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Article
Publication date: 1 June 1987

David Baker

Library assistants were originally considered to be professional librarians in the making, and were trained accordingly. With the expansion of libraries and librarianship…

Abstract

Library assistants were originally considered to be professional librarians in the making, and were trained accordingly. With the expansion of libraries and librarianship, Britain's “apprenticeship” system of qualification gave way to formal library school education, and a new category of “non‐professional staff” was created, of people who were unwilling or unable to proceed to graduate‐level qualification. The development of non‐professional certificates of competence in the UK is described against parallel developments in the US, Canada and Australia; the COMLA training modules are also examined. The theoretical and practical issues surrounding training are discussed, training schemes and qualifications in the four countries analysed, and the relative merits of in‐house training and external certificate programmes argued.

Details

Library Management, vol. 8 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Abstract

Details

A Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence Approach to Institutional Effectiveness in Higher Education
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-900-8

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2022

Ngan Yi Kitty Lam, Jeanne Tan, Anne Toomey and Ka Chun Jimmy Cheuk

This paper aims to investigate how different knitted structures affect the illuminative effect of polymeric optical fibres (POFs).

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how different knitted structures affect the illuminative effect of polymeric optical fibres (POFs).

Design/methodology/approach

Knit prototypes were constructed using a 7-gauge industrial hand flat knitting machine. The textile prototype swatches developed in this study tested POF illumination in three types of knitting structures: intervallic knit and float stitch structures; POF inlaid into double plain and full cardigan structures; and double plain and partial knitting structures. The illuminative effects of the POFs in seven prototype swatches were analysed and compared.

Findings

It is possible to use an industrial hand flat knitting machine to knit POFs. Longer floats expose more POFs, which boosts illumination but limits the textile’s horizontal stretchability. The openness of the full cardigan structure maximises POF exposure and contributes to even illumination. The partial knitting in different sections achieves the most complete physical integration of POFs into the knitted textiles but constrains the horizontal stretchability of the textiles.

Practical implications

The integration of POFs into knitted textiles provides a functional illuminative effect. Applications include but are not limited to fashion, architecture and interior design.

Originality/value

This study is novel, as it investigates new POF knitted textiles with different loop structures. This study examines how knit stitches affect POFs in intervallic knit and float stitch, inlaid POF double knit, double plain and partial knit and the illuminative effects of the knitted textile.

Details

Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1560-6074

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2024

Abdul Hafaz Ngah, Nurul Izni Kamarulzaman, Saifullizam Puteh, Nurul Ain Chua Abdullah, Nur Asma Ariffin and Long Fei

The current study investigates the factors influencing graduates’ perceived employability by utilizing the stimulus-organism-response theory, in the post pandemic era.

Abstract

Purpose

The current study investigates the factors influencing graduates’ perceived employability by utilizing the stimulus-organism-response theory, in the post pandemic era.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach was employed to examine the hypotheses of the research framework through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) on the SmartPLS software.

Findings

The result indicates that course structure has a positive effect on students’ grit and community of inquiry (CoI). Also, students’ grit and CoI have a positive relationship with students’ performance, while students’ performance has a positive relationship with perceived employability. Moreover, students’ grit, CoI and students’ performance sequentially mediated course structure and perceived employability, whereas readiness and self-directed learning strengthen the relationship between students’ performance and perceived employability.

Originality/value

The findings will benefit university management, government and potential employers on how confident the student is in the chances of a future career after graduating from a higher institution.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2004

William Drago and Jimmy Peltier

This study sought to determine the effect of class size on the evaluation of teaching effectiveness for on‐line courses using a standard student evaluation survey instrument. The…

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Abstract

This study sought to determine the effect of class size on the evaluation of teaching effectiveness for on‐line courses using a standard student evaluation survey instrument. The data set consists of all MBA courses taught online during an academic year at a large, regional Midwestern university in the U.S. Several simple regression analyses are performed with class size as the independent variable. Dependent variables analysed were global course effectiveness and summated indices representing “building blocks” of online effectiveness. These include course content, instructor support, course structure, student‐to‐student interaction and instructor to‐student interaction. Results indicate no significant relationship between class size and global course effectiveness. In addition, class size showed some significance in predicting instructor support and course structure. Unexpectedly the direction of this association was positive suggesting that larger classes lead to higher levels of instructor support and greater perceived course structure. A comparison to traditional courses is also provided.

Details

Management Research News, vol. 27 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0140-9174

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 July 2008

Francisco J. Lozano‐García, Guillermo Gándara, Orietta Perrni, Mario Manzano, Dora Elia Hernández and Donald Huisingh

The purpose of this paper is to present information about a team‐teaching course on sustainable development (SD) for educators in an institution of higher education, Monterrey…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present information about a team‐teaching course on sustainable development (SD) for educators in an institution of higher education, Monterrey Campus of ITESM in México.

Design/methodology/approach

Four faculty members were invited to work together with the Sustainable Campus Programme coordinator in the process of developing the “Educate‐the‐Educator's” SD course. The course was structured using lectures, readings, class role play activities, homework, and general discussion. Additionally, a workshop‐format was woven throughout the course; its function was to help the educators incorporate SD issues within their own courses.

Findings

It was found that a multi‐disciplinarily developed and delivered course is an effective vehicle for educating educators on SD. Documentation of some facets of the learning process further helped the “students” and the course leaders to better understand the whole learning process.

Originality/value

The paper's value rests on the interconnected structure, showing resonance with the triple bottom line, as well as many other dimensions linked with sustainable development. This structure increased the course participants' comprehension of sustainability. Furthermore, the use of concept maps and digraph theory to evaluate “faculty participants'” comprehension of the interconnections and dimensions of SD proved to be a successful innovation.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 10 January 2014

Learner-centered interactions determine the look and feel of online courses, influencing the way learners experience them. In this chapter we investigate considerations related to…

Abstract

Learner-centered interactions determine the look and feel of online courses, influencing the way learners experience them. In this chapter we investigate considerations related to three types of interactions: learner–content, learner–instructor, and learner–learner. Learners interact with content through the course structure and layout. They also interact with peers who may be cast in the role of community members, there to provide social support, or they may be more prominently cast as information providers and/or collaborators. The learner is at the center of both content and peer interactions. Instructor interactions set expectations for learners and facilitate learner interactions with content and peers. Instructors are instrumental forces in bringing about connections between learners, enabling the social presence necessary for collaboration. Instructor interaction may also be relational, enabling individualized connections between learners and the instructor. Redesign decisions center on creating a course structure that fits the learner and content and results in a satisfying course experience. We use the power of metaphor to bring into focus the most relevant considerations. In the end, we illustrate the redesign of a single course through the lens of three separate metaphors to demonstrate how metaphor shapes the process, bringing together design and interaction decisions to create unique and elegant course designs.

Book part
Publication date: 16 September 2021

Steven G. Wood

The potential benefits of structuring first-year general chemistry courses around an expert decision model (EDM) to help students develop conceptual understanding and sustainable…

Abstract

The potential benefits of structuring first-year general chemistry courses around an expert decision model (EDM) to help students develop conceptual understanding and sustainable problem-solving strategies are discussed, as is the creation of the EDM and the challenges faced in doing so. The usefulness of categorizing the course material as either process knowledge, conditional knowledge, or conceptual knowledge is also outlined. The EDM created for the course consists of four fundamental content domains branching out with a series of hierarchal questions and actions designed to guide students toward characterizing a question or solving a problem. The key characteristics of each of these domains are described along with aspects of this EDM structure that have been implemented over the past couple of years in the author’s classes and the impact this has had on the students and the author’s teaching.

Details

Decision-Based Learning: An Innovative Pedagogy that Unpacks Expert Knowledge for the Novice Learner
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80043-203-1

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 August 2016

Hazalina Hashim

The purpose of this paper is to reuse learning resources from course module and forum discussion in ODL settings and structure it with ontological representation.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reuse learning resources from course module and forum discussion in ODL settings and structure it with ontological representation.

Design/methodology/approach

Thus, an ontology is designed by extending simple knowledge organization system specification to structure the learning resources. Furthermore, a semantic forum system is proposed as a front end mechanism to represent the ontological structure designed for the learner to easily access, search and navigate the relevant knowledge of interest. In addition, this study evaluates the effectiveness of the proposed system along with three variables, namely, learners’ perceptions, system design perceptions and system content perceptions. Accordingly, a close-ended online survey was developed and administered to 74 online learners.

Findings

The findings demonstrate positive perceptions of the proposed system which is based on ontological representation as an effective learning system that is able to enhance the understanding of courses taught.

Originality/value

This paper presents an ontological structure approach to add meaning to the learning resources, indexed in such a way that it can be reused, searched, processed and shared.

Details

Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1858-3431

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 October 2015

Marjolein B. M. Zweekhorst, Wanda S. Konijn, Jacqueline Broerse and Jeroen Maas

Society is increasingly confronted with a range of complex social problems that need to be addressed using a research process based on collaboration between stakeholders from both…

Abstract

Society is increasingly confronted with a range of complex social problems that need to be addressed using a research process based on collaboration between stakeholders from both science and society and the integration of knowledge from different disciplines. This type of interdisciplinary research is more complex than mono disciplinary research and requires skills at the cognitive, inter-personal, and intra-personal levels. We present the experiences with an interdisciplinary master’s program. The research question we address is what educational strategy prepares students for interdisciplinary research on complex social problems? Since tasks which are too complex can frustrate students and create resistance, we argue for a gradual approach to inquiry-based learning. We interviewed both students and lecturers, and included curricula evaluations. We found that students can be trained in interdisciplinary research based on a gradual approach to open inquiry and we found a relationship between the complexity of cognitive tasks and the amount of learning in other domains. We argue that when students are challenged at the right level with appropriate guidance, the learning domains will reinforce each other. To keep students optimally challenged, it is crucial that the teachers adjust their role while directing students from structured inquiry towards open inquiry.

Details

Inquiry-Based Learning for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (Stem) Programs: A Conceptual and Practical Resource for Educators
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-850-2

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