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In higher education, the role of assessment has evolved from serving only the purpose of evaluation of the outcomes of the learning process to assessment as part of the learning purposes. Summative or formative, the potential of assessment to facilitate learning is now recognised. Feedback is one of the most influential factors on learning but is also one of the least satisfactory elements of the student experience. How has interest in, understanding of, and implementation of feedback changed over time? What are the general characteristics of feedback implementation found in literature? To what productive directions might future research feedback on assessment take? To gain these insights, a systematic quantitative review of literature on feedback on written assessment in higher education was undertaken, revealing that feedback as a field of inquiry, despite burgeoning interest, remains nascent, mostly 'stuck in old ways'.

Context: Skinks comprise the dominant component of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna in Oceania, New Guinea, and Eastern Wallacea (ONGEW). However, knowledge of their diversity is incomplete, and their conservation needs are poorly understood. Aims: To explore the diversity and threat status of the skinks of ONGEW and identify knowledge gaps and conservation needs. Methods: We compiled a list of all skink species occurring in the region and their threat categories designated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. We used available genetic sequences deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information's GenBank to generate a phylogeny of the region's skinks. We then assessed their diversity within geographical sub-divisions and compared to other reptile taxa in the region. Key results: Approximately 300 species of skinks occur in ONGEW, making it the second largest global hotspot of skink diversity following Australia. Many phylogenetic relationships remain unresolved, and many species and genera are in need of taxonomic revision. One in five species are threatened with extinction, a higher proportion than almost all reptile families in the region. Conclusions: ONGEW contain a large proportion of global skink diversity on <1% of the Earth's landmass. Many are endemic and face risks such as habitat loss and invasive predators. Yet, little is known about them, and many species require taxonomic revision and threat level re-assessment. Implications. The skinks of ONGEW are a diverse yet underexplored group of terrestrial vertebrates, with many species likely facing extreme risks in the near future. Further research is needed to understand the threats they face and how to protect them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrasses provide crucial ecosystem services in the coastal environment, but are under increasing threat associated with anthropogenic activities. Seagrass meadows effectively trap suspended sediment, a key vector for trace metal transport, by altering local hydrodynamic conditions around their leaves and stems. As a result, seagrass meadows often have different geochemical sediment characteristics compared to adjacent bare sediments and may accumulate higher concentrations of trace metals. The aim of this systematic review was to identify research trends and knowledge gaps in the relationships between metals and seagrasses. The systematic search of the literature identified a total of 191 relevant articles. Although seagrasses have a broad geographic distribution, the highest diversity and endemism exists in the Indo-Pacific region, yet most studies (40%) were conducted in the Mediterranean Sea. There were also taxonomic gaps with some common species groups, including Amphibolis and Thalassodendron spp., being poorly studied. The reviewed studies examined the relationship between seagrass and 39 metal elements. There were no studies examining rare-earth elements (REEs) or platinum-group elements (PGEs), both of which are critical classes of metals in emerging technologies. Furthermore, the review determined that all 191 studies focused on the impact of metals on seagrasses, while only six also considered the effect of seagrasses on metal geochemistry in sediments. We conclude that further research is necessary to address these key gaps in knowledge to better understand the role(s) of seagrasses in the distribution, immobilization, and release of trace metals in coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic resources are the building blocks for aquaculture breeding programs, biotechnology and conservation. The Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol are international frameworks for access and benefit sharing (ABS) concerning: (a) the collection and use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge; and (b) sharing the benefits of their use with the provider. ABS laws in African countries increasingly apply to resources and knowledge used throughout the production chain for aquaculture, including genes and gene sequences. This paper reviews ABS legislation and peer-reviewed publications in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia (leading aquaculture countries with ABS laws) to identify key knowledge gaps for ABS and aquaculture. Using a systematic quantitative literature review method and a qualitative analysis, the main findings are that despite established ABS laws in many of the reviewed countries, there are no analyses on the positive or negative effects of these laws for the conservation, sustainable use of genetic resources, digital sequence information and traditional knowledge relevant to aquaculture and the equitable sharing of benefits from their use. These knowledge gaps may significantly undermine the sharing of resources and knowledge necessary for ecologically sustainable aquaculture development in Africa, which is crucial to food security and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat destruction is a key threatening process for amphibians. Modified or anthropogenic waterbodies can be used to compensate for habitat loss, with several amphibian species utilising created or modified waterbodies. We measured usage of anthropogenic/modified waterbodies by adult and tadpole frog species, including threatened species, in coastal wallum habitat in eastern Australia. Nine road trenches/ditches, 8 artificial 'lakes', 6 golf course waterbodies and 13 natural waterbodies were surveyed for frog adults and tadpoles during the summer/spring period 2011–2012. Additionally, we examined the relationship between frog assemblages and environmental factors (water chemistry, aquatic predators, vegetation types), focusing on Litoria olongburensis and Litoria fallax. Frog species richness differed between waterbody types, with two of three threatened frog species present in both natural and anthropogenic/modified waterbodies. The frog assemblage was influenced by pH, turbidity, salinity and percentage cover of certain vegetation types. Measured abundance of L. olongburensis adults and tadpoles were highest in natural waterbodies with high sedge density and low pH. The measured abundance of adult L. fallax was highest within artificial lakes. We conclude that differences in water chemistry and vegetation density can affect the amphibian assemblage within these environments. Therefore, effective conservation of all frog species would be enhanced by conserving a variety of waterbody types. However, natural waterbodies are more likely to be used by threatened species and the conservation of these waterbodies provides the best conservation outcomes. Where habitat offsets may be required, environmental managers should critically assess the quality of constructed habitat for specialist frog species including those associated with acidic, oligotrophic environments. Wallum frogs are unique as they occur in naturally acidic, oligotrophic waterbodies. These waterbodies and the habitat surrounding them are often influenced by human disturbances. This article looks at determining the suitability of anthropogenic waterbodies for wallum frogs. We found that naturally occurring waterbodies are most suited for wallum frogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) vaccine could play a role in counteracting the rising prevalence of atopic diseases, through its beneficial off‐target effects. We aimed to determine whether neonatal BCG vaccination reduces the incidence of eczema in infants. Methods: Randomized controlled trial with 1272 infants allocated to receive BCG‐Denmark or no BCG at birth. The primary outcome was the 12‐month incidence of eczema based on 3‐monthly questionnaires. Eczema was also assessed at a 12‐month clinic visit. ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01906853. Results: The 12‐month eczema incidence was 32.2% in the BCG group compared with 36.6% in the control group (adjusted risk difference (aRD) −4.3%, 95% CI −9.9% to 1.3%, multiple imputation model). In addition, comparing infants in the BCG group with the control group, 15.7% vs. 19.2% had eczema lesions at the 12‐month visit (aRD −3.5%, 95% CI −8.0% to 1.0%); 35.7% vs. 39.0% reported using topical steroids (aRD −3.3, 95% CI −9.2 to 2.7); and 7.3% vs. 10.2% had severe eczema scores (aRD −3.0%, 95% CI −8.8% to 2.7%). In 344 high‐risk infants (two atopic parents), the 12‐month eczema incidence was 35.3% in the BCG group compared with 46.8% in the control group (aRD −11.5%, 95% CI −21.9% to −1.2%; number needed to treat 8.7, 95% CI 4.6 to 83.3). Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to recommend neonatal BCG vaccination in all infants for the prevention of eczema in the first year of life; however, a modest beneficial effect was observed among high‐risk infants. A single dose of BCG‐Denmark soon after birth could reduce the incidence of eczema in infants with two atopic parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We sought to examine co-design in 3 contrasting case studies of technology-supported change in health care and explain its role in influencing project success.Materials and Methods: Longitudinal case studies of a seizure detection and reporting technology for epilepsy (Southern England, 2018-2019), a telehealth service for heart failure (7 UK sites, 2016-2018), and a remote video consultation service (Scotland-wide, 2019-2020). We carried out interviews with 158 participants and collected more than 200 pages of field notes from observations. Within- and cross-case analysis was informed by sociotechnical theory.Results: In the epilepsy case, co-design prioritized patient-facing features and focused closely around a specific clinic, which led to challenges with sustainability and mainstreaming. In the heart failure case, patient-focused co-design produced an accessible and usable patient portal but resulted in variation in uptake between clinical sites. Successful scale-up of video consultations was explained by a co-design process involving not only the technical interface, but also careful reshaping of work practices.Discussion: A shift is needed from co-designing with technology users to co-designing with patients as service users, and with healthcare staff as professionals. Good co-design needs to involve users, including those who engage with the technology-supported service bothdirectly and indirectly. It requires sensitivity to emergence and unpredictability in complex systems. Healthcare staff need to be supported to accommodate iterative change in the service. Adequate resourcing and infrastructures for systems-focused co-design are essential.Conclusions: If co-design focuses narrowly on the technology, opportunities will be missed to coevolve technologies alongside clinical practices and organizational routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Convention on Biological Diversity provides a framework for countries to implement laws regulating the access, use and exchange of genetic resources, including how users and providers share the benefits from their use. While the international community has been preoccupied with resolving the unintended effects of access and benefit sharing (ABS) on domestication in agriculture for the past 25 years, its far‐reaching consequences for global aquaculture has only recently dawned on policymakers, aquaculture producers and researchers. Using a systematic quantitative literature review methodology, we analysed the trends, biases and gaps in the ABS literature. Only 5% of the ABS literature related to the use and exchange of aquaculture genetic resources. Most of this literature related to use in developing countries or global use, but its authors were predominantly from developed countries. The literature covered a narrow range of countries (7) and regions (3), a narrow range of taxonomic groups (9) and a narrow range of uses. Given that aquaculture is the fastest growing global food production sector with products primarily from developing countries using over 580 species, there are significant gaps in aquaculture‐related ABS literature. We conclude that the sector needs urgent analyses on the consequences of ABS restrictions, obligations and opportunities for its early stages of domestication and product development. We recommend priority areas for attention to ensure that rapidly evolving national ABS laws take into account the special characteristics and needs of the aquaculture sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birders are generally nature-oriented; however, their understanding of key bird conservation issues remains under-examined. We surveyed English-speaking birders online and face-to-face, asking questions related to their views on conservation, conservation funding and their understanding of a global bird conservation programme (BirdLife International’s Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas [IBAs]). Most birders who responded to the survey were from Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the USA. Birders tend to value bird conservation in an ecocentric way, often citing the overarching importance of general biodiversity. The ecological roles that birds play were also highlighted, but this varied across socio-demographic groups. Despite their positive support for conservation, less than half of all birders surveyed were familiar with the IBA programme. Familiarity with IBAs was driven by socio-demographic factors, with males more familiar than females and South African birders more familiar than birders from Australia and the United Kingdom. Most birders are willing to make contributions to bird conservation when visiting key birding sites, however they also feel governments should remain the main funders of conservation. Opportunities to enhance engagement between birders and bird conservation groups exist with most indicating a desire to learn more about bird conservation at birding sites. Increasing access to relevant information and presenting opportunities to contribute to conservation at birding sites could provide tangible benefits for bird habitats, protected areas and bird conservation groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Avitourism is an emerging sub-sector of the nature-based tourism industry, where tourist travel motivations are focused around birdwatching. Certain aspects of the industry are yet to be examined adequately. This paper reviews patterns among 66 research studies published between 1989 and 2014 that examine avitourism, its participants and stakeholders across several research themes. There is a distinct northern hemisphere bias (n= 46) in avitourism research effort, with research dominated by studies of the avitourists themselves (n= 35). Key objectives of studies reviewed were primarily concerned with the economic impacts of avitourism (n= 21), the motivations of birders as avitourists (n= 18) and increasing our understanding of the avitourism market (n= 12). Ten studies specifically examined the types of birds or bird-related events (i.e. migrations) avitourists seek. Few studies (n= 6) have examined the negative impacts on birds arising from avitourism. The sustainability of avitourism is dependent upon understanding both the avitourism product and the willingness of avitourists to see particular species. Enhanced understanding of avitourism opportunities and avitourist desires could guide industry growth, assist the economies of many communities, highlight birds and habitats vulnerable to the negative impacts of avitourism, and help finance conservation work. A series of priority research themes are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many societies, including those in the rapidly urbanizing Pacific Islands, local biodiversity is threatened and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is in danger of being lost. Herpetofauna, in particular, are globally threatened, alon g with their associated cultural knowledge and beliefs. The aim of this study was to examine the species richness and conservation status of herpetofauna and associated TEK among the 'Are'Are on Malaita Island, Solomon Islands. Questionnaire surveys were used to collect information about local perceptions and knowledge regarding frogs, skinks, and geckos, as well as their forest habitats. Local informants were distributed equally between sexes and age groups. A total of 18 different species of frogs and lizards were recorded and characterized. Seven distinct cultural uses were identified. Informants above the age of 60 exhibited greater herpetofaunal knowledge, as measured by number of species identified, with males demonstrating knowledge of slightly more species than females. Our results show that action is warranted to document and preserve community TEK in the Solomon Islands as step towards preserving biodiversity and supporting cultural conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]