Discusses the importance of the learning environment and its effect on the adult learner. Points out that the ERIC system has other materials on this topic. (JOW)

Because radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in this country, the article presents a question and answer sheet on where radon comes from, which buildings are most likely to have radon, how to tell whether there is a problem, and expenses involved in testing and fixing problems. (SM)

Highlights broad philosophical issues and future areas of research on personal relationships that derive from the author's earlier work. Discusses the dialectics associated with intraindividual, interpersonal, and intergroup dynamics as well as the effect of the physical environment on personal relationships. (RS)

Describes a study that replicated two earlier studies to determine whether environmental factors of reference departments and behavioral characteristics of references staff members had changed over the past ten years. Results emphasize the need for more and better education and training in conducting reference interviews and providing client…

The conditions under which prisoners are housed has long been the subject of scholarly discourse. Rare are opportunities to inquire into situations where the environment can clearly be seen to be a problem of fatal proportions. This report considers the deaths of three inmates at the California Medical Facility, Vacaville, spotlighting the…

Discusses the use of video for training and highlights six areas that should be considered for effective video use: (1) advance preparation by the teachers viewing the video to examine content; (2) preparing the classroom environment; (3) preparing the trainees; (4) presentation issues; (5) follow-up; and (6) securing the system. (LRW)

The purpose of this article is to discuss the ethical responsibility of instructors preparing outdoor leaders through extended expeditions. The tragic death of Gretta Berglund, a former outdoor leadership graduate, will be used to broach this serious issue. Do instructors take the time during training to ensure that each student has a realistic…

After searching for an innovative and interactive project that would not only involve the students, but would also be a benefit to the scientific community and to the natural world, the author created an exotic frog nursery-a long-term project that approached science not as a subject full of categories and definitions, but as an ongoing process in…

Many forms of adventure therapy, in particular wilderness therapy, rely on challenges in the outdoors to achieve objectives of client change. While nature is drawn on as a medium for therapy and healing, some adventure therapists give nature little if any mention when it comes to explaining therapeutic success. The dominant paradigm in psychology…

Following the events which took place on September 11, 2001, and the anthrax attacks which occurred after that date, US authorities became concerned with the idea that an assault with chemical or biological weapons could take place on American territory or in American ships or planes. A worrisome model for such an assault was the 1995 terrorist…

Suicide of hospitalized patients is the most common sentinel event reviewed by The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Shorter lengths of stay, sicker patients, and higher patient to staff ratios challenge the ability of the hospital to maintain safety. Risk factors associated with the physical environment of the…

Personal safety is an important issue for all people, regardless of their physical capabilities. For people with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision), real concerns exist regarding their vulnerability to crime and their greater risk of attack. With a nationwide increase in crime in the United States, "Three out of…

Highlights some of the skills and technological advances that have changed the way special collections are preserved in reference to two approaches: item-level conservation and collections conservation. Discusses mechanical paper splitting; computer imaging and mechanization; mass deacidification; controlling temperature, humidity, pests, and…

A careful reading of recent issues of the "Natural Areas Journal," the publication of the Natural Areas Association, will leave you with the conclusion that humans are not a part of natural areas. When humans do appear, it is either as disturbing agents, disrupting the naturalness through, for example, the introduction of exotic plants…

Educators and school designers place a high priority on creating facilities that enhance learning. That applies not only to how a school is built, but also to the materials and equipment used. Just as acoustical treatments or well-placed windows and skylights can make a classroom more conducive to learning, so can the right furniture. Desks,…