bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thresholding Techniques for Dental Radiographic Images
Authors: Sukanya Arockia , Krishnamurthy Kamalanand
Published: October 2018

Imaging techniques play a major role in improving the early detection and diagnostic process that helps dentists to make accurate diagnosis. One of the most useful medical images used by dentists is radiographic image, which is used for the treatment of various dental disorders. Segmentation is a fundamental step as it involves separation of an image into regions corresponding to the objects. A simple and natural way to segment such regions is through thresholding. In this chapter, various thresholding techniques such as Otsu's method for global thresholding and Niblack's, Bersen's, and Sauvola's techniques for local thresholding are extensively explained with the help of dental radiographic images.
Recent Trends in 3D Printing of Dental Models
Authors: Mohan Kayalvizhi
Published: October 2018

This chapter introduces the recent trend in 3D printing (3DP) in dentistry. The advantage and disadvantages of 3DP are discussed. It elaborates on different types of 3DP techniques involved and their significance. The chapter further discuss about the biomaterial used. It also describes the complete steps involved in 3DP such as image acquisition, modeling, segmentation, and printing techniques. The merits and demerits of the different methodologies pertaining to steps involved in 3DP are illustrated. Rapid prototyping in dental implants is discussed in detail. It ends with review of a case study in implementing the technique.
Dynamics of Human Resource Strategies and Cultural Orientations in Multinational Corporations
Authors: Abe Isaac Idowu , Abe Ethel N.
Published: October 2018

The search for new market opportunities in order to expand operations has been on the increase globally, and organizations are progressively pouring their resources into these expansions probably because of the huge turnover and return on investment derived from new market explorations. Multinational corporations (MNCs) that seek the market expansions in other developing countries transfer specific advantages and benefits to the emerging markets in order to operate effectively. The MNCs are required by law to comply with the legal obligations, local regulations, and cultural adaptations in the bid to transfer specific advantages. The situation becomes more complex because of the different cultures in different countries. New strategies are introduced to resolve the new challenges that each new market entrance offers. These strategies pose tremendous risk to expanding markets and their operations, especially to developing markets. Recommendations are suggested to HRM practitioners and scholars, and issues are considers for future research.
Monitoring and Evaluation Leadership Through Technology
Authors: Kariuki Paul
Published: October 2018

Globally, governments are investing considerably in technology in the public sector. This intense investment in the use of technology is primarily aimed at enhancing public sector effectiveness and efficiency in delivering public goods and services. South Africa is fast-tracking the assimilation of technology in its service delivery mechanisms. However, despite the enormous investment, delivery of basic services is still dissatisfactory. Certainly, monitoring and evaluation use of technology has not also improved results as expected due to a range of challenges, ranging from varying digital literacy capacities of public servants tasked with monitoring and evaluation responsibilities, uncoordinated data flow from the various government units, as well as uneven application government policy where the use of technology for monitoring and evaluation is concerned. The chapter argues that there is a need for the government to revisit its strategy concerning the use of technology in the public sector and specifically in monitoring and evaluation.
Institutionalizing Social Responsibility Through Workplace Green Behavior
Authors: Atiku Sulaiman Olusegun
Published: October 2018

Corporate social responsibility in the last six decades has been construed as a compensation for environmental pollution. Such compensation in most cases cannot replace the damages done to the natural environment by many companies. The academic discourse in promoting responsible business practices and environmental sustainability remains one of the focal point of reference in the 21st century. The need to challenge the status quo through collective green initiatives and eco-innovation is an effort mitigating against environmental dilapidation. This chapter provides insights on institutionalizing workplace green behavior as a way of minimizing industrial pollution, rather than compensating for environmental pollution. This chapter adopted a literature review approach on corporate social responsibility (CSR), workplace green behavior, and environmental management. Therefore, workplace green behavior should be institutionalized at individual, team, and organizational levels by business leaders. There is need for a perfect fit between HR strategies and green management initiative.
Green Transformational Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness
Authors: Ayandibu Ayansola Olatunji
Published: October 2018

Green transformational leadership has been identified as the most effective leadership style where the leader seeks to change the status quo by transforming the organization and also considers achieving environmental goals and inspiring followers to perform beyond expected levels of environmental performance. Drawing insights from the literature on transformational leadership, this chapter examines the influence of green transformational leadership on organizational behavior effectiveness and environmental sustainability. This chapter submits that organizations should be moving towards green innovation by formulating policies and embarking on strategies to meet customers' demands and satisfy environmental needs in the marketplace. Therefore, organizations should consider going green in all they do as this will also have a tremendous influence on the employees' green self-efficacy and impact on the society at large. The chapter concludes that organizational behavior effectiveness in recent times requires responsible business practices or solutions from those in leadership.
The End of Sand
Authors: Wesley David T. A. , Puffer Sheila M.
Published: October 2018

This chapter focuses on how sand, the second most used natural resource on earth after water, is facing one of the greatest environmental challenges of the new millennium. Sand is a crucial material used in all sorts of building projects, from asphalt, concrete, and glass. Globally, construction accounts for the largest portion of the 15 billion tons of sand consumed annually. Yet, sand is a finite resource and the depletion of alluvial sand used in construction is destroying the ecosystem of riverbeds, sea beds, and coastal beaches, and is contributing seriously to climate change. This chapter will discuss how these threats have developed, including coastal construction and erosion, river dredging, and sand “mafias” whereby illegal sand miners strip beaches and use sand in inferior concrete that has led to building collapses and deaths. The authors then discuss potential solutions to this crisis, including regulation and enforcement of environmental and construction standards, as well as materials substitution such as desert sand, sand created from sandstone, and recycled glass.
Determining Architecture's Footprint
Authors: Brownell Blaine Erickson
Published: October 2018

Current approaches to designing sustainable buildings are inadequate for meeting environmental goals. Buildings continue to consume nearly half of all resources, and architects, engineers, and contractors remain complicit in their deficient environmental performance—as well as the consequential global overshoot of resource consumption. It is imperative that the AEC industry pursue an alternative approach to green rating systems with the intent to determine measurable, absolute outcomes. The most appropriate existing model is the ecological footprint (EF) method devised by Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees at the University of British Columbia in the early 1990s. EF quantifies the human demand on the environment in terms of both resources and waste, translating these impacts into land area equivalents. This chapter aims to evaluate EF methodology for buildings by analyzing existing models and proposing new approaches while identifying their respective opportunities and limitations.
Building Relationships
Authors: Loy Jennifer , Schork Tim
Published: October 2018

This chapter describes how digital immersion, changing social values, and environmental and economic pressures have the potential to create a paradigm shift in relationships between people and their built environment with the growing sustainability imperative. It responds to emerging opportunities provided by digital technologies for the construction, maintenance, and heritage curation of the life of buildings, and draws on aligned changes in thinking apparent in manufacturing, healthcare, business, and education in the 21st century. The ideas that shape this chapter are relevant to architects and educators, but also to scholars and practitioners across disciplines because they provide an innovative approach in responding to the types of changes currently impacting societies worldwide.
Developing TPACK Understanding Through Experiential Faculty Development
Authors: Read Michelle Fulks , Morel Gwendolyn M. , Butcher Tamarin , Jensen Ann Evans , Lang Jesse M.
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this chapter was to explore changes in faculty knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding online teaching and learning, as well as faculty's degree of confidence in developing and implementing online courses after participating in a multiweek, experientially based faculty development program. The study draws on change theory, specifically teacher change in knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, self-efficacy, and the TPACK framework. The findings suggest that faculty development that incorporates elements of collaboration, modeling, peer review, coaching, extended time, and numerous opportunities for observation and reflection are key to participants' TPACK development and positive changes in teaching beliefs, e-learning attitudes, and self-efficacy.
Developing TPACK for Elementary Education Teacher Candidates in an Instructional Design and Technology Integration Course
Authors: Polly Drew
Published: October 2018

This chapter examines how experiences in a course for elementary education teacher candidates supported their technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Based on data from teacher candidates and school partners, the author modified course activities and collected data to inform the course. Data analyses indicated that the course refinements positively influenced candidates' development of aspects of TPACK, specifically TPK, PCK, and TPACK. Candidates reported in both iterations of the study that technology was being used in classrooms in ways that did not match what they were learning in courses. Implications include the need to reconcile the divide between research-based instances of technology integration and the actual use of technology in schools in the context of TPACK.
Adding a New Dimension to Teaching Mathematics Educators
Authors: Wan Anna , Ivy Jessica
Published: October 2018

Technology has the potential to transform the classroom, build access to new mathematical content, and provide access to students through unique representations. For this study, the authors considered the transformational promise of digital fabrication technology, specifically 3D printing, in a setting comprised of pre-service teachers. An introduction to digital fabrication session was implemented in a secondary mathematics methods course. Participants were assessed both prior to the experience and after, using an adapted TPACK developmental self-report survey to consider TPACK themes and subthemes. In this chapter, the authors describe ideas that emerged from narratives provided by participants, patterns of change noted from pre- to post-assessment, and three cases that emerged representing students who experienced the most positive changes, most negative changes, and least amount of change on self-perceived levels.
Virtual Reality (VR) for School Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Authors: Guazzaroni Giuliana , Pillai Anitha S.
Published: October 2018

Various medical and technological organizations are working on the development of unconventional solutions such as therapy and assistance for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Different organizations, researchers and educators have been involved in the study and realization of virtual reality (VR) solutions to be used as therapy, training, and support for these individuals. Previous researches and experiments showed that it is possible to ameliorate the level of concentration, coordination, socialization, communication, self-awareness, and memory in school children treated with these tools. VR environments may offer a total physical involvement of the ASDs that may see the world through virtual immersion and active practice. This chapter presents a way of rethinking teaching and learning.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Children
Authors: Guazzaroni Giuliana
Published: October 2018

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurological disorder. Using virtual reality (VR), researchers are exploring alternative solutions to treat ASD. Recent experiences show that VR can be a motivating platform to safely practice social and communication skills for children with ASD. It is also seen as an effective method to build empathy and help improve the general understanding of the condition. This study will focus on using and experimenting different 360-degree immersive learning environments for ASD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pupils and their schoolmates. The chapter will report on a few ASD students who use VR facilities to communicate, learn, improve self-awareness, autobiographical memory, and reduce school pressure, and a few ADHD students who enjoy a VR environment to improve concentration and self-esteem. Both the ASD students and the ADHD ones decided, during the trial, to become VR creators building their own content, with the help of a facilitator.
Look of Life
Authors: Sichi Vittoria , Ercolani Giacomo , Franchini Luca , Golfari Luca , Varani Silvia , Rizzoli Daniela , Pannuti Raffaella , Roganti Daniele
Published: October 2018

The use of virtual reality (VR) shows promising results in improving the emotional wellbeing of cancer patients, reducing anxiety, depression, and pain symptoms. No data exist concerning the use of VR in cancer patients assisted at home. The ANT Foundation decided to conduct a pilot study to test the use of VR in cancer patients assisted at home. Fifty-eight ANT patients were randomized and assigned to a control group that didn't use VR devices and to an experimental group that used them. The primary objective of the pilot study was to determine whether VR device could be a viable instrument in homecare patients. Furthermore, the aim of the study was to discover if VR could have beneficial effects on patients' quality of life as well as discover which kind of videos were more effective. The innovative aspect of this study was to test the use of VR directly at home of patients, proposing a use of VR that is compatible with the needs and the daily rhythms of families, and investigating its effectiveness through appropriate validated psychometric questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.
The Impact of Digital Technologies in Mathematics Pre-Service Teacher Preparation Over Four Decades
Authors: Bush Sarah B. , Driskell Shannon O. , Niess Margaret L. , Pugalee David , Rakes Christopher R. , Ronau Robert N.
Published: October 2018

The rapid expansion of technology integration in everyday lives calls for a rethinking of teaching and learning with current and emerging digital technologies. How have pre-service teachers been prepared for teaching with these new technologies? Are they prepared for this educational revolution? This chapter presents an analysis of the impact of digital technologies in mathematics pre-service teacher preparation over the past four decades. The chapter examines how various technology types, content strands, grade-level bands, teacher outcomes, conceptual frameworks, research questions, and alignment with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (CCSSO, 2010) Mathematical Practices (CCSSM-MP) have influenced the outcomes from mathematics teacher education papers and how this literature has affected teacher preparation. The goal of this examination is to identify recommendations for future mathematics teacher preparation research that show promise for revising mathematics teacher preparation in this digital age.
Improving Initial Teacher Education in Australia
Authors: Finger Glenn
Published: October 2018

Initial teacher education (ITE) programs are subject to agencies which shape and define them through regulatory accreditation processes (Lloyd, 2013a, 2013b). This chapter argues that the design of ITE programs needs to build the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) capabilities (Mishra & Koehler, 2006, 2008) of future teachers. After establishing that there are both accountability and improvement agendas, this chapter outlines the Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project, which involved all 39 Australian Higher Education Institutions providing ITE programs in Australia. The TTF Project was a 15 month long, $8 million project, funded by the Australian Government's ICT Innovation Fund which adopted an approach reflecting an improvement agenda. The TTF Project is discussed in terms of the TPACK conceptualisation guiding the project, and the research and evaluation of that project. The TTF Project's key outcomes are summarised, and these inform the presentation of solutions and recommendations.
Preparing Culturally Competent Teachers Through Faculty-Led Study Abroad
Authors: Brown R. McKenna , Tignor Stephanie Erin
Published: October 2018

A review of national trends and best practices informs this analysis of key factors for high-impact teacher education programs abroad, particularly short-term faculty-led programs. Challenges faced by such programs, as well as criticisms of short-term study abroad are addressed and strategies proposed for fostering successful faculty-led programs including discussion of concerns regarding sustainability, curriculum integration, partnerships, student engagement, career integration, and safety and security.
Supporting Teacher Candidates Completing the edTPA
Authors: Greenblatt Deborah
Published: October 2018

The edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) is an enormous undertaking that requires much time and effort. This can create a stressful situation that can have an impact on the teacher candidates and affect their student teaching experience. With this in mind, schools of education have to look for ways to support teacher candidate and make the process less burdensome while not losing sight of the goals of student teaching or their school missions. This chapter will start with an explanation of the acceptable guidelines for support for the edTPA. It will then move into explaining the challenges teacher candidates face such as mastering unfamiliar language, test documents, and digital literacy skills followed by support strategies. The next section considers the populations of teacher candidates who might need specialized support due to the lack of local scoring and the inherent biases embedded in standardized assessments for a diverse population. The chapter concludes with the benefits and consequences of providing support for teacher candidates to pass the edTPA.
Redesigning Teacher Education in the Context of Multiple Reform Initiatives
Authors: DeMink-Carthew Jessica , Hyler Maria E , Valli Linda
Published: October 2018

Numerous teacher educators are revising their programs by focusing on high-leverage practices (HLPs). Concurrently, edTPA has been adopted by a number of states as a way to assess teacher candidates' readiness to teach. There is considerable conceptual congruence in these reform strategies. Both are practice-based, focusing on the authentic work of teaching. Nonetheless, the origins of these strategies, language, and materials are not seamless. HLPs, and ways of teaching them, are generated by local teacher educators themselves; edTPA was developed on a national scale with one purpose being to provide a common assessment of readiness to teach. This chapter illustrates the collective efforts of one teacher education program to productively handle the challenges that emerge in this dual reform climate while simultaneously meeting accreditation association requirements, including a conceptual framework for educator preparation programs. A model is subsequently presented for meaningful integration of edTPA, HLPs, and institutional conceptual frameworks.
Technology-Mediated Mathematics Teacher Development
Authors: Herbst Patricio , Chazan Daniel , Chieu Vu Minh , Milewski Amanda , Kosko Karl W. , Aaron Wendy Rose
Published: October 2018

This chapter focuses on how digital technologies provide affordances for Practice-Based Mathematics Teacher Education (PBMTE) and maps needed research on technologically mediated teacher education. The chapter elaborates on Grossman's pedagogies of practice, describing how they can be enacted in digital environments. Using LessonSketch as a prototype of an online platform for PBMTE, the chapter describes what those pedagogies look like when mediated through technology by narrating three cases. The chapter maps needed research by describing how various research approaches including design research, teaching effectiveness, ecological, and instrumental genesis might be used to organize research on environments that support technologically mediated, practice-based mathematics teacher education.
Peace
Authors: Upadhyay Pratibha , Pandey Saroj
Published: October 2018

Peace is described as an ‘elusive concept' having different connotations for the spheres in which peaceful processes are applied. There are several pedagogical approaches to education for peace. The Constructivist approach is considered the best strategy. Teacher preparation is at the core of the success and utilization of the pedagogical approaches meant for education for peace. Therefore, the teacher education programmes need to be redesigned to have wider implications for promoting peace through the preparation of teachers. The present paper suggests a hypothetical model depicting ‘Top Down' approach to teacher education for peace which compliments the ‘Bottom Up' model envisaged by UNESCO (1998). Whatever may be the model of teacher education, it should combine knowledge, experiences and skills pertaining to promoting culture of peace. At the same time all agencies of education should support and join hands with teacher education programmes to change the culture of war into culture of peace and non-violence in the world we live in.
Preparing Teacher Candidates for Diverse School Environments
Authors: Delano-Oriaran Omobolade
Published: October 2018

This chapter shares an Authentic and Culturally Engaging (ACE) Service-Learning framework as a pedagogical approach in equipping teacher candidates with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to be successful in-service teachers in diverse PK-12 school environments. As PK-12 schools become more racially and culturally diverse, there is a need to better prepare teacher candidates for diverse school environments, especially given that many teachers have asserted that they do not know how to teach diverse students. The chapter highlights components of the ACE framework and suggests practical strategies that teacher educators can use in integrating this framework into their courses. The end of the chapter focuses on teacher educators and how they can engage in a relearning process to unpack their previous knowledge regarding social justice and multicultural education in an effort to prepare their teacher candidates for diverse schools followed by a suggested checklist applicable to any teacher preparation course.
Designing Authentic Field-Based Experiences With Immigrant Students Through One University and Urban School Partnership
Authors: Kolano Lan Quach , Childers-McKee Cherese
Published: October 2018

In an effort to create a meaningful clinical experience for undergraduate pre-service teachers, this chapter explores how authentic interactions with English Language Learners (ELLs) within university-school partnerships work to foster pre-service teachers' feelings of multicultural efficacy. Qualitative data were collected through reflective journals, case study projects, and archival data. Analysis of data from participants' reactions to the clinical experience suggests that multiple factors intersected to create a positive, authentic field experience for participants. Emergent themes included the impact of sociological mindfulness and the power of students' stories and lived experiences on shaping teacher beliefs. The data suggests that establishing a partner school with strong leadership that embraces diversity and supports ELLs and creating structured field experience in which participants engage in mentoring/tutoring relationships with ELLs is critical to this process. Implications for teacher educators and teacher education programs are discussed.
Game Network Analysis
Authors: Foster Aroutis N. , Shah Mamta , Duvall Matthew
Published: October 2018

Teachers report experiencing frustrating issues in using games for instructional purposes. Teachers' inability to use games is further compounded by the lack of teacher education or professional development programs that focus on developing teacher competence in adopting game-based learning, particularly at the pre-service level. Thus, in this chapter, the Game Network Analysis (GaNA) framework is presented as a methodological approach developed to aid teachers in teaching and learning with games in educational contexts. The application of GaNA is highlighted through case studies with pre-service and in-service teachers. The case studies illustrate how GaNA, through a focus on game analysis, game integration, and ecological conditions impacting game use, can empower teachers to adopt game-based learning in a systematic, but adaptive manner. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future directions for teacher educators and educational researchers who are interested in developing teachers' knowledge and skills in game-based learning.
Outdoor Science in Teacher Education
Authors: Popov Oleg
Published: October 2018

This chapter is an account of the development of prospective teachers' competence to conduct outdoor science education. At the Department of Science and Mathematics Education, the students participate in outdoor education courses. They also plan, manage, and evaluate outdoor lessons designed as assignments in science education, participation in school practice, and summer courses. Many student teachers evaluate and analyse the pedagogical aspects of outdoor science when they carry out research projects in schools for their graduation thesis work. In order to understand the activity of science teaching and learning outdoors, a qualitative study was conducted. It was based on interviews with teacher educators and included studies of students' examination papers. A Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) lens was applied to the study. The theoretical framework helped to identify the prospective teachers' abilities and skills to design, implement, and evaluate tasks related to the professional competence of delivering outdoor science activities.
Engagement and Teamwork in Chinese as a Foreign Language and Culture Curriculum Development for Teacher Education
Authors: Wang Tingting
Published: October 2018

This study explores how task engagement principles could be integrated into the design of online foreign language and culture instruction. It employs a design-based research (DBR) approach, which combines research and instructional design during curricular development. With the intent of solving problems of practice in an existing teaching context, a design team worked in this study to refine an online Chinese as a foreign language and culture module. Through the design process, the team explored how task engagement principles could be integrated into seven online language-learning units and how collaboration and interaction among the researchers and designers could support the implementation of the design. This study underscores the importance not only of designing engaging online language tasks but also of working with expert others to accomplish this goal.
Use of Community of Practice Dimensions in Community-Based Teacher Professional Development
Authors: Murugaiah Puvaneswary , Thang Siew Ming , Azman Hazita , Nambiar Radha
Published: October 2018

The role of communities of practice (CoPs) in teacher professional development (TPD) is increasingly recognized. CoPs help teachers in a cohort to reflect on their practices, develop new skills and find motivation through mutual collaboration. With the affordances provided by Web technologies, the potentiality of online CoPs as a means of improving (TPD) has become a reality and is gaining popularity as the flexibility provided help teachers improve their instructional practices. The Online Continuing Professional Development for Teachers (e-CPDelT) project aimed to develop three online CoPs; that is, English, Mathematics and Science communities among twenty Malaysian Smart school teachers. This paper examined the key CoP dimensions, as expounded in Wenger's (1998) framework, and investigated their use in the English cohort's TPD. The findings revealed that although key CoP dimensions were present, several factors inhibited teachers' participation in the community. It can be implied that it is crucial to consider these factors in developing online CoPs for teachers in Malaysia.
Taking the TESOL Practicum Abroad
Authors: Cho Hyesun , Peter Lizette
Published: October 2018

This chapter examines the experiences of four native English-speaking preservice teachers in a faculty-led study abroad program in South Korea. It elucidates the ways in which these preservice teachers experienced personal and professional growth with an increasing critical awareness of the power imbalance embedded in English language teaching in the global context. Data were collected via students' weekly online discussion posts, electronic portfolio artifacts, and focus group interviews. Findings indicate personal and professional growth in participants' self-perceptions as a result of at least two fundamental aspects of the program: 1) the intentionality with which participants were exposed to a critique of English language teaching in the Korean context and 2) the residential nature of the experience, which provided intensive peer collaboration among practicum participants. The chapter concludes with recommendations for implementing a TESOL practicum abroad as a meaningful and consciousness-raising opportunity for preservice teachers' professional development.
Data and Dialogue
Authors: Lys Diana B. , L'Esperance Mark , Bullock Ann , Dobson Ellen E. , Patriarca Linda A. , Maynard Elbert E.
Published: October 2018

To present a reflective case study of the change process in a teacher preparation program engaged in an edTPA implementation. This chapter will highlight how one institution is using teacher performance data and faculty dialogue to develop new directions for program improvement and transformative change. Additionally, this chapter will also present critical self-reflections from key stakeholders related to transformative change.
Perceptions of Teacher Education Candidates to Digital and Learning Technologies
Authors: Bull Prince Hycy , Patterson Gerrelyn Chunn , Mansaray Mahmud A. , Dunston Yolanda L.
Published: October 2018

The proliferation of learning technologies and new laws supporting digital content in K-12 education have forced teacher education programs to redefine how candidates are prepared to teach with digital content. In preparing teacher education candidates, technological knowledge is just as important as content and pedagogical knowledge. How do teacher education programs ensure that candidates are adequately prepared to teach with learning technologies and digital content? The answer to this question lies not only in the empirical knowledge of how technology is infused in the teacher education curriculum and used during student teaching, but also in the self-efficacy and the self-assessment of candidates' technological skills. Using Bandura's (1977) self-efficacy theory as a guiding framework, this study seeks to address how prepared teacher candidates are to teach with learning technologies and digital content. Findings from the study show positive efficacy of candidates to digital content and learning technologies.
The Impact of a Learning Management System on Student Evaluation of Teaching
Authors: Rahimi Mehrak
Published: October 2018

In this chapter the impact of using a learning management system on pre-service and in-service teachers' evaluation of a teacher educator in a teacher training university was compared. Two groups of students participated in the study and for one semester experienced a blended learning where the extension of academic activities of the course Materials Evaluation and Syllabus Design was presented via a learning management system online. At the end of the course both groups' evaluation of the instructor's teaching was compared in two aspects: teaching style and student-teacher interaction. The result showed that there was a significant difference between two groups' evaluation of the educator. Pre-service teachers were found to have higher attitudes towards teaching effectiveness and they were more satisfied with both teachers' teaching style and social behavior.
Teacher Education in Nigerian Universities
Authors: Akuegwu Basil Azubuike
Published: October 2018

Teachers play pivotal roles in the education process. Knowledge transmission constitutes integral aspects of their roles. In order to perform this role effectively, institutions responsible for teacher training have been striving to reposition teacher education for greater results by aligning with global best practices, at the centre of which is instructional technology. However, one thing is to desire the infusion of instructional technology into teacher education, another is to plan how to achieve the best result with it. In this regard, this paper focused on teacher education in Nigerian universities and how leadership and management of instructional technology are reshaping it. Highlights of the discussion include: background, teacher education in Nigerian universities, instructional technology in teacher education in Nigerian, leadership and management in instructional technology in teacher education, challenges of leadership and management in instructional technology and strategies for improving leadership and management in instructional technology.
Learning to Teach the Media
Authors: Redmond Theresa A.
Published: October 2018

Media literacy education (MLE) has been recognized as an important 21st century skill that promotes critical inquiry. Many educative organizations have disseminated papers calling for MLE in PK-12 schooling. Yet, it is unclear how MLE is being incorporated in teacher education programs. This chapter reports research from a qualitative study that aims to examine how pre-service teachers (PSTs) articulate the value of MLE for 21st century teaching and learning while enrolled in a core education course that encompasses media literacy. The author employed a constant-comparative analysis of student data collected from different course sections over three semesters. The results indicate that PSTs value MLE as a pedagogy that promotes effective media integration, fosters critical thinking, and develops curriculum connections. Further, the results suggest that MLE may be useful in cultivating PSTs' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK), in turn developing their skills in technology and media integration.
Preparing Preservice Teachers to Become Self-Reflective of Their Technology Integration Practices
Authors: Amador Julie M. , Kimmons Royce , Miller Brant G. , Desjardins Christopher David , Hall Cassidy
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this chapter is to further understand how preservice teachers critically think about technology and their competence in technology integration. A mixed methods research design was employed to gather survey and performance task reflection data from preservice teachers. Data were analyzed using a categorization process based on preservice teachers' conceptualizations of technology as replacement, amplification, and transformation. Results revealed a significant overall effect of the selection of performance task upon whether it was applied in a transformative manner, but that no such overall effect existed for amplification and replacement. Descriptive analyses indicate preservice teachers were self-reflective about the extent to which technology influences students' learning. Conclusions indicate that teacher education programs should consider how they support preservice teachers to become self-reflective consumers of technology.
Using a Literacy-Based Classroom Partnership to Prepare Teacher Candidates for the edTPA
Authors: Hunzicker Jana Lynn , Arquette Cecile M. , Olson Peter , Atkins Douglas
Published: October 2018

This chapter chronicles the progression of one university's efforts to create authentic learning experiences and performance-based assessments for teacher candidates through an established school-university partnership. The chapter focuses on one particular professional development school (PDS) initiative: an ongoing classroom partnership between Bradley University's ETE 313: Methods of Literacy I course and kindergarten through second grade classrooms at neighboring Whittier Primary School. Opening and closing with vignettes illustrating Bradley's ETE 313/Whittier classroom partnership, the chapter presents detailed descriptions of two different professors' efforts to provide authentic learning experiences and prepare teacher candidates for state licensure, including successful completion of the Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), over four years' time. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the evolving classroom partnership in terms of student learning outcomes, the need for ongoing curricular modifications, and strategies for sustaining classroom partnerships.
Students as Designers of Virtual World Learning Environments
Authors: Jacka Lisa , Booth Kate
Published: October 2018

Virtual worlds provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to study teaching and learning in an immersive 3D computer based environment. The pre-service teacher is able to become a designer of learning environments in ways that were previously impossible in a traditional bricks and mortar classroom. The learning environment that pre-service teachers create can, in turn, inform established educators about the usefulness of virtual worlds for education. In the School of Education at Southern Cross University, Australia, pre-service teachers have been given the opportunity to design and build virtual world learning environments. This chapter presents the story of one pre-service teacher and her tutor as they discuss the design of a virtual world learning environment for maths. This particular design project resulted in virtual worlds being integrated across a number of pre-service teacher courses and extended into the K-6 classroom. An overview of these other projects is also presented.
Current Economic and Political Dispensation and Teacher Education Programs in Niger Delta Region
Authors: Ololube Nwachukwu Prince , Major Nanighe Baldwin , Kpolovie Peter James
Published: October 2018

In this chapter we highlighted the impact of the current economic and political dispensation in Nigeria and its impact on teacher education programs and the means of enhancing teacher education in the Niger Delta region. This paper is a conceptual and methodological breakthrough in Nigeria's academic landscape where qualitative and quantitative experiences highlight issues that are pertinent to teacher education program in the Niger Delta. The chapter proposed that the Niger Delta region's and the entire Nigeria's teacher education programs would be advanced if the component parts of the current economic and political disposition are resolved. This chapter contends that the Niger Delta region has the potential to address the challenges currently faced in the region such as social disruption (violence threat), poverty, hunger, disease, conflict, marginalization, and the achievement and improvement for effective teacher education programs. This chapter is of the immense judgment that successfully addressing the challenges currently faced in the Niger Delta region, teacher education programs will greatly improve qualitatively and quantitatively.
Exploring Prospective EFL Teachers' Beliefs About Teachers and Teaching Through Metaphor Analysis
Authors: Rakicioglu-Soylemez Anil , Soylemez Ayse Selmin , Yesilbursa Amanda
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to explore prospective EFL teachers' metaphors of “teachers, teaching” and “being a prospective EFL teacher” at the beginning and end of a ten-week practicum course. A total of 110 Turkish prospective EFL teachers voluntarily participated in the study. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and metaphor-elicitation forms. Results lead to three major conclusions. First, the participants' prior beliefs about the role of an EFL teacher and teaching were affected by their previous experiences as language learners. Second, although the content analysis of the metaphors revealed a limited change throughout the practicum experience, the analysis of the interviews showed the dynamic nature of beliefs held by the prospective teachers. Finally, data analysis of the interviews showed that the variation in beliefs and practices mainly derived from individual experiences with the mentoring practices of the cooperating teachers and the socio-professional context of the practicum school.
Differentiated Fieldwork and Practicum Experiences
Authors: Schroth Stephen T. , Helfer Jason A.
Published: October 2018

Teacher education programs are charged by administrators, legislative bodies, parents, and others to produce new teachers who are “classroom ready” upon graduation. Many interns and teacher candidates, however, come to their programs with very different levels of preparation and skills in dealing with children. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, teacher educators should differentiate fieldwork and practicum experiences to better meet candidates' varying readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles to create placements that fit the interns' needs and skills. Differentiating the fieldwork and practicum experiences of interns has the dual benefit of increasing retention rates of teacher education programs and better preparing new teachers for their first classrooms. Suggestions are made regarding ways teacher educators can differentiate placements for interns and teacher candidates.
Developing a Common Global Framework for Marine Data Management
Authors: Glaves Helen M.
Published: October 2018

The paradigm shift in marine research moving from the traditional discipline based methodology to a multidisciplinary, ecosystem level approach is being driven by changes in both the policies for the management and exploitation of the ocean, and the scientific method itself. The availability of large volumes of good quality data is fundamental to this increasingly holistic approach to ocean research but there are significant barriers to its re-use. The Ocean Data Interoperability Platform (ODIP) project has been funded in parallel by the European Commission, National Science Foundation in the USA and the Australian Government to promote the development of a common framework for marine data management that leverages the existing marine e-infrastructures which have been created in response to the need for greater sharing of marine data at a regional level.
Geospatial Analysis of Land Loss, Land Cover Change, and Landuse Patterns of Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Munshi K. , Schmidlin Thomas W. , Munro-Stasiuk Mandy J. , Curtis Andrew
Published: October 2018

This study utilizes geospatial tools of remote sensing, geographical information systems (GIS), and global positioning system (GPS) to examine the land loss, land cover (LC) change, landuse of Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh. Multi-spectral Scanner (MSS), Thematic Mapper (TM), and Landsat8 OLI imageries were used for land cover change. For assessing the landuse patterns of 2012, spatial video data were collected by using contour GPS camera. Using remote sensing analysis three different land cover classes (water, trees and forest, and agriculture) were identified and land cover changes were detected from 1972 to 2013. The results show from 1972 to 2013, an estimated 9 km2 of land has been lost and significant changes have taken place from 1972 to 2013. Only an estimated .35 km2 area of accretion has taken place during the study period. Using GIS eight different landuse patterns were identified based on spatial video data.
Global Market Trends
Authors: Amone William
Published: October 2018

This chapter provides a discussion of competitiveness, globalization, and trade, including their recent transformations. The global market has witnessed several changes including reductions in trade costs, increased global trade, growth of industrialization in developing countries, and a complete change in the nature of goods traded. The drivers of global market changes include shifts in production and consumption patterns, technological innovations, new ways of conducting business, and policy changes. Many governments have lately opened their economies to international trade, enabling them to reap several benefits. Openness to trade is believed to have supported the growth of many countries and has greatly contributed to the success of most Asian countries, especially China and India. Although the global market offers numerous benefits, many developing countries still face serous limitations to fully access it; they are constrained by factors such as quality inferiority, distance, quantitative restrictions, poor technical skills, bad governance, and border controls.
Universities' Contributions to Sustainable Development's Social Challenge
Authors: Juliani Douglas Paulesky , Silva Ania , Cunha Jorge , Benneworth Paul
Published: October 2018

There is an increasing recognition that dealing with sustainable development need to address the social structures that encourage unsustainable economic and environmental practices. Universities represent important sources of knowledge for addressing sustainable development, but there has been relatively limited consideration of their contributions to these social elements. Drawing on recent interest in social innovation as to conceptualise social change and community development, this paper aims to understand universities' involvement in the process of social innovation, for the particular case of a Brazilian higher education institution. By exploring how universities can contribute to the different stages of the social innovation process, it highlights the capacities that universities have to address the social sustainable development challenge. The paper identifies five characteristics of universities contributions to social innovation and sets out an agenda for future research necessary to understand universities' wider contributions to sustainable development.