An Academic Library's Self-Study in Ethics: A Library-Wide Investigation of Ethical Practice

Abstract

In the fall of 2017, the Clark Library at the University of Portland undertook an investigation of ethics in academic libraries to understand ethical practices in the library’s day-to-day work. The self-study was a year-long, library-wide project with directed activities within small groups, individually assigned readings and responses, and discussions at all-staff meetings. The project culminated in three specific deliverables: an annotated bibliography focused on ethical issues by functional area, a Clark Library Statement of Ethics, and a Statement of Ethical Information Use for inclusion in University syllabi.     

College students with disabilities in teacher education: faculty attitudes and practices

The literature on selective mutism provides little information on the child’s own perspective. Six adults who had been selectively mute were interviewed about their childhood and adolescence. Data analysis led to identification of five themes, each of which has potentially important implications for teachers. (1) Origins of selective mutism: all interviewees reported withdrawal from social interaction at an early age. There was evidence from three respondents that onset of selective mutism was associated with events they had found traumatic. (2) Maintenance of selective mutism: all interviewees reported being strong willed, with a conscious determination not to speak. Selective mutism became a clearly understood and well‐defined social role. (3) Determination, social anxiety and loneliness, only two respondents (twins) reported feelings related to social anxiety in childhood, but other symptoms were reported. (4) In the recovery process four respondents reported their own conscious decision to change their current lifestyle as a precursor to starting to speak. (5) Concerning current psychosocial adjustment, four respondents had obtained therapy as adults, though not for selective mutism; five interviewees felt confident in formal, professional settings, but still experienced anxiety in informal, social situations. The data are discussed in light of previous work on selective mutism. In spite of inherent limitations, interviews with adults who have recovered may help teachers to understand both the development of the problem and their own role in helping students to recover from it.     

Changing Physical Education Teacher Education Curriculum to Promote Inclusion

Many physical education teachers are not well trained to address the needs of students with disabilities in an inclusive physical education class despite inclusion being a general educational policy (Rust & Sinelnikov, 2010 Rust, R. and Sinelnikov, O. 2010. Practicum in a self-contained environment: Pre-service teacher perceptions of teaching students with disabilities. The Physical Educator, 67: 33–45.  [Google Scholar]). This lack of training could be improved through well-designed physical education teacher education (PETE) curriculum. This article proposes a curriculum framework based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to effectively train pre-service physical educators toward the inclusive physical education. Three curriculum stages (lecture-focused, lectures with teaching practicum, and internship-focused) and the stage-matched strategies adapted from the TTM are discussed as promising ideas to systematically restructure the PETE curriculum and effectively train pre-service teachers to promote inclusion.     

Bureaucratic response to policy change: implementation of adult education policy in Norway

Our main concern was to investigate the implementation of the new Education Act, giving adults the statutory right to complete upper secondary education. Referring to a ‘top‐down’ and a ‘bottom‐up’ perspective we have investigated how the representatives of the county authorities (the bureaucrats) interpret and practise the specific section of the Act in relation to their definition, moral evaluation and economic view. The interpretation of the section in the Act and the practice varied. Two counties were proactive, result‐oriented and generous, while four counties were passive, act‐oriented and restrictive in their implementation. The implementation was influenced by the bureaucrats’ attitudes, decisions and actions. They had their own agenda, moral standard, interest and so on, which influenced their interpretation and practice. Our study indicates that it is not enough just to formulate a right. How it is formulated, and how it is interpreted and perceived may affect the implementation process.     

Differences Among Preferred Methods for Furthering Aging Education in Ohio

Workers serving Ohio's aging population will require increased levels of gerontological education. Using data from 55 Ohio counties, this project investigated the educational needs and reasons for seeking education from professionals in aging. Respondents reported interest in attaining aging related education. Preferred delivery methods included web based and interactive satellite instruction. Continuing education credit was preferred over college credit even though a high percentage indicated a desire for an additional degree (69.8%). Despite over 30 years of Ohio's universities providing aging related education, 58.6% of respondents have no formal aging related training, and 11.7% have only a single course in aging. Gerontological topics that most interested participants in an area for further understanding were Alzheimer's/dementia, medication, and mental health issues.     

Exploring Baccalaureate Social Work Students' Self-Efficacy: Did it Change over Time?

This study explored baccalaureate social work students' self-efficacy at a rural southern university. Bandura's concept of self-efficacy is used as a theoretical base for the study. Students (N = 43) in introductory social work courses and in the field practicum course completed the Foundation Practice Self Efficacy Scale. Following The Council on Social Work Educations 2008 Council on Social Work Education. (2008). Educational policy and accreditation standards handbook. http//www.cswe.org/Accreditation/Handbook/Ovierview14745.aspx#chaper14753 (http://http//www.cswe.org/Accreditation/Handbook/Ovierview14745.aspx#chaper14753)  [Google Scholar] Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, which recognizes field education as the signature pedagogy of social work education, field students were hypothesized to have higher levels of self-reported self-efficacy than entry-level students. Results suggest that senior level students were more confident in their abilities to practice social work than those students enrolled in an introductory social work course. Implications of this research for social work education are discussed, including the value of using self-efficacy scales in evaluating social work educational program outcomes.