Market Values,Civic Culture and Schools

Against the dominance of market considerations in the determination of educational values, and the influence of the radical Right on our social institutions more generally, this article argues that schools should help to ‘liberate the voice’ of parents and the community. Following the insights of Henry Morris, it is argued that schools should promote involvement, dialogue and ‘the healing force of the individual and collective imagination’ in responding to contemporary value diversity and uncertainty.     

The differentiated child behavior observational system

The Differentiated Child Behavior Observational System (DCB, Ross, 1971) which provides for systematic recording of children's interactions in ongoing classroom activities, was applied in 48 classrooms with children aged five to eight. Three groups were studied: the first, representing a nontraditional, open-classroom approach was drawn from the Bank Street School for Children (middle-income); the second, with a similar approach, from Bank Street Follow Through classes in public schools (low-income); and the third, from traditional classes in public schools (low-income).The groups showed striking differences in amount of children's interactions, with significantly greater amounts in the two nontraditional groups. Analysis of the content of the interactions revealed further important differences. The Bank Street School and Bank Street Follow Through groups totalled significantly more higher-order cognitive statements and questions, and more autonomous behavior. Results indicated that although in SES background, Follow Through classes were more like the traditional classes, the interactions of the Follow Through children were more like those of the (nontraditional) Bank Street School.1 This presentation is limited to the most salient points of definition. A comprehensive listing of examples for each subcategory component is presented in the Observer's Manual.2 The incidence of such behaviors is reflected by the following mean total frequencies for the three groups: Bank Street School = 1.9, Follow Through = 10, and Comparison = 10.More recent work with the DCB can be found in Sylvia Ross, Herbert Zimilies and David Gerstein, Children's Interaction in Traditional and Nontraditional Classrooms. New York: Bank Street College of education, 1975.Notes     

Librarians and Mandatory Academic Advising at a Mid-sized Public University: A Case Study

This article provides a case study of librarians being assigned the responsibility of providing academic advising to undeclared students at a mid-sized public university. The experience of academic advising as librarians is explored as well as challenges, benefits, best practices and next steps. The implications and impact of advising on library work is discussed. For the most part, the librarians found that academic advising dovetailed well with the culture of librarianship.     

Emeriti faculty as mentors: the benefits and rewards of mentoring the next generation

ABSTRACT

This holistic single-case study reports on the benefits mentors derived from participating in the Increasing Minority Presence within Academia through Continuous Training (IMPACT) mentoring program. The IMPACT program was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Office for Broadening Participation in Engineering 15–7680 (awards #1542728 and #1542524). In this program, emeriti faculty were matched with underrepresented minority faculty in the engineering professoriate for career-focused mentorship. The conceptual framework of the Benefits of Being a Mentor grounded this study. Findings indicate mentors appreciate the opportunity to give back and remain engaged in the field, to relive past academic career experiences, and to support the next generation of engineering professors while adjusting to retirement. These findings aligned with the conceptual framework on three factors: rewarding experience, improved job performance, and generativity. Implications for administrators and faculty, as well as additional research areas, are discussed.     

Theme-Based Information Literacy Instruction

Theme-based library and information literacy instruction offers an innovative, challenging, and timely approach to teaching credit library courses. This mode of instruction creates a learning environment that enhances student engagement and expands the teaching repertoire of library instruction faculty. Two practical examples of this methodology are discussed.     

Success Factors of Cable Network Brand Extension: Focusing on the Parent Network,Composition, Fit,Consumer Characteristics,and Viewing Habits

This study suggested a total of 7 hypotheses regarding variables affecting viewers' attitudes toward cable network brand extension. The regression analysis showed that 5 of the 7 hypotheses were accepted. Specifically, parent brand attitude, brand portfolio quality variance, the number perception of sub-brands, perceived fit, and innovativeness were found to significantly affect brand extension attitudes while parent brand familiarity and channel repertoire were shown not to be significant. Also, gender and income were found to affect brand extension attitude.     

An Examination of the Host Country Factors Affecting the Export of U.S. Video Media Goods

The United States is by far the leading exporter of video media goods in the world. It is also the biggest investor in theatrical films, spending over $63 million per theatrical production and leading the world in box-office receipts. This article investigates the host country factors that have influenced the export of U.S.-based video media products, including film and television programs. It was found that economic environment, geographical proximity, technological infrastructure, and market size influenced the purchase of motion pictures and video programming from the United States. In addition, countries with better economic environments, implementation of intellectual property rights, political rights, larger market size and cultural differences, and language similarity seemed to import more heavily broadcasting content products from the United States.     

The Superintendent's Leadership in School Improvement: A Rural Perspective

ABSTRACT

This paper contains a brief review of the research literature on superintendents’ leadership for school improvement as an introduction. Following that, the patterns of five superintendents’ leadership that evolved in five school improvement sites is reported; the activities in which the superintendents engaged in five quite different organizational settings is the focus. In addition, the strategies and events used by external assisters assigned to the sites to develop and enhance leadership behaviors are shared. The paper concludes with a short discussion of the unique conditions and influences on rural superintendents and their leadership for increasing educational effectiveness.