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These proceedings contain the papers of the International Conference e-Learning 2016, which was organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society, 1-3 July, 2016. This conference is part of the Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems 2016, 1-4 July. The e-Learning (EL) 2016 conference aims to address the main issues of concern within e-Learning. This conference covers both technical as well as the non-technical aspects of e-Learning. These proceedings contain keynote lecture, "Twenty-First Century Skills, Technology and Open Learning: Re-Designing Teaching for the Digital Age" (Tony Bates) [abstract only] and workshop, "Making Sustainable Online Learning a Reality Informed by the Community of Inquiry Framework" (Susi Peacock and Lindesay Irvine). Full papers in these proceedings include: (1) Determining Factors of Students' Perceived Usefulness of e-Learning in Higher Education (Aleksander Aristovnik, Damijana Keržic, Nina Tomaževic and Lan Umek); (2) EvalCOMIX®: A Web-Based Programme to Support Collaboration in Assessment (María Soledad Ibarra-Sáiz and Gregorio Rodríguez-Gómez); (3) A Holistic Approach to Scoring in Complex Mobile Learning Scenarios (Marcel Gebbe, Matthias Teine and Marc Beutner); (4) Content Development for 72,000 Learners: An Online Learning Environment for General Practitioners. A Case Study (Dirk Pilat); (5) First Stages of Adult Students' Relationship to Scientific Knowing and Research in the Open University's Web-Based Methodology Course (Leena Isosomppi and Minna Maunula); (6) A Quantitative Analysis of the Role of Social Networks in Educational Contexts (Azam Shokri and Georgios Dafoulas); (7) Care Management: On Line-Based Approaches to Nurse Education in Ultrasound Imaging (Elena Taina Avramescu, Mitrache Marius and Adrian Camen); (8) Can e-Learning Change Work Practices? (Signe Schack Noesgaard); (9) A Practice of Mobile Learning Bases on Cloud Computing (Heng Wu and Zhong Dong); (10) Guidelines for Conducting a Post-Graduate Module within a Blended Synchonous Learning Environment, Facilitator and Student Perspectives (Christopher Upfold); (11) IT Tools in Initial Teacher Training (Dorin Herlo); (12) Application of a Reference Framework for Integration of Web Resources in DOLTRN--Case Study of Physics--Topic: Waves (Fabinton Sotelo Gomez and Armando Ordóñez); (13) Creating Micro-Videos to Demonstrate Technology Learning (Mark Frydenberg and Diana Andone); (14) An Analysis of Students Enrolled to an Undergraduate University Course Offered Also Online (Nello Scarabottolo); (15) How Do We Know What is Happening Online: A Triangulated Approach to Data Analysis (Marina Charalampidi and Michael Hammond); (16) Analysis of 3D Modeling Software Usage Patterns for K-12 Students (Yi-Chieh Wu, Wen-Hung Liao, Ming-Te Chi and Tsai-Yen Li); and (17) A Distributed Intelligent e-Learning System (Terje Kristensen). Short papers in these proceedings include: (1) Using Cognitive Maps to Promote Self-Managed Learning in Online Communities of Inquiry (Susi Peacock and John Cowan); (2) Automation in Distance Learning: An Empirical Study of Unlearning and Academic Identity Change Linked to Automation of Student Messaging within Distance Learning (Hilary Collins, Hayley Glover, Fran Myers and Mor Watson); (3) Developing the 1st MOOC of University of Porto: Challenges and Strategies (Isabel Martins, Nuno Regadas and Margarida Amaral); (4) Informal Language Learning in Authentic Setting, Using Mobile Devices and SNS (Ruthi Aladjem and Bibiana Jou); (5) Enhancing Third-Year Medical Clerkships: Using Mobile Technology for Teaching and Learning (Janette R. Hill, Michelle A. Nuss, Ronald M. Cervero, Julie K. Gaines and Bruce Middendorf); (6) Statistical Measures of Integrity in Online Testing: Empirical Study (Tom Wielicki); (7) The Complexities of Digital Storytelling: Factors Affecting Performance, Production, and Project Completion (Peter Gobel and Makimi Kano); (8) Collegewide Promotion on e-Learning/Active Learning and Faculty Development (Nobuyuki Ogawa and Akira Shimizu); (9) Training Portuguese Teachers Using Blended Learning--A Different Approach (Bertil P. Marques and Paula Escudeiro); (10) Gamify and Recognize Prior Learning: How to Succeed in Educators' Further Professional Training with Open Badges (Esko Lius); (11) How Do K-12 Students' Manage Applications on Their Mobile Devices? (Ruthi Aladjem and Sharon Hardof); (12) Digital Storytelling for Inclusive Education: An Experience in Initial Teacher Training (Marco Lazzari); and (13) Learning Factory--Assembling Learning Content with a Framework (Peter Steininger). Reflection papers in these proceedings include: (1) Equalizing Educational Opportunities by ICT (Ana María Delgado García and Blanca Torrubia Chalmeta); (2) The Acceptability of MOOC Certificates in the Workplace (Christina Banks and Edward Meinert); (3) Orchestration of Social Modes in e-Learning (Armin Weinberger and Pantelis M. Papadopoulos); (4) Information Competencies and Their Implementation in the Educational Process of Polish Universities. Exploratory Studies (Anna Tonakiewicz-Kolosowska, Iwona Socik and Monika Gajewska); (5) Virtual & Real Face to Face Teaching (Romeo Teneqexhi and Loreta Kuneshka); and (6) Virtual Scaffolding--Constructivism in Online Learning (Lachlan MacKinnon and Liz Bacon). The following poster is included: Active Learning Methods in Programming for Non-IT Students (Olga Mironova, Irina Amitan, Jüri Vilipõld and Merike Saar). An author index is included. Individual papers contain references.

These proceedings contain the papers of the International Conference e-Learning 2014, which was organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society and is part of the Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems (Lisbon, Portugal July 15-19, 2014). The e-Learning 2014 conference aims to address the main issues of concern within e-Learning. This conference covered technical as well as the non-technical aspects of e-Learning under seven main areas: Organisational Strategy and Management Issues; Technological Issues; e-Learning Curriculum Development Issues; Instructional Design Issues; e-Learning Delivery Issues; e-Learning Research Methods and Approaches; e-Skills and Information Literacy for Learning. The conference included the Keynote Lecture: "Moving Higher Education Forward in the Digital Age: Realising a Digital Strategy," by Neil Morris, Professor of Educational Technology, Innovation and Change and Director of Digital Learning, University of Leeds, UK. Papers in these proceedings include: (1) Culture, Gender and Technology-Enhanced Learning: Female and Male Students' Perceptions Across Three Continents, Thomas Richter and Asta Zelenkauskaite; (2) IPads In Learning: The Web of Change Bente Meyer; (3) A Blended Approach to Canadian First Nations Education, Martin Sacher, Mavis Sacher and Norman Vaughan; (4) A Storytelling Learning Model For Legal Education, Nicola Capuano, Carmen De Maio, Angelo Gaeta, Giuseppina Rita Mangione, Saverio Salerno and Eleonora Fratesi; (5) Acceptance and Success Factors for M-Learning of ERP Systems Curricula, Brenda Scholtz and Mando Kapeso; (6) Self-Regulation Competence in Music Education, Luca Andrea Ludovico and Giuseppina Rita Mangione; (7) Time-Decayed User Profile for Second Language Vocabulary Learning System, Li Li and Xiao Wei; (8) E-Learning Trends and Hypes in Academic Teaching: Methodology and Findings of a Trend Study, Helge Fischer, Linda Heise, Matthias Heinz, Kathrin Moebius and Thomas Koehler; (9) Proof of Economic Viability of Blended Learning Business Models, Carsten Druhmann and Gregor Hohenberg; (10) Does Satellite Television Program Satisfy Ethiopian Secondary School Students? Sung-Wan Kim and Gebeyehu Bogale; (11) Organisation and Management of a Complete Bachelor Degree Offered Online at the University of Milan for Ten Years, Manuela Milani, Sabrina Papini, Daniela Scaccia and Nello Scarabottolo; (12) Structural Relationships between Variables of Elementary School Students' Intention of Accepting Digital Textbooks, Young Ju Joo, Sunyoung Joung, Se-Bin Choi, Eugene Lim and Kyung Yi Go; (13) Dynamic Fuzzy Logic-Based Quality of Interaction within Blended-Learning: The Rare and Contemporary Dance Cases, Sofia B. Dias, José A. Diniz and Leontios J. Hadjileontiadis; (14) Do English Listening Outcome and Cognitive Load Change for Different Media Delivery Modes in U-Learning?, Chi-Cheng Chang, Hao Lei and Ju-Shih Tseng; (15) The Use of ELGG Social Networking Tool for Students' Project Peer-Review Activity, Ana Coric Samardzija and Goran Bubas; (16) Educational Multimedia Profiling Recommendations for Device-Aware Adaptive Mobile Learning, Arghir-Nicolae Moldovan, Ioana Ghergulescu and Cristina Hava Muntean; (17) Inside, Outside, Upside Down: New Directions in Online Teaching and Learning, Lena Paulo Kushnir and Kenneth C. Berry; (18) A Study on the Methods of Assessment and Strategy of Knowledge Sharing in Computer Course, Pat P. W. Chan; (19) Using Agent-Based Technologies to Enhance Learning in Educational Games, Ogar Ofut Tumenayu, Olga Shabalina, Valeriy Kamaev and Alexander Davtyan; (20) Designing a Culturally Sensitive Wiki Space for Developing Chinese Students' Media Literacy, Daria Mezentceva; (21) Shared Cognition Facilitated by Teacher Use of Interactive Whiteboard Technologies, Christine Redman and John Vincent; (22) Modeling Pedagogy for Teachers Transitioning to the Virtual Classroom, Michael J. Canuel and Beverley J. White; (23) The Effectiveness of SDMS in the Development of E-Learning Systems in South Africa, Kobus van Aswegen, Magda Huisman and Estelle Taylor; (24) Online Learning Behaviors for Radiology Interns Based on Association Rules and Clustering Technique, Hsing-Shun Chen and Chuen-He Liou; (25) The Use of SDMS in Developing E-Learning Systems in South Africa, Estelle Taylor, Kobus van Aswegen and Magda Huisman; (26) Assessment of the Use of Online Comunities to Integrate Educational Processes Development Teams: An Experience in Popular Health Education in Brazil, Elomar Castilho Barilli, Stenio de Freitas Barretto, Carla Moura Lima and Marco Antonio Menezes; (27) Stereo Orthogonal Axonometric Perspective for the Teaching of Descriptive Geometry, José Geraldo Franco Méxas, Karla Bastos Guedes and Ronaldo da Silva Tavares; (28) Delivery of E-Learning through Social Learning Networks, Georgios A. Dafoulas and Azam Shokri; (29) The Implementation of Web 2.0 Technology for Information Literacy Instruction in Thai University Libraries, Oranuch Sawetrattanasatian; (30) Designing Educational Social Machines for Effective Feedback, Matthew Yee-King, Maria Krivenski, Harry Brenton, Andreu Grimalt-Reynes and Mark d'Inverno; (31) A Support System for Error Correction Questions in Programming Education, Yoshinari Hachisu and Atsushi Yoshida; (32) A Platform for Learning Internet of Things, Zorica Bogdanovic, Konstantin Simic, Miloš Milutinovic, Božidar Radenkovic and Marijana Despotovic-Zrakic, (33) Dealing with Malfunction: Locus of Control in Web-Conferencing, Michael Klebl; (34) Copyright and Creative Commons License: Can Educators Gain Benefits in the Digital Age? (Wariya Lamlert); (35) The Curriculum Design and Development in MOOCs Environment (Fei Li, Jing Du and Bin Li); (36) Stakeholders Influence in Maltese Tourism Higher Education Curriculum Development (Simon Caruana and Lydia Lau); (37) Online Social Networks and Computer Skills of University Students (Maria Potes Barbas, Gabriel Valerio, María Del Carmen Rodríguez-Martínez, Dagoberto José Herrera-Murillo and Ana María Belmonte-Jiménez); (38) Implementation of Artificial Intelligence Assessment in Engineering Laboratory Education (Maria Samarakou, Emmanouil D. Fylladitakis, Pantelis Prentakis and Spyros Athineos); (39) An Exploration of the Attitude and Learning Effectiveness of Business College Students towards Game Based Learning (Chiung-Sui Chang, Ya-Ping Huang and Fei-Ling Chien); (40) Application of E-Learning Technologies to Study a School Subject (Nadia Herbst and Elias Oupa Mashile); (41) Possibilities of Implementation of Small Business Check-Up Methodology in Comparative Analysis of Secondary Schools and Universities in Slovakia (Katarína Štofková, Ivan Strícek and Jana Štofková); (42) Digging the Virtual Past (Panagiota Polymeropoulou); (43) Technology Acceptance of E-Learning within a Blended Vocational Course in West Africa (Ashwin Mehta); (44) Development of an E-Learning Platform for Vocational Education Systems in Germany (Andreas Schober, Frederik Müller, Sabine Linden, Martha Klois and Bernd Künne); (45) Facebook Mediated Interaction and learning in Distance Learning at Makerere University (Godfrey Mayende, Paul Birevu Muyinda, Ghislain Maurice Norbert Isabwe, Michael Walimbwa and Samuel Ndeda Siminyu); (46) Assessing the Purpose and Importance University Students Attribute to Current ICT Applications (Maurice Digiuseppe and Elita Partosoedarso); (47) E-Learning System for Design and Construction of Amplifier Using Transistors (Atsushi Takemura); (48) Technology, Gender Attitude, and Software, among Middle School Math Instructors (Godwin N. Okeke); (49) Structuring Long-Term Faculty Training According to Needs Exhibited by Students' Written Comments in Course Evaluations (Robert Fulkerth); (50) Integration of PBL Methodologies into Online Learning Courses and Programs (Roland Van Oostveen, Elizabeth Childs, Kathleen Flynn and Jessica Clarkson); (51) Improving Teacher-Student Contact in a Campus Through a Location-Based Mobile Application (Vítor Manuel Ferreira and Fernando Ramos); (52) Incorporating Collaborative, Interactive Experiences into a Technology-Facilitated Professional Learning Network for Pre-Service Science Teachers (Seamus Delaney and Christine Redman); (53) The Efficiency of E-Learning Activities in Training Mentor Teachers (Laura Serbanescu and Sorina Chircu); (54) Development of an IOS App Using Situated Learning, Communities of Practice, and Augmented Reality for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Jessica Clarkson); (55) Using Case-Based Reasoning to Improve the Quality of Feedback Provided by Automated Grading Systems (Angelo Kyrilov and David C. Noelle); (56) International Multidisciplinary Learning: An Account of a Collaborative Effort among Three Higher Education Institutions (Paul S. H. Poh, Robby Soetanto, Stephen Austin and Zulkifar A. Adamu); (57) Interactive Learning to Stimulate the Brain's Visual Center and to Enhance Memory Retention (Yang H. Yun, Philip A. Allen, Kritsakorn Chaumpanich and Yingcai Xiao); (58) How Digital Technologies, Blended Learning and MOOCs Will Impact the Future of Higher Education (Neil P. Morris); (59) Factors Influencing the Acceptance of E-Learning Adoption in Libya's Higher Education Institutions (Mahfoud Benghet and Markus Helfert); (60) Motivation as a Method of Controlling the Social Subject Self-Learning (Andrey V. Isaev, Alla G. Kravets and Ludmila A. Isaeva); (61) Designing Environment for Teaching Internet of Things (Konstantin Simic, Vladimir Vujin, Aleksandra Labus, Ðorde Stepanic and Mladen Stevanovic); (62) Fostering Critical Thinking Skills in Students with Learning Disabilities through Online Problem-Based Learning (Kathleen Flynn); and (63) A System for the Automatic Assembly of Test Questions Using a NO-SQL Database (Sanggyu Shin and Hiroshi Hashimoto). Luís Rodrigues is an associate editor of the proceedings. Individual papers contain references. An author index is included.

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Conference on Education and New Developments 2013, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 1 to 3 of June. Education, in a global sense, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the human being, in the way one thinks, feels and acts. One of the most important contributions resides in what and how we learn through the improvement of educational processes, both in formal and informal settings. Our International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the processes, actions, challenges and outcomes of learning, teaching and human development. Our goal is to offer a worldwide connection between teachers, students, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues We take pride in having been able to connect and bring together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. We counted on an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement our view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons we have many nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. END 2013 received over more 267 submissions, from 35 different countries, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations, Workshops and Round Table. The conference also includes a keynote presentation from an internationally distinguished researcher Professor Peter Jarvis Emeritus Professor at the University of Surrey, UK, to whom we express our most gratitude. This volume is composed by the proceedings of the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2013), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.) and co-sponsored by the respected partners we reference in the dedicated page. This conference addressed different categories inside the Education area and papers are expected to fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. To develop the conference program we have chosen four main broad-ranging categories, which also covers different interest areas: (1) In TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: Teachers and Staff training and education; Educational quality and standards; Curriculum and Pedagogy; Vocational education and Counseling; Ubiquitous and lifelong learning; Training programs and professional guidance; Teaching and learning relationship; Student affairs (learning, experiences and diversity; Extra-curricular activities; Assessment and measurements in Education. (2) In PROJECTS AND TRENDS: Pedagogic innovations; Challenges and transformations in Education; Technology in teaching and learning; Distance Education and eLearning; Global and sustainable developments for Education; New learning and teaching models; Multicultural and (inter)cultural communications; Inclusive and Special Education; Rural and indigenous Education; Educational projects. (3) In TEACHING AND LEARNING: Educational foundations; Research and development methodologies; Early childhood and Primary Education; Secondary Education; Higher Education; Science and technology Education; Literacy, languages and Linguistics (TESL/TEFL); Health Education; Religious Education; Sports Education. (4) In ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES: Educational policy and leadership; Human Resources development; Educational environment; Business, Administration, and Management in Education; Economics in Education; Institutional accreditations and rankings; International Education and Exchange programs; Equity, social justice and social change; Ethics and values; Organizational learning and change. The proceedings contain the results of the research and developments conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to promote growth in research methods intimately related to teaching, learning and applications in Education nowadays. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, who will extend our view in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues, by sharing with us their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. (Individual papers contain references.)

This article presents a bibliometric analysis of social life cycle assessment (S-LCA), which has gained importance due to the need to know the social impact of business operations on persons. Using the PRISMA methodology, we identified 190 documents regarding SLCA in the SCOPUS database and were analyzed with the VOSviewer software. Specifically, the most cited documents, authors, organizations, and countries are analyzed and the most productive according to the number published. This analysis included the most used keywords are analyzed on the S-LCA topic. Findings indicate that this topic has become relevant since 2007, and currently, the number of scientific publications has an exponential trend. It has been identified that Traverso M. is the author who has 19 products with 603 citations; however, Guyton R.A. is the most cited author with only two papers and 813 citations. The institution that publishes the most on this topic is the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Spain), with three papers and 108 citations. Authors from 46 countries were identified, but the most productive are Italy and Germany, and the most cited are the United States of America and Germany. A total of 1625 keywords were identified, but life cycle assessment, social life cycle assessment, and sustainable development are the most used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article raises the question whether there is in fact a specific field within civil engineering that may be connected to the impact of Covid-19, namely radon exposure in interior spaces in certain parts of the world. Radon exposure is particularly high in regions that have seen high mortality rates related to SARS-CoV-2. Examples of these include the Bergamo region in Italy and the Erz Mountains, the Fichtel Mountains or the Bavarian Forest in south-eastern Germany. But is there actually a correlation, or is this merely a coincidence? Is there in fact a causality? If so, constructional measures to protect against the decay products of radon in interior spaces would gain a new significance that goes beyond the realms of current knowledge. This article cannot provide a definitive answer to these questions due to the current patchiness of data in Germany. Nevertheless, this paper will use the data available to demonstrate that there is evidence of a possible correlation or causality between the two, and that this merits further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work addresses the importance of innovation in entrepreneurial and business education to ensure that students develop the ability to make complex decisions and solve complex challenges. The intention was to incorporate the complexity theory in decision-making and problem-solving in business and entrepreneurship. To achieve this, we present the results of the first phase of our project, aiming to scale the levels of complex thinking in university students, discuss the need for business and entrepreneurship students to develop complex thinking competency (including its sub-competencies of critical, systemic, scientific, and innovative thinking) in the complexity of the business environment, analyze the relevance of system elements, apply their inductive and deductive reasoning, and create appropriate and relevant solutions. Our findings suggest that an educational model focused on developing complex thinking and its four sub-competencies can enable entrepreneurs to integrate sustainable development, increase their social engagement and critical thinking, develop their imaginative intelligence and discursive and reflective skills, and thus improve their decision-making and problem-solving processes. In the future, we plan to extend this analysis to the behavior of real-life entrepreneurs. [For the full proceedings, see ED654100.]

TVET is an education and training process with a strong emphasis on industry practises that strives to generate competent workers in particular fields. Cooperation with industry in TVET has the potential to improve the quality and relevance of TVET programmes and equip students with the practical skills and knowledge demanded by employers. Thus, there is a need for a complete bibliometric study of research linked to collaboration between TVET and industry, despite the fact that the number of studies in this field continues to increase. The bibliometric analysis in this research which was extracted from Web of Science database is analyze using VOSviewer. The research conducted a descriptive analysis of the publication number trends, the top authors and leading journals in this field. Next, the researcher also analyzed the co authorship based on authors and countries, research trends, citation and keywords analysis as well as co citation analysis. The article found that most of the articles in this field are published by authors from developed countries where the majority is from the United States. Other than that, the recent research hotspot were also identified indicating the future direction of the research in this field. [For the full proceedings, see ED654100.]

Government regulations require businesses to improve their processes and products/services in a green and sustainable manner. For being environmentally friendly, businesses should invest more on eco-innovation practices. Firms eco-innovate to promote eco-efficiency and sustainability. This paper evaluates the eco-innovation performance of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries with data envelopment analysis (DEA). Data were gathered from the world bank database and global innovation index report. Findings show that for most OECD countries, energy use and ecological sustainability are more important than other inputs and outputs for enhancing eco-innovation. [For full proceedings, see ED571459.]

The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These "Proceedings" are from the Commission of International Adult Education's (CIAE) 2021 International Pre-Conference. This year's "Proceedings" contain 17 papers from 37 authors, representing CIAE's usual diversity of authors and topics. Researcher and research sites include Belgium, Belize, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Nigeria, Norway, Serbia, and the United States. Not surprisingly, a major theme explored is the impact of COVID-19 on learners in a variety of settings, including school teachers, communities, parents, and higher education. A second major theme concerns digital resources and addressing the digital divide. Some papers address practices and research methods that enhance adult learning and others explore professional development, workplace learning, and cultural aspects of learning. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]

The need for neighbourness and Intercultural competences in Higher Education Institutions is ascending. This is because in recent times, there has been an increase in multicultural classrooms driven by globalization and the growth in global Internet connectivity. Globalization has enabled increased human mobility across physical national and cultural boundaries; while Internet connectivity has enabled virtual contact, interactions, and collaborations between persons from different cultures. Physical mobility, specifically for study abroad, results in physical multicultural classrooms. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview into the relevance of neighbourness in a multicultural classroom and challenges in a classroom that denotes the absence of neighbourness. The challenges are inspired and extracted from one-on-one Interviews with Higher Education Institution (HEI) teachers and foreign students from Finland, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Latvia and Turkey. Twenty people were interviewed. In the multicultural classrooms, six different challenges were identified as a result of analyzing the interview data. Those are language barriers, misunderstanding of cultural dispositions towards others, asymmetric communication, differences in cultural behavioral norms governing interactions, different styles of learning and problem with the familiarization with technology. [For the complete volume, "Proceedings of International Conference on Studies in Education and Social Sciences (Antalya, Turkey, November 11-14, 2021). Volume 1," see ED625228.]

These proceedings contain the papers of the 18th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2021), held virtually, due to an exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, from October 13-15, 2021, and organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS). The CELDA conference aims to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There have been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. The CELDA 2021 Conference received 68 submissions from more than 21 countries. Out of the papers submitted, 34 were accepted as full papers for an acceptance rate of 50%; 16 were accepted as short papers, and 2 were accepted as reflection papers. In addition to the presentation of full, short and reflection papers, the conference also includes one keynote presentation from an internationally distinguished researcher: Dr. David Scaradozzi, Department of Information Engineering, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]

These proceedings contain the papers and posters of the International Conference on e-Learning (EL) 2019, which was organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society and co-organised by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, in Porto, Portugal, July 17-19, 2019. The EL 2019 conference aims to address the main issues of concern within e-Learning. This conference covers both technical as well as the non-technical aspects of e-Learning. The conference accepted submissions in the following seven main areas: (1) Organisational Strategy and Management Issues; (2) Technological Issues; (3) e-Learning Curriculum Development Issues; (4) Instructional Design Issues; (5) e-Learning Delivery Issues; (6) e-Learning Research Methods and Approaches; and (7) e-Skills and Information Literacy for Learning. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]

This document contains the agenda and papers presented at the Agora IX meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece in June 2000 on alternative education and training processes. The papers are "Integration of Migrant Pupils in the Danish Education System" (Bang); "Support Services for Inclusive Education" (De Vroey); "Single Sex Schooling or Coeducation?" (Schrodt); "Serving the Needs of Gifted Individuals: The Optimal Match Model" (Monks); "The Common Culture Needed for the Democratic Transformation of Schools" (Rochex); "Danish Production Schools" (Ljung); "A Review of the Training Workshops and Craft Centres in Extremadura" (Lucas); "Combating Social and Economic Exclusion" (Brodigan); "The Irish Leaving Certificate Applied: Trojan Horse or Contrived Equilibrium?" (Gleeson); "Contribution of Mr. Manfred Schneider from the BBJ-Unternehmensgruppe" (Manfred Schneider); "Strategies to Combat Failure at School: A Comparison of Italian and European Experiences" (Montedoro); "Nightriders Tailoring Training to Young People's Lifestyles" (Lavelle); "Comprehensive Education or Removal of Pupils: The Dilemma Facing Education Systems in Responding to School Failure" (Casal); "The New Skills Approach The Roles of those Involved' (Rue); "The Relationship Between Centralised and Decentralised Learning in Vocational Training" (Vogel); "Company Role and Responsibility in Education and Training" (Suomalainen); and "The Role of Local Authorities in the Integration of Disadvantaged Young People in Germany" (Schlegel). The document contains a list of event participants. (SLR/CL)

Although health care spending represents one of the largest expenditure categories in all Western societies, most research on the welfare state has neglected issues related to health and health care. In this paper, we use the ISSP to evaluate the public attitudes towards health care in the United States, Australia, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy at three points in time. We find that public attitude do not cluster according to the most widely used schemes to classify welfare states which is not surprising given that these nations have often been clustered together without paying attention to health care. The results also indicate that the cleavages that are most influential in dividing individual health outcomes are an important predictor of people's attitudes towards government involvement in health care. In general, groups who have been shown to experience worse health in modern society are more supportive of government involvement in health care whereas groups experiencing better health are generally less supportive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined an international sample of adults from the Survey of Adult Skills administered by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009) to assess (1) how specific individual and country-level characteristics predict adult readiness to learn, and (2) how readiness to learn predicts adult skills in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving in technology-rich environments. Multilevel modeling showed that education and hours worked positively predicted readiness to learn, while age negatively predicted it, and men showed high levels of readiness to learn than women. At the individual level, a positive relationship between readiness to learn and skill proficiency was observed, while at the country level a negative relationship occurred. This "readiness to learn paradox" is discussed in terms of cultural differences in learning environments.

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2017), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Education, in our contemporary world, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the human being, in the way one thinks, feels and acts. One of the most important contributions resides in what and how we learn through the improvement of educational processes, both in formal and informal settings. The International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the processes, actions, challenges and outcomes of learning, teaching and human development. The goal is to offer a worldwide connection between teachers, students, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues. We take pride in having been able to connect and bring together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. We counted on an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement our view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons we have many nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. END 2017 received 581 submissions, from 55 different countries, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. The conference accepted for presentation 176 submissions (30% acceptance rate). The conference also includes a keynote presentation from an internationally distinguished researcher, Professor Lizbeth Goodman, Chair of Creative Technology Innovation and Professor of Inclusive Design for Learning at University College Dublin; Founder/Director of SMARTlab, Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre of Ireland, Founder of The MAGIC Multimedia and Games Innovation Centre, Ireland, to whom we express our most gratitude. This conference addressed different categories inside the Education area and papers are expected to fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. To develop the conference program we have chosen four main broad-ranging categories, which also covers different interest areas: (1) In TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: Teachers and Staff training and education; Educational quality and standards; Curriculum and Pedagogy; Vocational education and Counseling; Ubiquitous and lifelong learning; Training programs and professional guidance; Teaching and learning relationship; Student affairs (learning, experiences and diversity; Extra-curricular activities; Assessment and measurements in Education. (2) In PROJECTS AND TRENDS: Pedagogic innovations; Challenges and transformations in Education; Technology in teaching and learning; Distance Education and eLearning; Global and sustainable developments for Education; New learning and teaching models; Multicultural and (inter)cultural communications; Inclusive and Special Education; Rural and indigenous Education; Educational projects. (3) In TEACHING AND LEARNING: Educational foundations; Research and development methodologies; Early childhood and Primary Education; Secondary Education; Higher Education; Science and technology Education; Literacy, languages and Linguistics (TESL/TEFL); Health Education; Religious Education; Sports Education. (4) In ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES: Educational policy and leadership; Human Resources development; Educational environment; Business, Administration, and Management in Education; Economics in Education; Institutional accreditations and rankings; International Education and Exchange programs; Equity, social justice and social change; Ethics and values; Organizational learning and change, Corporate Education. This book contains the results of the research and developments conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to promote growth in research methods intimately related to teaching, learning and applications in Education nowadays. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, who will extend our view in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues, by sharing with us their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. We would like to express thanks to all the authors and participants, the members of the academic scientific committee, and of course, to our organizing and administration team for making and putting this conference together. [This document contains the proceedings of END 2017: International Conference on Education and New Developments (Lisbon, Portugal, June 24-26, 2017).]

These proceedings contain the papers of the 13th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2016), October 28-30, 2016, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), co-organized by the University of Mannheim, Germany, and endorsed by the Japanese Society for Information and Systems in Education (JSISE). The CELDA conference aims to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There have been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. These proceedings contain the following keynote lectures: (1) From Digital to Double Blended Learning (Jeroen J. G. van Merrienboer); and (2) Open Educational Resources: Educational Technology as a Driver for Educational Reform? (Michael Kerres). Full papers in these proceedings include: (1) A Service-Learning Project Using Crowdfunding Strategy: Students' Experience and Reflection (Jessnor Elmy Mat-jizat and Khalizul Khalid); (2) Towards a Theory-Based Design Framework for an Effective E-Learning Computer Programming Course (Ian S. McGowan); (3) An Ontology for Learning Services on the Shop Floor (Carsten Ullrich); (4) The Impact of Technology Integration upon Collegiate Pedagogy from the Lens of Multiple Disciplines (Joan Ann Swanson); (5) A Learning Support System Regarding Motion Trigger for Repetitive Motion Having an Operating Instrument (Hiroshi Toyooka, Kenji Matsuura, and Naka Gotoda); (6) Task-Based Assessment of Students' Computational Thinking Skills Developed through Visual Programming or Tangible Coding Environments (Takam Djambong and Viktor Freiman); (7) Framework for Intelligent Teaching and Training Systems--A Study of the Systems (Nikolaj Troels Graf von Malotky and Alke Martens); (8) Mobile Device Usage in Higher Education (Jan Delcker, Andrea Honal, and Dirk Ifenthaler); (9) Features Students Really Expect from Learning Analytics (Clara Schumacher and Dirk Ifenthaler); (10) Music Technology Competencies for Education: A Proposal for a Pedagogical Architecture for Distance Learning (Fátima Weber Rosas, Leticia Rocha Machado, and Patricia Alejandra Behar); (11) Increasing Students' Science Writing Skills through a PBL Simulation (Scott W. Brown, Kimberly A. Lawless, Christopher Rhoads, Sarah D. Newton, and Lisa Lynn); (12) The Effect of Choosing versus Receiving Feedback on College Students' Performance (Maria Cutumisu and Daniel L. Schwartz); (13) The Impact of Middle-School Students' Feedback Choices and Performance on Their Feedback Memory (Maria Cutumisu and Daniel L. Schwartz); (14) Numerical Acuity Enhancement in Kindergarten: How Much Does Material Presentation Form Mean? (Maria Lidia Mascia, Maria Chiara Fastame, Mirian Agus, Daniela Lucangeli, and Maria Pietronilla Penna); (15) A Video Game for Learning Brain Evolution: A Resource or a Strategy? (Luisa Fernanda Barbosa Gomez, Maria Cristina Bohorquez Sotelo, Naydu Shirley Roja Higuera, and Brigitte Julieth Rodriguez Mendoza); (16) Communication Vulnerability in the Digital Age: A Missed Concern in Constructivism (Fusa Katada); (17) Online Learners' Navigational Patterns Based on Data Mining in Terms of Learning Achievement (Sinan Keskin, Muhittin Sahin, Adem Ozgur, and Halil Yurdugul); (18) Amazed by Making: How Do Teachers Describe Their PBL Experience (Dalit Levy and Olga Dor); (19) Group Work and the Impact, If Any, of the Use of Google Applications for Education (Jannat Maqbool); (20) Fractangi: A Tangible Learning Environment for Learning about Fractions with an Interactive Number Line (Magda Mpiladeri, George Palaigeorgiou, and Charalampos Lemonidis); (21) Evaluation of Learning Unit Design with Use of Page Flip Information Analysis (Izumi Horikoshi, Masato Noguchi, and Yasuhisa Tamura); (22) Einstein's Riddle as a Tool for Profiling Students (Vildan Özeke and Gökhan Akçapinar); (23) Exploring Students' E-Learning Effectiveness through the Use of Line Chat Application (Tassaneenart Limsuthiwanpoom, Penjira Kanthawongs, Penjuree Kanthawongs, and Sasithorn Suwandee); (24) Factors Affecting Perceived Satisfaction with Facebook in Education (Penjuree Kanthawongs, Penjira Kanthawongs, and Chaisak Chitcharoen); (25) Interactive Video, Tablets and Self-Paced Learning in the Classroom: Preservice Teachers' Perceptions (Anthia Papadopoulou and George Palaigeorgiou); (26) Cognitive Design for Learning: Cognition and Emotion in the Design Process (Joachim Hasebrook); (27) Investigating the Potential of the Flipped Classroom Model in K-12 Mathematics Teaching and Learning (Maria Katsa, Stylianos Sergis, and Demetrios G. Sampson; (28) Learning Analytics to Understand Cultural Impacts on Technology Enhanced Learning (Jenna Mittelmeier, Dirk Tempelaar, Bart Rienties, and Quan Nguyen); (29) Widening and Deepening Questions in Web-Based Investigative Learning (Akihiro Kashihara and Naoto Akiyama); (30) Year 9 Student Voices Negotiating Digital Tools and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in a Bilingual Managed Learning Environment (Ulla Freihofner, Simone Smala, and Chris Campbell); (31) Purposeful Exploratory Learning with Video Using Analysis Categories (Meg Colasante); (32) Building a Learning Experience: What Do Learners' Online Interaction Data Imply (Mehmet Kokoç and Arif Altun); (33) Rules for Adaptive Learning and Assistance on the Shop Floor (Carsten Ullrich); and (34) Participation and Achievement in Enterprise MOOCs for Professional Learning (Florian Schwerer and Marc Egloffstein). Short papers included in these proceedings include: (1) Connectivist Communication Networks (Ingolf Waßmann, Robin Nicolay, and Alke Martens); (2) Learning and Skills Development in a Virtual Class of Educommunications Based on Educational Proposals and Interactions (Maria Cristina Bohorquez Sotelo, Brigitte Julieth Rodriguez Mendoza, Sandra Milena Vega, Naydu Shirley Roja Higuera, and Luisa Fernanda Barbosa Gomez); (3) The Relationship among ICT Skills, Traditional Reading Skills and Online Reading Ability (I-Fang Liu and Hwa-Wei Ko); (4) Towards Concept Understanding Relying on Conceptualisation in Constructivist Learning (Farshad Badie); (5) E-Learning in Chemistry Education: Self-Regulated Learning in a Virtual Classroom (Rachel Rosanne Eidelman and Yael Shwartz); (6) Relationship of Mobile Learning Readiness to Teacher Proficiency in Classroom Technology Integration (Rhonda Christensen and Gerald Knezek); (7) Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Internet Residency: Implications for Both Personal Life and Teaching/Learning (Linda Crearie); (8) A Portfolio for Optimal Collaboration of Human and Cyber Physical Production Systems in Problem-Solving (Fazel Ansari and Ulrich Seidenberg); (9) Innovative Collaborative Learning Strategies for Integrated Interactive E-Learning in the 21st Century (Barbara Son); (10) Educational Criteria for Evaluating Simple Class Diagrams Made by Novices for Conceptual Modeling (Mizue Kayama, Shinpei Ogata, David K. Asano, and Masami Hashimoto); (11) Digital Natives and Digital Divide: Analysing Perspective for Emerging Pedagogy (Uriel U. Onye and Yunfei Du); (12) E-Learning System Using Segmentation-Based MR Technique for Learning Circuit Construction (Atsushi Takemura); (13) Students' Google Drive Intended Usage: A Case Study of Mathematics Courses in Bangkok University (Krisawan Prasertsith, Penjira Kanthawongs, and Tan Limpachote); (14) An Empirical Study on the Impact of Self-Regulation and Compulsivity towards Smartphone Addition of University Students (Penjira Kanthawongs, Felicito Angeles Jabutay, Ruangrit Upalanala, and Penjuree Kanthawongs); (15) Adaptive Game Based Learning Using Brain Measures for Attention--Some Explorations (Jelke van der Pal, Christopher Roos, Ghanshaam Sewnath, and Christian Rosheuvel); (16) Evaluation of the Course of the Flight Simulators from the Perspective of Students and University Teachers (Feyzi Kaysi, Bünyamin Bavli and Aysun Gürol); (17) Development of Critical Thinking with Metacognitive Regulation (Yasushi Gotoh); (18) Enacting STEM Education for Digital Age Learners: The "Maker" Movement Goes to School (Dale S. Niederhauser and Lynne Schrum); (19) New Scenarios for Audience Response Systems in University Lectures (Daniel Schön, Stephan Kopf, Melanie Klinger, and Benjamin Guthier); (20) Academic Retention: Results from a Study in an Italian University College (Maria Lidia Mascia, Mirian Agus, Maria Assunta Zanetti, Eliano Pessa, and Maria Pietronilla Penna); and (21) Learning How to Write an Academic Text: The Effect of Instructional Method and Reflection on Text Quality. Reflection papers in these proceedings include: (1) Teachers' Attitude towards ICT Use in Secondary Schools: A Scale Development Study (Mehmet Kemal Aydin, Ali Semerci, and Mehmet Gürol); and (2) Inventing the Invented for STEM Understanding (Alicia Stansell, Tandra Tyler-Wood, and Christina Stansell). An author index is included. Individual papers contain references.

This study examines the development of telecollaborative exchange activities within blended language courses that are aimed at preparing post-graduate students for an intercultural workplace by developing valuable transversal competencies and intercultural awareness, which enable one to better adapt to changing work situations. A description is given of the collaborative activities completed by students at the University of Siena, Italy, and the University of Maastricht, Netherlands. The relevance of intercultural communication exchanges for meeting the needs of students who are searching for career opportunities or research collaboration abroad is also highlighted. The study concludes with a discussion of how activities and applications can be used to increase motivation and critical thinking skills as students work together collaboratively. [For the complete volume, see ED571330.]

This case study describes the "Bologna-München" Tandem, a cross-border collaboration which began in 2011. The aim of the collaboration is to give students studying Italian at the Ludwig- Maximilians-University in Munich and students studying German at the University of Bologna the opportunity to experience interculturality through interaction with native speakers. The interaction takes place in the classroom through lessons via Skype and during study trips. The "Bologna-München" Tandem combines telecollaboration and student mobility in order to promote a language and cultural exchange as well as an awareness of interculturality. [For the complete volume, see ED571330.]

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2016, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 30 of April to 2 of May, 2016. Psychology, nowadays, offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral standpoints), from this academic and practical scientific discipline, is aimed ultimately to benefit society. This International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the several areas within the Psychology field, new developments in studies and proposals for future scientific projects. The goal is to offer a worldwide connection between psychologists, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in psychological issues. The conference is a forum that connects and brings together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. There is an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement the view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons there are nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. InPACT 2016 received 332 submissions, from 37 different countries, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. It was accepted for presentation in the conference 96 submissions (29% acceptance rate). The conference also includes: (1) A keynote presentation from Prof. Dr. Richard Bentall (Institute of Psychology, Health & Society of the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom); (2) Three Special Talks, one from Emeritus Professor Carlos Amaral Dias (University of Coimbra, Director of Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, Vice-President of the Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Private practitioner of psychiatry and psychoanalysis, Portugal) and Prof. Clara Pracana (Full and Training member of the Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Portugal), another from Emeritus Professor Michael Wang (University of Leicester, United Kingdom), and a third one from Dr. Conceição Almeida (Founder of the Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy, and Vice-President of the Board. Member of the Teaching Committee, Portugal); (3) An Invited Talk from Dr. Ana Vasconcelos (SAMS--Serviços de Assistência Médico-Social do Sindicato dos Bancários de Sul e Ilhas, founding member of the Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, and member of NPA-Neuropshycanalysis Association, Portugal). Thus, we would like to express our gratitude to all our invitees. This volume is composed by the abstracts of the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT 2016), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). This conference addresses different categories inside Applied Psychology area and papers fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. To develop the conference program six main broad-ranging categories had been chosen, which also cover different interest areas: (1) In CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: Emotions and related psychological processes; Assessment; Psychotherapy and counseling; Addictive behaviors; Eating disorders; Personality disorders; Quality of life and mental health; Communication within relationships; Services of mental health; and Psychopathology. (2) In EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY: Language and cognitive processes; School environment and childhood disorders; Parenting and parenting related processes; Learning and technology; Psychology in schools; Intelligence and creativity; Motivation in classroom; Perspectives on teaching; Assessment and evaluation; and Individual differences in learning. (3) In SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: Cross-cultural dimensions of mental disorders; Employment issues and training; Organizational psychology; Psychology in politics and international issues; Social factors in adolescence and its development; Social anxiety and self-esteem; Immigration and social policy; Self-efficacy and identity development; Parenting and social support; and Addiction and stigmatization. (4) In LEGAL PSYCHOLOGY: Violence and trauma; Mass-media and aggression; Intra-familial violence; Juvenile delinquency; Aggressive behavior in childhood; Internet offending; Working with crime perpetrators; Forensic psychology; Violent risk assessment; and Law enforcement and stress. (5) In COGNITIVE AND EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY: Perception, memory and attention; Decision making and problem-solving; Concept formation, reasoning and judgment; Language processing; Learning skills and education; Cognitive Neuroscience; Computer analogies and information processing (Artificial Intelligence and computer simulations); Social and cultural factors in the cognitive approach; Experimental methods, research and statistics; and Biopsychology. (6) In PSYCHOANALYSIS AND PSYCHOANALYTICAL PSYCHOTHERAPY: Psychoanalysis and psychology; The unconscious; The Oedipus complex; Psychoanalysis of children; Pathological mourning; Addictive personalities; Borderline organizations; Narcissistic personalities; Anxiety and phobias; Psychosis; Neuropsychoanalysis. The proceedings contain the results of the research and developments conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to promote growth in research methods intimately related to Psychology and its applications. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters by sharing their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. Authors will be invited to publish extended contributions for a book to be published by inScience Press. We would like to express thanks to all the authors and participants, the members of the academic scientific committee, partners and, of course, to the organizing and administration team for making and putting this conference together. (Individual papers contain references.) [Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines.]

The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. The following purposes summarize the work of the Commission: (1) To develop linkages with adult education associations in other countries; (2) To encourage exchanges between AAACE and associations from other countries; (3) To invite conference participation and presentations by interested adult educators around the world; and (4) To discuss how adult educators from AAACE and other nations may cooperate on projects of mutual interest and benefit to those the Commission serves. The Commission holds its annual meeting in conjunction with the AAACE conference. Following a message from the AAACE President, Jean E. Fleming, these proceedings contain the following papers presented at the 2015 CIAE International Pre-Conference: (1) Tools That Matter: The Assessment of Online Resources for International Students (Valeriana Colón); (2) Faculty Development and Teaching International Students: A Cross-National Study of Faculty Perspectives in a Global Era (Joellen E. Coryell, Monica Fedeli, Jonathan Tyner, and Daniela Frison); (3) Comparing Italian Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers' Beliefs on Competence Based Learning (Mario Giampaolo, Alessio Surian, Federico Batini, Marco Bartolucci); (4) Cutting Edge Discoveries for the 2015: Capsule of a History and Philosophy of Andragogy (John A. Henschke); (5) Yes I Need Help! A Day in the Journey of Adult Learners Pursuing Higher Education: A Caribbean Perspective (Yvonne Hunter-Johnson and Sharlene Smith); (6) Becoming a Lifelong Learning City: Lessons from a Provincial City in South Korea (In Tak Kwon, Junghwan Kim, and Doo Hun Lim); (7) Education Interrupted: Kosovo 1980-1999 (Gjylbehare Llapi and Claudette M. Peterson); (8) Diversity to Inclusion: Expanding Workplace Capability Thinking around Aboriginal Career Progression (Kaye Morris); (9) So Much More Than a Humble Hall: World War One Memorials in NSW Schools of Arts & Mechanics' Institutes (Roger K. Morris, Robert J. Parkinson, and Melanie J. Ryan); (10) Implicit Attitudes of International and American Adult Students toward Black and White Teachers (Eunkyung Na, Tony X. Tan, Travis Marn, and Rica Ramirez); (11) Designing and Implementing Neighborhoods of Learning in Cork's UNESCO Learning City Project (Séamus Ó Tuama and Siobhán O'Sullivan); (12) Learning Lives of North Korean Young Defectors: A Preliminary Study of Reconstructing Identity in Career Development (Hyewon Park, Junghwan Kim, and Fred M. Schied); (13) Andragogy through Social Enterprise: Engaging Students in the Learning Process Is Borderless (Victoria Queen); (14) Leadership outside the Box: The Power of Nurturing the Human Spirit at Work in an Era of Globalization (Nancy Kymn Harvin Rutigliano and Alexandria S. Frye); (15) Lifelong Learning and Vocational Education: Institutional Requirements and University Didactical Concept of a Master Degree Program "Teaching Qualification for Vocational Education in the Field of Health Care and Nursing" at the Otto-von-Guericke-University (Germany) (Astrid Seltrecht); (16) Teaching Nonliterate Adults in Oral Cultures: Findings from Practitioners (LaNette W. Thompson); (17) Evolution and Revolutions of Adult Learning: Capacity Building in Adult and Non-Formal Education in Nigeria (Chinwe U. Ugwu); and (18) Evolution and Revolution of Adult Learning: Exposition of Open and Distance Learning in Nigeria (Nneka A. Umezulike). [Individual papers contain references. Rashmi Sharma provided editorial assistance.]

Building an energy system compatible with the Paris Agreement requires large-scale investment in renewable energy technologies (RET). Designing effective energy policies, therefore, requires an understanding of the dynamics of RET investment risk. This study draws on RET project data and 40 interviews with investors in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. We show that risk premiums and investment risk have declined for solar photovoltaics and onshore wind technologies in all three countries. Increasing technology reliability at a lower cost, data availability, better assessment tools and credible and stable policies were crucial elements of this declining investment risk. We identify the five most relevant risk types (curtailment, policy, price, resource and technology), show their relative importance over time and use network analysis of interview transcripts to identify the drivers behind the observed changes. While technology and policy risks have declined substantially over time, curtailment and price risks are becoming relatively more important. From these insights, we derive recommendations for policymakers aiming to accelerate the transition towards a Paris-compatible energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. Paradigms such as just-in-time learning, constructivism, student-centered learning and collaborative approaches have emerged and are being supported by technological advancements such as simulations, virtual reality and multi-agents systems. These developments have created both opportunities and areas of serious concerns. This conference aimed to cover both technological as well as pedagogical issues related to these developments. The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference received 98 submissions from more than 24 countries. Out of the papers submitted, 29 were accepted as full papers. In addition to the presentation of full papers, short papers and reflection papers, the conference also includes a keynote presentation from internationally distinguished researchers. Individual papers contain figures, tables, and references.

For the first time, the annual conference of the European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL) took place in Sweden. The conference took place at the Faculty of Education on historic ground on the old fortification walls of Carolus Dux from the 17th century right in the centre of the city. This year's host comprised the University of Gothenburg in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology. The local committee members represented three collaborating institutions: "Faculty of Education, the University of Gothenburg"; "Department of Languages and Literatures, the University of Gothenburg"; and "Division for Language and Communication, Chalmers University of Technology." This year's conference theme was "CALL: using, learning, knowing." The conference seeked to establish the current state of the art, how using technologies shape what and how we learn, and what we consider we know from research and development within CALL. These three dimensions are in a continuous fux and interplay as an upward spiral, contributing together to create a dynamic learning experience for the student. There were presentations presented at the conference. 59 of these were submitted as extended papers and appear in this volume of proceedings. An author index is included. (Individual papers contain references.)

Technology has been part of the language learning process, both inside and outside the classroom, for decades, helping to bridge the gap between different contexts of learning. At the same time, the concept of lifelong-learning has widened our understanding of what learning is, what different forms it can take, and of the importance of considering the learning process as one that will continue once formal education is over and the learner has entered the world of employment. Learner autonomy has also taken a central role, and has brought with it a shift in the role of the teacher in the language learning process. Self-assessment is one aspect of learner autonomy, and is crucial in enabling learners to set themselves clear objectives and thus take responsibility for the leaning process itself. In addition, the importance of including the development of intercultural competence in the language classroom has been advocated by many linguists and educationalists (Kramsch, 1986; Byram et al., 2001; Byram, 2008; Corbett, 2003; Sercu, 2005). It is against this background that the European-funded project CEFcult (2009-2011) was developed. Its main outcome is the production of an online environment for the collaborative assessment of oral skills and intercultural competence in the foreign language. The target groups are language teachers, in-company trainers, those about to start or return to work, and undergraduates and graduates who are preparing themselves for first-time employment. The tool places side by side the widely known and standardised descriptors of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for spoken production and interaction, and the descriptors for intercultural competence in a professional setting, developed within the Intercultural Competence Assessment (INCA) project. CEFcult provides a set of authentic communication scenarios, each containing various tasks through which learners can assess their skills for intercultural professional purposes in different European languages. Although the tool can also be used autonomously, in a classroom setting, teachers can set the learners suitable scenarios, get them to perform the speaking tasks and record the oral communication activities. After uploading the samples onto the online tool, they can be assessed by the teacher, by other experts (including teachers in other countries), or by other learners. The tool can also be used for self-assessment. By encouraging self- and peer-assessment, CEFcult can positively engage learners in a process of reflexive learning that will lead to greater autonomy. However, it also enables the teacher to be an active part of this same process. After a brief introduction to the theoretical background and pedagogical choices underpinning the project, we will illustrate the pilots carried out at the universities of Dresden and Bologna, and discuss some of the implications for learners and teachers. (Contains 1 table.)

The Research Institute for Higher Education in Hiroshima University started a program of research on the Changing Academic Profession (CAP) in 2005. The fourth and final conference was held in Hiroshima in January 2010. The following papers are presented at the conference: (1) Differentiation and Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning in the Knowledge Society: From the Perspective of Japan (Akira Arimoto); (2) Comparing the Academic Research Productivity of Selected Societies (William K. Cummings); (3) Teaching and Research in Germany: Narrowing the Gaps between Institutional Types and Staff Categories? (Ulrich Teichler); (4) Teaching and Research in a Changing Environment: Academic Work in Italy (Michele Rostan); (5) Teaching and Research in Higher Education in South Africa: Transformation Issues (Philip Higgs, Leonie G. Higgs, Isaac M. Ntshoe, and Charste C. Wolhuter); (6) Teaching and Research Activities of the Chinese Academics (Futao Huang and Min Li); (7) Convergence and Divergence of Teaching and Research Activities in the Japanese Academic Profession (Yusuke Hasegawa and Naoyuki Ogata); (8) Teaching and Research in the Japanese Academic Profession: A Focus on Age and Gender (Hideto Fukudome and Naomi Kimoto); (9) Presenting Malaysian Academics to the World: What's Holding Us Back? (Ahmad Nurulazam Md Zain, Munir Shuib and Melissa Ng Lee Yen Abdullah); (10) Scholarship of Service: Faculty Perceptions, Workloads, and Reward Systems (Jung Cheol Shin); (11) The Divergent Worlds of Teaching and Research among Mexican Faculty: Tendencies and Implications (Jesus F. Galaz-Fontes, Jorge G. Martinez-Stack, Etty H. Estevez-Nenninger, Ana L. de-la-Cruz-Santana, Laura E. Padilla-Gonzalez, Manuel Gil-Anton, Juan J. Sevilla-Garcia, and Jose L. Arcos-Vega); (12) The Balance between Teaching and Research in the Work Life of American Academics, 1992-2007: Is It Changing? (Martin Finkelstein); and (13) Changes and Realities in Teaching and Research Activities of the Academy (Futao Huang). Appended are: (1) Conference Program; and (2) List of Participants. Individual papers contain tables, figure, footnotes and references.

This year the Research Institute for Higher Education in Hiroshima University hosted an international conference in close collaboration with Hijiyama University. The main purpose of the 2008 conference was to enable the participants to give preliminary country/regional reports based on their national/regional surveys. This publication reports the proceedings of the conference. The following papers are presented at the conference: (1) International Implications of the Changing Academic Profession in Japan (Akira Arimoto); (2) The Context for the Changing Academic Profession: A Survey of International Indicators (William K. Cummings); (3) The Changing Academic Profession in Canada: Exploring Themes of Relevance, Internationalization, and Management (Amy Scott Metcalfe); (4) The Changing Academic Profession in the United States: 2007 (Martin Finkelstein and William Cummings); (5) The Academic Profession in England: Still Stratified after All These Years? (William Locke); (6) Changes in the Finnish Academic Profession Reflect Reforms in Higher Education (Timo Aarrevaara and Seppo Holtta); (7) Academic Staff in Germany: "Per Aspera Ad Astra?" (Ulrich Teichler); (8) The Changing Academic Profession in Italy: Accounts from the Past, First Insights from the Present (Michele Rostan); (9) The Australian Academic Profession: A First Overview (Hamish Coates, Leo Goedegebuure, Jeannet Van Der Lee and Lynn Meek); (10) Governance and Decision-Making Related to Academic Activities: The Case of Higher Educational Institutions in Malaysia (Muhammad Jantan and Morshidi Sirat); (11) A Preliminary Review of the Hong Kong CAP Data (Gerard A. Postiglione and Hei Hang Hayes Tang); (12) Progress of the Academic Profession in Mainland China (Hong Chen); (13) Analyses of the Educational Backgrounds and Career Paths of Faculty in Higher Education Institutions in Beijing Municipality, China (Yan Fengqiao and Chen Yuan); (14) The Changing Academic Profession in an Era of University Reform in Japan (Tsukasa Daizen and Atsunori Yamanoi); (15) Brazilian Academic Profession: Some Recent Trends (Elizabeth Balbachevsky, Simon Schwartzman, Nathalia Novaes Alves, Dante Filipe Felgueiras dos Santos, and Tiago Silva Birkhoz Duarte); (16) Mexican Academics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century: Who Are They and How Do They Perceive Their Work, Institutions and Public Policies (A Preliminary Analysis) (Jesus Francisco Galaz-Fontes, Laura Elena Padilla-Gonzalez, Manuel Gil-Anton, Juan Jose Sevilla-Garcia, Jose Luis Arcos-Vega, Jorge Martinez-Stack, Sergio Martinez-Romo, Gabriel Arturo Sanchez-de-Aparicio-y-Benitez, Leonardo Jimenez-Loza and Maria Elena Barrera-Bustillos); (17) The Academic Profession in Argentina: Characteristics and Trends in the Context of a Mass Higher Education System (Monica Marquina and Norberto Fernandez Lamarra); and (18) The Academic Profession in South Africa in Times of Change: Portrait from the Preliminary Results of the Changing Academic Profession (CAP) Research Project (Charste C. Wolhuter, Philip Higgs, Leonie G. Higgs, and Isaac M. Ntshoe). Appended are: (1) CAP Questionnaire; (2) Conference Program; and (3) List of Participants. Individual papers contain figures, tables, references and footnotes.

This document contains the second volume of the proceedings of the 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Conference presentations are centered around the theme "Mathematics at the Centre." This volume features 60 research reports by presenters with last names beginning between Abr and Dri: (1) The Odds of Understanding the Law of Large Numbers: A Design for Grounding Intuitive Probability in Combinatorial Analysis (Dor Abrahamson and Rose M. Cendak); (2) Imaginary-Symbolic Relations, Pedagogic Resources and the Constitution of Mathematics for Teaching in In-Service Mathematics Teacher Education (Jill Adler and Zain Davis); (3) Relationship between Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Teaching and Learning Beliefs and Their Practices (Hatice Akkoc and Feral Ogan-Bekiroglu); (4) Teachers' Awareness of Dimensions of Variation: A Mathematics Intervention Project (Thabit Al-Murani); (5) The Student Teacher and the Others: Multimembership on the Process of Introducing Technology in the Classroom (Nelia Amado and Susana Carreira); (6) Improving Student Teachers' Understanding of Fractions (Solange Amorim Amato); (7) Autodidactic Learning of Probabilistic Concepts through Games (Miriam Amit and Irma Jan); (8) Graduate Students' Processes in Generating Examples of Mathematical Objects (Samuele Antonini); (9) Reasoning in an Absurd World: Difficulties with Proof by Contradiction (Samuele Antonini and Maria Alessandra Mariotti); (10) Will Penelope Choose Another Bridegroom? Looking for an Answer through Signs (Ferdinando Arzarello, Luciana Bazzini, Francesca Ferrara, Ornella Robutti, Cristina Sabena, and Bruna Villa); (11) Motivation and Perceptions of Classroom Culture in Mathematics of Students across Grades 5 to 7 (Chryso Athanasiou and George N. Philippou); (12) Deductive Reasoning: Different Conceptions and Approaches (Michal Ayalon and Ruhama Even); (13) The Tendency to Use Intuitive Rules among Students with Different Piagetian Cognitive Levels (Reuven Babai); (14) Coming to Appreciate the Pedagogical Uses of CAS (Lynda Ball and Kaye Stacey); (15) Students' Conceptions of "m" and "c": How to Tune a Linear Function (Caroline Bardini and Kaye Stacey); (16) A Contradiction between Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Teaching Indications (Ibrahim Bayazit and Eddie Gray); (17) Identifying and Supporting Mathematical Conjectures through the Use of Dynamic Software (David Benitez Mojica and Manuel Santos Trigo); (18) Students Constructing Representations for Outcomes of Experiments (Palma Benko and Carolyn A. Maher); (19) Logarithms: Snapshots from Two Tasks (Tanya Berezovski and Rina Zazkis); (20) Trying to Reach the Limit--The Role of Algebra in Mathematical Reasoning (Christer Bergsten); (21) Semiotic Sequence Analysis--Constructing Epistemic Types Empirically (Angelika Bikner-Ahsbahs); (22) Service Teaching: Mathematical Education of Students of Client Departments (Erhan Bingolbali, John Monaghan, and Tom Roper); (23) Students' Thinking about the Tangent Line (Irene Biza, Constantinos Christou, and Theodossios Zachariades); (24) Habermas' Theory of Rationality as a Comprehensive Frame for Conjecturing and Proving in School (Paulo Boero); (25) Extending Students' Understanding of Decimal Numbers via Realistic Mathematical Modeling and Problem Posing (Cinzia Bonotto); (26) Different Media, Different Types of Collective Work in Online Continuing Teacher Education: Would You Pass the Pen, Please? (Marcelo C. Borba and Rubia B. A. Zulatto); (27) Reformulating "Mathematical Modelling" in the Framework of the Anthropological Theory of Didactics (Marianna Bosch, Fco. Javier Garcia, Josep Gascon, and Luisa Ruiz Higueras); (28) Students' Impressions of the Value of Games for the Learning of Mathematics (Leicha A. Bragg); (29) The Transition from Arithmetic to Algebra: To Reason, Explain, Argue, Generalize and Justify (Trygve Breiteig and Barbro Grevholm); (30) Resisting Reform Pedagogy: Teacher and Learner Contributions (Karin Brodie); (31) Manifestations of Affordances of a Technology-Rich Teaching and Learning Environment (TRTLE) (Jill P. Brown); (32) Types of Representations of the Number Line in Textbooks (Alicia Bruno and Noemi Cabrera); (33) Educational Neuroscience: New Horizons for Research in Mathematics Education (Stephen R. Campbell); (34) Variability in a Probability Context: Developing Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding (Daniel L. Canada); (35) Implementing a Reform-Oriented Mathematics Syllabus: A Survey of Secondary Teachers (Michael Cavanagh); (36) Student's Modelling with a Lattice of Conceptions in the Domain of Linear Equations and Inequations (Hamid Chaachoua, Marilena Bittar, and Jean-Francois Nicaud); (37) Using Reading and Coloring to Enhance Incomplete Prover's Performance in Geometry Proof (Ying-Hao Cheng and Fou-Lai Lin); (38) Aspects of Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Decimals (Helen Chick, Monica Baker, Thuy Pham, and Hui Cheng); (39) Collaborative Action Research on Implementing Inquiry-Based Instruction in an Eighth Grade Mathematics Class: An Alternative Mode for Mathematics Teacher Professional Development (Erh-Tsung Chin, Yung-Chi Lin, Yann-Tyng Ko, Chi-Tung Chien, and Hsiao-Lin Tuan); (40) Routine and Novel Mathematical Solutions: Central-Cognitive or Peripheral-Affective Participation in Mathematics Learning (Mei-Shiu Chiu); (41) The Role of Self-Generated Problem Posing in Mathematics Exploration (Victor V. Cifarelli and Jinfa Cai); (42) A Longitudinal Study of Children's Mental Computation Strategies (Barbara Clarke, Doug M. Clarke, and Marj Horne); (43) Assessing Fraction Understanding Using Task-Based Interviews (Doug M. Clarke, Michal Sukenik, Anne Roche, and Annie Mitchell); (44) Evaluation of a Teaching Concept for the Development of Problem Solving Competences in Connection with Self-Regulation (Christina Collet and Regina Bruder); (45) Developing Probability Thinking in Primary School: A Case Study on the Constructive Role of Natural Language in Classroom Discussions (Valeria Consogno, Teresa Gazzolo, and Paulo Boero); (46) Collaboration with Teachers to Improve Mathematics Learning: Pedagogy at Three Levels (Tom J. Cooper, Annette R. Baturo, and Edlyn J. Grant); (47) "Aim High--Beat Yourself": Effective Mathematics Teaching in a Remote Indigenous Community (Tom J. Cooper, Annette R. Baturo, Elizabeth Warren, and Edlyn J. Grant); (48) Development of Children's Understanding of Length, Area, and Volume Measurement Principles (Margaret Curry, Michael Mitchelmore, and Lynne Outhred; (49) Mathematics-for-Teaching: The Cases of Multiplication and Division (Brent Davis, Elaine Simmt, and Dennis Sumara); (50) Generative Concept Images (Gary E. Davis and Catherine A. Pearn); (51) Developmental Assessment of Data Handling Performance Age 7-14 (Pauline Davis, Maria Pampaka, Julian Williams, and Lawrence Wo); (52) The Effect of Different Teaching Tools in Overcoming the Impact of the Intuitive Rules (Eleni Deliyianni, Eleni Michael, and Demetra Pitta-Pantazi); (53) Investigating Social and Individual Aspects in Teacher's Approaches to Problem Solving (Fien Depaepe, Erik De Corte, and Lieven Verschaffel); (54) Maths Avoidance and the Choice of University (Pietro Di Martino and Francesca Morselli); (55) Primary Students' Reasoning about Diagrams: The Building Blocks of Matrix Knowledge (Carmel M. Diezmann); (56) Integrating Errors into Developmental Assessment: "Time" for Ages 8-13 (Brian Doig, Julian Williams, Lawrence Wo, and Maria Pampaka); (57) Vygotsky's Everyday Concepts/Scientific Concepts Dialectics in School Context: A Case Study (Nadia Douek); (58) Creating Mathematical Models with Structures (Katherine Doyle); (59) Mechanisms for Consolidating Knowledge Constructs (Tommy Dreyfus, Nurit Hadas, Rina Hershkowitz, and Baruch Schwarz); and (60) Reconciling Factorizations Made with CAS and with Paper-and-Pencil: The Power of Confronting Two Media (Paul Drijvers, Carolyn Kieran, Andre Boileau, Fernando Hitt, Denis Tanguay, Luis Saldanha, and Jose Guzman). (Individual papers contain references.)

This paper presents the findings of a study comparing the use of frames in television news in three West European countries, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Following the definition given by Entman (1993), this study applied a modified classification of frames according to the dimensions cooperation/agreement vs. conflict/disagreement. The agreement/disagreement dimension is used if the frame refers to the position of the journalist, while the cooperation/conflict dimension is applied for coding the events being reported. It was hypothesized that the uses of frames varies among different journalistic cultures (in this case, the Mediterranean or Polarized Pluralist Model vs. the North European or Democratic Corporatist Model). In fact, this study found differences that can be interpreted along the lines of the factors that characterize the two journalistic cultures, particularly the relationship between journalists and politicians. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The articles presented in this document provide a framework for examining concepts of educational modernization in Europe. The document is organized into three parts. Part 1 "European Perspectives" includes: (1) What Is Implied by a "European curriculum"? Issues of Eurocentrism, Rationality, and Education (Sven Erik Nordenbo); and (2) Modern Education as Perception Control (Stephan Sting). Part 2 "Issues of the Modernization Process" includes the following papers: (1) Modernity, Family and Childhood in the Netherlands (Caroline Hetterschijt, Ilonka Sinkeldam, Astrid Valkenburg); (2) History of Child Day Care (Ilse Godtschalk, Mechel Mangelmans); (3) The Garden-City as Educational Climate: Children as Co-designers of Their Own Education (Jeroen Knigge); (4) On Modernization Theories: On Racism and the Role of Education (Ineke van der Valk); and (5) Germans and Other Strangers (Matthias Blum, Anja Kaplyta, Melanie Schmitt, Elke Weiber). Part 3 "Aspects of Schooling and Modernization" provides a discussion of the school systems of Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, and Greece and contains the following papers: (1) Curriculum Modernization in Sweden (Aadu Ott); (2) The Spirit and Values in the Danish Educational System (Annemarie D. Molina); (3) The Comprehensive School in Denmark (Dorte Madsen); (4) The Free Schools in Denmark (Hanne Hansen); (5) Adult Education in Denmark (Trine Ingeberg); (6) Actual Trends in Danish Educational Policy (Inge Pallesen); (7) Recent Problems in Hungarian Educational Policy (Eva Szabolcs); (8) Education and Modernization in Greece (Z.K. Palios); (9) Technical and Vocational Education in Greece (M. Polychronski); (10) Is the Italian School System Able To Cope with Complexity? Intercultural Exchanges as a Case Study (Andrea Vargiu); and (11) The Italian School System (Edoardo Batrini, Paola Guglielmi, Anna Chiara Lugarini, Marco Solinas). (LL)

The article focuses on a study related to content analysis of the German and Italian national elections in 2013. Topics discussed include Italian political party Forza Italia during the opening phase of the European election campaign; controversial personality and corrosive rhetoric style; and Silvio Berlusconi announced his intention to once again lead the center-right coalition.

The "ISSS Annual Conference Proceedings" is a peer-reviewed professional publication published once a year following the annual conference. (Individual papers contain references.) [For the 2009 proceedings, see ED504973.]

Higher education in Southern Europe was the topic of a symposium sponsored by the Council for Cultural Co-operation of the Council of Europe. The following speeches were presented: "Problems of Expansion and Change in Higher Education: An English View," by Lord James of Rusholme, United Kingdom; "The German Advisory Council for Higher Education and Research (Wissenschaftsrat): Reform Proposals and Reactions," by W.A. Kewinig, Federal Republic of Germany; "Diversification of Tertiary Education in Regionalization," by J. Lapote Salas, Spain; "The Place of Research and the Role of Postgraduate Courses," by J.R. Villanueva, Spain; "Tertiary Education: Its Trends, Structures and Relations with Social Developments (With Special Attention to Italy and Southern Europe," by A. Visalberghi, Italy; and "Autonomy and Participation: Lessons from French Experience," by G. Vedel, France. A concluding commentary by Lord James of Rusholme and summaries of discussions are included. (SW)

Materials from Agora 12 demonstrate that the disabled are merely another side of ourselves and training for them is a means of developing and acquiring independence and of becoming absorbed into society. A Foreword outlines the subjects of the three sessions: social solidarity and mental disability; training of the mentally psychologically disabled and the transition from institution to integration; and training of trainers and other professionals providing support for the mentally disabled and assisting their integration into economic life. A 36-item bibliography and agenda follow. The 15 presentations are "Mental Health: Medical Fact or Social Construct" (Gaye Hutchison); "Disability and Independence: Improving the Quality of Life of Disabled People" (Carmen Duarte);"Professional Training of the Mentally Disabled in Enterprises in the Open Labor Market" (Helmut Heinen); "Job Creation for the Mentally Disabled: New Approaches in Germany Through Integration Enterprises and Employment Companies" (Rainer Dolle); "The Effects of Globalization on the Mentally Disabled" (Alberto Alberani); "Economic Costs and Benefits of Integrating Disabled People into the Labor Market: An (sic) European Look" (Juan Carlos Collado); "Permitting the Mentally Disabled a Genuine and Appropriate Exercise of Their Rights" (Annet De Vroey); "The Initial and Continuing Training of the Mentally Disabled in Lifelong Education and Training" (Christian Robert); "Education and Training Proposed to Persons with Learning Disabilities in the Different European Countries" (Victoria Soriano); "Occupational and/or Personal IndependenceThe Role and Significance of Sheltered Employment in the Emancipation Process" (Gerard Zribi); "The Normal Environment as a Training Ground and Indicator of Personal Potential for Disabled Workers and Their Trainers" (Yvonne Schaeffer); "How Does a Trainer Working with the Mentally Disabled Differ from Any Other Teacher or Trainer?" (Hans-Juergen Pitsch): "Training of Trainers in Learning Disability ServicesIs Learning or Disability the Issue?" (Paul Twynam); "Training of Trainers of the Mentally Disabled in Europe" (Angelika Buehler); and "How Useful Are Networks of Trainers and of Trainers of Trainers in Preparing Them for Their Very Special Role?" (Raymond Ceccotto). A summary of discussions (Victoria Koukouma) is provided. Several presentations include bibliographies. (YLB)

This collection of 24 articles explores how educational research, programs and policies in several countries are related to the issue of children's rights. Several of the collected articles focus on aspects of children's experience and development. Group membership, children's right to happiness, the development of an optimistic outlook among children, students' responsibilities, growing up at school, socialization, personality development, psychological effects of educational programs on immigrant children, the position of the teacher discussing controversial issues, the orientation of children toward work, child abuse and neglect, the human rights of the juvenile delinquent, and individual differences of children are among the topics discussed. Some of the articles explore social conditions and describe institutional practices. The relationship of class differences and equality of opportunity, educational practices and the rights of infants, education in the German Democratic Republic, sexual differentiation in educational programs, and problems of sanitation, education and society are among the topics discussed. Additionally, several articles examine the nature and methods of educational research and suggest future directions for such research. (Author/RH)