The role of Omani academic libraries in supporting the knowledge economy

This study aims to Identify the role of Academic Omani Libraries in supporting knowledge economy, through Bryson's five indicators appeared in 2001: library infrastructure, information services; activities carried out by the libraries for creative ideas, and for supporting innovation. In addition to building collections that are capable to new requirements of Knowledge management. The study adopted the questionnaire as a tool of the descriptive method to collect and analyze data. The results indicate that Omani academic libraries have a good infrastructure in communications and information technology that supports research, and facilitates the use of electronic services. Moreover, Library catalogues and databases have been indicated by respondents as sufficient tools for exploring relevant information, especially in libraries, which are continuously organizing training programs in new developments of knowledge economy. On the other hand, the results show weaknesses of Omani academic libraries in supporting creative ideas, and in encouraging their employees to find out creative solutions for various problems facing them. The study concluded with many recommendations, the most important of which are: the need, for Omani academic libraries, to keep up with developments in the fields of knowledge management and economy, and to support creative ideas through collaboration with local and international professional associations. In addition, to encourage creative thinking with collaboration with organizations concerned with innovation in the country.

Creative Solutions for Today's Students

This chapter will explore the connection between diversifying health profession student demographics, diversifying challenges these students face, and the new obstacles presented by shifting curriculum delivery to remote and hybrid learning during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The chapter will explore challenges that may seem especially difficult to address in a remote learning model: the desire to develop community among fellow learners when in a hybrid or fully remote program and when learners are from varied backgrounds; cultivating in students coping mechanisms to manage anxiety from the economic uncertainty of today's world, balancing commitments between educational pursuits and other responsibilities (e.g., child or parent care, etc.); and facilitating learning for students with physical and/or mental disabilities or chronic medical conditions.

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy in the Digital Age

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore a number of issues regarding digital technologies, including a heightened focus on cybersecurity and data privacy. This chapter examines two aspects of this phenomenon. First, as businesses explore creative approaches to operate in the “new normal,” the security implications of the deployment of new technologies are often not considered, especially in small businesses, which often possess limited IT knowledge and resources. Second, issues relating to security and data privacy in monitoring the pandemic are examined, and different privacy-preserving data-sharing techniques, including federated learning, secure multiparty computation, and blockchain-based techniques, are assessed. A new privacy-preserving data-sharing framework, which addresses current limitations of these techniques, is then put forward and discussed. The chapter concludes that although the worst of the pandemic may soon be over, issues regarding cybersecurity will be with us for far longer and require vigilant management and the development of creative solutions.

Advancements of 2D Materials-Based Membranes

Our environment desperately needs creative solutions to limit the effect of industrialization’s fast rise and, consequently, to remediate vast amounts of harmful by-products and toxic exhausts [...]

SMART LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

The article considers the issue of teaching a foreign language to students of high-level institutions. The purpose of the article is to investigate the educational potential of TED Talks as a powerful tool that can be effectively used for preparing future professionals to communicate in an academic and professional environment. The democratic, apolitical and unpredictable nature of the TED Talks platforms was emphasized, as well as the value of this project in expanding the students’ worldview. The significance and relevance of the TED Talks project are substantiated. It is emphasized that the videos meet modern requirements for the formation of skills, competencies, and values, such as creativity, critical thinking, communicative visibility, media literacy, flexibility, etc. The main methods used in the article are divided into theoretical (analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, modeling, classification) and empirical (document analysis, expert survey). The advantages of using and the urgency of implementation TED Talks presentations as educational material in English classes are outlined; the usefulness for students' socio-cultural development, vocabulary expansion, improvement of listening, reading, speaking skills, as well as the ability to make presentations and note what is heard is revealed. The analysis of numerous videos allowed us to determine the main criteria for video selection. We concluded that one of the main tasks of modern education is to create a stable students’ motivation to acquire knowledge, the other is to find new forms and tools for mastering this knowledge through creative solutions. The use of Smart learning technologies opens up many new opportunities in learning, which improve students' concentration, speed up a mastering of learning material and as a result, increase the success of each student.

Unconventional Drilling and Creative Solutions Delivered World Record a Multi-Laterals Fishbone all Legs Drilled, Accessed and Stimulated First Attempt - Case Study from Kuwait

Despite being the first area for oil to be found in Kuwait in mid 1930's, Bahra's oil production remained largely unexploited until 2015, when a major development campaign targeting one of its tight carbonate reservoirs through horizontal drilling and multi-stage frack completions was commissioned. Nonetheless, with the development and exploration initiatives underway, surface congestion is the primary challenge. As the number of wells increased the need for unconventional well profiles became more demanding. The multi-lateral fishbone approach was designed to have a total of four laterals with approximately 3000 ft each. Lessons learned from previous level-1 multi-laterals drilled in North Kuwait indicated that the primary challenge remained to be the ability to drill a smooth bore hole profile across the junctions to successfully re-access and stimulate all the drilled legs with coil-tubing to maximize production. Kuwaiti Operator Reservoir and study team were looking for an alternate solution to increase the production in Bahra using multi-laterals technics in the same reservoir to stimulate and sustain production in calcite reservoir. Historically only three wells were drilled experimenting challenges and failures to open hole sidetrack leading to have long time to complete the wells with maximum 3 legs as record including the mother hole. RST team asked to drill a well with 4 legs, each leg following the same azimuth with the condition to be 300 ft apart. The thorough planning exercise completed and the close follow-up to the approved design of service during execution phase resulted in the successful delivery of the first four legs fishbone in Kuwait with Zero Non-Productive Time. In addition to achieving all the geological targets, the smooth borehole profile helped ensure successful re-entry and stimulation of all four legs in the same run achieving the well challenge using the unique

Knowing me, Knowing you: Humanitas in work-integrated learning during adversity

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a variety of learning opportunities that can extend beyond the application of theory to practice, to include complex situational, personal, material, and organisational factors. Central to forming successful WIL experiences is the partnership, support, and collaboration extended by all key stakeholders. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted WIL experiences, with many developed partnerships and sustained practices being abruptly impacted. In 2020, a multidisciplinary group of Australasian WIL academics, administrators and students joined in weekly virtual coffee chats to share concerns and experiences during this rapidly changing educational landscape. These conversations led to establishing a Small Significant Online Network Group (SSONG) and became the basis for this article. We explored the lessons learned from WIL practitioners to be better informed of the practice of WIL and, generally, to examine the role of collaborations in higher education. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, this study incorporated written reflections on WIL experiences during COVID-19 lockdowns, followed by Zoom conversations to gain deeper insights. All data was aggregated and analysed thematically, both inductively and deductively, to interpret the practice experiences of individuals in their socio-cultural contexts. This article intends to demonstrate how creative solutions, such as adopting a HUMANE framework, become valuable paradigms. These enhance and nurture relationships between all WIL stakeholders, to enrich and sustain WIL experiences for all.

Beyond the Lockdown Binary: Family Caregiver Needs for Creative Solutions During a Global Pandemic

As COVID-19 lockdowns began in Canada last spring, family caregivers (FCGs) of people living with dementia (PLWD) found themselves facing a catch-22: they and their family members were often most at risk of severe outcomes should they contract the virus, yet the public health measures put in place also detrimentally affected their ability to continue providing care. To understand the nuances of caregiver experiences during the pandemic, we conducted 9 focus groups with 19 FCGs of PLWD in the Calgary region in summer 2020. Caregivers reported negative outcomes resulting from decreased services for both themselves and the PLWD, including increased isolation, poor mental health, and accelerated dementia progression. Caregivers also emphasized the importance thinking beyond the binary of either locking down or opening up; rather, we must find creative solutions to safely continue providing supports to caregivers. This presentation explores FCG suggestions for balancing COVID-19 risk against caregiver needs.

Maintaining Service while Sheltering in Place

California has consistently been at the forefront of COVID-19 cases in the United States and had stringent regulations to slow the curve and save lives. These regulations have had a dramatic impact on academic libraries in Southern California, with many universities conducting online Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. This presentation includes: An introduction to California COVID-19 restrictions. An overview of how SCATLA (Southern California Theological Library Association) libraries have dealt with the COVID-19 restrictions. A deep dive into how several SCATLA libraries - Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, Hope International University, and Loyola Marymount University - implemented creative solutions to support their communities during COVID-19 restrictions. Issues of budget, instruction, online support, staffing, physical materials vs online materials, mailing services, and space are discussed in detail. Plans for future policies and services in a world affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.