http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Sat, 18 May 2013 11:52:43 PDT Sat, 18 May 2013 11:52:43 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=603913 This free and open online course in Research for the 21st Century was produced by the WA State Board for Community & Technical Colleges [http://sbctc.edu/]. The learning objectives of this course are to:1.Develop and research a topic of global significance2.Recognize authors’ arguments and the political, social and economic motivations behind their work3.Demonstrate the ability to locate, interpret and cite the relevant and appropriate information resources on a topic4.Demonstrate an understanding of the information research processThis module is part of the Open Course Library, a collection of shareable course materials created for faculty to use in their classes. As part of the Open Course Library this content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which means that you are free to reuse the course in its entirety, edit it and use a your own modified version, or pick out only pieces which can be incorporated into your own course, as long as you credit the original author for their work.To access all materials for this course you may download either the ANGEL export file or the IMS Common Cartridge file. While the ANGEL file is specific to that system, the Common Cartridge file is compatible with many learning management systems. More information on Common Cartridge is available at http://www.imsglobal.org/cc/ . http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555914 This course is designed to lay the foundations of good empirical research in the social sciences. It does not deal with specific techniques per se, but rather with the assumptions and the logic underlying social research. Students become acquainted with a variety of approaches to research design, and are helped to develop their own research projects and to evaluate the products of empirical research. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555756 The course investigates e-Learning systems from a business, policy, technical and legal perspective. The issues presented will be tackled by discussion of the design and structure of the various example systems. The connection between information architectures and the physical workplace of the users will also be examined. The course will be comprised of readings, discussions, guest speakers and group design sessions. Laboratory sessions will be focused on implementation tools and opportunities to create one's own working prototypes. Students will learn to describe information architectures using the Unified Modeling Language (used to specify, design and structure web applications) and XML (to designate meaningful content). http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=717071 'This semester-long course introduces high school students to the study of chemistry in preparation for further courses in college. The objectives of this course are to investigate the properties of atoms, chemical bonding, and chemical reactions. Students will develop conceptual understanding as well as skills in problem solving, scientific reasoning and communication. This course is designed to be used by a semester-long college preparatory Chemistry lab class at Foxcroft Academy. Students in that class will be carrying out lab activities in addition to the assignments contained within this course.' Several chapters have a cost, but others are free. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555619 Modern society is facing complex issues such as globalization, informatization, and aging population with lowering birthrates. These issues must be solved for a peaceful, prosperous society in the future.Social sciences are the study of politics, economics, sociology, history, and other areas that aim at identifying complex social phenomena and developing knowledge to solve the issues. Today's advanced research has contributed to find and develop many theories on human action and psychological mechanisms in social contexts. The other side of such recent trends is that academic disciplines have been segmentalized, which makes it difficult for us to capture a whole picture of issues we are facing. How does each academic discipline perform research activities for actual social phenomena to be identified and relevant problems to be resolved? How does each academic field capture and interpret these social phenomena? How does it understand humanity in social contexts? What have been fundamental schemes and concepts on which the society has been built and formed? These questions are discussed in this lecture series focusing on the history of societal formation and symbiosis of human kind as well as the connection of advanced knowledge in academic fields and the actual society. This aims at preparing students for learning further advanced knowledge in a variety of academic areas.1) On the Ecology of Power and Freedomby Takeshi Sasaki, Former President, the University of TokyoOutline: An essential element to understand political trends is the understanding of what power is. The complex phenomena involving power and authority can be seen in a variety of forms. They are inextricably linked with the expression of human freedom. The birth of political authority is one condition, which we must pay close attention to. This class focuses on the fundamental characteristics of its nature and historical transition until through the modern ages.2) The Study of The Asian World From an Economic Standpoint --History and Present Conditions?by Yonosuke Hara, Professor and Former Director of Institute of Oriental Culture, the University of TokyoOutline: There are a great variety of ecologies in Asia. Trades between different areas have been actively performed from ancient era. In this lecture, the history and current situation of Asia are overviewed from the standpoint of merchandise trades so that students will investigate the formation of society and economy in various forms and the conditional elements of their symbiosis.3) Considerations on Society as a Global Systemby Akihiko Tanaka, Professor and Director of Institute of Oriental Culture, the University of TokyoOutline: Is the society formed through the interaction of people across national borders and ethnicities? What characteristics have been associated with such a large system? How do people coexist in the absence of government in a general sense? How is the world in the 21st century different from previous ages? How should we understand the current trend of East Asia? These issues will be discussed in this class by applying a variety of approaches available in humanities and social sciences.4) Formation of Society and Social Scienceby Akira Morita, Professor and Senior Manager, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo... http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=734948 This is a free online course from the Saylor Foundation.'In the field of public policy and administration, there have been several enduring questions. In a larger context, what is the role of government? There has always been conflict in our society regarding the proper role of government. How should public organizations be structured to reflect the will of the public? How do we ensure accountability? What is the proper role of the public administrator/analyst in policy implementation? How should programs be evaluated?This course will provide you with an overview of the field of public administration, particularly the distinctions that set management of public organizations apart from that of private-sector organizations. You will begin with an examination of the history and perception of the role of government in the provision of services. You will then examine the context in which public administrators deliver services to citizens. Public administrators must also possess a basic knowledge of managing organizations and people in order to implement policy—this includes an understanding of organization theory, personnel administration, budgeting, and the administration and evaluation of policies and programs. By the end of this course, you will gain a broader understanding of public organizations, the administration of public programs, and a greater appreciation for public service.' http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=663458 This is a free online course offered by the University of Chicago.״This series of lectures recorded during the Spring of 2010 are from ECON 343 -- Human Capital, a class taught every year by Gary Becker at the University of Chicago. In this class, Becker expounds upon the theory of Human Capital that he helped create and for which he won the Nobel Prize.In total, there are 19 lectures. Each lecture includes a short description of topics covered as well as topical keywords. The interested viewer is also provided with references to books and journal articles from Gary Becker's own original research that bear on the topics discussed in each lecture. Additionally, the viewer is also referred to the appropriate section of a freely available and informal set of student notes. These lecture notes are provided as-is and the author, Salvador Navarro Lozano cannot accept responsibility for any typos or errors. Much of the lecture material already appears in one of Gary Becker's academic books and those remain the best source of information in case of any doubts.״ http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555849 This course examines the philosophical and theoretical foundations of constructionism as a paradigm for formulating and evaluating new theories for learning and approaches to education. One of the goals of this course is to help new learning researchers situate their work within the constructionist framework through readings and projects that will focus on the rich interplay between the process of knowledge construction and the development and co-evolution of ideas, learners, tools, and contexts. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555716 This course explores the potential impact of modern technologies on the school reforms debate. The first part of the course provides an overview of the current state of the school reform debate and reviews the ideas in the progressive school reform movement, as well as examining the new public charter school in Cambridge as a case study. The second part of the course requires critical study of research projects that hold promise as inspirations and guidelines for concrete multidisciplinary activities and curriculum for progressive charter schools. The course concludes with a discussion of the challenges in scaling the successful innovations in school reform to new contexts. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=435325 This is a free, online textbook/course that is in 12 chapters/modules. The book is downloadable as a zip-file. One concern is that the entire book is downloadable as a zip file. However, it is difficult to see from the zip file what is in each unit. However, the following are the topics that are covered: Language and communication, Administration and management of tvet, Instructional techniques, Learning resources, Educational theory and practice, Distance education, Workshop organisation and management, Safety, Entrepreneurship, Applied computer studies, Practical teaching, and Action Research