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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Collaborative Design: An Ssm-Enabled Organizational Learning Approach, Anita Mirijamdotter, Mary M. Somerville Jan 2009

Collaborative Design: An Ssm-Enabled Organizational Learning Approach, Anita Mirijamdotter, Mary M. Somerville

University Libraries Librarian and Staff Articles and Papers

Within the context of a three year applied research project conducted from 2003-2006 in a North American university library, staff were encouraged to reconsider organizational assumptions and design processes. The project involved an organizational leader and an external consultant who introduced and collaboratively applied Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) practice. Project results suggest the efficacy of using ‘soft’ systems thinking to guide interaction (re)design of technology-enabled environments, systems, and tools. In addition, participants attained insights into their new roles and responsibilities within a dynamically changing higher education environment. Project participants also applied SSM to redesign ‘in house’ information systems. The process …


Transformative Learning : An Examination Of The Impact Of Short-Term Study Abroad, Jesse Carson Pugh Jan 2009

Transformative Learning : An Examination Of The Impact Of Short-Term Study Abroad, Jesse Carson Pugh

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

When selecting a study abroad program, some students undertake a semester or academic-year study abroad program, while other students undertake a two-to eight-week study abroad program. Both study abroad opportunities allow students to become immersed in a culture different from their own. This research project is an exploratory study that looks at the impact of short-term study abroad programs on undergraduates at a public institution. This study examines how participants change in regards to their understanding of the host culture, explores what students learn about their host cultures, and looks at the intercultural development that the students gain from spending …