The interplay of cognitive and relational social capital dimensions in university-industry collaboration: Overcoming the experience barrier

The use of university-industry collaboration in the innovation process is viewed as a major driver of firm competitiveness. The organizational dynamics underlying successful external relationships, however, remain poorly understood. Using longitudinal case studies of 15 innovation projects, we examine how firms with varying degrees of experience in collaborating with universities and public research organizations rely on different social capital dimensions to achieve successful collaborations. We find that experienced firms establish external collaborations on the basis of cognitive social capital, but this basis is reinforced by relational social capital over time. Conversely, less experienced firms initially base their university collaborations on relational social capital, which is reinforced by cognitive social capital over time. Based on these findings, we theorize on the interplay of different dimensions of social capital in university-industry collaborations over time. Our study has important implications for the management of collaborative innovation projects. In particular, it provides guidance to enable less experienced firms to develop successful collaborations with university partners.     

Telecommunications technologies: New approaches to consumer information dissemination

Abstract

Since access to knowledge is a critical source of political and economic power, the new telecommunications technologies pose a challenge to business, government, and the academic community as well as private persons. The individual and social uses of the most recent technological applications in this field are explored in this paper; problems related to the harnessing of these advances to individual information needs and some of the policy issues generated by the new technologies are also discussed.     

Issues of access and usability in designing digital resources for children

The way children's cognitive states affect how they function in digital interfaces is examined through articles published between 1989 and 2010. Children have developmental limitations, such as underdeveloped motor skills, difficulties with spelling, and trouble understanding hierarchies, classification schemes, and metadata, that make it difficult for them to find information, and challenging for adult designers to accommodate their needs. From icons to metadata to hierarchies, the best research in designing digital resources for children, (OPACs such as Pejtersen's Book House, online public libraries such as the Internet Public Library, and online collections of books such as the International Children's Digital Library), places the child user at the center, and takes an interdisciplinary and intergenerational approach. The literature indicates that research in designing for children is valuable, not only because it seeks to improve children's experience with digital resources, but also because such research translates to other marginalized users and special needs populations.     

Executive functioning, metacognition, and self-perceived competence in elementary school children: an explorative study on their interrelations and their role for school achievement

In the present study, associations between executive functioning, metacognition, and self-perceived competence in the context of early academic outcomes were examined. A total of 209 children attending first grade were initially assessed in terms of their executive functioning and academic self-concept. One year later, children??s executive functioning, academic self-concept, metacognitive monitoring and control, as well as their achievement in mathematics and literacy were evaluated. Structural equation modeling revealed that executive functioning was significantly related to metacognitive control, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and that self-concept was substantially associated with metacognitive monitoring, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Individual differences in executive functioning and metacognitive control were significantly related to academic outcomes, with metacognitive control appearing to yield a more circumscribed influence on academic outcomes (only literacy) compared to executive functioning (literacy and mathematics).     

Professional role and identity of Icelandic preschool teachers: effects of stakeholders’ views

In this article, we explore the reality of Icelandic preschool teachers who are, as in most other countries, predominantly female. The gendered nature of the role and the current identity adopted by preschool teachers appear to impact on their perceived status and professionalism. In this process, stakeholders in early childhood education (ECE), as well as the preschool teachers themselves, play important parts. The question that underlies the paper is: ‘How do the views of preschool teachers and stakeholders in ECE affect the preschool teachers’ professional identity?’ The data used to answer the question are from focus group research carried out with preschool teachers and stakeholders in ECE in one community in Iceland. These stakeholders, besides preschool teachers and staff within the preschools, were parents, professionals at the municipal preschool office and politicians. The theoretical perspective informing the methodology of the research was ‘symbolic interactionism’ and the concept of ‘democratic professionalism’ was used as an aspirational framework to analyse the data. The findings reveal connections between the ideology relating to the preschool teachers’ educational role, their limited leadership and the gendered views of stakeholders. At the end of the paper, implications and recommendations for preschool teachers are suggested.     

Student planners in school and out of school: who is managing whom?

This paper examines the use of student planners (agendas) with elementary school students. It asks how teachers, students and parents in two classrooms engage in the literacy practice of using student planners. A literacy object originally introduced to manage schoolwork in and out of school for students with learning difficulties, planners are now used widely in school districts across North America. In this cross‐case analysis, planners are shown to be used for a number of functions beyond organising students’ schoolwork. The student planners were tools through which teachers, parents and publishers extended their spheres of influence – objects used to manage others when an individual was not physically present to do so and objects used to gain entry to the classrooms and homes for particular purposes.     

Rehearsals in Clinical Placements: Scaffolding Teacher Candidates' Literacy Instruction

ABSTRACT

Rehearsals are lesson enactments with feedback prior to implementation with students, and are one facet of practice-based teacher education with an aim to promote ambitious teaching in all contexts. This study explores how rehearsals, related to literacy instruction, were enacted in an urban K–8 school between teacher candidates and their mentor teachers. Data collection included two structured interviews with each mentor and teacher candidate, and two rehearsal observations. Results indicate classroom mentors (a) provided specific, contextualized, individualized feedback in a range of ways, (b) connected feedback to underlying principles, and (c) asked teacher candidates to “rewind” and reteach rehearsed segments integrating feedback, which garnered additional and more refined practice opportunities. This study suggests that in the right circumstances rehearsals, which typically occur in higher education coursework, can enhance literacy instruction in clinical settings. Limitations and recommendations for if and how to integrate rehearsals in K–12 settings are also provided.