bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Nutritional Knowledge of Undergraduate Nursing Students
Authors: Chepulis Lynne M. , Mearns Gael J.
Published: September 2015

Background:

Obesity is prevalent in health care workers, but it is unknown whether a lack of nutritional knowledge contributes to this. This study measured the nutrition knowledge of undergraduate nursing students to identify knowledge gaps that could be addressed through nutrition teaching in an updated undergraduate nursing curriculum.

Method:

Undergraduate nursing students (
N
= 197) completed a nutrition knowledge survey with questions on demographics, body composition, nutrition labels, food packaging claims, and healthy food-purchasing choices.

Results:

Mean overall nutritional knowledge scores were low, but overall scores were higher for students who had received nutrition teaching (60.5% versus 52.5%;
F
[1, 187] = 7.2,
p
< 0.001). Improvements in nutrition knowledge were consistent across all ethnic groups, and no effects of age were observed.

Conclusion:

To sufficiently prepare nurses for their public health role in obesity prevention, more nutrition education is needed in undergraduate nursing education programs, with emphasis on ethnic-specific educational requirements. [
J Nurs Educ.
2015;54(9, Suppl.):S103–S106.]
Development of Nurse Self-Concept in Nursing Students: The Effects of a Peer-Mentoring Experience
Authors: Ford Yvonne
Published: September 2015

Background:

Positive nurse self-concept has been shown to increase job productivity, retention, and job satisfaction. Student participation in peer-mentoring experiences has been shown to increase self-confidence and understanding of the role of the nurse leader.

Method:

The Nurse Self-Concept Questionnaire (NSCQ) was used to measure the nurse self-concept of senior baccalaureate nursing students before and after completion of a peer-mentoring experience.

Results:

Female students scored significantly higher on two subscales of the NSCQ than male students prior to the peer-mentoring experience. This difference was not seen after the experience. Mean changes in scores on all six dimensions of self-concept measured by the NSCQ were significantly higher after the mentoring experience.

Conclusion:

Further investigation of male students’ experiences in clinical settings may be warranted. The experience of mentoring lower-level students offers practice for upper-level nursing students in providing direction, exercising leadership and management skills, and working as a member of the health care team. [
J Nurs Educ.
2015;54(9, Suppl.):S107–S111.]
“If Only We Could Have Them Walk a Mile in Their Shoes”: A Community-Based Poverty Simulation Exercise for Baccalaureate Nursing Students
Authors: Johnson Karen E. , Guillet Nancy , Murphy Linda , Horton Shalonda E.B. , Todd Ana T.
Published: September 2015

Background:

Poverty is linked to poorer health outcomes across the life span. Nurses must understand how poverty impacts health and the ability to achieve social mobility. This article describes a poverty simulation exercise,
In Their Shoes
.

Method:

Scenarios of clients in need of community resources were developed. Using public transportation, students travelled to agencies to collect information about accessing resources. Students were introduced to content about poverty, income inequality, social mobility, and critical social theory prior to the simulation exercise. After the simulation, students returned to the classroom and reflected on the experience.

Results:

In Their Shoes
received positive feedback. Students expressed surprise at the number of community resources, frustration by the challenges encountered, and dedication to being aware and compassionate advocates for underserved clients.

Conclusion:

Nursing programs should develop and evaluate similar activities to expose students to the challenges of living in poverty, and how this affects health and nursing practice. [
J Nurs Educ.
2015;54(9, Suppl.):S116–S119.]
Femtosecond Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery Technique to Enhance Safety in Posterior Polar Cataract
Authors: Titiyal Jeewan S. , Kaur Manpreet , Sharma Namrata
Published: September 2015

PURPOSE:

To describe the technique of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery for management of posterior polar cataracts.

METHODS:

The technique was performed in 25 eyes of 20 patients with posterior polar cataract and nuclear sclerosis grades II to III. A hybrid pattern of three cylinders (2, 4, and 6 mm) and three chops (6 mm in length) was used for nucleotomy. Block by block emulsification of the pre-chopped nucleus was done from the center outward, with the remaining outer rings acting as a protective cushion. Manual hydrodissection and hydrodelineation were avoided.

RESULTS:

There were no cases with posterior capsular tear in this series and the phacoemulsification procedure could be completed uneventfully with implantation of intraocular lens in the bag in all of the eyes. The postoperative uncorrected Snellen visual acuity was 20/25 or greater in all cases.

CONCLUSION:

The technique of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery with a hybrid pattern of cylinder and chop is safe and effective in managing cases of posterior polar cataract, specifically for higher grades of nuclear sclerosis.

[
J Refract Surg.
2015;31(12):826–828.]
Learning Theories Supporting Massive Open Online Courses
Authors: Coelho Denis A.
Published: September 2015

Learning theories lay at the core of every educational paradigm; especially applicable to MOOCs are the ones that originate in constructivism. Connectivism is a de facto learning theory that is framing the growing enthusiasm surrounding the design and the worldwide dissemination of MOOCs. This chapter shows how connectivism has become the digital age's natural successor to the stream of learning theories that preceded it, despite its questionable ability to fulfill the totality of pre-digital requirements drafted for learning theories. As a disruptive phenomenon, several obstacles to materializing the promise of inclusiveness and equality in access to learning that is signified by MOOCs remain, including learner autonomy, presence (cognitive, social and teacher's) and critical literacies, as well as recognition, validation and accreditation. Finally, fostering the widespread development of the set of educators' skills essential to fully implement connectivism is needed in order to fully reap the potential benefits of MOOCs.
Assessment Activities in Massive Open On-Line Courses
Authors: Muñoz-Merino Pedro J. , Ruipérez-Valiente José A. , Moreno Juan Luis Sanz , Kloos Carlos Delgado
Published: September 2015

This chapter analyzes the different implications of the new MOOC paradigm in assessment activities, emphasizing the differences with respect to other non MOOC educational technology environments and giving an insight about the redesign of assessment activities for MOOCs. The chapter also compares the different assessment activities that are available in some of the most used MOOC platforms at present. In addition, the process of design of MOOC assessment activities is analyzed. Specific examples are given about how to design and create different types of assessment activities. The Genghis authoring tool as a solution for the creation of some types of exercises in the Khan Academy platform is presented. Finally, there is an analysis of the learning analytics features related to assessment activities that are present in MOOCs. Moreover, some guidelines are provided about how to interpret and take advantage of this information.
MOOC Bullying in Schools
Authors: Torres Ana Luísa , Pacheco Nuno Bordalo , Galego João , Pacheco Teresa , Dias José Mauricio , Novo Cristina Maria
Published: September 2015

This chapter will describe the first experience MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) performed in a Portuguese tertiary institution. The “MOOC bullying in schools: characterization and intervention” was conceived, promoted and evaluated as a pedagogical experience by the ICT Competence Center, School of Education, Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (CC ICT ESE / IPS). It will focus on: a) the classification of readers in origin and typology concept; b) the construction of the course in its pedagogical aspect, connectivist exploration and inspiration; c) the presentation and discussion of the results of the evaluation performed by the participants; d) strengths and weaknesses that allow taking important lessons to be applied in future MOOCs.
Massive Online Open Course Assisted Mechatronics Learning
Authors: Xing Bo
Published: September 2015

Massive open online courses (MOOCs), also known as kind of free and accessible online education environment, have been deeply appeals to people and broadly covered in different medium. Nowadays, it seems MOOCs are everywhere. Originally, MOOCs are designed to offer learning content to the participants who do not have an adequate educational infrastructure, or where cost has become a barrier to educational access. However, as the MOOCs become more popular, an important question need to be asked: how do traditional face-to-face learning students benefit from MOOC environments as well? This chapter introduces MOOCs as an assistant platform to rebuild the course structure in order to tie education more closely to work. The major advantage of this hybrid teaching and learning model is that it is flexible as it allows students to work through materials at their own pace and at a time that is most convenient to them. Although the successful integration of such different teaching and learning modalities is a big challenge, the presented case study and the preliminary experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid methodology.
Overview of Theory and Practice in Library and Information Science Research in Asia-Oceania
Authors: Du Jia Tina , Zhu Qinghua , Koronios Andy
Published: September 2015

This chapter provides a concise overview dealing with the theory and practice in Library and Information Science (LIS) research development in Asia-Oceania. It also provides the reader with an introduction to the sections and the individual chapters of the book. The field of LIS has experienced significant growth, both in the number of LIS schools and research outputs, in recent years in the region. As a professional field, both theory and practice are viewed as equally important for the development of the LIS discipline. In this book, both theoretical as well as practical work in LIS research in Asia-Oceania region is presented.
The Role of Electronic Signature in the Third Millennium of the Development of International Trade Transactions
Authors: Bagherian Amir , Nasaband Yosef Ebrahimi , Heidari Hassan , Ebrahimi Mahmoud
Published: September 2015

Data explosion, in the present era, has created a lot of changes in the social, economic and cultural relationships of all developed societies. Modern areas usually do not have the required legitimacy; however it does not mean that the way for all kinds of violation is open. Social life requires that order and security also govern these areas and protect ethics and public interests. Electronic commerce law is one of these areas a debatable area filled with innovations and surprises. In this regard, waves of internet revolution and the explosion of e-commerce collide with the legal system and influence the concepts of traditional law. One of the key achievements of information technology is changes in traditional regime of evidence claim. In the system of evidence claim in the majority of countries, written reasons and documents are of undeniable importance, in a way that they are mostly used as citation or to defend the Lawsuit. In fact, a lawsuit and adducing the evidence in our legal life largely depend on delivering or issuance of a written paper such as ID cards, pay stubs, payment receipts, contracts, declarations, warnings, statements, and or commercial documents.
Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking Approach to Enterprise Architecture
Authors: Rabaey Marc
Published: September 2015

Complex systems interact with an environment where a high degree of uncertainty exists. To reduce uncertainty, enterprises (should) create intelligence. This chapter shows that intelligence has two purposes: first, to increase and to assess (thus to correct) existing knowledge, and second, to support decision making by reducing uncertainty. The chapter discusses complex adaptive systems. Enterprises are not only complex systems; they are also most of the time dynamic because they have to adapt their goals, means, and structure to survive in the fast evolving (and thus unstable) environment. Crucial for enterprises is to know the context/ecology in which they act and operate. The Cynefin framework makes the organization and/or its parts aware of the possible contexts of the organization and/or its parts: simple, complicated, complex, chaotic, or disordered. It is crucial for the success of implementing and using EA that EA is adapted to function in an environment of perpetual change. To realize this, the chapter proposes and elaborates a new concept of EA, namely Complex Adaptive Systems Thinking – Enterprise Architecture (CAST-EA).
First Steps in the Development of a Model for Integrating Formal and Informal Learning in Virtual Environments
Authors: Marín Victoria I. , Salinas Jesús
Published: September 2015

Educational technologists are currently researching how to enhance education through integrating the different aspects of individuals' learning. People learn by different means and contexts, so formal learning is only a part of the whole process of their learning. In this chapter, the authors present current progress in developing a methodological strategy model that aims to integrate formal and informal learning at university. For this purpose, they start with the foundations of this study and a description of its design and initial rollout in an undergraduate course, “Primary Teacher Training,” at the University of the Balearic Islands in Spain. Although the study is currently still being carried out, it is worth highlighting some insights and reflections of the on-going implementation and future research directions of the study.
Document Model and Prototyping Methods for Web Engineering
Authors: Lecarpentier Jean-Marc , Le Crosnier Hervé , Brixtel Romain , Bazin Cyril
Published: September 2015

This paper proposes models for managing documents in a web engineering context. First, it proposes a document model to better manage multilingual composite documents. The approach, inspired by the FRBR report, is to group all versions, translations, formats, etc. of a document in a unique document tree, putting document data and metadata at the same level. Then it proposes a model for prototyping applications, using a combination of class-based inheritance and prototype programming principles. This model applies to document models, documents views and actions. Finally, it proposes a metadata management model, laying foundations for easier integration and management of information in web applications. The proposed models are implemented in the framework Sydonie and several applications are built with the model and framework.
Information Architecture and the Comic Arts
Authors: Farmer Lesley S. J.
Published: September 2015

Information architecture is the structural design of shared information environments, optimizing users' interaction with that content and their context. Comic arts may be considered in light of information architecture in that it uses sequential frames, text, and their “containers,” and design conventions as information architectural “tools” to represent information and engage the user in interacting with it. This chapter explains information architecture, focusing on comic arts' features for representing and structuring knowledge. Then it details information design theory and information behaviors relative to this format, also noting visual literacy. Next, applications of comic arts in education are listed. With this background, several research methods that combine information design and comic arts are explained, followed by a concrete research example. It also recommends strategies for addressing information architecture explicitly for knowledge acquisition and communication.
Authoring Adaptive 3D Virtual Learning Environments
Authors: Ewais Ahmed , De Troyer Olga
Published: September 2015

The use of 3D and Virtual Reality is gaining interest in the context of academic discussions on E-learning technologies. However, the use of 3D for learning environments also has drawbacks. One way to overcome these drawbacks is by having an adaptive learning environment, i.e., an environment that dynamically adapts to the learner and the activities that he performs in the environment. In this paper, the authors discuss adaptive 3D virtual leaning environments and explain how a course author can specify such an environment (i.e., authoring). The approach and tool that the authors present allow authors to create adaptive 3D virtual learning environments without the need to be an expert in 3D or using programming or scripting languages. The authors also conducted an evaluation to validate the approach and the usability and acceptability of the authoring tool. Based on the results, recommendations for authoring adaptive 3D virtual learning environments have been formulated.
Supporting Accessible User Interfaces Using Web Services
Authors: Bouloukakis Georgios , Basdekis Ioannis , Stephanidis Constantine
Published: September 2015

Web services are an emerging technology that has attracted much attention from both the research and the industry sectors in recent years. The exploitation of Web services as components in Web applications facilitates development and supports application interoperability, regardless of the programming language and platform used. However, existing Web services development standards do not take into account the fact that the provided content and the interactive functionality should be accessible to, and easily operable by, people with disabilities. This chapter presents a platform named myWebAccess, which provides a mechanism for the semi-automated “repair” of Web services' interaction characteristics in order to support the automatic generation of interface elements that conform to the de facto standard of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. myWebAccess enhances interaction quality for specific target user groups, including people with visual and motor disabilities, and supports the use of Web services on diverse platforms (e.g., mobile phones equipped with a browser). The Web developers can build their own design templates and the users of myWebAccess can create a personalized environment containing their favourite services. Thus, they can interact with them through interfaces appropriate to their specific individual characteristics.
Evaluating a Learning Management System to Support Classroom Teaching
Authors: Melo de Lima Tiago França , Nazareth dos Passos Thiago
Published: September 2015

New pedagogical approaches are required to prepare future professionals. The educational model must be in consonance with the information and communication technologies. They help to improve knowledge dissemination and reduce space and time limitations between teachers and students. They should also motivate students and stimulate communication and collaboration among students, improving the learning process. Currently, the Institute of Exact and Applied Sciences of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (IEAS/UFOP) has no institutionalized tools of information and communication for teaching support. This allows the identification of some problems and difficulties on the educational process, such as absence of a centralized way to provide and access didactic resources, unavailability of a good communication tool between teachers and students, and lack of easy access to academic performance information for self evaluation. This chapter presents the authors' experience in choosing and evaluating a Learning Management System (LMS) to support classroom teaching at the IEAS. The authors investigate how the use of a LMS may improve teaching in the following aspects: (1) availability of didactic resources; (2) class planning and following up; (3) teacher-student communication; (4) monitoring of the academic performance of students during the course; (5) collaboration among students.
Supporting Learning Self-Regulation through a PLE
Authors: Garcia Iolanda , Gros Begoña , Noguera Ingrid
Published: September 2015

In the knowledge society, autonomous and Self-Directed Learning (SDL) have become particularly important for professional development and lifelong learning. This kind of learning can take place in physical and virtual spaces that may belong to formal institutions but also to extended communities and networks. In virtual spaces, self-directed learning and self-regulation skills and capacities play an important role in learners' performance. For this reason, it is highly recommended to empower students to design and deploy educational spaces and projects able to fuse formal and informal contexts. The use of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) can support learners to gain control over their experiences through Web-based tools and a task-orientated environment. It is known that time management is one relevant component of self-regulated learning. There are many Web-based tools that can be used to control time investment and promote planning but little research that takes into account time management in the design and use of PLEs. This chapter describes the results of the Just4me project1, aimed at designing and developing a PLE to support self-regulated learning dealing with time management as an important dimension in lifelong learning. From this perspective, this chapter contributes to the operationalization and analysis of the time factor in online learning regarding time management in self-regulated learning processes supported by PLEs.
Business Process Design Meets Business Practices through Enterprise Patterns
Authors: Ardito Carmelo , Barchetti Ugo , Capodieci Antonio , Guido Annalisa , Mainetti Luca
Published: September 2015

Every day companies deal with internal problems in order to manage human resources during the execution of business processes. The ability to quickly identify and rapidly apply effective business practices to recurring problems becomes crucial in order to improve the efficiency of the organization. To seize the opportunity of adapting their business practices to emerging organizational forms (Extended Enterprise, Virtual Enterprise) and to reuse the expertise of knowledge workers – who are central to an organization's success – companies are required to face several challenges. This paper presents a set of business patterns useful in resolving emerging organizational issues to support the activities of knowledge workers, increase their productivity and their ability to find the information they need, and enable collaboration with colleagues without changing their habits. Also it describes a real case study and a software system that allows companies to introduce these business patterns in the workplace, adopting an Enterprise 2.0 approach.
From Adoption to Routinization of B2B e-Commerce
Authors: Oliveira Tiago , Dhillon Gurpreet
Published: September 2015

The authors present an in depth understanding of B2B e-commerce adoption and routinization across Europe. The research was informed by the technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework. A sample of 7,172 firms across Europe was used. A seven factor model is presented that includes technology readiness, technology integration, firm size, obstacles, education level, competitive pressure, and trading partner collaboration, which inform B2B adoption and routinization. Based on adoption and routinization, clusters of European countries, are identified and factors presented that ensure movement from one cluster to the other.
Sleep Disorder Diagnosis
Authors: Blake Jacqueline , Kerr Don
Published: September 2015

Sleep disorders are a significant and growing problem, both for the economy of the nation and for the physical and psychological well-being of individual sufferers. Physicians are under pressure to find ways of dealing with the backlog of patients. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate the operational, administrative, and medical environment within which sleep physicians diagnose patients with sleep disorders and develop an online support system that would efficiently gather patient history data and improve the effectiveness of patient-physician consultations, the diagnoses, and patients' self-management of any subsequent treatment plans. Investigations confirm that the physicians spend a large portion of the available consultation time on routine questions. In the new system, the patient information is captured by the patient completing an online questionnaire. Due to the reduction in time given for data collection, the physician can spend time with the patients discussing patient-specific symptoms and life-styles.
Librarian without Building in an E-Learning Environment
Authors: Idiegbeyan-Ose Jerome , Esse Ugwunwa Chinyere
Published: September 2015

This chapter discusses e-learning, its advantages and challenges, the concept of a librarian without a building, and the characteristics and skills of a librarian without a building in an e-learning environment. The chapter empirically looks at the need for an e-librarian in an e-learning environment, the needed skills for such a librarian, and their challenges. Possible solutions to identify challenges are also discussed. The survey method was used for the study; the questionnaire was designed and administered to 138 librarians from Academic libraries in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. 127 questionnaires were returned and used for analysis. The study reveals that there is a great need for e-librarians in e-learning environments, and that the librarians must possess such skills as high computer literacy, ability to learn fast, teach, and evaluate others. It was also discovered that e-librarians are faced with technical, administrative, financial, and capacity building challenges. Based on these, the authors recommend that e-librarians should be supported at all levels; they should be ready to develop themselves, strive at all cost to acquire more knowledge and skills in order to stand the changing nature of their job. It is also recommended that government agencies that accredit programmes at tertiary institutions should make sure that any institution that offers e-learning must also have a well organized e-library, and a well trained e-librarian must man the library. The study concludes that e-library and e-librarian without building must be recognized and empowered as part of the e-teaching and learning processes.
A Business Motivation Model for IT Service Management
Authors: Vicente Marco , Gama Nelson , Mira da Silva Miguel
Published: September 2015

The Enterprise Architecture (EA) approach usually considers a set of motivational concepts that are used to model the reasons and motivations that underlie the design and change of organizations, which corresponds to their Business Motivation Model (BMM). Likewise, this BMM is also present in organizations that provide IT services. However, although ITIL has become a standard for performing IT Service Management (ITSM), there is not one holistic solution to integrate EA and ITIL. Therefore, we propose to join both approaches through the definition of a specific Enterprise Architecture to design organizations according to ITIL's best practices to perform ITSM. Thus, this paper's goal is twofold: on one hand to establish that architecture's motivation model, and, on the other, to contribute for a formal identification and representation of the ITIL business motivation model itself.
Enterprise Architecture's Identity Crisis
Authors: Taylor Paul R.
Published: September 2015

This chapter outlines the rational foundations of the enterprise architecture discipline to date and describes ways and situations in which the traditional approaches of enterprise architecture fail to account for a number of contemporary market and economic situations and organizational behaviors. It characterizes new methods and approaches loosely based on systems thinking, with examples from the Australian e-government experience, and argues that the discipline must re-invent itself to incorporate a post-rational perspective to stay relevant. The chapter concludes with narratives of how the new enterprise architecture must engage with business to stay relevant over the next decade and beyond.
Informal Individual Learning via Virtual Professional Development
Authors: Irby Beverly J. , Sutton-Jones Kara L. , Lara-Alecio Rafael , Tong Fuhui
Published: September 2015

This chapter incudes a discussion of general professional development and online professional development and professional learning. In particular, the authors present information on virtual professional learning from a U.S. federally-funded Investing in Innovation (i3) grant, English Language and Literacy Acquisition – Validation (ELLA-V). The grant term used is ELLA-Virsity. The overarching concept for ELLA-Virsity is proposed, and that is massive open online informal individual learning (MOOPIL).
Didactical Design for Online Process-Based Assessment in Teacher Education
Authors: Bergström Peter
Published: September 2015

This chapter reports on a research project in which a group of students in pre-school teacher education participated in an educational intervention based on the development of process-based assessment. A didactical design was developed and structured into three phases for supporting students in building formal knowledge from their prior informal knowledge. Moreover, the design was implemented in an online context that facilitated documentation and reflection. A qualitative approach was taken that aimed to understand the learning environment emerging from the didactical design through the use of technology by addressing questions about the teacher's role, the learning process, and the assessment process. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and a questionnaire, which were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. The concept of variation was used in the analysis of the student perspective on the didactical design. The results indicate how the concept of variation was helpful in highlighting the underpinning affordances and constraints of this environment and the associated social relationships.
Teaching MSE Students to Teach
Authors: Berdanier Catherine G.P. , Zephirin Tasha , Cox Monica F. , Black Suely M.
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this chapter is to show how design-based research (DBR) methodologies can be implemented in technical programs. First, the authors provide a background of recent research in interdisciplinary education, Integrative Graduate Education Research Traineeship (IGERT) programs, and design-based research. Second, a brief summary the example case, a Pedagogy module which has been implemented with Materials Science and Materials Engineering students through an IGERT program, is discussed. The final portion of the chapter presents a new implementation model for DBR along with recommendations and strategies for interested faculty, department heads, or motivated graduate students to reform existing technical curricula using design-based research. The significance of the book chapter rests in the flexibility of this model to be adapted to any program, showing instructors the iterative process for developing a course to suit the needs of a department.
Information Literacy
Authors: Choudhury Subhajit , Kumar Sudhir , Kala Chitresh
Published: September 2015

The chapter defines Information Literacy with its scope, such as Visual Literacy, Media Literacy, Computer Literacy, Network Literacy, Health Literacy, Business Literacy, and Library Literacy. It establishes the relation between Literacy and Information Literacy as a modified definition of literacy. Further, it states that the root cause of digital divide in countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh is information illiteracy. The data collected on various e-initiatives in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh have been discussed. Information Literacy depends on various factors, and it should start from the National level so, after taking due consideration of socio-economic, geographic, and political condition, Information Literacy Plans have been formulated for these countries. First, at a national level, then at the educational level, and then community level. Further, the curriculum for IL courses at various levels have been formulated. It is suggested that the government should set up a national level apex body such as Indian Information Literacy Forum, Nepal Information Literacy Programme, Bangladesh Information Literacy Programme, or an Autonomous Information Literacy Council under the Ministry of Information Technology and in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development and Ministry of Telecommunication in India, Ministry of Information and Communication in Nepal, and Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology in Bangladesh. It also suggests various other measures to make IL programmes to transform these countries into developed nations.
YouTube as a Teacher Training Tool
Authors: Copper Jenna , Semich George W.
Published: September 2015

High-stakes student testing, accountability for students' outcomes, new educational trends, and revised curricula and standards are only a few of the reasons that teachers must learn to teach complex material with skilled and intentional practices. As a result, professional development for educators is in critical demand. Nevertheless, research in the field of professional development indicates that most teachers do not experience effective teacher training (Desimone et al., 2002; Guskey, 2002). Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to examine one professional development opportunity using the video-sharing tool, YouTube, as a training modality for in-servicing teachers. For this study, the researchers conducted interviews with six teachers currently teaching in Western Pennsylvania to analyze their perceptions about the YouTube teacher training method. The results of the study indicated that the YouTube training tool is a quality training tool to assist teachers in the implementation of higher-order teaching strategies. Additionally, the results indicated that YouTube training videos could reinforce in-person training.
Integrating Computing Across the Curriculum
Authors: Carter Alia , Cotten Shelia R , Gibson Philip , O'Neal LaToya J. , Simoni Zachary , Stringer Kristi , Watkins Leticia S.
Published: September 2015

The need for technology-enriched learning environments is driven by advancements in 21st century technology and an increase in STEM-related careers. Although women and racial/ethnic minorities make up a significant portion of the American workforce, they remain underrepresented in STEM-related careers. Integrating Computing Across the Curriculum (ICAC) is a five-year research intervention project whose aim is to reduce STEM career-related inequality by providing teachers with the resources they need to integrate computing across the curriculum. The ICAC integration model involves administrators, teachers, students, and their parents. This chapter provides support for the ICAC model as a means of promoting student interest in STEM and as a means of developing technology-enriched curricula designed to improve 21st century teaching and learning.
The Use of Digital Resources to Support Elementary School Teachers' Implementation of the Common Core State Standards
Authors: Lehew Amy Jensen , Polly Drew
Published: September 2015

This chapter describes the process of developing Web-based resources to support elementary school teachers' implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States. Based on a learner-centered approach to teacher professional development the authors describe a three-fold process of supporting teachers: providing opportunities for teachers to deepen their understanding of the CCSSM, providing curricular resources that align with the CCSSM, and providing ongoing support through teachers' implementation of the CCSSM. Implications for the development of Web-based resources and researching these types of endeavors are also shared.
Assessing a Statewide Professional Development Effort
Authors: Crumpton Michael A.
Published: September 2015

State library associations across the country spend a considerable amount of time and effort providing professional development events and activities for library staffs within their realm of influence. Most of the activities are assessed as to attendee satisfaction, venue attributes or speaker(s) effectiveness. Assessment activities related to these types of outcomes are typically aimed at providing satisfaction of effort for a very diverse set of employees with a wide range of interests. Making programming decisions based on these assessments is critical to receiving ongoing support for future and potential events and activities. This chapter covers techniques for assessing a range of professional development activities on a statewide level in order to plan effectively for future development opportunities and needs.
Evaluation of a Hybrid Mathematics Methods Course for Novice Teachers
Authors: Johnston Christopher J.
Published: September 2015

This paper reports the evaluation of a hybrid mathematics methods course for novice teachers. During a fifteen-week semester, participants met face-to-face for approximately 60% of the semester and took advantage of an online format for the other 40% of the semester. Online activities included asynchronous discussion board postings, synchronous chats as an entire class, synchronous chats in small groups, evaluation of technology tools, and electronic surveys. The researcher used participants' feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of this hybrid format. In addition, the researcher reflected upon his own experiences as instructor to inform future course structure decisions. Within the context of the Rich Environments for Active Learning (REAL) framework, results suggest that cooperative support was a key component of the effectiveness of the experience. Further, participants emphasized one particular generative learning activity as an effective component of this course. Finally, this paper discusses implications for mathematics professional development facilitators.
Convergence at What Cost?
Authors: Glaser-Segura Daniel A. , Mudge Suzanne D. , Bratianu Constantin , Orzea Ivona
Published: September 2015

The Bologna Process instituted measures promoting common curriculum throughout Europe with three-year standards established for Bachelor programs in economics, humanistic and positive sciences, and four-year standards for engineering sciences. Dramatic reductions were made to programs resulting in students moving into the workforce at a faster pace and with fewer academic credits. Questions existed as to whether three-year programs were sufficient for professional identity development. Professional identity, a system of attributes and values one has about self in relation to professional role, is essential for professional culture integration. This chapter employs a quasi-experimental design to compare professional identity development of Romanian business students ranging from first- through third-year using 2012 data and fourth-year students using 2007 data. Findings reveal professional identity within post-Bologna Process programs rose from first year to second but fell in the end-of-program third year. Data from pre-Bologna Process programs show higher measures of professional identity for end-of-program fourth-year students. Interpretations are provided and student workforce readiness discussed.
Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Distance Education Students' Learning Styles and Critical Thinking Dispositions in Turkey
Authors: Yüksel İsmail , Türkses Ercüment
Published: September 2015

This study aims to examine distance education students' learning styles and critical thinking dispositions. This cross sectional survey was conducted on 114 Turkish distance education students from various departments in a state university. The data of the study were collected through Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scale (GRSLSS) and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Cronbach Alpha coefficiencies of the scales were .76 for GRSLSS and .79 for CCTDI. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations), t-test and one-way analysis of variance tests were used. The results indicated that the dependent learning style was the most preferred style and the avoidant learning style was the least preferred style. The further analysis regarding learning style indicated that female students perceived themselves more dependent than male students. The results also indicated that students in teacher training programs scored higher in independent and avoidant sub-scales, while students in arts and sciences programs scored higher in dependent, collaborative, competitive and participant sub-scales. The results manifested that students' critical thinking dispositions were at a low level, and they mostly had analyticity and open-mindedness dispositions. Female students were found to have more critical thinking dispositions than male students.
Pre-Service Teachers Engaging with Twitter as a Professional Online Learning Environment
Authors: Lemon Narelle
Published: September 2015

New ways of utilizing technology in the online space are challenging different ways teachers and students can interact with each other and learning content. Social media is one such technology that is a flexible and powerful tool in higher education; however, as yet, it is still under-researched. Twitter challenges notions of public global dialogue, continuous discussions in the online space beyond the four walls of a physical classroom, and the role of peer-to-peer interactions. This chapter discusses a project that aimed to address the need to understand more deeply what happens pedagogically in the classroom when integrating Twitter into learning activities. The case shared is of one undergraduate second-year class located in Teacher Education. The change over time with students' ability to professionally engage with Twitter demonstrated a shift in being able to confidently participate and critically think about this social media as a valuable online learning environment.
Quality Preparation of Mathematics and Science Teachers to Integrate ICT
Authors: Mungai John Njoroge
Published: September 2015

This chapter clearly illustrates that emphasis on preparation of teachers to integrate ICT is gaining momentum in the education sector. Arguably, underpinning this emphasis is the convergence of assertions that ICT integration has the potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Nonetheless, considering that the debate about effective teaching has overtime existed between two tensions, namely learner-centered and teacher-centered approaches, the additional concern now is how best to prepare teachers to integrate ICT. It is shown in this chapter that the best teaching approach is context specific since it facilitates the teachers' capacity to enhance student learning through quality teaching. The chapter reviews Teacher Professional Development programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and discusses what constitutes learner-centered education, ICT integration, and provides findings of a case study on preparation of science teachers using ICT.
Reference and Instruction Services as an Integrated Approach
Authors: Cordell Rosanne M.
Published: September 2015

Reference and instruction services in academic libraries were indistinguishable in their early development but were separated administratively as libraries and their programs grew. This organizational separation is not conducive to the coordination of these services, but steps can be taken which will benefit the functioning of each area.
Teacher Training and Technology
Authors: Dickerson Jeremy , Winslow Joseph , Lee Cheng Yuan
Published: September 2015

How is technology being used to train teachers to keep up with the rapid pace of change in schools and society today? This chapter discusses the utilization of technology for in-service (practicing) teacher training, a process known as professional development within the field of education. The chapter analyzes both formal and informal methods of technology integrated teacher training, presents examples of each, and discusses positive and negative implications. The chapter concludes with an examination of future trends in technology and their potential for significant impact on teacher professional development.
Teacher Professional Development
Authors: Tsai Tsung-Jui , Shih Ya-Chun
Published: September 2015

The teacher as researcher analyzed and documented his own professional development during the implementation of a program aimed at improving students' listening abilities via exposing them to podcasts and familiarizing them with metacognitive strategies. Seventeen senior high school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners participated in this study, with a second teacher acting as a facilitator. Action research procedures were employed to investigate the researcher's professional development, with the results indicating increases in both his Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) and his teacher efficacy. The findings in this chapter have implications for English teachers tasked with teaching listening and for researchers studying the pedagogical applications of podcasts and metacognitive strategies.
Different Approaches for Studying Interruptible Industrial Processes
Authors: Damiani Lorenzo , Giribone Pietro , Guizzi Guido , Revetria Roberto , Romano Elpidio
Published: September 2015

Simulation is the best tool used to predict the behavior of real world systems. For the analysis of complex systems, simulation is often used prior to the operation of the system as a mediator for a dynamic situation. This chapter presents the issue of complex systems simulation through Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and System Dynamics (SD) techniques. The Authors original approach stands in the combined employ of the two SD and DES simulation techniques to solve real logistic problems. In the course of the chapter, examples of real world issues regarding logistics are explained. In particular, the following case studies are provided: a production environment, a waste collection scheme, a hub base, a harbor including container terminal, bulk terminal and navigation channel.
Characterising Enterprise Application Integration Solutions as Discrete-Event Systems
Authors: Sawicki Sandro , Frantz Rafael Z. , Fernandes Vitor Manuel Basto , Roos-Frantz Fabricia , Yevseyeva Iryna , Corchuelo Rafael
Published: September 2015

It is not difficult to find an enterprise which has a software ecosystem composed of applications that were built using different technologies, data models, operating systems, and most often were not designed to exchange data and share functionalities. Enterprise Application Integration provides methodologies and tools to design and implement integration solutions. The state-of-the-art integration technologies provide a domain-specific language that enables the design of conceptual models for integration solutions. The analysis of integration solutions to predict their behaviour and find possible performance bottlenecks is an important activity that contributes to increase the quality of the delivered solutions, however, software engineers follow a costly, risky, and time-consuming approach. Integration solutions shall be understood as a discrete-event system. This chapter introduces a new approach based on simulation to take advantage of well-established techniques and tools for discrete-event simulation, cutting down cost, risk, and time to deliver better integration solutions.