Are you a budding academic writer?

Academic writing can seem a daunting prospect although with the right support and information it can be more achievable than you think. In this first set of editorial comments of 2016, editors from all sections of the Health Information and Libraries Journal outline the origins of the individual section of the journal which they oversee and highlight some of the things you might want to consider when thinking of submitting your writing for publication.     

Developing networks of grass-roots science curriculum action

This paper describes an ongoing process of participatory curriculum development. It outlines some of the tensions which need to be explored in science curriculum development: debates about the nature of science, of society, of school science content and of learning theories. The process whereby action can arise from this debate is also explored. An example will be outlined of a network of science curriculum action which has developed from the work of a range of science education projects in Natal, South Africa. Specializations: science curriculum development from primary to tertiary level. Specializations: inservice primary science teacher development. Specializations: inservice teacher development, biology education. Specializations: environmental education, teacher development. Specializations: environmental education, teacher development.     

Feelings and Failing in Professional Training: the assessor's dilemma

Assessing individuals as failures in education and training is rarely something that is done lightly or without misgivings. Related to this, the challenges of setting clear threshold or passing standards, are considerable. Assessors’ affective responses during fail scenarios in professional training were explored during focused interviews with 30 academic and practice staff. The pattern of feelings reported at each stage of the decision‐making process, factors which influence judgements and the reactions of others are described. The strength and spread of feelings stand out as an important sources of evidence. Understanding more about these affective responses may assist assessors as they make critical judgements at the margins of professional competence.     

Online collaborative documents for research and coursework

Conclusion Garrison’s (2000) review of distance education theories describes the current need for ”sustained real two-way communication ... that refiect(s) a collaborative approach to distance education” (p. 13). One way to apply such theories to research and coursework is to use collaborative documents to promote transactions culminating in deliberation among the key players. Such deliberation can create ”a particular kind of democratic public culture among the deliberators: listening as well as talking, sharing resources, forging decisions together rather than only advocating positions taken earlier, and coming to disagreement” (Parker, Ninomiya, & Cogan, 1999, p. 129). Her research interests are collaborative learning in distance education, impact of culture on online learners, and design of online instruction for constructivist learning environments. Her primary research interests are in design considerations for collaborative online environments and in the powers of shared multimedia for enhancing personal growth, multicultural understanding, and global awareness. She investigates visual messages: how they can be shared and interpreted by learners, their impact, and how their impact can be researched. Her research interests are in computer and network-based foreign language and cultural learning.     

The relation of multiple-schedule behavioral contrast to deprivation,time in session,and within-session changes in responding

Pigeons' keypecking was reinforced by food on baseline schedules of multiple variable interval (VI) x VI x and on contrast schedules of multiple VI x VI y. Deprivation of food was varied by maintaining subjects at 75%, 85%, and 95% (+/- 2%) of their free-feeding weights. Positive and negative behavioral contrast were observed. The size of the contrast was not systematically altered by changes in deprivation. Positive and negative contrast were both larger later in the session than they were earlier. Within-session decreases in responding were steeper for the baseline than for the contrast schedules for positive contrast. Within-session decreases were steeper for the contrast than for the baseline schedules for negative contrast. These results were predicted by the idea that different amounts of habituation to the reinforcer during the baseline and contrast schedules contribute to behavioral contrast. The results show that contrast occurs under conditions that reduce the effect of the following component. The results support the assumption that positive and negative contrast are produced by symmetrical theoretical variables.