Reviewing patent policy: an exercise in futility?

In 1984, Don Lamberton wrote a two-page disclaimer to a review of the Australian patent system, pointing out that there was nothing economic about the review and that it simply pandered to special interest groups. Some 30 years later, the Productivity Commission has been given a shorter time frame (one year) and a broader remit (all intellectual property). This paper reviews the issues addressed in the Industrial Property Advisory Committee (IPAC) review of 1984. Since it was completed, substantially more empirical evidence has become available, while room for policy improvement has been curtailed by international trade treaties. While the Productivity Commission will take a sound economic approach, the breadth of its remit may prevent full appreciation of the critical issues in patent policy. This paper considers the options remaining to the Commission to recommend improvements in the national interest. Whether these will be taken up depends on the priority given to the interests of small but powerful lobby groups.     

Strengthening and sustaining professional learning in the second year of teaching

The data discussed in this paper derive from post‐lesson and end‐of‐year interviews with 17 teachers in their second year of teaching. They form part of a longitudinal study which first tracked these teachers through their initial postgraduate teacher education programme and induction year. In the light of earlier analysis, which had highlighted both the enduring importance of individuals’ dispositions towards their own learning and the profound sense of professional isolation that some teachers experience once the support of their induction year is withdrawn, this paper focuses specifically on the interplay between teachers’ orientations towards their own professional learning and the nature of the learning environments in which they are working. The complex interrelationships between these two dimensions are illuminated by six case studies, which offer strong support to those who have challenged exclusive conceptualisations of ‘learning’ as either ‘construction’ or ‘participation’. The findings have important implications for all those responsible for the professional education of beginning and early career teachers, especially as they respond to the government launch in England of a new ‘national framework’ intended (eventually) to offer opportunities for Masters level professional learning to all newly qualified teachers.     

Book reviews

Declaring Independence: A Guide to Creating Community-controlled Science Journals Policy Approaches to Copyright in HEIs: A Study of the JISC Committee for Awareness, Liaison and Training by Ralph Weedon University of Strathclyde (available from The Centre for Educational Systems, University of Strathclyde, Alexander Turnbull Building, 155 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD). ISBN 0-9538312-0-5 Internet Publishing and Beyond: The Economics of Digital Information and Intellectual Property edited by Brian Kahin and Hal R. Varian MIT Press, 2000. Pp. 229. Paperback £16.95. ISBN 0-262-61159-7 How to Present at Meetings edited by George Hall. London: BMJ Books, 2001. Pp. ix + 79. £12.95. ISBN 0-7279-1271-2 Dictionary of Printing and Publishing by Michael Barnard and John Peacock Pira International, UK, 2000. Pp. 216. Softcover, £80.00. ISBN 1-85802-3815     

From herbals to Hotbot: the development of journal indexing

The development of journal indexing since the early alphabetical tables to scientific works, culminating in current sophisticated cumulations, is traced. Standards for preparing indexes which have gradually evolved to cope with the increase in volume and complexity of the literature are described.     

Publishing School Examination Results in England: Incentives and consequences

Since 1992, the quality daily national press in England has published the examination results of secondary schools. In this paper, we discuss the policy context, the results that are published, how they are used by parents making preferences for secondary schools and the consequences of their publication. Overall, the publication of examination results has created a range of incentives for those in the education market place. These incentives serve to strengthen the position of certain categories of pupils on the one hand and certain types of schools on the other. The findings are discussed in the context of the Labour Government's focus on those at risk of social exclusion. Modified and additional indicators are proposed to mitigate the effects of the newly created quasi-market in education. 'League tables' are here to stay, for once information is in the public domain it cannot easily be suppressed.     

Scientific publishing, 17th‐century style: precepts of Francis Bacon

Some principles of scientific investigation, writing and publishing developed by Francis Bacon are quoted and discussed. Many are found to be just as applicable in today's world as they were in the 17th century when his major works were written.