Organisational aspects of Nigeria's research system

The problem of how to integrate an indigenous research capacity with the wider developmental efforts of a developing country is becoming a topic of increasing importance, although little empirical work has been done. This paper examines the organisation and structure of Nigeria's publicly financed research institutes with a view to achieving a greater understanding of how they behave and how they relate to other parts of the socio-economic environment. The institutes cover a wide range of economic relevance but are broadly similar in their internal structures and external relations. There are severe shortages of qualified research scientists who number only around 5% of the total manpower employed and whose skill levels appear to be on the low side. Part of the difficulty lies in problems of recruitment which in turn are caused by a poor career structure and competition from other parts of the social system, notably the universities and the private sector. Integration with other social sectors is weak and certain aspects of internal structures are not such as to encourage greater integration Although there are general infrastructural difficulties and while the Government is making an attempt to improve matters, there is a tendency for research institutes to follow formal institutional and bureaucratic relations with higher authorities, which helps to perpetuate scientific autonomy but does little to improve productive performance in the relevant economic sectors.     

Infant responsivity to curvature.

The reactions of 112 10-month-old male infants to the property of curvature were examined using a habituation paradigm with lever pressing as an instrumental response. 4 levels of curvature (straightt line, minimal curve, moderate curve, large curve) each served as a standard (habituation) stimulus and as a transformation stimulus in 9 separate experimental conditions. Results revealed a greater initial dishabituation of reinforced instrumental responding in those conditions crossing the curved/straight boundary; furthermore, this initial dishabituation was sustained throughout the transformation phase of the experiment in those conditions which involved changes from straight to curved, but not curved to straight. Results are interpreted as implying a special attention-recruiting value for curvature in 10-month old infants.     

Editorial

Science &; Education -     

How teachers can use the professional evaluation standards

Conclusion Teachers need formal and working knowledge of educational evaluation for their work in traditional schools as well as in schools in the future. In the form of principles, the professional evaluation standards provide educational evaluation knowledge that teachers can use to acquire the working knowledge they want and can use. Professional development programs can help teachers grasp the substance and intent of educational evaluation principles, but the principles alone cannot empower teachers or build a system of profound knowledge shared within the organization and used to move it toward its goals. An investment in teachers through professional-development programs is important if teachers are to conduct evaluations and use evaluation results together as a routine part of doing business. An investment in teachers through professional-development programs must attend to the social and technical aspects of a change effort. The learning about evaluation and their principles must be organizationally valued and the learning nurtured and sustained.