Online Distance Education at the Universiti Sains Malaysia,Malaysia: Preliminary Perceptions

Availability of technology is no longer an issue, but in view of the promise of distance education and the development of electronic communication and network, the distance learning programme at the Universiti Sains Malaysia is directing its virtual multimedia course delivery via online education. The instructional design aspects of a multimedia course topic are presented. The results of a preliminary perceptions towards online education in distance learning conducted at the recent launching of online education in USM revealed that students perception is still focused on accessibility and presentation rather than pedagogical techniques and interactivity.

L'éducation à distance en ligne à l'Universiti Sains Malaysia :Perceptions preliminairs

La disponibilité de la technologie n'est plus un problème mais devant les promesses de l'éducation à distance et le développement des réseaux électroniques de communications, le programme d'enseignement à distance de l'Université Sains Malaysia oriente ses cours virtuels multimédia via l'éducation en ligne. Cet article présente les aspects de l'élaboration éducative d'un sujet du cours multi-media. Les résultats des perceptions préliminaires vers l'éducation en ligne dans l'enseignement à distance conduit lors du lancement du « on-line education » dans l'USM a révelé que la perception des étudiants est toujours concentrée sur l'accessibilité et la présentation plutôt que sur les techniques pédagogiques et l'interactivité.

Online Fernstudien an der Universität Sains Malaysia, Malaysia: Vorläufige Auffassungen

Verfügbarkeit von Technik ist heute kein Thema mehr. Im Hinblick auf die Aussichten von Fernstudien und der Entwicklung elektronischer Kommunikation und Netzwerken führt die Universität Sains Malaysia die Zulieferung ihrer Fernstudienprogramme mit virtuellem Multimediamaterial online durch. Die Gesichtspunkte für ein Multimediakurs-Thema werden dargestellt. Die Ergebnisse einer vorläufigen Meinungsbildung in Richtung Online-Unterweisung im Rahmen der kürzlich erfolgten Einrichtung von Online Education in USM offenbarte, dass im Zentrum der Wahrnehmung der Studenten immer noch mehr der Zugang und die Darstellung denn die pädagogischen Techniken und möglichen Interaktivitäten stehen.     

An investigation into the factors affecting knowledge management adoption and practice in the life insurance business

Knowledge management (KM) is crucial for organizations to enhance competitive advantage. While the issues of KM have been widely discussed by numerous researchers, there is a paucity of studies pertaining to KM adoption and practice for the life insurance industry. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the main factors affecting the life insurance business in adopting and applying KM. An exploratory field study utilizing an inductive methodology involving a multiple-case study approach was undertaken by conducting interviews with 10 key knowledge workers from life insurance enterprises in various stages of KM development and use. We utilized content analysis techniques to identify the factors with their associated variables and further developed a research model. This study offers a comprehensive model for future KM research and provides managerial implications for organizations, particularly life insurance enterprises, to better realize the worth of KM and the possible impediments involved in the processes of adopting and implementing KM.     

The year’s work in international librarianship: 1969

The paper sets out to determine the social origins and professional status of librarians in Ghana with a view to understanding them as a professional group of working individuals. It examines the personal characteristics such as age, sex and marital status of the librarians. Parental influences on the choice of profession, as well as the status of individual librarians in their organizations and institutions are investigated. The results of this study indicate that most librarians in Ghana come from working class homes and that librarians in Ghana are satisfied with their status in their organizations and institutions.     

Teachers and Consultation: Applying research and development in organisations (RADIO)

In this article we describe how the RADIO process enabled EPiTs to negotiate research with an EPS around its desire to evaluate and develop its consultation work with schools. Findings of the evaluation and their implications for the Service are described and the potential of RADIO as a tool for providing external research support from HEIs for EPS or LA development, is discussed. Further discussion identifies the benefits of the application of RADIO in the research training of EPiTs in HEIs.     

Impact of iodine deficiency on thyroid function in pregnant African women — A possible factor in the genesis of ‘small for dates’ babies

The effect of iodine deficiency (ID) on thyroid function in African women during pregnancy and postnatal period was examined, for which very limited information is available. Serum T₄, T₃, TSH, TBG, thyroxine binding capacity (TBK), free thyroxine index (FT₄I=T₄/TBK) and T₄/TBG were determined by ELISA technique in 32 pregnant women (resident of Plateau state, Nigeria- an ID zone) through pregnancy upto term delivery, and in 5 women up to 6 weeks post delivery. Urinary iodide level was measured at delivery to determine the degree of iodine deficiency. Results were matched with a non pregnant control comprising 44 subjects. 5555 birth weights (BW) of term babies in the region were analysed to determine the prevalence of ‘small for dates’ (SFD) babies in the population. Results show that the level of serum FT₄I was elevated very significantly at late gestation (P<.001) but the women were not hyperthyroid, suggesting a marked disturbance in binding of T₄ with TBG during pregnancy. Five women with SFD babies were found in ‘compensated hypothyroid state’ and showed a significant depression (p<.01) in serum T₄/TBG, T₄, FT₄I and T₃ levels to a low normal range, with a concurrent significant rise (p.<.001) in TSH level (above normal range) throughout pregnancy. Incidence of SFD babies was higher (p.<.001) in ID zone (Bassa 15.2%) compared to control zone (Jos 9.8%). It is concluded that a state of maternal ‘subclinical (compensated) hypothyroidism’ during pregnancy possibly plays an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of SFD babies in Africans. A normal reference range for thyroid parameters at various stages of pregnancy in healthy African women is established for the first time.