The treatment of multicultural issues in contemporary forensic psychology textbooks

This article examines whether practice issues relating to clients from different cultural or ethnic groups are adequately addressed in a wide selection of contemporary forensic psychology textbooks. Specifically, we examine the extent to which cross-cultural issues are engaged within these texts, and how well the information provided informs forensic practice. While most of the reviewed texts acknowledged the need to consider cultural issues, there was relatively little discussion of specific issues, and practical guidelines were rarely offered. It is argued that without more widespread acknowledgment of the direct implications of cultural issues for forensic practice, it is unlikely that a fair and reliable system for the investigation and treatment of complaints made by and against people from different cultural groups will be obtained.

What can we learn about social work assessment from the textbooks?

Summary: Although often criticized for inadequacies, textbooks are both highly influential and a readily available source of information about contemporary thinking in social work theory and practice. As part of a series of studies about facilitating learning and teaching about assessment in social work, the authors have been conducting a review of how this professional task is presented in textbooks which are currently known to be used in programmes of social work education in the UK. Relevant chapters of each of the selected textbooks were subjected to an in-depth analysis in order to determine how assessment was understood, assessment processes, relevance to the UK practice context and evidence bases.

Findings: What are considered the key issues in, and skills required for, social work assessment are contested, with considerable variety between textbooks as to the extent of detail and topics covered in relation to assessment. Some issues which are prominent in the policy context, such as the need to ensure the involvement of service user and carer perspectives, and multidisciplinary assessment, were hardly mentioned. Changes in emphasis over time and differences in emphasis between textbooks published in the UK and North America were found.

Applications: Given the many differences in emphasis and depth of content between textbooks ostensibly outlining the same aspects of practice, it is essential that educators have a clear rationale for recommending particular textbooks.

A systemist approach to the analysis of gender gender bias in Iranian high school English textbooks

This chapter aims to see if English textbooks written for high school students in Iran are in favor of a particular gender. To this end, four English textbooks currently taught in the Iranian high schools were analysed on the basis of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Five categories were identified and two types of analyses were conducted- content analysis and linguistic. The result of the content analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the frequencies in male-female distribution. The linguistic analysis revealed that there are more males in theme and rheme positions as well as participants role, expecting for the Sensor role, The differences could be attributed to the writers' attitudes, culture, and patriarchal structure of the Iranian families.

Constructing meanings and identities in child protection practice

Examines a contemporary and contentious social problem, child maltreatment, and the policy and practice in response to it, child protection.

Phineas Gage

In 1848, as the result of a bizarre accident, Phineas Gage had most of the left frontal lobe of his brain destroyed. Although his surviving the injury by some 11.5 years made him a considerable medical curiosity, it was the changes to his behavior that made him important in the neurosciences. Gage's is actually one of the most important cases in the history of the neurosciences: it revealed for the first time that complex functions might be localized in the brain. Its status is indexed by its still being cited in about two-thirds of all psychology and related neuroscience textbooks and by the fact that studies were still being undertaken some 150 years after the accident to establish which parts of Gage's brain were damaged.

Market research effectiveness : the effects of organisational structure, resource allocation and strategic type

According to the marketing literature and marketing textbooks, market research is required for successful marketing. However organisations differ in the way they both manage and resource their market research. This study hypothesised that market research effectiveness would be a function of internal research buying expertise, resource allocation and strategy. The research was conducted among a sample of 240 Australian marketing managers. Market research effectiveness was measured in terms of a) decision making support, b) contribution to marketing strategy, c) leveraging customer and competitor data, d) its ability to represent the "voice of the customer" and finally, e) bolstering the role of the marketing group and marketing manager within the organisation. The findings showed that having dedicated internal market researchers and allocating internal and external resources to the research function enhanced market research effectiveness. It was also found that organisations with an entrepreneurial strategic orientation were more likely to see value in the market research function, with these organisations being less likely to use market research for internal political purposes.

Clinical research 5: quantitative data collection and analysis

This six-part research series is aimed at clinicians who wish to develop research skills, or who have a particular clinical problem that they think could be addressed through research. The series aims to provide insight into the decisions that researchers make in the course of their work, and to also provide a foundation for decisions that nurses may make in applying the findings of a study to practice in their own Unit or Department. The series emphasises the practical issues encountered when undertaking research in critical care settings; readers are encouraged to source research methodology textbooks for more detailed guidance on specific aspects of the research process.

A couple of points:

1. It is artificial to describe research as qualitative or quantitative. Studies often include both dimensions. However, for the purposes of this paper/series, this distinction is drawn for clarity of writing.

2. It is common practice for quantitative studies to refer to study ‘subjects’ and qualitative studies to refer to study ‘participants’. For ease of reading, the latter term will be used throughout this series.

Why initial conditions are important

Most simulation textbooks assume that a model can be started in an empty state and the final output will not be affected, so long as the "warm-up period" is excluded from the analysis. In this paper we test this assumption, using a discrete-event model of a existing manufacturing facility. Using a series of model runs with no initial Work in Progress (WIP) and another series of simulation runs with a realistic initial level of WIP, the results can be compared and contrasted. While the results show similar shaped profiles in terms of throughput and lead time, the differences between the curves has important practical implications.

Should we save or should we consume? Linking growth theories and the Keynesian models

In major economic growth theories, high saving rate gives rise to high level of output per capita. But in Keynesian economics, high saving rate causes low consumption and will lead the economy into recession. Students may ask, "For the well-being of an economy, should we save or should we consume?" In most of the intermediate macroeconomics textbooks, economic growth and Keynesian economics are taught in separate chapters; and in many cases, these chapters are not even successive to each other. There lacks a continuity between the long run and short run models. This paper builds a bridge between growth theories and Keynesian models. It links the Solow diagram and the IS-LM curves and depicts the short run and long run implications of a change in the saving rate.

Global now : searching for meaning

How do teacher educators prepare students to become teachers for a world which is global in its outlook and influences? There are now strong imperatives for teacher educators to develop pre- service students' understandings about a world which is 'global'. It is not only curriculum statements, textbooks, films, videos, that are the carriers and resources in global education but teachers themselves through their own stories
and narratives and the meanings attached to these. The role of teachers' lived experiences in teaching global education is often silenced in teacher education courses, policy documents and school classrooms.

In searching for meaning in global education, it is the capacity of the teacher to reflect not only on their own multiple identities but on the nexus between their local and global worlds and the struggle often evident here. A resource teachers have to teach global education is their own stories, lived experiences of being in a global world. This comes from giving meaning to travel, of living in a multi-cultural multi-faith world of viewing and noticing similarities and differences and giving meaning to these.

Despite increasing demands from education systems and governments for teachers to teach with a global focus, many teachers do not feel confident or prepared to do so. Importantly curriculum policy statements are carrying imperatives to teach to a global world that is rapidly changing. Curriculum statements in Society and Environment area in Australia include 'global' in their rationale. However this does not mean that global education is taught nor understood by teachers who translate these documents to practice. In curriculum documents such as those
produced by the state and territory governments there is some inclusion of global education. Singh (1998) argues that there is a marginalisation of global education in official curriculum policies in Australia. Integrating global education into different subjects is really up to the creativity, expertise and experience of teachers. If it is up to teachers to teach global education as stated by Singh then it will be the capacity of the teacher to draw on a range of resources, pedagogy and approaches to teach global education. One resource is teachers' stories and
narratives and students own lived experiences and stories.

Banks (2001, p. 5) states that "teachers must develop reflective cultural national and global identifications themselves if they are to help students become thoughtful caring and reflective citizens in a multicultural world society." Teacher educators who wish to embed global perspectives in their teaching require reflective practices on their own identities, prejudices, choice of curriculum content and pedagogy.

Teaching global education requires a conscious understanding and reflection to begin the journey of self as located in the classroom. The central issue of this paper is to bring forth emphasis on the lived experiences of teachers and teachers educators in order to develop deeper global understandings in students.

Building capacity: strategic professional development for early childhood practitioners

An innovative framework for early childhood students and professionals using an interactive program titled SAM: A Self-Assessment Manual.

This provides a strategic and guided approach to enable practitioners to respond critically to activities and questions such as: 'Where have I come from?', 'Where am I now?' and 'Where do I want to go next?' The book and an accompanying CD-ROM allow readers to practically apply the framework to everyday practice, individually or as part of a group.

Addresses an identified need within the early childhood profession for targeted career development and professional support.

Comments from those who have used the program include: 'After reflection and discussion SAM has allowed me to set myself new goals for my future career, both in the workplace now and further down the track' and 'SAM has me thinking about current practice, how this relates to different theories and where my philosophy fits in'.

To save or to consume: linking growth theory with the Keynesian model

In the neoclassical growth theory, higher saving rate gives rise to higher output per capita. However, in the Keynesian model, higher saving rate causes lower consumption, which may lead to a recession. Students may ask, “Should we save or should we consume?” In most of the macroeconomics textbooks, economic growth and Keynesian economics are in separate, sometimes unsequential, chapters. The connection between the short run and the long run is not apparent. The author builds a bridge between the neoclassical growth theory and the Keynesian model. He links the Solow diagram and the IS-LM curves and depicts the short-run to long-run transition of the economy after changes in saving and other macroeconomic policies.

Reconciling colonial memories in Korea and Japan

The Republic of Korea and Japan share a tumultuous history, but arguably no period has caused greater trauma in bilateral relations than the twentieth century. After Japan’s four-decade long colonial occupation of Korea, the two countries took two decades just to establish diplomatic relations. Subsequent interactions have remained seriously compromised by the memory of colonialism. This article reviews the tensions behind the tempestuous bilateral relationship, focusing on the depiction of Japan’s wartime past in school textbooks. We advance three suggestions for reconciliation: viewing reconciliation not as the restoration of a harmonious pre-conflict order, but as an ongoing, incomplete process; expanding promising bilateral dialogues; and accepting that there will always be differences between Korea and Japan, most notably with regard to representations of the past. Rather than being an inevitable source of conflict, these differences should contribute to an ongoing process of negotiation between the two neighbors.