A qualitative approach to the study of a teacher's beliefs

This article describes a qualitative study of the beliefs and principles of one science teacher. The study employs the Repertory Grid Technique of Kelly (The psychology of personal constructs, New York: Norton, 1955). This technique is illustrated thoroughly by the case study, and ample segments from an interview with the teacher concerned are provided. All relevant information obtained from working with this teacher is used to establish the dominant beliefs held by her. The significance of the study is argued within the framework of curriculum and instructional innovation and implementation.     

Cypriot libraries

Abstract

This paper delineates the historical retrospective and current status of library and information science education in China. Emphases are on analysing the similarities and differences in origin, evolution, scale, structure, curriculum, faculty and students in library and information science education between China and the United States. Possible causes are also explored. The golden age of China’s library education in the 1980s and the disastrous Great Cultural Revolution, both clearly show that China’s political situation has a greater influence on its library education than does the US political situation on American library education. On the other hand, it seems that the impact of financial resources and job market for librarians on American library education is more influential than on China’s. It has become clear that China’s substantial progress in the 1980s has reduced the gap between the two countries.     

Editors' Preface: Media Bias and the Effect of Patriotism on Baseball Viewership

This article establishes a 2-sided media market in which readers have heterogeneous beliefs, media outlets choose their reporting biases, and advertisement prices are determined by bargaining between media outlets and advertisers. The authors have shown that the presence of advertisers strengthens the reporting bias. The bias is increasing in the advertisers' bargaining power and is generally stronger if the advertisers can advertise in multiple outlets. Finally, the authors present an extension of the model on the formation of joint operating agreements for advertising sales among competing newspapers and show that the media bias will be mitigated.     

Predicting Employee Turnover from Friendship Networks

Employees (n=40) at a fast-food restaurant were surveyed about characteristics of their position and their level of satisfaction. Employees were then asked to report with whom they regularly communicated inside and outside the workplace and to indicate how close they were to employees with whom they were linked. Employee turnover was measured after three months had elapsed. A goal of the research was to replicate a model of employee turnover that predicts employees more central in their social network to be less likely to leave, and to test a social support explanation of the centrality model. The results indicated that employees who reported a greater number of out-degree links with friends were less likely to leave. The number of in-degree links with friends did not significantly predict turnover, and neither did network links with peers. Friendship prestige, measured by the number of in-degree links, was strongly correlated with relational closeness and amount of time spent with employees outside the workplace.