Include 2011 : The role of inclusive design in making social innovation happen.

Include is the biennial conference held at the RCA and hosted by the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. The event is directed by Jo-Anne Bichard and attracts an international delegation

Youth and Digital Media: From Credibility to Information Quality

Building upon a process-and context-oriented information quality framework, this paper seeks to map and explore what we know about the ways in which young users of age 18 and under search for information online, how they evaluate information, and how their related practices of content creation, levels of new literacies, general digital media usage, and social patterns affect these activities. A review of selected literature at the intersection of digital media, youth, and information quality -- primarily works from library and information science, sociology, education, and selected ethnographic studies -- reveals patterns in youth's information-seeking behavior, but also highlights the importance of contextual and demographic factors both for search and evaluation. Looking at the phenomenon from an information-learning and educational perspective, the literature shows that youth develop competencies for personal goals that sometimes do not transfer to school, and are sometimes not appropriate for school. Thus far, educational initiatives to educate youth about search, evaluation, or creation have depended greatly on the local circumstances for their success or failure

Open innovation development of private colleges in China

Since their large-scale emergence in the 1990s, private colleges in China have achieved significant development along with the transition of Chinese higher education from the elite stage to the universal stage. However, due to institutional deficiencies and resource constraints, private colleges cannot replicate the development model of public colleges and universities. Based on the needs for development and future competition, private colleges have to seek different development paths from public universities in order to break through resource constraints and improve their own development performance. We choose Tianfu College, a private college in China, as a research case, and adopt an inductive qualitative approach and an exploratory case study strategy based on grounded theory, with the development practice of knowledge production as the research subjects. The data is formed through semi-structured interviews, on-site observations, and the collection of secondary data. The research results show that 1) Private colleges in China can achieve good development performance in knowledge production through open innovation strategy. 2) Private colleges in China can adopt resource bricolage to break through resource constraints and achieve open innovation development performance in knowledge production. 3) Top management teams with high achievement needs and high ambiguity tolerance, entrepreneurial oriented organizational culture and organic organization help the private college in China achieve open innovation development performance in knowledge production. Our findings further expand the scope of open innovation research subjects, enrich the content of research on the development model of private colleges, and have positive practical implications for the development of private colleges in China.Desde a sua emergência em larga escala na década de 90 do século passado, as faculdades privadas na China alcançaram, no seu conjunto, um desenvolvimento significativo, que ocorreu juntamente com a transição do ensino superior chinês da fase elitista para a fase de popularização, e depois para a fase de universalização. Contudo, devido a deficiências institucionais e à limitação de recursos, as faculdades privadas não podem replicar o modelo de desenvolvimento das faculdades e universidades públicas. Com base numa necessidade de desenvolvimento realista e de concorrência futura, as faculdades privadas têm de procurar vias de desenvolvimento diferentes, de modo a ultrapassar as limitações de recursos e melhorar o seu próprio desempenho. Escolhemos Tianfu College, uma faculdade privada na China, como caso de investigação, e adotamos uma abordagem qualitativa indutiva e uma estratégia exploratória de estudo de caso baseada na Grounded Theory, sendo o tema de investigação a prática de desenvolvimento da produção de conhecimento. Os resultados da investigação mostram que 1) Um colégio privado na China pode alcançar um bom desempenho de desenvolvimento na produção de conhecimento através de uma estratégia de inovação aberta. 2) Um colégio privado na China pode adotar uma abordagem da bricolagem de recursos para quebrar as restrições de recursos e obter um desempenho de desenvolvimento de inovação aberta na produção de conhecimento. 3) Uma equipa de gestão de topo com elevada necessidade de concretização e elevada tolerância à ambiguidade, uma cultura organizacional orientada para o empreendedorismo e uma estrutura orgânica, são condições para se alcançar um elevado desempenho na produção de conhecimento através de inovação aberta. Os resultados permitem alargar o âmbito da investigação em inovação aberta, enriquecem o conteúdo da investigação sobre modelos de desenvolvimento das faculdades privadas, e têm implicações práticas positivas para o desenvolvimento das faculdades privadas na China

Trialing project-based learning in a new EAP ESP course: A collaborative reflective practice of three college English teachers

Currently in many Chinese universities, the traditional College English course is facing the risk of being ‘marginalized’, replaced or even removed, and many hours previously allocated to the course are now being taken by EAP or ESP. At X University in northern China, a curriculum reform as such is taking place, as a result of which a new course has been created called ‘xue ke’ English. Despite the fact that ‘xue ke’ means subject literally, the course designer has made it clear that subject content is not the target, nor is the course the same as EAP or ESP. This curriculum initiative, while possibly having been justified with a rationale of some kind (e.g. to meet with changing social and/or academic needs of students and/or institutions), this is posing a great challenge for, as well as considerable pressure on, a number of College English teachers who have taught this single course for almost their entire teaching career. In such a context, three teachers formed a peer support group in Semester One this year, to work collaboratively co-tackling the challenge, and they chose Project-Based Learning (PBL) for the new course. This presentation will report on the implementation of this project, including the overall designing, operational procedure, and the teachers’ reflections. Based on discussion, pre-agreement was reached on the purpose and manner of collaboration as offering peer support for more effective teaching and learning and fulfilling and pleasant professional development. A WeChat group was set up as the chief platform for messaging, idea-sharing, and resource-exchanging. Physical meetings were supplementary, with sound agenda but flexible time, and venues. Mosoteach cloud class (lan mo yun ban ke) was established as a tool for virtual learning, employed both in and after class. Discussions were held at the beginning of the semester which determined only brief outlines for PBL implementation and allowed space for everyone to autonomously explore in their own way. Constant further discussions followed, which generated a great deal of opportunities for peer learning and lesson plan modifications. A reflective journal, in a greater or lesser detailed manner, was also kept by each teacher to record the journey of the collaboration. At the end of the semester, it was commonly recognized that, although challenges existed, the collaboration was overall a success and they were all willing to continue with it and endeavor to refine it to be a more professional and productive approach

An aesthetic for sustainable interactions in product-service systems?

Copyright @ 2012 Greenleaf PublishingEco-efficient Product-Service System (PSS) innovations represent a promising approach to sustainability. However the application of this concept is still very limited because its implementation and diffusion is hindered by several barriers (cultural, corporate and regulative ones). The paper investigates the barriers that affect the attractiveness and acceptation of eco-efficient PSS alternatives, and opens the debate on the aesthetic of eco-efficient PSS, and the way in which aesthetic could enhance some specific inner qualities of this kinds of innovations. Integrating insights from semiotics, the paper outlines some first research hypothesis on how the aesthetic elements of an eco-efficient PSS could facilitate user attraction, acceptation and satisfaction

Balancing exploration, exploitation, and efficiency : a framework of entrepreneurial learning.

Entrepreneurial learning (EL), defined as “learning in the entrepreneurial process through which individuals acquire new knowledge, either vicariously or from direct experience, which has the potential to change the range of entrepreneurial actions”, is a key construct in the pursuit and development of entrepreneurial opportunities. However, the field of entrepreneurship has yet to produce a theory of learning explaining under what conditions individuals engage in differing types of entrepreneurial learning. Further, the limited research within this line of inquiry is diverse and disconnected. In this research, I attempt to advance the literature on organizational and entrepreneurial learning through the examination of a multi-level framework of entrepreneurial learning processes. I do this within a framework supported by social cognitive (or learning) theory, where I attempt to examine the relationships between the influence of prior performance, organizational factors, and personal cognitive characteristics on what an entrepreneur learns. However, my findings suggest that entrepreneurial learning is best described as a process. Rather than finding support for a model of entrepreneurial learning with learning as an outcome, the data supports a model of entrepreneurial learning focused on the process of entrepreneurial learning

Career Transitions in the Digital Age: Mastering the Art of Communicating Career Direction Clarity

As the nature of work has evolved, the process of career transition and job search has evolved as well. During the world’s transformation from analog to digital, the tenure of an individual’s career went from one person, one company, to one person, many companies. Today, the average person changes jobs 12 times during his or her career. In the digital age, career tools are more ubiquitous, candidates have a broader reach, and communication is instantaneous. Although technology change is generally positive for those in career transition, candidates are expected to articulate clearly what they seek in a position and prepare a polished, concise, and focused statement of the value they provide to their prospective employer. Today, more than ever, candidates are required to provide information quickly and consistently across digital media and in person. This study examines the importance of defining career direction clarity and mastering, or becoming unconsciously competent at, communicating career direction clarity, and effectively telling a cohesive ‘career story’ during the outplacement/career transition process

Determinants of purchasing online courses through education platform in China

Online courses have become the main source of income for online education platforms. It is of great value to explore the factors affecting users’ intention to buy online courses. Based on the technology acceptance model, perceived value theory and perceived risk theory, this study constructs the structural equation model of the purchase intention of online courses by taking users on online education platforms as the research object, and resorts PLS-SEM for analysis. This research explores factors that impact the intention to buy online courses and levels of these impact. The research questionnaire of this study was developed through literature review, and 669 valid questionnaires were collected. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS V24.0 and SmartPLS 3.2.8. Before the multi-group analysis, it is found that perceived value, time and space autonomy, course free trail exert positive impact on purchase intention, while perceived risk has negative impact on it. Perceived cost does not significantly affect purchase intention. Time and space autonomy, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use are positively affecting perceived value, while perceived cost and perceived risk negatively affect perceived value. Course free trail does not significantly affect perceived value. Perceived value completely mediates perceived cost, and partially mediates the impact of time and space autonomy and perceived risk on purchase intention. Word-of-mouth positively moderates the impact of perceived value on purchase intention. Age has negative impact on purchase intention, while education positively affects purchase intention. Perceived profit (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, time and space autonomy) significantly and positively affects perceived value, and perceived loss (perceived cost, perceived risk) significantly and negatively affects perceived value. Perceived value mediates the impact of perceived gain and perceived loss on the users’ purchase intention. PLS multi-group analysis is conducted according to the users’ experience in buying a course. Users with different purchasing experience have different significance in terms of Online courses have become the main source of income for online education platforms. It is of great value to explore the factors affecting users’ intention to buy online courses. Based on the technology acceptance model, perceived value theory and perceived risk theory, this study constructs the structural equation model of the purchase intention of online courses by taking users on online education platforms as the research object, and resorts PLS-SEM for analysis. This research explores factors that impact the intention to buy online courses and levels of these impact. The research questionnaire of this study was developed through literature review, and 669 valid questionnaires were collected. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS V24.0 and SmartPLS 3.2.8. Before the multi-group analysis, it is found that perceived value, time and space autonomy, course free trail exert positive impact on purchase intention, while perceived risk has negative impact on it. Perceived cost does not significantly affect purchase intention. Time and space autonomy, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use are positively affecting perceived value, while perceived cost and perceived risk negatively affect perceived value. Course free trail does not significantly affect perceived value. Perceived value completely mediates perceived cost, and partially mediates the impact of time and space autonomy and perceived risk on purchase intention. Word-of-mouth positively moderates the impact of perceived value on purchase intention. Age has negative impact on purchase intention, while education positively affects purchase intention. Perceived profit (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, time and space autonomy) significantly and positively affects perceived value, and perceived loss (perceived cost, perceived risk) significantly and negatively affects perceived value. Perceived value mediates the impact of perceived gain and perceived loss on the users’ purchase intention. PLS multi-group analysis is conducted according to the users’ experience in buying a course. Users with different purchasing experience have different significance in terms of course free trail, perceived risk, perceived ease of use, time and space autonomy, and education. Based on the data analysis, this study also discussed the corresponding recommendations, such as guaranteeing course quality, providing word-of-mouth, grouping users according to their purchasing experience, using artificial intelligence to recommend online courses for users; optimizing functions of time and space autonomy, improving user experience with 5G, virtual reality, and augmented reality; reducing course price with cloud services and big data technologies, and providing more course free trial in an attempt to reduce users’ perceived risk.Os cursos à distância tornaram-se a principal fonte de rendimento para as plataformas de educação online. O estudo dos fatores que afetam a intenção dos utilizadores de compra de cursos online tem uma grande valia. Com base no modelo de aceitação de tecnologia, na teoria do valor percebido e na teoria do risco percebido, este estudo constrói o modelo de equações estruturais da intenção de compra de curso online ao considerar os utilizadores de plataformas de educação online como objeto de investigação, com base na metodologia PLS-SEM (mínimos quadrados parciais – modelação com equações estruturais). Esta pesquisa explora fatores que influenciam a intenção de compra de cursos e os seus níveis de impacto. O questionário de investigação deste estudo foi desenvolvido através da revisão da literatura e foram recolhidos 669 questionários válidos. A análise de dados foi realizada utilizando o IBM SPSS V24.0 e o SmartPLS 3.2.8. Antes da análise multi grupos, verificou-se que as variáveis valor percebido, autonomia de espaço e tempo e teste gratuito de curso exercem um impacto positivo na intenção de compra, enquanto o risco percebido tem um impacto negativo sobre o mesmo. O custo percebido não afeta significativamente a intenção de compra. Autonomia de espaço e tempo, utilidade percebida e perceção de facilidade de utilização afetando positivamente o valor percebido, enquanto custo percebido e risco percebido afetam negativamente o valor percebido. O teste gratuito do curso não afeta negativamente o valor percebido. O valor percebido é um mediador integral do custo percebido, e mediador parcial do impacto da autonomia de espaço e tempo, risco percebido na intenção de compra. Palavra-de-boca (word of mouth) modera positivamente o impacto do valor percebido na intenção de compra. A idade tem um impacto negativo na intenção de compra, enquanto a educação afeta-a positivamente. O lucro percebido (facilidade percebida de utilização, utilidade percebida, autonomia de espaço e tempo) afeta significativa e positivamente o valor percebido, e a perda percebida (custo percebido, risco percebido) afeta significativa e negativamente o valor percebido. O valor percebido é mediador do impacto do lucro percebido e da perda percebida na intenção de compra dos utilizadores. A análise de vários grupos da análise PLS foi realizada de acordo com a experiência dos utilizadores na compra de um curso. Os utilizadores com diferentes experiências de compra têm uma significância diferente em termos de experimentação gratuita dos cursos, risco percebido, facilidade percebida de utilização, autonomia de espaço e tempo e educação. Com base na análise de dados, este estudo também analisou as recomendações correspondentes, como garantir a qualidade do curso, fornecer informações de word of mouth, agrupar os utilizadores de acordo com a sua experiência de compra, utilizando a inteligência artificial para recomendar cursos online para os utilizadores; otimizar funções da autonomia de espaço e tempo, melhorar a experiência do utilizador com 5G, realidade virtual e realidade aumentada; reduzir o preço do curso com serviços na nuvem e tecnologias de grandes bases de dados, e fornecer mais cursos experimentais gratuitos para tentar reduzir o risco percebido dos utilizadores