Anne Goulding, Mary Jane Shuker and John Dickie
The purpose of this paper is to report on a small, exploratory research project focusing on librarian and parent/caregiver opinions of, and reactions to, the use of digital media…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on a small, exploratory research project focusing on librarian and parent/caregiver opinions of, and reactions to, the use of digital media and technology in public library storytimes for preschool children in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Design/methodology/approach
Telephone interviews with librarians and an online survey of parent/caregivers were undertaken.
Findings
The research found a mixed response to digital storytimes. Those who had not attended or presented digital storytime sessions were largely opposed to the practice, while those who had participated in a storytime using digital media generally held more positive views. Key concerns were focused on the amount of screentime young children should have and a lack of human interaction. Supporters appreciated the introduction of some basic digital literacy skills and the variety that technology could bring to storytime sessions.
Research limitations/implications
Both samples were small and self-selecting. The use of an online survey meant a bias in the sample toward those with access to appropriate information communication technology as well as a self-selection bias.
Practical implications
The paper suggests some developments in practice and approach if librarians are going to play the role of media mentors in their communities.
Originality/value
This is the first study focusing on the development of digital storytimes in Aotearoa New Zealand and adds to knowledge and understanding of key stakeholder views of the inclusion of digital media and technology in public library programming for young children.
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Jayson Seaman, Robert MacArthur and Sean Harrington
The article discusses Outward Bound's participation in the human potential movement through its incorporation of T-group practices and the reform language of experiential…
Abstract
Purpose
The article discusses Outward Bound's participation in the human potential movement through its incorporation of T-group practices and the reform language of experiential education in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Design/methodology/approach
The article reports on original research conducted using materials from Dartmouth College and other Outward Bound collections from 1957 to 1976. It follows a case study approach to illustrate themes pertaining to Outward Bound's creation and evolution in the United States, and the establishment of experiential education more broadly.
Findings
Building on prior research (Freeman, 2011; Millikan, 2006), the present article elaborates on the conditions under which Outward Bound abandoned muscular Christianity in favor of humanistic psychology. Experiential education provided both a set of practices and a reform language that helped Outward Bound expand into the educational mainstream, which also helped to extend self-expressive pedagogies into formal and nonformal settings.
Research limitations/implications
The Dartmouth Outward Bound Center's tenure coincided with and reflected broader cultural changes, from the cold war motif of spiritual warfare, frontier masculinity and national service to the rise of self-expression in education. Future scholars can situate specific curricular initiatives in the context of these paradigms, particularly in outdoor education.
Originality/value
The article draws attention to one of the forms that the human potential movement took in education – experiential education – and the reasons for its adoption. It also reinforces emerging understandings of post-WWII American outdoor education as a product of the cold war and reflective of subsequent changes in the wider culture to a narrower focus on the self.
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The use of the Near Infra‐Red (NIR) part of the electromagnetic spectrum for laboratory measurement has been well established for many years. It was the food industry and its…
Abstract
The use of the Near Infra‐Red (NIR) part of the electromagnetic spectrum for laboratory measurement has been well established for many years. It was the food industry and its related agricultural base that pioneered the technique, and names like Dicky‐John, Technicon and Neotech have become common usage terms.
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are…
Abstract
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.
Daniela Pirani, Benedetta Cappellini and Vicki Harman
This paper aims to examine how Mulino Bianco, an iconic Italian bakery brand, has reshaped the symbolic and material aspects of breakfast in Italy, transforming a declining…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how Mulino Bianco, an iconic Italian bakery brand, has reshaped the symbolic and material aspects of breakfast in Italy, transforming a declining practice into a common family occasion.
Design/methodology/approach
A socio-historical analysis of the iconisation process has been undertaken with a framework for investigating the symbolic, material and practice-based aspects of the brand and their changes over time. Archival marketing material, advertising campaigns and interviews with brand managers constitute the main data for analysis.
Findings
Three crucial moments have been identified in which the brand articulates its relationship with the practice of breakfast. During the launch of the brand, the articulation was mainly instigated via the myths of tamed nature and rural past and the material aspect of the products reinforced such an articulation. In the second moment, the articulation was established with the brand’s materiality, emphasised through the use of promotional items targeting mothers and children. In the last phase, a cementification of the articulation was achieved mainly via the symbolic aspect of the brand – communicating Mulino Bianco as emblematic of a new family life in which the “Italian breakfast” was central.
Originality/value
Theoretically, this paper advances the understanding of the pervasive influence of brands in family life, showing how they do not simply reshape existing family food practices, rather they can re-create new ones, investing them with symbolic meanings, anchoring them with novel materiality and equipping consumers with new understandings and competences.
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Mark Dunn, John Billingsley and David Bell
To describe the prototype macadamia nut yield monitor.
Abstract
Purpose
To describe the prototype macadamia nut yield monitor.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the machine vision‐based yield monitor for macadamia nut plantations is described. A summary of sensor fusion procedures is presented. Additionally, a summary of current testing progress is provided.
Findings
Using vision to count nuts has the potential to revolutionise yield monitoring for the macadamia industry. Additionally, using a vision sensor for in‐field location can provide a low cost, highly accurate method of positioning. Tractor (and nut) location can be determined accurate to 12 mm.
Practical implications
This project has culminated in the creation of a working prototype harvester. A commercial unit is in the design stage for operation in 2007 harvest season.
Originality/value
This paper describes the solution to a particular problem in the macadamia industry, with potential use in wider fields.
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Bringing renewed attention to the anemic representation of Black women within the teaching profession, this chapter begins by chronicling the history of Black women in teacher…
Abstract
Bringing renewed attention to the anemic representation of Black women within the teaching profession, this chapter begins by chronicling the history of Black women in teacher education – from the Reconstruction Era to the 21st century – in an effort to highlight the causes of their conspicuous demographic decline. Next, it is argued that increasing the number of Black women in the teaching profession is a worthwhile endeavor although the rationales for such targeted efforts may not be obvious or appreciated by the casual observer. It is, therefore, important to illuminate the multiple justifications as to why it is essential to improve the underrepresentation of Black women in America’s classrooms. Lastly, it is asserted that serious attention is required to reverse the dramatic exodus of Black women from the teaching profession. In conveying this issue, the author shares special emphasis recruiting tactics, for the national, programmatic, and local school district levels, as promising proposals to enlist and retain more Black women in the teaching profession.