Identifying the underlying dimensions of teachers\u27 emotional intelligence

Within the area of educational research that has its focus on individual differences, the concept of emotional intelligence and its study in relation to the professional lives of teachers has raised considerable interest over the past decade. This article reports on data from a new measure of emotional intelligence specifically related to situations in the teaching environment. The four underlying dimensions that are identified in this study appear to be a more relevant way of characterising emotional intelligence for those in the teaching profession than other conceptualisations of emotional intelligence. The article concludes with an examination of the contention that emotional intelligence is strongly connected to effective teaching practice<br /

Public Financial Management and Reforms to the State Sector Act

This article addresses changes to the Public Finance Act that have been proposed in the Public Finance (Wellbeing) Amendment Bill or are being considered for future legislative or administrative action. It discusses these changes in the context of the State Sector Act. The interrelationship between the two pieces of legislation is described, as are the implications of proposed changes to the Public Finance Act. These changes include requirements for the specification of objectives for wellbeing (outcomes) in the budget process and reporting of wellbeing by the Treasury at least every four years. Changes also include, potentially, greater flexibility in the nature of appropriations and the selection of the services that will be provided within an appropriation, as well as legislative support for the public service to operate in a more ‘joined-up’, innovative and collaborative way. The article identifies as a strength of the proposed changes to the Public Finance Act and the State Sector Act that they maintain consistency between the two acts, but also identifies the risk of replacing one one-size-fits-all system with a different one-size-fits-all system, and considers a ‘two-track’ public management system as an alternative

PARP-1 inhibition influences the oxidative stress response of the human lens

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is best characterised for its involvement in DNA repair. PARP-1 activity is also linked to cell fate, confounding its roles in maintaining genome integrity. The current study assessed the functional roles of PARP-1 within human lens cells in response to oxidative stress. The human lens epithelial cell line FHL124 and whole human lens cultures were used as experimental systems. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was employed to induce oxidative stress and cell death was assessed by LDH release. The functional influence of PARP-1 was assessed using targeted siRNA and chemical inhibition (by AG14361). Immunocytochemistry and western blotting were used to assess PARP-1 expression and the alkaline comet assay determined the levels of DNA strand breaks. PARP-1 was generally observed in the cell nucleus in both the FHL124 cell line and whole human lenses. PARP-1 inhibition rendered FHL124 cells more susceptible to H2O2-induced DNA strand breaks. Interestingly, reduction of PARP-1 activity significantly inhibited H2O2-induced cell death relative to control cells. Inhibition of PARP-1 in whole human lenses resulted in a reduced level of lens opacity and cell death following exposure to H2O2 relative to matched pair controls. Thus, we show that PARP-1 could play a role in the fate of human lens cells, and these first observations in human lenses suggest that it could impact on lens opacity. Further studies are required to elucidate the regulatory processes that give rise to these effects

The Cost of Environmental Protection: A Review

Dan Richardson\u27s study is an attempt to analyze present regulatory procedures in the New Jersey coastal zone, with an emphasis on the cost of these procedures to residential developers and housing consumers. Specifically, twenty-one residential developments in a coastal township were monitored from acquisition of land to final approval of the development proposal, and the costs of regulatory approvals, consulting engineering, legal, and governmental fees, as well as holding costs incurred by the developer, were itemized. The costs of the regulatory process were then broken down according to costs incurred during the local regulatory process and those costs resulting from state intervention in that process

Understanding Sediment Mobilisation Under Plunging Waves Within a Gravel Beach

Numerical modelling currently cannot accurately reproduce the onshore-offshore transport asymmetry observed on gravel beaches. The role of the impulsive pressure response generated by plunging waves has been hypothesised to aid mobilisation of sediment, and thus may contribute to transport asymmetry. This process is not currently included in models. Laboratory tests were conducted across a range of wave conditions to investigate the role of plunging wave-breaker impacts on the mobilisation of sediment of gravel beaches. Pressure records were obtained at positions close to the plunging impact locations, to monitor the localised pressures that lead to sediment mobilisation. The correction of the recorded pressure to the bed surface, for further analysis, was achieved through a two stage approach. Adoption of a new technique for separating the pressure records into two components, each determined by different processes is presented. Each component is then corrected to the bed surface with the application of a pragmatic prediction of the experienced attenuation. Data covering a wide range of Iribarren values was assessed, and the impact pressure was parameterised against the wave-breaker type. This procedure identified a potential peak in the impact pressure-Iribarren space in the plunging breaker region, consistent with the previous hypothesis. Comparison of cross-shore profile records provides further limited evidence that morphological prediction fails to reproduce specific characteristics associated with profiles generated under plunging breaker action. Finally, a brief discussion is provided on how the role of the additional pressure generated under plunging impacts can be incorporated into future numerical models.EPSR

An exploration of individual differences in teachers’ temperaments and multiple intelligence

For this study on individual differences, predictions were made from the literature on the four temperaments in order to examine how teachers with particular temperaments might use their multiple intelligence strengths in their approaches to teaching and learning. From a cohort of 336 beginning teachers it was found that temperaments and multiple intelligences are two separate constructs. The differences in patterns of intelligence strengths confirm that each of the four temperaments is distinct from the other. Teachers adopting a Catalyst Temperament have above average strengths in Linguistic, Musical, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Intelligences. Those with a Stabilizer Temperament display above average strengths in Logical-Mathematical and Interpersonal Intelligences. Teachers adopting a Theorist Temperament demonstrate strengths in Logical-Mathematical, Linguistic, Spatial and Intrapersonal Intelligences. Those with an Improviser Temperament show below average strengths in all except Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence.<br /