title: The impact of Chinese culture in online learning: Chinese tertiary students’ perceptions

authors: Cong, Yan

subjects: online learning

abstract: This thesis looks at Chinese students' understanding of online learning, investigates how culture impact on students online learning attitude, behaviour, and achievement, and seeks their recommendations for eLeaming and eTeaching guidelines and/or professional development. This study used a qualitative framework and took place over a year period. The research involved the methods of email surveys and interviews.
The literature identifies many factors including the online learning and teaching pedagogy, aspects of Chinese culture, the implications for online Chinese students' learning, and Chinese students learning in another country. This review helps to identity some research findings of this research.
This finding of this research identified participants' experience and their perceptions of learning online, explored their beliefs about Chinese cultural impact on their online learning, and sought their recommendations to eTeachers and other Chinese students about eTeaching and eLearning.
In the light of literature, this research found that participants had different opinions about the impact of Chinese culture on their online learning. Participants had seen both positive and negative impacts on their online learning. The acknowledgment of individuals' differences and willingness of adapting to a new culture was viewed as a reason why some participants thought the cultural impact varied with individuals and could not be generalized. The invisibility of culture was also explained why some participants disagreed with the cultural impact. Participants' perceptions on the impact of Chinese culture on their online learning would help eTeachers to understand the learning difficulties for Chinese students to study online, and in what ways the Chinese culture influences on their online learning.
The recommendations participants made to eTeachers were related to the effective eTeaching pedagogy such as to give timely feedback and more encouragements to students, to cater for students' different needs and interests by selecting some course contents or examples relevant to Chinese students' backgrounds. Participants suggested eTeachers to arrange the group meeting beside the course study, and to give more introductions about what online learning was before the online course started. Based on the consideration of the English language difficulties for Chinese students and some negative impacts from Chinese culture, participants made recommendations to other Chinese students such as to be willing to share ideas, to speak out their thoughts and to be active in asking for assistance, and to find more information before they chose online learning. Participants' those recommendations could help eTeachers to make some changes of eTeaching pedagogy and learn about Chinese students' culture in order to cater for Chinese students' interests and needs. Therefore, these recommendations could be helpful for eLearning and eTeaching guidelines and/or professional development on supporting Chinese students learning online both in New Zealand and China.
This study raised some concerns about possible future research such as how to maximise librarian's assistance in online course, and in what ways both Chinese students' written and spoken English language could be improved through learning online.

text: The impact of Chinese culture in online learning: Chinese tertiary students’ perceptions This thesis looks at Chinese students' understanding of online learning, investigates how culture impact on students online learning attitude, behaviour, and achievement, and seeks their recommendations for eLeaming and eTeaching guidelines and/or professional development. This study used a qualitative framework and took place over a year period. The research involved the methods of email surveys and interviews.
The literature identifies many factors including the online learning and teaching pedagogy, aspects of Chinese culture, the implications for online Chinese students' learning, and Chinese students learning in another country. This review helps to identity some research findings of this research.
This finding of this research identified participants' experience and their perceptions of learning online, explored their beliefs about Chinese cultural impact on their online learning, and sought their recommendations to eTeachers and other Chinese students about eTeaching and eLearning.
In the light of literature, this research found that participants had different opinions about the impact of Chinese culture on their online learning. Participants had seen both positive and negative impacts on their online learning. The acknowledgment of individuals' differences and willingness of adapting to a new culture was viewed as a reason why some participants thought the cultural impact varied with individuals and could not be generalized. The invisibility of culture was also explained why some participants disagreed with the cultural impact. Participants' perceptions on the impact of Chinese culture on their online learning would help eTeachers to understand the learning difficulties for Chinese students to study online, and in what ways the Chinese culture influences on their online learning.
The recommendations participants made to eTeachers were related to the effective eTeaching pedagogy such as to give timely feedback and more encouragements to students, to cater for students' different needs and interests by selecting some course contents or examples relevant to Chinese students' backgrounds. Participants suggested eTeachers to arrange the group meeting beside the course study, and to give more introductions about what online learning was before the online course started. Based on the consideration of the English language difficulties for Chinese students and some negative impacts from Chinese culture, participants made recommendations to other Chinese students such as to be willing to share ideas, to speak out their thoughts and to be active in asking for assistance, and to find more information before they chose online learning. Participants' those recommendations could help eTeachers to make some changes of eTeaching pedagogy and learn about Chinese students' culture in order to cater for Chinese students' interests and needs. Therefore, these recommendations could be helpful for eLearning and eTeaching guidelines and/or professional development on supporting Chinese students learning online both in New Zealand and China.
This study raised some concerns about possible future research such as how to maximise librarian's assistance in online course, and in what ways both Chinese students' written and spoken English language could be improved through learning online.

year: 2008

title: The Role of Amino Acids and the Threonine-SAM Pathway in the Development of Bovine Inner Cell Mass and Pluripotency

authors: Najafzadeh, Vahid

subjects: amino acid

abstract: Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are the foundation of all cell types in the body including functional gametes. They are derived either from the inner cell mass (ICM) of preimplantation mouse and rat embryos, known as embryonic pluripotent stem cells (ePSCs) or embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or via reprogramming of somatic cells to their pluripotent state, known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). PSCs are excellent tools for gene editing and accelerated breeding in livestock animals. So far, germline-competent PSCs have only been isolated in mice and rats. Bovine ESCs are yet to be isolated due to the inadequate understanding of the mechanisms involved in bovine pluripotency. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic aspects of bovine ICM development and pluripotency. 
In this study, amino acids were screened via a targeted depletion approach to determine if any amino acid was critical for bovine ICM development and pluripotency. Experiments were conducted on in vitro fertilised day (D) 5 preimplantation bovine embryos, individually cultured in chemically-defined, protein- and glutamine-free synthetic oviduct fluid with variations of essential (E) and non-essential (NE) amino acids (AAs) until D8. Depleting (Δ) one (threonine, methionine), two (threonine_methionine, cysteine_methionine, cysteine_threonine, isoleucine_leucine, isoleucine_lysine, leucine_lysine), three (cysteine_methionine_threonine, isoleucine_leucine_lysine) or six (histidine_phenylalanine_arginine_valine_tryptophan_tyrosine) EAAs did not affect ICM formation, even when NEAAs were also removed from Δthreonine and Δmethionine groups. However, depleting another six (cysteine_isoleucine_lysine_leucine_methionine_threonine), nine (+cysteine_methionine_threonine, +isoleucine_leucine_lysine), eleven EAAs (+threonine, +methionine) or all twelve EAAs impaired blastocyst development. In vitro fertilised D1 preimplantation mouse embryos cultured from D1-4 were also not affected by a Δthreonine culture condition.
The role of the threonine dehydrogenase (TDH)-mediated threonine-s-adenosylmethionine (SAM) pathway in bovine ICM development and pluripotency in bovine embryos and cells was also investigated. This metabolic pathway has been shown to play a critical role in sustaining mouse pluripotency. TDH expression was probed at mRNA and protein levels, and its activity was knocked down using chemical inhibitors quinazolinecarboxamide (Qc1) and 3-hydroxynorvaline (3-HNV). The effect of TDH inhibition on embryo development, cell numbers, lineage-specific marker gene expression, histone trimethylation and autophagy was studied. 
TDH was present in trophectoderm (TE), ICM and 6 day old (D6) ICM outgrowths but absent in D6 TE primary cultures. In bovine embryos, Qc1 reduced blastocyst grade 1-3 (B¹⁻³) and 
B¹⁻² embryo development 1.5- and 2-fold, respectively, compared to the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) controls. Qc1 also reduced ICM and TE cell numbers ~2-fold. This cell loss was due to increased autophagy. Qc1-treated ICM and TE nuclei were explicitly hypermethylated at histone (H)3 lysine (K)4 trimethylation (me3), while H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 were not affected. Hypoblast (PDGRFα), pluripotency-associated epiblast (NANOG, FGF4, and SOX2) and TE (CDX2) markers were not altered in the Qc1 group compared to DMSO controls. Qc1 also severely compromised mouse embryos cultured from day 1-4. In bovine cells, Qc1 compromised fresh ICM, D6 ICM outgrowths and fresh TE cells but failed to impair D6 TE primary cultures. 3-HNV severely compromised bovine embryo development, D1 ICM outgrowths, D6 TE primary cultures and bovine embryonic fibroblast (BEF) cells. However, it unexpectedly severely impaired TDH-free skin fibroblasts in a Δthreonine culture condition. 
The results indicate that the effect of amino acid starvation on embryos is different from that on individual cells. The findings also suggest that TDH is vital for bovine embryonic development via regulating H3K4me3 levels. Moreover, the results denote that TDH becomes restricted to cultured ICM cells and disappears from TE primary cultures. This may indicate that TDH is essential for maintaining bovine pluripotency. 3-HNV was claimed to be a specific TDH enzyme inhibitor; However, this study showed that it compromises TDH-free cells in a Δthreonine culture condition, suggesting that it does not specifically impair cells and embryos via the TDH-mediated threonine-SAM pathway.

text: The Role of Amino Acids and the Threonine-SAM Pathway in the Development of Bovine Inner Cell Mass and Pluripotency Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are the foundation of all cell types in the body including functional gametes. They are derived either from the inner cell mass (ICM) of preimplantation mouse and rat embryos, known as embryonic pluripotent stem cells (ePSCs) or embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or via reprogramming of somatic cells to their pluripotent state, known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). PSCs are excellent tools for gene editing and accelerated breeding in livestock animals. So far, germline-competent PSCs have only been isolated in mice and rats. Bovine ESCs are yet to be isolated due to the inadequate understanding of the mechanisms involved in bovine pluripotency. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic aspects of bovine ICM development and pluripotency. 
In this study, amino acids were screened via a targeted depletion approach to determine if any amino acid was critical for bovine ICM development and pluripotency. Experiments were conducted on in vitro fertilised day (D) 5 preimplantation bovine embryos, individually cultured in chemically-defined, protein- and glutamine-free synthetic oviduct fluid with variations of essential (E) and non-essential (NE) amino acids (AAs) until D8. Depleting (Δ) one (threonine, methionine), two (threonine_methionine, cysteine_methionine, cysteine_threonine, isoleucine_leucine, isoleucine_lysine, leucine_lysine), three (cysteine_methionine_threonine, isoleucine_leucine_lysine) or six (histidine_phenylalanine_arginine_valine_tryptophan_tyrosine) EAAs did not affect ICM formation, even when NEAAs were also removed from Δthreonine and Δmethionine groups. However, depleting another six (cysteine_isoleucine_lysine_leucine_methionine_threonine), nine (+cysteine_methionine_threonine, +isoleucine_leucine_lysine), eleven EAAs (+threonine, +methionine) or all twelve EAAs impaired blastocyst development. In vitro fertilised D1 preimplantation mouse embryos cultured from D1-4 were also not affected by a Δthreonine culture condition.
The role of the threonine dehydrogenase (TDH)-mediated threonine-s-adenosylmethionine (SAM) pathway in bovine ICM development and pluripotency in bovine embryos and cells was also investigated. This metabolic pathway has been shown to play a critical role in sustaining mouse pluripotency. TDH expression was probed at mRNA and protein levels, and its activity was knocked down using chemical inhibitors quinazolinecarboxamide (Qc1) and 3-hydroxynorvaline (3-HNV). The effect of TDH inhibition on embryo development, cell numbers, lineage-specific marker gene expression, histone trimethylation and autophagy was studied. 
TDH was present in trophectoderm (TE), ICM and 6 day old (D6) ICM outgrowths but absent in D6 TE primary cultures. In bovine embryos, Qc1 reduced blastocyst grade 1-3 (B¹⁻³) and 
B¹⁻² embryo development 1.5- and 2-fold, respectively, compared to the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) controls. Qc1 also reduced ICM and TE cell numbers ~2-fold. This cell loss was due to increased autophagy. Qc1-treated ICM and TE nuclei were explicitly hypermethylated at histone (H)3 lysine (K)4 trimethylation (me3), while H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 were not affected. Hypoblast (PDGRFα), pluripotency-associated epiblast (NANOG, FGF4, and SOX2) and TE (CDX2) markers were not altered in the Qc1 group compared to DMSO controls. Qc1 also severely compromised mouse embryos cultured from day 1-4. In bovine cells, Qc1 compromised fresh ICM, D6 ICM outgrowths and fresh TE cells but failed to impair D6 TE primary cultures. 3-HNV severely compromised bovine embryo development, D1 ICM outgrowths, D6 TE primary cultures and bovine embryonic fibroblast (BEF) cells. However, it unexpectedly severely impaired TDH-free skin fibroblasts in a Δthreonine culture condition. 
The results indicate that the effect of amino acid starvation on embryos is different from that on individual cells. The findings also suggest that TDH is vital for bovine embryonic development via regulating H3K4me3 levels. Moreover, the results denote that TDH becomes restricted to cultured ICM cells and disappears from TE primary cultures. This may indicate that TDH is essential for maintaining bovine pluripotency. 3-HNV was claimed to be a specific TDH enzyme inhibitor; However, this study showed that it compromises TDH-free cells in a Δthreonine culture condition, suggesting that it does not specifically impair cells and embryos via the TDH-mediated threonine-SAM pathway.

year: 2018

title: AI: a new (r)evolution or the new colonizer for Indigenous peoples?

authors: Whaanga, Hēmi

abstract: We are often told that there is one constant in life and that is change; it is inevitable, inescapable. When the forces of power begin to blow and conditions are right, change will happen. As the planet undergoes a period of transformation brought about by the advances of data science and the convergence of technologies, the Internet of All Things and AI, the potential of AI to be change agent for Indigenous peoples is a thought-provoking, and to a certain degree, daunting proposition. The rapid progress of technology and innovation, in terms of its volume, complexity, and exponential growth in computing power, have drastically changed how we socialize, communicate, access, share, distribute and view knowledge and information. Is AI inevitable, inescapable, a fait accompli for Indigenous peoples?

text: AI: a new (r)evolution or the new colonizer for Indigenous peoples? We are often told that there is one constant in life and that is change; it is inevitable, inescapable. When the forces of power begin to blow and conditions are right, change will happen. As the planet undergoes a period of transformation brought about by the advances of data science and the convergence of technologies, the Internet of All Things and AI, the potential of AI to be change agent for Indigenous peoples is a thought-provoking, and to a certain degree, daunting proposition. The rapid progress of technology and innovation, in terms of its volume, complexity, and exponential growth in computing power, have drastically changed how we socialize, communicate, access, share, distribute and view knowledge and information. Is AI inevitable, inescapable, a fait accompli for Indigenous peoples?

year: 2020