Students perceptions on the long-range value of information literacy instruction through a learning community

Whereas academic library participation in learning communities has become visible in recent years, the literature is still lacking research studies providing assessment data. This article offers the first perspective from students on the value of information literacy instruction through a learning community and the impact that instruction has on academic careers. A qualitative research method of focus group interviews was employed to solicit opinions from students who completed during a three-year period the University of Hawaii at Manoa's (UHM) Libraries, Scholarship, and Technology (LIS 100) learning community course. The findings indicate learning communities provide a valuable context for learning both affective and cognitive information literacy skills necessary in an undergraduate education.     

Beyond automation and control: Manufacturing information systems from a strategic perspective

This paper reviews the application of computer-based information systems for manufacturing, which has found a lack of strategic orientation. Critical factors for a strategic-oriented information system, i.e. external information scanning, data refining and information reporting, are discussed. A strategic-oriented system model that incorporates information scanning-refining-reporting into manufacturing automation and control systems is proposed. A case study of a corporate strategic information processing system in a UK company is explored. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are made.     

A snapshot of the student experience: exploring student satisfaction through the use of photographic elicitation

Student satisfaction is both an important and yet controversial issue within the higher education sector, which is typically measured through policy-driven metrics such as the National Student Survey. However, less is understood about the qualities of a satisfying student experience ‘as lived’ from the perspective of the student, thus questioning the adequacy of such measures. In response to this, the current study used student-driven photographic elicitation as a means of more adequately capturing the holistic student experience. This entailed nine final-year undergraduate psychology students who each gathered a series of photos, which formed the basis for discussion in an interview. Thematic analysis of the narratives of the interview discussions revealed several main themes surrounding their experiences. These were: ‘Learning Environment’, ‘Work–Life Balance’ and ‘Wider University Community’. Findings are discussed with reference to the implications of student satisfaction, and national metrics used for measuring it, for institutional policies of recruitment and retention.     

The effects of polysemy for Japanese katakana words

In these experiments, the effects of polysemy were examined as a function of word frequency for Japanese katakana words, words which have consistent character-to-sound correspondences. In the lexical decision task, an additive relationship was observed between polysemy and frequency (i.e., polysemy effects were identical for high and low frequency katakana words). In the naming task, although no word frequency effect was observed, there was a significant polysemy effect which, as in the lexical decision task, was identical for high and low frequency words. The implications of these results for conclusions about the loci of polysemy and frequency effects in lexical decision and naming tasks are discussed.     

Evaluating title coverage of full-text periodical databases

This article provides a methodology for evaluating title coverage of full-text periodical databases in relation to a library’s print journal collection. A pretest of that methodology is presented along with a discussion of collection development principles for an effective evaluation of full-text databases.     

“I’d be expecting caviar in lectures”: the impact of the new fee regime on undergraduate students’ expectations of Higher Education

The introduction of the new tuition fee regime in the UK has resulted in growing concerns about the impact on students’ expectations of their university experiences (e.g. Jones in Perspectives 14(2):44–48, 2010). This is coupled with reports from those such as the OIA (Office of the Independent Adjudicator (2012) Annual Report. Accessed on July 22, 2013. Retrieved from, http://oiahe.org.uk/media/88650/oia-annual-report-2012.pdf) which detailed the rise in the number of student complaints year on year. The current study explored undergraduate psychology students’ (N = 62) expectations and derived experiences of Higher Education through a series of focus groups. In particular, a focus on students’ perceptions of level of support, contact time, and resources were explored. These were undertaken both before (n = 21) and after (n = 41) the introduction of the fee rise, to provide a cross-sectional comparison of the potential changes. Thematic analysis of the narratives indicated minimal support for the idea that increased tuition fees had heightened expectations in Higher Education. Additionally, although there were some discrepancies between students’ expectations and experiences, particularly in relation to level of support and contact time, this did not have a detrimental impact on satisfaction of their University experiences. This was related to the fact that these experiences exceeded their original expectations. One noteworthy finding however, suggested that higher tuition fees were related to greater expectations of graduate employability. The implications of this are discussed, as well as the implications of student satisfaction (using models such as the Student Satisfaction Index Model; Zhang et al. in Int J Bus Manag 3(9):46–51, 2008), for institutional policies of recruitment and retention.     

Archiving justice: conceptualizing the archives of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) will complete its proceedings over the coming years, leaving behind an enormous collection of records. The ICTY archive provides a record of conviction and acquittal, prosecution case, and defense response—a vast series of contested facts and arguments. The ICTY winds down with a decidedly mixed reputation, especially among the communities of the Balkans, doing damage to the already-discredited idea of a Tribunal capable of aiding the processes of reconciliation. And yet the UN still speaks of the reconciliatory purposes the ICTY archives may serve. Pursuing reconciliation, however, sets up the archives for failure. It would be better for those establishing the archives to focus on other, attainable goals, taking into account Minow’s caution against judicial records that merely ‘speak for themselves.’ This essay provides historical context for the development of the ICTY archives, outlining its two decades of work, and emphasizes the political context from and into which the archives will emerge.