The Crossing, an exceptionally well-poised chamber choral group, have done something of this nature for Paul Celan's poetry with It is Time (Navona 5845). We get the chance to hear some very beautiful, very post-modern/modern settings of Celan by six less-than-well-known composers: David Shapiro, Kile Smith, Paul Fowler, Frank Havroy, Erhard Karkoschka and Kirsten Broberg.
It was said of some actor or other (I forget who) that he could recite from the phone book and move people to tears; he was that good. In many ways The Crossing under conductor Donald Nally have similar gifts. They sound incredibly beautiful no matter what they are doing. But the compositions themselves on It is Time are by no means lightweight fare. This is the music of today, beyond formula and dogma, richly expressive and unmistakably of our own time.
The results are breathtaking. I do not jest.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Robert Aldridge's Opera "Elmer Gantry" Gets Lively Recording
Robert Livingston Aldridge (b. 1954) has given us a substantial opera based on the Sinclair Lewis novel Elmer Gantry. William Boggs directs a new recording (Naxos 2-CD 8.669032-33) with soloists, the Florentine Opera Company (and Chorus) and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
What to say about this work? In many ways musically it is ultra-conservative. It has all the earmarkings of something that might have been written in the 1930's. There is a touch of Americana in the sense that Copland's homespun nationalist strain can be heard not so much quoted from as assimilated. There's a slightly jazzy element that comes out of Gershwin. Otherwise it is highly romantic, even sentimental in its treatment of a subject that, at least when Sinclair wrote the novel, was meant to have impactful social-critical heft.
The story is set in pre-World War I small-town America. Elmer Gantry, as is clear from the beginning, is a man on the make, someone who sees the evangelical Christian revival spreading across the country as a chance to get himself ahead in life. He falls in with baptist priestess Sharon Falconer, who in the opera version at least, seems genuinely religious yet unable to recognize the plainly commercial and cynical transformation Gantry performs on her revival group. There is no space to go into details, but to me her character comes off as unconvincing.
In our world today, when right-wing evangelist groups have gained significant political clout in the United States and have great impact on the issues and policies of the United States government, the small-town shenanigans of Gantry seem tame and insignificant, especially as portrayed in the opera. He commits adultery with his old sweetheart, he raises much money for the tabernacle and uses the trappings of born-again Christian ideology for the accumulation of wealth. This may have seemed shocking to a 1920's small-town America but we have seen far worse since.
The music? There are effective moments of pastoral-hymn-folk-lyrical melody and they contrast perplexingly sometimes with the plot--when Gantry the cynical unbeliever declares his love for the incredibly gullible Falconer, when a parable of impending apocalyptic disaster is taken up in act two while the music expresses a kind of wistful sentimentality, in the course of the revival meeting, often at the height of Gantry's machinations.
The revival music can also take a kind of quasi-gospel, trite post-Gershwin "negro" jazziness, which historically is not accurate and sounds incredibly dated to boot. Other times it has a spiritedness that appeals. There are times when the opera comes off as a slightly highbrow version of a cornball small-town musical like The Music Man, complete with a sort of barbershop quartet's vision of nostalgic Americana. This is the kind of music that may hit a reverberant chord in the smaller centers of culture throughout the US today. And I am happy for the pleasure it may give many people. It disturbs me though that we can be made to feel nostalgia for the days when manipulative Gantries merely wanted to found a local ministry built on lies and deceit, and only make a million or two. Gantry was meant by Sinclair to personify an evil in America. The opera seems to like the fellow, just a little bit. I don't.
Nevertheless, from a musical point of view there are things that appeal and the dramatic climax of the last act is well wrought. It is very much a backward looking work, culturally, socially and musically. But it is a full-blown opera with plenty of crowd scenes, tender arias, duets, quartets and all the rest of what grand opera traditionally has had. And the performance seems quite good.
I don't believe this is the sort of thing that I would hold up as a model of what American opera is today. It's what American opera might have been 100 years ago, perhaps. Nevertheless, if it enjoys success, I am happy for the composer.
Friday, August 12, 2011
A Vital New Recording of Gesualdo's Third Book of Madrigals
If Carlo Gesualdo di Venosa (1566-1613) had never entered his later compositional phase he would no doubt still be remembered for the architecture of his vocal polyphony, the charm and expressive inventiveness of his part writing. Along about the time of his Madrigals Book 3 (1595), he began utilizing dissonances, chromaticisms and expressive vocal phases that emulated sighs, laments and related outbursts of overwrought despair. In the era this was a notable departure from the norm. He was later looked upon (especially thanks to Stravinsky's late-1950's work Momentum Pro Gesualdo based on Gesualdo's music) as a precursor and prophet of expressive modernism.
Of course ultimately Gesualdo's music stands on its own. Remarkably beautiful, expressive, and of its own time as much or more than standing apart from it.
Marco Longhini and Delitiae Musicae give you a wonderful reading of the Third Book of Madrigals (Naxos 8.572136) for vocal sextet. The singing is quite engaging, with the countertenor part sung by the appropriate male exponent. (I've had versions where a mezzosoprano substituted and it did not quite suite the music as much. The unique timbre of the countertenor gives the music a more exotic, ancient sound and the parts seem more easily differentiated with that extra sound color added.)
Harpsichord continuo appears at appropiate points. (And again, I have had versions that leave this out to the detriment of the fullness and variety of sound you get with its inclusion.)
All in all this is a fabulous performance of music that should be a part of the musical library of anyone who wants a representative cross-section of early music. Marco Longhini gives us performances that are very near definitive. Bravo. Bring on Book Four!
Of course ultimately Gesualdo's music stands on its own. Remarkably beautiful, expressive, and of its own time as much or more than standing apart from it.
Marco Longhini and Delitiae Musicae give you a wonderful reading of the Third Book of Madrigals (Naxos 8.572136) for vocal sextet. The singing is quite engaging, with the countertenor part sung by the appropriate male exponent. (I've had versions where a mezzosoprano substituted and it did not quite suite the music as much. The unique timbre of the countertenor gives the music a more exotic, ancient sound and the parts seem more easily differentiated with that extra sound color added.)
Harpsichord continuo appears at appropiate points. (And again, I have had versions that leave this out to the detriment of the fullness and variety of sound you get with its inclusion.)
All in all this is a fabulous performance of music that should be a part of the musical library of anyone who wants a representative cross-section of early music. Marco Longhini gives us performances that are very near definitive. Bravo. Bring on Book Four!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Howard Blake's Vivid Music for String Quartet and String Trio, Nicely Performed by the Edinburgh Quartet
Howard Blake made me take notice years ago with his dazzling score to the children's cartoon The Snowman. I have finally had the chance to hear more of his work via a couple of Naxos releases, one covered earlier on my Gapplegate Music Review Blog, the other up for discussion today. What I hear I like.
The one at hand covers some of his music for string quartet (and one for string trio) (Naxos 8.572688). The Edinburgh Quartet do the honors and they provide a nice balance between lyric expression and subtle shadings of string color. In many ways that's what Howard Blake's string chamber music is about.
His music has a modern tang to it and a kind of linear narrative quality so that you would never think you are hearing a piece by, say, Schumann or Brahms. Yet there is a very lyrical melodic strain to his compositions that put him apart from what is the norm out there today. The pieces ["Spieltrieb," "A Month in the Country," "Leda and the Swan," "String Trio, Op. 199," and "Walking in the Air"] include some early work (1975, 1977) and some recent (2008-2010). All have a pretty ravishing memorability about them.
The CD ends with the "Walking in the Air" sequence of The Snowman Suite and it is lovely to hear, especially if you are already familiar with the boy soprano, piano and orchestra version from the cartoon soundtrack. What it loses in sheer sensual beauty it gains with the paired-back clarity of the quartet.
This certainly is not the sort of cutting-edge modernism that can be had out there. It is a wonderful example of music from a composer who will give you a warm, almost folksy kind of feeling. a little like Vaughan-Williams in his more homespun mode.
If that sounds interesting to you, check this one out by all means.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Two Later Symphonies of Havergal Brian in a Recent Release: Listening to Symphonies No. 20 and 25
English composer Havergal Brian lived a long life (1876-1972) and went his own way despite the winds of stylistic change that blew through his culture while he lived. A late romantic and gigantist he often summoned large orchestral forces to create sprawling symphonies of great length and complexity. He persisted despite his anachronistic status, leaving behind a large body of works, recordings of which in my experience were pretty rare until the advent of the digital era.
Naxos has been covering a cross-section of that output, the latest of which is a recording originally released on Marco Polo, Andrew Penny conducting the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in respendently respectable readings of Symphony No 20 (1962), No 25 (1966), and "Fantastic Variations on an Old Rhyme" (1907). The two later symphonies are broken into three movements apiece, a change from his earlier practice of conceiving his works in single long movements.
I have tried on a few occasions to digest a Brian symphony and found myself slightly adrift each time. The earlier works do go on. Sometimes listening is like witnessing a three-way battle between Richard Strauss, Elgar, and Mahler, with no winner on the field at the end of the melee save perhaps Brian himself. Thematically one sometimes feels as if one is playing a Where's Waldo as one threads one's way aurally through the rich and complex syntax of his symphonic vocabulary.
Listening to the new release at hand (Naxos 8.572641) I've come to realise that his music is almost all Waldos, so to say. The foreground/background, theme versus development and passagework, the sort of thing you expect to find in a typical romantic symphony, does not necessarily apply. Brian writes in long complex phrases, like a country lane that, yes, is meant to get somewhere but takes many twists and turns in doing so.
The earlier "Fantastic Variations on an Old Rhyme" takes the "Three Blind Mice" children's song and subjects it to extensions, convolutions and reworkings so that at many points it becomes unrecognizable, only to make a fragmentary return before Brian goes off again on a long digression-as-progression.
The Symphonies 20 and 25 are equally illuminating, for the listener who focuses on following the orchestrational and harmonic-melodic kaleidocopic linearity. The modern sonic staging of the rather large instrumental arsenal in these pieces allows you to revel in the sensuality of Brian's treatment of the orchestra. The clarity of Maestro Penny's interpretations helps you engage in the many episodic Waldo appearances and/or disappearances.
You come to realize that Brian only SOUNDS like a typical late romanticist. He is quite eccentric and even ornery in his refusal to present a symmetrical unfolding of themes and development.
That's what struck me listening to this fine addition to the Brian discography. It's a sonic epoch and gives you in short, relatively compact segments what Brian's music can be about.
And for all that I would recommend this one if you want to try a way into his music. This is no ordeal; it is music that has orchestral brilliance that makes for pleasurable listening. The vastly populated "Waldo-landscape" will challenge you and give you another sort of pleasure as well if you are willing to work at it.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Klara Min Plays Modern Piano Music from Korea
One definite plus about a label like Naxos is that the price is reasonable enough that one can afford to explore the more adventuresome, less traveled byways of the classical repertoire. As your designated tour guide, I can help you negotiate via these reviews the more tangled thickets and avoid the crocodile-infested bogs along the way. At least I hope so!
Pianist Klara Min's new release is a good case in point (not of the crocodile bogs; the interesting by-ways!) Pa-Mun, Ripples On Water (Naxos 8.572406) exposes us to five Korean composers and eight solo piano works spanning the time period of 1958-2004. Isang Yun (1917-1995) will likely be remembered by those who followed the modern classical music of the '50s and '60s as it appeared on record. Other names may be less familiar: Younghi Pagh-Paan, Sukhi Kang, Uzong Chae, and Chung Gil Kim.
The pieces to a western ear do not sound especially Korean on the surface of things--that is, they do not especially resemble the traditional Korean classical and folk music one has heard. What all works have in common to some extent is a heightened feeling for sound and silence, quietude and movement, which of course need not be particularly Korean. Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, Messaien all in their own way made good use of such contrasts.
But the composers here do not sound like them either. There are contemplative turns, there are quasi-neo-minimalist uses of repetition, and most of all there is a poetic approach to the piano, as if each phrase is the strain of some unknown and indirectly expressed poem.
Thanks to Klara Min for bringing out these qualities of the music on this disk. She is quite suited to the music she performs, as the music seems suited to her. These are not big, brash, bravura sorts of performances pieces. They are intimate. Klara Min conveys that sense with beautiful phrasing, a deceptively facile way of handling the difficult pages and a dynamic sense so important to the successful performance of this music.
Very interesting piano music. Very well played. Very recommended for those who have grown tired of the staples of the repertoire, or for that matter those who have not.
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As one of the most loyal and ardent collectors of IWC timepieces, Martin Dohrmann has been to Schaffhausen and the manufacture numerous times. The reason for his latest visit was an exhibition at the IWC Museum of pieces from his very own watch collection: the line of Ocean BUND watches. Known for their anti-magnetism, these watches were used in the 1970s mostly by anti-mine specialists for disarming underwater mines. This was the first time that such a large collection of Ocean BUND watches was on show for the public in one single exhibition. Whilie visiting the museum, Martin shared his eight rules for watch collecting with us:
1. Buy what you can afford.
"I would never take out a loan to purchase a watch. Either I can afford it or I leave it." Martin allocates a certain budget per year for buying watches and only stretches it "if it's a one-off opportunity".
2. There's nothing wrong with low-budget watches.
"Buy what speaks to you – and enjoy it!"
3. Save for what you want.
"Whatever your budget may be, you'll find something – there are so many brands around and so much to choose from."
4. No fakes.
"I had a friend who once bought an A. Lange & Söhne for 50 dollars. After only 15 minutes, the crown came off – so that's not very good value for money."
5. There's more to this than just the watches.
When you're chasing a certain type of vintage watch, chase the extras as well – boxes, tools, bracelets, even smaller parts. "From a collector's point of view, the 'full set' is far more desirable."
6. Know your seller.
Even employees of watch companies can have trouble spotting a fake.
7. Open before you buy.
Before you buy a vintage watch, open the case and look inside. Check the condition and check to see that it's the proper movement. "If an Ocean BUND was damaged during a mission and it needed a new movement, they didn't always replace it with the correct one."
8. Wear them!
Enjoy them! Just be smart about it. "I wear all my watches. But if I go swimming or to the Oktoberfest, I definitely won't wear a platinum watch. I'd choose a steel Aquatimer instead."
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Goodwood Members' Meeting 2018 | IWC Schaffhausen
IWC presents Ingenieur Chronograph Sport Edition "76th Members' Meeting at Goodwood" and launches its racing team at Goodwood members' meeting 2018.


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If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, you may want to look at the foods and beverages that you're eating and drinking before going to bed. Certain foods and beverages hinder sleep while others can help improve sleep. Foods and Beverages That Hinder Sleep
- Big meals that are high in calories and fat can trigger heartburn or make you feel uncomfortable.
- Caffeine. One of the biggest culprits for keeping people up late at night, caffeine should not be consumed 3 to 8 hours before bedtime. Why? Caffeine is a stimulant and wakes up the central nervous system.
- Alcohol. Even though a little bit of alcohol may make you drowsy, too much alcohol may wake you up in the middle of the night.
- Salmon and halibut provide vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin.
- A light snack may help produce serotonin. Try eating a banana with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter, 1 cup of cottage cheese (contains the amino acid tryptophan), a small bowl of oatmeal with a chopped piece of fruit, or a slice of whole wheat toast topped with a slice of low fat cheese.
- Drinking a glass of warm milk is a great soother before bedtime.


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Yet, the similarity between drinking water filters and shower filters stops there. Shower filter dechlorination requires its own unique design approach to meet the elevated temperatures, high flow rates and size limitations of shower installations, all while providing users with an enjoyable shower experience. With more manufacturers jumping into the market, a better understanding of how filtration media, filter body size, flow rates, and shower head quality factor into the design equation can guide you toward the best product selection.
Dechlorination Benefits: Separating Fact from Fiction
,The most important contribution shower filters make toward a healthier lifestyle is reducing the amount of free chlorine that comes into direct contact with your skin. Outrageous claims such as shower filters reducing the risk of heart attack and cancer are just that, outrageous. Any manufacturer touting unsubstantiated claims should be viewed with suspicion.
What benefits can users expect from dechlorinating their shower water?
The primary benefit is the removal of free chlorine. Chlorine is an inorganic substance that chemically bonds to the protein in your hair and skin, destroying the natural ecological balance of the skin. A quality dechlorinating shower filter will consistently remove 90 percent of free chlorine, resulting in softer, more manageable hair and healthier, younger-looking skin. For chlorine-sensitive people, particularly small children, the elderly and sufferers of asthma or emphysema, chlorine removal also is a safeguard against negative allergic reactions.KDF: The Preferred Shower Filter Media
In developing a dechlorinating shower filter, designers are basically limited to two media types acceptable for potable water use: granular activated carbon (GAC) and atomized brass (KDF). Other media have been tried-the most notable being calcium sulfate-but were not deemed acceptable for direct human contact.GAC is an effective dechlorinating medium. Many early manufacturers thought its properties were directly transferrable to shower filter applications. Not so. First, carbon is not recommended for hot water use. Unlike drinking water units which, on average, operate at ambient temperatures, shower filters are continuously exposed to temperatures ranging from body temperature to 105 degrees F. At these elevated temperatures, some of the contaminants adsorbed by the carbon can slough off and re-enter the water stream.
GAC also is light in weight. Therefore, it requires a much larger housing to achieve the same density as other filter media. For example, 16 ounces of KDF can be housed in a filter body that is 3.2 ounces in weight and only a few inches long. For GAC to achieve the same level of performance, you would need enough media to fill a bucket. GAC is also highly adsorbent-like a cellulose sponge-and becomes saturated in hundreds of gallons versus thousands of gallons with KDF, requiring more frequent replacement.
Today, non-carbon shower filters are the norm, and KDF the preferred media among shower filter designers. This non-organic filtration media does not remove organic contaminants, despite some manufacturers' claims. However, it is extremely effective at free chlorine removal. KDF is also bacteriostatic and tends to reduce or eliminate fungus and mildew build-up in the shower.
KDF is composed of 50 percent copper and 50 percent zinc. It removes free chlorine by reversing the electrochemical process that originally separated the chlorine from sodium in a brine solution. Here's how it works: Copper and zinc are dissimilar metals. The tension between these metals generates between 900 and 1100 millivolts of electricity in an aqueous state (i.e., as water passes through the media). This is enough electricity to generate a galvanic charge that re-establishes the original electrolytic environment that created the free chlorine. The chlorine is able to recombine with a metal ion, normally zinc, to form a soluble zinc chloride which washes out of the filter and is harmless to humans.
KDF not only offers dechlorination capabilities, but it lasts longer than carbon media. In general, a KDF shower filter will last one and-a-half years or more for a family of three. However, it should be noted that KDF's effectiveness is measured by its ability to generate the electrochemical action described earlier, not in gallonage.
The cathode-anode relationship between copper and zinc (which generates the galvanic charge) is disrupted by particulate contaminants in the water. As a result, the less particulate matter in the water entering the filter, the longer the KDF media will generate adequate levels of electricity to effectively remove free chlorine. So, a KDF shower filter in Bangor, Maine, where the particulate contaminants in the water are low, will last a lot longer than one in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Because buyers are more familiar with the "gallonage" terminology, many KDF shower filter manufacturers list gallonage as a lifespan rating. However, this should be viewed as a warranty figure rather than a true representation of the actual life of the product.
The Role of the Shower Filter Designer
If most of today's shower filter manufacturers use KDF, what's the difference from one filter to the next? The design and manufacture. There are several considerations when using KDF that need to be factored into the final shower filter design. One of the primary issues is contact time-the amount of time the media is in contact with the water before it exits the shower head. This determines the amount of media required and the most efficient housing size. The filter designer also should know how to manage the flow rate within the housing and through the shower head so the media has sufficient contact time to treat the water. The longer the water is in the presence of the media, the better the media performs. For optimum results, the flow rate should be no more than two gallons per minute (gpm).The type of shower head sold with the filter is also an important factor. The shower head should provide the desired amount of water reduction, while giving the user an acceptable shower delivery. Inexpensive shower heads are often "water guzzlers" and may deliver water in excess of 2.25 gpm, exceeding federal regulations. To bring these heads into compliance, some manufacturers restrict the flow (much in the way you restrict flow in a garden hose by crimping the hose) to achieve a lower flow rate. This should not be an acceptable alternative to good design. Restricting flow in this manner can significantly compromise media contact time and, more importantly, shower delivery.
The best flow results are achieved with high quality, all-metal, flow reduction shower heads. Because shower delivery plays such an important-but often overlooked-role in the filtration process as well as the user's enjoyment of the shower, look for manufacturers who use name brand shower heads with guaranteed specifications.
You also should expect your manufacturer to offer a comprehensive line of shower filters to suit a range of needs. For example, KDF media is available in granular, filament or "fines" form. Your manufacturer should be able to guide you toward which type is best for a variety of low, medium and high pressure applications, and for domestic and international markets.
Future Trends
As the market heats up through growing public acceptance of the benefits of shower water dechlorination, expect to see improvements in media and the shower device itself. Enhancements to the feel of the water and improved soap and shampoo lathering will become more important, too, as the novelty of shower filtration wears off and the quality of the shower delivery becomes a bigger factor. Replacement cartridge filter units are also on the upswing. When considering a cartridge-type filter, be sure your manufacturer is knowledgeable in sizing the cartridge appropriately so that media effectiveness isn't compromised.As the industry grows and consumers become more discerning, it will become more critical for distributors to select manufacturers who understand the technology, have broad product lines for import and export markets and who can assure them of quality products that consistently meet consumer expectations.
What to Look for in a Shower Manufacturer
- responsible performance claims
- designs that are acceptable for different market needs
- competitive pricing
- understanding of the chemistry and physics of media; how it functions
Be Alert for:
- unsubstantiated statements of shower filter benefits
- filters with inadequate pressure ranges
- claims that shower head quality doesn't matter
- cartridge designs that compromise performance


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I attended DebConf10 in early August at Columbia University in New York City. I thought I'd document some of the initiatives that resulted from that event.
I attended the Debian Policy BoF. It inspired me to start reviewing Debian Policy and led to my submission of a bug report to improve the description of the archive areas in Debian. In the BoF (Birds of a Feather) session, Russ Allbery requested help from everyone including non DDs (Debian Developers) to make policy clearer and more descriptive, so I obliged. I see that the negotiated text has been accepted and included in the git repository for the next release.
During the Debian Science sessions that I attended (see especially the video from the Debian Science Round Table), the idea of engaging upstream providers (software projects that are packaged by integrators like Debian) more effectively was discussed. This led me to draft a proposal that I posted to the Debian Project mailing list: Improving coordination / support for upstreams. There was precious little feedback, but I think it is a profoundly important issue: how do we improve coordination of upstreams with projects like Debian that integrate their software. So far there is very little infrastructure or knowledge about this important issue in the management of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software). How do you think we should start to address this problem?
I helped with the herculean task of getting Sage, a FOSS mathematics system, back into Debian. After discussing the issue during the Debian Science track at DebConf10, I met Lucas Nussbaum in the hacklab and he (with help from Luca Falavigna) managed to get the old buggy version of Sage removed from unstable (apparently, this version was causing support issues for the upstream Sage community, so this was a positive step forward). I also submitted five bugs (#592349, #592354, #592425, #592426, and #592429) about new upstream versions that are needed. I posted two detailed reports of work needed on packaging Sage for Debian to appropriate mailing lists. Getting Sage into Debian is the kind of big FOSS management challenge that I'm excited about. But I will need a lot of help to make progress. Let me know if you are interested in contributing to the effort!
Finally, for the record, here are links to the sessions where I participated in the discussion (video is available): Bits from the DPL, SPI BOF, Enterprise Infrastructure BOF, Mathematical Software in Debian, Overall presentation of Debian Science, and Debian Science Round Table.


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If you run your business from your home or perform certain functions at home that are related to your business, you might be able to claim a home office deduction against your business income on your 2018 income tax return. Thanks to a tax law change back in 2013, there are now two methods for claiming this deduction: the actual expenses method and the simplified method.
Basics of the deduction
In general, you'll qualify for a home office deduction if part of your home is used "regularly and exclusively" as your principal place of business.
If your home isn't your principal place of business, you may still be able to deduct home office expenses if 1) you physically meet with patients, clients or customers on your premises, or 2) you use a storage area in your home (or a separate free-standing structure, such as a garage) exclusively and regularly for your business.
Actual expenses
Traditionally, taxpayers have deducted actual expenses when they claim a home office deduction. Deductible home office expenses may include:
But keeping track of actual expenses can be time consuming.
The simplified method
Fortunately, there's a simplified method that's been available since 2013: You can deduct $5 for each square foot of home office space, up to a maximum total of $1,500.
For example, if you've converted a 300-square-foot bedroom to an office you use exclusively and regularly for business, you can write off $1,500 under the simplified method (300 square feet x $5). However, if your business is located in a 600-square-foot finished basement, the deduction will still be only $1,500 because of the cap on the deduction under this method.
As you can see, the cap can make the simplified method less beneficial for larger home office spaces. But even for spaces of 300 square feet or less, taxpayers may qualify for a bigger deduction using the actual expense method. So, tracking your actual expenses can be worth the extra hassle.
Flexibility in filing
When claiming the home office deduction, you're not locked into a particular method. For instance, you might choose the actual expense method on your 2018 return, use the simplified method when you file your 2019 return next year and then switch back to the actual expense method thereafter. The choice is yours.
Unsure whether you qualify for the home office deduction? Or wondering whether you should deduct actual expenses or use the simplified method? Contact us. We can help you determine what's right for your specific situation.
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