How do Social Workers use Evidence in Practice?

Aims of the research: Scotland's 21st Century Review of Social Work, 'Changing Lives', told us that, 'If we are serious about developing social work as a profession and having practitioners able to practise safely and innovatively, then we need to both develop and use evidence to inform practice' (Scottish Executive, 2006: 55). This research investigates how social work practitioners make use of research, inquiry, and other forms of knowledge evidence to inform their practice. The study uses a 'critical best practice' approach (Ferguson, 2003) to learn from the analysis of detailed examples of how social workers use knowledge in their day to day practice with service users and carers. A best practice approach offers an opportunity to move away from the 'climate of negativity' experienced by social work in the UK (Jones et al., 2008:1), and to celebrate some of the achievements of skilled social work practitioners. At the same time taking a critical lens to practice offers potential to gain a better understanding what such practice actually 'looks like' as it happens, promoting positive learning about social work and, ultimately, better outcomes for service users and carers (Jones et al., 2008: 15). This research has been conducted under the umbrella of the Critical Best Practice social work research group at the Open University, and has benefited from the discussions and contributions of other members of this group. Its findings are intended to complement a small but growing literature about critical best practice in the UK. The study also aims to contribute to current debates about how social work practitioners understand and use knowledge evidence, an area of research in which the perspectives of social worker practitioners themselves have received remarkably little attention (Trevethick, 2008). The subject is highly topical, both in Scotland, which is currently consulting on both its Research and Development and Knowledge Management Strategies (IRISS, 2008; IRISS/NES, 2009), as well as in the health and social care sector in the UK as a whole. It is also hoped that findings of the research will be able to make a helpful contribution to social work and other practicebased education through more tangible outputs, such as learning materials for students and practitioners. </br

A Conversation with Monroe Sirken

Born January 11, 1921 in New York City, Monroe Sirken grew up in a suburb of Pasadena, California. He earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in sociology at UCLA in 1946 and 1947, and a Ph.D. in 1950 in sociology with a minor in mathematics at the University of Washington in 1950 where Professor Z. W. Birnbaum was his mentor and thesis advisor. As a Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Social Science Research Council, Monroe spent 1950--1951 at the Statistics Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley and the Office of the Assistant Director for Research, U.S. Bureau of the Census in Suitland, Maryland. Monroe visited the Census Bureau at a time of great change in the use of sampling and survey methods, and decided to remain. He began his government career there in 1951 as a mathematical statistician, and moved to the National Office of Vital Statistics (NOVS) in 1953 where he was an actuarial mathematician and a mathematical statistician. He has held a variety of research and administrative positions at the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and he was the Associate Director, Research and Methodology and the Director, Office of Research and Methodology until 1996 when he became a senior research scientist, the title he currently holds. Aside from administrative responsibilities, Monroe's major professional interests have been conducting and fostering survey and statistical research responsive to the needs of federal statistics. His interest in the design of rare and sensitive population surveys led to the development of network sampling which improves precision by linking multiple selection units to the same observation units. His interest in fostering research on the cognitive aspects of survey methods led to the establishment of permanent questionnaire design research laboratories, first at NCHS and later at other federal statistical agencies here and abroad.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-STS245 the Statistical Science (http://www.imstat.org/sts/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Systemic and local responses to repeated HL stress-induced retrograde signaling in Arabidopsis

Chloroplasts of leaves under high light stress initiate signals to the nuclei of both exposed and distal leaves in order to acclimate against the potential threat of oxidative damage: a process known as high light systemic acquired acclimation (HL SAA). This study explores the nature of HL SAA, synergistic interactions with other environmental stresses, and the impact of repeated HL stress on the acclimation response of exposed and distal leaves. This necessitated the development of novel experimental systems to investigate the initiation, perception, and response to HL SAA. These systems were used to investigate the HL SAA response by monitoring the induction of mRNA in distal leaves not exposed to the HL stress. Acclimation to HL is induced within minutes and the response is proportionally dependent on the quality and quantity of light. HL SAA treatments in conjunction with variations in temperature and humidity reveal HL SAA is influenced by fluctuations in humidity. These treatments also result in changes in auxin accumulation and auxin-responsive genes. A key question in retrograde signaling is the extent to which transient changes in light intensity result in a "memory" of the event leading to acclimation responses. Repeated exposure to short term HL resulted in acclimation of the exposed tissue and that of emerging and young leaves (but not older leaves) to HL and oxidative stress

Climate Change and Threatened Heritage: Archaeology\u27s Burden

Climate change and archaeology are currently intertwined, as more and more archaeologists around the world must deal with the effects it causes on the sites they work on. Threatened cultural resource sites are being swept away at alarming rates, and excavation projects are becoming more and more like salvage digs

Analyzing Educational Testing Service Graduate Major Field Test Results

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) created the Graduate Major Field Test in Business (GMFT-B) for MBA students. This test is administered to all MBA classes at Jacksonville University for the purpose of measuring student academic achievement and growth, as well as to assess educational outcomes. The test is given in the capstone course, Business Strategy and Policy, typically taken by students at the end of their MBA program. It provides valuable feedback to each student as to their standing with regard to students across the nation. A total of six years of data (2006 to 2011) was collected for analysis of these test scores. For the first half of this time period, Jacksonville University was in candidacy for accreditation by the Association for the Advancement of Colleges and Schools of Business (AACSB), and for the time period 2009-2011 it was an AACSB accredited institution. Executive MBA, evening MBA (also known as flex MBA) and day-time (accelerated) MBA classes took the exam over that time period. It was determined that the executive MBA student grades were significantly better than their counterparts in the evening (flex) and day-time (accelerated) MBA students at Jacksonville University. It was also found that there was no significant difference in student performance during the first half (AACSB candidacy) and second half (AACSB accreditation) of the time period under investigation

Factors Affecting School Quality In Florida

This paper examines the factors that are theorized to be determinants of school quality in the 67 counties of Florida from 2000 to 2011. The model constructed for this purpose is comprised of a mix of independent variables that include county educational attainment (number of high school graduates and State University System enrollees) and economic factors (median household income, unemployment rate, number of housing starts, and property tax revenue per student). Furthermore, the model also considers 4 demographic/social variables (percent of population from 5 to 17 years old, percent white, percent female, and crime rate), as well as a variable for trend. The trend variable allows inferences to be made about the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. It is hypothesized that these 11 variables will explain the variation in school quality by county over the observed time period

On the design and development of a miniature ceramic gimbal bearing

A review is made of a program to develop ceramic gimbal bearings for a miniaturized missile guidance system requiring nonmagnetic properties and higher load capacity than possible with conventional AISI 440C stainless steel bearings. A new gimbal design concept is described which utilizes the compressive strength and nonmagnetic properties of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics for the gimbal bearing. Considerable manufacturing development has occurred in the last 5 years making ceramic bearings a viable option in the gimbal design phase. A preliminary study into the feasibility of the proposed design is summarized. Finite element analysis of the brittle ceramic bearing components under thermal stress and high acceleration loading were conducted to ensure the components will not fail catastrophically in service. Finite element analysis was also used to optimize the adhesive joint design. Bearing torque tests run at various axial loads indicate that the average running torque of ceramic bearings varies with load similarly to that of conventional steel bearings

The Socially Constructive Aspects of Outside Agents in Community Decision-Making in a Rural Area

The outside-change agent is dangerous, something to be feared (based on past experiences, long since blurred by boredom and powerlessness) and not taken into the community. The outsider offers few, if any, tangible immediately useable resources -- only promises and fancy talk. Limited experience has taught the Appalachian that promises fade into misery and fancy talk to poverty. The self-fulfilling prophesy of inhospitality and disbelief in oneself, turn the Appalachian against the change agent and challenge the agent to leave the area out of self-felt persistent futility