Education to gain sustainability : analysis and approach from the experience obtained from two high school systems in mexican rural communities

The decade “Education for Sustainability” is just emerging and one of its goals emphasized the importance of considering the currícula in a transdisciplinary and community based programs. This includes recognizing local and regional interests as relevant topics into the currícula. “Education for sustainability” does not appear to have a strong basis on their actions as its theoretical discourse does. The study we present here about content analysis in the curricula of two high schools systems in rural Mexican communities is an example. In this research we analyzed: 1) how the curricula is oriented towards forest management and the way is connected to the social reality of the communities; 2) how does the learning process develops in the classroom and its dynamics with teachers and students and 3) how does the environmental learning take place. Results revealed that more research is needed with adolescents in order to change the educational structure in rural Mexican high schools.

Enhancing knowledge sharing with information and communication technology.

Numerous empirical studies on knowledge management have examined the relative effectiveness of various enablers, such as organizational structure, technology, culture, managerial system and strategy on knowledge sharing in organizations. These enablers are mostly related to organizational infrastructure that promotes knowledge sharing in organizations. This paper focuses on the critical role of information and communication technology (ICT) in facilitating the process of knowledge sharing in organizations. The results indicate that ICT support significantly impacted knowledge sharing, which in turn positively affected firm performance.

Knowledge sharing in professional accountancy firms : the effects of task complexity and management control system

Numerous empirical studies on knowledge management have focused on effectiveness of enablers such as organizational structure (Bennett and Gabriel, 1999; Gold et al., 2001), technology (Gold et al., 2001; O’Dell and Grayson, 1998), culture (DeLong and Fahey, 2000; Gupta and Govindarajan, 2000), managerial system (Nonaka, 1994; Sveiby, 1997) and strategy (Bierly and Chakrabarti, 1996; Holsapple and Joshi, 2001) on knowledge sharing. These enablers are organizational infrastructure or mechanism for facilitating the sharing of knowledge in a firm. In knowledge-intensive firms, task complexity and management control systems (MCS) can potentially affect the mode and effectiveness of knowledge sharing. However, these two factors have not been distinctly and explicitly investigated and discussed in literature relevant to the domain of knowledge sharing and management. This study proposes to examine how task complexity and the design of MCS could be the key determinants of the mode and effectiveness of knowledge sharing in professional accounting firms or practices.

Enhancing Knowledge Sharing with Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

The acceleration of technological change and trade liberalization in the 1990s have significantly intensified market competition and transformed the world economic infrastructure from a resource- and manufacturing-based economy to one in which knowledge and services are the key drivers of economic growth. In order for an organization to capitalize on its knowledge and truly become a learning organization, it must begin to systematically manage and leverage knowledge existing internally and externally to create and sustain its competitive advantage. Numerous empirical studies on knowledge management have examined the relative effectiveness of various enablers, such as organizational structure, technology, culture, managerial system and strategy on knowledge creation and sharing in organizations. The enablers examined earlier are mostly related to organizational infrastructure that promotes knowledge sharing in organizations. This paper examines specifically the critical role of information and communication technology (ICT) in facilitating and enhancing knowledge sharing and organizational performance. This study adopted a process oriented approach by using Nonaka’s (1994) knowledge sharing model. The results indicate that significant positive effects of ICT support on knowledge sharing and all dimensions of knowledge sharing are significant predictors of organizational performance.

Donor funding of multilateral aid agencies : determining factors and revealed burden sharing

This paper reports an empirical study of the factors affecting burden sharing among OECD's 22 DAC members in 'bankrolling' the multilateral aid agencies. Annual data over 1970–2000, pooled across the donor countries, form the basis for the empirical estimation of each donor's share in the ODA aid receipts for each multilateral agency. Our findings suggest the existence of reverse exploitation, i.e., the financial burden of the agencies is disproportionally carried by the smaller donors. The study also finds that factors such as inherent donor generosity, donor concern for domestic egalitarianism, and the extent to which donors are pro-poor in their bilateral aid policies have an impact on their readiness to support multilateral agencies financially. Size of the donor government and its budgetary balance positively influence burden sharing of contributions to other multilateral agencies. But neither the phase of economic cycle nor the rate of economic growth affects the burden-sharing responsibility of donors. It was also observed that contributions by EU members to the EC do not appear to crowd-out their contributions to other multilateral aid agencies and that right-wing donor governments are generally more parsimonious with regard to financial assistance to multilateral aid agencies. The preferred alternative, particularly among EU member countries, appears to be the EC.

Information communication technologies (ICTs) an knowledge sharing : the case of professional accountants in Malaysia

Based on the knowledge sharing model by Nonaka (1994), this study examines the relative efficacy of various Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) applications in facilitating sharing of explicit and tacit knowledge among professional accountants in Malaysia. The results of this study indicate that ICTs, generally, facilitate all modes of knowledge sharing. Best-Practice Repositories are effective for sharing of both explicit and tacit knowledge, while internet/e-mail facilities are effective for tacit knowledge sharing. Data warehousing /mining, on the other hand, is effective in facilitating self learning through tacit-to-tacit mode and explicit-to-explicit mode. ICT facilities used mainly for office administration are ineffective for knowledge sharing purpose. The implications of the findings are
discussed.

Towards an understanding of knowledge sharing behavior of CCOs in Bangladesh : a proposed structural equations model

This paper explores the question or whether Call Center Operators (CCO) share information or knowledge with their clients and if their knowledge sharing behavior has any impact on the sustainability of their relationships with their clients.

Writing as tribal practice : revisiting online collaborative writing

Many teachers encourage sharing ideas and knowledge through collaborative group writing to build self-confidence in developing writers. However, some students do not appear to gain a sense of belonging in the collaborative experience. This evolving study explores online collaborative writing with the purpose of creating a 'third author' - the group (tribal) voice. One aim is to reclaim writing as a conscious collaborative act where meaning is attained only at the end of the thought-sharing process. Therefore, the process of writing is seen as more important than the product. A further aim is to observe how intensive writing collaboration will affect both the writers and the writing during the process. A group of language teachers from Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the USA meet every two weeks in cyberspace for a two-hour intensive writing session. The group has met for the past three months. Different discourses appear to be fusing into a metamorphosed new hybrid author - the tribal group voice. These early findings suggest that such practices may assist learners who experience difficulty entering or contributing to collaborative writing or group-work tasks. Additionally, online group work may benefit, as no physical human contact exists to gain a sense of 'group'.

Preventing excessive gestational weight gain : a systematic review of interventions

Women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy have an increased risk of post-partum obesity, and retention of gestational weight gain (GWG) post birth is a strong predictor of maternal overweight/obesity a decade or more after the birth. The aim of the current review was to identify, and evaluate the effect of key variables designed to modify risk factors for excessive weight gain in pregnant
women that have been targeted in interventions over the last decade. The 10 interventions focused primarily on behavioural changes in relation to physical activity and/or to eating. While six studies reported significantly less weight gain in the intervention women, only three showed that women in the intervention were significantly more likely to gain within recommended guidelines. GWG was reduced in only normal-weight, low-income, obese, or overweight women, or not at all. Only one study reported a reduction in GWG in women with body mass indexes spanning the normal, overweight and obese categories. The findings were inconsistent in relation to what factors need to be targeted in intervention programmes to reduce GWG. Consideration of psychological factors relevant to pregnancy, in addition to behavioural changes in relation to eating and physical activity, is suggested for future intervention studies.

A low intensity, community based lifestyle programme to prevent weight gain in women with young children : cluster randomised controlled trial

Objective To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a community behavioural intervention to prevent weight gain and improve health related behaviours in women with young children.
Design Cluster randomised controlled trial.
Setting A community setting in urban Australia. 
Participants 250 adult women with a mean age of 40. 39 years (SD 4.77, range 25-51) and a mean body mass index of 27.82 kg/m2 (SD 5.42, range 18-47) were recruited as clusters through 12 primary (elementary) schools. Intervention Schools were randomly assigned to the intervention or the control. Mothers whose schools fell in the intervention group (n=127) attended four interactive group sessions that involved simple health messages, behaviour change strategies, and group discussion, and received monthly support using mobile telephone text messages for 12 months. The control group (n=123)
attended one non-interactive information session based on population dietary and physical activity guidelines. 
Main outcome measures The main outcome measures were weight change and difference in weight change between the intervention group and the control group at 12 months. Secondary outcomes were changes in serum concentrations of fasting lipids and glucose, and changes in dietary behaviours, physical activity, and self management behaviours.
Results All analyses were adjusted for baseline values and the possible clustering effect. Women in the control group gained weight over the 12 month study period (0.83 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12 to 1.54), whereas those in the intervention group lost weight (−0.20 kg, −0.90 to 0.49). The difference in weight change between the intervention group and the control group at 12 months was −1.13 kg (−2.03 to −0.24 kg; P<0.05) on the basis of observed values and −1.11 kg (−2.17 to −0.04) after multiple imputation to account for possible bias created by missing values. Secondary analyses after multiple imputation showed a difference in the intervention group compared with the control group for total cholesterol concentration (−0.35 mmol/l, −0.70 to −0.001), self management behaviours (diet score 0.18, 0.13 to 0.33; physical activity score 0.24, 0.05 to 0.43), and confidence to control weight (0.40, 0.11 to 0.69). Regular self weighing was associated with weight loss in the intervention group only (−1.98 kg, −3.75 to −0.23).
Conclusions Weight gain in women with young children could be prevented using a low intensity self management intervention delivered in a community setting. Self management of health behaviours improved with the intervention. The response rate of 12%, although comparable with that in other community studies, might limit the ability to generalise to other populations.    
Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number ACTRN12608000110381.

A privacy preserving service broker architecture for data sharing

The problem addressed in this paper is how to ensure data privacy concerns when data is shared between multiple organisations. In domains such as healthcare, there is a need to share privacy-sensitive data among autonomous but cooperating organisations. However, security concerns and compliance to privacy regulations requiring confidentiality of the data renders unrestricted access to organisational data by others undesirable. The challenge is how to guarantee privacy preservations for the owners of the information that are willing to share information with other organisations while keeping some other information secret. Therefore, there is a need for privacy preserving database operations for querying data residing at different parties. To address this challenge, we propose a new computationally efficient framework that enables organisations to share privacy-sensitive data. The proposed framework is able to answer queries without revealing any useful information to the data sources or to the third parties.

Using a KM framework to evaluate an ERP system implementation

Purpose – Competitive advantage can be gained in several ways including gaining a knowledge advantage (K-Adv). This paper sets out to report on the first stage of broad study to assess the effectiveness of implementing an enterprise resource planning system (ERP) from a knowledge management (KM) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach – The study used a survey of a small but representative group to gain feedback in their experience of using the ERP system. Results are evaluated using a KM framework, the knowledge advantage (K-Adv) capability maturity model (CMM) tool that was initially developed for use by construction organisations to assess the impact of leadership and its supporting ICT infrastructure on the ability of people (by effectively creating, sharing, disseminating and using knowledge) operating in a highly dynamic business environment.

Findings – The K-Adv framework analysis for the study indicates that the ERP system was seen as a useful tool for cost management and that its deployment effectiveness is mainly dependent on human-to-human knowledge transfer about how to make the ERP system work. Also, how leaders in organisations facilitate and support people is a critical enabler of the ERP system deployment. The K-Adv CMM tool was useful in making sense of the degree of organisational maturity from a KM perspective.

Practical implications – The findings first highlight the usefulness of focusing on people-support in using the ERP adoption in this organisation's context and, second, they illustrate how a CMM tool like the K-Adv can be used to evaluate KM practices.

Originality/value – The likely effectiveness of use of an ERP is well-known. However, the originality of the paper is twofold. First, it explains effective ERP application drivers and inhibitors from a KM perspective. Second, it tests and adapts a tool that helps evaluate KM effectiveness and assists better understanding of how these practices are enacted from a cost management business unit perspective.

Benefits and disadvantages of sharing the principalship

Trials are occurring around Australia and across education systems to test the veracity and feasibility of various models of job sharing in the Principalship. Currently it appears that Catholic schools are more likely to entertain such arrangements than other schooling sectors (Di Stephano, 2002), however, trials are currently underway in government schools in several Australian states (Department of Education and Children's Services, 2009). These trials arise from the need to encourage more people into the Principalship and to retain experienced Principals. There is scarce research in this area in Australia, but job sharing is an emerging trend in the Principalship that could grow in popularity. There are many reasons given for job-sharing in the Principalship. First is the incumbent's desire to acquire 'worldlife balance'. With an average working week of sixty hours or more (DEl 2004), sharing the leadership load is attractive. Principals currently trialling a shared arrangement cite the desire for more personal time, age and stage issues such as the need to care for ageing parents, and the hope for a transition period to retirement. Education departments see the part-time/shared option as being attractive to leadership aspirants at a time when there's a shortage of Principals and the increasing 'baby-boomer retirement problem to address. Another reason is an emerging interest in re-designing the Principalship, with various constructions being explored (Lacey, 2006). This article considers these new configurations of the Principalship.