Local context,academic entrepreneurship and open science: Publication secrecy and commercial activity among Japanese and US scientists

Like the US before it, Japan has adopted a series of policy initiatives designed to encourage the commercialization of academic science. However, such initiatives may also adversely affect “open-science”. Based on matched surveys of almost 1000 researchers in Japan and over 800 in the US, the paper examines rates of commercial activity, reasons to patent, and secrecy related to research results. In particular, it examines the extent to which participation in commercial activity is associated with publication secrecy. The results show that patenting rates are higher in Japan, while industry funding is more common in the US. In addition, the overall level of publication secrecy is greater in Japan. And, in both countries, individuals who are commercially active are less likely to share their research results through publication. But, patents are less directly linked to commercial activity in Japan than in the US, and have less impact on academic secrecy. The results suggest that academic entrepreneurship is associated with reduced participation in open science, but that the extent of adverse effects depends significantly on institutional context.     

The use of heuristics during route planning by expert and novice orienteers

Expert orienteers have reported using two heuristics when planning routes to points in the environment that must be located, known as 'controls'. These heuristics constitute attending to the start first and subsequently planning forward to a given control, and attending to the control first and planning backwards to the start. The aim of this study was to establish which heuristic experts use predominantly and whether novices' use of these heuristics differs from that of experts. Two methods for tracing attention were used while 20 expert and 20 novice orienteers planned routes in the laboratory. The results were used to infer the use of heuristics. The orienteers were also interviewed about planning. We found that, when planning, experts generally attend to the control first and novices to the start first. There was also some evidence that novices work forwards from the start to the control and that experts work backwards from the control to the start. From the interviews, it would appear that experts regard the location of the control as the crux of the problem and prioritize this area during planning. These results have implications for an understanding of expertise and problem-solving in sport.     

Contested childhoods across borders and boundaries: Insights from curriculum provisions in Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in the 1920s

Conceptualisations and constructs of children and childhood are temporally and contextually grounded. Historical documents are rich sources of insight and understanding regarding how children were understood, valued and treated at various times by particular societies. This article explores the conceptualisation of children and childhood in the 26-county Irish Free State (South) and the 6-county Northern Ireland (North) in the 1920s following the partition of Ireland, through the lens of educational documentation, primarily national primary school curricula. The focus on both jurisdictions is interesting in the context of partition, exploring the sometimes divergent and often convergent ways in which children were conceptualised across borders and boundaries. This article reveals, using Sorin and Galloway’s framework as a conceptual and analytical tool, that conceptualisations of children were broadly similar in the North and South but differed in their focus and enactment in both fledgling states. These disparities are largely attributable to the very different political, social and religious orientations of both jurisdictions and the use of education as a vehicle for nation-building, as well as identity and gender formation. The article also explores alternative conceptualisations of children in education policy in the North and South by presenting case study ‘outliers’ of educational provision. A century since partition, conclusions and implications are noted that resonate with contemporary elements of convergence and divergence on educational policy and the conceptualisation of children across the island of Ireland.     

In need of review: Developing Sensory Provision in Northern Ireland’s Mainstream Primary classrooms

The impact of Sensory Processing Difficulties across a range of Special Educational Needs is well researched. More recently, the impact on children’s mental health and well-being, linked with anxiety, depression and self-injurious behaviours, have redirected international research to consider the holistic benefits of sensory provision, for those with special educational provision and the wider classroom population. A SMART SURVEY was designed to collate empirical evidence regarding current sensory awareness and provision in mainstream primary schools throughout Northern Ireland, in a time efficient manner. Out of 809 schools, 164 (20.27%) fully completed the online survey. Findings indicate that Special Educational Needs Coordinator confidence in developing practice, supporting staff and children was limited and impaired by insufficient and inconsistent training opportunities. While healthcare research recommends provision by trained professionals, Occupational Therapy input was limited (n = 34; 24.8%), resulting in practice that could be detrimental rather than beneficial to children’s progress. Respondents identified a need for sensory training for teachers (n = 124; 93.94%) to ensure that the impact of Sensory Processing Difficulties on the holistic development of all children is understood. Pupil voice was undervalued (n = 5; 3.6%). Active involvement of children in the process of evaluation and intervention is recommended to enhance pupil autonomy and well-being.     

"What’s your science teacher like?": Using students to appraise teaching and teachers

The evaluations of teacher performance as carried out in most schools are brief, superficial affairs involving a few moments of classroom observation, followed by the completion of an evaluation report form which is read and signed by all interested parties, filed away and never referred to again. Such cursory processes do very little to promote the professional development of teachers, and yet the use of alternative schemes for appraising teaching or providing feedback to teachers is still not widespread in Australian schools. Students can play a role in providing feedback to teachers, yet whether this feedback is valid and welcomed is still a contested issue. Some published research shows that it can be a valid and valuable exercise. This paper reports some work-in-progress in which students in secondary science classes in Tasmania were interviewed, with some very insightful responses being provided. Broader issues associated with "Teacher Appraisal" are also discussed. Specializations: Science teacher education, teacher appraisal, classroom practice, environmental education.     

Teacher Attitudes Regarding Barriers to Meaningfully Implementing iPads in a Primary School Setting

The purpose of this study was to examine the barriers to implementing iPads in a primary school setting. The participants in this study included four subject specialist teachers and an ICT coordinator. To gather their views on the use of iPads as instructional tools in the classroom, semi-structured interviews were conducted and teachers' diaries were analyzed. The themes that emerged from the analysis of the teachers' diaries included the positive impact of iPad use in education, the potential disadvantages of iPad use in education, and technical issues. An issue that strongly emerged from the diaries was the need for more training on the features of an iPad and apps along with how to use them appropriately in lessons. It was also revealed that what was initially seen as major barriers to iPad use in lessons could be easily resolved with the presence of the correct knowledge and support.     

Visualising Famagusta: interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George of the Greeks in Famagusta,Cyprus

This paper explores a recent interdisciplinary project which brought together a visualization expert, an art historian, and an architectural historian, to study the ruins of Saint George of the Greeks Cathedral in Famagusta, eastern Cyprus, then create a virtual three-dimensional reconstruction of it. The motivation for this work, funded by Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, was to apply existing knowledge and expertise to a difficult, and very particular, heritage question on this Eastern Mediterranean Island. The creation of such a model could, it was felt, not only reiterate the academic value of thorough archival work married to state of the art technology, but also have very practical reverberations in terms of future heritage welfare and education via this ‘borderless’ domain.     

Choosing a University: A conjoint analysis of the impact of higher fees on students applying for university in 2012

Tertiary Education and Management - In the light of the forthcoming policy shift to full-cost fees for English undergraduates, this study examines the impact of fee changes on how students weigh up...