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Discover ISJ Content in Your Native Language

IGI Global — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:20:00 GMT

IGI Global has been working with CNKI, a discoverability database in China, over the last six months to set up our titles for discoverability by Chinese institutions. Our metadata is now set up and customers can search the CNKI database for information about our publications. Customers who own our books and journals already can click on the details and will be redirected to the InfoSci-Platform to access the content.

At the recent London Book Fair, IGI Global’s Senior Director of Sales and Marketing had the opportunity to take part in the CNKI Scholar Launch and Business Cooperation Forum, held on April 16th in the market focus area. As a special guest for the event, she, along with representatives from EBSCO and Emerald, had the opportunity to give a short speech regarding the partnership. Her speech focused on the importance of offering discovery options for researchers in their native language, citing that IGI Global’s English language metadata had been translated into Mandarin to enhance search and discovery on the CNKI Scholar platform. Following the speeches, IGI Global’s Senior Director of Sales and Marketing and CNKI President, Mr. Wang Mingliang, signed a strategic cooperation agreement citing each company’s intention to continue to find new and innovative ways to advance the discovery and use of research in China.

To learn more about CNKI, please visit http://www.cnki.net/.

According to McGill University Library Expert "Acquiring e-Journal Collections makes Perfect Sense..."

IGI Global — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:08:00 GMT

Mr. Louis Houle, Associate Director of Science, Health, and Engineering at McGill University Library in Canada, was kind enough to grant us an interview discussing his experiences as an academic librarian and the role of electronic resources in today’s libraries.

IGI Global: For those of our readers who are not familiar with McGill University in Canada, please tell us a bit about your institution and its academic programs, etc.

LH: McGill University is located in Montreal (Province of Quebec – Canada). McGill was founded in 1821 and is now celebrating its 190th anniversary. McGill consists of two campuses, 11 faculties and 11 schools, 300 programs of study, and more than 37,500 students coming from more than 150 countries. Here are some other facts from McGill:

1st in Canada among medical-doctoral universities for the last 7 years (Maclean’s University Rankings 2011)
17th in the QS World University ranking in 2011 – top Canadian one
25th in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011)
20% international students
23% graduate students
degrees granted in 2010-11: 8,058
Most Rhodes Scholars of any Canadian university: 133
1,603 tenured and tenure-stream faculty

IGI Global: Please tell us about yourself and how you came into the academic library profession. What is your prior experience and what is your training?

LH: I hold a B.Sc. in Biology, a M.Sc. in Oceanography and a MLIS. I have been working at McGill since 1990 when I started as a reference librarian (collections, information desk, workshops/instructions, and liaison work with departments) in the Biology Library. I maintained my work as a liaison librarian for more than ten years at the Schulich Library of Sciences and Engineering. Over the years, I took on the InterLibrary Loan work and in 2001, the e-resources coordination was added to my portfolio where I was managing a multi-million dollar fund for interdisciplinary purchases/subscriptions for the whole library system. In 1998, I joined the CREPUQ consortium negotiation team (consortium consisting of the 18 academic institutions of the province of Quebec) and in 2003, I became a member of the CNSLP (now CRKN – Canadian Research Knowledge Network) Negotiations Resource Team (NRT). I am still involved in both consortium groups. As you can see, I have been involved in the e-resources/negotiations activities for quite some time now. In 2003, I became the Head Librarian for the Schulich Library of Science and Engineering here at McGill and in 2007, I took on the position of Associate Director, Client Services, Sciences, Health and Engineering while maintaining my responsibilities in the Schulich Library.

IGI Global: The McGill University Library's slogan is: Information, Innovation, Service. Why did the McGill University Library choose to have a slogan and what is the story behind it?

LH: This is an initiative that came from our previous Dean of Libraries, Janine Schmidt. This motto was created to “demonstrate the Library’s commitment to the delivery of innovative information products, services, and programs of the highest quality that are focused on client needs and support the University's strategic mission and directions”. We also wanted to have a slogan that would be the same in English and French. I forgot to mention that McGill is an English speaking institution in the French speaking province of Quebec. Around 18% of our student population is French speaking.

IGI Global: What would be the breakdown (percentage) of your print collection vs. your electronic collection in your library? In your opinion, how will these percentages evolve 5 years from now?

LH: The Library owns around 5 million print volumes in its collection and 1 million e-books and 1 million e-theses. Taking into account only the e-books, these do represent 17% of all of our volume holdings. Adding the e-theses, that proportion is now 29%. On the journals side, 93% of our current subscriptions are now electronic. I think that our ratio of e-books over print ones will increase substantially over the next five years since our preferred format is now electronic.

IGI Global: In your opinion, what role should library consortia play in obtaining the most suitable content for libraries, particularly e-content? How is your institution benefiting from the library consortia that it belongs to when it comes to obtaining e-content?

LH: As I recall, the first two e-resource licenses signed by the CREPUQ consortium were Current Contents (Thomson) and the Emerald Libray (MCB University Press) in the late nineties. Ever since then, our main consortia – CREPUQ and CRKN – have had a tremendous positive impact at our institution by allowing us to not only regain what we had lost in the mid-nineties (because of huge budget cuts), but also increasing our collections beyond our expectations. The creation of consortia made us save money by having better prices for our purchases and subscriptions and allowed us to build a critical mass that was able to make significant changes to our License agreements over the years: e.g. walk-in users, ILL, unlimited number of concurrent users, e-reserves, governing laws, price cap increases (if any) with multi-year contracts, and many more. Consortia do also give us an economy of scale on the staffing side when they are taking away the tasks of negotiations and renewals away from the institutions.

IGI Global: In your opinion, what are the advantages of choosing e-journal collections vs. the old legacy model of selecting journals title by title? How is your institution benefiting from obtaining e-content collections both in terms of the volume of collections, as well as the current economic conditions?

LH: For me, the pick and choose model is not the way to go. We have seen, since the late nineties when we first subscribed to big e-journal packages, that many titles which we thought were not needed for research and teaching had high usage statistics over the years. Research is better described now has being trans/cross/inter/multidisciplinary. It is true that we can no longer think of the different disciplines in their own silos not interacting with each other. For this reason, acquiring e-journal collections makes perfect sense. It is no longer just a question of how much usage title X, Y, or Z is having in a given year, but what impact those titles are having on our faculty. Yes, we do see the 80/20 rule (80% of the usage is coming from 20% of the journals from a given package – often we see more an 85/15 ratio) does apply to those big e-journal collections. Does it really matter that you may have many titles in your package with low or no usage? I don’t think so, as long as you are satisfied with your overall price for your package and that the unit cost per article is where you want it to be. Since McGill is a research intensive university, we do have high usage statistics for all of our e-journal packages. Budget crisis is not a new thing in Canada. Since most of our acquisition expenses are in American dollars, we are used to working with the fluctuations of our Canadian dollar. We should not forget that in the print world, along with the pick and choose model, we had no negotiating power: we had to either absorb the price or cancel our subscriptions. But I have to admit that one model doesn’t fit all.

IGI Global: Your institution currently has access to IGI Global’s InfoSci-Books database. How do you feel your students and faculty from different academic programs are benefiting from the coverage of this database? In your opinion, what academic programs are benefiting the most from the content of this collection of 1800+ books?

LH: In 2009, we signed a multi-year agreement with IGI Global for all of their e-books until 2012. This is great for our users since then they have been able to access the whole collection without any interruptions. An important aspect not to neglect is that towards the end of a calendar year, when the next year titles are released during the fall, then the access to those titles is turned on automatically and is transparent to our users. The beauty of this collection is its breadth of coverage and since we do have the majority of disciplines it is being used widely. I cannot tell specifically which programs are benefitting the most from the content, but I can say most of our faculties on campus are making use of those e-books. Usage statistics have been pretty high so far.

IGI Global: What are your criteria in judging a database platform (e.g. unlimited simultaneous access, liberal DRM, capability to download, long-term preservation, etc.)? In light of these criteria, how do you judge the InfoSci-Platform in comparison to other platforms currently being offered by other publishers?

LH: All of those criteria are important when you are negotiating a license agreement with a given vendor. Other ones, such as a proper definition of authorized users, COUNTER usage statistics, ILL, e-reserves, different methods of authentication (IP, shibboleth), governing laws, linking to the article and chapter level, and cost, are also very important. These IGI Global criteria are in line with what we generally see with other vendors who own their content. This is not necessarily true with the different aggregators who do not own their content

IGI Global: As you may know, new titles are added to IGI Global’s premier research databases on a weekly basis. How do you feel the frequency of content updates compares with other databases currently on the market?

LH: We do see a wide variety of frequency of content updates on the market now: monthly, weekly, and daily. Of course, the more often the updates are, the better it is for our users. There is a golden rule for e-books that should be applied: the e-version should never be accessible after the print version. It should at least be available at the same time of the print, but ideally before it comes out.

IGI Global: In your opinion, what will be some of the technological innovations that will have a significant impact on electronic content integration in libraries over the next 5-10 years? Please mention three potential innovations:

LH:

1. Discovery tools and RDA

2. Evolution of smartphones, tablets, e-readers (e.g. the arrival of color e-ink technology), etc.

3. DRM

IGI Global: Louis, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us.

Turkish Universities Consider Acquisition of InfoSci-Databases

IGI Global — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:33:00 GMT

In April, IGI Global participated in the ANKOS 2012 Meeting at Firat University in Elazig, Turkey. ANKOS is the Anatolian University Libraries Consortium in Turkey. ANKOS member institutions, including Firat University—one of the largest academic institutions in the East of Turkey—are considering acquiring IGI Global’s InfoSci-Databases. All ANKOS members attended the annual meeting and as in past years, the firms and agencies representatives came together with the ANKOS members to collaborate and to inform ANKOS members of their new products and services or enhancements to their current products and services. IGI Global’s Senior Director of Business Development, Mr. Saeed Otufat-Shamsi, gave an informative presentation on our premier collection of InfoSci-Databases. As a result, all 165 members of the ANKOS consortia are currently evaluating IGI Global’s InfoSci-Books, InfoSci-Journals, InfoSci-Cases, and InfoSci-Dictionary databases.

Please contact us to see if an IGI Global representative will be in your region soon!

Library Technology Excellence Award

IGI Global — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:26:00 GMT

IGI Global is proud to once again announce the Library Technology Excellence Award, a special quarterly recognition given to an individual whose commendable effort and exemplary commitment to the utilization and understanding of technological resources within the academic and research communities has proven fundamental to the advancement of their respective community, society, and/or institution.

We are accepting submissions for a 3-4 page document outlining key issues involved in the understanding and promotion of any innovative technological programs or systems that have proven critical to the successful integration, implementation, and diffusion of e-resources within the academic library community. For complete submission details, visit http://www.igi-global.com/advertisements/librarytechnologycollaborative/librarytechnologyexcellenceaward.aspx. Please forward submissions to cbufton@igi-global.com by no later than Friday, May 18, 2012.

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Planning to Acquire InfoSci-Journals

IGI Global — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:36:00 GMT

In March, IGI Global met with more than 150 academic librarians at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México who are interested in strengthening their e-journal collections through the acquisition of IGI Global’s InfoSci-Databases.

During the XIII Meeting on Scholarly and Academic Journals UNAM in Mexico City, Mr. Saeed Otufat-Shamsi, Senior Director of Business Development for IGI Global, discussed the cost implications of the way we acquire and access e-journals. Undeniably, e-journals have greatly increased the complexity of dealing with serials, and at the same time, increased their accessibility and value to users. But, are we managing this whole process in a cost-effective and planned manner, or are we perhaps just fire-fighting as the administrative problems arise? Some of the costs associated with e-journal collections were identified, as well as key features that librarians should demand from publishers and vendors. The meeting, which centered on “E-Journals and Emerging Problems,” provided the ideal platform for IGI Global’s presentation on “Electronic Journals Collection: The Real Cost of Modernity.”

Please contact us to see if an IGI Global representative will be in your region soon!

InfoSci-Medical Receives Strong Review in Library Journal

IGI Global — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 09:51:00 GMT

The first of IGI Global’s InfoSci-Databases to be reviewed by Library Journal, InfoSci-Medical received an extremely positive assessment. The review, which appears in the April 1st issue of Library Journal, discusses the wide breadth of coverage included in the database and the useful resources it provides librarians. It also discusses the simplicity of searching the database and the ease of citing sources from it. To view the full review, click here.

InfoSci-Medical is a fully-searchable, customizable database that provides access to all chapters included in IGI Global books that have been published on bioinformatics, health information systems, medical technology, and the like. Titles included in this collection represent IGI Global's unique focus on the role, impact, and effective use of technology within the core information science discipline, medical informatics. This unique database does not place a limit on the number of users that can be logged in and using the content simultaneously. Furthermore, full-text PDF viewing allows for copying, pasting, and printing capabilities. And maybe best of all, InfoSci-Medical is priced at a fraction of the combined print value of included publications. For these reasons and more, InfoSci-Medical is the ideal tool for researchers. Recommend it to your institution’s librarian today!

Keep your eye out for more InfoSci-Database reviews in Library Journal, as they plan to review all of our databases in upcoming issues!

Diane Fulkerson Discusses Remote Access Technologies in Libraries

IGI Global — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:43 GMT

Ms. Diane M. Fulkerson, the Social Sciences and Education Librarian at the University of South Florida Polytechnic Library, was kind enough to grant us an interview discussing the research published in her new book, Remote Access Technologies for Library Collections: Tools for Library Users and Managers.

What inspired you to write a book about remote access to library materials?

As a reference and instruction librarian I realized more library users wanted and needed remote access to library resources. Teaching online provided me with the opportunity to understand the need and importance for users to have remote access to library resources. Many students are unable to come to the library when it is open, and current technology makes it easier for users to have remote access to library resources when they need it.

In the years since you’ve become a librarian, which changes in remote access have been the most surprising to you?

The growth of mobile devices from smart phones to tablets has been the most surprising change to me. These devices will continue to drive the need for remotes access to library collections. I also see them influencing the types of resources libraries add to their collections--moving from print to electronic.

Which changes have been the most difficult for you or your library users to get used to?

A couple of changes come to mind. One is the copyright restrictions for e-books and the fact e-books do not use a common technology platform. The other change is the lack of open access materials and the continued resistance to increase the amount of scholarly material available through open access.

In your opinion, of the many recent developments in remote access technologies, which have most changed the shape of modern libraries so far?

EZproxy, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), and link resolvers have changed the modern library. These three technologies have changed the modern library and the way its users access library resources. EZproxy and VPN provided users with the ability to access materials remotely, and link resolvers make it easier to find resources without having to search multiple databases. The new discovery tools make it easier to for users to search the library's databases and catalog simultaneously.

Where do you see the future of remote access technologies in 20 years?

In 20 years, I see a substantial increase in mobile devices requiring database vendors to develop products that are compatible with mobile devices. Less copyright restrictions and improved technology for e-book collections. An increase in scholarly open access materials. New technology will build on existing platforms resulting in seamless remote access to library collections. Course management systems will be user-friendly, allowing better remote access and integration of library resources. Technology will continue to drive the library to meet remote access needs of their users. The physical library will continue to exist but will serve as a place for students to collaborate, when they are on campus, on group projects and use equipment and software they may not have access to when they are off-campus.

Diane M. Fulkerson is the Social Sciences and Education Librarian at the University of South Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland, Florida. She was previously employed at the University of West Georgia as a Reference and Instruction Librarian. She holds an MA in History from SUNY College at Brockport and an MLS from the University at Buffalo--SUNY. Before changing careers, Diane worked in corporate America for 20 years in customer service, purchasing and Information Technology support positions.

AcademicPub and IGI Global Offer Affordable Solutions to Students and Professors

IGI Global — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:19:04 GMT

Few people will be surprised to hear that textbooks these days are expensive. According to a recent article from U.S. News & World Report’s University Directory, “According to CollegeBoard, the average bachelor's degree seeker at a public college spent approximately $1,137 on books and other supplies during the 2010-2011 academic year.” The high costs have proven to be burdensome to students who are already saddled in debt paying for tuition, room, and board while most can only work a limited number of hours at part-time jobs as they focus on their studies.

Many students have taken their frustrations to the Internet and signed the Textbook Rebellion online petition, according to the same article. This petition sets forth specific standards for reasonable textbook costs.

In finding the solution to this clear and evident problem, professors and colleges have gotten creative. Why should professors be forced to use an entire book if they don’t think their students need to read the full text? Why should students pay for that? Why shouldn’t professors be able to create the perfect textbook for their class by selecting individual chapters and sections from different books, adding in their own notes, assignments, syllabus, and more, and leaving behind the material they don’t need? AcademicPub offers this creative solution through custom coursepacks.

IGI Global, an information science and technology publisher, is proud to announce their new agreement with AcademicPub! Offering an alternative to the traditional publishers of expensive textbooks, IGI Global publishes one of the world’s leading collections of teaching case studies, housing a collection of 950+ teaching cases covering specialized topics in a multitude of disciplines relating to the utilization and management of information technology as applied to business, education, healthcare, medicine, engineering, public administration, and social science. All of these teaching cases are now available through AcademicPub for use in your custom coursepack.

AcademicPub makes custom coursepack creation simple by leading you through the process and allowing your students to buy your creation at an affordable price in their preferred choice of a printed book or an e-book. E-books are available for a variety of e-readers including the iPad, Sony e-reader, and Android-based devices. You can learn more about AcademicPub by visiting their Web site.

You can learn more about IGI Global’s diverse teaching case collection on IGI Global's Web site. Use the recently updated and improved teaching case search to find the perfect case for your course, and request a free examination copy today!

IGI Global teaching cases are also available through XanEdu Publishing, Inc. XanEdu provides professors with the opportunity to create the perfect custom course material for their class while keeping costs low and options high for students, including print course packs or e-book course packs compatible with the iPad or e-readers. Visit XanEdu’s Web site today to learn more.

Teaching case studies have the power to open the minds of today’s students as they become the leaders of tomorrow. They allow students to work through and learn from real world examples, and this undoubtedly makes an excellent addition to any classroom. Check out IGI Global teaching cases today to bring the power of knowledge to your students, and make your selections through AcademicPub or XanEdu to offer affordable solutions to your students.

IGI Global Welcomes Stanford University to the Family of InfoSci-Database Customers

IGI Global — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:23:00 GMT

On March 8, 2012, Stanford University joined the growing list of prestigious universities that have purchased an InfoSci-Database (in this case, InfoSci-Educational Technologies) since January 1, 2012. With over 70 academic departments, Stanford is well-known for their academic excellence within the business, earth sciences, education, engineering, humanities & science, law, and medicine disciplines, making InfoSci-Educational Technologies an excellent addition to their institution’s library.

Other universities can benefit greatly from purchasing InfoSci-Educational Technologies or a related InfoSci-Subject Database or they can take an even more interdisciplinary approach by purchasing InfoSci-Journals or InfoSci-Books, which cover 11 different subject areas.

The following is a list of universities that have also joined IGI Global’s InfoSci-Databases family of customers:

Stanford University, USA
Simon Fraser University, Canada
Kensai University, Japan
PetroBras, Brazil
Central Queensland University, Australia
Griffith University, Australia

Saudi Digital Library, including:

Al Baha University
Al Jouf University
Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University
Hail University
Jazan University
Kharj University
King Abdulaziz University
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
King Faisal University
King Khalid University
King Saud University
Majmaah University
Najran University
Northern Borders University
Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University
Qassim University
Shaqra University
Tabuk University
Taibah University
Taif University
Umm Al-Qura University
University of Dammam
Prince Sultan University
Alymamah University
Batterjee Medical College
Armed Forces Hospital

Sign-up for a complimentary 30-day trial of any of IGI Global’s InfoSci-Databases and see for yourself what all the buzz is about! Contact e-resources@igi-global.com for more information.

E-Access Makes Excellent Course Material

IGI Global — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:37:59 GMT

Professors looking for supplementary material for their classes may find titles from IGI Global’s e-access program to be the ideal addition. E-access books and journals are hosted on IGI Global’s advanced, IP-authenticated platform, which makes the purchase available to all students on campus as well as via a proxy service for off campus use, if your institution permits. This allows professors to post links directly to the supplemental reading material on Blackboard or your institution’s preferred course management system. IGI Global allows unlimited simultaneous access for multiple users and print capabilities for users’ convenience. The purchases can also be added to the library’s OPAC system and be available for browsing by all patrons of your institution’s library.

IGI Global’s books have been adopted by many professors who deem the material to be thorough as well as useful. One professor who adopted an IGI Global book stated that she decided to do so for the following reasons:
1. “Perfect fit for course focus,
2. Option of hardback, pdf individual, and library copies,
3. Ability to link specific chapters.”

Even those not fully aware of the extent of IGI Global’s research have found the e-access program to be a welcome complement to their already established coursework. Another professor noted that, while just newly acquainted with IGI Global’s products, she “was quite impressed with [the] title selections." She also noted that any recommended resources would be welcomed as she was in the process of developing a new online program and teaching strategy for her department. IGI Global staff members were, of course, very pleased to recommend a variety of excellent and relevant resources to her!

IGI Global offers a wide variety of subjects in an assortment of coverage areas, including resources such as casebooks and selected readings. To search for the book that best fits your curriculum, please visit www.igi-global.com, or contact eresources@igi-global.com if you have any questions or would like to purchase an e-access title.

Reigniting Technical Students’ Interest in Science

IGI Global — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:34:13 GMT

Are science and design natural partners? Authors of a case study recently published by IGI Global demonstrate how a pencil holder design project gave new life to a group of Singapore students’ understanding of physics, helping this group of academically-challenged students embrace scientific principles.

In Singapore, students are assigned to different secondary school curriculums based on their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scores. “In the Normal (Technical) course, students offer 5-7 subjects in the GCE ‘N’ Level examination,” states the Singapore Ministry of Education website. “This curriculum prepares them for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education.”

These “NT” students “are predominantly kinaesthetic learners with short attention spans,” write the case study authors Nazir Amir of Greenview Secondary School, Singapore, and Professor R. Subramaniam of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in their case study, “Fostering Inquiry in Science among Kinaesthetic Learners through Design and Technology.”

“Many students in this stream have also been identified as having difficulty reading, understanding, and answering questions across subjects because of their weak proficiency in the English language […],” they write. Mr. Amir and Professor Subramaniam argue in this case study that Design and Technology courses can be infused with scientific principles, rather than focusing merely on aesthetic principles.

As part of their Design and Technology curricula, 37 students aged 13-14 were asked to create a pencil holder that incorporated physics principles such as movement, balance, or friction. The pencil holder would be made from wood and must have been able to hold three or more pencils. It should also have been suited for use as a McDonald’s Happy Meal toy.

“The students were excited at the challenge as it contained a play factor,” write the authors. “Play factors are important in presenting science concepts to students, […] as we want them to feel that science can be fun.”

Since credit for the project would be partially based on the application of physics principles and “value-added” innovations, students used their science textbooks extensively when brainstorming ideas for the project, the authors write. Several students “were able to show their creativity in science through the application of a number of physics concepts” in their designs, write Mr. Amir and Professor Subramaniam. “Extracts from their portfolios and artefacts revealed how they made creative use of pivots, inclined planes, wheel and axle, pulleys, moments, and friction to good effect as part of the functionality of their pencil holders to captivate users.”

In addition to incorporating scientific principles, the students expressed uniformly positive feelings about the project, according to the authors. “There were no negative statements towards the project at all,” they write, continuing,

“The success of the pencil holder project needs to be attributed to the way students were guided in their D&T [Design and Technology] lessons. The students were never left entirely to figure out an idea on their own. Rather they were taken care of by their teachers who had a strong belief in the potential of these NT students.”

However, they note, “The findings from this study are restricted to one class of students and must thus be viewed in this context.”

This case study can is part of one of IGI Global’s recently released casebooks, Cases on Inquiry through Instructional Technology in Math and Science. You can learn more about this book by visiting http://www.igi-global.com/book/cases-inquiry-through-instructional-technology/56022.

“Fostering Inquiry in Science among Kinaesthetic Learners through Design and Technology” and the rest of the cases featured in Cases on Inquiry through Instructional Technology in Math and Science are available for use in your class. All teaching cases are now being offered for classroom use at a special student rate of $3.00 per case, per student! To learn more about our Teaching Case Collection and begin searching for the perfect case for your class, visit http://www.igi-global.com/cases.aspx. View the sample PDFs, and for an even more complete preview, professors across the globe can request a complimentary case study examination copy at http://www.igi-global.com/cases/browseourcases/requestexaminationcopy.aspx!

How to Stay Competitive in Today’s Global Marketplace

IGI Global — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:13:40 GMT

In order for an organization to continually grow and become or remain competitive, they must pursue knowledge and innovation. Not advancing with technology will prove to be a hindrance and a detrimental factor to any organization’s potential to succeed.

According to Mustafa Alshawi (University of Salford, UK) and Mohammed Arif (University of Salford, UK), the key element of success is “accepting change and a new way of working.” This means that organizations need to be able and willing to adapt to change in the economy. As technology progresses, the business process needs to align with the advancing IT applications. If this is done correctly, one will create a sustainable competitive advantage.

In the 2012 casebook Cases on E-Readiness and Information Systems Management in Organizations, edited by Dr. Alshawi and Dr. Arif, one will find a compilation of IT/IS readiness models, cases, and associated issues. The book is divided into two parts; Part 1 presents the e-readiness model and is a compilation of case studies associated with IT/IS readiness models, and Part 2 is a compilation of cases related to different associated issues in IT/IS readiness.

Cases on E-Readiness and Information Systems Management in Organizations is filled with relevant research that readers can use to assess the e-readiness of their own organizations. One will find a series of principles, tools, and techniques relating to e-readiness, and pertinent information on how to successfully implement these models for the purpose of aligning IT with business strategies. Any researcher, academic, or practicing professional will find this casebook to be an invaluable resource of e-readiness knowledge.

This casebook would make an excellent addition to any business course. To learn more about this book, visit http://www.igi-global.com/book/cases-readiness-information-systems-management/52997. U.S.- and Canadian-based professors can learn more about IGI Global’s course adoption program and request a complimentary e-book exam copy of Cases on E-Readiness and Information Systems Management in Organizations today at http://www.igi-global.com/courseadoption.aspx.

Can Technology Benefit Traditional Cultures?

IGI Global — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:21:13 GMT

New technology has allowed the amount of information in the world to increase rapidly and exponentially. Despite the new data being constantly recorded in databases, Web sites, and social networks, some of the world’s information is still disappearing. A language dies every 14 days, according to National Geographic’s Web site. “By 2100, more than half of the more than 7,000 languages spoken on Earth—many of them not yet recorded—may disappear, taking with them a wealth of knowledge about history, culture, the natural environment, and the human brain,” the Web site also states.

Despite this frightening scenario, language and many other important aspects of indigenous cultures can benefit from technology. New technologies present ways to document and preserve language and culture. Technology also presents ways for indigenous people to renew their communities economically and socially.

For students in the fields of global studies, public administration, political science, and information and communication technologies, now is the time to begin learning about these important issues. One timely reference that professors have turned to for the purpose of educating their students is Information Technology and Indigenous People, edited by Laurel Evelyn Dyson, Max Hendriks, and Stephen Grant, all of the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

Indigenous people around the world are becoming more interested in information technology because of the many benefits that technology can provide, including cultural preservation and community improvement. The high cost of implementing many advantageous technologies, in addition to the geographic isolation of and lack of computer literacy within many traditional culture communities, has, however, made adoption of these technologies difficult.

Information Technology and Indigenous People provides theoretical and empirical information related to the planning and execution of IT projects aimed at serving indigenous people. It explores many cultural concerns with IT implementation, including language issues and questions of cultural appropriateness, and brings together cutting-edge research from both indigenous and non-indigenous scholars. To learn more about this publication, please visit http://www.igi-global.com/book/information-technology-indigenous-people/581.

Information Technology and Indigenous People is just one of many excellent publications available to U.S.- and Canadian-based professors through IGI Global’s valuable course adoption program. If you are interested in reviewing a copy of this book or another IGI Global publication, please visit the course adoption site to request your free examination copy today! Should you decide to adopt the book after reviewing it, IGI Global is also pleased to provide you with a complimentary desk copy of the book and competitive discounts for your students under the terms outlined on the course adoption site.

Edmodo: An Educational Network Emphasizing Connection and Collaboration

IGI Global — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:13:03 GMT

Students and educators: Have you ever dutifully logged into your course management system like Blackboard or Moodle and ended up getting distracted by your favorite social network, such as Facebook? It’s okay to admit it if the answer is yes – your secret is safe with us! Maybe the solution to your distraction is a new virtual learning environment with a more appealing interface and additional social interaction? Edmodo might be just what you need!

Edmodo is a virtual learning environment (VLE), created about three years ago, that emphasizes connection and collaboration through a user interface that closely resembles Facebook. Edmodo combines the ease of sharing and commenting found in a social network with the secure, closed environment of a VLE. This allows students to engage in a discussion initiated by a teacher or to provide assistance and answers to each other.

Edmodo also allows teachers to connect with other teachers, both in their own district and in other areas. Cloud-based storage allows teachers to store, manage, and access documents, assignments, quizzes, calendars, and gradebooks from any location, and smartphone apps and a mobile site allow both students and teachers to access anything on Edmodo from almost anywhere.

School districts can enhance their VLE experience with Edmodo by registering for a unique subdomain, allowing the whole district to engage students and parents with teachers and administrators. Administrators can use their unique subdomain to monitor Edmodo usage and activity across the whole district.

Teachers at Freedom Area High School, located in Freedom, Pennsylvania, USA, have recently begun experimenting with Edmodo, according to a recent article in their school paper. Although they have been Moodle users in the past, many teachers have found Edmodo to be easier to use due to its familiar-feeling interface. One teacher, Mrs. Russell, commented on her experience with the site so far, saying, “I use [Edmodo] to post discussion questions and assignments that can be downloaded, and I plan to use it for peer-editing. […] I think that students have responded well to it; it’s friendlier than Moodle was.”

The current trial phase has turned up some problems, including texting-like or inappropriate language, and students have been reminded that despite its Facebook-like qualities, Edmodo is for educational purposes only. Students’ reactions have been mixed. Some have found Edmodo to be convenient, while others would prefer to simply use e-mail.

When implementing a new VLE or any other new educational technology, many factors have to be considered. Ease of use, student experience, teacher experience, parent interaction, security, and many more factors must be examined to ensure that the technology will be beneficial, and then a plan for implementation needs to be drawn up in order to employ the technology effectively without unnecessarily disrupting current procedures. IGI Global offers a variety of publications covering Virtual Learning Environments and Technologies in K-12 Education in order to help educators and administrators effectively fit new technology into their classrooms. Visit IGI Global’s Web site today to begin learning how to effectively utilize new technologies!

Transnational Distance Learning: An Evolutionary Leap

IGI Global — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:00:36 GMT

Robert Hogan was previously an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of the South Pacific. His areas of research include science education and e-learning. His most recent research was a $100,000 grant supported by the World Health Organization to develop a blended and mobile learning chemistry course for the Pacific. In this guest column, Robert Hogan argues for the merits of transnational distance learning as outlined in his recent IGI Global release Transnational Distance Learning and Building New Markets for Universities.

Online learning began slowly in the United States in the 1990s, hampered by inadequate technology, faculty resistance, and limited acceptance of online credits by universities and businesses. Growth was also slowed by a failure of public universities to recognize and adapt to the changing nature of the student body, which included non-traditional students with family and work commitments in ever-increasing numbers. These students needed delivery approaches that made education more convenient and accessible than classroom instruction. Online learning offered that flexibility, and students were willing to pay a premium for the convenience.

As the student market shifted to these older students, many public universities found themselves unable to adapt. Steeped in legacy and tradition, many were frozen, unable to change. Rigid management styles and organizational structures added to the problem. As a result, these universities failed to meet the needs of the changing student market.

Newly created corporate universities acted quickly to establish their place in the new marketplace. These for-profit institutions operated as businesses whose objective was to make money. They analyzed market needs, created products to meet these needs, and promoted their products with Madison Avenue flair. Corporate universities did something else. They treated students as customers, eliminating out-of-state tuition, shortening semesters, awarding credit for life experiences, and offering all courses every semester. These measures enabled students to graduate sooner.

By the time traditional universities understood the threat from these new corporate universities, it was already very late. The online market belonged to the for-profit institutions. Eventually, public universities entered the fray and gained a significant portion of the online market, but it took more than a decade.

Transnational Learning: Why Now?

Knowledge is the currency of the Information Age. It is the money that nations, businesses, and workers use to purchase social and economic security. Transnational distance learning (TDL) can help supply this currency, making now the time for transnational distance learning. Emerging countries recognize they must educate more of their populace to attract and retain business. Increasingly these countries realize that online learning is the only sustainable way to make education accessible and affordable, especially in sparsely populated regions.

The global recession also makes now the time for TDL. To offset funding reductions, universities must reach out to a wider student audience to generate more tuition income and reduce the cost of delivering courses. Simultaneously, global political unrest has limited the availability of student visas for overseas study. Students in the global economy see the value of foreign degrees, which may help them obtain jobs with international companies.

Another reason why now is the time for TDL is the emergence of foreign online competition. Foreign online universities, among them from China and India, are preparing to compete aggressively for market share. Accreditation standards recognized internationally are an unsolved problem.

Transnational Distance Learning: Crisis or Opportunity?

The evolutionary leap to TDL has already begun. The question is whether universities will learn from their previous mistakes. Success will depend upon careful market analysis, strategic vision, commitment, and adequate budgeting. One way to enter new markets is through partnerships with overseas universities, providing them with courses otherwise unavailable to their local students. Warning—it is easy for universities to become stuck on the smaller parts of TDL, such as open educational resources, mobile learning, Web 2.0, and social networking. Useful as they are, the focus must remain on the big picture, on the overall strategic plan.

In this second round of online learning, the competition will be fiercer and faster because the competition will come from all directions—public, private, for-profit, national, and foreign universities. The development of online learning took nearly two decades to flourish. Transnational distance learning will take less than half that time. The reason is that TDL meets the needs of students, universities, businesses, and nations. Prior to globalism, country economies operated more or less independently. In today’s global economy, competition is international and workers need competitive skills. Business and industry are no longer limited by locality and will set up in countries with the best workforce and business climate.

Transnational distance learning is set to sweep across the world, offering both opportunities and risks.

Plan and consider, but don’t take too much time lest you miss the TDL boat.

Our thanks to Robert Hogan, editor of Transnational Distance Learning and Building New Markets for Universities for this guest blog.

*Opinions posted on the IGI Global blog are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.