Inclusive Access and Open Educational Resources E-text Programs in Higher Education
Inclusive Access and Open Educational Resources E-text Programs in Higher Education

Author: Tracy A. Hurley

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-06-12

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 3030457303

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This volume takes a comprehensive and broad look at e-text programs across a wide spectrum of programs, institutions, and policies in three parts. The first part showcases several policy papers to contextualize the discussion and highlight the reasons for IAE programs’ structure and the obstacles they face for implementation. The second part is an in-depth exploration of various case studies that provide a detailed description of IAE programs, including information about program elements, program structure, program size, and insights into how programs are operationalized, and their shortcomings and benefits to students and stakeholders. The final part is a selection of research papers that offer evidence-based support for the adoption of IAE programs in terms of student success, access, engagement, costs, and a variety of other student and institutional outcomes. There are approximately 300 institutions of higher education that currently have some form of Inclusive Access or Open Educational Resources E-text (IAE) program in the United States, but there is little scholarship that engages on the topic of assessing these programs’ effect on student success. The results of the research studies included in this volume will inform faculty, administrators, and policy-makers who seek to support the development, adoption, and implementation of IAE programs based on their potential positive effects on student success and other outcomes.

Toward Inclusive Access to Trade Finance
Toward Inclusive Access to Trade Finance

Author: Asian Development Bank

Publisher: Asian Development Bank

Published: 2022-08-01

Total Pages: 92

ISBN-13: 9292697080

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A persistently large trade finance gap is an ongoing global challenge, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, which continue to face significant barriers to access financing. This report reflects on the Trade Finance Gaps, Growth, and Jobs Survey conducted by the Asian Development Bank since 2012. It provides insights on trade finance trends, analysis, and lessons from the past 10 years and identifies what needs to happen to make access to trade finance more inclusive. The report discusses the rapid digitalization in trade and trade finance markets and advocates for increased international cooperation to enable the full benefits of digitization to be realized.

Towards digital inclusion in rural transformation
Towards digital inclusion in rural transformation

Author: Hernandez, K.

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. [Author] [Author]

Published: 2024-05-09

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9251386048

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The rapid and ongoing digital transformation of government, economic, and social sectors holds immense potential to improve outcomes across the SDGs for smallholder farmers and rural communities more generally. [Author] However, it is also widely recognized that digitalization alone does not guarantee inclusion. [Author] Rural residents and marginalized groups have the most to gain from digitalization but are also the most at risk of falling further behind due to digital divides. [Author] The resulting paradox may leave rural development actors unsure about how to best approach rural digital transformation. [Author] This report helps rural development practitioners and decision-makers work through this paradox. [Author] It does so by highlighting the factors that lead to digital exclusion, providing evidence regarding how digital divides play out, and providing recommendations on how to improve digital inclusion for rural areas and marginalized groups. [Author]

Credibility, Validity, and Assumptions in Program Evaluation Methodology
Credibility, Validity, and Assumptions in Program Evaluation Methodology

Author: Apollo M. Nkwake

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-12-13

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 3031456149

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This book focuses on methods of choice in program evaluation. Credible methods choice lies in the assumptions we make about the appropriateness and validity of selected methods and the validity of those assumptions. As evaluators make methodological decisions in various stages of the evaluation process, a number of validity questions arise. Yet unexamined assumptions are a risk to useful evaluation. The first edition of this book discussed the formulation of credible methodological arguments and methods of examining validity assumptions. However, previous publications suggest advantages and disadvantages of using various methods and when to use them. Instead, this book analyzes assumptions underlying actual methodological choices in evaluation studies and how these influence evaluation quality. This analysis is the basis of suggested tools. The second edition extends the review of methodological assumptions to the evaluation of humanitarian assistance. While evaluators of humanitarian action apply conventional research methods and standards, they have to adapt these methods to the challenges and constraints of crisis contexts. For example, the urgency and chaos of humanitarian emergencies makes it hard to obtain program documentation; objectives may be unclear, and early plans may quickly become outdated as the context changes or is clarified. The lack of up-to-date baseline data is not uncommon. Neither is staff turnover. Differences in perspective may intensify and undermine trust. The deviation from ideal circumstances challenges evaluation and calls for methodological innovation. And how do evaluators work with assumptions in non-ideal settings? What tools are most relevant and effective? This revised edition reviews major evaluations of humanitarian action and discusses strategies for working with evaluation assumptions in crises and stable program settings.

Quantitative Methods for ESG Finance
Quantitative Methods for ESG Finance

Author: Cyril Shmatov

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2022-12-01

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 1119903807

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A quantitative analyst’s introduction to the theory and practice of ESG finance In Quantitative Methods for ESG Finance, accomplished risk and ESG experts Dr. Cyril Shmatov and Cino Robin Castelli deliver an incisive and essential introduction to the quantitative basis of ESG finance from a quantitative analyst’s perspective. The book combines the theoretical and mathematical bases underlying risk factor investing and risk management with accessible discussions of ESG applications. The authors explore the increasing availability of non-traditional data sources for quantitative analysts and describe the quantitative/statistical techniques they’ll need to make practical use of these data. The book also offers: A particular emphasis on climate change and climate risks, both due to its increasing general importance and accelerating regulatory change in the space Practical code examples in a Python Jupyter notebook that use publicly available data to demonstrate the techniques discussed in the book Expansive discussions of risk factor investing, portfolio construction, ESG scoring, new ESG-driven financial products, and new financial risk management applications, particularly those making use of the proliferation of “alternative data”, both text and images A must-read guide for quantitative analysts, investment managers, financial risk managers, investment bankers, and other finance professionals with an interest in ESG-driven investing, Quantitative Methods for ESG Finance will also earn a place on the bookshelves of graduate students of business and finance.

Computational Intelligence Methodologies Applied to Sustainable Development Goals
Computational Intelligence Methodologies Applied to Sustainable Development Goals

Author: José Luis Verdegay

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-04-15

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 3030973441

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This book presents computational intelligence methodologies and its applications to sustainable development goals. Along 18 chapters prepared by reputed scientists around the world, this book explores and focuses on the impacts produced by the application of artificial intelligence and mainly of computational intelligence, in sustainable development goals and on analysing how particularly computational intelligence can influence the ability to comply in a timely manner with all the sustainable development goals. Specialists from STEM areas will find in this book an attractive showcase of instances and research lines to be explored.

Environmental Science for a Changing World (Canadian Edition)
Environmental Science for a Changing World (Canadian Edition)

Author: Karen Ing

Publisher: Macmillan Higher Education

Published: 2013-09-02

Total Pages: 577

ISBN-13: 146418285X

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Environmental Science for a Changing World captivates students with real-world stories while exploring the science concepts in context. Engaging stories plus vivid photos and infographics make the content relevant and visually enticing. The result is a text that emphasizes environmental, scientific, and information literacies in a way that engages students.

Along Came Google
Along Came Google

Author: Deanna Marcum

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2021-09-21

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 0691208034

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An incisive history of the controversial Google Books project and the ongoing quest for a universal digital library Libraries have long talked about providing comprehensive access to information for everyone. But when Google announced in 2004 that it planned to digitize books to make the world's knowledge accessible to all, questions were raised about the roles and responsibilities of libraries, the rights of authors and publishers, and whether a powerful corporation should be the conveyor of such a fundamental public good. Along Came Google traces the history of Google's book digitization project and its implications for us today. Deanna Marcum and Roger Schonfeld draw on in-depth interviews with those who both embraced and resisted Google's plans, from librarians and technologists to university leaders, tech executives, and the heads of leading publishing houses. They look at earlier digital initiatives to provide open access to knowledge, and describe how Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page made the case for a universal digital library and drew on their company's considerable financial resources to make it a reality. Marcum and Schonfeld examine how librarians and scholars organized a legal response to Google, and reveal the missed opportunities when a settlement with the tech giant failed. Along Came Google sheds light on the transformational effects of the Google Books project on scholarship and discusses how we can continue to think imaginatively and collaboratively about expanding the digital availability of knowledge.

Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability
Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability

Author: Vishnu Prasad Pandey

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2021-03-18

Total Pages: 25

ISBN-13: 1119564530

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WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND SUSTAINABILITY An in-depth review of sustainable concepts in water resources management under climate change Climate change continues to intensify existing pressures in water resources management, such as rapid population growth, land use changes, pollution, damming of rivers, and many others. Securing a reliable water supply—critical for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—requires understanding of the relation between finite water resources, climate variability/change, and various elements of sustainability. Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability is a timely and in-depth examination of the concept of sustainability as it relates to water resources management in the context of climate change risks. Featuring contributions by global authors, this edited volume is organized into three sections: Sustainability Concepts; Sustainability Approaches, Tools, and Techniques; and Sustainability in Practice. Detailed chapters describe the linkage between water and sustainable development, highlight the development and use of new measuring and reporting methods, and discuss the implementation of sustainability concepts in various water use sectors. Topics include localizing and mainstreaming global water sustainability initiatives, resilient water infrastructure for poverty reduction, urban water security for sustainable cities, climate actions and challenges for sustainable ecosystem services, and more. This important resource: Reviews contemporary scientific research and practical applications in the areas of water, climate change and sustainability in different regions of the world Discusses future directions of research and practices in relation to expected patterns of climate changes Covers a wide range of concepts, theories, and perspectives of sustainable development of water resources Features case studies of field and modelling techniques for analyzing water resources and evaluating vulnerability, security, and associated risks Discusses practical applications of water resources in contexts such as food security, global health, clean energy, and climate action Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability is an invaluable resource for policy makers water managers, researchers, and other professionals in the field, and an ideal text for graduate students in hydrogeology, climate change, geophysics, geochemistry, geography, water resources, and environmental science.