Meeting current challenges in higher education: The need for more psychologists.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 12(1) of Review of General Psychology (see record 2008-02668-007). On page 389, right column, last paragraph, the second to last sentence should read "The goal now, however, will be to improve students' success, faculty's scholarship, and the future of their communities". On page 386, right column, third paragraph, line six, "psychologist-administrators" should appear as "psychologist administrators". On page 390, right column, the Logue 2006 reference should read "[Survey of fields of Middle States Commission accredited New York State institutions of higher education chief academic officers and presidents]".] Higher education is currently facing many serious challenges. These challenges derive from the effects of globalization, massification (the wide availability of higher education), competition, expanding technology, regulation, litigation, and tuition increases that are outpacing student aid. Many psychologists possess the skills to overcome these challenges: to facilitate the learning, creativity, and performance of each student, faculty member, and staff member; foster productive group relations; analyze human behavior qualitatively, quantitatively, and experimentally; and generate and steward funds for their institutions. Psychologists are well prepared to lead institutions of higher education through and beyond their 21st-century challenges. Relatively few higher education leaders are psychologists, however. Psychologists should be encouraged to choose administrative career paths and thus greatly benefit our colleges and universities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meeting current challenges in higher education: The need for more psychologists: Correction.

Reports an error in Meeting current challenges in higher education: The need for more psychologists by A. W. Logue (Review of General Psychology, 2007[Dec], Vol 11[4], 381-391). On page 389, right column, last paragraph, the second to last sentence should read The goal now, however, will be to improve students' success, faculty's scholarship, and the future of their communities. On page 386, right column, third paragraph, line six, psychologist-administrators should appear as psychologist administrators. On page 390, right column, the Logue 2006 reference should read [Survey of fields of Middle States Commission accredited New York State institutions of higher education chief academic officers and presidents]. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-18727-007.) Higher education is currently facing many serious challenges. These challenges derive from the effects of globalization, massification (the wide availability of higher education), competition, expanding technology, regulation, litigation, and tuition increases that are outpacing student aid. Many psychologists possess the skills to overcome these challenges: to facilitate the learning, creativity, and performance of each student, faculty member, and staff member; foster productive group relations; analyze human behavior qualitatively, quantitatively, and experimentally; and generate and steward funds for their institutions. Psychologists are well prepared to lead institutions of higher education through and beyond their 21st-century challenges. Relatively few higher education leaders are psychologists, however. Psychologists should be encouraged to choose administrative career paths and thus greatly benefit our colleges and universities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The perils of medical education

Medicine and medical education have always faced the uncomfortable necessity of making decisions on the basis of incomplete information. In recent years far more intense social pressures have been added. Some of these are technical and theoretically can be solved logically, for example, equitable financing of medical care and education. However, some of the pressures have their roots in a more general malaise, the loss of philosophical faith and trust in our institutions. The task of the medical educator is to encourage rational changes, but to resist irrational ones. Medicine at its best is in itself for those in this and related professions, at least, a partial response to the abiding human need to feel fulfillment in an altruistic cause.     

The cost of medical education

As the result of another study which identified the indirect costs at a large teaching hospital in which Monash University has established a clinical school, it has been possible to estimate the cost per annum for each medical student. This is the sum of direct university costs ($4,617), Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme ($1,200) and indirect costs ($44)--in aggregate therefore $5,900 (rounded). Thus the cost of the six-year course for each student is approximately $35,500.     

The Tomlinson report and postgraduate medical education

The postgraduate hospitals of London grew up in the nineteenth century and offered a unique national specialist service. Since then specialist services have developed in undergraduate hospitals throughout Britain as well as in London, but the postgraduate hospitals have nevertheless preserved their high levels of staffing. Although numbers of medical posts in the provinces have grown, this has not been by redistribution of London posts but merely differential growth. The fact identified by Tomlinson--that Londoners are not receiving the most appropriate clinical care--is in fact the strongest argument for changing postgraduate medical education. Such education needs to be rooted first in clinical care, though Tomlinson underestimates the importance to education of such care being sited in a shared environment with strong scientific activity.     

Intelligence: Its measurement and its relevance for education.

Argues that even though there is much more to intelligent behavior than is measured by intelligence tests and even though test data have been abused by many people, scores from tests have relevance for teachers and others working with children. Psychologists concerned with levels of intellectual ability must recognize the voids and provide more and better information to users. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beware of relevance in higher education.

Examined the effects of exposure to a course dealing with the environment on 61 undergraduates' awareness of environmental events. Ss initially were significantly more aware of environmental events than were 247 undergraduate controls. However, this initial advantage decreased over the course period to a level of awareness that was less than that of controls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The efficacy of individualized computerized testing in nursing education

This study examined the effects of an individualized computerized testing system for baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in health assessment and obstetrics/women's health during a 3-year period. One hundred twenty-seven students participated in the study. The testing software, Pedagogue, was used to generate the computer tests, and the students took all quizzes on-line. The mean scores on computer tests in both courses were as good as, or better than, previous scores on paper-pencil forms of the tests (P < .05).     

Research and teaching in medical education

A list of citations of scientific papers of Brazilian researchers published from 1981 to 1993 and prepared by Institute for Scientific Information identified almost 8000 titles; 37.4% of this total number include medical area subjects publications. The author analyses also the relevant importance of teaching activities in medical education process, specially with reference to ethical aspects included in it.     

Preventing blindness in Americans: the need for eye health education

The suppression by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone of the expression of interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 was examined in alveolar macrophages from cows. The expression of interleukin-1 beta mRNA was inhibited by treatment with dexamethasone for 16 hours in a dose-dependent fashion. The values of the concentration causing 50 per cent inhibition were in the range of 10(-9) to 10(-8) M. Dexamethasone similarly inhibited the expression of interleukin-6 mRNA by 50 per cent at a concentration of approximately 10(-8) M. In the concentration range from 10(-12) to 10(-4) M, dexamethasone had no effect on the expression of beta-actin. These results suggested that glucocorticoids may be involved in the regulation of the expression of interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 by the alveolar macrophages of cows.