From Partnership to Collaboration: aspects of theory and practice in the Welsh quality assessment methodology

This paper outlines the fundamental principles of the quality assessment method used in Wales. It describes how these principles may be put into practice, and provides case studies from actual assessments to substantiate them. The paper draws on experiences from two perspectives: that of a quality assessment manager who is responsible for employing the method, and that of senior member of staff with responsibility for quality assurance at an institution which has been assessed. Although the case studies concentrate on the experiences gained at the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI), background material is drawn from across the Principality.     

Responding to the Message: providing a social context for children learning to write

Abstract In this classroom‐based research study, written expression was viewed as an interactive social process involving written communication between the teacher and the children. Children received increased opportunities to write on topics they chose themselves, and their teacher responded in writing to the content of their writing. The teacher did not provide corrective feedback for accuracy of spelling or grammar throughout the study. Written content feedback from the teacher was provided to each child according to an intra‐subject ABAB research design. Analysis of the teacher's written feedback identified her use of six specific categories of positive response to the themes, ideas and characters of each child's writing. Significant increases in both quantity and quality of writing occurred during the written content feedback phases. Spelling accuracy was maintained at a high level of accuracy throughout the study.     

Grandfather - granddaughter incest: A trigenerational view

Grandfather-granddaughter incest accounts for about 10% of all reported cases of intrafamilial childhood sexual abuse. In a sample of 10 such cases, all referrals came from mothers fo the child victims; six of these mothers had themselves been abused in childhood by the perpetrator. For eight of the 10 perpetrators, multiple child sexual victims were identified in a pattern that suggests facultative pedohphilia. Ony two of the 18 grandchildren sexually abused by the 10 grandfathers were asymptomatic at the time of report. Grandchild victims from chaotic families showed educational and behavioral symptoms; those from stable families exhibited fears and phobias. Eight of the 18 grandchildren were victimized by multiple perpetrators. The results cast doubt on the assumption that grandparent incest is a benign form of abuse and indicate that there is some justification for the fears expressed by adult incest victims about visitation between their children and the father-perpetrator.     

Maternal employment in a family context: effects on infant-mother and infant-father attachments

The relation between resumption of full-time employment by mothers of infants under 6 months of age, and subsequent infant-mother and infant-father attachments, was examined in this study. Attachment classifications and ratings of reunion behavior with mother and with father in Ainsworth's Strange Situation at 12 months were obtained for 57 nonemployed-mother families and 40 employed-mother families. No relation emerged between maternal work status and the quality of infants' attachments to their mothers, indicating that early resumption of employment may not impede the development of secure infant-mother attachment. A significantly higher proportion of insecure attachments to fathers in employed-mother families was found for sons but not for daughters. Joint examination of the infants' attachments to both parents revealed a trend suggesting that in employed-mother families, boys were more likely to be insecurely attached to both parents than were girls in employed-mother families or infants of either sex in nonemployed-mother families. These patterns are discussed in light of differences in maternal and paternal sex-typing behavior and of evidence suggesting boys' vulnerability to psychosocial stress.     

Ascending into order: A reflective analysis from a small open source development team

Open Source Software (OSS) has had a profound impact on the way in which software is developed and consequently on the perception of software development. This paper starts with a brief discussion of the eclectic techniques and processes, combinations of which may be used for OSS projects. A ‘real-world’ context will be examined using ‘Reflective Analysis’ focusing on the research and development team present within the Business, Logistics and Information Systems (BLIS) department at The University of Bolton. The reflective analysis explores some assumptions inherent in OSS development. Drawing on findings from experience, industry and background research, an attempt will be made to provide an insight into how in a small team, the use of OSS and associated techniques can lead to the successful development of software. Whilst early results show that smaller OSS projects may appear to have little or no formal structure with closer investigation it is clear this is not the case. Without at least some degree of management, the teams experience indicates that such projects may be prone to failure.     

Improving commitment to basic education for the minorities in Botswana: A challenge for policy and practice

This paper is part of a study that assessed the level of commitment of primary schools of remote area dwellers (RADs) to basic education between October 2004 and April 2005. The research question focused on the level of commitment of schools to universal basic education, school–community partnership in school governance and parental involvement in the way the curriculum was delivered. Questionnaire and interviews were used. The results show a significant relationship between teachers’ perceptions and variables such as district, qualifications, age, location, and experience. There is consistency between teachers’ perceptions and children's academic performance. It has been found that learner achievement in RADs schools is low and that parents are not actively involved in their children's education due to the policy environment and school management practices.     

Gender differences in lower limb frontal plane kinematics during landing

The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in knee valgus angle and inter-knee and inter-ankle distances in university volleyball players when performing opposed block jump landings. Six female and six male university volleyball players performed three dynamic trials each for which they were instructed to jump up and block a volleyball suspended above a net set at the height of a standard volleyball net as it was spiked against them by an opposing player. Knee valgus/varus, inter-knee distance, and inter-ankle distance (absolute and relative to height) were determined during landing using three-dimensional motion analysis. Females displayed significantly greater maximum valgus angle and range of motion than males. This may increase the risk of ligament strain in females compared with males. Minimum absolute inter-knee distance was significantly smaller, and absolute and relative inter-knee displacement during landing significantly greater, in females than males. Both absolute and relative inter-ankle displacement during landing was significantly greater in males than females. These findings suggest that the gender difference in the valgus angle of the knee during two-footed landing is influenced by gender differences in the linear movement of the ankles as well as the knees. Coaches should therefore develop training programmes to focus on movement of both the knee and ankle joints in the frontal plane in order to reduce the knee valgus angle during landing, which in turn may reduce the risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury.     

Accountability through Systematic Record‐Keeping in a Residential Setting

In 1981, the New Zealand Department of Education and SUPPORT jointly opened Glenburn Centre, which operates residential, school and home programs for assisting families whose young children present severe behaviour problems at home and at school. Time‐out is the most restrictive procedure employed at Glenburn and its use is limited to certain classes of severely disruptive behaviour under specific conditions. As the “bottom line” procedure, for ethical reasons its use is carefully monitored and systematically recorded. Examination of Time‐out data cumulated over two and a half years 1) has showed positive effects coincidental with major changes in program development; 2) unusual shifts in data have pointed to the need for extra attention to staff training at particular times; and 3) the data have proved useful in providing feedback to staff and in evaluating program development. The data demonstrate the value for institutional management and ethical accountability of keeping systematic records of an institution's use of its “bottom line” procedure.