Articulation(s) of Culture(s): Mobilizing knowledge, ecological justice, and media convergence

This paper draws on articulation(s) as a multi-method countermethodology in the design of educational research. We use this form of critical\ud inquiry to examine ecological literacies and digital epistemologies associated with\ud Dow’s 2006 worldwide advertising campaign, “The Human Element”.\ud Articulation(s) draw from research that continues to evolve reflexively and that\ud openly questions deterministic institutional explanations. Our interpretation of\ud articulation(s) include(s) critical processes for gathering, analyzing, and\ud interpreting data. A critique of Dow‘s “The Human Element” ad is provided as an\ud example of how multimodal forms of information have been mobilized,\ud (re)presented, (re)mixed, and (re)mediated using media convergence, how various\ud points of view intersect formations of everyday digital media networks, and how\ud communication practices entail subtle and complex relationships associated with\ud social and political meanings and values. Our focus is on social justice issues of\ud ecology as mobilized through media convergence. We argue that an integrated and\ud negotiated approach to critical inquiry linking ecological justice through education\ud can help researchers, teachers, and students analyze conditions of culture(s) within\ud the contexts of complex political and social conditions that are prevalent in most\ud societies

Integrating ICT in Kenyan secondary schools: an exploratory case study of a professional development program

This study explores the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Kenyan secondary schools. Specifically, it is a case study of four schools with no previous access to ICT. The professional development program from which data for this study were drawn was designed to support teachers learning to integrate ICT in the curriculum. Using a mixed method research approach, we collected data from multiple sources and triangulated the views of various stakeholders: questionnaires with teachers, focus groups with teachers, school leaders and ICT coordinators, field observations and document analysis. While the broader program focused on the use of ICT, the results highlighted in this study focus on the development of the four schools with respect to 1) vision building, 2) leadership, 3) collaboration, 4) expertise, and 5) access to adequate resources. The discussion centers on the challenges and opportunities inherent in understanding how to prepare schools in developing countries to integrate ICT in education

The Green Quilt: An Example of Collective Eco-Action in Art Education

At the 1994 National Art Education Association (NAEA) Convention in Baltimore we initiated two eco-action presentations that resulted in the making and display of a Green Quilt (Blandy, Congdon, Hicks, Hoffman, & Krug, 1994a; Blandy, Congdon, Hicks, Hoffman &: Krug, 1994b). All of us have been coming to NAEA conventions for a number of years. Every year we have heard discussions on the gap between theory and practice. Discussed also has been the importance and need for activism within the NAEA. As a result of listening to these discussions, the five of us met at the 1993 convention to plan a session for 1994 that would be collaborative, active, political, and ecologically oriented. All of us have an ongoing research interest in eco-active art education. Consequently, we planned a session that would challenge conventional presentation formats by encouraging ongoing political activity. Consideration of the location of the convention, local activism, and the experiences of participants were deemed important aspects of political activity. Linking the NAEA membership with the Green Quilt Project” was the result of our planning

Student Achievement in Online Distance Education Compared to Face-to-Face Education

A meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize existing research published between 1995 and 2004 comparing student achievement in online distance education (ODE) and face-to-face education (F2FE) at the post-secondary level. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the development of technology contributed to student achievement in ODE within the last ten years. The result of comparing overall weighted mean effect size of student achievement showed no significant difference between the two settings (d =.023, k = 20, N = 1617, p = 0.640). However, the student achievement comparison revealed an interesting result when the primary studies were categorized by whether the experimental study conducted a pre-test or not. In the pre-tested group of studies, student achievement in ODE was significantly higher than F2FE (d = 0.211, k = 9, N = 631, p < 0.05) even though there was no difference for prior knowledge between ODE and F2FE (d = 0.0813, k=9, N=631, p>0.05). On the other hand, student achievement from the no pre-test group of studies resulted in no significant difference between the two settings (d =-0.106, k = 11, N = 986, p> 0.05). Discussion and suggestion for further studies are provided focusing on methodological weakness of primary studies and differences of teaching and learning in ODE and F2FE

Pólya vector fields and complex integration along closed curves

Vector fields, integrals, imaginary part and real part of the complex integra, complex integraion, closed curvesThe Pólya vector field for a complex-valued function u(x,y)+iv(x,y) is the vector field . This field is displayed along a curve, allowing for a visual interpretation of the complex integral. The real part of the complex integral is the same as the integral of the tangential flow, while the imaginary part is given by the integral of the normal flowComponente Curricular::Educação Superior::Ciências Exatas e da Terra::Matemátic

Pólya vector fields and complex integration along closed curves

Vector fields, integrals, imaginary part and real part of the complex integra, complex integraion, closed curvesThe Pólya vector field for a complex-valued function u(x,y)+iv(x,y) is the vector field . This field is displayed along a curve, allowing for a visual interpretation of the complex integral. The real part of the complex integral is the same as the integral of the tangential flow, while the imaginary part is given by the integral of the normal flowComponente Curricular::Educação Superior::Ciências Exatas e da Terra::Matemátic