The importance of privacy revisited

James Rachels’ seminal paper “Why Privacy Is Important” (1975) remains one of the most influential statements on the topic. It offers a general theory that explains why privacy is important in relation to mundane personal information and situations. According to the theory, privacy is important because it allows us to selectively disclose personal information and to engage in behaviors appropriate to and necessary for creating and maintaining diverse personal relationships. Without this control, it is implied, the diversity of relationships would diminish; relationships would “flatten out”, we might say. The aspect of the paper that addresses information flows (what I refer to as his information privacy theory) has been of particular interest to computer information privacy theorists. Despite its continued importance to computer privacy theorists, however, the information privacy theory appears to be contradicted by recent developments in computing. In particular, since the publication of Rachels’ paper we have seen an extensive amount of personal information collected. Further, recent developments in computing falling under the heading of social computing have brought about a new wave of personal information creation and collection. This paper will reassess and resituate Rachels’ information privacy theory in light of these developments. I will argue that the increasing collection of personal data will not flatten relationships as the information privacy theory predicts because such data lack contextual factors important to Rachels’ general theory. The paper will conclude by pointing to some areas where Rachels’ general theory and where his information privacy theory will continue to be relevant.     

Editorial

Science &; Education -     

Muskuläre Regulation bei ermüdungsinduzierter Vorbelastung im Krafttraining

International sport strives for increasing the level of performance in sports. Risks of manipulating the performance are not unusual. At the same time, improvements in science, engineering and data processing offer further opportunities for planning effective, low-risk and year-round training programmes for specific sports. This paper presents new approaches based on the example of techniques for strength training. Selected experimental results highlight the limitations and provide conclusions for the scientific foundation and individualization of high performance training. The approach of “muscle pre-fatigue” is verified in a training study with high jumpers. The statements show how important scientifically controlled analysis is for individual training programmes and what high significance they have for optimizing the training process. These will be essential requirements for a legal improvement of high performance in international sport.     

BOOK REVIEWS

ESSAYS IN TEACHING. Edited by Harold Taylor. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1950. 239 pp.
Two Essays On A Prize-Winning Book EDUCATION AND MORALS. By John L. Chills. New York: Appleton-Century - Crofts, 1950. 293 pp. $2.75.
PHILOSOPHICAL NARCISSISM
PATTERNS OF EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY: A DEMOCRATIC INTERPRETATION. By Theodore Brameld. Y onkers-on-Hudson, New York: World Book Company, 1950. 824 pp.     

Organisational aspects of Nigeria's research system

The problem of how to integrate an indigenous research capacity with the wider developmental efforts of a developing country is becoming a topic of increasing importance, although little empirical work has been done. This paper examines the organisation and structure of Nigeria's publicly financed research institutes with a view to achieving a greater understanding of how they behave and how they relate to other parts of the socio-economic environment. The institutes cover a wide range of economic relevance but are broadly similar in their internal structures and external relations. There are severe shortages of qualified research scientists who number only around 5% of the total manpower employed and whose skill levels appear to be on the low side. Part of the difficulty lies in problems of recruitment which in turn are caused by a poor career structure and competition from other parts of the social system, notably the universities and the private sector. Integration with other social sectors is weak and certain aspects of internal structures are not such as to encourage greater integration Although there are general infrastructural difficulties and while the Government is making an attempt to improve matters, there is a tendency for research institutes to follow formal institutional and bureaucratic relations with higher authorities, which helps to perpetuate scientific autonomy but does little to improve productive performance in the relevant economic sectors.     

An Evaluation of the Linearity of Curriculum‐Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM‐R) Progress Monitoring Data: Idiographic Considerations

Educators use curriculum‐based measurement of oral reading (CBM‐R) to measure student response to instruction. Current decision‐making frameworks assume students demonstrate linear growth across a school year. However, growth appears nonlinear for at least a subgroup of students. We assessed the degree to which grade two (n = 800) and grade three (n = 800) students receiving intensive interventions experienced discontinuous growth. We also explored when discontinuous growth tended to occur, and whether students improved or regressed afterward. Results indicate linear patterns were adequate for most students (80 percent). Students who showed discontinuous growth early tended to improve afterward. Conversely, students who showed discontinuous growth later tended to plateau. Findings suggest multilevel models may obscure variability in growth patterns. Practice and research implications are discussed.