The end of the life span: Determinants of communication apprehension

While communication researchers have expressed an interest in communication development, an area still relatively untouched by the field is the study of communication with the terminally ill. This study was designed to examine this capstone of human development and to provide a framework for future research in an area which affects so many. It was hypothesized that having knowledge of the effects of the illnesses in terms of psychological status and familiarity with the dying individual would affect the level of communication apprehension experienced by a person. A research question also investigated the relationships between fear of death and levels of situational communication apprehension. Results indicated that having knowledge of the psychological status did not significantly affect an individual's level of CA. However, familiarity with the terminally ill individual was found to increase the level of CA experienced by a healthy person. Given these findings, the general premise that uncertainty is negative is brought into question.     

Library as the Technology Hub for the Health Sciences

Abstract

Academic health sciences libraries have an important role in facilitating the use of technology in health sciences curricula. Serving as a technology hub, the library supports, advocates, and provides access to new technologies. The library introduces many faculty and students to new technology tools, techniques, and equipment for new multimedia creation. As the technology hub grows and expands, library personnel can provide expertise, which demonstrates the library's value in leading the exploration of new technology, including Do-It-Yourself multimedia tools, virtual reality, virtual anatomy, and 3D printing.     

Student interest,empowerment and motivation

Literature from the fields of educational psychology and instructional communication are reviewed to lend insight into the relationship between interest and empowerment. Theoretical similarities of these two constructs are highlighted in an attempt to argue for concept isomorphism. Results obtained from Pearson's Correlation's, factor‐analytic techniques, and relationships with other known constructs (motivation) suggest that the Learner Empowerment Scale is a valid and reliable means for the assessment of Student Interest.     

A re‐examination of relational repair and reconciliation: Impact of socio‐communicative style on strategy selection

This study examines some of the reconciliation and repair/maintenance strategies in the relational communication literature. These strategies were compared with Bell and Daly's (1984) affinity‐seeking strategies. It was concluded that Bell and Daly's strategies could identify many of the same relational strategies with less contextual confusion. It is argued that affiliation strategies represent a true multiphasic relational communication typology that applies to the range of repair/reconciliation contexts. The study then looks at the degree to which assertiveness, and responsiveness predicts the use/non‐use of affinity seeking strategies in the context of relational repair. The study indicates that self perceived assertiveness and responsive play a role in strategy selection as well. Finally, how others are perceived in terms of assertiveness and responsiveness was found to predict the types of strategies used and not used in relational repair contexts.     

Constructivism and technology use: findings from the IMPACTing Leadership project

This study used two surveys, the Activities of Instruction 2.0 (AOI 2.0) and the School Technology Needs Assessment (STNA) to assess the relationship between teachers’ level of constructivism and their level of technology use. Results indicate that constructivist practices and beliefs were significant predictors of technology use, after accounting for the contribution of other individual level demographic variables, and school‐level environmental factors. Teachers with more constructivist instructional practices were more likely to report using technology; similarly, teachers who believed more strongly that IT was a useful tool for student‐centered/constructivist teaching were more likely to use technology.

Konstruktivismus und Gebrauch von Technologie: ergebnisse des IMPACTing Leadership Projekts

Dieser Beitrag verwendete zwei Studien: Activities of Instruction 2.0 (AOI 2.0) und das School Technology Needs Assessment (STNA), um das Verhältnis zwischen dem Kenntnisstand der Lehrer bzgl. Konstruktivismus und ihrem Stand im Technologiegebrauch abschätzen zu können. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass die konstruktivistischen Praxen und Annahmen signifikante Vorhersagen über den Technologiegebrauch unter Berücksichtigung anderer individueller demographischer Werte und schulspezifischer Faktoren ermöglichen. Lehrer mit größerer konstruktivistischer Unterrichtspraxis haben eher die Nutzung von Technologie angegeben. Ähnlich haben Lehrer, die stärker davon überzeugt waren, dass IT ein nützliches Werkzeug für schülerzentrierten konstruktivistischen Unterricht sind, auch den Gebrauch von Technologie bevorzugt.

Constructivisme et usage de la technologie: les résultats du projet IMPACT sur le Leadership

Dans cette étude on a utilisé deux enquêtes, les Activités d’Enseignement 2.0 (AOI 2.0) et l’Evaluation des besoins en technologie (STNA) pour mesurer la relation entre le niveau de constructivisme des professeurs et leur niveau d’usage des technologies. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que les pratiques et les croyances constructivistes étaient des indicateurs significatifs de l’usage des technologies, une fois pris en compte l’impact d’autres variables démographiques au niveau individuel ainsi que les facteurs environnementaux au niveau des écoles. Il y avait plus de chances que les enseignants ayant des pratiques éducatives plus constructivistes signalent qu’ils utilisaient la technologie; de la même façon, les enseignants qui croyaient le plus fermement que les TICE représentaient un outil utile pour un enseignement constructiviste centré sur l’étudiant étaient le plus susceptibles d’utiliser la technologie.

El constructivismo y el uso de la tecnología: el impacto del proyecto IMPACT sobre el liderazgo

La presente investigación está basada en dos encuestas, una Las Actividades de Enseñanza 2.0 (AOI 2.0) y la otra La Evaluación de las Necesidades en tecnología (STNA) para evaluar la relación entre el nivel de de constructivismo de los profesores y su nivel de uso de la tecnología. Los resultados indican que las prácticas y creencias constructivistas eran indicadores significativos de predicción del uso de las tecnologías una vez tomada en cuenta la contribucción de otras variables demográficas a nível individual y de los factores ambientales al nivel de la escuela. La probabilidad es que los profesores con prácticas instructivas más constructivistas eran los que señalaban un uso más frecuente de la tecnología; de la misma manera la probabilidad es que los profesores que pensaban con más fuerza que las TICs eran herramientas útiles para la enseñanza constructivista centrada en el alumno serían los mayores usuarios de la tecnología.     

AN ALTERNATIVE TO AURAL REHABILITATION FOR THE OLDER HEARING‐AID USER: AN EDUCATIONAL MODEL USING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

Over 6 million older Americans are hearing impaired. Many of them are facing the decision to seek help through hearing aids. Once the decision has been made and amplification is obtained, a program of aural rehabiliation can facilitate adjustment to the hearing aid and foster more successful communication. Unfortunately, the number of professionals trained to provide rehabilitative services to hearing‐impaired persons are few relative to the number of persons who need these services. This paper describes a model for delivering aural rehabiliation services through providers trained by audiologists certified by the American Speech‐Language‐Hearing Association. After being trained, staff at senior centers, nursing homes, and state or local agencies who deal with either hearing impairment or aging could serve as program providers. The model program consists of four phases: education, desensitization, rehabilitation strategies, and responsibility training.     

Broadcasting

Robert K. Yin's The Workshop and the World: Toward an Assessment of the Children's Television Workshop (Santa Monica, Calif.: Rand Corp., 1973–$3.00, paper)

Thomas E. Patterson and Robert D. McClure's Political Advertising: Voter Reaction to Televised Political Commercials (Citizens' Research Foundation, 245 Nassau St., Princeton, N.J. 08540–$1.00, paper)

Lawrence W. Lichty and Malachi Topping (eds.) American Broadcasting: A Sourcebook in the History of Radio and Television (New York: Hastings Rouse, 1974–$19.50/11.50)

A. William Bluem, Television Quarterly from 1961 through 1968; Television in the Public Interest (1961); Documentary in American Television (1965); Television: The Creative Experience (1967); Religious Television Programs: A Study of Relevance (1969); The Movie Business: American Film Industry Practice (1972)

Herman Burstein's Questions and Answers About Tape Recording (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: TAB Books, 1974–$8 .95)