Geography and international assessment: Opportunity or distraction

Assessments of students in primary and secondary education are debated among practitioners, policy-makers, and parents. In some countries, assessment scores serve a criterion for passage between levels of education, for example, from secondary school to post-secondary education. Those practices are often traditions and while they come under criticism, they are a long-accepted part of the educational practices within a country. In those countries, the students’ assessment and examination scores are posted in public places or published in local news media. In other countries, assessments are used for the periodic checks on individual student progress. The results of assessments may be used for rating schools, and in some cases, they are used for evaluating the performance of teachers. Assessments are used less often to analyze student performance and make judgments regarding the performance of the curriculum. Even less often, assessments serve to critically establish strategies for the improvement of student learning and educational practices. The ends on the continuum of the assessment debate often focus on the opportunities that assessments present to improve education on one end. The other end is that assessments serve as a major distraction from the important work of teachers by removing classroom room time from instruction. The debate on those issues continues.

Accolades or achievement? Addressing the unforeseen consequences of therapeutic pedagogy

Commentary "We have found little to indicate that indiscriminately promoting self-esteem in today’s children or adults, just for being themselves, offers society any compensatory benefits beyond the seductive pleasure it brings to those engaged in the exercise. (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, & Vohs, 2005)" In June this year, Wellesley High School became a focus of attention worldwide, following a graduation speech made by a teacher at the school. Departing from the traditional rhetoric of such ceremonies, English teacher David McCullough told the assembled graduates that they were neither special nor exceptional, but may well believe they were because they had been ‘pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, and bubble-wrapped, feted and fawned over’, an effect, he argued, of Americans’ ‘love of accolades more than genuine achievement’ (Christakis, 2012, p. 1). This assertion struck a chord not only in his home country, but more widely in the Western world, with many educators, childcare workers and parents experiencing a sense of unease about the extent to which this claim was justifiable, and if so, what sort of corrective might be needed.

Efficiency or technology adoption: A case study in waste-treatment technology

Improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of supply-side waste management are necessary in many countries. In Japan, municipalities with limited budgets have delayed the introduction of new waste-management technologies. Thus, the central government has used subsidies to encourage municipalities to adopt certain new technologies to improve waste-management efficiency. In this study, we measure the efficiency of waste management and explore how technology is related to technical efficiency. We find that municipalities are likely to adopt less-efficient technologies and that the central government's policies are likely to promote inefficient technology adoption by local governments.

A phase II trial of brivanib in recurrent or persistent endometrial cancer: An NRG oncology/gynecologic oncology group study

PURPOSE Brivanib, an oral, multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor with activity against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) was investigated as a single agent in a phase II trial to assess the activity and tolerability in recurrent or persistent endometrial cancer (EMC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients had persistent or recurrent EMC after receiving one to two prior cytotoxic regimens, measurable disease, and performance status of ≤2. Treatment consisted of brivanib 800 mg orally every day until disease progression or prohibitive toxicity. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) at six months and objective tumor response. Expression of multiple angiogenic proteins and FGFR2 mutation status was assessed. RESULTS Forty-five patients were enrolled. Forty-three patients were eligible and evaluable. Median age was 64 years. Twenty-four patients (55.8%) received prior radiation. Median number of cycles was two (range 1-24). No GI perforations but one rectal fistula were seen. Nine patients had grade 3 hypertension, with one experiencing grade 4 confusion. Eight patients (18.6%; 90% CI 9.6%-31.7%) had responses (one CR and seven PRs), and 13 patients (30.2%; 90% CI 18.9%-43.9%) were PFS at six months. Median PFS and overall survival (OS) were 3.3 and 10.7 months, respectively. When modeled jointly, VEGF and angiopoietin-2 expression may diametrically predict PFS. Estrogen receptor-α (ER) expression was positively correlated with OS. CONCLUSION Brivanib is reasonably well tolerated and worthy of further investigation based on PFS at six months in recurrent or persistent EMC.

Action or inaction: bystander intervention in workplace sexual harassment

A promising approach to the persistent problem of workplace sexual harassment (SH) is encouraging interventions by bystanders. Adopting a typology developed by Bowes-Sperry and O'Leary-Kelly that considers the level of immediacy and involvement of bystander interventions, this study explored 74 detailed descriptions of SH events that occurred in Australian workplaces. The findings reveal that despite the hidden nature of SH, there is significant involvement of actors who are not direct targets but their actions are frequently delayed, temporary or ineffective. The study makes two contributions to the study and practice of HRM. First, it provides important evidence of the different ways that bystanders respond to SH in real workplaces and the relative likelihood of these actions. Second, the study points to relevant contextual features evident in the scenarios described which determine if and how bystanders intervene. We discuss the utility of the bystander framework for future research and practice, including the development of bystander interventions as a potentially innovative response to the persistent and damaging problem of workplace SH.

Preoperative bathing or showering with skin antiseptics to prevent surgical site infection

Background Surgical site infections (SSIs) are wound infections that occur after invasive (surgical) procedures. Preoperative bathing or showering with an antiseptic skin wash product is a well-accepted procedure for reducing skin bacteria (microflora). It is less clear whether reducing skin microflora leads to a lower incidence of surgical site infection. Objectives To review the evidence for preoperative bathing or showering with antiseptics for preventing hospital-acquired (nosocomial) surgical site infections. Search methods For this fifth update we searched the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 18 December 2014); the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2014 Issue 11); Ovid MEDLINE (2012 to December Week 4 2014), Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations December 18, 2014); Ovid EMBASE (2012 to 2014 Week 51), EBSCO CINAHL (2012 to December 18 2014) and reference lists of articles. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials comparing any antiseptic preparation used for preoperative full-body bathing or showering with non-antiseptic preparations in people undergoing surgery. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently assessed studies for selection, risk of bias and extracted data. Study authors were contacted for additional information. Main results We did not identify any new trials for inclusion in this fifth update. Seven trials involving a total of 10,157 participants were included. Four of the included trials had three comparison groups. The antiseptic used in all trials was 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (Hibiscrub/Riohex). Three trials involving 7791 participants compared chlorhexidine with a placebo. Bathing with chlorhexidine compared with placebo did not result in a statistically significant reduction in SSIs; the relative risk of SSI (RR) was 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80 to 1.04). When only trials of high quality were included in this comparison, the RR of SSI was 0.95 (95%CI 0.82 to 1.10). Three trials of 1443 participants compared bar soap with chlorhexidine; when combined there was no difference in the risk of SSIs (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.84). Three trials of 1192 patients compared bathing with chlorhexidine with no washing, one large study found a statistically significant difference in favour of bathing with chlorhexidine (RR 0.36, 95%CI 0.17 to 0.79). The smaller studies found no difference between patients who washed with chlorhexidine and those who did not wash preoperatively. Authors' conclusions This review provides no clear evidence of benefit for preoperative showering or bathing with chlorhexidine over other wash products, to reduce surgical site infection. Efforts to reduce the incidence of nosocomial surgical site infection should focus on interventions where effect has been demonstrated.

Social audit: A mess or means in CSR assessment?

Social Audits play an important role in the measurement and analysis of a company's social performance. They provide corporations with a tool to plan and manage their social responsibility activities. Similarly, they provide stakeholders with a tool which they could use when monitoring, assessing and analysing concrete and accurate company data. Whilst the topic of social audits has been raised and discussed by a number of scholars, industry representatives and government institutions over the years, such contributions have mostly revolved around the general notion and importance of social audit, rather than addressing the most effective ways to achieve a widespread and reliable adoption of the practice through the implementation of specific legal regulation and other methods. This matter is of significant importance as corporations can exert a considerable amount control over the entire social audit process, allowing them to disclose only information deemed beneficial to their own corporate image instead of releasing all relevant social and environmental data. In order to achieve a truly transparent system promoting corporate accountability, there is an obvious need for social audits to be regulated. One of the purposes of this book is to provide an overview of the development of social audit practices and regulation. It also sets out to explore the issues and challenges which have arisen relating to this matter around the world.

Rallying the troops or beating the horses? How project-related demands can lead to either high performance or abusive supervision

In today's high-pressure work environment, project managers are often forced to “do more with less.” We argue that this imperative can lead project managers to engage in either high-performance or abusive supervision behaviors. To understand this process, we develop a model and associated propositions linking a project manager's cognitive appraisal of project-related demands to high-performance work practices versus abusive supervision behaviors—both of which impact three project outcomes: stakeholder relationships, people-related project success factors, and employee well-being. We propose that the choice between high-performance work practices and abusive supervision behaviors is moderated by a project manager's personal resources (psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and dark triad personality).

How does symptom burden differ in people with advanced CKD who are non-dialysis or currently receiving dialysis?

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to a range of symptoms which are often under-recognised. Little is known about the full range of symptoms, particularly in who are pre-dialysis. Understanding symptom prevalence, distress, severity and frequency will help prioritise symptom management. Aims To examine symptom burden in advanced CKD (stages 4 and 5) and compare the symptom experience between those receiving dialysis or those who are pre-dialysis. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 436 people from three hospitals completed the Modified Dialysis Symptom Index (MDSI). Demographic and renal history data was also collected. Based on the 32 symptoms, we compared the prevalence, severity, distress and frequency of each symptom by treatment modality. Results Mean age was 48 years (range 18-87 years) and 53% were male. 75.5% (haemodialysis = 287; peritoneal dialysis = 42) were receiving dialysis and 24.5% (n = 107) were pre-dialysis. Overall, the mean symptom prevalence was 12.6 ± 7.9 and the most prevalent symptoms were fatigue (77%), bone or joint pain (60.3%) and itching (59.6%) across all CKD groups. The distress, severity and frequency of the symptoms were higher in the dialysis group. However, a higher frequency of psychological symptoms (worrying, feeling nervous and depression) were reported in the pre-dialysis group. Implication for clinical practice Patients with advanced CKD have a high symptom burden with those who are pre-dialysis needing greater psychological support. The MDSI could be used in nursing practice to screen patients for symptoms which could lead to timely and appropriate interventions.

A LIN inspired optical bus for signal isolation in multilevel or modular power electronic converters

Proposed in this paper is a low-cost, half-duplex optical communication bus for control signal isolation in modular or multilevel power electronic converters. The concept is inspired by the Local Interconnect Network (LIN) serial network protocol as used in the automotive industry. The proposed communications bus utilises readily available optical transceivers and is suitable for use with low-cost microcontrollers for distributed control of multilevel converters. As a signal isolation concept, the proposed optical bus enables very high cell count modular multilevel cascaded converters (MMCCs) for high-bandwidth, high-voltage and high-power applications. Prototype hardware is developed and the optical bus concept is validated experimentally in a 33-level MMCC converter operating at 120 Vrms and 60 Hz.

Community engagement or community conversation?: Boomtown, a large-scale regional, outdoor community theatrical event

On the 18th of July 2013, three hundred local members of Gladstone, Queensland erupted into song and dance performing the fraught history of their community harbourside through tug boat ballets, taiko drumming, German bell ringing and BMX bike riding. Over 17,500 people attended the four performances of Boomtown, a Queensland Music Festival event. This was the largest regional, outdoor community-engaged musical performance staged in Australia. The narrative moved beyond the dominant, pejorative view of Gladstone as an industrial town to include the community members’ sense of purpose and aspirations. It was a celebratory, contentious and ambitious project that sought to disrupt the traditional conventions of performance-making through working in artistically democratic ways. This article explores the potential for Australian Community Engaged Arts (CEA) projects such as Boomtown to democratically engage community members and co-create culturally meaningful work within a community. Research into CEA projects rarely consider how the often delicate conversations between practitioners and the community work. The complex processes of finding and co-writing the narrative, casting, and rehearsing Boomtown are discussed with reference to artistic director/dramaturge Sean Mee’s innovative approaches. Boomtown began with and concluded with community conversations. Skilful negotiation ensured congruence between the townspeople’s stories and the “community story” presented on stage, abrogating potential problems of narrative ownership. To supplement the research, twenty-one personal interviews were undertaken with Gladstone community members invested in the production before, during and after the project: performers, audience members and local professionals. The stories shared and emphasised in the theatricalised story were based on propitious, meaningful, local stories from lived experiences rather than preconceived, trivial or tokenistic matters, and were underpinned by a consensus formed on what was in the best interests of the majority of community members. Boomtown exposed hidden issues in the community and gave voice to thoughts, feelings and concerns which triggered not just engagement, but honest conversation within the community.

Costs assessor selection: A question of timing, or cost?

In Lessbrook Pty Ltd (in liq) v Whap; Stephen; Bowie; Kepa & Kepa [2014] QCA 63 the Queensland Court of Appeal dealt with significant questions of general application relating to the appointment of assessors to conduct an assessment of costs under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) (UCPR).

The issue of consent: For the plaintiff or defendant to prove in trespass to person?

In White v Johnston1 the vexed question of whether it is for a plaintiff to prove lack of consent to a trespass to person or for the defendant to establish consent as defence was considered. The court also considered the principles of assessing an award of exemplary damages...

ACE Research Vignette 043: Can academic entrepreneurship research identify and explain the next Apple, Google, or (even) Halfbrick studios?

This series of research vignettes is aimed at sharing current and interesting research findings from our team of international entrepreneurship researchers. This vignette, written by Professor Per Davidsson, reports findings on the extremely skewed distributions of entrepreneurship outcomes and other key variables of interest to entrepreneurship research and practice, as well as what this means for what and how we can learn through academic research.

Pull the plug or take the plunge: Multiple opportunities and the speed of venturing decisions in the Australian mining industry

Effectively capturing opportunities requires rapid decision-making. We investigate the speed of opportunity evaluation decisions by focusing on firms' venture termination and venture advancement decisions. Experience, standard operating procedures, and confidence allow firms to make opportunity evaluation decisions faster; we propose that a firm's attentional orientation, as reflected in its project portfolio, limits the number of domains in which these speed-enhancing mechanisms can be developed. Hence firms' decision speed is likely to vary between different types of decisions. Using unique data on 3,269 mineral exploration ventures in the Australian mining industry, we find that firms with a higher degree of attention toward earlier-stage exploration activities are quicker to abandon potential opportunities in early development but slower to do so later, and that such firms are also slower to advance on potential opportunities at all stages compared to firms that focus their attention differently. Market dynamism moderates these relationships, but only with regard to initial evaluation decisions. Our study extends research on decision speed by showing that firms are not necessarily fast or slow regarding all the decisions they make, and by offering an opportunity evaluation framework that recognizes that decision makers can, in fact often do, pursue multiple potential opportunities simultaneously.