Straddling the intersection

Music technology straddles the intersection between art and science and presents those who choose to work within its sphere with many practical challenges as well as creative possibilities. The paper focuses on four main areas: secondary education, higher education, practice and research and finally collaboration. The paper emphasises the importance of collaboration in tackling the challenges of interdisciplinarity and in influencing future technological developments

Fungi in Flux | Designing Regenerative Materials and Products with Mycelium

As the world grapples with the escalating crisis of climate threats and environmental degradation, this research delves into the synergistic potential of design and biology, developing safe and sustainable materials for applications in prototyping, furniture and interior design. Harnessing the power of a unique organism - fungi, the study proposes an accessible, efficient, and resilient material resource system. It utilizes local waste streams and mycelium (the vegetative part of fungi) to grow functional structures. An experimental and small-scale protocol is modeled by testing bio-fabrication and bio-printing methods. The composites\u27 performance qualities and characteristics are evaluated through mechanical testing and a survey of experiential attributes. A series of workshops introduced participants to the creative possibilities of integrating myco-materials into their practice, leading to insights and possibilities in new processes and products. To foster a deeper understanding of sustainability, the carbon footprint and ecological impact of these materials are examined. Envisioning a paradigm shift in industrial ecology, the proposed ideas reduce dependence on non-biodegradable, toxic, and harmful materials. With the principles of biology and design, this work hopes to transcend the trajectory of conventional materials - particularly plastics, and move toward a regenerative future

Designing for e-Social Action An Application Taxonomy

In this paper, we present a taxonomy for understanding designs and designing of Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) in the field of ‘Social Action’. We use the term ‘Social Action’ to refer to activities of individuals and organisations in civil society, which are oriented towards social (rather than primarily economic) goals. We then apply the term e-Social Action to refer to the application of ICT in these activities. This definition incorporates a wide range of initiatives, varying from: trade-unions logging safety inspections on ships, Age Concern York organising volunteers to place on-line supermarket orders on behalf of housebound elderly people; the International Red Cross using logistics software to deliver emergency aid; and Martus.org providing technology to enable victims of human-rights abuse to report their experience whilst protecting their anonymity and thus avoiding reprisals. To study designing in this broad space, it is necessary to understand key dimensions of the settings where designing takes place. The aim of this paper is to examine how information and communication technologies in social action can be understood, classified and distinguished, to allow for more refined explorations of designing in this space. Keywords: e-SocialAction, Taxonomy, design and society</p

Rockefeller Foundation 2010 Annual Report

Contains president's letter; 2010 program highlights, including support for Africa's green revolution, sustainable and equitable transportation policy, and healthy communities; grants list; financial report; and lists of trustees and staff

The Industry and Policy Context for Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion:Market Analysis, Future Prospects and Key Challenges in Videogames, Serious Games and Gamification

The effective use of digital games for empowerment and social inclusion (DGEI) of people and communities at risk of exclusion will be shaped by, and may influence the development of a range of sectors that supply products, services, technology and research. The principal industries that would appear to be implicated are the 'videogames' industry, and an emerging 'serious games' industry. The videogames industry is an ecosystem of developers, publishers and other service providers drawn from the interactive media, software and broader ICT industry that services the mainstream leisure market in games, The 'serious games' industry is a rather fragmented and growing network of firms, users, research and policy makers from a variety of sectors. This emerging industry is are trying to develop knowledge, products, services and a market for the use of digital games, and products inspired by digital games, for a range of non-leisure applications. This report provides a summary of the state of play of these industries, their trajectories and the challenges they face. It also analyses the contribution they could make to exploiting digital games for empowerment and social inclusion. Finally, it explores existing policy towards activities in these industries and markets, and draws conclusions as to the future policy relevance of engaging with them to support innovation and uptake of effective digital game-based approaches to empowerment and social inclusion.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

HUMAN FACE IN EDUCATION: A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE

A human face is one vital part that can be used to consciously or unconsciously express human emotions. The shape of the nose and the muscles of the face are significant when engaging in body language as a means of communication. The face therefore is not merely a set of frontage features, but it is more meaningful in its configuration, implying the reality of matter and form in our overall understanding of humanity. This is consistent with the view that an image is seen in its entirety, not by its individual parts. Thus, the human face of an individual is the cause of existential diversity in terms of variability whose inference is to enable recognition and identification of the uniqueness of individuality in order to discover the reality of being. In a similar vein, the human face analogy can elucidate meaning for education. In the academic spectrum, the subjects codified as humanities provide the analogy of face in education more so during   the   process   of   acquiring   knowledge.   As   such,   humanities   contribute   towards understanding perspectives, conceptualizing ideas, defining antiquities, isolating cultures and configuring creativity and by extension, fostering equity. In the contemporary society, science and technology is being overemphasized because it has contributed to human discoveries, inventions  and  innovations.  However,  it  is  palpable  that  science  and  technology  can  only interpret an idea using the component of a humanistic skill – dispositional knowledge which is devoid of propositional knowledge. It has no relevance in ideas, attitude, and values, which remain at the reserves of humanities. This article targets to shed more light on this discourse in order to inject newer insights in the unending controversy in science/humanities divide in education

Project-based learning to develop the speaking skill in EFL students of intermediate level at Technical Air Force School during the school year 2020-2021.

The research project focused on “PROJECT-BASED LEARNING TO DEVELOP THE SPEAKING SKILL IN EFL STUDENTS OF INTERMEDIATE LEVEL AT TECHNICAL AIR FORCE SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021” represents an innovative methodology to develop students’ superior utterances. The main objective was to determine the effectiveness of Project-based learning (PBL) for improving speaking skills. This research is focused on a qualitative approach for measuring the theoretical results as well as a quantitative approach to facilitate the analysis and interpretation of the results through numbers, percentages, and figures. The type of research applied was quasi-experimental, since, during the exploration, it was possible to work with two groups, a control group and an experimental group of 25 students in each one. A pre-test and a post-test were carried out where the experimental group got better results in comparison with the control group. The only difference was that the experimental group was instructed with Project-based learning methodology while the control group was instructed with the traditional methodology. Consequently, the data collection allowed to demonstrate and support the hypothesis about how effective is project-based learning to develop the speaking skill.El Proyecto de investigación enfocado en “APRENDIZAJE BASADO EN PROYECTOS PARA DESARROLLAR LA HABILIDAD DE HABRAR EN LOS ESTUDIANTES DE EFL DEL NIVEL INTERMEDIO DE LA ESCUELA DE LA FUERZA AÉREA DURANTE EL PERIODO ESCOLAR 2020-2021”, representa una metodología innovativa para desarrollar expresiones comunicativas superiores en los estudiantes. El objetivo principal fue determinar la eficacia del aprendizaje basado en proyectos (ABP) para mejorar la destreza oral. Esta investigación se centró en un enfoque cualitativo para dimensionar los resultados teóricos, así como también en un enfoque cuantitativo para facilitar el análisis e interpretación de los resultados a través de números, porcentajes y figuras. El tipo de investigación aplicado fue cuasiexperimental, dado que durante la exploración fue posible trabajar con dos grupos, un grupo de control y un grupo experimental con 25 estudiantes cada uno. Un pre-test y un post-test fue realizado, en el cual el grupo experimental obtuvo mejores resultados en comparación con el grupo de control. La Única diferencia fue que el grupo experimental fue capacitado en base a la metodología del aprendizaje basado en proyectos mientras que el grupo de control fue capacitado siguiendo la metodología tradicional. Consecuentemente, la recolección de datos permitió demostrar y sustentar la hipótesis acerca de la efectividad del aprendizaje basado en proyectos para desarrollar la habilidad comunicativa oral en los estudiantes

Secondary Curriculum in the Time of Digitisation

This paper explores the consequences for the secondary curriculum of education’s forthcoming and fundamental transformation into the Digital Age. Piecemeal ICT “add-ons”, once seen as innovative and ingenious, have become dysfunctional distractions, no matter how powerful the research and marketing behind them. The requirement from now onwards is for a creative, comprehensive (and conceivably cosmopolitan) learner-driven secondary curriculum, determined, owned and enjoyed by the students and conveyed by their teachers. As the Global School—the universal lifelong educational experience—eventuates, the substance, practice and consequences of education can and should become much more equitable, ethical and enjoyable (and far less competitive, test-oriented and world-of-work-dominated). The justifications for specific post-primary “Computer Studies” programmes evaporate once all subjects are digitally-embracing. These and other implications of this ground-breaking “Education based upon Digitisation” reality are investigated, focussing upon the secondary phase

Promoting Pro-Environmental Behavior Through Engaging Cultural Diversity in the English as a Second Language Classroom

Recent scientific environmental data are pushing people throughout the world to recognize and take action on the dire circumstances that the human race and all other species are currently confronting. This paper explores the factors that can influence and potentially empower people to re-examine their place in the natural world, and to orient their behavior in a pro-environmental direction. The premise of this project is that the topic of the humans’ relationship to nature is relevant and particularly well suited for the culturally diverse audience that is found in the English as a Second Language classroom. By using tools like the KAFAR teacher practice and an adaptation of Pat Moran’s Five Dimensions of Culture framework, instructors can draw on cultural difference to elicit their students’ environmental activism as well as deepen their own and their students’ self-awareness and inter-cultural learning