Emancipation in cross-cultural IS research: The fine line between relativism and dictatorship of the intellectual

Critical research is becoming increasingly accepted as a valid approach to research in information systems. It is deemed to be particularly suitable for situations where researchers want to address conspicuous injustice, such as in areas of development or the digital divide. Critical research in information systems (CRIS), I will argue, is a possible approach to some of the ethical problems arising in the context of information and communication technology (ICT). It can be sensitive to the question of culture and therefore suitable for researching cross-cultural ethical questions in ICT. It is often unclear, however, what exactly critical research stands for and to what extent critical approaches are applicable across cultural boundaries. This paper will address these problems by proposing a definition of critical research as focused on changing the status quo and aiming for emancipation. It will then look at the question whether different cultures are compatible and comparable and what the role of culture in research on information systems is. The paper will then return to the question whether the critical intention to emancipate and empower humans is an expression of cultural imperialism or whether there are valid ways of promoting emancipation across cultural divides.     

German deaf people using text communication: short message service, TTY, relay services, fax, and e-mail

An online survey of German deaf people demonstrated that they use text communication through Short Message Service (SMS), e-mail, fax, and telephone typewriters (TTY) to communicate within communities of deaf and hearing people. SMS is used most, with more than 96% of respondents having access to a mobile phone. Most use is intrinsic and directed toward sociability (keeping in contact, and making arrangements with friends and family). However, there is some instrumental use (getting tasks or business accomplished, making appointments, and obtaining information). German survey respondents wanted a better relay service, more connectivity among the various technologies, and full interactivity in making calls by any technology. In comparison with an Australian sample, German deaf people could not rely on extensive relay services connecting people with a TTY to hearing telephone subscribers for calls of either a social or business nature.     

Joint routing and rate allocation for multiple video streams in ad-hoc wireless networks

INTRODUCTION Ad-hoc networks are attractive owing to their self-organizing nature and absence of a fixed infra- structure. They are particularly suited for communi- cation in disaster-affected areas, coordinating military operations, and sensing environmental conditions With the growing availability of supporting hardware and decreasing equipment cost, ad-hoc networking based applications are proliferating. Meshes of wire- less nodes are being deployed in cities and housing communities to…     

Firm-provided Training in Europe and the Limits of National Skills Strategies

This article addresses cross-country and cross-period differences in average levels of training activity from an institutional perspective. Firm-provided training in Europe between 1999 and 2010 is scrutinized in order to explore whether diverse institutional arrangements that can be linked to welfare state regimes can yield discernible cross-country patterns. An emphasis is placed on the limits of national skills strategies that are not well embedded in wider institutional environments. This is grounded in a view that policy efforts to influence training activity, involves nothing less than ‘reforming’ societies. Insights of this research should contribute both to a critical reflection of the EU's targets in the field of lifelong learning as well as supporting policy learning between member states.     

A multidimensional analysis of changes in mathematics motivation and engagement during high school

Despite concerns about declining interest and enrolments in mathematics, little research has examined change in a broad range of constructs reflecting mathematics motivation and engagement. The current study used an 11-factor model of motivation and engagement to evaluate levels of maths motivation compared to general academic motivation and to assess group-level and individual-level changes in maths motivation during secondary school. In a multicohort-multioccasion design, Australian students completed an adaptation of the Motivation and Engagement Scale in two consecutive school years. Ratings in mathematics were lower than general academic motivation on several scales but particularly on the planning and task management scales and for the year seven cohort. Mean ratings of valuing and task management decreased over the two years, while stability of mathematics motivation was moderate. Girls reported stronger anxiety, uncertain control and failure avoidance than boys, despite also reporting greater mastery focus. The findings demonstrate that a multidimensional model facilitates a differentiated analysis of possible reasons for a waning interest in mathematics.     

Identification and fostering of mathematically gifted students

In a three year research project, annual mathematics talent searches for highly able and motivated twelve year old students were conducted. Of these, 150 took part in a long term Saturday enrichment program to train their mathematical abilities in problem finding and problem solving. The article first discusses the educational and organizational constraints of programs for gifted children. Mathematical giftedness is defined by high achievement in two tests: The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-M) and the HTMB, a set of seven problems specially devised for the talent search. The philosophy of the teaching program is explained and illustrated by examples. Preliminary results indicate the considerable success of the program. Possible consequences for normal classroom teaching are indicated.     

胡杨部分生态指标对塔里木河下游应急输水的响应

向塔里木河下游应急生态输水对于胡杨为主体的荒漠河岸植被的恢复和自然更新产生了积极的影响.本文根据近5年对塔里木河下游阿拉干地区的大量野外调查数据,分析了应急输水对该地区地下水位上升及胡杨各项生态指标的影响.结果显示:随着应急生态输水的继续和扩大.塔河下游典型监测断面--阿拉干的地下水位逐渐抬升.水质得到改善,河道附近的地下水埋深已经由输水前的10～12 m抬升至5.5～6.2 m.胡杨的部分生态指标对输水有不同程度的响应;具体表现在,在垂直河道方向上,离河道越近胡杨各项生态指标,即盖度、郁闭度、冠幅、萌生枝、树冠疏失度以及次生苗和实生苗出现的频率等对输水的响应越显著.总体来说,在河道200m范围之内,生态输水对胡杨恢复的影响程度是显著的;在200～800m之间,为中度影响;800m以上的距离几乎无影响.