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Intercultural Perspectives on Information Literacy and Metaliteracy (IPILM) is a discourseoriented learning environment that engages students from diverse cultural backgrounds to participate in collaborative knowledge construction. The objective is to evolve a thematic approach to course design that includes elements of open pedagogy, information literacy, and metaliteracy. IPILM invites participation from educators and learners from around the world and has witnessed an increase in participating countries. This paper describes the concept of IPILM and demonstrates the implementation of this approach in practice. The initiative was well received by students and is both feasible and sustainable as an intercultural learning endeavor. IPILM is an ongoing project and a work in progress that is an adaptable model which may be transferred to disparate fields of teaching and learning or adopted by international communities of instructors.

This paper examines new forms of study-abroad expertise on social media and their role in mediating Indian student mobility to Germany. Firstly, it explores how mutual-support Facebook and WhatsApp groups—used by prospective international students in India to support each other through the process of applying to German universities—have contributed to the emergence of new forms of education consultancy, offered by Indian students or graduates of German universities, whom I call 'Student Guides'. In addition, it shows how some Indians studying in Germany have started 'Study in Germany' YouTube channels, aimed at aspirant student migrants, and have become important 'study-abroad influencers'. The paper analyses how these new forms of study-abroad expertise offer prospective international students social and cultural capital important for successful student migration, apart from shaping their imaginative geographies of Germany, and embedding them in cultures of mobility. Furthermore, the paper highlights how these new forms of study-abroad expertise intersect with, and critique, a more 'traditional' study-abroad expert: the professional education consultant. The paper draws on a digital ethnography of 'Study in Germany' Facebook and WhatsApp groups and YouTube channels, as well as interviews with the YouTubers, Student Guides, and Indian students in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of highly cited papers from India in Web of Science from 1989-2015 are analyzed. The papers that have been cited at least 100 times till the 31st December 2015 are examined. Scientometric analysis of paper that have been cited at least 2000 times, their citation counts in 2015 and average citations per year and subject category are computed. Major contributing institutions, total papers and citation counts per paper are identified. The major collaborating countries, their total papers and their citation counts were also investigated. The most productive journals and their citation counts and the most prolific authors with at least 50 papers are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Indian higher education (HE) setting, what 'academic freedom' of students and faculty members constitutes has not been discussed in detail. As a result, many faculty members and students have discerned 'academic freedom' as freedom from external control and influence. It is noticed that faculty members and students are often misinterpreting and misconstruing the concept of 'academic freedom' as 'legal freedom' and confused it with 'civil and political rights'. This creates a hurdle to achieve the aims and objectives of Indian HE institutions. Against this backdrop, the paper discusses the concept of 'academic freedom' and its importance in the higher education setting. It examines the relationship between 'academic freedom' and 'university autonomy' in the Indian context. It discusses the HE institution's social responsibilities concerning the notion of 'academic freedom'. It delineates faculty member's and student's academic freedom in the Indian higher education setting. It submits that 'academic freedom' is not to be treated as 'legal freedom'. But it is an essential requisite for quality teaching-learning activities, productive and rewarding research works in higher education. The paper adopts a qualitative methodology that subsumes descriptive, evaluative, and interpretative approaches to derive its conclusion.

The work of school counsellors has become complex with the increasing technological advances and adolescents' dependency on them. There is a surprising lack of study in the Indian context, aimed at school counsellor's challenges in dealing with adolescents' digital use. This paper provides better understanding of the challenges of school counsellors involving adolescents' digital use in Indian schools. Three significant themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) negative aspects of digital use among Indian adolescents, (b) the need to effectively teach how to navigate the digital world and (c) the challenge of integrating technology with traditional counselling approaches to educate adolescents about their digital use. Furthermore, this paper presents implications for school counselling practice and research within Indian context.

In the context of a rapidly evolving Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) market and increasing debate about the design of a future global climate regime, it is essential to understand which types of projects are undertaken along industrial value chains, and also the influence of company characteristics (e.g. size, raw material base, product type, ownership and location) on firms' CDM participation and choice of project type. The Indian pulp and paper industry was examined for its energy intensity and its diversity in terms of both mitigation opportunities and company characteristics. Large firms were found to be more likely than small firms to participate in CDM. Although CDM projects in large and small firms generate similar amounts of certified emission reductions (CERs), the type of technology implemented in those projects varies strongly with company size due to differing levels of capabilities and capital. Mill size and raw material base also affect participation and choice of project type. A structured approach is suggested for analysing how to engage different subsectors of an industry in mitigation efforts based on transnational sectoral approaches, domestic sectoral approaches, and programmatic CDM. Preliminary policy recommendations are offered for the Indian pulp and paper industry, as well as insights that are transferable to other countries. A one-size-fits-all sectoral approach is difficult to implement and a strategy for differentiated treatment based on company characteristics is required to reflect local development priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores learners' awareness of and satisfaction with the e-services that an open university provides its learners through its Website. The paper further highlights the influence of age, gender, and education levels on learners' awareness and satisfaction levels. A case-study approach was adopted and an online survey was used to collect data from learners in various programs of study at Uttarakhand Open University, India. The questionnaire measured the awareness levels of learners regarding 15 frequently used e-services and their satisfaction levels with the 12 most frequently used e-services that the university offers. Results show that gender, age, and education level have a significant influence on the awareness and satisfaction level of the participants. When maturity level and education level of the participants increased, they are more aware of the e-services provided by the University. In some cases, up to 58% of users were unaware of the university's e-services, and a large number of respondents were either dissatisfied with or undecided regarding the university's e-services. Results indicate that infrastructure is required for learners' optimal use of information and communication technology and the e-services that the university offers, including the provision of Internet connectivity at all of the university's learning support centers.

This paper aims to analyze the effect of motivation in the development of English speaking skills on second language acquisition. There are so many excellent teaching methods that vary in effectiveness. Motivation is the driving force for learning another language, and integration of that language into the person's identity. Motivation is the practical reason for learning a second language. Data collection was done from two Indian universities named: Patna University and Patliputra University, from each university 50 students were randomly selected. Speaking English is one of the best needs of individual in both the students' academic and a professional field. The second language students should be encouraged not only in the classroom but also outside to speak in English. In achieving this goal, motivation can be used as magical catalyst in learning L[subscript 2]. With this viewpoint, this research focuses on 3 main motivational factors to analyze the role of motivation in developing speaking skills: identifying the motivation function in promoting speaking skills; researches on motivational factors for English as second language; suggesting impact and strategies in stimulating learners in developing speaking skills. close-ended questionnaires using relevant types of questions are chosen to conduct data collection. For the research, descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. The mean value was used to represent the analysis results. Within this paper, the researcher identified several factors that affect students' motivation to learn second language. Motivation is surely, of great importance in this phenomenon, and is often critical in its development.

This paper carried out a contextual analysis of different models of performance appraisals in both developed and developing countries on Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). First, it conducted a thorough examination of the contextual implications of performance appraisal models in developed and developing countries. Secondly, to better understand the various performance appraisal models for HEIs in both developed and developing countries, a review of the theoretical and conceptual framework of several performances appraisal models were conducted. The third phase of the review focused on performance appraisal in educational institutions in selected countries, as well as a review of Eric Alan Hanushek article on the role of human capital in economic growth in developing countries. Finally, the paper presented the findings and the research gaps identified in the review. In carrying out the first phase of this paper, the emphasis was placed on the importance of the context, which involves the interplay between the extrinsic (such as societal norms, economic and political situation of the country) and the inherent (institutional culture and leadership style) factors within which the HEI operates. Intrinsic and Extrinsic factors affecting the performance assessment of HEIs in Iraq, Kurdistan, have been reviewed. A similar review was carried out in HEIs in the United Kingdom and the United States of America to determine the extent to which organizational culture and social norms influence the formulation of performance appraisal models.

Political science as a subject is integral to the development of sensible and patriotic citizens, yet it is not given the attention it deserves in the Indian education system. Solidified by the findings of field research conducted in five schools that cater to India's middle-income bracket (the largest segment of the population), this research paper brings forth the reluctance of over 92% of the representative sample to undertake education in a discipline as important as political science- a distressing figure indeed. The sample involved random selection of students of grade 11 in the five schools mentioned herewith; qualitative research was obtained through anonymous questionnaires allowing a safe space for truthful responses, and quantitative data were obtained through access to the schools' records pertaining to subject selection for grades 11-12. This paper will highlight some of the current deficiencies in the system, undertake a comparative study of how it stands vis-à-vis those of European countries, and arrive at recommendations to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on how to improve civic education among high school students in the country, eventually fostering a moral and capable Indian generation.

COVID-19 has transformed higher education learning and teaching practices globally. Tertiary students, internationally face both opportunities and challenges in learning and adapting to this paradigm shift in the delivery of education. It remains unclear how students in international contexts are responding to these changes in digital learning during and post-COVID-19. This paper aims to compare student perceptions of digital competence, confidence, and resilience in present times using data from surveys of tertiary students from Australia, Cambodia, China, India, and Malaysia. There are disparities not only in the teaching and learning pedagogies amongst these countries but also in the levels of technological advancement, infrastructure support, and pace of digital innovation in the delivery of courses. These differences have put in focus students' both digital competencies and resilience as they pursue higher education on various digital learning platforms. Resilience includes the ability to bounce back or adapt from stress (Smith et al., 2008). Digital resilience is students' tech-savviness and preparedness to adapt to different digital environments as they pursue higher education. This paper examines the perceptions of tertiary undergraduate students from these countries in this emerging new digital learning norm. A total of 687 tertiary students from the aforementioned countries participated in a survey to questions related to digital competence, confidence in using and/or adapting to digital innovation, and resilience. Statistically significant attributes are identified to help better understand the challenges these culturally diverse students perceive in digital learning environments. This study will reveal barriers that impact the digital transformation of undergraduate students which can be used to recommend necessary teaching and learning support frameworks to enhance their digital competence and resilience. This will help tertiary institutions better equip all stakeholders in adapting to the new normal of higher education in the future.

Advertising has always played an important role in creating visibility for educational institutions. In today's time, digital marketing is the sought-after mode as there has been a significant shift from offline to online advertising. With the evolving times, flexibility and convenience take significant importance and it is critical for educational institutions to shift gears and adapt to the new formats. In order to stay relevant and have a competitive advantage, digital advertising helps higher educational institutions go that extra mile in engaging with their potential customers. It also helps in building awareness and attract good quality of students. In the world of digital advertising, 'Google Advertisement' is an online advertising platform developed by Google, where advertisers bid to display brief advertisements, service offerings, product listings, or videos to web users. It can place advertisements both in the results of search engines like Google Search and on non-search websites, mobile apps, and videos. Google AdWords offers the most pragmatic solutions and tools to all strategic issues of digital advertising. Click Through Ratio (CTR) stands out as the most significant index of reflecting its influence and impact. Amongst the array of choices, the right strategy requires an academic and strategic backing. The objective of this paper is to assess on the impact of Google Adwords is used in digital advertising campaigns promoting business schools in specific. This research concentrates on CTR as a measure of the campaign's effectiveness. This paper try's to understand CTR in the context related to the type of content embedded in these digital advertisements; the structure of this content; and hence identify and suggest new strategies. This paper identifies and proposes the right online advertising strategy that can be used by a Business School (B School). Purposive/non-probabilistic sampling was carried out to choose the specific of Business Schools (B-schools) for this study. The business schools selected were based on the National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2018 of the Indian Human Resource Development. The data was analyzed using to the Social Sciences Statistical Suite (SPSS). There was only access to publicly available and publicly displayed advertisement with no access to user profile data. CTR was utilized to measure total and proportional engagement. The advertisements were then categorized based on their content and analyzed through a one-way ANOVA test. For the purpose of an operationalizing, CTR was utilized as defined by Pak et. al. (2018): "A ratio showing how often people who see your advertisement end up clicking it." The main components analyzed are the characteristics of an effective advertisement appearing on the digital platform measured through its Click Through Ratio. One-way ANOVA has been conducted to assess the Click Through Ratio of advertisement segregated in twenty categories based on their format, content and time of appearance. The analysis reflects that Click Through Ratio differs for different format of advertisements, the information that they contain and for the time and day that they appear. Strategies based on these findings are suggested along with discussion, limitations and further scope of research.

Purpose: The quality of vocational education and training (VET) processes plays an important role in international education policies and research. In India, issues of quality came into focus in recent years due to an increased demand for skilled workers, and continuing challenges in the area of quality of VET. Existing quality assurance mechanisms of VET in India are characterised by a lack of comprehensiveness and uniform standards. This paper addresses the contextualised development of an Indian-specific approach for quality measurement. It centres on following research question: Which quality areas, criteria and related indicators are of relevance for measuring quality comprehensively? Approach: Design-based research substantiates the research objective, which is to develop a model that is theoretically and technically sound, as well as adapted to the national context. The question of how to create "cultural-fit" was essential for the research process illustrated in this paper. Starting point for the development of the approach was to build a structured review, and following analysis, with reference to existing models and approaches to quality management. The initial search examined national and international academic sources for quality management in business and education, as well as governmental sources for quality management strategies in VET. A significant number of models were selected, based on inclusion criteria, and these models were aggregated to provide a source for a first own conception of an approach. Results: Quality dimensions and criteria were collected and identified with reference to distribution across models. In total, seven major quality areas are identified, namely Institutional Sphere and Context; Personnel; Educational Planning, Provision and Assessment; Learning and Teaching; Leadership and School Management; Industry Linkage and Learner Achievements. In addition, 40 quality criteria are determined under these major quality fields, and relevant quantitative and qualitative sub-indicators for measurement are derived. Conclusion: The actual results will be a basis for the following pilot-based implementation in India. The model can provide meaningful feedback and data-based recommendations for continuous improvement of the Indian VET system and may furthermore provide for a reflected and contextually adapted implementation in other countries.

This article offers a global overview of the burgeoning field of micro-credentials and their relationship to lifelong learning, employability and new models of digital education. Although there is no globally accepted definition of micro-credentials, the term indicates smaller units of study, which are usually shorter than traditional forms of accredited learning and courses leading to conventional qualifications such as degrees. The paper aims to provide educators with a helicopter view of the rapidly evolving global micro-credential landscape, with particular relevance to higher education leaders, industry stakeholders and government policy-makers. It addresses five questions: (i) What are micro-credentials? (ii) Why micro-credentials? (iii) Who are the key stakeholders? (iv) What is happening globally? and (v) What are some of the key takeaways? Drawing on a European-wide perspective and recent developments in The Republic of Ireland, the paper concludes that micro-credentials are likely to become a more established and mature feature of the 21st-century credential ecology over the next five years. While the global micro-credential landscape is currently disconnected across national boundaries, more clarity and coherence will emerge as governments around the world increasingly align new credentialing developments with existing national qualification frameworks. The micro-credentialing movement also provides opportunities for governments and higher education institutions in partnership with industry to harness new digital learning models beyond the pandemic.

Women make significant decisions during desperate situations and even choose to do odd jobs to care for their families. Particularly Indian women put an end to their true identity to care for their children. India is known for its varied language and cultural practices. Different languages are spoken across the country, their culture differs from state to state, and their customs play a vital role with regard to religion. They worship different Gods, yet they remain united which is why it is called the country of 'Unity in Diversity. Despite the differences, all Indian women have certain common featured in them. Chastity is blended in the blood of every Indian woman. They tend to protect it throughout their lifetime. But unfortunately, some women are pushed to the position where they have to sell their chastity to provide for the family's sake. Even though the husband or the father is regarded as the primary breadwinner, today in so many Indian families women take up the family responsibility. They even choose to take up odd jobs such as surrogates and sex workers. This paper deals with the bottled-up emotions of one such woman and the consequences of the choice she made to take care of her family. The paper also argues the interconnection between the feminist concepts that are taken up for analysis.