Research capacity for local innovation: the case of conservation agriculture in Ethiopia,Malawi and Mozambique

Purpose: The limited uptake of improved agricultural practices in Africa raise questions on the functionality of current agricultural research systems. Our purpose is to explore the capacity for local innovation within the research systems of Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique.

Design/methodology/approach: Using Conservation Agriculture (CA) as a case study, we qualitatively explore with 26 locally based agricultural researchers the context of CA research and promotion, including their perceptions on persistent research gaps and issues in closing them.

Findings: Respondents identified that CA was not yet a finished product, with concerns regarding the benefit, feasibility and relevance of CA implementation. They asserted that while further adaptation was required, they were unable to do this due to institutional constraints within their research, extension and policy contexts.

Practical implications: We find that CA continues to be considered a donor-driven intervention in its current form and requires substantial further adaptation to local contexts before researchers will deem it ready for farmer uptake. The five research gaps identified by respondents highlight practical areas where further adaptations must occur.

Theoretical implications: Our findings suggest a lack of participatory research and extension most likely reflects limited financial, human and social capital to implement more participatory approaches. Without addressing these capacities, widespread adoption of complex farming systems change appears unlikely.

Originality/Value: Whilst many studies have identified a need for local innovation to enable CA utilisation, few have qualitatively explored directly with local researchers the capacity of such systems to do so. We address this gap in the literature.     

Reciprocity between infants and cargivers during the first year of life

Infants interact reciprocally with their caregivers from the moment of birth. The actions of one affect the other in a manner that resembles an intricate dance. The article proposes a sociocultural model of reciprocity that focuses on the interdependent relationship between infants and their caregivers. Relevant variables include the age, sex, developmental history, and behavioral style of the infant and the caregiver's knowledge of infants' development, level of experience and education, disciplinary style, and temperament. Further, the influence of families and cultural expectations on caregiving practices are discussed within the framework of the model. After a review of the literature, selected activities are suggested to promote infants' interaction with their social world.     

Majority/minority size and the evaluations of persuasive arguments

The present study examines the influence of relative minority size on perceptions of argument quality and attitude change. Strong and weak arguments for both cautious and risky positions were presented in conjunction with information describing the size of minority factions as either small or large. Results demonstrated that cautious argument quality influenced perceptions of argument quality only when the majority advocated a cautious position or when the minority faction was large. Results are discussed in light of their implications for normative and informational influences in group polarization.     

Effective Leadership in Academic Health Sciences Libraries: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this study was to better understand how academic health sciences library directors construct their understanding of effective leadership. After transcribing and performing thematic analysis on the interviews of eight academic health sciences library directors, five main themes emerged from the data: understanding leadership, building a vision, relationships are key, advocating and credibility, and measuring success. The findings suggest there are internal and external leadership responsibilities for library directors, both of which are important, however, the internal responsibilities are easier to delegate. Also, academic health sciences library directors need better evaluation methods for determining their effectiveness as leaders.     

Use of an Audience Response System in an Evidence-Based Mini-Curriculum

ABSTRACT

Since 2002, library faculty at the Indiana University School of Medicine have taught third-year medical students how to retrieve the best evidence from MEDLINE to address their clinical questions. In preparation for their Neurology, Medicine, and Psychiatry clerkships, students attended a review of evidence-based medicine principles and techniques for searching the literature. The session was team-taught by two faculty members, one from the Internal Medicine department and the other from the Library. The librarian reviewed important MEDLINE principles for constructing a good subject search and applying appropriate evidence-based filters. During the clerkships, students were asked to generate clinical questions arising from their patient encounters, searched MEDLINE for the best evidence, critiqued the results, and then applied them back to their patients' care. Library faculty provided individualized feedback on the student searches. A follow-up session two months later reinforced MEDLINE principles, used student searches as examples, and extended the discussion to other evidence-based, point-of-care resources. To add to the interactivity of the follow-up sessions, librarians used an audience response system to measure students' understanding of literature retrieval techniques and to gauge student preferences for information seeking on clinical topics. Overall, the sessions have been well-received by the students.     

An Empirical Keying Approach to Academic Prediction with the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey,

The present study was conducted to establish a scoring key for the Guilford Zimmerman Temperament Survey appropriate for predicting academic performance. To maximize reliability of criterion data, academic performance was operationally defined as cumulative college grade point average based on a minimum of four semesters’ course work. The scoring key developed was predictive of academic performance (cross validated r = .39, p <.01). The magnitude of the relationship between scores on this key and cumulative grade point average compares favorably with the validities reported for the widely used academic aptitude tests in predicting the same criterion. Lesser relationships were observed between scores on the ten publisher-supplied scales and college grades. Results point to the utility of non-cognitive measures in predicting academic performance, particularly when keys tailored to the specific situation are empirically derived. Suggestions for future research are advanced.