title: Which journal rankings best explain academic salaries? Evidence from the University of California

authors: Gibson, John

subjects: Journal rankings

abstract: The ranking of an academic journal is important to authors, universities, journal publishers and research funders. Rankings are gaining prominence as countries adopt regular research assessment exercises that especially reward publication in high impact journals. Yet even within a rankings-oriented discipline like economics there is no agreement on how aggressively lower ranked journals are down-weighted and in how wide is the universe of journals considered. Moreover, since it is typically less costly for authors to cite superfluous references, whether of their own volition or prompted by editors, than it is to ignore relevant ones, rankings based on citations may be easily manipulated. In contrast, when the merits of publication in one journal or another are debated during hiring, promotion and salary decisions, the evaluators are choosing over actions with costly consequences. We therefore look to the academic labor market, using data on economists in the University of California system to relate their lifetime publications in 700 different academic journals to salary. We test amongst various sets of journal rankings, and publication discount rates, to see which are most congruent with the returns implied by the academic labor market.

text: Which journal rankings best explain academic salaries? Evidence from the University of California The ranking of an academic journal is important to authors, universities, journal publishers and research funders. Rankings are gaining prominence as countries adopt regular research assessment exercises that especially reward publication in high impact journals. Yet even within a rankings-oriented discipline like economics there is no agreement on how aggressively lower ranked journals are down-weighted and in how wide is the universe of journals considered. Moreover, since it is typically less costly for authors to cite superfluous references, whether of their own volition or prompted by editors, than it is to ignore relevant ones, rankings based on citations may be easily manipulated. In contrast, when the merits of publication in one journal or another are debated during hiring, promotion and salary decisions, the evaluators are choosing over actions with costly consequences. We therefore look to the academic labor market, using data on economists in the University of California system to relate their lifetime publications in 700 different academic journals to salary. We test amongst various sets of journal rankings, and publication discount rates, to see which are most congruent with the returns implied by the academic labor market.

year: 2012-08

title: Professional development of ICT integration for secondary school teachers in Hong Kong: Towards a peer support enhanced model

authors: Lee, Theodore Tai Hoi

subjects: professional devleopment

abstract: Although information and communication technology (ICT) has gradually become a standard teaching technology in schools in many countries and regions like Hong Kong, the implementation of ICT in teaching and learning in schools still fails to meet high government and public expectations.  This study was an investigation into the potential of peer support to enhance professional development of ICT integration for secondary school teachers in Hong Kong.  

The study utilized peer support as a social approach to professional development and employed action research to examine the experiences of ten secondary school teachers who worked in five peer support groups for sixteen months.  A peer support model was introduced to the participants who then applied these principles in their own contexts.  Data on participants' reflections and evaluations of the peer support process was collected through individual interviews and peer-group conferences.  Each participant was interviewed at the beginning, middle and end of the research period and each peer group was interviewed at the end of the project.  By employing a grounded theory approach, themes related to the participants' experiences of peer support for ICT integration and the impact of peer support as a means of professional development were generated from the data. 
 
The study's findings indicate that the participants responded positively to peer support as a means of professional development.  Peer support was successful in: increasing professional interactions; broadening perspectives of ICT; increasing reflection; and providing personal and emotional support. 

From an analysis of the study's findings, in conjunction with a review of the appropriate literature, a teacher professional development model for ICT integration has been developed that may be helpful in furthering the goal of successful ICT integration.  This model focuses on the importance of intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic incentives and is based on a developmental process in which individual teachers determine their own practice through peer support enhanced critical reflection that continually expands their personal context of ICT integration.

text: Professional development of ICT integration for secondary school teachers in Hong Kong: Towards a peer support enhanced model Although information and communication technology (ICT) has gradually become a standard teaching technology in schools in many countries and regions like Hong Kong, the implementation of ICT in teaching and learning in schools still fails to meet high government and public expectations.  This study was an investigation into the potential of peer support to enhance professional development of ICT integration for secondary school teachers in Hong Kong.  

The study utilized peer support as a social approach to professional development and employed action research to examine the experiences of ten secondary school teachers who worked in five peer support groups for sixteen months.  A peer support model was introduced to the participants who then applied these principles in their own contexts.  Data on participants' reflections and evaluations of the peer support process was collected through individual interviews and peer-group conferences.  Each participant was interviewed at the beginning, middle and end of the research period and each peer group was interviewed at the end of the project.  By employing a grounded theory approach, themes related to the participants' experiences of peer support for ICT integration and the impact of peer support as a means of professional development were generated from the data. 
 
The study's findings indicate that the participants responded positively to peer support as a means of professional development.  Peer support was successful in: increasing professional interactions; broadening perspectives of ICT; increasing reflection; and providing personal and emotional support. 

From an analysis of the study's findings, in conjunction with a review of the appropriate literature, a teacher professional development model for ICT integration has been developed that may be helpful in furthering the goal of successful ICT integration.  This model focuses on the importance of intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic incentives and is based on a developmental process in which individual teachers determine their own practice through peer support enhanced critical reflection that continually expands their personal context of ICT integration.

year: 2007

title: Research support in New Zealand University Libraries

authors: Howie, Jess

abstract: Researcher-facing librarians in New Zealand are providing guidance across more of the research lifecycle than ever before in response to an increasingly complex scholarly ecosystem. This research explored the development of research support through survey responses from all eight New Zealand University Libraries. From the responses it was possible to ascertain the level of services offered or planned in the four key areas of research impact, Research Data Management, scholarly communication and Kaupapa Māori research. Skills gaps and barriers to service development were also identified. Comparison with an earlier study revealed that research impact and Research Data Management services have developed well over the last 6 years. A good level of maturity was identified in scholarly communication services but support for Kaupapa Māori research was identified as an area for development. Barriers to service development included lack of resourcing and low recognition of library value from the wider institution.

text: Research support in New Zealand University Libraries Researcher-facing librarians in New Zealand are providing guidance across more of the research lifecycle than ever before in response to an increasingly complex scholarly ecosystem. This research explored the development of research support through survey responses from all eight New Zealand University Libraries. From the responses it was possible to ascertain the level of services offered or planned in the four key areas of research impact, Research Data Management, scholarly communication and Kaupapa Māori research. Skills gaps and barriers to service development were also identified. Comparison with an earlier study revealed that research impact and Research Data Management services have developed well over the last 6 years. A good level of maturity was identified in scholarly communication services but support for Kaupapa Māori research was identified as an area for development. Barriers to service development included lack of resourcing and low recognition of library value from the wider institution.

year: 2019-01-01