Evaluating Use of Purchased Books Using Circulation Information

Describes a project of the VALE Cooperative Collection Management Committee to determine the circulation of recently purchased material and analyze its use in order to help assess collection development policies and practices regarding book selection and approval plans, as well as help identify trends, strengths and weaknesses in the collection, and to consider ameliorative strategies. Presentation made to the June 2011 SNRG Conference

The Wiki Way: Supporting Collaborative Learning

ABSTRACT: Skills in working in teamwork are demanded from graduates, and these are ever more likely to be over the internet. Horizon (2011) calls for this need to be reflected in students’ project work. The use of Wikis has been posited as a tool for collaborative online knowledge creation, increasing engagement, and social constructivism (Wheeler and Wheeler, 2008). This study aims to contribute to the debate about the role of wikis and student group work, it should be of interest to instructors who use group work in their teaching, and those who wish to explore the application of web 2.0, tools or wikis specifically, in enhancing learning. Wikis were adopted to support a collaborative group project in the final (fourth) year of a general Business degree for an optional Marketing Communications module. The wiki was chosen in response to some challenges experienced with the assessment, such as poor progress, last minute action, lack of meaningful collaboration, and inability of the instructor to track progress or identify problems. The students were surveyed after completion of the project regarding: how the wiki was used (method and functionality), participation levels of the group (also measured through the wiki itself), whether they believed the wiki added value for the assessment, and finally challenges encountered. Their responses demonstrate the enhancement of the groups’ collaboration, improved communication and social construction of knowledge. This supports findings of earlier studies (Wheeler and Wheeler, 2009, Lai and Ng, 2011). Challenges associated with using wikis are presented, and recommendations proposed

The Wiki Way: Supporting Collaborative Learning

Skills in working in teamwork are demanded from graduates, and these are ever more likely to be over the internet. Horizon (2011) calls for this experience to be reflected in students’ project work. The use of Wikis has been posited as a tool for collaborative online knowledge creation, increasing students levels of engagement, and social constructivism (Wheeler and Wheeler, 2009: Lai and Ng, 2011). The use of wikis in student groups is still relatively new, however, and the need for investigation of its role in supporting group collaboration has been identified in literature (Bruen, et al., in Donnelly, Harvey and O’ Rourke, 2010). This study offers a contribution to the practice of online collaboration, and should be of interest to instructors who use group work in their teaching, as well as those who wish to explore the application of web 2.0 tools, or wikis specifically, in enhancing learning. Wikis were adopted to support a collaborative group project in the final (fourth) year of a general Business degree for an optional Marketing Communications module in the Technological University Dublin. The wiki was chosen in response to some concerns about the assessment. Issues such as poor progress, last minute action, lack of meaningful collaboration, and inability of the instructor to track progress or identify problems, all arose in the past. For all of these reasons, along with the desire to integrate Web 2.0 tools into assessment, the wiki was adopted. The students were surveyed after completion of the project regarding: how the wiki was used (method and functionality), participation levels of the group (also measured through the wiki itself), whether they believed the wiki added value for the assessment, and finally challenges encountered and recommendations. Responses demonstrate the enhancement of the groups’ collaboration, improved communication and social construction of knowledge. The feedback was generally positive about the experience. Practical issues such as ‘one version of the project’, and being able to view each others’ progress, and avoid repetition, were perceived as adding value to the process. It was viewed by many groups as an efficient and effective mechanism of developing a group assessment that they would like to use again. The study indicates that many positive benefits (for both students and instructors) can be gained from embedding a wiki into a group activity

S. Finnian of Clonard

Abstract not available.<p

Identifying Teacher and Parental Communication Methods That Could Impact Elementary School Educational Outcomes

Developing and sustaining positive partnerships between parents and educators is a collaborative process whose primary focus should be directed towards student achievement. Due to ongoing educational reform, more researchers and practitioners are concerned about the quality of communication between parents and teachers. The importance of this issue should be addressed to provide an understanding between schools and parents of the impact that communication can pose on student outcomes. The purpose of this applied study was to identify teacher and parental communication methods that could impact educational outcomes at Bayou Elementary School (pseudonym) in northwest Louisiana. This study implemented a multimethod design to include qualitative and quantitative thematic analysis of parents, teachers, and administrators from Bayou Elementary School. Participants including teachers, administrators, and parents were selected based on those who work at Bayou Elementary School or whose children attend Bayou Elementary School. Qualitative data was collected through an informal interview and online focus groups. The data was analyzed using NVivo software to identify common themes using frequency tables. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey database. The data was analyzed using a frequency table, percentages, and graphs to find themes. The results were used to identify areas of improvement in communication at Bayou Elementary School. Recommendations based on the results of the study were provided to the school administration

Second Life in Libraries

An introduction to Second Life, and the uses that various libraries have made of it. Presentation made at the 2009 SNRG conference

Perspectives Of Fieldwork Educators: The Relationship Between Emotional Competence And Occupational Therapy Level II Fieldwork Success

Emotional competence encompasses multiple skills and attributes that are essential to success of occupational therapy level II fieldwork. Learning more about the relationship between emotional competence and level II fieldwork success holds implications for occupational therapy students, academic programs, fieldwork educators and recipients of occupational therapy services. The Emotional Competence Theory of Mikolajczak (2009) guided the conceptual foundation of this study. This qualitative study, using a phenomenological approach, explored the relationship between emotional competence and level II fieldwork success from the perspective of fieldwork educators. Purposeful sampling was utilized to recruit the three occupational therapists who serve as fieldwork educators to fieldwork students. Data was gathered through semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis yielded two themes, one, an overarching theme, Emotional Competence: The Crux of Occupational Therapy, which confirmed the centrality of emotional competence to the occupational therapy. The second theme, Critical Influential Factors Support or Impede Success, illustrates the specific behaviors and attributes of emotional competence that are essential to level II fieldwork success as identified by the participants. These behaviors and attributes are represented by seven subthemes. Through data analysis, the themes and subthemes informed three findings: (1) Emotional Competence is Essential to Occupational Therapy (2) Dimensions of Emotional Competence Contribute to Success of Level II and (3) Emotional Competence Should Be Cultivated. The results of this study support the importance of the development of emotional competence throughout the academic and clinical career of occupational therapy students. Recommendations for the development of emotional competence to promote level II success are discussed

The Will Decision - Freedom for States to Discriminate - Will v. Michigan Department of State Police

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