Managing the complexity of centres of excellence: accommodating diversity in institutional logics

This article discusses how Centres of Excellence (CoE) and the existence of several logics in these centres can contribute to the differentiation of the strategic profiles of universities. The study sees research centres as a way to organize research activities in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in order to target both excellence but also societal challenges through focused thematic research. It reveals how societal challenges and their interpretation by these centres contribute to the differentiation of the strategic profiles of universities. Studies of centres of excellence programs in Sweden and Japan reveal differences in how their mission is formulated for relevance and excellence. The results indicate that contrasting missions of HEIs are accommodated through the dual logics of these centres relating both to autonomy and industry collaboration. The study shows that long-term funding gives these centres flexibility to set the agenda and focus on their strategic core activities. In other words, a logic of autonomy guides their strategic choices of research activities over the long-run as well as collaborators. Nevertheless, these centres are also developing strategies to cope with dilemmas stemming from the excellence-relevance and evaluation templates that emerge in the nexus of their collaborative ties with industry, government and universities.

     

我国中小学校长遴选制度的缺陷分析

随着基础教育改革和发展对中小学校长素质要求的不断提高,中小学校长遴选制度的创新已成为人们日益关注的教育课题。进行遴选制度创新首先必须把握既有遴选制度的缺陷。中小学校长遴选制度相对于其他领域领导人员选拔任用制度具有明显的滞后性;重培训轻遴选,难以形成校长遴选的竞争激励机制,不利于中小学校长的专业化发展,不能适应基础教育发展的要求,无法保障实体规定的充分实施。     

Discourse complexity of college writers with and without disabilities: a multidimensional analysis

The purpose of this study was to examine specific word- and sentence-level features most frequently used in the expository writing of four groups of college writers. Three groups were writers who demonstrated disabilities. Group 1 students (n = 87) demonstrated learning disabilities (LD); Group 2 (n = 50), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and Group 3 (n = 58), combined LD and ADHD. Group 4 consisted of writers with no history of a documented disability (n = 92). Computer-based analysis and structural equation modeling were used to group specific linguistic features identified in the expository essays across all four groups. The frequency of linguistic features, not errors, was analyzed. Four communication dimensions (factors) were identified for the four groups of writers, but the factor loadings and correlations were significantly different across groups. Furthermore, the relationships of specific linguistic features were studied as to their impact on the verbosity, quality, and lexical complexity of students' expository essays. It is interesting to note that very high correlations were found between verbosity, quality, and lexical complexity, suggesting that these constructs are not as separate in their functioning as might be supposed. Implications for assessment and instruction are provided.     

Cumulative trauma and symptom complexity in children: A path analysis

Multiple trauma exposures during childhood are associated with a range of psychological symptoms later in life. In this study, we examined whether the total number of different types of trauma experienced by children (cumulative trauma) is associated with the complexity of their subsequent symptomatology, where complexity is defined as the number of different symptom clusters simultaneously elevated into the clinical range. Children's symptoms in six different trauma-related areas (e.g., depression, anger, posttraumatic stress) were reported both by child clients and their caretakers in a clinical sample of 318 children. Path analysis revealed that accumulated exposure to multiple different trauma types predicts symptom complexity as reported by both children and their caretakers.     

Managing knowledge performance: testing the components of a knowledge management system on organizational performance

The main purpose of the current study is to validate the framework of knowledge management (KM) capabilities created by Gold (Towards a theory of organizational knowledge management capabilities. Doctoral dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) 2001) in a study of South Korean companies. However, the original framework did not provide a thorough explanation of the effect of incentives, which motivate and encourage the knowledge management process. In this study, the modified framework that includes incentives in the knowledge infrastructure capability was tested. Moreover, since there is a weak linkage between KM and organizational performance, this study used empirical evidence to identify the relationship between KM capabilities (KMC) and four perspectives of organizational performance. Since structural equation modeling (SEM) is mostly used to describe causal relationships among unobserved (latent) and observed variables, this study used SEM procedures to determine whether there were any structural relationships between knowledge management capabilities and four perspectives of organizational performance. Moreover, the SEM procedure is “a statistical test to find whether a model fits a set of data, whether it matches a theoretical expectation” (Vogt, Dictionary of statistics & methodology. Sage Publications Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, p 135, 2005). Therefore, this study also used SEM procedures to test a hypothesized model that had a good fit indicates that the model adequately describes the sample data. This study assumed that knowledge management capabilities could be divided into two types: knowledge infrastructure and process capabilities. The original hypothesized model showed that there was a positive relationship between knowledge management capabilities and organizational performance, but the overall model fit was insufficient to be accepted, because knowledge infrastructure and process capabilities were highly correlated. This study proposed two alternative models to find the best fit and found that knowledge infrastructure and process capabilities should be combined under the higher-order latent variable as subordinate latent variables. Lastly, there was a positive relationship between KMC and organizational performance. This study might not be free from common method bias to some degrees. It would be better to divide participants into two groups to respond to either the knowledge management capabilities survey or the organizational performance survey and to investigate the correlation between them. There are two main contributions for the field of knowledge management. First, this study attempted to integrate the fragmented literature of knowledge management into a holistic view and develop a framework for knowledge management. Moreover, this study found that there is a strong and positive relationship between KM infrastructure and process, which could refer that, to improve organizational performance, an organization should support KM processes, as well as build decent KM infrastructure. The results of this study would help KM practitioners to advocate the importance of KM to top managements.     

学分制下的高校体育选课系统的设计与应用

通过对学分制选课的内在要求和制约因素的研究,确定出西安理工大学的学分制体育选课模式,设计并实现了体育课网上选课系统,该系统能够准确统计学生选课情况,从而使选课课程得到灵活快速的调整,并且能够按照学生选课志愿进行自动调配,实现了在教学资源允许的情况下最大程度满足学生的选课需求这一目标。     

Managing differentiation of higher education system in Japan: connecting excellence and diversity

This article presents recent reform processes in Japanese higher education, concerning the tensions emerging within the system regarding ‘excellence’ and ‘diversity’. The article particularly focuses on how Japanese universities have reacted to the recent ‘competition’ and ‘differentiation’ policy promoted by the government, drawing on recent survey results conducted with academic managers at Japanese universities. It is interesting to examine the case of Japan, a historically diversified and differentiated national system, which has been changing rapidly with recent national ‘top-down’ policy reforms, followed by more recent and new bottom-up institutional initiatives. The study shows that universities are trying to achieve excellence, fulfilling different functions at the same time, aspiring to be excellent in teaching, research and social contribution without having institutional capacity to meet these expectations. Appropriate internal governance and external mediation mechanisms need to be created at the institutional level to manage diversification of the higher education system as a whole.     

Computer Acquisitions in Higher Education: Managing a Symbiotic Relationship

Computer purchases and acquisitions by institutions of higher education are important for their magnitude, the differences that distinguish their acquisitions from those of other buying units, and the benefits that both the university and the vendor enjoy from them. This article reports on the results of a study of these differences and benefits, and provides a normative model of behavior that enables both purchasers and vendors to manage their symbiotic relationship.     

Managing Endings in a Longitudinal Study: Respect for Persons

In this paper I describe and discuss the way that a book I had written on a five-year longitudinal study of school science teaching was received by the pupils and teachers it featured. By and large the pupils’ reception was positive. However, one group of teachers was deeply hurt by the book. I trace this mainly to my failure to consider adequately their fears of the consequences of the book’s publication and possibly to my failure to consider with them the psychological significance of my withdrawing from the school after five years of regular study. I hope that there are lessons not only for myself but also for others considering longitudinal and ethnographic research in science education and more broadly.     

Managing Quality Assurance in Higher Education: a Scottish Example

This article outlines the principal parameters of the quality debate in higher education and considers issues and developments from the standpoint of the different key stakeholders. The analysis will be illustrated by the experiences of the University of Strathclyde in developing transnational policies and procedures for the quality assurance of awards and programmes which it provides or validates. Internally, the University of Strathclyde operates within an ethos of academic and financial devolution to its five Faculties. Central steering has been targeted primarily at negotiating understandings and agreements and at promoting reflection, evaluation, monitoring, and the dissemination of good practice. Applying that philosophy to transnational education has presented some interesting challenges. These are discussed, including the development of agreements to guide validated arrangements and modifications to evaluation and monitoring for programmes delivered at a distance. These developments are now an integral part of the approach taken by Strathclyde to the management of quality assurance of educational programmes.     

An Internet-based expert system for selecting an academic major: www.MyMajors.com

An expert system is a computer program that emulates the procedures and thought processes by which one or more experts solve problems. This paper describes an Internet-based expert system found at www.MyMajors.com, which provides advice to high school students or college freshmen who are seeking assistance in selecting a potential major. It emulates a professional academic advisor. The on-demand, approximately 15-min consultation gathers information from the student on his or her grades, degree of enjoyment of traditional courses, standardized test scores, interests, and aptitudes. It assesses student qualifications for a variety of majors. The expert system recommends six majors from among 60 widely diverse majors for the students to consider and produces a report that fully describes the students' responses in such a way that the output can be used by a human advisor to further extend and strengthen the advisement process.     

ICT reform initiatives in Singapore schools: a complexity theory perspective

The past two decades have witnessed an exponential growth in the use of technology in our daily life. Notwithstanding its phenomenal influence, the use of technology in education remains sporadic and disjointed. The promise that technology will bring deep-seated changes in the way that educators teach and students learn remains, disappointedly, elusive. This paper argues that the lack of systemic frame of reference may have explanatory power over such less than impressive performance of ICT in education. Tracing the trajectory of Singapore’s ICT-related policies in the educational sector, this paper adopts the complexity lens to study the systemic policy changes that are imbued in the different stages of Singapore’s ICT-based reforms. In particular, the paper delves into the three constructs of complexity theory: self-organisation, coevolution and fitness landscape. By juxtaposing the interdependencies of these three concepts against the backdrop of Singapore’s educational landscape, the paper contends that the complexity theory perspective has the potential to help policymakers understand the dynamic and complex nature of reforms so as to devise multi-faceted solutions that will address the concerns of all key stakeholders in the learning ecology. Implications for policymaking are also discussed.     

略论宋代学校考选制度

以太学三舍为主的学校选官方式在北宋时期曾一度完全取代了科举取士,这在我中选官制度史上是空前绝后的。学校考选法要求学业道德并重,有利于统一士人的思想和行为规范,亦有利于其更好地为封建统治者服务。     

Career readiness: An analysis of text complexity for occupational reading materials

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the broader college and career readiness agenda encourage educators, researchers, and other stakeholders to focus on preparing students for life after high school. A key emphasis is literacy, as the ability to read and comprehend written language is critical to success in college and careers. Understanding the level of reading comprehension needed for college and careers has important instructional implications. This study examined text complexity levels of various career texts using the Reading Maturity Metric and compared them to expectations in the CCSS. Text samples were selected for jobs from the five job zones in the Occupational Information Network database. Text complexity demands for all careers were generally in the CCSS range of college and career readiness and increased as job zone and required preparation increased. Results could provide specific career-related targets to make the CCSS reading requirements more relevant for students.     

Managing conduct: a comparative policy analysis of safe schools policies in Toronto,Canada and Buffalo,USA

Public school districts in Buffalo, USA and Toronto, Canada reviewed their safe schools policies in 2008. Revised Codes of Conduct are compared to earlier versions and each other, and a conceptual policy web is used to understand how local, state/provincial, national, and international influences affect local safe school policies. The comparison demonstrates that while influenced by international beliefs about unsafe schools and youth violence, affected by local social, economic, and historical contexts, and constrained by state/provincial and federal policies, local school districts are nevertheless able to exercise some agency. The study also highlights the importance of Ontario's Human Rights Commission as a policy actor, and suggests zero tolerance for non‐serious incidents may be practised in Buffalo schools. This finding and the continued practice of excluding students from schools in both districts as a discipline approach casts doubt on the sincerity of governments' commitments to evidence‐based policy in education at all levels. Contributions of the conceptual policy web for policy analysis are discussed.