Richard Marciano, Victoria Lemieux, Mark Hedges, Maria Esteva, William Underwood, Michael Kurtz and Mark Conrad
Purpose – For decades, archivists have been appraising, preserving, and providing access to digital records by using archival theories and methods developed for paper records…
Abstract
Purpose – For decades, archivists have been appraising, preserving, and providing access to digital records by using archival theories and methods developed for paper records. However, production and consumption of digital records are informed by social and industrial trends and by computer and data methods that show little or no connection to archival methods. The purpose of this chapter is to reexamine the theories and methods that dominate records practices. The authors believe that this situation calls for a formal articulation of a new transdiscipline, which they call computational archival science (CAS).
Design/Methodology/Approach – After making a case for CAS, the authors present motivating case studies: (1) evolutionary prototyping and computational linguistics; (2) graph analytics, digital humanities, and archival representation; (3) computational finding aids; (4) digital curation; (5) public engagement with (archival) content; (6) authenticity; (7) confluences between archival theory and computational methods: cyberinfrastructure and the records continuum; and (8) spatial and temporal analytics.
Findings – Each case study includes suggestions for incorporating CAS into Master of Library Science (MLS) education in order to better address the needs of today’s MLS graduates looking to employ “traditional” archival principles in conjunction with computational methods. A CAS agenda will require transdisciplinary iSchools and extensive hands-on experience working with cyberinfrastructure to implement archival functions.
Originality/Value – We expect that archival practice will benefit from the development of new tools and techniques that support records and archives professionals in managing and preserving records at scale and that, conversely, computational science will benefit from the consideration and application of archival principles.
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Barry J. Cooper and Kevin Adams
The export of accountancy education to South East Asia has grown rapidly for a number of Australian universities. This study describes the experience of one university in…
Abstract
The export of accountancy education to South East Asia has grown rapidly for a number of Australian universities. This study describes the experience of one university in establishing both a twinning degree programme and a completely off‐shore degree programme in accountancy. Using a case study methodology, the perceptions, experiences and actions of those managing such off‐shore programmes are related. The philosophy underlying off‐shore programmes, together with the pedagogical approaches used, are discussed. Initial concerns about dealing with the anecdotal stereotype Asian student have been addressed, and the Asian students have, in general, achieved comparable results to the Australian students. Some modifications to the degree programmes have been made to allow for local differences but the fundamental principle of offering the same degree as that offered in Australia has been strictly adhered to.
John Donald and Beverley Jackling
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the cultural background of students and their learning approaches in a first year undergraduate accounting program.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the cultural background of students and their learning approaches in a first year undergraduate accounting program.
Design/methodology/approach
While prior research in this area has more generally focused on the investigation of the approaches to learning by accounting students, there appears to have been little investigation into the learning approaches of students from different cultures who are studying accounting together at the same institution. The paper presents the results of a study of 550 students enrolled in an undergraduate accounting program at a multi‐campus university in Victoria, Australia, which used Biggs' study process questionnaire (SPQ) to assess the approaches to learning utilised by local and Chinese students.
Findings
The results showed that, while there were no significant differences in the use of surface and deep learning strategies by the Chinese and Australian students, there were significant differences in the learning motives of the two groups. Furthermore, the results contradict prior claims that Asian students rely principally on the memorisation and reproduction of factual information as a means of achieving academic success.
Originality/value
The study provides support for the notion that Chinese students may in fact have a culturally induced bias towards seeking understanding through deeper approaches to study.
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Y.N. Au Yeung, L. Gow, C.C. Lai, W.F. Ho, A. Sivan and J. Ledesma
Action research involves practitioners in attempting to improvetheir own teaching through cycles of planning, acting, observing andreflecting. This idea was adopted by a group of…
Abstract
Action research involves practitioners in attempting to improve their own teaching through cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting. This idea was adopted by a group of interested staff to evaluate the industrial training in the third year of the four‐year sandwich course, B.Eng. (Hons) in Building Services Engineering, at Hong Kong Polytechnic. As there are foreseen difficulties in locating suitable and adequate high quality industrial placements, research was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing arrangement. Assesses attitudes of BSE staff, students and industrial supervisors towards the training. Results of the survey indicated that objectives of the training were not wholly fulfilled. Suggestions are included to improve the management of the training system.
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Dennis W Taylor, James Fisher and Maliah Sulaiman
There is a substantial body of empirical literature on university students' self‐perceived approaches to learning, but evidence on instructors' perceptions of the way they…
Abstract
There is a substantial body of empirical literature on university students' self‐perceived approaches to learning, but evidence on instructors' perceptions of the way they facilitate their students' learning approaches is less evident. This study aims to investigate the extent of the gap between students' learning approaches and instructors' teaching orientations towards facilitating these approaches. The subsequent employability of accounting graduates depends in part on the nature and extent of this gap. Student learning approaches are measured on two dimensions ‐ deep and strategic approaches ‐ drawn from Tait's and Entwistle's (1995) Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory (RASI). Instructors' facilitation of students' learning is measured by a re‐orientation of the same RASI instrument towards teaching approaches. The results reveal several significant differences of emphasis between instructors and students in terms of deep and strategic approaches. Students are falling short of what their instructors believe they are facilitating in terms of the development of their employability competencies and characteristics for a professional career. When students are grouped according to gender, further significant differences are found. Implications of these findings for future change in accounting education are discussed.
Karin Barac, Marina Kirstein, Rolien Kunz and Bernice Beukes
This paper aims to report on an investigation to understand factors influencing students learning approaches in the discipline of auditing.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report on an investigation to understand factors influencing students learning approaches in the discipline of auditing.
Design/methodology/approach
By using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students research instrument the learning approaches of students in auditing at a South African residential university were measured on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This was followed by focus group discussions to obtain a deeper understanding of the factors that influenced the ways their audit studies were approached.
Findings
The results revealed a contrasting view with that presented in the literature, in that senior students were more inclined to adopt a surface approach. This could be attributed to learning environment dimensions such as the teaching and assessment practices as well as students’ perceptions of the workload. Further statistical analysis revealed that gender and race influenced students’ learning approaches at specific levels.
Research limitations/implications
The data are drawn from audit students at a residential university in South Africa; the findings of the study may thus not be generalisable beyond that context.
Originality/value
The study extends the existing student learning literature by adding perspectives from the discipline auditing. It could stimulate educators’ scholarly interest in pedagogic research which could contribute to curriculum and teaching method changes that equip audit educators to promote deep learning.
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Irwin L. Goldstein and Harold W. Goldstein
The training challenges facingorganisations resulting from changesover the next several decades aredescribed. These include a decreasingnumber of persons available for entrylevel…
Abstract
The training challenges facing organisations resulting from changes over the next several decades are described. These include a decreasing number of persons available for entry level positions including a growing proportion of undereducated young people. Also, jobs will become more complex as a result of technological developments and yet will require more interpersonal interaction between individuals who have different values and who come from different cultures. These changes will result in the need for training systems to maximise the potential of each individual, including basic skill and support programmes for unskilled young people who will need to perform more cognitively complex tasks. Training will also be necessary to help managers work with a more diverse workforce including helping individuals understand how to provide support for persons who have not traditionally been a part of their work organisation.
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Diane Irvine and G. Ross Baker
This paper outlines a theoretical framework for studying the integration of ethnically diverse workforces in public service organizations. Individual and work group…
Abstract
This paper outlines a theoretical framework for studying the integration of ethnically diverse workforces in public service organizations. Individual and work group characteristics are viewed as determinants of social identity and organizational identification. Social Identity theory suggests that individuals develop self‐concept through identification with salient groups, including ethnic groups and organizational roles. The extent to which these identifications are competitive or synergistic may depend upon organizational and work group characteristics and on organizational policies concerning selection, performance appraisal, and rewards. Cross‐functional teamwork may provide an integrative mechanism which can promote intergroup relations and encourage greater organizational commitment among an ethnically diverse workforce. Cross‐functional teams can contribute to reduced intergroup conflict and promote the development of organizational identification. The benefits of cross‐functional teams will be particularly important in situations where the workforce is diverse, but work groups are ethnically homogeneous.
In recent years organizational scholars and practitioners have avidly pursued an in‐depth understanding of demographic diversity and its consequences. This study contributes to…
Abstract
In recent years organizational scholars and practitioners have avidly pursued an in‐depth understanding of demographic diversity and its consequences. This study contributes to such an understanding by examining how an individual's demographic distance from others in a work group shapes his or her perception of the group's conflict and performance. Data from 233 members of 42 blue‐collar groups reveal that gender and tenure dissimilarity increase the perception of emotional conflict, indirectly reducing individual ratings of group productivity. These results suggest a process by which relational demography may indirectly affect members' confidence in their group.