Preparing World Citizens Through Higher Education: Responsibilities, Choices, and Implications

Students in higher education in the United States of America are in a paradoxical position. They are living in the only country in the world that publicly identifies as a superpower, and yet, at the same time, they are faced with an educational system that does not universally prepare them to live and work in a global society. In this article, I explore the feasibility of a paradigm shift for institutions of higher education in the United States of America to promote a more global context. Examination of the historical values of higher education and their evolution, definition of the phrase global citizenship, and suggestions for areas of change within the in-class and out-of-class curricula are also included. Finally, I provide recommendations and questions for the academy in an effort to inspire and evoke this dramatic andragogical (learner-focused education) change

Media Usage Patterns of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community of Colorado

Using a sample of 1,483 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender identified participants at various GLBT-related social and political events, this study describes the media usage patterns and examines differences that emerge in those patterns based on sexual identity, identification as a smoker, and health change behavior

An Investigation of the Private EFL Sector in South Korea: Meeting Students’ and Parents’ Goals and Expectations

In South Korea, there is an abundance of expatriate educators working in the large, private English education industry. Many of these educators work for private language institutes known as hagwons, where they teach English as a foreign language (EFL) to preschool and primary school students. However, due to language barriers and other circumstances, these workers rarely communicate with the parents of their students. Couple this with a lack of knowledge about the history and current state of EFL education in Korea, and many of these educators are left unaware of the goals and expectations that these parents have for their students. The author of this research had a similar experience while teaching in South Korea, and pursued this study in order to give a voice to the parents of these students. For this study, thirteen parents were surveyed regarding the goals and expectations that they have for their children’s English education. The surveys contained eight open-ended questions based around five topics: importance of English education, the importance of achieving communicative competence, the importance of testing, the influence of competition, and the future goals of English education. The conclusion of this research resulted in insight into the goals and expectations that parents of hagwon students have for their children’s education. Although results were split on many of the questions, the majority of the participants interviewed believed it to be important that their children’s English education should be focused on increasing communicative competence of their children

Currents of Consumption: How National Narratives of Japanese Cuisine Collide with Localized Forms of Sushi in Northern California

This paper examines how national narratives of Japanese cuisine collide with the expectations, preferences, and perceptions of American consumers (particularly Northern California). The global economy has benefited the circulation of positive images of Japan managed by the Japanese government, but the commercialization of Japanese cuisine is also at odds with government efforts. In Japan, sushi is often synonymous with nigirizushi: sliced seafood and a daub of wasabi atop vinegared rice. As part of Japan’s washoku tradition, this singular image of sushi (allegedly) reflects the deepest essence of Japanese cultural sensibilities tied to simplicity, perfection, and nature. But in America, consumers’ deep-fried sensibilities mean sushi is synonymous with Americanized makizushi: sauce drenched, tempura stuffed rolls and other unorthodox ingredients. Using scholarly sources juxtapositioned against popular narratives and original fieldwork, I interrogate how authenticity has two meanings. While authenticity can refer to a sense of accuracy or expectation, such expectations can be established personally or by proxy via ‘experts’. I stress that while static food culture narratives are supported by some restaurateurs, many consciously make concessions to appeal to customers. I supplement my analysis of interviews with Japanese sushi chefs in popular documentaries with original surveys and interviews with two Non-Japanese who have a decade of experience working and running sushi restaurants in Northern California. Although focused on sushi as a case study, this paper engages with themes of nostalgia, tourism, media, politics and communications that highlight how there are many different currents that contribute to global consumption and exchange

Using Survey Data to Determine a Numeric Criterion for Nutrient Pollution

We present a scientific replication of a benthic algae nuisance threshold study originally conducted in Montana, but we do so using a different sampling methodology in a different state. Respondents are asked to rate eight photographs that depict varying algae conditions. Our initial results show that Utah resident preferences for benthic algae levels are quite similar to those of Montana residents, thus replicating the Montana study. For the full Utah sample, though, Cronbach\u27s α indicated poor internal consistency in rating the photographs, so a “monotonicity rule” was used to identify respondents providing monotonic preferences with respect to chlorophyll a densities. Simple graphical analyses are combined with ordered probit analysis to determine the maximum desirable density of chlorophyll a (Chl a). Our analysis indicates that Chl alevels in excess of 150 mg Chl a/m2 are undesirable, but the regression model suggests that those with strictly monotonic preferences were far more likely favor a more stringent standard

Student Perceptions of Academic Librarians and the Librarian-Faculty-Student Dynamic: Minding our gaps

A survey concerning perceptions of academic librarians was conducted at a large, 4-year university with three populations: librarians, faculty, and undergraduate students. This paper presents results from the student population, with comparison to the librarian and faculty samples. The major research questions address perceptions about what librarians know (expertise and skills), what librarians do (role and duties), and what librarians are like (motivations and affective characteristics). Respondents showed a little more awareness of librarians’ professional duties than in previous studies; however, librarians’ duties related to organization, reference, and teaching remained more hidden from view. And, many students still assume librarians do clerical work, and still underestimate librarians’ salaries and required degrees. Most students still don’t consult with librarians, as they do not believe librarians’ help is needed by them—perhaps because they strongly associate librarians with books. Yet, students’ value for librarians’ expertise was high, and their value for librarians’ knowledge and skill with resources rivalled that of faculty. Gaps among the three groups related to the definition of “research” seem important to address. The study also points to an ongoing need for research into specific populations of students, how prior experience affects college library use, and the potential for disciplinary differences among students

Academic Librarian Perceptions of Academic Librarians: Building a Foundation of Shared Understanding

A survey concerning perceptions of academic librarians was conducted at a large, 4-year university with three populations: librarians, faculty, and undergraduate students. The high response rate and the use of an instrument based on previous studies offers the possibility of longitudinal comparison and the identification of relationships between groups within one environment. This article focuses specifically on academic librarian perceptions about what librarians know (expertise and skills), what librarians do (role and duties), and what librarians are like (motivations and affective behaviours). Twenty librarians employed in James Madison University Libraries responded to an online survey (62.5% response rate); four follow-up interviews and card sorts were conducted later to provide context to the data. Results have implications for libraries specifically in the areas of outreach, instruction, management, and collaboration. Differences in the responses of liaison and non-liaison groups are not generalizable to the population, but patterns were found that suggest future research in this area should include examination of differences related to the type of librarianship or focus on specific aspects of librarianship. Subsequent articles will situate these findings with those from surveys of faculty and undergraduate students and discuss implications for practice

Faculty Perceptions of Academic Librarians: Experts, Connectors, and Resource Stewards

A survey concerning perceptions of academic librarians was conducted at a large, 4-year university with three populations: librarians, faculty, and undergraduate students. This paper presents results from the faculty population, with comparison to the librarian sample. The major research questions address perceptions about what librarians know (expertise and skills), what librarians do (role and duties), and what librarians are like (motivations and affective characteristics). Results showed faculty perceptions to be more in-line overall with librarians’ perceptions of themselves than the literature might otherwise indicate, at least in domains where the faculty are actively engaged. Faculty also identified a role not explicitly mentioned on the survey: that of librarians as conduits between students and faculty. Gaps between librarian and faculty perceptions still exist relating to the extraordinary extent and diversity of librarian knowledge, skills, duties, and capacities, and with respect to the extent of librarians teaching. The study points to an ongoing need for marketing of library services and continued demonstration of library value

Librarian, Faculty, and Student Perceptions of Academic Librarians: Study Introduction and Literature Review

A survey concerning perceptions of academic librarians was conducted at a large, 4-year university with three populations: librarians, faculty, and undergraduate students. The high response rate and the use of an instrument based on previous studies offers the possibility of longitudinal comparison and the identification of relationships between groups within one environment. Results will be presented in a series of articles, beginning with this paper’s study introduction and literature review of librarian, faculty, and student perceptions of librarians. Subsequent papers will present results from the three surveys and offer analysis across the three groups. The literature review focused on research studies of U.S. and Canadian academic libraries since 2000 with relevance to these major research questions: perceptions about what librarians know (expertise and skills), what librarians do (role and duties), and what librarians are like (motivations and affective behaviours). Librarians’ perceptions of themselves as critically important yet underappreciated seem to have persisted, perhaps because they are the only group to see the university-wide scope of their jobs, whereas, non-librarian faculty and students have a more limited views of the profession. In contrast to previous studies, recent literature suggests that course-integrated information literacy (IL) instruction has increased the visibility of librarians as educators to both faculty and students. The influence of popular media on students’ perceptions seems less powerful, opening the door wider for library marketing and branding programs

How Undergraduate Students\u27 Perceptions of Academic Librarians Can Inform Innovative Teaching

Student perceptions of teachers can influence the success of instruction, and library instruction is no exception. Understanding the mindset of students can help academic librarians prepare for in-person and asynchronous classes and create instructional materials. By anticipating students’ impressions, librarians can challenge false assumptions and improve interactions. This poster highlights findings from a large study of how undergraduate students at one institution perceive academic librarians