Studying the Effectiveness of Teacher Training in Organization of Open Education

The modern concept of open education modifies the traditional learning format through advanced information and communications technology. This fact imposes special requirements for all participants in the learning process and makes it necessary to reconsider the tasks and functions of students and teachers. This is relevant, therefore, to find a way of making a gradual transition to the model of open education. Based on an experiment with introductory training, the authors perform an empirical assessment of teachers’ preparedness to organize open education and use open educational resources (OER). The effectiveness of the introductory training of teachers was checked by means of interviewing and testing respondents. The research results showed that there were significant changes in the training criteria: according to the motivational and value-based criterion, virtually all teachers displayed a positive shift in their attitude to organization of open education; in terms of the cognitive criterion, the teachers acquired thorough knowledge of open education tools; according to the operational criterion, the teachers acquired the necessary skills in developing and introducing OER. In the process of observation, we recorded a rise in the number of teachers with a sufficient (by 60.5% compared with the verification stage) and high (by 16.6%) level of preparedness. The introductory training, therefore, is a principal component in the stable system of open education

Relational Interreligious Dialogue: Interdisciplinary Arguments from Creator/Creature Theology and Quantum Entanglement

Globalization, technological advances, and worldviews that perceive religious others with suspicion, all intensify society’s awareness of religious plurality and the subsequent necessity for effective interreligious dialogue. Engaging in interreligious dialogue through daily encounters, conversations, common concerns, and shared religious experiences advances religious pluralism. Nevertheless, the current state of interreligious dialogue is at an impasse; its existing substantive ontological approaches introduce, perpetuate, or worsen challenges of hegemony, elitism, and marginalization, as well as tensions between the diametric goals of religious unity versus unique religious identity. Substantive ontological models emphasize religious autonomy instead of any relational connections between religious traditions. These prevalent methods hinder effective interreligious dialogue. In response, this project proposes relational ontology as a constructive method to address existing issues within interreligious dialogue. Relational ontology asserts that reality is being as being–in–relation. By employing relational ontology, interreligious dialogue participants recognize their fundamental interconnected unity while respecting each religious tradition’s particularity. Moreover, relationality assists in neutralizing power inequalities and marginalization. To illustrate relational ontology and explain its advantages for interreligious dialogue, this project evaluates the models of quantum entanglement and Christianity’s Creator/creation relationship. Placing interdisciplinary perspectives from science and religion in dialogue essentially instantiates the project’s methodology, it validates relational ontology as an effective method for improving the effectiveness of interreligious dialogue

Playing the game: the study of knowledge processes across organisational boundaries in the videogames industry

This thesis studies knowledge processes which span organisational boundaries, examining how knowledge is formed and shared between two companies with divergent interests, facing the challenges of innovation processes. Cross-boundary work provides access to diverse sources of knowledge, specialties and approaches, and this enhances the innovative performance of firms. However, managing knowledge and spanning diverse boundaries has proven to be difficult. While the epistemic and social challenges have been identified to trigger conflicts and misunderstandings across boundaries, the complexity, inter-dependency and uncertainty of innovation processes have been found to multiply these challenges. Informed by the practice-based perspective, this thesis examines how the challenges of integrating knowledge in such a context are addressed and resolved. Building upon this theoretical perspective, the thesis aims to enhance understandings of knowledge processes between the large bureaucratic organisations (publishers) and small/medium-sized companies (developers) in the videogames industry. Underpinned by a social constructionist and interpretivist methodology, a qualitative study of three publisher-developer relationships was conducted. With thirty six semi-structured interviews with senior directors, managers and team leaders, the thesis examined cross- boundary practices and the conflicts experienced in this process. In order to achieve this, the study focused on the role that boundary objects, trust development and power structures played in facilitating knowledge processes. The thesis recognises the evolving and relational character of boundary objects, highlighting that a combination of static and dynamic boundary objects were effective in facilitating knowledge integration in the publisher-developer relationship. It also reveals that despite high levels of distrust between the parties involved, they managed to create and maintain a working relationship by resorting to opportunistic practices, such as knowledge hiding, deception and collusion. It is emphasised that understanding the power dynamics in the publisher-developer relationship is a pre-requisite to explaining 2 how knowledge is managed across organisational boundaries during the course of a project. Drawing upon a Foucauldian perspective, the thesis identifies the positive and enabling aspects of power dynamics in this relationship. It argues that when the parties have discrepancies, competition and high levels of distrust, power games positively influence cross-boundary practices, the use of boundary objects and knowledge processes, ultimately mobilising knowledge integration. The thesis makes four significant contributions to the knowledge management and cross-boundary work literature. First, it identifies an evolving role for boundary objects, showing how they develop during the course of a project. Second, it finds a relational and politicised dimension for boundary objects, highlighting the role of brokers to manipulate and mobilise the use and effectiveness of these objects. Third, the thesis extends the existing literature by revealing that despite high levels of distrust, parties can create a working relationship. The research shows that this is achieved through resorting to opportunistic behaviour, such as knowledge hiding, deception and collusion. As a result, this thesis adds a complementary level to Carlile's Integrated Framework, explaining that when there are high levels of differences, dependencies and novelty in the cross-boundary work, knowledge hiding, deception and collusion are the driving force to facilitate knowledge integration and maintain a functional relationship. The fourth contribution of this thesis is recognising the positive and productive aspects of power dynamics that enable and mobilise boundary objects and knowledge processes, ultimately bringing positive outcomes and creating a functional relationship between two companies with divergent interests

A Cooperative Approach for Composite Ontology Matching

Ontologies have proven to be an essential element in a range of applications in which knowl-edge plays a key role. Resolving the semantic heterogeneity problem is crucial to allow the interoperability between ontology-based systems. This makes automatic ontology matching, as an anticipated solution to semantic heterogeneity, an important, research issue. Many dif-ferent approaches to the matching problem have emerged from the literature. An important issue of ontology matching is to find effective ways of choosing among many techniques and their variations, and then combining their results. An innovative and promising option is to formalize the combination of matching techniques using agent-based approaches, such as cooperative negotiation and argumentation. In this thesis, the formalization of the on-tology matching problem following an agent-based approach is proposed. Such proposal is evaluated using state-of-the-art data sets. The results show that the consensus obtained by negotiation and argumentation represent intermediary values which are closer to the best matcher. As the best matcher may vary depending on specific differences of multiple data sets, cooperative approaches are an advantage. *** RESUMO - Ontologias são elementos essenciais em sistemas baseados em conhecimento. Resolver o problema de heterogeneidade semântica é fundamental para permitira interoperabilidade entre sistemas baseados em ontologias. Mapeamento automático de ontologias pode ser visto como uma solução para esse problema. Diferentes e complementares abordagens para o problema são propostas na literatura. Um aspecto importante em mapeamento consiste em selecionar o conjunto adequado de abordagens e suas variações, e então combinar seus resultados. Uma opção promissora envolve formalizara combinação de técnicas de ma-peamento usando abordagens baseadas em agentes cooperativos, tais como negociação e argumentação. Nesta tese, a formalização do problema de combinação de técnicas de ma-peamento usando tais abordagens é proposta e avaliada. A avaliação, que envolve conjuntos de testes sugeridos pela comunidade científica, permite concluir que o consenso obtido pela negociação e pela argumentação não é exatamente a melhoria de todos os resultados individuais, mas representa os valores intermediários que são próximo da melhor técnica. Considerando que a melhor técnica pode variar dependendo de diferencas específicas de múltiplas bases de dados, abordagens cooperativas são uma vantagem

Strengthening confluent education through a philosophical analysis of the concept of dialogue : an examination of the writings of Martin Buber, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Karl Jaspers.

This dissertation is a study of the implications for education of the concept of dialogue as it is analyzed in the philosophical writings of Martin Buber, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Karl Jaspers. In Part I of the study, the philosophical writings on the concept of dialogue are analyzed to provide a set of guidelines for thinking about dialogue. The premise on which this work is based is that philosophical analysis of the concept of dialogue can enhance the effectiveness of confluent education, which attempts to integrate affect and cognition in the educative process. Part II of the dissertation attempts to demonstrate that an understanding of dialogue can provide both a general philosophical grounding for confluent education and specific implications pertaining to pedagogical obligations, teacher-student relationships, content selection, and teaching methodology. The premise on which this work is based is that education is most effective if it is ontologically rooted. From the philosophical perspective used in this study, human beings self-actualize through and in dialogical relationships. To be ontologically rooted, education must include dialogue as a central dynamic. Three pedagogical obligations that follow from this perspective are: first, education should heighten students\u27 awareness of themselves as unique, emergent, self-actualizing persons; second, education should enhance students\u27 understanding of the human tradition; third, education should enhance students\u27 ability to participate in dialogical relationships. The teacher-student relationship described models a dialogical relationship in an education setting. Content selection is discussed from the perspective that content is a tool for self-actualization and, as such, should help the student understand the human tradition in a personally meaningful way. The possibility of implementing a variety of teaching methods from a dialogical orientation is discussed. A specifically dialectical-dialogical teaching approach predicated on Gadamer\u27s philosophical hermeneutics is described

Extractive socionatures and resistance. The un/making of Kyrgyzstan's gold rush

Die Grenzen von Ressourcenabbau reichen tausende Meter über und unter die Erde. Dabei verfestigt und vertieft die Beschleunigung des Extraktivismus ungleiche Entwicklung und Ungerechtigkeiten auf der Welt. In Zentralasien bleiben Konflikte um Sozionatur in der kritischen Forschung zu Ressourcenextraktivismus und Widerstand jedoch weitgehend unterbeleuchtet. Diese Doktorarbeit leistet einen Beitrag zu der Ausweitung des Goldbergbaus in Kirgisistan und trägt zu einem räumlich umgearbeiteten, historisierenden und politisch sensiblen Verständnis des sich global ausweitenden Ressourcenextraktivismus bei. Die Arbeit präsentiert eine situierte Darstellung der multiskalaren Prozesse und Praktiken innerhalb und zwischen drei Standorten, die Kirgisistans Goldrausch ab/schaffen: die Hauptstadt Bischkek, das politische- und Verwaltungszentrum für mineralische Rohstoffe; Orlovka, ein Fall von angeblicher Kooperation; und Maidan, ein Fall von sich lange hinziehenden Auseinandersetzungen. Durch einen interdisziplinären Forschungsprozess entwickelt die Doktorarbeit einen relationalen soziomaterialen Ansatz zur Erforschung von multiskalaren extraktiven Verschränkungen der materiellen Dimensionen von Gold, seinen unterschiedlichen Bewertungen und seiner Governance. Sie mobilisiert die interdisziplinäre soziomateriale Analytik, durch ein multimethoden- Forschungsdesign, welche die miteinander verflochtenen strukturellen und historisch-geographischen Bedingungen offenbart. Dabei werden Konvergenzen im wachsenden geerdeten politischen Aktivismus gegen die globalen Strukturen des Extraktivismus, der die pluriversalen Wege zum Wohlbefinden aufkündigt zu Tage gefördert. Diese Doktorarbeit zeigt konsequent den Wert von disziplinärem und methodischem Pluralismus bei der empirischen Erforschung zum Zusammenspiel gegenseitig konstituierender Strukturen als auch von verorteter mehr-als-menschlicher Autonomie, die dem Schaffen und Abschaffen von Ressourcen und Ressourcengrenzen zugrunde liegen.Resource frontiers extend to thousands of meters below and above the soil in pursuit of progress. Accelerating extractivism in fact entrenches uneven development and injustices across the globe. Yet, our age is not only hyper-extractive, it is also resistant: multifarious communities stand up against incessant extractivism. Socionatural struggles in Central Asia however remain unexplored in critical research on resource extractivism and resistance. Focusing on expanding gold mining in Kyrgyzstan, the given thesis contributes to spatially reworked, historicising and politically sensitive understandings of globally advancing resource extractivism. The thesis presents a grounded account of the multi-scalar processes and practices within and between three sites un/making Kyrgyzstan’s gold rush: the capital Bishkek, the centre of mineral governance; Orlovka, an alleged case of cooperation; and Maidan, a protracted case of contestation. Within an interdisciplinary research process, the thesis advances a relational sociomaterial approach for engaging the multi-scalar extractive entanglements of gold’s material dimensions, its different valuations, and its governance. Mobilising the interdisciplinary sociomaterial analytic through a multi-method research design reveals the intertwined structural and historico-geographical conditions that enact gold mining in Kyrgyzstan in an extractive state order while motivating ordinary citizens’ resistance to this order based on its emergent sociomaterialities. Unpacking embodied complexities in Orlovka and Maidan unearths convergences in surging grounded political activism against the global structures of extractivism that forecloses pluriversal paths to well-being. This thesis demonstrates the value of disciplinary and methodological pluralism in rendering visible the interplay of mutually constitutive structures and situated more-than-human agency that undergirds the making and unmaking of resources and resource frontiers

A flexible and reusable framework for dialogue and action management in multi-party discourse

This thesis describes a model for goal-directed dialogue and activity control in real-time for multiple conversation participants that can be human users or virtual characters in multimodal dialogue systems and a framework implementing the model. It is concerned with two genres: task-oriented systems and interactive narratives. The model is based on a representation of participant behavior on three hierarchical levels: dialogue acts, dialogue games, and activities. Dialogue games allow to take advantage of social conventions and obligations to model the basic structure of dialogues. The interactions can be specified and implemented using reoccurring elementary building blocks. Expectations about future behavior of other participants are derived from the state of active dialogue games; this can be useful for, e. g., input disambiguation. The knowledge base of the system is defined in an ontological format and allows individual knowledge and personal traits for the characters. The Conversational Behavior Generation Framework implements the model. It coordinates a set of conversational dialogue engines (CDEs), where each participant is represented by one CDE. The virtual characters can act autonomously, or semi-autonomously follow goals assigned by an external story module (Narrative Mode). The framework allows combining alternative specification methods for the virtual characters\u27; activities (implementation in a general-purpose programming language, by plan operators, or in the specification language Lisa that was developed for the model). The practical viability of the framework was tested and demonstrated via the realization of three systems with different purposes and scope.Diese Arbeit beschreibt ein Modell für zielgesteuerte Dialog- und Ablaufsteuerung in Echtzeit für beliebig viele menschliche Konversationsteilnehmer und virtuelle Charaktere in multimodalen Dialogsystemen, sowie eine Softwareumgebung, die das Modell implementiert. Dabei werden zwei Genres betrachtet: Task-orientierte Systeme und interaktive Erzählungen. Das Modell basiert auf einer Repräsentation des Teilnehmerverhaltens auf drei hierarchischen Ebenen: Dialogakte, Dialogspiele und Aktivitäten. Dialogspiele erlauben es, soziale Konventionen und Obligationen auszunutzen, um die Dialoge grundlegend zu strukturieren. Die Interaktionen können unter Verwendung wiederkehrender elementarer Bausteine spezifiziert und programmtechnisch implementiert werden. Aus dem Zustand aktiver Dialogspiele werden Erwartungen an das zukünftige Verhalten der Dialogpartner abgeleitet, die beispielsweise für die Desambiguierung von Eingaben von Nutzen sein können. Die Wissensbasis des Systems ist in einem ontologischen Format definiert und ermöglicht individuelles Wissen und persönliche Merkmale für die Charaktere. Das Conversational Behavior Generation Framework implementiert das Modell. Es koordiniert eine Menge von Dialog-Engines (CDEs), wobei jedem Teilnehmer eine CDE zugeordet wird, die ihn repräsentiert. Die virtuellen Charaktere können autonom oder semi-autonom nach den Zielvorgaben eines externen Storymoduls agieren (Narrative Mode). Das Framework erlaubt die Kombination alternativer Spezifikationsarten für die Aktivitäten der virtuellen Charaktere (Implementierung in einer allgemeinen Programmiersprache, durch Planoperatoren oder in der für das Modell entwickelten Spezifikationssprache Lisa). Die Praxistauglichkeit des Frameworks wurde anhand der Realisierung dreier Systeme mit unterschiedlichen Zielsetzungen und Umfang erprobt und erwiesen