Showing papers in "Campus-wide Information Systems in 2014"

The use of social networking and learning management systems in English language teaching in higher education

Abstract: Purpose – The use of web-enhanced teaching of the English as a foreign language in higher education in Greece is addressed in this case study which examines the student's perceptions of online instruction using Moodle as a learning management system (LMS), with and without the use of Facebook (FB) as an adjunctive learning platform. The merging of this collaborative and interactive social platform with a LMS is explored, examining the attitudes of higher education foreign language learners toward Moodle as a LMS, and FB as an adjunctive informal learning environment. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Results are drawn from a pre-FB questionnaire after a term using Moodle only, and a post-FB questionnaire following a term using Moodle and FB. Findings – Results suggest that the use of web-based tools and social media changed the way students viewed the role of internet technology in the development of their English language learning. Most students (76 percent) agreed tha...

On the structure of the present-day convergence

Abstract: Purpose – A substantial number of researchers have investigated the global economic dynamics of this time to disprove unconditional convergence and refute its very idea, stating the phenomenon of conditional convergence instead. However, most respective papers limit their investigation period with the early or mid-2000s. In the authors’ opinion, some of the global trends which revealed themselves particularly clearly in the second half of the 2000s call for a revision of the convergence issue. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Several methodologies for measuring the global convergence/divergence trends exist in the economic literature. This paper seeks to contribute to the existing literature on unconditional β-convergence of the per capita incomes at the global level. Findings – In the recent years, the gap between high-income and middle-income countries is decreasing especially rapidly. The gap between high-income and low-income countries, meanwhile, is decreasing at ...

Gender representations in children's media and their influence

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the significant underrepresentation of females and stereotypical portrayals of both females and males that still exist in different kinds of media children are exposed to, as well as to various negative influences these may have on children's development. In addition, this paper intends to show up the potential positive effects of non-sexist gender representations in these media. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews studies that have been conducted on various kinds of media, in order to gain and provide a representative overview of gender portrayals and of possible influences they might have on children. Findings – Women are underrepresented in children's literature, television programs, as well as computer-related software. Traditional portrayals of females are also still the norm in these media that children are daily faced with. Alarming trends regarding the representations of males have also been found. The negative influence of se...

Using a synchronous online learning environment to promote and enhance transactional engagement beyond the classroom

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to create a synchronous online learning community through the use of Blackboard Collaborate! to promote and enhance transactional engagement outside the classroom. Design/methodology/approach – This paper employs a quantitative and qualitative approach where data were sourced from a third year finance unit across one semester using a survey instrument. SPSS v20 was used to perform basic descriptive analysis. Findings – The study revealed that by providing an online learning community through the use of Blackboard Collaborate! significantly enhances transactional engagement beyond the classroom. In particular the use of Blackboard Collaborate! allowed the teacher to be more accessible, supportive, expect and support high standards and provide challenging activities that generated rich and meaningful interactions and promoted higher order thinking skills. Research limitations/implications – The positive results emanating from this study may encourage other educators an...

Selecting a suitable Cloud Computing technology deployment model for an academic institute

Abstract: Purpose – Cloud Computing (CC) technology is getting implemented rapidly in the educational sector to improve learning, research and other administrative process. As evident from the literature review, most of these implementations are happening in the western countries such as USA, UK, while the level of implementation of CC in developing countries such as India is rare. Moreover, implementing CC technology in the educational sector require various decisions to be made by the managers of the Information Technology (IT) department such as selecting suitable deployment model, vendor providing cloud service, etc. in their respective university or institute. The purpose of this paper is to attempt to address one such decision. Since, different types of CC deployment are available; selecting a suitable one plays a key role, as it might have an impact on the requirements of various stakeholders such as students, teachers, administrative staff (especially the staff members in the IT department), etc. apart from...

Most Courses Are Not Born Digital: An Overview of the Quality Matters Peer Review Process for Online Course Design.

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design and certification, reports on the development of a statewide consortium in Ohio, and explores future directions in online courses. Design/methodology/approach – This paper offers a brief historical review of the incorporation of technology into teaching and learning. It describes attitudes toward online learning and the creation of the non-profit QM program as a vehicle for improving online course design. It summarizes the eight standards of the QM rubric, describes the QM peer review process, and discusses the implementation of the Ohio QM Consortium (OQMC) as a shared services model. Findings – Given existing barriers to online learning, the QM program can im...

Integration policies in Europe – a web-based search for consensus

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the present paper is to describe a web-based consensus-finding procedure, resulting in an agreement among the group of participants representing global stakeholders regarding the interdisciplinary topic in a university master's seminar on “Global Studies”. The result of the collectively elaborated solution pertains to the forward-looking and jointly agreed topic of migration policies. Design/methodology/approach – The core part of the web-based negotiation game “Surfing Global Change” utilised here is a controversial group discussion. A subsequent step creates an agreement among discussants. The group of participants, in this case co-authors of this paper, developed a final agreement on possible future political adaptations and guidelines to improve current standards in the global management of refugee and migration issues. Findings – The findings offer several political possibilities for European and African states including structural recommendations as well as cooperative devel...

Naming is taming: Outlining psycho-social hypotheses with regard to the present global situation

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to encourage a discourse aiming to better understand the “psycho-social situation” of many people – from a global perspective. The following “first hypotheses” are formulated; pointing to crucial “hidden agendas” which shall be “named” in order to focus attention towards these phenomena (“taming”). Design/methodology/approach – Following the news and the “official” comments in Europe and America allow – almost demand – the formulation of “suspicions” with regard to “silent” (unconscious) shifts in the “loud” societies. Findings – The present economic regime is broadening the division between rich and poor worldwide, as is known. However, there are also other, more hidden divisions emerging, especially between “official” (e.g. administration-announced) and “common” opinions and attitudes, despite a growing globalisation of information (access-wise and content-wise, not necessarily reaching out to all milieus). Research limitations/implications – Formulating hypotheses...

You can't always get what you want: change management in higher education

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively describe an attempt to enhance curriculum design and delivery processes in universities through the development and introduction of new information systems and procedures. Design/methodology/approach – The author examines the experiences of five out of the total 27 institutions involved in the UK JISC Curriculum Design and Delivery programme as they attempted to implement campus-wide changes. Findings – Common themes that emerged across all five projects were the interconnectedness of university systems, proliferation of alternative “feral” systems, a tendency for project remits to drift, resistance from other parts of the institution, planning imperatives, staff turnover and dependency failures. Conclusions are that cultural change underpins effective innovation and that cultural change is harder than technical innovation. Practical implications – Change is best achieved through participatory, campus-wide approaches, although a “submarine” strategy ...

Global world: a problem of governance

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to include the following items: to show the absolute necessity of managing the international community, to explore the fundamental possibility of managing the global world, to prove or disprove such a possibility, to determine the real background of global governance in modern conditions and to show the methods of transition toward global governance. Design/methodology/approach – The main methodological principles used in writing the paper are: the principle of the integrity of the world; the understanding of globalization as an objective historical process; the principle of historical sequence of the considered event; the principle of priority of the general over the particular, as well as of the global over the regional and the local. Findings – As a result of the proposed research, it is shown that the global world needs to be managed. Prerequisites for the management of the global world are identified, among which the most important are morality and rights. It is...

Forward looking needs systematised megatrends in suitable granularity

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to inquire about the applicability of the concept of granularity to the necessity of future research or – as often called in the European Union – forward looking (FL). After theoretical deliberation, it uses a planned world-wide information system as a case study for applying the notion of granularity regarding economic sectors, time steps, geographic regions and correlations for energy, water, land use and several other drivers of global change. Design/methodology/approach – A planet-wide information system might optimally include areas such as human development indicators, water demand and supply and deforestation issues. A short literature analysis on “granularity” shows this concept to have a highly culturally determined and constructivist nature. Findings – The spatial, temporal and sectoral granularity of data presentation strongly impacts conclusions and considerations while looking forward. Hence, granularity issues are of key importance for the question of w...

Journal benchmarking for strategic publication management and for improving journal positioning in the world ranking systems

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce and develop the methodology of journal benchmarking. Design/methodology/approach – The journal benchmarking method is understood to be an analytic procedure of continuous monitoring and comparing of the advance of specific journal(s) against that of competing journals in the same subject area, together with the application of best practices defined in order to improve a journal's own advance and gain a position among leading scientific journals. Findings – As a realization of this method, it is suggested to build up a journal scoreboard, which is a matrix of journal indicators, distributed for different journals. For the journal scoreboard on the subject of lasers and optics (36 journals, five indicators) a series of regression equations was built up that allow forecasts to be made for journals’ impact factor levels, depending on the International Collaboration and Reference per Document indicators included in the SCIMAGO database. Practical implications...

Institutional reorganisation can be inspired by forward-looking information systems

Abstract: Purpose – This paper is the continuation of an earlier paper in this journal on global megatrends provoking institutional changes. It contains sectoral analyses with relevance to environmental protection. Conclusions for suitable institutional reorganisation of (environmental or other) institutions are presented. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A planet-wide information system might optimally also include areas such as human development indicators, water supply and demand and deforestation issues. Findings – While administrations are increasingly oriented towards servicing a society, environmental institutions should specifically take care of global megatrends in the following areas: genetic engineering and biological safety, integrated plant technology in industry, climate protection, agriculture, noise, emissions and air pollution, sustainability, spatial planning and regional planning, radiation protection and nuclear power, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) an...

A framework for the design of computer-assisted simulation training for complex police situations

Abstract: The article reports progress concerning the design of a computer-assisted simulation training (CAST) platform for developing decision-making skills in police students. The overarching aim is to outline a theoretical framework for the design of computer-assisted simulation training to facilitate police students’ development of search techniques in complex interactions within the built environment, learning to apply and perform the five “quick peek” techniques for information gathering and subsequent risk evaluation. The article draws on Luckin’s (2010, 2008) ecology of resources model of learner context informed with perspectives on reflective thinking from Schon (1983, 1987). The article discusses design issues within the ecology of resources model applied on CAST for complex police situations.

Global Studies Means Forward-Looking.

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show, in a practical manner, that discursive procedures (mediated by online platforms or publication systems) enhance cultural understanding of distinct social entities such as Europe and Russia. Design/methodology/approach – Joint special issues convening authors from east and west in an equilibrated manner give an opportunity for in-depth review processes, in the course of which different paradigms of global evolution are perceived and reflected. Findings – If handled with care, information technologies are able to strongly support such stepwise consensus finding. The areas of futurology, forward looking, global megatrends, global evolution, globalistics and global studies are prime cases for the patient alignment of world views and multi-paradigmatic approach towards (ultimately) holistic and second-order science. Originality/value – Even in the face of diverse political realities a series of conferences, lectures and web-supported exercises for the authoring o...

Wadawurrung Dya Baap Ngobeeyt: teaching spatial mapping technologies

Abstract: Purpose – Aboriginal communities in Australia must have mapping information and technology to effectively and independently administer their land holdings and to define, evidence and thus protect their community and cultural identity. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot project that developed a customisable education programme to support Indigenous communities in the uptake of spatial mapping technologies to protect and manage cultural heritage in Victoria, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – A training programme to support Wadawurrung capabilities in spatial mapping technologies was developed, delivered and evaluated. Concurrently, the system's database was indigenised by Wadawurrung cultural heritage workers. Types and numbers of culturally significant sites mapped using the technologies were collated. The impact of the training and technologies for students and the Wadawurrung community was gauged through participation levels and evaluations. The approach to indigenous spatial mapping projects is informed by postcolonial theories interrogating neo-colonialist cartographic practices. Findings – Indigenous communities need to be resourced in the uptake of spatial mapping technologies and if universities are going to be involved in co-developing positive learning experiences that encourage the uptake of the technologies, they must have appropriate and respectful relationships with Aboriginal communities. Training programmes need to accommodate learners with diverse educational experiences and technological wherewithal. Research limitations/implications – Findings from the training evaluations are based on a small number of participants; however, they seem to be supported by literature. Practical implications – The education model developed is customisable for any Indigenous community in Australia. Social implications – The social and political importance of spatial mapping technologies for Indigenous Australians is evident as is the need for educational providers to have appropriate and respectful relationships with Aboriginal communities to co-develop positive learning experiences that encourage the uptake of the technologies. Originality/value – The Wadawurrung Dya Baap Ngobeeyt Cultural Heritage Mapping and Management Project developed practical strategies to build community capacity in Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management and Protection. The educational programme developed supported learners to use technologies in cultural heritage management. Data were collected using community-developed fields for inclusion and culturally appropriate encryption of data.

Dynamic scaffolding in a cloud-based problem representation system : Empowering pre-service teachers’ problem solving

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue for the need to develop pre-service teachers’ problem solving ability, in particular, in the context of real-world complex problems. Design/methodology/approach – To argue for the need to develop pre-service teachers’ problem solving skills, the authors describe a web-based problem representation system that is embedded with levels of scaffolding to support the claim. Findings – The authors’ conceptualisation of this cloud-based environment is also very much aligned with the development of pre-service teachers’ systems thinking. Teacher learning itself is a complex system that involves many processes, mechanisms and interactions of elements, and the outcomes may be highly unpredictable (Opfer and Pedder, 2011). As a result of the complex nature of teacher learning, it would be meaningful to frame teacher learning as a complex system. An approach to enable pre-service teachers to be aware of this complexity is to situate them in a systems thinking context. Or...

The landscape of Chinese open educational resources research

Abstract: Purpose – After the official definition of Open Educational Resources (OER) at the Forum on Open Courseware for Higher Education in Developing Countries in 2002, the concept was soon introduced to China and popularised among scholars, practitioners, and educators. After ten years of proliferation, it is important to explore the landscape of Chinese OER research. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper adopts social network analysis (SNA) to analyse the network defining the citations of 133 OER journal articles published in China. Findings – The findings illustrate that the academic circle of OER in China is small, which leads to restricted innovation. Most publications are produced by researchers working at comprehensive universities and normal universities (teachers colleges). Research limitations/implications – In these universities, a number of active OER researchers are emerging, but no OER research team can be identified from their citation networks. Currently...

Predictors of college students’ willingness to use social network services: The case of two Turkish universities

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine predictors of social network services use among college students at two Turkish universities, with particular emphasis on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Instagram. Design/methodology/approach – A written questionnaire was administered to 822 college students from various faculties. The data obtained from the corresponding questionnaire were analyzed using ordered logit analysis and four different models were independently estimated with respect to social network services. Findings – Ordered logit estimation results revealed that frequency of log in to social network sites, time spent on social network sites, and following event alerts were three predictors that had significant impact on the frequency of all four social network sites’ use. Particularly; event participation, information sharing, following on top ranked topics, and purchasing a product through social media were the other additional predictors of college students’ willingness to use the ...

Designing a field experience tracking system in the area of special education

Abstract: Purpose – To improve the quality of field experience, support field experience cooperation and streamline field experience management, the purpose of this paper is to describe the experience in using Activity Theory to design and develop a web-based field experience tracking system for a special education program. Design/methodology/approach – The authors used Activity Theory to design and develop a web-based field experience tracking system for a special education program. An in-depth evaluation of the developed web-based system including usability testing and actual use of the system was conducted. Findings – The evaluation and data analysis results demonstrate the value of Activity Theory and show that a web-based tracking system is a valuable tool to support the management of pre-service teachers’ field experiences. Originality/value – This is the first paper to discuss the design and development of field experience tracking system using Activity Theory. This paper can be used to motivate other develo...