Alison Cockerill and John Barron
The Humberside Health Promoting School Award Scheme aims to provide a common framework for schools to address several issues on the education and health agendas. It encourages a…
Abstract
The Humberside Health Promoting School Award Scheme aims to provide a common framework for schools to address several issues on the education and health agendas. It encourages a whole‐school approach and enables development of policy, curriculum and school ethos in relation to health. The scheme is designed to be developmental and supportive rather than judgemental or prescriptive, and enables the celebration of achievements in health promotion in all schools, whatever their circumstances. The management group, comprising commissioners and service providers from health, education and business, is a model of “healthy alliance” good practice.
The automated teller machine (ATM) has become an integral part of our society. However, using the ATM can often be a frustrating experience as people frequently reinsert cards to…
Abstract
Purpose
The automated teller machine (ATM) has become an integral part of our society. However, using the ATM can often be a frustrating experience as people frequently reinsert cards to conduct multiple transactions. This has led to the research question of whether ATM menus are designed in an optimal manner. This paper aims to address the issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This research set out to investigate a number of high‐street bank ATM menus. The design of each banks menu system was recreated in a laboratory environment and user evaluation observations were made. The findings were then used to create a “best‐of‐breed” ATM and this was evaluated with respect to usability against the current breed of ATM menu.
Findings
An optimal ATM navigation menu was designed, which ultimately reduces transaction times. The user is always prompted after a transaction asking the question “Would you like another transaction?” This is also the case when withdrawing cash, eliminating the problem of having to reinsert their card for another transaction.
Originality/value
The main objective was to design a “best‐of‐breed” ATM menu system. This was achieved in the form of the OptiATM. The OptiATM menu design, outperformed the navigation systems on the existing bank menus and was found to be a more usable and efficient system than existing ATMs. The new system was designed to resolve the problem of users having to reinsert their ATM cards to carry out another transaction and to speed‐up transaction times.
Details
Keywords
Library management is struggling to improve productivity without reducing the quality of service to its users. With downsizing continuing to be a trend, the implementation of…
Abstract
Library management is struggling to improve productivity without reducing the quality of service to its users. With downsizing continuing to be a trend, the implementation of self‐checkout circulation systems may be an important technological investment for libraries to consider. In most large academic institutions, such circulation functions as checking out and renewing library materials have traditionally been performed by staff members. The climate may, however, be right to rethink the mode of service delivery systems and shift from providing full‐service to self‐service models, whereby the patron takes responsibility for checking out his or her own library materials.
The second article of the “Library Bill of Rights” proclaims: “Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues…
Abstract
The second article of the “Library Bill of Rights” proclaims: “Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.” Keeping this article in mind, have librarians always adhered to it? Cal Thomas, vice president of the Moral Majority, does not think so. In Book Burning (1982), he accuses the liberal establishment of censoring the writings of conservatives. For too long, conservatives have been branded as the arch banners when, in fact, they have faced prohibitive treatment from liberals. Thomas insists that some liberal publishing houses do not want to bring out a work espousing conservative ideals no matter how well‐written it is. Liberal extremist groups pressure publishing houses to reject their manuscripts. Liberal critics dismiss their books in a few sentences or do not review them at all. The large bookstore chains fail to stock their books, therefore depriving the reading public of exposure to them. And Thomas' final regret is that librarians turn a cold shoulder to books by conservatives, excluding them from their collections and, more importantly, from the judgment of history.
Margaret Zeegers and Deirdre Barron
The purpose of this paper is to focus on pedagogy as a crucial element in postgraduate research undertakings, implying active involvement of both student and supervisor in process…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on pedagogy as a crucial element in postgraduate research undertakings, implying active involvement of both student and supervisor in process of teaching and learning.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on Australian higher degree research supervision practice to illustrate their argument, the authors take issue with reliance on traditional Oxbridge conventions as informing dominant practices of supervision of postgraduate research studies and suggest pedagogy as intentional and systematic intervention that acknowledges the problematic natures of relationships between teaching, learning, and knowledge production as integral to supervision and research studies.
Findings
The authors examine issues of discursive practice and the problematic nature of power differentials in supervisor‐supervisee relationships, and the taken‐for‐grantedness of discursive practice of such relationships. The authors do this from the perspective of the student involved in higher degree research programs, a departure from the bulk of the literature that has as its focus the perspective of the supervisor and/or the institution.
Originality/value
The paper examines the perspective of the student involved in higher degree research programs, a departure from the bulk of the literature that has as its focus the perspective of the supervisor and/or the institution.