Review Essay: Simply Identity Work? The Voluntary Simplicity Movement

Qualitative Sociology -     

Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Social Work Students

It has been identified that undergraduate social work students have distinctive learning needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the learning style preferences of a group of undergraduate social work students enrolled at a large Australian university. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory, Index of Learning Styles and Success Types Learning Style Type Indicator was distributed to 606 students enrolled in an undergraduate social work degree at one metropolitan Australian university. A total of 116 questionnaires were returned, providing a response rate of 19.14%. The results indicated that converging and assimilating, intuitive and sensing, thinking, judging and perceiving learning styles were favoured by this group of social work students. It is recommended that educators understand and take into consideration the learning style preferences of undergraduate social work students when developing curricula and evaluating teaching approaches, especially when planning and implementing education initiatives. This will help create effective learning environments, appropriate learning opportunities and a contemporary curriculum for social work students.     

An Introduction to the Research Process

Abstract

College health professionals are often intimidated by the research process and thus miss opportunities to develop and communicate their ideas. The present article, the first in a series on college health research, describes the basics of the research process, including the purpose and nature of research and the ways in which ideas are developed into research hypotheses. The process of reviewing research literature is described in detail, including methods for computerized searching.     

The Terror(s) of our Time(s)

In the midst of an age of terror and counter-terror, this article seeks to better understand the current moment of terror by comparing and contrasting moments and epochs of terror throughout history. The paper asks: What do we mean by terror? How is it described, measured and experienced? Is the post-September 11 phenomenon something altogether new? Is the current terrorist threat unprecedented? To address these questions the paper explores the phenomenon which makes terrorism and terrorists possible: the very idea of terror itself. The paper identifies and joins some of the dots between terrors past and terrors present, from the terror of tyranny and totalitarianism to the terror of contemporary fundamentalist terrorism. In doing so it sheds light on how terror is conceived both as a tool and as something that is experienced. The paper raises questions of how or if the experience of terror has shifted across time and space. Ultimately, the paper seeks a better understanding of the current moment of terror and a better idea of what the future holds in store through a more holistic understanding of the experiences of terror(s) throughout the ages.     

The Treadmill of Destruction and the Environmental Impacts of Militaries1

This brief article considers the environmental impacts of militaries from a sociological perspective. The authors begin with an overview of treadmill of destruction theory, which highlights the expansionary tendencies and concomitant environmental consequences of militarism. This discussion is followed by a narrative assessment of military developments and expenditures, with a particular focus on the US military over the past century. Next, the authors detail the increasing environmental impacts associated with the growth and structure of militarization, and conclude by calling for future sociological research to seriously consider the environmental impacts of the world’s militaries.     

The use of discrete computer simulation modeling to estimate return on leadership development investment

Organizational leaders seek monetary returns on their investments (ROI). Thus, making decisions to invest in human capital, such as in leadership development interventions, are often difficult due to the lack of research demonstrating monetary returns on leadership development investment (RODI). This study introduces an innovative approach to estimating leadership development investments and expands on previous research conducted by Avolio, Avey, and Quisenberry (2010), which was the first attempt to estimate leadership development RODI using utility analysis. Further, it is a unique study in that it uses computer simulation modeling to generate random distributions of each utility analysis variable to estimate RODI. Computer simulation modeling enables organizations to better estimate RODI for both current and future leadership development programs. Comparisons of RODI methods are conducted. Results demonstrate that potential gains from effective leadership development are greater than previously estimated but potential losses from poorly executed leadership development are also larger than previously estimated.     

Bias in the ordinary least squares estimator in the dynamic linear regression model with autocorrelated disturbances

We consider the bias in the Ordinary Least Squares estimator in the linear regression model with a lagged dependent variable as regressor. Results are obtained with independent and auto-correlated disturbances. Asymptotic results are obtained analytically, and finite sample results based on a Monte Carlo study. The substantial biases found suggest the need for an alternative estimator to Ordinary Least Squares and powerful tests for autocorrelated disturbances in the dynamic model.     

Representative Designs and Their Challenges

Abstract

In this article, the authors explore three research designs common to college health investigations: survey, epidemiologic, and experimental. They identify the varieties of research questions addressed by these designs and note examples from clinical nursing/medicine, mental health, and health education topics. In addition, the authors summarize the unique challenges encountered in each of these designs, including issues of sample selection, adequate measurement, and control.     

Fostering Solutions: Bringing Brief-Therapy Principles and Practices to the Child Welfare System

This article describes a 15-month university-community collaboration that was designed to fast-track children out of foster care. The developers of the project initiated resource-oriented "systems facilitations," allowing wraparound professionals and families to come together in large meetings to solve problems and find solutions. Families also participated in strength-based brief-therapy sessions. The authors describe the history, structure, and process of the project, and they provide a case study to illustrate the approach and exemplify the kinds of changes that occurred throughout the system. In the final section of the article, the authors reflect on what they learned about their university-community partnership, what they would do differently the next time, and the implications of such larger-system involvements for American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy's Core Competencies.