A Change of Service Leads to a Welcome Change

ABSTRACT

The library implemented a new service model focusing on improved expertise, efficiency, and morale during a period of leadership change and workforce reduction. Implementation of a Disney-type service model helped identify skill sets for departmental reorganization. Hiring methods targeted candidates that best fit expectations for the changing needs of the library. New service goals led to improved skills, better personnel matches, and increased dedication. Results included several University Library monetary awards, as well as patron comments that directly related to the changes. The goal-oriented plan implemented by the library addressed a work-force reduction and created a new, highly appreciated service model.     

Assessment of an iPad Loan Program in an Academic Medical Library: A Case Study

An academic medical library expanded its iPad loan service to multiple campus libraries and conducted an assessment of the service. iPads loaded with medical and educational apps were loaned for two-week checkouts from five library campus locations. Device circulation statistics were tracked and users were invited to complete an online survey about their experience. Data were gathered and analyzed for 11 months. The assessment informed the library on how best to adapt the service, including what resources to add to the iPads, and the decision to move devices to campuses with more frequent usage.     

Influences on choice of course made by university Year 1 bioscience students - a case study

This study, by questionnaire, of a cohort of university bioscience students, has clarified factors influencing course choice, particularly those relating to the role of schools. In-school experiences provided the earliest source of interest in science for the majority, with males developing interests earlier and ages 10-14 important for both genders. Interest and success in previous studies were the most popular reasons given as the main influence on course choice. Work experience was very influential for some. The practical nature of school science, intellectual satisfaction of studying science and quality of senior school teaching and examination results in biology and chemistry, were identified by almost all as encouraging influences. Significant gender differences were found for influences of early perception of science as difficult, study of physics at 14-16 and quality of physics teaching in the senior school. Advice from the university and attendance at an open day were influential, particularly for female students.     

From the Horse's Mouth: Why scientists’ views are crucial to nature of science understanding

Written in response to criticism of our work by Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, this position paper reaffirms and reinforces our position about the need to broaden and enrich the scope of nature of science (NOS) oriented curricula by exposing students to the voices of practising scientists. While Abd-El-Khalick's motivation for promoting the so-called consensus view of NOS is rooted in issues of assessment (or ‘benchmarking', as he calls it), we argue that the major reason for teaching about NOS is its contribution to what Shen calls civic and cultural scientific literacy. We are critical of the consensus view for its philosophical naivety, failure to reflect contemporary scientific practice and potential for confusing students, and we re-state our view that it is important to expose students to a diversity of practice among the sub-disciplines of science. We argue that richer NOS understanding and a more authentic view of scientific practice can be achieved through direct and indirect contact with scientists at the cutting edge of research and development, which we characterise as learning about scientists, learning from scientists and learning with scientists.     

Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Enhancing student‐teachers’ understanding of nature of science and scientific inquiry through a case study of the scientific research in severe acute respiratory syndrome

Interviews with key scientists involved in research on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), together with analysis of media reports and documentaries produced during and after the SARS epidemic, revealed many interesting aspects of nature of science (NOS) and authentic scientific inquiry. This novel insight into practice in the rapidly growing field of molecular biology was used in the development of instructional materials for use in the pre‐service and in‐service teacher education programme at The University of Hong Kong. The elements of NOS and scientific inquiry identified in the scientific research on SARS were explicitly emphasized in our instructional materials. The contemporary real‐life context of SARS was found to be effective in promoting student‐teachers’ understanding of NOS and scientific inquiry, particularly in terms of: the realization of inseparable links between science and the social, cultural, and political environment; deeper understanding of how science and technology impact on each other; and a richer appreciation of the processes of authentic scientific inquiry and the humanistic character of scientists. The effectiveness is attributed to immediacy, relevance, and familiarity, making the abstract tangible, personal experience of science history, and the powerful affective impact of the interviews with scientists.     

The three Rs of action research methodology: reciprocity,reflexivity and reflection-on-reality

This article presents an exploration of the methodology of action research. It is a reflection on a study where an action research methodology used by the researcher to research and develop theory, became part of the model of professional development. In this way, the action research methodology permeated into the culture of the way people worked together. This article describes how a researcher can not only use action research methods to gather data on a development, but can also lead a group of action researchers towards a greater awareness of their own practice in their own institutions. A greater awareness of the bigger issues in education is also an outcome achieved by facilitating critical discussion on key issues. There can be action research for research purposes, action research for action purposes and action research communities that can lead to emancipatory practices in education. These are concurrent strands within action research communities.     

A case study of integration and destreaming: Teachers and students in an Ontario secondary school respond

The direction that secondary school reform should take has become a contested question in the province of Ontario, Canada, during the 1990s. This case study of one secondary school examines some of the issues surrounding the transition years. Two policies, destreaming and integration, mandatedbythe OntarioMinistryof Education in 1993, and fully implemented by 1995, are examined by means of interview and survey. Administrators, teachers and students commented on the transition from elementary to secondary school. We discuss questions related to destreaming (especially how teachers contend with mixed-ability classes) and integration (with a particular focus on mathematics, science and technology).     

Measuring Teachers' Meta-Orientations to Curriculum: Application of Hierarchical Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Although curriculum scholars generally agree that teachers' meta-orientations to curriculum are hidden forces guiding their selection of curriculum goals, curriculum content, teaching methods, and assessment strategies, the existence of such a meta-orientation construct has not been empirically confirmed. The author used McNeil's (1996) 4 curriculum orientations to demonstrate how hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis can be applied to measure the meta-orientation construct. A hierarchical model was hypothesized that consisted of 4 1st-order factors and 1 2nd-order factor. The 1st-order factors represented McNeil's 4 separate curriculum orientations: academic, social reconstructionist, humanistic, and technological. The 2nd-order factor denoted the meta-orientation construct. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis of teacher data collected by a curriculum orientation inventory provided clear support for the hypothesized model.