Learning to lead: Self‐ and peer evaluation of team leaders in the human structure didactic block

Increasing emphasis on leadership in medical education has created a need for developing accurate evaluations of team leaders. Our study aimed to compare the accuracy of self‐ and peer evaluation of student leaders in the first‐year Human Structure block (integrated gross anatomy, embryology, and radiology). Forty‐nine first‐year medical students at Mayo Medical School were assigned to learning teams of three or four members. Teams worked together on daily laboratory dissection, clinical projects, embryology presentations, and daily group quizzes. Student team leaders were responsible for leading laboratory dissection, reviewing radiographic findings, and organizing group assignments. Weekly electronic surveys were administered to evaluate team leaders on altruism, compassion, respect, integrity, responsibility, commitment to excellence, and self‐reflection. Results demonstrated that team leaders rated themselves lower than their peers rated them in multiple aspects of leadership. Peer evaluation of team leaders was statistically higher than self‐evaluation in all traits measured except respect. Female leaders were rated higher by their peers in the areas of responsibility and self‐reflection compared to male leaders. This study demonstrates the need for increased communication between team leaders and members, along with creation of a mutually respectful environment, to improve leader awareness of their abilities and foster team success. Anat Sci Educ 2:210–217, 2009. © 2009 American Association of Anatomists.     

Influence of Constructivist Professional Development on Chemistry Content Knowledge and Scientific Model Development

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between teachers’ (N = 69) participation in constructivist chemistry professional development (PD) and enhancement of content (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (representational thinking and conceptual change strategies) and self-efficacy (PSTE). Quantitative measures assessed CK, PCK, and PSTE. Document analysis focused on PCK. Elementary teachers gained CK, PCK, PSTE, and designed lessons to advance thinking from macroscopic to abstract models. Middle/secondary teachers gained PSTE, PCK, and introduced macroscopic models to develop understanding of previously taught abstract models. All implemented representational thinking and conceptual change strategies. Results suggest that: (1) constructivist PD meets the needs of teachers of varying CK, and (2) instruction should connect representational models with alternative conceptions, integrating radical and social constructivism.     

Applying findings from a systematic review of workplace‐based e‐learning: implications for health information professionals

Objectives: To systematically review the UK published literature on e‐learning in the health workplace and to apply the findings to one of the most prolific UK e‐learning initiatives in the health sector—the National Library for Health Facilitated Online Learning Interactive Opportunity (FOLIO) Programme. Methods: Sensitive searches were conducted across assia , Australian Education Index, British Education Index, cinahl , CSA Abstracts, Dissertation Abstracts, Emerald, eric , ibss , Index to Theses, lisa , medline , Psyc Info and Social Science Citation Index. Additional citations were identified from reference lists of included studies and of relevant reviews; citation tracking and contact with experts. Twenty‐nine studies met the inclusion criteria and were coded and analysed using thematic analysis as described by Miles & Huberman (Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New Methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1984). Results: Five broad themes were identified from the 29 included studies: (i) peer communication; (ii) flexibility; (iii) support; (iv) knowledge validation; and (v) course presentation and design. These broad themes were supported by a total of eleven sub‐themes. Components from the FOLIO Programme were analysed and existing and proposed developments were mapped against each sub‐theme. This provides a valuable framework for ongoing course development. Conclusion: Librarians involved in delivering and supporting e‐learning can benefit from applying the findings from the systematic review to existing programmes, exemplified by the FOLIO Programme. The resultant framework can also be used in developing new e‐learning programmes.     

Political instability, pro-business market reforms and their impacts on national systems of innovation

We investigate the impacts of political instability and pro-business market reforms on national systems of innovation (NSI) across a range of developing and developed countries. Evidence suggests that national systems of innovation are most likely to flourish in developed, politically stable countries and less likely to prosper in historically unstable countries. While research has shown that pro-business market reforms can be a valuable policy instrument to boost economic development in less developed countries, the extent to which these reforms affect a country's innovativeness has been neglected in the literature. In particular, the degree to which pro-business market reforms may compensate for political instability when it comes to fostering national systems of innovation remains under-researched. Our findings support established arguments concerning the strong influence of political instability on inputs to national innovation systems. We find, however, mixed effects for pro-business market reforms. While results indicate a negative direct influence on NSI, they consistently show a strong moderating effect that counterbalances the negative impact of political instability, especially in those developing country environments where science and technology are lagging. These results provide important implications for policymakers as well as for our understanding of emerging and transition economies and national technological capability.     

The use of cookies in Federal agency web sites: Privacy and recordkeeping issues

On July 27, 2009 the United States Government Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publicized its intent to review the nine-year-old prohibition of web tracking technologies such as cookies on Federal agency web sites. OMB cited its need to continue to protect the public's privacy while visiting Federal Government web sites, while at the same time “making these web sites more user friendly, providing better customer service, and allowing for enhanced web analytics” (Federal Register, 2009, p. 37062). In this paper, we review the history of the Federal government's position on cookies, and describe exactly how the technology works and why this shift in policy toward the use of cookies is logical and necessary for the evolution of electronic-government and government 2.0 services in terms of accessibility and capability. We review two major issues with which Federal agencies must contend related to the use of cookies – privacy, and records management. It is interesting to note that, despite earlier research on the implications of privacy and records management concerning other adopted technologies such as e-mail, these issues continue to be complex and misunderstood. We discuss the implications of cookies as records for future e-Government services and for long-term records management.     

Sexual orientation and outcomes in college

It has been well documented that sexual minority individuals are significantly more likely to be college educated than heterosexual individuals [Black, D., Gates, G., Sanders, S., & Taylor, L. (2000). Demographics of the gay and lesbian population in the United States: Evidence from available systematic data sources. Demography, 37(2), 139–154; and others]. Yet there is very little scholarship on the experiences of sexual minorities in college. We discuss several ways that sexual orientation could matter for college outcomes, and we provide the first empirical evidence on this question by using confidential data on over 40,000 students from the 1997, 1999, and 2001 waves of the Harvard College Alcohol Study. We identify sexual minorities by using responses to questions about the sex of the respondent's lifetime sex partners. After conditioning on observable demographic characteristics and institution fixed effects, we find that (compared to their heterosexual peers): (1) gay males have higher college grade point averages and perceive their academic work as more important; (2) gay and bisexual males are more likely to report the presence of a faculty member or administrator with whom they could discuss a problem; and (3) gay and bisexual males place more importance on participating in student organizations, volunteer activities, the arts, and politics. Among females, we find that: (1) bisexual females are less satisfied with the education they are receiving, spend less time studying, and perceive their academic work as less important; and (2) lesbian and bisexual females place more importance on participation in the arts and politics. These patterns suggest important and complex relationships between sexual orientation and college outcomes.     

Factors that influence the transition of university postdocs to non-academic scientific careers: An exploratory study

While postdoctoral fellowships are viewed as positions that prepare PhD students for academic careers, studies show that most postdocs will not find tenure-track employment within universities. Postdocs consequently pursue non-academic jobs that differ in the degree to which they utilize a postdoc’s scientific training, yet we know little about how this occurs. To help address this gap, this study inductively investigates factors that may influence a postdoc’s transition to a non-academic career. The study uncovers multiple individual, PI, as well as organizational and policy factors, including the lack of relevant skills, absence of support—and in some cases opposition—from their principal investigators, and poor availability of non-academic career preparation opportunities, among others. Viewed collectively, these elements likely hinder a move to non-academic scientific positions and thus have consequences for postdoc career trajectories and, by extension, the utilization of new knowledge. The paper opens the door for future research, theorization, and policy action that might smooth the transition of postdocs into non-academic careers and potentially improve the impact of publicly-funded research.     

Teacher Implementation and the Impact of Game-Based Science Curriculum Materials

Research-based digital games hold great potential to be effective tools in supporting next-generation science learning. However, as with all instructional materials, teachers significantly influence their implementation and contribute to their effectiveness. To more fully understand the contributions and challenges of teacher implementation of digital games, we studied the replacement of existing high school biology genetics lessons over a 3- to 6-week period with Geniverse, an immersive, game-like learning environment designed to be used in classrooms. The Geniverse materials infuse virtual experimentation in genetics with a narrative of a quest to heal a genetic disease; incorporate the topics of meiosis and protein synthesis with inheritance; and include the science practices of explanation and argumentation. The research design involved a quasi-experiment with 48 high school teachers and about 2000 students, student science content knowledge and argumentation outcome measures, and analysis using hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicate that when Geniverse was implemented as the designers intended, student learning of genetics content was significantly greater than in the comparison, business-as-usual group. However, a wide range of levels of Geniverse implementation resulted in no significant difference between the groups as a whole. Students’ abilities to engage in scientific explanation and argumentation were greater in the Geniverse group, but these differences were not statistically significant. Observation, survey, and interview data indicate a range of barriers to implementation and teacher instructional decisions that may have influenced student outcomes. Implications for the role of the teacher in the implementation of game-based instructional materials are discussed.     

College Students' Experiences of Childhood Developmental Traumatic Stress: Resilience,First‐Year Academic Performance,and Substance Use

Developmental trauma—distressing childhood experiences that include mistreatment, interpersonal violence, abuse, assault, and neglect—is associated with substance use and poor academic performance. The authors investigated the links between developmental trauma, grade point average, substance use, and resilience among first‐year college students (N = 169). The results indicate there is a significant relationship between cumulative trauma and self‐reported substance use.     

The program risks of work-integrated learning: a study of Australian university lawyers

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is a risky business in higher education. The strategic opportunities that WIL presents for universities cannot be achieved without taking on unavoidable legal risks. University lawyers are involved with managing the legal risks as part of their internal delivery of legal services to universities. It is important to identify the risks that potentially arise, so these can then be managed. A case study involving Australian university lawyers reveals the ‘program risks’ of WIL. Program risk is a type of legal risk that relates to the conduct of universities, host organisations and students before, during and after a WIL placement, as well as the personal characteristics of students that can expose the university to legal risk. The research findings may be applied by university lawyers, academic disciplines and university management to evaluate and improve risk management in WIL programs.