Systems thinking in food security research

Reference to systems thinking is found in food studies more frequently, and the need for design interventions becomes more prominent as food security research increasingly acknowledges the complexity of the problem space. A systems approach allows a better grasp of the complex interconnections and stakeholders involved. However, the existing variety of approaches based on fundamentally different assumptions could lead to misconceptions, if not made explicit. The purpose of the current literature review is to enhance the mutual understanding of systems thinking by food security and design researchers, investigating the adoption of systems notions, and uncovering their relevant positioning on the systems approaches spectrum. A three-step method was followed: selecting the papers, organizing them in thematic clusters and visualizing the papers’ timeline succession, and mapping the degree of adoption and sociological paradigm of their systemicity. This process allowed for a more holistic perspective and enabled the emergence of significant issues: the increasing need of food security researchers for a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches; the paradox of disciplinary bias; and the absence of emancipatory approaches. The generated “systemicity map” can serve as a tool for systemic designers to establish a common understanding of systems approaches when working alongside researchers and other stakeholders of food security. Furthermore, considering the map’s topology could help systemic designers locate and prioritize the most “promising” candidates for interdisciplinary collaboration. Finally, the results advocate a pro-innovation bias

Designing a Postgraduate Curriculum in Information Systems: A Greek Case

The design of an IS postgraduate curriculum may take as staring point existing model curricula and guidelines. However, the landscape of Information Systems, as well as the needs of the target market continuously changes. Additionally, the idiosyncrasies of the specific local academic and business environments (e.g. existing undergraduates programmes and local market needs), either purposefully or implicitly, pervade the design of curricula or influence their development. As part of the research undertaken to ascertain the content and direction for a new postgraduate curriculum in IS, several activities were Designing a Postgraduate Curriculum in Information Systems: A Greek Case [Case Study] 1071 carried out, including a study of existing curricula worldwide, a survey and study of the global and national landscapes of IS curricula, both undergraduate and postgraduate, and of the needs of local IS industry. This paper describes the approach taken and the resulting postgraduate IS curriculum, and highlights how this approach can be used by others and adapted to their needs

Towards Integration of Learning Objects Metadata and Learner Profiles Design: Lessons Learnt from GESTALT

Within the context of learning technology environments, there is much effort on one hand, at dening metadata for educational content, and on the other, at specifying learner user proles. However, less attention has been paid to the understanding of the relationship between these two areas of research, in terms of semantic and structural correlations. Based on an implementation of learning object metadata and learner profiles in a learning technology system undertaken in the Getting Education Systems Talking Across Leading Edge Technologies (GESTALT) project, this paper argues that the denition of a metadata schema and a User Profile should be a joint effort due to the complementary nature of these two descriptions in regard to the critical functions of the educational process

ABSTRACT

The design of an IS postgraduate curriculum may take as staring point existing model curricula and guidelines. However, the landscape of Information Systems, as well as the needs of the target market continuously changes. Additionally, the idiosyncrasies of the specific local academic and business environments (e.g. existing undergraduates programmes and local market needs), either purposefully or implicitly, pervade the design of curricula or influence their development. As part of the research undertaken to ascertain the content and direction for a new postgraduate curriculum in IS, several activities were Designing a Postgraduate Curriculum inIinformation Systems: A Greek Case [Case Study] carried out, including a study of existing curricula worldwide, a survey and study of the global and national landscapes of IS curricula, both undergraduate and postgraduate, and of the needs of local IS industry. This paper describes the approach taken and the resulting postgraduate IS curriculum, and highlights how this approach can be used by others and adapted to their needs.