Juggling competing activities: academic staff as doctoral candidates

ABSTRACT

This article explores the experiences of a group of established academic staff in New Zealand and the UK, as they undertake a doctorate in their home institutions. Our interest is in how individuals negotiate this dual status from a cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) stance that explores how rules, tools, community and divisions of labour, and interacting activity systems, shape doctoral experiences. The focus in this article, having analysed their detailed narrative accounts, is on how academics experience three interdependent activity systems: those surrounding the thesis, the institutional context, and the home-life spheres. Issues related to time, workload and supervision issues, variability in collegial support and impact on personal priorities and time emerged. There is a range of particularities – from easy access to resources/supervisors to inflexible institutional regulations – applicable to this group of doctoral candidates. Negotiating life as an academic with concurrent doctoral candidature provides positive outcomes in terms of teaching, research confidence and general personal and professional development. However, a range of difficulties can also be encountered, particularly in relation to personal and professional relationships, and workload management.     

谈高职院校计算机专业毕业论文（设计）的改革

当前,我国高校毕业论文（设计）存在抄袭、拼凑成风的不良现象,结合高职院校计算机专业毕业论文指导工作的现实情况,有针对性地提出了基于工作过程的改革方法,在实践中让学生自主选题,形式上不拘一格,并且规范写作与指导流程,使得毕业论文（设计）真正地为学生服务。     

Expanding opportunities to learn to support inclusive education through drama‐enhanced literacy practices

This study examines how the Early Years Educators at Play (EYEPlay) professional development (PD) programme supported inclusive learning settings for all children, including English language learners and students with disabilities. The EYEPlay PD model is a year‐long programme that integrates drama strategies into literacy practices within real‐classroom contexts. Inclusive education refers to ensuring equal opportunities to access and participation in learning activities for all students. Cultural‐historical activity theory was used to understand and unpack the drama practices. Twelve semi‐structured focus group interviews were conducted with 19 preschool teachers. The data were analysed via constant‐comparative and interpretive methods. The study findings showed that EYEPlay PD practices enhanced inclusive learning settings for diverse groups of students by increasing access and expanding opportunities to learn, and supporting a positive learning environment.     

Correlates of staff motivation,satisfaction, and job performance of library staff in selected Nigerian University libraries

Abstract

This study examined staff motivation, satisfaction, and job performance among the librarians and library staff in six selected university libraries in Nigeria. The target population for the study includes the professionals and nonprofessional library staff. A total enumeration sampling technique was used to select 180 respondents, which represent the sample for the study. Data was collected using a self-designed questionnaire titled “Staff Motivation, Satisfaction and Job Performance Questionnaire” (SMSJPQ). Six research questions were developed and answered by the study. The results indicate that librarian and library staff are highly motivated with regular pay while the least motivational factor is frequent interaction with their friends. Library staff are primarily satisfied with their jobs when they are in constant link with their friends. Professional library staff significantly experience better work motivation than their nonprofessional counterparts. Significant correlation exists between staff motivation and job performance and between job satisfaction and job performance. In addition, the two factors (motivation and satisfaction) exert significant contribution to the determinant of librarians and library staff job performance. Based on the findings, the study recommended improvement in the level of motivation of nonprofessionals so that the significant difference with the professional counterpart would not be so much pronounced.     

错题深加工：“轻负担、高质量”教学的有效路径

错题本身是一种学习资源,而且是为学习者量身定做的资源,对错题进行深加工,有助于实现＂轻负担、高质量＂的教育愿景。对于学生来说应建立错题本、错因归类、善于反思、多种利用方式并举;对于教师来说应以错定教,善于运用多种教学策略,加深正解思维的深刻性。     

高职“工学结合”教育模式下考评方式改革试点分析

传统的考评方式存在着与高等职业教育的培养目标相违背的弊病，由此引发了的一些不良现象。武汉职业技术学院根据高等职业教育的特点，以及“工学结合”教育模式的要求，确定了考评方式改革思路，并且进行了改革试点，课题组对考评改革试点的实施情况进行了分析与总结，为考评方式的改革提供了可操作性的意见。     

Walking and biologic ageing: Evidence based on NHANES telomere data

ABSTRACT

The length of telomeres is an objective measure of biologic ageing. This study evaluated the extent minutes of walking per week are associated with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in a random sample of 5,823 U.S. adults. The investigation was cross-sectional and data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). LTL was measured by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Walking minutes was calculated from walking frequency and duration measures. Results showed that for each year of chronological age, telomeres were 15.6 base pairs shorter (P < 0.0001). With walking minutes and LTL treated as continuous variables, the relationship was quadratic, not linear (F = 11.2, P = 0.0023). With walking time divided into three categories, adults who performed ≥ 150 minutes of walking per week had longer telomeres than those who did no regular walking, and those who did some, but less than the recommendation (F = 5.0, P = 0.0137). Regular walkers were estimated to have a biologic ageing advantage associated with 6.5–7.6 years less biologic ageing compared to non-walkers, after adjusting for covariates. Additional investigations designed to study causality and the mechanisms associated with the walking and LTL relationship are needed.     

教师职业研究的新视角——情绪工作研究探析

首先从情绪工作的定义、特征出发分析教师是属于高情绪工作者,之后阐述情绪工作的调节策略以及影响调节策略的相关因素,以期为研究教师职业提供一个新视角。     

中国特色社会主义理论体系探析

中国特色社会主义理论体系包括邓小平理论、三个代表重要思想以及科学发展观等重大战略思想在内的科学理论体系。     

Impact of digital surge during Covid-19 pandemic: A viewpoint on research and practice

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an inevitable surge in the use of digital technologies due to the social distancing norms and nationwide lockdowns. People and organizations all over the world have had to adjust to new ways of work and life. We explore possible scenarios of the digital surge and the research issues that arise.An increase in digitalization is leading firms and educational institutions to shift to work-from-home (WFH). Blockchain technology will become important and will entail research on design and regulations. Gig workers and the gig economy is likely to increase in scale, raising questions of work allocation, collaboration, motivation, and aspects of work overload and presenteeism. Workplace monitoring and technostress issues will become prominent with an increase in digital presence. Online fraud is likely to grow, along with research on managing security. The regulation of the internet, a key resource, will be crucial post-pandemic.Research may address the consequences and causes of the digital divide. Further, the issues of net neutrality and zero-rating plans will merit scrutiny. A key research issue will also be the impact and consequences of internet shutdowns, frequently resorted to by countries. Digital money, too, assumes importance in crisis situations and research will address their adoption, consequences, and mode. Aspects of surveillance and privacy gain importance with increased digital usage.