The Book of Bera


Book Description

Born and raised in a stark, coastal village on the shore of the Ice-Rimmed Sea, Bera is the daughter of a Valla, the Vikings’ most powerful seers. But her mother died when she was young, leaving Bera alone with her gift, unable to control her feckless twin spirit or understand her visions of the future. When this inability leads to the death of her childhood friend at the hands of a rival clan, Bera vows revenge. And learning that her father has sold her into marriage with the murderous enemy’s chieftain, she is presented with an opportunity even sooner than she had hoped... As her powers grow stronger, her visions of looming disaster become more and more ominous until she is faced with the ultimate choice: will she exact vengeance? Or can she lead her people to safety before it’s too late?




Bera the One-Headed Troll


Book Description

After finding a human baby in the realm of trolls, Bera sets out to protect it from the other trolls by returning the baby to its own world.




The BERA/SAGE Handbook of Educational Research


Book Description

Education has continued to grow in stature and significance as an academic discipline. In addition to world renowned research studies the growth of education has been seen in the methodology and methods underpinning its research. The BERA/SAGE Handbook of Educational Research provides a cutting edge account of the research and methodology that is creating new understandings for education research, policy and practice. Over two volumes, the handbook addresses educational research in six essential components: Section 1: Understanding Research Section 2: Planning Research Section 3: Approaches to Research Section 4: Acquiring Data Section 5: Analysing Data Section 6: Reporting, Disseminating and Evaluating Research Featuring contributions from more than 50 of the biggest names in the international field, The BERA/SAGE Handbook of Educational Research represents a very significant contribution to the development of education.




Lobbying Hitler


Book Description

From 1933 onward, Nazi Germany undertook massive and unprecedented industrial integration, submitting an entire economic sector to direct state oversight. This innovative study explores how German professionals navigated this complex landscape through the divergent careers of business managers in two of the era’s most important trade organizations. While Jakob Reichert of the iron and steel industry unexpectedly resisted state control and was eventually driven to suicide, Karl Lange of the machine builders’ association achieved security for himself and his industry by submitting to the Nazi regime. Both men’s stories illuminate the options available to industrialists under the Third Reich, as well as the real priorities set by the industries they served.




The Amazing World of Quantum Computing


Book Description

This book discusses the application of quantum mechanics to computing. It explains the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics and then goes on to discuss various elements of mathematics required for quantum computing. Quantum cryptography, waves and Fourier analysis, measuring quantum systems, comparison to classical mechanics, quantum gates, and important algorithms in quantum computing are among the topics covered. The book offers a valuable resource for graduate and senior undergraduate students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields with an interest in designing quantum algorithms. Readers are expected to have a firm grasp of linear algebra and some familiarity with Fourier analysis.




Using Case Study in Education Research


Book Description

This book provides an accessible introduction to using case studies. It makes sense of literature in this area, and shows how to generate collaborations and communicate findings. The authors bring together the practical and the theoretical, enabling readers to build expertise on the principles and practice of case study research, as well as engaging with possible theoretical frameworks. They also highlight the place of case study as a key component of educational research. With the help of this book, M-Level students, teacher educators and practitioner researchers will gain the confidence and skills needed to design and conduct a high quality case study. Dr Lorna Hamilton is a Senior Lecturer in Education Research at the University of Edinburgh. Dr Connie Corbett-Whittier is an Associate Professor of English and Humanities at Friends University, Topeka, Kansas. ′Drawing on a wide range of their own and others′ experiences, the authors offer a comprehensive and convincing account of the value of case study in educational research. What comes across - quite passionately - is the way in which a case study approach can bring to life some of the complexities, challenges and contradictions inherent in educational settings. The book is written in a clear and lively manner and should be an invaluable resource for those teachers and students who are incorporating a case study dimension into their research work.′ -Ian Menter, Professor of Teacher Education, University of Oxford ′This book is comprehensive in its coverage, yet detailed in its exposition of case study research. It is a highly interactive text with a critical edge and is a useful tool for teaching. It is of particular relevance to practitioner researchers, providing accessible guidance for reflective practice. It covers key matters such as: purposes, ethics, data analysis, technology, dissemination and communities for research. And it is a good read!′ - Professor Anne Campbell, formerly of Leeds Metropolitan University ′This excellent book is a principled and theoretically informed guide to case study research design and methods for the collection, analysis and presentatin of evidence′ - Professor Andrew Pollard, Institute of Education, University of London Research Methods in Education series: Each book in this series maps the territory of a key research approach or topic in order to help readers progress from beginner to advanced researcher. Each book aims to provide a definitive, market-leading overview and to present a blend of theory and practice with a critical edge. All titles in the series are written for Master′s-level students anywhere and are intended to be useful to the many diverse constituencies interested in research on education and related areas. Other books in the series: - Qualitative Research in Education, Atkins and Wallace - Action Research in Education, McAteer - Ethnography in Education, Mills and Morton




Animal Helpers


Book Description

A book about the extraordinary bond between humans and animals, which is everlasting--animals as hard workers, friends, and faithful companions. They have been with us since time immemorial. Some are close to us, others we treat with great respect. And they help us: dogs as guides, elephants as warriors, cats as gods, cheetahs as hunters, pigeons as postmen, horses as therapists, dolphins as rescuers, pigs as truffle hunters, geese as guards, camels as racers, and cows as carriers. To find out more, open this book, feast your eyes on its pictures and read the stories about how wild animals became helpers and true friends of humans.




Tools for Teaching in an Educationally Mobile World


Book Description

Tools for Teaching in an Educationally Mobile World examines the challenges that undergraduate and postgraduate teachers often encounter when working with students from different national and cultural backgrounds. It focuses on the consequences for interactive teaching and for course design in a world where students, ideas and courses are mobile, using examples and experiences from a wide range of disciplines and national contexts. It not only considers Anglophone countries, including the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, but also the use of English as a language of instruction in countries where neither teachers nor students are native English speakers. This book offers ideas for adjusting and adapting teaching approaches for culturally and linguistically diverse student groups. Students may cross national boundaries to seek accreditation, or the courses may be ‘transnational’, being designed in one country and delivered in another using local as well as ‘fly-in’ faculty. It draws upon growing good practice recommendations using tried and tested methods alongside the extensive and varied experience of the author. The book is structured around a selection of the most common issues and statements of belief held by educators, with key topics including: the impact of educational mobility on teaching and learning; teachers as mediators between academic cultural differences; learning and teaching in English; inclusive teaching and learning; encouraging student participation; assessing diverse students. With a wealth of practical tips and tools that help deal with these issues, this book will be of value to any educator working with students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. It will also interest those involved in the design of curriculum and pedagogy.




Selecting the Right Analyses for Your Data


Book Description

"What are the most effective methods to code and analyze data for a particular study? This thoughtful and engaging book reviews the selection criteria for coding and analyzing any set of data--whether qualitative, quantitative, mixed, or visual. The authors systematically explain when to use verbal, numerical, graphic, or combined codes, and when to use qualitative, quantitative, graphic, or mixed-methods modes of analysis. Chapters on each topic are organized so that researchers can read them sequentially or can easily "flip and find" answers to specific questions. Nontechnical discussions of cutting-edge approaches--illustrated with real-world examples--emphasize how to choose (rather than how to implement) the various analyses. The book shows how using the right analysis methods leads to more justifiable conclusions and more persuasive presentations of research results. Useful features for teaching or self-study: *Chapter-opening preview boxes that highlight useful topics addressed. *End-of-chapter summary tables recapping the 'dos and don'ts' and advantages and disadvantages of each analytic technique. *Annotated suggestions for further reading and technical resources on each topic. Subject Areas/Keywords: analyses, coding, combined methods, data analysis, data collection, dissertation, graphical, interpretation, mixed methods, qualitative, quantitative, research analysis, research designs, research methods, social sciences, thesis, visual Audience: Researchers, instructors, and graduate students in a range of disciplines, including psychology, education, social work, sociology, health, and management; administrators and managers who need to make data-driven decisions"--




Landfall


Book Description

The time of peace is over. The time of war has begun. Bera is struggling to reconcile her desire to be an ordinary woman with the weight of her Valla duty to shape the future. Love and friendship vie with her longing for freedom at sea on her beloved longboat. Warned that Chaos is coming and that Vikings have taken her kin as slaves, Bera realises her destiny is to follow them to Wolf Island, a land that has abandoned the old gods. In a quest to save her loved ones, Bera must use her smith’s iron lore and the knowledge of her Valla ancestors to follow an ancient path into a dark labyrinth, where human time is meaningless. There, she confronts her worst foe to finally bring peace – at the cost of a life. The voyage that began with Sea Paths and continued with Obsidian ends with Landfall, Bera’s most dangerous and important journey of all.