Using the Internet to Support International Collaborations for Global Geography Education

This paper reports the results of a pilot study that evaluated a prototype instructional module designed to support international collaborative learning in the World Wide Web. The module, Migration, was tested at four higher education institu tions in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Students valued the opportunity to learn global geography by collaborating electronically in multinational teams, yet many students complained about confusing instructional procedures and uncooperative team members. The results of the module evaluation provide useful suggestions for managing pedagogical issues related to the process of online international collaborative learning.     

OpenStreetMap in Israel and Palestine – ‘Game changer’ or reproducer of contested cartographies?

In Israel and Palestine, map-making practices were always entangled with contradictive spatial identities and imbalanced power resources. Although an Israeli narrative has largely dominated the ‘cartographic battlefield’, the latest chapter of this story has not been written yet: collaborative forms of web 2.0 cartographies have restructured power relations in mapping practices and challenged traditional monopolies on map and spatial data production. Thus, we can expect web 2.0 cartographies to be a ‘game changer’ for cartography in Palestine and Israel. In this paper, I review this assumption with the popular example of OpenStreetMap (OSM). Following a mixed methods approach, I comparatively analyze the genesis of OSM in Israel and Palestine. Although nationalist motives do not play a significant role on either side, it turns out that the project is dominated by Israeli and international mappers, whereas Palestinians have hardly contributed to OSM. As a result, social fragmentations and imbalances between Israel and Palestine are largely reproduced through OSM data. Discussing the low involvement of Palestinians, I argue that OSM's ground truth paradigm might be a watershed for participation. Presumably, the project's data are less meaningful in some local contexts than in others. Moreover, the seemingly apolitical approach to map only ‘facts on the ground’ reaffirms present spatio-social order and thus the power relations behind it. Within a Palestinian narrative, however, many aspects of the factual material space might appear not as neutral physical objects but as results of suppression, in which case, any ‘accurate’ spatial representation, such as OSM, becomes objectionable.     

Influence of Openings,With and Without Confinement,on Cyclic Response of Infilled R-C Frames — An Experimental Study

This article presents the experimental results of a study on reinforced-concrete frames infilled with masonry with openings. The frames were designed according to current European codes. They were built in a scale 1:2.5 and infilled with masonry walls. Mid-size window and door openings were located centrically and eccentrically and were executed with and without tie-columns around them. Presence of masonry infill, although not accounted for in design, improved the system behavior (increase in stiffness, strength and energy dissipation capacity) at drift levels of up to 1%. During the test, openings did not influence the initial stiffness and strength at low drift levels. Their presence became noticeable at higher drift levels, when they lowered the energy dissipation capacity of the system. The infill wall had a multiple failure mechanism that depended on the opening height and position. Tie-columns controlled the failure type, independent of the opening type, prevented out-of-plane failure of the infill, and increased the system's ductility. Negative effects of the infill on the frame were not observed. The infill's contribution could be deemed positive as it enhanced the overall Structural Performance Level. Analytical expressions commonly used for infilled frames underestimate the infill's contribution to strength and stiffness and overestimate the contribution of the bare frame.     

AN OPEN INVITATION?: ADDING LINKS TO THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF HISTORICAL REPRESENTATIONS

Gradual changes in the way historians select, interpret, and represent aspects of the past are related to equally or perhaps more gradual changes in museum practice. Edited collections on this subject reflect the state of both disciplines and offer an opportunity to evaluate trends, assess progress, and forecast the future. The collection examined in this review essay focuses on the idea of sharing historical authority: How far have we come? What methods have been used? What is the value of collaborative effort? Have technological developments, including digital media and the “participatory Web,” really enabled more inclusive participation? The analysis of the collection includes specific attention to the text itself as an exhibitionary object and emphasizes the effects of its unusual design elements, deictic signals, and heterogeneous genres—particularly the case studies and “thought pieces” that form a significant part of the collection. Other focal points include: the interrogative mood of the text and its call for active reading; explicit historical, social, and disciplinary contexts; and precursor texts that have addressed similar subject matter.     

记谷牧考察避暑山庄的重要谈话

1978年9月,谷牧副总理考察了驻避暑山庄单位搬迁和山庄、外八庙整修工程进展情况,在参观考察中和听取承德地市负责人汇报时,作了重要谈话,涉及避暑山庄和外八庙保护、整修、利用、开放、旅游、城市建设等方面,内容十分丰富,含意深刻,至今对文物保护仍有重要的现实意义。     

Increasing Seismic Energy Dissipation of Steel Moment Frames Using Reduced Web Section (RWS) Connection

Connections of steel moment frames are vulnerable to brittle failure. Providing a perforation near the beam-ends is suggested as a potential method to improve seismic behavior of these structures. This article presents a numerical study on the energy dissipation of steel moment connections with perforated beam. Models with elongated circular openings of different dimensions and location are analyzed and compared based on the global and local damage indices, predicted failure time and dissipated energy. Results show that an RWS connection with a proper opening size can develop reasonable inelastic deformations and provide an acceptable seismic improvement to moment-resisting frames.     

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of IPE Reduced Beam Sections with Diagonal Web Stiffeners

A reduced beam section (RBS) is a new type of connection in steel moment resistant frames. In addition to the major benefits, RBS has its own weaknesses, such as web local buckling and lateral torsional buckling. The purpose of this paper is to improve the performance of European I-beam profile (IPE) with an arched cut in the flange, using a diagonal stiffener of the beam web. With the help of laboratory tests and numerical models, it was found that the use of a diagonal stiffener in the area of an arched cut increased the energy dissipation and plastic rotation capacity of RBS connection.     

开放性:马克思主义永葆生机与活力的源泉

马克思主义是一个开放的理论体系。它具有鲜明的向历史和当代开放的特性;具有强烈的自我开放特性;具有独特的向未来开放特性。开放性是马克思主义永葆生机与活力的源泉。     

Digitalising sex commerce and sex work: a comparative analysis of French,Greek and Slovenian websites

The aim of this article is to explore the complexity of the online sex trade and work by analysing sexuality-related commercial websites, with reference to three European states, France, Greece and Slovenia. The article compares websites in each specific sociocultural context, in order to provide insights into the various types of networks and services that emerge, and to explore how they operate, how they communicate and how sex is being merchandised. We have conducted a two-tier analysis: The first part discusses results of a quantitative macro-analysis exploring 149 websites, while the second part is a micro-analysis analysing the visualisation of egocentric network of three selected websites. The focus is on understanding how gender relations develop in digital environment and how within cyberspace sectorial and national divides are dealt with. While there is evidence to suggest that in some sectors the Internet has opened avenues for sex workers to work independently of the control networks, there are also many forms of exploitation that arise from new media. We observe that sex commerce online is not particularly attentive to the agency of sex workers but is, to the contrary, oriented to provide opportunities and a forum for businessmen and clients.     

Addressing the 'Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education' with Internet-enhanced Education

This paper evaluates the use of the Internet to enhance learning and to promote good practice in undergraduate education according to Chickering and Gamson's (1991) principles. Results from a survey of 236 geography students over the past 2 years indicate that the Internet can facilitate good educational practices. Students believe use of email encouraged student-faculty contact. Active learning is encouraged, but is not overwhelmingly favoured by students. Prompt feedback is facilitated. Students also believe the Internet materials allow more efficient use of time in and out of the classroom, and enhance their learning .