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Cellular radio networks continuously evolve to respond the exponential growth in data traffic volume in mobile communications. Active antenna technology contributes to this evolution by introducing vertical sectorization, which splits the horizontal sector into two subsectors with respect to the elevation plane and doubles the number of cells that can be deployed. However, in order to guarantee a reliable and near-optimal operation of vertical sectorization in a system that applies universal frequency reuse, such as LTE-advanced, co-channel interference mitigation is essentially needed. In this article we propose a decentralized self-optimization method that can be used to mitigate the undesirable inter-cell interference by self-tuning the electrical antenna downtilt toward the optimal antenna elevation angle. The performance evaluations for the proposed self-optimization method are carried out for both coordinated and uncoordinated subsector transmission scenarios within the LTE-advanced framework using a dynamic LTE-advanced compliant system level SON simulator. Based on the extensive performance evaluations carried out for a realistic urban scenario, it is found that self-optimization improves the vertical sectorization performance 25 % in terms of virtual load. Furthermore, the performance gain reaches up to 30 % when vertical vectorization is provided with dynamic point selection and muting feature. Therefore, the article concludes that in LTE-advanced networks vertical sectorization can largely benefit from the antenna self-optimization and outperform the traditional horizontal sectorization approach with low algorithmic complexity . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In wireless communications the demand for wide range of services is leading to a rapid increase in network performance requirements. Hence, today's cellular radio technologies are designed to operate closer to Shannon capacity bound which sets the ultimate upper limit for the wireless channel capacity. Yet, good link level performance does not necessarily mean that network resources are used efficiently as the cellular capacity and coverage performance may not be optimal resulting from dynamic conditions in radio network environment such as urbanization, insertion or deletion of base stations, and malfunctioning nodes. Due to the fact that reacting on those inherent problems manually is very expensive and time consuming, automated optimization of cellular coverage and capacity by means of self-optimization of adaptive antenna system parameters could be an attractive solution from the network operator's point of view. Furthermore, suboptimal antenna parameter selection in long term evolution (LTE) network planning or the reuse of the sites and antenna parameters of a preceding access technology requires optimization of adaptive antenna system parameters. In this article we propose a novel centralized self-optimization approach that can be used for adapting antenna system parameters in order to automatically control network capacity and coverage in a macro-cellular deployment. In the proposed approach we present case-based reasoning (CBR) based self-optimization aided by an exemplary rule-based scheme which is required during the training phase of CBR. Dynamic system level downlink simulator is developed to validate the performance of the proposed approach in a realistic macro-cellular scenario. In performance evaluations the 3 rd generation partnership project LTE system framework is assumed and propagation is modeled in three dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents some findings from the York-Jyväskylä Teacher Professionalism project. The project was a follow-up study to earlier case-study research in six schools in Finland and six schools in England on the impact of educational reforms on teachers' work. Data were collected by re-interviewing a sample of teachers from the original schools six years later. The views of English and Finnish teachers concerning the ways in which changes in practice, pay and working conditions affected their perception of teaching as a profession are contrasted. The crucial factors discouraging teachers from remaining in teaching were work intensification, low pay, deteriorating pupil behaviour and a decline in public respect. Positive influences on teacher retention were commitment to children, professional freedom and supportive colleagues. Suggestions are offered as to how policy makers should act to preserve the commitment of primary teachers and to promote their retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy-makers' conceptions of teacher professionalism currently differ markedly in England and Finland. In England they are shaped by agendas associated with the drive to raise standards and 'commercialized professionalism' whilst in Finland they are influenced by notions of 'teacher empowerment'. This article analyses findings on the theme of teacher professionalism derived from re-interviewing a sample of English and Finnish teachers in 2001 as a follow-up to earlier ethnographic research in six schools in each country during 1994-1996. Issues of professionalism are addressed through three broad themes: the impact of curriculum and pedagogical reforms; working together to implement these reforms; and accountability and control. It is argued that in each country teachers' conceptions of their professionalism were undergoing reconstruction. These conceptions were shaped by past and present ideology, policy and practice and displayed multiple and situational dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on long-term evolution (LTE) including the survey paper on resource scheduling and interference mitigation approaches, an approach that could improve the tradeoff between service quality and radio coverage for multimedia broadcast and multilcast service (E-MBMS), and distributed algorithms to solve self-configuration problems.

The article is a comparative analysis of the policy and practice of professional learning communities (PLCs) in primary schools in England and Finland. The concept of PLC has become a globally fashionable one and has been explicitly advocated in policy documents in both countries. Drawing from a database of qualitative semi-structured interviews with primary teachers, four key themes affecting their work and well-being are identified: the primary school community; collaborative working; continuing professional development and trust and accountability. The realities of PLCs as experienced by primary teachers in each country are contrasted. Similarities in teachers' responses were found, especially in examples of education policy borrowing. However, the different cultural contexts in each country resulted in some fundamental differences that strongly influenced the nature of, and possibilities for, school PLCs. While ideal notions of PLCs may be difficult to realise, it is argued that it is an important concept worth developing for its potential contribution to teacher well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the impact of processes of globalization on both policy and practice in relation to primary school leadership and management in England and Finland. Data are drawn from case study research carried out from 1994–1996 in six schools in Finland and six schools in England and a follow‐up study on teacher professionalism (2001–2002) that involved 37 of the original participants being re‐interviewed. The article contributes to the ongoing debate concerning the extent to which global trends lead to homogeneity in educational systems or a ‘glocalized’ response. Such a glocalized response is derived not only from different cultural mediations at the national policy level but also from the various innovation biographies of different schools and the values of particular head teachers/principals. It is argued that, on the one hand, as a result of globalization there is growing uniformity, particularly in relation to the consequences of marketization and managerialism. Owing to the latter, principals in Finland like their English counterparts were found to be experiencing work intensification and role diversification that negatively impacted on their educative leadership. On the other hand, there is evidence also of processes of glocalization in terms of differential national educational policy changes (as, for example, in relation to testing and inspection). Global recommendations for the management of educational reform through collegial working relationships, distributed leadership and schools as learning organizations were promoted in both countries. However, the processes involved in these recommendations illustrate the manner in which national cultural influences and school factors lead both to some similarities and striking differences in their implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]