Childlessness is not a new phenomenon, but empirical evidence from the demographic field has demonstrated that it is on the increase. Furthermore, childlessness has a number of consequences for both women and men, the communities in which they live, their psychic states, their social networks and the organisations in which they work. Bringing together research from a wide range of scholarly disciplines, including philosophy, psychology, sociology, gender studies, social work and social pol...

Advancing digital technologies continue to shape all aspects of our society, with particular impact on the professional research community. These new and exciting developments offer considerable advantages in terms of speed, access connectivity, and economy. Advancing Research Methods with New Technologies examines the applicability and usefulness of new technologies, as well as the pitfalls of these methods in academic research practices. This book serves as a practical guide for designin...

Starting with the basics and fully grounded in the context of actually doing research, this practical book is the perfect companion as students tackle a business research project head on for the first time.Guiding readers through the research process in author David E. Gray’s approachable style, the book helps them build their understanding and develop the skills they need to establish good practice when planning and doing research in the business world. This second edition offers:...

A one-stop knowledge resource, Emerging Technologies in Distance Education showcases the international work of research scholars and innovative distance education practitioners who use emerging interactive technologies for teaching and learning at a distance. This widely anticipated book harnesses the dispersed knowledge of international experts who highlight pedagogical, organizational, cultural, social, and economic factors that influence the adoption and integration of emerging technolo...

Online and Social Networking Communities is a professional guide written for educational practitioners and trainers who wish to use online communication tools effectively in their teaching. Focusing on the student experience of learning in online communities, it addresses ‘web 2.0’ and other ‘social software’ tools and considers the role these technologies play in supporting student learning and building learning communities.The guide offers:real-world case s...

With everything readers need to know about how to execute their research project, this book is written specifically for information systems (IS) and computing students. It introduces key quantitative and qualitative research methods, makes sense of underlying philosophies, and helps readers navigate and assess existing academic papers. Special features support students as they bridge the gap between theory and practice. These include:- research examples from the IS and computing di...

"This is a must-read for every student, lecturer and professor. It establishes Internet Studies as essential to an understanding of how learners and educators can capture the value of our networked world."Professor William H. Dutton, Director of the Oxford Internet Institute, University of OxfordIn E-learning Theory and Practice the authors set out different perspectives on e-learning. The book deals with the social implications of e-learning, its transformative effects, an...

Sponsored by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), this book presents a definition of the field of study and practice known as educational technology or instructional technology. It reflects the collaborative efforts of all members of the AECT Definition and Terminology Committee.The volume begins with the statement of the definition itself (chapter 1), followed by commentary chapters on each of the key terms and concepts contained in the definition ...

The Handbook of Design in Educational Technology provides up-to-date, comprehensive summaries and syntheses of recent research pertinent to the design of information and communication technologies to support learning. Readers can turn to this handbook for expert advice about each stage in the process of designing systems for use in educational settings; from theoretical foundations to the challenges of implementation, the process of evaluating the impact of the design and the mann...

Designing and Doing Survey Research is an introduction to the processes and methods of planning and conducting survey research in the real world.Taking a mixed method approach throughout, the book provides step-by-step guidance on:• Designing your research• Ethical issues• Developing your survey questions• Sampling• Budgeting, scheduling and managing your time• Administering your survey• Preparing for data ana...

Understanding the importance of cultural predisposition could create a firmer foundation for the application of situational leadership on a global basis. European, Asian, Latin American, Middle-Eastern (Arab) and African leadership models are often different from that of the United States, though they share some common foundational principles. Within the context of globalization and the current trend of organizational growth, a new mindset of cultural inclusion is needed to prepare tomorrows ...

This volume gives language teachers, software designers, and researchers who wish to use technology in second or foreign language education the information they need to absorb what has been achieved so far and to make sense of it. It is designed to enable the kind of critical reading of a substantial literature that leads to a balanced and detailed knowledge of the field.Chapter by chapter, the book builds, through description, analysis, examples, and discussion, a detailed picture of mode...