Digital Ethnography for Intercultural Professional Communication: Some Best Practice Principles

With global compressions of time and space, intercultural contact is heightening. Digital networks are converging. Perhaps more than ever before, professional communicators require cultural and technical savvy, allowing them to navigate, in a principled manner, digitally-mediated contexts (Spilka, 2010). Since no mediation is value neutral, digital technologies can spark intercultural friction (Thatcher, 2004; Warshauer, 2003, p. 6), blur ethical codes (Capurro, 2008; Himma, 2008), and perpetuate colonial relations (Ess & Sudweeks, 2012, p. xvi). How to operate in such complex, power-laden environments is a central concern in intercultural professional communication (IPC) and merits additional inquiry

Complete Volume (44)

Complete digitized volume (volume 44) of Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Pedagogy of research and questioning the world: teaching through research and study paths (rsp) in secondary school

This paper summarizes some researchers developed in the Nucleus of Research in Education in Science and Technology (NIECyT) in the last eight years. In total, 17 implementations in mathematics classrooms where (N=234) students participated, are reported. The framework of the Anthropologic Theory of the Didactic (ATD) has been adopted, emphasizing the notions of Pedagogy of the Research and Questioning the World and the Research and Study paths (RSP). The results obtained introducing in a local and controlled way different RSP in regular courses of Mathematics in the secondary school in Argentina, are presented. The generative questions, the different mathematical and extra mathematical organizations, and the RSP are analyzed; also the dialectics and the attitudes of the Pedagogy of research and questioning the world are described.Ce travail présente un résumé des recherches développées dans le N¨ucleo de Investigaciόn en Educaciόn en Ciencias y Tecnologίa (NIECyT) pendant les huit dernières années. Ont été réalisées, au total, 17 implémentations, dans lesquelles (N=234) étudiants ont participé. On utilise la Théorie anthropologique du didactique (TAD) comme cadre théorique, plus particulièrement, les notions de pédagogie de l’enquête et du questionnement du monde (PRQM) et les parcours d’étude et de recherche (PER). On présente une synthèse de quelques résultats obtenus après d’avoir introduit, d’une manière locale et contrôlée, différents PER dans des cours réguliers de Mathématiques à l’école secondaire en Argentine. On présente les questions génératrices et son arborescence, les différentes organisations mathématiques et extra-mathématiques que les parcours permettraient d’étudier, et les dialectiques développées dans des PRQM.Fil: Otero, Maria Rita. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Llanos, Viviana Carolina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Parra, Verónica Ester. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sureda Figueroa, Diana Patricia. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Núcleo de Investigación en Educacion Ciencia y Tecnologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Information and ideas : concept design in three industrial contexts

This paper reviews the application of a new concept design method in a number of industrial settings. The ICR Grid is intended to better integrate information into the concept design process. In addition to sketching and sharing concepts in a manner similar to the 6-3-5 Method, participants undertake information search tasks, use specific information items for concept development, and reflect on the merit of concepts as the session progresses. Three different companies were invited to utilise the method to address current design issues. Grid output, observation and semi-structured interviews were used to assess the performance of the method, with marked differences in use across organisations highlighting future potential applications and development

Exploring Linguistic Challenges and Cultural Competency Development in a Small Multinational Corporation

In 2016\u27s global business landscape, the increase in workers moving across borders to find employment accentuates the language and cultural challenges for both employees and organizations. Employees working in a multinational environment need to have an understanding of language and culture to handle the complex nature of professional work in a multinational corporation (MNC). The purpose of this study was to explore what communication competencies employees in a small MNC needed to communicate across multicultural environments in the workplace. A dialectic approach of intercultural communication was used to explore these needs in one small MNC located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using English as the corporate language. Data were collected from 9 employees of one data security firm using semistructured interviewing, the data was then coded into NVivo. Using interpretative phenomenology analysis, the themes of understanding, cultural sensitivity, pace, and fitting in emerged. Results of the study indicated a disconnect in the cultural mentality of Americanness versus Arabness in the business environment where societal factors and national identity reflected in how the employees think and act in the workplace. Lack of cultural knowledge in an MNC can impact the financial health of an organization in lost opportunities, reduced productivity, and long-term relationship damage with clients and partners. The results of this study could contribute to positive social change by providing small MNCs with the insight to enhance intercultural communication and intercultural awareness among employees in building a global workforce

Digital technology in mathematics education: Why it works (or doesn't)

The integration of digital technology confronts teachers, educators and researchers with many questions. What is the potential of ICT for learning and teaching, and which factors are decisive in making it work in the mathematics classroom? To investigate these questions, six cases from leading studies in the field are described, and decisive success factors are identified. This leads to the conclusion that crucial factors for the success of digital technology in mathematics education include the design of the digital tool and corresponding tasks exploiting the tool's pedagogical potential, the role of the teacher and the educational context

On the political nature of competition law : interview with Oles Andriychuk

One of Oles’s latest research is questioning the political nature of competition law – a topic at the same time challenging yet a little provocative in this period of competition law turbulence. However, it goes without saying that there is a real need to address the subject: the link between law and politics is so obvious that we would be blind not to approach it. Law is political, and one speaks well about legislative and jurisprudential policies. However, we often like to believe competition law could have escaped this political aspect, thanks to the rationality of the economic science and the legal formalism on which its enforcement relies. Plus, it is commonly acknowledged that it necessary for competition law to be politically neutral as market regulation crystallizes political cleavages and thus implies, as a body of law, a duty of independence in the judgement process. In his work, Oles provides for a brilliant and critical analysis of the relationship between competition law and politics, questioning the assumption that today competition law is still neutral

Webbing and orchestration. Two interrelated views on digital tools in mathematics education

The integration of digital tools in mathematics education is considered both promising and problematic. To deal with this issue, notions of webbing and instrumental orchestration are developed. However, the two seemed to be disconnected, and having different cultural and theoretical roots. In this article, we investigate the distinct and joint journeys of these two theoretical perspectives. Taking some key moments in recent history as points of de- parture, we conclude that the two perspectives share an importance attributed to digital tools, and that initial differences, such as different views on the role of digital tools and the role of the teacher, have become more nuances. The two approaches share future chal- lenges to the organization of teachers'collaborative work and their use of digital resources.Comment: Teaching Mathematics and its Applications (2014) to be complete

Dialectic Tensions in the Context of Inter-organizational Integration

This study compares the perspectives on inter-organizational integration of information between stakeholders of the architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities management (AEC/FM) industry in Finland. Our findings are grounded on semi-structured interviews with practitioners that participated in a project of the Finnish government. Applying the theoretical framework of dialectical analysis, we identified six dimensions where conflicting points of view may arise regarding shared information: Ontology, standards, storage, openness, monetization and the involvement of the public sector. We argue that stakeholders will have stronger motivation to integrate with new actors if they share the same vision about one or more of such challenge areas. Awareness of these tensions helps to understand and guide the development of inter-organizational information systems in networked industries