The new craft skills of engineering: The impact of innovation technology on engineering practices

This chapter explores the impact of innovation technologies such as simulation, modelling, and rapid prototyping on engineering practice. Innovation technologies help redefine the role of engineers in the innovation process, creating a new division of innovative labour both with and across organizations. This chapter also explores the boundaries of experimentation and inertia within particular domains of problem-solving to create new opportunities and value.

International childcare practices study: Infant sleeping environment

Background: The International Child Care Practices Study (ICCPS) has collected descriptive data from 21 centres in 17 countries. In this report, data are presented on the infant sleeping environment with the main focus being sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) risk factors (bedsharing and infant using a pillow) and protective factors (infant sharing a room with adult) that are not yet well established in the literature. Methods: Using a standardised protocol, parents of infants were surveyed at birth by interview and at 3 months of age mainly by postal questionnaire. Centres were grouped according to geographic location. Also indicated was the level of SIDS awareness in the community, i.e. whether any campaigns or messages to “reduce the risks of SIDS” were available at the time of the survey. Results: Birth interview data were available for 5488 individual families and 4656 (85%) returned questionnaires at 3 months. Rates of bedsharing varied considerably (2–88%) and it appeared to be more common in the samples with a lower awareness of SIDS, but not necessarily a high SIDS rate. Countries with higher rates of bedsharing appeared to have a greater proportion of infants bedsharing for a longer duration (>5 h). Rates of room sharing varied (58–100%) with some of the lowest rates noted in centres with a higher awareness of SIDS. Rates of pillow use ranged from 4% to 95%. Conclusions: It is likely that methods of bedsharing differ cross-culturally, and although further details were sought on different bedsharing practices, it was not possible to build up a composite picture of “typical” bedsharing practices in these different communities. These data highlight interesting patterns in child care in these diverse populations. Although these results should not be used to imply that any particular child care practice either increases or decreases the risk of SIDS, these findings should help to inject caution into the process of developing SIDS prevention campaigns for non-Western cultures.

Attitudes and practices of general practitioners in the diagnosis and management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Objective: To assess understanding of, and actual and potential roles in management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among GPs. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of Queensland GPs selected randomly from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners directory of members was carried out. Main outcome measures were knowledge levels of ADHD, current management practices, referral patterns and self-perceived information and training needs. Results: Three hundred and ninety-nine GPs returned a completed questionnaire (response rate 76%). Roles identified by GPs were: the provisional diagnosis of ADHD and referral to specialist services for confirmation of the diagnosis and initiation of management; assistance with monitoring progress once a management plan was in place; education of the child and their family regarding the disorder; and liaison with the school where necessary. Perceived barriers to increased involvement of GPs were: time and resource constraints of general practice; concerns regarding abuse and addiction liability of prescription stimulants; complex diagnostic issues associated with childhood behavioural problems; and lack of training and education regarding ADHD. Conclusions: General practitioners identify a role for themselves in ADHD care that is largely supportive in nature and involves close liaison with specialist services.

Practices and attitudes to derivatives use in Australian commonwealth organisations

Little is known about risk management in the public sector This study reports on a survey of senior officers in Australian Commonwealth companies and statutory authorities concerning their practice and attitudes towards the use of derivative instruments for risk management. Using a variety of tests, the most important issue identified by respondents concerning the use of derivatives is for budgeting purposes. Of note, respondents rank commonly cited reasons advanced in the private sector such as reduced bankruptcy costs and taxation, as being relatively unimportant, which is consistent with arguments advanced in the paper The results also indicate that there are significant differences in the level of importance in some issues regarding derivatives use across public sector organisations, particularly those differentiated by a documented risk management plan. The study also documents for the first time the extent of derivatives use in the Australian public sector.

Processos de exclusão da/na escola no período da Primeira República (1889-1930) no Estado do Espírito Santo

O objetivo desta tese é analisar que práticas de tradução educacional foram feitas em relação às crianças e jovens excluídos da/na escola da Primeira República (1889-1930) no Estado do Espírito Santo. Período este em que a cultura ocidental, mais especificamente a europeia, exercia forte influência nas políticas de regulação e de emancipação do Brasil. Assim constando, na área educacional, muitas das experiências e teorias defendidas e socializadas na Europa foram traduzidas para o Brasil, e por extensão, para o Espírito Santo. Para compreender as traduções na área educacional, situada no contexto da modernidade é que se reportou a Boaventura de Sousa Santos, à luz das ferramentas disponíveis pela Sociologia das Ausências, pela Sociologia das Emergências, bem como o Trabalho de Tradução. A proposta de pesquisa está ancorada numa perspectiva qualitativa de base hermenêutica e, para construir a investigação, foram utilizadas fontes históricas bibliográficas e documentais. As fontes de investigação permitiram explicar parte das possíveis razões para as exclusões da escola ou defesas de segregação (exclusão na escola). Estas exclusões se concentram em torno de cinco tempos: 1909, 1917, 1923, 1924 e 1929. Nos anos de 1909 e 1924, disserta-se pela via educacional, sobre as práticas da área jurídica em relação aos órfãos. A Escola Normal do Espírito Santo, por sua vez, reproduzia a ideia de ordem ao atrelar a Pedagogia à educação cívica. Em 1917, a partir do episódio relativo a uma jovem, associada a um possível caso de loucura/alienação mental, é abordada a influência da área médica na área educacional, no Estado do Espírito Santo. Quanto à década de 20, existiu todo um discurso sobre o estudo da criança, na formação de educadores, como tentativa de apreender a totalidade do ser humano. Algumas práticas de tradução construtivas na área educacional foram evidenciadas, como por exemplo, quando o professor Elpídio Pimentel sugere que os educadores trabalhem com o que o aluno sabe ou poderá aprender. Ao final do trabalho, percebe-se que, muitas exclusões poderiam ter sido evitadas, mas para isso, a sociedade, os educadores teriam que ter adotado uma outra postura em relação às práticas de tradução: talvez uma menos idealizada e que valorizasse o que emergia de potencial nas realidades locais.