Are we safe? NLM's household products database

This column features an overview of the Division of Specialized Information Services, National Library of Medicine Household Products Database. Basic searching techniques are presented, as well as a brief overview of the data contained in this file. The Household Products Database contains information on chemical ingredients in various products used in U.S. homes.     

The Stability of IRT b Values

This study investigated possible explanations for an observed change in Rasch item parameters (b values) obtained from consecutive administrations of a professional licensure examination. Considered in this investigation were variables related to item position, item type, item content, and elapsed time between administrations of the item. An analysis of covariance methodology was used to assess the relations between these variables and change in item b values, with the elapsed time index serving to control for differences that could be attributed to average or pool changes in b values over time. A series of analysis of covariance models were fitted to the data in an attempt to identify item characteristics that were significantly related to the change in b values after the time elapsed between item administrations had been controlled. The findings indicated that the change in item b values was not related either to item position or to item type. A small, positive relationship between this change and elapsed time indicated that the pool b values were increasing over time. A test of simple effects suggested the presence of greater change for one of the content categories analyzed. These findings are interpreted, and suggestions for future research are provided.     

Sexuality education in New Zealand: a policy for social justice?

In 2015, the New Zealand Ministry of Education released a new curriculum policy document for sexuality education in all schools – Sexuality Education: A Guide for Boards of Trustees, Principals and Teachers. This policy is a rare international example of a curriculum document that explicitly values diversity, promotes inclusive school environments, and approaches sexuality education as an area of study (rather than a health promotion intervention). Since its release, the document has, however, gained little attention either of a scholarly nature or in terms of dedicated implementation in schools. One exception is a recent article in this journal by Sarah Garland-Levett, which raises some interesting and important concerns about the possibilities of such policy documents. I follow her lead here and continue the discussion about the place and potential of progressive sexuality education policy, and offer some thoughts about the content and intentions of this text.     

HazLit: a unique resource for natural hazards information

The "Online Updates" column generally focuses on bibliographic databases that may be licensed from commercial vendors or are available free of charge from a federal government agency. HazLit is featured because it is a unique and comprehensive resource of the literature of natural disasters. This column provides background information on HazLit and offers some searching basics, as well as highlights special information found at the Web site that hosts the database.     

We Want You Back: Uncovering the Effects on In-Person Instructional Operations in Fall 2020

Research in Higher Education - Postsecondary institutions’ responses to COVID-19 are a topic of immediate relevance. Emergent research suggests that partisanship was more strongly linked to...     

TIMELIT: Topics in Medical Education Database

TIMELIT is a database covering the topic of medical education. Entries in this resource cover a range of topics from professional education to both health and patient education. This column will provide an overview of the database and its content, as well as give basic information about searching TIMELIT.     

CPDB: Carcinogenic Potency Database

ABSTRACT

The Carcinogenic Potency Database reports analyses of animal cancer tests on 1,547 chemicals. These tests are used in support of cancer risk assessments for humans. Results are searchable and are made available via the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) TOXNET system. This column will provide background information on the database, as well as present search basics.     

Promoting student agentic engagement through curriculum: exploring the Negotiated Integrated Curriculum initiative

Building on the various works of theorists pertaining to curriculum negotiation, the Negotiated Integrated Curriculum (NIC) initiative detailed in this article attempts to redress the imbalance within curricular decision-making whereby student voice and learner agency is largely absent. The NIC initiative enquires into students’ concerns about life and constructs a curriculum to address these concerns as a mechanism that can be shaped to make learning more meaningful through agentic engagement. Based on a longitudinal study of two primary schools, this small scale, exploratory research details the influence of this process on learners and educators and the challenges that were faced during its implementation. The findings of this study examine two main issues: the first is how student voice, particularly around the decision-making of pedagogical activities, can be practically implemented to enhance the perceived relevance of a curriculum; and secondly the process of negotiation between teachers and students to achieve this. Recommendations for the promotion of learner agency and further research are discussed in the context of Irish curriculum reform.