Approaches to digital methods in studies of digital religion

This article reviews digital methodologies in the context of digital religion. We offer a tripod model for approaching digital methods: (a) defining research within digital environments, (b) the utilization of digital tools, and (c) applying unique digital frames. Through a critical review of multiple research projects, we explore three dominant research methods employed within the study of digital religion, namely, the use of textual analysis, interviews, and ethnography. Thus, we highlight the opportunities and challenges of using digital methods.     

Harnessing Yik Yak for Good: A Study of Students’ Anonymous Library Feedback

This study explores academic libraries’ potential uses of the mobile application Yik Yak, with particular focus on patrons’ anonymous feedback about library services and spaces. Over a 232-day period, the authors observed the Yik Yak feed for their university and recorded all yaks related to the library. A content analysis of the 249 library-related yaks found six distinct purposes that these library-related yaks served, from the perspective of the patron, which are of interest to the library: asking questions about library services; reporting problems with library spaces; reprimanding violations of and encouraging adherence to library policies; sharing compliments about library services; demons-trating need for improved library services; and discussing and offering feedback about library programs. This study reveals several opportunities for academic libraries to engage with Yik Yak in order to serve their patrons better, including providing virtual reference services, monitoring problems within the building, developing proactive approaches to policy enforce-ment, gathering honest and continuous feedback about the library's strengths, and identifying opportunities to improve and expand services. Implications for practice are discussed.     

Print Media Standardisation and Professionalism

The independence of the media under Ghana’s Fourth Republic is assessed from the perspective of standards and professionalism. Using a qualitative method, the study shows that unethical practices are evident in the print media landscape in Ghana, and argues that this can be traced to four major spheres: educational qualification, existence of several professional associations, a weak regulatory body and “money matters”. Overall, the study argues that legalities form a minimal part of the independence of the Ghanaian media but concerns about freedom seem to be self-inflicted by the very media practitioners through their actions and sometimes questionable reportage.     

International trends in health science librarianship: part 1 - the English speaking world

This is the second in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country - viz. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Future issues will track trends in Northern Europe, the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America. JM.     

The Role of Intuitive Rules in Science and Mathematics Education

During the last two decades many researchers in mathematics and science education have studied students’ conceptions and ways of reasoning in mathematics and science. Most of this research is content‐specific. It was found that students hold alternative ideas that are not always compatible with those accepted in science. It was suggested that in the process of learning science or mathematics, students should restructure their specific conceptions to make them conform to currently accepted scientific ideas. In our work in mathematics and science education it became apparent that some of the alternative conceptions in science and mathematics are based on the same intuitive rules. We have so far identified two such rules: “More of A, more of B”, and “Subdivision processes can always be repeated”. The first rule is reflected in subjects’ responses to many tasks, including all classical Piagetian conservation tasks (conservation of number, area, weight, volume, matter, etc.) in all tasks related to intensive quantities (density, temperature, concentration, etc.) and in all tasks related to infinite quantities. The second rule is observed in students’, preservice and inservice teachers’ responses to tasks related to successive division of material and geometrical objects and in seriation tasks. In this paper, we describe and discuss these rules and their relevance to science and mathematics education.     

The power of the ‘object’ to influence teacher induction outcomes

In this paper we explore newly qualified New Zealand secondary teachers’ varied accounts of induction. We claim that multiple interpretations of objectives for induction programs are a significant source of this variation. With reference to an activity system framework, we identify four primary objects of induction that were represented in the induction accounts as follows: ‘orientation to learning about the context’, ‘fitting into the school’, ‘completing registration requirements’, and ‘becoming a professional inquirer’. Whilst teachers would be expected to experience all of these objects within their induction experiences, the balance and emphases of these objects within programs varied considerably.     

Action research and reflective practice: towards a holistic view

Two concepts that have captured the imagination of the educational community in the last 60 years have been those of ‘reflective practice’ and ‘action research’. Both, in their various forms, are considered to be critical dimensions of the professional development of teachers. However, whilst both were receiving academic attention during the 1930s and 1940s (Lewin, 1934, cited in Adelman, 1993; Lewin, 1946; Dewey, 1933), it was not until Stenhouse's (1975) notion of the teacher-as-researcher that the two came most compellingly into relationship and educational action research as a process, which held at its centre different kinds of reflection, began to be reformulated in Britain (Carr, 1993). This article considers the important part played in teachers' development by different kinds of action research. Its central thesis is that, although action research has a critical role to play not least as a means of building the capacity of teachers as researchers of their own practice, there has been insufficient attention given to both the nature of reflection in the action research process, and its relationship to the purposes, processes and outcomes. The article challenges the rational, cognitive models of reflection that are implicit in much of the action research literature. It suggests that more attention needs to be given to the importance of the role of emotion in understanding and developing the capacities for reflection which facilitates personal, professional and ultimately system change     

‘He's just enthusiastic. Is that such a bad thing?’ Experiences of parents of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Parenting a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a challenging experience. The hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention of a child with ADHD often put parenting skills to the test. The present study thus aimed to explore the experiences of parents of children with ADHD in Ireland. Eighteen parents of 7–12-year-old boys with a diagnosis of ADHD took part in open-ended interviews. Thematic analysis was carried out on the interview content. Six major themes were identified: (1) getting your head around ADHD; (2) the child takes over; (3) emotional impact; (4) inconsistency of structural supports; (5) ignorance and discrimination; and (6) it's not all bad. Results are discussed in terms of the need to implement family-centred supports for ADHD. The importance of educating the population at large about ADHD is also discussed. Finally, the need to take a more positive, strengths-based approach to ADHD is highlighted.     

Age and Socialization Effects on the Development of Social Comparison Motives and Normative Ability Assessment in Kibbutz and Urban Children

We hypothesized that tendencies to explain interest in peers' work in terms of mastery-promotion or of relative ability assessment is related both to the development of the normative conception of ability and to educational emphases on cooperative or competitive learning goals. Study 1 tapped acquisition of the normative conception, normative self-assessment, and reasons for looking at others' work among 208 kibbutz and urban Israeli subjects at ages 4–8. Results confirmed that acquisition of normative understandings was associated with a shift from mastery to ability explanations in urban, but not kibbutz, children. Study 2 revealed similar differences in the frequency of mastery versus ability assessment reasons among 48 kibbutz and urban third-grade children asked to explain the videotaped glances of an unfamiliar child. Thus, cooperative learning settings seem to maintain interest in using peers to promote mastery, even after acquisition of the normative conception.