Reimagining Alternative Technology for Design in the 21st Century presents a new approach to design that harnesses still-valuable alternative, traditional and abandoned technologies alongside the creation of new ones to address contemporary global problems. It focuses on design opportunities that reduce energy and material consumption to tackle issues such as climate change and pollution in industrialized economies. The book takes the reader on a journey surveying different facets of human activity to identify underused and discarded technologies that could be indispensable today. It critically addresses newer approaches to design and technology by comparing them to existing alternatives, unpacking examples including air conditioning with smart thermostats, electric lighting, durable reusable products, domestic maintenance tools and methods of transportation. Written for practicing designers and students in industrial design, architecture, sustainable design and human-centered design, this book provides new ideas and tools for creating more useful, energy-and-resource-efficient product designs and systems.

"Digital by Design is a wide-ranging survey that considers the work of those visionaries who are reimagining the relationship between technology, design products, immersive environments and human interaction for the twenty-first century. The result is a captivating assessment of pioneering approaches in art and design that encompasses a broad spectrum of humanist values, humour, magic and sensory experiences." "Leading multi-disciplinary art and design practice Troika has selected more than 100 objects, products and installations that exemplify this progressive new wave of technologically infused art and design. The book's bold presentation is indicative of Troika's hands-on knowledge of these fields and their transformative practices."--BOOK JACKET.

Reference service, the idea that librarians provide direct assistance to users, has been a central function of libraries for over a century. Today's libraries are even more complex and intimidating to new users than libraries of the past, and the technical and social contexts in which users experience their library's resources add to this complexity. The availability of a friendly librarian who helps users find materials, search for information on a topic, interpret citations, identify quality information, and format bibliographies has become a standard component of what libraries do. However, changes in technologies, economics, and user populations are causing many libraries to question the need and function of traditional reference services. This book examines how library services meet user needs in the twenty-first century. Many libraries are asking key questions about reference services, such as: Should librarians be on call waiting for users or out in the community promoting the library? Should we assign staff to help users one-on-one or is it more effective to assign them to build and use tools to teach users how to find and evaluate information? Will we continue to purchase commercial reference sources or just use Wikipedia and other free resources on the web? With the proliferation of information available today, how can we help users evaluate search results and select the best resources that they can find? And how do we evaluate the effectiveness of reference services? Through contributions from the leading scholars and practitioners in the field, this volume addresses such issues and how they affect practices in public and academic libraries. In addition, it presents perspectives from the publishing community and the creators of discovery tools. Each section is enhanced by short case studies that highlight real-world practices and experiences.

Responding to climate change has become an industry. Governments, corporations, activist groups and others now devote billions of dollars to mitigation and adaptation, and their efforts represent one of the most significant policy measures ever dedicated to a global challenge. Despite its laudatory intent, the response industry, or ‘Climate Inc.’, is failing. Reimagining Climate Change questions established categories, routines, and practices that presently constitute accepted solutions to tackling climate change and offers alternative routes forward. It does so by unleashing the political imagination. The chapters grasp the larger arc of collective experience, interpret its meaning for the choices we face, and creatively visualize alternative trajectories that can help us cognitively and emotionally enter into alternative climate futures. They probe the meaning and effectiveness of climate protection ‘from below’—forms of community and practice that are emerging in various locales around the world and that hold promise for greater collective resonance. They also question climate protection "from above" in the form of industrial and modernist orientations and examine large-scale agribusinesses, as well as criticize the concept of resilience as it is presently being promoted as a response to climate change. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of climate change, global environmental politics, and environmental studies in general, as well as climate change activists.

Volume 1: Theories, Methods and Ideas explores the mobility of ideas through time and space and how interdisciplinary theories and methodological approaches used in mobilities studies can be profitably utilised within the humanities and social sciences. Through a series of short chapters, mobility is employed as an elastic, inclusive and multifaceted concept across various disciplines to shed light on a geographically and chronologically broad range of issues and case studies. In doing so, the concept of mobility is positioned as a powerful catalyst for historical change and as a fruitful approach to research in the humanities and social sciences. Like its sister volume, this volume is edited and written by members of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Mobility and the Humanities (MoHu) at the Department of Historical and Geographical Sciences and The Ancient World (DiSSGeA) of the University of Padua, Italy. The structure of the book mirrors the Theories and Methods, and Ideas thematic research clusters of the Centre. Afterwords from leading scholars from other institutions synthesise and reflect upon the findings of each section. This volume, together with Volume 2: Objects, People and Texts, makes a compelling case for the use of mobility studies as a research framework in the humanities and social sciences. As such, it will be of interest to students and researchers in various disciplines.

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) is a new type of fiber-reinforced bendable cementitious composite that is used in various civil engineering applications instead of conventional and fiber-reinforced concrete due to its high mechanical and durable properties. In the macro and micro mechanic systems of ECC, the incorporation of different materials plays a vital role in enhancing the properties of ECC. Conventional concrete and fiber-reinforced concrete have a brittle nature and crack easily under environmental and mechanical loads, affecting the durability of structures. The usage of alternative materials in the ECC modifies the brittle nature and offers environmentally sustainable construction with low embodied energy and a negative carbon footprint. Production, Properties, and Applications of Engineered Cementitious Composites highlights the new and innovative ways of production, properties, and various applications of engineered cementitious composites. The main focus of the book is on the latest advancements, technical knowledge, tools, and solutions for engineered cementitious composites manufacturing, design, and technologies for construction from various perspectives. Covering key topics such as alternative materials, mineral admixtures, and testing of engineered cementitious composites, this premier reference source is ideal for engineers, industry professionals, researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Students often face challenges in a swiftly advancing Computer Science Education (CSE), where technologies evolve rapidly, and concepts unfold with overwhelming intricacies. As society becomes interwoven with technology, how essential is the integration of CSE into the educational framework to adequately equip future generations for the complexities of the digital era? Navigating Computer Science Education in the 21st Century advocates integrating CSE into curricula, underlining its crucial role in early childhood development. The book grapples with the challenge of introducing children to technology responsibly, addressing concerns about unmonitored screen time while emphasizing the necessity of evidence-based approaches for educators. Within these pages, effective teaching strategies are linked to successes in CSE. The book explores learner-centered teaching methodologies in computer science, emphasizing individualized instruction, active learning, and collaborative approaches. It evaluates the effectiveness of traditional lecture-based teaching against more innovative strategies such as game-based learning and collaborative approaches. By presenting studies that delve into the impact of these strategies on student engagement and motivation, the book equips educators with the insights needed to make informed decisions tailored to diverse learning environments.