EMorF - A tool for model transformations

In this paper, we present EMorF - a model transformation tool for EMF. EMorF supports the specification and execution of in-place model transformations as well as model-to-model transformations. The graphical though formal specification is based on (triple-) graph grammars, which are executed by an interpreter system. Inthis paper, we focus on the provided tool support for the development and execution of model transformations

The impact of supply chain structure on the use of supplier socially responsible practices

Purpose – This paper seeks to explore the integration of social issues in the management of supply chains from an operations management perspective. Further, this research aims to develop a set of scales to measure multiple dimensions of supplier socially responsible practices. Finally, the paper examines the importance of three dimensions of supply chain structure, namely transparency, dependency and distance, for the adoption of these socially responsible practices. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on literature from several theoretical streams, current best‐practice in leading firms and emerging international standards, four dimensions of supplier socially responsible practices were identified. Also, a multi‐dimensional conceptualization of supply chain structure, including transparency, dependency and distance, was synthesized from earlier research. Using this conceptual development, a large‐scale survey of plant managers in three industries in Canada provided an empirical basis for validating these constructs, and then assessing the relationships between structure and practices. Findings – Multi‐item scales for each of the four dimensions of supplier socially responsible practices were validated empirically: supplier human rights; supplier labour practices; supplier codes of conduct; and supplier social audits. Increased transparency, as reflected in greater product visibility by the end‐consumer was related to increased use of supplier human rights, which in turn can help to protect a firm's brands. Organizational distance, as measured by the total length of the supply chain (number of tiers in the supply chain), was related to increased use of multiple supplier socially responsible practices. Finally, as the plant was positioned further upstream in the supply chain, managers reported increased use of supplier codes of conduct. Practical implications – As senior managers extend, redesign or restructure their supply chains, the extent to which social issues must be monitored and managed changes. The four categories of supplier socially responsible practices identified help managers characterize their firm's approach to managing social issues. Furthermore, managers must more actively manage the development of supplier socially responsible practices in their firms when the supply chain has more firms; and when brands have stronger recognition in the marketplace. Originality/value – The paper makes three contributions to the extant literature. First, the construct of social issues is defined and framed within the broader debate on sustainable development and stakeholder management. Second, social practices are delineated for supply chain management, and a set of scales is empirically validated for assessing the degree of development of supplier socially responsible practices. Finally, the link between supply chain structure and the adoption of supplier socially responsible practices is examined. This last contribution provides a basis for understanding, so that managers can extend and reshape current views about how social issues must be managed

Lake and River Ice Investigations in Northern Manitoba Using Airborne SAR Imagery

Multichannel airborne SAR data were collected over northern Manitoba in April 1989 and January 1990. During the week of the SAR flights, several reconnaissance helicopter flights were undertaken, and ground calibration sites were visited to collect ice, snow, and water data. A total of six SAR image passes were flown in April 1989 and seven in January 1990, in order to collect a data set with numerous incidence angle, frequency, polarization, and look direction combinations. The data have been qualitatively assessed, with specific emphasis on C-band horizontally polarized imagery - the proposed SAR configuration for Radarsat. Results of the analysis have shown that airborne SAR can be used to identify various freshwater ice features, such as juxtaposition ice, refrozen slush, river ice runs, and lake ice. Open water leads were also successfully identified. A careful interpretation of the airborne SAR imagery in conjunction with the ground truth data has shown that the unusually bright returns characterizing the Burntwood River and the west portion of Split Lake were caused by a layer of refrozen slush that was generated during the initial formation of the ice cover. Although the results reported here focused exclusively on a qualitative analysis of C-HH data, preliminary analysis of the digital data suggests that changes in frequency and polarization produce measurable differences and can be used to develop classification algorithms for freshwater ice.Key words: synthetic aperture radar, fresh water iceMots clés: radar à antenne synthétique, glace d’eau douc

Teachers’ Cognitive Processing of Complex School-Based Scenarios: Differences Across Experience Levels

Teachers are confronted with and must process challenging situations every day. Yet the development trajectory of their processing ability is unknown. Our two-part mixed method studies use a think-aloud methodology to understand how teachers cognitive process difficult school-based and non-school-based scenarios. Studies 1 and 2 examine the differences between expert, beginning, and pre-service teachers without and with pre-existing response options, respectively. Results from qualitative (but not quantitative) analyses indicate group differences in strategy, scope, content, and reasoning. Furthermore, we find that teaching is a domain-specific expertise. We discuss how this information can inform teacher education and professional development programs

Türkiye’deki Fen Bilgisi Öğretmenlerinin Mesleki İyilik Durumlarının Bazı Demografik ve Kontekst Değişkenleri ile İlişkisi : Çok Değişkenli Analiz

The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to determine the Turkish elementary science teachers’ occupational well-being profile and second, to investigate the relation of science teachers’ occupational well-being to some contextual and demographic characteristics. The contextual variables included class size, years of teaching experience and weekly course hours, while demographic characteristics included gender, graduated faculty, marital status, and having children. Moreover, occupational well-being was examined in terms of job satisfaction and burnout (i.e. emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment). 376 elementary science teachers that were randomly selected across the Turkey participated in the study. Descriptive statistics and canonical correlation analysis were utilized to analyze the data. Results showed that Turkish elementary science teachers experience low level of Emotional exhaustion and high level of personal accomplishment and job satisfaction. Additionally, it was found that as class size and weekly course hour increase, elementary science teachers tend to experience more emotional exhaustion but less job satisfaction. Teachers having children appeared to experience more emotional exhaustion but less job satisfaction. Moreover, a positive relationship was found between teaching experience and occupational well-being (i.e. job satisfaction and personal accomplishment). Female teachers appeared to experience more personal accomplishment and job satisfaction than male teachers. Similarly, teachers graduated from faculties of arts and sciences were found to have higher level of personal accomplishment and job satisfaction than teachers graduated from educational faculties.Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkiye’deki fen bilgisi öğretmenlerinin mesleki iyilik durumlarını incelemek ve bu fen öğretmenlerinin mesleki iyilik durumlarının bazı demografik ve kontekst değişkenleri ile ilişkisini araştırmaktır. Demografik değişkenler cinsiyet, mezun olunan fakülte türü, medeni durum ve çocuk sahibi olma durumunu içerirken, kontekst değişkenleri ortalama sınıf mevcudu, öğretmenin iş deneyimi ve öğretmenin haftalık ders saatini içermektedir. Ayrıca, mesleki iyilik durumu; iş tatmini ve tükenmişlik (duygusal tükenmişlik ve kişisel başarı) olarak ele alınmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini Türkiye genelinden basit seçkisiz örnekleme yöntemi ile belirlenen 376 fen bilgisi öğretmeni oluşturmuştur. Veri setinin analizi için betimsel istatistikler ve kanonik korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonuçları Türkiye’deki fen bilgisi öğretmenlerinin yaşadığı duygusal tükenmişliğin düşük düzeyde; kişisel başarı hissi ve iş tatmininin ise yüksek düzeyde olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca, ders verilen sınıfların mevcudu ve öğretmenin haftalık ders saati sayısı arttıkça öğretmenlerin daha çok duygusal tükenmişlik ve daha az iş tatmini yaşama eğiliminde oldukları bulunmuştur. Çocuk sahibi olan öğretmenlerin daha çok duygusal tükenmişlik ve daha az iş tatmini yaşadıkları görülmüştür. Bunun yanı sıra, iş deneyiminin iş tatmini ve kişisel başarı hissi ile pozitif yönde ilişkili olduğu bulunmuştur. Bayan öğretmenler, erkek öğretmenlere kıyasla daha yüksek iş tatmini ve kişisel başarı hissi yaşadıklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Benzer şekilde, üniversitelerin fen-edebiyat fakültelerinden mezun öğretmenlerin de eğitim fakültesi mezunlarına göre daha yüksek iş tatmini ve kişisel başarı hissi yaşadıkları bulunmuştur

Applicant Reactions to a Situational Judgment Test used for Selection into Initial Teacher Training

We considered applicants’ perceptions of the use of a pilot situational judgment test (SJT) designed for selection into primary and secondary teacher training programs in the UK. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 304 applicants (73% female) to two postgraduate (PGCE) training programs in the 2013-2014 application cycle. Participants were asked to provide feedback on the content of the SJTs and on the appropriateness of the tests for selection into teacher training. Results from the rating scales showed that most of the applicants (76.7%) found the content and format of the pilot selection tool favourable. Results from open-ended questions suggested that applicants were aware of issues of procedural justice and fairness in selection for teacher training, with a recommendation that separate selection tests should be created for primary and secondary applicants

Measuring Teacher Engagement: Development of the Engaged Teachers Scale (ETS)

The goal of this study was to create and validate a brief multi-dimension scale of teacher engagement—the Engaged Teachers Scale (ETS)—that reflects the particular characteristics of teachers’ work in schools. We collected data from four separate samples of teachers (total N = 823), and followed five steps in developing and validating the ETS.  The result of our five steps of analysis was a 16-item, 4-factor scale of teacher engagement that shows evidence of reliability, validity, and usability for further research. The four factors of the ETS consist of: cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, social engagement: students, and social engagement: colleagues. The ETS was found to correlate positively with a frequently used work engagement measure (the UWES) and to be positively related to, but empirically distinct, from a measure of teachers’ self-efficacy. Our key contribution to the measurement of teacher engagement is the novel inclusion of social engagement with students as a key component of overall engagement at work for teachers. We propose that social engagement should be considered in future iterations of work engagement measures in a range of settings

Effective Reading Remediation Instructional Strategies for Struggling Early Readers

This paper presents a microgenetic study of the emergence of literacy in an eight-year-old student who is in third grade in a public primary school in Midwest, USA and is identified as learning disabled. It describes seven practical teaching strategies that were successfully used with this child for two years. At the end of this two year remediation, the child was able to read fluently at her grade level and exceeded all expectations and predictions of her parents and teachers. These strategies will be beneficial for classroom teachers, reading specialists, and special education teachers who are working with struggling young readers, and are evidence-based practices identified from a review of the literature