On location: reflections on fieldwork in Chinese journalism studies

Research access to mainland China, once severely circumscribed, has expanded tremendously during the post-Mao reform period, with important implications for the study of Chinese mass communication. Fieldwork possibilities mean that scholars are privy to a great deal more of the media circuit – not only to voluminous content that can be systematically sampled, but also to structures, contexts, practices, processes, places, and people involved in production and reception. Drawing on experiences in the field, this article discusses challenges and rewards of studying Chinese journalism from within.     

A Review of “How to Create and Manage a Mutual Fund or Exchanged Traded Fund: A Professional’s Guide”

Business students comprise a significant proportion of the Library's reference workload at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). A literature review on business students and their use of libraries provided limited, dated material which indicated that business students are infrequent users of libraries and possessed minimal research skills. CSULB business faculty were surveyed to determine attitudes on student library use and learning. Students were surveyed to determine library attitudes, use, and skills. While library use has increased dramatically over the years, skills needed for independent research have not. Suggested solutions include the targeting of core business courses for instruction and increasing involvement of the faculty.     

From Community College to Four-Year Institution: A Model for Recruitment and Retention

Increasing Numbers, Connections, and Retention in Science and Engineering (INCRSE) was funded with the goal of increasing the quantity, quality, and diversity of undergraduate students pursuing and obtaining degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). A major objective of INCRSE was to recruit STEM transfer students from regional community colleges (CC) and to provide academic and social support necessary for retention of these students. The INCRSE CC recruitment and retention model involved (a) strengthening relationships between faculty at WTAMU and regional CCs; (b) inviting CC faculty and staff to developmental workshops at WTAMU; (c) improving advising for transfer students at CCs and WTAMU; and (d) developing articulation agreements between WTAMU and regional CCs. Because INCRSE was funded in fall 2006, the number of CC STEM transfers enrolled at WTAMU increased from 214 to 253, an increase of 18%, while overall enrollment of CC transfers to WTAMU declined 3.5%. The number of new CC STEM transfers increased 22% from 92 in the 2006–2007 to 112 in 2008–2009 academic years. WTAMU's first-year retention of STEM transfers increased from 57% in 2006–2007 to 68% in 2007–2008, far surpassing the WTAMU first-year retention of traditional freshmen in the STEM fields by almost 30%. While all components of the model were important, much of the success can be attributed to improved relationships between WTAMU and CC faculty.     

六大秘诀让你不再恐惧职场冲突

作为职场一族,你需要知道如何有效化解职场冲突.设想一下,每天8小时间,面对各种工作职责和目标,都需要协调,一旦碰上缺乏凝聚力的团队,遭遇强烈的反对意见,甚至遇到难以相处的人,包括你的老板或者客户时,难免发生冲突,这个时候该如何应对呢?没有人希望将职场变成一个充满硝烟的战场.冲突会对你的职场人际关系造成破坏性的影响,还会增加隔阂,拉大人与人之间的距离.所以我们需要有效的方式来解决冲突,核心守则不仅仅需要诚意和谅解,更需要一定的礼仪和技巧,当你掌握了这些秘诀,你会发现应对冲突不再是一件艰巨的任务.     

CLASSROOMS AND CULTURE: THE ROLE OF CONTEXT IN SHAPING MOTIVATION AND IDENTITY FOR SCIENCE LEARNING IN INDIGENOUS ADOLESCENTS

Many rural indigenous communities rely on science knowledge and innovation for survival and economic advancement, which requires community members to be motivated for learning science. Children in these communities have been viewed by some as unmotivated due to their low science achievement as they progress in school, particularly into majority secondary schools. Current theories of motivation, such as achievement goal theory, take classroom context into account when examining individual motivation. However, motivational climate can also be considered as tightly woven with the cultural and social practices of a community rather than individual perception. In this study, researchers spent time in two indigenous villages observing classrooms, participating in community events, and talking with community members. During those visits, Attayal/Sediq children in Taiwan (n?=?18) and Mopan Mayan children in Belize (n?=?18) participated in three semi-structured interviews about their experience learning science in school, home, and community. Results indicate that motivation for learning science is closely linked with their identity as science learners. Three themes emerged to illuminate how social practices may or may not support individual identity, and consequently motivation, for learning science—student/teacher relationships, support for learning, and motivational climate. Differences between children in Taiwan and Belize are explored. Implications for motivation theory, educational practice, and policy are discussed.     

A Comparison of Heart Rate Responses in Females by Player Position in Standard and Zoneless Ringette

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between game heart rates by player position during two types of ringette rules: standard rules and experimental rules which did not include zone restrictions (zoneless). Two hundred twenty-five female ringette players (104 standard rules and 121 zoneless rules) were monitored during regular league and tournament play during the 1985 ringette season. This included over 50 games, approximately half played under each set of rules; and included at least five games played in each of five age categories. Field measurement of the game heart rates was conducted by use of an EST Sport-Tester heart rate monitor, which recorded the average of each 30 s heart rate profile. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was performed to determine the significance of the difference by player position and rules in the mean peak heart rates for six shifts on the ice, the first three and the last three. There were significant differences (p < .05) between mean peak heart rates for forwards and defenders between standard and zoneless rules, but there were no differences between centers. Significance tests were also conducted by position and age division, and the differences in the heart rates of the defenders were significant in the junior belles (13–14) and belles (15–17) age divisions.     

Teachers’ perceptions of the use of an external change agent in school curriculum change

An external change agent (ECA) was recently employed in three Queensland schools to align the school curriculum with the requirements of the state’s high stakes test known as the Queensland Core Skills test (QCS). This paper reports on the teachers’ perceptions of a change process led by an ECA. With the ever-increasing implementation of high stakes testing in Australian schools, teachers are under mounting pressure to produce ‘results’. Therefore, in order to maximise their students’ success in these tests, schools are altering their curricula to incorporate the test requirements. Rather than the traditional method of managing such curriculum change processes internally, there is a growing trend for principals to source external expertise in the form of ECAs. Although some academics, teachers, and much of the relevant literature, would regard such a practice as problematic, this study found that in fact, teachers were quite open to externally led curriculum change, especially if they perceived the leader to be knowledgeable and creditable in this area.     

Education for pupils with profound disabilities: Issues of policy,curriculum, teaching methods,and evaluation

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses some issues in the education of pupils who have profound disabilities. Following an examination of policy and curriculum issues, we review recent research on teaching methods. In particular, we look critically at the concepts and methods of behavioural psychology and its influence in this field of education. We then examine the issue of evaluation of educational outcomes using illustrations from current research at a special school for adolescents with profound disabilities. Finally, we suggest some directions for future research which place the education of persons who have profound disabilities clearly within the mainstream of educational thinking and research endeavour.