Sickness presenteeism of German teachers: prevalence and influencing factors

The aim of the present study was to investigate teachers’ sickness presenteeism (SP). We examined the prevalence of SP in a sample of teachers as well as work-related and health-related influencing factors of teachers’ SP. We used a cross-sectional study design. Teachers working at different types of schools in Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) participated in an online survey. We used Pearson’s Chi-squared test (in case of categorical variables) or Mann–Whitney-U-test (in case of continuous variables) to test for differences between SP and sociodemographic/work-related/health-related factors. Factors influencing SP were identified using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Nine hundred and twenty-four teachers working at 42 different schools completed the questionnaire (response proportion: 50.1%). The prevalence of SP in our study was 57.1%. The multivariable logistic regression analyses showed less support by supervisors (aOR: 1.77; 95-CI: 1.21–2.60), inappropriate administration efforts (aOR: 1.56; 95-CI: 1.16–2.11), and inappropriate recognition of performance (aOR: 1.44; 95-CI: 1.04–198) as well as exhaustion/fatigue (aOR: 2.29; 95-CI: 1.71–3.08) as main predictors of teachers’ SP. SP is widespread among teachers. As SP is associated with impairment of psychological and physical health in the long run, it is important to implement measures to reduce SP. A climate of support and cooperation as well as assistance for ill teachers to deal with work missed due to absence might be useful strategies.     

Curriculating Powerful Knowledge for Public Managers and Administrators

Abstract

Public Management and Public Administration are important professions for an emerging democracy such as South Africa. They operate as the interface between state and public and are responsible for enacting many of the government's policies and social initiatives. Concerns about a lack of capacity in the sector suggest that those in these roles may be unable to meet the demands of the workplace. This article reports on a study that responded to calls for the curriculum to address such concerns by interrogating the knowledge structures of Public Management and Public Administration programmes in higher education. Interviews, textbooks and course guides were analysed to illuminate the forms of knowledge being legitimated in curricula. The study found that the focus on knowledge, skills and processes might be at the expense of a focus on the development of particular attributes or dispositions in the knowers. Furthermore, the knowledge level focus was limited in that it was highly contextualised and “light” on theory, raising questions about the acquisition of powerful knowledge needed for good governance and critical engagement in the public sector. The study recommends that both programmes include more conceptual knowledge; exposure to critical powerful forms of knowledge; and the development of particular attributes and dispositions.     

民族语言授课远程高等教育发展的比较分析

总结了国内少数民族语言授课远程高等教育的发展过程,并比较分析了同一时期维吾尔语授课和蒙古语授课远程高等教育发展状况,由此提出了创办和发展蒙古语授课现代远程高等教育的启示。     

Motivation theory in the school context: differences in preservice and practicing teachers’ experience,opinion, and knowledge

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Preservice teachers should learn about motivation theory during their university studies in order to be able to motivate their students in their future...     

我国教学资源库管理变迁、特征分析与发展策略

为适应新发展时期下对教学资源库的期望和要求,厘清了教学资源库自2010年以来的发展脉络,将历程划分为三个阶段,并从政策和管理层面梳理了变迁过程。针对203个已立项的国家级教学资源库从建设主体、用户群体和专业分布等方面进行了数据特征分析和问题研究,并从建设高质量教学资源库、构建宽类型课程体系和满足广谱式用户需求三个方面对教学资源库建设和应用进行了策略展望。     

A Bandwidth expanding scheme for communication channels with noiseless feedback in the presence of unknown jamming noise

This paper treats the problem of transmitting a Gaussian discrete-time Markov process over a time-discrete additive white Gaussian channel with noiseless feedback which is subjected to statistically unknown jamming noise (satisfying a given power constraint). The channel is used more than once during the interval between the production of successive source letters, and the jamming noise is either allowed to be correlated with the encoder output, or forced to be totally independent of it. The complete solution obtained in the paper under a minimax criterion indicates that the optimum encoder-decoder structures are linear,and the least favorable jamming noise is a Gaussian process.     

Knowledge is more than information

Knowledge Management Research & Practice -     

Serum Ischemia-Modified Albumin in Preterm Babies with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) may suffer from severe hypoxia, asphyxia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) level as a diagnostic marker for hypoxia in preterm infants with RDS. Thirty-seven premature newborns with RDS were allocated as the study group and 42 healthy preterm neonates were selected as the control group. IMA was measured as absorbance unit (ABSU) in human serum with colorimetric assay method which is based on reduction in albumin cobalt binding. IMA levels were significantly higher in neonates with RDS as compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Cut-off value of IMA (ABSU) was 0.72, the sensitivity level was 91.9 %, the specificity was 78.6 %, positive predictive value was 79.1 % and negative predictive value was 91.7 % at RDS. Area under curve values was 0.93 (P < 0.001; 95 % CI, 0.88–0.98) in the receiver operating characteristic curve. We concluded that elevated blood IMA levels might be accepted as a useful marker for hypoxia in newborn with RDS.     

试论周西成与贵州近代教育的发展

ZHOU Shanjü;YANG Ying(Department of Admissions and Under-Graduate Guidance,Zunyi Normal University,Zunyi,Guizhou,563000,China;No.3 Middle School of Zhijin County,Zunyi,Guizhou,552100, China)