Student Life in the Medieval Universities

Oral history research projects are assignments that can foster student engagement and learning in undergraduate survey history courses. However, existing scholarship indicates that these assignments are seldom used in undergraduate survey courses. Since the aims of undergraduate survey history courses are to satisfy graduation requirements, foster critical thinking skills, and provide options for potential major areas of study, there is a need to examine whether engaged learning strategies, such as oral history projects, can serve as a high-impact practice (HIP) in undergraduate history courses. With these premises in mind, the purpose of this action research study is to evaluate whether my five-step oral history research project could serve as a HIP in the undergraduate history survey courses I taught at a two-year college located in metropolitan region of the Southeast. Major findings indicate that oral history research projects can be considered a HIP when grounded in pedagogies that emphasize community-based field work that encourage students to consider diverse perspectives on topics and make real-world connections to content and experiential knowledge.     

AUTONOMY AND RELATEDNESS IN MARITAL FUNCTIONING

The current investigation expands the focus of cognitive behavioral formulations of marriage by exploring the constructs of autonomy and relatendness in marriage. One hundred forty-one married couples matched to the 1990 U.S. census data on age, race, and income completed a number of self-report marital inventories including the Autonomy and Relatendness Inventory (Schaefer, Edgerton, & Burnett, 1991). Autonomy was measured by evaluating spouses' perceptions of the extent to which partners encouraged a sense of independence and individuality for the spouses. Relatedness was measured by evaluating spouses' perceptions of the amount of closeness that partners provided. It was found that autonomy and relatedness were significantly positively correlated with each other, as well as with marital adjustment for both males and females. It was found that for females, the provision of relatedness (as reported by their husbands) was significantly related to the standards that they held for the relationship. In addition, it was found that for females, the provision of relatedness (as reported by their husbands) was significantly related to the standards that husbands held for the relationship. However, no significant relationships were found between husbands' standards and relatedness (either as reported by wives or husbands). It was concluded that it is appropriate to help couples think of autonomy and relatedness as being tow important aspects of marriage that can exist together and are related to a satisfying marriage. Implications of the findings suggest that marital therapists could expand the conceptualization of marital therapy beyond being primarily relationship focused to include attention to individual needs of the spouses. Relatedness was measured by evaluating spouses' perception of the amount of closeness that partners privided. It was found that autonomy and relatedness were significantly positively correlated with each other as well as with marital adjustment for both males and females. It was found that for females, the prpvision of relatedness(as reported by their husbands) was significantly related to the srandards that they held for the relationship. In addition, it was found that for females, the provision of relatedness(as reported by their husbands)was significantly related to the standards that husbands held for the relatinship. How-ever, no significant relationships were found between husbands' standards and     

Evaluation of a major financial incentive for in-home energy conservation

A mail questionnaire methodology was utilized to provide baseline data on consumers' reactions to the Canadian Oil Substitution Program (COSP). COSP is a major financial incentive, operated by the Canadian government, designed to stimulate conversions of oil-fired home hearing systems to alternative energy sources.The results provide a snapshot of consumer reactions one year after the COSP incentive was first introduced. Specific results include the motives for and barriers to off-oil conversion; the importance of COSP, relative to other conversion motives; and the size and characteristics of the oil-user group who are resistant to converting off-oil heating. Implications for program management and directions for future research are discussed.     

Whither Commodity‐based Trade?

Market access for livestock products from Africa has traditionally been limited by the presence of certain infectious diseases that pose risks to animal and human health. However, an increasingly discussed option for widening that access is commodity‐based trade (CBT) focusing on the health and safety attributes of the product rather than the disease status of the country of origin. There have, however, been few analyses on the potential economic impacts and unintended consequences of such an approach. This article examines the principles behind a dramatic shift in approach to trading opportunities that CBT might bring, exploring both technical and economic considerations.     

Miss Lyra Taylor,O.B.E., M.A., LL.B.

Abstract

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been under-studied from a social work perspective. This article reports on a cross-institutional study into the psychological and social preparation for bone marrow transplantation. The data presented was collected from all consenting BMT recipients treated over a preceding three year period at four teaching hospitals. The key findings included demographic issues which had an influence on post transplant adjustment, lack of rehabilitation services, ongoing physical incapacity, disappointment at the slow rate of recovery, lack of counselling resources, difficulties in the way information was presented, difficulties with the transition from hospital to home and a perceived lack of interest by hospital staff of the needs of carers. These results were presented to the social workers in each BMT unit. They considered the extent to which the findings matched their clinical experience, and the relevance of the research to their social work practice. This discussion suggested the need for social work involvement on a number of levels beyond case-work, particularly in promoting organisational change.     

Shift Work,Role Overload,and the Transition to Parenthood

This article examines how the work hours, work schedules, and role overload of working‐class couples are related to depressive symptoms and relationship conflict across the transition to parenthood. Data are from 132 dual‐earner couples interviewed 5 times across the transition. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that working evening or night shifts, as opposed to day shifts, was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms. For mothers only, working rotating shifts predicted relationship conflict. Increases in role overload were positively related to both depression and conflict; working a nonday shift explained variance in depression and conflict above and beyond role overload. Results suggest that for new parents, working nonday shifts may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms and relationship conflict.