Religious education and its underlying structure

Part 1 of this thesis is an historical survey of the legislation and development of Religious Education as a school subject. Part 2 is a study of the different approaches to the subject. The thesis outlines a continuing tension within the subject between those who see Religious Education as a phenomenological study; those who see it as a confessional opportunity; and those who view it as a broad discussion period or nurturing experience. There is also an examination of the issues relating to Moral Education within this subject. Part 3 summarises the historical perspective, examines the nature of the subject in the light of educational theory, makes a brief examination of the 1992 White Paper (Choice and Diversity) and finally sets out the idea that if the right approaches to the subject are adopted there is no need for the opting-out clauses in the Government legislation

Pacioli and humanism: pitching the text in Summa Arithmetica

Despite the wide cross-disciplinary influence of Fra’ Luca Pacioli’s Summa de Arithmetica, Geometria, Proportioni et Proportionalita (Summa), it has been criticized as being both difficult to read and written in a mixture of bad Italian and bad Latin; but, paradoxically, intellectuals of Pacioli’s day praised the style of writing in Summa. Can both viewpoints be correct? The answer to this question is sought by identifying what may have inspired Pacioli to write Summa in the manner he did. In doing so, the article considers the times in which he lived and, in particular, the impact that Renaissance Humanism and Humanist Education may have had upon his writing style. The article finds both views were correct in their own timeframes and contexts and that Pacioli’s writing style was both an appropriate one with which to address a contemporary merchant society and one which would impress and gain the approval of his fellow humanist educators and patrons

ERP implementations and their impact upon management accountants

This paper considers the impact of ERP implementations upon the role of management accountants, upon management accounting in general, and upon business processes. It does so in the context of the perceived success of the ERP implementation. A postal questionnaire was circulated to almost 700 management accountants working in large UK-based organisations. It finds that under successful ERP implementations, management accountants have time for other, less mundane activities and their role becomes more enriching. In contrast, when the implementation is unsuccessful, the role of the management accountant increases: the ERP system deficiencies require increased activity on their part without any noticeable reduction in the tasks they traditionally perform

The Automation of Accounting Practice

This article examines the use of computer technology by the UK accounting profession. The first part of the paper examines the nature of the accounting environment and identifies a number of reasons why accounting automation should be an issue of general concern. A particular accounting task, auditing, is examined in detail to illustrate some of the factors affecting accounting automation. The second part of the paper reports the findings of an empirical examination of computerization amongst a number of different accounting groups with different working environments. Practitioners’ views on several factors constraining further technological innovation, and on factors motivating innovation, are analysed and examined. It is concluded that domain characteristics, historical factors and skill availability are amongst the most significant variables influencing automation

The market for Luca Pacioli's Summa arithmetica

This paper looks at an aspect of Luca Pacioli and his Summa Arithmetica that has not previously been explored in detail – the market for which he wrote the book. In order to do so, it follows a path identified by two clues in the bookkeeping treatise as to the nature of this market that modern eyes, unaware of how life was in late 15th century Italy, have missed. After discussing the curriculum taught in schools at that time, this paper considers a range of possible markets for which the book may have been written. The paper concludes that it was written primarily for, and sold mainly to, merchants who used the book as a reference text, as a source of pleasure from the mathematical puzzles it contained and as an aid for the education of their sons

Mount Etna Sicily: Vulnerability and Resilience during the Pre-Industrial Era

Mount Etna is one of the world’s few continually active continental volcanoes and its frequent flank eruptions have been recorded since classical times. These studies have generated a vast literature which, not only enables the impact of eruptions, recovery from them and aspects of human vulnerability and resilience to be brought into focus, but also provides information that allows an assessment to be made of the interplay between environmental, economic and social forces which has shaped this area into Sicily’s most distinctive region. In this paper we argue that a unique agriculturally-based society, largely developing indigenously and without significant outside assistance, evolved during a long pre-industrial era, which stretched from late antiquity until the 1950s. In terms of loss-bearing, responses were also typically pre-industrial, with the 1923 eruption denoting the close of this period. Responses were managed with relatively little outside help or intervention. The 1928 eruption marked a transition, after which responses involved progressively greater State intervention. In the pre-industrial era eruptions were managed at three levels: through limited State involvement; by mutual support within village communities, in which religious belief and explanations for losses provided both a social cement - the church often providing leadership and pastoral support - and a context in which losses could be explained; and by family and extended family groups. Finally we argue that these indigenous mechanisms of coping hold important lessons about how disasters on Etna may be managed today

Techniques for the Microanalysis of Higher Plants with Particular Reference to Silicon in Cryofixed Wheat Tissues

The applications of x-ray microanalysis in research into silicon in higher plants are reviewed, recent developments are assessed, and new data are presented. Conventionally prepared material [air or freeze drying for scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and glutaraldehyde/osmium tetroxide fixation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) has been studied using both wavelength and energy dispersive microanalysis. These techniques are reliable provided that the deposited form of silica is the major focus of investigation. Recently, studies concerning the soluble, mobile forms of silica, and the ionic environment at deposition sites have been initiated. In these investigations x -ray microanalysis has been carried out on the cold stage of an SEM, or after freeze substitution on sections in TEM. Two other developments which are considered are the use of proton induced x-ray emission, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. To illustrate the most recent developments in this field we present new observations on mineral distribution in the culm and awn of wheat using microanalysis of frozen hydrated material in SEM, and in the wheat leaf using freeze substitution and TE M and scanning transmission electron microscopy

Evaluation of a Sleep Knowledge Translation Strategy for Occupational Therapists Working with Persons who have Dementia

Introduction: Sleep deficiency is a significant, largely overlooked issue for persons with dementia (PWD), and is associated with physical and mental health problems, increased caregiver burden, and increased likelihood of institutionalization. Despite the high prevalence of sleep deficiency in PWD, most health care professionals lack knowledge of the relationship between sleep problems and dementia. This project aimed to determine the feasibility of an archived online presentation, a knowledge translation (KT) strategy to increase therapists’ understanding of the impact of blue-spectrum light on sleep in PWD. Method: Therapists who participated in a previous sleep and dementia survey were recruited via email. Participants completed a pre-knowledge test, accessed an online presentation regarding the relationship between sleep and light, and completed a post-test. Results: On average there was a 22% improvement in knowledge scores and participants were positive about the KT strategy being accessible, applicable, and evidence based. Conclusion: For a sample of therapists self-identified as specializing in geriatric rehabilitation, online audio-visual resources appear to be a feasible KT strategy to disseminate information and increase occupational therapists’ knowledge regarding the evidence-based relationship between blue-spectrum light and sleep in PWD. Further study is required to determine if this increased knowledge translates to practice settings