Implementing ILLiad: A Successful Collaboration of the Systems and Interlibrary Loan Departments in an Academic Library

In libraries, collaboration between departments or individuals can be the best way to implement a new project. This article will examine the implementation of ILLiad at the University of Toledo and show how a successful collaborative relationship was formed between the Interlibrary Loan and Systems Departments. It will demonstrate that, although challenging at times, collaboration is worth the effort in order to introduce a new service successfully.     

The Effects of Profanity in Violent Video Games on Players' Hostile Expectations,Aggressive Thoughts and Feelings,and Other Responses

Although effects of violence in video games have been researched extensively, no empirical studies have examined effects of profanity, a form of verbal aggression, in video games. An experiment (N = 321) investigated effects of profanity used by protagonist and antagonist characters in a “first-person shooter” game on players' hostile expectations, accessibility of aggressive thoughts, aggressive feelings, and other responses. Profanity used by both protagonist and antagonist characters increased hostile expectations, a direct precursor to aggressive behaviors. Findings suggest that profanity in video games may affect aggressive outcomes, emphasizing the need for more research investigating effects of profanity in media.     

The influence of applicant characteristics on use of verbal impression management tactics in the employment selection interview

This study investigated the relationship between applicant characteristics and their impression management (IM) tactics used in 51 videotaped employment interviews. Findings show verbal aggressiveness is significantly related to self‐enhancement and entitlements tactics. Data also confirmed significant differences between male and female applicants, African American, Latino/a American, and European American applicants, and temporary and permanent employment applicants and their use of IM tactics. No significant relationship was found between communication apprehension and argumentativeness of the applicants and their use of IM tactics.     

Three ways of knowing: Agricultural knowledge systems of small-scale farmers in Africa with reference to Kenya

Research carried out in 2011 in Kirinyaga district, Kenya, shows how sense-making theory and methodology can be used to assess the use of local agricultural and external knowledge by small-scale farmers and its effects on small-scale agriculture. Two knowledge systems, the local knowledge system and the external or scientific knowledge system, are considered dominant. The two systems can be synergistic and small-scale farmers have mixed them in their farming activities. Blending systems improve communication, livelihoods, and economies within local communities, and increases their participation in development. Data were collected in focus group discussions with farmers' groups and interviews with individual farmers. Results show that most farmers in Kirinyaga use external agricultural information in their farming practices. A significant number use combined external agricultural information and local knowledge, which forms a third knowledge system. This third system requires the validation of the farmers' innovations and documentation of the knowledge for wider dissemination. Information providers should adopt policies that promote the use of the three knowledge systems by small-scale farmers.     

Organizational newcomers: Temporary and regular employees,same‐sex and mixed‐sex superior‐subordinate dyads,supervisor influence techniques,subordinates communication satisfaction,and leader‐member exchange

This study examined the relationship between newly hired employees’ characteristics (i.e., temporary vs. regular employee, superior‐subordinate gender‐dyad combinations), supervisors initial tactics of influence, subordinate communication satisfaction, and quality of leader‐member exchange. Results from 148 (71 temporary) new hires indicated (a) employee characteristics were not significantly related to the leader‐member exchange, (b) supervisors initial use of prosocial influence tactics were significantly and positively related to the quality of leader‐member exchange, and (c) subordinates’ satisfaction with communication was significantly and positively related to the quality of leader‐member exchange.     

The technical adequacy of curriculum-based writing measures with English learners

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of Curriculum-Based Measures in writing for English learners. Participants were 36 high school English learners with moderate to high levels of English language proficiency. Predictor variables were type of writing prompt (picture, narrative, and expository), time (3, 5, and 7 min), and scoring procedure (words written, words spelled correctly, correct word sequences, correct minus incorrect word sequences). Criterion variables were teacher ratings of writing performance and student performance on the Test of Written Language-III, the writing subtest of the Test of Emerging Academic English, and the Minnesota state writing test. Results supported the validity and reliability of a 5 to 7-min writing sample written in response to a narrative or picture prompt and scored for percent of correct word sequences, correct minus incorrect word sequences, or words written plus correct minus incorrect word sequences.     

Effects of a Science Education Module on Attitudes towards Modern Biotechnology of Secondary School Students

This article evaluated the impact of a four‐lesson science module on the attitudes of secondary school students. This science module (on cancer and modern biotechnology) utilises several design principles, related to a social constructivist perspective on learning. The expectation was that the module would help students become more articulate in this particular field. In a quasi‐experimental design (experimental‐, control groups, and pre‐ and post‐tests), secondary school students’ attitudes (N = 365) towards modern biotechnology were measured by a questionnaire. Data were analysed using Chi‐square tests. Significant differences were obtained between the control and experimental conditions. Results showed that the science module had a significant effect on attitudes, although predominantly towards a more supportive and not towards a more critical stance. It is discussed that offering a science module of this kind can indeed encourage students to become more aware of modern biotechnology, although promoting a more critical attitude towards modern biotechnology should receive more attention.     

Towards a Complete Commonsense Theory of Motion: The interaction of dimensions in children's predictions of natural object motion

Events involving motion in fall are differentiated psychologically from events involving horizontal motion. Do children associate motion down inclines more with motion along horizontals or more with motion in fall, or do they even treat it as an integration of the two? The question was raised over 20 years ago but never satisfactorily answered, so the principal aim of the reported research was to take matters forward. Children (n?=?144) aged 5–11 years were assessed while predicting natural dynamic events along a horizontal, in fall and down an incline. They were required to make predictions of speed with heavy and light balls and under changes in incline heights. The results show that, consistent with previous work, faster horizontal motion was associated with the light ball across all ages, whereas faster fall was associated with the heavy ball. However, while the younger children predicted faster incline motion for the lighter ball, there was a shift in this conception towards older children predicting faster motion for the heavier ball. Understanding of how changes in incline height affect speed was generally good, with this aspect of the study helping to establish how children perceive diagonal dimensions. How supported horizontal motion and unsupported fall motion may affect children's changing understanding of incline motion is discussed, thus providing more complete insight into children's understanding of natural object motion than has been established so far.     

A world I don’t inhabit: disquiet and identity in Second Life and Facebook

The authors use their own experiences with social software to argue for the need for caution in its uses in education. They particularly draw attention to difficulties in engagement, the effects on identity, an emphasis on superficial issues, lack of coherence, and problems with authenticity and trust. While Facebook and Second Life appear to have potential for educational applications, the disquiet associated with them may need to be taken into account: and this can affect both students and their teachers. One of the authors is a student on an online course and extracts from her blogs and journal capture the emotional and psychological effects of engaging in these new worlds at the time it happened. Both authors have noticed changes in their responses over time and point to the need for integration and coherence for “virtual identities” to play an appropriate part in higher education. The paper raises more questions than it answers and suggests that there is an urgent need to theorise online identity, the roles of academics and students, and the codes of practice in such environments. If social software has a serious place in academic life, these issues will need to be widely debated.

Eine Welt, die ich nicht bewohne: Unruhe und Identität in Second Life und Facebook

Die Autoren lenken die Aufmerksamkeit auf Schwierigkeiten beim Engagement, der Wirkung auf Identität, die Betonung auf oberflächlichen Angelegenheiten, dem Mangel an Kohärenz und Probleme mit Authentizität und Vertrauen beim Verwenden von Facebook und Zweiten Leben. Während Facebook und Zweites Leben Potenzen für Bildungsnutzung zu haben scheinen, sollte die mit ihrer Nutzung entstehende Unruhe sowohl von Studenten als auch ihren Lehrern als Beeinflussung in Betracht gezogen werden muss. Beide Autoren weisen auf die Notwendigkeit nach Integration und Kohärenz hin, damit “virtuelle Identitäten” einen angemessenen Anteil in der höherer Bildung spielen können. Das Papier wirft mehr Fragen auf, als es beantwortet und weist auf die dringende Notwendigkeit hin, Online‐Identität theoretisch zu klären und die Rolle von Akademikern und Studenten sowie die verwendeten Codes in einer solchen Umgebungen zu analysieren.

Un Monde dans lequel je n’habite pas: inquiétude et identité dans Second Life et Facebook

Les auteurs attirent l’attention sur les difficultés à s’engager, les effets sur l’identité, l’accent mis sur les problèmes superficiels, le manque de cohérence et les problèmes d’authenticité et de confiance qui surgissent lorsqu’on utilise Facebook et Second Life. Bien que Facebook et Second Life semblent offrir des possibilités pour des applications éducatives il est peut‐être nécessaire de tenir compte de l’inquiétude qu’ils suscitent: cela peut en effet affecter aussi bien les étudiants que les professeurs. Les deux auteurs insistent sur le besoin de cohérence et d’intégration pour que les « identités virtuelles » jouent un rôle approprié dans l’enseignement supérieur. Cet article soulève plus de questions qu’il n’apporte de réponses et avance l’idée qu’il y a un besoin urgent de théorisation de l’identité en ligne, du rôle des professeurs et des étudiants et des codes de pratique dans des environnements de ce type.

Un Mundo en el cual no vivo: inquietud y identidad en Second Life y Facebook

Los autores llaman la atención sobre la dificultades de comprometerse, los efectos sobre la identidad, el énfasis en las cuestiones superficiales, la falta de coherencia y los problemas de autenticidad y de confianza que surgen cuando se utiliza Facebook y Second Life. Aunque aparentemente Facebook y Second Life tienen cierto potencial para ofrecer aplicaciones educativas, puede ser necesario tomar en cuenta la inquietud que conllevan; esto puede afectar tanto a los estudiantes como a los profesores. Ambos autores indican que hay una necesidad de integración y coherencia para que las « identidades virtuales » puedan desempeñar un papel adecuado en la enseñanza superior. Est artículo plantea muchas preguntas y no responde a todas y apunta la idea de una necesidad urgente de teorizar la identidad en línea, los respectivos papeles de los profesores y estudiantes así como los códigos de actuación en esos entornos.     

“It’s not just learning English,it’s learning other cultures”: belonging,power, and possibility in an immigrant contact zone

This ethnographic investigation of a multiethnic, multilingual classroom examines the ways in which immigrant students’ goals for community and belonging were mediated by their vibrant cultural and linguistic practices. Findings demonstrate how youth formed a community of practice through brokering acts, resource pooling, and linguistic play across national, cultural, and linguistic differences. As such, immigrant students were agentive transcultural navigators whose practices broach new understandings of social life and learning, and present a pedagogy of possibility. It is argued that immigrant classrooms in contact zones must be reenvisioned – from reductive spaces where educational goals are to acculturate the immigrant into a fading US homogeneous mainstream – to cutting edge spaces of twenty-first-century learning.