Credentialling competency based education and training: a review of the literature

This paper summarises the results of a literature review conducted in late 1993 on issues related to the credentialling of competency based education and training. The credentialling review focused on seven major issues: describing the minimum requirments for a qualification; distinguishing different qualification levels; issuing statements and qualifications gained by the recognition of prior learning; using short courses to build a qualification; recording the results of competency based assessments; responsibility for keeping the records of individual achievement; and, whether the exact competencies held should be recorded on a qualification. The recent (1993) move by the National Training Board to abandon any general criteria for the determination of qualification levels and to rely solely on the advice of the relevant Competency Standards Body when determining the level of a qualification emerges as a significant development in Australian credentialling. This abandonment of general criteria,which mirrors a development in theUK system, may yet undermine the goal of achieving a more rational qualifications system in Australia. It was clear from the review that the issues and trends in the accreditation of competency based education and training in Australia, and the problems encountered, have broad parallels in the UK experience. It was also clear that much of the story is yet to unravel, and that many issues remain unresolved.     

Daytime television talk shows: Guests,content and interactions

Strident controversy over the often‐bizarre subject matter of daytime television talk shows motivated this content analysis of 11 shows with the highest Nielsen ratings in 1994–95. A sample of 10 episodes of each of the shows was videotaped and subjected to a systematic analysis of the shows’ guests, topics of discussion and interactions. Results indicate that this genre of program indulges in overrepresentation of female, youthful and African American guests. The most prevalent major topic of discussion was parenting on nearly half the episodes. In general, these talk shows center around family issues, sexual activity and dating.     

One step forward,two steps back: immanent critique of the practice of zero tolerance in inclusive schools

In this paper, the contradiction of practising zero tolerance in inclusive schools is discussed using the critical method of Skrtic’s immanent critique. The authors contend that the policy of inclusive schools for all is contradicted and undermined by the practice of zero tolerance policies, especially suspensions, expulsions and segregation. Thus, inclusion and zero tolerance are not complementary, but rather mutually exclusive, both in terms of rhetoric and of implementation. Possible inclusive solutions to challenging behaviours, involving prevention, reinforcement, restitution and the direct teaching of appropriate behaviours, are suggested and discussed in terms of consolidating inclusive schooling with appropriate disciplinary practice.     

Medium-based design: Extending a medium to create an exploratory learning environment

This article introduces medium-based design – an approach to creating exploratory learning environments using the method of extending a medium. First, the characteristics of exploratory learning environments and medium-based design are described and grounded in related work. Particular attention is given to extending a medium – medium-based design's core method. Then, the product and process of two environments are detailed to show how medium-based design enables the creation of exploratory learning environments. Finally, a study compares medium-based design to a conventional design process to test the hypothesis that medium-based design is particularly effective in creating exploratory learning environments.     

Where Epistemology Meets Ecology: Can Environmental News Reporting Survive Postmodernism?

Several scholars have recently proposed that Richard Rorty's (1979, 1982, 1989, 1991, 1998) liberal ironist epistemology might be appropriate for journalists. In this article, I investigate the ramifications of such a move. I suggest that once Rorty's thought is placed in the context of the abandonment of logical positivism, it is seen as a rather extreme reaction in regards to both ontology and axiology. One way of making such extremity evident is by investigating the applicability of Rorty's ideas to the specific field of environmental journalism. Although Rorty claims that liberal irony will help us learn to be less cruel to each other, we should thoroughly question whether his ideas will help us know our impact on the natural world or make positive changes based on that knowledge. I conclude by suggesting that before abandoning logical positivism in favor of postmodernism, the journalistic community should seriously consider alternative epistemologies.     

Greater São Paulo newer library automation

As a follow up to a 1981 on-site sabbatical study, automated projects or activities in academic, public and special libraries or information centers in the Greater Sao Paulo area that developed from 1981 to the end of 1987 are described. Among the 27 Greater Sao Paulo libraries and/or information centers that were surveyed, the Division of Information and Systems of the Institute of Technological Research of Sao Paulo State, the Division of Library, Documentation and Information of São Bernardo do Campo, the Regional Library of Medicine, and the System of Libraries of the University of São Paulo were among those answering the survey questionnaire which indicated having made further advancements in the aspects of functions, processes and/or routines in areas of librarianship. The Library of the Company of Data Processing of the State of Sao Paulo and the Sao Paulo School of Business Administration of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation reported automation in several of their library functions. The Library of the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research, a library almost fully automated by the end of the 1970s, reported even newer automated efforts.     

Future-Proofing the Library: Strategies for Acquisitions,Cataloging, and Collection Development

The future is not perfectly predictable. However, as serialists it is our job to predict the future in some very real ways, and current trends give us valuable tools for at least figuring out a range of possible future scenarios. Certain trends in particular point to highly likely developments in the near future, and wise libraries will position themselves to deal with those developments. They include a continued drift on the part of researchers away from printed resources, from the library catalog, and from non-unique collections, with a concomittant rise in the importance of unique collections and locally-produced scholarships. Libraries can future-proof themselves by, in part, turning decisively away from resources and services that patrons are abandoning and towards those resources and services that are likely to grow in importance.     

Television realism measures: The influence of program salience on global judgments

Five versions (four experimental and one control) of a questionnaire were randomly distributed to 190 participants as part of an experiment investigating whether judgments of global television realism are influence by the salience of program genre. Questionnaires contained items asking respondents how often they watch either 1) news programs, 2) reality‐based crime programs, 3) crime drama programs, or 4) day and evening soap operas, followed by perceived realism and demographic items.

Global measures of television realism were influenced by the viewing questions that preceded them, such that questions about more realistic programming prompted judgments that television programming in general is more realistic. Except for one condition, questions measuring the perceived realism of a specific genre, rather than television in general, were not influenced by the salience manipulation. These results call into question the utility of global television realism items.     

Short‐term effects of an anti‐marijuana media campaign targeting high sensation seeking adolescents

Sensation seeking, a biologically‐based personality variable, is strongly related to both drug use and preferences for highly novel, arousing, and/or unconventional messages and TV programs. This connection is the basis of a targeting strategy in an anti‐marijuana public service announcement campaign in a medium‐sized market aimed at high sensation seeking adolescents. Data from the first half of the media campaign suggest that the anti‐marijuana PSAs are reaching the target audience's marijuana‐related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors in the experimental city when compared to the control city. Implications for future campaigns are discussed.