Library Learning Space—Empirical Research and Perspective

Dentistry &; Oral Sciences Source from EBSCO Information Services provides indexing and full-text access to an extensive selection of dental journal literature, as well some full-text dental monographs. As stated by EBSCO, titles are chosen from those commonly held in dental school libraries. The database aims to support practitioners, researchers, and advanced dental education. This column includes sample searches from Dentistry &; Oral Sciences Source as well as a discussion of its special content and features.     

A Telecommuting Interlibrary Loan Librarian's Experience: The Views of Both the Telecommuter and the On-Site Supervisor

Because of the changing world of librarianship and the introduction of new technologies, telecommuting has become an innovative option for certain jobs in the library. Telework gives an organization the opportunity to retain skilled employees and cut the costs of recruiting, selection, and training of a new employee. There are certain tasks in the workflow of the interlibrary loan department that could permit an employee to work from a distance. This is specifically due to resource sharing management systems such as ILLiad. Florida Atlantic University decided to retain an interlibrary loan employee who had to relocate and try telecommuting on a trial basis. This paper details the employee's experiences.     

The association between mathematics pedagogy and learners’ dispositions for university study

We address the current concerns about teaching‐to‐the‐test and its association with declining dispositions towards further study of mathematics and the consequences for choice of STEM subjects at university. In particular, through a mixed study including a large survey sample of over 1000 students and their teachers, and focussed qualitative case studies, we explored the impact of ‘transmissionist’ pedagogic practices on learning outcomes. We report on the construction and validation of a scale to measure teachers’ self‐reported pedagogy. We then use this measure in combination with the students’ survey data and through regression modelling we illustrate significant associations between the pedagogic measure and students’ mathematics dispositions. Finally, we discuss the potential implications of these results for mathematics education and the STEM agenda.     

帮助还是勒索?

“漏洞猎人”的兴起引起了多方争议，他们的种种做法不能为许多研究者与厂商所接受。但无论方式如何，他们使得软件更加安全。     

A University–School Partnership to Examine the Adoption and Implementation of the Ohio Community Collaboration Model in One Urban School District: A Mixed-Method Case Study

School improvement models are expanding to incorporate priorities around positive youth development, safe and supportive school climates, school mental health, and school–family community partnerships. A partnership was formed between researchers and district/school leaders to examine the 3-year adoption and implementation of 1 such exemplary model, the Ohio Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement, in a Midwest urban district serving a large number of students at-risk. Researchers and district/school leaders examined what types of system-level capacities developed, and explored student- and school-level outcomes that occurred over the course of implementation. Multiple innovations resulted, such as strengthened policies, improved partnerships and collaborations, and enhanced funding streams. Students' perceptions of academic press, school climate, and academic motivation improved over the 3 years. Academic report cards show progress toward districtwide improvement. Implications are drawn for researchers and school leaders, especially in relation to the design, implementation, and evaluation of collaborative models of school improvement.     

A classroom observational study of Qatar's independent schools: Instruction and school reform

Qatar initiated a K–12 national educational reform in 2001. However, there is limited information on the instructional practices of the teachers in the reform schools. This project was an observational study of classrooms with a stratified random sample of the first six cohorts of reform schools. Specifically, 156 classrooms were observed in 29 reform schools. Instructional differences were noted in schools with different gender of students and were moderated by school level. Implications of findings were discussed pertaining to implementation of the Qatar national reform and professional development needs of teachers.     

Study experiences and the post-study intentions of female international undergraduate students

The number of female international students is increasing exponentially, and whilst international study may engender many benefits and challenges, little is known about their intentions once they complete their studies. This article reviews the literature on female international students with specific focus on exploring post-study intentions. A scoping review of four electronic databases was completed. After applying criteria to determine suitability, 30 publications were included in the final review. Analysis revealed three key foci: (1) the rationale for studying internationally; (2) the study experience; and (3) post-study intentions. The literature illustrates that an international study experience has the potential to be a powerful transformative opportunity if positive experiences outweigh the negatives. The findings also indicate that the post-study intentions of female international students are under-researched. The article contends that attention should be given to supporting the needs of this group, with a view to maximizing post-study opportunities.     

A theory-to-practice leadership learning arrangement in a university context

Higher education institutions are increasingly recognizing the importance of organizational change as they face complex challenges. Leadership learning has been identified as an important way of supporting change management. We describe a leadership learning arrangement that arose in the context of two of the authors needing to learn how to become effective university chairpersons of departments. This involved the other author, an expert in educational leadership as a theory broker, who brought theory to the learning arrangement and mediated it. We wish to show how the learning arrangement supports the theory-to-practice connection and personal authoring of leadership for all involved.     

Patron Preferences: Recreational Reading in an Academic Library

In 2014, Sam Houston State University Library librarians distributed a survey to students, faculty and staff to better understand how the university community was using library materials for recreational reading. The survey found that patrons had preference for print materials with a growing interest in other formats. A significant number of respondents did not view the library as a source of recreational reading materials; those who did read across a broad swath of genres. Greater understanding of patron recreational reading preferences empower the library to expand the library collection to meet all patron demands.