Accommodating the newfound strategic importance of educational technologists within higher education: a critical literature review

This text is post print version. Emerald's copyright policy does not allow the publisher's version (PDF) to be deposited on ERIC.Abstract Purpose - Educational technologists make significant contributions to the development, organisational embedding and service provision of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environments, which are key enablers for mass access to flexible higher education. Given the increasing centrality of this role, we advocate that institutions investigate sustainable career structures for educational technologists. Design/methodology/approach - Our arguments are evidence-driven by the small body of research literature describing the role of educational technologists and contextualized by our experiences as academics and leaders of TEL projects in higher education, including managing educational technologists. Findings – The roles of educational technologists are very diverse, requiring competencies in educational leadership, both management and technical. Their career paths, backgrounds, legitimate powers and organisational locations exhibit considerable variation. Research implications - University leaders require evidence to formulate appropriate human resource strategies and performance management strategies for educational technologists. We propose further empirical research to analyze current issues and future trajectories relating to their aspirations, career structures, legitimate power, management and organisational contexts. Originality/value - Given the strategic importance of educational technologists to ICT-driven transformation, university leaders will require evidence to formulate appropriate human resource and performance management strategies for these key academic-related/professional staff. This paper brings together relevant literature for the first time, generates recommendations for further research and policy discussion. Keywords Educational technologists, flexible learning, human resource strategies, technology enhanced learning Paper type Critical literature review “I know that you’re dissatisfied with your position and your place …” - Bob Dyla

The Political Economy of Religion and Politics in India

The paper will examine the dramatic rise of the right-wing Hindu organisations in India, especially since the 1990s. Most prominent among these organisations are RSS, BJP, VHP, Bajang Dal and Shiv Sena. However, they all work together under the philosophy of Hindutva (i.e. Hindu-ness) and are rabidly anti-minority in their stance. They appear to need an ‘enemy’ in the form of a religious minority to unite Hindus and consolidate their support. This study is important because RSS is too politically significant to be ignored. Since the BJP (BhartiyaJanta Party) came to power in May 2014, its ministers and senior party leaders have been coming out in support of Hindutva. Attacks against Muslims have risen sharply. Cultural issues such as cow slaughter and the building of the Ram temple at Ayodhya have been raised again by the RSS as a means of dividing communities and keeping Muslims in a state of constant fear and insecurity. This study argues that the failure of India’s economic development to remove socio-economic constraints leading to slow and uneven development has intensified rivalry between castes and religious communities. Under such conditions, it became possible for extremist Hindu organisations to target people on the basis of religion

Creative products in international trade statistics

Changes in international statistics relating to the methods of classifying trade transactions in goods and services are analyzed in the further part of this paper. The author of the study makes also an attempt to evaluate if these changes are aimed at increasing the inclusion of embodied services and services delivered electronically into the value of international trade in services.Celem publikacji jest wykazanie, iż większość produktów wytwarzanych przez "przemysły kreatywne", to w rzeczywistości kreatywne usługi zawarte w towarach, a w międzynarodowej wymianie produktami kreatywnymi dominują produkty usługowe. W dalszej części publikacji analizie poddano zmiany w statystykach międzynarodowych, dotyczące sposobu klasyfikacji transakcji w handlu towarami i usługami. Autor publikacji podejmuje również próbę oceny tych zmian, pod kątem tego czy zmierzają one w kierunku zwiększenia stopnia włączenia usług zawartych w towarach oraz usług przesyłanych w formie sygnału elektronicznego do wartości międzynarodowego handlu usługami

The Cowl - v.38 - n.9 - Oct 27, 1983

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol 38 - No. 9 - October 27, 1983. 12 pages

Annual Report 2019-20

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Annual Report 2019–20 complies with the requirements for annual reports outlined by the Australian Government Department of Finance in its Resource Management Guide No. 135: Annual reports for non-corporate Commonwealth entities. This annual report includes the Authority’s annual performance statements, detailing its performance against criteria as published in the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy Portfolio Budget Statements 2019–20 and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Corporate Plan 2019–20

To What Extent is Hungary a Knowledge-Based Economy?

While we can generally see a decline of the share of industry, parallel to this trend the Visegrad countries are taking over more industrial production (mainly assembly). This will reduce the requirements for innovative knowledge workers. This “over-industrialisation” has led to a dual economy, in which domestic companies compete by utilising the comparative advantages of a cheaper labour force. In fact, products whose comparative advantages do not decrease as the development gap narrows are needed for sustainable economic development. If we continue to hinder the development of non-material services this way, then by decreasing innovative capacities we shall get deeper into the trap of dependent market economies

ANC policy guidelines for a democratic South Africa : draft for discussion

The basic objectives of ANC policy are threefold: * To overcome the legacy of inequality and injustice created by colonialism and apartheid, in a swift, progressive and principled way; * To develop an economy and state infrastructure that will progressively improve the quality of life of all South Africans; and, * To encourage the flourishing of the feeling that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, to promote a common loyalty to and pride in the country and to create a universal sense of freedom and security within its borders. These are not mutually exclusive goals. On the contrary, the future of our country depends on the harmonious and simultaneous realisation of all three. The advancement of the majority of people will, in the medium-and-long-term, release hitherto untapped and suppressed talents and energies that will both boost and diversify the economy. Developing the economy will, in turn, provide the basis for overcoming the divisions of the past without creating new ones. Finally, the achievement of a genuine sense of national unity depends on all of us working together to overcome the inequalities created by apartheid. The beacons guiding these advances are equal rights, nonracialism, non-sexism, democracy and mutual respect. A broad, inclusive approach, free of arrogance or complexes of superiority or inferiority, is fundamental. We have to develop a truly South African vision of our country, one undistorted by the prejudices and sectarianism that has guided viewpoints on race and gender, in the past. We have to rely on the wisdom, life experiences, talents and know-how of all South Africans, men and women. There can be no apartheid in finding solutions to the problems created by apartheid. This document does not present a rigid ANC blue-print for the future of South Africa, to which our supporters will be expected to rally and our opponents required to submit. Rather, the document represents a set of basic guidelines to policies we intend to pursue. These ideas will be developed through discussion within the ANC, and through consultation with the broadest spectrum of South African public opinion. The policies will be adapted according to these processes and on the basis of experience. Our problems run deep It is necessary to dwell on the problems which will be faced by the first government which is elected under a new democratic constitution. It will help create an understanding of the magnitude of the tasks involved in transforming our country into one where everyone can enjoy a reasonable standard of living combined with peace and security. It will underline the fact that there are choices to be made and priorities to be established. The nationalist government has pursued active political and social policies which, amongst others things, have led to: extreme levels of poverty and disease in the rural areas; the creation of urban ghettos where people have been denied access to even the most basic means of survival as a result of severely limited access to decent homes, electricity, water-borne sewerage, tarred roads, and recreational facilities; an education system preparing the majority of South Africans for lives of subordination and low income wage jobs; a social security system geared almost entirely to fulfilling the needs of the white minority; a health system that has seriously neglected the wellbeing of most South Africans; the social and political marginalisation of the majority of people, the African community in particular, their exclusion from public life and decision [ making as well as the denial of their culture. Gender discrimination has either excluded or subordinated the nature of women's participation in all socio-economic and political institutions. Combined with apartheid, this has resulted in African women being the most exploited and poverty stricken section of the South African population. Both the political system of apartheid and the pattern of economic development in our country, have been responsible for these developments. The white minority have used their exclusive access to political and economic power to promote their own sectional interests at the expense of black people and the country's natural resources. Black people have been systematically excluded and disadvantaged economically with the result that South Africa has one of the most unequal patterns of income and wealth distribution in the world. Since the mid-1970s, the South African economy has stagnated. An average growth rate of 6% in the 1960s declined to 3% in the 1970s and is now below 1%. Unemployment is estimated at over 40% of the economically active population. For over forty years, economic strategy was based on expanding industry through the substitution of hitherto imported manufactured goods for the wealthy minority. There has also been an emphasis on strategic industries such as arms and petrochemicals. This led to the emergence of a significant manufacturing sector in our country, but one which is generally uncompetitive in terms of international costs and prices. The alienation of land from the indigenous people and the denial of the African majority's rights to land and political power in our country are intimately connected. The agricultural sector in South Africa is currently experiencing a deep crisis. Debt levels of white farmers have reached R14 billion. These problems have led to rapidly increasing unemployment and a serious decline in living standards. Our people remain divided. We do not know each other. We are prevented from developing a national vision, in terms of which, we would see our country through the eyes of all its citizens, and not just one group or another. We live apart, physically separated, spiritually alienated, frightened of getting too close, knowing that we have different life-chances and different views of what change means. We are ruled by a multiplicity of fragmented departments, boards, councils and ministries. Apartheid has left us apart. Policies for transformation In this context it is vital that the ANC develops a clear response. This response must be aimed both at establishing a new and democratic political dispensation that replaces the racist and undemocratic apartheid constitution and addresses the legacy of apartheid in the broader socio-economic sphere. This document is a direct response to the above challenges. It sets out for discussion a comprehensive set of guidelines highlighting the ANC's broad policy response to all the major areas of political, social and economic life. The document is structured so as to highlight the strong relationship between the creation of political democracy and social and economic transformation. It is critical, however, that we honestly face up to the extent of the problems confronting our country. They are not going to be solved overnight and there are no easy or quick solutions. The problems run deep and resources are limited. Accordingly, the policies proposed here represent our broad vision. These policies highlight, our ultimate goals, which will need to be transformed into effective and realisable programmes in the short-term. In other words, we will need to establish priorities both within each of the different policy areas and between these broad areas. These priorities must be arrived at through democratic discussions and decision making processes and we must establish just and efficient mechanisms for implementing these decisions. Progress will also depend on involving as many sections of our society as possible in finding solutions