Qualitative inequality: experiences of women in Ethiopian higher education

This article examines the lived experiences of women in Ethiopian higher education (HE) as a counterpoint to understandings of gender equity informed only by data on admission, progression and completions rates. Drawing on a critical qualitative inquiry approach, we analyse and interpret data drawn from focus group discussions with female students and academic women in two public universities in Ethiopia. Individual accounts and shared experiences of women in HE revealed that despite affirmative action policies that slightly benefit females at entry point, gender inequality persists in qualitative forms. Prejudice against women and sexual violence are highlighted as key expressions of qualitative gender inequalities in the two universities. It is argued that HE institutions in Ethiopia are male-dominated, hierarchical and hostile to women. Furthermore, taken-for-granted gender assumptions and beliefs at institutional, social relational and individual levels operate to make women conform to structures of disadvantage and in effect sustain the repressive gender relations.     

FREEDOM DAY II IN CHICAGO

The following article consists of extracts from a recent UNESCO report, Better Teachers, which describes a joint project of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the UNESCO Institute of Education in Beirut. The complete report is obtainable from UNIPUB, P. O. Box 433, New York, New York 10016.     

Providing for student voice in classroom management: teachers’ views

Recent research indicates that teachers would prefer to allow for more student voice in classroom discipline decision‐making than is currently the case. This paper identifies factors that teachers suggest inhibit them from implementing their ideas of best disciplinary practice. It also examines which classroom discipline issues teachers are willing to submit to student voice. Among the most important inhibitors of best disciplinary practice identified by almost 300 Australian secondary teachers were: too many things to do; classroom size and layout; and a lack of support from the school administration. When presented with 30 varying management issues, an independent group of approximately 250 primary and secondary teachers nominated classroom conventions (e.g. tidiness of the classroom) and issues related to teaching and learning (e.g. seating arrangements) as those that they were most prepared to negotiate with students. In contrast they would prefer to concentrate the power of decision‐making in their own hands when managing issues pertaining to safety of students and moral issues such as racial and sexual discrimination.     

Exploring E-Commerce Benefits for Businesses in a Developing Country

Developing countries are home to more than 80% of the world's population, and are the site for growing use of e-commerce. There are theoretical claims that e-commerce could bring significant benefits to firms in developing countries, but we know very little empirically about the actual outcomes of e-commerce implementation. Our article addresses this gap in knowledge through a survey of 92 businesses in South Africa, all of which have moved beyond the basic stage of e-commerce. The findings indicate that e-commerce benefits are, by and large, limited to improvements in intra- and interorganizational communications. More strategic benefits relating to market access, customer/supplier linkages or cost savings were not found in the majority (more than 80%) of organizations surveyed. This therefore limits the likelihood of broader benefits such as incorporation into global supply chains, disintermediation, and improved competitiveness. Turning this somewhat disappointing e-commerce picture around requires a multiprong strategy aimed at building the resources and capabilities of businesses, developing electronic-mediated business routines with partners and customers, and addressing national e-readiness and global trade regulation issues.     

Experimental validation of a continuous-time MCSI algorithm with bounded adaptive gains

Model reference adaptive control algorithms with minimal controller synthesis have proven to be an effective solution to tame the behaviour of linear systems subject to unknown or time-varying parameters, unmodelled dynamics and disturbances. However, a major drawback of the technique is that the adaptive control gains might exhibit an unbounded behaviour when facing bounded disturbances. Recently, a minimal controller synthesis algorithm with an integral part and either parameter projection or σ-modification strategies was proposed to guarantee boundedness of the adaptive gains. In this article, these controllers are experimentally validated for the first time by using an electro-mechanical system subject to significant rapidly varying disturbances and parametric uncertainty. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the modified minimal controller synthesis methods to keep the adaptive control gains bounded while providing, at the same time, tracking performances similar to that of the original algorithm.     

Understanding the evolution of e-government: The influence of systems of rules on public sector dynamics

Electronic government has been defined as the use of information and communication technologies in government settings. However, it is neither a homogeneous nor a static phenomenon. Recent empirical studies have identified two important dynamics in e-government evolution. First, e-government in general has evolved from its initial presence on the Internet to more transactional and integrated applications. Second, at the aggregate level and as a general trend, national governments have started adding technological and organizational sophistication and state and local governments have followed. Based on the study of systems of rules, this paper argues that these two dynamics in the evolution of e-government are, at least in part, the result of pressures from public managers attempting to solve problems and from citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders, attempting to control the actions of public managers. Both forces, related to performance and accountability, respectively, have promoted change in the systems of rules governing the design, implementation, and use of e-government initiatives. Specifically, they have generated a cycle that continually increases technological and organizational sophistication in e-government initiatives and have also promoted the episodic and evolving adoption of similar features across levels of government. These two related evolutionary dynamics and the characterization of e-government as systems of rules and standards have some important policy implications, which are briefly discussed at the end of the paper.     

The carrot,the stick,or the relationship: what are the effective disciplinary strategies?

The effectiveness of various management strategies has been of central concern in academic and educational debates on the role and nature of classroom discipline. Educational theorists and researchers have put forth a range of different models, each of which incorporates the use of a number of strategies. This article reports on a study that seeks to investigate the gamut of these strategies pragmatically and considers their affects on a range of factors, such as levels of student responsibility, misbehaviour, relationship with teachers, and connection to school. Analysis of the results offered in this article supports the judicious use of a combination of strategies involving the use of hinting, involvement, discussion, and recognition and rewards. The discussion focuses primarily on the benefits that can be achieved through a regulated process of positive discipline strategies, through which teachers and students can develop mutual respect and trust.     

Navigating the Gifted Bubble: Black Adults Reflecting on Their Transition Experiences in NYC Gifted Programs

Through the reflections of 17 Black adults who attended gifted schools in New York City, this qualitative study investigated how they transitioned into and through gifted programs as students. Findings suggest four themes: (a) Many students were referred to gifted programs during their elementary school experience either by their teachers or by their parents; (b) participants expressed having an easy transition into gifted programs in elementary because their schools and gifted programs were racially diverse and provided a welcoming school environment; (c) during middle and high school, participants noted difficulty transitioning through school as gifted students, due to being one of few Black students in their gifted programs, as well as having to attend schools outside of their neighborhood; and (d) despite this, through supportive relationships and community partnerships, they were able to find the space to survive (and thrive) in their programs. Recommendations are provided for educators to support gifted Black students.     

金发碧眼的对决 第二届国务总理杯世界业余围棋锦标赛

看到对局者的姓名,估计大家有些不适应,看棋谱习惯了看中文名字,突然看到两个老外名字,多多少少有点新鲜。这一期介绍了欧洲围棋的发展,下面我们将通过国务总理杯世界围棋锦标赛的一盘对局来具体了解一下欧洲棋手的实力。黑棋比利时的Ramon是那届比赛的一匹黑马,是前四轮仅有的保持全胜的五名棋手之一。而白棋罗马尼亚的Pop则是欧洲非常有名的棋手,他的水平应该代表了目前欧洲的最高水平。     

Addressing territorial digital divides through ICT strategies: Are investment decisions consistent with local needs?

Governments around the world are investing a great amount of resources on the development of an information society. These investments are particularly important as an attempt to close digital divides among countries and regions within countries. However, there is no clear evidence that suggests that current Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policies are helping align investments with the actual needs of the local contexts. Based on data about the allocation of 2014–2020 EU Funds, this paper analyzes the relationship between local needs and investment decisions aiming at bridging territorial digital divides. The results identify four different regional strategies developed around four policy goals: broadband, digital inclusion, digital government services, and the use of ICTs in enterprises. The results also show that unlike the past 2007–13 period, the allocations to these goals appear to be consistent with the ICT local context, i.e. funding for a given goal is higher in the regions that need it the most. Therefore, our main recommendation for the European Commission and Member States is to keep existing requirements for developing evidence-informed “Digital Growth” strategies for the next 2021–27 period. We also suggest to strengthen existing support tools for regional governments.