Getting Grandma Online: Are Tablets the Answer for Increasing Digital Inclusion for Older Adults in the U.S.?

Using information and communication technologies (ICTs) can improve older adults’ quality of life. ICT use is associated with decreased feelings of loneliness and depression, along with increased feelings of independence and personal growth. However, limited access and low technological self-efficacy are key reasons why some groups, especially older adults, are excluded from being fully engaged in the digital world. In this study, we focus on older adults’ technological self-efficacy, which is related to their actual use of technology and the second level digital divide. Specifically, we examine: (a) how older adults decide to use a new technology, tablet computers; (b) how they conquer the barrier of technological self-efficacy through using tablets; and (c) the impacts of using this new technology in their lives. Twenty-one in-depth interviews were conducted with older adults residing in independent living communities in a medium-sized city in the Deep South region of the United States. Observational and enactive learning played important roles for older adults in using tablets. Seeing others use tablets, getting recommendations from family members, or having tablets given to them were the primary reasons they started to use tablet computers. The ease of use feature of tablets helped solve the problem of lacking technological self-efficacy. Using tablets helped increase a sense of connectedness. Tablet computers may be one way to increase digital inclusion among older adults.     

Faculty as Mentors in Undergraduate Research,Scholarship, and Creative Work: Motivating and Inhibiting Factors

In this study, we sought to contribute to research about the high-impact practice of undergraduate research from the understudied faculty perspective. We relied on focus group data from faculty members (N = 41) across five institutions to better understand the supporting and inhibiting factors that contribute to faculty members’ engagement in mentoring undergraduate research. We offer implications for research and practice.     

Identifying Essential Topics in General and Special Education Introductory Assessment Textbooks

We reviewed the five top-selling introductory assessment textbooks in both general and special education to identify topics contained in textbooks and to determine the extent of agreement among authors regarding the essentialness of topics within and across discipline. Content analysis across the 10 assessment textbooks yielded 73 topics related to 13 categories: Decisions, Law, Technical Adequacy, Plan Assessment, Create Assessment, Score Assessment, Assessment Target, Assessment Type, Assessment Method, Interpret Assessment, Communicate Assessment Results, Assessment Population, and Computer-Assisted Assessment. Many of the topics identified were consistent with traditional assessment expectations of general and special education environments, while other, arguably important, topics were not identified as essential. The idea of core assessment topics for all teachers is introduced.     

Low Cost but Effective: Staff Development Activities in Community College Student Affairs

This study examines staff development practices in community college student affairs. Nineteen interviews were conducted with supervisors in a variety of departments at community colleges. We found that supervisors frequently used multiple practices such as conducting staff meetings, attending institutional training, or viewing topical webinars were frequently used by supervisors to provide professional development opportunities. We also highlight distinct approaches including the concept of active listening and after-hours activities. Finally, we explore implications for staff development in community colleges and identify potential future practices and improvements.     

Developing national scholarly information infrastructure ‐ some Australian experiences

This paper explores some aspects of the collaborative achievement by Australian university libraries, documents the benefits accrued collectively to the clients of Australian academic libraries and overviews the contributions of some key bodies to the development of Australia's scholarly communication and information infrastructure.     

坏孩子

判逆的青春期,我们的身边总是会出现这样或那样的坏孩子,我们真的了解他们吗?……     

Compulsory Higher Education Teacher Training: Joined‐up policies,institutional architectures and enhancement cultures

A number of countries, including Sweden and the UK, are considering the introduction of compulsory teacher training for higher education (HE) lecturers. This paper assesses whether such a policy is likely to achieve its aims, and the issues that may arise as the policy is implemented. The paper draws on experience with this policy in Norway, empirical research from relevant studies, and on social practice theory to illuminate the processes involved and identify prospects and pitfalls. The paper concludes that while compulsory higher education teacher training may achieve some of its goals, as a standalone policy it is unlikely to achieve them all. Higher education institutions and their staff are involved in multiple games, with competing goals and different rules. Meanwhile higher education policy‐making often lacks coherence, with contradictory outcomes in different areas of policy. If policy‐makers at all levels are serious about the enhancements to teaching and learning that compulsory training is designed to achieve the policy must be prioritized, properly resourced, and measures taken to develop a hospitable environment for it both structurally and culturally. The paper concludes with some specific proposals to aid educational developers in implementing such policies.

Bon nombre de pays, desquels la Suède et le Royaume‐Uni, songent à introduire une formation obligatoire pour les enseignant‐es de l’ordre supérieur. Cet article évalue dans quelle mesure une telle politique est susceptible d’atteindre ses objectifs, de même que les questions soulevées lors de la mise en oeuvre d’une telle politique. Cet article s’inspire de l’expérience norvégienne de la formulation et de la mise en oeuvre d’une telle politique; de résultats empiriques provenant d’études sur le sujet; de même que de la théorie de la pratique sociale (social practice theory) pour faire la lumière sur les processus impliqués et identifier les perspectives d’avenir et les embûches. L’article conclut que, bien que la formation obligatoire des enseignant‐es de l’ordre supérieur puisse atteindre certains de ces buts, celle‐ci est peu susceptible de les atteindre tous en tant que politique autonome et isolée. Les institutions d’enseignement supérieur et leur personnel sont impliqués dans divers jeux, reposant chacun sur des objectifs et des règles tous différents les uns des autres. Pendant ce temps, la formulation des politiques d’enseignement supérieur manque souvent de cohérence, produisant des résultats contradictoires dans différents domaines de politiques. Si les décideurs politiques de tous les niveaux sont sérieux relativement à l’amélioration de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage visé par la formation obligatoire des enseignant‐es, une telle politique doit devenir une priorité, elle doit bénéficier de ressources appropriées, et des mesures doivent être prises en vue de développer un environnement qui lui soit accueillant, tant aux plans structurel que culturel. L’article se termine sur quelques recommandations spécifiques visant à aider les conseillers pédagogiques lors de la mise en oeuvre de telles politiques.