The Bioinformatics Program at Washington University's Bernard Becker Medical Library: making it happen

The need for a Bioinformatics Program became apparent after repeated requests from researchers for bioinformatics resources and the University's announcement of BioMed 21, a 300 million dollars biomedical science initiative to bring "new knowledge of the human genetic blueprint to the patient's bedside and change how illnesses are understood, diagnosed, and successfully treated." A Bioinformatics Specialist with a strong background in the fields of Molecular Biology and Biostatistics was hired. Program development started in 2003. Initially, three core courses were developed: Sequence Similarity Search, Genetic Variation, and Human Genome Resources. Each of these courses was offered twice per semester. Additionally, partnerships were established within the University Medical School Community (e.g., the Genome Sequencing Center) to license and teach Spotfire's DecisionSite for Functional Genomics, a software package used to analyze microarray data. From March to May 2005, seven Spotfire classes were taught. Each Spotfire class consisted of seven hours of classroom work. Also, in-depth consultations were scheduled with faculty and researchers to address their specific needs. These consultations led to requests for other software packages to purchase and manage, including Lasergene and CSD (Cambridge Crystal Structure Database). Efforts to reach outside of the University Community were made through the development of a Bioinformatics Web site.     

Progression and Continuity in Early Childhood Education: Tensions and contradictions

This article focuses on the current policy context in early childhood education in England and Wales. The provision of high quality preschool education is regarded internationally as a significant factor in raising educational standards. Such aspirations are dependent on achieving effective patterns of continuity and progression from preschool to school. Despite the centrality of these terms in policy rhetoric progression and continuity are disputed and under‐conceptualized concepts. Furthermore, there is a dearth of empirical studies that explore the relationships between progression in learning and progression in the curriculum. The central aim of this article is to clarify some of the tensions and contradictions inherent in current conceptions of progression and continuity, drawing on perspectives from theory, policy and practice. These perspectives suggest that achieving progression and continuity through curricula which secure high quality outcomes is a difficult and, potentially, elusive aspiration. In theoretical terms, assumptions about progression in learning vary according to different orientations. In policy terms, the current subject‐oriented curriculum framework assumes that progression is an issue of content, and is based on the structures of the subjects. Research evidence indicates that educators in different settings are experiencing problems in providing the conditions which might achieve effective patterns of progression and continuity. The authors identify three key areas for further research in order to advance the development of theories of progression and continuity which might usefully inform policy, practice and curriculum development.     

A futures orientation in the Australian Curriculum: current levels of teacher interest,activity and support in Western Australia

The soon to be implemented Australian Curriculum aims to integrate a futures orientation across subject areas. Guidelines and support for this specific initiative are being finalized. Only a little is known about the current teaching of a futures orientation or of secondary teacher interest, understanding and support for this important but challenging direction. This initial study surveyed 115 teachers from twelve secondary schools in Western Australia and aims to provide a basis for implementing the futures oriented elements into the year 7 to 10 curriculum. Most questions of respondents related directly to elements of the Australian Curriculum’s cross-curriculum priority of sustainability and of the general capabilities; these were extended to include a general appraisal of teachers’ interest in broader global issues, their self-efficacy in pursuing their interests and their suggestions for curriculum support. In overview, this initial study has shown that many Western Australian teachers are very receptive to developing a futures orientation into their classrooms in keeping with the rationale in the new national curriculum. It provides a foundation for follow up studies, supporting existing school interest and exploring specific opportunities for enhancing a futures orientation. It raises the possibility of engaging further with highly motivated teachers and schools in implementing the futures orientation components of the Australian Curriculum through its cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities.     

Generating Multivariate Normal Data in Excel

This article gives further information about generating multivariate Normal data, including a single‐cell Microsoft Excel formula to undertake a Choleski decomposition. References are also made to the bivariate case and the ‘common elements’ approach.     

Book Reviews

Current legal issues in publishing A. Bruce Strauch (Editor), Hayworth Press Inc. July 1996, 144pp, $29.95 (outside USA/Canada/Mexico $36.00), ISBN: 1-56024-804-1 Publishing and Book Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: an annotated bibliography by Hans M. Zell & Cécile Lomer, London Hans Zell Publishers 1996, 409pp £60, ISBN 1-873836-46-5 The Scholar's Courtesy by Blaise Cronin. London: Taylor Graham, 1995, 124pp, £25 Society of Freelance Editors and Proofreaders, Directory of Members' Services 1997, Published by SFEP, Mermaid House, 1 Mermaid Court, London SE1 1HR, 198pp, £10, including p+p, ISSN 0960-5533     

Reading and listening at three school stages: cloze tests and their response analysis

This paper reports the results of cloze tests in the reading and listening modes together with a computer analysis of responses to the tests. The subjects were groups of Scottish school children at the ages of 8-9, 11-12 and 13–14 years sampled over the whole country as part of a national survey of English language; the cloze tests were only a small part of the whole testing programme which also contained three other major reading tests. Approximately 400 subjects took cloze tests in each mode at each age. The test material was the same throughout for all stages tested. Two tests, each containing one narrative and one expository text were used. The mode of presentation did not significantly affect the types of cloze responses offered nor the total scores of the tests at any stage. However, results indicated better performance for older subjects when they read, and for the youngest group when they listened to, expository though not narrative passages. The comparisons of the results for the three different school stages showed continuing interdependence of reading and listening ability through the ages tested. The different cloze response patterns for the two types of text (in either mode) as well as the only moderate correlation between the texts, indicated that success in comprehending narratives may not necessarily transfer to comprehending information.     

Recent Conceptions of Children's Learning: Implications for Classroom Practice

This paper was presented as the Ruth Wong Memorial Lecture at the National University of Singapore on 5th March 1991.