The balancing act of social enterprise: An IT emergence perspective

The significance of IT in the context of non-digital social enterprises (SEs) and its influence on the viability of such SEs have been less studied themes in information systems research. In the era of ubiquitous IT, SEs have increasing pressures to cope with the ever-dynamic technological domain while balancing their dual objectives. Data from a single revelatory case of Jaipur Rugs (JR), an SE situated in a developing country context (India), is used to fathom the peculiarities of the SE context with a focus on the sociomaterial phenomena of IT emergence. Using the three fundamental notions of sociomateriality theory (relationality, performativity, and practice) this interpretive study understands the mechanisms underlying the SE’s attempt to balance its financial and social sustainability objectives. Through the innovative use of IT, the SE establishes and maintains shared value, yielding stability and efficiency to the business (financial viability) while simultaneously ensuring scalability and effectiveness of their social impact. This study strengthens the perspective of IT as an emergent phenomenon situated in sociomaterial practices and fills a gap in organizational literature by examining such phenomenon in the rich context of SEs where achieving the balance between dual goals is increasingly dependent on non-human (IT) agents.     

The potential role of citizen conservation in re-shaping approaches to murals in an urban context

Public visual spaces, populated by a blend of community murals, unauthorised street art, and historic painted mercantile signs, are often the mark of an urban environment that is both progressive and eclectic. Changes in the aesthetic and cultural value of these urban mural forms have led to an increase in the appreciation and, in some instances, promotion of their artistic merit and cultural significance as examples of public art. However, examining the significance of these works, with a view to implementing a conservation approach is problematic. This is due to a number of practical and theoretical considerations that are primarily a result of the ephemeral existence of urban murals outside conventional exhibition spaces, and issues associated with their often fragmented ownership and uncertain authorship. Consequently, larger thinking on the interpretation, conservation assessment, and advocacy for the conservation of urban murals are required. Key to defining and implementing such strategies is contextualising the public visual spaces that these murals occupy and, as part of this, the local and wider communities’ perception of these murals as culturally significant objects as well as fostering awareness and understanding of appropriate measures aimed at their conservation. This paper examines the role of citizen science, or crowd-sourcing, of local community members in establishing a conservation dialogue and generating conservation- relevant data on urban murals. It looks specifically at a project involving a collection of in situ historic painted mercantile signs — also known as ghost signs — in the City of Port Phillip, Melbourne, Australia. The project fostered the establishment of an informed and open dialogue between conservation specialists and participants from the local community on the significance of local ghost signs whilst transferring knowledge on conservation processes and assessment methods. Working directly with community members, a programme was designed in which conservation and community knowledge of these urban art forms, could be collected and exchanged across digital platforms. This enabled researchers to examine how citizen science can be utilised as a research tool as well as a means to advocate for the conservation of collections of urban murals. It created the opportunity to consider the role of non-specialists and shared authorities in the collection and collation of conservation- relevant data and how information generated from what we call citizen conservation projects, can inform the way in which conservators evaluate and prioritize the conservation of urban cultural heritage. The data gathered and interpreted proved to be the most effective means of ‘conserving’ these often ephemeral forms of cultural material.     

一报还一报——探究《远大前程》中的主题之一

<远大前程>作为狄更斯晚期著名的作品,围绕主人公匹普的发展历程进行描述,颂扬了狄更斯的人道主义精神,并揭示了其作为维多利亚时代的作家所固有的性道德、家庭道德等方面的理论.狄更斯强调扬善惩恶,不能容忍道德低劣者有幸福的结局,总是把好的命运赋予那些道德上的正面人物.     

“分享图书经验”在语言教学中的运用

＂分享图书经验＂（Shared Reading Experience）是美国语言教学课堂上常用的一种教学方法。教师使用精心选择的大书,配合一系列的教学设计,培养学生的阅读兴趣,词汇运用,口语表达,思维拓展等直至提高整体语言水平。这种教学方法不仅对于启蒙阶段的母语教学有帮助,也可以借鉴到外语教学中去。     

狄更斯作品《远大前程》人物形象分析

狄更斯是西方著名的批判现实主义作家之一,塑造了无数的任务形象,而《远大前程》中的人物形象尤其是主人公波普的形象,保持了作者一贯的冷峻视角,但相对其他作品而言,却也有一些不同。《远大前程》是作者创作生涯后期的作品,是其更为成熟的思考。在作品中,波普前后有苦难善良、前程似锦以及最后的回归几个方面,本文笔者就从这几个方面出发,分析波普的人物形象,透析作者的思考。     

Socially shared metacognition of dyads of pupils in collaborative mathematical problem-solving processes

This study investigated how metacognition appears as a socially shared phenomenon within collaborative mathematical word-problem solving processes of dyads of high-achieving pupils. Four dyads solved problems of different difficulty levels. The pupils were 10 years old. The problem-solving activities were videotaped and transcribed in terms of verbal and nonverbal behaviours as well as of turns taken in communication (N = 14 675). Episodes of socially shared metacognition were identified and their function and focus analysed. There were significantly more and longer episodes of socially shared metacognition in difficult as compared to moderately difficult and easy problems. Their function was to facilitate or inhibit activities and their focus was on the situation model of the problem or on mathematical operations. Metacognitive experiences were found to trigger socially shared metacognition.     

共享调节学习中的监控过程:理论模型与解释案例

在共享调节学习的序列中,监控的目的在于确定团队尚未实现的内容,引导团队在需要的时候调整任务理解、目标计划和参与行为。对监控的测量、观察或分析,首先需要明确监控活动的基本过程。研究从监控的发生条件、内容维度、调节类型等方面梳理已有研究,据此构建共享调节监控的过程模型,探索监控的内在机制和动态过程。以上海市闵行区高中信息科技教研组的一次教研活动为解释案例,分析了协作中的监控过程,初步验证了模型的适切性。研究表明:“监控的产生”“识别与分析”“反思与评估”“调节与适应”四个阶段是按顺序进行的;监控活动主要由团队面临的困难和挑战所引起,其中,支架干预具有重要作用;虽然识别与分析会在很大程度上引起反思与评估,但是也有一部分会直接导致调节与适应;即便是成熟的教师协作团体,仍然存在一定程度的不适应行为,需要外界的干预和支持。通过对监控序列的剖析,可以开发相应的监控促进策略、干预支架和支持工具,优化共享调节的内部机制。文中个案也体现了共享调节及其监控活动在教师协作活动中的应用效果,对改进教师教研具有重要的实践意义。     

弘扬中华文化 共建共享资源——陕西地方文献专题数据库建设述评

本文描述了全国文化信息资源共享工程建设中,各地公共图书馆在地方文献专题数据库方面的成绩;介绍陕西省文化信息资源共享工程概况,以省级分中心陕西省图书馆所建地方文献专题数据库为例,阐述了专题数据库的建库实践及特色。     

外国中小学教育中绘本的运用

绘本作为国外小学和中学常见的课堂教材和课外读物,多年来在国内被误读为低幼读物.本文介绍了绘本的基本概念、叙事方式、阅读方式和推广途径,分析了国外绘本拥有大量作者和读者的原因,以期呼吁国内教育界能重视绘本的巨大教育价值.     

Language Convergence and Meaning Divergence: A Theory of Intercultural Communication

Abstract

Meaning lies at the core of intercultural communication. The ways in which meanings are made and the differences in meanings form a core problematic for intercultural communication. Yet intercultural communication theorists have yet to systematically explore the processes by which language and meanings converge and diverge within and across particular cultural milieus. The goal of the present analytical essay is to move the theory of language convergence/meaning divergence (LC/MD) into the intercultural communication realm. LC/MD processes discussed in the analysis include language convergence, meaning divergence through meaning clusters and meaning fragments, and the illusion of shared meanings. To illustrate ways in which LC/MD can be utilized by intercultural communication scholars, cults and morality as foreign policy are analyzed.