Temporal primacy overrides prior training in serial compound conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response

Conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response was conducted with a serial compound CSA-CSB-US. In the present experiments, prior training of CSB was pitted against the temporal primacy of CSA. Prior training of CSB was able to only weakly block CR acquisition to the added CSA, but CSA caused a pronounced decline in responding to the pretrained CSB. By the end of training, high levels of responding were sustained only in the final portion of the serial compound in which CSA or its traces coincided with CSB. These results provide support for real-time models as exemplified by Sutton and Barto (1981).     

LISTENing to healthcare students: the impact of new library facilities on the quality of services

Following a low assessment of 'Learning resources' provision by the Quality Assurance Agency, the librarian of Homerton College, School of Health Studies commenced the LISTEN Project, a long-term study to monitor the effects of planned interventions on the quality of library provision. Surveys of entry-to-register student nurses & midwives were conducted in 1999 and 2001 by extensive questionnaires, inviting Likert-scaled and free text responses. Following a college relocation, students made greater than expected use of a new health studies library in Cambridge, and significantly less use of the local teaching hospital library. Using both a satisfaction index and a non-parametric test of mean scores, student evaluation of library services in Cambridge significantly improved following relocation. The physical accommodation and location of library services remain important to healthcare students. Identifiable improvements to the quality of services, however, will overcome initial resistance to change. Education providers must ensure the best mix of physical and electronic services for students who spend much of their time on clinical placement.