Digital Commons Network^™

Ascent Of Asymmetric Risk In Information Security: An Initial Evaluation., Tobias Ruighaver, Matthew Warren, Atif Ahmad

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Dramatic changes in the information security risk landscape over several decades have not yet been matched by similar changes in organizational information security, which is still mainly based on a mindset that security is achieved through extensive preventive controls. As a result, maintenance cost of information security is increasing rapidly, but this increased expenditure has not really made an attack more difficult. The opposite seems to be true, information security attacks have become easier to perpetrate and appear more like information warfare tactics. At the same time, the damage caused by a successful attack has increased significantly and may sometimes …

Information Security Disclosure: A Case Study, I Rosewall, M J. Warren

Australian Information Security Management Conference

New social networking systems such as Facebook are an ever evolving and developing means of social interaction, which is not only being used to disseminate information to family, friends and colleagues but as a way of meeting and interacting with "strangers" through the advent of a large number of social applications. This paper will focus upon the impact of Generation F - the Facebook Generation and their attitudes to security. The paper will be based around discussing the findings of a major UK case study and the implications that this has. The case study identifies 51 recommendations to improve the …

Strong Authentication For Web Services Using Smartcards, D S. Stienne, Nathan Clarke, Paul Reynolds

Australian Information Security Management Conference

The popularity of the Internet and the variety of services it provides has been immense. Unfortunately, many of these services require the user to register and subsequently login to the system in order to access them. This has resulted in the user having to remember a multitude of username and password combinations in order to use the service securely. However, literature has clearly demonstrated this is not an effective approach, as users will frequently choose simple passwords, write them down, share them or use the same password for multiple systems. This paper proposes a novel concept where Internet users authenticate …

Improving An Organisations Existing Information Technology Policy To Increase Security, Shane Talbot, Andrew Woodward

Australian Information Security Management Conference

A security policy which includes the appropriate phases of implementation, enforcement, auditing and review is vital to protecting an organisations information security. This paper examined the information security policy of a government organisation in response to a number of perceived shortcomings. The specific issues identified relating to the organisations security policy as a result of this investigation were as follows: a culture of ignoring policies, minimal awareness of policies, minimal policy enforcement, policy updating and review ad hoc at best, policy framework, lengthy policy development and approval process, no compliance program, no formal non-compliance reporting and an apparent inconsistent enforcement …

Editorial Comments, Barbara J. Thayer-Bacon

International Education

This issue of International Education begins with a focus on a particular preschool in P.R. China, and then turns its attention to school reform policy in Finland and professional development of teachers in the U.S., as well as support for special education teachers in Jordan.

Educo Schools In El Salvador: A Democratic Tree In A Globalized Forest?, Cheryl T. Desmond

International Education

This research on the Educacion con Participacion de Communidad (EDUCO) rural schools in El Salvador examined the nature of the reform and its impact on parent involvement and engagement for the local community; the underlying economic and political ideologies of EDUCO; and interpreted these findings to uncover the implications of the reform for democratic participation for the local school and community and for the more broadly constructed meaning of democracy, nationally and internationally.

Educational Innovation In Thailand: A Case Study, Kristan Morrison

International Education

The Ministry of Education in the country of Thailand recently announced the establishment of two distinct educational tracks – a conventional/ traditional track and an unconventional/ progressive/ alternative track. This decision was perhaps guided by the success of innovative pilot education programs in the country, collectively called “the Lighthouse Project.” This article is concerned with one program in this project – the Darunsikkhalai School for Innovative Learning (DSIL) –detailing what it has accomplished and the challenges it faces in attempting to bring about new definitions of learning and teaching in Thailand. In this article, a detailed description of the school, …

Perceptions Of Jordanian Secondary Schools Teachers Towardscritical Thinking, Osamah Bataineh, Khaled F. Alazzi

International Education

The purpose of this study was to discover themes or concepts, generated from the collected data, that formed building blocks of grounded theory in the study of secondary school social studies teachers’ perspectives. This research study was conducted in Jordan, where secondary school social studies teachers were interviewed regarding their perspectives of teaching critical thinking skills in their classrooms. All interviews were audio-taped in Arabic and later translated into English. Data, including the translation of the audio, video tapes, the Ministry of Education guidelines, and textbook teacher manuals were analyzed qualitatively. The study results indicated that Jordanian secondary school social …

Language And Academic Identity: A Study Of The Experiences Of Non-Native English Speaking International Students, Olivia Halic, Katherine Greenberg, Trena Paulus

International Education

This phenomenological study explores the experiences of non-native English-speaking international students regarding language, culture and identity in the context of their graduate studies. Interviews were conducted with each of the eight participants. Interpretive analysis was used within a constructivist frame. The findings of this study are organized into four themes of the participants’ experiences: Mastering the language: You know you sound wrong, The meaning of language proficiency: English is alive, Language and academic identity: I feel I’m in-between, and Joining a new community of practice: You have to start all over again. Implications of the study suggest that language and …

Education, Migration, And Cultural Capital In The Chinese Diaspora: Transnational Students Between Hong Kong And Canada, Zhihua Zhang

International Education

Book Review for Johanna Waters'book Education, Migration, and Cultural Capital in the Chinese Diaspora: Transnational Students between Hong Kong and Canada.

Hard-Wired For Innovation? Comparing Two Policy Pathstoward Innovative Schooling, Scott Ellison

International Education

The task of this study is to compare two policy approaches to fostering, or “hard-wiring,” educational innovation in public schooling: the marketplace approach and the Finnish approach. The results suggest that an innovative public education sector is characterized by decentralized decision-making, institutional space for risk-taking, and strong support systems to both encourage risk-taking on the part of education actors and to spread innovative ideas throughout the education system. Results also suggest that there are several areas in need of further inquiry including the development of a foundational understanding of educational innovation, the need for better data on the ability of …

Democracy Camp For Teachers: Cross-Cultural Professional Development For Preparing Educators To Create Social Justice-Minded Citizens, Susie Burroughs, Peggy F. Hopper, Kay Brocato, Mary Lee Webeck

International Education

The Civitas Democracy Camp for Teachers provides professional development for educators to collaboratively explore ideals of citizenship and citizenship education in democratic societies. Reported herein are the findings of a study of the camp experience of a cross-cultural group of educators who examined the concept of social justice and ways to teach their students about it. Results of the study indicate that the participants broadened their definitions of social justice, expanded their recognition of the importance of teaching about social justice, and enhanced their understandings of approaches for teaching about social justice. Further, the findings indicate that cross-cultural professional development …

Editorial Comments, Barbara Thayer-Bacon

International Education

This issue of International Education begins with a focus on a particular preschool in P.R. China, and then turns its attention to school reform policy in Finland and professional development of teachers in the U.S., as well as support for special education teachers in Jordan.

Integrating Thinking, Art And Language In Teaching Young Children, Ping Liu

International Education

This study investigates learning outcomes of four-year-old children at a preschool in P. R. China. The children are educated in a school ecology designed to address cognitive, social, linguistic and psychological development, where an instructional technique, “Integrating Thinking, Art and Language” (ITAL), is applied to support them in developing multiple intelligences. A total of 67 beginning or pre-level I Chinese preschoolers participated in the study, whose learning in the first eight months under ITAL instruction is examined. Scenarios of ITAL instruction, children's samples and assessment of learning outcomes are reported and analyzed. Results indicate that the preschoolers demonstrated significant growth …

Sources Of Social Support Among Special Education Teachers In Jordan And Their Relationship To Burnout, Osamah Bataineh

International Education

This study investigated the source of social support (supervisors, colleagues, friends, spouse, and family) that would be the most efficient in reducing burnout among special education teachers. A sample of 83 special education teachers (43 men and 40 women) completed Burnout and Sources of Social Support questionnaires. Person correlation coefficients and ANOVA procedures were utilized to analyze data. Results revealed significant positive correlations between family support and personal accomplishments; marital status, age, and teaching experience were not significantly related to any of the three burnout dimensions. Results were interpreted and implications for special education teachers were suggested.

The Alberta Legal Services Mapping Project: Report For The Calgary Judicial District, Glynnis Lieb, Stephanie Abel, Mary Stratton, Diana Lowe

Canadian Forum on Civil Justice

The „justice system‟ is a fundamental and far-reaching component of our system of democracy in Alberta. It is not one united system but an institutionalized process to address criminal and civil conflicts. It is made up of a complexity of organizations with overlapping provincial and federal jurisdictions. There are substantive and procedural laws with four broad divisions: civil, family, criminal and administrative. Many of these laws and the legal services associated with them, function to avoid conflict and legal problems. Ideally, legal services work to resolve conflicts without resorting to the courts or tribunals, the purpose of which is to …

Guardrail Location Rating System Users Manual, Charlie Sun, Tony L. Beckham, Tommy C. Hopkins, Jerry G. Pigman, Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Maintenance is responsible for identifying and prioritizing locations in need of guardrail. A procedure used by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was originally developed by the Kentucky Transportation Center in 1989 and updated in 2002. Based on frequent usage by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet of the guardrail location rating system database, the need was identified to update the existing database and incorporate improved reporting capabilities. The objectives of the research study, as documented herein, were to update and improve the processes for identification of roadway locations that should be considered for installation of guardrail. Primary …

Selling Information, Johannes Hörner, Andrzej Skrzypacz

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We study a dynamic buyer-seller problem in which the good is information and there are no property rights. The potential buyer is reluctant to pay for information whose value to him is uncertain, but the seller cannot credibly convey its value to the buyer without disclosing the information itself. Information comes as divisible hard evidence. We show how and why the seller can appropriate a substantial fraction of the value through gradual revelation, and how the entire value can be extracted with the help of a mediator.

Selling Information, Johannes Hörner, Andrzej Skrzypacz

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We characterize optimal selling protocols/equilibria of a game in which an Agent first puts hidden effort to acquire information and then transacts with a Firm that uses this information to take a decision. We determine the equilibrium payoffs that maximize incentives to acquire information. Our analysis is similar to finding ex ante optimal self-enforcing contracts since information sharing, outcomes and transfers cannot be contracted upon. We show when and how selling and transmitting information gradually helps. We also show how mixing/side bets increases the Agent’s incentives.

Selling Information, Johannes Hörner, Andrzej Skrzypacz

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

An Agent who owns information that is potentially valuable to a Firm bargains for its sale, without commitment and certification possibilities, short of disclosing it. We propose a model of gradual persuasion and show how gradualism helps mitigate the hold-up problem (that the Firm would not pay once it learns the information). An example illustrates how it is optimal to give away part of the information at the beginning of the bargaining, and sell the remainder in dribs and drabs. The Agent can only appropriate part of the value of information. Introducing a third-party allows her to extract the maximum …

Exempting High-Level Employees And Small Employers From Legislation Invalidating Predispute Employment Arbitration Agreements, E. Gary Spitko

Faculty Publications

On February 12, 2009, lawmakers in the U.S.House of Representatives introduced the "Arbitration Fairness Act of 2009. " This bill, if enacted, will invalidate any predispute arbitration agreement between an employer and its employee. Last year, the 110th Congress considered the narrower "Preservation of Civil Rights Protections Act of 2008, " which would have invalidated such predispute arbitration agreements if they required "arbitration of a dispute arising under" federal civil rights laws. This Article explores how best to structure any such invalidation of predispute employment arbitration agreements, both in light of the rationales for and against regulation of the employment …

Police Blotter, Unlv Department Of Police Services

Police Blotter

No abstract provided.

New American Home 2010: Las Vegas, Nevada, Building Technologies Program, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Publications (SD)

This brochure details the New American Home 2010, which demonstrates the use of innovative building materials, cutting-edge design, and the latest construction techniques.

Teacher Candidates' Experience Of Ubd In A Social Studies Methods Course, Patricia K. Gulsvig

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher candidates in secondary social studies education come to their methods course eager to share their passion for the subject. Enthusiasm often turns to confusion and frustration when they are confronted with unforeseen decisions about the content they will teach before they determine the instructional strategies for teaching that material. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Understanding by Design (UbD) as a model in a social studies methods course for preparing teacher candidates to make purposeful curricular and instructional decisions.

This study took place at a small private Midwestern college and involved 10 participants between …

Mountain Monitor-3rd Quarter 2009, Brookings Mountain West

Mountain Monitor Quarterly

Nationwide, the recession is technically over. Or at least that is the view of most economists. They note that real U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) finally expanded in the third quarter of 2009, growing at a 2.8 percent annual rate after four consecutive quarters of contraction. They point to a significant slowing of job losses in November, rising housing prices, and a slight downtick in unemployment as other positive signs. Their conclusion: Economic recovery is at last underway. And yet, the pace of renewal seems tentative and its geography patchy. Most notably, the aggregate national story of recovery and expansion …

Wind Energy And Power System Operations: A Review Of Wind Integration Studies To Date, Jennifer Decesaro, Kevin Porter

Publications (E)

This paper provides an overview of the challenges associated with wind integration and summarizes the findings of the wind integration studies conducted over the course of the past five years. We begin with an overview of the approximate time frames used in grid operations. We then describe how wind integration studies are conducted, discuss the results on wind integration costs and grid impacts from these grid integration studies, and assess some of the grid planning and operation changes that may be necessary to incorporate higher levels of wind generation. We close with several conclusions.

Solar Ready Buildings Planning Guide, L. Lisell, T. Tetreault, A. Watson

Publications (E)

This document identifies the important aspects of building design and construction to enable installation of solar photovoltaic and heating systems at some time after the building is constructed. This document addresses photovoltaic (PV), solar hot water (ST), and solar ventilation preheat (SVP) systems.

Biodiesel Handling And Use Guide: Fourth Edition (Revised), National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Publications (T)

This document is a guide for those who blend, store, distribute, and use biodiesel and biodiesel blends. It provides basic information on the proper and safe use of biodiesel and biodiesel blends in compression-ignition engines and boilers, and it is intended to help fleets, individual users, blenders, distributors, and those involved in related activities understand procedures for handling and using biodiesel fuels.

Political Discourse And Participation Utilizing Web 2.0 Technologies, Heather J. Kauffman

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The increasing use of Web 2.0 technologies in American society, specifically social networking sites, may have particular impacts on the democratic system. This thesis serves as a comprehensive exploratory study of political communication in social networking environments. The study examined whether political communication is taking place via interactive Web 2.0 technologies and if this discourse has an impact on citizen political participation. The research utilized existing qualitative theories and supplemented them with historical examples, including information from the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and the 2009 U.S. Tea Party Movement. The data supported that Web 2.0 technologies are being used …

Social Networking: Is It Another Stage In The Evolution Of Communication And Does It Affect The Way We Think About Problem Solving And Communicating?, Sandy L. Robinson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores whether participants in online social networking sites differ from non-participants in their approach to problem solving or in their attitudes about their interactions with their own social networks. Walter Ong (1982) determined that people’s thinking changed with different media usage, particularly from oral to script, script to print, and print to electronic. This research examines problem solving and attitudes about interactions with social networks as two criteria for exploring how people think. In a review of the literature, the thesis explores the theory of media ecology, which expands on the work of McLuhan (1967) and Ong (1982), …