Distance education (DE) is discussed in the light of the following questions:
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T. Whitehall, L.G. Durbidge and A.J. Meadows
Relatively few studies published so far look at the extent to whichlibrarians communicate with each other. In particular, there has beenlittle attempt to compare communication…
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Relatively few studies published so far look at the extent to which librarians communicate with each other. In particular, there has been little attempt to compare communication activities in different sectors of the profession. The results of a questionnaire and interview survey which examined the communication habits of library professionals in public, academic and special libraries and the national library are presented. The results show a very high level of communication in all sectors, although communication between sectors is more restricted. Overall, the similarities between the sectors are more striking than the differences.
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The purpose of this paper is to juxtapose different sources concerning educational experiments embarked on by an English primary school teacher, Muriel Pyrah. Pyrah taught at…
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Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to juxtapose different sources concerning educational experiments embarked on by an English primary school teacher, Muriel Pyrah. Pyrah taught at Airedale School, Castleford, Yorkshire, UK, from the 1950s until 1972. Her approach was celebrated in the fields of oracy and arts education in the final years of her working life. Airedale was a Local Education Authority (LEA) school within the West Riding of Yorkshire, an LEA led by Alec Clegg, from 1945 to 1974.
Design/methodology/approach
Using film footage, sound recordings, artwork and topic books produced by her pupils, the paper entangles these archival sources with recent interviews from Pyrah’s former pupils and a former school inspector (HMI). Pyrah’s actual name has been used, as has that of the HMI. The names of pupils who contributed insights are anonymised.
Findings
The former pupils provide accounts that encourage a move away from a revisiting of progressivism that is predominantly anchored in studying the intentions and hopes of high profile educationalists postwar.
Research limitations/implications
The number of former pupils willing to discuss their memories was small, so no claims are made that their perspectives represent the dominant views of former pupils. However, these interviews reveal details that are absent in the other surviving archival sources.
Originality/value
The paper lays the foundation for further research on the voices of former pupils, inviting a focus on the way those participants reflect on the long-term impact of being involved in an educational experiment. Thus far, the representation of Pyrah’s pedagogy has been choreographed in print to build the legacy of the LEA. The pupils’ stories resonate differently.
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Ben Clegg, Jill MacBryde, Peter Ball, Donato Masi, Helen Mullen and Stella Despoudi
The purpose of this research is to develop empirically grounded propositions for further research into UK manufacturing productivity.
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Purpose
The purpose of this research is to develop empirically grounded propositions for further research into UK manufacturing productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
Interviews were conducted with managers from strategic, tactical and operational levels from four manufacturing sectors to produce case studies. A modified strategic alignment theory framework was used to code, compare and contrast narratives on perceived productivity antecedents, definitions, compatibility with the definition from the UK Office for National Statistics, and vertical alignment issues within and across cases.
Findings
It was found that different key antecedents can facilitate and/or prevent strategic vertical alignment. Discussion reveals complex nuances in perceptions of manufacturing productivity and using the modified strategic alignment theory/productivity antecedent framework.
Originality/value
In revealing the alignment or otherwise of productivity definitions at different levels within the firm, the paper reveals nine propositions for future research including definitions, skills, metrics, performance measurement systems, people and system-centric perspectives, the value-added perspective of productivity and the role of innovation.
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Helen De Cieri, Cathy Sheehan, Ross Donohue, Tracey Shea and Brian Cooper
The purpose of this paper is to apply the concept of power imbalance to explain workplace and demographic characteristics associated with bullying by different perpetrators in the…
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Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply the concept of power imbalance to explain workplace and demographic characteristics associated with bullying by different perpetrators in the healthcare sector.
Design/methodology/approach
All 69,927 members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victoria) were invited to participate in an online survey in 2014; 4,891 responses were received (7 per cent response rate). Participants were asked about their exposure to workplace bullying (WPB) by different perpetrators. The questionnaire addressed demographic characteristics and perceptions of workplace characteristics (workplace type, leading indicators of occupational health and safety (OHS), prioritisation of OHS, supervisor support for safety and bureaucracy). Analysis involved descriptive statistics and regression analyses.
Findings
The study found that the exposure of nurses and health workers to bullying is relatively high (with 42 per cent of respondents experiencing WPB in the past 12 months) and there are multiple perpetrators of bullying. The research revealed several demographic predictors associated with the different types of perpetrators. Downward and horizontal bullying were the most prevalent forms. Workplace characteristics were more important predictors of bullying by different perpetrators than were demographic characteristics.
Research limitations/implications
There are limitations to the study due to a low response rate and the cross-sectional survey.
Practical implications
Practical implications of this study emphasise the importance of focussed human resource strategies to prevent bullying.
Originality/value
The key contribution of this research is to draw from theoretical explanations of power to inform understanding of the differences between perpetrators of bullying. The study highlights the workplace characteristics that influence bullying.