An evaluation of daylight distribution as an initial preventive conservation measure at two Smithsonian Institution Museums, Washington DC, USA

This paper presents the results of a light levels survey conducted at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture in Washington DC. The museum space is shared by the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. After six years of extensive renovations, the building reopened to the public in July 1, 2006. The structure was not originally designed to house a museum collection since it contains numerous openings such as windows, doors and skylights, which provide a path for natural radiation to enter the building and come in contact with the artworks. From a preventive conservation standpoint, this is an important problem since sensitive works of art in the collection may be subjected to damage caused by light exposure. Environmental data loggers installed throughout the museum were programmed to take successive measurements every 10 min for 24 h a day, 7 days a week and 52 weeks a year. This light levels assessment started in November 1, 2007 and finished in October 31, 2008. This study presents a new method for determining natural radiation exposures registered in exhibition spaces that rely on both electric lighting and natural lighting, considering the growing trend of using daylight illumination in museums.     

Education the Foundation for Freedom and National Strength

One of the most pressing problems facing the nation today is the need to improve and enlarge our higher education system. Many of our college facilities and faculties are already overburdened, yet the number of students seeking higher education will double in the next decade. This paper points out the steps that must be taken to increase the number of potential teachers and to induce sufficient numbers of them to choose teaching as a career. A greater effort must also be made to see that more of our most able high school graduates have an opportunity to pursue a higher education; at present, one third of the top quarter of our high school graduates do not go on to college. A recent study of Russian education made by the U. S. Office of Education is reported and the relative emphasis which Russia and America are placing on education is discussed. The cost of meeting the increased educational needs in America will be immense by current standards, but the cost of not meeting these needs will be far greater.     

Written artefacts in post-conference feedback sessions: the running commentary as a support for teacher learning

Written artefacts often form a significant part of teacher education activities and play a crucial role in the dialogue between tutor and student teacher in a post-observation feedback session. However, although the dialogue of feedback sessions has been extensively researched, the role of the artefact has been less explored. This research examines how the written artefact of a running commentary guides or constrains the pedagogical conversation between tutor and student teachers, as well as how it represents the power and authority of the tutor and the teacher education establishment. The article concludes with implications for pre-service teacher education practice.     

Intervention in the motor domain: A training study with first- and second-grade slow readers

A burgeoning interest in learning disabilities during the past five years has aroused educational interest in the hypothesized sequence of motor, perceptual, and symbolic development. The present research was undertaken to test the effectiveness of beginning training at the motor level for children having difficulty with the symbolic system of reading. First- and second grade children were screened on the Gates Primary Reading Test and all motor subtests of the Purdue Perceptual-Motor Survey. The final sample comprised 35 children randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: Motor Training, Physical Education, and Reading Control. Variables of teacher differences, adult-child ratio, amount of physical activity, and Hawthorne effect were controlled for in the design. Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and an analysis of covariance on a parallel form of standardized reading test showed a consistent pattern of greater gains following motor training and reading activities, and minimal progress after the physical education treatment. It was hypothesized that this may reflect effects of structured experiences and more equal distribution of teacher-child interaction. Reading gains of the first-grade children were significantly greater than those of the second-graders beyond the 0.01 level, a result not explainable by ceiling effects. Implications of the slower progress of the older children were explored in terms of a need for focus on particular reading subskills across perceptual-motor-symbolic systems.     

Urban regimes and school compacts: The development of the Detroit Compact

School compacts between the business community and school officials have increased in recent years. This paper examines the development and implementation of a school compact program in the Detroit Public School system. The paper shows that the Detroit Compact was initiated by Detroit's corporate leaders. The article highlights some of the issues faced in forging compact agreements between the business community, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, school officials, and school activists. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the problems the Detroit Compact faces.     

Effects of Introducing Classroom Peflormance Assessments on Student Learning

How can performance assessments be used as part of regular instruction? Will this raise student performance on external achievement measures? What aspects of examinee performance improve on the assessment exercises?