The role of intergenerational influence in waste education programmes: the THAW project

Whilst the education of young people is often seen as a part of the solution to current environmental problems seeking urgent attention, it is often forgotten that their parents and other household members can also be educated/influenced via home-based educational activities. This paper explores the theory of intergenerational influence in relation to school based waste education. Waste Watch, a UK-based environmental charity (www.wastewatch.org.uk), has pioneered a model that uses practical activities and whole school involvement to promote school based action on waste. This methodology has been adopted nationally. This paper outlines and evaluates how effective school based waste education is in promoting action at a household level. The paper outlines Waste Watch's 'Taking Home Action on Waste (THAW)' project carried out for two and half years in Rotherham, a town in South Yorkshire, England. The project worked with 6705 primary age children in 39 schools (44% of primary schools in the project area) to enable them to take the "reduce, reuse and recycle message" home to their families and to engage these (i.e. families) in sustainable waste management practices. As well as substantial increases in students' knowledge and understanding of waste reduction, measurement of the impact of the project in areas around 12 carefully chosen sample schools showed evidence of increased participation in recycling and recycling tonnages as well as declining levels of residual waste. Following delivery of the project in these areas, an average increase of 8.6% was recorded in recycling set out rates which led to a 4.3% increase in paper recycling tonnages and an 8.7% increase in tonnages of cans, glass and textiles collected for recycling. Correspondingly, there was a 4.5% fall in tonnages of residual waste. Waste Watch's THAW project was the first serious attempt to measure the intergenerational influence of an education programme on behaviour at home (i.e. other than schools' own waste). It clearly shows that household recycling behaviour can be positively impacted by intergenerational influence via a practical school-based waste education model. However, although the model could potentially have a big impact if rolled out nationally, it will require seed funding and the long-term durability of the model has not yet been fully quantified.     

Predicting Satisfaction with Smart Irrigation Controllers and Their Long‐Term Use among Homeowners in Central Florida

Studies throughout Florida have shown smart controllers can substantially reduce irrigation under residential high‐water use conditions. However, successful promotion requires understanding the link between controller performance and the mechanisms by which they are adopted. This article compares irrigation water‐use and survey data collected from households installed with soil moisture sensor and evapotranspiration controllers. The study investigated whether the relative change in irrigation use between two years preceding and two years following installation was a reliable predictor of a homeowner's satisfaction with the device and likelihood of continuing to use it. Results indicated relative changes in irrigation use were only significantly associated with the quality of controller programming. Satisfaction with the controller was largely attributable to satisfaction with the appearance of the landscape and the perceived water‐saving effectiveness of the controller whereas the likelihood of its continued use was only significantly predicted by the level of technical knowledge regarding its functioning and whether or not challenges were experienced with it. Targeting homeowners with supplemental user‐friendly information may best support their long‐term adoption of smart controllers while providing irrigation contractors with training in implementation techniques would represent an integrated strategy for added reductions in residential outdoor water use.     

生态旅游环境教育功能的实现途径研究

生态旅游是一项具有保护自然生态与文化多样性,提高旅游者环境意识及维护当地居民生活双重责任的旅游活动,具有较强的环境教育功能。但其功能的发挥不是旅游活动的自然结果,而有赖于人的自觉和切实有效的环境教育。本研究基于对生态旅游环境教育功能及其影响因素正确认识基础上,构建生态旅游环境教育功能实现的基本框架,并系统阐述环境解说、产品设计、舆论监督、宣传教育、环境管理等途径。本研究对促进生态旅游健康发展和国民环境教育具有重要意义。     

我国旅游教育发展的初步研究

我国旅游业的高速发展推动了旅游教育事业快速发展,同时也给旅游教育提出了更高的要求和挑战.在文献分析和整理的基础上,简要梳理了改革开放以来我国旅游教育发展所取得的显著成就,归纳出旅游专业教育在培养目标和模式、教学观念、课程设置、教学方法、师资力量、就业等方面存在的问题,最后提出了未来旅游教育发展的对策和建议.     

论当代大学生的信息素养教育

国民信息素养的高低已成为一个国家在全球竞争中获得优势地位的关键,信息素养教育在全世界范围内备受重视。本文以信息素养为出发点,以当今高校对在校大学生信息素养培训的新要求为依据,通过信息的选择、检索、利用,个人创新和文化素养等五个方面的教育,论述了如何培养高校学生信息素养,使学生养成终身学习的习惯。     

提高高校档案利用的新途径

针对目前高校档案利用率不高的实际情况,为有效地提高档案利用率,充分发挥高校档案在高校发展建设、科学管理、提升教育教学水平中的作用,笔者通过多年的探索实践,提出了加大宣传力度、搞好基础建设、提高人员素质、拓展服务方式、创新服务内容等高校档案利用的新途径,与从事高校档案工作的广大同仁商榷。     

浅析思想政治教育的生态价值

胡锦涛总书记在十七大报告中指出,“建设生态文明,基本形成节约能源资源和保护生态环境的产业结构、增长方式、消费模式”。这一战略思想对中国的发展具有非常重要的意义。没有生态文明,一切文明就没有了享受的前提。思想政治教育不仅对经济政治文化建设有着重要的作用,而且在生态文明的建设过程中依然有重要的作用。加强思想政治教育生态价值的研究,对于缓解我国人口、环境、资源和能源等方面的压力以及我国生态文明建设,落实科学发展观有十分重大的意义。     

Older driver retraining: An updated systematic review of evidence of effectiveness

Problem and Objective

The number of older drivers who might benefit from driver retraining is growing. A previous review on the effectiveness of older driver retraining included intervention studies up to 2004. The objective was to perform an updated systematic review of the effectiveness of older driver retraining for improving driving-related skills and reducing crash rates.

Method

Articles published from 2004-2008 were grouped according to the intervention provided and outcome studied. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were appraised using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale and scored for quality according to their internal validity. Each intervention's effectiveness was then rated and assigned a level of evidence by combining pre- and post- 2004 findings.

Results

Three RCTs and one matched-pairs cohort design met the inclusion criteria. There is strong evidence (Level 1a) that education combined with on-road training improves driving performance and moderate evidence (Level 1b) that it improves knowledge. There is moderate evidence (Level 1b) that physical retraining improves driving performance. There is moderate evidence (Level 1b) that an educational intervention curriculum alone is not effective in reducing crashes.

Summary

The updated evidence on the effectiveness of retraining aimed at older drivers is sufficiently encouraging to merit assertive health promotion actions regarding intervention and program planning.

Impact on Industry

These positive findings warrant a comprehensive plan that has both behavioral and monetary incentives encouraging older driver participation in programs aimed at driver safety.     

The effect of aviation safety education on passenger cabin safety awareness

This paper examines the effect of aviation safety education on passenger cabin safety awareness in knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB). The educational value of KAB has been addressed in various fields such as AIDS prevention and campus safety. KAB has been applied in aviation safety related areas, especially in training, such as crew resource management training, pilot training, and mechanic training. However, KAB has not been implemented in aviation passenger education in cabin safety. This paper uses the construct of “aviation safety education”, which is intended to influence airline passenger knowledge of, attitude toward, and behavior about cabin safety awareness. Passenger surveys were done at two Taiwan airports. The results show that aviation safety education positively affects airline passenger cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior. We recommend safety education that involves accurate instruction about emergency equipment procedures, situational awareness, emergency responses, and relevant cabin-safety regulations.Our findings indicated that an increase in cabin safety knowledge positively affected airline passenger behavior, which supported knowledge–behavior consistency. We also found that a positive attitude toward cabin safety positively affected airline passenger behavior, which supported attitude–behavior consistency. The hypothesis that cabin safety knowledge positively affected passenger attitude – knowledge–attitude consistency was not supported.     

层次分析法在高层学生公寓火灾危险性评价中的应用

分析高层学生公寓的消防安全特点及其火灾发生危害性,评述现有的高层建筑火灾风险评价方法;在现有的评价方法的基础上,从人员因素、建筑物属性、安全疏散设施、报警与灭火系统、防火与防烟系统、建筑物内电气因素和消防安全管理7个方面综合考虑,建立了高层学生公寓的建筑火灾危险评价指标体系;利用层次分析法对高层学生公寓火灾危险性进行分析,确定其评价指标体系中各层次各指标的权重;分析结果表明:消防安全教育与培训是学生公寓火灾危险评价指标体系中最重要的因素。加强和改进高层学生公寓消防安全管理,对预防或减少高层学生公寓火灾具有现实指导价值。