scholarly journals Scrutinising what Open Access Journals Mean for Global Inequalities

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-522
Author(s):  
Márton Demeter ◽  
Ronina Istratii

AbstractIn the current article, we tested our hypothesis by which high-impact journals tend to have higher Article Processing Charges (APCs) by comparing journal IF metrics with the OA publishing fees they charge. Our study engaged with both journals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) and included Hybrid, Diamond and No OA journals. The overall findings demonstrate a positive relationship between APCs and journals with high IF for two of the subject areas we examined but not for the third, which could be mediated by the characteristics and market environment of the publishers. We also found significant differences between the analysed research fields in terms of APC policies, as well as differences in the relationship between APCs and the IF across periodicals. The study and analysis conducted reinforces our concerns that Hybrid OA models are likely to perpetuate inequalities in knowledge production.

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-27
Author(s):  
Nina Schönfelder

With the ongoing open-access transformation, article processing charges (APCs) are gaining importance as one of the main business models for open-access publishing in scientific journals. This paper analyzes how much of APC pricing can be attributed to journal-related factors. With UK data from OpenAPC (which aggregates fees paid for open-access articles by universities, funders, and research institutions), APCs are explained by the following variables: (a) the “source normalized impact per paper” (SNIP), (b) whether the journal is open access or hybrid, (c) the publisher of the journal, (d) the subject area of the journal, and (e) the year. The results of the multivariate linear regression show that the journal’s impact and hybrid status are the most important factors for the level of APCs. However, the relationship between APC and SNIP is different for open-access journals and hybrid journals. APCs paid to open-access journals were found to be strongly increasing in conjunction with higher journal citation impact, whereas this relationship was observed to be much looser for articles in hybrid journals. This paper goes beyond simple statistics, which have been discussed so far in the literature, by using control variables and applying statistical inference.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lonneke Dubbelt ◽  
Sonja Rispens ◽  
Evangelia Demerouti

Abstract. Women have a minority position within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and, consequently, are likely to face more adversities at work. This diary study takes a look at a facilitating factor for women’s research performance within academia: daily work engagement. We examined the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between two behaviors (i.e., daily networking and time control) and daily work engagement, as well as its effect on the relationship between daily work engagement and performance measures (i.e., number of publications). Results suggest that daily networking and time control cultivate men’s work engagement, but daily work engagement is beneficial for the number of publications of women. The findings highlight the importance of work engagement in facilitating the performance of women in minority positions.


Author(s):  
O. M. Korchazhkina

The article presents a methodological approach to studying iterative processes in the school course of geometry, by the example of constructing a Koch snowflake fractal curve and calculating a few characteristics of it. The interactive creative environment 1C:MathKit is chosen to visualize the method discussed. By performing repetitive constructions and algebraic calculations using ICT tools, students acquire a steady skill of work with geometric objects of various levels of complexity, comprehend the possibilities of mathematical interpretation of iterative processes in practice, and learn how to understand the dialectical unity between finite and infinite parameters of flat geometric figures. When students are getting familiar with such contradictory concepts and categories, that replenishes their experience of worldview comprehension of the subject areas they study through the concept of “big ideas”. The latter allows them to take a fresh look at the processes in the world around. The article is a matter of interest to schoolteachers of computer science and mathematics, as well as university scholars who teach the course “Concepts of modern natural sciences”.


2021 ◽  
pp. 097168582110159
Author(s):  
Sital Mohanty ◽  
Subhasis Sahoo ◽  
Pranay Kumar Swain

Science, technology and human values have been the subject of enquiry in the last few years for social scientists and eventually the relationship between science and gender is the subject of an ongoing debate. This is due to the event of globalization which led to the exponential growth of new technologies like assisted reproductive technology (ART). ART, one of the most iconic technological innovations of the twentieth century, has become increasingly a normal social fact of life. Since ART invades multiple human discourses—thereby transforming culture, society and politics—it is important what is sociological about ART as well as what is biological. This article argues in commendation of sociology of technology, which is alert to its democratic potential but does not concurrently conceal the historical and continuing role of technology in legitimizing gender discrimination. The article draws the empirical insights from local articulations (i.e., Odisha state in eastern India) for the understandings of motherhood, freedom and choice, reproductive right and rights over the body to which ART has contributed. Sociologically, the article has been supplemented within the broader perspectives of determinism, compatibilism alongside feminism.


Author(s):  
Mariam Adepeju Abdulraheem-Mustapha

Laws and policies have important roles to play in advancing the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research in Nigeria. STEM education and knowledge brings about development by converging scholars across the world with recent research discoveries. In order for Nigeria to reap the maximum benefits from the 4IR, its legal system must come in line with the principles advanced by the 4IR. It is important to state that the laws which have been enacted before the contemporary era are inadequate and obsolete. Education (STEM education inclusive) which will benefit the most from thenewrevolution would demand new legal instrumentsthat are adequate and effective to cater for the legal and policy demands of the 4IR by bringing forth a more current and inclusive legal protection for all the relevant beneficiaries. Using doctrinal methodology, thispaperexamines4IR and right to education in Nigeria with a view to establishing the relationship between the legal instruments and STEM education with the objective of advancing the agenda of the relevance of all fields of education for the next generation.The paper is divided into six sections and the findings show that, education (STEM education inclusive) is bedeviled with many challenges andthe extant laws are inadequate to solve them.Thus, making the goal of 4IR unachievable in Nigeria. To reach the greatest dexterities in all works of life, the paper concludes by bringing the significance of laws and policies that wouldaccommodate free STEM education in secondary and tertiary school levels in order to answer the call for 4IR. It recommends research collaboration across STEM fields for integrated curriculum and an amendment of the Constitution. It also advocates for gender equality and investing more in STEM education for having a transformative shift in Nigeria for the purpose of achieving 4IR.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Khalil Sardarnia ◽  
Yalda Bahrampour

With the expansion of Islamism, a wave of Islam phobia was launched by western Orientalists and intensified subsequent to September 11 Attacks. Theoretically, the subject of adaptation and compatibility or contrast between Islam and democracy has drawn the attention of academic circles. Using a comparative and analytical research procedure, the current article seeks to provide an answer to this question: In the area of Adaptation and Contrast Theories, what is the nature of the relationship between Islam and democracy? The research’s hypothesis is that: from Contrast perspective, adaptation between democracy and Islam is not possible due to ontological and epistemological differences. In contrast, given the existing rational and democratic potentials within the framework of genuine Islamic fundamentals, democratic empirical examples such as democratic attitudes and demands in Islam world and democratic governance in the Middle East countries and Islam world, adaptation oriented parties believe in the existence of contextualized democracy within the framework of Islam. Using a critical reappraisal, it must be noted that, in spite of some deficits, Adaptation is more tenable, while Contrast and Essentialism are not sufficiently tenable due to some causes including failure to make a distinction between Islam’s basic fundamentals and history of Islam, the performance of authoritarian regimes and radical Islamists, universalization of liberal-secular democracy discourse and its combination with western ethnic chauvinism and propaganda of Islam phobia and defamation to Islam.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
Teruni Lamberg ◽  
Nicole Trzynadlowski

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education has been gaining increasing nationwide attention. While the STEM movement has ambitious goals for k-12 education, a lack of shared understanding exists of what STEM is as well as how to implement STEM in the elementary classroom. This study investigates how seven elementary teachers in three STEM academy schools conceptualize and implement STEM in their classrooms. Teacher interviews were conducted. The findings reveal that the majority of teachers believe that STEM education involves integrating STEM subject areas. STEM activities consisted of student-led research and reading activities on STEM topics. Two teachers described STEM as involving “hands-on” science activities. Teachers at each STEM academy school conceptualized and implemented STEM differently. How STEM was implemented at each school was based on how teachers interpreted STEM and the resources they had access to. The STEM coaches played a central role in supporting the elementary teachers to plan and implement lessons. Teachers relied on them for ideas to plan and teach STEM lessons. The results of this study indicate that as more schools embrace the STEM movement, a unified understanding and resources are needed to support teachers.


Author(s):  
Daniel Roy Pearce ◽  
Mayo Oyama ◽  
Danièle Moore ◽  
Kana Irisawa

This contribution attempts to clarify the relationship between the practice of plurilingual education and STEAM (interdisciplinary pedagogy that incorporates science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) through the lens of peace learning at an elementary school in Japan. Japan has a rich history of peace education, although it has received limited focus in the international literature, whereas plurilingual education remains relatively unknown in the country. Within this context, the article examines a teacher-initiated plurilingual and intercultural project focused on a multidisciplinary approach to peace learning. Analyses of multimodal data, including video recordings, photographs, researchers' field notes, learners' journals, and semi-structured reflective interviews, will demonstrate how even within a highly homogenous context, practitioners can promote transferable skills and nurture a deeper awareness of language and openness to diversity, foster reflexivity, and encourage multidisciplinary engagement through plurilingual education, dialogue, and storying.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca E. Rincón

Using student-level data, this study explores the relationship between Latinx student representation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and student retention. Results revealed that a 1% increase in cohort-level Latinx student representation in STEM subfields is associated with a decrease in student departures from the university, but not STEM. Furthermore, Latinx STEM students may be more responsive to changes in the representation of their cohorts compared with increases in diversity for upper-division undergraduate or graduate students.


Author(s):  
Peter Avitabile ◽  
Stephen Pennell ◽  
John White

Students generally do not understand how basic STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) material fits into all of their engineering courses. Basic material is presented in introductory courses but the relationship of the material to subsequent courses is unclear to the student since the practical relevance of the material is not necessarily presented. Students generally hit the “reset button” after each course not realizing the importance of basic STEM material. The capstone experience is supposed to “tie all the pieces together” but this occurs too late in the student’s educational career. A new multisemester interwoven dynamic systems project has been initiated to better integrate the material from differential equations, mathematical methods, laboratory measurements and dynamic systems across several semesters/courses so that the students can better understand the relationship of basic STEM material to an ongoing problem. This paper highlights the overall concept to be addressed by the new approach. The description of the project and modules under development are discussed.


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