Reflective peer coaching: Crafting collaborative self-assessment in teaching

Reflective peer coaching is a formative model for improving teaching and learning by examining intentions prior to teaching, then reflecting upon the experience. The goal of reflective peer coaching is to promote self-assessment and collaboration for better teaching and ultimately better learning. There are obvious benefits to colleagues collaborating and sharing ideas, thoughts, and observations. However, many models of assessing teaching effectiveness focus on summative evaluation in which colleagues observe each other once or twice a year and fill out institutional evaluation forms. Rarely do colleagues engage in formative conversations about teaching that are guided by the instructor's personal goals and objectives. Reflective peer coaching necessitates a ten-minute planning conversation prior to the actual lesson and a ten-minute reflective conversation after the lesson. These conversations happen regularly and frequently to build self-awareness and self-assessment of the personal craft of teaching. The following article outlines the dynamics of the reflective peer coaching process as a formative assessment model that leads to better learning through improved teaching.     

Peer Reflection

Summary

Greater attention needs to be paid to communication behaviors comprising the reference interview. As a prelude to the formal evaluation of reference services, the technique of peer coaching can be used to raise self- and collegial-awareness of behaviors specific to the reference interview, and can serve as a way of continually evaluating how well users are served. This article reflects on the application of peer coaching to the reference environment, suggests strategies for implementation, and relates peer coaching to the evaluation of reference effectiveness.     

Optimal scheduling of independent jobs in multiprocessor systems

In this paper, we consider the problem of finding an optimal schedule of several independent jobs in multiprocessor systems, i.e. for a given job list, in what order the jobs should be processed and how to assign these jobs to the processors in a multiprocessor system such that the completion time of the last completed job is minimized. We first discuss two models of this problem, one in which time and processor requirements of a job are fixed and the other in which time requirement of a jobs varies according to the number of processors allocated to the job for execution. We then present efficient algorithms for solving these problem models, which are known to be NP-hard in the strong sense, using a branch and bound strategy. Our algorithms use several new reduction rules to arrive at optimal solutions in an efficient way. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithms by experimental results.     

Workplace Relationship Quality and Employee Information Experiences

This study examined the extent to which the amount and quality of work‐related information employees received was associated with the quality of their relationships with peer co‐workers and their immediate supervisors. Results indicated that supervisor–subordinate relationship quality was positively related to both the amount and quality of information employees received from their immediate supervisor. In addition, employees’ proportions of information peer relationships were negatively related, and their proportions of collegial peer relationships were positively related, to the quality of information they received from their co‐workers. Regression analyses also indicated that the quality of information employees received from their supervisors and co‐workers was positively related to their job satisfaction and commitment to the organization.     

Publishing in predatory open access journals: Authors' perspectives

The proliferation of predatory or bogus journals has been recognized as a threat to academic research, and this study was conducted to discover the experiences of authors published in these journals. Eighty authors who had published in journals identified as predatory were surveyed. We asked how the authors learnt about these journals, what they thought about the reputation of the journals, their experiences of peer review and the quality of feedback provided, and whether publication was driven by PhD or job requirements. Our results showed that a third of authors discovered the journals by web searches or responding to email invitations. Over half said the reputation and name of the journal were important in selecting a journal, although a third admitted that the journal they published in did not have a good reputation. The main reason for selecting the journals was the promise of fast publication (31.2% respondents). Only half of the respondents said that publication was driven by PhD or job requirements. Just over a third reported that peer review was good or excellent, and only 17.5% said that peer review was poor or non‐existent – over 70% thought they had received good feedback from the journals. Although the research was somewhat limited, it does indicate general satisfaction with the journals in which the authors published. Fast publication coupled with good feedback and encouragement to submit can make publishing in predatory journals so tempting that few authors can resist.     

优化流程细化分工接力打造精品期刊

通过专人负责稿件送审、学报编委作用前移和责任编辑专司稿件编校工作等变革,构造并实施了接力式的学报出版流程,实现了角色能力与岗位职责的有效匹配.所设计的责任编辑岗位管理制度为编校质量目标的实现提供了有力的保证.     

论作者与审稿人的双向学术交流

国内许多学术期刊对作者与审稿人的学术交流与沟通重视不够.由于“评议偏倚”在同行评议中的现实存在,作者往往有着强烈的沟通需求;但在现行盲审制度下,编辑部既不能公开审稿人的信息,也难以做到双方意见的深入交流.为此,本文就作者与匿名审稿人双向学术交流的实施策略和方法进行讨论和分析.     

The Neophyte's Guide to Nirvana

The purpose of the "Neophyte's Guide to Nirvana" is to recommend a few important things that professors do not teach in library school. The article consists of twenty rules, which new law libranans can use in preparation for their first professional positions. The author concedes that the rules will not guarantee success. However, they can help reduce the anxiety new librarians encounter during their first few weeks on the job. The rules will help facilitate the transition from library school student to law librarian. The "Neophyte's Guide" is not only beneficial for the new librarian, but the library as well.     

同行评议与文献计量在科研评价中的作用分析比较

[目的/意义] 科研评价实践中普遍使用的两种评价手段和量度工具是同行评议与计量为基础的评价（文献计量、经济计量甚至替代计量）。为了对比同行评议质量判断与计量为基础的评价结果的一致性,进而回答同行评议能否被新兴的计量评价方法取代。[方法/过程] 本文采用非实证的研究方式,收集前人在论文发表、项目资助、研发评价实践、个人颁奖以及Altmetrics计量评价领域应用两种评价方法对研发绩效测度的120多篇实证研究进行元分析并汇总成定量化综述,基于认知演化的视角进行系统记叙。[结果/结论] 传统同行评议为基础的决策判断始终是研发评价的首要量度工具且地位无法取代,它与引用为基础的计量评价结果在统计上仅存在适度的正相关性,Spearman秩相关系数r∈[0.24,0.88],地位上后者更应充当前者的补充而非替代,即建构在定量辅助基础上的知情同行评议模式不仅使评价结果更加客观透明,也添加额外的附加价值,通过数据来加深对问题的认识,为评价的黄金法则。     

Learning Instruction: How an Academic Librarian Transitioned to a Health Sciences Environment

This guest column details the experience of an early career academic librarian learning how to instruct and assist students in health sciences programs. It includes information on mentoring, peer coaching, formal and informal trainings, and proficiencies needed for reference and instruction services. The author shares sources of specific knowledge and skills that empowered her to transition to health sciences librarianship.     

Understanding Internet Searching Performance in a Heterogeneous Portal for K-12 Students: Search Success,Search Time,Strategy, and Effort

This study sought to better understand search performance using an online portal containing a collection of heterogeneous library resources for K-12 students. Search performance is examined in terms of search success, search time, strategy, and effort. This study revealed unsuccessful searches tended to take longer than successful searches; preference of search strategy (searching vs. browsing) did not affect search success outcome; students tended to perform well in tasks for which they were able to use various strategies, and unsuccessful searches tended to use more effort—more mouse clicks, more keystrokes, more queries, more sites visited, and more strategy shifts. Implications of the study are also discussed.     

A Look at Internet Privacy and Security Issues and Their Relationship to the Electronic Job Search:

As more job searchers use the Internet and on-line services, librarians and career services professionals will play a greater role in educating clients about the ethical implications of an electronic job search. In this study, "electronic privacy" will be defined, and laws which govern electronic security as well as reactions to those laws will bc reviewed. Corporate policies on employee electronic accounts will be discussed. Technological methods being used to ensure confidentiality and privacy will be examined, andthe role and responsibility of career services professionals and librarians in training clients on an ethical job search will be addressed.     

完全学分制与《图书馆勤工助学》选修课

推行完全学分制是我国高校实施的一项重要的教学改革措施,本文对此进行了探讨,并提出设立《图书馆勤工助学》选修课程,利用课程来规范勤工助学活动,让学生学习管理知识和文献信息资源利用等知识。把选修课程设在实际的工作岗位上,吸引更多学生进入图书馆从事社会实践,培养其多方面的才能。     

Job satisfaction and job performance of university librarians: A disaggregated examination

University librarians are required to continuously adjust to keep up with changing customers' needs. The study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the effects of different facets of job satisfaction on the task performance and contextual performance of university librarians. Specifically, the study breaks down the overall measure of job satisfaction first into its intrinsic and extrinsic components, and then into sub-facets of these components, in order to isolate in detail how they influence job performance. Findings from competing statistical models demonstrate that certain facets of intrinsic job satisfaction strongly predict both task performance and contextual performance. The findings can be particularly useful for providing a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance in the university library context. Finally, the study considers managerial implications.     

对BioMed Central撤销中国论文的思考

本次BioMed Central(BMC)撤销中国论文的原因是同行评议专家的邮箱存在造假,进而影响了同行评议的公正性,造假行为是语言润色公司自作主张,还是论文的作者直接参与其中还有待调查.从这一事件可以看出:一方面,BMC旗下的某些期刊对审稿专家审核不严格,同行评议过程出现漏洞;另一方面,由于我国学术评价体系存在对SCI收录期刊不加区分,"唯SCI是从"的倾向,造成中国科研人员存在发表SCI论文的迫切需求,在语言仍然是一大障碍的情况下,求助于语言润色公司就成了必然的选择.针对以上问题,我们应该修正唯SCI的学术评价体系,对SCI期刊区别对待,增大中文期刊在学术评价体系中的比重,增加论文刊后评价,同时,增强我国中文和英文期刊的整体实力,不断探索新的学术出版模式.     

图书馆岗位评估模型初探

利用层次分析法和岗位评估理论,对受众多属性因素影响的图书馆工作岗位进行分析和研究,提出一套图书馆岗位评估的思路和模型,并根据这一思路和模型,对正在进行人事制度和分配制度改革的宁波某高校图书馆进行测试,试图为建立合理的图书馆岗位工资和津贴制度,提供一些科学的、量化的依据。     

Information adequacy,job satisfaction and organizational culture in a dispersed‐network organization

This investigation examined the relationship of information adequacy to job satisfaction and organizational culture in a healthcare organization with both office and field personnel. Information adequacy was assessed in four areas: personal performance, organizational policies, organizational performance, and organizational objectives. Comparisons of field and office personnel indicated that they did not differ on information adequacy or job satisfaction; they did, however, differ on several dimensions of organizational culture. Also, the relationship of information inadequacy to job satisfaction and organizational culture differed for employees depending on whether they worked primarily in the field or primarily in the office. Implications of the findings are drawn for organizations with a dispersed‐network structure.     

Information adequacy, job satisfaction and organizational culture in a dispersed-network organization

This investigation examined the relationship of information adequacy to job satisfaction and organizational culture in a healthcare organization with both office and field personnel. Information adequacy was assessed in four areas: personal performance, organizational policies, organizational performance, and organizational objectives. Comparisons of field and office personnel indicated that they did not differ on information adequacy or job satisfaction; they did, however, differ on several dimensions of organizational culture. Also, the relationship of information inadequacy to job satisfaction and organizational culture differed for employees depending on whether they worked primarily in the field or primarily in the office. Implications of the findings are drawn for organizations with a dispersed-network structure.