Combating the “Gimme More” Mindset in Modern Classrooms

A primary goal of this chapter is to explore the phenomenon of increased attitudes and behaviors of entitlement among youth in modern America. With a basis that the increase is a result of social mindset shifts of post-World War II America, instances of the “Gimme More” mindset will be explored using qualitative research methodology stemming from the author's experiences and research as an educator. Moreover, the author will provide ways in which educators can combat this character-threatening mentality and help develop more accountable and empathetic citizens despite grade level, race, socio-economic status, and other elements that sometimes detract from a core issue and diverge from individual choice. This explanation will cover ideas that, if reflected accurately and consistently, can transcend to the human race, not certain races by exclusion or exception. While issues of intersectionality must be understood and discussed, they are not widely addressed in this chapter, and they do not ultimately thwart ambitions of global citizenship in the context that is explored here.

Learning Inclusion in Thailand

Compulsory Education (CE) in Thailand has been implemented since 1921 as part of a broader global move towards universal education. Yet while most nations have implemented CE, each nation may not always account for marginalized groups that exist on the periphery of mainstream society. A study by Oh and Van Der Stouwe (2008) suggests that Karen refugees from Burma may be such a marginal community, excluded from educational and other opportunities within Thailand. If Karen refugee children entered mainstream schooling, they may become possible candidates for citizenship in Thai society. This chapter asks what future inclusion might look like, and explores the benefits and drawbacks of such inclusion. Using scholarly works by prestigious authors on Karen education, refugee and migrant education and theories on citizenship and education, this chapter argues that Thai education may aid refugees in gaining access to new forms of Thai identity; however, these new identities may often stand in tension with Karen forms of personhood.

Augmented Reality as a New Media for Supporting Mobile-Learning

Combining mobile technologies with Augmented Reality (AR) has recently enabled the ubiquity of AR technologies in our everyday life. We believe that the use of augmented reality will change significantly the teaching activities by enabling the addition of supplementary information that is seen on a mobile device. This chapter presents the most popular augmented reality applications and we select AR eco-systems to be used in daily teaching activities which are user friendly, do not require programming skills and are free. Different augmented reality technologies are explored in this chapter. It is presented the creation of two novel augmented reality books. One developed with teachers and students. Another book that was developed for increasing the interest of reading for children that is being used by storytellers. Several examples are also presented that are used in educational activities, from kindergarten, elementary, secondary schools and university, to improve reading, comprehension, learning of music and better understand the drawing of orthographic views.

Knowledge in the Shrinking Commons

Libraries and Open Access function in a variety of ways to make information freely available to the public, but the current era of market-driven globalization has reshaped the economic environment, and threatens to undermine their principle mission. The defining characteristic of this threat is the treatment of knowledge as a commodity. The idea of open access and the institution of the library exist as sources of self-directed learning and as representatives of the shrinking commons in the face of encroaching market forces. Libraries face challenges of relevance in regard to technology, budgets, privatization, and physical space. Open Access must find ways to define itself coherently—as publishers, researchers, libraries and businesses all try to manipulate the concept to fit their needs. This chapter looks at the shared obstacles and objectives of libraries and the open access movement, and analyzes some of the efforts being made to address current challenges and work toward a future of collaboration and continued relevance.

Learning in the Digital Age with Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO)

In this chapter we describe a novel pedagogy for conceptual thinking and peer cooperation with Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects (MERLO) that enhances higher-order thinking; deepen comprehension of conceptual content; and improves learning outcomes. The evolution of this instructional methodology follows insights from four recent developments: analysis of patterns of content and structure of labeled patterns in human experience, that led to the emergence of concept science; development of digital cyber-infrastructure of networked information; research in neuroscience and brain imaging, showing that exposure of learners to multi-semiotic inductive problems enhance cognitive control of inter-hemispheric attentional processing in the lateral brain, and increase higher-order thinking; research in evolutionary dynamics on peer cooperation and indirect reciprocity, that document the motivational effect of knowledge of being observed, a psychological imperative that motivate individuals to cooperate and to contribute to the common good.

Possibilities and Challenges in a One-to-One Initiative from a School Leader Perspective

The uptake and use of digital technologies from a school leader perspective was studied in Unos Umeå, a One-to-One (1:1) laptop initiative between Umeå University and the municipality of Umeå in Sweden. Through a survey and interviews, school leaders at two schools were closely followed. Possibilities and challenges in school leaders' expected activities and activities during the first two years of the 1:1 initiative were analyzed using the Ecology of Resources Model and the analytical concept of filters (Luckin, 2010). How school leaders prioritize leadership for 1:1, lead to increase subject-specific collaboration for teachers, document best practice, work with administrative systems to structure and follow up teachers', students' and own work are reported. It is concluded that how school leaders lead to support the uptake and use of digital technologies in the classroom will have implications for sustaining school change and the work towards modern digitalized learning environments.

Self-Organization Technologies in Teaching

This chapter deals with self-organization teaching technologies as the best instrument of generating, development and using of the innovative methods in education. As a process of spontaneous, dynamic motion of the components of a socio-system, self-organization can randomly generate new (often attractive) structures, processes, and situations. Self-organization of a student group can generate new techniques and ideas for learning and under the knowledge contents also increases students' motivation to learn, interest to the discipline, encourages teachers to professional self-development and to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and techniques. The section suggests several key ways to initiate the self-organization of a group of students or teachers: heuristic methods, interdisciplinary explication, educational heterosis, developing of managerial competencies of a teacher. Factors enhancing the use of self-organizational teaching technologies are disclosed.

START Model in Science Teaching

This chapter presents a discussion of the START model, which has been internationally recognized as a useful syllabi-tracking system that can be applied to online and on-ground teaching. START, an acronym for “(S)yllabus Analysis (T)racking System Covering Objectives (A)ssessment Methods (R)esearch Component Inclusion, (T)esting Through Research,” is presented in this chapter as a unique method for educators to heighten current academic standards by placing a priority on multidisciplinary approaches. Through this chapter, the authors sought to provide readers with an understanding of the application of the START model in the twenty-first century. Additionally, to further strengthen the presented information, the authors included reflections on past experiences in the application of the model at a university level.

Instructional Technologies of the XXI Century

The classical idea of an instructional process is to create some new knowledge, skills and abilities, so-called KSAs. If a student has a set of KSAs at the beginning of a learning process and if he or she has a new set of them at the end of a learning period we can say the instructional activity transforms the student from the starting state (state number 1) to the final state (state number 2). One can define such transformation as an effective action. It is possible to describe each action as a set of external impacts. In the case when this set is a series of standard actions, which usually give a predicted result, we can say it is a traditional education technology in so-called triad form: object number 1 transfers into object number 2. It is possible to present this in the form of a matrix equation. This equation is the main one in the general theory of technologies. The main idea of this article is to analyze the effectiveness of an instructional process based on mathematical descriptions, which was developed in the general theory of technologies.

Applied Learning Educators Searching for a Pedagogical Model

Australia, like many nations across the globe, has a focus on engaging young people in the post compulsory years of school to ensure their transition into further education, training and /or the workforce. Applied Learning programs which are based on the premise of active, transformative learning from authentic experience have emerged as valuable tools in assisting the transition of young people. Understanding of Applied Learning however, not only varies between nations but also disciplines, context, education settings and curricula. Using a lens of boundary crossing, this chapter draws on research data to provide an account of challenges educators face in an Australian program where there appears little guidance for educators on constructing an Applied Learning pedagogical model for individual practice. From consideration of data and educational theory an Applied Learning pedagogical framework is proposed as a guide for educators in developing Applied Learning programs.