A More or Less Happy Relationship: Industry-University Cooperation in Denmark

This paper describes and discusses three aspects of cooperation between industry and engineering schools in Denmark: The practical training of undergraduates, cooperation in research and development and industry's possible help to the university with the renewal of its equipment. The last few years have brought important changes in these fields. The new Project Office of the Technical University may prove to be particularly important.     

THE INFLUENCE OF VARIABLES OTHER THAN KNOWLEDGE ON PROBABILISTIC TESTS

In probabilistic test and scoring systems the examinee is required to respond to each of the options of a multiple-choice test with a probability which represents the confidence he has in that option. It seems reasonable to assume that for such tests to yield valid information about the examinees, the knowledge they have should be the primary influence on the probabilities they assign. The purpose of this study was to seek the relationship between the degree to which examinees display certainty in their responses and certain personality variables. Proponents of probabilistic testing would expect such correlations to be low. In this stud), it was found that individuals do respond to multiple-choice questions with a characteristic certainty that cannot be accounted for on the basis of their knowledge. This certainty was related to scores of both the F Scale and the Kogan and Wallach risk taking measure.     

A Moving Experience: Thirteen Years and Two Million Objects Later

The Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution began preparing and moving its ethnographic and archeological collections, consisting of two million specimens, to an off-site storage facility in 1983. The move was necessitated by continual museum accessions and diminishing available storage space, resulting in overcrowded conditions. Thirteen years later, the anthropology move is nearing completion. This article documents some of the circumstances that precipitated the collection move. It also delineates the procedures that evolved and some of the lessons learned. Experience showed that adequate training of staff was essential to the success of the project. Bar code technology was implemented to streamline tracking of objects and inventory control. With the completion of the anthropology move, the collections care is significantly improved on many levels, but challenges lie ahead because the new storage facility is nearing capacity.     

Review of Research on Practicum Supervision

This five-year review of research on practicum supervision examines research findings and research designs. Research is classified according to the role of the supervisor, the training procedure, and the rating systems. The major focus of research has been on training in the core conditions of facilitative communication. Modeling techniques have been used effectively in practicum, didactic approaches have been more effective than experiential approaches, and audiotape procedures in training were as effective as videotape techniques.     

Men who become Primary School Teachers: an early portrait

This paper reports the findings of a study which sought to provide improved understanding of what motivates young men to choose primary teaching as a career and their experiences of their university course. It is hoped that the understanding so derived can be used to encourage males to enter the teaching profession at primary level. Sixteen new male graduates were interviewed, just over half had begun the education degree immediately after leaving high school. Working with children was a positive motivation, but teaching was also seen as a desirable career with good working conditions. Parents, both mothers and fathers, were supportive of teaching as a career for their sons. The university course became more interesting for these male students once they were involved directly in schools. They described themselves as less conscientious than female students, but as having interests other than study which gave them an edge in the classroom.     

On the Problems of Establishing the Concept of the European Engineer

Early endeavours to establish a European register of engineers are discussed. The author analyses and rejects the idea of classification inside a possible European register. Possible guidelines for an EEC directive instituting the concept of the European Engineer are described. The connection between these ideas and the Idea of Europe in general is mentioned.     

Review of Research on Practicum Supervision

This six-year review of research on practicum supervision examines articles in terms of findings and the research designs employed. Research is classified according to (a) counselor—supervisor similarity, (b) training methods, and (c) evaluation. Conclusions from the review indicate: (a) the investigators found no support for matching counselors and supervisors according to similar traits; (b) there was some support for modeling, didactic, and experiential methods; (c) there was some support for peer supervision; and (d) an experimental design was used in only 4 of the 19 studies examined.