New Anticipations of the Past

Books read with the total absorption of childhood are hugely influential and affectionately remembered. They are an important element in our emotional histories. Rereading them after many years is not the simple nostalgic exercise it might at first appear. This article considers one particular rereading and its implications in terms of the way memory works to relocate our past in the present.     

How to avoid burnout: A study of the relationship between burnout and worker,organizational and management characteristics in eleven child abuse and neglect projects

In conclusion this study affirms the hypothesis that burnout occurs when a constellation of factors--relating to worker, organizational and management--interact to create an alienating work environment. It suggests that solutions to the problem of worker burnout and performance require a systematic assessment of each of these areas to determine how and in what ways they contribute to burnout in any one particular agency. Further study and investigation that focuses on the interaction among worker, organizational and management characteristics is needed to affirm what common practices in social agencies lead to burnout and interfere with performance. Thereby, developing a relevant theory of management for social agencies that deals effectively with a high degree of uncertainty In the work task, that meets the needs and expectations of a professional manpower, and that can respond to changing and often hostile environmental conditions.     

A Preliminary Study of Grade Forecasting by Students

This experiment enabled undergraduate business students to better assess their progress in a course by quantitatively forecasting their own end‐of‐course grades. This innovation provided them with predictive feedback in addition to the outcome feedback they were already receiving. A total of 144 students forecast their grades using an instructor‐prepared spreadsheet, and then responded to a brief survey. Of these participants, 29% said the forecast grades were lower than expected, while 6% said they were higher. Subsequent to the forecast, 47% of the respondents said they were studying more than planned, while 3% said they were studying less. The relative difference between the students’ forecast grades and their prior expectations showed no direct influence on subsequent motivation or studying effort. Instead, increased studying was reported by students who had experienced increased anxiety, increased motivation, or positive impressions subsequent to the forecasting experience, as well as by students who had received low absolute grade forecasts.     

Reaching Out: Newspaper Credibility Among Young Adult Readers

The researchers examined student perceptions of campus and community newspaper credibility at the University of Florida using a Web survey (n = 1,906) of those enrolled in a general education class. A moderate correlation (r = .28) existed between college newspaper credibility and community newspaper credibility. Using hierarchical linear regression, the researchers found interest in news content to be a statistically significant predictor of credibility for both local newspapers and college newspapers. In addition, students whose parents encouraged them to read a newspaper found both newspapers more credible than did their peers, and exposure to a newspaper was found to be a strong predictor of credibility for that newspaper. Finally, the results of this case study also suggest White respondents find local newspapers more credible than other races. Implications for researchers and practitioners were discussed.     

Commonwealth Media

THE MILITARY AND THE MEDIA by Alan Hooper (Brookfield, Vt.: Gower Publishing, 1982---$38.00)

GOTCHA! THE MEDIA, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FALKLANDS CRISIS by Robert Harris (London: Faber & Faber/New York: Harper & Row, 1983---$5.95, paper)

THE THIRD AGE OF BROADCASTING edited by Brian Wenham (London: Faber & Faber/New York: Harper & Row, 1982---$5.95, paper)

CHOICE BY CABLE: THE ECONOMICS OF A NEW ERA IN TELEVISION by C.G. Veljanovski and W.D. Bishop (London: The Institute of Economic Affairs, 1983---£2.50, paper)

From the London-based Centre for the Study of Communication and Culture, Robert A. White reports to us on the following recent British studies:

MEDIA LAW IN AUSTRALIA: A MANUAL by Mark Armstrong, et al. (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1983---price not given, paper)

MAKING A TV SERIES: THE BELLAMY PROJECT by Albert Moran (Paddington, New South Wales: Currency 'ress, 1983---A$14.95, paper)

TELEVISION IN THE EIGHTIES: THE TOTAL EQUATION by Rex Moorfoot (London: BBC Publications/Elmsford, N.Y.: Pergamon Press, 1983---$19.95/9.50)

CANADA'S VIDEO REVOLUTION: PAY-TV, HOME VIDEO AND BEYOND by Peter Lyman (Toronto: Lorimer and Co., 1983---$16.95/7.95)

INFORMATION SOCIETY PROGRAM PAPERS (Gamma, Faculty of Management, McGill University, 1001 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Que. H3A 1G5---priced as noted, paper)

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF CULTURAL STUDIES (School of English, Western Australian Institute of Technology, Bentley, W.A. 6102---A$15.00 per year/twice yearly)     

School-to-school support within a competitive education system: views from the inside

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on evidence from a study carried out in England to explore how schools can support one another’s improvement within a policy context that emphasises competition. The findings offer some reasons to be optimistic, and are suggestive of the capacity and potential of the school system in England to “self-improve” through collaborative means. However, light is also thrown on a number of barriers that need to be overcome to make such an approach work. The paper argues that developing a greater understanding of the social complexities involved in school-to-school support requires research that takes account of the views of those involved. With this in mind, the paper reflects on the experiences of a group of school leaders in England, leading to lessons that are likely to be relevant to those in other national contexts where competition is seen as a driver for school improvement.