6,567 research outputs found

    Openness in Education as a Praxis: From Individual Testimonials to Collective Voices

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    Why is Openness in Education important, and why is it critically needed at this moment? As manifested in our guiding question, the significance of Openness in Education and its immediate necessity form the heart of this collaborative editorial piece. This rather straightforward, yet nuanced query has sparked this collective endeavour by using individual testimonies, which may also be taken as living narratives, to reveal the value of Openness in Education as a praxis. Such testimonies serve as rich, personal narratives, critical introspections, and experience-based accounts that function as sources of data. The data gleaned from these narratives points to the understanding of Openness in Education as a complex, multilayered concept intricately woven into an array of values. These range from aspects such as sharing, access, flexibility, affordability, enlightenment, barrier-removal, empowerment, care, individual agency, trust, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, co-creation, social justice, equity, transparency, inclusivity, decolonization, democratisation, participation, liberty, and respect for diversity. This editorial, as a product of collective endeavour, invites its readers to independently engage with individual narratives, fostering the creation of unique interpretations. This call stems from the distinctive character of each narrative as they voice individual researchers’ perspectives from around the globe, articulating their insights within their unique situational contexts

    Raising Critical Consciousness in Engineering Education: A Critical Exploration of Transformative Possibilities in Engineering Education and Research

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    This thesis represents a critical exploration of the opportunities, challenges, and barriers to enacting social justice via the engineering curriculum. Through an ethnographic case study of a British engineering for sustainable development course, I illuminate tensions and contradictions of attempts to “do good” while “doing engineering” in a higher education setting. This work is couched within critical and anti-colonial theoretical frames. Through critical and reflexive analysis, I illustrate attempts of participants to innovate in engineering education toward a counter-hegemonic engineering practice, and highlight transformative possibilities, as well as barriers. This case illustrates how the structures that formed modern engineering continue to shape engineering higher education, restraining attempts to transform engineering training for social good.A central question that has driven this work has been: Is it possible to cultivate a more socially just form of engineering practice through engineering higher education? The function of asking this question has been to interrogate a core assumption in engineering education research – that with the right blend of educational interventions, we can make strides towards social justice. My intent in interrogating this assumption is not to be nihilistic per se. I believe it is entirely possible that engineering could potentially be wielded for just cause and consequence. However, if we do not critically examine our core assumptions around this issue, we may also miss out on the possibility that socially just engineering is not achievable, at least in the way we are currently approaching it or in the current context within which it exists.An examination of this topic is already underway in the US context. However, it is under-explored in a British context. Given the different historical trajectories of engineering and engineering in higher education between these two contexts, a closer look at the British context is warranted

    Knitting Circular Ties: Empowering Networks for the Social Enterprise-led Local Development of an Integrative Circular Economy

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    Circular economy (CE) discourse primarily focuses on business-as-usual and resource-related economic processes whilst overlooking relational-spatial aspects, especially networking for local development. There are, however, many mission-driven social enterprises (SEs) engaging in short-loop activities at the neighbourhood and city scales (e.g., reuse, upcycling, refurbishing or repair). Such localised activities are often overlooked by mainstreampolicies, yet they could be vital to the local development of the CE into a more socio-environmentally integrated set of localised social structures and relations. This paper examines the role of SEs, their networks and structures in building a more socially integrated CE in the City of Hull (UK). Drawing upon the Social Network Analysisapproach and semi-structured interviews with 31 case study SEs representing variegated sectors (e.g., food, wood/furniture, textiles, arts & crafts, hygiene, construction/housing, women, elderly, ethnic minorities, homeless, prisoners, mentally struggling), it maps SEs’ cross-sector relationships with private, public and socialsector organizations. It then considers how these network constellations could be ‘woven’ into symbiotic relationships between SEs whilst fostering knowledge spillovers and resource flows for the local development of a more socially integrative CE. We contend that integrating considerations of SEs’ organizational attributes andtheir socio-spatial positioning within networks and social structures offers new insights into the underlying power relations and variegated levels of trust within the emergent social-circular enterprise ecosystem. These aspects are presented in the form of a comprehensive heuristic framework, which reveals how respective organizational and network characteristics may impact SEs’ performance outcomes and, ultimately, a more integrated approach to local CE development

    A Smart Contract Architecture Framework for Successful Industrial Symbiosis Applications Using Blockchain Technology

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    Funding Information: Author acknowledges Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT-MCTES) for its financial support via the project UIDB/00667/2020 (UNIDEMI). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Industrial Symbiosis (IS) involves a network of organizations that exchange energy, materials, and by-products to lower production costs, reduce environmental impact, and conserve natural resources. Despite over two decades of extensive research into IS, its benefits are well known, but implementation remains challenging. This paper proposes utilizing blockchain technology (BCT) to digitize IS, making it more secure and transparent. First, drivers and barriers of BCT implementation in IS are identified. A smart contract architecture framework using Hyperledger Fabric is then proposed using the constructed theoretical background and abductive method. Finally, the paper discusses how this framework supports the implementation of BCT in IS by addressing its drivers and attempting to overcome its barriers. It is a resource for those seeking a comprehensive grasp of the foundational elements necessary for constructing a successful IS blockchain design, which is adaptable to all types of IS network configurations.publishersversionpublishe

    Toward circularity : life cycle-based approach in waste management

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    Our current “throwaway” lifestyle places great strain on the environment; resources that enter the economy remain for only a short period and are quickly disposed of. This dissertation aims to evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of shifting toward more circular economy (CE) practices that advocate value retention for as long as possible within the economy. The research was carried out by conceptualizing CE and solving real cases focusing on the product end-of-life (EoL) stage. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was the main tool used to assess environmental impacts of different circular scenarios. The tool was paired with life cycle costing (LCC) to evaluate economic performances. Three cases in Finland were assessed: shifting toward source-separated biowaste collection, establishing an agricultural plastics waste recycling system, and waste-to-energy optimization. It was found that CE covers multiple aspects within the value chain; thus, its adoption model can occur at any stage of the value chain, thereby enabling various stakeholders to be more circular through different actions. The cases suggested that being more circular at the EoL stage may improve value retention through secondary material production, waste treatment by-products, and energy recovery. Shifting toward circularity was shown to be economically and environmentally viable. The dissertation illustrated the importance of stakeholders’ collaboration because a circular approach could affect all actors within the supply chain, including manufacturing, the energy sector, and society. The study showed that it is important to quantify environmental impacts of products or services, and to date, LCA remains the most suitable tool for quantifying results and evaluating options. In addition, a combination with LCC will provide more comprehensive results to anticipate any trade-off between environmental and economic aspects. CE must start somewhere, so let it start with organizations evaluating their environmental performance to identify better alternatives, define targets, and foster circularity in the long run.Nykyinen kertakäyttöelämäntapa aiheuttaa painetta ympäristölle. Monia raaka-aineita, joita käytetään taloudessa, hyödynnetään vain lyhyen aikaa ja hävitetään nopeasti. Tämän väitöskirjan tavoitteena on arvioida taloudellisia ja ympäristövaikutuksia yritysten siirtymisessä kohti kiertotalouden (CE) käytäntöjä, joiden avulla pyritään arvon säilyttämiseen mahdollisimman pitkään. Tutkimus toteutettiin tarkastelemalla kiertotalouden käsitteitä ja esittämällä ratkaisumalleja tapaustutkimuksiin, joissa keskityttiin tuotteen elinkaaren loppuvaiheeseen (EoL). Elinkaariarviointi (LCA) oli näissä tärkein työkalu erilaisten kiertoskenaarioiden ympäristövaikutusten arvioinnissa. Tämä työkalu yhdistettiin elinkaarikustannuslaskentaan (LCC) taloudellisen suorituskyvyn arvioimiseksi. Kolme tapaustutkimusta toteutettiin Suomessa: (1) siirtyminen biojätteen lajittelukeräykseen, (2) maatalouden muovijätteen kierrätysjärjestelmän suunnittelu ja (3) jätteen energian optimointi. Tulokset osoittivat, että kiertotalouden avulla voidaan kattaa useita arvoketjun näkökohtia; käyttöönotto voidaan toteuttaa millä tahansa arvoketjun tasolla, ja eri sidosryhmät voivat lisätä kiertoa eri toimien kautta. Tulokset viittaavat siihen, että kierron lisääminen EoL-vaiheessa voisi parantaa arvon säilyttämistä uusiomateriaalituotannon, jätteenkäsittelyn sivutuotteiden ja energian talteenoton avulla. Tyyppitapausten perusteella yritysten siirtyminen kiertotalouskäytäntöihin osoittautui sekä taloudellisesti ja ympäristön kannalta kannattavaksi. Työn tulokset ovat havainnollistaneet sidosryhmien yhteistyön tärkeyttä. Kierron rakentaminen voi vaikuttaa kaikkiin toimitusketjun toimijoihin, mukaan lukien valmistus, energiantuotanto ja yhteiskunta laajemmin. Tutkimus osoitti, että tuotteiden tai palveluiden ympäristövaikutusten kvantitatiivinen mittaaminen on tärkeää, ja LCA on edelleen sopivin väline tulosten kvantifiointiin ja erilaisten vaihtoehtojen keskinäiseen arviointiin. Elinkaarilaskelmaan yhdistettynä elinkaarikustannuslaskentaan saadaan aikaan kattavampia tuloksia, joilla voidaan vertailla ympäristö- ja talousnäkökohtien mahdollisia ristiriitoja. Kiertotaloustyö on aloitettava jostain, ja se voi alkaa siitä, että organisaatiot mittaavat ympäristötehokkuuttaan rakentaakseen parempia vaihtoehtoja, määritelläkseen tavoitteitaan ja edistääkseen kiertojen kehittymistä pitkällä aikavälillä.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

    Anime Studies: media-specific approaches to neon genesis evangelion

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    Anime Studies: Media-Specific Approaches to Neon Genesis Evangelion aims at advancing the study of anime, understood as largely TV-based genre fiction rendered in cel, or cel-look, animation with a strong affinity to participatory cultures and media convergence. Making Neon Genesis Evangelion (Shin Seiki Evangerion, 1995-96) its central case and nodal point, this volumen forground anime as a media with clearly recognizable aesthetic properties, (sub)cultural affordances and situated discourses

    2023-2024 Boise State University Undergraduate Catalog

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    This catalog is primarily for and directed at students. However, it serves many audiences, such as high school counselors, academic advisors, and the public. In this catalog you will find an overview of Boise State University and information on admission, registration, grades, tuition and fees, financial aid, housing, student services, and other important policies and procedures. However, most of this catalog is devoted to describing the various programs and courses offered at Boise State

    Responsible AI in Africa

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    This open access book contributes to the discourse of Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) from an African perspective. It is a unique collection that brings together prominent AI scholars to discuss AI ethics from theoretical and practical African perspectives and makes a case for African values, interests, expectations and principles to underpin the design, development and deployment (DDD) of AI in Africa. The book is a first in that it pays attention to the socio-cultural contexts of Responsible AI that is sensitive to African cultures and societies. It makes an important contribution to the global AI ethics discourse that often neglects AI narratives from Africa despite growing evidence of DDD in many domains. Nine original contributions provide useful insights to advance the understanding and implementation of Responsible AI in Africa, including discussions on epistemic injustice of global AI ethics, opportunities and challenges, an examination of AI co-bots and chatbots in an African work space, gender and AI, a consideration of African philosophies such as Ubuntu in the application of AI, African AI policy, and a look towards a future of Responsible AI in Africa. This is an open access book
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