scholarly journals Reflections on the Transformative Power of Environmental Education in Contemporary Societies: Experience from Two College Courses in Greece and the USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 6465
Author(s):  
Christina Marouli ◽  
Quentin Duroy
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
College Courses ◽  
Transformative Power ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Political Crises ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Successful Design

In the current information-saturated world of knowledge societies, universities are at risk of training technical experts who hold myopic views of the future, and leaders who are ill-equipped to address the systemic nature of current global ecological, economic, and political crises. In this context, and taking into account the obstacles posed, and the opportunities provided, by contemporary societies, the current paper discusses the design and implementation of courses which not only rely upon, but also increase the transformative power of Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainability (EfS) within Higher Education. We rely on our experience in two college courses, in Greece and the USA, to provide reflections on the integrative, interdisciplinary and collaborative dimensions of EE/EfS and on their ability to challenge neoliberal discourse that permeates contemporary knowledge societies. The qualitative methodology utilized in the paper rests on a self-study research approach and on end-of-term course evaluations filled by the students. We propose that successful design and implementation of EE/EfS courses depends upon the instructors’ (and their institutions’) ability to democratize and rethink the classroom (beyond its physical limits and into the community), to help students self-examine their place in the system, and to create assignments that test the learning process rather than learning outcomes.

Intersectionality in the narratives of black women in computing through the education and workforce pipeline

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryoko Yamaguchi ◽  
Jamika D. Burge
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Women In Computing

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the narratives of 93 Black women in computing in the USA to identify salient themes that are at the intersection of race and gender in the field of computer science. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a multi-method approach with a survey to describe the sample and a series of focus groups for in-depth analysis of themes. The qualitative methodology uses a grounded theory and consensual qualitative research approach with a research team that includes computer scientists and social scientists to collect and analyze data. Given the highly technical field of computer science and the intersectional experiences of the participants, this approach was optimal to capture and code data through the lens of Black women in computing. Findings The authors found four main themes that represented specific needs for Black women in the computing community. The first is the importance of linking Black women in computing (i.e. their recruitment, retention and career growth) to the bottom line of organizational and personal accountability. The second is effective cultural and educational supports for Black women in computing across pathways, starting in middle school. The third is to provide leadership development as a part of their educational and workplace experience. The fourth is a collection of empirical research and scholarship about and for Black women as a part of the computing literature. Originality/value Black women comprise one of the most underrepresented subgroups in the area of computer science in the USA. There is very little research about Black women in computing. To promote broadened participation in computing, there is a critical need to understand the narratives of successful Black women in the space.

Young Adults’ Contextualization of Environmental and Sustainability Issues: A Critical Issue for Environmental Education Intervention

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony KOLA-OLUSANYA
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

As soon as decision makers are expected to make differences towards sustainable future, young adults’ ability to make informed and sound decisions is considered essential towards securing our planet. This study provides an insight into young adults’ knowledge of key environment and sustainability issues. To answer the key research questions, data were obtained using a qualitative phenomenographic research approach and collected through 18 face-to-face in-depth interviews with research participants. The findings of this study suggest that young adults lived experiences that play a huge role in their level of awareness of topical environmental and sustainability issues critical to humanity’s future on earth. 

scholarly journals Prediction of Key Crop Growth Parameters in a Commercial Greenhouse Using CFD Simulation and Experimental Verification in a Pilot Study

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 658
Author(s):  
Subin Mattara Chalill ◽  
Snehaunshu Chowdhury ◽  
Ramanujam Karthikeyan
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Crop Growth ◽  
Hvac System ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Successful Design

Controlled crop growth parameters, such as average air velocity, air temperature, and relative humidity (RH), inside the greenhouse are necessary prerequisites for commercial greenhouse operation. Frequent overshoots of such parameters are noticed in the Middle East. Traditional heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in such greenhouses use axial fans and evaporative cooling pads to control the temperature. Such systems fail to respond to the extreme heat load variations during the day. In this study, we present the design and implementation of a single span, commercial greenhouse using box type evaporative coolers (BTEC) as the backbone of the HVAC system. The HVAC system is run by a fully-automated real time feedback-based climate management system (CMS). A full-scale, steady state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the greenhouse is carried out assuming peak summer outdoor conditions. A pilot study is conducted to experimentally monitor the environmental parameters in the greenhouse over a 20-h period. The recorded data confirm that the crop growth parameters lie within their required ranges, indicating a successful design and implementation phase of the commercial greenhouse on a pilot scale.

scholarly journals Una evaluación crítica de una experiencia de Educación Ambiental para la Sustentabilidad en el nivel educativo básico en Nuevo León, México

2014 ◽  
pp. 184-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mtra. Astrid Patricia De León Rodríguez ◽  
Dr. José María Infante Bonfiglio
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Elementary Level ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Nuevo Leon ◽  
Nuevo León ◽  
Educación Primaria

Este trabajo es el resultado de una investigación sobre los mecanismos que pueden ayudar a comprender el uso y la incorporación de los conceptos y las acciones correspondientes a la introducción de la sustentabilidad y educación ambiental dentro de la educación formal en el nivel básico en Nuevo León. El estudio de caso abarca tres instituciones educativas de nivel básico: el Instituto Nezaldi, la Escuela primaria Vicente Guerrero y el Colegio San Patricio. Se toman en cuenta dos corrientes de la sustentabilidad, la naturalsita y la conservacionista, que determinan el enfoque de la Educación Ambiental para la Sustentabilidad en nuestro estado, tanto en teoría como en práctica. También una descripción de políticas públicas educativas, programas y  planes relacionados a la sustentabilidad que existen en la actualidad para la educación primaria en Nuevo León, así como las acciones que se ligan para construir una sociedad sustentable a través de la educación. AbstractThis research is a summary of the implementation of concepts and activities that are related to sustainability and environmental education inside the formal education of Nuevo León. It is a case study, that include three institutions of elementary education level; Instituto Nezaldi, Escuela Vicente Guerrero and Colegio San Patricio. There are also consider two main sustainability theories, naturalist and conservationist that determine the main focus of the Environmental Education for Sustainability in Nuevo León according to theoretical and practice aspects. It is also consider a description of public policies, education policies, sustainable programs that nowadays are available for elementary level students in Nuevo León, as well as all kind of actions that are involved for a sustainable society through education.Recibido: 25 de agosto de 2013Aceptado: 14 de mayo de 2014 

The comparison of social studies textbooks in Turkey, the United States and France based on values education

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 630-640
Author(s):  
Tuğba Kafadar ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Values Education ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Social Studies Textbooks ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Self Transcendence

The present study aimed to compare social studies or equivalent course textbooks in Turkey, the United States, and France (ethics-citizenship education) based on values education content. The study was designed with the holistic multi-case method, a qualitative research approach, and the study data were collected with document analysis. The study group was assigned with criterion sampling, a purposive sampling method. The study data were analyzed with the content analysis technique. The study findings were as follows: Value dimensions in the textbooks employed in the three countries were similar in the self-transcendence value dimension in Turkey and France, while self-enhancement value dimension was identified in the US (New York) textbooks. Analysis of the value types identified in the textbooks of the three countries demonstrated that the achievement category was prominent in Turkish and American (New York) textbooks, while universalism-concern value type was observed in France. Modesty value type was observed the least in the USA (New York) and France textbooks. However, the least frequent category was prestige in Turkish textbooks. The instruction approaches that were frequently observed in the textbook learning-instruction processes in the three countries were similar and the value explanation approach was adopted in Turkish and American (New York) social studies and French ethics-citizenship textbooks. The least frequent value instruction approaches in the textbooks were value instruction by observation in Turkish and French textbooks and moral reasoning method in the American (New York) social studies textbooks. Furthermore, American (New York) textbooks did not employ the value instruction by observation approach.

CONSIDERATIONS OF TALENT MANAGEMENT IN RETENTION OF ACADEMICS IN THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LESOTHO

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theressa Madzingesu Zengeya ◽  
◽  
Gregory Alexander ◽  
Desiree Pearl Larey ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Talent Management ◽  
Symbolic Capital ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
National University ◽  
The University

The aim of the study was to examine the contribution of talent management practices at the National University of Lesotho in the retention of talented academics. The university has immense competition within the local, regional and international labour market. It isthreatened by high mobility and low retention of highly qualified staff, which has affected the quality of learning, especially postgraduate programmes. The study employed Bourdieu’s social theory and Adam’s theory of equity as a theoretical lens to understand talent management practices to retain talented academics. Bourdieu’s theory was used to offer insight on the various forms of capital, and how the capitals could be instrumental in the design and implementation of talent management practices in order to increase retention of talent in universities. In this study ‘talent’ is used to refer to holders of doctorates, associate professors and professors or researchers of new information and theories and inventors of new technology with great potential to make a significant impact on the university’s productivity. A literature review was undertaken to examine how the social theory of Bourdieu, particularly the conversion of different kinds of capital (symbolic capital) are used by the university to recognise the value of talented academics in order to retain these academics. Following a qualitative methodology and purposive sampling, data was generated through semi-structured interviews and document analysis to advance a critical and interpretive understanding of the perspectives of talent management from both management and talented academics in the university. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise the data. The data from fourteen (14) participants composed of management and academics revealed that, though the university is implementing talent management practices, it does not have an official and structured talent management program, which is imperative in retaining academics. This study concludes by advocating the design and implementation of a formal, contextual and structured talent management framework, in consultation with all key stakeholders, in order to increase retention of talent academics in the National University of Lesotho.

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