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Article
Publication date: 3 August 2009

Coral Pepper and Helen Wildy

This paper reports on our use of narrative accounts in qualitative research about educational leadership in Western Australia. Data for the research were gathered through…

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Abstract

This paper reports on our use of narrative accounts in qualitative research about educational leadership in Western Australia. Data for the research were gathered through semistructured interviews. We wanted to know whether interview data constructed as narrative accounts then analysed would help us understand the phenomenon of leading for sustainability. We had used this approach previously (Wildy & Pepper, 2005; Clarke, Wildy & Pepper, 2007) in our examination of school leadership. Our commitment to an interpretive approach (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990; Kvale, 1996), to delve into our participants’ understanding of their experiences remains strong. Rich insights into the experiences of participants are revealed in narrative accounts crafted from semistructured interviews. Stories and descriptions of experience are given status when presented as narratives so contribute to participants’ wellbeing and meet the criteria for ‘good educational research’. In this paper we describe collecting data, constructing narratives, confirming quality and conducting analysis to describe the ‘wakefulness’ and transparency we adhere to when using narrative accounts as a research strategy.

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Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1443-9883

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Article
Publication date: 10 May 2011

Helen Wildy, Coral Pepper and Luo Guanzhong

The purpose of this paper is to report innovative research aimed at ascertaining whether standards for school leaders could be applied to the process of selecting senior secondary…

1038

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report innovative research aimed at ascertaining whether standards for school leaders could be applied to the process of selecting senior secondary school principals for appointment. Specifically, psychometrically robust measures of performance are sought that would sufficiently differentiate performance to support judgement about whether or not to appoint candidates in the public educational authority in Western Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, the authors describe previous research in the application of standards to selection in education, followed by a brief review of selection practices undertaken in two international settings and the Western Australian educational setting. The authors then describe the innovative design of performance‐based assessment tasks for the selection process including task and rubric development, rater training and data validation. The Rasch measurement model is used to analyse the datasets gathered during three iterations of selection process for the Western Australian education authority.

Findings

The Rasch analysis of each dataset provides evidence of construct validity and a robust measure of reliability. The person and item location distributions indicate the tasks were better targeted for the highest performing candidates in the second and third iterations and that fine‐grained discrimination was evident across the candidate locations.

Originality/value

The paper describes psychometrically robust measures of performance that would sufficiently differentiate performance to support judgement about whether or not to appoint candidates in the public educational authority in Western Australia. Specifically, the paper describes the development of performance‐based tasks over three years and demonstrates the application of Rasch analysis to examine the psychometric properties of the assessment tasks.

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Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 49 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

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Article
Publication date: 15 August 2008

Coral Pepper and Helen Wildy

This paper aims to report an investigation of how education for sustainability is conceptualised, incorporated across the curriculum and led in three Western Australian Government…

2375

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report an investigation of how education for sustainability is conceptualised, incorporated across the curriculum and led in three Western Australian Government secondary schools. It also reports on processes to enable education for sustainability to become embedded into these schools.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for the research were gathered through semi‐structured interviews with teachers who were reputedly leading education for sustainability.

Findings

With the exception of one participant, the concept of education for sustainability is not widely embraced in the schools of this study. Instead participants focus only on the environmental aspect of sustainability. Again, with the exception of one participant, education for sustainability remains fragmented and vulnerable to changing school conditions. Leadership of education for sustainability occurs whimsically and with little vision for the future across this study with little evidence of alliance building or collaboration among colleagues.

Originality/value

The paper concludes that leading for sustainability requires a combination of a deep knowledge of sustainability; forward thinking and the ability to imagine a different future; the interpersonal and networking skills to build strong relationships; and the energy and capability of taking action to achieve the imagined different future.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 46 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

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Article
Publication date: 10 May 2011

A. Ross Thomas

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Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 49 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

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Publication date: 2 May 2013

Timothy L.M. Sharp

Purpose – This chapter examines the interactions among wholesale betel nut traders within Papua New Guinea’s (PNG’s) flourishing, contemporary, and indigenous betel nut trade. It…

Abstract

Purpose – This chapter examines the interactions among wholesale betel nut traders within Papua New Guinea’s (PNG’s) flourishing, contemporary, and indigenous betel nut trade. It explores the nature of the “social embeddedness” of the trade and how particular “place-based” practices and ideas shape people’s engagements with markets.Methodology/approach – Multisited ethnographic research focused on betel nut traders.Findings – This chapter highlights how local ideas about sociality and exchange shape the copresent rivalry and companionship that characterize interactions among Mt. Hagen’s betel nut traders. Traders travel long distances and take great risks to buy betel nut. They travel together, share resources, and trade in the same places, and through this they become part of one another’s social networks. This creates the expectation that traders will cooperate, consider other traders in their actions, contribute to each other’s safe-keeping, and act collectively in their interactions with producers. This does not preclude competition, however. Traders compete for profits, but the competiveness of their interactions is also influenced by a concern for status. This copresence of companionship and rivalry, which pervades Hagen sociality more broadly, is central to shaping the trade as a whole.Originality/value of the chapter – Betel nut is the most important domestic cash crop in PNG, and selling betel nut is a prominent livelihood activity for rural and urban people. This chapter reports some of the findings of the first detailed study of the betel nut trade in PNG.

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Engaging with Capitalism: Cases from Oceania
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-542-5

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2017

Kirk W. Buffington

Within each political subdivision of the state of Florida, there is an ordinance which applies to the procurement of goods and services for agencies under its jurisdiction. One…

79

Abstract

Within each political subdivision of the state of Florida, there is an ordinance which applies to the procurement of goods and services for agencies under its jurisdiction. One common requirement in all these ordinances is the use of the Request for Proposal when purchasing goods or services above a given threshold. In contrast to an Invitation to Bid, the RFP is structured in such a way as to allow other criteria to be evaluated, along with the bottom line price submitted by vendors. The issue in this analysis is whether each meeting of the evaluation committee set up to review these criteria is subject to Florida’s Sunshine Law. Several court decisions and opinions of Attorneys General have held that meetings of ad-hoc committees, advisory committees, and other panels of staff or non-staff members are subject to the Sunshine Law. It appears clear, after a discussion of a few cases relating to the Sunshine Law, that any agency procurement officer must be very careful to avoid even the suggestion of making any recommendation outside of the public view. Public notice should be posted at least seventy-two hours prior to any meeting of the committee. Only by closely adhering to both the letter and the intent of the law will procurement officers avoid having their agency brought into court for a violation of the Sunshine Law.

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Journal of Public Procurement, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1535-0118

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Article
Publication date: 1 September 1951

In a recent edition of the Ministry's Bulletin, Mr. F. T. Willey, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, urged that the utmost effort should be made by local…

50

Abstract

In a recent edition of the Ministry's Bulletin, Mr. F. T. Willey, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, urged that the utmost effort should be made by local authorities and food manufacturers in the education of food handlers and members of the public. It is noted that the Ministry of Food has decided to publish articles in the Bulletin, contributed by officers of local authorities who have had experience in organising Clean Food Weeks, Lectures and Exhibitions. This should prove of the greatest value to all interested in the subject of food hygiene, as it is those who actually come in contact with the public who can best deal with this problem— for problem it is. Those who sit in the seats of the mighty and do not themselves have to deal directly with the public obviously cannot fully understand the difficulties caused by the general indifference shown by them to all such matters. Once this indifference has been broken down, many of the difficulties now encountered will be reduced. All would‐be educationists will appreciate the extent to which this can influence and slow down any progress. No matter how widely they are advertised or what methods are adopted to encourage interest by means of posters, newspaper advertisement, etc., lectures arranged for the public are often poorly attended, but too great a significance should not be attached to the poor and irregular attendances at food hygiene lectures. The average housewife's time is usually too fully occupied, particularly at present, when many attempt to hold down a part‐time job in addition to their domestic duties. It is the consensus of opinion, not only among those engaged on food hygiene, but the food traders themselves, that the public are rapidly becoming more discriminating. Their remarks concerning exposure of food, cleanliness of garments, and frequent complaints of the condition of cups and utensils in some establishments will inevitably make itself felt in their patronage in the future. The proprietors of multiple stores seem well aware of this and do not consider expense incurred in training and equipment as other than an essential investment that will pay good dividends. I have been most encouraged by the interest shown by school children of all ages in food hygiene, and subsequent lectures and questions reveal that they have compared this approach with the practices adopted at home. Film shows have been given, which proved most useful in this respect, the films being chosen to suit the particular audience. Recently, two thousand children saw films on food hygiene, and, from essays which were written after‐wards, it was obvious that the lessons had been well learnt, and many children, particularly the girls, had been most observant, judging by the number of errors they noticed in the films. It will be found that Education Committees view, with favour, education of this nature, especially if approached from a specialist angle. When dealing with food handlers themselves problems of a different nature arise. Food handlers, once roused to a sense of responsibility and competition with their fellow traders, are, in the main, far easier to deal with. Managements have, in many cases, attended lectures more than once in order to ensure the attendance of members of their staffs. The main difficulty in dealing with food handlers is to find sufficient new material with which to keep their interest alive. It is of little use for senior officials of the Ministry to urge action by local authorities unless they provide suitable material upon which education can be based. At present, the only filmstrips available on food hygiene are compiled in such a way that it is almost impossible to follow a consistent theme when lecturing. Also, the contents are quite unsuitable for many food trades; for instance, little or no reference is made to fish and greengrocery trades —surely among the most important where hygiene is concerned. Could not the Ministry of Food produce a series of filmstrips in which particular attention is given to one or, at the most, two trades in each strip. If progress is to be made and the traders' interest kept up, it is essential that, for example, butchers and especially meat manufacturers should not be expected to sit through lectures where the films and filmstrips barely refer to their trades. With the detailed histories of food poisoning cases already in the possession of the Ministry of Food, a very instructive film could be made of the methods adopted in tracing the cause of an outbreak and the subsequent action taken to eliminate a recurrence from the same or a similar source. Take, for example, the outbreak which affected nearly 400 persons living in various parts of the country which was eventually traced to a worker in a food factory who was found to be a “carrier”. This man apparently washed his hands at the factory, using the same towel as five other workers whom he thus infected; they were all employed in preparing the gelatine which was later placed round liver sausage. Owing to the low temperature process used at this factory the bacteria transmitted to the gelatine by the infected workers was never killed, and the goods prepared were distributed over a wide area. Following this outbreak, research showed that by a new process this danger could be avoided. There is also a grave shortage of sound films dealing with food hygiene. “Another Case of Poisoning’” is excellent and brings out many of the more common faults practised by food handlers both in the trade and in the home. But this one film cannot be shown more than once to the same group of people. What efforts are being made to provide a sequel in this country? There is, I know, a film entitled “ Behind the Menu” produced by the National Film Board of Canada which is of good educational value—but only for those in the catering trade. All those in the public health and food trades services who have entered this field must realise the very great importance the layman attaches to samples and other visual aids shown to him by the lecturer to emphasise his point. It would be interesting to know if the Ministry of Food have any suggestions to make for the provision of such visual aids to assist in educating the food handler. These will provide a welcome alternative to the expenditure on large scale posters on other aspects of hygiene. Those who are arranging lectures and stimulating interest by the issue of certificates are looking forward to holding refresher and advanced courses for food trades. The whole value of these further lectures is their ability to retain the interest of the food handler and, at the same time, to enable advanced education to be given. If this is not put in hand quickly it must be obvious to all concerned that this aspect of health education, on which so much stress has been laid, is likely to fail. At the one‐day conference held recently on the Report of the Catering Trade Working Party it appeared that, however divergent were the opinions expressed by the principal speakers, Sir William Savage, Professor G. S. Wilson, Capt. K. C. McCallum and Dr. W. R. Martine, they were unanimous that education of all those engaged in food trades was of paramount importance. Would it not be appropriate now for the Ministry of Food to call together representatives of the food trades, the Society of Medical Officers, the Sanitary Inspectors' Association and some of the leading bacteriologists to formulate some definite plan for producing suitable films on the lines suggested. These should specialise in the work of each group in the food trades; should preferably be based on the research carried out in a specific outbreak of food poisoning; and illustrate the practices that should and should not be employed in food handling. They should avoid at all costs illustrations of large scale plant and factories, which are completely inappropriate for the average food trader. It is felt that no useful purpose is served, in fact exasperation has often been engendered, by photographs of enormous plants that may well have cost more than the whole shop premises and equipment of any of the food traders present at the lectures. From information available, it is felt that a successful approach could be made by the Ministry of Food to the Central Office of Information, asking for films of this nature to be undertaken on the lines already mentioned. I am convinced that this would receive the whole‐hearted support, not only of the food traders, but also of the departments of local authorities concerned.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 53 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

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Book part
Publication date: 8 September 2022

Stephen Turner

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Mad Hazard
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-670-7

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Book part
Publication date: 26 November 2009

Robert J. Antonio

During the great post–World War II economic expansion, modernization theorists held that the new American capitalism balanced mass production and mass consumption, meshed…

Abstract

During the great post–World War II economic expansion, modernization theorists held that the new American capitalism balanced mass production and mass consumption, meshed profitability with labor's interests, and ended class conflict. They thought that Keynesian policies insured a near full-employment, low-inflation, continuous growth economy. They viewed the United States as the “new lead society,” eliminating industrial capitalism's backward features and progressing toward modernity's penultimate “postindustrial” stage.7 Many Americans believed that the ideal of “consumer freedom,” forged early in the century, had been widely realized and epitomized American democracy's superiority to communism.8 However, critics held that the new capitalism did not solve all of classical capitalism's problems (e.g., poverty) and that much increased consumption generated new types of cultural and political problems. John Kenneth Galbraith argued that mainstream economists assumed that human nature dictates an unlimited “urgency of wants,” naturalizing ever increasing production and consumption and precluding the distinction of goods required to meet basic needs from those that stoke wasteful, destructive appetites. In his view, mainstream economists’ individualistic, acquisitive presuppositions crown consumers sovereign and obscure cultural forces, especially advertising, that generate and channel desire and elevate possessions and consumption into the prime measures of self-worth. Galbraith held that production's “paramount position” and related “imperatives of consumer demand” create dependence on economic growth and generate new imbalances and insecurities.9 Harsher critics held that the consumer culture blinded middle-class Americans to injustice, despotic bureaucracy, and drudge work (e.g., Mills, 1961; Marcuse, 1964). But even these radical critics implied that postwar capitalism unlocked the secret of sustained economic growth.

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Nature, Knowledge and Negation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-606-9

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Article
Publication date: 1 October 1937

So far as the London activities of librarianship are concerned, the Winter opened propitiously when Mr. J. D. Stewart and Mr. J. Wilks addressed a goodly audience at Chaucer…

40

Abstract

So far as the London activities of librarianship are concerned, the Winter opened propitiously when Mr. J. D. Stewart and Mr. J. Wilks addressed a goodly audience at Chaucer House, Mr. Stewart on American, and Mr. Wilks on German libraries. There was a live air about the meeting which augured well for the session. The chief librarians of London were well represented, and we hope that they will continue the good work. It was the last meeting over which Mr. George R. Bolton presided as Chairman of the London and Home Counties Branch, and he is succeeded by Mr. Wilks. Mr. Bolton has carried his office with thorough and forceful competence, and London library workers have every reason to be grateful. The election to chairmanship of the librarian of University College, London, gives the Branch for the first time a non‐municipal librarian to preside. The change has not been premature, and, apart from that question, Mr. Wilks is cultured, modest and eloquent and will do honour to his position.

Details

New Library World, vol. 40 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

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