The practical paradox of technology: The influence of communication technology use on employee burnout and engagement

Technological advancements in the workplace frequently have produced contradictory effects by facilitating accessibility and efficiency while increasing interruptions and unpredictability. We combine insights from organizational paradoxes and the job demands–resources model to construct a framework identifying positive and negative mechanisms in the relationship between communication technology use (CTU) and employee well-being, operationalized as work engagement and burnout. In this study of Dutch workers, we demonstrate that CTU increases well-being through positive pathways (accessibility and efficiency) and decreases well-being through negative pathways (interruptions and unpredictability). We highlight the importance of (1) investigating CTU resources and demands simultaneously to grasp the relationship between CTU and employee well-being, and (2) considering CTU's downsides to successfully implement new communication technologies and flexible work designs.     

Formal Relations and an Empirical Comparison among the Bi-Factor,the Testlet,and a Second-Order Multidimensional IRT Model

Testlet effects can be taken into account by incorporating specific dimensions in addition to the general dimension into the item response theory model. Three such multidimensional models are described: the bi-factor model, the testlet model, and a second-order model. It is shown how the second-order model is formally equivalent to the testlet model. In turn, both models are constrained bi-factor models. Therefore, the efficient full maximum likelihood estimation method that has been established for the bi-factor model can be modified to estimate the parameters of the two other models. An application on a testlet-based international English assessment indicated that the bi-factor model was the preferred model for this particular data set.     

An orthopedagogical method for children with a depression

ABSTRACT

An orthopedagogical method for teaching children with a depression is presented here. Relatively unknown in the English‐speaking world, orthopedagogy is a pedagogical discipline that is aimed at an entire action field. It does not target the child with handicap, but the entire problematic educational situation (PES). Orthopedagogy is the scientific study of assistance given to those concerned with a PES ‐ namely, the child, parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, and so on. To break through a PES or to get rid of it, the orthopedagogician has to listen to the orthopedagogical request for help of the child and give an appropriate answer to it. On the basis of a theoretical model of Paul Gilbert, an orthopedagogic request for helping children with a depression was formulated. Gilbert's model offers a perspective derived from evolution theory and argues for the adoption of a bio‐psychological approach. Children with a depression request a warm and loving climate, an attractive and simple education situation and close involvement on the part of the educator. To answer that request, we set orthopedagogical action on two tracks. On track 1 (dialogical action) we try to break through the PES by asking the educator to over‐accentuate the pedagogical climate, the education situation and his/her own presentation. On track 2 (technical action) we designed an approach aimed at children aged between 6 and 12 years with a depression.     

Education for older adults

The developments and changes in the concept of ‘education for older adults’ during the last two decades are reviewed in this article. The origin of the terms ‘third age’ and ‘educational gerontology’ are discussed also and the issue of non-legitimation is raised.     

Policy rhetoric and the renovation of English schooling: the case of Creative Partnerships

My critical evaluation of the government's White Paper, Learning to Succeed: a new framework for post-16 learning, which was published in the Journal of Educational Policy (2000, 15(2), 237-246) has provoked a critique by Pat Ainley, which is the main purpose of this section of the journal on Documents and Debates. He claims that my article suffers from two sins of omission: first, I am apparently unaware that the new legislation excludes higher education; and second, I have apparently failed to see that the Learning and Skills Council may become a new Leviathan rather than a new enlightenment. Both criticisms are, in my opinion, wide of the mark for the reasons given below, and this response ends with some comments on Pat Ainley's contribution.     

Using Workflow for Projects in Higher Education

The WWW is increasingly used as a medium to support education and training. A course at the University of Twente in which groups of students collaborate in the design and production of multimedia instructional materials has now been supported by a website since 1995. Workflow was integrated with other components in the website to investigate whether workflow can help instructors and students to have a better overview of group progress. Our evaluation shows that the introduction of workflow does provide added value. Another outcome of the experiment is that the transfer of a business application (workflow) into the educational domain has highlighted some differences and similarities between educational and business processes. This article explores some of these issues as highlighted by the application of workflow in education.