Macroappraisal in Theory and Practice: Origins, Characteristics, and Implementation in Canada, 1950–2000

Macroappraisal as developed in Canada has had significant currency in archival literature over the past decade, and aspects of its program and ideas have been implemented in other jurisdictions. For the first time, this essay probes the theoretical and practical origins of macroappraisal in Canada since 1950 and why its originators no longer found convincing the predominant status quo on appraisal as articulated by T.R. Schellenberg. The essay then summarizes the theory of macroappraisal as articulated at the National Archives of Canada, and the strategic and program infrastructure developed in the 1990s to turn the new theory into operational reality. As no archival concept is universally locked in time, the evolution and changes in the macroappraisal program, both in theory and strategy, are also analysed in its Canadian home base over its first decade, as well as some internal and external criticisms of it. The essay intends to illuminate the deeper context of macroappraisal, so that an international audience may better understand its strengths and weaknesses. As the author is the principal architect of macroappraisal, the essay consists of equal parts of archival history, theoretical analysis, and personal reflection.     

Bridging the distance: bibliographic instruction for remote library users

Electronic information resources are proliferating, library collections are increasingly accessible via the Internet, and the number of end users who access library resources remotely is on the rise. Changes in user behavior drives a corresponding change in the way instructional programs must be delivered to meet the needs of remote library users. This paper discusses some technologies currently available for remote instruction, assesses their use, and offers views on future trends.     

Action Learning and Research at George Washington University

Action learning has emerged as one of the most effective and powerful teaching and learning approaches used in graduate studies in human resource development at George Washington University (GWU). In this article, both faculty and student perspectives are presented to describe action learning teaching, research, and organizational interventions. First-hand experiences of doctoral students with action learning sets are presented in their own words. Students benefit from action learning experiences by building strong networks of personal and professional support. Improved group processes and greater interaction between executive level students and faculty have resulted in a strong doctoral cohort experience for Executive Leadership Program students at GWU. The initial energy to generate action learning programs in students' organizations requires active faculty involvement and follow-up to ensure that organizations accept and benefit from action learning programs. HRD (human resource development) faculty can profit from additional orientation and understanding of action learning to incorporate this methodology into their courses and problem-solving activities.     

Small Firms and the University for Industry: An appraisal

The University for Industry (UfI) is set to become the chief vehicle and change mechanism for the government's new policies for vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning. A principal target and priority for the UfI will be the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector, which has traditionally had a poor record of investment in education and training. We examine the chances of success for the UfI in this important sector of VET activity against the background of our recent national survey of firms, which specifically addressed the views of SME owner-managers, in particular, in terms of awareness of attitudes to and expectations of the new organisation. Given that the UfI is still in its pilot stage-with the official national launch not due until the year 2000-the general 54% awareness amongst the 6000 firms contacted may be described as modestly optimistic. We conclude by offering a number of general recommendations based on the emerging picture and on the basis of matching owner-manager expectations against UfI priorities and strategies.     

Interrater reliability in a california middle school english/language arts portfolio assessment program

This article examines statistical evidence for the reliability of a locally developed portfolio assessment system across three separate portfolio scoring sessions over the course of a year and finds that the English teachers at this California site were able to demonstrate “strong” levels of interrater agreement. Further, the statistical evidence reported indicates that levels of agreement improved with each scoring session without mandating a fixed task portfolio menu or resorting to piece-by-piece scoring procedures. The study argues that defensible local portfolio assessment systems can be developed which enhance, rather than diminish, teacher professionalism while still providing dependable data for external purposes.     

The WISC-R verbal comprehension,perceptual organization,and freedom from distractibility deviation quotients: Data for practitioners

Utilizing data from the WISC-R standardization sample (Wechsler, 1974), Gutkin (1978) presented formulae to calculate factorially pure verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, and freedom from distractibility deviation quotients. Data are presented concerning standard errors of measurement and the score discrepancies that are required for statistical significance between these WISC-R scores.     

Acute effects of static stretching on characteristics of the isokinetic angle - torque relationship, surface electromyography, and mechanomyography

The aims of this study were to examine the acute effects of static stretching on peak torque, work, the joint angle at peak torque, acceleration time, isokinetic range of motion, mechanomyographic amplitude, and electromyographic amplitude of the rectus femoris during maximal concentric isokinetic leg extensions at 1.04 and 5.23 rad x s(-1) in men and women. Ten women (mean +/- s: age 23.0 +/- 2.9 years, stature 1.61 +/- 0.12 m, mass 63.3 +/- 9.9 kg) and eight men (age 21.4 +/- 3.0 years, stature 1.83 +/- 0.11 m, mass 83.1 +/- 15.2 kg) performed maximal voluntary concentric isokinetic leg extensions at 1.04 and 5.23 rad x s(-1). Following the initial isokinetic tests, the dominant leg extensors were stretched using four static stretching exercises. After the stretching, the isokinetic tests were repeated. Peak torque, acceleration time, and electromyographic amplitude decreased (P< or = 0.05) from pre- to post-stretching at 1.04 and 5.23 rad . s(-1); there were no changes (P > 0.05) in work, joint angle at peak torque, isokinetic range of motion, or mechanomyographic amplitude. These findings indicate no stretching-related changes in the area under the angle - torque curve (work), but a significant decrease in peak torque, which suggests that static stretching may cause a "flattening" of the angle - torque curve that reduces peak strength but allows for greater force production at other joint angles. These findings, in conjunction with the increased limb acceleration rates (decreased acceleration time) observed in the present study, provide tentative support for the hypothesis that static stretching alters the angle - torque relationship and/or sarcomere shortening velocity.