The use of bibliometric data for the measurement of university research performance

In this paper we present the results of a study on the potentialities of “bibliometric” (publication and citation) data as tools for university research policy. In this study bibliometric indicators were calculated for all research groups in the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Leiden. Bibliometric results were discussed with a number of researchers from the two faculties involved.Our main conclusion is that the use of bibliometric data for evaluation purposes carries a number of problems, both with respect to data collection and handling, and with respect to the interpretation of bibliometric results. However, most of these problems can be overcome. When used properly, bibliometric indicators can provide a “monitoring device” for university research-management and science policy. They enable research policy-makers to ask relevant questions of researchers on their scientific performance, in order to find explanations of the bibliometric results in terms of factors relevant to policy.     

The heterogeneous skill-base of circular economy employment

This paper examines the opportunities and risks of employment, skills and education that are related to a circular economy (CE) in the United States. Combining occupational skills and education data with a newly introduced definition of CE employment, we compare circular- and non-circular-oriented occupations in terms of skills and abilities. Building on the seminal paper by Consoli et al. (2016) and looking at all occupations within a broad range of CE-related industries, we detect and address heterogeneity in job requirements within the CE. We distinguish core activities within CE employment – focusing on renewable energy, repair, re-use of materials and the sharing economy – from enabling activities, which are focused on management, design, and ICT-applicability of the CE. While core CE-activities generally require more manual and technological skills, enabling activities, in contrast, require more complex cognitive skills. Neither core nor enabling CE sectors, however, are entirely cohesive in terms of skill requirements. Part of the education and skills demand is identifiably driven by ‘circularity’, particularly with regard to technical skills for the core of the CE. This may require specific education and training programs for future development of the CE.     

Persönlichkeitsentwicklung als ziel der Bildung: Aus der Sicht eines Psychologen

Zusammenfassung Die Persönlichkeit, die fast überall positiv verstanden wird, besteht nicht von Geburt an, sondern entwickelt sich unter Einfluß von Anlagen und Umwelt. Die Jugend, die als Übergang zwischen Kindheit und Erwachsenenalter bezeichnet wird, wirft in vielen modernen Industriestaaten Probleme auf, die aus der oftmals schwierigen Suche nach der eigenen Identität resultieren. Identität wird hier als Wechselwirkung zwischen Anlagen und Umwelt verstanden. Der Jugendliche muß auf dem Weg zur eigenen Persönlichkeit vor sich selbst, der Gesellschaft und dem Leben insgesamt bestehen. Die Psychologie definiert die Persönlichkeit als Summe vieler psychologischer Eigenschaften, in denen sich Unterschiede zwischen den Menschen zeigen. Die Entwicklung dieser Eigenschaften ist in Umwelt, Reifung und Handlung des Individuums zu sehen. Sie wird in Ursachen, Bedingungen und Verläufe unterschieden. Als letzten Punkt führt der Artikel verschiedene Aspekte der Bildungsproblematik an. Der Verfasser kommt zu dem Schluß, daß Persönlichkeitsentwicklung zwar Ziel der Bildung sein sollte, dieses Ziel aber aufgrund des heutigen unklaren Bildungskonzeptes nicht erreichbar ist.

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Personality, which is a term almost always used in a positive sense, does not exist from the moment of birth, but it develops under the influence of heredity and environment. Adolescence, which is seen as a transition from childhood to adulthood, raises difficulties in many modern industrialized countries as a result of the often arduous search for individual identity. In this context identity is seen as an interaction between heredity and environment. While developing his own personality, the young person has to maintain an integral existence vis-à-vis himself, society and life. Psychology defines the personality as the sum of numerous psychological characteristics, through which differences between people are revealed. The development of these characteristics is to be seen in the environment, maturation and actions of the individual. It can be subdivided into causes, conditions and processes. Finally the article discusses various aspects of the general question of education. The author concludes that the development of the personality should be an aim of education, but that this aim is presently unattainable because of a lack of clarity in the concept of education.

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Résumé La personnalité, qui est un terme presque toujours employé dans un sens positif, n'existe pas dès la naissance, mais se développe sous l'influence de l'hérédité et de l'environnement. L'adolescence, que l'on considère comme une période de transition entre l'enfance et l'âge adulte, crée des difficultés dans de nombreux pays modernes industrialisés en raison de la recherche souvent ardue d'une identité individuelle. Dans ce contexte, on entend par identité l'interaction entre hérédité et environnement. Tout en développant sa propre personnalité, l'adolescent doit continuer d'exister par rapport à lui-même, la société et la vie. La psychologie définit la personnalité comme la somme de nombreuses caractéristiques psychologiques, à travers lesquelles se dessinent les différences entre les personnes. On peut observer le développement de ces caractéristiques dans l'environnement, la croissance et les actions de l'individu. On peut les classer en causes, conditions et processus. Enfin, le présent article examine les divers aspects de la problématique de l'éducation. L'auteur conclut que le développement de la personnalité devrait être un but de l'éducation, mais que celui-ci n'est pas présentement réalisé en raison du manque de clarté du concept de l'éducation.

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Höchstes Glück der Erdenkinder sei nur die Persönlichkeit (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,Westöstlicher Diwan)     

Entanglement and transnational transfer in the history of infant schools in Great Britain and salles d’asile in France, 1816–1881

The historical developments of infant schools in Great Britain and salles d’asile in France – both precursors of present-day preschools – were interconnected. However, historians have not yet analysed specifically how transnational exchange influenced the growth and nature of these institutions. Drawing on archival data and secondary sources, and using a combined comparative and transnational approach, this study aims to remedy this omission. It traces the evolution of British infant schools and French salles d’asile from their beginnings to their affiliation with the education systems in their respective countries – i.e. from 1816, when Robert Owen founded the first infant school in Britain, to 1881, when the salle d’asile was incorporated as an integral part of the French education system (renamed école maternelle). The study also shows how ideas about infant education and the motives and experiences of educators and social reformers spread across British borders and influenced the development of salles d’asile.     

The integration experience of hearing impaired elementary school students in separated and integrated school settings

Integration experiences of hearing impaired German elementary school students in separate educational settings (n = 31) were compared with those of counterparts at the same level in integrated settings (n = 26), and evaluated in regard to psychosocial behavior, semantic-lexical abilities, and communicative skills. Analysis of questionnaire responses and intelligence subtests showed that the only difference between the samples concerned perceived well-being in school, and favored the integrated students. Other percentages of variance are explainable by school type (10%), parents' hearing status (12%), and use of bimodal communication (11%). The integrated students demonstrated a higher level of integration experience, associated with fewer psychosocial abnormalities and better communicative skills. The results indicate that educational setting is not the only factor influencing students' perceived well-being. Other contextual factors, e.g., hearing status of parents and communicative skills, have a similar positive impact on integration experiences     

Organizational and institutional influences on creativity in scientific research

This paper explores institutional and organizational influences on creativity in scientific research. Using a method for identifying creative scientific research accomplishments in two fields of science (nanotechnology and human genetics) in Europe and the US, the paper summarizes results derived from twenty case studies of highly creative research accomplishments, focusing on contextual patterns at the group, organizational, and institutional levels. We find that creative accomplishments are associated with small group size, organizational contexts with sufficient access to a complementary variety of technical skills, stable research sponsorship, timely access to extramural skills and resources, and facilitating leadership. A potential institutional threat to creative science is the increase in competitive research council funding at the expense of flexible institutional sponsorship. Implications for research management and research policy are considered.     

Determining the Validity of Performance-Based Assessment

What criteria should be applied to the evaluation of performance measures? How consistent are the results from performance measures and norm-referenced achievement tests? How can we ensure fairness and credibility in performance measurement?     

Moving Users,Moving Results: Exploring Customer Engagement for Deeper Relationships

Successful businesses know that customers make purchase decisions based on a complex bundle of rational and emotional factors that vary in degree and importance depending upon the context. In crowded markets where potential customers have many comparable options, it is often the emotional relationships that they have with businesses that influence where they spend their dollars. Recognizing this reality, businesses have been shifting from transacting with customers to “engaging” with them. This article outlines the need for librarians to understand engagement more fully, and it points to guidance from the business literature on how to define and create engagement.