Diversity research in the United States Navy: An update

Researchers at the Navy Personnel Research and Development Center (NPRDC) have investigated issues related to gender, racial, and ethnic diversity for over two decades. Rosenfeld, M.D. Thomas, Edwards, P.J. Thomas, and E.D. Thomas (1991) provided a comprehensive review of NPRDC diversity research conducted between 1970 and 1990. This article examines NPRDC diversity research conducted during the past 5 years and identifies future research issues. The present review is divided into four major topic areas and a final section of conclusions and future directions. The first section describes the Navywide and unit-specific programs to assess equal opportunity climate and sexual harassment. The second section summarizes research pertaining to issues raised by women's changing roles and their increased participation in the Navy. In the third section, the findings of Navy discipline studies shed light on the issue of higher disciplinary rates among minority personnel. Research on Hispanics is reviewed in the fourth section. Finally, in the Discussion and Conclusions section, potential future research emphases are identified.     

Characterization of 17th Century Mughal tile glazes from Shahdara Complex,Lahore-Pakistan

The glazed tile decorative art was one of the widely used ornamental techniques for the monumental buildings during the Mughal period, in Pakistan. Coloured tile samples from Jahangir tomb were analyzed to know the glaze composition and to identify the colouring phases used at that time. The study was performed using light microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (SEM-EDS), Raman spectroscopy (RS) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). These complementary analytical techniques allowed characterizing the samples as alkali glazes made from plant ashes. The results indicated the use of lead-tin yellow type II for yellow glazes, cobalt and copper for blue glazes, mixtures of yellow and blue glazes for the green glazes, manganese for purple glazes, and a transparent glaze layer for white glazes.     

The nanotech versus the biotech revolution: Sources of productivity in incumbent firm research

Does the adaptation of incumbent firms to new methods of inventing follow similar patterns across industries and inventions? We investigate this question in the context of the revolutionary scientific advances enabling biotechnology and nanotechnology, both of which represent inventions of methods of inventing for incumbent firms. We hypothesize that an incumbent firm's ability to exploit these new methods of invention depends initially on access to tacit knowledge on how to employ the new methods. Over time, however, as firms learn and/or the knowledge becomes codified in routine procedures or commercially available equipment, inventive output is more highly dependent on traditional R&D investments. We empirically test these hypotheses on two longitudinal samples over the 21-year time period between 1980 and 2000: 80 incumbent pharmaceutical firms generating 15,607 biotechnology patents, and 249 firms across a diverse set of industries that were granted a total of 3236 nanotechnology patents. We find broad support for our conjectures.     

Taking Stock of Two Decades of Attachment Transmission Gap: Broadening the Assessment of Maternal Behavior

This report aimed to investigate the capacity of maternal behaviors tailored to children's attachment and exploration systems to jointly explain the well‐known mother–child transmission of attachment. Four home visits were conducted between ages 7 months and 2 years with 130 mother–child dyads to assess maternal attachment state of mind, sensitivity, autonomy support, and mother–child attachment security. Results showed that together, maternal sensitivity and autonomy support fully accounted for the relation between maternal and child attachment, that they each accounted for a unique portion of this relation, and that the magnitude of these mediated pathways was equivalent. These results suggest that the attachment transmission gap can be narrowed by the use of a theory‐driven multidimensional approach to maternal behavior.     

Local Observed‐Score Kernel Equating

Three local observed‐score kernel equating methods that integrate methods from the local equating and kernel equating frameworks are proposed. The new methods were compared with their earlier counterparts with respect to such measures as bias—as defined by Lord's criterion of equity—and percent relative error. The local kernel item response theory observed‐score equating method, which can be used for any of the common equating designs, had a small amount of bias, a low percent relative error, and a relatively low kernel standard error of equating, even when the accuracy of the test was reduced. The local kernel equating methods for the nonequivalent groups with anchor test generally had low bias and were quite stable against changes in the accuracy or length of the anchor test. Although all proposed methods showed small percent relative errors, the local kernel equating methods for the nonequivalent groups with anchor test design had somewhat larger standard error of equating than their kernel method counterparts.     

Why change to active learning? Pre-service and in-service science teachers’ perceptions

This article explores pre-service and in-service science teachers’ perceptions on active learning, and examines the effectiveness of active learning by pre-service science teachers in the Irish second level classroom through a two-phase study. In the first phase, data on perceptions were gathered from final year pre-service teachers and in-service teachers in Irish post-primary schools. In the second phase, pre-service science teachers, working with teacher educators, designed a comparative test for students in lower secondary science classrooms. This tested achievement differences for students taught in traditional ways and students taught using active learning approaches. While the test results show a significant difference between traditional teaching and active learning, overall analysis indicates that the majority of teachers in the study were not convinced of the value of this way of teaching. The findings have implications for science teaching and the enactment of curriculum reform measures in compulsory education.     

A Model of Academic Self-Concept for High School Hispanic Students in New York

This study examined how Hispanic students’ academic self-concept influences the independent variables of family academic expectations, peer relationships, schoolwork, and student–teacher relationships. A survey was administered to 222 ninth-grade students in Long Island, New York, 99 of whom self-identified as Hispanic. A structural equation model analyzed the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable, academic self-concept. A multiple regression analysis indicated that peer relationships, family academic expectations, and schoolwork were significant predictors of students’ academic self-concept. Peer relationships was a modifying variable on students’ academic self-concept.     

Specific and general information sharing among competing academic researchers

We examine information sharing among academics during the research process and show it is context dependent because of differences in trade-offs. When researchers respond to specific requests for information or materials, potential future reciprocity is weighed against the current loss of competitiveness, while general sharing intermediate results in an open forum is driven by the need for feedback versus potential misappropriation. We formally model these trade-offs and empirically test for differences using a survey of German and UK bio-scientists. Increased competition has a negative impact on sharing in both contexts. But career stage has an effect only on specific sharing with untenured faculty less likely to share. Further, scientists in larger teams are more likely to share specifically, but less likely to share generally. The importance of patents for one's reputation reduces sharing in both contexts, but the effect is greater for general information sharing.