"The policy exists but you can't really use it": communication and the structuration of work-family policies

Although work-family benefits are increasingly important organizational policies, limited research addresses the impact of communication on benefit utilization. However, communication is significant because the perceived appropriateness of work-family benefits emerges through interaction. For example, when coworkers complain about "picking up the slack" for those using family leave, their discourse may impact future decisions of other workers regarding whether they utilize the work-family benefits available to them. We apply Giddens' (1984) Structuration Theory to examine organizational members' discursive responses to conditions (and contradictions) present in utilizing work-family benefits in a governmental organization. We argue the daily discursive practices of individuals can either reinforce or undermine formally stated work-family initiatives, and in turn discuss the implications of this "structuration" of policy.     

High-Quality Metadata and Repository Staffing: Perceptions of United States–Based OpenDOAR Participants

Digital repositories require good metadata, created according to community-based principles that include provisions for interoperability. When metadata is of high quality, digital objects become sharable and metadata can be harvested and reused outside of the local system. A sample of U.S.-based repository administrators from the OpenDOAR initiative were surveyed to understand aspects of the quality and creation of their metadata, and how their metadata could improve. Most respondents (65%) thought their metadata was of average quality; none thought their metadata was high quality or poor quality. The discussion argues that increased strategic staffing will alleviate many perceived issues with metadata quality.     

Teachers’ technology adoption and practices: lessons learned from the IWB phenomenon

The twenty-first century has seen unprecedented investment from governments around the world in educational technologies in schools. This paper investigates Australian teachers’ adoption and use of a popular technology that has been extensively supported by governments and school systems: the interactive whiteboard (IWB). The study suggests that a number of the barriers identified in the early days of adoption and use of this technology, such as professional support and access, still remain for many teachers, thereby impeding effective practices. The research also found that primary school teachers were using the technology in diverse ways, in contrast to secondary teachers who were using the IWB mainly for instructionist, presentational purposes. We conclude by considering various ways of reducing the effect of the identified barriers to support implementation of educational technologies in the classroom, especially the next generation of technologies promoted by governments and systems.     

Submaximal exercise and maturation in 12-year-olds

The aim of this study was to examine the maturation responses of young people to submaximal treadmill exercise. Body mass was controlled using both the conventional ratio standard and allometric modelling. Ninety-seven boys and 97 girls with a mean age of 12.2 years completed a discontinuous, incremental exercise test to voluntary exhaustion. We measured peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and VO2 when running at 8, 9 and 10 km x h(-1). Sexual maturation was assessed visually using Tanner's indices of pubic hair. Peak VO2 was significantly higher in boys (P<0.001); this was still the case when the influence of body mass was covaried out. During submaximal exercise, no significant differences in absolute VO2 were observed between the sexes (P>0.05); however, values of VO2, expressed both in ratio with body mass and adjusted for body mass using allometry, were significantly greater in boys than in girls (P<0.001). For absolute VO2, significant main effects (P<0.05) were seen for maturity at each exercise stage. With the influence of body mass controlled using either the ratio standard or allometry, no significant main effects (P>0.05) for maturity were observed. Our results indicate that boys are less economical than girls while running at 8-10 km x h(-1) and that, independently of body mass, maturation does not influence the VO2 response to submaximal exercise.     

‘I'm always up against a brick wall with them’: parents' experiences of accessing support for their child with a newly recognised developmental disorder

Three of the most prevalent developmental disorders (DDs) are autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). As part of a study screening for DDs in Greater Manchester, UK, a unique opportunity was taken to explore parents' experiences of receiving reports about their child's previously unrecognised DD. Six parents out of a possible 16 took part in interviews, which were analysed thematically. Findings drawn from parental responses revealed a number of barriers to accessing support for their child's additional needs, including perceived resistance from schools, particularly for quiet, well-behaved girls, and difficulty in accessing assessment or referrals. There needs to be greater awareness of additional needs in children without externalising behaviours, the presence of gender-specific differences in the presentation of DDs, and FASD as a commonly occurring DD. Ultimately, better support for children with DDs would reduce the burden of unmet needs for the children and their families, and for wider services.     

The development of reading interest and its relation to reading ability

The development of interest in reading and its relationship to reading ability was examined longitudinally in 117 children in Grades 1–3. Interest in reading was measured by eight items from the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey. Less able readers had lower interest in reading, but their development was parallel to that of more able readers. Interest in reading in Grade 1 was weakly correlated with Grade 3 reading ability, but correlations were lower for interest measured in Grades 2 and 3. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated weak and inconsistent effects of reading interest on reading ability after controlling general cognitive ability, SES, phonological awareness and naming speed. It is concluded that interest in reading has only a weak relationship to reading ability in the early elementary years, and that much of that relationship overlaps with the effects of other more powerful predictors.     

Perceptions of artificial intelligence: A survey of academic librarians in Canada and the United States

This study aims to evaluate the perceptions of librarians with regard to artificial intelligence in academic libraries. An online survey of 24 questions was distributed through library distribution lists in Canada and the United States at the end of the summer in 2019. Findings suggest that librarians do not agree on a definition of artificial intelligence which is in keeping with this emerging field. The survey responses highlight the fact that academic librarians require more training with regard to artificial intelligence and its potential applications in libraries. Other important implications include a recognition that library patrons are interested in AI and that little to no programming about it has been offered in academic libraries. Very few studies have focused on academic librarians' perceptions of AI. This article highlights some useful practical implications for AI technologies in libraries and how AI could help improve library services and workflows.