Intent to pursue further studies among Chinese Students

The number of students pursuing graduate qualifications has increased, especially in Asian countries and cities, such as China, Macao and Hong Kong. This paper examines the intent to pursue further studies among Chinese students according to the theory of planned behaviour. Based on responses from 321 final-year students in higher education institutions in Macao, Hong Kong and mainland China, path analysis shows that subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and attitude toward graduate studies owing to intrinsic motivation significantly affects the intent to pursue further studies. The paper also identifies the important attributes that influence students’ choice of a graduate programme. These findings can help higher education management improve the effectiveness of graduate recruitment and address the concerns of Chinese students.     

Supporting Australian Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal nursing students using mentoring circles: an action research study

Attempts to recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into nursing degrees have made minimal impact on the number of registered nurses working in Australia's healthcare sector. Yet increasing the number of Indigenous nurses remains one of the most important objectives in strategies to close the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Poor retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree offered in far north Queensland, Australia, indicates the need for a different approach to support and retain Indigenous students. This action research study used a decolonizing methodology and was conducted at a satellite university campus in a remote Torres Strait Island community. Researchers trialled the use of a mentoring circle to support and retain nursing students and interviewed mentors and mentees about their experiences. Grounded theory methods were used to analyse the data. Findings indicated a growth in participant students’ emotional intelligence as a result of participating in a mentoring circle. Students developed confidence, formed a group identity, better-negotiated the university environment, became more effective communicators and supported one another through difficulties. The mentoring circle model improved students' university experience and its use should be considered by tertiary educators working with Indigenous students.     

Medical Library Association Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Report

The Medical Library Association (MLA) appointed a Diversity and Inclusion Task Force (DITF) in 2017. Sandra G. Franklin, AHIP, FMLA, chaired the task force and guided initiatives. From 2017 to 2020, the task force completed a review of MLA defining documents—including the mission, vision, values, and code of ethics—resulting in language updates to these documents. As MLA transitioned through the communities process, the DITF contributed to the transition. Other recommended essential changes to MLA profiles to promote awareness included updating pronouns to promote gender inclusivity and suggestions for the Annual Meeting Innovation Task Force. DITF members actively brought diversity and inclusion programming and engagement to MLA members at annual meetings. The task force held a fish bowl conversation, an open forum, and a Diversity Dialogues roundtable discussion; provided interactive discussion boards; and designed an MLA diversity button. Beyond MLA annual meetings, the task force hosted two critical librarianship meetings and a Twitter chat to engage MLA members with diversity and inclusion topics. Task force members promoted diversity and inclusion beyond their task force appointments with presentations at chapter meetings and other non-DITF MLA annual meeting programming. A notable task force accomplishment included completing a survey of MLA members to gather baseline demographic characteristics, including never before collected data about disability, socioeconomics, and caregiver status. This report provides an overview of DITF activities from 2017 to 2020.     

Trialling an Indicator of the Impact of Two Library Induction Models

The impact of two models of induction into library services, a “one stop” orientation model and an “active learning” model with task-specific coaching, was assessed. The study was conducted with participants on a Continuing Professional Development course and a pre-Initial Teacher Education course. Questionnaire data showed differences between the groups in terms of information seeking behaviors and the sources they used A simple indicator of efficacy of information retrieval and evaluation was derived from participants’ assessed work reference lists, which was indicative of different outcomes from the two induction processes.     

The recent trends of information organization research in Japan and Korea

In order to analyze and compare the intellectual structure of information organization research in Japan and Korea, this study has carried out frequency analysis and network text analysis of research articles published in the last two years. Analysis showed that the Japanese information organization area has a high frequency of research centered on the concepts of “catalog” and “classification”. In particular, “catalog” is seen to have a high figure in degree centrality by network text analysis, it can be said that the “catalog” concept has extensive connections with a diverse range of subjects in the area of information organization. On the other hand, the Korean information organization research area showed a high frequency and connectivity of subjects related to “classification” rather than “catalog”. The “classification” concept is seen to have extensive connections with other various subjects in the Korean information organization research area.     

Recovering potential: factors associated with success in engaging challenging students with alternative pre-16 provision

This short report describes the extent to which sociometric test results are validated by observations of children's social behaviour during playtimes. The sociometric terms ‘star’ and ‘isolate’, in particular, are examined in the light of measurements of the social interactions of children thus labelled.     

环境友好型人格与环境美德面临的挑战

倡导新的美德以改变人类对于自然的态度和行为,是一项迫切的任务。环境友好型人格应当拥有的核心美德包括:尊重自然;不伤害、不干涉、忠诚与补偿的美德;谦逊;关怀、同情与热爱自然的美德;简朴;整体性、非等级化思维的理智美德。然而,美国这样的资本主义消费文化在诸多方面严重阻碍了环境美德的教化。为此,需要在提高重视程度、激励公众参与、加强环境教育、抗击消费者资本主义影响等方面采取切实可行的措施。     

Perceptions of leadership characteristics by gifted elementary students

This article presents questioning strategies that can be used by a teacher, parent, or museum guide when introducing gifted children to the art museum. The strategies utilize eight creative processes and seventeen content, process and product modifications, based on the differentiation models of Frank Williams and June Maker. A single work of art is used and examples of questions employing these differentiation techniques are given.     

Sex Education Materials in The Netherlands and in England and Wales: A comparison of content,use and teaching practice

Sex education in The Netherlands and in the UK [1] has attracted attention because of the huge differences between the teenage pregnancy rates. There are substantial similarities in the way in which sex education is structured in the two countries, and yet the approach to the subject is very different. We used documentary sources and interviews to explore the political debates; compared both science and PSE texts aimed at 14-15- year-olds; and carried out exploratory field work in three secondary schools in each country. While sex education is controversial in both countries, the British debate is adversarial and the Dutch strive to seek consensus, making use of professional sex educators in the process. The difference in approach is reflected in both the sex education materials and the approach taken in the classroom. We conclude that the Dutch are significantly more successful in addressing the problem of ignorance and of promoting a coherent sex education message.