Data Privacy and Academic Libraries: Non-PII,PII, and Librarians’ Reflections (Part 2)

Abstract

Using personally identifiable information (PII) (patron data) to make informed decisions in academic libraries through learning analytics programs has increasingly become more commonplace. In this column, we discuss how libraries around the world have used PII to make informed decisions about hours (gate count), electronic resources (collection usage and authentication), and research assistance (virtual reference). In addition, we discuss the use of learning analytics in library environments including the benefits and concerns associated with its use. Finally, we discuss how we have used PII at our institution’s library and the data metrics we plan utilize at some point in the future.     

Nine Years after Implementing the Unthinkable: The Cessation of Periodical Check-in at the University of Nevada,Reno

In 2001, librarians at the University of Nevada, Reno, carried out what some considered a radical experiment in the library world: an end to the check-in of print periodicals in exchange for allocating staff resources to support electronic resources. Nine years later, the authors assessed current print serials management practices in a new and changed environment through a survey and interviews. This article presents the assessment results, discusses the directions taken over the years, the benefits and challenges, and offers suggestions for other libraries interested in exploring such a project.     

Romantic relationship disengagement and coping rituals

Considering cumulative dating histories, 118 individuals reported the rituals they exercised to dissolve relationships or cope with relationship disengagement. Self‐enhancement rituals were exercised most often during and after their various relationship disengagements. Both leavers and lefts turned to their network to cope with dissolved relationships. Leavers also engaged heavily in avoidance rituals during the termination process whereas lefts were most apt to turn to their networks. Results suggest that individuals' ritual usage is systematic and symbolic and transcends the various relationships, partners, and circumstances surrounding the break‐up.     

Developing an effective education reform model for indigenous and other minoritized students

Educational disparities between indigenous Maori students and those of the majority continue to be a major issue in New Zealand. Te Kotahitanga, an iterative research and development programme, which commenced in 2001, supports teachers to implement a relationship-based pedagogy in their classrooms in order to improve Maori students' achievement in mainstream secondary schools. This article addresses the question of how gains in Maori students' achievement can be sustained and expanded. Schools, from an earlier phase of the project, in their 6th and 7th year of the programme were examined, using a theory-based model designed to evaluate and promote dimensions necessary for effective institutional support of the teaching innovation. This article demonstrates that schools that have been the most effective implementers of the intervention have seen the greatest gains made by Maori students in the 1st year of national assessments. This article then discusses effective leadership for addressing problems schools encountered while implementing the pedagogic reform.     

The effect of class size on the teaching of pupils aged 7 – 11 years

There is still little consensus on whether and how teaching is affected by small and large classes, especially in the case of students in the later primary years. This study investigated effects of class size on teaching of pupils aged 7 – 11 years. We used a multimethod approach, integrating qualitative information from teachers' end-of-year accounts and data from case studies with quantitative information from systematic observations. Results showed that there was more individual attention in smaller classes, a more active role for pupils, and beneficial effects on the quality of teaching. It is suggested that teachers in both large and small classes need to develop strategies for more individual attention but also recognize the benefits of other forms of learning, for example, group work.     

Multiple Representation in Learning About Evaporation

There has been extensive research on children’s understanding of evaporation, but representational issues entailed in this understanding have not been investigated in depth. This study explored three students’ engagement with science concepts relating to evaporation through various representational modes, such as diagrams, verbal accounts, gestures, and captioned drawings. This engagement entailed students (a) clarifying their thinking through exploring representational resources; (b) developing understanding of what these representations signify; and (c) learning how to construct representational aspects of scientific explanation. The study involved a sequence of classroom lessons on evaporation and structured interviews with nine children, and found that a focus on representational challenges provided fresh insights into the conceptual task involved in learning science. The findings suggest that teacher‐mediated negotiation of representational issues as students construct different modal accounts can support enriched learning by enabling both (a) richer conceptual understanding by students; and (b) enhanced teacher insights into students’ thinking.     

Book reviews

This article presents research findings regarding the role of definitions in the field of homelessness in San Francisco. Information production practices of service providers, advocates and others were analyzed as part of a larger research project concerning ideology and information production. Results revealed that definitions appear in explicit and implicit forms, and also serve as a linking mechanism between dominating conceptions (ideology) and information practices. Further, definitions are a site of struggle within the field, as those who are able to create and enforce certain definitions are able to shape the types of activities that take place within the field.     

Constructivism and technology use: findings from the IMPACTing Leadership project

This study used two surveys, the Activities of Instruction 2.0 (AOI 2.0) and the School Technology Needs Assessment (STNA) to assess the relationship between teachers’ level of constructivism and their level of technology use. Results indicate that constructivist practices and beliefs were significant predictors of technology use, after accounting for the contribution of other individual level demographic variables, and school‐level environmental factors. Teachers with more constructivist instructional practices were more likely to report using technology; similarly, teachers who believed more strongly that IT was a useful tool for student‐centered/constructivist teaching were more likely to use technology.

Konstruktivismus und Gebrauch von Technologie: ergebnisse des IMPACTing Leadership Projekts

Dieser Beitrag verwendete zwei Studien: Activities of Instruction 2.0 (AOI 2.0) und das School Technology Needs Assessment (STNA), um das Verhältnis zwischen dem Kenntnisstand der Lehrer bzgl. Konstruktivismus und ihrem Stand im Technologiegebrauch abschätzen zu können. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass die konstruktivistischen Praxen und Annahmen signifikante Vorhersagen über den Technologiegebrauch unter Berücksichtigung anderer individueller demographischer Werte und schulspezifischer Faktoren ermöglichen. Lehrer mit größerer konstruktivistischer Unterrichtspraxis haben eher die Nutzung von Technologie angegeben. Ähnlich haben Lehrer, die stärker davon überzeugt waren, dass IT ein nützliches Werkzeug für schülerzentrierten konstruktivistischen Unterricht sind, auch den Gebrauch von Technologie bevorzugt.

Constructivisme et usage de la technologie: les résultats du projet IMPACT sur le Leadership

Dans cette étude on a utilisé deux enquêtes, les Activités d’Enseignement 2.0 (AOI 2.0) et l’Evaluation des besoins en technologie (STNA) pour mesurer la relation entre le niveau de constructivisme des professeurs et leur niveau d’usage des technologies. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que les pratiques et les croyances constructivistes étaient des indicateurs significatifs de l’usage des technologies, une fois pris en compte l’impact d’autres variables démographiques au niveau individuel ainsi que les facteurs environnementaux au niveau des écoles. Il y avait plus de chances que les enseignants ayant des pratiques éducatives plus constructivistes signalent qu’ils utilisaient la technologie; de la même façon, les enseignants qui croyaient le plus fermement que les TICE représentaient un outil utile pour un enseignement constructiviste centré sur l’étudiant étaient le plus susceptibles d’utiliser la technologie.

El constructivismo y el uso de la tecnología: el impacto del proyecto IMPACT sobre el liderazgo

La presente investigación está basada en dos encuestas, una Las Actividades de Enseñanza 2.0 (AOI 2.0) y la otra La Evaluación de las Necesidades en tecnología (STNA) para evaluar la relación entre el nivel de de constructivismo de los profesores y su nivel de uso de la tecnología. Los resultados indican que las prácticas y creencias constructivistas eran indicadores significativos de predicción del uso de las tecnologías una vez tomada en cuenta la contribucción de otras variables demográficas a nível individual y de los factores ambientales al nivel de la escuela. La probabilidad es que los profesores con prácticas instructivas más constructivistas eran los que señalaban un uso más frecuente de la tecnología; de la misma manera la probabilidad es que los profesores que pensaban con más fuerza que las TICs eran herramientas útiles para la enseñanza constructivista centrada en el alumno serían los mayores usuarios de la tecnología.