Learning to Love the LOR: Implementing an Internal Learning Object Repository at a Large National Organization

This article is a case study that discusses the development and implementation of an internal learning object repository (LOR) for a large national organization with a distributed working environment. It describes the organizational environment and why an internal LOR was needed. It describes technical considerations, including the various document management systems (DMS) available, and why an open source DMS was selected to use as an internal LOR. Lastly, this article weighs the benefits and challenges of implementing a LOR across a distributed working environment and reflects on challenges associated with implementation.     

Print Media and PR

Sidney L. Jackson's Libraries and Librarianship in the West: A Brief History (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974---price not given, hardback)

Barbara Nykoruk (ed.) Authors in the News (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1976---$24.00)

Doug Newsom and Alan Scott's This is PRI The Realities of Public Relations (Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, 1976---$12.95 1 with an instructor's manual available as well)

Richard Weiner's Professional's Guide to Publicity (Richard Weinter, Inc., 888 Seventh Ave., New York 10019---$6.95, paper)

Richard Weiner's Syndicated Columnists (hardbound, 154 pages, $20.00)     

Constructive Criticisms of Methodological and Editorial Practices

Thompson (1999a and elsewhere) has taken strong positions on a variety of methodological issues. In this article, the authors critique some of those positions and provide alternative views for each.     

PERCEPTIONS OF THE ELDERLY AMONG MINISTERS AND MINISTRY STUDENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR SEMINARY CURRICULA

The changing age composition of the American population has direct implications for clergy members. Despite older individual's high rates of involvement in religious activities and reliance on members of the clergy, most clergy members, both current and prospective, are not adequately prepared for ministry with older adults. In the present study, 754 ministers and 363 ministry students completed Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz I to determine their knowledge of the aging process and perceptions of the elderly. The results indicate that both ministers and ministry students are poorly informed about the processes and realities of aging. The main implication of the findings is that seminary curricula and continuing education offerings need to be infused with gerontological content so that members of the clergy can be better prepared for ministry to, and with, older adults.     

How One State Tackles Environmental Education

Abstract

In December of 1997, an international conference was held in Thessaloniki, Greece, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Tbilisi Doctrine and to reorient education for sustainability in the 21st century. The culmination of this event was the Thessaloniki Declaration—a charter for the future of education for sustainability. In only 2 of the 29 statements made in the Declaration was the term environmental education mentioned. One of those references suggested that environmental education be referred to as education for environment and sustainability. The author believes that this scant use of the term environmental education indicates that the term is finding decreasing support in the international community. The author reviews reasons why environmental education's position is in peril and offers a status report on the current criticisms and weaknesses of environmental education. The author outlines several important strategies that must be implemented to preserve the name and the concept of environmental education for decades to come.     

Reflective journals: making constructive use of the “apprenticeship of observation” in preservice teacher education

Many scholars have characterized the “apprenticeship of observation” as a “pitfall” to be avoided or a barrier to be overcome in preservice teacher education, but directly challenging students’ experience-based beliefs often leads to resistance, making students feel discounted or disrespected. In my introductory educational psychology course, students write biweekly journals reflecting on their own lived experiences in light of course concepts and ideas. These reflections are then shared in a variety of ways, serving as a vital context for further investigation and discussion of how these concepts and ideas translate into the classroom. In this paper, I share typical journal questions and excerpts from the responses of two recent classes to show how students can engage journal questions at differing levels; how even the experiences of my mostly privileged and successful students have at some points echoed, and thus can illuminate, the struggles of the less privileged, the rebellious, and the failed students who most need good teaching; and how students’ own shared reflections can be used nonthreateningly to help them confront their unconsidered assumptions about teaching and learning. Finally, I discuss choice, respect, and agency as three essential conditions for effective use of student journals in preservice teacher education.     

The School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt: An Innovative Research-Based Program for High School Students

The School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt (SSMV) is an innovative partnership program between a Research I private university and a large urban public school system. The SSMV was started in 2007 and currently has 101 students enrolled in the program, with a total of 60 students who have completed the 4-yr sequential program. Students attend the SSMV for one full day per week during the school year and 3–6 wk in the summers following their ninth- to 11th-grade years, with each grade of 26 students coming to the Vanderbilt campus on a separate day. The research-based curriculum focuses on guiding students through the process of learning to develop questions and hypotheses, designing projects and performing analyses, and communicating results of these projects. The SSMV program has elevated the learning outcomes of students as evidenced by increased achievement scores relative to a comparison group of students; has provided a rigorous research-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics elective curriculum that culminates in a Summer research internship; has produced 27 Intel and Siemens semifinalists and regional finalists over the past 4 yr; and has supported the development of writing and communication skills resulting in regional and national oral presentations and publications in scientific journals.