102 research outputs found
SHORTFALL OF CURRENT GLOBAL EDUCATION SYSTEMS
No full textThe permeation of information communication technology (ICT) in the educational sector cannot be underestimated. Currently, ICT integration in education is moving away from the traditional use of computers for administrative work and typing assignments to mobile learning, collaborative learning, fast sharing of information and gamification. In ideal educational set-ups at either elementary or tertiary levels, the benefits that come with ICT integration are enormous. On the other hand, the traditional challenges to quality education have never been dealt with in many educational institutions all over the world. The persistent challenge of teacher shortages, capacity and infrastructural inadequacies have ensured some educational institutions the world over churn out students who are illiterate or unable to favorably compete in the global job markets with those whose institutions are better endowed.The argument is that the above challenges can easily be solved by respective countries through public-private-people partnerships so long as there is political good will for the concerned governments. The single most current shortfall to education and the innovation in education is the lack of information ethics. This paper strives to highlight the issues surrounding this challenge as well as some suggestions on how it can be solved
Women’s Participation in Governance and Political Processes in Kenya: Threats and Proposed Remedies
No full textThe most recent studies on women’s political participation demonstrate that women are consistently denied adequate space and a level playing field to participate in politics and governance, especially in many global south countries, unlike their male counterparts. These studies’ most dominant claim is that these contexts’ patriarchal cultural norms mainly limit women’s central involvement in such nations’ political processes. Based on this impediment system, it follows that these environments become more unpropitious, hostile, and insecure for women in politics, which opens up and perpetuates possibilities for all manner of harm to them. Because of such threats, several scholars, religious leaders, and women activists decry the underrepresentation of women in politics, which in their understanding, has contributed to prolonged systemic discrimination through a legacy of insufficient woman-centric legislation and policy interventions. There is a consensus-based claim among the majority of these actors that this kind of inadequacy continues unabated due to a siloed thinking that inhibits a joined-up approach in tackling such discrimination. This paper seeks to further explore this claim through a broad stroke integrated review of literature that deals with women’s political participation in Kenya, where the concept of traditional gender role beliefs provides a vital backdrop for conducting it. Based on this concept’s valuable terms of reference, it is concluded that women need to be accorded a more enabling environment to participate in politics and, in this way, ensure that their ascension to leadership positions in governance becomes tenable. It is anticipated that such an assumption will increase legislation, policy and other interventions geared towards safeguarding women’s general participation in politics. In light of such conclusion, it is proposed that groundswell support is needed to ensure that the creation of a conducive environment for women to be involved in politics is realized, and in this way, their disenfranchisement based on their limited participation in politics is tackled.
African Universities' Performances in Selected Global Ranking Models for the Period 2016-2021: Issues and Suggested Solutions
No full textBook ChapterGlobal university ranking is taking place on the background of continental disparities in higher education. A thematic literature review reveals differences in history, political environments, education, and related policies. This chapter documents the position of African universities in global ranking based on the results of three major ranking systems from 2016-2021. It compares performances in North and South universities; examines the factors responsible for poor performance in global South universities; and provides possible solutions for improved performance. The chapter proposes categorizing universities according to regions for fairness; self-evaluation and benchmarking by African universities with globally best-ranked universities; de-linking of African public universities from political sycophancy; more stakeholder appreciation and investment in universities; and more government funding. These can help improve Africa's education, especially staff capacity; infrastructure; curriculum development and implementation; teaching methodologies; research; and community development
Access to and use of Tobacco Production Health Hazard Information Sources by Tobacco Farmers in Kuria West Sub – County, Migori County, Kenya
No full textTobacco production poses serious dangers to tobacco farmers especially in developing countries. Previous studies have shown that tobacco production activities continue to expose tobacco farmers to health risk. This study examines sources of health hazard information that tobacco farmers in Kuria West Sub- County of Migori County, Kenya access and use in an effort to protect themselves. The data was collected from a sample size of 100 tobacco farmers and 41 key informants. A representative sample was chosen from the four selected wards of Kuria West Sub-County. Software Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. A major finding was that majority of tobacco farmers used various sources of information whose adequacy about potential risks associated with the crop farming remained a challenge. The paper concludes that, the sources of information that tobacco farmers relied on are unreliable and not trustworthy. The study recommends the establishmen
Étude des procédés d’appropriation esthétique de l’astronautique dans Nous trois de Jean Echenoz suivi de Hellen-Freischmann
No full textMémoire en recherche-créationL’essai Études des procédés d’appropriation esthétique de l’astronautique dans Nous trois de Jean Echenoz explore les stratégies développées par l’écrivain Jean Echenoz pour engager un dialogue inédit avec le thème de l’astronautique, qu’il met en récit dans son sixième roman. Caractérisé par une adhésion ludique et distanciée au genre romanesque, Nous trois multiplie les jeux stylistiques, référentiels et langagiers, inscrivant son univers thématique au sein d’une esthétique de la précarité, qui n’épargne aucune dimension de l’œuvre. La structure du récit induit une part troublante d’équivoque autour de l’identité des personnages et des instances narratives. Sur le plan diégétique, le romancier met en place un univers instable et inquiétant dans lequel le milieu de l’astronautique est exposé sans complaisance. Tirant profit de la précarité inhérente au langage, Echenoz s’approprie un lexique rattaché au thème de l’astronautique qu’il exploite à des fins stylistiques.
Le roman Hellen-Freischmann raconte le parcours d’un personnage écrivain singulier qui cherche à faire publier un manuscrit ayant pour protagonistes des corps célestes. Cette trame narrative a pour contrepoint un récit mettant en scène l’éditrice d’une maison d’édition prestigieuse, qui doit composer avec cette soumission atypique. Ces personnages évoluent au sein d’un univers sombre où l’étrangeté côtoie le familier, où le vraisemblable menace de basculer dans le fantastique, où la fiction contamine la réalité. Le roman est porté par une voix narrative inusitée, instable, caractérisée par des jeux complexes de focalisation, des registres contrastés et une certaine indécidabilité quant au rapport de la narration à l’histoire racontée. Ce narrateur assimile une nomenclature propre à l’astronomie, qui sert tant le développement de l’intrigue que les jeux stylistiques du roman.The essay entitled Études des procédés d’appropriation esthétique de l’astronautique dans Nous trois de Jean Echenoz explores the strategies employed by the author Jean Echenoz to engage in a new dialogue with the theme of astronautics, which he brings into play in his sixth novel. Characterized by a playful and distanced adherence to literary fiction, Nous trois plays with styles, references and language, inscribing his universe into an esthetic of precariousness, sparing no dimension of his work. His narrative structure induces a troubling ambiguity around the characters’ identities and narrative instances. On a diegesis level, the author sets an unstable and unsettling universe in which the subject of astronautics is exposed without any complacency. Taking advantage of the language’s inherent precariousness, Echenoz takes ownership of the astronautics’ lexicon which he employs to further his style.
The novel Hellen-Freischmann narrates the journey of a peculiar author whose goal is to publish his manuscript starring celestial bodies as protagonists. This narrative is intertwined with the tale of a publisher from a prestigious publishing house who must come to terms with this atypical submission. These characters evolve within a dark universe where strangeness stands alongside familiarity, where likelihood threatens to fall into fantasy, and fiction contaminates reality. The novel is carried by an unusual and unstable voice, characterized by complex plays on focus, contrasted language use, and a certain indecision towards the role of narration in the story told. This playful narrator incorporates a nomenclature proper to astronomy, which serves both the intrigue and the style of the novel
When does good envy turn into bad envy? The relationship between benign and malicious envy
No full textPrevious research has distinguished between forms of envious reactions - malicious envy that is characterized by hostile feelings leading to negative consequences for firms and benign envy that is free of hostility and leading to positive consequences. In this paper, we focus on identifying conditions when benign envy can turn into malicious envy. Results show that perceived attractiveness of the purchase to others (vs. to the self) and tendency to engage in ability-oriented comparisons positively moderates the relationship between benign and malicious envy. In contrast, tendency to engage in opinion-orientated comparisons negatively moderates the relationship between benign and malicious envy.Product Innovation ManagementIndustrial Design Engineerin
Investigating human infant anthropomorphism in products
No full textIn this paper we set out to investigate the nature and effects of infant anthropomorphism in products, i.e. products that share features of human infants. Across four studies, evidence suggests that infant anthropomorphism comprise four dimensions: sweetness, simplicity, sympathy, and smallness. We found that consumers react positively to infant anthropomorphic products but that men perceived infant anthropomorphic products as more sympathetic than do women. These findings suggest that human infant anthropomorphism is important for marketers but that their appeal is based on different factors for men and women.Product Innovation ManagementIndustrial Design Engineerin
How designers and marketers can work together to support consumers' happiness
No full textA product’s value proposition rests on the notion that it brings value to its customers. Typically, such value is created by having novel product functionality, superior technology, or new customer benefits, but value can also be created by adhering to what is fundamentally important to customers in their lives. Focusing on customers’ happiness is a value proposition of the latter kind. Yet, implementing such an approach requires that designers and marketers have a common understanding of the product’s value proposition, and work together to create authentic value propositions about happiness that will also be compelling in the marketplace. In this article, we draw upon the positive psychology literature and present three propositions of design for happiness that designers and marketers can use to communicate and create value together. Design for happiness means designing business concepts with the aim of building and supporting long-term consumer happiness. The three propositions that we bring forward are: 1) design for fostering social relationships and belongingness, 2) design for meaning in life, and 3) design for making consumers active participants rather than passive observers. These propositions create a shared understanding of what “design for happiness” can contribute to customers, and how it can contribute to profits and sales.Product Innovation ManagementIndustrial Design Engineerin
The impact of narcissistic dimensions on feelings of envy
No full textResearch on the effects of envy in marketing situations suggests that envious consumer reactions can come in a positive form, benign envy, and a negative form, malicious envy. In this research it is shown that narcissistic personality dimensions differently impact benign and malicious envy. More specifically, results indicate that authority and exploitativeness reduces benign envy while exhibitionism reduces malicious envy. Entitlement increases both benign and malicious envy. This means that narcissistic traits are associated with both positive, benign envy, but also negative, malicious envy.Product Innovation ManagementIndustrial Design Engineerin
Design-integrated Urban Heat Island analysis tool and workflow : development and application
No full textThis electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture, 2019"June 2019." Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 106-108).The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is a well-studied phenomenon broadly attributed to human activities that transform open terrain into cityscapes. Among global 21st-century concerns, projected trends in population growth, urbanization, and regional climate change could exacerbate the warming in cities and intensify the UHI effect. Yet, microclimate analysis essential to assessing UHI intensity is often neglected, resulting in poor planning practices with adverse effects on health, comfort and energy use within cities. With buildings responsible for substantial quantities of global energy consumption and carbon emissions, this context demands climate-responsive design to achieve better-performing cities. The UHI effect presents an urban design challenge, but only recently has there been a platform for design workflow integration.Despite existing engines that accurately evaluate UHI intensity in urban environments, architects, designers, and urban planners have often not incorporated such simulation into microclimate studies due to prohibitively expensive computational costs, disconnected workflows within unintuitive or unfamiliar platforms, and uncertainty about difficult-to-obtain urban climatology parameters. These hindrances cause impactful delay within the design feedback loop and often generate a lack of confidence in the simulation process and output. This thesis proposes a Computer-Aided-Design integrated graphical user interface for the Urban Weather Generator (UWG), an urban-scale climate prediction tool developed by Bruno Bueno to simulate microclimatic conditions of urban sites using operational weather station data.The goal is to make the powerful and computationally cheap engine accessible to design workflows by incorporating it as a plugin within the conventional design software Rhinoceros-3D, and by coupling it with the Local Climate Zone classification scheme developed by urban climate experts lain Stewart and Timothy Oke to standardize quantitative physical descriptions of cities. The proposed update automates geometric parameter extraction and implements a reliable means of urban morphological parameter estimation. As a case study, an iterative urban-scale design exploration is analyzed for selected climates.by Hellen Rose Anyango Awino.S.M.S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architectur
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