Combining feminist pedagogy and transactional distance to create gender-sensitive technology-enhanced learning

In this paper, we argue for a new synthesis of two pedagogic theories: feminist pedagogy and transactional distance, which explain why and how distance education has been such a positive system for women in a national distance learning university. We illustrate this with examples of positive action initiatives for women. The concept of transactional distance allows us to explore distance as a form of psychological and communication space, not simply of geographical distance. Feminist pedagogy, on the other hand, has recognised the importance of gender in structuring disciplines as well as teaching strategies. Both theories implicitly position the face-to-face classroom as the ideal learning environment, with the implication that distance learning has to produce a deficient environment. We argue that the evidence for women does not support this and present examples of feminist distance learning provision that has offered successful technology-enhanced learning and educational opportunities.     

Do published search filters to identify diagnostic test accuracy studies perform adequately?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the performance of published search filters in finding diagnostic test accuracy studies. METHODS: Diagnostic test accuracy search filters were identified by searching medline, our own files and by requesting unpublished filters from colleagues. We applied the filters to a case study review of diagnostic test accuracy studies for urinary tract infections (UTI) in young children. The included studies with records in medline formed the gold standard. The performance of the filters in finding those gold standard records was assessed. RESULTS: We identified twenty-three diagnostic test accuracy search filters for use with medline. The case study systematic review of UTI included 179 studies of diagnostic test accuracy, of which 160 were available in medline. The filters showed a wide range of sensitivities (range: 20.6% to 86.9%) and precision (range: 1% to 9.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results broadly support those reported in two other studies. The search filters tested do not offer an adequate trade-off between sensitivity and precision to be used to identify studies for systematic reviews. However, there are methods available to explore whether search filters are viable based on an objective statistical analysis of the text and indexing used in records.     

Intensity-dependent reductions in resting blood pressure following short-term isometric exercise training

To reduce resting blood pressure, a minimum isometric exercise training (IET) intensity has been suggested, but this is not known for short-term IET programmes. We therefore compared the effects of moderate- and low-intensity IET programmes on resting blood pressure. Forty normotensive participants (22.3 ± 3.4 years; 69.5 ± 15.5 kg; 170.2 ± 8.7 cm) were randomly assigned to groups of differing training intensities [20%EMG_peak (~23%MVC, maximum voluntary contraction, or 30%EMG_peak (~34%MVC)] or control group; 3 weeks of IET at 30%EMG_peak resulted in significant reductions in resting mean arterial pressure (e.g. ?3.9 ± 1.0 mmHg, P < 0.001), whereas 20%EMG_peak did not (?2.3 ± 2.9 mmHg; P > 0.05). Moreover, after pooling all female versus male participants, IET induced a 6.9-mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure in female participants, but only a 1.5-mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure in male participants, although the difference was not significant. An IET intensity between 20%EMG_peak and 30%EMG_peak is sufficient to elicit significant resting blood pressure reductions in a short-term training period (3 weeks). In addition, sexual dimorphism may exist in the magnitude of reductions, but further work is required to confirm this possibility, which could be important in understanding the mechanisms responsible.     

Information Systems Education in the USA

Fast changing information technology (IT) has posed tremendous challenges to information systems (IS) educational programmes. One question frequently asked by IS educators has been: ‘Are we doing the right thing?’ This article presents information about the current state of IS educational programmes in the USA based on a survey of 193 higher education institutions conducted at the end of 1996. The results indicate that IS educational programmes are prevalent in the higher educational institutions. These programmes have a highly qualified faculty: 92% or more holding terminal degrees, more than two-thirds having tenure, with evidence of an increasing amount of time being devoted to research activities. It is also found that the most popular programming languages taught in both graduate and undergraduate programmes are C/C++, SQL and COBOL, and dominant operating systems are Windows/OS2 and UNIX. The most profound change over the last five years in the content of IS programmes has been the transition from text-based and centralized mainframe environment to the graphical and decentralized network based client–server architecture. This survey provides a snapshot of IS programmes, serving both to improve our understanding of current programmes and to provide a frame of reference for future studies.     

Putting meat on the bones: factors affecting student teachers’ confidence to teach reading

Teacher training, especially in the teaching of reading, has come to the forefront in policy making and teacher training institutions are now subject to even more rigorous inspection procedures than schools, much of this inspection focusing on the preparation of teachers of reading. Yet much of this development has rested on very little research evidence. We still do not know exactly what constitutes effective teacher training for reading teaching. Gill Scrivens’ study reported here makes a significant contribution to this area in that it highlights the fact that some earlier research studies have taken too simplistic a view of the training process. It also suggests practical ways forward in this area.     

The Pebble in the Pond: Children's constructions of power,politics and democratic citizenship

A civics and citizenship education curriculum is currently being developed for all levels of Australian schools in an attempt to prepare young people for effective participation in the complex, evolving society of Australia in the 21st century. Clearly children should be encouraged to explore issues to do with power and politics and it is important to include factual information about the structures and processes of government in any curriculum materials. However, this paper argues that children's lived experience as members of families, schools and the wider society provide understandings that must be taken into account if we wish them to really appreciate the principles and purposes that underpin democratic practices. This qualitative study investigates the perceptions of 27 children, between 5 and 12 years of age, in relation to their constructions of power and politics. It uses a developmental framework to understand the children's talk and to chart the increasing complexity of their concepts.     

Differences in community colleges’ missions: Evidence from California

Using data for 108 colleges in the California Community College System, this paper poses two questions. First, do California community colleges differ in their missions? Second, if they do, can inter-college differences in missions be explained? We address the first question by developing college-specific measures of curriculum mix, which we use to characterize colleges as to their curriculum emphases and specializations. We find that colleges differ in the extent to which they offer a transfer specialization or a nontransferable voc-ed specialization. Turning to the second question, we attempt to explain inter-college differences in curriculum emphasis and specialization with institutional variables including student demographics, labor market characteristics, and community characteristics. While not strong, we view our results as suggesting that curriculum emphases and specializations are related to student demographics and community needs.