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Purpose: This study offers insight on the impact of virtual team projects (VTPs) of varying types (global vs domestic teams, technology vs non-tech projects) on competency and anxiety outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Paired-sample t-tests and ANOVA tests were performed on student survey responses pre- and post-engagement of different VTPs. Findings: The results demonstrated positive effects of VTPs on intercultural sensitivity (ISS), computer self-efficacy, perceived ease of use of online learning and COVID-19 anxiety. ISS ("interaction confidence") improved more for students in the global vs. domestic teams and technology-related outcomes (CSE, PEU and computer anxiety) and ISS ("respect for cultural differences") improved more for students that participated in tech projects, whereas COVID-19 anxiety lessened more for those that participated in non-tech projects. Originality/value: The study expands understanding of the Technology Acceptance Model and provides insight into the ISS literature showing that VTPs could be a worthwhile pedagogical approach for improving student competencies and anxiety during times of academic disruption, but that project type can influence these changes.

In Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis, the use of weakly informative prior distributions is of particular benefit in cases where only a few studies are included, a situation often encountered in health technology assessment (HTA). Suggestions for empirical prior distributions are available in the literature but it is unknown whether these are adequate in the context of HTA. Therefore, a database of all relevant meta-analyses conducted by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany) was constructed to derive empirical prior distributions for the heterogeneity parameter suitable for HTA. Previously, an extension to the normal-normal hierarchical model had been suggested for this purpose. For different effect measures, this extended model was applied on the database to conservatively derive a prior distribution for the heterogeneity parameter. Comparison of a Bayesian approach using the derived priors with IQWiG's current standard approach for evidence synthesis shows favorable properties. Therefore, these prior distributions are recommended for future meta-analyses in HTA settings and could be embedded into the IQWiG evidence synthesis approach in the case of very few studies.

This study focuses on the problem solving skills in technology-rich environments of teachers. PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies) data on adults' (n = 11,294) competencies, is used to investigate how problem solving skills of teachers are associated with sociodemographic, work-related, and everyday-life related background factors. In addition, the problem solving skills in technology-rich environments of teachers are compared with those of other adults with a higher education degree. The main statistical analyses are conducted with logistic regression models under the design-based framework. Our findings illustrate that teachers' strong or weak skills seem to be associated with sociodemographic factors and work-related factors. When comparing teachers with other professionals, for high problem solving skills numeracy skill use at home was important on top of the sociodemographic factors, while teachers' weak skills seem to be associated with fewer ICT skill-use at work on top of the sociodemographic factors. Combining our results with earlier research that emphasises the importance of daily activities at work on the one hand, and the lack of room for teachers to actually work and learn together on the other hand, we argue that teachers may benefit from more opportunities to develop professionally at work.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a teaching and learning approach that is based on the principles that underpin sustainability and applies to all levels of education. However, there is a scarcity of research on the integration of curricula with ESD. In this study, secondary school curricula in Germany (Bavaria) (geography, nature and technology) and secondary school curricula in Turkey (social studies, sciences) were compared in terms of learning outcomes and learning areas to the principles of sustainable development (social-environmental-economic). Attempts have been made to shed light on how ESD is reflected in the curricula of Turkey and Germany, as well as how the approach of ESD directs the education curricula. According to the findings of the study, the learning outcomes and learning areas of the curricula of Turkey and Germany are related to the principles of sustainable development, and learning outcomes related to SD dimensions are given more place in the upper grades. Turkey's social studies curriculum is more related to SD's social dimension principles; the science curriculum is more related to SD's environmental dimension principles; and Germany's geography, nature and technology curricula are more related to SD's environmental dimension principles. The number of learning outcomes related to the economic dimension principles of SD in both countries' curricula has been determined to be very low. Especially in Germany's curricula, unlike Turkey's curricula, it has been determined that students offer solutions to existing environmental-social-economic problems for sustainability in the context of problem-solving skills and learning outcomes that include case study activities are included.

This article provides an analysis of how military history museums in Germany, Britain, Belgium, Poland, and the United States exhibit and contextualize weapon technologies that were developed in the two world wars. The article focuses on technologies (gas warfare, the atomic bomb, tanks, and the V2 long-range rocket) that are directly connected to military success and innovation but also relate to dehumanization and destruction. By employing the analytical concepts of experientiality and of antagonistic, cosmopolitan, and entangled memory, this article demonstrates how museums can create open or closed narratives, steer the visitor toward particular interpretations, enhance or deconstruct the authentic aura of technological artifacts, and stage the symbolic potential of technologies. In addition, it shows how museums can educate visitors and allow them to experience the ambiguities, controversies, and complexities of these technologies.

The Bunker "Valentin" in Farge, a suburb of Bremen, is one of the biggest relics of armament projects in the Second World War. Although it was built by up to 10,000 forced laborers under brutal conditions leading to a death toll of up to 1,600, it was primarily remembered as a technological masterpiece. This article describes the history of the bunker and how its remembrance changed over time. It assesses the formation of competing narratives of war technology and forced labor and explores the meaning of the material remains of the Second World War for the culture of remembrance of German war crimes at and after the end of the age of eyewitnesses.

The boundaries between universities of applied sciences and universities in the binary higher education system in Germany have begun to blur. This is likely to affect the criteria for hiring professors, too. The article investigates whether or not there is a similarity of the relative weight universities of applied sciences and universities put on selection criteria in appointment procedures for professorships. This analysis is based on data of an online survey of heads of appointment committees from both types of organisations, focusing on the relevance the respondents have attached to 23 selection criteria.

A unique challenge for organizations is in leading diverse, dispersed teams whose members are motivated to work independently, but are willing to collaborate. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how nuanced variations in motivational patterns influences the relationship between work satisfaction and virtual team effectiveness. A sequential, mixed methods design was used to analyze and explain the moderating effects of motivational orientation on this relationship. In the first, quantitative phase, participating virtual team members completed an online survey with items comprising the five motivation source scales from the Motivation Sources Inventory, work satisfaction, and eleven variables measuring utilization of virtual team effectiveness attributes from the Virtual Teams Survey. Seven hypotheses were tested, with support found for three of the hypotheses. Work satisfaction and utilization of the virtual team effectiveness attributes were found to be positively correlated. Support was also found for hypotheses that the relationship between work satisfaction and utilization of the virtual team effectiveness attributes will be stronger for virtual team members (VTMs) with low self-concept external and / or moderate or high goal internalization patterns. In the second, qualitative phase, follow-up interviews were conducted to support and provide rationale for the quantitative results. Qualitative analysis of interviews revealed three major themes focused on concerns regarding team leadership, organizational support, and technology. Viewed in context with the quantitative results, the themes suggest that work satisfaction may be improved for most VTMs, regardless of motivation pattern, by strengthening leadership, aligning rewards with goals, and enhancing the technology used for team communication.

We study gender differences in the selection of traditional universities versus universities of applied sciences in Germany. Do women, due to life and job goals, less often enrol than men in traditional universities and more often enrol at the more practice- and profession-oriented universities of applied sciences? Or are women overrepresented at traditional universities due to prior educational choices and outcomes such as higher school grades and more frequent choice of non-technical fields of study? Our analyses on a national sample of 1st-year students report a 14-percentage point higher likelihood of women than men to enter traditional universities. This gender gap can almost entirely be attributed to educational factors, specifically women's less frequent choice of engineering majors, and hardly by job goal preferences. That, net of these factors, no gender difference exists indicates that women in Germany do not aim lower or higher than men as to the institution choice.

The "International Research Experience for Students (IRES)" at Doane University (DU) located in Crete, Nebraska, exposed undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students to international research at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. The international collaboration team included three undergraduate researchers per year from DU, one faculty member and one postdoctoral fellow from DU, two faculty mentors at KIT, and several graduate, post-doctoral, and technical staff at KIT. Prior to departure to Germany, the students received extensive research training, as well as culture and language preparation from the mentors at DU. While in Germany, the students received an in-depth orientation to Karlsruhe, Germany, Europe, the research setting at KIT, and the international collaborators. The eight week summer projects over three years involved nanolithography, nano- to microsized array fabrication, organic synthesis using click chemistry, and surface modifications for sensing and other biomedical research applications. When the students returned from Germany, they continued to conduct research at DU and train other undergraduate students using the expertise acquired from KIT. The DU research students, including the IRES scholars, learned oral and written communication skills. They presented their KIT and DU research results at weekly seminars and at local and national meetings. An external assessment firm evaluated the program, the students, and mentors on a yearly basis before and after the summer research. This enabled all participants to continuously improve the learning objectives and the program execution including three program adjustments implemented in year 2 or 3. The survey data shows that the IRES program provided an enriching experience for the students in research and international culture and established a successful base of collaboration for mentors.

Industry standards are used in many disciplines, including science and technology areas. To date, little research has been conducted regarding the citing of standards in scholarly publications. The aim of this study was to answer two questions: Are standards being cited in scholarly publications? And, if so, what are the characteristics of the publications citing standards? We postulated that the answer to these questions would be of use to science and engineering librarians for collection development and research assistance purposes. A cited-reference search was conducted using Web of Science Core Collection™ (WOSCC) to determine if standards are cited. Our research focused on three major standards organizations: ASTM International, the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The study was limited to publications published from 2015-2017. The results confirmed our hypothesis that standards are cited in scholarly publications in science and technology fields. In addition, we discovered that standards were cited in publications from nearly 100 countries. Funding agency and institutional affiliation were also analyzed. The data from the study confirmed the international reach and broad utility of standards in a wide range of disciplines.

The motivation to engage in a task is directly related to its perceived value according to Deci & Ryan (1985). Increasing motivation can lead to a higher enhanced learning achievement for the student. The question is if using digital technologies in inquiry-based learning lessons influences the learners' situationally perceived value of the task and if a higher perceived value leads to a more successful learning outcome. 207 Pupils were questioned with the standardised IMI (Intrinsic Motivational Inventory) after carrying out an experiment in design and technology. The architectural science-based task was to build a bridge out of a couple of sheets of paper. Half of the class used digital technologies for their research and half of them functioned as the control group using traditional media. There was a significant difference between the two groups: the treatment group felt the task to be more valuable than the control group (t[subscript 188.920] = 2.504, p = 0.13). There was a correlation between a higher learning outcome and a higher perceived value of the task, which was considered to be small (r = 0.14, p = 0.45).

Charting significant growth in science production over the 20th century in four European Union member states, this neo-institutional analysis describes the development and current state of universities and research institutes that bolster Europe's position as a key region in global science. On-going internationalization and Europeanization of higher education and science has been accompanied by increasing competition as well as collaboration. Despite the policy goals to foster innovation and further expand research capacity, in cross-national and historical comparison neither the level of R&D investments nor country size accounts completely for the differential growth of scientific productivity. Based on a comprehensive historical database from 1900 to 2010, this analysis uncovers both stable and dynamic patterns of production and productivity in Germany, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Measured in peer-reviewed research articles collected in Thomson Reuters' Science Citation Index Expanded, which includes journals in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Health, we show the varying contributions of different organizational forms, especially research universities and research institutes. Comparing the institutionalization pathways that created the conditions necessary for continuous and strong growth in scientific productivity in the European center of global science emphasizes that the research university is the key organizational form across countries.

In this article, the author discusses the relation of technology, science, self-concept, interest, and gender. For nearly 20 years the topic of "women and technology" has played an important role in discussions about gender equality in Germany. The very first project for promoting females started in 1978 under the title "Women in Male Occupations." It was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Science and was aimed at vocational-technical levels. Soon a variety of projects followed, financially supported by the Federal and District Commission for Educational Planning and Promotion of Research and by the individual governments of the various districts. The initial incentive to develop such projects was the fact that women were highly under-represented in educational fields of technology and in those related to technology. Increasing the number of women in technology and science was a political goal. Consequently, many actions were initiated to increase women's participation in schools, universities, and/or extracurricular fields. Currently, special attention is being paid to specific subjects such as computer science and computer technology. The reason for this is the current lack of experts in these fields. Self-concept gained scientific attention for explaining the exclusion of women from technological fields, particularly young women's lack of confidence in their own efficacy to handle technical situations adequately. People with high self-efficacy expectations consider a wider spectrum of possibilities to develop themselves in relation to specific subjects and vocations and hold higher aspirations. Self-concept influences the development of interests, and interests shape self-concept. Both determine the decision to pursue a subject or a vocation. It should be stressed, though, that knowledge, self-concept (and in particular belief in self-efficacy), interests, and choices/decisions of vocation are closely related and mutually dependent. In order for girls to avoid activating gender-related knowledge, a gender separate learning situation should be available. This would contribute to building up their perceived self-efficacy and promote development of a young woman's quantitative and technical talents. The author concludes that when women are given the opportunity to engage in technical tasks and to succeed--and by doing so not to correspond to traditional gender stereotypes--they are contributing to the decline of the male stereotype traditionally connected with the perception of technology.

A simple, reliable, and cost-effective experiment is presented in which students synthesized citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (GNPs), functionalized them with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and transferred the PEG-GNPs from water to the organic phase dichloromethane. The experiment introduces students to nanotechnology with foci on important concepts including surface modification of nanoparticles, colloidal stability, and phase transfer. The proposed experiment was evaluated at three different universities to confirm its reproducibility and versatility. Collectively, the proposed experiment is suitable to be implemented into colloid- or nanoscience-related curricula.

Nanotechnology is having an increasing impact on university curricula in electrical engineering and in physics. Major influencers affecting developments in university programmes related to nanoelectronics are discussed and a model for university programme development is described. The model takes into account that nanotechnology affects not only physics but also electrical engineering and computer engineering because of the advent of new nanoelectronics devices. The model suggests that curriculum development tends to follow one of three major tracks: physics; electrical engineering; computer engineering. Examples of European curricula following this framework are identified and described. These examples may serve as sources of inspiration for future developments and the model presented may provide guidelines for a systematic selection of topics in the university programmes. (Contains 5 figures.)

Strong societal requirements and consumer acceptance are the driving force of nanotechnology development. The necessity for qualified experts and strong demand on education in the multi-, trans- and interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology is a logical consequence of this driving force. There is the need for a comprehensive national skill-needs-identification study as a first step towards developing the appropriate workforce and to prevent any skill gap or shortage. This paper provides an analytical overview of skill needs and human resources development for the emerging fields of nanotechnology and gives recommendations for further research. Emphasis is placed on the role of vocational educational training (VET) in skill development for nanotechnology. Evidence review and secondary analysis of the literature are used as the methodological approach. A comparative analysis of approaches to nanotechnology workforce development in Germany and the United States is done.

The technological complexity and richness of a child's environment today is far beyond what any adults today experienced when they were growing up. For example, no adult today knows what it is like to be a four-year-old using his or her first iPhone app or Webkinz account. Therefore, we seek ways to understand what children need in today's new technologies even without ourselves being children. Since 1999, young people ages seven to eleven have been the author's partners in codesigning new educational technologies at the University of Maryland's Human-Computer Interaction Lab. This work has helped inform who children are--what matters to them, what technologies need to be changed, and what needs to be built for the future. This work uses cooperative inquiry, a set of codesign methods that can enable adults and children to share their ideas while minimizing the differences in age and communication styles. This article describes low-tech methods for brainstorming, offering feedback, and supporting creative change in technology prototype designs. Examples of technologies are discussed and insights from children shared. (Contains 3 figures and 13 notes.)

Cell biology and molecular imaging technologies have made enormous progress in basic research. However, the transfer of this knowledge to the pharmaceutical drug discovery process, or even therapeutic improvements for disorders such as neuronal diseases, is still in its infancy. This transfer needs scientists who can integrate basic research with imaging technologies and clinical applications. The graduate training programme described can provide this knowledge based on a translational approach. It integrates the expertise in basic and clinical research within the University of Heidelberg and the applied research established within the Department of Biotechnology of the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim. (Contains 1 figure.)

Although the participation rates of females in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (or STEM) education is poor in most Western countries, considerable differences across countries exist as well. This may be due to differences in the so-called gender achievement gaps, that is, delays of one sex with respect to the other. The variation in gender gaps in mathematics, science, and reading literacy, both across countries and across schools within countries, is explored in the present study using the PISA data. The results of multilevel analyses show the participation of women in tertiary STEM education to increase as the relative achievements of girls with respect to boys in secondary education improve. When the characteristics of schools and countries are examined in relation to the size of the gender achievement gaps, integrated educational systems are found to be more favourable to the achievement of girls than differentiated educational systems. (Contains 7 tables, 2 figures, and 9 endnotes.)

The specialisation Library Science at the Hochschule Darmstadt/University of Applied Science Darmstadt is the newest academic program in Germany for the higher education of librarians. Five current trends in library science in Germany reflect the new "Darmstadt Model": (1) The delimitation of a specific professional field "library" is obsolete, so it might be a chance to redefine library science "out of the spirit of information science"; (2) Information science and library science become a fundamental component of scientific thought in times of perceived crises in education and comprehensive educational reforms; (3) Library science is playing a major role in the current redefinition of the function of libraries: the re-establishment of libraries as educational and cultural institutions will depend to a decisive degree on premises of educational policy; (4) The academic profiling of the profession has not been completed yet: the process of specialization and of simultaneous extension of the responsibilities of the job should be considered as an ongoing challenge; and (5) Library science in Germany is no longer conceivable without international interaction.

The article summarises the design and outcome of an inquiry into the promotion of interest in technology by technology education. The reason for the present study is the low proportion of women in technical occupations, studies or subjects. Such a marked gender difference leads to different ways of life which discriminate against women. It is necessary, therefore, to search for the underlying causes and to take measures in order to support technological activities. The aim of the German study was to determine differences in the interests of girls and boys in technology and to support interest more widely in technology by technology education. The study was conducted in a class in the third year of elementary education. At first, differences between girls and boys in the intensity and gearing of interest in technology were determined by a survey. After exposure of a "treatment Group" to technology education, the effects of such education were established by mean of a second survey. The results of the first and second survey were compared. The results show that the interests of girls and boys were aroused by technology education. Furthermore, gender differences are reduced significantly. The findings of this study suggest that it is essential to intensify technology education in elementary school because it is the earliest opportunity for curriculum intervention.

Discusses the factors that seem to be significant in the development of visualization skills, and examines gender differences in background and visualization ability for students enrolled in United States, German, and Polish technical universities. Findings indicate significant differences in spatial visualization ability between male and female engineering and technical students in all three countries. (Contains 38 references.) (Author/WRM)

Examines technological and innovation processes and the economic benefits in a region with open borderlines (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) as part of a national innovation and economic system. Provides scientometric data on the contribution of public institutions to technological development and a synopsis of present structures and an information database on future technology. (PEN)

Ten-year-old students (n=531) from the U.S. and Germany were studied to determine the relationships between everyday experience, domain-specific control beliefs, acquisition of science knowledge, and solving of everyday technical problems. A causal model, developed and tested through structural equation modeling, showed that domain-specific out-of-school experience, mediated by control beliefs, only indirectly influenced problem-solving performance. Contains 91 references. (Author/WRM)

States that engineers contribute tremendously to the changing face of the earth, and the ever more urgent call for languages, management, and law competencies for engineers is an expression of the need for a grounding in humanities. Discusses the role of humanities in engineering education in the context of world economics and the role of engineers and scientists in the 20th century. (PVD)

A review of literature concerning the attitudes of young Germans toward technology focuses on feelings about both technology itself and technological change, the process of socialization toward technology, and interest in computers. It is concluded that the popular German notion of widespread hostility toward technology is not supported. (MSE)

Traces developments in British technology education, focusing on the German Polytechnic School's influence as a model. States this model was emulated to meet British industrialization needs. Examines different cities' approaches to technology education and rivalries with universities, highlighting differences between state and local control. (CH)

This article contrasts innovations in environmental technology in Germany with a lack of invention in the United States. Policies that lead to development of markets for environmental technologies in Germany are compared to U.S. economic and environmental policies. (LZ)