scholarly journals The Development of the Learning Exchange School Clusters in New Zealand: An Actor Network Theory and Complexity Theory analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Arif Ali
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Inhibiting Factors ◽  
Wide Range

<p>Students and teachers from secondary schools located in remote areas are faced with barriers to educational access not seen in denser population areas. Students have the problem of accessing teachers of specialised subjects and the curriculum options their urban counterparts enjoy. In turn, their teachers have limited opportunities for professional learning and development. Some of the inhibiting factors include small numbers of students and staff, and schools’ inability to offer a wide range of curricula, due to geographical challenges and other barriers. To overcome the barriers, some groups of schools in New Zealand initiated and self-organised a programme known as the Learning Exchange, which is an online collaborative, course-sharing programme. To participate in the programme, a number of the neighbouring schools form a regional virtual cluster and offer online classes to teach each other’s students via video-conference and other ICT settings. Similarly, teachers form online groups to collaborate with and learn from other teachers. The basic strategy behind the programme is to maximise their existing educational resources and thus overcome the barriers.  Since the programme’s inception in 2001-02, around 20 school clusters have been initiated; however as of 2016, only eight of the clusters have developed and become self-sustainable. Others struggled to continue their participation in the programme and have disappeared. Therefore, achieving self-sustainable development remains a challenge for the clusters. This research aimed to address the problem by having three main research questions: How was the Learning Exchange developed? How was the Learning Exchange utilised by some clusters in New Zealand? What were the facilitating and inhibiting factors in the development of self-sustainable school clusters?  This study adopted a qualitative research methodology within an interpretive research paradigm and a case research method. Four school clusters were selected based on a number of criteria. Each of the clusters served as the logical unit of analysis. In-depth interviews were used as the technique for data collection from individuals. Documents and other artefacts were also collected and analysed. Actor-Network Theory (ANT) was used as a theoretical lens for describing and explaining the four separate case findings. In particular, the four phases of Translation from ANT were adopted to describe the findings.  The four case findings, including the inhibiting and facilitating factors, were compared. As a result, a number of key features were concluded as the required conditions or principles for the development of self-sustaining clusters. To extend the research discussion, a complementary lens of Complexity Theory was utilised and some key principles of complex adaptive systems were used in assessing the research outcome and thus establishing further credibility of the ANT-based research findings.  The findings from this research make practical contributions by facilitating a better understanding of the conditions required for the self-sustainability of the Learning Exchange clusters. The lessons drawn from this research are valuable for researchers and practitioners of virtual collaborations operating in a similar context. The main theoretical contribution is the combined use of the ANT and Complexity Theory lenses. The combined lenses facilitated the research to develop further insights with a deep level of conceptualisation and to improve the existing understanding regarding the Learning Exchange clusters’ development and self-sustainability.</p>

scholarly journals The Development of the Learning Exchange School Clusters in New Zealand: An Actor Network Theory and Complexity Theory analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Arif Ali
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Inhibiting Factors ◽  
Wide Range

<p>Students and teachers from secondary schools located in remote areas are faced with barriers to educational access not seen in denser population areas. Students have the problem of accessing teachers of specialised subjects and the curriculum options their urban counterparts enjoy. In turn, their teachers have limited opportunities for professional learning and development. Some of the inhibiting factors include small numbers of students and staff, and schools’ inability to offer a wide range of curricula, due to geographical challenges and other barriers. To overcome the barriers, some groups of schools in New Zealand initiated and self-organised a programme known as the Learning Exchange, which is an online collaborative, course-sharing programme. To participate in the programme, a number of the neighbouring schools form a regional virtual cluster and offer online classes to teach each other’s students via video-conference and other ICT settings. Similarly, teachers form online groups to collaborate with and learn from other teachers. The basic strategy behind the programme is to maximise their existing educational resources and thus overcome the barriers.  Since the programme’s inception in 2001-02, around 20 school clusters have been initiated; however as of 2016, only eight of the clusters have developed and become self-sustainable. Others struggled to continue their participation in the programme and have disappeared. Therefore, achieving self-sustainable development remains a challenge for the clusters. This research aimed to address the problem by having three main research questions: How was the Learning Exchange developed? How was the Learning Exchange utilised by some clusters in New Zealand? What were the facilitating and inhibiting factors in the development of self-sustainable school clusters?  This study adopted a qualitative research methodology within an interpretive research paradigm and a case research method. Four school clusters were selected based on a number of criteria. Each of the clusters served as the logical unit of analysis. In-depth interviews were used as the technique for data collection from individuals. Documents and other artefacts were also collected and analysed. Actor-Network Theory (ANT) was used as a theoretical lens for describing and explaining the four separate case findings. In particular, the four phases of Translation from ANT were adopted to describe the findings.  The four case findings, including the inhibiting and facilitating factors, were compared. As a result, a number of key features were concluded as the required conditions or principles for the development of self-sustaining clusters. To extend the research discussion, a complementary lens of Complexity Theory was utilised and some key principles of complex adaptive systems were used in assessing the research outcome and thus establishing further credibility of the ANT-based research findings.  The findings from this research make practical contributions by facilitating a better understanding of the conditions required for the self-sustainability of the Learning Exchange clusters. The lessons drawn from this research are valuable for researchers and practitioners of virtual collaborations operating in a similar context. The main theoretical contribution is the combined use of the ANT and Complexity Theory lenses. The combined lenses facilitated the research to develop further insights with a deep level of conceptualisation and to improve the existing understanding regarding the Learning Exchange clusters’ development and self-sustainability.</p>

Developing a methodology to assess the financial market security based on the actor-network theory

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 2268-2289
Author(s):  
E.A. Loktionova
Keyword(s):  
Financial Market ◽  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Financial Economic ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Actor Network

Subject. The article addresses problems related to assessing the level of the national financial market security in condition of strengthening the inter-system connections between financial and non-financial sectors of the economy. Objectives. The aim is to develop a methodology to assess the security of the national financial market through the application of the actor-network theory approach to the analysis of occurring processes. Methods. The study rests on methodologies of the actor-network theory and the theory of complex adaptive systems. Results. The study underpins the applicability of the actor-network theory for assessing the financial market security. It highlights the system properties of the financial market that determine the level of its security, i.e. structural complexity, functioning efficiency, sensitivity, and adaptability. It also offers an approach to assessing the security of the financial market. Conclusions. The proposed approach to assessing the security of financial market function will enable to develop priorities of its reform by the market regulator and the professional community, through early identification of risks and threats caused by the increasing role of the financial market in the socio-economic development, and the interpenetration of financial and non-financial economic sectors.

scholarly journals Κοινωνικοτεχνική προσέγγιση για το σχεδιασμό παρεμβάσεων σε συστήματα εργασίας

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Πολυξένη Βασιλακοπούλου
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Complex Adaptive

Αντικείμενο της διατριβής είναι ο σχεδιασμός παρεμβάσεων στις διατάξεις εργασίας, δηλαδή, η διαμόρφωση και εφαρμογή αλλαγών στον τρόπο που διατάσσονται άνθρωποι και τεχνολογία για να εκτελούν έργο. Σκοπός είναι η συμβολή στην ανάπτυξη του χώρου της «επιστήμης του σχεδιασμού» με τη σύνθεση στοιχείων που είναι σήμερα γνωστά από τη θεωρία και την πρακτική. Με αυτό το σκοπό, διαμορφώθηκε ένα μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο που περιλαμβάνει βασικά ζητήματα που θα πρέπει να αντιμετωπίζονται κατά το σχεδιασμό. Το πλαίσιο έχει ως θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο τη Θεωρία Πολύπλοκων Προσαρμοστικών Συστημάτων (Complex Adaptive Systems) και τη Θεωρία Δικτύου Δραστών (Actor Network Theory). Για την ανάπτυξή του μελετήθηκαν σχετικές υφιστάμενες μεθοδολογικές προσεγγίσεις, αναλύθηκαν τρεις πρακτικές περιπτώσεις παρέμβασης, και πραγματοποιήθηκε αντιπαραβολή θεωρίας, μεθόδων και εμπειρικών περιπτώσεων. Η διατριβή υιοθετεί τη συστημική οπτική και τοποθετείται στο χώρο που βρίσκεται στην τομή των επιστημών που μελετούν την Οργάνωση, τις Τεχνολογίες και την Ανθρώπινη Δραστηριότητα και εστιάζει στα Πληροφοριακά Συστήματα (που γίνονται κατανοητά ως σύνολα αλληλεπιδρώντων κοινωνικοτεχνικών στοιχείων). Το θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο που υιοθετήθηκε υποστηρίζει τη συσχέτιση του μικρο- επιπέδου (δηλαδή των δραστηριοτήτων εργασίας) με τα πιο μακρο-επίπεδα (δηλαδή των κοινοτήτων πρακτικής, των οργανισμών, των επιχειρηματικών διατάξεων), και την ερμηνεία των αναδυόμενων συμπεριφορών και της αναπτυσσόμενης δυναμικής. Επιπλέον, προσφέρει μια σειρά από εννοιολογικά εργαλεία που βοηθούν τη μελέτη των αλληλεπιδράσεων μεταξύ ετερογενών στοιχείων που λειτουργούν στο ίδιο επίπεδο: ανθρώπων με διαφορετικές προθέσεις και δυνατότητες, στοιχείων τεχνολογίας με διαφορετικές δυνατότητες αλλά και διαφορετική διάρκεια. Τα βασικά γνωρίσματα των συστημάτων εργασίας που αναδεικνύει η θεωρία (δηλαδή, η επαναληπτική τους φύση, η κατανεμημένη τους διάρθρωση, η εξελικτική τους δυναμική), συσχετίζονται με συγκεκριμένα ζητήματα του σχεδιασμού των παρεμβάσεων (δηλαδή το ζήτημα της εμφώλευσης των παρεμβάσεων, του συντονισμού των σκοπιμοτήτων, και της ρύθμισης της σταθεροποίησης του συστήματος στη νέα κατάσταση), και αποτελούν τη βάση για την ανάπτυξη του προτεινόμενου πλαισίου. Τα συγκεκριμένα θέματα που περιλαμβάνει το πλαίσιο αντιστοιχίζονται με τις βασικές λειτουργίες του σχεδιασμού (ανάπτυξη αντίληψης, διαμόρφωση λύσεων, ένταξη των παρεμβάσεων). Τα θέματα αυτά τιτλοφορούνται: στοιχειοδόμηση, συζεύξεις, θεσμοποίηση, υποδείγματα, συμπράξεις, συνεννόηση, μετασχηματισμοί, γεννητικότητα, αδράνεια. Τα ιδιοσυγκρασιακά χαρακτηριστικά κάθε παρέμβασης συσχετίζονται με τις αποφάσεις/τοποθετήσεις όσων εμπλέκονται στο σχεδιασμό ως προς αυτά τα εννέα θέματα. Το προτεινόμενο πλαίσιο προσανατολίζει το σχεδιασμό και μπορεί να χρησιμοποιείται συμπληρωματικά ως προς τις υφιστάμενες μεθόδους. Η εστίαση της προσοχής στα εννέα θέματα, προτείνεται ως λειτουργικός τρόπος για να αξιοποιηθούν όσα είναι γνωστά από τη θεωρία και τη μέχρι σήμερα εμπειρία, στην πρακτική των παρεμβάσεων μεγάλου εύρους στα συστήματα εργασίας. Η διατριβή συμβάλλει στην ανάπτυξη του σώματος γνώσης που υποστηρίζει το Σχεδιασμό και στην υποστήριξη όσων εμπλέκονται με αυτόν ώστε να εστιάζεται το ενδιαφέρον τους στην ανίχνευση διασυνδέσεων.

Actor-Network Theory and the Online Investor

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-31
Author(s):  
Arthur Adamopoulos ◽  
Martin Dick ◽  
Bill Davey
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Human Actors ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
The Way

An actor-network analysis of the way in which online investors use Internet-based services has revealed a phenomenon that is not commonly reported in actor-network theory research. An aspect of the research that emerged from interviews of a wide range of online investors is a peculiar effect of changes in non-human actors on the human actors. In this paper, the authors report on the particular case and postulate that this effect may be found, if looked for, in many other actor-network theory applications.

A Socio-Technical Interpretation of IT Convergence Services

2009 ◽  
pp. 308-328
Author(s):  
Myeong Ho Lee
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Mobile Banking ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Actor Networks

The trend toward convergence, initiated by advances in ICT, entails the creation of new value chain networks, made up by partnerships between actors in unrelated industries. Such a process of convergence, however, can create a new dimension of network complexity, precipitating dynamic behavior among actors. In this paper we seek to understand how different actors in value chain networks have co-evolved in practice with the development of convergence services. Interpretative case studies on two different converged services in Korea (mobile banking, and One phone services) are undertaken to examine how different actor network adapted in different ways to shape the overall complexity of the converged service. The case study analysis is innovative in being conducted within a combined framework of Complex Adaptive Systems and Actor Network Theory. This synthesis offers a way to characterize the drivers of co-evolutionary behavior, capturing the translation processes undergone by actor networks.

scholarly journals The Mummy's Complaint: An Object-Biography of the Egyptian Mummies in New Zealand Museums, 1885-1897

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Ryan Brown-Haysom
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Material Culture ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Museum Studies ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Object Biography ◽  
History Of

<p>Recent years have seen a revival of interest in material objects in the humanities generally, and in Museum Studies in particular. Although the influence of this 'material turn' is still in its early stages, one of the manifestations of the renewed interest in the 'life of things' has been the growth of interest in Actor-Network Theory, a branch of sociological analysis which attempts to reconstruct the networks of agency through which social existence is created and maintained. One of the more controversial aspects of Actor-Network Theory (or ANT) is its willingness to concede a level of agency to non-human and inanimate actors in these 'assemblages'. For Museum Studies, the relevance of this theoretical framework lies in the analysis of museums both as assemblages in their own right, and as actants in a network of other sites, institutions, technologies, ideologies, and objects. Museum objects, long viewed as inert, can be seen instead as participants in the 'shuffle of agency' that constitutes institutions and inducts them into wider patterns of social activity.  This dissertation uses the case study of Egyptian mummies in New Zealand museums to gauge the usefulness of an ANT-based approach to writing the 'life-history of objects'. Borrowing the concept of the 'object biography' from Kopytoff and Appadurai, it attempts to construct such a history of the five complete Egyptian mummies in New Zealand’s public museums. Using the principles of Actor-Network Theory, it attempts to trace the ways in which mummies have been constituted as 'meaningful objects' through the examination of the ways in which they have moved through different assemblages, both globally and within New Zealand, during the twelve years from 1885 to 1897. This was the period during which all five Egyptian mummies entered New Zealand collections, traversing networks of imperialism, scientific knowledge, religious knowledge, and exchange. In the course of their movement through these diverse assemblages, the meaning of mummies – inside and outside the public museum – could be construed in radically different ways.  This dissertation considers the usefulness of such a methodology for Museum Studies and Material Culture Studies, and considers the potential benefits and pitfalls of writing about assemblages for those who want to consider the life-history of objects.</p>

Sunlight in cyberspace? On transparency as a form of ordering

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikkel Flyverbom
Keyword(s):  
Network Theory ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Ideal Solution ◽  
Careful Attention ◽  
Actor Network ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Governmentality Studies ◽  
Societal Problems

While we witness a growing belief in transparency as an ideal solution to a wide range of societal problems, we know less about the practical workings of transparency as it guides conduct in organizational and regulatory settings. This article argues that transparency efforts involve much more than the provision of information and other forms of ‘sunlight’, and are rather a matter of managing visibilities than providing insight and clarity. Building on actor-network theory and Foucauldian governmentality studies, it calls for careful attention to the ways in which transparency ideals are translated into more situated practices and become associated with specific organizational and regulatory concerns. The article conceptualizes transparency as a force that shapes conduct in organizational and socio-political domains. In the second section, this conceptualization of transparency as a form of ‘ordering’ is substantiated further by using illustrations of the effects of transparency efforts in the internet domain.

scholarly journals The decision making process leading to curriculum innovation in medium sized New Zealand secondary schools since the introduction of NCEA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lee Gowan Austin
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Actor Network

<p>The introduction of the current New Zealand Curriculum and National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) system provides New Zealand secondary schools with the opportunity to design unique courses that meet the particular needs of their students and the context of the school. Due to the recent implementation of this qualification (introduced in stages from 2002), there has been limited research that explores innovation in school based senior curriculum that contribute towards NCEA. This thesis investigates five innovative courses: Agribusiness, Fitness for Living, Viticulture, Sea Sports and Pasifika Studies. The research focuses on the decision making process which led to the schools implementing these innovations with an aim to identify who made these decisions and what influenced them. In order to investigate this focus, an Actor-Network theory (ANT), framework was utilised. ANT allows for the progress of an idea (the course design), to be followed and objectively views the influences (actors), on this process. The objectivity of ANT comes through the principle of symmetry which does not distinguish between social and material factors nor hold any expectations of positional power. This case studies examined were situated in medium sized secondary schools which face a limited range of resources when designing and delivering curriculum than their larger counterparts. Data collected through interviews with key actors in the course design process enabled the dynamic mapping of the network influencing the design of the course. This process determined a wide range of actors both social and material; each combination unique to the context of the school. There were a range of positional levels within each school identified as the key decision makers (the Executive); the group which had the final say on the design of the course. When the Executive deviated from senior management positions, they did so in an environment of high relational trust. Senior managers maintained a good understanding of decisions being made around the course design without interfering with the process. This research identified the influence policy and qualification criteria had on course design for the five case studies including any regulations that distorted the course design process. The level of consideration of these regulations varied across the studies. Each course network is hypothesised to be held together by a key motivator; when the motivator fails the significant actors are expected to disengage from the network. This thesis contributes insight into how innovative course design has been developed in senior secondary school and how actor network theory can be applied to educational research.</p>

Teams and Complexity

2013 ◽  
pp. 202-239
Author(s):  
Dimitris N Antoniadis
Keyword(s):  
Complex Adaptive Systems ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
Engineering Physics ◽  
Organisation Design

The process of structuring teams in projects is not being implemented, and practitioners have lost confidence in the process. In order to improve the current status, there is a need for a major rethink, one that will enable the structuring of teams/complex adaptive systems. Therefore, using deductions drawn from research results, regarding the implementation of the process and the effects of complexity, a tentative proposal for a Finite Structural approach is made for setting up and testing the structure of teams. This is done by integrating a number of progressive theories not only from the field of organisation design but also from engineering, physics, and psychology, with theories such as social network theory, actor-network theory, finite element analysis, complexity, clustering, and cross functional team behaviours. This chapter presents the above and throws the gauntlet for discussion and improvement of the approach that will enable project managers and others to improve the process of structuring of teams.

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