Testing for ordered failure rates under general progressive censoring

For exponentially distributed failure times under general progressive censoring schemes, testing procedures for ordered failure rates are proposed using the likelihood ratio principle. Constrained maximum likelihood estimators of the failure rates are found. The asymptotic distributions of the test statistics are shown to be mixtures of chi-square distributions. When testing the equality of the failure rates, a simulation study shows that the proposed test with restricted alternative has improved power over the usual chi-square statistic with an unrestricted alternative. The proposed methods are illustrated using data of survival times of patients with squamous carcinoma of the oropharynx.     

高等教育投资回报率估算：基于西部三个城市的微观数据

本文基于中国西部三个城市,7949个住户的微观数据,利用内生的处理效应模型测算了城市家庭20-35岁青年的高等教育投资回报率。经验研究的结果显示：1. 现阶段青年人的高等教育投资内部报酬率大致在7%左右;按照30年工作时间计算的收入增加现值大约在8万元上下,高等教育使得月收入期望值平均增加80%。高等教育还能够使青年就业的可能性增加8%左右;2. 从性别的视角观察,高等教育对于女性的回报率高于男性,女青年内部报酬率大约在8.3%（男青年7.6%）;就业概率增加15.9%（男青年4%）,每月工资期望值增加122%（男青年67.5%）;3. 如果高等教育的全部花费增加到平均6万元,则从单纯的现金流意义上说,高等教育没有增加收入的价值了。     

后现代思潮中青年学子的生命教育

后现代思潮张扬＂颠覆＂和＂解构＂,宣扬＂边缘＂,追求＂另类＂,躲避＂崇高＂,倡导生活＂无厘头＂化。受其消极影响,一些青年学子失去了对生命存在的敬畏感,否定了生命延续的神圣意义,导致了一系列自杀、自残、施虐和杀人的极端行为发生。而当前我国高校中的生命教育却存在着教育体系不完善、教育方式不科学、教育内容缺乏针对性等不足。因此,在后现代思潮中应该有针对性地强化青年学子的生命意义教育：一是批判后现代思潮的虚妄性,教育青年学子正确认识历史和现实;二是尊重青年学子的个性差异,引导学子学会达成社会共识和担负生存责任;三是以马克思主义引导青年学子的＂三观＂成长,塑造青年学子正确的生命观。     

关于行政机关法律责任的思考

重视国家行政机关法律责任问题的研究,对加强我国的行政法制建设具有重要意义。本文阐述了国家行政机关作为表现国家意志的机关,具有特殊法律地位;国家行政机关法律责任是国家责任的重要内容,其责任内容和责任形式取决于国家的性质、目的和任务;而国家行政机关法律责任制度是否健全,亦成为国家责任制度是否完善的重要标志。当前,我国传统的封建文化意识和现行政治体制中的缺陷是阻碍我国行政机关法律责任制度健全和发展的重要因素。社会应当关注这个问题,以促进我国社会主义民主法制的完善。     

论我国高等教育运行机制的过渡与转换

本文认为,我国现阶段的高教运行机制正处于过渡与转换的初始阶段,机制转换的完成需要经历一个较长的过渡时期.为了顺利平稳地完成机制转换,必须构建相应的过渡性目标模式,以此作为从适应产品经济到适应有计划的商品经济的高教运行机制模式转换的中介。因此,今后—个时期高教改革的基本思路就不应只朝一个方向努力,而应以国家职能转变为契机,在国家、社会和学校三方面同时展开,并辅之于教育市场的不断培育和竞争机制的逐步加强。     

新中国成立初期干部理论教育制度化建设及经验探析

中国共产党重视干部理论教育,也注重干部理论教育的制度化建设。1949—1956年中国共产党既继承过去干部理论教育制度化建设的做法,又根据新形势、新情况进一步加强干部理论教育建设,完善干部理论教育制度。不断规范干部理论教育的组织体系、教育内容、教育方式、师资培养和考核等,使干部理论教育制度建设不断科学化、规范化,干部的素质和能力得到了较大的提高,为新生政权的巩固和发展起到了重要的作用。这一时期的干部理论教育制度化建设也形成了诸多基本经验,对新时代干部理论教育制度化建设有重要的启示作用。     

Perceptions of Randomized Security Schedules

Security of infrastructure is a major concern. Traditional security schedules are unable to provide omnipresent coverage; consequently, adversaries can exploit predictable vulnerabilities to their advantage. Randomized security schedules, which randomly deploy security measures, overcome these limitations, but public perceptions of such schedules have not been examined. In this experiment, participants were asked to make a choice between attending a venue that employed a traditional (i.e., search everyone) or a random (i.e., a probability of being searched) security schedule. The absolute probability of detecting contraband was manipulated (i.e., 1/10, 1/4, 1/2) but equivalent between the two schedule types. In general, participants were indifferent to either security schedule, regardless of the probability of detection. The randomized schedule was deemed more convenient, but the traditional schedule was considered fairer and safer. There were no differences between traditional and random schedule in terms of perceived effectiveness or deterrence. Policy implications for the implementation and utilization of randomized schedules are discussed.     

Open spaces for dialogue promoting mental health as a social work education methodology

ABSTRACT

The authors discuss service user involvement as a key approach regarding training of social workers. In many European Union countries this is a stable practice with a lengthy tradition in research and application. However, in Poland it is almost entirely absent and marginalized. This article presents the results of a participatory action research project conducted at the Institute of Sociology of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, the objective of which was to identify and critically analyze the key substantive and formal aspects of training of social workers with the participation of individuals with experience of mental illness. This research project adopted an open approach to cognizing reality based on qualitative co-participatory methods. In the conclusion, the authors emphasize that the fundamental criterion for the success of this particular form of training is voluntary and differentiated participation of students—both in the role of people sharing their own experience and as learners—as well as shaping a culture of open dialogue, educational alliances of recognition and recovery, the foundation of which is axiological experience.     

Interactive Hazards Education Program for Youth in a Low SES Community: A Quasi‐Experimental Pilot Study

A pilot study of an interactive hazards education program was carried out in Canberra (Australia), with direct input from youth participants. Effects were evaluated in relation to youths’ interest in disasters, motivation to prepare, risk awareness, knowledge indicators, perceived preparedness levels, planning and practice for emergencies, and fear and anxiety indicators. Parents also provided ratings, including of actual home‐based preparedness activities. Using a single group pretest‐posttest with benchmarking design, a sample of 20 youths and their parents from a low SES community participated. Findings indicated beneficial changes on a number of indicators. Preparedness indicators increased significantly from pre‐ to posttest on both youth (p < 0.01) and parent ratings (p < 0.01). Parent ratings reflected an increase of just under six home‐based preparedness activities. Youth knowledge about disaster mitigation also was seen to increase significantly (p < 0.001), increasing 39% from pretest levels. While personalized risk perceptions significantly increased (p < 0.01), anxiety and worry levels were seen either not to change (generalized anxiety, p > 0.05) or to reduce between pre‐ and posttest (hazards‐specific fears, worry, and distress, ps ranged from p < 0.05 to < 0.001). In terms of predictors of preparedness, a number of variables were found to predict posttest preparedness levels, including information searching done by participants between education sessions. These pilot findings are the first to reflect quasi‐experimental outcomes for a youth hazards education program carried out in a setting other than a school that focused on a sample of youth from a low SES community.     

Designing for “touch”, “reach” and “movement” in postwar (1946–1972) English primary and infant school environments

ABSTRACT

This article examines the use and interpretation of the terms “touch”, “reach” and “movement” in Ministry of Education (later, Department of Education) official publications known as Building Bulletins between the years 1949–1972. A close critical reading of Building Bulletins concerned primarily with school design for young children (infant and primary schools) in the English context has been carried out and the results of this exercise are discussed in the wider context of close relationships established between architects designing schools and leading progressive educationalists in Britain. The wider international context, particularly progressive educational design in the USA, is used to further understand the use and interpretation of these terms. The article contributes to a current interest among historians of education in exploring material and sensory histories of schooling.