Book Review of Determining the Economic Value of Water: Concepts and Methods by Robert A. YoungBook Review of Determining the Economic Value of Water: Concepts and Methods by Robert A. Young

Water has been and will continue to be a contentious issue for policy makers, landowners, municipalities, environmentalists, and citizens who feels they have an undeniable right to clean water delivered to their homes (at least in the United States). With so many groups coming into conflict over what, at least in the West and the Great Plains, continues to be a diminishing resource per capita, an understanding of the economic value of this resource is critical. It is important to note, as Robert Young does throughout his book, that the true economic value of water goes beyond what we pay our city services each month, or the cost to farmers or ranchers for pumping and distributing that water on their land. The value of water must take into account the value of the competing uses which are sometimes difficult to price.

Working Experience and Librarians' Knowledge of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Nigerian University Libraries

This paper discuses the influence of librarians' years of working experience and sources of acquisition of ICTs' knowledge and skills. The study is based on 169 librarians working in thirteen university libraries in the universities of six states located in the South-South zone of Nigeria. The purpose of the paper is to find out if years of working experience has an effect on librarians' sources/means of acquisition of ICT knowledge and skills. The questionnaires used were answered by two categories of librarians. Those with longer years of experience – 16 years and above and those with fewer years of working experience. It was concluded that librarians with fewer years of working experience explore means of acquiring ICTs knowledge and skills more than librarians with more years of working experience. It was recommended that librarians with longer years of working experience develop more interest in sources through which they can acquire ICT knowledge and skills.

Vocabulary Instruction as a Tool for Helping Students of Diverse Backgrounds and Ability Levels to Understand Mathematical Concepts

This action research project describes a research project designed and implemented specifically with an emphasis on the instruction of mathematical vocabulary. The targeted population was my second period classroom of sixth grade students. This group of seventeen students represented diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and abilities. The school is located in a community of a population of approximately 5,000 people in the Midwest. My research investigation focused on the use of specific methods of vocabulary instruction and students’ use of precise mathematical vocabulary in writing and speaking. I wanted to see what effects these strategies would have on student performance. My research suggested that students who struggle with retention of mathematical knowledge have inadequate language skills. My research also revealed that students who have a sound knowledge of vocabulary and are engaged in the specific use of content language performed more successfully. Final analysis indicated that students believed the use of specific mathematical language helped them to be more successful and they made moderate progress in their performance on assessments.