Benefits and Challenges of Using Educational Games

In the 21st century, games can potentially be used as serious educational tools. Today's learners are distracted easily, and game-based learning is the silver bullet because it can potentially immerse the students in content and curricula. Not only does game-based learning with its power to engage and motivate users make the course come alive, but it can also provide a platform in critical thinking, creativity, instant feedback, and collaboration. One of the biggest challenges in education is the different learning styles of the students; game-based learning can easily overcome that. Games can be categorized into different genres such as action, adventure, fighting, puzzle, role-playing, simulation, sports, or strategy. Game designers can potentially select the appropriate genre best suited for effective learning. Even with all the advantages of game-based learning, some challenges, such as unwillingness of teachers to change or improper design of educational games, still exist. With students sometimes far ahead in the use of technology, some teachers who are left behind can be intimidated. The conceptual generation gap in this regard is quite wide, and designing, developing, and implementing games in curricula can be expensive. Though some games can be repurposed for education many cannot be repurposed to meet the expectations of the students.

¿Cómo de lleno está el vaso?

Este artículo revisa los treinta años de experiencia de los profesionales de los documentos respondiendo al desafío de la transformación digital de los procesos de trabajo, con especial referencia a Australia. Mantiene que el desafío ha demostrado ser un problema perverso, que ha impedido una fácil resolución. Aunque se han identificado algunas estrategias útiles y se han logrado algunos avances, la situación general es que la situación de la gestión de documentos digitales continúa deteriorándose. Se apuntan varias razones para esta aparente falta de progreso, al igual que las tendencias y problemas emergentes, como el ‘big data’. El autor sostiene que no existen soluciones rápidas o “soluciones mágicas” y que deberíamos reducir nuestras expectativas de éxito. Sin embargo, mantiene que ahora existe una gama de buenos estándares, herramientas y modelos que se pueden implementar para tratar de lograr resultados de gestión de documentos ‘suficientemente buenos’, pero que nuestra profesión debe ser resiliente, flexible, realista y decidida a enfrentarse a las inevitables frustraciones y contratiempos. This paper reviews 30 years of experience of records professionals responding to the challenge of digital transformation of work processes, with particular reference to Australia. It argues that the challenge has proved to be a wicked problem, which has defied easy resolution. Although some useful strategies have been identified and some progress has been made, the overall situation is that the state of digital recordkeeping is continuing to deteriorate. Various reasons for this apparent lack of progress are discussed, as are emerging trends and issues, such as ‘big data’. The author argues that there are no quick fixes or ‘silver bullet’ solutions and that we should lower our expectations of success. He argues, nevertheless, that there now exists a range of good standards, tools and models that can be deployed to try to achieve ‘good enough’ recordkeeping outcomes, but that our profession has to be resilient, flexible, realistic and determined in the face of inevitable frustrations and setbacks. TRANSFORMACIÓN DIGITAL | DATOS | AUSTRALIA | GESTIÓN DE DOCUMENTOS DIGITALES

The Large-Conductance, Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel: A Big Key Regulator of Cell Physiology

Large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels facilitate the efflux of K+ ions from a variety of cells and tissues following channel activation. It is now recognized that BK channels undergo a wide range of pre- and post-translational modifications that can dramatically alter their properties and function. This has downstream consequences in affecting cell and tissue excitability, and therefore, function. While finding the “silver bullet” in terms of clinical therapy has remained elusive, ongoing research is providing an impressive range of viable candidate proteins and mechanisms that associate with and modulate BK channel activity, respectively. Here, we provide the hallmarks of BK channel structure and function generally, and discuss important milestones in the efforts to further elucidate the diverse properties of BK channels in its many forms.

Dialogues in Sustainable HRM: Examining and Positioning Intended and Continuous Dialogue in Sustainable HRM Using a Complexity Thinking Approach

In the emerging sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM) literature, advocating to ‘rehumanize’ and pluralize HRM, dialogue is put forward as a silver bullet to cope with paradoxical tensions and pluralist workforces. This conceptual paper aims to add to the sustainable HRM literature by examining the position and application of dialogue within sustainable HRM, using ideas and concepts from dialogue literature and complexity thinking. We applied core concepts of complexity thinking (i.e., self-organization, nonlinearity, attractors, and emergence) to deepen our understanding of the positioning of dialogue, the position of power, and the emergence of intended and unintended outcomes. Moreover, through the distinction between intentional and continuous dialogue, the intentional, dynamic, and emergent nature of dialogue was explored. Connecting, sensing, grasping, and influencing the local patterning of continuous dialogue is important for positioning dialogue within sustainable HRM, and intentional dialogical practices can support this. More specifically, based on our literature review, we present a conceptual model that furthers our understanding of (1) conceptualizations of dialogue as both intended and continuous; (2) the role of power in dialogue; (3) how stability and novelty emerge from dialogue. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the developed perspectives on dialogue for future research as well as management practices.

Achieving Transformational Change in the School Library Program

Much of our professional conversations revolve around the concept of change—changing the way books are organized in a library or changing policy on checkouts and fines. These changes are exciting and oftentimes come with quick recognition and praise. But when we discuss changes in the way we collaborate with teachers or the way the school library program situates itself in the daily life of a school, frustrations mount, and our desire for silver-bullet solutions becomes evident. Differentiating the types of change we seek may help us understand how to frame our expectations and set our professional goals.