bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Regular Visitors of Nursing Homes: Who Are They?
Authors: Minichiello V.
Published: March 2007

Few Australian studies have examined the social interaction of older people once they have entered nursing homes. Much of the existing literature reports the frequency of contacts that the elderly in nursing homes have with family and friends rather than explaining the factors that influence which people are more likely to visit regularly and why. This paper examines the interrelationship between frequency of visits and the charac teristics of aged residents, visitors and nursing homes, and the processes which explain these levels of interaction. A question naire was administered to aged residents in nursing homes and data was collected on the resident's network members, fre quency of contact and perceptions of the influence of placement in a nursing home on relationships. The results show that (1) the resident's perceived quality of the relationship and the location of the nursing home are important factors determining frequency of visiting, and (2) the placement in a nursing home does not necessarily weaken family ties.
The Institutional Foundations of Contemporary Australian Criminology
Authors: Carson Kit , O'Malley Pat
Published: March 2007

The foundations of modern Australian criminology were formed in a conservative social milieu in which a professionalising project for the discipline was pursued by allying it with academic lawyers and state criminal justice and correctional officials. Nevertheless, the fact that criminology is 'tainted' by the inclusion of disreputable social sciences (i.e. sociology), has meant that its protagonists have succeeded only in creating a quasi-profession, formally autonomous as a knowledge, but in practice policed by state officials and members of the legal profession. Despite various 'police actions' and organisational constructions designed to constrain the critical potential of the discipline, and despite the belated development of sociology as an academic discipline in this country, Australian criminology has begun to generate a genuinely critical discourse during the 1980s.
Social Participation in Urban Japan: Variations among Tokyo Women
Authors: Nobe Masao
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the social and demographic attributes of mar ried women which influence the pattern of social participation in a 'new middle class area' of Tokyo. The hypotheses derived from the work of Gans were tested by identifying types of residents using cluster analysis. The analysis revealed the following: (1) the pattern of social participation can be explained by the socioeconomic status and life cycle stage of residents; (2) local community involvement was being regenerated among women with low levels of educational attainment in areas where participation in Jichikai and neighbour hood interactions were not obligatory; (3) middle or high levels of educational attainment and withdrawal from work-force partici pation combined to create socially isolated women.
Wowser and Pro-Woman Politics: Temperance against Australian Patriarchy
Authors: Pixley Jocelyn
Published: March 2007

The temperance movement in Australia has been regarded for some time now by historians as a significant feminist lobby. This paper explores the implications of this revisionist historiography for sociological debates, in particular the literature on the modern family and on the patriarchal welfare state. The assumptions that women passively acquiesced in the changes in Australia at the turn of the century and played no part in the construction of the breadwinner are regarded as untenable. They became historical actors who achieved gains and suffered losses that were then embedded in state policies and domestic relations.
Women's Emancipation and Suicide in Australia: a Replication
Authors: Hassan Riaz , Tan Gerald
Published: March 2007

This paper analyses the relationship between women's eman cipation, modernisation and suicide in Australia using data for the period 1901-85. The main finding of the paper is that mod ernisation/women's emancipation, as measured by an index composed of the female participation rate in the labour force, and the urbanisation rate, the female-male education ratio and the female-male employment ratio, is positively related to the male-female suicide ratio. Another finding of the paper is that while the female suicide rate in Australia rose steadily between 1901 and 1965, it has been falling significantly since that time. We discuss several reasons for this change in trend.
Industry Segregation among Employed Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders
Authors: Taylor John
Published: March 2007

This paper describes the detailed industry composition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander work force and measures the extent to which it differs from that of the rest of the work force. For this purpose, 1986 Census data on industry division and class of employment are used and inter- and intra-industry segregation indexes are calculated. This reveals for the first time the precise industry mix which characterises the Aboriginal labour market. At the broad level of industry divisions, the degree of employment segregation between Aborigines, Islanders and others in the work force appears to have decreased over time, although problems exist in deriving a satisfactory index to measure temporal changes in segregation. However, at the more disaggregated intra-industry level, using data for a single census year, clear patterns of relative employment concentration and exclusion in particular industry classes are in evidence. These patterns are discussed for male and female Aborigines and Islanders in each industry class with the conclusion that the bulk of Aboriginal and Islander employment is supported by a very narrow industry base which is dependent to a large extent on public sector expenditure.
Doing the Right Thing: How Social Security Claimants View Compliance
Authors: Weatherley Richard
Published: March 2007

Since 1986, the Australian Department of Social Security has increasingly stressed client compliance. Attitudes toward several compliance requirements were assessed through interviews with 196 clients. While most were satisfied with social security and found staff to be helpful, nearly one- third (30.1 per cent) expressed dissatisfaction citing payment delays, long queues, rude treatment, lost documents and inaccurate information. There was considerable acceptance of eligibility review procedures which, for some, served to assuage feelings of shame at being 'on the dole'. Most respondents (74.3 per cent) said unequivocally they would report income for reasons of honesty, fairness to others, or fear of detection. Others would not report small amounts of casual earnings, justifying their non-compliance on grounds that payments failed to meet basic subsistence needs, or that income-reporting would unfairly disrupt payments. The findings suggest that client perceptions of fairness reinforce voluntary compliance.
Childhood and Parenting in Popular Culture
Authors: Luke Carmen
Published: March 2007

The texts, imagery and commodities of popular culture encode constructs of childhood and parenthood which act as powerful public pedagogies in the production of social identities of the 'child', 'family', 'gender', and 'race'. This paper focuses on (i) the corporate construction of childhood in the toy and media industries and, (ii) the textual and market construction of childhood and parenthood in childcare and parenting magazines. The analysis suggests that the social and consumer lessons children learn early, through the world of media and toys, are matched by similar visions of childhood in parenting magazines. It describes the marketplace of childhood, and the contradictory cultural logic of 'postfeminist' images of family, child, and parenting.
Militarization and social development in the Third World
Authors: Kwong Julia , Zimmer Zachary
Published: March 2007

In this study we integrated the modernization and dependency theories of development to suggest the ways whereby militarization can affect development. We examined the effects of three components of militarization highlighted in these theories on the social development of ninety-two developing countries. Overall, our findings support the dependency theory's emphasis on the detrimental impact of international trade on disadvantaged nations. There is a significant negative correlation between arms import and social development. Arms export and indigenous spending are correlated with social development in the expected directions but their beta coefficients are not significant. The diverse ways these three aspects of militarization have been shown to affect social development help to explain some of the conflicting findings in the literature and point to the need to study these variables in their disaggregated form.
Gender patterns in environmental consciousness among adolescents
Authors: Hampel Bill , Boldero Jennifer , Holdsworth Roger
Published: March 2007

This article identifies several reasons for an interest in gender patterns in environmental concern and knowledge. It then describes the different responses to environmental issues among Year 10 boys and girls in Victorian secondary schools. Although higher environmental consciousness is associ ated with higher parental education, particularly among boys, girls exhibit greater environmental responsibility than boys from the same socio-economic levels. The literature does indicate that wilderness experience contributes to greater environmental concern but the current study suggests that it is mediated by, and is less significant than, gender and socio-economic factors. The current study also suggests that if environmentally responsible behaviour is to be increased, attention should be paid to matters of gender identity and environmental attitudes as well as environmental knowledge.
Postmodern values, dissatisfaction with conventional medicine and popularity of alternative therapies
Authors: Siahpush Mohammad
Published: March 2007

This article reviews three competing hypotheses that address the reasons people turn to alternative medicine. According to the medical outcome hypothesis, the reason is dissatisfaction with the health outcomes of conventional medicine. According to the medical encounter hypothesis, the reason is dissatisfaction with the doctor-patient interaction patterns. According to the postmodern hypothesis, the reason is the recent emergence of a new value system that is congruent with the philosophical underpinnings of alternative medicine. Multivariate analyses of results based on a random sample of individuals support the medical encounter and postmodern hypothe ses and show that the set of postmodern values, in comparison to dissatisfaction with the medical encounter, is by far a better predictor of attitudes towards alternative medicine. Future research possibilities are discussed.
The 'new' genetics and the sociology of medical technology
Authors: Willis Evan
Published: March 2007

Advances in the understanding of molecular biology associated with the Human Genome Project are already having a considerable social impact. Assessing that social impact provides a number of challenges for sociology. Using the perspective of medical technology assessment, this article considers issues concerning genetic testing and screening, individual versus collective uses of these biotechnologies and the special case of pregnancy and prenatal screening. It concludes with the specification of a research agenda for sociologists interested in the field.
Object oriented artificial neural networks in decision support systems for dermatological research
Authors: Patel Dilip , Patel Shushma , Hanley Dan
Published: March 2007

Dermatological disorders, although not terminal, cannot be easily treated and are generally a greater problem socially. Usually the disease is contained rather than cured and therefore relapse is a major problem. Treatment of microbial skin diseases is multi-factorial. The onset of diseases such as acne is dependent on many factors, including age, sex, sebum production and hormonal changes. Anti androgens can be as effective a treatment as anti-microbial agents: one targets the sebum, the other the organism. It is a well established fact that with a reduction in the sebum excretion rate, there is a reduction in the number of Propionibacterium acnes, (P. acnes) which correlates with an improvement in acne. It has been shown that an increase in the amount, and changes in the composition of skin surface lipids appear to be directly related to the increasing population of P. acnes around puberty.

Initial research involved both collection over time and analysis of data using traditional statistical methods. Due to the large volume of sparse data it was time consuming and difficult to integrate and implement the methods to support the decision making process. This paper illustrates the value of Object-

Oriented technology and Artificial Neural Networks in building clinical decision support systems to analyse skin surface lipid data from patients with lipid dependent microbial skin diseases. The paper proposes an extension to Blum's framework for analysing data and postulates an architecture for clinical decision support systems.
The use of multimedia computers and software in nurse education
Authors: Wright D.J.
Published: March 2007

This paper considers the use of computer based multimedia for teaching and learning within education, with particular reference to nurse education. The literature review indicates that there is much to be gained from considering the use of computerised learning/teaching packages as:
A preliminary study on teleworking in health care
Authors: Barlow P.J.
Published: March 2007

In 1992, the National Health Service (NHS) Executive launched the Strategy for Information Management and Technology (IM&T) in the NHS. This strategy was designed to enable all parts of the NHS to provide better care and communications through the appropriate use of IM&T.
Surgical information systems and information safety
Authors: Smith M.F.
Published: March 2007

Surgical information systems (SIS) do not act directly upon patients. Consequently, awareness of computer safety aspects may not be particularly high. Because surgery often involves life-critical and expensive procedures, the consequences of SIS failure on individual patients or patients en masse could be severe, dramatic and costly.
Structured abstracts in information retrieval from biomedical databases: a literature survey
Authors: O'Rourke A.J.
Published: March 2007

Clear guidelines have been provided for structuring the abstracts of original clinical research and review articles and, in the last 10 years, several major medical journals have adopted the policy of publishing all such articles with structured abstracts. Proponents claim that structured abstracts enhance peer review, improve information retrieval, and ease critical appraisal. However, some journals have not adopted them and their opponents claim they make articles longer and harder to read and restrict author originality. Previous research on structured abstracts has focused on how closely they follow prescribed structure and include the salient points of the full text, rather than their role in increasing the usefulness of the article.
Environmental Control in the Tropics-Its Problems and Its Opportunities
Authors: Logan John A.
Published: March 2007

With the increasing demand for food and raw materials due to increasing world population, there is a growing interest in the development of the tropics, as they cover most of that part of the world normally classified as under developed. To-day, as in the past, the principal barrier to the successful development of the tropics is the tropical environment. While we have now a great many new scientific techniques at our disposal for use in development, most of these are not directly applicable to the tropics. The special problems and special conditions of that area demand special consideration, and it is suggested that this can best be done by an "environmental "approach, the control of the environment for the health, comfort and convenience of man. The new definition of health, as accepted by the member countries of the World Health Organization, provides for this broad concept. Engineers have an important contribution to make, particularly in the field of sanitation and in a comprehensive consideration of the supply and utilization of water.
The Siting, Construction and Management of Modern Abattoirs
Authors: Anderson A.W.
Published: March 2007

Emphasis is laid on the desirability of careful investigation in consultation with local interests before deciding on a site and on the nature of the facilities to be provided.

Suggestions are made on how to assess the extent of the facilities required.

A sharp contrast is drawn between planning for line as opposed to booth dressing, and the importance of adequate cooling facilities for carcases and offals is stressed.

Distinction is drawn between administrative management and management of slaughtering and dressing operations, and attention is drawn to the repercussion single v. multiple control of operations may have on planning.
Respiratory symptoms and lung function in garage workers and taxi drivers
Authors: Bener Abdulbari , Galadari Ibrahim , Al-Mutawa Jamal K. , Al-Maskari Fatma , Das Mandira , Abuzeid Mohammed S. O.
Published: March 2007

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of some respiratory symptoms and possible diseases among occupationally-exposed garage workers and taxi drivers. This study involved 158 garage workers and 165 taxi drivers, matched for age, sex, nationality and duration of employment. The mean age of 158 Indian subcontinent garage workers was 34.4±10.4 years; their mean height and weight were 167.7±6.6 cm and 72.0±12.3 kg respectively, and the mean duration of employment garage workers was 8.8± 7.6 years. The mean age of 165 Indian subcontinent male taxi drivers was 34.5±7.7 years; their mean height and weight were 168.7±6.1 cm and 71.3±12.6 kg respectively; and the mean duration of employment was 7.5±5.4 years. The data on chronic respiratory symp toms showed that garage workers had higher prevalence of symptoms than taxi drivers, being significantly greater for chronic phlegm, (p<0.007); dyspneoa (p<0.001]; and sinusi tis ( p<0.03). A higher prevalence of all acute symptoms was recorded in garage workers than in taxi drivers, although the differences were significant only for throat (p<0.02), hear ing problems (p<0.002); nose (dryness, bleeding and secretion) (p<0.008); and low back pain (p<0.05). Almost all forced spirometric tests in the exposed garage workers were lower than in taxi drivers. The results of stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that only phlegm, sinusitis, hearing problems, nasal catarrh, throat, low back pain, smoking and FEF25-75, variables were statistically significant predictors as risk factors. In conclusion, the present study suggests that a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms is associated with exposure to motor vehicle exhaust emission in garage working places. Long-term working as garage workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), may be associated with the develop ment of chronic respiratory symptoms and have effects on their daily life and health.
Intellectual disability: developing a definition
Authors: Burton M.
Published: March 2007

This paper identifies the need for a shared definition of intellectual disability for health and social services.

Intellectual disability is generally described in broad terms, i.e. a disability which started before adulthood; reduced ability to cope independently due to a reduced ability to understand new information and learn new skills.

The first part of this paper reviews a range of definitions; each has advantages but also serious disadvantages. As a result, this paper concludes with a proposal for a composite definition. It is suggested that this presents a very practical way of defining the eligible population of those needing specialist services. This would enable resources to be focused on those most in need, but without neglecting those who would fall outside the scope of a more simplistic definition.

Underpinning this discussion is the acknowledgement that learning disability services provide the support that people require by virtue of their learning (and associated) disabilities, and are not a substitute for the general services available to the rest of the population.
An audit of haematological dysfunction in an adult Down's syndrome population: a brief report
Authors: Waldron A.
Published: March 2007

This paper reports on an audit undertaken on a population of adult clients with Down's syndrome with regard to haematological and thyroid status in order to detect their state of health in these areas. A letter was sent requesting the clients to attend their local hospital for the relevant blood tests, i.e. full blood count, random blood glucose and thyroid function tests: 116 clients were targeted. The overall response rate was 78.26%. A significant level of minor haematological abnormalities was detected. Sixty-five per cent (52 of 80 responders) had marginally elevated mean cell volume and/or mean cell haemoglobin values. If all minor anomalies were taken into account, e.g. reduced lymphocyte, eosinophil or basophil count, 86.3% (69 of 80 responders) had some abnormality detected. Thyroid function assessment revealed abnormalities in 30.7% (or 27 of 88) of responders, while raised random blood glucose levels were found in 16% (or 13 of 81) responders. A significant level of subclinical morbidity was detected, particularly regarding thyroid disease. The case for regular thyroid function screening is strongly supported, though less so regarding haematological status and glucose levels. A balance between monitoring the well-being of a vulnerable section of the population living in the community against interfering with their autonomy and independence, continues to be a struggle for health awareness amongst care-givers is essential in order to offer an adequate health service to the learning disabled.
Significance of the attitudes of police and care staff toward sex and people who have a learning disability
Authors: Bailey A. , Sines D.
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the importance of attitudes and perceptions that care staff and police officers have towards people with learning disabilities. After discussion of the importance of attitudes with respect to people with learning disabilities, recent evidence is examined concerning attitudes to learning disabilities and sexuality and the measurement of such attitudes.
A population-based cross- sectional study of social networks and demography in older compared with younger adults with learning disabilities
Authors: Cooper S.-A.
Published: March 2007

This report describes a comprehensive population-based study of people with learning disabilities aged 65 years or over, living in Leicestershire, UK (n = 134), compared with a randomly selected group of people with learning disabilities aged 20-64 years (n = 73). Older people with learning disabilities include equal numbers of men and women, unlike younger individuals where men predominate. This finding is in keeping with the general population, where women have a greater life span than men (i.e. women outlive men and so the ratio between men and women changes with age). The distribution of the degree of learning disabilities was more severe for younger as opposed to older people; this probably relates to a differential mortality rate. Differences were also found between the two groups with regard to the aetiology of learning disabilities. Fewer elderly people lived with relatives: the majority lived in residential care using both learning disabilities services and services designed for the general population of older people. The social networks of the older cohort were more restricted than those of the younger cohort, and they spent less time engaged in enjoyable social interactions and activities. This suggests that current services are not yet meeting the needs of this growing older population.
'All we are really here for is storage, dear'. Psychodynamic approaches to the short term care of children with learning disabilities
Authors: Pike N.
Published: March 2007

Short term care, both residential and family based, remains a cornerstone of family support services for children with learning disabilities. Despite this, research findings from Maureen Oswin's work to present suggest that short term care services are primarily oriented to the support needs of families and carers, rather than to the emotional security of the child.

Drawing on recent observational studies of short term care facilities, and on work undertaken within the Children's Society's Western Corner Project, the author argues that psychodynamic approaches can both illuminate the experience of the child in the residential short term care setting, and suggest patterns of service that can enhance the well-being of the child.

Influenced by the therapeutic tradition within residential child care, the author proposes that careful attention to the building of therapeutic relationships in the context of everyday events such as meals, intimate personal care, individualized play activities and settling to sleep, can make a contribution to the personal growth of the child.

The paper, originally prepared during a period of study at the Tavistock Clinic, concludes by considering some of the implications for staff deployment and development that follow from the adoption of such an approach.
Enabling carers to access specialist training in breakaway techniques: a case study
Authors: Green T. , Wray J.
Published: March 2007

The British Paediatric Association (1994) has estimated that in an 'average' population of 250 000 people, there will be 200 children with severe learning disabilities. Of these children, the number with behaviour difficulties has been estimated to be higher than that of the rest of the population (Saxby & Morgan I993). Behaviour difficulties are considered a major source of stress for parents and carers (Quine & Pahl I985; Quine I986). The effect upon the family, the carers and the child are considered complex and bi-directional (Dyson I993; I996).

This paper explores the experience of one family, whose child had Prader-Willi Syndrome and severe behaviour difficulties, and the process undertaken to access specialist training in 'Breakaway' training. Prader-Willi Syndrome has been associated with a range of behaviour difficulties including hyperphagia and food preoccupation, temper tantrums, stubbornness, lability, impulsivity, arguementativeness, depression, anxiety and repetitive behaviours (Dykens & Kasari I997). An escalation of the child's aggressive outbursts had necessitated intervention and the traditional methods of behaviour management had proven insufficient during episodes of crisis. To ensure the safety of both the parents and the child, access to training in 'Breakaway techniques' for the carers was procured, at the carers request. This paper concentrates upon the difficulties encountered during this process, both for the family and the professionals involved.

All names and locations identified in this paper have been changed to protect the anonymity of the individuals involved.
The Design of Solution Polyurethanes for Textile Coatings
Authors: Gasparrini Frank J.
Published: March 2007

The basic parameters and physical properties of various solu tion urethane polymers for textile applications are discussed. This article also classifies different urethane polymers and demonstrate the perfor mance characteristics of each. The importance of applications data, perfor mance testing, and the ability of the urethane chemist to work directly with the textile coater are also examined New areas of interest, such as urethane topcoats for vinyl and water-based urethane lattices, are dis cussed.
The Influence of the Polymer On the Properties of Foam Backing for Carpets
Authors: Gorton A.D.T.
Published: March 2007

The three commonest polymers used for foam rubber carpet backing are polyisoprene (NR - natural rubber), styrene-butadiene (SBR) rubber, and carboxylated styrene-butadiene (C-SBR) rubber. Each polymer has different properties and contributes to the characteristics of the carpet backing foam. A study is reported here of the properties of carpet-backing foams prepared from the polymers under comparable conditions. With regard to the compression modulus of the foam, NR is equivalent to SBR but lower than C-SBR. However, flex loss and the effect of water-soaking are greater for SBR and C-SBR. The same trend is seen for the delamina tion resistance, hysteresis loss, resilience, and tear strength. The ageing of the systems is discussed. The present position with regard to specifications for carpets is briefly outlined, and the effect these have on the polymer choice examined.
Fire Resistance of Phosphazene Rubber Coated Fabrics
Authors: Wilson Angus
Published: March 2007

As a result of research sponsored by the U.S. Army a new class of rubbers, with an attractive combination of properties has been developed. One of their outstanding characteristics is inherent fire re sistance. To evaluate their efficiency as fire resistant coatings, two weights of polyester fabric were coated and evaluated. The data show a superiority in flame resistance for these materials over a currently used polychloro prene/chlorosulfonated polyethylene coated polyester fabric.
Effect of Backcoating On Toxicity of Pyrolysis Gases From Furniture Upholstery Fabrics
Authors: Hilado Carlos J. , Brauer Diana P.
Published: March 2007

Available data on toxicity of pyrolysis gases from furniture upholstery fabrics were studied to determine the effect of backcoating. The data were obtained using the toxicity screening test method developed at the University of San Francisco. For 100% rayon fabrics, time to death appeared to increase when backcoating content increased above 25 per cent. For 100% nylon fabrics, time to death appeared to be longest when backcoating content was about 30 per cent.
Ignitability of Fabrics and Fabric/Cushion Systems
Authors: Hilado Carlos J. , Brauer Diana P.
Published: March 2007

The ignition characteristics of furniture upholstery fabrics appear to be influenced by fabric variables, test condi tions, and substrate as much as by the chemical composition of the fiber.
An Evaluation of the Implementation of Grids in one Local Education Authority
Authors: Constable Hilary , Brown Ron , Williams Ralph
Published: March 2007

The introduction of GRIDS for schools to review their curricula was received positively. Teachers welcomed their greater involvement in decisions and better communications. Further work was found to be needed on the processes of change in schools.
Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy
Authors: Fitz-Gibbon C.T.
Published: March 2007

Pupils can learn better from each other than in some normal classrooms. This article explores current knowledge about peer tutoring.' It suggests how it can help special groups of pupils and how it can be organised.
And Now for the Soaring Turkeys: Managing the Implementation of the 1988 Education Reform Act
Authors: Mercer Roger
Published: March 2007

At the end of a recent paper on school improvement Holly (1986) reflects impishly on the theme of 'Where Eagles Dare' and looks forward to an educational bestseller with the title 'Where Turkeys Soar'. It is in this spirit, when everybody is beset by difficulties and the idea of implementing the Education Reform Act provokes shudders of apprehension, that I seek to provide an appetiser — if I may be allowed to mix my metaphors — on the 'soaring turkeys' theme.
Theories of Educational Leadership: Implications for Nigerian Educational Leaders
Authors: Uwazurike Cletus Ngozi
Published: March 2007

What are the implications of the theories of educational leadership for the effective training and utilisation of Nigerian educational leaders ? The system so far has failed to emphasise sufficient knowledge of current theories of educational leadership as prerequisite for educational leadership positions. Often, poorly trained individuals are made school principals. The author, who is at Imo State University, recommends that future Nigerian educational leaders should be trained in the current theories of educational leadershiP and given periodic in-service education, seminars and workshaps.
Evaluating Information Technology-supported Local Management of Schools: The User Acceptability Audit
Authors: Wild P. , Scivier J.E. , Richardson S.J.
Published: March 2007

In the second of two papers which consider aspects of the Local Management of Schools, P. Wild and S.J. Richardson of the University of Loughborough and J. E. Scivier of Nottingham Polytechnic comment that whilst many LEAs have implemented new information technology systems to support LMS much less attention has been given to establishing techniques for evaluating the success of these systems. Working from a human factors perspective they report on a study which aims to apply and refine a set of 'tools' developed by the Human Sciences and Advanced Technology Research Institute (HUSAT) at the University of Loughborough as a means of identifying harriers and promoters to systems acceptance. The study focuses on direct users in secondary schools
The Principalship as a Career: In Need of a Theory
Authors: Crow Gary M.
Published: March 2007

Gary Crow is Associate Professor of Educational Administration at Louisiana State University, USA, where he teaches a course, inter alia, in principalship. In this paper he argues that principalshiP has received considerable attention during educational reform debates yet little attention has been given to the principalship as a career. This paper presents a theoretical framework for investigating principals' careers that justifies career investigations as appropriate endeavours and provides a way to differentiate principals' careers.
Organisation and Change within Educational Systems: Some Implications of a Loose-coupling Model
Authors: Horne Stephen
Published: March 2007

Stephen Horne is a Lecturer at St Helens Community College. In this paper he considers the work of a small LEA as it sought to implement change in community education and in TVEI. In order to try to shape and inform his understanding of the process of change the author draws upon loose-coupling theory. In the final section Horne attempts to draw some rather more general lessons about the mechanisms of change which might assist change agents who work at the LEA/school interface.
Reconstruction and Reform in Further Education
Authors: Hyland Terry
Published: March 2007

Terry Hyland is a Lecturer in Continuing Education at the Univetsity of Warwick. In the context of the government's proposals for the reform of further education, this paper considers how adequate to their stated and unstated purposes the reforms are likely to be. The author's conclusions are not optimistic.
Educational Management within a Young Offender Institution
Authors: Fryer Vinny , Fryer Paul
Published: March 2007

Ninny Fryer teaches at Her Majesty's Prison Whatton and Paul Fryer is a management consultant working for nottinghamshire County Council. They report on the challenges faced those who carry the responsibility managing education in Young offender Institutions. The paper, tough taking the form of a case study, tries to examine these difficulties id make suggestions for how they m ight be overcome in a way which m ight have a more general relevance.
The Secondary School Principal and Teachers' Quality of work Life
Authors: Rossmiller Richard A.
Published: March 2007

The author is Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this article he draws upon case studies of the school principal and other senior administrators, in eight 'ordinary' metropolitan secondary schools in the upper midwest of the United States, to describe how the actions of school-level administrators affect the quality of work life of teachers in schools. In interpreting the data Richard Rossmiller draws upon both rational bureaucratic and loose-coupling theory.
Managing the Secondary School in the 1990s: A New View of Headship
Authors: Ribbins Peter , Sherratt Brian
Published: March 2007

Headship is widely acknowledged to be a crucial variable in determining the nature and quality of schools. As might be expected, there are numerous studies of headship. In this article Peter Ribbins, Reader in Educational Management at the University of Birmingham, and Brian Sherratt, Head of Great Barr Comprehensive School in Birmingham, report on a new approach to the study of headship in which they have been involved together; an approach which they describe as a dialectic of biography and autobiography.
A Set of KyÅgen Adaptations: Henry Livings's Pongo Plays
Authors: Graham-White Anthony
Published: March 2007

This report discusses the transpositions, adaptations, and original departures from kyÅgen and music hall that Henry Livings used in creating his delightful popular sketches, Pongo Plays, performed in England in the 1960s and 1970s.
Tradition in Transition: The Shigeyama ChÅ«zaburÅ KyÅgen Family Looks to the Future
Authors: Kuzel John
Published: March 2007

KyÅgen is a "cottage industry," performed by teams of family members and their disciples. This interview asks four members of the Shigeyama ChÅ«zaburÅ family of Kyoto about their responsibilities and ambitions in the kyÅgen world.
Chakagi Zatō (The Tea Sniffing Blind Men)
Authors: Morley Carolyn Ann
Published: March 2007

The Tea Snifï¬ng Blind Men is one of nine kyÅgen plays featuring a blind man as shite (main character). It is unique in that it presents a formal community of the blind rather than two or three characters, and shows them conducting a rather unconventional tea ceremony. The characters make up the category of plays known as zatÅ mono in the Izumi School, and shukke zatÅ in the Åkura School.
Medicine and the Public: The 1962 Report of the Royal College of Physicians and the New Public Health
Authors: Berridge Virginia
Published: March 2007

The 1962 report of the Royal College of Physicians on smoking was a significant event in the history of smoking. Its significance was, however, more than smoking-specific: the RCP committee's appointment, its membership, its work, and the manner of its publication signified the changes within social medicine, and within the medical profession more generally, in postwar Britain. Doctors assumed the right to speak to the public and to government on matters of individual health, and a new risk-based public health was in the process of formation. A public health "policy community" formed, and governments began to assume responsibility for advising the public on health matters. The use of research in the report, and of social research in response to it, was important in the emergence of evidence-based medicine within public health. The paper argues for greater attention to the change in public health epitomized by the report in current debates on the concept of the 1960s "permissive society." It was the harbinger of a new style of "coercive permissiveness" in health.
The "Ineffable Freemasonry of Sex": Feminist Surgeons and the Establishment of Radiotherapy in Early Twentieth-Century Britain
Authors: Moscucci Ornella
Published: March 2007

In 1924 the London Committee of the Medical Women's Federation was instrumental in establishing a clinic for the purpose of investigating the radium treatment of cervical cancer. The scheme was later to evolve into a hospital, the Marie Curie, where adherence to the methods developed in Stockholm served to establish radiotherapy as an alternative to surgery in cancer of the cervix. This article examines the women's contribution in the light of feminist and professional struggles over the relative merits of surgery and radiotherapy. It argues that radiotherapy was an issue of special interest to women surgeons, not only because of the long history of feminist opposition to gynecological surgery, but also because it could widen women's access to the medical profession in the face of male exclusion from training posts and honorary appointments at voluntary hospitals.
Actions and Attitudes: Understanding Greek (and Latin) Verbal Paradigms
Authors: Bachvarova Mary R
Published: March 2007

Recent linguistic research into how languages express situation-types, speaker's point of view, and transitivity affects how we should understand and teach the aspectual distinctions of Greek. I present here some ways in which to teach about the distinctions between the imperfect, aorist, and perfect; the thematic second aorist; and the interplay between voice and aspect, the latter including some comparanda from Spanish, a language many of our students have already studied, and English-speakers' use of the so-called "get-passive."
What Linguists Are Good For
Authors: Katz Joshua Timothy
Published: March 2007

This paper gives a personal and polemical account of why linguists are useful and why departments of classics should embrace us. Students of Greek, Roman, and (for that matter) other civilizations are hungry for insight into the languages they study, while linguists are a vibrant and versatile breed, able to teach an unusually wide range of coursesand teach them well. Among the specific points explored are the meaning of "theory," the utility of understanding such technical matters as Grassmann's Law and ablaut, and the application of linguistic methodology to the problematic sequence ΠΕΡΙΓΝΥΣΙ in verse 152 of the Homeric Hymn to Hermes.
Linguistics and the Teaching of Classical History and Culture
Authors: Littman Robert J.
Published: March 2007

This paper looks at uses of linguistics to aid in the teaching of Greek and Latin languages, history, and culture. The teaching of dialects and linguistic differences among them can aid the student to learn new dialects. Linguistics can be used to explain the origins of Graeco-Roman and Indo-European civilizations. Historical linguistics can be used along with archaeology and written historical and literary accounts to show the closeness and relationship of the two cultures and that the Greeks and Romans share a common patrimony of language and religion.
Learning in the Teaching Workforce
Authors: Hill Heather C
Published: March 2007

The U.S. educational system invests heavily, in both time and money, in continuing education for teachers. In this article Heather Hill examines the effectiveness of two forms of teacher learning—graduate coursework and professional development. She focuses first on graduate education. Almost half of all teachers have a master's degree. Many states allow graduate coursework to count toward recertification requirements. Some districts require teachers to complete a master's degree within several years of hiring, and many others reward it with salary increases. Education reformers often recommend requiring master's degrees. But much graduate coursework appears to be of low intellectual quality and disconnected from classroom practice. Most research finds no link between teachers' graduate degrees and student learning unless the degree is in the teacher's primary teaching field. Hill then examines professional development. Most workshops, institutes, and study groups appear to be brief, superficial, and of marginal use in improving teaching. But it does not have to be this way, says Hill. Professional development can enhance teaching and learning if it has three characteristics. It must last several days or longer; it must focus on subject-matter-specific instruction; and it must be aligned with the instructional goals and curriculum materials in teachers' schools. Such high-quality programs do exist. But they are a tiny fraction of the nation's offerings. One problem, says Hill, is that researchers rarely evaluate carefully either local professional development or its effect on student learning. Most evaluations simply ask participants to self-report. Lacking reliable evaluations, how are teachers and district officials to choose effective programs? Clearly, much more rigorous studies are needed. To make continuing education effective, school districts should encourage teachers to take graduate coursework that is more tightly aligned with their primary teaching assignment. And districts should select professional development programs based on evidence of their effectiveness. Finally, central planners must ensure that items on the menu of offerings closely align with district standards, curriculum materials, and assessments.
Using Performance-Based Pay to Improve the Quality of Teachers
Authors: Lavy Victor
Published: March 2007

Tying teachers' pay to their classroom performance should, says Victor Lavy, improve the current educational system both by clarifying teaching goals and by attracting and retaining the most productive teachers. But implementing pay for performance poses many practical challenges, because measuring individual teachers' performance is difficult. Lavy reviews evidence on individual and school-based incentive programs implemented in recent years both in the United States and abroad. Lavy himself evaluated two carefully designed programs in Israel and found significant gains in student and teacher performance. He observes that research evidence suggests, although not conclusively, that pay-for-performance incentives can improve teachers' performance, although they can also lead to unintended and undesired consequences, such as teachers' directing their efforts exclusively to rewarded activities. Lavy also offers general guidelines for designing effective programs. He emphasizes that the system must measure true performance in a way that minimizes random variation as well as undesired and unintended consequences. It must align performance with ultimate outcomes and must be monitored closely to discourage gaming if not outright fraud in measured output. Goals should be attainable. Incentives should balance individual rewards with school incentives, fostering a cooperative culture but not at the expense of free riding. All teachers should be eligible for the incentive offered, but only a subset of teachers should be rewarded in practice. If too many teachers are rewarded, teachers may not need to exert much extra effort to benefit. Many of the practical challenges faced by performance-related pay, Lavy says, can be addressed through careful design of the system. He emphasizes that setting up a performance-related pay system that works is not a one-time task. Even with the best preparation, initial implementation is likely to be problematic. But if the effort is seen as ongoing, it should be possible to make progress gradually in developing incentives that motivate the desired teaching behaviors and that will be perceived by teachers as fair and accurate.
History and Theory in "Applied Ethics"
Authors: Beauchamp Tom L
Published: March 2007

Robert Baker and Laurence McCullough argue that the "applied ethics model" is deficient and in need of a replacement model. However, they supply no clear meaning to "applied ethics" and miss most of what is important in the literature on methodology that treats this question. The Baker-McCullough account of medical and applied ethics is a straw man that has had no influence in these fields or in philosophical ethics. The authors are also on shaky historical grounds in dealing with two problems: (1) the historical source of the notion of "practical ethics" and (2) the historical source of and the assimilation of the term "autonomy" into applied philosophy and professional ethics. They mistakenly hold (1) that the expression "practical ethics" was first used in a publication by Thomas Percival and (2) that Kant is the primary historical source of the notion of autonomy as that notion is used in contemporary applied ethics.