Collaboration at the Troy University Libraries

With relatively new staff in all the Troy University campus libraries technical services departments, it was critical to collaborate on policies and procedures for consistency. Developing an online manual housed on a wiki that could be used and contributed to by staff on all three campuses was essential to this goal. Multi-campus meetings and online discussions are additional methods we use to promote collaboration. This article will include a literature review of collaboration and wikis along with methods the Troy University Libraries Technical Services departments are using to establish communication across the campuses.     

“Electronic Media Guides” Series

MANAGING ELECTRONIC MEDIA by Elizabeth Shimer Czech-Beckerman (ISBN 0-240-80072-9, 95 pp.)

BROADCAST WRITING: DRAMAS, COMEDIES AND DOCUMENTARIES by Ken Dancyger (ISBN 0-240-80054-0, 102 pp.)

FULL-SERVICE RADIO: PROGRAMMING FOR THE COMMUNITY by Donna L. Halper (ISBN 0-240-80083-4, 103 pp.)

RADIO MUSIC DIRECTING by Donna L. Halper (ISBN 0-240-80081-8, 100 pp.)

TELEVISION PERFORMING: NEWS AND INFORMATION by William Hawes (ISBN 0-240-80056-7, 94 pp.)

THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION: A PRIMER by Robert L. Hilliard (ISBN 0-240-80101-6, 115 pp.)

SPORTSCASTING by John R. Hitchcock (ISBN 0-240-80062-1, 106 pp.)

SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY: AN INTRODUCTION by Andrew F. Inglis (ISBN 0-240-80078-8, 110 pp.)

ELECTION COVERAGE: BLUEPRINT FOR BROADCASTERS by Carla B. Johnston (ISBN 0-240-80088-5, 105 pp.

TV NEWS ETHICS by Marilyn J. Matelski (ISBN 0-240-80089-3, 79 pp.)

DAYTIME TELEVISION PROGRAMMING by Marilyn J. Matelski (ISBN 0- 240-80087-7, 82 pp.)

ELECTRONIC NEWS GATHERING: A GUIDE TO ENG by Robert B. Musberger (ISBN 0-240-80079-6, 80 pp.)     

The impact of system specifics on systems thinking

Present and future social and ecological challenges are complex both to understand and to attempt to solve. To comprehend the complex systems underlying these issues, students need systems thinking skills. However, in science education, a uniform delineation of systems thinking across contexts has yet to be established. While there seems to be consensus on a number of key skills from a theoretical perspective, it remains uncertain whether it is possible to distinguish levels of systems thinking, and if so, how they would be determined. In this study, we investigated the impact of the specifics of a system on the skills and levels of systems thinking. We administered a 36-item multiple-choice test to 196 Grade 5 and 6 students. For our analysis, we followed a quantitative approach, applying a systems thinking model that incorporates the latest insights on the levels and skills of systems thinking in geography to the context of ecology. By following an Item Response Theory approach, we confirmed a set of systems thinking skills that are necessary to understand complex systems in ecology: identifying system organization, analyzing system behavior, and system modeling. We examined whether individual skill levels can be distinguished to determine whether a system's general principle or system-specific features cause difficulty for students. Our results indicate that system specifics, such as type of relation within ecosystems (e.g., predator–prey), appear to determine the formation of levels. Students struggled most with the difference between basic, direct cause-and-effect relationships and indirect effects. Once they understood the relevance of indirect relationships in moderately complex systems, a further increase in complexity caused little additional difficulty. Accordingly, we suggest that systems thinking should be examined from a variety of perspectives. To promote interdisciplinary learning, a systems thinking model that defines key commonalities across fields while leaving space for system specifics is needed.     

ATTITUDES OF YOUNG ADULTS TOWARD OLDER ADULTS: EVIDENCE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND THAILAND

Negative attitudes toward older adults are often thought to be diminished in cultures that preserve gerontocratic tendencies. Little empirical evidence concerning this belief, however, is extant in the literature. The present study employed an adjective‐generation instrument to measure attitudes toward the elderly. This instrument was administered to young adults in rural northern Thailand, a culture which is widely reported to maintain a strong tradition of filial piety, and to young adults in the United States, a culture in which widespread ageism is suspected. A significant interaction was observed; contrary to initial expectations, Thai students were somewhat more negative about elders than were their American counterparts. Results indicate that gerontocratic traditions within a given society do not necessarily insulate the aged from negative stereotyping.     

A comparison of preschool teachers’ talk during storybook and information book read-alouds

Storybooks are the most frequently chosen genre for read alouds in preschool classrooms. However, growing evidence suggests that genre may influence the quantity and quality of talk produced outside of the text. The current study compared twenty preschool teachers’ extratextual talk across read-aloud sessions with a storybook and an information book. Results revealed that teachers used significantly greater numbers of extratextual utterances during the information book read-aloud compared to the storybook read-aloud after accounting for differences in duration. Teachers’ extratextual utterances also were coded for content, including behavior management, feedback, print and book conventions, and four levels of cognitive demand (with Levels 1 and 2 being concrete and Levels 3 and 4 being cognitively demanding). Rates did not differ across genre in the categories of behavior management, feedback, print, and Level 4; however, rates did differ significantly in the content categories of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 on the continuum of cognitive demand, with the rates always being significantly higher in the information book read-aloud compared to the storybook. Teachers also reported less favorable perceptions toward reading information books aloud compared to reading storybooks aloud. This may be attributable to differences in how teachers read information books compared to storybooks. Teachers’ level of education and the age of the children in the classroom in some cases were related to the teachers’ talk during the read aloud.     

Using food as a tool to teach science to 3 grade students in Appalachian Ohio

The Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Initiative is a compilation of programs aimed at using food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. In 2007-2008, a foods curriculum developed by professionals in nutrition and education was implemented in 10 3(rd)-grade classrooms in Appalachian Ohio; teachers in these classrooms implemented 45 hands-on foods activities that covered 10 food topics. Subjects included measurement; food safety; vegetables; fruits; milk and cheese; meat, poultry, and fish; eggs; fats; grains; and meal management. Students in four other classrooms served as the control group. Mainstream 3(rd)-grade students were targeted because of their receptiveness to the subject matter, science standards for upper elementary grades, and testing that the students would undergo in 4(th) grade. Teachers and students alike reported that the hands-on FoodMASTER curriculum experience was worthwhile and enjoyable. Our initial classroom observation indicated that the majority of students, girls and boys included, were very excited about the activities, became increasingly interested in the subject matter of food, and were able to conduct scientific observations.