Devenir plurilingue : la perspective des littératies multiples

Abstract - English Multiple literacies refers to reading, reading the world and self. This article proposes an understanding of reading that goes beyond its definition in psychology and applied linguistics. This longitudinal project is interested in a conceptualisation of what reading is, how it functions and what it produces in becoming multilingual. Reading is explored through the lens of an empirical study involving five female pupils from senior Kindergarten to Grade 3 observed and interviewed in relation to activities at school and at home. The study took place in Ottawa schools where French is the sole language of instruction. Reading in the context of multiple literacies is conceptualised to disrupt /deterritorialise and to be immanent, offering the potentiality to go beyond what is to what could be. Becoming multilingual is a continuous movement involving networks of rhizomatic connections and reading the world and self. Résumé - Francais Les littératies multiples se réfèrent à la lecture, la lecture du monde et la lecture de soi. Cet article propose une compréhension de la lecture qui dépasse sa définition usuelle en psychologie et en linguistique appliquée. Ce projet longitudinal porte sur la conceptualisation de la lecture, son fonctionnement et ce qu’elle produit dans le devenir plurilingue. La lecture est examinée selon l’optique d’une étude empirique durant laquelle cinq écolières du jardin d’enfants à la 3e année étaient observées et interviewées par rapport à des activités à l’école et à la maison. L’étude a eu lieu dans des écoles d’Ottawa dont la seule langue d’enseignement est le français. Dans le contexte des littératies multiples, la lecture est conceptualisée comme étant perturbatrice/déterritorialisante et immanente. Elle offre la potentialité d’aller au-delà de ce qui est vers ce qui pourrait être. Devenir plurilingue est un mouvement continu faisant appel à des réseaux de connexions rhizomatiques et à la lecture du monde et de soi.

New paradigm, new educational requirements? Australian viewpoints on education for digital libraries

The rise in popularity of the digital library has lead to studies addressing digital library education and curricula development to emanate from the United States and Europe. However, to date very little research has been conducted with an Australian focus. Additionally, very few studies worldwide have sought the opinions of practitioners and the influence that these opinions may have on developing appropriate digital library curricula. The current paper is drawn from a larger study which sought to determine the skills and knowledge required of library and information professionals to work in a digital library environment. Data were collected via an online questionnaire from two target groups: practitioners working in academic libraries and Library and Information Science (LIS) educators across Australia. This paper examines in depth the findings from the survey specifically relating to the following topics. Firstly, whether or not there is a need for an educational programme to be targeted solely at the digital library environment. Secondly, the preferred delivery options for such a programme, and preferred models of digital library education. In addition, a determination on the elements which should be included in the curricula of a digital library education programme are discussed. Findings are compared and discussed with reference to the literature which informed the study. Finally, implications for the sustainability of library education programmes in Australia are identified and directions for further research highlighted.

Defining the InstaBooth: Facilitating debate and content creation from situated users

Through ubiquitous computing and location-based social media, information is spreading outside the traditional domains of home and work into the urban environment. Digital technologies have changed the way people relate to the urban form supporting discussion on multiple levels, allowing more citizens to be heard in new ways (Fredericks et al. 2013; Houghton et al. 2014; Caldwell et al. 2013). Face-to-face and digitally mediated discussions, facilitated by tangible and hybrid interaction, such as multi-touch screens and media façades, are initiated through a telephone booth inspired portable structure: The InstaBooth. The InstaBooth prototype employs a multidisciplinary approach to engage local communities in a situated debate on the future of their urban environment. With it, we capture citizens’ past stories and opinions on the use and design of public places. The way public consultations are currently done often engages only a section of the population involved in a proposed development; the more vocal citizens are not necessarily the more representative of the communities (Jenkins 2006). Alternative ways to engage urban dwellers in the debate about the built environment are explored at the moment, including the use of social media or online tools (Foth 2009). This project fosters innovation by providing pathways for communities to participate in the decision making process that informs the urban form. The InstaBooth promotes dialogue and mediation between a bottom-up and a top-down approach to urban design, with the aim of promoting community connectedness with the urban environment. The InstaBooth provides an engagement and discussion platform that leverages a number of locally developed display and interaction technologies in order to facilitate a dialogue of ideas and commentary. The InstaBooth combines multiple interaction techniques into a hybrid (digital and analogue) media space. Through the InstaBooth, urban design and architectural proposals are displayed encouraging commentary from visitors. Inside the InstaBooth, visitors can activate a multi-touch screen in order to browse media, write a note, or draw a picture to provide feedback. The purpose of the InstaBooth is to engage with a broader section of society, including those who are often marginalised. The specific design of the internal and external interfaces, the mutual relationship between these interfaces with regards to information display and interaction, and the question how visitors can engage with the system, are part of the research agenda of the project.

Nurses’ views on the implementation of Individualised Medication Administration Guides in patients with dysphagia in care homes

As conditions such as stroke, cancer, Parkinson's disease and Huntingdon's chorea are commonly found in care homes between 15% and 30% of residents in care homes have been found to have difficulties in swallowing their medicines.To address the difficulties associated with administering medicines to patients who cannot swallow (with dysphagia), Individualised Medication Administration Guides (I-MAGs) were introduced by a specialised pharmacist in Care for Elderly wards in a general hospital in East Anglia. The guides contained detailed information about how to administer each medication and they were individualised to the needs of the patient. The I-MAGs were printed in green forms and attached to the medication chart in order to be used in conjunction with it. The ward nurses reported an increase in their confidence when administering medication when I-MAGs were present in the ward. Some patients with I-MAG were discharged to care homes where the I-MAG might have been equally useful. However, the design of such guides is not known to be suitable for care homes environment where they have never been used before. This study aims to explore the opinions of nurses and carers within care homes on the relevance and acceptability of individualised medication administration guides for patients with dysphagia (PWD).

Effectiveness of in-office blood pressure measurement by eye care practitioners in early detection and management of hypertension

AIM To investigate the number of hypertensive patients, the optometrist is able to identify by routinely taking blood pressure (BP) measurements for patients in "at -risk" groups, and to sample patients' opinions regarding in -office BP measurement. Many of the optometrists in Saudi Arabia practice in optical stores. These stores are wide spread, easily accessible and seldom need appointments. The expanding role of the optometrist as a primary health care provider (PHCP) and the increasing global prevalence of hypertension, highlight the need for an integrated approach towards detecting and monitoring hypertension. METHODS Automated BP measurements were made twice (during the same session) at five selected optometry practices using a validated BP monitor (Omron M6) to assess the number of patients with high BP (HBP) - in at -risk groups -visiting the eye clinic routinely. Prior to data collection, practitioners underwent a two-day training workshop by a cardiologist on hypertension and how to obtain accurate BP readings. A protocol for BP measurement was distributed and retained in all participating clinics. The general attitude towards cardiovascular health of 480 patients aged 37.2 (依12.4)y and their opinion towards in-office BP measurement was assessed using a self -administered questionnaire. RESULTS A response rate of 83.6% was obtained for the survey. Ninety -three of the 443 patients (21.0% ) tested for BP in this study had HBP. Of these, (62 subjects) 67.7% were unaware of their HBP status. Thirty of the 105 subjects (28.6%) who had previously been diagnosed with HBP, still had HBP at the time of this study, and only 22 (73.3%) of these patients were on medication. Also, only 25% of the diagnosed hypertensive patients owned a BP monitor. CONCLUSION Taking BP measurements in optometry practices, we were able to identify one previously undiagnosed patient with HBP for every 8 adults tested. We also identified 30 of 105 previously diagnosed patients whose BP was poorly controlled, twenty-two of whom were on medication. The patients who participated in this study were positively disposed toward the routine measurement of BP by optometrists.

Role Ambiguity and conflicts: A study of company secretaries and two-tier boards in the Netherlands

Recent research suggests that company secretaries are increasingly involved in governance responsibilities in addition to traditional administrative tasks. Little is known in the literature, however, about company secretaries' changing governance role, and their daily challenges in liaising with boards and other stakeholders. In addition, few studies have been able to gain access to learn firsthand how company secretaries operate. This exploratory study fills this void by gaining access to the opinions of about one hundred company secretaries in the Netherlands who operate in the two-tier board system. Our findings indicate that company secretaries significantly influence an organisation's governance framework, while they face a number of practical challenges with directors, employees and management in fulfilling their diverse roles and responsibilities.

Integration of Opinion Mining into customer analysis model

This research proposes a multi-dimensional model for Opinion Mining, which integrates customers' characteristics and their opinions about products (or services). Customer opinions are valuable for companies to deliver right products or services to their customers. This research presents a comprehensive framework to evaluate opinions' orientation based on products' hierarchy attributes. It also provides an alternative way to obtain opinion summaries for different groups of customers and different categories of produces.

Start making sense: Applying a salutogenic model to architectural design for psychiatric care

Purpose This paper aims to look into the significance of architectural design in psychiatric care facilities. There is a strong correlation between perceptual dysfunction and psychiatric illness, and also between the patient and his environment. As such, even minor design choices can be of great consequence in a psychiatric facility. It is of critical importance, therefore, that a psychiatric milieu is sympathetic and does not exacerbate the psychosis. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyses the architectural elements that may influence mental health, using an architectural extrapolation of Antonovsky’s salutogenic theory, which states that better health results from a state of mind which has a fortified sense of coherence. According to the theory, a sense of coherence is fostered by a patient’s ability to comprehend the environment (comprehensibility), to be effective in his actions (manageability) and to find meaning (meaningfullness). Findings Salutogenic theory can be extrapolated in an architectural context to inform design choices when designing for a stress-sensitive client base. Research limitations/implications In the paper an architectural extrapolation of salutogenic theory is presented as a practical method for making design decisions (in praxis) when evidence is not available. As demonstrated, the results appear to reflect what evidence is available, but real evidence is always desirable over rationalist speculation. The method suggested here cannot prove the efficacy or appropriateness of design decisions and is not intended to do so. Practical implications The design of mental health facilities has long been dominated by unsubstantiated policy and normative opinions that do not always serve the client population. This method establishes a practical theoretical model for generating architectural design guidelines for mental health facilities. Originality/value The paper will prove to be helpful in several ways. First, salutogenic theory is a useful framework for improving health outcomes, but in the past the theory has never been applied in a methodological way. Second, there have been few insights into how the architecture itself can improve the functionality of a mental health facility other than improve the secondary functions of hospital services.

Japonica rice: Intellectual property, scientific publishing and data-sharing

This article examines a series of controversies within the life sciences over data sharing. Part 1 focuses upon the agricultural biotechnology firm Syngenta publishing data on the rice genome in the journal Science, and considers proposals to reform scientific publishing and funding to encourage data sharing. Part 2 examines the relationship between intellectual property rights and scientific publishing, in particular copyright protection of databases, and evaluates the declaration of the Human Genome Organisation that genomic databases should be global public goods. Part 3 looks at varying opinions on the information function of patent law, and then considers the proposals of Patrinos and Drell to provide incentives for private corporations to release data into the public domain.

Meeting the challenges of neuroimaging genetics

As research encompassing neuroimaging and genetics gains momentum, extraordinary information will be uncovered on the genetic architecture of the human brain. However, there are significant challenges to be addressed first. Not the least of these challenges is to accomplish the sample size necessary to detect subtle genetic influences on the morphometry and function of the healthy brain. Aside from sample size, image acquisition and analysis methods need to be refined in order to ensure optimum sensitivity to genetic and complementary environmental influences. Then there is the vexing issue of interpreting the resulting data. We describe how researchers from the east coast of Australia and the west coast of America have embarked upon a collaboration to meet these challenges using data currently being collected from a large-scale twin study, and offer some opinions about future directions in the field.

No Right to Live? Malaysia’s Islam and Implications for Its Sexual Minority Storytellers

This chapter discusses the fast emerging challenges for Malay and Muslim sexual minority storytellers in the face of an aggressive state-sponsored Islamisation of a constitutionally secular Malaysia. I examine the case of Azwan Ismail, a gay Malay and Muslim Malaysian who took part in the local ‘It Gets Better’ project, and who suffered an onslaught of hostile comments from fellow Malay Muslims. Azwan’s experience makes one question how a message of discouraging suicidal tendencies among sexual minority youths can be so vehemently misperceived. Azwan’s existential challenges – stemming from the tension between his own constructions of self and those of others – (re)present a unique challenge in the long struggle for human rights. In my examination of the arising contradictions, I highlight the challenges for Azwan’s existential self – one who is deemed morally bankrupt by hostile audiences. The purist Sunni Islam agenda in a constitutionally secular Malaysia not only rejects the human rights of the sexual minorities in Malaysia but has also influenced, and is often a leading hostile voice in both regional and international blocs. This self-righteous, supremacist and authoritarian Islam discourages discourse and attacks all differing opinions. This resulting disabling environment for vulnerable, minority communities and their human rights manifests in State-endorsed discrimination, compulsory counselling, forced rehabilitation and criminalisation. It places the rights of the sexual minorities to live within such a society in doubt. In discussing the arising issues, I draw upon literature that investigates the way in which personal stories have traditionally been used to advance human rights. Included too, is the significance and implications of the work by social psychologists in explaining the loss of credibility of personal stories. I then advance an analytical framework that will allow storytelling as a very individual form of witnessing to reclaim and regain its ‘truth to power’.