工程服务中心:构建工程创新实践教育的支撑体系——上海交通大学国家双创示范基地案例分析

在高等工程教育中学生自主实践创新教学活动极为重要,而当前高校普遍缺乏创新支撑服务平台及灵活的实践服务模式,学生在自主开展实践教学活动时常常需耗费大量的时间和成本去完成创新项目所需资源的准备;一轮轮的教学实践环境建设,由于多围绕课程、学科的培养体系投入,造成设备利用率低,与学生强烈的创新实践需求形成尖锐矛盾。本文基于当前国家双创示范基地中学生创新中心建设,创造性提出以工具借出、设备借用、远程加工、设计IP撮合等为特点的特色服务模式,持续大量地为学生提供基本器具资源使用和加工服务。围绕学生需求提供"创新实践图书馆"式的服务,为学生创造创新实践的服务环境。本文就设备借出、3D打印等具体工程服务分中心建设的内容、目标和服务模式,阐述了这类创新实践服务中心的建设模式,需要解决的问题和实施思路。实践证明,建设工程服务中心能有效解决设备利用率问题,更好地培养大规模勇于投身实践的创新人才,为高校创新人才培养模式开辟新途径。     

问题式教学法对工科大学生批判性思维倾向影响的实证研究

采用不相等实验组对照组前后测准实验研究,并辅以行为观察数据和质性资料分析,探究在"基本电路理论"课程教学中采取问题式教学法促进工科大学生批判性思维倾向的发展。研究表明,问题式教学对工科大学生的批判性思维倾向有显著的促进作用。作者认为,为有效开展问题式教学以促进学生批判性思维发展,应注意:(1)教师需具备良好的批判性思维精神;(2)积极营造良好的思考情境和氛围,鼓励与引导学生发现和解决问题;(3)应根据学生基础设置难易适当的问题,营造问题讨论的安全教学氛围;(4)积极引导讨论小组确定合适的讨论问题和组内讨论规则,充分利用信息技术辅助教学。     

Sustainability of independent community archives in China: a case study

There are three models for community archives in China. The first one is where community archives are kept in government-funded/government-established museums or archives. The second is where community archives are kept by scholarly organizations such as universities. The third involves the community establishing its own archive. This last model is very unusual in China. The PiCun Culture and Art Museum of Migrant Labor (PCMML) provides an example of this model as it is the only independent community archives focusing on migrant workers in China. This paper explores the emergence and development of PCMML, its impact on community members and challenges faced including funding and staffing, but also those unique to China—PCMML is greatly influenced by a range of national and local government policies and regulations. Conclusions are that survival strategies for independent community archives in China are dependent on three dimensions: the community itself, society and the government. Cultural consciousness of the community is the premise for the establishment and sustainability of independent community archives, and independent community archives can be the public space to cultivate cultural consciousness of community members and thus activates community members’ agency to document, preserve and disseminate their own history. At the same time, independent community archives also need to engage with broader society to avoid involution and gain support and understanding. Independent community archives are constrained by government policies and regulations, so it is essential for them to develop strategic relationships with government.     

An Investigation of Textbook Vetting and Evaluation Process in Tanzania

Textbook vetting and evaluation process intends to ensure that the materials provided are relevant, of the required quality, suitable ad would enhance learning efficiency and effectiveness. The paper investigates the role of publishers and Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) in the textbooks vetting and evaluation process; examines factors used to vet, evaluate and approve primary and secondary school textbooks in Tanzania and proposes Strategies that would enhance the textbook vetting, evaluation and process. The study used a mixed method research design. Respondents were selected educational publishers; MoEVT, Baraza la Kiswahili Tanzania, TIE, and Publishers Association of Tanzania. Questionnaire and semi- structured interview were used to collect data which were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Major findings of the study were; textbooks vetting and evaluation process is not professionally conducted although standard criteria have been established; there is not well established roles among key players involved in the vetting and evaluation process leading to conflict of interest between TIE and the publishers. The study recommends establishing an independent professional evaluation board and a well-defined timetable and effective communication among various players; enacting a book policy and adopting a limited multiple-textbook publishing system.     

The Motivations of Book Publishers in Germany and Australia: An Empirical Comparison

Our study compares the motivations of Australian and German book publishers. The results demonstrate remarkable similarities, but also a significant difference regarding the effects of the publishers’ self-concept. In the German case the publishers with a dominant economic orientation are more proactive than the publishers with a dominant cultural orientation. In the Australian case, this correlation does not exist. The same difference holds for the relationship between the economic orientation and extrinsic motivation. We discuss these results and examine empirical evidence and theoretical suggestions to explain the differing findings. The data stem from surveys conducted in the two countries with responses of 196 (Germany) and 54 publishers (Australia).     

International Collaboration and Openness in Jordanian Research Output: A 10-year Publications Feedback

Previous reports stressed on the importance of international collaboration and open access (OA) publishing, as they increase the quality of the research and increase its benefits. In this study, we will assess Jordanian international research collaboration and OA publishing in the past 10 years. We performed a Scopus search for Jordanian publications in the years 2008–2017, where we extracted and calculated the total number of publications, publications in OA journals, publications with international collaborations. Moreover, we assessed the disciplines Jordanians usually publish in. During the 10-year interval, we found a total of 20,359 Jordan-affiliated publications indexed in Scopus. We found a dramatic increase in number of publications with international collaboration from 38% in 2008 reaching 53.3% in 2017, and an increase in OA publications from 7.3% of the total publications in 2008, reaching 18.7% of the total publications in 2017. Total number of Scopus indexed publications from Jordan has increased by 57.9% over the past 10 years. Although international collaboration and OA publications have dramatically increased in recent years, Jordanian researchers should focus more on international collaboration with developed countries and on self-archiving their publications.     

The Dynamic Landscape of Marketing Children’s Books: Publishers Find Consistent Success Through a Combination of Online and Traditional Marketing to Adults and Children

There are a number of challenges unique to the children’s book sector faced by publishers in today’s digitally-dominant business market, making it more crucial than ever for children’s book marketers to create multifaceted marketing plans that include differing but complementary approaches. Among the common marketing challenges specific to children’s books are overabundance of content, competition, access to the library market, the digital versus print dichotomy, difficulty of marketing directly to young readers on the Internet, and the dual (child and adult) target audience. While some marketing tactics must effectively attract the attention of the child reader, it is of fundamental importance (with some exceptions) for publishers, authors, and marketers of children’s books to also ensure their marketing techniques target the adult gatekeepers who are likely to purchase those books. Depending upon various factors, including age range of the reader and subject matter, marketers of children’s books are most successful when applying a mix of traditional and digital marketing techniques.