Inquiry into Issues of Trustworthiness and Quality in Narrative Studies: A Perspective

Many narrative studies subscribe to the criterion of verisimilitude as a form of quality check. However, such a criterion does not fully nor explicitly address the issue of quality or rigour. This paper examines a possible set of necessary criteria for evaluating narrative studies. It draws on the quality literature from the broader qualitative research field as well as the narrative research field. Specifically, it deals with the need to have a list of considerations to refer to in order to ensure acceptability and recognition of narrative studies’ rigour. This paper posits that issues of trustworthiness, narrative truth, verisimilitude and utility need to be attended to for any narrative study to ensure its quality

Teacher modeling: Its impact on an extensive reading program

This case study investigates whether teachers model reading in 1 Singapore primary school during an exercise called uninterrupted sustained silent reading (USSR) carried out in the classroom. Even though reading is an important determinant of a student’s growth in language skills and ability, and modeling the act of reading is essential in influencing students, we hypothesize that teachers do not model the act of reading. This study seeks to find out if teachers practice what they preach about reading by making the effort to model the act of reading. This study uses an observation log, questionnaire surveys, and semi-structured interviews. Fifty teachers were observed during USSR daily for 10 weeks and surveyed. Purposeful and systematic samplings were used to identify the teachers for the interviews. The study confirms our hypothesis that even though the teachers believe in the importance of reading and modeling, they do not model reading

The Politics of Technocracy in Malaysia (1957-2012)

Malaysia’s technocracy (administrative elite) and the government of the day (political elite) have had and continue to enjoy a harmonious and symbiotic relationship. Such synergy had its origins and background in British colonial rule when promising Malays were groomed for administrative positions. The dawn ofmerdeka (national independence) allowed for the transition from administrativepositions to political leadership. The first three prime ministers, namely TunkuAbdul Rahman, Abdul Razak and Hussein Onn were drawn from these ranks.There was an organic development in the relationship between the ‘old’ technocrats and politicians expressed in shared strategic outlook and direction. As such, national development was characterised not by intermittent periods of political disruption but a sustained period of continuity in the pre-conditions for economic growth which extended and heightened throughout the premiership ofMahathir Mohamad. His successor, Abdullah Badawi, started to install corporatefigures as technocrats to professionalise the governance of the administrativesystem. Under Najib Razak the role of these ‘new’ technocrats was further entrenched and enhanced

Deformacja wzdłużna stentu uwalniającego lek Synergy w trakcie wyjmowania balonu tnącego

Contemporary stent platforms have reduced strut thickness and fewer connectors. This improves deliverability and conformability, at the expense of reduction in strength. Recently longitudinal shortening has been reported, often associated with adjunctive devices after stent deployment. We present an unusual, impressive case of longitudinal shortening of a previously implanted Synergy stent (Boston Scientific, MA USA), within the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD). The patient subsequently represented with restenosis of a further stent in the mid LAD. On withdrawal of a Flextome cutting balloon catheter (Boston Scientific), this device snared and dramatically shortened the Synergy. This was successfully treated with progressive dilatation using a series of enlarging balloons and subsequent implantation of another stent (Xience Xpedition, Abbott, CA USA). This case illustrates, that despite having additional connectors to enhance longitudinal strength, Synergy is not immune from compression. Furthermore, it is imperative, that stents are sized and post-dilated appropriately to ensure complete expansion.Rusztowania nowoczesnych stentów cechują się zmniejszoną grubością rozpórek i mniejszą liczbą łączników. To powoduje, że łatwiej je wprowadzić do naczynia i odpowiednio dopasować, jednak zmniejsza ich wytrzymałość. W ostatnim czasie opisywano wiele przypadków skrócenia stentu, często związanych ze stosowaniem dodatkowych narzędzi po implantacji stentu. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono rzadki, ciekawy przypadek skrócenia wszczepionego wcześniej stenu Synergy (BostonScientific, USA), znajdującego się w proksymalnym odcinku gałęzi międzykomorowej przedniej (LAD). W następstwieu chorego wystąpiła restenoza w dalszej części stentu w środkowym odcinku LAD. W trakcie wyjmowania cewnika z balonem tnącym Flextome (Boston Scientific) urządzenie zaczepiło o stent Synergy i spowodowało jego znaczne skrócenie. Udało się poprawić drożność naczynia przez stopniowe rozszerzanie stenu za pomocą coraz większych balonów oraz wszczepienia kolejnego stentu (Xience Xpedition, Abbott, USA). Opisany przypadek ukazuje, że mimo zastosowania dodatkowych łączników służących wzmocnieniu wytrzymałości stentSynergy nie jest odporny na kompresję. Ponadto należy się zawsze upewnić, że stent został odpowiednio dobrany podwzględem rozmiaru i odpowiednio rozszerzony, aby zapewnić jego całkowite rozprężenie

The (re) construction of beginning teachers : a narrative journey.

In a performativity-driven school system, where academic results determine the annual assessment of its teachers. an undeniable amount of pressure is exacted on beginning teachers, Within each school in such a system, there exists a set of cultural practices that dictate how teaching is done, so as to maximize the academic output of its pupils, It is within such an environment that beginning teachers learn to survive after their initial teacher training. It is thus important to understand how such a school culture impacts and influences the beliefs and practices of beginning teachers. In the midst of the massive recruitment of teachers. the questions that naturally arise are 'Are beginning teachers' identities and their pedagogical approaches socialized by school systems? and 'If so, in what ways?' This narrative study is set within the context of Singapore, where the performativity discourse is dominant. It explores the journey of four beginning teachers from their pre-service training to their second year of teaching. The beginning teachers' narratives reveal how the micropolitics of the schools shape their values, beliefs and practices. It uncovers the process of teacher socialisation in the Singapore school system. Through a narrative approach, their, otherwise suppressed, stories are heard, And with this revelation, teacher education and the teacher education institute's existing relationship with schools must fundamentally change

The Southern Provinces in bilateral cooperation during the Mahathir and Abdullah years

Malaysia’s relations with Thailand can be described as paradoxical. On the one hand, bilateral ties had been the least ‘problematic.’ On the other, the situation in the Southern Provinces had constrained relations and this could be seen during the administrations of Mahathir and Abdullah which became preoccupied with finding solutions. In ‘aggregating’ these two polar states together (‘superposition’), one could construe or amplify bilateral relations within a broader range of so-called overall ‘benign neglect’ that to a certain extent – characterised the approach of successive administrations of both countries. The objective of this paper as conditioned by archival sources as well as interviews seeks, therefore, to highlight the under-appreciated and overlooked role of the leadership factor in bilateral relations. This is in turn co-related to developments in political contestations and reconfigurations centred in Bangkok (“national politics”) which whilst promising little hope on the resolution for peace and stability in the Southern Provinces – contributes to the (unchanging) broader narrative. In short, directions in bilateral relations have been – to a critical extent – determined, influenced and constrained by the inability to achieve a breakthrough to the situation in the Southern Provinces

Amplifier-free slab-coupled optical waveguide optoelectronic oscillator systems.

We demonstrate a free-running 3-GHz slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) with low phase-noise (-120 dBc/Hz at 1-kHz offset) and ultra-low sidemode spurs. These sidemodes are indistinguishable from noise on a spectrum analyzer measurement (88 dB down from carrier). The SCOW-OEO uses high-power low-noise SCOW components in a single-loop cavity employing 1.5-km delay. The noise properties of our SCOW external-cavity laser (SCOWECL) and SCOW photodiode (SCOWPD) are characterized and shown to be suitable for generation of high spectral purity microwave tones. Through comparisons made with SCOW-OEO topologies employing amplification, we observe the sidemode levels to be degraded by any amplifiers (optical or RF) introduced within the OEO cavity

Low-noise RF-amplifier-free slab-coupled optical waveguide coupled optoelectronic oscillators: physics and operation

We demonstrate a 10-GHz RF-amplifier-free slab-coupled optical waveguide coupled optoelectronic oscillator (SCOW-COEO) system operating with low phase-noise (-115 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset) and large sidemode suppression (70 dB measurement-limited). The optical pulses generated by the SCOW-COEO exhibit 26.8-ps pulse width (post compression) with a corresponding spectral bandwidth of 0.25 nm (1.8X transform-limited). We also investigate the mechanisms that limit the performance of the COEO. Our measurements indicate that degradation in the quality factor (Q) of the optical cavity significantly impacts COEO phase-noise through increases in the optical amplifier relative intensity noise (RIN)

Congenital bipartite lunate presenting as a misdiagnosed lunate fracture: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>A rare case of congenital bipartite lunate in a child is reported. Carpal variants are very uncommon as independent entities, with only three previous reports of this condition in the English literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>An 11-year-old Caucasian boy presented with pain in the left wrist after a fall. Radiographs in the emergency department demonstrated a lunate that was divided into palmar and dorsal parts, causing a misdiagnosis of fractured lunate. Magnetic resonance imaging was then used to differentiate between the two diagnoses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Very few cases of bipartite lunate have been reported in the literature, and unless awareness is raised about congenital anomalies such as this variant, confusion may arise.</p

Imported Case of Poliomyelitis, Melbourne, Australia, 2007

Wild poliovirus–associated paralytic poliomyelitis has not been reported in Australia since 1977. We report type 1 wild poliovirus infection in a man who had traveled from Pakistan to Australia in 2007. Poliomyelitis should be considered for patients with acute flaccid paralysis or unexplained fever who have been to poliomyelitis-endemic countries