Digital Commons Network^™

Comparing Local Models Of Agrarian Transition In China, Qian Forrest Zhang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The development of markets and the penetration of capital into agriculture have started the agrarian transition in rural China, which is transforming smallholding, household-based agriculture into various forms of capitalistic production. This again raises in a new historical and social context the long-debated question in the agrarian transition literature: Can family farms survive the onslaught of capitalist agriculture based on wage labor and what shapes the confrontation between family farms and agro-capital? I argue that it is the local political economy—rather than some natural obstacles in agriculture to the penetration of capitalism—that shapes this confrontation and gives rise to a …

Principals' Communication Styles And Processes And Their Relationship To School Performance, Shereen Mahmoud Saeed

Dissertations

This study aimed to describe principals' communication styles and processes and their relationships to school performance in Al Ain city in the UAE as perceived by school staff. The study was guided by three research questions and used the mixed research method. Data for this study were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured phone interviews. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. The first section included demographic information of participants. The second part included 26 statements that were used to identify the communication processes at school. The third part was comprised of 25 statements that were used to describe the …

The Uae English Pre- Service Teachers Field Experience Challenges Coping To Teach Within A Major Curricular Reform, Sahar Ali Salem

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges the UAE University (UAEU) English pre-service teachers faced during their field experience within a major curricular reform. The study focused on five UAEU English pre-service teachers enrolled in a practicum course during their field experience and their five cooperative teachers. A semi-structured interview, a questionnaire and an observation checklist were employed to explore the field experience challenges that the UAEU English pre-service teachers encountered. The use of multiple resources helped to create a general profile and in turn helped to improve the trustworthiness of the research findings. The implication derived …

The Extent To Which The Characteristics Of Professional Learning Communities Are Found In Cycle One Schools In Al – Ain From Teachers Prospective, Fatima Mohammed Manea Ai-Dhaheri

Theses

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the extent to which the characteristics of Professional Learning Communities were found in cycle one schools in Al-Ain from teachers’ perspectives. The aim was also to investigate if there were differences of participants’ responses based on demographic variables. Using the Professional Learning Communities Assessment (PLCA) developed by Oliver, Hipp, and Huffman (2003), the study answered the following specific question: 1) To what extent do the characteristics of PLC exist in Al-Ain cycle one schools as perceived by teachers?; 2) Are there significant differences between teachers’ perception in terms of age, years …

English Language Teachers' Perceptions Of Strategies Used To Teach And Assess Efl Vocabulary In Elementary Schools In Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Warqa Salem Ai Ameri

Theses

The purpose of the study was to investigate vocabulary teaching strategies used by English language teachers in AI Ain public schools in the United Arab Emirates. The research focuses on three areas: investigating the strategies that teachers use to teach vocabulary, strategies teachers use to consolidate newly learned vocabulary and strategies teachers use to assess vocabulary learning. Such a study is important to evaluate and categorize the most frequent and effective strategies in the context of vocabulary instruction in AI Ain.

The research used quantitative and qualitative approaches exemplified in a questionnaire and an interview. A questionnaire was used to …

Principals' Behaviors In Government Secondary Schools In Ai-Ain City: A Descriptive Study., Firas Adnan Qatouni

Theses

This study aimed to describe the principals' behaviors in government secondary schools in Al Ain City which is in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi - the United Arab Emirates. In addition, it aimed to study the effect of the principals' gender and years of experience on their leadership behaviors. In order to do that, the principals' behaviors were categorized into five domains: behaviors in human relations, trust and decision making, instructional leadership, control, and finally conflict resolution. The study used quantitative and qualitative research methods. Data were collected through a questionnaire divided into two main sections. The first section included …

Strategic And Educational Leadership Of Al-Ain School Principals In Accordance With The New School Model., Aysha Saeed Mohammed Al Nuaimi

Theses

This study aims at identifying the roles of school principal according the new school model applied by Abu Dhabi Educational Council, and the extent of applying these roles in the field; more to the point, identifying any gaps between what is requested from the principals and what is really presented. The aforementioned aims are to be reached through answering the following questions:

1. To what extent do principals in Al Ain apply the strategic and educational leadership standards according to the new school model, from principals’ perspective?
2. To what extent do principals in Al Ain apply the strategic and educational leadership …

The Unraveling Of The Private Consensus, Justin Kh Tse

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The Asian American Open Letter to the Evangelical Church was a key moment in the unraveling of the private consensus in American evangelicalism in 2013. What I call the “private consensus” is an implied agreement among evangelical Protestants in America that churches, parachurch organizations, and religious institutions should conduct matters privately. In fact, it might go as far as to say that individual Christians should act in private, away from the public eye, especially the media. When Christian matters become public, so the argument goes, they become distorted. Consequently, Christians are encouraged to operate at a “direct and personal” level, …

Design Science Research: The Road Traveled And The Road That Lies Ahead, M. Rossi, O. Henfridsson, K. Lyytinen, Keng Siau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this introductory piece to the special issue on design science research (DSR) in information systems, the authors probe the past research in DSR, introduce the papers in the special issue, discuss their contributions to the field, and conclude the paper by highlighting some potential directions for future research. To provide a good overview of the research domain, the authors review the key research approaches (or processes) that have been proposed and identify the concrete products of DSR that come in the form of artifacts. As the production of artifact is only part of the DSR process, the authors discuss …

Automated Parameter Tuning Framework For Heterogeneous And Large Instances: Case Study In Quadratic Assignment Problem, Linda Lindawati, Zhi Yuan, Hoong Chuin Lau, Feida Zhu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper is concerned with automated tuning of parameters of algorithms to handle heterogeneous and large instances. We propose an automated parameter tuning framework with the capability to provide instance-specific parameter configurations. We report preliminary results on the Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP) and show that our framework provides a significant improvement on solutions qualities with much smaller tuning computational time.

First Amendment Protection For Political Candidacy Of Public Employees, Ross Staine

SMU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Foreword

SMU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Their Brains On Google: How Digital Technologies Are Altering The Millennial Generation's Brain And Impacting Legal Education, Kari Mercer Dalton

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

No abstract provided.

Sit, Stay, Drive: The Future Of Autonomous Car Liability, Sophia H. Duffy, Jamie Patrick Hopkins

SMU Science and Technology Law Review

No abstract provided.

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Cambridge, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Cambridge. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Cambridge is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA), which consists of …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Lowell, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Lowell. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Lowell is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA), which consists of …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Chelsea, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Malden And Medford, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Malden and Medford. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Malden and Medford is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by Public …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Holyoke, Chicopee, And Easthampton, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Holyoke, Chicopee, and Easthampton. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Holyoke, Chicopee, and Easthampton is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Salem-Beverly Area, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Salem, Beverly, Marblehead, and Swampscott. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Salem, Beverly, Marblehead, and Swampscott is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: New Bedford, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in New Bedford and surrounding towns. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on the New Bedford area is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by Public …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Lawrence And Methuen, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Lawrence and Methuen. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Lawrence and Methuen is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by Public …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Massachusetts. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Massachusetts is part of a larger series that also covers fifteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth. Each report analyzes data from the American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau; this report uses 2011 data.

Since ACS data are collected from a sample of the …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Somerville And Everett, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Faye Karp

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Somerville and Everett. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the growing Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Somerville and Everett is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Data are analyzed by Public …

Communicating, Collaborating, And Coordinating To Revitalize New Jersey Neighborhoods, Lois W. Greco

The Foundation Review

· Since 2003, the New Jersey public and private funding community has been organizing and implementing a shared, cross-sector approach to revitalizing the state's low-income neighborhoods that incorporates residents and stakeholders, encourages private investment, leverages corporate resources, and produces measurable results.

· The approach has been shaped by the programmatic alignment of the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation's Neighborhood Grants Program and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit program (NRTC) with technical assistance from the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.

· The combined programs have supported initiatives in 26 neighborhoods, funded by $16 …

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Collaboration And Foundation Leadership: Challenges, Opportunities, And Impact, Jennifer Pereira

The Foundation Review

· This article describes a successful collaboration among foundation, city government, and nonprofit stakeholders that leveraged an initial investment of $60,000 to $4.5 million in public and private funding to create a sustainable Green & Healthy Homes Initiative™ for low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in Providence, R.I.

· Through a partnership with the Rhode Island Foundation, the Council on Foundations, and the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the city of Providence developed a comprehensive approach to integrated health, safety, lead-hazard reduction, energy-efficiency, and weatherization interventions for low- and moderate-income families.

· The project was led by a steering committee of …

Only Connect: How An Investment In Relationships Among Social Change Leaders Is Changing Them, Their Organizations, And Their City, Stefan Lanfer, Patricia Brandes, Claire Reinelt

The Foundation Review

· After years of leading social-sector organizations in an environment where competition is more the norm than collaboration, many gifted leaders are near burnout, unable to maximize their gifts. Since 2005, the Barr Fellowship has been changing that in Boston.

· This network of leaders, created by the Barr Foundation, is based on the hypothesis that recognizing talented leaders and investing in their personal growth and connections with one another will result in individual, collective, and city transformation.

· A longtime funder of networks, Barr designed the fellowship as a “connectivity” network, where collective actions and shared agendas might emerge …

A Matter Of Leadership: Connecting A Grantmaker's Investments In Collaborative Leadership Development To Community Results, Julia D. O’Brien, Jennifer N. Littlefield, Victoria Goddard-Truitt

The Foundation Review

· Foundations are increasingly supporting cross-sector collaboratives that focus on developing collaborative leadership skills, in addition to strengthening collaborative accountability. This article tests the Theory of Aligned Contributions change model, as implemented by the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Leadership in Action Program.

· Path analysis results show that grantmakers can support cross-sector collaboratives by providing skilled implementation teams that promote public and individual accountability and build strong collaborative leadership skills. Through this support, collaboratives develop effective strategies that affect important social issues.

· This research sheds light on how grantmakers can fund and encourage a process for cross-sector community members …

When Local Solutions Aren’T Enough: A Strategic Funding Partnership To Restore A Large River System, Pam Wiley, Ken Bierly, Todd Reeve, Kendra Smith

The Foundation Review

· Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly imperiled, and funders, nongovernmental organizations, community groups, and government agencies around the world are working to restore ecological function and resiliency to these critical resources.

· What does it take to structure, support, and implement truly effective, broad-scale watershed restoration? This article will describe the unconventional funding strategies catalyzing collective impact across multiple restoration groups working in a diverse set of watersheds and share the challenges and opportunities encountered while implementing these strategies.

· In Oregon, an experimental 10-year collaboration aimed at improving the health of the Willamette River system is being led by the …