Investigation of observer variability using a new method for determining color matching functions

The Munsell Color Science Laboratory has developed a new method for determining color matching functions. It relies on a mathematical model that expresses color matching functions as the product of linear transforms of the cone action spectra and variable transmittances of the lens and macula for each observer. With this model, the full spectral tristimulus functions can be computed from a minimum of five visual matches. A visual colorimeter was designed to implement the MCSL model. The current instrument utilizes CRT primaries and seven interference filters to make matches to simulated daylight in a 2 bipartite field. The system was designed to minimize the strain on observers. Color matching functions of naive observers can be measured in approximately 30 minutes. Results from an individual observer correlated well with data collected on the National Research Council of Canada\u27s Trichromator. Color matching data for a single observer for 20 repetitions and 18 observers were measured. The variability for the single observer for 20 repetitions over a month\u27s time was found to be similar to the uncertainty of matching within a measurement session. The variability of the 18 observers was found to be much larger. The results were compared with the CIE standard deviate observer. The CIE standard deviate observer showed variability similar to that of the single observer but much larger than the variability of the 18 observers evaluated in this research

An Introduction to Revisiting Development Studies Education and an Invitation to Rethink Teaching, Learning and Knowledge Production in the Neoliberal University

We are at a moment of growing critical self-reflection in the field of development studies—heightened by debates on decolonization—that is opening up difficult conversations on teaching, learning and knowledge production for development studies education. This special issue augments these conversations and revisits development studies education within the context of the ‘neoliberal university’. It is our contention that we cannot engage with the expansive project of rethinking development studies education, without elaborating on higher education institutions (HEIs) as the site where change is mediated, managed and resourced. The articles in this volume give empirically grounded and interrelated narratives that elucidate the relationships between development studies and the neoliberal university from a range of disciplinary and geographical perspectives. They allow us to make two salient contributions, firstly, on the role of HEIs as a site of engagement and entanglement between development practice and development studies, and secondly, on the ways in which the neoliberalization of higher education shapes development studies pedagogy. It is our hope that these articles are read as a timely intervention and invitation to rethink development studies education in this context

Placed-Based Education in the Global Age : Local Diversity D.A. Gruenewald and G.A. Smith Eds. Abingdon: Routledge (2007) pp. 408 Pbk. £26.99 ISBN 978-0805858648

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

More than Knowledge Transfer? Alumni Perspectives on the Value of Postgraduate Study for International Development

This article considers findings from the ‘More Than Knowledge Transfer’ research project, which was concerned with understanding the personal and professional trajectories of alumni from postgraduate programmes in education and international development. The article reflects on qualitative data to explore four key questions: what alumni value about their postgraduate study; the perceived usefulness of different types of learnings; how these are seen as connected to, or disconnected from, development practice; and how they are shaped by the expectations that students bring with them to the programme and their existing experiences in the international development field. The article suggests a need to problematize assumed dichotomies between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ or ‘skills’ and ‘criticality’ and instead consider how these relationships may be shaped by students’ own backgrounds and positionalities. It argues that supporting students to engage critically with, and move and build connections between, different spaces of learning and practice is key for engendering and sustaining critical and reflective approaches as they complete their studies and develop their careers in the development sector

The Relationship between Religion, Social Interest, and Wellness in Adults

The primary purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between religion, social interest, and wellness in adults. A stratified random sample was taken of faculty, staff, and students at a university with 125 individuals participating in the study. All participants completed an online survey including the Brief Multidimensional Measurement of Religiousness and Spirituality (Fetzer, 1999), Social Interest Index (Greever, Tseng, Friedland, 1973), and Five-Factor Wellness Inventory (Myers & Sweeney, 2005). It was hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between the components of religion, social interest, and wellness. The mediating role of social interest on the relationship between the components of religion and wellness was explored along with considering mean differences for wellness across religious groups. Finally, mean differences for all three scales were explored for ethnicity, gender, and age. The hypotheses were tested using correlations and multivariate analysis. Components of religion were found to have a significant relationship with wellness, although only the components of Daily Spiritual Experience and Organizational Religiousness had significant relationships with social interest. Social interest and wellness had a positive significant relationship (.544). Social interest also mediated the relationship between Daily Spiritual Experience and Total Wellness. There were no mean differences found for Total Wellness across different religious groups. African American participants had higher mean scores on the components of religion. Women had higher mean scores than men for various components of religion. Older participants were found to have higher mean scores for Total Wellness and Organizational Religiousness. This study is the first to date to examine religion, social interest, and holistic wellness. Future studies are needed to continue to explore the relationships between religion, social interest, and wellness specifically the relationship between religion and social interest. It is important that future research includes samples that are more diverse not only in regards to gender, ethnicity, and age but also in religious groups and denominations

Current Trends in Ecological Art

This study examines artworks of fifteen current ecological artists and ways in which their work remediates, reclaims, and restores ecologies. Art history reveals an evolution of this art from the onset of Land Art and Environmental Art in the 1960’s to art as activism and an interdisciplinary approach to restoring blighted ecologies. The intent of the represented ecological artists is to address the well-being of ecosystems and to educate the public in the process. These artists must work in site specific areas that are in need of restoration or remediating. Many of the works fall into categories of water, land and soil, and public education, awareness, and participation although sometimes their processes involve all. Many of the artists collaborate with scientists and engineers in order to make all of their processes and visions work accurately and sustainably. These artists represent trends in ecological art processes and the research suggests their work makes significant and positive changes in ecologies and communities. As ecological and environmental issues are being brought more and more to the attention of society, the works of these artists can be seen as significant solutions to some of the ecological site specific problems

Predicting the Academic Success of T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Program Participants: A Socio-ecological Approach

The current study examines the relationship between academic motivation, child care center professional development support, community college student support and academic success. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS; Vallerand, Pelletier, Blais, Brière, Senécal, & Vallières, 1992) and a survey that assessed child care professional development support and community college student support was used in this study. Extrinsic motivation was found to be the most significant predictor of academic success as measured by GPA, whereas amotivation was found to be the most significant predictor of academic success as measured by academic progress. There was a significant relationship between working in a center that awarded education based raises and academic success as measured by early childhood GPA and academic progress. Similarly, working in a center with formal written salary scales was found to be positively correlated to early childhood GPA. A significant relationship was also found between working in a center that conducted regular staff evaluations and academic progress. Furthermore, the accessibility of an academic advisor at the community college was found to be related to early childhood GPA. Finally, required academic advisement and quantity of advisement were both found to be related to academic progress. Discussion of policy implications of the current findings and future research is included

Solid Phase Extraction and High Performance Liquid Chromatography Determination of Dextromehtorphan in Hair after Exposure to Cosmetic Treatment

A high-performance liquid chromatography method has been developed for the determination of dextromethorphan in hair. The separation and quantitation are achieved on a phenyl column (4.6 x 150 mm) using a mobile phase of 80:20% v/v 6.25 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with UV detection at 226nm. The retention time for dextromethorphan is within four minutes. The method showed linearity for dextromethorphan in the 0.20-1.00 mg/mL range. The sensitivity of the method was determined to be a concentration of 0.025 mg/mL or 25 µg/mL. The inter-day RSDs ranged from 0.86 to 9.60%. A solid-phase extraction method has been developed for the extraction of dextromethorphan from hair using a Strata C18 cartridge. This method yielded an average percent recovery of 80.84% on blank, untreated hair. The SPE-HPLC was also employed to determine the effects of cosmetic treatment on the concentration of dextromethorphan in hair. Commercially available bleach (Sun-In®) and hair dye (Clairol® Natural Instincts Loving Care #75) were applied in vitro to hair strands spiked with the dextromethorphan drug. In these hair samples, the drug levels had been reduced but distinct tendencies could not be observed. Further research and investigations must be conducted in order to conclude the effects of such cosmetic treatment on the concentration of dextromethorphan in hair