bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drawing the Line: Sex Education and Homosexuality in South Australia, 1985
Authors: Jose Jim
Published: March 2003

This paper examines a specific controversy over the control and content of sex education in South Australia in 1985 that was triggered by concerns about homosexuality. Drawing on Foucault's idea of the “deployment of sexuality”, the paper examines the way in which the issue of homosexuality became the focal point for a concerted struggle over sex education in state schools. It is argued that the idea of homosexuality, or more accurately male homosexual sexuality, served as a boundary marker that both defined and revealed the content and scope of school‐based sex education. It is shown that this controversy was an instance of the “deployment of sexuality” through which public opinion was concentrated and mobilised to ensure that prevailing heterosexual norms remained the defining parameters for sex education. Thus it is also demonstrated that sex education is deeply implicated in both the construction and maintenance of prevailing (gendered) sexual norms.
Policies, Principles, and Polls: Bill Clinton’s Third Way Welfare Politics 1992–1996
Authors: O’Connor Brendon
Published: March 2003

Bill Clinton in his 1992 presidential campaign promised that, if elected, he would bring about the “end of welfare as we know it.” This catchy election pledge aimed to address middle class concerns about so–called welfare dependency while also arguing that the government had an important role to play in fighting poverty and unemployment. Clinton’s Third Way position, at best, offered a way out of the liberal/conservative impasse on how to effectively reform America’s welfare system. At worst, Clinton’s position undermined the concept of welfare entitlements that the Democratic Party had established in America. As it turned out, in 1996 during the lead up to that year’s presidential election, President Clinton signed into law the most significant federal welfare Act since the 1960s. However, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) that Clinton signed had largely been drafted by congressional Republicans. This article draws on interviews with three of Clinton’s senior welfare advisers to examine his welfare reform proposals and politics. It concludes that the failure of Clinton’s Third Way welfare agenda opened the way for more conservative reforms. This experience is illustrative of the pitfalls of Third Way politics with its mix of post–entitlement welfare policies and hard–nosed electoral positioning.
The Department Secretaries:A Profile of a Changing Profession
Authors: Weller Patrick , Wood Terry
Published: March 2003

The position of departmental secretaries has been under debate. There are claims they have been politicised; they have been placed on term appointments. This article examines the careers of departmental secretaries for the last 50 years. It illustrates the changes in their length of tenure, age of departure, mobility and qualifications. The recent profile shows the need for debate about the position and the future of departmental secretaries.
From Convergence to Divergence: Reforming Australian Local Government
Authors: Aulich Chris
Published: March 2003

The article maps local government reform in the six Australian states over the last decade. It identifies an earlier phase of reform that focused primarily on redefining the roles and relationships within local government, especially between state and local governments, principally through the reform of the state local government Acts. As state reform agendas have shifted more to focus on managerial improvement, significant differences between local government reforms between states have emerged, in focus, process and outcomes. These differences are such that the role of local government itself has been refocused in several states away from the traditional local democracy values that have for so long underpinned this third sphere of government.
New Geographies of Disadvantage: Implications for Service Delivery
Authors: Fincher Ruth
Published: March 2003

Shifts are apparent in the spatial distribution of disadvantage in Australia since the 1970s. Not only are new sites of disadvantage emerging (small rural towns, manufacturing centres, coastal welfare regions, some outer suburbs), but research suggests a possible spatial cleavage between best‐accessed Melbourne and Sydney, and ‘the rest’ of the country. At the same time, examples of provision and delivery of services continue to occur locally andregionally that demonstrate lack of attention to the characteristics of the places in which those services are received. The paper calls for spatially conscious public policy in service delivery, and considers the possibilities of this occurring if governments form partnerships with other organisations to provide services for communities.
Performance Appraisal in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines: A Cultural Perspective
Authors: Vallance Sarah
Published: March 2003

Performance appraisal is a particularly controversial management practice. In spite of the controversy, however, appraisal has been embraced by civil services around the world as a means of monitoring the performance of government employees. This paper looks at the experiences of the Singaporean, Thai and Filipino civil services in appraising the performance of senior government employees. It provides some description of the broader context in which appraisal operates, and a sketch of employment arrangements in the three administrations, before describing the methods by which senior government employees are appraised. The paper attempts to draw attention to the concept of ‘culture’ and its effects upon administrative practice, and argues that performance appraisal provides an excellent example of a practice which bears culture’s influence.
The Appointment, Removal and Responsibilities of Public Sector Chief Executives in Australia: Some Recent Developments
Authors: Spry Max
Published: March 2003

In the little over the decade since the publication of Smith’s Public Employment Law and McCarry’s Aspects of Public Sector Employment Law, much as changed in the law of public sector employment in Australia. This article briefly surveys some of the major developments in public sector employment law in Australia during the 1990s in relation to departmental chief executive departmental heads.
Leading Change in Local Government: The Tension between Evolutionary and Frame–breaking Reform in NSW
Authors: Jones Robert
Published: March 2003

As a result of changing legislation the role of general managers in Australian local government is being transformed from administrative compliance to proactive managerial direction. They are expected to possess leadership, visionary and other change management skills not previously exercised in local government. This paper analyses how the general managers of four councils in Sydney have attempted to lead their respective organisations through their reform agendas. The four councils represented two comparison groups at each extreme of a change continuum ranging from evolutionary to frame–breaking change. Data collected from the four councils since 1994 used personal interviews, participant observation and analysis of documentation. The paper tracks the evolutionary and framebreaking reform, paying particular attention to the role, personality and leadership styles of the general managers. Emergent themes are identified and analysed as they relate to the impact of the general manager on the type of reform processes adopted.
Place Management as an Inherent Part of Real Change: A Rejoinder to Walsh
Authors: Mant John
Published: March 2003

Place management is a category of outcome management that has been tested in several experiments in NSW. Those assessed to date are examples of ad hoc place management positions grafted onto traditional government silos designed to produce specialised inputs or outputs. In these circumstances, as suggested by Walsh, the role of an outcomes officer will be limited to areas of special concern and for limited periods. This article discusses place management in the context of a substantial change directed at putting outcome management at the centre of government. The limitations on place management identified by Walsh do not apply in these circumstances.
Patients' Receipt and Understanding of Written Information about a Resucitation Policy
Authors: Taylor E. M. , Parker S. , Ramsay M. P.
Published: March 2003

Aims: To assess patient receipt of written information. To ensure patients understand the written information about a resuscitation policy and to determine whether they disapproved of or had concerns about the policy.

Methods: All admissions to four wards of the hospital were approached for an interview. A set questionnaire was asked by one of 2 interviewers.

Results: 72% of 572 admissions were interviewed. Refusal accounted for only 2 of the people not interviewed. 11% were unable to advocate for themselves by reason of mental incompetence, inability to communicate or impairment secondary to their illness.

Of the 401 interviewed only 49% recalled receiving the patient information booklet. Few patients (17%) recalled reading the information in the patient information booklet. They were all then given the paragraph about the hospital’s resuscitation policy. 352 were asked their understanding and only 61% demonstrated that they understood the paragraph. 91% of all 401 patients approved of the hospital having the option of DNR orders. 31% of people however had concerns related to DNR orders. These are discussed.

Conclusions: Many acutely unwell patients are unable to advocate for themselves. Written information is a poor method of communicating with patients. There was limited receipt of the information and many misunderstood the paragraph about the hospitals resuscitation policy. There was a wide range of patient thoughts and concerns expressed.
Hope and Deception
Authors: Ruddick William
Published: March 2003

Convinced of hope’s therapeutic benefits, physicians routinely support patients’ false hopes, often with family collusion and vague, euphemistic diagnoses and prognoses, if not overt lies. Bioethicists charge them with paternalistic violations of Patient Autonomy.

There are, I think, too many morally significant exceptions to accept the physician’s rationales or the bioethicist’s criticisms, stated sweepingly. Physicians need to take account of the harms caused by loss of hopes, especially false hopes due to deception, as well, as of the harms of successfully maintained deceptive hopes. As for autonomy, hopes – even if based on deception – can protect and enhance autonomy, understood broadly as the capacity to lead a chosen or embraced life.

Deception aside, patients’ hopes often rest on beliefs about possible rather than probable outcomes – beliefs themselves supported by optimism, ‘denial’, or self‐deception. Such ‘possibility‐hopes’ may conflict with physicians’ often more fact‐sensitive ‘probability‐hopes.’ To resolve such conflicts physicians may try to ‘down‐shift’ patients’ or parents’ hopes to lesser, more realistic hopes. Alternatively, physicians may alter or enlarge their own professional hopes to include the ‘vital hopes’ that define the lives of patients or parents, as well as ‘survival hopes’ needed to face and bear the loss of loved ones, especially children.

A principle of Hope‐giving might help guide such sympathetic hope‐accommodations. More generally, it would give Hope a distinct place among Beneficence, Autonomy, and the other moral factors already high‐lighted by canonical principles of Medical Ethics. To formulate such a principle, however, we will need a collective Project Hope to pursue deeper philosophical and psychological studies.
The Ethics of Elective (Non‐Therapeutic) Ventilation
Authors: Browne Alister , Gillet Grant , Tweeddale Martin
Published: March 2003

Elective ventilation (EV) is ventilation applied, not in the interest of patients, but in order to secure transplantable organs. It carries with it a small risk that patients who would otherwise have died will survive in a persistent vegetative state. Is EV ever justifiable? We argue: (1) The only thing which can justify exposing patients to risk not taken for their benefit is their consent, and we cannot rely on implied consent or third party consent in the case of EV. Thus, absent explicit consent of patients, EV is not justifiable. (2) It is not clear that explicit consent should be sought, or where it is offered honoured, given the potential EV has for deterring organ donors and causing stress to staff and families.
The Concept of Risk in Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects
Authors: Van Ness Peter H.
Published: March 2003

An established ethical principle of biomedical research involving human subjects stipulates that risk to subjects should be proportionate to an experiment’s potential benefits. Sometimes this principle is imprecisely stated as a requirement that ‘risks and benefits’ be balanced. First, it is noted why this language is imprecise. Second, the persistence of such language is attributed to how it functions as a rhetorical trope. Finally, an argument is made that such a trope is infelicitous because it may not achieve its intended persuasive purposes. More importantly, it should be avoided because it masks the important role that chance plays in clinical research. Risk is the possibility of harm. As a precondition of harm it is unintended and undesirable in projects of biomedical research. It requires ethical vigilance. As a vehicle of chance, however, it is both intended and desirable. It requires methodological appreciation.
Beneath the Rhetoric: The Role of Rights in the Practice of Non‐Anonymous Gamete Donation
Authors: Frith Lucy
Published: March 2003

The use of rights based arguments to justify claims that donor offspring should have access to information identifying their gamete donor has become increasingly widespread. In this paper, I do not intend to revisit the debate about the validity of such rights. Rather, the purpose is to examine the way that such alleged rights have been implemented by those legislatures that have allowed access to identifying information. I will argue that serious inconsistencies exist between the claim that donor offspring have a right to know the identity of their gamete donor and the way such a right is currently met in practice. I hope to show that in systems where non‐anonymous donation is practised, an understanding of the proclaimed right of donor offspring to know their genetic identity is one composed of two different rights – the right to know the circumstances of their conception and the right to information identifying the gamete donor – can provide important insights into this important area of public policy.
Abortion and Neonaticide: Ethics, Practice and Policy in Four Nations
Authors: Gross Michael L.
Published: March 2003

Abortion, particularly late‐term abortion, and neonaticide, selective non‐treatment of newborns, are feasible management strategies for fetuses or newborns diagnosed with severe abnormalities. However, policy varies considerably among developed nations. This article examines abortion and neonatal policy in four nations: Israel, the US, the UK and Denmark. In Israel, late‐term abortion is permitted while non‐treatment of newborns is prohibited. In the US, on the other hand, late‐term abortion is severely restricted, while treatment to newborns may be withdrawn. Policy in the UK and Denmark bridges some of these gaps with liberal abortion and neonatal policy.

Disparate policy within and between nations creates practical and ethical difficulties. Practice diverges from policy as many practitioners find it difficult to adhere to official policy. Ethically, it is difficult to entirely justify perinatal policy in these nations. In each nation, there are elements of ethically sound policy, while other aspects cannot be defended. Ethical policy hinges on two underlying normative issues: the question of fetal/newborn status and the morality of killing and letting die. While each issue has been the subject of extensive debate, there are firm ethical norms that should serve as the basis for coherent and consistent perinatal policy. These include 1) a grant of full moral and legal status to the newborn but only partial moral and legal status to the late‐term fetus 2) a general prohibition against feticide unless to save the life of the mother or prevent the birth of a fetus facing certain death or severe pain and suffering and 3) a general endorsement of neonaticide subject to a parent's assessment of the newborn's interest broadly defined to consider physical harm as well as social, psychological and or financial harm to related third parties. Policies in each of the nations surveyed diverging from these norms should be the subject of public discourse and, where possible, legislative reform.
Principles of Ethical Decision Making Regarding Embrionic Stem Cell Research in Germany
Authors: Heinemann Thomas , Honnefelder Ludger
Published: March 2003

The availability of embryonic stem (ES) cells isolated from human blastocysts may open novel avenues for medical treatment of otherwise incurable diseases. Yet the generation of human ES cells requires the destruction of early human embryos. This confronts us with the moral problem of whether it is justifiable to sacrifice human life in order to treat other human life. This article outlines the development of the German debate about research with ES cells and explicates the arguments that are central to that debate with respect to the aims and means of research with ES cells. With regard to the means, the isolation of ES cells from human embryos raises the question of the moral status of the human embryo. A restrictive position acknowledges the human dignity of the embryo in its very early stage of development and claims that the embryo’s life must be protected accordingly. In contrast, a gradualist position acknowledges human dignity, and therefore the full level of protection, only when the embryo has reached a certain stage of development. In addition, the intentions behind the generation of human embryos, i.e. exclusively for research purposes, and the mode of generating them, i.e. by nuclear transfer technology, have strong ethical relevance in the German debate. Based on these results, the ethical reasoning underlying the draft of a Stem Cell Act recently passed by the German Parliament is outlined.
Futility Without a Dichotomy: Towards an Ideal Physician–Patient Relationship
Authors: Lelie Annique , Verweij Marcel
Published: March 2003

The futility debate may be considered as an effort to provide a clear and justified borderline between physician and patient decision–making authority. In this paper we argue that the search for a definition of futility that provides physicians with a final argument in discussions about life–prolonging treatment, is misplaced. An acceptable and meaningful criterion of futility that satisfies this effort seems impossible. As a consequence, we reject a dichotomous domain of decision–making power as the starting point for definitions of futility. A good decision about withholding life–sustaining treatment should be justified from the perspectives of both physician and patient. In this light, a range of definitions of futility is still useful as it can clarify intuitions that a treatment is inappropriate.
Attention Deficit Disorder as a factor in the origin of behavioural disturbance in schools
Authors: Place Maurice , Wilson Jo , Martin Elaine , Hulsmeier Jessica
Published: March 2003

The education of children with behavioural difficulties is under scrutiny from various quarters. The provision of specialised school environments isbeing questioned and, at the same time, there is pressure to minimise the exclusion of disruptive pupils. The study reported in this article lookedat a group of children whose behaviour had prompted placement in a school for emotionally and behaviourally disordered (EBD) pupils. The results showed the overall rate of psychiatric disturbance in the group was 86% and, in particular, that the rate of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was 70%. These findings suggest that a significant minority of disruptive pupils may have their difficulties compounded by the presence of ADHD, and raises the question of whether specific screening processes should be established for such pupils.
What Happens After the Age of 14? Mapping Transitions for Pupils with Profound and Complex Learning Difficulties
Authors: Florian Lani , Dee Lesley , Byers Richard , Maudslay Liz
Published: March 2003

This article reports on part one of a three‐part national survey of provision for pupils aged 14 and older, in England and Wales, who have profound and complex learning difficulties. The survey is part of the Enhancing the Quality of Life (EqoL), a three‐year research project jointly awarded to Skill: the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, and the University of Cambridge School of Education. The aim of the project is to construct a framework for learning which will support improvements in the quality of life for these young people. It is funded by the National Lottery Charities Board.
Research Section: A study of the attitudes of primary school teachers in Harare towards the inclusion of blind children in regular classes
Authors: Mushoriwa Taruvinga
Published: March 2003

This article presents the results of a study of the attitudes of primary school teachers in Harare, Zimbabwe, towards the inclusion of blind children in regular classes. The ultimate aim was to assess the acceptability of moves towards inclusive education in mainstream Zimbabwean schools. The study was conducted from May to June 2000.

The sample of teachers involved in this study (N=400) ranged over a wide area of Harare. The result can be considered to be representative of the views and feelings of primary school teachers in Harare towards including blind children in regular classes.

Overall, the study established that the majority of teachers have a negative attitude towards the inclusion of blind children in regular classes and that male and female teachers were equally rejecting of the idea. Taruvinga Mushoriwa, of the Department of Education Foundations at the University of Zimbabwe, reports these results and goes on to consider the impact of the inclusion debate in developing countries. It is difficult to promote inclusive practices in situations where mainstream classes are large and resources, including aids, equipment and support staff, are rare.
Research Section: Working memory deficits in children with special educational needs
Authors: Gathercole Susan , Pickering Susan
Published: March 2003

Susan Gathercole and Susan Pickering, of the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol, compared the working memory abilities of children recognised by their schools as having special educational needs with those of children making normal curricular progress. All three components of the working memory model of Baddeley and Hitch (1974) were assessed by administering a working memory test battery when the children were aged seven and eight years. Children recognised as having special educational needs had marked impairments on the working memory measures, and in particular on the tasks tapping the central executive. These findings suggest that poor working memory capacity may be a key feature in unexpected failure to make normal curricular progress, and also indicate the potential utility of working memory assessments in identifying children at risk of low achievement in school in future years.
Focus on Practice: Educational placements and National Curriculum Key Stage 2 test outcomes of children with a history of specific language impairment
Authors: Conti‐Ramsden Gina , Knox Emma , Botting Nicola , Simkin Zoë
Published: March 2003

As part of their longitudinal investigations of a large cohort with a history of specific language impairment (SLI), Professor Gina Conti‐Ramsden and her research team based at the School of Education, University of Manchester, Dr Emma Knox, Dr Nicola Botting and Dr Zoë Simkin report on the changing educational placements and National Curriculum assessment outcomes of 200 children at 11 years. Teacher questionnaires reporting on the Year 6 primary education placements of the sample reveal details about the long‐term educational needs of children with SLI.

Furthermore, in exploring the experiences of the sample in the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 tests the present study found that children with SLI perform poorly relative to national expectations of levels of achievement across all tests. At present there are no guidelines for supporting children with SLI in relation to National Curriculum tests and the present data suggests there is an obvious need for these to be developed.
In Need of Review? The Audit Commission’s Report on Statutory Assessment and Statements of Special Educational Needs
Authors: Pinney Anne
Published: March 2003

Since spring 2001, the Audit Commission has been carrying out research into provision for children with special educational needs. In this article, Anne Pinney, Project Manager with the Public Services Research section at the Audit Commission, summarises the findings presented in an interim report published in June 2002. She reveals widespread dissatisfaction with current approaches to assessment; the process of developing a Statement; the allocation of resources to support children with special educational needs; and the procedures used by schools and LEAs to ensure that SEN provision is effective. Anne Pinney goes on to set out the recommendations made by the Audit Commission in its interim report. These include a collaborative approach to review involving schools and LEAs; increased delegation of resources to schools; and the development of more effective inter–agency approaches to assessment and intervention. This article concludes with a call for a high level independent review of SEN policy and practice focused on resolving the tensions in the current system. Anne Pinney also looks forward to a number of other outcomes from the Audit Commission’s work in relation to children with special educational needs. BJSE will be bringing you news of these developments in future issues.
Research Section: Research in Special Needs Education: Objectivity or Ideology?
Authors: Gray David E. , Denicolo Pam
Published: March 2003

Social science, including research into special educational needs, purports to be objective, and much of special needs research falls into the empirical‐analytic paradigm which regards human affairs as containing measurable, law‐like qualities to be identified and manipulated. It is argued, however, that this may be a flawed assumption and that all researchers need to be aware of the potentially political nature of their position. The sources, for instance, of a physical disability need to be located, not in the physical problem per se, but within the way society seeks to deal with it. Although researchers may like to view themselves as impartial seekers of the truth, it is suggested that research techniques themselves emerge from a theoretical position which reflects their beliefs, values and dispositions towards the world. They also gain, directly or indirectly, from the research process in terms of kudos or academic recognition. A tentative alternative paradigm is presented which attempts to challenge the ‘normalisation’ approach to teaching those designated as having special needs.
The Stanley Segal Award: The Stanley Segal Award Achieving the best: gender and the Literacy Hour
Authors: Fisher Helen
Published: March 2003

Helen Fisher won this year's Stanley Segal Award with this fascinating investigation. Taking her cue from the current debate about the differing achievements of boys and girls, she explores pupils' views about the Literacy Hour and reports some interesting findings in relation to reading and gender.
Reflections on student‐centred learning in a large class setting
Authors: Scott John , Buchanan John , Haigh Neil
Published: March 2003

In many institutions increasing priority is being given to the educational goal of intellectual independence with course objectives placing more emphasis on the processes of learning and less on course content. While such objectives are readily achieved in the small class setting, this remains difficult in large class settings. In this paper we describe an attempt to pursue the student‐independence agenda in a large, first year management course and discuss the processes used, outcomes achieved and critical success factors perceived. While results to date show a pleasing increase in the use of effective learning strategies for independent learning by students, a significant minority of students have not responded positively to the independence goal. Concluding comments develop this aspect.
Secondary school students' use of computers at home
Authors: Harris Susan
Published: March 2003

This article presents the results from a survey of students in Year 9 in secondary schools in England (ie, aged about 14 years) which investigated access to computers at home, frequency and duration of use, the applications used and students' reasons for using a computer at home. Responses showed that the majority of students had access to a computer, although few had one for their sole use. The most widely used applications were games/adventures and word processors. There were significant gender differences in access to computers at home, frequency of using computers and the applications that students spent most time using.
Comparing Web, Correspondence and Lecture versions of a second‐year non‐major Biology course
Authors: Collins Michael
Published: March 2003

A comparison of correspondence and Web versions of the same course indicated that, although the students were very satisfied with the Web version, the correspondence section achieved the higher mean final scores in three of the four semesters while the Web course achieved the higher mean score in only one semester. A literature search indicated that there are very few studies which compare the relative successes of Web‐based courses and traditional (lecture) courses as this present study does. In addition most of these other comparative studies are based on only one offering of the Web‐based course, whereas the present study evaluates the Web‐based course over four different semesters.
Using video‐based anchored instruction to enhance learning: Taiwan's experience
Authors: Shyu Hsin‐Yih Cindy
Published: March 2003

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of computer‐assisted videodisc‐based anchored instruction on attitudes toward mathematics and instruction as well as problem‐solving skills among Taiwanese elementary students. Results from a t‐test indicate a significant main effect on student attitudes toward mathematics. Results from a two‐way Repeated Measures ANOVA show that students' problem‐solving skills improve significantly with anchored instruction. Results also indicate that all the students benefit from the effects of anchored instruction on their problem‐solving performance regardless of their mathematics and science abilities. The findings suggest that video‐based anchored instruction provide a more motivating environment that enhanced students' problem‐solving skills. This study is significant because it establishes an example of video‐based anchored instruction for Taiwanese students and also provides empirical evidence of its effects on affective and cognitive responses among fifth graders in learning mathematics. This study is helpful to educators who want to help students learn to think and learn throughout technology.
The notion of presence in virtual learning environments: what makes the environment “real”
Authors: Jelfs Anne , Whitelock Denise
Published: March 2003

To know where they are in the environment, humans rely on their senses for information. If the environment is artificially generated then it raises the question as to what information is needed to allow humans to know their location in the environment and have a more tacit feeling of presence within it. This paper looks at the role of Virtual Environments as conceptual learning tools in Science and the notion of “Presence” within these types of environments. Presence in this context is based on the stream of sensory input, organized by our perceiving systems, and out of which emerges our sense of being in and of the world. This feeling is also engendered by our ability to affect the world through touch, gesture, voice etc. These are very private actions and to research this we conducted interviews with competent computer users about their feelings of “presence” when using virtual environments. One of the main findings has been that audio feedback is perceived to be one of the most important features that engender a sense of presence. We have also found that ease of navigation around the environment affects perceptions of presence and this is reflected to some extent with users' personal experience.
Do you read this the way I read this?
Authors: Weedon Elisabet
Published: March 2003

Two studies were carried out which investigated students' perceptions of, and reactions to, a tutor's comments on written assignments. The method used was based on the Kelly Construct Repertory Grid technique and is referred to as the Kelly Analysis. Study 1 involved the use of a facilitator who helped the students in carrying out the Kelly Analysis. Study 1 demonstrated that this technique was effective in eliciting both the students' and the tutor's perceptions of the comments, and that an examination of matches and mismatches between the two could be carried out. Study 2 focused on the development of a self‐administered Kelly Analysis to remove the need for a facilitator. Students had few problems in using the self‐administered Kelly Analysis and, again, an examination of matches and mismatches in perception of comments was feasible and useful. The potential value of open‐ended questions in exploring students' perceptions was also investigated. It is suggested that the Kelly Analysis coupled with the use of open‐ended questions could provide a valuable tool to tutors and students who wish to explore understanding of comments, and one that might aid in creating more reflective practitioners and students. Two relevant theoretical perspectives are also outlined: schema theory within cognitive psychology, and social constructivist theory especially the role of scaffolding learning.
Computer conferencing for guidance and support in the OU
Authors: Blanchfield Lynne , Patrick Ian , Simpson Ormond
Published: March 2003

This article describes the UK Open University's FirstClass™ Computer conferencing system and its role in student support taking as an example the particular the way it is used for course choice. It suggests that whilst there are students who use it freely and apparently derive benefit from it, there are also substantial issues to be addressed about its relative unpopularity with students as a support medium. Institutions using computer conferencing may need to address issues about student antipathy towards it
Tutor training: a systematic investigation of tutor requirements and an evaluation of a training
Authors: Sandberg Jacobijn , Christoph Noor , Emans Bruno
Published: March 2003

In this article we describe a systematic training for flight instructors who are about to be engaged as a tutor in a distance learning course on the Internet. The Lilienthal project develops a Distance Learning Platform, which consists of course material for the Private Pilot Licence.

First we established the requirements that flight instructors need to become distance tutors. Requirements are for example (electronic) communication skills and information storage and retrieval skills. Then the requirements were linked to specific training methods. In a two‐day training seminar these requirements were trained. The description and the evaluation results of the seminar are described in this article. Conclusions that can be drawn from this seminar are that it is worthwhile to set up training for distance tutors. Both knowledge and motivation of the teachers increases, and more important: confidence in teaching via the Internet. But besides the many benefits, also some difficulties have to be overcome.
An evaluation of Wordshark in the classroom
Authors: Singleton Chris , Simmons Fiona
Published: March 2003

The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of Wordshark, a multisensory drill‐and‐practice computer program designed to improve children's spelling and word recognition skills. A 20‐item questionnaire on the use and effectiveness of the program was sent to 1312 schools in the UK that had purchased the program, and 403 replies were received (31% response rate). The results indicated that the program was being used in both primary schools and secondary schools. In the majority of schools the program was being used with SEN pupils, and very frequently it was incorporated within Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Wordshark was principally used to practice words, to introduce new words, to find out whether children can read and spell particular words, to reinforce teaching points, and as a reward for effort and/or good work. The children were reported to enjoy using the program and almost all (96%) of respondents stated that children were better motivated when using the program than when doing other classroom work. In the vast majority of cases, significant improvements in children's reading and spelling were reported. The findings are discussed in relation to the theory and practice of computer‐assisted learning.
The same but different: The use of the personal Home Page by adults with Down Syndrome as a tool for self‐presentation
Authors: Seale Jane K
Published: March 2003

Recent research has suggested that people with learning disabilities can manage their identities and define the circumstances under which they will present a self‐image that is the same or different to other people with learning disability. This paper reports a survey of personal Home Pages written by people with Down Syndrome and investigates the extent to which they use the pages to accept or deny membership of the Down Syndrome group. Opportunistic sampling of the pages listed by five Web Crawlers revealed twenty personal Home Pages of adults with Down Syndrome. Thematic analysis of the content, form and language of the pages revealed similarities and differences in the way the page owners expressed and perceived their self‐identity. The results suggest that the personal Home Page has the potential to allow adults with Down Syndrome to express multiple identities: identities that are the same and different to other people with Down Syndrome.
Where is the technology‐induced pedagogy? Snapshots from two multimedia EFL classrooms
Authors: Zhong Ying Xue , Shen Hui Zhong
Published: March 2003

This research examines two multimedia secondary EFL classrooms to identify what changes, pedagogical or otherwise, have taken place in technologically integrated classroom practice. The research analyses data generated from a range of sources: classroom observations, videotapes and teacher’s lesson plans. It is argued that substantial pedagogical innovations will not come unless there is a perceived change in the understanding of the process of teaching and learning and philosophy of language. The research concludes that the traditional Chinese notion of teaching and the role of the teacher in the classroom need to be redefined to allow for a learner‐centred multimedia language classroom to emerge.
Remote electronic examinations: student experiences
Authors: Thomas Peter , Price Blaine , Paine Carina , Richards Mike
Published: March 2003

This paper presents the findings from a small–scale experiment investigating the presentation of a synchronous remote electronic examination. It discusses the students’ experiences of taking such an examination. The study confirms that the majority of participants found the experience at least as good as a conventional written examination. In addition, typing answers does not prevent students from producing answers in the time available. However, the pressure of time continues to be a major cause of anxiety for students. The paper discusses technical issues, particularly those related to the loss of communications during the 3–hour duration of the exam. Although software processes were available to save and restore students’ answers throughout the examination, problems still occurred and more robust software is required.
Use of electronic surveys in course evaluation
Authors: Moss Jaclyn , Hendry Graham
Published: March 2003

The growth of e–Universities and flexible delivery in higher education may also lead to increased use of electronic course evaluation methods. The effectiveness and methodology of electronic surveys are discussed. In the graduate–entry, problem–based University of Sydney Medical Program extensive use is made of web technologies for curriculum delivery and evaluation. The design and response rates for web–based “End of Year” student evaluation surveys in the medical program are reported for the period 1997–2001. To be used successfully in course evaluation, online surveys should be infrequent, short, simply designed and free from password access, and de–identified results should be displayed to students on their completion of a survey.
Trade Union Mergers in British and Australian Television Broadcasting
Authors: Campling John T. , Michelson Grant
Published: March 2003

A complex set of forces facing trade union organizations has meant that union restructuring vis‐à‐vis merger activity has been a prominent feature of many Western labour movements in the 1980s and 1990s. This paper is located in these structural developments, and its main contribution lies in the insights provided by an in‐depth examination of recent union merger activity in commercial television in the UK and Australia. In contrast to the work of Undy et al. (1981), the results suggest that union mergers are influenced by more than changes in membership patterns, and that the delineation of merger categories may be far more complex than what has previously been identified by their model. It is argued, too, that the nature of the forces and the processes that led to the broadcasting union mergers in the UK and Australia were significantly influenced by the different institutional contexts of both countries. Finally, and related to this, it would appear that union merger outcomes (at least in the short term) are linked to the preceding processes by which merger is brought about. One policy implication of this is that anything other than a case‐by‐case evaluation of union mergers may be misleading.
The Causal Association Between Employee Share Ownership and Attitudes: a Study Based on the Long Framework
Authors: Keef Stephen P.
Published: March 2003

This paper examines the causal association between share ownership and attitudes of New Zealand managers, using Long’s (1978a) theoretical framework. The results of the longitudinal study showed that: (1) pre‐existing attitudes had no causal effect on the decision to purchase shares; and (2) employee share ownership did not result in the expected improvement in attitudes. Reasons as to why the scheme had little effect are discussed.
A Disaggregate Analysis of the Evolution of Job Tenure in Britain, 1975–1993
Authors: Burgess Simon , Rees Hedley
Published: March 2003

We use data on 200,000 individuals to investigate changes in job tenure. We look at the age–tenure profile for different birth cohorts of workers and find little change for men and an improvement for women. We estimate probability models for two cuts of the tenure distribution. We find that, controlling for a set of age, demographic, educational, industrial and occupational characteristics, the proportion of workers in short jobs and longer jobs has the same path as in the aggregate (unconditional) analysis. Allowing for the effect of all these characteristics to vary with time uncovers no evidence of secular change.
Getting the Measure of the Transformed High‐Performance Organization
Authors: Wood Stephen
Published: March 2003

The term ‘high‐performance work systems’ is increasingly being used to label the transformed high‐commitment organization associated with the abandonment of Taylorism. A fundamental issue is whether the whole ensemble of high‐commitment and total quality management practices tend to be used together or in a fragmented ad hoc way. Latent trait analysis is used to address this question. Using data from Osterman’s study of US organizations, the analysis shows that certain practices do co‐exist, though quality circle stands apart from them. While it is meaningful to talk of high‐performance management as an integration of modern quality and personnel management methods, caution must be exercised when defining management approaches in terms of a set of practices on a priori grounds alone.
Union–Member Relations and Satisfaction with Unions in South Korea
Authors: Frenkel Stephen J. , Kuruvilla Sarosh
Published: March 2003

This paper uses a large sample of South Korean union members working in different industries and occupations to test a model of union satisfaction. The results suggest that union–member relations — member representation and union leader effectiveness — are more important than the economic results that unions provide to members. These findings are in line with our general argument that, where unions rely on decentralized collective bargaining as the prime method of employment regulation, they depend heavily on internal union relations for their effectiveness. We contend that, if unions are to limit the decline in their influence, assessing and changing internal union relations should be a priority.
The Composition of Union Membership: The Role of Pensioners in Italy
Authors: Chiarini Bruno
Published: March 2003

This paper considers changes in the membership composition of the three leading Italian trade union confederations during the last fifteen years. The analysis emphasizes the remarkable growth of membership among pensioners and the drop in active workers. The key issue here is that intergenerational aspects of unions' membership components are taken into account in the bargaining process. Unions internalize unemployment externalities on pension benefits resultant on the wage outcome as they consider the welfare of all their members in the economy. A formulation of the union monopoly model with endogenous membership supports these findings, while the econometric evaluation of the membership component effects shows that unions are forced to pursue wage moderation and improvements in employment conditions.
Feminism Facing Industrial Relations in Britain
Authors: Wajcman Judy
Published: March 2003

This is an opportune time to renegotiate the boundaries between industrial relations theory and feminist analysis in Britain. Such a bargain would involve going beyond an agreement to add ‘women’s issues’ to the research agenda, to a recognition of the gendered character of employment relations and of work itself. The formal institutions involved, namely, management, trade unions and the state, cannot be treated as gender‐neutral. Further, the very way industrial relations scholars define what is ‘inside’ the industrial relations system and what is ‘outside’ reflects masculine priorities and privilege.
The Impact of Training on Labour Mobility: Individual and Firm‐level Evidence from Britain
Authors: Green Francis , Felstead Alan , Mayhew Ken , Pack Alan
Published: March 2003

We investigate the impact of different types of training on the mobility expectations of workers, using three surveys. Most training episodes produce some transferable skills, and most transferable training is paid for by employers. Overall, training has no impact on mobility in three out of every five cases; the remaining cases are split equally between those where training increases and those where it decreases mobility. We find that training is more likely to lead to lower mobility when it is less transferable to other firms, is sponsored by firms, and where its objectives include increasing the identification of employees with corporate objectives.