Medical library services in Switzerland: catching up with EBM

The feature is a part of the series about medical library services in various countries. It gives an overview of medical library services to support research, education and clinical practice in Switzerland. Data were collected by means of an online survey and set in the wider context of the Swiss healthcare system. Key findings are that library services, including support by academic librarians, are provided to health care staff in hospitals – both university and others, while there is no information service infrastructure to serve the large number of GPs and specialists who mostly run their own practice. The authors recommend that – if the health authorities take EBM seriously – information services should be introduced for these small practices. J.M.     

From the Editor Emerita

Since 1997, Zahava D. Doering has contributed to Curator: The Museum Journal. This is her last issue as Curator editor. The article highlights the key issues for which the journal has provided a platform to its global readership during her editorship. Issues include psychological and physical access, social roles and responsibility, health, museums without walls, crowdsourcing, environmental sustainability, and human rights and diversity. It also extends gratitude to the editorial staff (named), editorial board members, peer reviewers, and authors she has had the honor to have as colleagues in supporting new dialogues for museums and other cultural venues.     

Preparing a CPT Submission Package

The candidate chooses projects for his or her ability to establish credentials as a performance technologist. The clearer the links between actions and improved performance for the client, the stronger the case each example makes. Candidates will need to show this linkage between contribution and outcome for each project used in preparing the submission package.     

Family Income Dynamics,Early Childhood Education and Care,and Early Child Behavior Problems in Norway

The sociopolitical context of Norway includes low poverty rates and universal access to subsidized and regulated Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). In this context, the association between family income dynamics and changes in early child behavior problems was investigated, as well as whether high‐quality ECEC buffers children from the effects of income dynamics. In a population‐based sample (N = 75,296), within‐family changes in income‐to‐needs predicted changes in externalizing and internalizing problems (from ages 18 to 36 months), particularly for lower income children. For internalizing problems, ECEC buffered the effect of income‐to‐needs changes. These findings lend further support to the potential benefits of ECEC for children from lower income families.     

Video game learning dynamics: Actionable measures of multidimensional learning trajectories

Valid, accessible, reusable methods for instructional video game design and embedded assessment can provide actionable information enhancing individual and collective achievement. Cyberlearning through game‐based, metaphor‐enhanced learning objects (CyGaMEs) design and embedded assessment quantify player behavior to study knowledge discovery and application. CyGaMEs is grounded by analogical reasoning theory, cognitive task analysis and knowledge representation. A construct representation argument for validity using evidence‐centered design warrants CyGaMEs, its web‐based learning environment, Selene: A Lunar Construction GaME, its embedded assessment, and a learning dynamics approach to student, measurement and statistical models. Two studies (US volunteers, Study 1: n = 267, mean (M)_age = 15; Study 2: n = 90, M_age = 12) cross‐validate learning dynamics (learner progress, rate of progress and changes in that rate) for Selene's multidimensional goals while players learn and apply standard‐based science about fundamental geology and space science concepts. Gameplay data analyzed using regression, calculus and hierarchical linear modeling exhibit overall relatively high standardized rates of progress toward each goal statistically higher than zero. For example, adjusting for nesting within individual players, average rate of progress toward the goal of accreting lunar mass is a z‐score of 1.4 (99% confidence interval = 1.40_lower, 1.48_upper) or 1.4 standard deviations above zero.     

The Efficacy of Using Diagrams When Solving Probability Word Problems in College

Previous experiments have shown a deleterious effect of visual representations on college students’ ability to solve total- and joint-probability word problems. The present experiments used conditional-probability problems, known to be more difficult than total- and joint-probability problems. The diagram group was instructed in how to use tree diagrams to solve conditional probability problems; the equation-only group was instructed only in the formulation of equations. Results indicated that the diagram group outperformed the equation-only group on a posttest of 10 near- and far-transfer problems given immediately and as long as 1 week later (Experiment 2). In addition, when rating their experience with the training phase the equation-only group reported significantly higher levels of frustration and lower levels of perceived success than the diagram group.