bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No Child's Fate is Sealed
Authors: Hawkes T. Elijah
Published: August 2014

The differences between small-town Vermont and New York City are vast, but an educator's work in either place must be grounded in the belief that no child's fate is sealed.
Investing in High School
Authors: Green Daniel G.
Published: August 2014

Strapped for cash, a Massachusetts high school starts its own venture fund to grow teacher leaders and encourage innovation. Test score gains and higher teacher satisfaction result.
The Science of Professional Development
Authors: Fields Erica T. , Levy Abigail Jurist , Karelitz Tzur M. , Martinez-Gudapakkam Audrey , Jablonski Erica
Published: August 2014

If you offer professional development in science, will teachers come? More importantly, will it matter if they do?
Beginning Teacher Induction What the Data Tell Us
Authors: Ingersoll Richard M.
Published: August 2014

Induction is an education reform whose time has come.
Do Grades Tell Parents What They Want and Need to Know?
Authors: Webber Jim , Wilson Maja
Published: August 2014

Parents want much more information than grades convey and more than what's provided by online grading systems.
Making Best Practice Standard — and Lasting
Authors: Stringfield Sam , Reynolds David , Schaffer Eugene
Published: August 2014

A 16-year-old effort to improve schools in a challenged, high-poverty area in Wales could offer lessons to schools elsewhere.
Boosting STEM Interest in High School
Authors: Schneider Barbara , Judy Justina , Mazuca Christina
Published: August 2014

A project at Michigan State University shows how public high schools can influence the number of students headed toward STEM careers.
Growing into Leadership
Authors: Graham Mariela
Published: August 2014

Experienced leaders should reconnect with earlier, more naïve, and idealistic responses as a way to evaluate their new style of leadership.
A Hopeful Future for the National Board
Authors: Colvin Richard Lee
Published: August 2014

Although National Board certification is highly regarded in education, the organization behind it needs to reshape and refocus itself so it can be a meaningful player in Washington.
Let's Cancel the Dog-and-Pony Show
Authors: Marshall Kim
Published: August 2014

Improve teacher assessment by replacing the announced, long-form evaluation visit with as many as 10 shorter, unannounced visits fortified with timely, valuable, face-to-face feedback.
Implementing measures of teacher effectiveness
Authors: Stecher Brian , Garet Mike , Holtzman Deborah , Hamilton Laura
Published: August 2014

Teachers and leaders in pilot sites say the evaluation systems are beneficial, and leaders say they're well-prepared for their new responsibilities, even as they worry about increased workload and stress from the new expectations.
Movement Even during Inaction
Authors: Colvin Richard Lee
Published: August 2014

The U.S. Department of Education is moving ahead on its agenda even as Congress chooses to sit out the party.
First, do no Harm
Authors: Palm Martha
Published: August 2014

Starting with a borrowed axiom from medical ethics, a teacher learns five guidelines for helping a student with Asperger syndrome.
Caring Encounters
Authors: Gunn Alyson
Published: August 2014

Autism does present a difficult set of educational challenges for children, but it's not all about the disease, the author says. It's about the children.
Anxiety in Students a Hidden Culprit in Behavior Issues
Authors: Minahan Jessica , Rappaport Nancy
Published: August 2014

Identifying the triggers for inappropriate behaviors and teaching children more desirable responses can be part of intervention plans in any classroom.
G-R-O-U-P W-O-R-K doesn't Spell Collaboration
Authors: Quinn Timothy
Published: August 2014

Simply putting kids around a table and telling them to work together does not teach them collaboration skills.
Firing a Teacher is Getting Easier
Authors: Darden Edwin C.
Published: August 2014

Courts are becoming an important arena for those bent on raising student achievement by firing teachers who are deemed incompetent.
Adults Set the Tone for Welcoming all Students
Authors: Slesaransky-Poe Graciela
Published: August 2014

A scholar whose son is gender nonconforming allows her experience as his mother to shape her academic work and her views about how schools can become more comfortable places for all students.
Addressing Achievement Gaps with Psychological Interventions
Authors: Yeager David , Walton Gregory , Cohen Geoffrey L.
Published: August 2014

Carefully devised and delivered psychological interventions catalyze the effects of high-quality educational reforms, but don't replace them.
I'm a Better Teacher When Students Aren't Tested
Authors: Spencer John T.
Published: August 2014

Fear of not scoring well on mandated assessments cripples teachers' ability to teach for learning and not just performance.
Seeing an Invisible World
Authors: Richardson Joan
Published: August 2014

Let's make sure that cultural and interpersonal awareness are on the menu in our schools and throughout our nation.
Todo tiene que ver con lo que se habla: It's all about the Talk
Authors: Frey Nancy , Fisher Douglas , Nelson John
Published: August 2014

A district focuses on the how of teaching to propel student achievement against the odds.
If it's Good Enough for Joe…
Authors: Bambrick-Santoyo Paul
Published: August 2014

Video offers teachers and leaders the opportunity to find and cure the small mistakes that have a big effect on learning.
Another Revolution Starts in Boston
Authors: Chu Dan M.
Published: August 2014

High school students in Boston transform conversations on teacher evaluation and succeed in having their voices heard.
Raising the Bar for Teaching
Authors: Mehta Jal , Doctor Joe
Published: August 2014

A rigorous board exam for teachers could change who is attracted to the profession, develop a more consistent and higher level of skills among teachers, improve student outcomes, and greatly increase public regard for teachers and teaching.
Traditional Teacher Education Still Matters
Authors: Jacobs Nick
Published: August 2014

Healthy doses of theory plus clinical practice still lays a solid foundation for new teachers.
Future Educators Association®: FEA Recruits and Supports Aspiring Teachers
Authors: Storm Jeanne
Published: August 2014

New teachers are needed for a new age, and the Future Educators Association® continues its mission of recruiting and helping a diverse array of teacher candidates become excellent educators.
Reform Education: Teach Wisdom and Ethics
Authors: Sternberg Robert J.
Published: August 2014

It's clear that students are getting smarter, learning more all the time. It's just as clear we are not making strides in teaching them more wisdom or better ethics. We should.
A Voice from the Past Calls for Classroom Technology
Authors: Kilfoye Charles
Published: August 2014

John Dewey's writings on education reform tell us we should embrace technology in the classroom so that we can prepare students with 21st-century skills.
What is “Educated” in the 21st Century?
Authors: Stewart Mary Amanda
Published: August 2014

Everyone loses when schools overlook the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge that immigrant students bring with them to school.
Leadership Helps Turn around a Troubled School
Authors: Von Sheppard
Published: August 2014

A compendium of academic programs and initiatives doesn't make the difference in transforming a perennially failing school. Instead, leadership and the staff look to themselves and successfully raise achievement.
Action over Rhetoric
Authors: Colvin Richard Lee
Published: August 2014

Two important efforts are under way to improve tests so they support and encourage the kind of teaching and learning that most of us want for students.
Shanghai and Seoul Plan Higher Achievement
Authors: Levin Ben
Published: August 2014

What can we learn from how two regions with typically high-performing students raise achievement levels for the low-income students among them.
Broadening the View of Differentiated Instruction
Authors: Parsons Seth A. , Dodman Stephanie L. , Burrowbridge Sarah Cohen
Published: August 2014

Differentiation shouldn't end with planning but should continue as teachers adapt their instruction during lessons.
Building a Pedagogy of Engagement for Students in Poverty
Authors: Gorski Paul C.
Published: August 2014

The only surefire way to eliminate the achievement gap is to eradicate poverty. Since that's not going to happen anytime soon, educators can still take many research-proven steps to foster equality of opportunity in education.
Boosting Student Interest in Science
Authors: Aschbacher Pamela R. , Ing Marsha , Tsai Sherry M.
Published: August 2014

Adults could do much more to excite students about science as a subject and encourage their interest in science careers.
Mapping a Teacher Boycott in Seattle
Authors: Zeichner Noah
Published: August 2014

Seattle teachers did more than just say “no.” They educated themselves, worked with parents, and presented their recommendations for how to improve student assessment.
Why the Common Core Changes Math Instruction
Authors: Faulkner Valerie N.
Published: August 2014

It's not the New Math exactly, but the Common Core calls for sharp changes in how math is taught and ultimately conceived in the earlier grades.
Maker Movement Spreads Innovation One Project at a Time
Authors: Peppler Kylie , Bender Sophia
Published: August 2014

Lessons learned from the grassroots spreading of the “maker movement” can help us reimagine schools and foster a mindset of creativity and innovation in educational settings.
Bad Parental Behavior
Authors: Darden Edwin C.
Published: August 2014

School policies can protect staff and send a message to parents that disrespectful and violent acts at school won't be tolerated.
Do it Now Short-Term Responses to Traumatic Events
Authors: Demaria Thomas , Schonfeld David J.
Published: August 2014

When tragedy strikes, school personnel should perform a range of tasks and roles to minimize harm to children and lay the groundwork for their recovery.
When All Else Fails, Organize and Advocate
Authors: Prichard Ami
Published: August 2014

It was the perfect storm of a sour economy, declining home values, and an inhospitable tax environment. Educators rallied the public to save jobs and enhance education.
Can Schools Compete?
Authors: Jensen Ben
Published: August 2014

Competition among schools plays a small role in parental decisions about where to enroll their children.
Teachers Creating and Leading Schools … is Union Work!
Authors: Sundin Louise
Published: August 2014

The original charter school vision included heavy doses of teacher contribution in all aspects of curriculum and administration. That is not how they evolved. Until now.
Challenging “Waiting for Superman”
Authors: Bruhn Mollie
Published: August 2014

A small group of New York City teachers channeled their disgust with “Waiting for Superman” into their own film about the realities of the current education reform movement.
From Homework to Home Learning
Authors: Spencer John T.
Published: August 2014

Stop assigning homework, and watch the learning grow.
Student-as-Client
Authors: Mahatmya Duhita , Brown Russell C. , Johnson Alexandra D.
Published: August 2014

Metaphors help us understand students' role in education. Are students products, consumers, or clients?
Retool State-to-District Intervention for Better Outcomes
Authors: Slotnik William J.
Published: August 2014

Moves by state education departments to improve struggling districts are hampered by a focus on tactics rather than strategy, insufficient capacity building, and community input.
How I Learned the Value of a True PLC
Authors: Leane Brig
Published: August 2014

There's lots of talk about PLCs, but execution often is lacking. It's really a straightforward concept that when done with consistency can yield dramatic gains in student achievement.
A Call for Improved School Leadership
Authors: Halverson Richard , Kelley Carolyn , Shaw James
Published: August 2014

Evaluating the quality of one's work should not be limited to students and teachers; leaders also must be evaluated and encouraged to improve.
Teachers Lead the Way in Denver
Authors: Nazareno Lori
Published: August 2014

A school born through collaboration attracted accomplished teachers, exemplifies leadership by teachers, and sets an example for students.
The Lost Opportunity of the Common Core State Standards
Authors: Welner Kevin G.
Published: August 2014

Until we focus on closing opportunity gaps, the Common Core will be part of the problem, and its potential benefits will never be realized.
Meeting the Educational Challenges of Income Inequality
Authors: Duncan Greg J. , Murnane Richard J.
Published: August 2014

Schools that successfully educate low-income children pay attention to research, provide good supports for educators, and incorporate both high academic standards and sensible accountability.
Teacher Leaders Want to do Both
Authors: Quinn Daniel J.
Published: August 2014

A former full-time teacher who now splits time between teaching and research calls for a greater role for teachers in education policy development.
Motivation 101
Authors: Richardson Joan
Published: August 2014

A difficult class gives a lesson in student motivation.
6 Common Mistakes That Undermine Motivation
Authors: Cooper Kristy
Published: August 2014

Telling students to study simply because they must or making narrow pitches to a subject's future utility typically fail to generate student interest.
Neuroscience Reveals That Boredom Hurts
Authors: Willis Judy
Published: August 2014

Students who seem to willfully defy admonishments to focus on their work may not be doing so intentionally but rather as a normal, age-appropriate brain reaction.
High School Proms are a Fertile Source of Legal Action
Authors: Darden Edwin C.
Published: August 2014

It's prom season again. What are your school and district doing to sidestep those easily avoidable legal troubles that can crop up at the big dance?
Residency
Authors: Thorpe Ronald
Published: August 2014

Universal teacher residency would benefit the teaching profession and ultimately the education of our children. We have yet to work out the fine details, but there is nothing more important than developing robust residency schools where young educators go between their undergraduate preparation and their arrival in the classroom as autonomous practitioners. The change won’t happen overnight, but eventually it will redefine the profession.
Developing a billion leaders
Authors: Gergen Christopher , Rego Lyndon , Wright Joel
Published: August 2014

Intentionally developing the leadership capacity of all students is a necessary requirement for schools around the world. The Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, N.C., has been at the center of this work and presents three schools as examples: Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, N.C., the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India.
Intellectual nutrition for the snack food junkie
Authors: Miller Donna L.
Published: August 2014

When writing projects have an authentic reader beyond the classroom teacher, students can see a direct connection between their lives and their literacy development. That connection is key to learning engagement and motivation. Using the inquiry model to teach technical writing is also important since students’ lives outside school are filled with demands for critical thinking and knowledge application.
Uncommonly Observed
Authors: Hamilton Zachary K. , Campbell Christopher M.
Published: August 2014

Despite the nationwide use of halfway houses (HWHs), empirical findings documenting their impact have been generally infrequent over the last 30 years. Recent high-profile incidents have increased public attention and raised questions regarding their effectiveness and appropriate use. In response, this study provides information needed to fill the knowledge gap and answer policy questions through an analysis of 6,599 participants across 18 HWH programs in New Jersey. Participants were matched and compared with released inmates who were not provided a HWH placement. Using frailty models, an examination of five correctional outcomes revealed support for the effectiveness and continued use of HWH interventions, with regard to violating conditions of release resulting in revocations. Nonsignificant findings were identified for rearrests and convictions.
Observation following Tonsillectomy May Be Inadequate Due to Silent Death
Authors: Baugh Reginald F.
Published: August 2014

The focus on the first 24 hours of care for respiratory events following tonsillectomy may be misplaced and a broader focus is warranted. Nocturnal hypoxemia, an elevated apnea‐hypopnea index, or obstructive sleep apnea contributes to an increased sensitivity to narcotics and postoperative complications. Narcotic pain management depresses respiration through an increase in the frequency of central sleep apnea, decreased minute ventilation, increased hypercarbia pressure, and a decrease in the hypoxic ventilator response. Residual pain gives some margin of safety as it stimulates respiration. Children dying following tonsillectomy do so silently during sleep, often without arousing the attention of caregivers or nursing personnel in close proximity. Perioperative education of caregivers, use of the least morbid surgical technique, and the control of pain rather than its elimination are prudent steps in the management of tonsillectomy patients.
Correlation between REM AHI and Quality‐of‐Life Scores in Children with Sleep‐Disordered Breathing
Authors: Baldassari Cristina Marie , Alam Lyla , Vigilar Maria , Benke James , Martin Charley , Ishman Stacey
Published: August 2014

Objectives

Prior research has demonstrated poor correlation between the obstructive apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) on full‐night polysomnogram (PSG) and quality‐of‐life (QOL) scores. We aim to examine the association between rapid eye movement (REM) AHI and QOL scores in children with sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB).

Study Design

Prospective trial.

Setting

Two tertiary children's hospitals.

Subjects and Methods

Children between 3 and 16 years of age with suspected SDB who were undergoing PSG were eligible. Children with craniofacial anomalies were excluded. Subjects’ caregivers completed the Obstructive Sleep Apnea–18 (OSA‐18), a validated QOL survey. Power analysis determined a group size of 34.

Results

One hundred twenty‐seven patients were enrolled. The mean (SD) age was 6.3 (3.3) years. Most subjects (52%) were black and 26% were obese. The mean (SD) obstructive AHI of the subject population was 5.4 (11.9), while the mean (SD) REM AHI was 13.1 (23.7). The mean total OSA‐18 score was 65.2, indicating a moderate impact of SDB on QOL. Neither the obstructive AHI (P =. 73) nor the REM AHI (P =. 49) correlated with total OSA‐18 scores. However, lower nadir oxygen saturation was associated with significantly poorer QOL (P =. 02). The sleep disturbance OSA‐18 subset score significantly correlated with both the obstructive AHI (r
2 = 0.22; P =. 01) and the REM AHI (r
2 = 0.22; P =. 01); the remaining 4 subset scores did not correlate with either factor.

Conclusion

Neither obstructive AHI nor REM AHI correlates with total OSA‐18 QOL scores. With the exception of nadir oxygen saturation, PSG parameters do not reflect the burden of SDB on QOL in children.
Promoter Methylation in Epithelial-Enriched and Epithelial-Depleted Cell Populations Isolated from Breast Milk
Authors: Browne Eva P. , Dinc Signem E. , Punska Elizabeth C. , Agus Sami , Vitrinel Ayca , Erdag Gulay Ciler , Anderton Douglas L. , Arcaro Kathleen F. , Yilmaz Bayram
Published: August 2014

Background:

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Turkish women and both the incidence and associated mortality appear to be increasing. Of particular concern is the percentage of young women diagnosed with breast cancer; roughly 20% of all breast cancer diagnoses in Turkey are in women younger than 40 years. Increased DNA methylation in the promoter region of tumor suppressor genes is a promising molecular biomarker, and human milk provides exfoliated breast epithelial cells appropriate for DNA methylation analyses. Comparisons between DNA methylation patterns in epithelial (epithelial-enriched) and nonepithelial (epithelial-depleted) cell fractions from breast milk have not been reported previously.

Objective:

In the present study, we examined promoter methylation of 3 tumor suppressor genes in epithelial-enriched and epithelial-depleted cell fractions isolated from breast milk of 43 Turkish women.

Methods:

Percentage methylation in the promoter region of Rass association domain family 1 (RASSF1), secreted frizzle related protein 1 (SFRP1), and glutathione- S-transferase class pi 1 was determined by pyrosequencing of the epithelial-enriched and epithelial-depleted cell fractions.

Results:

Pyrosequencing identified a few subjects with significantly increased methylation in 1 or more genes. There was little correlation between the 2 cell fractions within individuals; only 1 woman had increased methylation for 1 gene (SFRP1) in both her enriched and depleted cell fractions. Methylation was positively associated with age for SFRP1 (epithelial-depleted fraction) and with body mass index for RASSF1 (epithelial-enriched cell fraction), respectively.

Conclusion:

Overall, results show that the methylation signals vary between different cell types in breast milk and suggest that breast milk can be used to assess DNA methylation patterns associated with increased breast cancer risk.
‘If you grow them, know them’: Discursive constructions of the pink ribbon culture of breast cancer in the Australian context
Authors: Gibson Alexandra Farren , Lee Christina , Crabb Shona
Published: August 2014

The ‘pink ribbon culture’ dominates understandings of breast cancer in Western societies. We describe this as an ‘illness culture’, consisting of neoliberal discourses and practices, which construct the breast cancer experience. We take a feminist post-structuralist approach to review current breast cancer lay materials available to women in Australia, to examine how breast cancer is discursively constructed within this context. Further, we consider how women with breast cancer are positioned and what the implications are for women’s lives. We discuss neoliberal discourses of ‘individual responsibility and empowerment’ and ‘optimism’, and the central practices that focus on individual health behaviours and survivorship. This illness culture has productive and restrictive effects for women’s subjectivity. Whilst women are positioned as ‘empowered’ regarding their health, this comes at the price of self-regulation and responsibility. Support and information additionally reposition women in feminine, heteronormative ways, whilst excluding women who do not fit narrow cultural stereotypes.
Persistent antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) in asymptomatic carriers as a risk factor for future thrombotic events: a nationwide prospective study
Authors: Mustonen P , Lehtonen K V , Javela K , Puurunen M
Published: August 2014

Objectives

The long-term prognosis of individuals fulfilling the laboratory criteria, but not clinical criteria, of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has not been widely investigated. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of first thrombotic event (deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) in a nationwide antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) carrier cohort.

Design

We conducted a prospective nationwide cohort study.

Setting

The aPL profile of participants was recorded from the laboratory database. Information was collected about thrombotic and pregnancy complications, subsequent medical history, other risk factors for thrombosis, use of prophylactic antithrombotic medication and general health.

Participants

Participants included adult asymptomatic aPL carriers recognized in Finland during 1971–2009.

Main outcome measure

The main outcome measure was incidence of first thrombotic event.

Results

A total of 119 (89% female) aPL carriers were followed for mean (SD) of 9.1 (7.5) years (range 3–41 years). Sixty-one per cent of the study participants had autoimmune disease, most often systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thirty-six of 119 (30%) were either double or triple positive, 56% single lupus anticoagulant (LA) positive, and 8% and 5% single anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and anti-β2glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI) positive, respectively. Nine (7.6%) study patients experienced a first thrombotic event (five DVT, one PE, two MI, one TIA) mean (SD) 7.2 (8.3) years (range 1–26 years) after aPL detection (annual incidence rate 0.8%). All individuals who developed thrombotic complications had autoimmune disease. Annual rate of first thrombotic event in carriers of single positivity (0.65%) was equal to the known risk of thrombosis in the healthy Caucasian population, whereas the rate was two times higher in carriers of double or triple positivity (1.27%). Sixteen of 79 (20%) women experienced pregnancy complications.

Conclusions

Double or triple positivity for aPL is a risk factor for future thrombotic events, especially in individuals with an underlying autoimmune disease, whereas single positivity does not seem to carry an elevated risk of thrombosis.
Payment Behaviour of Electricity Consumers: Evidence from the Greater Accra Region of Ghana
Authors: Sualihu Mohammed Aminu , Rahman M. Arifur
Published: August 2014

Electricity companies are typically businesses with significant credit sales. However, timely payment of bills on the part of customers, which is supposedly the most reliable source of cash flows for these utilities, has been generally very poor especially in the context of much of the developing world. The aim of the study is to identify a set of organizational and behavioural factors that influences the bill payment behaviour of customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana. Based on a survey of households in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, our empirical analysis suggests that electricity utilities must work towards reducing the transaction time of customers at the bill collection centres and improving upon the quality of service and customer satisfaction in order to curtail customer bill payment period. These findings are robust to the influence of potentially extreme data points in our sample. We provide detailed discussion and policy implications of our findings.
An Evaluation of the Technical, Pure Technical and Scale Efficiencies in the Indian Banking Industry using Data Envelope Analysis
Authors: Tandon Deepak , Tandon Kamini , Malhotra Nidhi
Published: August 2014

A well-developed and efficient banking sector is the fundamental requirement for smooth functioning of any economy. The present study is an attempt to examine the technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies of the Indian banks across different ownership categories for the period 2009–2012. About 7 out of the 44 banks selected lie on the efficiency frontier and form the reference set for their peers. Further, it is observed that efficiency scores do not vary much across the public sector, private sector and foreign banks. Performance of the public sector and private sector banks is almost at par with respect to technical efficiency whereas in the case of foreign banks, there lays scope for improving scale efficiency. A second stage regression analysis is carried out using Tobit regression to examine the determinants of efficiency. Non-interest income emerges the most important determinant of efficiency of banks in India.
Management Control Systems and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions: An Empirical Study of Innovators and Low Innovators
Authors: Chatterjee Devjani
Published: August 2014

The present study anchors on ‘innovators’ of Miller and Roth ( 1994 ) and ‘defenders’ and ‘prospectors’ of Miles et al. ( 1978 ) strategies. The defenders and prospectors are categorized here as ‘low-innovators’, since they are perceived to be involved in less aggressive innovation than the innovators. Four novel hypotheses addressing primary constructs, namely, interactive control system (ICS), diagnostic control system (DCS), power distance (PD) and uncertainty avoidance (UA), are explored in this study. Based on responses from companies across varied sectors, such as, IT, manufacturing and finance, companies are classified as innovators and low-innovators (defenders and prospectors). t-test is used for statistical verification of the hypotheses whereas, Levene’s test and Wilk–Shapiro tests are conducted to verify the assumptions of t-test. Findings from the empirical research support that innovators use ICS whereas defenders use DCS. Innovators and prospectors have smaller PD than defenders and lastly, innovators have weaker UA than prospectors and defenders.
Construction of a Reliable and Valid Scale for Measuring Organizational Culture
Authors: Ghosh Somonnoy , Srivastava Bhupen K.
Published: August 2014

A number of survey instruments measuring organizational culture can be found in the literature. Many of these have been reported to suffer from construct and methodology related weaknesses. Specifically, these have been found to either have insufficient theoretical basis or result in a narrow depiction of the multidimensional construct of organizational culture. In this article, the authors report the construction of a scale for measuring organizational culture that starts with a sound theoretical model to identify dimensions that comprehensively cover the content domain of organizational culture. Exploratory factor analysis has been used to extract seven factors. When interpreted, these factors align well with the starting theoretical model. The scale thus developed has been found to be internally consistent and demonstrates construct validity.
A Prospective Study of the Clinical Content of Palliative Medicine Interdisciplinary Team Meetings
Authors: Powazki Ruth D. , Walsh Declan , Shrotriya Shiva
Published: August 2014

Structured interprofessional communication should improve the structure and clarity of the plan of care. The interdisciplinary team meeting (IDTM) is an opportunity for shared information on patients’ and family care needs. We report a prospective observations study of palliative medicine IDTM, which recorded the clinical issues discussed. One hundred and forty-five disparate clinical items were identified for 59 patients and were discussed by the IDTM in about 240 minutes. By content analysis and research meeting consensus, they were grouped into 9 agreed interdisciplinary themes. The 9 themes were then subjected to biostatistical analysis and 3 communication clusters identified. Themes consisted of 3 major communication clusters: (1) clinical services, (2) psychosocial, and (3) care plan. Two themes (information exchange and clinical transitions) did not cluster. The IDTM identified patient care need, reported concerns, and supported collaboration in proactive patient care plans. Future research projects with more patients and a large number of meetings can confirm our findings. This should also examine specific contributions by professional discipline.
Does the Approach of Disclosing More Detailed Information of Cancer for the Terminally Ill Patients Improve the Quality of Communication Involving Patients, Families, and Medical Professionals?
Authors: Nakajima Nobuhisa , Kusumoto Kenju , Onishi Hideki , Ishida Mayumi
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

Effective and faithful communication between patients and medical professionals could improve patients' quality of life and is an essential and fundamental factor in cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine whether disclosing more detailed information about disease progression toterminally ill patients could improve the quality of communication.

Methods:

This was a before/after study of 91 consecutive terminal cancer patients. Based on the previous studies, we categorized cancer disclosure into 4 groups: A;“non-disclosure”, B;“disclosure of cancer diagnosis”, C;“disclosureof life-threatening disease”, and D;“disclosure of poor prognosis”. We disclosed more detailed information based on the SPIKES protocol and compared the scores of 3 communication items of Support Team Assessment Schedule (Japanese version) measured between at admission and one-week after this approach.

Results:

A, B, C and D groups included 8, 25, 40, and 18 cases, respectively. This approach to cancer disclosure was implemented in 37.5% of group A, 60% of group B, and 40% of group C. In group B, all 3 communications were significantly improved (2.40 ± 0.51 vs 1.53 ± 0.83, 1.93 ± 0.96 vs 1.00 ± 0.38, 2.13 ± 0.64 vs 1.13 ± 0.64; p = 0.0035, 0.0062, 0.0013). In group C, all 3 communications were significantly improved (1.25 ± 0.58 vs 0.81 ± 0.66, 1.13 ± 0.34 vs 0.69 ± 0.48, 1.31±0.60 vs 0.56 ± 0.63; p = 0.020, 0.0082, 0.0057).

Conclusions:

This study revealed that disclosing more detailed information of cancer for terminally ill cancer patients contributed to improving the quality of communication, irrespective of the stage of disclosure.
Meeting the Needs of Students With Coexisting Visual Impairments and Learning Disabilities
Authors: Jones Beth A. , Hensley-Maloney Lauren
Published: August 2014

The coexistence of visual impairments and learning disabilities presents unique challenges. It is imperative that teachers be apprised of the characteristics of this population as well as instructional strategies targeted at meeting their unique needs. The authors highlight typical patterns of performance and provide suggestions for effective intervention.
Social Self-Efficacy Predicts Chinese College Students’ First-Year Transition
Authors: Meng Hui , Huang Peijia , Hou Ning , Fan Jinyan
Published: August 2014

This study investigated the facilitative role of adult social self-efficacy in Chinese college students’ first-year transition. We proposed and tested a process model in which perceived social support was hypothesized as a mediator between social self-efficacy and college freshmen adjustment. Participants were 474 college freshmen enrolled at a large university located in an east coast city in the People’s Republic of China. These college freshmen completed four waves of self-report surveys over a 10-month period, at 1, 4, 7, and 10 months post-entry, respectively. Participants’ first-year cumulative grade point average (GPA) was obtained from the University Registrar. Results based on structural equation modeling provided support for the hypothesized process model. Specifically, social self-efficacy (Month 1) positively related to perceived social support (Month 4), which in turn positively related to academic and social adjustment, but negatively related to depression (Month 7). Perceived social support was found to mediate the above relationships. Academic adjustment positively related to, whereas depression negatively related to, first-year GPA (Month 10). The relationship between social adjustment and first-year GPA was complex, with a negative direct link and a positive indirect link through academic adjustment. In addition, academic and social adjustment positively related to subjective well-being (SWB; Month 10), whereas depression negatively related to SWB. Implications for research and practice were discussed.
Constructing Holland’s Hexagon in South Africa
Authors: Morgan Brandon , de Bruin Gideon P. , de Bruin Karina
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this study was to document the development of the South African Career Interest Inventory and to examine the structural validity of Holland’s circular/hexagonal model in the South African context. The validity of Holland’s model was investigated in a sample of 985 university students in Study 1 and 175 university students and adults in Study 2. The randomization test of hypothesized order relations and covariance structure modeling were used to investigate the fit of a tight circular ordering and four circumplex models. The randomization test found good fit for the tight circular ordering in both the studies. Covariance structure modeling demonstrated unsatisfactory fit across the four circumplex models in Study 1 but satisfactory fit in Study 2. The results suggest that the structural validity of Holland’s circular ordering model in South Africa is tenable. Recommendations for research and practice are presented.
The Low Acuity for Blue: Perceptual Technics and American Color Television
Authors: Sterne Jonathan , Mulvin Dylan
Published: August 2014

This article offers a perceptual history of American color television through a study of the making of the National Television Systems Committee’s 1953 color standard. Rather than seeking out an ideal representation of color, the NTSC standard asked what the minimally acceptable level of color transmission might be for home audiences. While exploiting psychophysical research that suggested that normal eyes tended to have a lower acuity for blue, the NTSC also set their aesthetic standards according to rough measures of everyday life. The NTSC thus mobilized a conception of vision essential for modern commercial culture. The authors consider the perceptual engineering of color TV as a path into a neglected but crucial dimension of 20th-century visuality: compression. The history of color TV shows the centrality of compression to the look of many 20th-century visual media – analog and digital – and to the cultures of looking in which they circulated.
Rosemarie Trockel and the Body of Society
Authors: Kraynak Janet
Published: August 2014

This article considers the eclectic early work of German artist Rosemarie Trockel, which the author addresses in relation to the specific historical and political conditions of feminism and difference in postwar Germany. Her argument discusses the ways in which the very subject of ‘difference’ in postwar Germany was conflicted –approaching a taboo – that impacted the nature of the sexual revolution, postwar politics, and the subsequent emergence of the feminist movement within and outside of the artworld. In turn, the author examines how Trockel’s art negotiates gender in similarly complex terms, impacting ongoing debates around her work’s political allegiances and its potential ambiguities.
Growing up in domestic violence: What does maternal protectiveness mean?
Authors: Buchanan Fiona , Wendt Sarah , Moulding Nicole
Published: August 2014

There is limited understanding at the current time about the nature of relationships between women and their children in contexts of domestic violence. This is particularly the case in relation to maternal protectiveness, which tends to be seen in simplistic terms of whether women stay in violence or leave to protect their children. This article reports on a qualitative research study that explores mother–child relationships in the context of domestic violence. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 women and two men who were raised in contexts of domestic violence. Thematic analysis revealed complexities between the former children’s perceptions of their own needs and their mothers’ vulnerabilities in the context of violence, as well as shifting understandings over time that involved development of deeper insights into the impact of violence on their mothers and themselves. The nuances of maternal protectiveness identified through this analysis can help social workers appreciate the multiple factors that impact on children’s relationships with their mothers in contexts of violence. The findings therefore have practice implications for social work with women who mother in domestic violence as well as children and adults who grow up in these environments.
Using a Multimodal Approach to Facilitate Articulation, Phonemic Awareness, and Literacy in Young Children
Authors: Pieretti Robert A. , Kaul Sandra D. , Zarchy Razi M. , O’Hanlon Laureen M.
Published: August 2014

The primary focus of this research study was to examine the benefit of a using a multimodal approach to speech sound correction with preschool children. The approach uses the auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic modalities and includes a unique, interactive visual focus that attempts to provide a visual representation of a phonemic category. The research compared the effectiveness of traditional articulation therapy with this multimodal approach to articulation therapy for each of two 4-year-old children. Participants demonstrated severe articulation deficiencies in the presence of two very different receptive-expressive language profiles. The findings indicated that the multimodal intervention not only directly improved both participants’ articulation abilities, but also enhanced their developing phonemic awareness and literacy skills. The analysis suggests that early speech sound intervention using a multimodal approach that emphasizes symbols may be more beneficial than a traditional articulation therapy approach for some children, because it promotes phonemic awareness and sound–symbol correspondence.
Cognitive Challenges to Resilience Dynamics in Managing Large-Scale Event Response
Authors: Caldwell Barrett S.
Published: August 2014

In early 2014, a number of large-scale adverse weather events in the United States (and elsewhere) have renewed discussions of event response and resilience. Unlike events caused by human error or malicious intent, adverse natural events can be seen as uncontrolled and unpreventable; the measure of response success is the mitigation of adverse and disastrous effects. However, significant cognitive limitations interfere with human decision makers’ ability to effectively estimate likelihood, magnitude, and effective response of large-scale events in the face of multiple forms of uncertainty and system dependencies. Some authors highlight stability and maintenance of original design capability as the fundamental goal of robust and resilient response. Long-standing traditions from systems dynamics, population ecology, and process control suggest that improved understanding of system response ranges and dynamic equilibria provide a better description of effective event response. Challenges due to cognitive framing and deep uncertainty influence critical interplays of event characteristics, decision maker expertise, and resource availability. The concept of resilience boundary framing is introduced as a desirable, but difficult to achieve, goal for decision makers to respond gracefully to large-scale natural events. Examples from January and February 2014 are used to highlight these issues.
Why Might Men Be More at Risk of Suicide After a Relationship Breakdown? Sociological Insights
Authors: Scourfield Jonathan , Evans Rhiannon
Published: August 2014

Relationship breakdown constitutes a major risk factor for suicide ideation and completion. Although no definitive conclusion can be reached about a gender differential in susceptibility to this factor, several studies have identified that there is an elevated risk factor in men following divorce and separation. This article presents an overview of sociological explanations that may be employed to understand this phenomenon. There is discussion of the changing nature of intimacy, men’s loss of honor, marriage as a more positive experience for men than for women, control in relationships, the increasing importance of the care of children for men, and men’s social networks. The article concludes with possible implications for policy and practice.
An evaluation of a public health practitioner registration programme: lessons learned for workforce development
Authors: Rahman Em , Wills Jane
Published: August 2014

Aim:

This article explores the lessons learned for workforce development from an evaluation of a regional programme to support the assessment and registration of public health practitioners to the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) in England.

Methods:

A summative and process evaluation of the public health practitioner programme in Wessex was adopted. Data collection was by an online survey of 32 public health practitioners in the Wessex area and semi-structured interviews with 53 practitioners, programme support, employers and system leaders.

Results:

All survey respondents perceived regulation of the public health workforce as very important or important. Managers and system leaders saw a register of those fit to practise and able to define themselves as a public health practitioner as a necessary assurance of quality for the public. Yet, because registration is voluntary for practitioners, less value was currently placed on this than on completing a master’s qualification. The local programme supports practitioners in the compilation of a retrospective portfolio of evidence that demonstrates fitness to practise; practitioners and managers stated that this does not support current and future learning needs or the needs of those working at a senior level.

Conclusion:

One of the main purposes of statutory regulation of professionals is to protect the public by an assurance of fitness to practise where there is a potential for harm. The widening role for public health practitioners without any regulation means that there is the risk of inappropriate interventions or erroneous advice. Regulators, policy makers and system leaders need to consider how they can support the development of the public health workforce to gain professional recognition at all levels of public health, including practitioners alongside specialists, and support a professional career framework for the public health system.
Political ‘expedience’ and peripheral saints: assimilating St. Asteios of Dyrrachion in the Byzantine Orthodox tradition
Authors: Christidou Anna
Published: August 2014

Nearly twenty years after Antony Bryer raised St. Asteios of Dyrrachion from obscurity this article aspires to shed more light on the significance of this little-known saint. Despite the paucity of archaeological evidence, hagiographic texts help reconstruct and contextualize the steps in the institutionalization of a local martyr that appear to reflect the strategic importance of the city. The limited imagery of St. Asteios, including his unexplored portrait from the church of the Saviour at Rubik in modern Albania, are also used to substantiate his emblematic function as the local model of a Christian martyr-hero and, more importantly, his visual ‘identification’ with the city of Dyrrachion.
Heirs to Byzantium: identity and the Helleno-Romaic dichotomy amongst the Istanbul Greek migrant community in Greece
Authors: Halstead Huw
Published: August 2014

The Istanbul Greek migrant community resident in Greece exists in the space between two homelands and two identities, expressed in the dichotomy between the Hellenic and the Romaic. The migrants exploit this flexibility and ambivalence in Greek identity to contextually navigate a range of social pressures – diaspora, discrimination, alienation, and even financial collapse. At times they pursue assimilation with their host population as the most Hellenic of the Hellenes, whilst at other times they assume a Romaic identity to distinguish themselves from the mainland Greeks. Deploying an identity rooted in Byzantium, the Istanbul Greeks are able to be Greek but more than simply Hellenic.