Sample records for finding innovative ways

  1. Inservice Teachers' Difficulties with and Resistance to Curricular Innovation: A Solution-Finding Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center on Innovations in Learning, Temple University, 2016

    2016-01-01

    This Solution-Finding Report provides references and information requested on the topic of inservice teachers finding it difficult to implement, or resisting, curricular innovation. Many of the citations in this bibliography also deal with ways to overcome these difficulties and this resistance. Solution-finding Reports are intended to provide a…

  2. Training of Engineering Personnel for the Innovative Coal Industry: Problems and Ways of Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zaruba, Natalya; Fraltsova, Tamara; Snegireva, Tatyana

    2017-11-01

    The article is written based on some results of the long-term scientific research of the problem related to the urgent need to find the ways of training personnel for the innovative coal industry in the higher education system. This is due to the fundamental changes in the Russian social and economic conditions: the change in the social system and the owner of the coal industry, the emergence of new technologies in the field of coal mining and processing, and in the management of these processes. At the same time, the system of training specialists for the coal industry in the higher education institutions has largely remained unchanged: technologies and principles of training, scientific approaches and concepts take little account of the changed situation, traditional views of specialists work-ing in the university continue to dominate innovative ideas. Many innovations, especially related to technology and the principles of education, struggle to make their way into the higher education system. The article substantiates the urgency of the problem of training personnel for the innovative coal industry in the higher education system, as well as the importance of scientific analysis of the problem in order to find the ways to solve it.

  3. More than Just Tools and Toys: Teaching Innovation. Footnotes. Volume 13, Number 10

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Husick, Lawrence A.

    2008-01-01

    When individuals and populations of organisms face resource scarcity, they respond in various ways: by substituting other resources, by expanding or changing geographic range, or by finding ways to compete more successfully for the resources. Humans have also responded to scarcity through innovation: inventing new ideas and tools with which to…

  4. Understanding innovation in social service delivery systems.

    PubMed

    Moore, S

    1994-01-01

    Progress in the social services is driven by innovation. It depends on the ability of social work researchers and practitioners to find innovative solutions to the problems they face. Innovation entails the creation, adaptation, and adoption of new approaches to service delivery. The most fundamental type of innovation is the creation of a new service product. However, innovations in the way services are delivered are equally important. This paper provides a model for understanding innovation in social services.

  5. Cooperative Factors, Cooperative Innovation Effect and Innovation Performance for Chinese Firms: an Empirical Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Xuemei

    Based on a survey to 1206 Chinese firms, this paper empirically explores the factors impacting cooperative innovation effect of firms, and seeks to explore the relationship between cooperative innovation effect (CIE) and innovation performance using the technique of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study finds there are significant positive relationships between basic sustaining factors, factors of government and policy, factors of cooperation mechanism and social network, and cooperative innovation effect. However, the result reveals that factors of government and policy demonstrate little impact on the CIE of firms compared with other factors. It is hoped that the findings can pave the way for future studies in improving cooperative innovation capacity for firms in emerging countries.

  6. 2016 Innovation Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colorado Department of Education, 2016

    2016-01-01

    The Innovation Schools Act of 2008, (§ 22-32.5-102, C.R.S. et.seq) was created in response to district and school leaders' interest in finding a way for districts to develop and implement innovative practices in a wide variety of areas for the purpose of improving student outcomes. The Act provides a formal process that allows schools to petition…

  7. Innovation Configuration Mapping as a Professional Development Tool: The Case of One-to-One Laptop Computing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Towndrow, Phillip A.; Fareed, Wan

    2015-01-01

    This article illustrates how findings from a study of teachers' and students' uses of laptop computers in a secondary school in Singapore informed the development of an Innovation Configuration (IC) Map--a tool for identifying and describing alternative ways of implementing innovations based on teachers' unique feelings, preoccupations, thoughts…

  8. 2015 Innovation Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colorado Department of Education, 2015

    2015-01-01

    The Innovation Schools Act of 2008, (§ 22-32.5-102, C.R.S. et.seq) was created in response to district and school leaders' interest in finding a way for districts to develop and implement innovative practices in a wide variety of areas for the purpose of improving student outcomes. The Act provides a formal process that allows schools to petition…

  9. Discovering Air Force Identity: Airpower and Innovations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-02-15

    those of less imagination and vision who could not pierce the veil of the future and read the things which they saw.”36 The founders of American...professionals who sought to find more effective and more efficient ways and means to meet their country’s defense requirements. They were Airmen who... means and ways to execute the mission. The Airman is an innovator who executes war from above. 1 INTRODUCTION If every Marine is a rifleman, what

  10. An Innovative Whole Child Approach to Learning: The LiiNK Project®

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhea, Deborah; Bauml, Michellle

    2018-01-01

    Others' success can be a powerful motivation to innovate, which sometimes means finding new ways to return to beneficial activities. Finland's academic success has prompted many to explore that country's policies and practices, particularly regarding providing opportunities for children to enjoy more unstructured play.

  11. Innovating Method of Existing Mechanical Product Based on TRIZ Theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Cunyou; Shi, Dongyan; Wu, Han

    Main way of product development is adaptive design and variant design based on existing product. In this paper, conceptual design frame and its flow model of innovating products is put forward through combining the methods of conceptual design and TRIZ theory. Process system model of innovating design that includes requirement analysis, total function analysis and decomposing, engineering problem analysis, finding solution of engineering problem and primarily design is constructed and this establishes the base for innovating design of existing product.

  12. Innovative Approaches to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Europe: Findings from a Comparative Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jensen, Bente; Iannone, Rosa Lisa

    2018-01-01

    This article explores innovation as an aspect of in-service continuous professional development (CPD) in ECEC. Based on a literature review and a cross-country analysis conducted in ten European countries, we found that innovation in CPD was understood as a way to improving quality in ECEC. CPD no longer solely deals with practitioners' knowledge…

  13. A Phenomenographic Investigation of the Ways Engineering Students Experience Innovation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fila, Nicholas David

    Innovation has become an important phenomenon in engineering and engineering education. By developing novel, feasible, viable, and valued solutions to complex technical and human problems, engineers support the economic competitiveness of organizations, make a difference in the lives of users and other stakeholders, drive societal and scientific progress, and obtain key personal benefits. Innovation is also a complex phenomenon. It occurs across a variety of contexts and domains, encompasses numerous phases and activities, and requires unique competency profiles. Despite this complexity, many studies in engineering education focus on specific aspects (e.g., engineering students' abilities to generate original concepts during idea generation), and we still know little about the variety of ways engineering students approach and understand innovation. This study addresses that gap by asking: 1. What are the qualitatively different ways engineering students experience innovation during their engineering projects? 2. What are the structural relationships between the ways engineering students experience innovation? This study utilized phenomenography, a qualitative research method, to explore the above research questions. Thirty-three engineering students were recruited to ensure thorough coverage along four factors suggested by the literature to support differences related to innovation: engineering project experience, academic major, year in school, and gender. Each participant completed a 1-2 hour, semi-structured interview that focused on experiences with and conceptions of innovation. Whole transcripts were analyzed using an eight-stage, iterative, and comparative approach meant to identify a limited number of categories of description (composite ways of experiencing innovation comprised of the experiences of several participants), and the structural relationships between these categories. Phenomenographic analysis revealed eight categories of description that were structured in a semi-hierarchical, two-dimensional outcome space. The first four categories demonstrated a progression toward greater comprehensiveness in both process and focus dimensions. In the process dimension, subsequent categories added increasingly preliminary innovation phases: idea realization, idea generation, problem scoping, and problem finding. In the focus dimension, subsequent categories added key areas engineers considered during innovation: technical, human, and enterprise. The final four categories each incorporated all previous process phases and focus areas, but prioritized different focus areas in sophisticated ways and acknowledged a macro-iterative cycle, i.e., an understanding of how the processes within a single innovation project built upon and contributed to past and future innovation projects. These results demonstrate important differences between engineering students and suggest how they may come to experience innovation in increasingly comprehensive ways. A framework based on the results can be used by educators and researchers to support more robust educational offerings and nuanced research designs that reflect these differences.

  14. The Quality of Textbooks: A Basis for European Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hooghoff, Hans

    The enhancement of the European dimension in the national curriculum is a large scale educational innovation that affects many European countries. This report puts forward the proposition that broad scale educational innovation has more success if the aims and objectives find their way into textbooks. The reasons why a European dimension in…

  15. The Impact of Principal Training in Diffusion of Innovation Theory on Fidelity of Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petruzzelli, Anthony

    2010-01-01

    Districts and schools are constantly trying to find ways to increase student achievement. Research has shown a significant correlation between principal leadership skills and increased student achievement. Research has also shown a correlation between fidelity of implementation of new innovations and positive outcomes. This purpose of this study…

  16. Helping Fort Carson Meet DOD Energy Goals - Continuum Magazine | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Fall 2014 / Issue 7 Continuum. Clean Energy Innovation at NREL Partnering: An Engine for Innovation Partnership Tool Increases Flexibility Finding New Ways to Foster Clean Energy Partnerships Industry Growth Forum Cultivates Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Helping Fort Carson Meet DOD Energy Goals Impacting

  17. Economic Model For a Return on Investment Analysis of United States Government High Performance Computing (HPC) Research and Development (R & D) Investment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Joseph, Earl C.; Conway, Steve; Dekate, Chirag

    This study investigated how high-performance computing (HPC) investments can improve economic success and increase scientific innovation. This research focused on the common good and provided uses for DOE, other government agencies, industry, and academia. The study created two unique economic models and an innovation index: 1 A macroeconomic model that depicts the way HPC investments result in economic advancements in the form of ROI in revenue (GDP), profits (and cost savings), and jobs. 2 A macroeconomic model that depicts the way HPC investments result in basic and applied innovations, looking at variations by sector, industry, country, and organization size. Amore » new innovation index that provides a means of measuring and comparing innovation levels. Key findings of the pilot study include: IDC collected the required data across a broad set of organizations, with enough detail to create these models and the innovation index. The research also developed an expansive list of HPC success stories.« less

  18. Disruptive innovation for social change.

    PubMed

    Christensen, Clayton M; Baumann, Heiner; Ruggles, Rudy; Sadtler, Thomas M

    2006-12-01

    Countries, organizations, and individuals around the globe spend aggressively to solve social problems, but these efforts often fail to deliver. Misdirected investment is the primary reason for that failure. Most of the money earmarked for social initiatives goes to organizations that are structured to support specific groups of recipients, often with sophisticated solutions. Such organizations rarely reach the broader populations that could be served by simpler alternatives. There is, however, an effective way to get to those underserved populations. The authors call it "catalytic innovation." Based on Clayton Christensen's disruptive-innovation model, catalytic innovations challenge organizational incumbents by offering simpler, good-enough solutions aimed at underserved groups. Unlike disruptive innovations, though, catalytic innovations are focused on creating social change. Catalytic innovators are defined by five distinct qualities. First, they create social change through scaling and replication. Second, they meet a need that is either overserved (that is, the existing solution is more complex than necessary for many people) or not served at all. Third, the products and services they offer are simpler and cheaper than alternatives, but recipients view them as good enough. Fourth, they bring in resources in ways that initially seem unattractive to incumbents. And fifth, they are often ignored, put down, or even encouraged by existing organizations, which don't see the catalytic innovators' solutions as viable. As the authors show through examples in health care, education, and economic development, both nonprofit and for-profit groups are finding ways to create catalytic innovation that drives social change.

  19. 75 FR 12072 - Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information: Investing in Innovation Fund; Notice...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-12

    ... matched comparison group designs (as defined in this notice), interrupted time series designs (as defined... reading skills administered in the same way to both groups). Interrupted time series design \\3\\ means a... findings. \\3\\ A single subject or single case design is an adaptation of an interrupted time series design...

  20. Innovative Learning Solutions in New Communities: Opportunities and Challenges to Teachers' Conceptions of Workspace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costley, Debra

    2007-01-01

    This article explores the possibilities and opportunities created by large-scale property developers for new ways of learning and working in master-planned communities. The discussion is based on the findings from research of one developer's innovative solutions to learning in newly developed communities and specifically draws on data from one…

  1. Finding Erich Jantsch's Five Crucial Innovations: A Study of Four Small Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacVie, Leah

    2017-01-01

    Institutions of higher education have faced many challenges over the last few decades. Though many large institutions have the resources needed to respond to these challenges, small institutions have had to be innovative in the ways in which they are adapting. There are similarities between the external challenges that institutions face today and…

  2. The Paradox of the Diffusion of Innovations Research: Creating More Communication Bottlenecks Than Breaking Them.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Melkote, Srinivas R.; Babbili, Anantha S.

    The paradox of the diffusion of innovations research is that in its efforts to find ways and means of breaking the communication constraint in Third World countries, it has generated many bottlenecks that cumulatively constitute the major constraint: lack of an efficient system for delivering adequate and reliable information, knowledge, and…

  3. Sustainable Use of Technology in Teaching: A Principled Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karanfil, Talip; Neufeld, Steve

    2014-01-01

    The bewildering pace of change in technology has had a polarizing effect on the teaching profession. Teachers tend to cope in two ways, either by finding the least invasive ways to use technology without interfering with their standard mode of practice, or by embracing technology at every step and turn in new and innovative ways. The former does a…

  4. Innovative Research into Practice in Support Centers for College Athletes: Implications for the Academic Progress Rate Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comeaux, Eddie

    2015-01-01

    Concerns about the educational experiences of Division I athletes are pervasive. Finding meaningful ways to strike a healthy balance between athletics and academics has been an ongoing struggle for colleges and universities, and this article emphasizes the need for and value of innovation in current practices. The article introduces the Career…

  5. A Practice of Mobile Learning Based on Cloud Computing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heng, Wu; Zhong, Dong

    2016-01-01

    Information and communication technology are well known rapid growing industry in this decade. That is nearly the same as fast as growth in costs in education. Therefore, many people have been forced to find alternative ways to meet their education needs. Innovations of distance education create a new way to provide learning content, unlimited…

  6. Recruiting and Rewarding Faculty for Medical Student Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pessar, Linda F.; Levine, Ruth E.; Bernstein, Carol A.; Cabaniss, Deborah S.; Dickstein, Leah J.; Graff, Sarah V.; Hales, Deborah J.; Nadelson, Carol; Robinowitz, Carolyn B.; Scheiber, Stephen C.; Jones, Paul M.; Silberman, Edward K.

    2006-01-01

    Objective: Finding time to teach psychiatry has become increasingly difficult. Concurrently, changes in medical student education are elevating demands for teaching. Academic psychiatry is challenged by these pressures to find innovative ways to recruit, retain, and reward faculty for teaching efforts. To address this challenge, the authors…

  7. An empirical study of innovation-performance linkage in the paper industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farooquie, Parveen; Gani, Abdul; Zuberi, Arsalanullah K.; Hashmi, Imran

    2012-10-01

    To enter new markets and remain competitive in the existing markets, companies need to shift their focus from traditional means and ways to some innovative approaches. Though the paper industry in India has improved remarkably on its technological and environmental issues, yet it shows a low rate of innovation. The present paper attempts to review the industry in the perspective of technological innovations and investigates empirically the role of innovations in performance improvement and pollution control. Multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis are applied for data processing. The findings reveal that the mean scores on the factors, such as sales, quality, and flexibility, are higher for the good innovators than those for the poor innovators. Conversely, the factors which are likely to be reduced as a result of innovations, such as time, cost, emissions, and disposal of waste, have shown higher means for the poor innovators.

  8. The medium-term sustainability of organisational innovations in the national health service

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background There is a growing recognition of the importance of introducing new ways of working into the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and other health systems, in order to ensure that patient care is provided as effectively and efficiently as possible. Researchers have examined the challenges of introducing new ways of working--'organisational innovations'--into complex organisations such as the NHS, and this has given rise to a much better understanding of how this takes place--and why seemingly good ideas do not always result in changes in practice. However, there has been less research on the medium- and longer-term outcomes for organisational innovations and on the question of how new ways of working, introduced by frontline clinicians and managers, are sustained and become established in day-to-day practice. Clearly, this question of sustainability is crucial if the gains in patient care that derive from organisational innovations are to be maintained, rather than lost to what the NHS Institute has called the 'improvement-evaporation effect'. Methods The study will involve research in four case-study sites around England, each of which was successful in sustaining its new model of service provision beyond an initial period of pilot funding for new genetics services provided by the Department of Health. Building on findings relating to the introduction and sustainability of these services already gained from an earlier study, the research will use qualitative methods--in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and analysis of relevant documents--to understand the longer-term challenges involved in each case and how these were surmounted. The research will provide lessons for those seeking to sustain their own organisational innovations in wide-ranging clinical areas and for those designing the systems and organisations that make up the NHS, to make them more receptive contexts for the sustainment of innovation. Discussion Through comparison and contrast across four sites, each involving different organisational innovations, different forms of leadership, and different organisational contexts to contend with, the findings of the study will have wide relevance. The research will produce outputs that are useful for managers and clinicians responsible for organisational innovation, policy makers and senior managers, and academics. PMID:21396135

  9. The medium-term sustainability of organisational innovations in the national health service.

    PubMed

    Martin, Graham P; Currie, Graeme; Finn, Rachael; McDonald, Ruth

    2011-03-14

    There is a growing recognition of the importance of introducing new ways of working into the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and other health systems, in order to ensure that patient care is provided as effectively and efficiently as possible. Researchers have examined the challenges of introducing new ways of working--'organisational innovations'--into complex organisations such as the NHS, and this has given rise to a much better understanding of how this takes place--and why seemingly good ideas do not always result in changes in practice. However, there has been less research on the medium- and longer-term outcomes for organisational innovations and on the question of how new ways of working, introduced by frontline clinicians and managers, are sustained and become established in day-to-day practice. Clearly, this question of sustainability is crucial if the gains in patient care that derive from organisational innovations are to be maintained, rather than lost to what the NHS Institute has called the 'improvement-evaporation effect'. The study will involve research in four case-study sites around England, each of which was successful in sustaining its new model of service provision beyond an initial period of pilot funding for new genetics services provided by the Department of Health. Building on findings relating to the introduction and sustainability of these services already gained from an earlier study, the research will use qualitative methods--in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and analysis of relevant documents--to understand the longer-term challenges involved in each case and how these were surmounted. The research will provide lessons for those seeking to sustain their own organisational innovations in wide-ranging clinical areas and for those designing the systems and organisations that make up the NHS, to make them more receptive contexts for the sustainment of innovation. Through comparison and contrast across four sites, each involving different organisational innovations, different forms of leadership, and different organisational contexts to contend with, the findings of the study will have wide relevance. The research will produce outputs that are useful for managers and clinicians responsible for organisational innovation, policy makers and senior managers, and academics.

  10. Living With Diabetes in Appalachia: A Focus Group Study.

    PubMed

    Carpenter, Roger; Smith, Mary Jane

    This article presents an innovative holistic practice application based on evidence from a focus group study on managing diabetes. The purpose of this study addressed the research question: How do persons with type 2 diabetes describe ways of managing the challenge of living with diabetes? A second purpose was to link the findings on ways to manage diabetes to holistic nursing practice through story theory. Nine adults with type 2 diabetes living in rural West Virginia participated in 3 focus groups. Using content analysis, the study findings integrated themes with core qualities, and are as follows: living life as an evolving process is awakening to the present and doing it your way, being on guard is a vigilant ongoing responsibility, attending to bodily experience is awareness of body and facing life stress, and knowing the consequences is awareness of potential problems and taking charge. Merging the study findings with the concepts of story theory led to the development of an innovative practice application for managing diabetes. Managing diabetes in this practice application goes beyond problem-centeredness to a patient-centered approach, offering attention to individual preferences. Since managing diabetes is a major problem in Appalachia, there a need for innovative approaches. This study adds to the body of knowledge on how persons from Appalachia manage diabetes. In addition, it offers a story practice approach for managing diabetes-replacing a problem focus to a more holistic approach to practice leading to more meaningful and fulfilling outcomes.

  11. Teaching Children Thinking. Artificial Intelligence Memo Number 247.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papert, Seymour

    It is possible to maintain a vision of a technologically oriented educational system which is grander than the current one in which new gadgets are used to teach the old material in a thinly disguised old way. Educational innovation, particularly when computers are included, can find better things for children to do and better ways for the child…

  12. University Transportation Survey : Transportation In University Communities

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-07-01

    Universities and transit agencies across the United States have been finding innovative new ways of providing and financing mobility services on and around university campuses. Many transit agencies are : providing substantially more service and movi...

  13. Mothers "Google It Up:" Extending Communication Channel Behavior in Diffusion of Innovations Theory.

    PubMed

    Sundstrom, Beth

    2016-01-01

    This study employed qualitative methods, conducting 44 in-depth interviews with biological mothers of newborns to understand women's perceptions and use of new media, mass media, and interpersonal communication channels in relation to health issues. Findings contribute to theoretical and practical understandings of the role of communication channels in diffusion of innovations theory. In particular, this study provides a foundation for the use of qualitative research to advance applications of diffusion of innovations theory. Results suggest that participants resisted mass media portrayals of women's health. When faced with a health question, participants uniformly started with the Internet to "Google it up." Findings suggest new media comprise a new communication channel with new rules, serving the functions of both personal and impersonal influence. In particular, pregnancy and the postpartum period emerged as a time when campaign planners can access women in new ways online. As a result, campaign planners could benefit from introducing new ideas online and capitalizing on the strength of weak ties favored in new media. Results expand the innovativeness/needs paradox in diffusion of innovations theory by elaborating on the role of new media to reach underserved populations. These findings provide an opportunity to better understand patient information seeking through the lens of diffusion of innovations theory.

  14. Social network media in the forest products industry: A look at a new way of marketing

    Treesearch

    Iris B. Montague

    2011-01-01

    The current economic conditions have far reaching financial implications for both consumers and businesses. While consumers devise plans to save money and stretch their dollars, companies are devising plans to stay afloat during economic uncertainty. To be competitive, businesses must find new and innovative ways to conduct everyday business functions and efficiently...

  15. Didactique, temps, espace, et...lexique (Didactics, Time, Space, and...Lexicon).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richterich, Rene

    1994-01-01

    Language teachers are encouraged to find innovative ways to teach vocabulary, particularly illustrating the relationships between words and spatial and temporal relationships in meaning. The concept of the teachable moment is also discussed briefly. (MSE)

  16. Governance Structures for Open Innovation: A Preliminary Framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feller, Joseph; Finnegan, Patrick; Hayes, Jeremy; O'Reilly, Philip

    This research-in-progress paper presents a preliminary framework of four open innovation governance structures. The study seeks to describe four distinct ways in which firms utilize hierarchical relationships, organizational intermediaries, and the market system to supply and acquire intellectual property and/or innovation capabilities from sources external to the firm. This paper reports on phase one of the study, which involved an analysis of six open innovation exemplars based on public data. This phase of the study reveals that governance structures for open innovation can be categorized based on whether they (1) are mediated or direct or (2) seek to acquire intellectual property or innovation capability. We analyze the differences in four governance structures along seven dimensions, and reveal the importance of knowledge dispersion and uncertainty to the use of open innovation hierarchies, brokerages, and markets. The paper concludes by examining the implications of the findings and outlining the next phase of the study.

  17. Health Systems Innovation at Academic Health Centers: Leading in a New Era of Health Care Delivery.

    PubMed

    Ellner, Andrew L; Stout, Somava; Sullivan, Erin E; Griffiths, Elizabeth P; Mountjoy, Ashlin; Phillips, Russell S

    2015-07-01

    Challenged by demands to reduce costs and improve service delivery, the U.S. health care system requires transformational change. Health systems innovation is defined broadly as novel ideas, products, services, and processes-including new ways to promote healthy behaviors and better integrate health services with public health and other social services-which achieve better health outcomes and/or patient experience at equal or lower cost. Academic health centers (AHCs) have an opportunity to focus their considerable influence and expertise on health systems innovation to create new approaches to service delivery and to nurture leaders of transformation. AHCs have traditionally used their promotions criteria to signal their values; creating a health systems innovator promotion track could be a critical step towards creating opportunities for innovators in academic medicine. In this Perspective, the authors review publicly available promotions materials at top-ranked medical schools and find that while criteria for advancement increasingly recognize systems innovation, there is a lack of specificity on metrics beyond the traditional yardstick of peer-reviewed publications. In addition to new promotions pathways and alternative evidence for the impact of scholarship, other approaches to fostering health systems innovation at AHCs include more robust funding for career development in health systems innovation, new curricula to enable trainees to develop skills in health systems innovation, and new ways for innovators to disseminate their work. AHCs that foster health systems innovation could meet a critical need to contribute both to the sustainability of our health care system and to AHCs' continued leadership role within it.

  18. Use of robotics in colon and rectal surgery.

    PubMed

    Pucci, Michael J; Beekley, Alec C

    2013-03-01

    The pace of innovation in the field of surgery continues to accelerate. As new technologies are developed in combination with industry and clinicians, specialized patient care improves. In the field of colon and rectal surgery, robotic systems offer clinicians many alternative ways to care for patients. From having the ability to round remotely to improved visualization and dissection in the operating room, robotic assistance can greatly benefit clinical outcomes. Although the field of robotics in surgery is still in its infancy, many groups are actively investigating technologies that will assist clinicians in caring for their patients. As these technologies evolve, surgeons will continue to find new and innovative ways to utilize the systems for improved patient care and comfort.

  19. Helping Teachers Improve Classroom Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emberger, Marcella

    2007-01-01

    Understanding and implementing effective classroom assessments are skills that are essential to increasing student achievement. Unfortunately, many teachers have had little training in assessment strategies in either graduate or undergraduate programs. Administrators, therefore, must find innovative ways to help their teachers think like assessors…

  20. Employee innovation behaviour in health care: the influence from management and colleagues.

    PubMed

    Amo, B W

    2006-09-01

    This article reports how 'important others' and position in the organizational hierarchy relate to employee innovation behaviour. Empowerment of healthcare workers to engage in innovation behaviour is desired by management in Norwegian municipalities as it is regarded as a way of getting more health care for less money. Innovation behaviour is also desired by nurses' and other healthcare workers' professional organizations of as it is regarded as a way of improving the working conditions of the healthcare worker. The theoretical discussion in this paper includes corporate entrepreneurship, 'important others' and employee innovation behaviour. This article reports on a study concerning empowerment of nurses and other healthcare workers (n = 555) in Norwegian municipalities. The statistical methods used include multiple regressions. The study reveals that there were differences between the nurse (registered nurses), auxiliary nurses (nurse aides) and unskilled healthcare workers concerning how they perceived the opinion of the management and the opinion of the colleagues about how suitable it was to present innovation behaviour at the workplace. Moreover, the different groups of healthcare workers assign different levels of importance to this influence. It is suggested that the findings put forward in this article may lead to an improved understanding of the dynamics behind employee innovation behaviour, and that such knowledge could improve the care provided to the patients, the cost of the care and the working conditions of nurses and other healthcare workers.

  1. Synthetic biology and the prospects for responsible innovation.

    PubMed

    Macnaghten, Phil; Owen, Richard; Jackson, Roland

    2016-11-30

    In this article we provide a short review of the debate on responsible innovation and its intersection with synthetic biology, focusing on initiatives we have witnessed and been involved with in the UK. First, we describe the ways in which responsibility in science has been reconfigured institutionally, from an internal focus on the provision of objective and reliable knowledge, to a more external view that embraces the ways in which it has an impact on society. Secondly, we introduce a framework for responsible innovation as a (partial) response to this shift, highlighting its constituent dimensions and the capacities and competencies that are needed to put it into practice. Thirdly, we chart the development of social science research on synthetic biology, addressing its evolution from an 'ethical, legal and social implications' (ELSI) frame to a responsible innovation frame. Fourthly, we review findings from UK social science research with the synthetic biology community setting out challenges for productive collaboration. And finally, we conclude with suggestions on the need for changes in institutional governance. © 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  2. Levers for Sustainable Improvement of Spanish Schools in Challenging Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lopez-Yanez, Julian; Sanchez-Moreno, Marita

    2013-01-01

    The need for innovation in the Spanish educational system has become more evident in the wake of the last PISA reports. To find our own way to achieve better schools we "must" take advantage of what schools that managed to sustain changes over time have learnt from such a process. This paper reports on findings from an inquiry that tried…

  3. The Necessity of History and the Professional Historian.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lerner, Gerda

    1982-01-01

    A sense of meaning and collective continuity--therefore of history--is more important now than ever. Historical scholarship has never been more sophisticated, innovative, and interesting, but historians must find new ways to respond to the public's interest at its own level. (MSE)

  4. Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christenbury, Leila, Ed.; Bomer, Randy, Ed.; Smagorinsky, Peter, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    The first comprehensive research handbook of its kind, this volume showcases innovative approaches to understanding adolescent literacy learning in a variety of settings. Distinguished contributors examine how well adolescents are served by current instructional practices and highlight ways to translate research findings more effectively into…

  5. Use of Robotics in Colon and Rectal Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Pucci, Michael J.; Beekley, Alec C.

    2013-01-01

    The pace of innovation in the field of surgery continues to accelerate. As new technologies are developed in combination with industry and clinicians, specialized patient care improves. In the field of colon and rectal surgery, robotic systems offer clinicians many alternative ways to care for patients. From having the ability to round remotely to improved visualization and dissection in the operating room, robotic assistance can greatly benefit clinical outcomes. Although the field of robotics in surgery is still in its infancy, many groups are actively investigating technologies that will assist clinicians in caring for their patients. As these technologies evolve, surgeons will continue to find new and innovative ways to utilize the systems for improved patient care and comfort. PMID:24436647

  6. The Technology of Tomorrow.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Peter H.

    1991-01-01

    Educators must understand the new educational technologies, select the best ones for classroom use, and find innovative and equitable ways to pay for them. The heart of education's technological transformation is the computer; fiber networks, television optical disks, multimedia, satellites, electronic mail, and virtual reality are also important…

  7. Identifying Institutional Clientele; Applied Metamarketing in Higher Education Administration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leister, Douglas V.

    1975-01-01

    Presents methodology, philosophy, findings, and conclusions of a study designed to increase physical plant and institutional efficiency and to identify ways of broadening student appeal through innovative programs. Advocates use by educational administrators of metamarketing procedures used: multidimensional scaling and other attitude research…

  8. The application of welat latino for creating paes in solo wedding bride

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ihsani, Ade Novi Nurul; Krisnawati, Maria; Prasetyaningtyas, Wulansari; Anggraeni, Puput; Bela, Herlina Tria; Zunaedah, Putri Wahyu

    2018-03-01

    The purposes of this research were: 1) to find out the process of creating innovative welat, 2) to find out how to use innovative welat for Solo wedding bride paes creation. The method used in the research was research and development (R & D). Sampling technique in this research was purposive sampling by using 13 people as models. The data collection technique used observation and documentation. Data analysis technique used descriptive technique. The results of the study showed that 1) there were two times design change of the validity of welat creation, each product passed through several stages of designing, forming, determining the material and printing, 3) the first way of using the welat determined the distance dot between the cengkorongan of both forms by using welat according to the existed mold. In conclusion, Innovative welat can produce paes in accordance with the standard and shorten the process.

  9. Organisational innovation and control practices: the case of public-private mix in tuberculosis control in India.

    PubMed

    Engel, Nora; van Lente, Harro

    2014-07-01

    Partnerships between public and private healthcare providers are often seen as an important way to improve health care in resource-constrained settings. Despite the reconfirmed policy support for including private providers into public tuberculosis control in India, the public-private mix (PPM) activities continue to face apprehension at local implementation sites. This article investigates the causes for those difficulties by examining PPM initiatives as cases of organisational innovation. It examines findings from semi-structured interviews, observations and document analyses in India around three different PPM models and the attempts of innovating and scaling up. The results reveal that in PPM initiatives underlying problem definitions and different control practices, including supervision, standardisation and culture, continue to clash and ultimately hinder the scaling up of PPM. Successful PPM initiatives require organisational control practices which are rooted in different professions to be bridged. This entails difficult balancing acts between innovation and control. The innovators handle those differently, based on their own ideas of the problem that PPM should address and their own control practices. We offer new perspectives on why collaboration is so difficult and show a possible way to mitigate the established apprehensions between professions in order to make organisational innovations, such as PPM, sustainable and scalable. © 2013 The Authors Sociology of Health & Illness © 2013 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Innovative healthcare systems on their way to the market: how to cope with commercialization barriers.

    PubMed

    Hofmann, Isa

    2007-01-01

    Healthcare markets and healthcare systems worldwide will be undergoing tremendous changes in the upcoming 5-10 years. We will experience a paradigm shift in the personal awareness and responsibility of disease prevention and health management. Skyrocketing costs, an ageing population and a variety of technical innovations that enhance the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases or suffering from geriatric ailments will open up new horizons for a variety of partly textile based preventative, therapeutic & diagnostic systems, devices & technologies. Mainly these innovations are geared to optimize the patients comfort and concedes more freedom of mobility. However all partners in the healthcare value distribution chain need to cooperate in vue of the patients empowerment to bring innovations quicker to the market and find viable and cost efficient solutions.

  11. Social Networking for the K-12 Set

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klein, Jim

    2008-01-01

    Education technology leaders are ever seeking new ways to eliminate the traditional social and geographic boundaries that hinder communication and collaboration for both K-12 students and educators. Larger districts with geographically dispersed schools often find that innovative ideas for technology use and integration are balkanized into…

  12. Drought monitoring: Historical and current perspectives

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Given the complex dimensions of drought and the challenges they pose for routine drought monitoring, it is essential that we continue to find innovative and robust ways to quantify and more effectively communicate the impacts of this hazard as part of an operational Drought Early Warning System. Th...

  13. Responding to Institutional Concerns and Faculty Needs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehrotra, Chandra M. N.

    1984-01-01

    Colleges are encouraged to find innovative ways to meet institutional needs and the individual needs of faculty approaching retirement by offering such alternatives as phased retirement, part-time teaching, or contract employment within the institution or in the community, according to individual talents, maintenance patterns, and interests. (MSE)

  14. A Standard to Sustain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Mary M.

    2003-01-01

    Throughout Vermont, at every grade level, students are finding innovative ways to get involved with issues that challenge their communities and affect their future. The efforts reflect a 2000 state commitment to education for sustainability. Vermont educators often describe sustainability as a lens through which to analyze use of resources. By…

  15. Environmental Management Competitive Pressure Effect on SME Environmental Innovation Activities: A Green Supply Chain Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rashid, A. A.; Sidek, A. A.; Suffian, S. A.; Daud, M. R. C.

    2018-01-01

    The idea of assimilating green supply chain is to integrate and establish environmental management into the supply chain practices. The study aims to explore how environmental management competitive pressure influences a SME company in Malaysia to incorporate green supply chain integration, which is an efficient platform to develop environmental innovation. This study further advances green supply chain management research in Malaysia by using the method of quantitative analysis to analyze the model developed which data will be collected based on a sample of SMEs in Malaysia in manufacturing sector. The model developed in this study illustrates how environmental management competitive pressure from main competitors affects three fundamental dimensions of green supply chain integration. The research findings suggest that environmental management competitive pressure is a vital driving force for a SME company to incorporate internal and external collaboration in developing green product innovation. From the analysis conducted, the study strongly demonstrated that the best way for a company to counteract competitor’s environmental management success is to first implement strong internal green product development process then move to incorporate external environmental management innovation between their suppliers and customers. The findings also show that internal integration of green product innovation fully mediates the relationship of environmental management competitive pressure and the external integration of green product innovation.

  16. Innovative Educational Program: A New Edge of Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chong, L. L.; Lai, M. M.; Ong, H. B.; Tan, S. H.; Lan, N. T. P.

    Quality education program is always expected in order to produce competent and knowledgeable graduate to meet the demand from the employers` market. Despite the popularized of online education, in-class education programs are still remained as the core of the mode of education in present days. This study focuses on the learning outcome of innovative education programs and assesses the competitive advantages of those degrees as perceived by the employers. To define innovation education, it is best described as an innovative way of teaching in expanding students` critical thinking skills, personal leadership and entrepreneurial skills in building a pool of knowledge workers. Present findings indicate that with better technological skills, critical thinking and strong leadership, the prospect of these graduates are believed aplenty. Nevertheless, the efforts set up by higher education to train such graduates are a vital link to the quality of the innovative education programs.

  17. Drug discovery in the next decade: innovation needed ASAP.

    PubMed

    Bennani, Youssef L

    2011-09-01

    Pharmaceutical companies must find a better way to increase their output of truly new drugs for the benefit of patients and for their business survival. Here, I highlight a general perspective from within pharmaceutical research as it pertains to research advances in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and toxicology that, if well integrated, stands to put the industry on a productive path. In addition, I provide a complementary perspective on the corporate culture aspect of innovation. I also introduce a new concept, termed 'innovation ASAP' (iASAP; asking powerful questions, seeking the outliers, accepting defeat and populating astutely) and provide support for it using examples of several successful drugs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Open-market innovation.

    PubMed

    Rigby, Darrell; Zook, Chris

    2002-10-01

    Companies in many industries are feeling immense pressure to improve their ability to innovate. Even in these tough economic times, executives have pushed innovation initiatives to the top of their priority lists, but they know that the best ideas aren't always coming out of their own R&D labs. That's why a growing number of companies are exploring the idea of open-market innovation--an approach that uses tools such as licensing, joint ventures, and strategic alliances to bring the benefits of free trade to the flow of new ideas. For instance, when faced with the unanticipated anthrax scare last fall, Pitney Bowes had nothing in its R&D pipeline to help its customers combat the deadly spores. So it sought help from outside innovators to come up with scanning and imaging technologies that could alert its customers to tainted letters and packages. And Dow Chemical and Cargill jointly produced a new form of plastic derived from plant starches--a breakthrough product that neither company could have created on its own. In this article, Bain consultants Darrell Rigby and Chris Zook describe the advantages and disadvantages of open-market innovation and the ways some companies are using it to gain competitive advantage. By importing ideas from the outside, the authors say, companies can collect more and better ideas from different kinds of experts. Creative types within a company will stick around longer if they know their ideas will eventually find a home--as internal R&D projects or as concepts licensed to outside buyers. Exporting ideas also gives companies a way to measure an innovation's real value. However, the authors warn against entering into open-market innovation without properly structuring deals: Xerox and TRW virtually gave away their innovations and had to stand by while other companies capitalized on them.

  19. Partnering: An Engine for Innovation, Continuum Magazine, Fall 2014 / Issue 7; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2014-10-01

    This issue of Continuum highlights the many ways NREL partners with private industry and other research institutions. You will find references to many of the partnerships and examples of the scope of our engagement with industry leaders, government organizations, and startups.

  20. Smarter Charters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kahlenberg, Richard D.; Potter, Halley

    2015-01-01

    Charter schools--what was their original promise? They would enroll diverse groups of students. They would give teachers the room and power to innovate. They would be educational laboratories that would find new ways to reach students, and they would share those lessons with other public schools. But charter schools haven't lived up to their…

  1. Facing Facts. Annual Report, 2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallace Foundation, The, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This annual report highlights the work of some grantees who are finding innovative ways to respond to today's new challenges based on a rigorous commitment by their leadership to gathering pertinent facts. These include cities that are planning wide-scale, lasting improvements in arts learning or out-of-school opportunities, basing their choices…

  2. Anatomy of an Alumnus. Commentary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weerts, David

    2011-01-01

    In today's resource scarce environment, it is no surprise that colleges and universities are seeking innovative ways to bolster charitable giving among their alumni. Stripling's article focuses on how alumni research conducted at Claremont McKenna College aims to find out what graduates need and expect from their alma mater. Claremont McKenna…

  3. A Virtual Good Idea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bolch, Matt

    2009-01-01

    School districts across the country have always had to do more with less. Funding goes only so far, leaving administrators and IT staff to find innovative ways to save money while maintaining a high level of academic quality. Creating virtual servers accomplishes both tasks, district technology personnel say. Virtual environments not only allow…

  4. Taking Learning to the Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanistreet, Paul

    2009-01-01

    These are tough times for adult and community learning, with many providers struggling to sustain a broad curriculum offer that includes a wide-ranging adult learning programme. South Devon College is determined to keep its flourishing adult offer alive but realises that, with funding increasingly scarce, it has to find innovative ways of ensuring…

  5. Staying in School: Partnerships for Educational Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, Ian M.; And Others

    Faced with alarming dropout rates, educators must find ways to encourage students at risk of dropping out to remain in school. This book describes a variety of prevention programs based on partnerships between universities and local elementary and secondary schools. Among the innovative approaches were combining education and social services in…

  6. Project Newgate: Morehead State University and Federal Youth Center Institutional Coordination and Cooperation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norfleet, Morris L.

    An experimental prison program on a college campus is discussed. The purpose of the project, Project Newgate, is to find innovative ways of helping society's wrongdoers. Problems discussed are: salaries, travel expenses, communications, supplies, personnel training, admission, staff recruitment, and policy formation. (CK)

  7. The work of local healthcare innovation: a qualitative study of GP-led integrated diabetes care in primary health care.

    PubMed

    Foster, Michele; Burridge, Letitia; Donald, Maria; Zhang, Jianzhen; Jackson, Claire

    2016-01-14

    Service delivery innovation is at the heart of efforts to combat the growing burden of chronic disease and escalating healthcare expenditure. Small-scale, locally-led service delivery innovation is a valuable source of learning about the complexities of change and the actions of local change agents. This exploratory qualitative study captures the perspectives of clinicians and managers involved in a general practitioner-led integrated diabetes care innovation. Data on these change agents' perspectives on the local innovation and how it works in the local context were collected through focus groups and semi-structured interviews at two primary health care sites. Transcribed data were analysed thematically. Normalization Process Theory provided a framework to explore perspectives on the individual and collective work involved in putting the innovation into practice in local service delivery contexts. Twelve primary health care clinicians, hospital-based medical specialists and practice managers participated in the study, which represented the majority involved in the innovation at the two sites. The thematic analysis highlighted three main themes of local innovation work: 1) trusting and embedding new professional relationships; 2) synchronizing services and resources; and 3) reconciling realities of innovation work. As a whole, the findings show that while locally-led service delivery innovation is designed to respond to local problems, convincing others to trust change and managing the boundary tensions is core to local work, particularly when it challenges taken-for-granted practices and relationships. Despite this, the findings also show that local innovators can and do act in both discretionary and creative ways to progress the innovation. The use of Normalization Process Theory uncovered some critical professional, organizational and structural factors early in the progression of the innovation. The key to local service delivery innovation lies in building coalitions of trust at the point of service delivery and persuading organizational and institutional mindsets to consider the opportunities of locally-led innovation.

  8. Identifying critical steps towards improved access to innovation in cancer care: a European CanCer Organisation position paper.

    PubMed

    Aapro, Matti; Astier, Alain; Audisio, Riccardo; Banks, Ian; Bedossa, Pierre; Brain, Etienne; Cameron, David; Casali, Paolo; Chiti, Arturo; De Mattos-Arruda, Leticia; Kelly, Daniel; Lacombe, Denis; Nilsson, Per J; Piccart, Martine; Poortmans, Philip; Riklund, Katrine; Saeter, Gunnar; Schrappe, Martin; Soffietti, Riccardo; Travado, Luzia; van Poppel, Hein; Wait, Suzanne; Naredi, Peter

    2017-09-01

    In recent decades cancer care has seen improvements in the speed and accuracy of diagnostic procedures; the effectiveness of surgery, radiation therapy and medical treatments; the power of information technology; and the development of multidisciplinary, specialist-led approaches to care. Such innovations are essential if we are to continue improving the lives of cancer patients across Europe despite financial pressures on our healthcare systems. Investment in innovation must be balanced with the need to ensure the sustainability of healthcare budgets, and all health professionals have a responsibility to help achieve this balance. It requires scrutiny of the way care is delivered; we must be ready to discontinue practices or interventions that are inefficient, and prioritise innovations that may deliver the best outcomes possible for patients within the limits of available resources. Decisions on innovations should take into account their long-term impact on patient outcomes and costs, not just their immediate costs. Adopting a culture of innovation requires a multidisciplinary team approach, with the patient at the centre and an integral part of the team. It must take a whole-system and whole-patient perspective on cancer care and be guided by high-quality real-world data, including outcomes relevant to the patient and actual costs of care; this accurately reflects the impact of any innovation in clinical practice. The European CanCer Organisation is committed to working with its member societies, patient organisations and the cancer community at large to find sustainable ways to identify and integrate the most meaningful innovations into all aspects of cancer care. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Partnership in Innovative Preparation for Educators and Students (PIPES)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-23

    it? Sign up for this workshop to find out! You will construct a working wind generator to find out which turbine generates the most electricity...program an advanced robot that will accomplish a greater number of amazing tasks using additional sensors and commands. Requires some previous NXT...tech wireless networks and cell phones to solve a cyber-bullying mystery . Learn ways to stay safe online. 19 Kitchen Chemistry – Science and

  10. POWER Innovation: Transforming a Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quattrochi, David P.; Robinson, Edward J.; Chapman, Paul E.

    2014-01-01

    The Carrollton Exempted Village School District is experiencing a major transformation due to the Utica Shale industry boom that has positively impacted the district. New money has not been passed by the voters since 1977. As a result, the administration and board had to find alternative ways to fund the district, which includes partnering with…

  11. Invention at Play. Educators' Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Judd, Michael; Lacasse, Jane; Smith, Monica; Reilly, Katie

    A Smithsonian exhibition was developed that looked at invention in an innovative way. It aimed to encourage visitors to make connections between their own lives and abilities and those of inventors. The role of play in the invention process was examined. Play is a universal and familiar activity and can help people find the link between their own…

  12. La Nueva Esperanza-Hispanics and Catholic Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vazquez Matos, Alberto

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the administrators of a Roman Catholic Diocese needed to find innovative ways to make connections with, educate, and recruit Hispanic families, or they would begin to see their schools close. It is important to understand the needs and culture of Hispanics in the United States in order to create strong academic programs, culturally…

  13. Design Optimization through M.A.S.H. Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ringholz, David

    2005-01-01

    In the classroom, it is often challenging to find new ways to approach and present complex material. This is particularly true in design education, where innovation is highly valued and often required. A student developing a design for a new product has to successfully resolve multiple variables simultaneously while refining his/her own…

  14. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Home Page | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    the STEM Wheel May 22, 2018 Breakdown Breakthrough: NREL Finds Easier Ways to Deconstruct Biomass May Accelerates Innovation and Adoption of Geothermal Technologies May 18, 2018 Research Turbine Leaves Legacy in and research breakthroughs from NREL. Sign up now Data and Tools Data and Tools Partnership

  15. The Next Generation of State Assessment and Accountability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rothman, Robert; Marion, Scott F.

    2016-01-01

    A pilot program in New Hampshire models innovative ways creating and applying state assessments and educator accountability. A study of New Hampshire's new system, which has already received approval by the U.S. Department of Education under a waiver from NCLB, finds some positive results and also suggests challenges states might face in putting…

  16. Faculty practice in a small liberal arts college.

    PubMed

    Speziale, H J

    2001-01-01

    Small liberal arts colleges are challenged to find ways to participate in faculty practice. With limited access to large healthcare centers, small liberal arts colleges must create innovative faculty practice models. The author shares one college's experience in faculty practice that can be used by others, detailing practice development, funding, developmental challenges, and future goals.

  17. Rethinking Creativity: Present in Expression in Creative Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Soon Ye

    2017-01-01

    Often defined as originality and innovation and desired for the economic profits it can produce for both individuals and their societies, creativity has been examined in order to find ways in which it can be promoted through various instructional practices in and beyond schools. Nonetheless, creativity as a fundamental basis of human existence and…

  18. Agency and Reflexivity in Boomtown Transitions: Young People Deciding on a School and Work Direction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connor, Christopher D.

    2014-01-01

    In recent decades, young people's transitions from school to work have undergone substantial changes. As young people make their way from compulsory schooling to employment, they find themselves having to navigate an increasingly complex, technologically innovative and globalised world. These social changes have prompted youth researchers to…

  19. Preservice Physical Education Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scrabis-Fletcher, Kristin; Juniu, Susana; Zullo, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Effective technology integration within all areas of education is an objective in most schools given the amount of time students are using technology personally and at school. PE teachers have been challenged to find innovative ways to integrate technology to enhance student learning. A specific type of knowledge is necessary for integration…

  20. Self-Regulated Learning: A Touchstone for Technology-Enhanced Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McQuirter Scott, Ruth; Meeussen, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Technology-enhanced classrooms offer dynamic possibilities for teachers and students. The teacher's role can shift from being an expert in control of the class to being a coach who challenges students to use technology to explore the world and share their findings in innovative ways. Such redefining of roles, however, involves risk and often…

  1. Framework for Sustaining Innovation at Baker Library, Harvard Business School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dolan, Meghan; Hemment, Michael; Oliver, Stephanie

    2017-01-01

    Baker Library at Harvard Business School is increasingly asked by the school's faculty to create custom digital information products to enhance course assignments and to find novel ways of electronically disseminating faculty research. In order to prioritize these requests, as well as facilitate, manage, and track the resulting projects, the…

  2. Integrating the "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" to Improve National Fundraising Objectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Monica G.

    2008-01-01

    Improving academic achievement is at the heart of college and university fund development. It has become increasingly important for fundraisers in educational settings to find innovative means to improve educational opportunities by increasing the institution's financial resources. The purpose of this article is to discuss the benefits of…

  3. Five Recession-Driven Strategies for Planning and Managing Campus Facilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudden, Michael S.

    2010-01-01

    Colleges and universities continue to face significant fiscal challenges in the current recession. A review of ongoing campus facilities planning projects, coupled with a review of more than 30 recent campus master planning requests for proposals and the relevant literature, indicates that colleges and universities are finding innovative ways to…

  4. Strategies for achieving orthopedic service line success.

    PubMed

    Lang, Stacey; Powers, Kristi

    2013-12-01

    Healthcare finance leaders can work with orthopedic surgeons to support better outcomes, clinically and financially, by: Establishing innovative partnerships among hospital leaders, orthopedic surgeons, and implant vendors. Developing and enforcing expectations around contracting and vendor behavior. Establishing a forum for open communication. Building a bundled payment structure. Finding ways to differentiate from the competition.

  5. Students' Perspectives of Using Cooperative Learning in a Flipped Statistics Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Liwen; Chen, Tung-Liang; Chen, Nian-Shing

    2015-01-01

    Statistics has been recognised as one of the most anxiety-provoking subjects to learn in the higher education context. Educators have continuously endeavoured to find ways to integrate digital technologies and innovative pedagogies in the classroom to eliminate the fear of statistics. The purpose of this study is to systematically identify…

  6. Stories about Struggling Readers and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Rebecca; Balajthy, Ernest

    2009-01-01

    Educators have moved on from older models of technology-based education that focused on the attributes and basic uses of the hardware and software available to them. Now they are finding the necessary creative and innovative ways to harness technology's power for school and community educational improvement. In this column, the authors tell four…

  7. Anchoring Globalization in Hong Kong's Research Universities: Network Agents, Institutional Arrangements, and Brain Circulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Postiglione, Gerard A.

    2013-01-01

    International competition drives research universities to find ways to anchor globalization for academic productivity and innovation through cross-border collaboration. This article examines the case of pre- and post-colonial Hong Kong and how its universities transited from undergraduate institutions to highly ranked research universities within…

  8. Teaching HR Professionals: The Classroom as a Community of Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowlands, Kate; Avramenko, Alex

    2013-01-01

    This paper introduces an innovative course design incorporating both communities of practice and reflective practice as a learning strategy for part-time learners in higher education. The new design has been applied to teaching HR practitioners in a UK-based business school. Findings indicate that the suggested way of organizing teaching and…

  9. Process antecedents of challenging, under-cover and readily-adopted innovations.

    PubMed

    Adams, Richard; Tranfield, David; Denyer, David

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to test the utility of a taxonomy of innovation based on perceived characteristics in the context of healthcare by exploring the extent to which discrete innovation types could be distinguished from each other in terms of process antecedents. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the process antecedents of nine exemplar cases of "challenging", "under-cover" and "readily-adopted" healthcare innovations. Data were collected by semi-structured interview and from secondary sources, and content analysed according to a theoretically informed framework of innovation process. Cluster analysis was applied to determine whether innovation types could be distinguished on the basis of process characteristics. The findings provide moderate support for the proposition that innovations differentiated on the basis of the way they are perceived by potential users exhibit different process characteristics. Innovations exhibiting characteristics previously believed negatively to impact adoption may be successfully adopted but by a different configuration of processes than by innovations exhibiting a different set of characteristics. The findings must be treated with caution because the sample consists of self-selected cases of successful innovation and is limited by sample size. Nevertheless, the study sheds new light on important process differences in healthcare innovation. The paper offers a heuristic device to aid clinicians and managers to better understand the relatively novel task of promoting and managing innovation in healthcare. The paper advances the argument that there is under-exploited opportunity for cross-disciplinary organisational learning for innovation management in the NHS. If efficiency and quality improvement targets are to be met through a strategy of encouraging innovation, it may be advantageous for clinicians and managers to reflect on what this study found mostly to be absent from the processes of the innovations studied, notably management commitment in the form of norms, resource allocation and top management support. This paper is based on original empirical work. It extends previous adoption related studies by applying a configurational approach to innovation attributes to offer new insights on healthcare innovation and highlight the importance of attention to process.

  10. Finding disturbances in on-farm biogas production.

    PubMed

    Antonio, Pereira-Querol Marco; Laura, Seppänen

    2012-01-01

    When implementing innovations, disturbances are very likely to take place. Disturbances are undesirable because they can lead to unwanted outcomes, such as economic losses and work overload to workers. However, they can be powerful opportunities for learning and re-designing innovations. Here, we will present activity theoretical tools for analyzing disturbances in a way that they could be used as learning opportunities. We illustrate the proposed tools by analyzing a disturbance that took place during the implementation of a project of biogas production. By interpreting the disturbance process with a network of activity systems, we found that on-farm disturbances were formed as ruptures, innovations and asynchronies originated in other activity systems. This finding suggests that disturbances are outcomes of the functioning of networks, rather than simple results of failure of individuals or technical devices. The proposed tools could be used in interventions to help practitioners and ergonomists to recognize the systemic and networked nature of problems, and therefore, realize that they may require the collaboration of actors from different activities. In this sense, disturbances may be turned into opportunities for learning and developing innovations. We conclude by discussing how the method could be used in ergonomic design and intervention.

  11. What's Your Story?: Dutch Library DOK's New Cutting-Edge Community Tech Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boekesteijn, Erik

    2010-01-01

    DOK, the cutting-edge library center in Delft, the Netherlands, has been finding new ways to elaborate on the social networking impulse. A good library unites people from all levels of society, and DOK's unique innovation department focuses specifically on how media can bring people together. It's doing so using technology to inspire and connect…

  12. A Learning-Center Solution for Using Technology in Elementary Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casey, Amy C.

    2005-01-01

    The challenge for educators today is to overcome this barrage of media and technology and find innovative ways to help students learn. But, how can teachers compete for student attention when this is the challenge? How can they improve learning experiences and make them relevant to our students' lives? Integrating technology into the music…

  13. Moving from CFO to COO.

    PubMed

    Williams, Jeni

    2012-08-01

    Strategies for positioning yourself for the role of COO or chief administrative officer include the following: Learn more than just the financial aspects of running a hospital or health system. Cultivate deep self awareness of your attributes as a leader. Find ways to accelerate innovation in your organization. Take a fresh look at issues that are continuing challenges for your organization.

  14. Innovations in cost management.

    PubMed

    Daly, Rich

    2014-03-01

    To better understand true costs and use this knowledge to drive savings, health systems are: finding ways to combine clinical and financial data to identify clinical care savings, including equipment not just care variation when researching clinical cost drivers, benchmarking to identify both relatively high-cost areas and lower-cost approaches, including nonclinical support areas when looking for systemwide cost drivers.

  15. Socially Relevant Knowledge Based Telemedicine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-10-01

    or attitude at different situations and different circumstances. Fogg mentions that there are many reasons that computers can be better persuaders...finding appropriate way to persuade users to perform various activities. Fogg [8] defines persuasive technologies as “interactive computing systems...Education, IEEE Consumer Electronics Society Conference Games Innovation, ICE-GIC, 2009, pp 54-63. [8] Fogg , B. J., Persuasive Technology: Using

  16. Circle of Strength: Tribal Colleges Aim to Recruit and Retain Native Male Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pember, Mary Annette

    2011-01-01

    As tribal colleges aim to retain Native male students, they're finding that talking, drumming, construction, and spirituality may keep men in school. Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College (LCOOCC, Hayward, Wisconsin) is just one of the tribal colleges across the country looking for innovative ways to attract and retain more men.…

  17. Finding New Ways to Foster Clean Energy Partnerships - Continuum Magazine

    Science.gov Websites

    market impact of the research conducted at DOE's national laboratories by doubling the intensity of . Many of these achievements stem from internal process improvements that have enhanced NREL's ability to " that factors in elements of each innovation's patentability, commercial impact, and licensing

  18. On the Spiritual Dimension of Education: Finding a Common Ground

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dayton, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Questions about the place of spirituality in publicly funded schools are made difficult in a multicultural secular society. I discuss the work of Paulus Geheeb and Rabindranath Tagore, two great 20th century educational innovators, to offer, by way of an argument from analogy with the social importance of moral education, a common ground for…

  19. Teaching "How Science Works" by Making and Sharing Videos

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingram, Neil

    2010-01-01

    "Science.tv" is a website where teachers and pupils can find quality video clips on a variety of scientific topics. It enables pupils to share research ideas and adds a dynamic new dimension to practical work. It has the potential to become an innovative way of incorporating "How science works" into secondary science curricula by encouraging…

  20. State insurance exchanges face challenges in offering standardized choices alongside innovative value-based insurance.

    PubMed

    Corlette, Sabrina; Downs, David; Monahan, Christine H; Yondorf, Barbara

    2013-02-01

    Value-based insurance is a relatively new approach to health insurance in which financial barriers, such as copayments, are lowered for clinical services that are considered high value, while consumer cost sharing may be increased for services considered to be of uncertain value. Such plans are complex and do not easily fit into the simplified, consumer-friendly comparison tools that many state health insurance exchanges are formulating for use in 2014. Nevertheless some states and plans are attempting to strike the right balance between a streamlined health exchange shopping experience and innovative, albeit complex, benefit design that promotes value. For example, agencies administering exchanges in Vermont and Oregon are contemplating offering value-based insurance plans as an option in addition to a set of standardized plans. In the postreform environment, policy makers must find ways to present complex value-based insurance plans in a way that consumers and employers can more readily understand.

  1. The innovator's DNA.

    PubMed

    Dyer, Jeffrey H; Gregersen, Hal B; Christensen, Clayton M

    2009-12-01

    "How do I find innovative people for my organization? And how can I become more innovative myself?" These are questions that stump most senior executives, who know that the ability to innovate is the "secret sauce" of business success. Perhaps for this reason most of us stand in awe of the work of visionary entrepreneurs such as Apple's Steve Jobs, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, eBay's Pierre Omidyar, and P&G's A.G. Lafley. How do these individuals come up with groundbreaking new ideas? In this article, Dyer, of Brigham Young University; Gregersen, of Insead; and Christensen, of Harvard Business School, reveal how innovative entrepreneurs differ from typical executives. Their study demonstrates that five "discovery skills" distinguish the most creative executives: Associating helps them discover new directions by making connections among seemingly unrelated questions, problems, or ideas. Questioning allows innovators to break out of the status quo and consider new ideas. Through observing, innovators carefully and consistently look out for small behavioral details--in the activities of customers, suppliers, and other companies -to gain insights about new ways of doing things. In experimenting, they relentlessly try on new experiences and explore the world. And through networking with diverse individuals from an array of backgrounds, they gain radically different perspectives.

  2. Approaches to education provision for mobile pastoralists.

    PubMed

    Dyer, C

    2016-11-01

    Experiences of mobile pastoralists often attest to a wide range of contradictions about the presumed advantages of formal education. While effort to 'reach' pastoralists has intensified under the global Education for All movement, there remain considerable difficulties in finding ways to make formal education relate to pastoralist livelihoods and complement endogenous knowledge. This paper examines how these dynamics play out across models of formal and non-formal education service provision, and identifies innovations that offer promising ways forward: Alternative Basic Education, Open and Distance Learning, and Pastoralist Field Schools.

  3. Value innovation: an important aspect of global surgical care

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Limited resources in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) drive tremendous innovation in medicine, as well as in other fields. It is not often recognized that several important surgical tools and methods, widely used in high-income countries, have their origins in LMICs. Surgical care around the world stands much to gain from these innovations. In this paper, we provide a short review of some of these succesful innovations and their origins that have had an important impact in healthcare delivery worldwide. Review Examples of LMIC innovations that have been adapted in high-income countries include the Bogotá bag for temporary abdominal wound closure, the orthopaedic external fixator for complex fractures, a hydrocephalus fluid valve for normal pressure hydrocephalus, and intra-ocular lens and manual small incision cataract surgery. LMIC innovations that have had tremendous potential global impact include mosquito net mesh for inguinal hernia repair, and a flutter valve for intercostal drainage of pneumothorax. Conclusion Surgical innovations from LMICs have been shown to have comparable outcomes at a fraction of the cost of tools used in high-income countries. These innovations have the potential to revolutionize global surgical care. Advocates should actively seek out these innovations, campaign for the financial gains from these innovations to benefit their originators and their countries, and find ways to develop and distribute them locally as well as globally. PMID:24393237

  4. Value innovation: an important aspect of global surgical care.

    PubMed

    Cotton, Michael; Henry, Jaymie Ang; Hasek, Lauren

    2014-01-06

    Limited resources in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) drive tremendous innovation in medicine, as well as in other fields. It is not often recognized that several important surgical tools and methods, widely used in high-income countries, have their origins in LMICs. Surgical care around the world stands much to gain from these innovations. In this paper, we provide a short review of some of these successful innovations and their origins that have had an important impact in healthcare delivery worldwide. Examples of LMIC innovations that have been adapted in high-income countries include the Bogotá bag for temporary abdominal wound closure, the orthopaedic external fixator for complex fractures, a hydrocephalus fluid valve for normal pressure hydrocephalus, and intra-ocular lens and manual small incision cataract surgery. LMIC innovations that have had tremendous potential global impact include mosquito net mesh for inguinal hernia repair, and a flutter valve for intercostal drainage of pneumothorax. Surgical innovations from LMICs have been shown to have comparable outcomes at a fraction of the cost of tools used in high-income countries. These innovations have the potential to revolutionize global surgical care. Advocates should actively seek out these innovations, campaign for the financial gains from these innovations to benefit their originators and their countries, and find ways to develop and distribute them locally as well as globally.

  5. Exploration of Counsellors' Perceptions of the Redesigned Service Pathways: A Qualitative Study of a UK University Student Counselling Service

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Randall, Eve M.; Bewick, Bridgette M.

    2016-01-01

    To address the mental health needs of students, UK universities offer bespoke student counselling services. Economic pressures have led services to find innovative ways of redesigning their service pathway. Few studies have investigated staff perceptions of these changes. The aim of this study was to investigate perceptions of staff employed as…

  6. Student Achievement Using Web 2.0 Technologies: A Mixed Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malhiwsky, Dallas R.

    2010-01-01

    The need for proficient speakers of multiple languages has emerged as a result of political and economic forces in the last decade driving the challenge to find effective and efficient way to teach and learn languages. The past decade has brought numerous innovations and advances in the area of technology, which have changed the role from one of…

  7. NREL Innovation Improves Safety of Electric Vehicle Batteries | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    spacesuits and EDVs led NREL to join forces with NASA in finding new, more precise ways to trigger internal . Now, the resulting first-of-its-kind ISC device is being used by NREL, NASA, and manufacturers to study battery responses to these latent flaws and determine solutions. "The trials with NASA have

  8. Homeless Families with Children: Programmatic Responses of Five Communities. Volume I: Cross-Site Comparisons and Findings.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macro Systems, Inc., Silver Spring, MD.

    An exploratory study was conducted to examine the ways in which existing programs or service delivery systems have adapted to meet the needs of homeless families with children. Key issues and model and innovative approaches were identified prior to study site visits in five cities: (1) Atlanta (Georgia); (2) Baltimore (Maryland); (3) Boston…

  9. Application of Change Agent Study Findings to the Formulation of Title IVC: Local Role.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weinman, Janice

    This paper addresses three issues--current constraints on the local level that contribute to failures to bring about innovation, conditions that have been isolated as significant to the success of the change process, and ways in which Title IV-C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act could encourage the presence of these favorable…

  10. Learning for the Next Generation: Predicting the Usage of Synthetic Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, Arthur William, III

    2010-01-01

    The push to further the use of technology in learning has broadened the attempts of many to find innovated ways to aid the new, technologically savvy generation of learners, in acquiring the knowledge needed for their education and training. A critical component to the success of these initiatives is the proper application of the "science of…

  11. Jobs to Manufacturing Careers: Work-Based Courses. Work-Based Learning in Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kobes, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    This case study, one of a series of publications exploring effective and inclusive models of work-based learning, finds that work-based courses bring college to the production line by using the job as a learning lab. Work-based courses are an innovative way to give incumbent workers access to community college credits and degrees. They are…

  12. Leveraging Intelligent Adaptive Learning to Personalize Education: A Special White Paper Based upon the Speak Up 2011 National Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Project Tomorrow, 2012

    2012-01-01

    Each year, Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit organization, facilitates the Speak Up National Research Project and, as part of this initiative, tracks the growing student, educator and parent interest in digital learning, and how the nation's schools and districts are addressing that interest with innovative ways to use technology in…

  13. The Researcher and the Studier: On Stress, Tiredness and Homelessness in the University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodgson, Naomi

    2016-01-01

    Recent European policy has seen a shift from a concern with lifelong learning in the Lisbon Strategy to research and innovation in the Horizon 2020 programme. Accordingly, there has been an increased policy focus on the researcher who, like the lifelong learner must be entrepreneurial, adaptable, mobile, but who must also find new ways in which to…

  14. Using ICT for Training Teachers in Design and Technology Education (TTDTE)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorsteinsson, Gísli

    2012-01-01

    The paper outlines the TTPTE project (2010-2011) which was based on the need for innovative and effective ideas for increasing the efficiency of teachers' in design and technology daily work. The project was aimed at finding new ways of how to support in-service teachers in design and technology education and how teachers themselves can upgrade…

  15. Collaboration among Faculty Members and Community Partners: Increasing the Quality of Online Library and Information Science Graduate Programs through Academic Service-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Angel, Christine M.

    2016-01-01

    Finding innovative ways to deliver effective classroom instruction resulting in demonstration of student proficiency of the eight American Library Association core competencies within the online learning environment is challenging. While the use of technology is very important in the delivery of course content, focusing on the pedagogy of teaching…

  16. Workarounds and obstacles: unexpected source of innovation.

    PubMed

    Lalley, Cathy

    2014-01-01

    Nurse leaders are aware that nurses are finding ways to adapt health information technology to patient care activities. Previous literature has presented nurses' response to technology obstacles as a work-around, characterized as a negative behavior. Using narrative inquiry, this article examines 9 direct care nurses' interactions on a medical/surgical/telemetry unit. Specifically, nurses' encounters with technology obstacles will be addressed from a complexity science perspective. Four support staff including the clinical nurse manager, pharmacist, quality nurse, and project manager who is also a nurse were interviewed as part of data collection. Complexity science provides nurse leaders' insight into nurses' behavior where outcomes emerge from tensions in the environment through multidirectional and self-organizing interactions. Innovation was found when nurses responded to health information technology obstacles with self-organizing interactions, sensitivity to initial conditions, and multidirectionality. Their actions were also influenced by many sets of rules. Nurses self-organized with coworkers to find better ways to deliver care to patients when using technology. Opportunities exist for nurse leaders to facilitate interactions among nurses and other members of the organization to realize better use of health information technology that improves the patient experience.

  17. Xenia: A Metaphor for Sense-Making and Acting in Information Systems Innovation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Higgins, Allen; Vidolov, Simeon; Frößler, Frank; Mullaney, Doreen

    This paper draws on Ciborra's insightful concept of xenia (i.e., hospitality) to analyze how successful infrastructural service innovation was managed at the local operations of an international financial services firm. The xenia concept problematizes the information system development (ISD) orthodoxy and points to issues and aspects that are often overlooked or considered irrelevant in structured methodologies. In interpreting the findings of the empirical study—in which a highly successful (but radical) big bang transition from one technology platform to another takes place over a single weekend—we suggest that IS implementation and development is an emergent process in which technology and users are continually redefined. This process resembles an emotional "meeting" between host and guest who, over time, develop mutual familiarity and acceptance. Further, we argue that the metaphor of xenia opens space for reconsidering conventional but socially sterile approaches to IS innovation; xenia offers a radically different way for understanding and acting upon ISD. Our analysis highlights the intrinsic socio-technical interplay underlying IS development and implementation, and raises questions about the importance of local cultures of "hospitality" and ways they may be cultivated and nurtured in order to alleviate the meeting between technology and organizations.

  18. Innovative Legal Approaches to Address Obesity

    PubMed Central

    Pomeranz, Jennifer L; Teret, Stephen P; Sugarman, Stephen D; Rutkow, Lainie; Brownell, Kelly D

    2009-01-01

    Context: The law is a powerful public health tool with considerable potential to address the obesity issue. Scientific advances, gaps in the current regulatory environment, and new ways of conceptualizing rights and responsibilities offer a foundation for legal innovation. Methods: This article connects developments in public health and nutrition with legal advances to define promising avenues for preventing obesity through the application of the law. Findings: Two sets of approaches are defined: (1) direct application of the law to factors known to contribute to obesity and (2) original and innovative legal solutions that address the weak regulatory stance of government and the ineffectiveness of existing policies used to control obesity. Specific legal strategies are discussed for limiting children's food marketing, confronting the potential addictive properties of food, compelling industry speech, increasing government speech, regulating conduct, using tort litigation, applying nuisance law as a litigation strategy, and considering performance-based regulation as an alternative to typical regulatory actions. Finally, preemption is an overriding issue and can play both a facilitative and a hindering role in obesity policy. Conclusions: Legal solutions are immediately available to the government to address obesity and should be considered at the federal, state, and local levels. New and innovative legal solutions represent opportunities to take the law in creative directions and to link legal, nutrition, and public health communities in constructive ways. PMID:19298420

  19. Unleash innovation in foreign subsidiaries.

    PubMed

    Birkinshaw, J; Hood, N

    2001-03-01

    In multinational corporations, growth-triggering innovation often emerges in foreign subsidiaries from employees closest to customers and least attached to the procedures and politeness of the home office. But too often, heavy-handed responses from headquarters squelch local enthusiasm and drive out good ideas--and good people. The authors' research into more than 50 multinationals suggests that encouraging innovation in foreign subsidiaries requires a change in attitude. Companies should start to think of foreign subsidiaries as peninsulas rather than as islands--as extensions of the company's strategic domain rather than as isolated outposts. If they do, innovative ideas will flow more freely from the periphery to the corporate center. Basing their arguments on a rich array of examples, the authors say that encouraging such "innovation at the edges" also requires a new set of practices, with two aims: to improve the formal and informal channels of communication between headquarters and subsidiaries and to give foreign subsidiaries more authority to see their ideas through. The challenge for executives of multinationals is to find ways to liberalize, not tighten, internal systems and to delegate more authority to local subsidiaries. It isn't enough to ask subsidiary managers to be innovative; corporate managers need to give them incentives and support systems to facilitate their efforts. The authors suggest four approaches: give seed money to subsidiaries; use formal requests for proposals as a way of increasing the demand for seed money; encourage subsidiaries to be incubators for fledgling businesses; and build international networks. As part of the last approach, multinationals also need to create roles for idea brokers who can link entrepreneurs in foreign subsidiaries with other parts of the company.

  20. A structural model of treatment program and individual counselor leadership in innovation transfer.

    PubMed

    Joe, George W; Becan, Jennifer E; Knight, Danica K; Flynn, Patrick M

    2017-03-23

    A number of program-level and counselor-level factors are known to impact the adoption of treatment innovations. While program leadership is considered a primary factor, the importance of leadership among clinical staff to innovation transfer is less known. Objectives included explore (1) the influence of two leadership roles, program director and individual counselor, on recent training activity and (2) the relationship of counselor attributes on training endorsement. The sample included 301 clinical staff in 49 treatment programs. A structural equation model was evaluated for key hypothesized relationships between exogenous and endogenous variables related to the two leadership roles. The importance of organizational leadership, climate, and counselor attributes (particularly counseling innovation interest and influence) to recent training activity was supported. In a subset of 68 counselors who attended a developer-led training on a new intervention, it was found that training endorsement was higher among those with high innovation interest and influence. The findings suggest that each leadership level impacts the organization in different ways, yet both can promote or impede technology transfer.

  1. Hospitals as learning organizations: fostering innovation through interactive learning.

    PubMed

    Dias, Casimiro; Escoval, Ana

    2015-01-01

    The article aims to provide an analytical understanding of hospitals as "learning organizations." It further analyzes the development of learning organizations as a way to enhance innovation and performance in the hospital sector. The article pulls together primary data on organizational flexibility, innovation, and performance from 95 administrators from hospital boards in Portugal, collected through a survey, interviews with hospital's boards, and a nominal group technique with a panel of experts on health systems. Results show that a combination of several organizational traits of the learning organization enhances its capacity for innovation development. The logistic model presented reveals that hospitals classified as "advanced learning organizations" have 5 times more chance of developing innovation than "basic learning organizations." Empirical findings further pointed out incentives, standards, and measurement requirements as key elements for integration of service delivery systems and expansion of the current capacity for structured and real-time learning in the hospital sector. The major implication arising from this study is that policy needs to combine instruments that promote innovation opportunities and incentives, with instruments stimulating the further development of the core components of learning organizations. Such a combination of policy instruments has the potential to ensure a wide external cooperation through a learning infrastructure.

  2. On the evaluation of social innovations and social enterprises: Recognizing and integrating two solitudes in the empirical knowledge base.

    PubMed

    Szijarto, Barbara; Milley, Peter; Svensson, Kate; Cousins, J Bradley

    2018-02-01

    Social innovation (SI) is billed as a new way to address complex social problems. Interest in SI has intensified rapidly in the last decade, making it an important area of practice for evaluators, but a difficult one to navigate. Learning from developments in SI and evaluation approaches applied in SI contexts is challenging because of 'fuzzy' concepts and silos of activity and knowledge within SI communities. This study presents findings from a systematic review and integration of 41 empirical studies on evaluation in SI contexts. We identify two isolated conversations: one about 'social enterprises' (SEs) and the other about non-SE 'social innovations'. These conversations diverge in key areas, including engagement with evaluation scholarship, and in the reported purposes, approaches and use of evaluation. We identified striking differences with respect to degree of interest in collaborative approaches and facilitation of evaluation use. The findings speak to trends and debates in our field, for example how evaluation might reconcile divergent information needs in multilevel, cross-sectoral collaborations and respond to fluidity and change in innovative settings. Implications for practitioners and commissioners of evaluation include how evaluation is used in different contexts and the voice of evaluators (and the evaluation profession) in these conversations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Innovator Organizations in New Drug Development: Assessing the Sustainability of the Biopharmaceutical Industry.

    PubMed

    Kinch, Michael S; Moore, Ryan

    2016-06-23

    The way new medicines are discovered and brought to market has fundamentally changed over the last 30 years. Our previous analysis showed that biotechnology companies had contributed significantly to the US Food and Drug Administration approval of new molecular entities up to the mid-1980s, when the trends started to decline. Although intriguing, the focus on biotechnology necessarily precluded the wider question of how the biopharmaceutical industry has been delivering on its goals to develop new drugs. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of all biopharmaceutical innovators and uncover unexpected findings. The present biopharmaceutical industry grew steadily from 1800 to 1950 and then stagnated for two decades, before a burst of growth attributable to the biotechnology revolution took place; but consolidation has reduced the number of active and independent innovators to a level not experienced since 1945. The trajectories and trends we observe raise fundamental questions about biopharmaceutical innovators and the sustainability of the drug-development enterprise. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Succeeding criteria of community based on land transportation infrastructure for Johor innovation valley development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Redzuan, Amir A.; Aminudin, Eeydzah; Zakaria, Rozana; Ghazali, Farid Ezanee Mohamed; Baharudin, Nur Azwa Amyra; Siang, Lee Yong

    2017-10-01

    Developing countries around the world have developed innovative centre, or known as innovation hub, to meet the demand of today's changing global competitive environment. The shift of economic sector from manufacturing to services has allowed numerous regions and cities around the world to undergo major structural changes. In Malaysia, Skudai area is on its way of becoming a community-based innovation hub under the Johor State Economic Growth Strategic Plan called Johor Innovation Valley (JIV). Towards this new-city concept, land transportation infrastructure is among the most important network in being a linkage to the source of contribution in enhancing the local innovative environment. This paper highlights the requirement of land transportation infrastructure criteria that would be effective in making Skudai a community-based innovation hub. Data were collected through survey questionnaires involving stakeholders with the knowledge of land transportation infrastructure who also lives within the area. Descriptive analysis was employed with further rank breakdown using Average Index analysis. The findings distinguish the differences between each criteria of land transportation infrastructure. Change in traffic system, easier accessibility to one place to another and attraction to outside investor are among the impacts of growth of JIV. This paper concluded that selected requirement of land transportation infrastructure criteria is necessary for future contribution towards the growth of the JIV.

  5. In search of the quickest way to disseminate health care innovations.

    PubMed

    Schrijvers, Guus; Oudendijk, Nico; de Vries, Pety

    2003-10-14

    Innovations in health care are slowly disseminated in The Netherlands and elsewhere. That's why the researchers defined their research question: What is the quickest way of disseminating health care innovations? The design was a comparative, qualitative case study. The researchers invited a group of 52 authors to describe their 21 health care innovations. All case descriptions were published in a book of 261 pages. Six types of innovations were distinguished. Most innovations simultaneously improved quality from the patient's point of view (18 out of 21 cases), professional pride (18/21) and speed of introduction (16/21). Clinical outcomes were better or comparable in 13 of the 21 cases. Brainstorm sessions took place with the innovators and the 22 experts on the quickest way to disseminate the innovations more widely in The Netherlands. These sessions looked for the critical success factors for the dissemination of the 21 projects and identified nine. The following factors were identified: 1. A clear distribution of responsibilities between professionals within the innovation (20/21). 2. Enough educational programs about the innovations for the professionals (18/21). 3. Adequate ICT support for the running of the innovations (15/21). 4. Suitable publicity for the innovations (12/21). 5. An adequate payment system for innovative care providers (7/21). 6. The right size of catchment's area for the innovations (6/21). 7. Enough professional freedom to adopt the innovation (5/21). 8. Fast managerial and public decision-making about the adoption of the innovation (3/21). 9. The embedding of the innovations in quality management assurance policy (1/21). The results of the study had some influence on the political health agenda in The Netherlands, leading to greater emphasis on innovations and quality of care.

  6. Attributes of innovations and approaches to scalability - lessons from a national program to extend the scope of practice of health professionals.

    PubMed

    Masso, Malcolm; Thompson, Cristina

    2016-01-01

    The context for the paper was the evaluation of a national program in Australia to investigate extended scopes of practice for health professionals (paramedics, physiotherapists, and nurses). The design of the evaluation involved a mixed-methods approach with multiple data sources. Four multidisciplinary models of extended scope of practice were tested over an 18-month period, involving 26 organizations, 224 health professionals, and 36 implementation sites. The evaluation focused on what could be learned to inform scaling up the extended scopes of practice on a national scale. The evaluation findings were used to develop a conceptual framework for use by clinicians, managers, and policy makers to determine appropriate strategies for scaling up effective innovations. Development of the framework was informed by the literature on the diffusion of innovations, particularly an understanding that certain attributes of innovations influence adoption. The framework recognizes the role played by three groups of stakeholders: evidence producers, evidence influencers, and evidence adopters. The use of the framework is illustrated with four case studies from the evaluation. The findings demonstrate how the scaling up of innovations can be influenced by three quite distinct approaches - letting adoption take place in an uncontrolled, unplanned, way; actively helping the process of adoption; or taking deliberate steps to ensure that adoption takes place. Development of the conceptual framework resulted in two sets of questions to guide decisions about scalability, one for those considering whether to adopt the innovation (evidence adopters), and the other for those trying to decide on the optimal strategy for dissemination (evidence influencers).

  7. An Innovative Method for Testing Children's Achievement-Related Reactions: Recording Feelings of Helplessness by Means of an Intelligence Test-Battery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Titscher, Anna; Kubinger, Klaus D.

    2008-01-01

    The present study, based on the work of Dweck (2000) and her description of helpless and mastery-orientated children, was designed to find a new, simple and economic way of assessing helplessness while testing a child's intelligence. Two hundred and thirty-two Austrian grammar-school children, previously classified as either helpless or…

  8. Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Vocational Education and Training: International Perspectives. Research Overview

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hillier, Yvonne

    2009-01-01

    How can people know what vocational education and training (VET) practitioners are doing in other countries? Often people who are finding new and different ways to teach and help people learn do not publish what they are doing. However, a large number of relevant web-based networks exist and the author was able to interrogate these for examples of…

  9. Maximizing potential: innovative collaborative strategies between one-stops and mental health systems of care.

    PubMed

    Boeltzig, Heike; Timmons, Jaimie Ciulla; Marrone, Joe

    2008-01-01

    Barriers to seamless service delivery between workforce development and mental health systems of care have kept both entities from maximizing their potential in regards to employment for job seekers with mental illness who are capable of work and seeking employment. Using a multiple case study design, this study examined the nature of collaboration between workforce development and mental health systems to understand the policies and practices in place to assist individuals with mental illness to find and keep work. The paper presents innovative strategies that involved staff from both workforce development and mental health agencies. Findings from this research identified the following collaborative strategies: (a) the creation of liaison positions and collaborative teams; (b) staff training on mental health and workforce issues; and (c) multi-level involvement of individuals with mental illness. Implications for workforce professionals are offered as a way to stimulate implementation of such strategies.

  10. Expanding Library Services and Instruction Through LibGuides.

    PubMed

    Ream, Tim; Parker-Kelly, Darlene

    2016-01-01

    Beginning in 2012, the Charles R. Drew University (CDU) Health Sciences Library used LibGuides in a number of innovative ways. Librarians constructed e-book databases, in-depth tutorials on technology-related topics, and web pages highlighting special events. To assess similar LibGuides innovation, CDU librarians developed an eight-question survey distributed to health sciences and hospital libraries throughout Southern California and Arizona. Results showed that libraries used LibGuides primarily to deliver access to online resources and to provide supplementary materials supporting instruction. Responses also revealed that many libraries had not yet adopted LibGuides. These findings were analyzed and compared to past and current LibGuides design at CDU.

  11. Nurse leaders and the innovation competence gap.

    PubMed

    White, Kenneth R; Pillay, Rubin; Huang, Xuan

    2016-01-01

    Nurses are well-positioned for innovation in health care delivery, although innovation is not generally learned in formal educational programs. The purpose of this study was to assess critical competencies for innovation success among nurse leaders in academia and practice, the perceived gaps on those competencies, and teaching methods that would be helpful in developing competencies related to innovation. A Web-enabled descriptive survey design was used to capture nurse leaders' perceptions of important innovation competencies and how they assess their level of competence in the particular innovation domain. Preferred approaches for innovation pedagogy were also queried. Respondents indicated significant gaps in 18 of 19 innovation competencies. Implications are for inclusion of innovation competencies in formal and continuing nursing education. The most preferred innovation pedagogical approaches are case studies of failures and successes and project- and field-based approaches. Traditional lectures are the least preferred way to address innovation competency gaps. There is a significant gap in innovation competencies among nurse leaders in practice and academia. The way we teach innovation needs to involve closer collaboration between academia and practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Host-targeted approaches to managing animal health: old problems and new tools.

    PubMed

    Cook, M E; Bütz, D E; Yang, M; Sand, J M

    2016-07-01

    Our fellow medical and regulatory scientists question the animal producer's dependence on antibiotics and antimicrobial chemicals in the production of animal products. Retail distributors and consumers are putting even more pressure on the animal industry to find new ways to produce meat without antibiotics and chemicals. In addition, federal funding agencies are increasingly pressuring researchers to conduct science that has application. In the review that follows, we outline our approach to finding novel ways to improve animal performance and health. We use a strict set of guidelines in our applied research as follows: (1) Does the work have value to society? (2) Does our team have the skills to innovate in the field? (3) Is the product we produce commercially cost-effective? (4) Are there any reasons why the general consumer will reject the technology? (5) Is it safe for the animal, consumer, and the environment? Within this framework, we describe 4 areas of research that have produced useful products, areas that we hope other scientists will likewise explore and innovate such as (1) methods to detect infection in herds and flocks, (2) methods to control systemic and mucosal inflammation, (3) improvements to intestinal barrier function, and (4) methods to strategically potentiate immune defense. We recognize that others are working in these areas, using different strategies, but believe our examples will illustrate the vast opportunity for research and innovation in a world without antibiotics. Animal scientists have been given a new challenge that may help shape the future of both animal and human medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Evidence use in decision-making on introducing innovations: a systematic scoping review with stakeholder feedback.

    PubMed

    Turner, Simon; D'Lima, Danielle; Hudson, Emma; Morris, Stephen; Sheringham, Jessica; Swart, Nick; Fulop, Naomi J

    2017-12-04

    A range of evidence informs decision-making on innovation in health care, including formal research findings, local data and professional opinion. However, cultural and organisational factors often prevent the translation of evidence for innovations into practice. In addition to the characteristics of evidence, it is known that processes at the individual level influence its impact on decision-making. Less is known about the ways in which processes at the professional, organisational and local system level shape evidence use and its role in decisions to adopt innovations. A systematic scoping review was used to review the health literature on innovations within acute and primary care and map processes at the professional, organisational and local system levels which influence how evidence informs decision-making on innovation. Stakeholder feedback on the themes identified was collected via focus groups to test and develop the findings. Following database and manual searches, 31 studies reporting primary qualitative data met the inclusion criteria: 24 were of sufficient methodological quality to be included in the thematic analysis. Evidence use in decision-making on innovation is influenced by multi-level processes (professional, organisational, local system) and interactions across these levels. Preferences for evidence vary by professional group and health service setting. Organisations can shape professional behaviour by requiring particular forms of evidence to inform decision-making. Pan-regional organisations shape innovation decision-making at lower levels. Political processes at all levels shape the selection and use of evidence in decision-making. The synthesis of results from primary qualitative studies found that evidence use in decision-making on innovation is influenced by processes at multiple levels. Interactions between different levels shape evidence use in decision-making (e.g. professional groups and organisations can use local systems to validate evidence and legitimise innovations, while local systems can tailor or frame evidence to influence activity at lower levels). Organisational leaders need to consider whether the environment in which decisions are made values diverse evidence and stakeholder perspectives. Further qualitative research on decision-making practices that highlights how and why different types of evidence come to count during decisions, and tracks the political aspects of decisions about innovation, is needed.

  14. Principles and Models of Early Childhood Development in Thai Cultural Ways: Selected Research Findings Relating to Social Context and Child's Transition from Home to School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khemmani, Tisana; And Others

    To develop innovative, developmentally appropriate models of child rearing in Thailand, several studies examined Thai child-rearing practices, principles which should be used in early child rearing, and models and strategies which could be used in child rearing in this cultural setting. Six different studies were conducted, using a variety of…

  15. Attributes of innovations and approaches to scalability – lessons from a national program to extend the scope of practice of health professionals

    PubMed Central

    Masso, Malcolm; Thompson, Cristina

    2016-01-01

    The context for the paper was the evaluation of a national program in Australia to investigate extended scopes of practice for health professionals (paramedics, physiotherapists, and nurses). The design of the evaluation involved a mixed-methods approach with multiple data sources. Four multidisciplinary models of extended scope of practice were tested over an 18-month period, involving 26 organizations, 224 health professionals, and 36 implementation sites. The evaluation focused on what could be learned to inform scaling up the extended scopes of practice on a national scale. The evaluation findings were used to develop a conceptual framework for use by clinicians, managers, and policy makers to determine appropriate strategies for scaling up effective innovations. Development of the framework was informed by the literature on the diffusion of innovations, particularly an understanding that certain attributes of innovations influence adoption. The framework recognizes the role played by three groups of stakeholders: evidence producers, evidence influencers, and evidence adopters. The use of the framework is illustrated with four case studies from the evaluation. The findings demonstrate how the scaling up of innovations can be influenced by three quite distinct approaches – letting adoption take place in an uncontrolled, unplanned, way; actively helping the process of adoption; or taking deliberate steps to ensure that adoption takes place. Development of the conceptual framework resulted in two sets of questions to guide decisions about scalability, one for those considering whether to adopt the innovation (evidence adopters), and the other for those trying to decide on the optimal strategy for dissemination (evidence influencers). PMID:27616889

  16. Investing in nursing and midwifery enterprise: Empowering women and strengthening health systems--A landscaping study of innovations in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Krubiner, Carleigh B; Salmon, Marla; Synowiec, Christina; Lagomarsino, Gina

    2016-01-01

    Women's empowerment and global health promotion are both central aims in the development agenda, with positive associations and feedback loops between empowerment and health outcomes. To date, most of the work exploring connections between health and empowerment has focused on women as health consumers. This article summarizes a much longer landscape review that examines ways in which various health programs can empower women as providers, specifically nurses and midwives. We conducted a scan of the Center for Health Market Innovations database to identify how innovative health programs can create empowerment opportunities for nurses and midwives. We reviewed 94 programs, exploring nurses' and midwives' roles and inputs that contribute to their empowerment. There were four salient models: provider training, information and communications technologies, cooperatives, and clinical franchises. By documenting these approaches and their hallmarks for empowering female health workers, we hope to stimulate greater uptake of health innovations coupled with gender-empowerment opportunities globally. The full report with expanded methodology and findings is available online. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Darwin and the demon: innovating within established enterprises.

    PubMed

    Moore, Geoffrey A

    2004-01-01

    As commercial processes commoditize in a developed economy, they are outsourced or transferred offshore, leaving onshore companies with unrelenting, Darwinian pressure to come up with the next wave of innovation. But innovation is a broad term. There are many types, from the ballyhooed disruptive innovation to more mundane forms such as process and experiential, which might involve, respectively, doing such things as streamlining the supply chain and delighting customers with small modifications of products. Many executives find it hard to decide which kind to focus on. The best way to choose is to consider the phases of a market's life span. In a market's earliest phase, a new technology attracts enthusiasts and visionaries. Eventually, the market reaches the Main Street section of its life, when growth slows, flattens, and finally subsides. Different types of innovation produce more bang for the buck at different points in the life cycle. Disruptive innovation, for example, is rewarded most during the earliest phase. Once the life cycle advances to Main Street, however, the marketplace is no longer willing to yield the revenue or margin gains necessary to fund that type of innovation, so other forms, including process and experiential, yield better returns. But attempts to change the company's direction are often thwarted by the inertia that success creates. To overcome the inertia demon, managers must introduce new types of innovation while aggressively extracting resources from legacy processes and organizations. By running the two efforts in parallel, they can defeat the demon and renew the company.

  18. What Classical Musicians Can Learn from Working with Actors: Conceptual and Pedagogic Foundations and Outcomes of Bringing Musicians to Integrate in a Drama Training Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rea, Ken

    2015-01-01

    Effective teaching in a music conservatoire needs a continual quest to find new and better ways of delivering excellence. The challenge is to keep the work innovative. In this article I argue that, for a classical musician the communication of personality is a vital component of excellence in performance and I give reasons why an authentic,…

  19. The innovation value chain.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Morten T; Birkinshaw, Julian

    2007-06-01

    The challenges of coming up with fresh ideas and realizing profits from them are different for every company. One firm may excel at finding good ideas but may have weak systems for bringing them to market. Another organization may have a terrific process for funding and rolling out new products and services but a shortage of concepts to develop. In this article, Hansen and Birkinshaw caution executives against using the latest and greatest innovation approaches and tools without understanding the unique deficiencies in their companies' innovation systems. They offer a framework for evaluating innovation performance: the innovation value chain. It comprises the three main phases of innovation (idea generation, conversion, and diffusion) as well as the critical activities performed during those phases (looking for ideas inside your unit; looking for them in other units; looking for them externally; selecting ideas; funding them; and promoting and spreading ideas companywide). Using this framework, managers get an end-to-end view of their innovation efforts. They can pinpoint their weakest links and tailor innovation best practices appropriately to strengthen those links. Companies typically succumb to one of three broad "weakest-link" scenarios. They are idea poor, conversion poor, or diffusion poor. The article looks at the ways smart companies - including Intuit, P&G, Sara Lee, Shell, and Siemens- modify the best innovation practices and apply them to address those organizations' individual needs and flaws. The authors warn that adopting the chain-based view of innovation requires new measures of what can be delivered by each link in the chain. The approach also entails new roles for employees "external scouts" and "internal evangelists," for example. Indeed, in their search for new hires, companies should seek out those candidates who can help address particular weaknesses in the innovation value chain.

  20. Creating a testing field where delta technology and water innovations are tested and demonstrated with the help of citizen science methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Vries, Sandra; Rutten, Martine; de Vries, Liselotte; Anema, Kim; Klop, Tanja; Kaspersma, Judith

    2017-04-01

    In highly populated deltas, much work is to be done. Complex problems ask for new and knowledge driven solutions. Innovations in delta technology and water can bring relief to managing the water rich urban areas. Testing fields form a fundamental part of the knowledge valorisation for such innovations. In such testing fields, product development by start-ups is coupled with researchers, thus supplying new scientific insights. With the help of tests, demonstrations and large-scale applications by the end-users, these innovations find their way to the daily practices of delta management. More and more cities embrace the concept of Smart Cities to tackle the ongoing complexity of urban problems and to manage the city's assets - such as its water supply networks and other water management infrastructure. Through the use of new technologies and innovative systems, data are collected from and with citizens and devices - then processed and analysed. The information and knowledge gathered are keys to enabling a better quality of life. By testing water innovations together with citizens in order to find solutions for water management problems, not only highly spatial amounts of data are provided by and/or about these innovations, they are also improved and demonstrated to the public. A consortium consisting of a water authority, a science centre, a valorisation program and two universities have joined forces to create a testing field for delta technology and water innovations using citizen science methods. In this testing field, the use of citizen science for water technologies is researched and validated by facilitating pilot projects. In these projects, researchers, start-ups and citizens work together to find the answer to present-day water management problems. The above mentioned testing field tests the use of crowd-sourcing data as for example hydrological model inputs, or to validate remote sensing applications, or improve water management decisions. Currently the testing field starts two pilot projects concerning (1) the validation of green measures used for water storage in order to better quantify their worth, and (2) the collection of water quality data in a polder polluted by horticulture in such manner that water management and awareness are improved.

  1. The Role of System Thinking Development and Experiential Learning on Enterprise Transformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopez, Gabriel

    The recent economic downturn has had global repercussions in all businesses alike. Competition is fierce and a survival of the fittest model is always present; fast delivery times and innovative designs ultimately translate into the enterprises' bottom line. In such market conditions, enterprises have to find ways to develop and train their workforce in a manner that enhances the innovative capabilities of the enterprise. Additionally, if companies are to stay competitive, they have to ensure critical skills in their workforce are transferred from generation to generation. This study builds on recent research on system-thinking development via experiential learning methodologies. First, a conceptual framework model was developed. This conceptual model captures a methodology to construct a system-thinking apprenticeship program suitable for system engineers. Secondly, a survey of system engineering professionals was conducted in order to assess and refine the proposed conceptual model. This dissertation captures the findings of the conceptual model and the implications of the study for enterprises and for system engineering organizations.

  2. From Concept to Reality in Implementing the Knowledge Triangle

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sjoer, Ellen; Nørgaard, Bente; Goossens, Marc

    2016-01-01

    The concept of Knowledge Triangle (KT) links together research, education and innovation and replaces the traditional "one way" flow of knowledge, essentially from research to education, by a "both ways" circular motion between all the corners of a triangle that, besides research and education, also includes innovation, the…

  3. MAOS: An Innovative Way to Teach High School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harray, Nancy; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Describes an innovative high school program that uses oceanography, mathematics, and science as common threads in the instructional program. The program utilizes an innovative class structure, community involvement, and hands on activities. (DDR)

  4. Why, when, and how fast innovations are adopted

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonçalves, S.; Laguna, M. F.; Iglesias, J. R.

    2012-06-01

    When the full stock of a new product is quickly sold in a few days or weeks, one has the impression that new technologies develop and conquer the market in a very easy way. This may be true for some new technologies, for example the cell phone, but not for others, like the blue-ray. Novelty, usefulness, advertising, price, and fashion are the driving forces behind the adoption of a new product. But, what are the key factors that lead to adopt a new technology? In this paper we propose and investigate a simple model for the adoption of an innovation which depends mainly on three elements: the appeal of the novelty, the inertia or resistance to adopt it, and the interaction with other agents. Social interactions are taken into account in two ways: by imitation and by differentiation, i.e., some agents will be inclined to adopt an innovation if many people do the same, but other will act in the opposite direction, trying to differentiate from the "herd". We determine the conditions for a successful implantation of the new technology, by considering the strength of advertising and the effect of social interactions. We find a balance between the advertising and the number of anti-herding agents that may block the adoption of a new product. We also compare the effect of social interactions, when agents take into account the behavior of the whole society or just a part of it. In a nutshell, the present model reproduces qualitatively the available data on adoption of innovation.

  5. The Integrated Library System: From Innovation to Relegation to Innovation Again

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Primich, Tracy; Richardson, Caroline

    2006-01-01

    The Integrated Library System remains a true innovation that forms the baseline of service provided by the contemporary library. The purpose of this paper is to take a moment and reflect upon this innovation, and also to comment about ways to boost and revive innovative endeavors that can further develop the ILS. (Contains 1 table.)

  6. How Can Innovative Learning Environments Promote the Diffusion of Innovation?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osborne, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Schools implementing innovative learning environments (ILEs) face many challenges, including the need to discard previously cherished practices and behaviours, adjust mindsets, and invent successful new ways of operating. Leaders can support these processes by implementing structures that: i) support ongoing, distributed, participatory innovation;…

  7. New approaches of organizing care and work: giving way to participation, mobilization, and innovation.

    PubMed

    Viens, Chantal; Lavoie-Tremblay, Mélanie; Leclerc, Martine Mayrand; Brabant, Louise Hamelin

    2005-01-01

    Quebec's health network has undertaken large-scale organizational changes to ensure the continuity, accessibility, and quality of health care and services for the population. This article describes the optimal approach for making changes to the organization of care and work for patients, health care workers, and organizations. This participative action research was carried out by means of interviews and document analysis. One hundred participants were involved, describing a total of 34 projects for significant organizational change. Results include an optimal approach broken down into 4 phases, each of which includes steps, facilitating factors, and potential difficulties. The phases of this approach are: (1) sharing the vision, mission, and values of the organization and identifying the purpose and need underlying the change; (2) building alliances and validating the involvement of the various players; (3) conceptualizing and planning the project; and (4) implementing changes and continuing evaluation. It is possible to rise to the challenge of finding new approaches to organize care and work by giving way to participation, mobilization, and innovation.

  8. Reasoning about Resources and Hierarchical Tasks Using OWL and SWRL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elenius, Daniel; Martin, David; Ford, Reginald; Denker, Grit

    Military training and testing events are highly complex affairs, potentially involving dozens of legacy systems that need to interoperate in a meaningful way. There are superficial interoperability concerns (such as two systems not sharing the same messaging formats), but also substantive problems such as different systems not sharing the same understanding of the terrain, positions of entities, and so forth. We describe our approach to facilitating such events: describe the systems and requirements in great detail using ontologies, and use automated reasoning to automatically find and help resolve problems. The complexity of our problem took us to the limits of what one can do with OWL, and we needed to introduce some innovative techniques of using and extending it. We describe our novel ways of using SWRL and discuss its limitations as well as extensions to it that we found necessary or desirable. Another innovation is our representation of hierarchical tasks in OWL, and an engine that reasons about them. Our task ontology has proved to be a very flexible and expressive framework to describe requirements on resources and their capabilities in order to achieve some purpose.

  9. We Will Find A Way: Understanding the Legacy of Canadian Special Operations Forces

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-02-01

    and numerous contemporary English accounts conceded that the Canadian raiders “are well known to be the most dangerous enemy of any... reckoned...of the 1st Canadian Parachute Bat- talion, at great cost and personal sacrifice, pioneered a new innovative form of warfare and demonstrated agility...The MND quickly realized the strategic impact at a relatively low cost , that even a small SOF task force could achieve. As such, he pushed for

  10. An alternative point of view: getting by with less: what's wrong with perfection?

    PubMed

    Nunnally, Mark E

    2010-11-01

    Predictions about the future impact of technologic and process innovations inspire optimistic visions. Optimism and speculation require a counterweight. Because results often do not turn out as expected, anticipating failure is useful, and anticipating unintended consequences is visionary. A history of unfulfilled prognostications was explored with the intent of finding something essential to the complexities of medicine. Do missed predictions signal another side to innovation that also helps us uncover new information about our world? Serendipity is an important theme in medical innovation. There is no reason to think this will change. Things do not necessarily go as planned, but often the results are as important as the original prediction was supposed to be. It will not be clear where we end up until we get there. Ideal goals are useful but speculative and subjective. There in fact might be several ideals and contingency is important. The detours and incidental stops on the way to an ideal are more fruitful than the goal itself.

  11. An Exploration of Open Innovation: An Environmental Scanning Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elci, Nuray

    2009-01-01

    Globalization and direction toward a knowledge economy, along with an economic downturn, is creating a competitive environment that calls for corporations to become more innovative. As the business environment becomes more competitive and dynamic, corporations are looking for new ways of achieving innovation. Open innovation is one approach that…

  12. Innovation Training within the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Industry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donovan, Jerome Denis; Maritz, Alex; McLellan, Andrew

    2013-01-01

    Innovation has emerged as a core driver for the future profitability and success of the manufacturing sector, and increasingly both governments and the private sector are examining ways to support the development of innovation capabilities within organisations. In this research, we have evaluated a government-funded innovation training course…

  13. Instructional Innovation, School Choice, and Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berends, Mark; Penaloza, Roberto V.; Cannata, Marisa; Goldring, Ellen

    2009-01-01

    There is limited empirical research about innovation in various types of schools of choice, although viable choice policies tend to assume clear differentiation amongst schools. Innovation can be conceptualized in many ways and takes place at multiple levels of the school organization. Schools can innovate in terms of the roles and responsibility…

  14. Leadership Innovations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-04-01

    paper: "innovation kr- leadership " and " leadership in innovation." 3 THEORY , AS AN INSTRUMENT OF ANALYSIS FOR INNOVATION IN LEADERSHIP There are many...plausible theory . - . . . -. - -- Nevertheless, some authors consider, and I agree, that there is no true leadership theory because existing literature...and explaining numerous ways of producing "the new". This theory helps to further clarify the relationship between leadership and innovation. I am

  15. Convergent innovation for sustainable economic growth and affordable universal health care: innovating the way we innovate.

    PubMed

    Dubé, Laurette; Jha, Srivardhini; Faber, Aida; Struben, Jeroen; London, Ted; Mohapatra, Archisman; Drager, Nick; Lannon, Chris; Joshi, P K; McDermott, John

    2014-12-01

    This paper introduces convergent innovation (CI) as a form of meta-innovation-an innovation in the way we innovate. CI integrates human and economic development outcomes, through behavioral and ecosystem transformation at scale, for sustainable prosperity and affordable universal health care within a whole-of-society paradigm. To this end, CI combines technological and social innovation (including organizational, social process, financial, and institutional), with a special focus on the most underserved populations. CI takes a modular approach that convenes around roadmaps for real world change-a portfolio of loosely coupled complementary partners from the business community, civil society, and the public sector. Roadmaps serve as collaborative platforms for focused, achievable, and time-bound projects to provide scalable, sustainable, and resilient solutions to complex challenges, with benefits both to participating partners and to society. In this paper, we first briefly review the literature on technological innovation that sets the foundations of CI and motivates its feasibility. We then describe CI, its building blocks, and enabling conditions for deployment and scaling up, illustrating its operational forms through examples of existing CI-sensitive innovation. © 2014 The New York Academy of Sciences.

  16. Cancer Nanotechnology Startup Challenge: a new way to realize the fruits of innovation.

    PubMed

    Currell, Fred; Bellringer, Mark

    A significant new innovation-development model is being launched in the field of cancer and nanotechnology. A significant new innovation-development model is being launched in the field of cancer and nanotechnology.

  17. Incredible Years parenting interventions: current effectiveness research and future directions.

    PubMed

    Gardner, Frances; Leijten, Patty

    2017-06-01

    The Incredible Years parenting intervention is a social learning theory-based programme for reducing children's conduct problems. Dozens of randomized trials, many by independent investigators, find consistent effects of Incredible Years on children's conduct problems across multiple countries and settings. However, in common with other interventions, these average effects hide much variability in the responses of individual children and families. Innovative moderator research is needed to enhance scientific understanding of why individual children and parents respond differently to intervention. Additionally, research is needed to test whether there are ways to make Incredible Years more effective and accessible for families and service providers, especially in low resource settings, by developing innovative delivery systems using new media, and by systematically testing for essential components of parenting interventions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Innovation adoption processes for third party property management companies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shockman, Chris; Piette, Mary Ann

    2000-07-01

    Innovation adoption studies have never been applied to third party property management companies. These companies manage buildings for a fee as their primary business. Property management companies are influential in the adoption process for new technologies because they act as gatekeepers for technical information. This study analyzes radical and routine adoption process that are found in large, professionally operated property management companies. The process is explicated. The technical managers, and their role as technology gate keepers, are described. The distinction to the technical managers between routine and radical technology is that routine technologies do something in a new way andmore » radical technologies do something new. Observations concerning evaluation and adoption of information technologies are described. The findings suggest methods of successfully tailoring and introducing technologies to this market.« less

  19. Innovative Product Design Based on Comprehensive Customer Requirements of Different Cognitive Levels

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Wu; Zheng, Yake; Wang, Rui; Wang, Chen

    2014-01-01

    To improve customer satisfaction in innovative product design, a topology structure of customer requirements is established and an innovative product approach is proposed. The topology structure provides designers with reasonable guidance to capture the customer requirements comprehensively. With the aid of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the importance of the customer requirements is evaluated. Quality function deployment (QFD) is used to translate customer requirements into product and process design demands and pick out the technical requirements which need urgent improvement. In this way, the product is developed in a more targeted way to satisfy the customers. the theory of innovative problems solving (TRIZ) is used to help designers to produce innovative solutions. Finally, a case study of automobile steering system is used to illustrate the application of the proposed approach. PMID:25013862

  20. Innovative product design based on comprehensive customer requirements of different cognitive levels.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaolong; Zhao, Wu; Zheng, Yake; Wang, Rui; Wang, Chen

    2014-01-01

    To improve customer satisfaction in innovative product design, a topology structure of customer requirements is established and an innovative product approach is proposed. The topology structure provides designers with reasonable guidance to capture the customer requirements comprehensively. With the aid of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the importance of the customer requirements is evaluated. Quality function deployment (QFD) is used to translate customer requirements into product and process design demands and pick out the technical requirements which need urgent improvement. In this way, the product is developed in a more targeted way to satisfy the customers. the theory of innovative problems solving (TRIZ) is used to help designers to produce innovative solutions. Finally, a case study of automobile steering system is used to illustrate the application of the proposed approach.

  1. Current Status of Engineering Education in America

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barr, Ronald E.

    Many faculty believe that engineering education in America is at a crossroads and much change is needed. International competition in engineering and the global economy have major potential impact on the engineering workforce of the future. We must find ways to educate U.S. engineers to be competitive and creative contributors in the worldwide arena. Recent national reports are sounding the alarm that the U.S. is losing it leadership in technology and innovation, with consequences for economic prosperity and national security. The report Rising Above the Gathering Storm discusses this dilemma in detail and offers four recommendations to U.S. policymakers. The report Educating the Engineer of 2020 discusses new ways to prepare American engineers for the 21st Century. Furthermore, changes in ABET accreditation, along with new paradigms of teaching and new technology in the classroom, are changing the scholarship of engineering education. We must find ways to promote change in engineering faculty for this new opportunity in engineering educational scholarship. Future engineering students are now in K-12, which is becoming an increasingly diverse population that in the past has not been fully represented in engineering education. Current trends show disaffection for pursuing studies in science and engineering in the youth of our U.S. society. We must find new ways to portray engineering as an exciting and rewarding career, and certainly as an educational platform for professional careers beyond the baccalaureate degree.

  2. Transportation research synthesis : developing a culture of innovation.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-02-01

    Eight states responded to our survey. (Survey results begin on page 5 of this report.) Five of these states had initiated : efforts to facilitate innovation, four track innovative ideas, and all reward champions in some way. Standout : agencies inclu...

  3. Bringing about Curriculum Innovations. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 82

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karkkainen, Kiira

    2012-01-01

    Innovation is essential for the education sector. The ways in which curriculum decision making is organised reflects different implicit approaches on how educational systems pertain to promote innovation in education. Curriculum holds an outstanding place when seeking to promote innovation in education, as it reflects the vision for education by…

  4. The Contribution of VET Student Placement to Innovation in Host Organisations. NCVER Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodge, Steven; Smith, Raymond; Field, Jenny; Flynn, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    With innovation seen as critical to Australia's economy, it is worthwhile to ask about the contribution of the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system to innovation. Previous research has highlighted a number of ways VET can contribute to innovation, including through knowledge diffusion, skills development and networks, and…

  5. The innovative rehabilitation team: an experiment in team building.

    PubMed

    Halstead, L S; Rintala, D H; Kanellos, M; Griffin, B; Higgins, L; Rheinecker, S; Whiteside, W; Healy, J E

    1986-06-01

    This article describes an effort by one rehabilitation team to create innovative approaches to team care in a medical rehabilitation hospital. The major arena for implementing change was the weekly patient rounds. We worked to increase patient involvement, developed a rounds coordinator role, used a structured format, and tried to integrate research findings into team decision making. Other innovations included use of a preadmission questionnaire, a discharge check list, and a rounds evaluation questionnaire. The impact of these changes was evaluated using the Group Environment Scale and by analyzing participation in rounds based on verbatim transcripts obtained prior to and 20 months after formation of the Innovative Rehabilitation Team (IRT). The results showed decreased participation by medical personnel during rounds, and increased participation by patients. The rounds coordinator role increased participation rates of staff from all disciplines and the group environment improved within the IRT. These data are compared with similar evaluations made of two other groups, which served as control teams. The problems inherent in making effective, lasting changes in interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams are reviewed, and a plea is made for other teams to explore additional ways to use the collective creativity and resources latent in the team membership.

  6. Research and Innovation in Physics Education: Transforming Classrooms, Teaching, and Student Learning at the Tertiary Level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jolly, Pratibha

    2009-04-01

    It is well recognized that science and technology and the quality of scientifically trained manpower crucially determines the development and economic growth of nations and the future of humankind. At the same time, there is growing global concern about flight of talent from physics in particular, and the need to make physics teaching and learning effective and careers in physics attractive. This presentation presents the findings of seminal physics education research on students' learning that are impacting global praxis and motivating changes in content, context, instruments, and ways of teaching and learning physics, focusing on active learning environments that integrate the use of a variety of resources to create experiences that are both hands-on and minds-on. Initiatives to bring about innovative changes in a university system are described, including a triadic model that entails indigenous development of PHYSARE using low-cost technologies. Transfer of pedagogic innovations into the formal classroom is facilitated by professional development programs that provide experiential learning of research-based innovative teaching practices, catalyze the process of reflection through classroom research, and establish a collaborative network of teachers empowered to usher radical transformation.

  7. Exploring the relationship between nursing home financial performance and management entrepreneurial attributes.

    PubMed

    Davis, Jullet A; Marino, Louis D; Vecchiarini, Mariangela

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) (i.e., their innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking) and financial performance in nursing homes. We hypothesize that nursing homes that are more proactive will report better short-term financial performance, while when firms with higher propensities for innovativeness and risk-taking will experience poorer financial performance in the short period due to the high costs associated with the initial adoption of innovation and with pursuing high-risks ventures. In 2004, a survey was developed and mailed to a population of 670 nursing homes in the state of Florida who were listed in the Florida Nursing Home Guide of the Agency for Health Care Administration. The final sample for this study included 104 respondents. The data from these surveys were merged with additional variables gathered from the 2004 Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) system and the 2004/2005 Medicare Cost Reports (MCR). EO was operationalized using a nine-item scale adapted from Covin and Slevin (1989), and financial performance was assessed using total profit margin. The overall findings suggest partial support for the hypotheses. Support was found for the negative relationship between innovativeness and short-term financial performance, but only partial support was found for the relationship between performance and risk-taking. Our results demonstrated that the various aspects of entrepreneurial behaviors have a differential effect on firm performance. From a managerial perspective, nursing home administrators may continue to seek ways to be entrepreneurial while understanding that some activities may only lead to short-term profitability. These findings should not dissuade administrators from innovative behaviors. They do suggest, however, that innovative administrators should prepare for some initial decrease in profitability following new service implementation. Findings suggest that to varying degrees, nursing home administrators may view themselves as being entrepreneurial despite the intense pressures from governments, poor public perceptions, decreasing reimbursement, more impaired residents, and increasing competition from substitute providers. Further administrators may need to manage the expectations of key stakeholders when they undertake innovative programs that will support social outcomes but which may not enhance short term financial performance. This paper demonstrates the complex relationship between entrepreneurial activities and firm performance in nursing homes and has implications for the broader health care setting.

  8. Opportunities to Personalize Teacher Learning: Innovative Approaches to Bridge Evaluation and Professional Development for Continuous Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kassner, Laura

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this report was to consider ways to integrating teacher evaluation and professional development--specifically, to explore innovative ways to harness feedback from teacher evaluations for the creation of personalized professional learning for teachers. This study was commissioned by the planning council members of the Metropolitan…

  9. Revolution in Higher Education: How a Small Band of Innovators Will Make College Accessible and Affordable

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeMillo, Richard A.

    2015-01-01

    Colleges and universities have become increasingly costly, and, except for a handful of highly selective, elite institutions, unresponsive to twenty-first-century needs. But for the past few years, technology-fueled innovation has begun to transform higher education, introducing new ways to disseminate knowledge and better ways to learn--all at…

  10. Relating outcomes to excellent nursing practice.

    PubMed

    Allen, Diane E; Bockenhauer, Barbarajo; Egan, Carolyn; Kinnaird, Leah S

    2006-03-01

    Healthcare professionals must find ways to accelerate the diffusion of knowledge within their organizations. Although nurses have extraordinary access to patient care data, they may underestimate their roles as data managers and innovators of change, and relinquish control of data to others. The authors discuss how nurses at an acute psychiatric hospital collect and report their own data to show the direct relationship between outcomes and excellence in nursing practice. Knowledge that is gained through practice is shared to inspire and sustain needed changes.

  11. Chaos or transformation? Managing innovation.

    PubMed

    Manion, J

    1993-05-01

    Nurse innovation is the key to transformation of the healthcare organization and the healthcare system. This article offers the nurse executive and the leadership team a way to assess innovative tendencies of their department or organization and determine where strengths and trouble spots exist. The author discusses a five-phase innovation management process with suggested interventions for each phase.

  12. In the Eye of the Beholder: Charter Schools and Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lake, Robin J.

    2008-01-01

    Many expect that charter schools will produce innovations, but it is unclear what kinds and how much innovation is desirable. This paper summarizes the research evidence on charter school innovation to date and suggests ways to more productively pursue future research and development in the charter sector. The paper addresses three main questions:…

  13. The Utility-Scale Future - Continuum Magazine | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Spring 2011 / Issue 1 Continuum. Clean Energy Innovation at NREL The Utility-Scale Future Continuum facility will lead the way. Wind Innovation Enables Utility-Scale 02 Wind Innovation Enables Utility-Scale Archives 9 Beyond R&D: Market Impact 8 NREL Analysis 7 Partnering: An Engine for Innovation 6 Energy

  14. Innovate or Perish: Lessons for Dealing with Hard Times

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tosti, Donald

    2010-01-01

    One of the most important variables in the success of a business over time is the extent to which the organization develops innovative business strategies and has an agile culture that supports such innovation. This article describes ways of accomplishing both requirements.

  15. Research on Upgrade Path to Technology Innovation of Resource-based SMEs in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jie, Xu

    2017-08-01

    Complexity, diversity and coordination are features of technology innovation of resource-based SMEs in China. This paper studies on the key factors of macro-environment, cooperation among enterprises and enterprise interior, which influence the upgrading of technology innovation of resource-based SMEs in China. This paper constructs integrated system of technology innovation to analyse the upgrade path to technology innovation of resource-based SMEs in China, so that enterprises would improve their technology innovation and get a new way to accomplish sustainable innovated development.

  16. Using anonymized reflection to teach ethics: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Kyle, Gaye

    2008-01-01

    Anonymized reflection was employed as an innovative way of teaching ethics in order to enhance students' ability in ethical decision making during a Care of the Dying Patient and Family' module. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the first two student cohorts who experienced anonymized reflection ( n = 24). The themes identified were the richness and relevance of scenarios, small-group work and a team approach to teaching. Students indicated that they preferred this style of teaching. This finding was verified by a postal questionnaire conducted four months later. The conclusions drawn from this study suggest that using anonymized reflection is an effective method for teaching ethics to nurses and indicates that learning about ethical issues in this way reduces uncertainties.

  17. A study of innovative features in scholarly open access journals.

    PubMed

    Björk, Bo-Christer

    2011-12-16

    The emergence of the Internet has triggered tremendous changes in the publication of scientific peer-reviewed journals. Today, journals are usually available in parallel electronic versions, but the way the peer-review process works, the look of articles and journals, and the rigid and slow publication schedules have remained largely unchanged, at least for the vast majority of subscription-based journals. Those publishing firms and scholarly publishers who have chosen the more radical option of open access (OA), in which the content of journals is freely accessible to anybody with Internet connectivity, have had a much bigger degree of freedom to experiment with innovations. The objective was to study how open access journals have experimented with innovations concerning ways of organizing the peer review, the format of journals and articles, new interactive and media formats, and novel publishing revenue models. The features of 24 open access journals were studied. The journals were chosen in a nonrandom manner from the approximately 7000 existing OA journals based on available information about interesting journals and include both representative cases and highly innovative outlier cases. Most early OA journals in the 1990s were founded by individual scholars and used a business model based on voluntary work close in spirit to open-source development of software. In the next wave, many long-established journals, in particular society journals and journals from regions such as Latin America, made their articles OA when they started publishing parallel electronic versions. From about 2002 on, newly founded professional OA publishing firms using article-processing charges to fund their operations have emerged. Over the years, there have been several experiments with new forms of peer review, media enhancements, and the inclusion of structured data sets with articles. In recent years, the growth of OA publishing has also been facilitated by the availability of open-source software for journal publishing. The case studies illustrate how a new technology and a business model enabled by new technology can be harnessed to find new innovative ways for the organization and content of scholarly publishing. Several recent launches of OA journals by major subscription publishers demonstrate that OA is rapidly gaining acceptance as a sustainable alternative to subscription-based scholarly publishing.

  18. A Study of Innovative Features in Scholarly Open Access Journals

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The emergence of the Internet has triggered tremendous changes in the publication of scientific peer-reviewed journals. Today, journals are usually available in parallel electronic versions, but the way the peer-review process works, the look of articles and journals, and the rigid and slow publication schedules have remained largely unchanged, at least for the vast majority of subscription-based journals. Those publishing firms and scholarly publishers who have chosen the more radical option of open access (OA), in which the content of journals is freely accessible to anybody with Internet connectivity, have had a much bigger degree of freedom to experiment with innovations. Objective The objective was to study how open access journals have experimented with innovations concerning ways of organizing the peer review, the format of journals and articles, new interactive and media formats, and novel publishing revenue models. Methods The features of 24 open access journals were studied. The journals were chosen in a nonrandom manner from the approximately 7000 existing OA journals based on available information about interesting journals and include both representative cases and highly innovative outlier cases. Results Most early OA journals in the 1990s were founded by individual scholars and used a business model based on voluntary work close in spirit to open-source development of software. In the next wave, many long-established journals, in particular society journals and journals from regions such as Latin America, made their articles OA when they started publishing parallel electronic versions. From about 2002 on, newly founded professional OA publishing firms using article-processing charges to fund their operations have emerged. Over the years, there have been several experiments with new forms of peer review, media enhancements, and the inclusion of structured data sets with articles. In recent years, the growth of OA publishing has also been facilitated by the availability of open-source software for journal publishing. Conclusions The case studies illustrate how a new technology and a business model enabled by new technology can be harnessed to find new innovative ways for the organization and content of scholarly publishing. Several recent launches of OA journals by major subscription publishers demonstrate that OA is rapidly gaining acceptance as a sustainable alternative to subscription-based scholarly publishing. PMID:22173122

  19. Contributing to operations of community agencies through integrated fieldwork experiences.

    PubMed

    Klinger, Lisa; Bossers, Ann

    2009-06-01

    Occupational therapists are change agents who are well equipped to participate in community development. Community development projects can help agencies in many ways, including determining needs, educating stakeholders, developing novel programs, finding and creating resources, marketing the agency, and creating or implementing policy. In order for service agencies to profit, they need an understanding of the skills occupational therapists can offer. The best way to gain that knowledge may be through direct experience. This paper describes the benefits that flow to community agency partners and to occupational therapy students from an innovative, integrated fieldwork model that links students with service agencies. This approach has demonstrated many benefits to community partners, while allowing all students in an occupational therapy program to have community development experience. This is a cost-effective way to demonstrate the value of occupational therapy and to deliver multiple community development projects.

  20. Creating a Culture of Innovation: The Challenge in Becoming and Staying a World-Class University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tierney, William G.

    2014-01-01

    In the 21st century world-class universities will need to be much more focused on innovation, rather than on stability and standardization. An innovative organization is different from a stable one. It requires different skills from its participants, and it functions in a different way from a stable organization. A focus on innovation will…

  1. Proactive Goal Generation and Innovative Work Behavior: The Moderating Role of Affective Commitment, Production Ownership and Leader Support for Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montani, Francesco; Battistelli, Adalgisa; Odoardi, Carlo

    2017-01-01

    Building on goal-regulation theory, we develop and test the hypothesis that proactive goal generation fosters individual innovative work behavior. Consistent with a resource-based perspective, we further examine two-three-way interactions to assess whether the link between proactive goal generation and innovative behavior is jointly moderated by…

  2. Innovation Expo with Bob Cabana

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-11-02

    Visitors stop by a NASA booth in the Space Station Processing Facility conference center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during the 2016 Innovation Expo. Now in its fifth year, the purpose of the Innovation Expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among Kennedy employees who are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

  3. Innovation Expo with Bob Cabana

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-11-02

    Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana stops by a NASA booth in the Space Station Processing Facility conference center during the 2016 Innovation Expo. Now in its fifth year, the purpose of the Innovation Expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among Kennedy employees who are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

  4. "A Chimera of Sorts": Rethinking Educational Technology Grant Programs, Courseware Innovation, and the Language of Educational Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolff, William I.

    2008-01-01

    How do we know when an educational organization, process, or courseware tool is "innovative"? How do we define the processes that encourage change or the ways in which faculty "develop" new courseware "innovations"? The terms "innovation", "change", and "development" have been overused in so many contexts that they now seem to have lost their…

  5. Comparative Quechua Phonology and Grammar V: The Evolution of Quechua B(1).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Gary J.

    It is possible to observe phonological innovations in Quechua B in purely linguistic terms, abandoning the use of dialects and subdialects. Isolect and lect are used instead. A particular speech form, with respect to a particular innovation, is an isolect in one of three possible ways: it lacks the innovation; it has the innovation as a variable…

  6. Dragons' Den: promoting healthcare research and innovation.

    PubMed

    Mazhindu, Deborah; Gregory, Siobhan

    2015-07-01

    The changing health and social care landscape, and, in particular, the financial challenges affecting the NHS, can present difficulties for staff looking for funding to support innovation and new ways of working. One method of competitive tendering that is becoming more accepted as a way of allocating funds, encouraging staff engagement and developing innovation for research is a format based the BBC television series, Dragons' Den. This article describes how Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust, London, has developed a 'Dragons' Den initiative' of annual competitive research funding allocation to ensure that some of the most dynamic practice in the trust is captured.

  7. Leveraging Industry-Academia Collaborations in Adaptive Biomedical Innovation.

    PubMed

    Stewart, S R; Barone, P W; Bellisario, A; Cooney, C L; Sharp, P A; Sinskey, A J; Natesan, S; Springs, S L

    2016-12-01

    Despite the rapid pace of biomedical innovation, research and development (R&D) productivity in the pharmaceutical industry has not improved broadly. Increasingly, firms need to leverage new approaches to product development and commercial execution, while maintaining adaptability to rapid changes in the marketplace and in biomedical science. Firms are also seeking ways to capture some of the talent, infrastructure, and innovation that depends on federal R&D investment. As a result, a major transition to external innovation is taking place across the industry. One example of these external innovation initiatives is the Sanofi-MIT Partnership, which provided seed funding to MIT investigators to develop novel solutions and approaches in areas of interest to Sanofi. These projects were highly collaborative, with information and materials flowing both ways. The relatively small amount of funding and short time frame of the awards built an adaptable and flexible process to advance translational science. © 2016 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

  8. Competitiveness measurement system in the advertising sector.

    PubMed

    Poveda-Bautista, Rocío; García-Melón, Mónica; Baptista, Doris C

    2013-01-01

    In this paper a new approach to find indicators that can be used to measure companies' competitiveness and performance in an efficient and reliable way is presented. The aim is to assist managers of companies within a specific industrial sector by providing information about their relative position in the market so as to define better action plans that may improve the company's performance. The approach combines the use of the Analytic Network Process, a multicriteria decision method, with the Balanced Scorecard. It allows the definition of a number of competitiveness indicators based on the performance and setting of the advertising sector. In this way it is possible to obtain a Competitiveness Index that allows a company to know its relative position with respect to other companies in the sector, and establish a ranking of the companies ordered by their competitiveness level. A case study in the advertising industry of Venezuela is provided. Results show that improvement plans for the agencies analyzed should promote creativity, innovation and the use of new technologies, as a particular form of innovation. These factors were considered to be the most relevant indicators in the advertising sector. The participating experts agreed that the methodology is useful and an improvement over current competitiveness assessment methods.

  9. Learning about population-health through a community practice learning project: An evaluation study.

    PubMed

    Davenport, Maggie; Ooms, Ann; Marks-Maran, Di

    2016-03-01

    Increasing student nurse numbers requiring community placement learning opportunities has led to insufficient numbers of community nurses being available to support student nurses in the community. Although the study presented in the article is based in the UK this issue is reported widely in the literature across the globe. Universities in many countries have had to find innovative ways of providing community health learning opportunities for student nurses. This article reports on how one university in the UK has approached this challenge through students engaging in a population-based study in the community through group work. A research study was undertaken into this innovation which found that the student nurses engaged well with the project and with their groups and undertaking the project had positive value and impact on them and their understanding of population-health. Issues that arose for them largely focused on unequal participation in the group work by some with many participants perceiving that they had done more work on the group project and presentation than others in their group. However, working in this way was perceived to be a good learning experience for the majority of participants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Organizational Use of a Framework for Innovation Adoption

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    in current processes , the eight practices identified by Denning and Dunham’s The Innovator’s Way, Essential Practices For Successful Innovation (2010...framework for identifying gaps in current processes , the eight practices identified by Denning and Dunham’s The Innovator’s Way, Essential Practices For...60 2. Methods to Use within the Eight Practice Framework ..................63 a. Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) for Executing

  11. Executive Jobs and Executive Continuity, ’An Investigation with Special Reference to Swiss Army Instructors’,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-12-01

    people. This requires accepting different ways of doing things; evaluating worker potential; and seeina the consequences beyond the results. (6) Managing ... innovation . This includes knowing how to anticipate innovation and how to make innovation economically effective. This implies seeing innova- tion as

  12. Developing Partnerships to Promote Local Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waters-Bayer, Ann; van Veldhuizen, Laurens; Wettasinha, Chesha; Wongtschowski, Mariana

    2004-01-01

    Local innovation in agriculture and natural resource management is the process through which individuals or groups discover or develop new and better ways of managing resources, building on and expanding the boundaries of their existing knowledge. Prolinnova (Promoting Local Innovation) is a NGO-led global partnership programme that is being built…

  13. Training for Innovation in India: Cultural Considerations and Strategic Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, L. Roxanne

    2008-01-01

    Global organizations with personnel in India rank innovation as a primary workforce development objective to stay competitive in the global market (NASSCOM, [2007]). This analysis reviews relevant literature for evidence of cultural factors that stand in the way of innovative performance in Indian personnel and discusses implications for the…

  14. Thoughts on Education and Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitehead, Diane P.

    2008-01-01

    The word "innovate" can be traced back to the 1400s, where it originated from the Middle French word "innovacyon" meaning "renewal" or "new way of doing things." Typically, innovation is considered an activity of technology, engineering, and other specialized, scientifically based fields that employ approaches and strategies to spark connectivity,…

  15. Schools at the Crossroads of Innovation in Cities and Regions. Educational Research and Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OECD Publishing, 2017

    2017-01-01

    Many people would not consider schools among the most innovative institutions of modern societies. This perception is not entirely accurate, since education is innovating in many ways in order to meet the demands of the 21st century economies and societies. But teachers and schools cannot do it alone. They should be seen as actors and partners in…

  16. KSC-2012-5017

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-09-06

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – During NASA's Innovation Expo at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, William Merrill, of NASA's Communications Infrastructure Services Division, proposes an innovation that would make mission audio available by way of an Internet radio stream. Kennedy Kick-Start Chair Mike Conroy looks on from the left. As Kennedy continues developing programs and infrastructure to become a 21st century spaceport, many employees are devising ways to do their jobs better and more efficiently. On Sept. 6, 2012, 16 Kennedy employees pitched their innovative ideas for improving the center at the Kennedy Kick-Start event. The competition was part of a center-wide effort designed to increase exposure for innovative ideas and encourage their implementation. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/kick-start_competition.html Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

  17. Collaborative hospital orientation: simulation as a teaching strategy.

    PubMed

    Lamers, Karilyn; Janisse, Lisa; Brown, Gail; Butler, Carol; Watson, Barb

    2013-01-01

    For nurses, the stress caused by entering a new place of employment may give rise to insecurity and a lack of confidence. Lack of confidence in one's nursing skills can affect performance and, ultimately, patient care and safety. In healthcare, growing fiscal constraints have resulted in lost resources, and support for new nursing staff is limited by both time and cost considerations. Clinical educators therefore must find innovative ways to provide education and support, including creative learning modalities that facilitate nurses' transition into a new role and work environment.

  18. Shaking Up Biotech/Pharma: Can Cues Be Taken from the Tech Industry?

    PubMed

    Wang, C Katherine

    2017-06-01

    The biotech and pharma (biotech/pharma) industry is in dire need of finding ways to increase efficacy, efficiency, and affordability of its products. The information and technology industry ("tech") industry, which is an industry similarly founded on inventions and innovation, may provide some food for thought. This perspective will demonstrate the shift that biotech/pharma is already making and will propose that the industry has an opportunity to compel change by adopting some aspects of the tech industry with regards to models for technology/product development and leadership attributes.

  19. System looks outside its own walls to find innovative way to cut kids' asthma admissions.

    PubMed

    1999-10-01

    Atlanta children's hospital system initiates outpatient pediatric asthma disease management program to reduce inpatient admissions and ER visits while reducing costs. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta turned to the primary care physician community for front-line support in keeping mild asthma cases out of the hospital. By offering evidence-based practice guidelines, training for staff, and educational materials for patients and their families, the Partnership to ACE Asthma program is off to a running start. Learn how to set up a similar program.

  20. The challenge of funding hospital employee retirement benefits.

    PubMed

    Román, Christina

    2012-12-01

    Hospitals face a difficult challenge in meeting existing benefits obligations to employees while maintaining financial reserves to invest in electronic health records, quality improvement, and more effective integration of care. Although they may no longer be able to afford offering employees defined-benefit plans, many forward-looking healthcare organizations are finding ways to keep their commitments without sacrificing the balance sheet. One such organization is Scripps Health in San Diego, whose innovative benefits packages have contributed to its being ranked 56th in Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list in 2012.

  1. Co-creation and Co-innovation in a Collaborative Networked Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klen, Edmilson Rampazzo

    Leveraged by the advances in communication and information Technologies, producers and consumers are developing a new behavior. Together with the new emerging collaborative manifestations this behavior may directly impact the way products are developed. This powerful combination indicates that consumers will be involved in a very early stage in product development processes supporting even more the creation and innovation of products. This new way of collaboration gives rise to a new collaborative networked environment based on co-creation and co-innovation. This work will present some evolutionary steps that point to the development of this environment where prosumer communities and virtual organizations interact and collaborate.

  2. Innovation Expo with Bob Cabana

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-11-02

    Visitors were recently given an opportunity to stop by a NASA booth in the Space Station Processing Facility conference center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during the 2016 Innovation Expo. Now in its fifth year, the purpose of the Innovation Expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among Kennedy employees who are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

  3. Innovation Expo with Bob Cabana

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-11-02

    A visitor checks out a virtual reality device at a NASA booth in the Space Station Processing Facility conference center during NASA's Kennedy Space Center during the 2016 Innovation Expo. Now in its fifth year, the purpose of the Innovation Expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among Kennedy employees who are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

  4. Social Innovation in the Hungarian Business Sphere

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szegedi, Krisztina; Fülöp, Gyula; Bereczk, Ádám

    2016-01-01

    The development of society in various ways is central to social innovation and corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR involves deliberate acts of companies, and can lead to social innovation either in themselves or through cooperation with other social stakeholders. The aims of this study are: (1) to describe the concepts of corporate social…

  5. Chapter Innovators Guide, 2000: Models of Innovation Award Winners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National FFA Organization, Indianapolis, IN.

    This guide presents the Future Farmers of America (FFA) 2000 Model of Innovation award winners' projects. Chapters demonstrated abilities to identify goals and objectives, create a workable plan of action, attain and evaluate results, and identify items learned and ways to improve. Chapter 1 discusses the FFA National Chapter Award program that…

  6. When Traditions Become Innovations and Innovations Become Traditions in Everyday Food Pedagogies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benny, Helen

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores the way learning to cook remains important for the maintenance of "ethnic" food traditions and how sharing food knowledge plays a role in intercultural exchanges. Ethnographic data from an ongoing study in Melbourne is presented to highlight how, in everyday practices, both tradition and innovation are involved in…

  7. Ionization-induced annealing of pre-existing defects in silicon carbide

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Yanwen; Sachan, Ritesh; Pakarinen, Olli H.; ...

    2015-08-12

    A long-standing objective in materials research is to find innovative ways to remove preexisting damage and heal fabrication defects or environmentally induced defects in materials. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a fascinating wide-band gap semiconductor for high-temperature, high-power, high-frequency applications. Its high corrosion and radiation resistance makes it a key refractory/structural material with great potential for extremely harsh radiation environments. Here we show that the energy transferred to the electron system of SiC by energetic ions via inelastic ionization processes results in a highly localized thermal spike that can effectively heal preexisting defects and restore the structural order. This work revealsmore » an innovative self-healing process using highly ionizing ions, and it describes a critical aspect to be considered in modeling SiC performance as either a functional or a structural material for device applications or high-radiation environments.« less

  8. Expanding efforts to address Alzheimer’s disease: The Healthy Brain Initiative

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Lynda A.; Egge, Robert

    2015-01-01

    The growing burden of Alzheimer’s disease underscores the importance of enhancing current public health efforts to address dementia. Public health organizations and entities have substantial opportunities to contribute to efforts underway and to add innovations to the field. The Alzheimer’s Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked with a 15-member leadership committee and hundreds of stakeholders to create The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2013–2018 (Road Map). The actions in the Road Map provide a foundation for the public health community to anticipate and respond to emerging innovations and developments. It will be a challenge to harness the increasingly complex nature of public- and private-sector collaborations. We must strengthen the capacity of public health agencies, leverage partnerships, and find new ways to integrate cognitive functioning into public health efforts. PMID:25088658

  9. Life Science Start-up Activities at the Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS).

    PubMed

    Huber, Gerda

    2014-12-01

    The universities of applied sciences (UAS) provide several values for the society and economy of a country. Besides education of high level professionals, transfer of knowledge from research to applications in industry or as new start-up companies is an important task. This is done in different ways in the various disciplines. In Life Sciences, a key industry branch in Switzerland, innovation is a competitive success factor and research findings from UAS/Life Sciences contribute to the valorization of new technologies to products, services and to business performance. In order to foster awareness for the innovation need of industry, UAS install processes and support for transfer of research and technology results to marketable applications. Furthermore they may facilitate contacts of researchers and students with entrepreneurs in order to animate start-up founding as a true alternative to being employed. Access to coaching and entrepreneurial training completes the essential basis.

  10. Transformational learning: an immersion course on the big island of Hawaii.

    PubMed

    Kreitzer, Mary Jo; Sierpina, Victor S; Traub, Michael; Riff, Ken

    2008-01-01

    Content on integrative healthcare and complementary and alternative medicine is being taught in hundreds of educational programs across the country. Nursing, medical, osteopathic, chiropractic, acupuncture, naturopathic, and other programs are finding creative and innovative ways to include these approaches in new models of education and practice. This column spotlights such innovations in integrative healthcare and CAM education and presents readers with specific educational interventions they can adapt into new or ongoing educational efforts at their institution or programs. We invite readers to submit brief descriptions of efforts in their institutions that reflect the creativity, diversity, and interdisciplinary nature of the field. Please submit to Dr Sierpina at vssierpi@utmb.edu or Dr Kreitzer at kreit003@umn.edu. Submissions should be no more than 500 to 1,500 words. Please include any Web site or other resource that is relevant, as well as contact information.

  11. Colleges Explore Innovative Ways to Invest Funds.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biemiller, Lawrence

    1985-01-01

    Trends in innovative investment of college funds are discussed, and the nontraditional, entrepreneurial investments of Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Duke, and the Universities of Missouri at Kansas City, Utah, and Virginia are described. (MSE)

  12. Latest in Campus Transportation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molloy, Larry

    1974-01-01

    Innovations in handling bicycles, autos, and buses are appearing on campuses across the country. Computer-driven shuttle cars and monorails are on the way. Provides information sources for more data about ongoing, innovative campus transportation programs. (Author)

  13. Peer Interaction: A Social Perspective towards the Development of Foreign Language Learning (Interacción entre pares: una perspectiva social hacia el desarrollo del aprendizaje en una lengua extranjera)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gómez Lobatón, July Carolina

    2011-01-01

    This pedagogical innovation aims at discovering new ways of interaction that go beyond the unidirectional relationship that is presented in the classrooms most of the times. The innovation considers peers to be active agents in the construction of knowledge and proposes new ways to arrange groups in the classroom so that the arrangement can…

  14. The Virtual Learning Commons: Supporting Science Education with Emerging Technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pennington, D. D.; Gandara, A.; Gris, I.

    2012-12-01

    The Virtual Learning Commons (VLC), funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Cyberinfrastructure CI-Team Program, is a combination of Semantic Web, mash up, and social networking tools that supports knowledge sharing and innovation across scientific disciplines in research and education communities and networks. The explosion of scientific resources (data, models, algorithms, tools, and cyberinfrastructure) challenges the ability of educators to be aware of resources that might be relevant to their classes. Even when aware, it can be difficult to understand enough about those resources to develop classroom materials. Often emerging data and technologies have little documentation, especially about their application. The VLC tackles this challenge by providing mechanisms for individuals and groups of educators to organize Web resources into virtual collections, and engage each other around those collections in order to a) learn about potentially relevant resources that are available; b) design classes that leverage those resources; and c) develop course syllabi. The VLC integrates Semantic Web functionality for structuring distributed information, mash up functionality for retrieving and displaying information, and social media for discussing/rating information. We are working to provide three views of information that support educators in different ways: 1. Innovation Marketplace: supports users as they find others teaching similar courses, where they are located, and who they collaborate with; 2. Conceptual Mapper: supports educators as they organize their thinking about the content of their class and related classes taught by others; 3. Curriculum Designer: supports educators as they generate a syllabus and find Web resources that are relevant. This presentation will discuss the innovation and learning theories that have informed design of the VLC, hypotheses about the use of emerging technologies to support innovation in classrooms, and will include a brief demonstration of these capabilities.

  15. Research on training model of the optoelectronic major university student's innovative ability under the guidance of TRIZ theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Qing; Xiao, Wenbo; Yan, Chao; Wan, Shengpeng; He, Xingdao; Jones, S. Gregory; Schmidt, Titania A. R.; Suzuki, Kenneth M.

    2017-08-01

    With the rapid development of optoelectronic technology, it is more and more difficult for the students to grasp the related knowledge, and to have innovative thinking and innovative ability. The reason is that the students can't understand that knowledge easily; In addition, the students find it is hard to find innovative projects to enhance themselves. This paper summarizes a teaching approach to impart innovative knowledge. The following is: help students to establish the following thinking, "according to the difficulties encountered in photovoltaic technology, identify and find the key problem, -> converted into the standard TRIZ problem →find their own solutions. The results show that this approach plays an important role in cultivating students' creative thinking.

  16. The customer-centered innovation map.

    PubMed

    Bettencourt, Lance A; Ulwick, Anthony W

    2008-05-01

    We all know that people "hire" products and services to get a job done. Surgeons hire scalpels to dissect soft tissue. Janitors hire soap dispensers and paper towels to remove grime from their hands. To find ways to innovate, it's critical to deconstruct the job the customer is trying to get done from beginning to end, to gain a complete view of all the points at which a customer might desire more help from a product or service. A methodology called job mapping helps companies analyze the biggest drawbacks of the products and services customers currently use and discover opportunities for innovation. It involves breaking down the task the customer wants to accomplish into the eight universal steps of a job: (1) defining the objectives, (2) locating the necessary inputs, (3) preparing the physical environment, (4) confirming that everything is ready, (5) executing the task, (6) monitoring its progress, (7) making modifications as necessary, and (8) concluding the job. Job mapping differs substantively from process mapping in that the goal is to identify what customers are trying to get done at every step, not what they are doing currently. For example, when an anesthesiologist checks a monitor during a surgical procedure, the action taken is just a means to the end. Detecting a change in patient vital signs is the job the doctor is trying to get done. Within each of the discrete steps lie multiple opportunities for making the job simpler, easier, or faster. By mapping out every step of the job and locating those opportunities, companies can discover new ways to differentiate their offerings.

  17. Answering the Challenge of a Changing World: Strengthening Education for the 21st Century

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    To Americans, innovation means much more than the latest gadget. It means creating a more productive, prosperous, mobile and healthy society. Innovation fuels this way of life and improves quality of life. Its wellspring is education. President Bush has made innovation and education top priorities. He worked with Congress to pass the most…

  18. Cultivating Change: Disseminating Innovation in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gannaway, Deanne; Hinton, Tilly; Berry, Bianca; Moore, Kaitlin

    2013-01-01

    Effective dissemination is crucial if innovation and development in teaching and learning in higher education are to lead to sustainable changes in practice. In 2003, King used an agricultural metaphor to challenge innovators to understand the purposes behind their dissemination aims. Similar to the way that seed can be spread, one could choose to…

  19. A Layered Approach to Critical Friendship as a Means to Support Pedagogical Innovation in Pre-Service Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Tim; Ní Chróinín, Déirdre; O'Sullivan, Mary

    2016-01-01

    In this article we describe and interpret how two distinct layers of critical friendship were used to support a pedagogical innovation in pre-service teacher education. The innovation, "Learning about Meaningful Physical Education" (LAMPE), focuses on ways to teach future teachers to foster meaningful experiences for learners in physical…

  20. Story Innovation: An Instructional Strategy for Developing Vocabulary and Fluency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffith, Priscilla L.; Ruan, Jiening

    2007-01-01

    Story innovation is a form of scaffold writing in which the sentence and text patterns remain intact but the content is altered through the substitution of vocabulary to change the setting, characters, or action in a story. Story innovation is presented as a way to develop vocabulary knowledge through deep processing and to provide fluency…

  1. Unravelling the Social Dynamics of an Industry-School Partnership: Social Capital as Perspective for Co-Creation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ehlen, Corry G. J. M.; van der Klink, Marcel R.; Boshuizen, Henny P. A.

    2016-01-01

    Increasingly, innovative collaboration between industry and schools is being exploited as a way of improving the quality and relevance of education. Even though these innovations appear to have substantial benefits, often the impact proves to fade away after their implementation. A better understanding of how to sustain complex innovations seems…

  2. TRADITION AND INNOVATION IN THE CRAFT OF ENGLISH--RECONNAISSANCE FOR A WAR ON AESTHETIC POVERTY.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    HAZARD, PATRICK D.

    AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO REPORT WAYS OF ACCELERATING INNOVATION IN THE ENGLISH TEACHING. THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONNAIRES TO STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS AND A MAILING LIST OF OPINION LEADERS, PRIORITIES WERE ESTABLISHED, AND INNOVATIVE AND UNDERUSED PROGRAMS OF VALUE WERE COLLECTED. THE STUDY ALSO ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE REASONS FOR THE UNSATISFACTORY…

  3. Innovative financing options for Kentucky's transportation infrastructure.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-04-01

    Given the need to maximize Kentuckys limited highway system funding, the purpose of this study was to review and analyze new transportation financing innovations suggested by the Federal Highway Administration. The FHWA suggestions may provide way...

  4. Testing an app for reporting health concerns-Experiences from older people and home care nurses.

    PubMed

    Göransson, Carina; Eriksson, Irene; Ziegert, Kristina; Wengström, Yvonne; Langius-Eklöf, Ann; Brovall, Maria; Kihlgren, Annica; Blomberg, Karin

    2018-06-01

    To explore the experiences of using an app among older people with home-based health care and their nurses. Few information and communication technology innovations have been developed and tested for older people with chronic conditions living at home with home-based health care support. Innovative ways to support older people's health and self-care are needed. Explorative qualitative design. For 3 months to report health concerns, older people receiving home-based health care used an interactive app, which included direct access to self-care advice, graphs and a risk assessment model that sends alerts to nurses for rapid management. Interviews with older people (n = 17) and focus group discussions with home care nurses (n = 12) were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that a process occurs. Using the app, the older people participated in their care, and the app enabled learning and a new way of communication. The interaction gave a sense of security and increased self-confidence among older people. The home care nurses viewed the alerts as appropriate for the management of health concerns. However, all participants experienced challenges in using new technology and had suggestions for improvement. The use of an app appears to increase the older people's participation in their health care and offers them an opportunity to be an active partner in their care. The app as a new way to interact with home care nurses increased the feeling of security. The older people were motivated to learn to use the app and described potential use for it in the future. The use of an app should be considered as a useful information and communication technology innovation that can improve communication and accessibility for older people with home-based health care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals Manufacturing Project (IAM2)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Scott, Elizabeth

    This project, under the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals Manufacturing Project, contracted with Cascade Energy to provide a shared energy project manager engineer to work with five different companies throughout the Portland metro grant region to implement ten energy efficiency projects and develop a case study to analyze the project model. As a part of the project, the energy project manager also looked into specific new technologies and methodologies that could change the way energy is consumed by manufacturers—from game-changing equipment and technology to monitor energy use to methodologies that change the way companiesmore » interact and use their machines to reduce energy consumption.« less

  6. Factors affecting success of an integrated community-based telehealth system.

    PubMed

    Hsieh, Hui-Lung; Tsai, Chung-Hung; Chih, Wen-Hai; Lin, Huei-Hsieh

    2015-01-01

    The rise of chronic and degenerative diseases in developed countries has become one critical epidemiologic issue. Telehealth can provide one viable way to enhance health care, public health, and health education delivery and support. The study aims to empirically examine and evaluate the success factors of community-based telehealth system adoption. The valid 336 respondents are the residents of a rural community in Taiwan. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the proposed model applied to telehealth. The findings showed the research model had good explanatory power and fitness. Also, the findings indicated that system quality exerted the strongest overall effect on intention to use. Furthermore, service quality exerted the strongest overall effect on user satisfaction. The findings also illustrated that the joint effects of three intrinsic qualities (system quality, information quality, and service quality) on use were mediated by user satisfaction and intention to use. The study implies that community-based telehealth service providers should improve three intrinsic qualities to enhance user satisfaction and intention to use, which in turn can lead to increase the usage of the telehealth equipment. The integrated community-based telehealth system may become an innovative and suitable way to deliver better care to the residents of communities.

  7. A new hybrid model for exploring the adoption of online nursing courses.

    PubMed

    Tung, Feng-Cheng; Chang, Su-Chao

    2008-04-01

    With the advancement in educational technology and internet access in recent years, nursing academia is searching for ways to widen nurses' educational opportunities. The online nursing courses are drawing more attention as well. The online nursing courses are very important e-learning tools for nursing students. The research combines the innovation diffusion theory and technology acceptance model, and adds two research variables, perceived financial cost and computer self-efficacy to propose a new hybrid technology acceptance model to study nursing students' behavioral intentions to use the online nursing courses. Based on 267 questionnaires collected from six universities in Taiwan, the research finds that studies strongly support this new hybrid technology acceptance model in predicting nursing students' behavioral intentions to use the online nursing courses. This research finds that compatibility, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived financial cost and computer self-efficacy are critical factors for nursing students' behavioral intentions to use the online nursing courses. By explaining nursing students' behavioral intentions from a user's perspective, the findings of this research help to develop more user friendly online nursing courses and also provide insight into the best way to promote new e-learning tools for nursing students. This research finds that compatibility is the most important research variable that affects the behavioral intention to use the online nursing courses.

  8. Managing innovation: lessons from the cardiac-pacing industry.

    PubMed

    Gobeli, D H; Rudelius, W

    1985-01-01

    In this article, the authors argue that innovation is a surefire way for a firm to increase its sales and market share. This, in turn, can stimulate American industries and make American firms more competitive in international markets. Through their study of the cardiac-pacing industry, they draw conclusions about what factors contribute to a successful innovation in other industries besides medical electronics. They identify general patterns and stages of the innovation process, key roles top management must fill in an organization, and effective policies that foster important innovations.

  9. Leader Humility and Team Innovation: Investigating the Substituting Role of Task Interdependence and the Mediating Role of Team Voice Climate

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Wenxing; Mao, Jianghua; Chen, Xiao

    2017-01-01

    Leadership has been found to be linked with team innovation. Based on social information processing theory and substitutes for leadership theory, this paper examines the influence of leader humility on team innovation. Results from 90 teams showed that leader humility will enhance team innovation by fostering team voice climate. Further, task interdependence substitutes the effect of leader humility on team innovation through an indirect way via team voice climate. This study discussed the theoretical and practical implementations of these observations. PMID:28713316

  10. Leader Humility and Team Innovation: Investigating the Substituting Role of Task Interdependence and the Mediating Role of Team Voice Climate.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wenxing; Mao, Jianghua; Chen, Xiao

    2017-01-01

    Leadership has been found to be linked with team innovation. Based on social information processing theory and substitutes for leadership theory, this paper examines the influence of leader humility on team innovation. Results from 90 teams showed that leader humility will enhance team innovation by fostering team voice climate. Further, task interdependence substitutes the effect of leader humility on team innovation through an indirect way via team voice climate. This study discussed the theoretical and practical implementations of these observations.

  11. Bim for Cultural Heritage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Del Giudice, M.; Osello, A.

    2013-07-01

    When you think about the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry people tend to refers to new buildings, but nowadays the recovery of existing ones is increasingly the subject of the research. The current historical context raises this issue at the center of numerous thought due both to economic and environmental conditions. So, the need to refurbish the cultural heritage is becoming more important than the construction of new buildings. Modern technologies allow professionals to do this to turn the buildings into structures capable to meet the users' confort with a considerable energy saving. Italy is trying to make a change to the construction industry through the national InnovANCE project, which aims to develop the first national database able to share information among professionals through the help of Building Information Modeling (BIM). In this way the subject involved in a construction process can update their way of working, with a consequent time and cost saving. This paper aims to present the way in which the InnovANCE project can be considered as the key for Italy to change the way to conceive the building industry, using a case study such as the old thermal power of Politecnico di Torino, starting from the survey step. The methodology followed to obtain the 3D model will be described, starting from the data of a topographic and a laser scanner survey and from an archival documents research.

  12. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    Energy storage, which has revolutionized consumer electronics, is poised to change the way we drive our cars and the way we generate and use electricity. Leveraging four decades of numerous path-breaking innovations in energy storage, Argonne is leading the way in ushering in this change.

  13. INNOVATION SNAPSHOTS : outside-the-box thinking from Michigan DOT employees, October, 2016.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-10-01

    Bright ideas, big impact The stories on these pages highlight some of the : innovative ways that MDOT employees are saving time and money, improving safety, : and increasing quality in everything we do.

  14. INNOVATION SNAPSHOTS : outside-the-box thinking from Michigan DOT employees, November, 2016.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-11-01

    Bright Ideas, Big Impact The stories on these pages highlight some of the : innovative ways that MDOT employees are saving time and money, improving safety, : and increasing quality in everything we do.

  15. INNOVATION SNAPSHOTS : outside-the-box thinking from Michigan DOT employees, September, 2016.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-09-01

    Bright Ideas, Big Impact The stories on these pages highlight some of the : innovative ways that MDOT employees are saving time and money, improving safety, : and increasing quality in everything we do.

  16. Welsh Women's Industrial Fiction 1880-1910.

    PubMed

    Bohata, Kirsti; Jones, Alexandra

    2017-10-02

    From the beginning of the genre, women writers have made a major contribution to the development of industrial writing. Although prevented from gaining first-hand experience of the coalface, Welsh women writers were amongst the first to try to fictionalize those heavy industries-coal and metal in the south, and slate in the north-which dominated the lives of the majority of the late nineteenth-century Welsh population. Treatment of industrial matter is generally fragmentary in this early women's writing; industrial imagery and metaphor may be used in novels that are not primarily "about" industry at all. Yet from c. 1880-1910, Welsh women writers made a significant-and hitherto critically neglected-attempt to make sense in literature of contemporary industrial Wales in powerful and innovative ways. This essay maps their contribution and considers anglophone Welsh women writers' adaptations and innovations of form (particularly romance) as they try to find a way of representing industrial landscapes, communities and the daily realities of industrial labour. It identifies the genesis in women's writing of tropes that would become central to later industrial fiction, including depictions of industrial accident, injury, death and disability. And it explores the representation of social relations (class, gender, ethnicity, sexuality) and conflict on this tumultuous, dangerous new stage.

  17. Practical considerations for transitioning early childhood interventions to scale: lessons from the Saving Brains portfolio.

    PubMed

    Radner, James M; Ferrer, Marvin J S; McMahon, Dominique; Shankar, Anuraj H; Silver, Karlee L

    2018-05-01

    Small pilot studies of young children have frequently shown promise, but very few have been successfully scaled to the regional or national levels. How can we ensure that these promising approaches move from a suite of pilots to full-scale implementation that can deliver sustainable impact for hundreds of millions of children? To elucidate concrete lessons learned and suggestions on accelerating the transition to impact at scale, we reviewed the Saving Brains portfolio to better understand three points: (1) the extent to which useful signals of impact could be extracted from data at the seed phase, (2) the ways in which innovators (project leaders) were approaching human resource challenges critical for scaling, and (3) the multisector diversity of the portfolio and the way innovators entered partnerships. The findings suggest key considerations for transitioning early childhood development interventions to scale and sustainability: strong entrepreneurial leadership, rigorous measurement and active use of data in support of adaptive learning, and champions acting at subnational levels. Together, these can enable flexible, iterative learning that can make the scaling process an opportunity to increase the level of benefit each child receives from an intervention. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

  18. Welsh Women's Industrial Fiction 1880–1910

    PubMed Central

    Bohata, Kirsti; Jones, Alexandra

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT From the beginning of the genre, women writers have made a major contribution to the development of industrial writing. Although prevented from gaining first-hand experience of the coalface, Welsh women writers were amongst the first to try to fictionalize those heavy industries—coal and metal in the south, and slate in the north—which dominated the lives of the majority of the late nineteenth-century Welsh population. Treatment of industrial matter is generally fragmentary in this early women's writing; industrial imagery and metaphor may be used in novels that are not primarily “about” industry at all. Yet from c. 1880–1910, Welsh women writers made a significant—and hitherto critically neglected—attempt to make sense in literature of contemporary industrial Wales in powerful and innovative ways. This essay maps their contribution and considers anglophone Welsh women writers' adaptations and innovations of form (particularly romance) as they try to find a way of representing industrial landscapes, communities and the daily realities of industrial labour. It identifies the genesis in women's writing of tropes that would become central to later industrial fiction, including depictions of industrial accident, injury, death and disability. And it explores the representation of social relations (class, gender, ethnicity, sexuality) and conflict on this tumultuous, dangerous new stage. PMID:29118469

  19. The Motivational and Information Needs of Young Innovators: Stimulating Student Creativity and Inventive Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Small, Ruth V.

    2014-01-01

    Innovation is the essence of the American spirit. In the twenty-first century, it will be the innovative thinkers who will make the greatest contributions to our society, find cures for diseases, create technologies that enrich our lives, and find innovative solutions to the world's problems. Schools must provide more opportunities for students to…

  20. Do service innovations influence the adoption of electronic health records in long-term care organizations? Results from the U.S. National Survey of Residential Care Facilities.

    PubMed

    Bhuyan, Soumitra S; Zhu, He; Chandak, Aastha; Kim, Jungyoon; Stimpson, Jim P

    2014-12-01

    Healthcare organizations including residential care facilities (RCFs) are diversifying their services to meet market demands. Service innovations have been linked to the changes in the way that healthcare organizations organize their work. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between organizational service innovations and Electronic Health Record (EHR) adoption in the RCFs. We used the data from the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outcome was whether an RCF adopted EHR or not, and the predictors were the organizational service innovations including provision of skilled nursing care and medication review. We also added facility characteristics as control variables. Weighted multivariate logistic regressions were used to estimate the relationship between service innovation factors and EHR adoption in the RCFs. In 2010, about 17.4% of the RCFs were estimated to use EHR. Multivariate analysis showed that RCFs employing service innovations were more likely to adopt EHR. The residential care facilities that provide skilled nursing services to their residents are more likely (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.09-1.87) to adopt EHR. Similarly, RCFs with a provision of medication review were also more likely to adopt EHR (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.00-1.95). Among the control variables, facility size, chain affiliation, ownership type, and Medicaid certification were significantly associated with EHR adoption. Our findings suggest that service innovations may drive EHR adoption in the RCFs in the United States. This can be viewed as a strategic attempt by RCFs to engage in a new business arrangement with hospitals and other health care organizations, where quality of care and interoperability of patients' records might play a vital role under the current healthcare reform. Future research could examine the relationship between service innovations and use of different EHR functionality in RCFs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Toward Theory-Led Evaluation: The Experience of European Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molas-Gallart, Jordi; Davies, Andrew

    2006-01-01

    This article reviews the literature and practice concerned with the evaluation of science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies and the way these relate to theories of the innovation process. Referring to the experience of the European Union (EU), the authors review the attempts to ensure that the STI policy theory is informed by advances in…

  2. The Discourse and Nature of Creativity and Innovation: Ways of Relating to the Novel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammershøj, Lars Geer

    2017-01-01

    In the discourse of the knowledge-based economy, the link between creativity and innovation is usually taken for granted. However, not only is this link of recent date, it joins together two diametrically opposed concepts: the economic concept of innovation and the humanistic concept of creativity. In research too, there is a lack of enquiry into…

  3. provider venture capital funds: investing in innovation.

    PubMed

    Potter, Mary Jo; Wesslund, Rick

    2016-05-01

    As health systems continue to embrace disruptive innovation, they are increasingly likely to consider making a move into venture capital. Working in venture capital can benefit a health system in several ways, including: Allowing it to operate outside of bureaucracy and align projects with its core values. Encouraging innovation within the organization. Enabling it to respond quickly to changes in the market.

  4. The Evolution of the MasAgro Hubs: Responsiveness and Serendipity as Drivers of Agricultural Innovation in a Dynamic and Heterogeneous Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camacho-Villa, Tania Carolina; Almekinders, Conny; Hellin, Jon; Martinez-Cruz, Tania Eulalia; Rendon-Medel, Roberto; Guevara-Hernández, Francisco; Beuchelt, Tina D.; Govaerts, Bram

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Little is known about effective ways to operationalize agricultural innovation processes. We use the MasAgro program in Mexico (which aims to increase maize and wheat productivity, profitability and sustainability), and the experiences of middle level "hub managers", to understand how innovation processes occur in heterogeneous…

  5. Introducing Curriculum Innovations in Science: Identifying Teachers' Transformations and the Design of Related Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinto, Roser

    2005-01-01

    This paper introduces the four research papers in this paper set, which all derive from a European research project, STTIS (Science Teacher Training in an Information Society). The central concern of the project was to study curriculum innovations in science, and to investigate ways in which teachers transform these innovations when putting them…

  6. Principles over principals? How innovation affects the agency relationship in medical and legal practice.

    PubMed

    Polaris, Julian J Z

    2014-01-01

    This Note outlines a conceptual framework for defining and analyzing innovation in the professional practice of medicine and law. The two professions have structural and historical similarities, and both are organized around the principal-agent relationship. Some types of professional activity adhere to the traditional agency model of principal-centered practice, but innovative professionals who develop novel tools and techniques often deviate from the agency model in interesting ways. This Note explores how that distinction plays out by identifying examples from academic medicine, public interest "cause lawyering", and corporate law. The field of medicine is governed by a regulatory regime that strictly differentiates routine practice from the experimental activities of clinical research, but the legal profession is governed by a monolithic code of conduct that does not explicitly acknowledge the types of innovation described here. Certain key events in the twentieth century help to explain why the government has chosen to tightly regulate innovation in medicine but not in law, and it turns out that innovators in both fields have found ways to stretch or bend the rules. These observations shed light on each profession's unique culture and can inform current debates over regulatory reform.

  7. Waves of novelties in the expansion into the adjacent possible

    PubMed Central

    Monechi, Bernardo; Ruiz-Serrano, Ãlvaro; Loreto, Vittorio

    2017-01-01

    The emergence of novelties and their rise and fall in popularity is an ubiquitous phenomenon in human activities. The coexistence of popular evergreens with novel and sometimes ephemeral trends pervades technological, scientific and artistic production. Though this phenomenon is very intuitively captured by our common sense, a comprehensive explanation of how waves of novelties are not hampered by well established old-comers is still lacking. Here we first quantify this phenomenology by empirically looking at different systems that display innovation at very different levels: the creation of hashtags in Twitter, the evolution of online code repositories, the creation of texts and the listening of songs on online platforms. In all these systems surprisingly similar patterns emerge as the non-trivial outcome of two contrasting forces: the tendency of retracing already explored avenues (exploit) and the inclination to explore new possibilities. These findings are naturally explained in the framework of the expansion of the adjacent possible, a recently introduced theoretical framework that postulates the restructuring of the space of possibilities conditional to the occurrence of innovations. The predictions of our theoretical framework are borne out in all the phenomenologies investigated, paving the way to a better understanding and control of innovation processes. PMID:28594909

  8. 'Pre-Run, Re-Run': An innovative research capacity building exercise.

    PubMed

    McAllister, Margaret; Brien, Donna Lee

    2017-11-01

    Within higher education it is ironic that experienced and novice researchers rarely take the opportunity to come together to share their research - whether these be to discuss findings, puzzles or developing projects. Within this paper, an innovative strategy building on these assumptions is described. It is entitled: 'Pre-run, Re-run' and is a learning community where specific processes are modelled by all to help build professional communication, collegial respect, and scholarship. Our evaluation showed that there is value in bringing together researchers especially when they have diverse profiles. Also, mixing experience with naivety, by inviting professors and junior staff to fraternize equally, offers the possibility for wide ranging discussion, as well as sharing a range of successful techniques, knowledge of the big picture and ways around obstacles that would otherwise be off-putting for novices. The less experienced perspective can equally be revitalizing because newcomers to scholarship often bring a fresh focus and enthusiasm and energy for practice. While this was a local innovation, which may not be generalizable to all settings, others hoping to bring together disciplines may benefit from utilizing the successful methods to build a productive, mixed research culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. 75 FR 49871 - Fixed and Mobile Services in the Mobile Satellite Service

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-16

    ... on ways to promote innovation and investment throughout the MSS bands while also ensuring market-wide..., utilization, innovation and investment in the spectrum for terrestrial services throughout the 2 GHz, Big LEO... use. [[Page 49874

  10. Games as an innovative teaching strategy for overactive bladder and BPH.

    PubMed

    LeCroy, Cheryl

    2006-10-01

    A challenge for urologic nurses and nurse educators is how to present information to staff, students, and patients in a way that will capture their interest and engage them in the learning process. The use of adult-learning principles and innovative teaching strategies can make the learning experience dynamic, and encourage learners to take a more active role in their own learning. Games are a creative, fun, and interactive way to assist in the emphasis, review, reinforcement, and retention of information for urology nurses.

  11. Building Complex Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hinchey, Mike

    2006-01-01

    The explosion of capabilities and new products within ICT (Information and Communication Technology) has fostered widespread, overly optimistic opinions regarding the industry, based on common but unjustified assumptions of quality and correctness of software. These assumptions are encouraged by software producers and vendors, who have not succeeded in finding a way to overcome the lack of an automated, mathematically sound way to develop correct systems from requirements. NASA faces this dilemma as it envisages advanced mission concepts in future exploration missions, which may well be the most ambitious computer-based systems ever developed. Such missions entail levels of complexity that beg for new methods for system development. NASA-led research in such areas as sensor networks, formal methods, autonomic computing, and requirements-based programming (to name but a few) will offer some innovative approaches to achieving correctness in complex system development.

  12. Minimizing hair dispersal: Is this an opportunity for improvement in health care-acquired infection prevention?

    PubMed

    Mantyh, Christopher R; Xi, Hugo; Pearson, Lena; Perl, Trish M

    2017-03-01

    We performed a study to understand common practices in surgical site hair removal and barriers to guideline compliance in surgical site hair removal. We found most health care providers in the United States do not remove hair outside of the operating room. Our findings reveal minimizing hair dispersal in the operating room, including improved and innovative ways for collecting clipped loose hair, is a significant area for improvement in surgical quality and health care-acquired infection prevention. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Enhancing career marketability through intrapreneurship.

    PubMed

    Manion, J

    2001-01-01

    Building a career of depth and breadth is lifelong work. While conscious forethought and planning is important, even more critical is the courage to take risks and to continually "push the envelope" in terms of skill development. Active intrapreneurs find opportunities to create change and innovation in their organizations and personally benefit from an increased repertoire of marketable skills. In today's health care environment, middle management and executive positions are being consolidated and even eliminated, making it more difficult for upward mobility in the organization. Intrapreneurship offers a way to develop marketable career skills and creates visibility for the individual.

  14. Saline solutions: the quest for fresh water.

    PubMed Central

    Reuther, C G

    2000-01-01

    Despite steady advances in the technology, desalination remains one of the most expensive ways to produce potable water. But as water scarcity forces communities to find new sources of drinking water, scientists are developing innovations that may soon make desalination a reasonable option for many more communities. The newest approach to desalination is membrane systems, which include reverse osmosis and electrodialysis systems. Current research seeks to make these systems more effective and less likely to produce environmentally hazardous by-products. Many facilities use traditional distillation to desalinate water, and efforts are being made to combine membranes and distillation for more efficient systems. PMID:10656867

  15. Reawaken the American Spirit of Innovation in Your Organization

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-04-01

    worked to create a culture conducive to innovation, simply defined as “the introduction of something new”? Today we typi- cally use the word in the...areas of national interest. Ter- rorists will imaginatively use resources in new ways, as they did in the 2008 Mumbai attack.2 Latin American drug...core—the “why”—emphasizes innovation with a culture in which “every Airmen is an innovator.”4 Gen Mark Welsh III, the Air Force chief of staff

  16. Progressor: social navigation support through open social student modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsiao, I.-Han; Bakalov, Fedor; Brusilovsky, Peter; König-Ries, Birgitta

    2013-06-01

    The increased volumes of online learning content have produced two problems: how to help students to find the most appropriate resources and how to engage them in using these resources. Personalized and social learning have been suggested as potential ways to address these problems. Our work presented in this paper combines the ideas of personalized and social learning in the context of educational hypermedia. We introduce Progressor, an innovative Web-based tool based on the concepts of social navigation and open student modeling that helps students to find the most relevant resources in a large collection of parameterized self-assessment questions on Java programming. We have evaluated Progressor in a semester-long classroom study, the results of which are presented in this paper. The study confirmed the impact of personalized social navigation support provided by the system in the target context. The interface encouraged students to explore more topics attempting more questions and achieving higher success rates in answering them. A deeper analysis of the social navigation support mechanism revealed that the top students successfully led the way to discovering most relevant resources by creating clear pathways for weaker students.

  17. 77 FR 26909 - National Foster Care Month, 2012

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-07

    ... Improvement and Innovation Act, we are granting States more flexibility in supporting a range of services for... Nation's children and strengthening families through programs like the Permanency Innovations Initiative... ways government, social workers, foster families, religious institutions, and others are helping...

  18. [Review on enterprises'eco-innovation].

    PubMed

    Liao, Zhong Ju; Huang, Chao

    2017-12-01

    Eco-innovation is an important way to realize sustainable development. It has the dual positive externality of "knowledge spillover" and "environmental spillover", which has attracted much attention from theory and practice. In order to systematically grasp the current situation of eco-innovation, this study collected the relevant foreign literatures on eco-innovation in the past ten years, and made a systematic review of the definition, characteristics and dimensions of eco-innovation. Focusing on the theory of institutional theory, stakeholder theory and resource-based view, this paper explored the antecedents of eco-innovation. Then, this paper also demonstrated the positive and negative effects of eco-innovation on corporate financial performance, and the meditating and moderating mechanisms between eco-innovation and financial performance. Finally, based on the limitations of existing research, the future research direction was put forward.

  19. Implementing Accountable Care Organizations: Lessons From a Qualitative Analysis of Four Private Sector Organizations.

    PubMed

    Walker, Daniel M; Hefner, Jennifer L; Sova, Lindsey N; Hilligoss, Brian; Song, Paula H; McAlearney, Ann Scheck

    Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are emerging across the healthcare marketplace and now include Medicare, Medicaid, and private sector payers covering more than 24 million lives. However, little is known about the process of organizational change required to achieve cost savings and quality improvements from the ACO model. This study applies the complex innovation implementation framework to understand the challenges and facilitators associated with the ACO implementation process. We conducted four case studies of private sector ACOs, selected to achieve variation in terms of geography and organizational maturity. Across sites, we used semistructured interviews with 68 key informants to elicit information regarding ACO implementation. Our analysis found challenges and facilitators across all domains in the conceptual framework. Notably, our findings deviated from the framework in two ways. First, findings from the financial resource availability domain revealed both financial and nonfinancial (i.e., labor) resources that contributed to implementation effectiveness. Second, a new domain, patient engagement, emerged as an important factor in implementation effectiveness. We present these deviations in an adapted framework. As the ACO model proliferates, these findings can support implementation efforts, and they highlight the importance of focusing on patients throughout the process. Importantly, this study extends the complex innovation implementation framework to incorporate consumers into the implementation framework, making it more patient centered and aiding future efforts.

  20. Can research that is not intended or unlikely to be published be considered ethical?

    PubMed

    Barton, Christopher; Tam, Chun Wah Michael; Abbott, Penelope; Hall, Sally; Liaw, Siaw-Teng

    2017-06-01

    For research to be ethically acceptable, the potential benefits must justify any risks involved for participants. Dissemination of research findings through publication is one way of creating benefit, but not all researchers intend to publish their research. Other factors, such as lack of size or representativeness, generalisability or innovativeness, or negative findings mean the research is unlikely to be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. This paper discusses ethical considerations in research where peer-reviewed publication is not intended or unlikely. Proposing research that is not intended or unlikely to be published in a peer-reviewed journal does not preclude it from being considered ethical. Additional benefits of such projects may include professional development of investigators, pilot data collection leading to more definitive studies, or developing collaborations with research users that increase relevance and improve utility of findings.

  1. [Medical doctors driving technological innovation: questions about and innovation management approaches to incentive structures for lead users].

    PubMed

    Bohnet-Joschko, Sabine; Kientzler, Fionn

    2010-01-01

    Management science defines user-generated innovations as open innovation and lead user innovation. The medical technology industry finds user-generated innovations profitable and even indispensable. Innovative medical doctors as lead users need medical technology innovations in order to improve patient care. Their motivation to innovate is mostly intrinsic. But innovations may also involve extrinsic motivators such as gain in reputation or monetary incentives. Medical doctors' innovative activities often take place in hospitals and are thus embedded into the hospital's organisational setting. Hospitals find it difficult to gain short-term profits from in-house generated innovations and sometimes hesitate to support them. Strategic investment in medical doctors' innovative activities may be profitable for hospitals in the long run if innovations provide first-mover competitive advantages. Industry co-operations with innovative medical doctors offer chances but also bear potential risks. Innovative ideas generated by expert users may result in even higher complexity of medical devices; this could cause mistakes when applied by less specialised users and thus affect patient safety. Innovations that yield benefits for patients, medical doctors, hospitals and the medical technology industry can be advanced by offering adequate support for knowledge transfer and co-operation models.

  2. What does an innovative teaching assignment strategy mean to nursing students?

    PubMed

    Neuman, Lois H; Pardue, Karen T; Grady, Janet L; Gray, Mary Tod; Hobbins, Bonnie; Edelstein, Jan; Herrman, Judith W

    2009-01-01

    The concept of innovation in nursing education has been addressed in published literature on faculty-defined and faculty-created teaching strategies and instructional methods. In this project, innovation is defined as "using knowledge to create ways and services that are new (or perceived as new) in order to transform systems" (Pardue, Tagliareni, Valiga, Davison-Price, & Orchowsky, 2005). Studies on nursing student perceptions of innovation are limited, and it is unclear how undergraduate and graduate students conceptualize innovative learning experiences. This project explored students' perceptions of their experiences with instructor-defined, innovative teaching/learning strategies in four types of nursing education programs. Issues nurse educators should consider as they apply new techniques to their teaching are discussed.

  3. Who's bringing you hot ideas and how are you responding?

    PubMed

    Davenport, Thomas H; Prusak, Laurence; Wilson, H James

    2003-02-01

    There's an unsung hero in your organization. It's the person who's bringing in new ideas from the outside about how to manage better. These aren't your product and service innovators--those people are celebrated loudly and often. This is the manager who, for instance, first uttered the phrase "balance scorecard" in your hallways, or "real options," or "intellectual capital." Managerial innovation is an increasingly important source of competitive advantage--especially given the speed with which product innovations are copied--but it doesn't happen automatically. It takes a certain kind of person to welcome new management ideas and usher them into an organization. The authors recently studied 100 such people to find out how they translate new ideas into action in their organizations. They discovered that they are a distinct type of practitioner; that is to say, they resemble their counterparts in other organizations more than they resemble their own colleagues, and they share a common way of working. "Idea practitioners," as the authors call them, begin by scouting for ideas. All of them are avid readers of management literature and enthusiastic participants in business conferences; many are friendly with business gurus. Once they've identified an idea that seems to hold promise, they tailor it to fit their organizations' specific needs. Next, they actively sell the idea--to senior executives, to the rank and file, to middle managers. And finally, they get the ball rolling by participating in small-scale experiments. But when those take off, they get out of the way and let others execute. In this article, the authors identify the characteristics of idea practitioners and offer strategies for managing them wisely.

  4. Toward Sustainable Anticipatory Governance: Analyzing and Assessing Nanotechnology Innovation Processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foley, Rider Williams

    Cities around the globe struggle with socio-economic disparities, resource inefficiency, environmental contamination, and quality-of-life challenges. Technological innovation, as one prominent approach to problem solving, promises to address these challenges; yet, introducing new technologies, such as nanotechnology, into society and cities has often resulted in negative consequences. Recent research has conceptually linked anticipatory governance and sustainability science: to understand the role of technology in complex problems our societies face; to anticipate negative consequences of technological innovation; and to promote long-term oriented and responsible governance of technologies. This dissertation advances this link conceptually and empirically, focusing on nanotechnology and urban sustainability challenges. The guiding question for this dissertation research is: How can nanotechnology be innovated and governed in responsible ways and with sustainable outcomes? The dissertation: analyzes the nanotechnology innovation process from an actor- and activities-oriented perspective (Chapter 2); assesses this innovation process from a comprehensive perspective on sustainable governance (Chapter 3); constructs a small set of future scenarios to consider future implications of different nanotechnology governance models (Chapter 4); and appraises the amenability of sustainability problems to nanotechnological interventions (Chapter 5). The four studies are based on data collected through literature review, document analysis, participant observation, interviews, workshops, and walking audits, as part of process analysis, scenario construction, and technology assessment. Research was conducted in collaboration with representatives from industry, government agencies, and civic organizations. The empirical parts of the four studies focus on Metropolitan Phoenix. Findings suggest that: predefined mandates and economic goals dominate the nanotechnology innovation process; normative responsibilities identified by risk governance, sustainability-oriented governance, and anticipatory governance are infrequently considered in the nanotechnology innovation process; different governance models will have major impacts on the role and effects of nanotechnology in cities in the future; and nanotechnologies, currently, do not effectively address the root causes of urban sustainability challenges and require complementary solution approaches. This dissertation contributes to the concepts of anticipatory governance and sustainability science on how to constructively guide nanotechnological innovation in order to harvest its positive potential and safeguard against negative consequences.

  5. Sources of Information as Determinants of Product and Process Innovation.

    PubMed

    Gómez, Jaime; Salazar, Idana; Vargas, Pilar

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we use a panel of manufacturing firms in Spain to examine the extent to which they use internal and external sources of information (customers, suppliers, competitors, consultants and universities) to generate product and process innovation. Our results show that, although internal sources are influential, external sources of information are key to achieve innovation performance. These results are in line with the open innovation literature because they show that firms that are opening up their innovation process and that use different information sources have a greater capacity to generate innovations. We also find that the importance of external sources of information varies depending on the type of innovation (product or process) considered. To generate process innovation, firms mainly rely on suppliers while, to generate product innovation, the main contribution is from customers. The potential simultaneity between product and process innovation is also taken into consideration. We find that the generation of both types of innovation is not independent.

  6. Sources of Information as Determinants of Product and Process Innovation

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we use a panel of manufacturing firms in Spain to examine the extent to which they use internal and external sources of information (customers, suppliers, competitors, consultants and universities) to generate product and process innovation. Our results show that, although internal sources are influential, external sources of information are key to achieve innovation performance. These results are in line with the open innovation literature because they show that firms that are opening up their innovation process and that use different information sources have a greater capacity to generate innovations. We also find that the importance of external sources of information varies depending on the type of innovation (product or process) considered. To generate process innovation, firms mainly rely on suppliers while, to generate product innovation, the main contribution is from customers. The potential simultaneity between product and process innovation is also taken into consideration. We find that the generation of both types of innovation is not independent. PMID:27035456

  7. Innovation and evaluation: taming and unleashing telecare technology.

    PubMed

    Pols, Jeannette; Willems, Dick

    2011-03-01

    Telecare is advocated in most European countries with great, if not grandiose, promises: improving healthcare, lowering costs, solving workforce shortage. This paper does not so much question these specific promises, but rather the 'register of promising' as such, by comparing the promises with actual processes of incorporating technologies in healthcare practices. The case we study is the use of webcams in follow-up care from a Dutch rehabilitation clinic for people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This process shows many changes and contingencies, and corresponding shifts in goals and aims. The conclusion is that when innovative technologies such as telecare are actually put to work, 'the same' technology will perform differently. In order to function at all, technology has to be tamed, it has to be tinkered with to fit the practices of the users. The technology, however, is not meekly put to use (tamed), but is unleashed as well, affecting care practices in unforeseen ways. The untenability of pre-given promises and the fluidity of locally evolving goals has important implications for the way in which innovations are promoted, as well as for the way innovative technologies may be evaluated. © 2010 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2010 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  8. 20 Observations on Innovation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-08-01

    DoD acquisition system, here are some observations : 1 Innovation is not a product; it’s a byproduct. You can’t create innovative ideas by trying to...organization. For example, a teacher who worries about educating kids, looks for better ways to educate kids and stays up nights wor­ rying about...protecting teacher tenure is protecting and advancing the organization. In most situations, these two people will be in agreement. Reducing

  9. Ways to Collaborate with EPA

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA has multiple ways for the public to engage with the Agency's innovative solutions and technologies, including cooperative research and development agreements, internships, student competitions, and EPA databases developers can use to make mobile apps.

  10. Crafting the group: Care in research management.

    PubMed

    Davies, Sarah R; Horst, Maja

    2015-06-01

    This article reports findings from an interview study with group leaders and principal investigators in Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States. Taking as our starting point current interest in the need to enhance 'responsible research and innovation', we suggest that these debates can be developed through attention to the talk and practices of scientists. Specifically, we chart the ways in which interview talk represented research management and leadership as processes of caring craftwork. Interviewees framed the group as the primary focus of their attention (and responsibilities), and as something to be tended and crafted; further, this process required a set of affective skills deployed flexibly in response to the needs of individuals. Through exploring the presence of notions of care in the talk of principal investigators and group leaders, we discuss the relation between care and craft, reflect on the potential implications of the promotion of a culture of care and suggest how mundane scientific understandings of responsibility might relate to a wider discussion of responsible research and innovation.

  11. Creating the Future: Changing Culture Through Leadership Capacity Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lefoe, Geraldine

    Leadership for change is key to universities finding new ways to meet the needs of their future students. This chapter describes an innovative framework for leadership capacity development which has been implemented in a number of Australian universities. The framework, underpinned by a distributive approach to leadership, prepares a new generation of leaders for formal positions of leadership in all aspects of teaching and learning. The faculty scholars implemented projects, including a number of them using innovative technologies, to establish strategic change within their faculties. They shared their outcomes annually through national roundtables, which focussed on methods for improving assessment practice. Five critical factors for success are discussed including implemenation of strategic faculty-based projects; formal leadership training and related activities; opportunities for dialog about leadership practice and experiences; and activities that expanded current professional networks. The model can be adapted to have a specific focus on leadership for e-Learning, and some examples of faculty based strategic initiatives are described.

  12. Profiling Oman education data using data visualization technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alalawi, Sultan Juma Sultan; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd; Jamil, Jastini Mohd

    2016-10-01

    This research works presents an innovative data visualization technique to understand and visualize the information of Oman's education data generated from the Ministry of Education Oman "Educational Portal". The Ministry of Education in Sultanate of Oman have huge databases contains massive information. The volume of data in the database increase yearly as many students, teachers and employees enter into the database. The task for discovering and analyzing these vast volumes of data becomes increasingly difficult. Information visualization and data mining offer a better ways in dealing with large volume of information. In this paper, an innovative information visualization technique is developed to visualize the complex multidimensional educational data. Microsoft Excel Dashboard, Visual Basic Application (VBA) and Pivot Table are utilized to visualize the data. Findings from the summarization of the data are presented, and it is argued that information visualization can help related stakeholders to become aware of hidden and interesting information from large amount of data drowning in their educational portal.

  13. Predictive and preventive strategies to advance the treatments of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: the Ukrainian context

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Despite great efforts in treatments of cardiovascular diseases, the field requires innovative strategies because of high rates of morbidity, mortality and disability, indicating evident deficits in predictive vascular diagnosis and individualized treatment approaches. Talking about the vascular system, currently, physicians are not provided with integrated medical approaches to diagnose and treat vascular diseases. Only an individual global approach to the analysis of all segments in the vascular system of a patient allows finding the optimal way for vascular disease treatment. As for the existing methodology, there is a dominance of static methods such as X-ray contrast angiography and magnetic resonance imaging in angiomode. Taking into account the world experience, this article deals with innovative strategies, aiming at predictive diagnosis in vascular system, personalization of the biomedical treatment approaches, and targeted prevention of individual patient cohorts. Clinical examples illustrate the advances in corresponding healthcare sectors. Recommendations are provided to promote the field. PMID:23083430

  14. Networked Community Change: Understanding Community Systems Change through the Lens of Social Network Analysis.

    PubMed

    Lawlor, Jennifer A; Neal, Zachary P

    2016-06-01

    Addressing complex problems in communities has become a key area of focus in recent years (Kania & Kramer, 2013, Stanford Social Innovation Review). Building on existing approaches to understanding and addressing problems, such as action research, several new approaches have emerged that shift the way communities solve problems (e.g., Burns, 2007, Systemic Action Research; Foth, 2006, Action Research, 4, 205; Kania & Kramer, 2011, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 1, 36). Seeking to bring clarity to the emerging literature on community change strategies, this article identifies the common features of the most widespread community change strategies and explores the conditions under which such strategies have the potential to be effective. We identify and describe five common features among the approaches to change. Then, using an agent-based model, we simulate network-building behavior among stakeholders participating in community change efforts using these approaches. We find that the emergent stakeholder networks are efficient when the processes are implemented under ideal conditions. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

  15. Using the Virtual Gym for Practice and Drills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fiorentino, Leah Holland; Gibbone, Anne

    2005-01-01

    Enthusiastic elementary physical educators continually investigate effective ways to encourage students to engage in more physical activity. The most effective teachers look for interesting strategies and innovations that engage learners of all ability levels. A new innovation, the "Virtual Gym," addresses physical educators' concerns about…

  16. Breakthrough delivery systems: applying business process innovation.

    PubMed

    Nackel, J G

    1995-01-01

    The way the health care industry conducts business today has been ingrained by over fifty years of tradition. This tradition includes physician training concepts, physician/nurse/patient relationships, and overall organization of the health care delivery system. The industry is now beginning to understand that viewing its operations from an organizational process perspective can provide tremendous competitive advantage. The industry faces perhaps the greatest challenge, because business process innovation requires rethinking the way an organization conducts business. It requires a rediscovery of customer expectations and new revelations about how to provide them with value-added service.

  17. Benefits Innovations in Employee Behavioral Health.

    PubMed

    Sherman, Bruce; Block, Lori

    2017-01-01

    More and more employers recognize the business impact of behavioral health concerns in the workplace. This article provides insights into some of the current innovations in behavioral health benefits, along with their rationale for development. Areas of innovation include conceptual and delivery models, technological advance- ments, tools for engaging employees and ways of quantifying the business value of behavioral health benefits. The rapid growth of innovative behavioral health services should provide employers with confidence that they can tailor a program best suited to their priorities, organizational culture and cost limitations.

  18. Making the Leap: the Translation of Innovative Surgical Devices From the Laboratory to the Operating Room.

    PubMed

    Marcus, Hani J; Payne, Christopher J; Hughes-Hallett, Archie; Gras, Gauthier; Leibrandt, Konrad; Nandi, Dipankar; Yang, Guang-Zhong

    2016-06-01

    To determine the rate and extent of translation of innovative surgical devices from the laboratory to first-in-human studies, and to evaluate the factors influencing such translation. Innovative surgical devices have preceded many of the major advances in surgical practice. However, the process by which devices arising from academia find their way to translation remains poorly understood. All biomedical engineering journals, and the 5 basic science journals with the highest impact factor, were searched between January 1993 and January 2000 using the Boolean search term "surgery OR surgeon OR surgical". Articles were included if they described the development of a new device and a surgical application was described. A recursive search of all citations to the article was performed using the Web of Science (Thompson-Reuters, New York, NY) to identify any associated first-in-human studies published by January 2015. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for the time to first-in-human studies. Factors influencing translation were evaluated using log-rank and Cox proportional hazards models. A total of 8297 articles were screened, and 205 publications describing unique devices were identified. The probability of a first-in-human at 10 years was 9.8%. Clinical involvement was a significant predictor of a first-in-human study (P = 0.02); devices developed with early clinical collaboration were over 6 times more likely to be translated than those without [RR 6.5 (95% confidence interval 0.9-48)]. These findings support initiatives to increase clinical translation through improved interactions between basic, translational, and clinical researchers.

  19. Dormitory of Physical and Engineering Sciences: Sleeping Beauties May Be Sleeping Innovations.

    PubMed

    van Raan, Anthony F J

    2015-01-01

    A 'Sleeping Beauty in Science' is a publication that goes unnoticed ('sleeps') for a long time and then, almost suddenly, attracts a lot of attention ('is awakened by a prince'). The aim of this paper is to present a general methodology to investigate (1) important properties of Sleeping Beauties such as the time-dependent distribution, author characteristics, journals and fields, and (2) the cognitive environment of Sleeping Beauties. We are particularly interested to find out to what extent Sleeping Beauties are application-oriented and thus are potential Sleeping Innovations. In this study we focus primarily on physics (including materials science and astrophysics) and present first results for chemistry and for engineering & computer science. We find that more than half of the SBs are application-oriented. To study the cognitive environments of Sleeping Beauties we develop a new approach in which the cognitive environment of the SBs is analyzed, based on the mapping of Sleeping Beauties using their citation links and conceptual relations, particularly co-citation mapping. In this way we investigate the research themes in which the SBs are 'used' and possible causes of why the premature work in the SBs becomes topical, i.e., the trigger of the awakening of the SBs. This approach is tested with a blue skies SB and an application-oriented SB. We think that the mapping procedures discussed in this paper are not only important for bibliometric analyses. They also provide researchers with useful, interactive tools to discover both relevant older work as well as new developments, for instance in themes related to Sleeping Beauties that are also Sleeping Innovations.

  20. Diffusion of palliative care in nursing homes: lessons from the culture change movement.

    PubMed

    Tyler, Denise A; Shield, Renée R; Miller, Susan C

    2015-05-01

    Studies have found that nursing homes (NHs) that rely heavily on Medicaid funding are less likely to implement innovative approaches to care, such as palliative care (PC) or resident-centered approaches commonly referred to as "culture change" (CC). However, a nationally representative survey we previously conducted found that some high Medicaid facilities have implemented these innovative approaches. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that enable some high Medicaid NHs to implement innovative approaches to care. We conducted telephone interviews with 16 NH administrators in four categories of facilities: 1) low PC and low CC, 2) low PC and high CC, 3) high PC and low CC, and 4) high PC and high CC. Interviews explored strategies used to overcome barriers to implementation and the resources needed for implementation. We had expected to find differences between low and high NHs but instead found differences in NHs' experiences with CC and PC. Since the time of our national survey in 2009-2010, most previously low CC NHs had implemented at least some CC practices; however, we did not find similar changes around PC. Administrators reported numerous ways in which they had received information and assistance from outside entities for implementing CC. This was not the case for PC where administrators reported relying exclusively and heavily on hospices for both their residents' PC needs and information related to PC. PC advocates could learn much from the CC model in which advocates have used multipronged efforts to institute reform. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Study on Product Innovative Design Process Driven by Ideal Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Fuying; Lu, Ximei; Wang, Ping; Liu, Hui

    Product innovative design in companies today relies heavily on individual members’ experience and creative ideation as well as their skills of integrating creativity and innovation tools with design methods agilely. Creative ideation and inventive ideas generation are two crucial stages in product innovative design process. Ideal solution is the desire final ideas for given problem, and the striving reaching target for product design. In this paper, a product innovative design process driven by ideal solution is proposed. This design process encourages designers to overcome their psychological inertia, to foster creativity in a systematic way for acquiring breakthrough creative and innovative solutions in a reducing sphere of solution-seeking, and results in effective product innovative design rapidly. A case study example is also presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design process.

  2. Bridging Technometric Method and Innovation Process: An Initial Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rumanti, A. A.; Reynaldo, R.; Samadhi, T. M. A. A.; Wiratmadja, I. I.; Dwita, A. C.

    2018-03-01

    The process of innovation is one of ways utilized to increase the capability of a technology component that reflects the need of SME. Technometric method can be used to identify to what extent the level of technology advancement in a SME is, and also which technology component that needs to be maximized in order to significantly deliver an innovation. This paper serves as an early study, which lays out a conceptual framework that identifies and elaborates the principles of innovation process from a well-established innovation model by Martin with the technometric method, based on the initial background research conducted at SME Ira Silver in Jogjakarta, Indonesia.

  3. On the Shoulders of Giants: New Approaches to Numeracy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steen, Lynn Arthur, Ed.

    Forces created by the proliferation of computer hardware and software, by innovative methods of mathematical modelling and applications, by broader demographic considerations, and by schools themselves are profoundly changing the way mathematics is practiced, the way mathematics is taught, and the way mathematics is learned. In this volume, a…

  4. Critical theory as an approach to the ethics of information security.

    PubMed

    Stahl, Bernd Carsten; Doherty, Neil F; Shaw, Mark; Janicke, Helge

    2014-09-01

    Information security can be of high moral value. It can equally be used for immoral purposes and have undesirable consequences. In this paper we suggest that critical theory can facilitate a better understanding of possible ethical issues and can provide support when finding ways of addressing them. The paper argues that critical theory has intrinsic links to ethics and that it is possible to identify concepts frequently used in critical theory to pinpoint ethical concerns. Using the example of UK electronic medical records the paper demonstrates that a critical lens can highlight issues that traditional ethical theories tend to overlook. These are often linked to collective issues such as social and organisational structures, which philosophical ethics with its typical focus on the individual does not tend to emphasise. The paper suggests that this insight can help in developing ways of researching and innovating responsibly in the area of information security.

  5. Innovative solutions: my heart is a what?! Creativity in critical care education.

    PubMed

    Smith, Lynn W

    2007-01-01

    Nurses teach patients, families, and other healthcare providers. All of us teach our neighbors and communities. Choosing strategies for teaching essential content is the challenge we face every day. This article describes some innovative ways to share knowledge using creativity and imagination.

  6. Social Entrepreneurs and Educational Leadership in Bangladesh

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sperandio, Jill

    2005-01-01

    Social entrepreneurship, with its focus on innovative leadership, mirrors current interest in leadership for change in the field of education. In countries where national governments lack the resources to meet the educational needs of their populations, social entrepreneurs can develop innovative ways of providing access to education, and…

  7. Teachers' Learning in an Innovative School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bissaker, Kerry; Heath, Jayne

    2005-01-01

    The successful establishment of a purpose-built innovative school designed to support new ways of teaching and learning in the senior secondary years, particularly in the area of science and mathematics, required a comprehensive and research-based professional development policy and program. Planning professional learning opportunities for the…

  8. Proceedings from the Digital Innovation in Mental Health Conference, London, 2017

    PubMed Central

    Inkster, Becky

    2018-01-01

    Aims and Scope: The conference aims were two-fold: (1) to explore how digital technology is implemented into personalized and/or group mental health interventions and (2) to promote digital equality through developing culturally sensitive ways of bringing technological innovation to disadvantaged groups. A broad scope of perspectives were welcomed and encouraged, from lived experience, academic, clinical, media, the arts, policy-making, tech innovation, and other perspectives. PMID:29623001

  9. Deep change. How operational innovation can transform your company.

    PubMed

    Hammer, Michael

    2004-04-01

    Breakthrough innovations--not just steady improvements--in operations can destroy competitors and shake up entire industries. Just look at Dell, Toyota, and Wal-Mart. But fewer than 10% of large companies have made serious attempts to achieve operational innovation. Why? One reason, contends the author, is that business culture undervalues operations--they're not as sexy as deals or acquisitions. In addition, many executives who rose through the ranks of finance or sales aren't familiar with operations--and they aren't interested in learning more. Finally, because no one holds the title Vice President of Operational Innovation, it doesn't have a natural home in the organization, so it's easily overlooked. Fortunately, all of these barriers can be overcome. This article offers practical advice on how to develop operational innovations, such as looking for role models outside your industry to emulate and identifying--and then defying--constraining assumptions about how work should be done. The author also discusses the best way to implement operational innovations. For instance, because they are disruptive by nature, projects should be concentrated in those activities with the greatest impact on enterprise strategic goals. Operational innovation may feel unglamorous or unfamiliar to many executives, but it is the only lasting basis for superior performance. Executives who understand how operational innovation happens--and who understand the barriers that prevent it from happening--can add to their strategic arsenal one of the most powerful competitive weapons in existence. In an economy that has overdosed on hype and in which customers rule as never before, operational innovation offers a meaningful and sustainable way to get ahead--and stay ahead--of the pack.

  10. Teaching and Learning with Mobile Technology: A Qualitative Explorative Study about the Introduction of Tablet Devices in Secondary Education

    PubMed Central

    Montrieux, Hannelore; Vanderlinde, Ruben; Schellens, Tammy; De Marez, Lieven

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates teachers’ and students’ perceptions concerning the impact of using tablet devices for teaching and learning purposes. An explorative focus group study was conducted with teachers (n = 18) and students (n = 39) in a secondary school that has implemented tablet devices since 2012. The general finding of this study shows that the use of tablet devices in the classroom setting has an impact on both teaching and learning practices. The results suggest that teachers can be divided into two categories: the innovative teachers and the instrumental teachers. Innovative teachers attempt to shift from a teacher-centered to a learning-centered approach. They have changed their teaching style by transforming lessons in accordance with the advantages tablet computers can offer. Instrumental teachers seem to use the device as a ‘book behind glass’. The distinction between the two groups has consequences for both the way courses are given and how students experience them. In general, the introduction of tablet devices entails a shift in the way students learn, as the devices provide interactive, media-rich, and exciting new environments. The results of this study indicate that policy makers should consider introducing technical and pedagogical support in order to facilitate both teachers’ and students’ understanding of the full potential of this kind of technology in education. PMID:26641454

  11. Teaching and Learning with Mobile Technology: A Qualitative Explorative Study about the Introduction of Tablet Devices in Secondary Education.

    PubMed

    Montrieux, Hannelore; Vanderlinde, Ruben; Schellens, Tammy; De Marez, Lieven

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates teachers' and students' perceptions concerning the impact of using tablet devices for teaching and learning purposes. An explorative focus group study was conducted with teachers (n = 18) and students (n = 39) in a secondary school that has implemented tablet devices since 2012. The general finding of this study shows that the use of tablet devices in the classroom setting has an impact on both teaching and learning practices. The results suggest that teachers can be divided into two categories: the innovative teachers and the instrumental teachers. Innovative teachers attempt to shift from a teacher-centered to a learning-centered approach. They have changed their teaching style by transforming lessons in accordance with the advantages tablet computers can offer. Instrumental teachers seem to use the device as a 'book behind glass'. The distinction between the two groups has consequences for both the way courses are given and how students experience them. In general, the introduction of tablet devices entails a shift in the way students learn, as the devices provide interactive, media-rich, and exciting new environments. The results of this study indicate that policy makers should consider introducing technical and pedagogical support in order to facilitate both teachers' and students' understanding of the full potential of this kind of technology in education.

  12. Publish or perish: writing clinical manuscripts suitable for publication.

    PubMed

    Batcheller, Joyce; Kirksey, Kenn M; VanDyke, Yvonne; Armstrong, Myrna L

    2012-01-01

    A successful hospital network and university faculty collaboration offered 21 staff nurses and nurse leaders opportunities to develop clinical manuscripts that would be suitable for publishing their innovative ideas. This process prepared them to synthesize relevant literature and develop their ideas into manuscripts. Ten nurses submitted their final manuscripts to refereed journals, and nine individuals or team members had their articles accepted. These accepted publications provided a boost to individual career development and stimulated further valuable professional dissemination goals. One major challenge was to seek further ways to find time to write while working in today's health care arena. Suggestions for future manuscript development are provided. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

  13. Segmenting and targeting American university students to promote responsible alcohol use: a case for applying social marketing principles.

    PubMed

    Deshpande, Sameer; Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn

    2011-10-01

    The current study contributes to the social marketing literature in the American university binge-drinking context in three innovative ways. First, it profiles drinking segments by "values" and "expectancies" sought from behaviors. Second, the study compares segment values and expectancies of two competing behaviors, that is, binge drinking and participation in alternative activities. Third, the study compares the influence of a variety of factors on both behaviors in each segment. Finally, based on these findings and feedback from eight university alcohol prevention experts, appropriate strategies to promote responsible alcohol use for each segment are proposed.

  14. Long-range strategic planning: a case study.

    PubMed

    Moller-Tiger, D

    1999-05-01

    In highly competitive healthcare markets, integrated delivery systems (IDSs) that have exhausted traditional means of maintaining market competitiveness are challenged to identify effective new strategies that will ensure market success in an uncertain future. Finding itself facing this challenge, Legacy Health System, a Portland, Oregon-based IDS, undertook an innovative, long-range, strategic-planning initiative based on an evaluation of key market trends. Legacy discovered that it might benefit from making some changes in the way it approached its mission. These changes included focusing on specific customer segments, developing products and services aimed at those customers, and broadening physician and insurer relationships to enhance service and improve customers' access to health care.

  15. Herbert Woodson: encouraging exploration in research

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Whitaker, R.; Woodson, H.

    A profile of Herbert Woodson, an electrical engineering professor, describes his loyalty to fundamental research while consulting and committee activities keep him in touch with the practical end of electricity. He stresses the need to find innovative ways to use electricity that will keep the US competitive. This means focusing at the consumption rather than the production side. As a working member of the Electric Power Research Institute's Advisory Council, he cites learning opportunities from other members and satisfaction with the advisory apparatus. Fundamental research requires adequate funding to pursue an identified problem. Successful industries earmark 5% or more formore » basic research.« less

  16. Does funding from donors displace government spending for health in developing countries?

    PubMed

    Farag, Marwa; Nandakumar, A K; Wallack, Stanley S; Gaumer, Gary; Hodgkin, Dominic

    2009-01-01

    The notable increases in funding from various donors for health over the past several years have made examining the effectiveness of aid all the more important. We examine the extent to which donor funding for health substitutes for--rather than complements--health financing by recipient governments. We find evidence of a strong substitution effect. The proportionate decrease in government spending associated with an increase in donor funding is largest in low-income countries. The results suggest that aid needs to be structured in a way that better aligns donors' and recipient governments' incentives, using innovative approaches such as performance-based aid financing.

  17. How to create successful Open Hardware projects — About White Rabbits and open fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van der Bij, E.; Arruat, M.; Cattin, M.; Daniluk, G.; Gonzalez Cobas, J. D.; Gousiou, E.; Lewis, J.; Lipinski, M. M.; Serrano, J.; Stana, T.; Voumard, N.; Wlostowski, T.

    2013-12-01

    CERN's accelerator control group has embraced ''Open Hardware'' (OH) to facilitate peer review, avoid vendor lock-in and make support tasks scalable. A web-based tool for easing collaborative work was set up and the CERN OH Licence was created. New ADC, TDC, fine delay and carrier cards based on VITA and PCI-SIG standards were designed and drivers for Linux were written. Often industry was paid for developments, while quality and documentation was controlled by CERN. An innovative timing network was also developed with the OH paradigm. Industry now sells and supports these designs that find their way into new fields.

  18. On nature and bioethics.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Paul Silas

    2010-01-01

    The account of nature and humanity's relationship to nature are of central importance for bioethics. The Scientific Revolution was a critical development in the history of this question and many contemporary accounts of nature find their beginnings here. While the innovative approach to nature going out of the seventeenth century was reliant upon accounts of nature from the early modern period, the Middle Ages, late-antiquity and antiquity, it also parted ways with some of the understandings of nature from these epochs. Here I analyze this development and suggests that some of the insights from older understandings of nature may be helpful for bioethics today, even if there can be no simple return to them.

  19. Space-division multiplexing in optical fibres

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richardson, D. J.; Fini, J. M.; Nelson, L. E.

    2013-05-01

    Optical communication technology has been advancing rapidly for several decades, supporting our increasingly information-driven society and economy. Much of this progress has been in finding innovative ways to increase the data-carrying capacity of a single optical fibre. To achieve this, researchers have explored and attempted to optimize multiplexing in time, wavelength, polarization and phase. Commercial systems now utilize all four dimensions to send more information through a single fibre than ever before. The spatial dimension has, however, remained untapped in single fibres, despite it being possible to manufacture fibres supporting hundreds of spatial modes or containing multiple cores, which could be exploited as parallel channels for independent signals.

  20. A Phenomenographic Investigation of the Ways Engineering Students Experience Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fila, Nicholas David

    2017-01-01

    Innovation has become an important phenomenon in engineering and engineering education. By developing novel, feasible, viable, and valued solutions to complex technical and human problems, engineers support the economic competitiveness of organizations, make a difference in the lives of users and other stakeholders, drive societal and scientific…

  1. Space Invaders and Pedagogical Innovators: Regional Educational Understandings from Australian Occupational Travelers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Danaher, Patrick Alan; Danaher, Geoff; Moriarty, Beverley

    2003-01-01

    Australian occupational Travelers such as circus and fairground people often enter territories normally occupied by permanent residents. This article examines the ways in which these Travelers act as "space invaders," disrupting the boundaries between urban and rural, and as pedagogical innovators, when they develop pioneering approaches…

  2. Near infared spectroscopy in the forest products industry

    Treesearch

    Chi-Leung So; Brian K. Via; Leslie H. Groom; Lawrence R. Schimleck; Todd F. Shupe; Stephen S. Kelley; Timothy G. Rials

    2004-01-01

    Improving manufacturing efficiency and increasing product worth requires the right combination of actions throughout the manufacturing process. Many innovations have been developed over the last several decades to achieve these goals. Innovations typically work their way backwards in the manufacturing process, with an increasing level of monitoring occurring at the end...

  3. The Roles of Research Universities in Indigenous National Technological Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Zhuolin; Zhao, Wenhua

    2008-01-01

    The world is increasingly merged into a global market economy, and the government's intervention power in economy has rapidly given way to that of science and technology. For the world's major economic powers, indigenous technological innovation has become a national strategy for enhancing competitiveness. Investment in scientific and…

  4. I-WALK: An Innovative Approach to Community Walkability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seeger, Christopher J.; Lillehoj, Catherine J.; Jensen, Alan D.; Wilson, Suzy; Levinson, Lydia R.

    2014-01-01

    One way of combating rising obesity rates and decreasing physical activity levels among children is to promote active transportation to and from schools. The award-winning I-WALK program provides a comprehensive framework for addressing community walkability and related infrastructure. The program uses a unique and innovative methodology that…

  5. Nurturing the Imagination: Creativity Processes and Innovative Qualitative Research Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulvihill, Thalia M.; Swaminathan, Raji

    2012-01-01

    This article explores the creativity processes involved in designing and analyzing innovative qualitative research projects and evaluates examples of recent models and typologies that illustrate a variety of ways to approach qualitative inquiry. Using Gardner's Five Minds (2006) typology, Boyer's Model of Scholarship (1997) and Bloom's Taxonomy of…

  6. Innovation Enables New Research on Mutation Linked to Many Cancers | FNLCR Staging

    Cancer.gov

    A scientific innovation at the Frederick National Lab has opened the way for a new line of experiments in the decades-old quest for a drug to fight cancers triggered by mutant RAS proteins – which underlie one-third of all malignancies, including t

  7. Implementation of Innovation to Improving Leadership Skill of TVET Student

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hassan, Nur Farha; Sanusi, Amanina binti Muhamad

    2015-01-01

    Leadership is influencing activities, directing ability, the ability to create, process, influencing, directing effort, power relationships, ability to convince, persuade art, the way a person has influence and get someone else to do something. The innovative systems, tools, and thinking are essential for organizational health and future…

  8. Employer of Choice? Workplace Innovation in Government: A Synthesis Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowe, Graham S.

    The Human Resources in Government project examined the impact of extensive downsizing and restructuring in Canada's public service sector and sought innovative ways of making Canada's governments "employers of choice." The project focused on Canada's federal government and the governments of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.…

  9. Use of Blackboard Collaborate for Creation of a Video Course Library

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitzova-Vladinov, Greta; Bizzio-Knott, Rossana; Hooshmand, Mary; Hauglum, Shayne; Aziza, Khitam

    2017-01-01

    This case study examines an innovative way the Blackboard Collaborate video conferencing learning platform was used to record graduate student presentations for creating a course library utilized in individualized student teaching. The presentation recordings evolved into an innovative strategy for providing feedback and ultimately improvement in…

  10. Innovation with Impact: Industry-Education Partnerships in Massachusetts. Publication #15311.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freedman, Susan; Aschheim, Barbara

    This document describes six industry-education partnerships in Massachusetts selected as exemplary and 14 selected as outstanding. They represent innovative and collaborative ways to address dropout prevention, at-risk and special needs students, adult literacy, basic skill development, and enrichment needs of students. Each entry provides this…

  11. Popular Educational Innovations in the Hierarchical World of Mexican Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Christopher

    2009-01-01

    In marginal regions of Mexico, grass roots educational innovations have often provided what the official system has not: basic education that responds to the cultural particularities of such populations while satisfying the national curriculum's requirements. The way these have developed, the article argues, offers valuable lessons for a new…

  12. Formal Definitions of Unbounded Evolution and Innovation Reveal Universal Mechanisms for Open-Ended Evolution in Dynamical Systems.

    PubMed

    Adams, Alyssa; Zenil, Hector; Davies, Paul C W; Walker, Sara Imari

    2017-04-20

    Open-ended evolution (OEE) is relevant to a variety of biological, artificial and technological systems, but has been challenging to reproduce in silico. Most theoretical efforts focus on key aspects of open-ended evolution as it appears in biology. We recast the problem as a more general one in dynamical systems theory, providing simple criteria for open-ended evolution based on two hallmark features: unbounded evolution and innovation. We define unbounded evolution as patterns that are non-repeating within the expected Poincare recurrence time of an isolated system, and innovation as trajectories not observed in isolated systems. As a case study, we implement novel variants of cellular automata (CA) where the update rules are allowed to vary with time in three alternative ways. Each is capable of generating conditions for open-ended evolution, but vary in their ability to do so. We find that state-dependent dynamics, regarded as a hallmark of life, statistically out-performs other candidate mechanisms, and is the only mechanism to produce open-ended evolution in a scalable manner, essential to the notion of ongoing evolution. This analysis suggests a new framework for unifying mechanisms for generating OEE with features distinctive to life and its artifacts, with broad applicability to biological and artificial systems.

  13. Building Imaging Institutes of Patient Care Outcomes: Imaging as a Nidus for Innovation in Clinical Care, Research, and Education.

    PubMed

    Petrou, Myria; Cronin, Paul; Altaee, Duaa K; Kelly, Aine M; Foerster, Bradley R

    2018-05-01

    Traditionally, radiologists have been responsible for the protocol of imaging studies, imaging acquisition, supervision of imaging technologists, and interpretation and reporting of imaging findings. In this article, we outline how radiology needs to change and adapt to a role of providing value-based, integrated health-care delivery. We believe that the way to best serve our specialty and our patients is to undertake a fundamental paradigm shift in how we practice. We describe the need for imaging institutes centered on disease entities (eg, lung cancer, multiple sclerosis) to not only optimize clinical care and patient outcomes, but also spur the development of a new educational focus, which will increase opportunities for medical trainees and other health professionals. These institutes will also serve as unique environments for testing and implementing new technologies and for generating new ideas for research and health-care delivery. We propose that the imaging institutes focus on how imaging practices-including new innovations-improve patient care outcomes within a specific disease framework. These institutes will allow our specialty to lead patient care, provide the necessary infrastructure for state-of-the art-education of trainees, and stimulate innovative and clinically relevant research. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. All rights reserved.

  14. The Multicultural Science Framework: Research on Innovative Two-Way Immersion Science Classrooms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hadi-Tabassum, Samina

    2000-01-01

    Reviews the different approaches to multicultural science teaching that have emerged in the past decade, focusing on the Spanish-English two-way immersion classroom, which meets the needs of Spanish speakers learning English and introduces students to the idea of collaboration across languages and cultures. Two urban two-way immersion classrooms…

  15. The coevolution of innovation and technical intelligence in primates

    PubMed Central

    Street, Sally E.; Whalen, Andrew; Laland, Kevin N.

    2016-01-01

    In birds and primates, the frequency of behavioural innovation has been shown to covary with absolute and relative brain size, leading to the suggestion that large brains allow animals to innovate, and/or that selection for innovativeness, together with social learning, may have driven brain enlargement. We examined the relationship between primate brain size and both technical (i.e. tool using) and non-technical innovation, deploying a combination of phylogenetically informed regression and exploratory causal graph analyses. Regression analyses revealed that absolute and relative brain size correlated positively with technical innovation, and exhibited consistently weaker, but still positive, relationships with non-technical innovation. These findings mirror similar results in birds. Our exploratory causal graph analyses suggested that technical innovation shares strong direct relationships with brain size, body size, social learning rate and social group size, whereas non-technical innovation did not exhibit a direct relationship with brain size. Nonetheless, non-technical innovation was linked to brain size indirectly via diet and life-history variables. Our findings support ‘technical intelligence’ hypotheses in linking technical innovation to encephalization in the restricted set of primate lineages where technical innovation has been reported. Our findings also provide support for a broad co-evolving complex of brain, behaviour, life-history, social and dietary variables, providing secondary support for social and ecological intelligence hypotheses. The ability to gain access to difficult-to-extract, but potentially nutrient-rich, resources through tool use may have conferred on some primates adaptive advantages, leading to selection for brain circuitry that underlies technical proficiency. PMID:26926276

  16. The coevolution of innovation and technical intelligence in primates.

    PubMed

    Navarrete, Ana F; Reader, Simon M; Street, Sally E; Whalen, Andrew; Laland, Kevin N

    2016-03-19

    In birds and primates, the frequency of behavioural innovation has been shown to covary with absolute and relative brain size, leading to the suggestion that large brains allow animals to innovate, and/or that selection for innovativeness, together with social learning, may have driven brain enlargement. We examined the relationship between primate brain size and both technical (i.e. tool using) and non-technical innovation, deploying a combination of phylogenetically informed regression and exploratory causal graph analyses. Regression analyses revealed that absolute and relative brain size correlated positively with technical innovation, and exhibited consistently weaker, but still positive, relationships with non-technical innovation. These findings mirror similar results in birds. Our exploratory causal graph analyses suggested that technical innovation shares strong direct relationships with brain size, body size, social learning rate and social group size, whereas non-technical innovation did not exhibit a direct relationship with brain size. Nonetheless, non-technical innovation was linked to brain size indirectly via diet and life-history variables. Our findings support 'technical intelligence' hypotheses in linking technical innovation to encephalization in the restricted set of primate lineages where technical innovation has been reported. Our findings also provide support for a broad co-evolving complex of brain, behaviour, life-history, social and dietary variables, providing secondary support for social and ecological intelligence hypotheses. The ability to gain access to difficult-to-extract, but potentially nutrient-rich, resources through tool use may have conferred on some primates adaptive advantages, leading to selection for brain circuitry that underlies technical proficiency. © 2016 The Author(s).

  17. The OECD Handbook for Innovative Learning Environments. Educational Research and Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OECD Publishing, 2017

    2017-01-01

    How might we know whether our schools or system are set up to optimise learning? How can we find out whether we are getting the most from technology? How can we evaluate our innovation or think through whether our change initiative will bring about its desired results? Teachers and educational leaders who grapple with such questions will find this…

  18. Innovative leasing engineering as tool for synchronization of innovative, leasing and buying cycles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yaskova, Natalia; Alekseeva, Tatyana

    2017-10-01

    This article suggests a new principle of cyclic synchronization of innovative, leasing and buying cycles in construction “innovative leasing engineering” which facilitates the accelerated transition of the national economy to the innovative way of development. Cyclical nature of economic phenomena is not only their immanent property, but also the subject of economic analysis. Modern format of decision making management requires analysis of the many cycles which fill any kind of activity. Accounting and reconciliation of construction, design, investment, buying, reproduction, leasing and other cycles is important for investment and construction sphere from the point of view of necessity for synchronization and position of determining the nature of trends in sectoral development.

  19. Clinical team functioning and IT innovation: a study of the diffusion of a point-of-care online evidence system.

    PubMed

    Gosling, A Sophie; Westbrook, Johanna I; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

    2003-01-01

    To investigate the association between clinical team functioning and diffusion (awareness, use, and impact) of a 24-hour online evidence retrieval system. To examine the relationships between clinical team characteristics and the adoption of the online evidence system. 18 clinical teams, consisting of 180 clinicians from three Australian hospitals, were identified and studied. Teams were categorized as small ( 15). Clinical team functioning was assessed using the Team Climate Inventory (TCI). Awareness, use, and impact of an online evidence retrieval system were measured using a self-administered questionnaire. The relationships between TCI scores and awareness, use, and impact were examined using t-tests and one-way ANOVAs. Chi square analyses were used to examine differences between small and large teams. RESULTS were interpreted within a diffusion of innovations framework. Clinical team functioning was not related to awareness or use of the online evidence retrieval system. However, clinical team functioning was significantly associated with the impact of online evidence in terms of reported experience of improved patient care following system use. Clinicians in small teams ( 15) teams. Team functioning had the greatest impact on the fourth stage of innovation diffusion, the effective use of online evidence for clinical care. This supports Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory, to the effect that different types of communication about an innovation are important at different stages in the diffusion process. Members of small teams were more aware of the system than members of large teams. Team functioning is amenable to improvement through interventions. The findings suggest that the role of team climate in the diffusion of information systems is a promising area for future research.

  20. Applications of time-series analysis to mood fluctuations in bipolar disorder to promote treatment innovation: a case series.

    PubMed

    Holmes, E A; Bonsall, M B; Hales, S A; Mitchell, H; Renner, F; Blackwell, S E; Watson, P; Goodwin, G M; Di Simplicio, M

    2016-01-26

    Treatment innovation for bipolar disorder has been hampered by a lack of techniques to capture a hallmark symptom: ongoing mood instability. Mood swings persist during remission from acute mood episodes and impair daily functioning. The last significant treatment advance remains Lithium (in the 1970s), which aids only the minority of patients. There is no accepted way to establish proof of concept for a new mood-stabilizing treatment. We suggest that combining insights from mood measurement with applied mathematics may provide a step change: repeated daily mood measurement (depression) over a short time frame (1 month) can create individual bipolar mood instability profiles. A time-series approach allows comparison of mood instability pre- and post-treatment. We test a new imagery-focused cognitive therapy treatment approach (MAPP; Mood Action Psychology Programme) targeting a driver of mood instability, and apply these measurement methods in a non-concurrent multiple baseline design case series of 14 patients with bipolar disorder. Weekly mood monitoring and treatment target data improved for the whole sample combined. Time-series analyses of daily mood data, sampled remotely (mobile phone/Internet) for 28 days pre- and post-treatment, demonstrated improvements in individuals' mood stability for 11 of 14 patients. Thus the findings offer preliminary support for a new imagery-focused treatment approach. They also indicate a step in treatment innovation without the requirement for trials in illness episodes or relapse prevention. Importantly, daily measurement offers a description of mood instability at the individual patient level in a clinically meaningful time frame. This costly, chronic and disabling mental illness demands innovation in both treatment approaches (whether pharmacological or psychological) and measurement tool: this work indicates that daily measurements can be used to detect improvement in individual mood stability for treatment innovation (MAPP).

  1. Innovation versus complexity: what is too much of a good thing?

    PubMed

    Gottfredson, Mark; Aspinall, Keith

    2005-11-01

    What's the number of product or service offerings that would optimize both your revenues and your profits? For most firms, it's considerably lower than the number they offer today. The fact is, companies have strong incentives to be overly innovative in new product development. But continual launches of new products and line extensions add complexity throughout a company's operations, and as the costs of managing that complexity multiply, margins shrink. To maximize profit potential, a company needs to identify its innovation fulcrum, the point at which an additional offering destroys more value than it creates. The usual antidotes to complexity miss their mark because they treat the problem on the factory floor rather than at its source: in the product line. Mark Gottfredson and Keith Aspinall of Bain & Company present an approach that goes beyond the typical Six Sigma or lean-operations program to root out complexity hidden in the value chain. The first step is to ask, What would our company look like if it made and sold only a single product or service? In other words, you identify your company's equivalent of Henry Ford's one-size-fits-all Model T-for Starbucks, it might be a medium-size cup of coffee; for a bank, a simple checking account-and then determine the cost of producing that baseline offering. Next, you add variety back into the business system, product by product, and carefully forecast the resulting impact on sales as well as the cost implications across the value chain. When the analysis shows the costs beginning to overwhelm the added revenues, you've found your innovation fulcrum. By deconstructing their companies to a zero-complexity baseline, managers can break through organizational resistance and deeply entrenched ways of thinking to find the right balance between innovation and complexity.

  2. Oral hygiene and mouth care for older people in acute hospitals: part 2.

    PubMed

    Steel, Ben J

    2017-11-30

    Acute hospital admission provides an excellent opportunity to address poor oral health in older people, a group rarely seen by dental professionals and for who oral health activity in hospital is inconsistent and generally suboptimal. This two-part article explores oral hygiene and mouth care provision for older adults in acute hospitals. The first article presented the findings of a literature review exploring oral and dental disease in older adults, the importance of good oral health and mouth care, and the current situation. The second article explores clinical recommendations. A change in philosophy is needed to embed oral care as an essential component of holistic practice. More research is needed to determine the best ways to assess and treat oro-dental problems in older people, and promote and restore their oral health in hospitals. Great potential exists to innovate and develop new ways of providing care to this group. ©2017 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

  3. Co-development, innovation and mutual learning--or how we need to turn the world upside down.

    PubMed

    Crisp, Nigel

    2015-12-01

    This paper describes the scope for mutual learning and the sharing of innovation between different parts of the world. It argues that the top-down concept of international development--with its connotations that low income countries need to develop in ways that emulate progress in richer more "developed" ones needs to be replaced with the idea of co-development and learning and sharing together. Similarly, it advocates for replacing the term of "reverse innovation" with the concept of global sourcing of innovation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Democratizing Implementation and Innovation in Mental Health Care.

    PubMed

    Saxe, Glenn; Acri, Mary

    2017-03-01

    Improvements in the quality of mental health care in the United States depend on the successful implementation of evidence-based treatments (EBT's) in typical settings of care. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that EBT's are used in ways that would approximate their established fidelity standards in such settings. This article describes an approach to more successful implementation of EBT's via a collaborative process between intervention developers and intervention users (e.g. providers, administrators, consumers) called Lead-user Innovation. Lead-user Innovation democratizes the implementation process by integrating the expertise of lead-users in the delivery, adaptation, innovation and evaluation of EBT's.

  5. Web 2.0, Library 2.0, Library User 2.0, Librarian 2.0: Innovative Services for Sustainable Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peltier-Davis, Cheryl

    2009-01-01

    Since its widespread public adoption in the 1990s, the internet has inextricably woven itself into every facet of human existence, influencing and in some ways reshaping every aspect of modern life--people's communication patterns, the way people seek information, the way people think, and, in some instances, the way people act. It is highly…

  6. Your company's secret change agents.

    PubMed

    Pascale, Richard Tanner; Sternin, Jerry

    2005-05-01

    Organizational change has traditionally come about through top-down initiatives such as hiring experts or importing best-of-breed practices. Such methods usually result in companywide rollouts of templates mandated from on high. These do little to get people excited. But within every organization, there are a few individuals who find unique ways to look at problems that seem impossible to solve. Although these change agents start out with the same tools and access to resources as their peers, they are able to see solutions where others do not. They find a way to bridge the divide between what is happening and what is possible. These positive deviants are the key, the authors believe, to a better way of creating organizational change. Your company can make the most of their methods by following six steps. In Step 1, Make the group the guru, the members of the community are engaged in the process of their own evolution. Step 2, Reframe through facts, entails restating the problem in a way that opens minds to new possibilities. Step 3, Make it safe to learn, involves creating an environment that supports innovative ideas. In Step 4, Make the problem concrete, the community combats abstraction by stating uncomfortable truths. In Step 5, Leverage social proof, the community looks to the larger society for examples of solutions that have worked in parallel situations. In Step 6, Confound the immune defense response, solutions are introduced organically from within the group in a way that promotes acceptance. Throughout the steps, the leader must suspend his or her traditional role in favor of more facilitatory practices. The positive-deviance approach has unearthed solutions to such complicated and diverse problems as malnutrition in Mali and human trafficking in East Java. This methodology can help solve even the most extreme dilemmas.

  7. Assisting Tutors to Utilize Web 2.0 Tools in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perikos, Isidoros; Grivokostopoulou, Foteini; Kovas, Konstantinos; Hatzilygeroudis, Ioannis

    2015-01-01

    Over the last decade, web has changed the way that educational procedures are delivered to students and has brought innovative learning technologies and possibilities that were not available before. The Web has evolved to a worldwide platform for collaboration, sharing and innovation, constituting what is called Web 2.0. Social media are an…

  8. Innovative Web-Based Professional Development for Teachers of At-Risk Preschool Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinzie, Mable B.; Whitaker, Stephen D.; Neesen, Kathy; Kelley, Michael; Matera, Michael; Pianta, Robert C.

    2006-01-01

    Research suggests the importance of professional development for teachers of at-risk children, and while educational technologies can be harnessed to help support teaching practice in innovative ways, such programs are often limited in scale. "My Teaching Partner (MTP)" was designed to deliver a targeted program of professional…

  9. A Complexity Perspective on Innovation Processes for Subsea Technology Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aasen, Tone Merethe Berg

    2009-01-01

    In today's business thinking, innovation is commonly equated with progress, indicating an underlying assumption that company management have the power to choose a specific future and control the way into it. Drawing on examples from a longitudinal research initiative in the Norwegian petroleum company StatoilHydro, this article raises some of the…

  10. Pardon the Disruption ... Innovation Changes How We Think about Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiSalvio, Philip

    2012-01-01

    This article illustrates the landscape-changing potential of the "disruptive innovation" taking place on the shores of the Charles River. Learning technologies now being used in the massive open online course (MOOC) movement, some suggest, will change the way people think about higher education. MOOCs are based on an open-networked learning…

  11. Stretching the Higher Education Dollar: How Innovation Can Improve Access, Equity, and Affordability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Andrew P., Ed.; Carey, Kevin, Ed.

    2013-01-01

    In this provocative volume, higher education experts explore innovative ways that colleges and universities can unbundle the various elements of the college experience while assessing costs and benefits and realizing savings. "Stretching the Higher Education Dollar" traces the reform continuum from incremental to more ambitious efforts.…

  12. Reforming Educators: Teachers, Experts, and Advocates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Samuel

    This textbook analyzes successful innovations in education. The first chapter provides an overview of the book, which is followed by a review of classical studies and disasters that have accompanied innovation. Chapter 3 offers a series of separate stories about the different ways teachers have responded to changes, and chapter 4 tries to reverse…

  13. ICT-Integrated Education and National Innovation Systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiseman, Alexander W.; Anderson, Emily

    2012-01-01

    The widespread use and availability of information and communication technologies (ICT) has greatly impacted how nations conceptualize innovation and the ways formal mass education can be used to advance socio-political and economic agendas. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have increasingly focused on the roles of science and…

  14. Climate Masters of Nebraska: An Innovative Action-Based Approach for Climate Change Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pathak, Tapan B.; Bernadt, Tonya; Umphlett, Natalie

    2014-01-01

    Climate Masters of Nebraska is an innovative educational program that strategically trains community volunteers about climate change science and corresponding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an interactive and action-based teaching environment. As a result of the program, 91% of participants indicated that they made informed changes in…

  15. Using Data: Innovative Ways To Improve Results for Students with Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Research Connections in Special Education, 2003

    2003-01-01

    This issue presents two articles on the use of data to improve results for students with disabilities. The first paper examines how researchers supported by the Office of Special Education Programs are discovering innovative uses of scientifically derived information in instructional and administrative decision making as well as strategies for…

  16. Near Infrared Spectroscopy in the Forest Products Industry, Forest Products Journal

    Treesearch

    Chi-Leung So; Brian K. Via; Leslie H. Groom; Laurence R. Schimleck; Todd F. Shupe; Stephen S. Kelley; Timothy G. Rials

    2004-01-01

    Improving manufacturing efficiency and increasing product worth requires the right combination of actions throughout the manufacturing process. Many innovations have been developed over the last several decades to achieve these goals. Innovations typically work their way backwards in the manufacturing process, with an increasing level of monitoring occurring at the...

  17. Innovation Enables New Research on Mutation Linked to Many Cancers | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

    Cancer.gov

    A scientific innovation at the Frederick National Lab has opened the way for a new line of experiments in the decades-old quest for a drug to fight cancers triggered by mutant RAS proteins – which underlie one-third of all malignancies, including t

  18. Big Ideas at the Center for Innovation in Education at Thomas College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prawat, Ted

    2016-01-01

    Schools and teachers are looking for innovative ways to teach the "big ideas" emerging in the core curricula, especially in STEAM fields (science technology, engineering, arts and math). As a result, learning environments that support digital learning and educational technology on various platforms and devices are taking on…

  19. Incorporating a Quality and Innovation Culture in Daily Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ibañez, Francisco; Plaza, Inmaculada; Igual, Raul; Medrano, Carlos; Arcega, Francisco

    2017-01-01

    Quality and excellence are requirements that Society demands from universities. However, several questions arise in the real-world application of these concepts: How can they be incorporated into the classrooms or laboratories? What is the proper way to create a quality and innovation culture in daily teaching? In order to answer to these…

  20. Beyond the Language Classroom: Researching MOOCs and Other Innovations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Qian, Kan, Ed.; Bax, Stephen, Ed.

    2017-01-01

    With the rise of the internet and new communication technologies, language learning has moved beyond the classroom walls. This volume presents a range of important studies on innovative ways for learning languages outside the classroom. Chapters discuss MOOCs in the UK, Belgium, China, and Italy for studying a range of languages, research on new…

  1. Focused Group Interviews as an Innovative Quanti-Qualitative Methodology (QQM): Integrating Quantitative Elements into a Qualitative Methodology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grim, Brian J.; Harmon, Alison H.; Gromis, Judy C.

    2006-01-01

    There is a sharp divide between quantitative and qualitative methodologies in the social sciences. We investigate an innovative way to bridge this gap that incorporates quantitative techniques into a qualitative method, the "quanti-qualitative method" (QQM). Specifically, our research utilized small survey questionnaires and experiment-like…

  2. Comparing Interaction and Use of Space in Traditional and Innovative Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gurzynski-Weiss, Laura; Long, Avizia Y.; Solon, Megan

    2015-01-01

    Despite myriad changes to language teaching methods over time, university-level classroom spaces have largely remained the same--until now. Recent innovations in classroom space design center on technological advances, include movable furniture and coffee-shop style rooms, and are believed to facilitate language learning in several ways.…

  3. Reconsidering the Promise of Systemwide Innovation for Urban Districts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hess, Frederick

    1998-01-01

    Many of the problems school reform is expected to solve are aggravated by the ways schools use reform. Macro-level innovations are rarely designed to work. Meaningful change requires time and focus. Reforms may be more about politics than about change. A constant churn of policy change and reform has become the norm. (SK)

  4. Teaching Density with a Little Drama

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karakas, Mehmet

    2012-01-01

    This article provides an example of an innovative science activity applied in a science methods course for future elementary teachers at a small university in northeastern Turkey. The aim of the activity is to help prospective elementary teachers understand the density concept in a simple way and see an innovative teaching example. The instructor…

  5. Software Innovations: The Influence of Quality, Diversity and Structure of Network Ties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Harpeet

    2010-01-01

    There is high uncertainty associated with the outcomes of Information Technology (IT) investments and innovations. In such environments, IT actors (firm and individuals) are also unsure about their actions and preferences. The social relationships of these actors create substantial value for these actors in multiple ways (e.g. providing social…

  6. MakeHERspaces: STEM, Girls, and the Maker Movement. CRB Short Subjects. S­-14-­022

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Pamela

    2014-01-01

    Few innovations have galvanized libraries, schools, and museums like the maker movement. "Makerspaces" are community centers that combine manufacturing equipment with education in a way that lets people collaborate, explore and innovate. In makerspaces, people apply scientific and engineering principles in a hands-on environment to…

  7. Centers and Institutes in Catholic Higher Education: Places of Innovation, Scholarship, and Service

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sloma-Williams, Lorraine

    2011-01-01

    Centers and institutes are innovative venues at which colleges and universities organize and facilitate research, service, and scholarly exploration. The purpose of this article is to highlight the center and institute phenomenon in the context of Catholic higher education and identify ways in which these entities work to strengthen Catholic…

  8. Manage customer-centric innovation--systematically.

    PubMed

    Selden, Larry; MacMillan, Ian C

    2006-04-01

    No matter how hard companies try, their approaches to innovation often don't grow the top line in the sustained, profitable way investors expect. For many companies, there's a huge difference between what's in their business plans and the market's expectations for growth (as reflected in firms' share prices, market capitalizations, and P/E ratios). This growth gap springs from the fact that companies are pouring money into their insular R&D labs instead of working to understand what the customer wants and using that understanding to drive innovation. As a result, even companies that spend the most on R&D remain starved for both customer innovation and market-capitalization growth. In this article, the authors spell out a systematic approach to innovation that continuously fuels sustained, profitable growth. They call this approach customer-centric innovation, or CCI. At the heart of CCI is a rigorous customer R&D process that helps companies to continually improve their understanding of who their customers are and what they need. By so doing, they consistently create or improve their customer value proposition. Customer R&D also focuses on better ways of communicating value propositions and delivering the complete experience to real customers. Since so much of the learning about customers and so much of the experimentation with different segmentations, value propositions, and delivery mechanisms involve the people who regularly deal with customers, it is absolutely essential for frontline employees to be at the center of the CCI process. Simply put, customer R&D propels the innovation effort away from headquarters and the traditional R&D lab out to those closest to the customer. Using the example of the luggage manufacturer Tumi, the authors provide a step-by-step approach for achieving true customer-centric innovation.

  9. Health System Transformation through a Scalable, Actionable Innovation Strategy.

    PubMed

    Snowdon, Anne

    2017-01-01

    The authors who contributed to this issue of Healthcare Papers have provided rich insights into a promising innovation agenda to support transformational change aimed at achieving high-performing, person-centric health systems that are sustainable and deliver value. First and foremost, the commentaries make clear that a focused innovation agenda with defined goals, objectives and milestones is needed, if innovation is to be a viable and successful strategy to achieve health system transformation. To date, innovation has been a catch-all term for solving the many challenges health systems are experiencing. Yet, innovation on its own cannot fix all the ills of a health system; strategic goals and objectives are needed to define the way forward if innovation is to achieve value for Canadians. To this end, the authors identify goals and objectives that are worthy of serious consideration by all health system stakeholders.

  10. Does the private finance initiative promote innovation in health care? The case of the British National Health Service.

    PubMed

    Petratos, Pythagoras

    2005-12-01

    The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is a specific example of health care privatization within the British National Health Service. In this essay, I critically assess the ways in which various Private Finance Initiatives have increased health care efficiency and effectiveness, as well as encouraged medical innovation. Indeed, as the analysis will demonstrate, significant empirical evidence supports the conclusion that Private Finance Initiatives are a driving force of innovation within the British Health Care System.

  11. Grasping the health horizon: toward a virtual, interoperable platform of health innovations.

    PubMed

    Dawe, Marcus; Dugdale, Paul; Mcgann, Mathew

    2015-01-01

    The emergence of digital health, wearables, apps, telehealth and the proliferation of health services online are all indications that health is undergoing rapid innovation. Health innovation however has been traditionally slow, high cost and the commercialisation journey was not a guaranteed path to adoption outside the setting where it was developed whether in a hospital, university, clinic or lab. Most significant with this new explosion of health innovations is the sheer volume. The startup revolution, mobile health, personalised heath and globalisation of knowledge means that consumers are demanding innovations and are pulling health innovations through commercialisation with new modes of funding such as crowdsourcing and direct vendor purchases. Our Australian team initiated a project to use machine learning, data mining and classification techniques to bring together and analyse this expansion of heath innovations from all over the world. Following two years of data aggregation and quality analysis we present our findings which are applied to over 200,000 innovations from more than 25,000 organisations. Our findings have identified the dynamics and basis for a marketplace for health innovations that could assist innovators, health practitioners, consumers, investors and other health participants to research, evaluate and promote these innovations.

  12. How Citation Boosts Promote Scientific Paradigm Shifts and Nobel Prizes

    PubMed Central

    Mazloumian, Amin; Eom, Young-Ho; Helbing, Dirk; Lozano, Sergi; Fortunato, Santo

    2011-01-01

    Nobel Prizes are commonly seen to be among the most prestigious achievements of our times. Based on mining several million citations, we quantitatively analyze the processes driving paradigm shifts in science. We find that groundbreaking discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates and other famous scientists are not only acknowledged by many citations of their landmark papers. Surprisingly, they also boost the citation rates of their previous publications. Given that innovations must outcompete the rich-gets-richer effect for scientific citations, it turns out that they can make their way only through citation cascades. A quantitative analysis reveals how and why they happen. Science appears to behave like a self-organized critical system, in which citation cascades of all sizes occur, from continuous scientific progress all the way up to scientific revolutions, which change the way we see our world. Measuring the “boosting effect” of landmark papers, our analysis reveals how new ideas and new players can make their way and finally triumph in a world dominated by established paradigms. The underlying “boost factor” is also useful to discover scientific breakthroughs and talents much earlier than through classical citation analysis, which by now has become a widespread method to measure scientific excellence, influencing scientific careers and the distribution of research funds. Our findings reveal patterns of collective social behavior, which are also interesting from an attention economics perspective. Understanding the origin of scientific authority may therefore ultimately help to explain how social influence comes about and why the value of goods depends so strongly on the attention they attract. PMID:21573229

  13. How citation boosts promote scientific paradigm shifts and nobel prizes.

    PubMed

    Mazloumian, Amin; Eom, Young-Ho; Helbing, Dirk; Lozano, Sergi; Fortunato, Santo

    2011-05-04

    Nobel Prizes are commonly seen to be among the most prestigious achievements of our times. Based on mining several million citations, we quantitatively analyze the processes driving paradigm shifts in science. We find that groundbreaking discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates and other famous scientists are not only acknowledged by many citations of their landmark papers. Surprisingly, they also boost the citation rates of their previous publications. Given that innovations must outcompete the rich-gets-richer effect for scientific citations, it turns out that they can make their way only through citation cascades. A quantitative analysis reveals how and why they happen. Science appears to behave like a self-organized critical system, in which citation cascades of all sizes occur, from continuous scientific progress all the way up to scientific revolutions, which change the way we see our world. Measuring the "boosting effect" of landmark papers, our analysis reveals how new ideas and new players can make their way and finally triumph in a world dominated by established paradigms. The underlying "boost factor" is also useful to discover scientific breakthroughs and talents much earlier than through classical citation analysis, which by now has become a widespread method to measure scientific excellence, influencing scientific careers and the distribution of research funds. Our findings reveal patterns of collective social behavior, which are also interesting from an attention economics perspective. Understanding the origin of scientific authority may therefore ultimately help to explain how social influence comes about and why the value of goods depends so strongly on the attention they attract.

  14. Biorefineries - New Green Strategy For Development Of Smart And Innovative Industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Płaza, Grażyna A.; Wandzich, Dorota

    2016-09-01

    Ecological engineering or ecotechnology is defined as the design of sustainable production that integrate human society with the natural environment for the benefit of both. In order to reach the goal of sustainability therefore important that bioproduct production systems are converted from to natural cycle oriented. In natural cycles there are not waste, but products are generated at different stages of the cycle. The ecotechnology creates a sustainable bioeconomy using biomass in a smart and efficient way. The biorefining sector, which uses smart, innovative and efficient technologies to convert biomass feedstocks into a range of bio-based products including fuels, chemicals, power, food, and renewable oils, currently presents the innovative and efficient bio-based production can revitalize existing industries. The paper presents the concept of biorefinery as the ecotechnological approach for creating a sustainable bioeconomy using biomass in a smart and efficient way.

  15. A model for 'reverse innovation' in health care.

    PubMed

    Depasse, Jacqueline W; Lee, Patrick T

    2013-08-30

    'Reverse innovation,' a principle well established in the business world, describes the flow of ideas from emerging to more developed economies. There is strong and growing interest in applying this concept to health care, yet there is currently no framework for describing the stages of reverse innovation or identifying opportunities to accelerate the development process. This paper combines the business concept of reverse innovation with diffusion of innovation theory to propose a model for reverse innovation as a way to innovate in health care. Our model includes the following steps: (1) identifying a problem common to lower- and higher-income countries; (2) innovation and spread in the low-income country (LIC); (3) crossover to the higher-income country (HIC); and (4) innovation and spread in the HIC. The crucial populations in this pathway, drawing from diffusion of innovation theory, are LIC innovators, LIC early adopters, and HIC innovators. We illustrate the model with three examples of current reverse innovations. We then propose four sets of specific actions that forward-looking policymakers, entrepreneurs, health system leaders, and researchers may take to accelerate the movement of promising solutions through the reverse innovation pipeline: (1) identify high-priority problems shared by HICs and LICs; (2) create slack for change, especially for LIC innovators, LIC early adopters, and HIC innovators; (3) create spannable social distances between LIC early adopters and HIC innovators; and (4) measure reverse innovation activity globally.

  16. Dormitory of Physical and Engineering Sciences: Sleeping Beauties May Be Sleeping Innovations

    PubMed Central

    van Raan, Anthony F. J.

    2015-01-01

    A ‘Sleeping Beauty in Science’ is a publication that goes unnoticed (‘sleeps’) for a long time and then, almost suddenly, attracts a lot of attention (‘is awakened by a prince’). The aim of this paper is to present a general methodology to investigate (1) important properties of Sleeping Beauties such as the time-dependent distribution, author characteristics, journals and fields, and (2) the cognitive environment of Sleeping Beauties. We are particularly interested to find out to what extent Sleeping Beauties are application-oriented and thus are potential Sleeping Innovations. In this study we focus primarily on physics (including materials science and astrophysics) and present first results for chemistry and for engineering & computer science. We find that more than half of the SBs are application-oriented. To study the cognitive environments of Sleeping Beauties we develop a new approach in which the cognitive environment of the SBs is analyzed, based on the mapping of Sleeping Beauties using their citation links and conceptual relations, particularly co-citation mapping. In this way we investigate the research themes in which the SBs are ‘used’ and possible causes of why the premature work in the SBs becomes topical, i.e., the trigger of the awakening of the SBs. This approach is tested with a blue skies SB and an application-oriented SB. We think that the mapping procedures discussed in this paper are not only important for bibliometric analyses. They also provide researchers with useful, interactive tools to discover both relevant older work as well as new developments, for instance in themes related to Sleeping Beauties that are also Sleeping Innovations. PMID:26469987

  17. Characteristics of Innovation in K12 International Schools in Asia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hale, Jessica A.

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological study explored identifying characteristics and necessary components of educational innovation in K12 international schools in Asia. Two research questions guided the exploration of observed characteristics of innovation and global leader's perceptions of components of innovation. The findings suggested observed…

  18. Multimedia: Developing Creativity and Innovation in Engineering, Science,

    Science.gov Websites

    Find ScienceCinema Search Results Multimedia: Developing Creativity and Innovation in Engineering , Science, and Medicine Citation Details Title: Developing Creativity and Innovation in Engineering, Science , and Medicine Title: Developing Creativity and Innovation in Engineering, Science, and Medicine Authors

  19. Eyewitness Memory in Face-to-Face and Immersive Avatar-to-Avatar Contexts.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Donna A; Dando, Coral J

    2018-01-01

    Technological advances offer possibilities for innovation in the way eyewitness testimony is elicited. Typically, this occurs face-to-face. We investigated whether a virtual environment, where interviewer and eyewitness communicate as avatars, might confer advantages by attenuating the social and situational demands of a face-to-face interview, releasing more cognitive resources for invoking episodic retrieval mode. In conditions of intentional encoding, eyewitnesses were interviewed 48 h later, either face-to-face or in a virtual environment ( N = 38). Participants in the virtual environment significantly outperformed those interviewed face-to-face on all episodic performance measures - improved correct reporting reduced errors, and increased accuracy. Participants reported finding it easier to admit not remembering event information to the avatar, and finding the avatar easier to talk to. These novel findings, and our pattern of retrieval results indicates the potential of avatar-to-avatar communication in virtual environments, and provide impetus for further research investigating eyewitness cognition in contemporary retrieval contexts.

  20. Needs-Based Innovation in Interventional Radiology: The Biodesign Process.

    PubMed

    Steinberger, Jonathan D; Denend, Lyn; Azagury, Dan E; Brinton, Todd J; Makower, Josh; Yock, Paul G

    2017-06-01

    There are many possible mechanisms for innovation and bringing new technology into the marketplace. The Stanford Biodesign innovation process is based in a deep understanding of clinical unmet needs as the basis for focused ideation and development. By identifying and vetting a compelling unmet need, the aspiring innovator can "derisk" a project and maximize chances for successful development in an increasingly challenging regulatory and economic environment. As a specialty founded by tinkerers, with a history of disruptive innovation that has yielded countless new ways of delivering care with minimal invasiveness, lower morbidity, and lower cost, interventional radiologists are uniquely well positioned to identify unmet needs and develop novel solutions free of dogmatic convention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Meet ORISE Research Fellow Nisha S. Sipes, Ph.D.

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Nisha S. Sipes is an ORISE Research Fellow in EPA’s innovative National Center for Computational Toxicology. She and her colleagues are changing the way toxicity testing is done by researching ways to make it faster, more efficient, and more informative

  2. Faster is more different: mean-field dynamics of innovation diffusion.

    PubMed

    Baek, Seung Ki; Durang, Xavier; Kim, Mina

    2013-01-01

    Based on a recent model of paradigm shifts by Bornholdt et al., we studied mean-field opinion dynamics in an infinite population where an infinite number of ideas compete simultaneously with their values publicly known. We found that a highly innovative society is not characterized by heavy concentration in highly valued ideas: Rather, ideas are more broadly distributed in a more innovative society with faster progress, provided that the rate of adoption is constant, which suggests a positive correlation between innovation and technological disparity. Furthermore, the distribution is generally skewed in such a way that the fraction of innovators is substantially smaller than has been believed in conventional innovation-diffusion theory based on normality. Thus, the typical adoption pattern is predicted to be asymmetric with slow saturation in the ideal situation, which is compared with empirical data sets.

  3. From mechanisms to function: an integrated framework of animal innovation

    PubMed Central

    Tebbich, Sabine; Griffin, Andrea S.; Peschl, Markus F.; Sterelny, Kim

    2016-01-01

    Animal innovations range from the discovery of novel food types to the invention of completely novel behaviours. Innovations can give access to new opportunities, and thus enable innovating agents to invade and create novel niches. This in turn can pave the way for morphological adaptation and adaptive radiation. The mechanisms that make innovations possible are probably as diverse as the innovations themselves. So too are their evolutionary consequences. Perhaps because of this diversity, we lack a unifying framework that links mechanism to function. We propose a framework for animal innovation that describes the interactions between mechanism, fitness benefit and evolutionary significance, and which suggests an expanded range of experimental approaches. In doing so, we split innovation into factors (components and phases) that can be manipulated systematically, and which can be investigated both experimentally and with correlational studies. We apply this framework to a selection of cases, showing how it helps us ask more precise questions and design more revealing experiments. PMID:26926285

  4. Translating research findings into community based theatre: More than a dead man's wife.

    PubMed

    Feldman, Susan; Hopgood, Alan; Dickins, Marissa

    2013-12-01

    Increasingly, qualitative scholars in health and social sciences are turning to innovative strategies as a way of translating research findings into informative, accessible and enjoyable forms for the community. The aim of this article is to describe how the research findings of a doctoral thesis - a narrative study about 58 older women's experiences of widowhood - were translated into a unique and professionally developed script to form the basis for a successful theatrical production that has travelled extensively within Australia. This article reports on the process of collaboration between a researcher, a highly regarded Australian actor/script writer and an ensemble of well-known and experienced professional actors. Together the collaborating partners translated the research data and findings about growing older and 'widowhood' into a high quality theatre production. In particular, we argue in this paper that research-based theatre is an appropriate medium for communicating research findings about important life issues of concern to older people in a safe, affirming and entertaining manner. By outlining the process of translating research findings into theatre we hope to show that there is a real value in this translation approach for both researcher and audience alike. © 2013.

  5. EFL Teachers' Attempts at Feedback Innovation in the Writing Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Icy; Mak, Pauline; Burns, Anne

    2016-01-01

    To date, research on feedback in second language (L2) writing has primarily focused on feedback per se, with little attention paid to the teachers' professional development with regard to feedback in writing. This study aims to explore the ways in which two secondary teachers in Hong Kong attempted to implement feedback innovation in their writing…

  6. Distance Training: How Innovative Organizations Are Using Technology To Maximize Learning and Meet Business Objectives. Jossey-Bass Business and Management Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schreiber, Deborah A.; Berge, Zane L.

    This book contains 19 papers examining ways in which innovative organizations are using distance learning technology to maximize learning and meet business objectives. The following papers are included: "Preface" (Deborah A. Schreiber, Zane L. Berge); "Organizational Technology and Its Impact on Distance Training" (Deborah A.…

  7. 76 FR 66931 - Medicare Program; Accountable Care Organization Accelerated Development Learning Sessions; Center...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-28

    ... health care expenditures. The ADLSs were first announced in the May 19, 2011 Federal Register (76 FR... Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010... Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) for the purpose of examining new ways of delivering health care and...

  8. LE[superscript 3]AD Academy Builds Professionalism in Vocational Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hall, Candace

    2012-01-01

    Principal David Wheeler of Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical High School founded LE[superscript 3]AD Academy--an innovative program that gives students the opportunity to build and run their own town in teams and with guidance from teachers. The program started in the spring of 2011, and it is innovative in many ways. The students' main…

  9. Innovation Practices in Schools: The Impact of Different Models of Organization on the Practice of Norwegian Municipalities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jentoft, Nina

    2017-01-01

    Services provided by primary schools have a significant impact on citizens' living conditions. We need more knowledge of how innovation activities in primary schools should be organized and managed. This article addresses this gap by raising the following question: "Why do municipalities have different ways of organizing preventive work in…

  10. Modeling Financial Innovation and Economic Growth: Why the Financial Sector Matters to the Real Economy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chou, Yuan K.

    2007-01-01

    The author devises a simple way of incorporating the financial sector into a growth model that is pedagogically useful. Financial innovation raises the efficiency of financial intermediation by increasing the variety of financial products and services, resulting in improved matching of the needs of individual savers with those of firms raising…

  11. School-Based Meditation Practices for Adolescents: A Resource for Strengthening Self Regulation, Emotional Coping, and Self-Esteem

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisner, Betsy L.; Jones, Barbara; Gwin, David

    2010-01-01

    Schools are searching for innovative ways to meet the unique academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs of adolescents, many of whom face serious personal and family challenges. An innovative practice that is currently being introduced into school settings is meditation. Types of meditation offered in school-based settings include…

  12. A Blended Learning Route to Improving Innovation Education in Europe

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Page, Tom; Thorsteinsson, Gisli

    2008-01-01

    This paper introduces blended learning as a pedagogical approach, which was explored through the European project InnoEd and the way InnoEd undertook by using the on-line InnoEd VRLE. European educators in the InnoEd project have utilised a range of learning activities to help to improve Innovation Education. A mixture of lectures, visual…

  13. Reinventing Higher Education: The Promise of Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wildavsky, Ben, Ed.; Kelly, Andrew P., Ed.; Carey, Kevin, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    The inspiration for this timely book is the pressing need for fresh ideas and innovations in U.S. higher education. At the heart of the volume is the realization that higher education must evolve in fundamental ways if it is to respond to changing professional, economic, and technological circumstances, and if it is to successfully reach and…

  14. Collaborating with Digital Tools and Peers in Medical Education: Cases and Simulations as Interventions in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Helle, Laura; Saljo, Roger

    2012-01-01

    Medical education has pioneered educational innovation in higher education as exemplified by the problem-based learning (PBL) movement. A multitude of reviews and meta-analyses indicate that the PBL movement has been successful in many ways. Innovations in medical education, however, are not limited to curricular reform and interactive…

  15. Pilot Test of an Innovative Interprofessional Education Assessment Strategy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emmert, Michelle Christine

    2011-01-01

    The primary goal of this study was to test an innovative way of assessing students' teamwork skills in a controlled environment. Twenty-four second year students from Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) participated in the experimental group and 22 third year students from WesternU participated in the control group. Students in the…

  16. Embedding Research into Practice through Innovation and Creativity: A Case Study from Social Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petch, Alison; Lightowler, Claire; Pattoni, Lisa; Watson, Ian

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores ways in which IRISS (Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services) promotes the delivery of cost effective social services in Scotland that support the achievement of positive outcomes. The approach to evidence-informed practice is characterised as four pillars of activity. The first focuses on improving awareness…

  17. Leading Curriculum Innovation in Primary Schools Project: A Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brundrett, Mark; Duncan, Diane

    2015-01-01

    This article provides the final report on a research project that investigated the ways in which curriculum innovation can be led successfully in primary schools. Data gathering included 40 semi-structured interviews in 10 successful primary schools in England of varying sizes and types and in a range of geographical and social locations. Findings…

  18. Teaching Qualitative Research: A Successful Pilot of an Innovative Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Danquah, Adam N.

    2017-01-01

    This paper describes the development and delivery of an innovative approach to teaching qualitative research methods in psychology. The teaching incorporated a range of "active" pedagogical practices that it shares with other teaching in this area, but was designed in such a way as to follow the arc of a qualitative research project in…

  19. Leonardo da Vinci, One Year on...a Different Look at Vocational Training in Europe.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Le Magazine, 1996

    1996-01-01

    Discusses the success of the Leonardo da Vinci program, a European laboratory of innovation in vocational training, a priority focus of investment in human resources and intelligence, and a way to mobilize innovative forces beyond national boundaries. Trends identified by the program focus on new information and communication technologies. (JOW)

  20. Fostering deliberations about health innovation: what do we want to know from publics?

    PubMed

    Lehoux, Pascale; Daudelin, Genevieve; Demers-Payette, Olivier; Boivin, Antoine

    2009-06-01

    As more complex and uncertain forms of health innovation keep emerging, scholars are increasingly voicing arguments in favour of public involvement in health innovation policy. The current conceptualization of this involvement is, however, somewhat problematic as it tends to assume that scientific facts form a "hard," indisputable core around which "soft," relative values can be attached. This paper, by giving precedence to epistemological issues, explores what there is to know from public involvement. We argue that knowledge and normative assumptions are co-constitutive of each other and pivotal to the ways in which both experts and non-experts reason about health innovations. Because knowledge and normative assumptions are different but interrelated ways of reasoning, public involvement initiatives need to emphasise deliberative processes that maximise mutual learning within and across various groups of both experts and non-experts (who, we argue, all belong to the "publics"). Hence, we believe that what researchers might wish to know from publics is how their reasoning is anchored in normative assumptions (what makes a given innovation desirable?) and in knowledge about the plausibility of their effects (are they likely to be realised?). Accordingly, one sensible goal of greater public involvement in health innovation policy would be to refine normative assumptions and make their articulation with scientific observations explicit and openly contestable. The paper concludes that we must differentiate between normative assumptions and knowledge, rather than set up a dichotomy between them or confound them.

  1. A model for training medical student innovators: the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care Abundance Agents of Change program

    PubMed Central

    Duong, David B.; Sullivan, Erin E.; Minter-Jordan, Myechia; Giesen, Lindsay; Ellner, Andrew L.

    2016-01-01

    Background In 2013, the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care established the Abundance Agents of Change (AoC) program to promote interprofessional learning and innovation, increase partnership between 15 academic and community health centers (CHCs) in Boston's most under-served communities, and increase medical student interest in primary care careers. Methods The AoC is modeled in the form of a ‘grants challenge’, offering $20,000 to interprofessional student teams to develop an innovative solution that addresses a healthcare delivery need identified by CHCs. The program's initial two years were characterized by a four-stage process which included working with CHCs and crafting a request for proposals, forming interprofessional 20 student teams comprising students from across and outside of Harvard University, training students using a systems-based innovation curriculum, and performing program evaluation. Results Our evaluation data from cohorts 1 and 2 of the AoC program demonstrate that we succeeded in training students as innovators and members of interprofessional teams. We also learned valuable lessons regarding creating better alignment with CHC priorities, extending the program cycle from 12 to 18 months, and changing the way funding is disbursed to 25 students, which will be incorporated in later versions of the program. Conclusions Based on our experience and evaluation data, we believe that this program is a replicable way to train students as innovators and members of interprofessional teams to address the current complex healthcare environment. PMID:27306994

  2. A model for training medical student innovators: the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care Abundance Agents of Change program.

    PubMed

    Duong, David B; Sullivan, Erin E; Minter-Jordan, Myechia; Giesen, Lindsay; Ellner, Andrew L

    2016-01-01

    Background In 2013, the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care established the Abundance Agents of Change (AoC) program to promote interprofessional learning and innovation, increase partnership between 15 academic and community health centers (CHCs) in Boston's most under-served communities, and increase medical student interest in primary care careers. Methods The AoC is modeled in the form of a 'grants challenge', offering $20,000 to interprofessional student teams to develop an innovative solution that addresses a healthcare delivery need identified by CHCs. The program's initial two years were characterized by a four-stage process which included working with CHCs and crafting a request for proposals, forming interprofessional 20 student teams comprising students from across and outside of Harvard University, training students using a systems-based innovation curriculum, and performing program evaluation. Results Our evaluation data from cohorts 1 and 2 of the AoC program demonstrate that we succeeded in training students as innovators and members of interprofessional teams. We also learned valuable lessons regarding creating better alignment with CHC priorities, extending the program cycle from 12 to 18 months, and changing the way funding is disbursed to 25 students, which will be incorporated in later versions of the program. Conclusions Based on our experience and evaluation data, we believe that this program is a replicable way to train students as innovators and members of interprofessional teams to address the current complex healthcare environment.

  3. A model for training medical student innovators: the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care Abundance Agents of Change program.

    PubMed

    Duong, David B; Sullivan, Erin E; Minter-Jordan, Myechia; Giesen, Lindsay; Ellner, Andrew L

    2016-01-01

    In 2013, the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care established the Abundance Agents of Change (AoC) program to promote interprofessional learning and innovation, increase partnership between 15 academic and community health centers (CHCs) in Boston's most under-served communities, and increase medical student interest in primary care careers. The AoC is modeled in the form of a 'grants challenge', offering $20,000 to interprofessional student teams to develop an innovative solution that addresses a healthcare delivery need identified by CHCs. The program's initial two years were characterized by a four-stage process which included working with CHCs and crafting a request for proposals, forming interprofessional 20 student teams comprising students from across and outside of Harvard University, training students using a systems-based innovation curriculum, and performing program evaluation. Our evaluation data from cohorts 1 and 2 of the AoC program demonstrate that we succeeded in training students as innovators and members of interprofessional teams. We also learned valuable lessons regarding creating better alignment with CHC priorities, extending the program cycle from 12 to 18 months, and changing the way funding is disbursed to 25 students, which will be incorporated in later versions of the program. Based on our experience and evaluation data, we believe that this program is a replicable way to train students as innovators and members of interprofessional teams to address the current complex healthcare environment.

  4. Implementing complex innovations: factors influencing middle manager support.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Emmeline; Jason, Kendra; Morgan, Jennifer Craft

    2011-01-01

    Middle manager resistance is often described as a major challenge for upper-level administrators seeking to implement complex innovations such as evidence-based protocols or new skills training. However, factors influencing middle manager support for innovation implementation are currently understudied in the U.S. health care literature. This article examined the factors that influence middle managers' support for and participation in the implementation of work-based learning, a complex innovation adopted by health care organizations to improve the jobs, educational pathways, skills, and/or credentials of their frontline workers. We conducted semistructured interviews and focus groups with 92 middle managers in 17 health care organizations. Questions focused on understanding middle managers' support for work-based learning as a complex innovation, facilitators and barriers to the implementation process, and the systems changes needed to support the implementation of this innovation. Factors that emerged as influential to middle manager support were similar to those found in broader models of innovation implementation within the health care literature. However, our findings extend previous research by developing an understanding about how middle managers perceived these constructs and by identifying specific strategies for how to influence middle manager support for the innovation implementation process. These findings were generally consistent across different types of health care organizations. Study findings suggest that middle manager support was highest when managers felt the innovation fit their workplace needs and priorities and when they had more discretion and control over how it was implemented. Leaders seeking to implement innovations should consider the interplay between middle managers' control and discretion, their narrow focus on the performance of their own departments or units, and the dedication of staff and other resources for empowering their managers to implement these complex innovations.

  5. Night Gallery: An Innovative Multimedia Strategy for Delivering a General Microbiology Lecture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dahl, John; Mixter, Phil

    2008-01-01

    In delivering a core science course to pre-health-related majors, the authors sought ways to engage students, make material relevant to life-long learning, and present it in a memorable way. Their goals were to present scientific content fused with history, ethics, public policy, and art in such a way that the students would be provided a unique…

  6. Youth Action Council on Sustainable Innovation (YACSI) Report: Making Innovation Sustainable Among Youth in Canada.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2002

    A study surveyed 241 high-achieving youth aged 15-25 regarding how innovation can be made sustainable among youth in Canada. Results were insightful and pointed to actionable steps for the Youth Action Council for Sustainable Innovation and the federal government. Findings indicated the following: youth can be more innovative if they have the…

  7. The establishment and expansion of an innovative centre for rational pharmacotherapy--determinants and challenges.

    PubMed

    Kardakis, Therese; Tomson, Göran; Wettermark, Björn; Brommels, Mats; Godman, Brian; Bastholm-Rahmner, Pia

    2015-01-01

    The regional Board of Health in Stockholm, Sweden, established the Pharmacotherapy Centre (PTC) to enhance the rational use of medicines. The PTC initiated computerised decision support systems and developed a range of electronic service products to sustain rational prescribing. However, knowledge about which determinants have supported or hindered the sustainability of this type of healthcare organisation is limited. This study aims to identify and explore determinants that support or challenge the development and sustainability of the PTC organisation, as well as investigate the key elements of their implementation efforts. An in-depth interview study among key informants involved in the establishment of the PTC organisation was conducted. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings suggest that determinants enabling the development and expansion of this organisation include the presence of innovative characteristics among the PTC leadership and the ability of leaders to nurture visionary innovation in others, as well as the instigation of informal social networks and to identify end-user needs. Challenges included an ambiguous relationship to the pharmaceutical industry, an underestimation of the innovation-system fit and to undertake systematic evaluation of created impact by the organisation. Although prescriber use of electronic service products and adherence to an essential drug list increased over time, it remains difficult to identify methods required for demonstrating patient effects. Whereas some determinants enabled the successful expansion of the PTC organisation, others served to substantially hinder it. The determinants identified can pave the way for systematic investigations into organisational change and development research in the pharmaceutical field. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Service innovation management practices in the telecommunications industry: what does cross country analysis reveal?

    PubMed

    Rahman, Syed Abidur; Taghizadeh, Seyedeh Khadijeh; Ramayah, T; Ahmad, Noor Hazlina

    2015-01-01

    Service innovation management practice is currently being widely scrutinized mainly in the developed countries, where it has been initiated. The current study attempts to propose a framework and empirically validate and explain the service innovation practices for successful performance in the telecommunications industry of two developing countries, Malaysia and Bangladesh. The research framework proposes relationships among organisational culture, operating core (innovation process, cross-functional organisation, and implementation of tools/technology), competition-informed pricing, and performance. A total of 176 usable data from both countries are analysed for the purpose of the research. The findings show that organisational culture tends to be more influential on innovation process and cross-functional organisation in Malaysian telecommunication industry. In contrast, implementation of tools/technology plays a more instrumental role in competition-informed pricing practices in Bangladesh. This study revealed few differences in the innovation management practices between two developing countries. The findings have strategic implications for the service sectors in both the developing countries regarding implementation of innovative enterprises, especially in Bangladesh where innovation is the basis for survival. Testing the innovation management practices in the developing countries perhaps contains uniqueness in the field of innovation management.

  9. Sex And Gender Equity in Research (SAGER): reporting guidelines as a framework of innovation for an equitable approach to gender medicine. Commentary.

    PubMed

    De Castro, Paola; Heidari, Shirin; Babor, Thomas F

    2016-01-01

    Sex and gender are important determinants of health and influence research findings in a variety of ways, yet they are often overlooked and underreported. This oversight limits the generalizability of research findings and their applicability to clinical practice. The objective of this paper is to point out how journal editors can influence better reporting of sex and gender in research by establishing a methodological framework directly addressing authors of scientific publications, as well as referees, and indirectly affecting all the stakeholders in the research cycle, from funders to policy-makers and citizens. Such a framework is represented by the Sex And Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines, developed by the European Association of Science Editors (EASE) to encourage a more systematic approach to the reporting of sex and gender in research across disciplines. The paper includes the rationale and basic principles of the SAGER guidelines.

  10. Invited Commentary: Can Issues With Reproducibility in Science Be Blamed on Hypothesis Testing?

    PubMed

    Weinberg, Clarice R

    2017-09-15

    In the accompanying article (Am J Epidemiol. 2017;186(6):646-647), Dr. Timothy Lash makes a forceful case that the problems with reproducibility in science stem from our "culture" of null hypothesis significance testing. He notes that when attention is selectively given to statistically significant findings, the estimated effects will be systematically biased away from the null. Here I revisit the recent history of genetic epidemiology and argue for retaining statistical testing as an important part of the tool kit. Particularly when many factors are considered in an agnostic way, in what Lash calls "innovative" research, investigators need a selection strategy to identify which findings are most likely to be genuine, and hence worthy of further study. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  11. Culturally Tailored Depression/Suicide Prevention in Latino Youth: Community Perspectives.

    PubMed

    Ford-Paz, Rebecca E; Reinhard, Christine; Kuebbeler, Andrea; Contreras, Richard; Sánchez, Bernadette

    2015-10-01

    Latino adolescents are at elevated risk for depression and suicide compared to other ethnic groups. Project goals were to gain insight from community leaders about depression risk factors particular to Latino adolescents and generate innovative suggestions to improve cultural relevance of prevention interventions. This project utilized a CBPR approach to enhance cultural relevance, acceptability, and utility of the findings and subsequent program development. Two focus groups of youth and youth-involved Latino community leaders (n = 18) yielded three overarching themes crucial to a culturally tailored depression prevention intervention: (1) utilize a multipronged and sustainable intervention approach, (2) raise awareness about depression in culturally meaningful ways, and (3) promote Latino youth's social connection and cultural enrichment activities. Findings suggest that both adaptation of existing prevention programs and development of hybrid approaches may be necessary to reduce depression/suicide disparities for Latino youth. One such hybrid program informed by community stakeholders is described.

  12. Nurses at the forefront of innovation.

    PubMed

    Hughes, F

    2006-06-01

    This paper is based on a presentation given by the author at the 23rd Quadrennial ICN Congress and 7th International Regulation Congress in Taipei in May 2005. Nurses worldwide are engaged in innovative practice on a daily basis. In most health systems across the world, nurses provide up to 80% of primary health care and are therefore well positioned to provide critically needed innovative solutions to many global health challenges. The aim of this paper is to increase awareness of the importance and value of innovations in nursing; provide an improved understanding of the contribution nurses make to innovation in health care; and increase understanding of the importance of creating environments that inspire innovation and help shape practice in new and improved ways. This paper explores the concept of innovation, the inherent set of characteristics that need to be present in order for innovations to succeed, and the barriers that impede innovation from occurring. There are numerous examples of successful innovations worldwide that are developed and implemented by nurses, some of which are described in this paper. The paper concludes that organizations need to have a support climate that encourages creativity and innovation to occur.

  13. Graphene-based absorber exploiting guided mode resonances in one-dimensional gratings.

    PubMed

    Grande, M; Vincenti, M A; Stomeo, T; Bianco, G V; de Ceglia, D; Aközbek, N; Petruzzelli, V; Bruno, G; De Vittorio, M; Scalora, M; D'Orazio, A

    2014-12-15

    A one-dimensional dielectric grating, based on a simple geometry, is proposed and investigated to enhance light absorption in a monolayer graphene exploiting guided mode resonances. Numerical findings reveal that the optimized configuration is able to absorb up to 60% of the impinging light at normal incidence for both TE and TM polarizations resulting in a theoretical enhancement factor of about 26 with respect to the monolayer graphene absorption (≈2.3%). Experimental results confirm this behavior showing CVD graphene absorbance peaks up to about 40% over narrow bands of a few nanometers. The simple and flexible design points to a way to realize innovative, scalable and easy-to-fabricate graphene-based optical absorbers.

  14. Market policy as an innovative element of marketing in the Romanian healthcare services - an approach focused on the patient.

    PubMed

    Coculescu, B I; Coculescu, E C; Radu, A; Petrescu, L; Purcărea, V L

    2015-01-01

    The orientation towards one of the marketing policies with a major impact in organizations providing healthcare services, requires a careful analysis of the needs and aspirations of customers, targeting those patients whose needs the service organization can achieve through the existing resources at the respective health facility, finding the most effective way of achieving benefits associated with reduced costs to maximizing profits, placing the offers for medical services required by the patients on the market, as well as promptly reacting and acting to the changes of health services market which is constantly evolving through a flexible organizing and functioning structure, connected to the financial needs of the patients.

  15. Treat the brain and treat the periphery: toward a holistic approach to major depressive disorder.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Xiao; Zhang, Xueli; Wang, Guangji; Hao, Haiping

    2015-05-01

    The limited medication for major depressive disorder (MDD) against an ever-rising disease burden presents an urgent need for therapeutic innovations. During recent years, studies looking at the systems regulation of mental health and disease have shown a remarkably powerful control of MDD by systemic signals. Meanwhile, the identification of a host of targets outside the brain opens the way to treat MDD by targeting systemic signals. We examine these emerging findings and consider the implications for current thinking regarding MDD pathogenesis and treatment. We highlight the opportunities and challenges of a periphery-targeting strategy and propose its incorporation into a holistic approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. But Are They Learning? Getting Started in Classroom Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Dancy, Melissa H; Beichner, Robert J

    2002-01-01

    There are increasing numbers of traditional biologists, untrained in educational research methods, who want to develop and assess new classroom innovations. In this article we argue the necessity of formal research over normal classroom feedback. We also argue that traditionally trained biologists can make significant contributions to biology pedagogy. We then offer some guidance to the biologist with no formal educational research training who wants to get started. Specifically, we suggest ways to find out what others have done, we discuss the difference between qualitative and quantitative research, and we elaborate on the process of gaining insights from student interviews. We end with an example of a project that has used many different research techniques. PMID:12459792

  17. Partnership, inclusion and innovation in occupational therapy: Essential or optional ingredients to flourish in a changing environment?

    PubMed

    Gilbert Hunt, Susan

    2017-12-01

    Historically occupational therapy has evidenced a tenacity to adjust and adapt to societal changes. Currently in Australia we are in the midst of significant change in health, disability and aged care service delivery alongside increasing numbers of new graduates seeking employment. Both of these changes create challenges and opportunities for the profession. How the profession adjusts to new service delivery models and supports new graduates in this changing work environment will influence our future. Using examples from practice the paper explores ways in which partnership, inclusion and innovation can be effective in a changing environment. Doing effective partnership takes time, energy and a shared commitment of all involved and often requires negotiations and compromise. Inclusion can be tricky and requires vigilance and ongoing reflection on actions to determine if the outcomes are what was intended. Innovation can play two roles; it can be used to conserve current practice in new ways or it can offer agency to disrupt and redefine practice. The way in which the profession chooses to enact partnerships and inclusion will play a vital role in shaping the future. Similarly the space and support made for conservative or disruptive innovation will determine how we choose to define ourselves going forward. Moreover, these choices and actions will govern how effective we are in navigating the changing environment and supporting new graduates transitioning into the profession. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  18. Diverse Ways to Fore-Ground Methodological Insights about Qualitative Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka; Mazzei, Lisa A.; Ceglowski, Deborah

    2013-01-01

    Texts and articles that put epistemological theories and methodologies to work in the context of qualitative research can stimulate scholarship in various ways such as through methodological innovations, transferability of theories and methods, interdisciplinarity, and transformative reflections across traditions and frameworks. Such…

  19. The Credit Hour and Public Budgeting.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wellman, Jane V.

    2003-01-01

    Discusses the ways the credit hour has come to be used by public funding systems in higher education. The literature review shows that the credit hour has become a barrier to innovation and a way to create systemic inequities between institutions or sectors in resource allocation. (SLD)

  20. The evolution of eyes and visually guided behaviour

    PubMed Central

    Nilsson, Dan-Eric

    2009-01-01

    The morphology and molecular mechanisms of animal photoreceptor cells and eyes reveal a complex pattern of duplications and co-option of genetic modules, leading to a number of different light-sensitive systems that share many components, in which clear-cut homologies are rare. On the basis of molecular and morphological findings, I discuss the functional requirements for vision and how these have constrained the evolution of eyes. The fact that natural selection on eyes acts through the consequences of visually guided behaviour leads to a concept of task-punctuated evolution, where sensory systems evolve by a sequential acquisition of sensory tasks. I identify four key innovations that, one after the other, paved the way for the evolution of efficient eyes. These innovations are (i) efficient photopigments, (ii) directionality through screening pigment, (iii) photoreceptor membrane folding, and (iv) focusing optics. A corresponding evolutionary sequence is suggested, starting at non-directional monitoring of ambient luminance and leading to comparisons of luminances within a scene, first by a scanning mode and later by parallel spatial channels in imaging eyes. PMID:19720648

  1. National Study of Excellence and Innovation in Physical Therapist Education: Part 2-A Call to Reform.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Gail M; Hack, Laurita M; Nordstrom, Terrence; Gwyer, Janet; Mostrom, Elizabeth

    2017-09-01

    This perspective shares recommendations that draw from (1) the National Study of Excellence and Innovation in Physical Therapist Education research findings and a conceptual model of excellence in physical therapist education, (2) the Carnegie Foundation's Preparation for the Professions Program (PPP), and (3) research in the learning sciences. The 30 recommendations are linked to the dimensions described in the conceptual model for excellence in physical therapist education: Culture of Excellence, Praxis of Learning, and Organizational Structures and Resources. This perspective proposes a transformative call for reform framed across 3 core categories: (1) creating a culture of excellence, leadership, and partnership, (2) advancing the learning sciences and understanding and enacting the social contract, and (3) implementing organizational imperatives. Similar to the Carnegie studies, this perspective identifies action items (9) that should be initiated immediately in a strategic and systematic way by the major organizational stakeholders in physical therapist education. These recommendations and action items provide a transformative agenda for physical therapist education, and thus the profession, in meeting the changing needs of society through higher levels of excellence. © 2017 American Physical Therapy Association.

  2. Commentary: Precision science and patient-centered care.

    PubMed

    Clancy, Carolyn M

    2011-06-01

    Patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR), also known as comparative effectiveness research, offers new opportunities and challenges for academic health centers (AHCs). The author of this commentary summarizes the contributions of some of the articles in this issue that focus on PCOR, and she emphasizes the unique features of this distinctive type of research, which are longitudinal patient follow-up, the inclusion of patient-reported outcomes, and the dynamic interaction among all stakeholders throughout all phases of research.The author advocates that researchers engaged in comparative effectiveness research make every effort, and explore innovative means, to accelerate the translation of their research findings into practice. The opportunities to close the gaps between what physicians and medical scientists do and what they know, to support clinicians and patients who are working together in order to rapidly identify the best option for a unique individual, and to lead the way in addressing barriers to achieving personalized, patient-centered care should engage key members of AHCs in comparative effectiveness research, so that these institutions become a vital link connecting biomedical innovation and its precision application in diverse communities and populations.

  3. E-Governance and Service Oriented Computing Architecture Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tejasvee, Sanjay; Sarangdevot, S. S.

    2010-11-01

    E-Governance is the effective application of information communication and technology (ICT) in the government processes to accomplish safe and reliable information lifecycle management. Lifecycle of the information involves various processes as capturing, preserving, manipulating and delivering information. E-Governance is meant to transform of governance in better manner to the citizens which is transparent, reliable, participatory, and accountable in point of view. The purpose of this paper is to attempt e-governance model, focus on the Service Oriented Computing Architecture (SOCA) that includes combination of information and services provided by the government, innovation, find out the way of optimal service delivery to citizens and implementation in transparent and liable practice. This paper also try to enhance focus on the E-government Service Manager as a essential or key factors service oriented and computing model that provides a dynamically extensible structural design in which all area or branch can bring in innovative services. The heart of this paper examine is an intangible model that enables E-government communication for trade and business, citizen and government and autonomous bodies.

  4. A science framework (SF) for agricultural sustainability.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Ferdous; Al-Amin, Abul Q; Masud, Muhammad M; Kari, Fatimah; Mohamad, Zeeda

    2015-09-01

    The significance of Science Framework (SF) to date is receiving more acceptances all over the world to address agricultural sustainability. The professional views, however, advocate that the SF known as Mega Science Framework (MSF) in the transitional economies is not converging effectively in many ways for the agricultural sustainability. Specially, MSF in transitional economies is mostly incapable to identify barriers in agricultural research, inadequate to frame policy gaps with the goal of strategizing the desired sustainability in agricultural technology and innovation, inconsistent in finding to identify the inequities, and incompleteness to rebuild decisions. Therefore, this study critically evaluates the components of MSF in transitional economies and appraises the significance, dispute and illegitimate issue to achieve successful sustainable development. A sound and an effective MSF can be developed when there is an inter-linkage within principal components such as of (a) national priorities, (b) specific research on agricultural sustainability, (c) adequate agricultural research and innovation, and (d) alternative policy alteration. This maiden piece of research which is first its kind has been conducted in order to outline the policy direction to have an effective science framework for agricultural sustainability.

  5. New Structural Patterns in Moribund Grammar: Case Marking in Heritage German

    PubMed Central

    Yager, Lisa; Hellmold, Nora; Joo, Hyoun-A; Putnam, Michael T.; Rossi, Eleonora; Stafford, Catherine; Salmons, Joseph

    2015-01-01

    Research treats divergences between monolingual and heritage grammars in terms of performance—‘L1 attrition,’ e.g., lexical retrieval—or competence—‘incomplete acquisition’, e.g., lack of overt tense markers (e.g., Polinsky, 1995; Sorace, 2004; Montrul, 2008; Schmid, 2010). One classic difference between monolingual and Heritage German is reduction in morphological case in the latter, especially loss of dative marking. Our evidence from several Heritage German varieties suggests that speakers have not merely lost case, but rather developed innovative structures to mark it. More specifically, Heritage German speakers produce dative forms in line with established patterns of Differential Object Marking (Bossong, 1985, 1991; Aissen, 2003), suggesting a reallocated mapping of case. We take this as evidence for innovative reanalysis in heritage grammars (Putnam and Sánchez, 2013). Following Kamp and Reyle (1993) and Wechsler (2011, 2014), the dative adopts a more indexical discourse function, forging a tighter connection between morphosyntax and semantic properties. Moribund grammars deploy linguistic resources in novel ways, a finding which can help move us beyond simple narratives of ‘attrition’ and ‘incomplete acquisition.’ PMID:26635649

  6. Participatory Design in Gerontechnology: A Systematic Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Merkel, Sebastian; Kucharski, Alexander

    2018-05-19

    Participatory design (PD) is widely used within gerontechnology but there is no common understanding about which methods are used for what purposes. This review aims to examine what different forms of PD exist in the field of gerontechnology and how these can be categorized. We conducted a systematic literature review covering several databases. The search strategy was based on 3 elements: (1) participatory methods and approaches with (2) older persons aiming at developing (3) technology for older people. Our final review included 26 studies representing a variety of technologies designed/developed and methods/instruments applied. According to the technologies, the publications reviewed can be categorized in 3 groups: Studies that (1) use already existing technology with the aim to find new ways of use; (2) aim at creating new devices; (3) test and/or modify prototypes. The implementation of PD depends on the questions: Why a participatory approach is applied, who is involved as future user(s), when those future users are involved, and how they are incorporated into the innovation process. There are multiple ways, methods, and instruments to integrate users into the innovation process. Which methods should be applied, depends on the context. However, most studies do not evaluate if participatory approaches will lead to a better acceptance and/or use of the co-developed products. Therefore, participatory design should follow a comprehensive strategy, starting with the users' needs and ending with an evaluation if the applied methods have led to better results.

  7. NPS transportation innovative finance options

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    This paper provides a summary of innovative transportation finance techniques and discusses their applicability to the National Park Service (NPS). The primary finding of this analysis is that while NPS is engaging in innovative finance techniques su...

  8. Making sense of evidence in management decisions: the role of research-based knowledge on innovation adoption and implementation in healthcare. study protocol.

    PubMed

    Kyratsis, Yiannis; Ahmad, Raheelah; Holmes, Alison

    2012-03-21

    We know that patient care can be improved by implementing evidence-based innovations and applying research findings linked to good practice. Successfully implementing innovations in complex organisations, such as the UK's National Health Service (NHS), is often challenging as multiple contextual dynamics mediate the process. Research studies have explored the challenges of introducing innovations into healthcare settings and have contributed to a better understanding of why potentially useful innovations are not always implemented in practice, even if backed by strong evidence. Mediating factors include health policy and health system influences, organisational factors, and individual and professional attitudes, including decision makers' perceptions of innovation evidence. There has been limited research on how different forms of evidence are accessed and utilised by organisational decision makers during innovation adoption. We also know little about how diverse healthcare professionals (clinicians, administrators) make sense of evidence and how this collective sensemaking mediates the uptake of innovations. The study will involve nine comparative case study sites of acute care organisations grouped into three regional clusters across England. Each of the purposefully selected sites represents a variety of trust types and organisational contexts. We will use qualitative methods, in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and systematic analysis of relevant secondary data to understand the rationale and challenges involved in sourcing and utilising innovation evidence in the empirical setting of infection prevention and control. We will use theories of innovation adoption and sensemaking in organisations to interpret the data. The research will provide lessons for the uptake and continuous use of innovations in the English and international health systems. Unlike most innovation studies, which involve single-level analysis, our study will explore the innovation-adoption process at multiple embedded levels: micro (individual), meso (organisational), and macro (interorganisational). By comparing and contrasting across the nine sites, each with different organisational contexts, local networks, leadership styles, and different innovations considered for adoption, the findings of the study will have wide relevance. The research will produce actionable findings responding to the political and economic need for healthcare organisations to be innovation-ready.

  9. Making sense of evidence in management decisions: the role of research-based knowledge on innovation adoption and implementation in healthcare. study protocol

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background We know that patient care can be improved by implementing evidence-based innovations and applying research findings linked to good practice. Successfully implementing innovations in complex organisations, such as the UK's National Health Service (NHS), is often challenging as multiple contextual dynamics mediate the process. Research studies have explored the challenges of introducing innovations into healthcare settings and have contributed to a better understanding of why potentially useful innovations are not always implemented in practice, even if backed by strong evidence. Mediating factors include health policy and health system influences, organisational factors, and individual and professional attitudes, including decision makers' perceptions of innovation evidence. There has been limited research on how different forms of evidence are accessed and utilised by organisational decision makers during innovation adoption. We also know little about how diverse healthcare professionals (clinicians, administrators) make sense of evidence and how this collective sensemaking mediates the uptake of innovations. Methods The study will involve nine comparative case study sites of acute care organisations grouped into three regional clusters across England. Each of the purposefully selected sites represents a variety of trust types and organisational contexts. We will use qualitative methods, in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and systematic analysis of relevant secondary data to understand the rationale and challenges involved in sourcing and utilising innovation evidence in the empirical setting of infection prevention and control. We will use theories of innovation adoption and sensemaking in organisations to interpret the data. The research will provide lessons for the uptake and continuous use of innovations in the English and international health systems. Discussion Unlike most innovation studies, which involve single-level analysis, our study will explore the innovation-adoption process at multiple embedded levels: micro (individual), meso (organisational), and macro (interorganisational). By comparing and contrasting across the nine sites, each with different organisational contexts, local networks, leadership styles, and different innovations considered for adoption, the findings of the study will have wide relevance. The research will produce actionable findings responding to the political and economic need for healthcare organisations to be innovation-ready. PMID:22436094

  10. Learning Strategy Instruction Innovation Configuration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schumaker, Jean B.

    2011-01-01

    One way of helping students with learning disabilities and other struggling students to be independent life-long learners is to teach them how to use learning strategies in efficient ways. Learning strategy instruction can provide students the opportunity to succeed in today's schools and meet rigorous standards, transforming ineffective learners…

  11. Technological innovation capability in Malaysian-owned resource-based manufacturing companies: Early findings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razali, Nur Fhathyhah; Mohd Suradi, Nur Riza; Ahmad Shahabuddin, Faridatul Azna; Ismail, Wan Rosmanira; Abidin, Norkisme Zainal; Ahmad, Nor Amalina; Mustafa, Zainol

    2013-04-01

    This study aims to identify the determinants of technological innovation capability of Malaysian-owned companies in the resources-based manufacturing, to identify the relationship between technological innovation capability (TIC) and technological innovation performance (TIP) for the resource-based manufacturing. Furthermore, this study also aims to identify innovation capability factors that need more emphasis and improvements from the respective authority. The scope of the study covers four industries which are petrochemical industries, pharmaceutical industries, palm oil-based industries and food processing industries which are located in the state of Selangor. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and performance capability analysis were used in this study. It was found that, technological innovation capabilities (TIC) for companies in the resource-based manufacturing are moderate. Factors such as policies capability, human resources capability and facilities capability have a positive relationship with the performance of technological innovation (TIP). These findings will help the government in making decisions and better implementation of policies to strengthen the competitiveness of the company, particularly in resource-based manufacturing.

  12. 2016 Summer Series - Thomas Barclay - Microlensing and the K2 Experiment

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-07-05

    Innovation is the ability to create a new idea, device or method from what already exists. It is even more innovative when it arises from what is considered to be waste. The NASA Ames Kepler mission revolutionized the way we see our place in the universe by demonstrating that planets are a common occurrence. When the Kepler mission ended, the team took the satellite that was considered to be useless and created a new innovative approach and platform to investigate a wide array of astronomy subfields called the K2 mission.

  13. Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology Facility Expedites Manufacturing Innovation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    The Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology facility (CoMET) at the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) paves the way for innovative wind turbine components and accelerated manufacturing. Available for use by industry partners and university researchers, the 10,000-square-foot facility expands NREL's composite manufacturing research capabilities by enabling researchers to design, prototype, and test composite wind turbine blades and other components -- and then manufacture them onsite. Designed to work in conjunction with NREL's design, analysis, and structural testing capabilities, the CoMET facility expedites manufacturing innovation.

  14. Promoting a culture of innovation: BJSP and the emergence of new paradigms in social psychology.

    PubMed

    Reicher, Stephen

    2011-09-01

    In this paper, I start by describing the role played by British Journal of Social Psychology (BJSP) in nurturing two important new paradigms in social psychology - the social identity approach and discourse psychology. I then consider the forces in contemporary academia, in general, and psychology, in particular, that militate against innovation. I conclude by suggesting some ways in which individual social psychologists and our journals, particularly BJSP, can contribute to the development of an innovative and intellectually dynamic discipline. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  15. Enhancing Cross-functional Collaboration and Effective Problem Solving Through an Innovation Challenge for Point-of-Care Providers.

    PubMed

    Bakallbashi, Eni; Vyas, Anjali; Vaswani, Nikita; Rosales, David; Russell, David; Dowding, Dawn; Bernstein, Michael; Abdelaal, Hany; Hawkey, Regina

    2015-01-01

    An internal employee challenge competition is a way to promote staff engagement and generate innovative business solutions. This Spotlight on Leadership focuses on the approach that a large not-for-profit healthcare organization, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, took in designing and executing an innovation challenge. The challenge leveraged internal staff expertise and promoted wide participation. This model is 1 that can be replicated by organizations as leaders work to engage employees at the point of service in organization-wide problem solving.

  16. Development blocks in innovation networks: The Swedish manufacturing industry, 1970-2007.

    PubMed

    Taalbi, Josef

    2017-01-01

    The notion of development blocks (Dahmén, 1950, 1991) suggests the co-evolution of technologies and industries through complementarities and the overcoming of imbalances. This study proposes and applies a methodology to analyse development blocks empirically. To assess the extent and character of innovational interdependencies between industries the study combines analysis of innovation biographies and statistical network analysis. This is made possible by using data from a newly constructed innovation output database for Sweden. The study finds ten communities of closely related industries in which innovation activity has been prompted by the emergence of technological imbalances or by the exploitation of new technological opportunities. The communities found in the Swedish network of innovation are shown to be stable over time and often characterized by strong user-supplier interdependencies. These findings serve to stress how historical imbalances and opportunities are key to understanding the dynamics of the long-run development of industries and new technologies.

  17. Endosymbiosis and its implications for evolutionary theory.

    PubMed

    O'Malley, Maureen A

    2015-08-18

    Historically, conceptualizations of symbiosis and endosymbiosis have been pitted against Darwinian or neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory. In more recent times, Lynn Margulis has argued vigorously along these lines. However, there are only shallow grounds for finding Darwinian concepts or population genetic theory incompatible with endosymbiosis. But is population genetics sufficiently explanatory of endosymbiosis and its role in evolution? Population genetics "follows" genes, is replication-centric, and is concerned with vertically consistent genetic lineages. It may also have explanatory limitations with regard to macroevolution. Even so, asking whether population genetics explains endosymbiosis may have the question the wrong way around. We should instead be asking how explanatory of evolution endosymbiosis is, and exactly which features of evolution it might be explaining. This paper will discuss how metabolic innovations associated with endosymbioses can drive evolution and thus provide an explanatory account of important episodes in the history of life. Metabolic explanations are both proximate and ultimate, in the same way genetic explanations are. Endosymbioses, therefore, point evolutionary biology toward an important dimension of evolutionary explanation.

  18. Diversity of social ties in scientific collaboration networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Quan; Xu, Bo; Xu, Xiaomin; Xiao, Yanghua; Wang, Wei; Wang, Hengshan

    2011-11-01

    Diversity is one of the important perspectives to characterize behaviors of individuals in social networks. It is intuitively believed that diversity of social ties accounts for competition advantage and idea innovation. However, quantitative evidences in a real large social network can be rarely found in the previous research. Thanks to the availability of scientific publication records on WWW; now we can construct a large scientific collaboration network, which provides us a chance to gain insight into the diversity of relationships in a real social network through statistical analysis. In this article, we dedicate our efforts to perform empirical analysis on a scientific collaboration network extracted from DBLP, an online bibliographic database in computer science, in a systematical way, finding the following: distributions of diversity indices tend to decay in an exponential or Gaussian way; diversity indices are not trivially correlated to existing vertex importance measures; authors of diverse social ties tend to connect to each other and these authors are generally more competitive than others.

  19. A model for ‘reverse innovation’ in health care

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    ‘Reverse innovation,’ a principle well established in the business world, describes the flow of ideas from emerging to more developed economies. There is strong and growing interest in applying this concept to health care, yet there is currently no framework for describing the stages of reverse innovation or identifying opportunities to accelerate the development process. This paper combines the business concept of reverse innovation with diffusion of innovation theory to propose a model for reverse innovation as a way to innovate in health care. Our model includes the following steps: (1) identifying a problem common to lower- and higher-income countries; (2) innovation and spread in the low-income country (LIC); (3) crossover to the higher-income country (HIC); and (4) innovation and spread in the HIC. The crucial populations in this pathway, drawing from diffusion of innovation theory, are LIC innovators, LIC early adopters, and HIC innovators. We illustrate the model with three examples of current reverse innovations. We then propose four sets of specific actions that forward-looking policymakers, entrepreneurs, health system leaders, and researchers may take to accelerate the movement of promising solutions through the reverse innovation pipeline: (1) identify high-priority problems shared by HICs and LICs; (2) create slack for change, especially for LIC innovators, LIC early adopters, and HIC innovators; (3) create spannable social distances between LIC early adopters and HIC innovators; and (4) measure reverse innovation activity globally. PMID:24001367

  20. Refueling the U.S. Innovation Economy: Fresh Approaches to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atkinson, Robert D.; Mayo, Merrilea

    2010-01-01

    Is the United States getting it wrong when it comes to educating tomorrow's innovators in critical fields? It has been known for years that the only way to compete globally in information technology, engineering, nanotechnology, robotics and other fields is to give students the best educational opportunities possible. But do individuals have a…

  1. Rebuilding NIFL to Meet Future Needs: A New Innovative Agency with a Broader Mission. Discussion Paper

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chisman, Forrest P.; Spangenberg, Gail

    2009-01-01

    One major report after another shows that the United States needs a large, innovative, and effective adult education and workforce skills system. It is essential to the national security, economic stability, and democratic way of life. To address this need fully a leadership agency focused on a singular national goal is required, one with a…

  2. From Innovation Clusters to Datapalooza: Accelerating Innovation in Educational Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Culatta, Richard

    2012-01-01

    Education in the United States is entering a very exciting moment. For the first time, all of the digital stars are aligning n such a way that the technology is available to design truly transformational learning experiences. The ubiquity of inexpensive and powerful mobile devices is creating the potential for all students to learn at any time and…

  3. Classroom Implementation of Context-Based Chemistry Education by Teachers: The Relation between Experiences of Teachers and the Design of Materials

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vos, Martin Anton Jozef; Taconis, Ruurd; Jochems, Wim M. G.; Pilot, Albert

    2011-01-01

    Worldwide, a tendency is visible in which upper secondary science curricula are innovated in the direction of context-based education. Crucial to these innovations is the way teachers interact with newly developed teaching materials and implement them in classroom practice. The focus of our research is to identify characteristics of the…

  4. Nursing education innovation: using e-learning technology to meet learners' needs.

    PubMed

    Wahl, Stacy E; Latayan, Monica B

    2011-11-01

    Globalization, rapid advances in health care and research, and evidence-based practice challenge organizations to meet the continuing education needs of their professional staff while functioning within the confines of economic cutbacks. This column describes an innovative way technology was used to offer asynchronous learning to all members of one organization's nursing staff. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  5. The Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health Care: A Way Forward.

    PubMed

    Mahoney, Jeanne

    2018-06-01

    The Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health is a program supported by the Health Services Resource Administration to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the United States. This program develops bundles of evidence based action steps for birth facilities to adapt. Progress is monitored at the facility, state and national levels to foster data-driven quality improvement efforts.

  6. La Formacion Docente y la Educacion Primaria en Una Propuesta de Cambio (Teacher Training on Education: A Proposal for Change).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fernandez, Enrique Alonso, Ed.

    In order to raise the quality of teaching and teacher education in Uruguay, a program of innovation and change was considered at a 1986 educational conference. Conference goals included identifying ways to: (1) increase opportunities to promote innovation and change; (2) search for strategies to encourage creative problem solving; (3) increase…

  7. Applying Innovative Educational Principles when Classes Grow and Resources Are Limited: Biochemistry Experiences at Muhimbili University of Allied Health Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omer, Selma; Hickson, Gilles; Tache, Stephanie; Blind, Raymond; Masters, Susan; Loeser, Helen; Souza, Kevin; Mkony, Charles; Debas, Haile; O'Sullivan, Patricia

    2008-01-01

    Teaching to large classes is often challenging particularly when the faculty and teaching resources are limited. Innovative, less staff intensive ways need to be explored to enhance teaching and to engage students. We describe our experience teaching biochemistry to 350 students at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) under…

  8. Academic Game Changers: A Study of the Social Networking Strategies of Leaders Guiding Disruptive Innovations in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langteau, Paula T.

    2017-01-01

    This study examines the internal and external networking strategies of leaders furthering potentially disruptive innovations in higher education. The goal of the research was to understand specifically what types of networks they develop, activate, and leverage; the functions of those networks; and the ways they engage them to further their…

  9. Hungarian Innovation Policy: What's the Best Way Forward? OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No. 445

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hemmings, Philip

    2005-01-01

    The Hungarian government has recently been focusing on innovation policy as part of a wider campaign to improve the business environment. This paper first underscores the importance of a good general business climate in encouraging both formal and informal R&D activity as well as ensuring Hungary benefits from the international diffusion of…

  10. Assessment of the Main Indicators' Relationship of Projects of Information and Communication Services' Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chernyavskaya, Yana S.; Kiselev, Sergey V.; Rassolov, Ilya M.; Kurushin, Viktor V.; Chernikova, Lyudmila I.; Faizova, Guzel R.

    2016-01-01

    The relevance of research: The relevance of the problem studied is caused by the acceleration of transition of the Russian economy on an innovative way of development, which depends on the vector of innovative sphere of services and, to a large extent, information and communication services, as well as it is caused by the poor drafting of…

  11. Leveraging Community Colleges in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: A Blueprint for State Policymakers. State-Federal Partnerships in Postsecondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Colleen; Love, Ivy

    2016-01-01

    The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 offers multiple opportunities to align the workforce development efforts of these stakeholders through structural measures and targeted support. In this paper, the authors examine ways that WIOA can influence a state's job training environment and highlight the crucial role of community…

  12. Food Safety Practices Assessment Tool: An Innovative Way to Test Food Safety Skills among Individuals with Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carbone, Elena T.; Scarpati, Stanley E.; Pivarnik, Lori F.

    2013-01-01

    This article describes an innovative assessment tool designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a food safety skills curriculum for learners receiving special education services. As schools respond to the increased demand for training students with special needs about food safety, the need for effective curricula and tools is also increasing. A…

  13. Prediction Markets as a Way to Manage Acquisition Programs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-06-01

    volume helps management set production levels, but if management increases advertising it will undermine the market . This becomes critical for the DoD...34 Corporate Strategy Board. Gaspoz, C. (2008). "Prediction markets as an innovative way to manage R&D portfolios." CAiSE Doctoral Consortium. Montpellier...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT Prediction Markets as a Way to Manage Acquisition

  14. National Agenda: Development of Best Practices in Human Resources Using "Ways of Knowing through the Realms of Meaning" as the Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cloud, Michelle; Kritsonis, William Allan

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine "Ways of Knowing through the Realms of Meaning" by Dr. William Allan Kritsonis as a framework that innovative and progressive leaders in education can use to implement and utilize the absolute best practices regarding Human Resources in an educational organization. Dr Kritsonis's "Ways of Knowing through…

  15. Impact of innovations in national public health markets in Europe.

    PubMed

    McCarthy, Mark; Alexanderson, Kristina; Voss, Margaretha; Conceição, Claudia; Grimaud, Olivier; Narkauskaité, Laura; Katreniakova, Zuzana; Saliba, Amanda; Sammut, Marvic

    2013-11-01

    Social innovations can contribute to health and wellbeing. PHIRE (Public Health Innovation and Research in Europe) investigated the impacts at national level of innovation projects funded by the European Union Public Health Programme. Through the European Public Health Association, experts assessed the uptake of the eight public health projects, for 30 European countries. Their reports were assembled by country and, thereafter, national public health associations reviewed the reports. Following stakeholder workshops, or internal and external consultations, 11 national reports were produced which included discussion on the impacts of the public health innovations in national product markets. In 11 countries, there were reports on the eight innovations for 45 (51%) of the possible public health markets. The innovations contributed positively to policy, practice and research, across different levels and in different ways, in 35 (39%) market, while competing innovation activities were recorded in 10 (11%) markets. The workshops also discussed contributing factors and limitations in dissemination and timing for policy cycles. The impacts of European Union social innovations in public health markets can be identified through national discussions. Further attention should be given to understanding drivers and incentives for successful public health innovations.

  16. Exploring the interpersonal-, organization-, and system-level factors that influence the implementation and use of an innovation-synoptic reporting-in cancer care.

    PubMed

    Urquhart, Robin; Porter, Geoffrey A; Grunfeld, Eva; Sargeant, Joan

    2012-03-01

    The dominant method of reporting findings from diagnostic and surgical procedures is the narrative report. In cancer care, this report inconsistently provides the information required to understand the cancer and make informed patient care decisions. Another method of reporting, the synoptic report, captures specific data items in a structured manner and contains only items critical for patient care. Research demonstrates that synoptic reports vastly improve the quality of reporting. However, synoptic reporting represents a complex innovation in cancer care, with implementation and use requiring fundamental shifts in physician behaviour and practice, and support from the organization and larger system. The objective of this study is to examine the key interpersonal, organizational, and system-level factors that influence the implementation and use of synoptic reporting in cancer care. This study involves three initiatives in Nova Scotia, Canada, that have implemented synoptic reporting within their departments/programs. Case study methodology will be used to study these initiatives (the cases) in-depth, explore which factors were barriers or facilitators of implementation and use, examine relationships amongst factors, and uncover which factors appear to be similar and distinct across cases. The cases were selected as they converge and differ with respect to factors that are likely to influence the implementation and use of an innovation in practice. Data will be collected through in-depth interviews, document analysis, observation of training sessions, and examination/use of the synoptic reporting tools. An audit will be performed to determine/quantify use. Analysis will involve production of a case record/history for each case, in-depth analysis of each case, and cross-case analysis, where findings will be compared and contrasted across cases to develop theoretically informed, generalisable knowledge that can be applied to other settings/contexts. Ethical approval was granted for this study. This study will contribute to our knowledge base on the multi-level factors, and the relationships amongst factors in specific contexts, that influence implementation and use of innovations such as synoptic reporting in healthcare. Such knowledge is critical to improving our understanding of implementation processes in clinical settings, and to helping researchers, clinicians, and managers/administrators develop and implement ways to more effectively integrate innovations into routine clinical care.

  17. Aligning for Innovation - Alignment Strategy to Drive Innovation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, Hurel; Teltschik, David; Bussey, Horace, Jr.; Moy, James

    2010-01-01

    With the sudden need for innovation that will help the country achieve its long-term space exploration objectives, the question of whether NASA is aligned effectively to drive the innovation that it so desperately needs to take space exploration to the next level should be entertained. Authors such as Robert Kaplan and David North have noted that companies that use a formal system for implementing strategy consistently outperform their peers. They have outlined a six-stage management systems model for implementing strategy, which includes the aligning of the organization towards its objectives. This involves the alignment of the organization from the top down. This presentation will explore the impacts of existing U.S. industrial policy on technological innovation; assess the current NASA organizational alignment and its impacts on driving technological innovation; and finally suggest an alternative approach that may drive the innovation needed to take the world to the next level of space exploration, with NASA truly leading the way.

  18. Diffusion of Innovations in Service Organizations: Systematic Review and Recommendations

    PubMed Central

    Greenhalgh, Trisha; Robert, Glenn; Macfarlane, Fraser; Bate, Paul; Kyriakidou, Olivia

    2004-01-01

    This article summarizes an extensive literature review addressing the question, How can we spread and sustain innovations in health service delivery and organization? It considers both content (defining and measuring the diffusion of innovation in organizations) and process (reviewing the literature in a systematic and reproducible way). This article discusses (1) a parsimonious and evidence-based model for considering the diffusion of innovations in health service organizations, (2) clear knowledge gaps where further research should be focused, and (3) a robust and transferable methodology for systematically reviewing health service policy and management. Both the model and the method should be tested more widely in a range of contexts. PMID:15595944

  19. Inclusive Writing in a Psychology Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parameswaram, Gowri

    2007-01-01

    Most college professors are looking for ways to make writing a positive experience for students. This is increasingly a challenge in our contemporary world, which tends to be very image-oriented. This short paper outlines ways in which student writing-projects can be designed encourage critical and innovative thinking in students. Inclusive…

  20. Innovative Ways for Information Transfer in Biobanking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macheiner, Tanja; Huppertz, Berthold; Sargsyan, Karine

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Biobanks are collections of biological samples (e.g. tissue samples and body fluids) and their associated data intended for various approaches in medical research. The field of biobanking evolves rapidly as an interdisciplinary branch of research and requires educational efforts to provide skilled experts in Europe and beyond. New ways in…

  1. 76 FR 28623 - Small Business Week, 2011

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-18

    ... make it a reality. Successful businesses start much the same way--as ideas realized by entrepreneurs... opportunities for small business owners and the next generation of entrepreneurs, who will help us out-innovate... our economy and our way of life. Startup America will give entrepreneurs the tools they need to build...

  2. Case Study: Puttin' on the Ritz: How to Put Science into Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herreid, Clyde Freeman

    2017-01-01

    There are multiple ways to put science into a case. This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month's issue discusses different ways of presenting science in case studies.

  3. Case Study of the Innovation Process Characterizing the Development of the Three-Way Catalytic Converter System

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1979-11-01

    This report traces the development of the three-way catalytic converter system from its origins in automaker and chemical firm research in the 1950s, to present plans preparing the system to be the auto exhaust emission control device most widely use...

  4. Patient Outcomes as Transformative Mechanisms to Bring Health Information Technology Industry and Research Informatics Closer Together.

    PubMed

    Krive, Jacob

    2015-01-01

    Despite the fast pace of recent innovation within the health information technology and research informatics domains, there remains a large gap between research and academia, while interest in translating research innovations into implementations in the patient care settings is lacking. This is due to absence of common outcomes and performance measurement targets, with health information technology industry employing financial and operational measures and academia focusing on patient outcome concerns. The paper introduces methodology for and roadmap to introduction of common objectives as a way to encourage better collaboration between industry and academia using patient outcomes as a composite measure of demonstrated success from health information systems investments. Along the way, the concept of economics of health informatics, or "infonomics," is introduced to define a new way of mapping future technology investments in accordance with projected clinical impact.

  5. Innovative medical devices and hospital decision making: a study comparing the views of hospital pharmacists and physicians.

    PubMed

    Billaux, Mathilde; Borget, Isabelle; Prognon, Patrice; Pineau, Judith; Martelli, Nicolas

    2016-06-01

    Objectives Many university hospitals have developed local health technology assessment processes to guide informed decisions about new medical devices. However, little is known about stakeholders' perceptions and assessment of innovative devices. Herein, we investigated the perceptions regarding innovative medical devices of their chief users (physicians and surgeons), as well as those of hospital pharmacists, because they are responsible for the purchase and management of sterile medical devices. We noted the evaluation criteria used to assess and select new medical devices and suggestions for improving local health technology assessment processes indicated by the interviewees. Methods We randomly selected 18 physicians and surgeons (nine each) and 18 hospital pharmacists from 18 French university hospitals. Semistructured interviews were conducted between October 2012 and August 2013. Responses were coded separately by two researchers. Results Physicians and surgeons frequently described innovative medical devices as 'new', 'safe' and 'effective', whereas hospital pharmacists focused more on economic considerations and considered real innovative devices to be those for which no equivalent could be found on the market. No significant difference in evaluation criteria was found between these groups of professionals. Finally, hospital pharmacists considered the management of conflicts of interests in local health technology assessment processes to be an issue, whereas physicians and surgeons did not. Conclusions The present study highlights differences in perceptions related to professional affiliation. The findings suggest several ways in which current practices for local health technology assessment in French university hospitals could be improved and studied. What is known about the topic? Hospitals are faced with ever-growing demands for innovative and costly medical devices. To help hospital management deal with technology acquisition issues, hospital-based health technology assessment has been developed to support decisions. However, little is known about the different perceptions of innovative medical devices among practitioners and how different perceptions may affect decision making. What does this paper add? This paper compares and understands the perceptions of two groups of health professionals concerning innovative devices in the university hospital environment. What are the implications for practitioners? Such a comparison of viewpoints could facilitate improvements in current practices and decision-making processes in local health technology assessment for these medical products.

  6. Not the last word: dissemination strategies for patient-centred research in nursing.

    PubMed

    Hagan, Teresa L; Schmidt, Karen; Ackison, Guyanna R; Murphy, Megan; Jones, Jennifer R

    2017-08-01

    Research results hold value for many stakeholders including researchers, patient populations, advocacy organizations, and community groups. The aim of this study is to describe our research team's systematic process to designing a dissemination strategy for a completed research study. We organized a dissemination event to feed the results of our study to participants and stakeholders and collect feedback regarding our study. We applied the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's dissemination framework to guide the development of the event and collected participant feedback during the event. We describe our dissemination strategy along with attendees' feedback and suggestions for our research as an example of a way to design a patient- and community-focused dissemination. We explain the details of our dissemination strategy including (a) our process of reporting a large research study into a stakeholder event, (b) stakeholder feedback collected at the event, and (c) the translation of feedback into our research team's research. We also describe challenges encountered during the dissemination process and ways to handle issues such as logistics, funding, and staff. This analysis provides key insights and practical advice for researchers looking for innovative ways to disseminate their findings within the lay and scientific communities.

  7. Disease Management Partnerships: Creating Health Solutions. Proceedings from a special symposium of the 4th annual Canadian Therapeutics Congress, May 27, 2007, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

    PubMed

    2008-01-01

    A symposium at the fourth annual Canadian Therapeutics Congress in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on May 27, 2007, discussed the ability of multistakeholder partnerships to create new and better ways to manage chronic disease; particularly, to achieve cost efficiency and better health outcomes for the ever-increasing number of patients dealing with chronic disease. The presentations included the experiences of three innovative programs under way in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Ontario, as well as the viewpoints of representatives from both the pharmaceutical industry and government. The symposium revealed that innovative partnerships are providing some encouraging signs of progress in this vital area.

  8. From concept to reality in implementing the Knowledge Triangle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sjoer, Ellen; Nørgaard, Bente; Goossens, Marc

    2016-05-01

    The concept of Knowledge Triangle (KT) links together research, education and innovation and replaces the traditional 'one way' flow of knowledge, essentially from research to education, by a 'both ways' circular motion between all the corners of a triangle that, besides research and education, also includes innovation, the 'poor relation' of many universities. What are the main issues - barriers and drivers - and what could be done in order to make the concept of KT a strong reality in engineering education? In this paper, the authors intend to bring some answers by analysing three cases coming from actors operating at the three corners of the KT: students, academic staff and engineers in industry.

  9. Exploring tool innovation: a comparison of Western and Bushman children.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Mark; Tomaselli, Keyan; Mushin, Ilana; Whiten, Andrew

    2014-10-01

    A capacity for constructing new tools, or using old tools in new ways, to solve novel problems is a core feature of what it means to be human. Yet current evidence suggests that young children are surprisingly poor at innovating tools. However, all studies of tool innovation to date have been conducted with children from comparatively privileged Western backgrounds. This raises questions as to whether or not previously documented tool innovation failure is culturally and economically specific. In the current study, thus, we explored the innovation capacities of children from Westernized urban backgrounds and from remote communities of South African Bushmen. Consistent with past research, we found tool innovation to occur at extremely low rates and that cultural background had no bearing on this. The current study is the first to empirically test tool innovation in children from non-Western backgrounds, with our data being consistent with the view that despite its key role in human evolution, a capacity for innovation in tool making remains remarkably undeveloped during early childhood. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Public health policy decisions on medical innovations: what role can early economic evaluation play?

    PubMed

    Hartz, Susanne; John, Jürgen

    2009-02-01

    Our contribution aims to explore the different ways in which early economic data can inform public health policy decisions on new medical technologies. A literature research was conducted to detect methodological contributions covering the health policy perspective. Early economic data on new technologies can support public health policy decisions in several ways. Embedded in horizon scanning and HTA activities, it adds to monitoring and assessment of innovations. It can play a role in the control of technology diffusion by informing coverage and reimbursement decisions as well as the direct public promotion of healthcare technologies, leading to increased efficiency. Major problems include the uncertainty related to economic data at early stages as well as the timing of the evaluation of an innovation. Decision-makers can benefit from the information supplied by early economic data, but the actual use in practice is difficult to determine. Further empirical evidence should be gathered, while the use could be promoted by further standardization.

  11. Innovation through developing consumers communities. Part II: Digitalizing the innovation processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Avasilcai, S.; Galateanu (Avram, E.

    2015-11-01

    The current research recognises the concept of innovation as the main driver for organisational growth and profitability. The companies seek to develop new ways to engage consumers and customers into co - creation value through the product design, development and distribution processes. However the main concern is manifested for new and creative ways of customization products based on consumers’ requirements and needs. Thus the need for innovative virtual instruments arose as the demand from social communities for personalised products or services increased. Basically companies should develop own innovative platforms, where consumers can participate, with ideas, concepts or other relevant contributions, and interact with designers or engineers for product development. This paper aims to present the most important features of platform development within BMW Group as a concept and as innovative instrument. From this point of view it is important to enhance past experiences of the company in the field of co - creation projects. There will be highlighted the dual consumers’ character as co - creator and co - evaluator based on their involvement in the proposed and developed projects and platform structure. The significant impact on platform functioning it has the diversity of company's concerns for Research & Development and innovation activities. From this point of view there will be assessed the platform structure, the main proposed themes and the evaluation process. The main outcome is to highlight the significance of platform development as innovative tool for consumers’ communities’ enhancement. Based on the analysis of “BMW Co-Creation Lab”, there will be revealed the main consumers concerns in terms of safety, comfort and appearance of the products. Thus it is important to understand the evaluation process of gathered ideas and intellectual property policy. The importance of platform development and implementation will be highlighted by company's results in terms of Research & Development investments and future projects which will be proposed, assessed and implemented by BMW Group in order to show the responsibility for their products and consumers.

  12. Improving the effectiveness of health care innovation implementation: middle managers as change agents.

    PubMed

    Birken, Sarah A; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Weiner, Bryan J; Chin, Marshall H; Schaefer, Cynthia T

    2013-02-01

    The rate of successful health care innovation implementation is dismal. Middle managers have a potentially important yet poorly understood role in health care innovation implementation. This study used self-administered surveys and interviews of middle managers in health centers that implemented an innovation to reduce health disparities to address the questions: Does middle managers' commitment to health care innovation implementation influence implementation effectiveness? If so, in what ways does their commitment influence implementation effectiveness? Although quantitative survey data analysis results suggest a weak relationship, qualitative interview data analysis results indicate that middle managers' commitment influences implementation effectiveness when middle managers are proactive. Scholars should account for middle managers' influence in implementation research, and health care executives may promote implementation effectiveness by hiring proactive middle managers and creating climates in which proactivity is rewarded, supported, and expected.

  13. Improving the Effectiveness of Health Care Innovation Implementation: Middle Managers as Change Agents

    PubMed Central

    Birken, Sarah A.; Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel; Weiner, Bryan J.; Chin, Marshall H.; Schaefer, Cynthia T.

    2013-01-01

    The rate of successful health care innovation implementation is dismal. Middle managers have a potentially important yet poorly understood role in health care innovation implementation. This study used self-administered surveys and interviews of middle managers in health centers that implemented an innovation to reduce health disparities to address the questions: Does middle managers’ commitment to health care innovation implementation influence implementation effectiveness? If so, in what ways does their commitment influence implementation effectiveness? Although quantitative survey data analysis results suggest a weak relationship, qualitative interview data analysis results indicate that middle managers’ commitment influences implementation effectiveness when middle managers are proactive. Scholars should account for middle managers’ influence in implementation research, and health care executives may promote implementation effectiveness by hiring proactive middle managers and creating climates in which proactivity is rewarded, supported, and expected. PMID:22930312

  14. Information Dissemination: Innovative Ways Agencies Are Using Technology. Testimony before the Government Information, Justice, and Agriculture Subcommittee, Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brock, Jack L., Jr.

    This testimony discusses ways in which some federal government agencies use technology to provide the public with cheaper, faster access to a wider range of information which can be searched and manipulated in ways never possible on the printed page. Technologies included in the discussion are compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), electronic…

  15. The Technology Fair: A Project-Based Learning Approach for Enhancing Problem Solving Skills and Interest in Design and Technology Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mettas, Alexandros C.; Constantinou, Constantinos C.

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents an innovative way in which university education can help pre-service teachers become better problem-solvers. The central idea is to use the "Technology Fair" as a means for promoting pre-service teachers pedagogical content knowledge about technological problem solving skills. This innovation is supported with results from a…

  16. Building America Top Innovations 2012: Reduced Call-Backs with High-Performance Production Builders

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    none,

    2013-01-01

    This Building America Top Innovations profile describes ways Building America teams have helped builders cut call-backs. Harvard University study found builders who worked with Building America had a 50% drop in call-backs. One builder reported a 50-fold reduction in the incidence of pipe freezing, a 50% reduction in drywall cracking, and a 60% decline in call-backs.

  17. Innovative Approaches Address Aging and Mental Health Needs in LGBTQ Communities.

    PubMed

    Hoy-Ellis, Charles P; Ator, Michael; Kerr, Christopher; Milford, Jessica

    2016-01-01

    LGBTQ older adults have higher levels of psychological distress as compared to older adults in general. They also experience multiple barriers to accessing equitable, culturally competent mental health and aging services because of their distinct histories and particular social contexts. This article discusses this lack of access to services, and highlights an innovative way mental health services are being delivered in LGBTQ communities.

  18. The Accessibility of Learning Content for All Students, Including Students with Disabilities, Must Be Addressed in the Shift to Digital Instructional Materials. SETDA Policy Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Geoff; Levin, Doug; Lipper, Katherine; Leichty, Reg

    2014-01-01

    This is a time of rapid technological advancement, with innovations in education holding great promise for improving teaching and learning, particularly for students with unique needs. High-quality digital educational materials, tools, and resources offer students relevant, up-to-date, and innovative ways to acquire knowledge and skills. Created…

  19. An Examination of One-to-One Computing in the Middle School: Does Increased Access Bring about Increased Student Engagement?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donovan, Loretta; Green, Tim; Hartley, Kendall

    2010-01-01

    This study explores configurations of laptop use in a one-to-one environment. Guided by methodologies of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model of change, an Innovation Configuration Map (description of the multiple ways an innovation is implemented) of a 1:1 laptop program at a middle school was developed and analyzed. Three distinct configurations…

  20. Innovation Agents: Vocational Education and Training Skills and Innovation in Australian Industries and Firms. Volume I

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toner, Phillip; Marceau, Jane; Hall, Richard; Considine, Gillian

    2004-01-01

    Australia's competitive success with innovation-based products and services is an influential factor to its long-term prosperity. This study examines the role of vocational education and training (VET) and occupations in innovative industries and firms. The authors find VET is vital to developing knowledge and practical skills across a broad range…

  1. FlySec: a risk-based airport security management system based on security as a service concept

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kyriazanos, Dimitris M.; Segou, Olga E.; Zalonis, Andreas; Thomopoulos, Stelios C. A.

    2016-05-01

    Complementing the ACI/IATA efforts, the FLYSEC European H2020 Research and Innovation project (http://www.fly-sec.eu/) aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, integrated and end-to-end airport security process for passengers, enabling a guided and streamlined procedure from the landside to airside and into the boarding gates, and offering for an operationally validated innovative concept for end-to-end aviation security. FLYSEC ambition turns through a well-structured work plan into: (i) innovative processes facilitating risk-based screening; (ii) deployment and integration of new technologies and repurposing existing solutions towards a risk-based Security paradigm shift; (iii) improvement of passenger facilitation and customer service, bringing security as a real service in the airport of tomorrow;(iv) achievement of measurable throughput improvement and a whole new level of Quality of Service; and (v) validation of the results through advanced "in-vitro" simulation and "in-vivo" pilots. On the technical side, FLYSEC achieves its ambitious goals by integrating new technologies on video surveillance, intelligent remote image processing and biometrics combined with big data analysis, open-source intelligence and crowdsourcing. Repurposing existing technologies is also in the FLYSEC objectives, such as mobile application technologies for improved passenger experience and positive boarding applications (i.e. services to facilitate boarding and landside/airside way finding) as well as RFID for carry-on luggage tracking and quick unattended luggage handling. In this paper, the authors will describe the risk based airport security management system which powers FLYSEC intelligence and serves as the backend on top of which FLYSEC's front end technologies reside for security services management, behaviour and risk analysis.

  2. Is there a role for a test controller in the development of new ATC equipment?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Westrum, Ron

    1994-01-01

    Earl Wiener points out that human factors problems fixed during the R & D stage are paid for once. When they are not fixed during R & D, they are then paid for every day. How users are involved in the R & D process to assist in developing equipment is a critical issue. Effective involvement can produce real improvements. Ineffective involvement can produce inefficient kludges or systems that are actually dangerous. The underlying problem is the management of information and ideas. To develop a really generative system a great deal would have to change in the way that the FAA innovates. Use of test controllers would solve only some of the problems. For instance, we have cockpit resource management now for pilots; we may have it soon for controllers. But the management of ideas in the innovation process also needs intellectual resource management. Simply involving users is not enough. Brought in at the wrong point in the development process, users can block or compromise innovation. User involvement must be carefully considered. A test controller may be one solution to this problem. It might be necessary to have several kinds of test controllers (en route versus TRACON, for instance). No doubt further problems would surface in getting test controllers into operation. I would recommend that the FAA engage in a series of case studies of controller involvement in the innovation process. A systematic comparison of effective and ineffective cases would do much to clarify what we ought to do in the future. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any cases where test controllers have been used. Perhaps we need to create some, to see how they work.

  3. Applications of time-series analysis to mood fluctuations in bipolar disorder to promote treatment innovation: a case series

    PubMed Central

    Holmes, E A; Bonsall, M B; Hales, S A; Mitchell, H; Renner, F; Blackwell, S E; Watson, P; Goodwin, G M; Di Simplicio, M

    2016-01-01

    Treatment innovation for bipolar disorder has been hampered by a lack of techniques to capture a hallmark symptom: ongoing mood instability. Mood swings persist during remission from acute mood episodes and impair daily functioning. The last significant treatment advance remains Lithium (in the 1970s), which aids only the minority of patients. There is no accepted way to establish proof of concept for a new mood-stabilizing treatment. We suggest that combining insights from mood measurement with applied mathematics may provide a step change: repeated daily mood measurement (depression) over a short time frame (1 month) can create individual bipolar mood instability profiles. A time-series approach allows comparison of mood instability pre- and post-treatment. We test a new imagery-focused cognitive therapy treatment approach (MAPP; Mood Action Psychology Programme) targeting a driver of mood instability, and apply these measurement methods in a non-concurrent multiple baseline design case series of 14 patients with bipolar disorder. Weekly mood monitoring and treatment target data improved for the whole sample combined. Time-series analyses of daily mood data, sampled remotely (mobile phone/Internet) for 28 days pre- and post-treatment, demonstrated improvements in individuals' mood stability for 11 of 14 patients. Thus the findings offer preliminary support for a new imagery-focused treatment approach. They also indicate a step in treatment innovation without the requirement for trials in illness episodes or relapse prevention. Importantly, daily measurement offers a description of mood instability at the individual patient level in a clinically meaningful time frame. This costly, chronic and disabling mental illness demands innovation in both treatment approaches (whether pharmacological or psychological) and measurement tool: this work indicates that daily measurements can be used to detect improvement in individual mood stability for treatment innovation (MAPP). PMID:26812041

  4. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Advancing Innovative, Policy-Relevant Methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crootof, A.; Albrecht, T.; Scott, C. A.

    2017-12-01

    The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is rapidly expanding in scholarly literature and policy settings as a novel way to address complex Anthropocene challenges. The nexus approach aims to identify tradeoffs and synergies of water, energy, and food systems, internalize social and environmental impacts, and guide development of cross-sectoral policies. However, a primary limitation of the nexus approach is the absence - or gaps and inconsistent use - of adequate methods to advance an innovative and policy-relevant nexus approach. This paper presents an analytical framework to identify robust nexus methods that align with nexus thinking and highlights innovative nexus methods at the frontier. The current state of nexus methods was assessed with a systematic review of 245 journal articles and book chapters. This review revealed (a) use of specific and reproducible methods for nexus assessment is uncommon - less than one-third of the reviewed studies present explicit methods; (b) nexus methods frequently fall short of capturing interactions among water, energy, and food - the very concept they purport to address; (c) assessments strongly favor quantitative approaches - 70% use primarily quantitative tools; (d) use of social science methods is limited (26%); and (e) many nexus methods are confined to disciplinary silos - only about one-quarter combine methods from diverse disciplines and less than one-fifth utilize both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Despite some pitfalls of current nexus methods, there are a host of studies that offer innovative approaches to help quantify nexus linkages and interactions among sectors, conceptualize dynamic feedbacks, and support mixed method approaches to better understand WEF systems. Applying our analytical framework to all 245 studies, we identify, and analyze herein, seventeen studies that implement innovative multi-method and cross-scalar tools to demonstrate promising advances toward improved nexus assessment. This paper finds that, to make the WEF nexus effective as a policy-relevant analytical tool, methods are needed that incorporate social and political dimensions of water, energy, and food; utilize multiple and interdisciplinary approaches; and engage stakeholders and policy-makers.

  5. The Critical Roles of Task Conflict and Job Autonomy in the Relationship Between Proactive Personalities and Innovative Employee Behavior.

    PubMed

    Giebels, Ellen; de Reuver, Renee S M; Rispens, Sonja; Ufkes, Elze G

    2016-09-01

    We examine why and when proactive personality is beneficial for innovative behavior at work. Based on a survey among 166 employees working in 35 departments of a large municipality in the Netherlands we show that an increase in task conflicts explains the positive relation between a proactive personality and innovative employee behavior. This process is moderated by job autonomy in such a way that the relationship between proactive personality and task conflict is particularly strong under low compared with high autonomy. The present research contributes to the discussion on the potential benefits of task conflict for change processes and highlights the importance of examining the interplay between personality and work context for understanding innovation practices.

  6. KSC-2012-5016

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-09-06

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – During NASA's Innovation Expo at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Annie Williams, of NASA's Medical and Environmental Management Division, proposes an innovation to recycling space hardware as art. Kennedy Kick-Start Chair Mike Conroy looks on from the left. As Kennedy continues developing programs and infrastructure to become a 21st century spaceport, many employees are devising ways to do their jobs better and more efficiently. On Sept. 6, 2012, 16 Kennedy employees pitched their innovative ideas for improving the center at the Kennedy Kick-Start event. The competition was part of a center-wide effort designed to increase exposure for innovative ideas and encourage their implementation. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/kick-start_competition.html Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

  7. The New Universities of Russia: Problems and Solutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiroi, V. N.

    2011-01-01

    Russian universities do poorly in international rankings, and this will hurt Russia's ability to compete successfully in the global market. One way in which to try to improve this situation is to create new universities by merging institutions and organize them in innovative ways to become more efficient and effective. [This article was translated…

  8. Learning Analytics: At the Nexus of Big Data, Digital Innovation, and Social Justice in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aguilar, Stephen J.

    2018-01-01

    We are still designing educational experiences for the "average" student, and have room to improve. Learning analytics provides a way forward. This commentary describes how learning analytics-based applications are well positioned to meaningfully personalize the learning experience in diverse ways. In so doing, learning analytics has the…

  9. Collaborative Research Seed Grants for Integrating Knowledges and Creating New Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freitag, Amy

    2015-01-01

    Incorporating different ways of knowing in research and management has the potential to bring creativity to environmental problem-solving through integrating ways of knowing and innovation via co-producing knowledge. To gain these benefits, North Carolina Sea Grant Extension offers small annual grants called Fisheries Resource Grants to paired…

  10. Implications of Implementing Web 2.0 on Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valerio, Gabriel; Valenzuela, Ricardo

    2013-01-01

    The Knowledge Society has altered the way humanity works, learns and amuses itself; from here the rise of the so called e-learning, an educational modality whose "innovation" has been questioned because of the tendency to simulate traditional ways to educate. This paper explores the concept of e-learning 2.0, the implications of…

  11. From Psychomotor to "Motorpsycho": Learning through Gestures with Body Sensory Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Xinhao; Ke, Fengfeng

    2014-01-01

    As information and communication technology continues to evolve, body sensory technologies, like the Microsoft Kinect, provide learning designers new approaches to facilitating learning in an innovative way. With the advent of body sensory technology like the Kinect, it is important to use motor activities for learning in good and effective ways.…

  12. Hypothesis-Driven Laboratories: An Innovative Way to Foster Learning in Physiology Laboratory Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steury, Michael D.; Poteracki, James M.; Kelly, Kevin L.; Rennhack, Jonathan; Wehrwein, Erica A.

    2016-01-01

    Physiology instructors often are faced with the challenge of providing informative and educationally stimulating laboratories while trying to design them in such a way that encourages students to be actively involved in their own learning. With many laboratory experiments designed with simplicity and efficiency as the primary focus, it is…

  13. Cooperative Learning Environment with the Web 2.0 Tool E-Portfolios

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Or Kan, Soh

    2011-01-01

    In recent years, the development of information and communication technology (ICT) in the world and Malaysia namely has created a significant impact on the methods of communicating information and knowledge to the learners and consequently, innovative teaching techniques have evolved to change the ways teachers teach and the ways students learn.…

  14. Reinventing the Schools: A Radical Plan for Boston. Pioneer Paper No. 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Steven F.

    This analysis of the Boston (Massachusetts) Public School System considers ways of advancing the opportunity for parent choice of school and program, and ways of breaking the bureaucratic culture of big-city American public schools to introduce a culture promoting innovation and experiment. The Boston public schools system, like large urban…

  15. Creative Leadership: A New Category or More of the Same?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomson, Pat

    2011-01-01

    New categories of leadership are continually being invented. Because the ways we think are productive of the ways in which we act, it is important to hold these rhetorical innovations to account. This paper focuses on the latest of these categories--creative leadership. Mobilising a Foucauldian notion of "discourse" I deconstruct the…

  16. Neurodiversity: The Future of Special Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armstrong, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    The way special education is carried out in U.S. schools must change. Special education has become weighed down by its emphasis on deficits and disorders: As regular education has opened to new ways of thinking about brain neuroplasticity, growth mindsets, and other innovations, special education has held fast to its diagnostic categories,…

  17. Learning With Technology. Facilitator's Guide, Revised Edition, and Participant's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fine, Carole; Tinzmann, Margaret Baker; Anderson, Mary; Anderson, Whit; Pitlik, Deborah

    This research-based professional development course is designed by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory to offer participants ways to connect technology with teaching and learning, and to examine ways to apply technology innovations to instruction and to improving teaching and learning. In the six, 2-hour sessions, participants (who…

  18. Using Technology to Create and Administer Accessible Tests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salend, Spencer

    2009-01-01

    Technology is transforming many aspects of society including the ways teachers teach and students learn. Although technology has been firmly established as a teaching tool across a range of content areas, educators are realizing that technology also offers innovative ways to help their students take standardized tests that comply with the mandates…

  19. Being Online Peer Supported: Experiences from a Work-Based Learning Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altinay Aksal, Fahriye; Altinay, Zehra; De Rossi, Gazivalerio; Isman, Aytekin

    2012-01-01

    Problem Statement: Work-based learning programmes have become an increasingly popular way of fulfilling the desire for life-long learning; multi-dimensional work-based learning modes have recently played a large role in both personal and institutional development. The peculiarity of this innovative way of learning derives from the fact that…

  20. The post-genomic era of biological network alignment.

    PubMed

    Faisal, Fazle E; Meng, Lei; Crawford, Joseph; Milenković, Tijana

    2015-12-01

    Biological network alignment aims to find regions of topological and functional (dis)similarities between molecular networks of different species. Then, network alignment can guide the transfer of biological knowledge from well-studied model species to less well-studied species between conserved (aligned) network regions, thus complementing valuable insights that have already been provided by genomic sequence alignment. Here, we review computational challenges behind the network alignment problem, existing approaches for solving the problem, ways of evaluating their alignment quality, and the approaches' biomedical applications. We discuss recent innovative efforts of improving the existing view of network alignment. We conclude with open research questions in comparative biological network research that could further our understanding of principles of life, evolution, disease, and therapeutics.

  1. Care in the country: a historical case study of long-term sustainability in 4 rural health centers.

    PubMed

    Wright, D Brad

    2009-09-01

    From 1978 to 1983, researchers at the University of North Carolina conducted a National Evaluation of Rural Primary Care Programs. Thirty years later, many of the programs they studied have closed, but the challenges of providing rural health care have persisted. I explored the histories of 4 surviving rural primary care programs and identified factors that contributed to their sustainability. These included physician advocates, innovative practices, organizational flexibility, and community integration. As rural health programs look ahead, identifying future generations of physician advocates is a crucial next step in developing the rural primary care workforce. It is also important for these programs to find ways to cope with high rates of staff turnover.

  2. The role of behaviour in adaptive morphological evolution of African proboscideans.

    PubMed

    Lister, Adrian M

    2013-08-15

    The fossil record richly illustrates the origin of morphological adaptation through time. However, our understanding of the selective forces responsible in a given case, and the role of behaviour in the process, is hindered by assumptions of synchrony between environmental change, behavioural innovation and morphological response. Here I show, from independent proxy data through a 20-million-year sequence of fossil proboscideans in East Africa, that changes in environment, diet and morphology are often significantly offset chronologically, allowing dissection of the roles of behaviour and different selective drivers. These findings point the way to hypothesis-driven testing of the interplay between habitat change, behaviour and morphological adaptation with the use of independent proxies in the fossil record.

  3. Market policy as an innovative element of marketing in the Romanian healthcare services – an approach focused on the patient

    PubMed Central

    Coculescu, BI; Coculescu, EC; Radu, A; Petrescu, L; Purcărea, VL

    2015-01-01

    The orientation towards one of the marketing policies with a major impact in organizations providing healthcare services, requires a careful analysis of the needs and aspirations of customers, targeting those patients whose needs the service organization can achieve through the existing resources at the respective health facility, finding the most effective way of achieving benefits associated with reduced costs to maximizing profits, placing the offers for medical services required by the patients on the market, as well as promptly reacting and acting to the changes of health services market which is constantly evolving through a flexible organizing and functioning structure, connected to the financial needs of the patients. PMID:26664466

  4. Affinity-based biosensors as promising tools for gene doping detection.

    PubMed

    Minunni, Maria; Scarano, Simona; Mascini, Marco

    2008-05-01

    Innovative bioanalytical approaches can be foreseen as interesting means for solving relevant emerging problems in anti-doping control. Sport authorities fear that the newer form of doping, so-called gene doping, based on a misuse of gene therapy, will be undetectable and thus much less preventable. The World Anti-Doping Agency has already asked scientists to assist in finding ways to prevent and detect this newest kind of doping. In this Opinion article we discuss the main aspects of gene doping, from the putative target analytes to suitable sampling strategies. Moreover, we discuss the potential application of affinity sensing in this field, which so far has been successfully applied to a variety of analytical problems, from clinical diagnostics to food and environmental analysis.

  5. Network destabilization and transition in depression: New methods for studying the dynamics of therapeutic change

    PubMed Central

    Hayes, Adele M.; Yasinski, Carly; Barnes, J. Ben; Bockting, Claudi L. H.

    2015-01-01

    The science of dynamic systems is the study of pattern formation and system change. Dynamic systems theory can provide a useful framework for understanding the chronicity of depression and its treatment. We propose a working model of therapeutic change with potential to organize findings from psychopathology and treatment research, suggest new ways to study change, facilitate comparisons across studies, and stimulate treatment innovation. We describe a treatment for depression that we developed to apply principles from dynamic systems theory and then present a program of research to examine the utility of this application. Recent methodological and technological developments are also discussed to further advance the search for mechanisms of therapeutic change. PMID:26197726

  6. Real-Time Seismic Displays in Museums Appeal to the Public

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Meagan; Taber, John; Hubenthal, Michael

    2006-02-01

    Technology provides people with constant access to the latest news, weather, and entertainment. Not surprisingly, the public increasingly demands that the most current information be available for immediate consumption. For museums striving to educate the public and to maintain and expand visitor interest, gone are the days of passively conveying scientific concepts through static displays. Instead, science museums must find creative ways to capture the public's interest-successful advocacy for research funding, solutions to environmental problems, even future generations' scientific innovation depend on this. To this end, the continuous collection and dissemination of real-time science information by the scientific community offers museums an opportunity to capitalize on visitors' data addiction and increase the public's interest in, and understanding of, the Earth system.

  7. An Appeal to the Global Health Community for a Tripartite Innovation: An "Essential Diagnostics List," "Health in All Policies," and "See-Through 21(st) Century Science and Ethics".

    PubMed

    Dove, Edward S; Barlas, I Ömer; Birch, Kean; Boehme, Catharina; Borda-Rodriguez, Alexander; Byne, William M; Chaverneff, Florence; Coşkun, Yavuz; Dahl, Marja-Liisa; Dereli, Türkay; Diwakar, Shyam; Elbeyli, Levent; Endrenyi, Laszlo; Eroğlu-Kesim, Belgin; Ferguson, Lynnette R; Güngör, Kıvanç; Gürsoy, Ulvi; Hekim, Nezih; Huzair, Farah; Kaushik, Kabeer; Kickbusch, Ilona; Kıroğlu, Olcay; Kolker, Eugene; Könönen, Eija; Lin, Biaoyang; Llerena, Adrian; Malhan, Faruk; Nair, Bipin; Patrinos, George P; Şardaş, Semra; Sert, Özlem; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Steuten, Lotte M G; Toraman, Cengiz; Vayena, Effy; Wang, Wei; Warnich, Louise; Özdemir, Vural

    2015-08-01

    Diagnostics spanning a wide range of new biotechnologies, including proteomics, metabolomics, and nanotechnology, are emerging as companion tests to innovative medicines. In this Opinion, we present the rationale for promulgating an "Essential Diagnostics List." Additionally, we explain the ways in which adopting a vision for "Health in All Policies" could link essential diagnostics with robust and timely societal outcomes such as sustainable development, human rights, gender parity, and alleviation of poverty. We do so in three ways. First, we propose the need for a new, "see through" taxonomy for knowledge-based innovation as we transition from the material industries (e.g., textiles, plastic, cement, glass) dominant in the 20(th) century to the anticipated knowledge industry of the 21st century. If knowledge is the currency of the present century, then it is sensible to adopt an approach that thoroughly examines scientific knowledge, starting with the production aims, methods, quality, distribution, access, and the ends it purports to serve. Second, we explain that this knowledge trajectory focus on innovation is crucial and applicable across all sectors, including public, private, or public-private partnerships, as it underscores the fact that scientific knowledge is a co-product of technology, human values, and social systems. By making the value systems embedded in scientific design and knowledge co-production transparent, we all stand to benefit from sustainable and transparent science. Third, we appeal to the global health community to consider the necessary qualities of good governance for 21st century organizations that will embark on developing essential diagnostics. These have importance not only for science and knowledge-based innovation, but also for the ways in which we can build open, healthy, and peaceful civil societies today and for future generations.

  8. How ownership rights over microorganisms affect infectious disease control and innovation: A root-cause analysis of barriers to data sharing as experienced by key stakeholders

    PubMed Central

    Haringhuizen, George B.; Koopmans, Marion P.; Claassen, Eric; van de Burgwal, Linda H. M.

    2018-01-01

    Background Genetic information of pathogens is an essential input for infectious disease control, public health and for research. Efficiency in preventing and responding to global outbreaks relies on timely access to such information. Still, ownership barriers stand in the way of timely sharing of genetic data from pathogens, frustrating efficient public health responses and ultimately the potential use of such resources in innovations. Under a One Health approach, stakeholders, their interests and ownership issues are manifold and need to be investigated. We interviewed key actors from governmental and non-governmental bodies to identify overlapping and conflicting interests, and the overall challenges for sharing pathogen data, to provide essential inputs to the further development of political and practical strategies for improved data sharing practices. Methods & findings To identify and prioritize barriers, 52 Key Opinion Leaders were interviewed. A root-cause analysis was performed to identify causal relations between barriers. Finally, barriers were mapped to the innovation cycle reflecting how they affect the range of surveillance, innovation, and sharing activities. Four main barrier categories were found: compliance to regulations, negative consequences, self-interest, and insufficient incentives for compliance. When grouped in sectors (research institutes, public health organizations, supra-national organizations and industry) stakeholders appear to have similar interests, more than when grouped in domains (human, veterinary and food). Considering the innovation process, most of barriers could be mapped to the initial stages of the innovation cycle as sampling and sequencing phases. These are stages of primary importance to outbreak control and public health response. A minority of barriers applied to later stages in the innovation cycle, which are of more importance to product development. Conclusion Overall, barriers are complex and entangled, due to the diversity of causal factors and their crosscutting features. Therefore, barriers must be addressed in a comprehensive and integrated manner. Stakeholders have different interests highlighting the diversity in motivations for sharing pathogen data: prioritization of public health, basic research, economic welfare and/or innovative capacity. Broad inter-sectorial discussions should start with the alignment of these interests within sectors. The improved sharing of pathogen data, especially in upstream phases of the innovation process, will generate substantial public health benefits through increased availability of data to inform surveillance systems, as well as to allow the (re-)use of data for the development of medical countermeasures to control infectious diseases. PMID:29718947

  9. Effects of government incentives on wind innovation in the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horner, Nathaniel; Azevedo, Inês; Hounshell, David

    2013-12-01

    In the United States, as elsewhere, state and federal governments have considered or implemented a range of policies to create more sustainable energy generation systems in response to concerns over climate change, security of fuel supply, and environmental impacts. These policies include both regulatory instruments such as renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) and market incentives such as tax credits. While these policies are primarily geared towards increasing renewable generation capacity, they can indirectly affect innovation in associated technologies through a ‘demand-pull’ dynamic. Other policies, such as public research and development (R&D) funding, directly incentivize innovation through ‘technology-push’ means. In this letter, we examine these effects on innovation in the United States wind energy industry. We estimate a set of econometric models relating a set of US federal and state policies to patenting activity in wind technologies over the period 1974-2009. We find that RPS policies have had significant positive effects on wind innovation, whereas tax-based incentives have not been particularly effective. We also find evidence that the effects of RPS incentives differ between states. Finally, we find that public R&D funding can be a significant driver of wind innovation, though its effect in the US has been modest.

  10. Accelerating Innovation Through Coopetition: The Innovation Learning Network Experience.

    PubMed

    McCarthy, Chris; Ford Carleton, Penny; Krumpholz, Elizabeth; Chow, Marilyn P

    Coopetition, the simultaneous pursuit of cooperation and competition, is a growing force in the innovation landscape. For some organizations, the primary mode of innovation continues to be deeply secretive and highly competitive, but for others, a new style of shared challenges, shared purpose, and shared development has become a superior, more efficient way of working to accelerate innovation capabilities and capacity. Over the last 2 decades, the literature base devoted to coopetition has gradually expanded. However, the field is still in its infancy. The majority of coopetition research is qualitative, primarily consisting of case studies. Few studies have addressed the nonprofit sector or service industries such as health care. The authors believe that this article may offer a unique perspective on coopetition in the context of a US-based national health care learning alliance designed to accelerate innovation, the Innovation Learning Network or ILN. The mission of the ILN is to "Share the joy and pain of innovation," accelerating innovation by sharing solutions, teaching techniques, and cultivating friendships. These 3 pillars (sharing, teaching, and cultivating) form the foundation for coopetition within the ILN. Through the lens of coopetition, we examine the experience of the ILN over the last 10 years and provide case examples that illustrate the benefits and challenges of coopetition in accelerating innovation in health care.

  11. The Regional Structure of Technical Innovation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Neale, Dion

    2014-03-01

    There is strong evidence that the productivity per capita of cities and regions increases with population. One likely explanation for this phenomenon is that densely populated regions bring together otherwise unlikely combinations of individuals and organisations with diverse, specialised capabilities, leading to increased innovation and productivity. We have used the REGPAT patent database to construct a bipartite network of geographic regions and the patent classes for which those regions display a revealed comparative advantage. By analysing this network, we can infer relationships between different types of patent classes - and hence the structure of (patentable) technology. The network also provides a novel perspective for studying the combinations of technical capabilities in different geographic regions. We investigate measures such as the diversity and ubiquity of innovations within regions and find that diversity (resp. ubiquity) is positively (resp. negatively) correlated with population. We also find evidence of a nested structure for technical innovation. That is, specialised innovations tend to occur only when other more general innovations are already present.

  12. Understanding adaptive capacity and capacity to innovate in social-ecological systems: Applying a gender lens.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Philippa J; Lawless, Sarah; Dyer, Michelle; Morgan, Miranda; Saeni, Enly; Teioli, Helen; Kantor, Paula

    2016-12-01

    Development policy increasingly focuses on building capacities to respond to change (adaptation), and to drive change (innovation). Few studies, however, focus specifically on the social and gender differentiation of capacities to adapt and innovate. We address this gap using a qualitative study in three communities in Solomon Islands; a developing country, where rural livelihoods and well-being are tightly tied to agriculture and fisheries. We find the five dimensions of capacity to adapt and to innovate (i.e. assets, flexibility, learning, social organisation, agency) to be mutually dependant. For example, limits to education, physical mobility and agency meant that women and youth, particularly, felt it was difficult to establish relations with external agencies to access technical support or new information important for innovating or adapting. Willingness to bear risk and to challenge social norms hindered both women's and men's capacity to innovate, albeit to differing degrees. Our findings are of value to those aspiring for equitable improvements to well-being within dynamic and diverse social-ecological systems.

  13. Innovation and the growth of human population.

    PubMed

    Weinberger, V P; Quiñinao, C; Marquet, P A

    2017-12-05

    Biodiversity is sustained by and is essential to the services that ecosystems provide. Different species would use these services in different ways, or adaptive strategies, which are sustained in time by continuous innovations. Using this framework, we postulate a model for a biological species ( Homo sapiens ) in a finite world where innovations, aimed at increasing the flux of ecosystem services (a measure of habitat quality), increase with population size, and have positive effects on the generation of new innovations (positive feedback) as well as costs in terms of negatively affecting the provision of ecosystem services. We applied this model to human populations, where technological innovations are driven by cumulative cultural evolution. Our model shows that depending on the net impact of a technology on the provision of ecosystem services ( θ ), and the strength of technological feedback ( ξ ), different regimes can result. Among them, the human population can fill the entire planet while maximizing their well-being, but not exhaust ecosystem services. However, this outcome requires positive or green technologies that increase the provision of ecosystem services with few negative externalities or environmental costs, and that have a strong positive feedback in generating new technologies of the same kind. If the feedback is small, then the technological stock can collapse together with the human population. Scenarios where technological innovations generate net negative impacts may be associated with a limited technological stock as well as a limited human population at equilibrium and the potential for collapse. The only way to fill the planet with humans under this scenario of negative technologies is by reducing the technological stock to a minimum. Otherwise, the only feasible equilibrium is associated with population collapse. Our model points out that technological innovations per se may not help humans to grow and dominate the planet. Instead, different possibilities unfold for our future depending on their impact on the environment and on further innovation.This article is part of the themed issue 'Process and pattern in innovations from cells to societies'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  14. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    Think. Make. Innovate. A festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness that gathers makers of all kinds. Scientists are seeking to find innovative solutions to the energy challenges in the world.

  15. Prevention Work with Children Disaffected from School: Findings from the Evaluation of Two Innovative Community-Based Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Paul; Seddon, Toby

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To report on findings from the evaluation of two innovative community-based prevention projects in the UK targeted at children disaffected from school, one involving football the other horticulture. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative inquiry focusing on three areas: "theories of change" underpinning the projects; referral…

  16. Symposium to Announce Finalists of NCI's "Up for a Challenge? Stimulating Innovation in Breast Cancer Genetic Epidemiology"

    Cancer.gov

    A symposium to announce the finalists of the Challenge was held on September 12, 2016, on the NIH main campus in Bethesda, MD. Finalists were chosen based on the identification of novel findings, replication of findings, innovation of approach, evidence of novel biological hypotheses, and collaboration.

  17. Innovation in health care technology: is it part of the problem or part of the solution? eHealth gives the answer.

    PubMed

    Colas, Javier; Guillen, Alejandra; Moreno, Rafael

    2010-01-01

    There is no doubt that the contribution of the Health Care Technologies to the tremendous evolution on Medicine since mid XX century has been one of its most important pillars. At the same time the innovation has been sometimes accused of been the root of the increase in the Health Care expenditure to support the Health of the society. Actually, when the Health Care Systems are focusing not only on the critical processes but on the continuum of the disease, the application of innovation to the chronic diseases and, more specifically, in the Cardiovascular ones (specially the Cardiac Insufficiency), represents a great challenge for care givers, patients and the Health Care Systems as their treatment requires continuous medical care and patient self management. The key for establishing this continuity of care in an efficient way is based in the concept of "Anticipation". This is the only way to avoid the burden of the continuous re-hospitalizations of this kind of patients. The engagement of patients in the adoption of healthy lifestyles with a positive impact in the progression of their diseases is fundamental to avoid the appearance of chronic complications or co-morbidities. Only with these assumptions the Innovation on Health Care Technologies will become part of the solution of the sustainability of the Health Care expenditure for the society. This paper present the keys for making the innovation efficient understanding the transversal of the Health Care processes.

  18. Implementation of innovative attitudes and behaviour in primary health care by means of strategic communication: a 7-year follow-up.

    PubMed

    Morténius, Helena; Marklund, Bertil; Palm, Lars; Björkelund, Cecilia; Baigi, Amir

    2012-06-01

    To bridge the gap between theory and practice, methods are needed that promote a positive attitude to change among health care professionals and facilitate the incorporation of new research findings. In this context, communication plays a significant role. The aim of this study was to analyse primary care staff members' readiness to adopt new ways of thinking and willingness to change their work practices by means of strategic communication. An evaluative design was used to study a primary care staff cohort for 7 years. The study population comprised all primary care staff in a region of Sweden (n = 1206). The strategic communication encompassed managerial impact, planning and implementation of reflexive communication processes, in addition to activities in three established communication channels (oral, written and digital). A questionnaire was used, and bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. A total of 846 individuals participated in the evaluation (70%). Strategic communication had a significant effect on staff members' new way of thinking (61%) and willingness to change daily work practices (33%). The communication channels had a significant synergy effect on the adoption of new ideas and willingness to change attitudes. Oral and digital communication had a significant impact on staff members' readiness to change. Strategic communication plays an important role in the process of creating innovative attitudes and behaviour among primary care professionals. The willingness to change attitudes enhances primary care staff's readiness to change everyday practices, thus facilitating the implementation of evidence-based care. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. Substitutability of a process innovation in medical diagnosis: some empirical results.

    PubMed

    Doessel, D P

    1991-07-01

    The health sectors in many countries have been increasing in relative size, and medical innovations have been identified by some as a factor contributing to the rise in health expenditures. This paper begins by reviewing the various approaches that economists have employed to determine the connection, if any, between rising health expenditures and new medical technologies. It is then argued that another way to approach the issue is to determine if innovations have substituted for previously existing technologies. Thus this method cannot be applied to product innovations: it is restricted to process innovations. This procedure is applied to the innovation of fibre optic colonoscopy, a procedure for diagnosing diseases/conditions in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The data relate to private medical practice in Australia which operates on a fee-for-service basis. The empirical results indicate no evidence of substitution of the 'new' for the 'old' technology. Thus, there is some reason to believe that this innovation will have contributed to rising health expenditures for diagnosis of the lower gastrointestinal tract. The paper concludes by considering policy options that could address the issue.

  20. Curriculum Innovation: Difference and Resemblance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanley, Una; Torrance, Harry

    2011-01-01

    How do teachers respond to a mathematics curriculum innovation? This paper reports some of the findings from a UK Research Council (ESRC)-funded project investigating how teachers in English secondary schools (students aged 12-16 years) responded to innovation. A Gatsby Foundation funded program implemented new materials; the project investigated…

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