Transport company safety climate - the impact on truck driver behaviour and crash involvement

Objective: The present study investigated the relationships between safety climate and driving behavior and crash involvement. Methods: A total of 339 company-employed truck drivers completed a questionnaire that measured their perceptions of safety climate, crash record, speed choice, and aberrant driving behaviors (errors, lapses, and violations). Results: Although there was no direct relationship between the drivers' perceptions of safety climate and crash involvement, safety climate was a significant predictor of engagement in risky driving behaviors, which were in turn predictive of crash involvement. Conclusions: This research shows that safety climate may offer an important starting point for interventions aimed at reducing risky driving behavior and thus fewer vehicle collisions

Exploring the impact of a flexible, technology-enhanced teaching space on pedagogy

Approaches to teaching and learning are increasingly influenced by the introduction of new technologies and innovative use of space. Recognising the need to keep up to date many institutions has created technology-rich, flexible spaces. Studies so far have concentrated on how students use such facilities; however, their availability also strongly impacts on teaching staff, presenting new possibilities and challenges. To encourage the development of activities that make the most of these resources, the University of Warwick launched the Teaching Grid (2008), a flexible space with state-of-the-art technology. Advisers support colleagues in developing and delivering novel, experimental teaching sessions. This paper reports on use of the facility during its first three years, considering the effects on pedagogy of experimental use of space and technology; this is correlated to an increase in number and variety of teaching and learning activities which, it is suggested, enhances the student experience

Citizen to Stay or Citizen to Go? Naturalization, Security, and Mobility of Migrants in Italy

https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2016.1208316We analyze the relation between naturalization, mobility, and security through 50 in-depth interviews with migrants of different origins living in two Italian regions. We show how migrants pursue naturalization both to protect themselves against bureaucracy and deportation and to move to a third country. The second migration is motivated by improving one's conditions, forced by the economic crisis, or completes the original migratory project once a strong passport is obtained. We argue that citizenship is not essentially linked to either stability or mobility and that mobility should be understood as neither exceptional nor always chosen

The Restructuring of Estonian Agriculture

As a result of the centrally planned, command economic system in Estonia agriculture, a very specialized farming structure evolved. It was strongly oriented toward meat and milk production, both of which use considerable amounts of imported grain in feed rations. Estonia exported 24 percent of meat and 34 percent of milk produced in the country to other Soviet republics and imported grain, sugar, vegetable oil, fruits and berries, vegetables, and other products.</p

Exploring factors that influence adoption of e-learning within higher education

E-learning is increasingly adopted in the workplace for supporting professional development and continuing education; however, in higher education, the use of e-learning is predominantly used as a tool support teaching. As a relatively new priority for universities, this paper explores what influences its adoption. Challenges identified in the literature include organisational features of universities like faculty autonomy and dispersed academic perspectives. This study, carried out at the University of Warwick, adopted a phenomenological approach and explored participants' perceptions through a series of faculty-based focus groups and individual interviews. Factors identified as influential to adoption of e-learning included the institutional infrastructure, staff attitudes and skills, and perceived student expectations. Participants suggested the importance of an institutional strategy targeted at providing sufficient resources and guidance for effective implementation. This strategy needs to be supported by a varied programme of staff development and opportunities for sharing practice among colleagues. In further developing understanding in this area, it would be beneficial to replicate the study with other stakeholder groups (including the leadership team and students) to develop an institutional strategy responsive at all levels of implementation. It would also be valuable to investigate the extent to which these findings are replicated within other workplaces looking to adopt innovation