Monitoring Ecosystems: Interdisciplinary Approaches For Evaluating Ecoregional Initiatives

Monitoring Ecosystems brings together leading scientists and researchers to offer a ground-breaking synthesis of lessons learned about ecological monitoring in major ecoregional initiatives around the United States. Contributors present insights and experiences gained from their work in designing, developing, and implementing comprehensive ecosystem monitoring programs in the Pacific Northwest, the lower Colorado River Basin, and the Florida Everglades. The book: outlines the conceptual and scientific underpinnings for regional-scale ecosystem monitoring examines the role and importance of data management, modeling, and integrative analyses considers techniques for and experience with monitoring habitats, populations, and communities Chapters by the editors synthesize and expand on points made throughout the volume and present recommendations for establishing frameworks for monitoring across scales, from local to international. Monitoring Ecosystems presents a critical examination of the lessons learned from direct experience along with generalized conclusions that can be applied to monitoring programs in the United States and around the world. It is a vital contribution to science-based monitoring efforts that will allow those responsible for developing and implementing ecoregional initiatives to make use of knowledge gained in previous efforts.

Digital Initiatives Newsletter, Issue 1

Digital Initiatives is the newsletter of FIU Libraries’ Digital Collections and Institutional Repository (IR). This biannual newsletter serves as a resource for FIU students and faculty to keep up-to-date with the latest projects, collections, and services available from the FIU Digital Collections Center.

Social Learning Capabilities in Broward’s Black Male Success Task Force: Informing Collective Impact Initiatives

Broward Schools is addressing an achievement gap for Black males with a collective impact initiative. Collective impact initiatives address complex social problems. The social learning capability of the initiative can be enhanced by applying Wenger’s (2009) social learning spaces, learning as citizenship, and social artists concepts.

Employer participation in Florida school -to -work initiatives

This study used a cross-sectional design and descriptive research methodology to assess the characteristics and practices of employers participating in Florida school-to-work (STW) initiatives, the factors influencing their participation, and their STW partnerships with schools. The study also examined the relationships between employer characteristics and participation. ^ A sampling frame of 15,202 employers from the 28 Florida STW regions was constructed. Data were collected via a mail survey with a random sample of employers, using a researcher-designed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and analysis of variance. ^ At the 95% confidence level, it was estimated that the mean establishment size in the population is between 25 and 51 employees and that employers have been involved in STW partnerships between five and seven years. ^ The study revealed broad-based employer participation in three of four areas: Working with Students, Working with Educators, and Internal Company Practices Supporting STW. A fourth area, Building a System, showed generally low participation. Data indicate that workforce needs are important incentives to employer STW participation beyond their desire to contribute to education or the community. Data also indicate that lack of information on STW is the greatest barrier to employer participation. ^ Sample employers have more positive perceptions of the value of their partnerships with schools than of the quality of the partnerships. Ninety-four percent agreed that students are better prepared for work and careers as a result of the partnership's activities. More than half agreed that a sense of trust and good communication exist between educators and employer partners. ^ Employer variables found to have a significant, positive relationship with participation include size (coefficient of determination r2 = .116), years in STW partnerships (r2 = .128), and perceptions of partnership quality (r2 = .092) and value (r2 = .112). ^ A major conclusion based on the findings of this study is that employer participation is optimized in initiatives that achieve important STW outcomes for students and build long-term relationships between employers and schools. Another that in Florida, the STW Opportunities Act of 1994 has not resulted in substantially greater employer involvement in building a STW system. ^

Digital Initiatives Newsletter, Issue 2

Digital Initiatives is the newsletter of FIU Libraries’ Digital Collections and Institutional Repository (IR). This biannual newsletter serves as a resource for FIU students and faculty to keep up-to-date with the latest projects, collections, and services available from the FIU Libraries.

Student, Teacher, and Administrator Perspectives on Harm: Implications for Implementing Safe and Caring School Initiatives

This article reports on a study that examines student, teacher and administrator perspectives on harm and how their schools address harm. It presents an overview of these perspectives within and across 3 different school environments. In doing so, the study contributes to a better understanding of the often ineffective implementation of safe and caring school initiatives. By drawing on restorative justice and relational theory, the findings illustrate how a focus on well-being and relationship is critical for meeting the needs of those harmed and those causing harm. Such a focus requires interaction rooted in social engagement rather than social control (Morrison 2012) and challenges current recommendations for combining the strengths of several current approaches for a more effective outcome (Osher et al. 2010).

Resolving patterns of population genetic and phylogeographic structure to inform control and eradication initiatives for brown rats Rattus norvegicus on South Georgia

Funded by UK Government's Overseas Territories Environmental Programme (OTEP)

A review of health literacy : definitions, interpretations, and implications for policy initiatives

Peer reviewed

Globalisation et politiques culturelles : une analyse des initiatives de l'État et de la société civile canadienne entre 1998 et 2002

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Social sustainability initiatives in cocoa supply chains in Africa:an analysis of sustainability reporting of world's major chocolatiers

This research paper focuses on the self-declared initiatives of the four largest chocolate companies to tackle social problems within the context of establishing a sustainable supply chain. After the literature review of sustainability, supply chain management, and cocoa farming, this paper gives an assessment of the extant practices of the chocolatiers and makes a comparative analysis based on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability Reports. This paper uses a case study approach based on secondary-data. A roadmap and benchmarking of social sustainability initiatives were conducted for the supply chain management activities of the world's four largest chocolatiers. This paper analyses the extant sustainability practices of the chocolatiers and offers a model framework for comparison of the measures taken. This paper is based on self-declared secondary data. There is a chance that some practices were not documented by the case companies; or that companies claim what they don't actually do. This paper provides a framework for agricultural businesses to compare their sustainability efforts and improve the performance of their supply chains. Originality and value of this research reside in terms of both literature and methodology. The framework for analysing the social sustainability aspects of agricultural supply chains is original and gives an up-to-date view of sustainability practices. The use of secondary data to compare self-declared initiatives is also a novel approach to business sustainability research.

Globalisation et politiques culturelles : une analyse des initiatives de l'État et de la société civile canadienne entre 1998 et 2002

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The Open Data Smart City: A Case Study of Smart City Progress through Open Data Initiatives

Smart cities, cities that are supported by an extensive digital infrastructure of sensors, databases and intelligent applications, have become a major area of academic, governmental and public interest. Simultaneously, there has been a growing interest in open data, the unrestricted use of organizational data for public viewing and use. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies (STS), Urban Studies and Political Economy, this thesis examines how digital processes, open data and the physical world can be combined in smart city development, through the qualitative interview-based case study of a Southern Ontario Municipality, Anytown. The thesis asks what are the challenges associated with smart city development and open data proliferation, is open data complimentary to smart urban development; and how is expertise constructed in these fields? The thesis concludes that smart city development in Anytown is a complex process, involving a variety of visions, programs and components. Although smart city and open data initiatives exist in Anytown, and some are even overlapping and complementary, smart city development is in its infancy. However, expert informants remained optimistic, faithful to a technologically sublime vision of what a smart city would bring. The thesis also questions the notion of expertise within the context of smart city and open data projects, concluding that assertions of expertise need to be treated with caution and scepticism when considering how knowledge is received, generated, interpreted and circulates, within organizations.