Multi-stakeholder process strengthens agricultural innovations and sustainable livelihoods of farmers in Southern Nigeria

Purpose: In this paper, we explore the strategic role of Multi-stakeholder processes (MSP) in agricultural innovations and how it has impacted livelihood assets’ (LAs) capital dynamics of stakeholders in platforms in West Africa.

Design/Methodology/Approach: We demonstrate how LA capitals and socio-economic dynamics induced by MSP can enhance cassava production efficiency but also create opportunities and challenges that influence platform dynamics and impacts. We use a multistage sampling procedure and sustainable livelihood model (e.g. stochastic frontier functions and Tobit regression) to analyse LA capital dynamics of the stakeholders.

Findings: We showed that the LA of the MSP participants (0.72) was found to be significantly higher (χ²?=?3.732, p?Practical implications: We recommend the institutionalization of MSP in the Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) with more extension follow-up services so as to adequately and appropriately unleash the potentials in social capital networks that enable the development, effective dissemination and adoption of agricultural innovations.

Theoretical implications: This study suggests that soft-transfer of technologies seems to dominate at MSP inception. But at maturity, the results of the struggle between researchers and farmers would lead to co-reaction and community-based research. Consequently, the knowledge and power dynamics that take place within the MSP should be considered the centre of co-construction and platform dynamics.

Originality/Values: The study provided a practical experience on how MSP can be institutionalized in the AR4D programmes to support agricultural innovation systems and foster pro-poor growth and livelihoods.     

The preparation of cognitively agile principals for turnaround schools: a leadership preparation programme study

The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of two educational leadership university programmes to improve the cognitive agility of their graduates. The research looked to discover whether the aspiring principals exited the programmes with an increased ability to employ cognitive agility – the ability to use the multiple thinking skills of systems thinking, reflecting, and reframing – when engaged in their professional work and solving problems. Both Masters programmes were in School Leadership, offered through the same university department and following the same core curriculum leading to Level 1 educational leadership certification. The results indicate that of the two programmes studied, the Principal Rapid Orientation and Preparation in Educational Leadership (PROPEL) programme, designed to prepare leaders for turnaround schools, produced more cognitively agile graduates than the traditional Master’s programme. The mediating variables of participants’ years of experience and budget responsibility increased the level of cognitive agility of both programme’s graduates.     

用PLC实现机械手对铸造成型机的自动送料控制

介绍用PLC实现机械手对铸造成型机的自动送料控制，论述其软件设计过程，并给出实现其主要功能的梯形图程序。     

冲击活塞热挤压工艺及模具设计

通过对零件生产制坯工艺的改进,将胎模锻改为热挤压,并在设计热挤压模具时反复试验改进,最终取得良好效果,提高了产品的使用寿命,节约了材料.     

The conceptual change approach to improving teaching and learning: An evaluation of a Hong Kong staff development programme

This paper reports a study ofthe effectiveness of an innovative approach tostaff development, the conceptual changeapproach, which attempts to change teachers'frameworks for conceptualising teaching andlearning. The evaluation investigated theprogramme at three levels: the impact on theconceptions of teaching of the participants,the resultant impact on teaching practices, andthe consequential effect on student learning.Encouraging results were obtained. Theprogramme brought about detectable conceptualchange or conceptual development in two-thirdsof the sample group. Subsequently, all the`changed' teachers received better ratings ontheir teaching practices from their students inthe following academic year while none of thosewho did not change their conceptions showedsimilar gains in student rating scores. Aresultant positive impact on their students'studying approaches was observed for half ofthe teachers who changed their conceptions.     

Teacher Perceptions of Moodle and Throughput in a Blended Learning Programme for In-Service Secondary School Mathematics Teachers

The purpose of this article is to analyse teachers’ perceptions of using the modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment (Moodle) platform as a learning management system in a small-scale blended learning (b-learning) Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme for in-service secondary school mathematics teachers in South Africa. It describes how the Moodle platform was used in combination with on-campus and later off-campus contact sessions for a widely dispersed population of 76 in-service mathematics teachers over a four-year period. Qualitative data was gathered by means of a questionnaire with open-ended items, while quantitative data was gathered from the centre's archives. The main findings were that Moodle enabled in-service teachers to experience social, cognitive and teaching presences, through synchronous and asynchronous discussions with peers and facilitators, and a teaching presence by submitting their inquiries and assignments online for facilitators to provide them with answers and feedback. The main obstacles to the integration of Moodle were limited availability of technology, slow speed, and unaffordable cost when available. With increased broadband connectivity Moodle holds the prospect for diversifying b-learning experiences that can support teachers’ professional learning outcomes and throughput for distributed populations of practising mathematics teachers, in particular.     

高师美术教育专业课程设置应突出师范性

高师美术教育专业现行的课程设置没有真正地体现“师范性”的特征，不利于培养高素质的美术教学人才。能实现“师范性”的高师美术教育专业的课程设置应体现在专业技法课、专业理论课以及教育类课程等诸方面。这样，学生的教师角色意识、教学技能以及教学理论等，才会在方方面面的学习中逐步增强和掌握，有利于缩短日后走上教师岗位的磨合期。     

师专有机化学实验同步互联式教学方案初探

提出了有机化学实验的同步互联式教学方案,即以制备实验为主线,将各专题基本操作实验分解在各制备实验之中,同时利用制备实验过程中的空闲时间插入相关的有机化合物性质实验．     

浅谈爱丁堡学派科学知识社会学的基本观点

科学知识社会学产生于20世纪70年代,并迅速产生了国际性影响。科学知识社会学流派中发展最为成熟、最具代表性的爱丁堡学派有以下主要理论观点：一是其理论核心“强纲领”,二是其说明模式“利益理论”,三是其建构方法“有限论”。     

美国大学教师退休政策变革趋势研究

本文运用调查数据对美国大学教师退休收入计划、退休奖励计划、分阶段退休计划、退后福利情况以及退休与招聘、留用的政策进行了比较分析,充分揭示了当前美国大学教师退休政策的变革趋势,得出待遇确定型(DB)计划仍具生命力,分阶段退休计划方兴未艾和教师退休工作相比教师招聘和留用不被重视三个结论,对我国未来高等院校教师退休制度的变革提供了极好的借鉴.