Action learning and executive education: achieving credible personal,practitioner and organisational learning

Action learning involves balancing the often conflicting forces between working knowledge and academic knowledge. This paper explores the experience of executive learners; academics and external contributors involved in action learning at the postgraduate level. The executive learners are members of cohorts on two masters programmes based in Ireland. The programmes adopt an action learning methodology. Action learning supports a reflective culture for the executive learners and an enriched understanding of their workplace. The challenges associated with action learning are explored. The understanding of best practice in the facilitation of action learning for executive learners is enriched for practitioners and academics. The use of narrative structuring provides an insight into the reality of action learning for executive learners. If action learning is to be successfully integrated into executive education, then there needs to be high levels of communication, commitment and trust between the executive learners; academics and external contributors.     

Reporting statistical analyses in peer review journal articles

As a regular referee for the Health Information and Libraries Journal, Richard Stephens – Winner of the 2014 Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize – has been impressed by the science on offer in the Health Information and Libraries Journal. But he has also been struck by how often similar problems with statistical analysis reporting come up during the review process. Acknowledging that statistics can be scary, he advocates that they should be simply viewed as a means of communicating ideas. In this editorial, he provides some straightforward guidelines on reporting statistical analyses in peer review journal articles, highlights pitfalls to avoid and illustrates best practice to aim for.     

Improving the Validity and Reliability of a Health Promotion Survey for Physical Therapists

Purpose

Physical therapists (PTs) have a unique opportunity to intervene in the area of health promotion. However, no instrument has been validated to measure PTs’ views on health promotion in physical therapy practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content validity and test-retest reliability of a health promotion survey designed for PTs.

Methods

An expert panel of PTs assessed the content validity of “The Role of Health Promotion in Physical Therapy Survey” and provided suggestions for revision. Item content validity was assessed using the content validity ratio (CVR) as well as the modified kappa statistic. Therapists then participated in the test-retest reliability assessment of the revised health promotion survey, which was assessed using a weighted kappa statistic.

Results

Based on feedback from the expert panelists, significant revisions were made to the original survey. The expert panel reached at least a majority consensus agreement for all items in the revised survey and the survey-CVR improved from 0.44 to 0.66. Only one item on the revised survey had substantial test-retest agreement, with 55% of the items having moderate agreement and 43% poor agreement.

Conclusions

All items on the revised health promotion survey demonstrated at least fair validity, but few items had reasonable test-retest reliability. Further modifications should be made to strengthen the validity and improve the reliability of this survey.Key Words: health promotion, physical therapy, validity, reliability     

Establishing Influential Decision Making Factors for University Library Opening Hours: An Exploratory UK Regional Study

Many factors and pressures affect decisions made in UK university libraries on opening hours especially 24/7. This article reports on a project to examine the decision making process, influential factors, and stakeholders. A workshop for senior library managers in the East Midlands was held to gather data and share experiences. From analysis of the workshop a framework of influential factors was devised and the decision making process was examined. Although each library had different priorities, important factors overall included pressure from undergraduates and the student's union, and provision during exam periods. Further research to examine the framework nationally is required.     

Supporting mathematics vocabulary instruction through mathematics curricula

Abstract

This study examines four of the most commonly-used core mathematics curricula in the USA for evidence of support for research-based instructional strategies for mathematics vocabulary in first and second grade. Content analyses of the teachers’ editions of two units for each grade level were analyzed per curriculum (n?=?16). Statistically significant differences among curricula were found for number of target words (range 6–51 per unit), level of difficulty of terms (basic to technical), and number of support strategies per word. Multiple means of representation varied in terms of verbal and non-verbal strategies for target terms. These differences indicate children are experiencing substantially different mathematics vocabulary learning opportunities, which may impact later mathematics achievement. Implications for practice, curriculum development, and future research are addressed.     

Managing the web-enhanced geographic information service

The Web offers an exciting opportunity for geographic information services in the library. It presents both increased visibility and the challenge of providing meaningful service in an untested environment.