Interaction between the learners’ initial grasp of the object of learning and the learning resource afforded

Two studies are reported in this paper. The object of learning in both is the economic principle of changes in price as a function of changes in the relative magnitude of changes in demand and supply. The patterns of variation and invariance, defining the conditions compared were built into pedagogical tools (text, graphs, and worksheets). The first study is the latest in a series of studies aiming to test the fundamental conjecture of the Variation Theory of Learning that new meanings are acquired from experiencing differences against a background of sameness, rather than experiencing sameness against a background of differences. The study compares the learning outcomes under conditions consistent with the basic conjecture with the learning outcomes under conditions not consistent with the theory. The results support the conjecture. The second study shows, however, that the conditions that are consistent with the theory cannot be decided unless the learners’ pre-requisites for the task in question are taken into consideration. One set of the pedagogical tools was found to be highly effective for learners with a better initial grasp of the object of learning, while another set was found to be equally effective for learners with a weaker initial grasp of the object of learning. The two sets were equally ineffective when used for the “wrong” group of learners.     

Africa and international policy making for lifelong learning: textual revelations

This paper discusses the relationship between international agendas for lifelong learning and financial aid for low income countries, especially those on the African continent. It argues that there are subtle differences in terminology written by policymakers respectively in Europe and South Africa for lifelong learning but that international development agendas reinscribe lifelong learning for countries in receipt of development aid. Taking a postcolonial perspective the paper provides a textual analysis of case examples from policy documents in two African countries to demonstrate how international aid priorities negatively affect government choices and policies for lifelong learning, in spite of more regional analyses of the role of education and lifelong learning for the continent's development needs. It argues that the inclusion of indigenous worldviews from the south have potential to enhance a global agenda for the social purpose element of lifelong learning.     

New Learning: a different way of approaching conference evaluation

New Learning (NL) is an innovative process aimed at collaborative learning in professional and scholarly events and is a new way of approaching evaluation at professional conferences. NL is a process integral to a conference that focuses on the learner and how and what they learn, rather than on presenters and presentations. Whereas most professional conferences claim learning as a primary objective, seldom do any structure or evaluate to maximize that objective. The NL process helps to structure and assess organizational learning as a primary outcome in addition to providing avenues for collection of traditional evaluation information. This article explains the NL process, reviews the literature of learning and evaluation, describes what NL is and how it works, and then compares and contrasts it with traditional evaluation methods and theory. It concludes with implications for future applications and research for NL.     

Approaches to the international recognition of professional qualifications in engineering and the sciences

The recognition and regulation of professional qualifications has sometimes been handled by state bureaucracies and sometimes by professionals themselves. However, professional services are now being provided within global operations and professionals are practising beyond the nation-state in which they were trained. There is a developing need for the international recognition of professional qualifications. It is becoming increasingly important that individuals, and the organizations which employ them, can feel confident that their qualifications are recognized and that professional licences are protected in international markets. This paper reviews the various approaches to the international recognition of professional qualifications and attempts an evaluation with respect to engineering, technology and the sciences. It continues with an examination of the challenges currently facing the international professional federations in these respects.     

Variatio Est Mater Studiorum

There is no learning without discernment. And there is no discernment without variation. If good teaching is about making learning possible, how do good teachers help students experience variation? In this paper, we argue that they constitute a space of learning which contains those aspects of the object of learning that are subject to variation simultaneously. For learning to occur, whether it be in the formal learning contexts established by these teachers, or in the less formal contexts of participation in social practices, there must necessarily be a certain pattern of variation present to experience, and this pattern must be experienced.     

The Core-Periphery Problem in Communication Research: A Network Analysis of Leading Publication

Is communication and media research a deeply international field? Are there real and extensive collaborations between various cultures represented on the highest level? In our current research, we analyzed the most recent 620 articles written by 1456 authors and published in 63 SCImago Scopus Q1-ranked journals in communication and media studies (CMS) to reveal the patterns of scientific contribution, the well-connected network of winner-countries, and the sporadic presence of loser or Matthew-countries. We used CATMA and Gephi software to analyze and visualize the distribution patterns behind scientific publications. Our results show that the network of collaboration in CMS is very sparse, most of the scientific publications are written by authors from a very few winner-countries, and the real loser of the field is obviously the CEE region with its lonely, disconnected, and marginalized representatives.     

Sex and the Quiet Schoolgirl

The article is based on a year's ethnographic work at a West Midlands comprehensive school, which is described. The usual genderising pattern of subject choice and behaviour are identified, and used as the basis of an analysis of the differences, real and imagined, between boys and girls and their expectations of secondary schooling.

Having identified quietness as one of the distinguishing characteristics of girls at Cator Park school, I relate this to their own assessment of how they accommodate to the demands of school. This highly selective adaptation is suggested as one reason why the boys are puzzled by the behaviour of girls in school, and it is suggested that it allows the girls to retain their private identity outside school. The conclusion is that quietness is a successful adaptation to the situation of girls in school, and should not be viewed as a weakness.     

Crossing the communication divide: Intergroup contact and the desire to learn the outgroup’s language

This paper explores the role of ethnolinguistic vitality and intergroup contact in changing attitudes and the interest to learn Hungarian among Slovak-speaking secondary school students in Southern Slovakia (N?=?225). Several indirect paths linking the all these variables were found. In general, lower local ethnolinguistic vitality of Hungarian decreased intergroup anxiety and increased the quality of contact with members of the Hungarian minority, which led to a more positive attitude toward the Hungarian minority, and enhanced the interest to learn Hungarian.     

Navigating OER: The Library’s Role in Bringing OER to Campus

In 2014, three librarians at the University of San Diego came together to explore open educational resources (OER). Coming from both technical services and digital collections, we were well-versed in the economic challenges facing today’s libraries. In order to formulate the approach that would work best for our campus, we first had to educate ourselves on the past, present, and possible future of the Open Access movement. While traditionally Open Access has focused on serials, OER offer the opportunity to expand its benefits to other formats. This article examines opportunities and tensions surrounding OER, as well as highlighting major players on the OER landscape. Our efforts began with a focus group for faculty to assess their own knowledge of and opinions on OER. After establishing a stipend budget, we sent out a call for proposals to faculty who were interested in participating in the Copley OER Initiative.