Abstract: Five years after the newest English curriculum, reform policy was enacted in China and hand-wringing spread among teachers who accused that this is another “wearing new shoes to walk the old road” policy. This paper provides a thoroughly philosophical policy analysis of serious efforts that had been made to support this reform and revealed the hindrances that bridled the reform to yield the desired effect. Blame could be easily put on teachers for their insufficient pedagogical content knowledge, conservative resistance, and the handicaps of large class sizes and limited teaching times and so on. However, the underlying causes for this implementation failure are the interrelated factors in the NCEE-centred education system, such as the reluctance from students, the lack of school and education bureau support and insufficient teacher training. A further discussion of the 2017 to 2020’s NCEE reform on English prompts new possibilities for the authentic pedagogical approach reform in secondary English classes. In all, the pedagogical approach reform at the secondary level is heading towards a brighter future with the initiation of new NCEE reform.
Abstract: Collaboration is a powerful tool for professional development and central for creating opportunities for teachers to reflect on their practice. However, school districts continue to have difficulty both implementing and sustaining collaboration. The purpose of this research was to investigate the experience of the teacher in a creative, instructional collaboration. The teachers in this study found that teacher-initiated collaboration offered them trust and they were more open with their partners. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for this study as it told the story of the teacher’s experience. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was chosen for this study to capture the complex and contextual nature of the teacher experience from a creative, instructional collaborative experience. This study sought to answer the question of how teachers in a private, faith-based school experience collaboration. In particular, the researcher engaged the study’s participants in interviews where they shared their unique perspectives on their experiences in relation to this phenomenon. Through the use of interpretative phenomenological analysis, the researcher interpreted the experiences of each participant in an attempt to gain deeper insight into how teachers made sense of their understanding of collaboration. In addition to the researcher’s interpreting the meaning of this construct for each research participant, this study gave a voice to the individual experiences and positionality of each participant at the research site. Moreover, the key findings presented in this study shed light on how teachers within this particular context participated in and made sense of their experience of creating an instructional collaborative. The research presented the findings that speak to the meaning that each research participant experienced in their relation to participating in building a collaborative culture and its effect on professional and personal growth. The researcher provided recommendations for future practice and research possibilities. The research findings demonstrated the unique experiences of each participant as well as a connection to the literature within the field of teacher professional development. The results also supported the claim that teacher collaboration can facilitate school reform. Participating teachers felt less isolation and developed more teacher knowledge.
Abstract: Italian Central Guarantee Fund (CGF) has the purpose to facilitate Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)’ access to credit. The aim of the paper is to study the evaluation method adopted by the CGF with regard to SMEs requiring its intervention. This is even more important in the light of the recent CGF reform. We analyse an initial sample of more than 500.000 guarantees from 2012 to 2018. We distinguish between a counter-guarantee delivered to a mutual guarantee institution and a guarantee directly delivered to a bank. We investigate the impact of variables related to the operations and the SMEs on Altman Z’’-score and the score consistent with CGF methodology. We verify that the type of intervention affects the scores and the initial condition changes with the new assessment criterions.
Abstract: The Norwegian ‘knowledge promotion reform’ was implemented in elementary schools and upper secondary schools in 2006. The goal of the reform was that all pupils should develop basic skills and competencies in order to take an active part in the knowledge society. This paper discusses how governmentality as a management principle is demonstrated through the Norwegian ‘knowledge promotion reform’. Evaluation reports and political documents are the basis for the discussion. The ‘knowledge promotion reform’ was including quality assurance for schools, teachers, and students and the authorities retained control by using curricula and national tests. The reform promoted several intentions that were not reached. In light of governmentality, it seemed that thoughts and intentions by the authorities differed from those in the world of practice. The quality assurances did not motivate the practitioners to be self-governing. The relationship between the authorities and the implementation actors was weak, and the reform was, therefore, difficult to implement in practice.
Abstract: With the rapid development of information technology, project management has gained more and more attention recently. Based on CDIO, this paper proposes some teaching reform ideas for software project management curriculum. We first change from Teacher-centered classroom to Student-centered and adopt project-driven, scenario animation show, teaching rhythms, case study and team work practice to improve students' learning enthusiasm. Results showed these attempts have been well received and very effective; as well, students prefer to learn with this curriculum more than before the reform.
Abstract: The non-effectiveness of certain codified human rights is particularly apparent with reference to the lack of access to essential drugs in developing countries, which represents a breach of the human right to receive adequate health assistance. This paper underlines the conflict and the legal contradictions between human rights, namely health rights, international Intellectual Property Rights, in particular patent law, as well as international trade law. The paper discusses the crucial links between R&D costs for innovation, patents and new medical drugs, with the goal of reformulating the hierarchies of priorities and of interests at stake in the international intellectual property (IP) law system. Different from what happens today, International patent law should be a legal instrument apt at rebalancing an axiological asymmetry between the (conflicting) needs at stake The core argument in the paper is the proposal of an alternative pathway, namely a feasible proposal for a patent law reform. IP laws tend to balance the benefits deriving from innovation with the costs of the provided monopoly, but since developing countries and industrialized countries are in completely different political and economic situations, it is necessary to (re)modulate such exchange according to the different needs. Based on this critical analysis, the paper puts forward a proposal, called Trading Time for Space (TTS), whereby a longer time for patent exclusive life in western countries (Time) is offered to the patent holder company, in exchange for the latter selling the medical drug at cost price in developing countries (Space). Accordingly, pharmaceutical companies should sell drugs in developing countries at the cost price, or alternatively grant a free license for the sale in such countries, without any royalties or fees. However, such social service shall be duly compensated. Therefore, the consideration for such a service shall be an extension of the temporal duration of the patent’s exclusive in the country of origin that will compensate the reduced profits caused by the supply at the price cost in developing countries.
Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to figure out
employees’ attitudes toward the new performance appraisal program
and to examine whether three different types of appraisal processes
differentially affected job satisfaction and employee engagement. The
second purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship
between performance appraisal reform, job satisfaction, and employee
engagement. A large polyester and textile corporation had 2046
non-operational employees in February 2014. The valid participants
were 1474 (72.04%) in this study. Data analysis included descriptive
statistics, one-way ANOVA, one-way MANOVA, Pearson correlation,
Content Validity Index, the exploratory factor analysis, and reliability
analysis. The general results showed that employees who received the
new performance appraisal program evaluated the program more
positively and showed more job satisfaction than those who did not. In
particular, the implementation effects of this new performance
appraisal program were most highly rated by employees who used the
KPI to rate their job performance. Moreover, employees’ attitudes
toward the new performance appraisal program were positively related
to their job satisfaction and employee engagement. Lastly, most
employees regarded themselves as engaged workers. To sum up, the
HR department of this company has made an effective contribution to
performance appraisal reforms.
Abstract: A central element of higher education today is the
“core” or “general education” curriculum: that configuration of
courses that often encompasses the essence of liberal arts education.
Ensuring that such offerings reflect the mission and values of the
institution is a challenge faced by most college and universities, often
more than once. This paper presents an action model of program
planning designed to structure the processes of developing,
implementing and revising core curricula in a manner consistent with
key institutional goals and objectives. Through presentation of a case
study from a university in the United States, the elements of needs
assessment, stakeholder investment and collaborative compromise
are shown as key components of a planning strategy that can produce
a general education program that is comprehensive, academically
rigorous, assessable, and mission consistent. The paper concludes
with recommendations for both the implementation and evaluation of
such programs in practice.
Abstract: According to the demand of the power and
refrigeration industry, the theoretical and practical teachings of the
Thermal Energy and Power Engineering characteristic specialty in
china are studied. The teaching reform and practice of the Thermal
Energy and Power Engineering specialty have been carried out,
including construction and reform measures, teaching reform and
practice, features, and achievements. Proved by practices, the
theoretical and practical teaching effects are obvious. The study results
can provides certain reference experience for theoretical and practical
teachings of the related specialties in china.
Abstract: The electric power industry is currently undergoing an unprecedented reform. One of the most exciting and potentially profitable recent developments is increasing usage of artificial intelligence techniques. The intention of this paper is to give an overview of using neural network (NN) techniques in power systems. According to the growth rate of NNs application in some power system subjects, this paper introduce a brief overview in fault diagnosis, security assessment, load forecasting, economic dispatch and harmonic analyzing. Advantages and disadvantages of using NNs in above mentioned subjects and the main challenges in these fields have been explained, too.
Abstract: The relevance of the study of everyday life in Almaty
and Kyzylorda are associated with the emergence of the modern
trends in historiography and socializing areas of government reform.
The relevance is due to the fact that in the early twentieth century
Kyzylorda and Almaty began to develop as a city and this period has
a special place in the life of the state. An interesting aspect of the
everyday life of the inhabitants of the new city, which was built in the
era of Stalin's Five-Year Plans, can be examined through the eyes of
the Soviet people living in a specific environment, reflecting the life
of the citizens. The study of industrialization of the Soviet Union and
the attention paid to new developments in the first five years of
everyday aspects as the impact of the modernization of the 1930s was
one of the decisive factors in the lives of residents. Among these
factors, we would like to highlight the medical field, which is the
basis of all human life, specifically focusing on the state of medicine
in Alma-Ata in the first 20-30-years of the twentieth century, and
analyze the different aspects of human life, determining the quality of
medical care to the population during this period.
Abstract: Innovations in technology have created new ethical
challenges. Essential use of electronic communication in the
workplace has escalated at an astronomical rate over the past decade.
As such, legal and ethical dilemmas confronted by both the employer
and the employee concerning managerial control and ownership of einformation
have increased dramatically in the USA. From the
employer-s perspective, ownership and control of all information
created for the workplace is an undeniable source of economic
advantage and must be monitored zealously. From the perspective of
the employee, individual rights, such as privacy, freedom of speech,
and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, continue to be
stalwart legal guarantees that employers are not legally or ethically
entitled to abridge in the workplace. These issues have been the
source of great debate and the catalyst for legal reform. The fine line
between ethical and legal has been complicated by emerging
technologies. This manuscript will identify and discuss a number of
specific legal and ethical issues raised by the dynamic electronic
workplace and conclude with suggestions that employers should
follow to respect the delicate balance between employees- legal
rights to privacy and the employer's right to protect its knowledge
systems and infrastructure.
Abstract: Information and communication technology (ICT) has
become, within a very short time, one of the basic building blocks of
modern society. Many countries now understanding the importance
of ICT and mastering the basic skills and concepts of it as part of the
core of education. Organizations, experts and practitioners in the
education sector increasingly recognizing the importance of ICT in
supporting educational improvement and reform. This paper
addresses the convergence of ICT and education. When two
technologies are converging to each other, together they will generate
some great opportunities and challenges. This paper focuses on these
issues. In introduction section, it explains the ICT, education, and
ICT-enhanced education. In next section it describes need of ICT in
education, relationship between ICT skills and education, and stages
of teaching learning process. The next two sections describe
opportunities and challenges in integrating ICT in education. Finally
the concluding section summaries the idea and its usefulness.