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Throughout the world professional associations in librarianship place considerable emphasis on the professional credentialing of their members. This normally means that educational and training courses of study offering a first professional qualification take up much of this activity. Since this first professional qualification does not normally require emphasis on the research process, but rather in obtaining the required skills and knowledge in order to practice librarianship, it is little wonder that the role of research in the pro-fession has not always been openly encouraged by its associations. Nevertheless, there is evidence that some associations are realizing that research and the research process needs to be better recognized, particularly as library professionals are increasingly undertaking higher level qualifications which include a research com-ponent. Yet if a research qualification is not always necessary for recognition as a professional librarian, the question needs to be asked: why should librarians bother to undertake the rigours of study to achieve it? The paper will discuss the importance or otherwise of research and its processes in the profession of librarianship and consider the role of the professional association in recognizing, enabling and promoting a research cul-ture amongst qualified professionals. The paper will particularly address the Australian context.

This study investigated community members’ understanding of research and res earch collaboration. Their attitudes towards research, as well as their perceptions of research, were explored as were factors that affected their understanding of research and research collaboration. The study used maximum variation sampling to select 12 participants who occupy di fferent influential positions in the community. The current study was conducted in the eas tern part of KwaZulu-Natal. An interview guide was used to collect data, aimed at acquir ing in-depth understanding of community conceptions of research and research collaboration. The at titudes and perceptions of the research were examined. Lastly, factors that affect research and research collaboration were explored. The results suggest that the participants have a limited understanding of Wes tern research. Community training and education is thus warranted. Participants indicated that community members would appreciate the establishment of relationships characterised b y mutual respect for different world views held by researchers and participants. This was viewed a s a vehicle towards a more consultative approach to research which does not overlook the interface of world views for research outcomes to be useful. This was also perceived as likely to facil itate adequate participation in decision making in the research process. The involvement of key community members was emphasised. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

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This study explored the teaching processes in mathematics education for adults and how they are shaped by certain social and institutional forces. Teaching processes included the selection and ordering of content to be taught; the choice of such techniques as lectures or groupwork; the expectations, procedures and norms of the classroom; and the complex web of interactions between teachers and learners, and between learners themselves. The study addressed three broad questions: (1) What happens in adult mathematics classrooms? (2) What do these phenomena mean for those involved as teachers or learners? and (3) In what ways do certain factors beyond the teachers’ control affect teaching processes? The theoretical framework linked macro and micro approaches to the study of teaching, and offered an analytical perspective that showed how teachers’ thoughts and actions can be influenced and circumscribed by external factors. Further, it provided a framework for an analysis of the ways in which teaching processes were viewed, described, chosen, developed, and constrained by certain “frame” factors. The study was based in a typical setting for adult mathematics education: a community college providing a range of ABE-level mathematics courses for adults. Three introductory-level courses were selected and data collected from teachers and students in these courses, as well as material that related to the teaching and learning of mathematics within the college. The study used a variety of data collection methods in addition to document collection: surveys of teachers’ and adult learners’ attitudes, repeated semi-structured interviews with teachers and learners, and extensive ethnographic observations in several mathematics classes. The teaching of mathematics was dominated by the transmission of facts and procedures, and largely consisted of repetitious activities and tests. Teachers were pivotal in the classroom, making all the decisions that related in any way to mathematics education. They rigidly followed the set textbooks, allowing them to determine both the content and the process of mathematics education. Teachers claimed that they wished to develop motivation and responsibility for learning in their adult students, yet provided few practical opportunities for such development to occur. Few attempts were made to encourage students, or to check whether they understood what they were being asked to do. Mathematical problems were often repetitious and largely irrelevant to adult students’ daily lives. Finally, teachers “piloted” students through problem-solving situations, via a series of simple questions, designed to elicit a specific “correct” method of solution, and a single correct calculation. One major consequence of these predominant patterns was that the overall approach to mathematics education was seen as appropriate, valid, and successful. The notion of success, however, can be questioned. In sum, mathematics teaching can best be understood as situationally- constrained choice. Within their classrooms, teachers have some autonomy to act yet their actions are influenced by certain external factors. These influences act as frames, bounding and constraining classroom teaching processes and forcing teachers to adopt a conservative approach towards education. As a result, the cumulative effects of all of frame factors reproduced the status quo and ensured that the form and provision of mathematics education remained essentially unchanged.

The effects of postural threat on postural control among younger and older adults were examined. Fifteen younger (YA;8 females and 7 males; mean age 22.00 + 2.17 years) and fifteen older (OA; 10 females and 5 males; mean age 69.98 + 5.35 years) adults performed quiet standing and forward reaching under four conditions of postural threat. Postural threat was achieved by the manipulation of height (low(0.43m) and high (1.4m)) and stepping constraint (unconstrained (0.91m from the anterior edge of an elevating platform) or constrained (0m from the anterior edge of an elevating platform). Younger and older adults demonstrated conservative modifications to postural control that may reduce the likelihood of a fall in tenuous conditions. Interestingly, age-related differences emerged in the mechanism of achieving these accomodations to postural threat. Our findings indicate that older adults may adopt more proximal postural strategies under condtion of postural threat. The shift toward a more proximal postural strategies under conditions of postural threat. The shift toward a more proximal control of balance may reflect the age-related declines in the ability to control the movement of the trunk. Although these adaptations appear benefical to older adults, the possibility exists for detrimental consequences to postural recovery following a balance disturbance. / xi, 173 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

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