Top Eight Research Needs

Imagine that a group of leading professors and cross-cultural consultants are assembled to discuss the kinds of research they would like to see in the next decade.
That meeting of the minds may very well develop into a “wish list” – posed in the form of questions- of the kinds of topics that will be high on researchers’ minds as they carry out research on third culture kids (TCK) in the future.

How is technology impacting the TCK experience? 

TCKs Connect

One undisputed trend in this rapidly changing world is the growing impact of globalization and technology. In an era of immediate communication – email, instant messenger, mobile phones and Skype (Internet telephony) – “global nomads” no longer need to lose track of each other, or of friends and family. So what does this mean for TCKs?
Except for anecdotal accounts, there appears to be little or no research in this area. Does technology increase continuity in a TCK childhood? Does it make building long-lasting relationships easier? Does it impede some from fully immersing themselves in the new culture they’ve just started calling home? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
TCK specialist and retired Sociology professor Dr. Ann Cottrell recalls her days as a foreign exchange student at the University of Edinburgh in the 1950s and how technology limitations affected her life abroad. Back then she needed to first arrange an appointment to make her monthly phone call back home. It was such a hassle, she rarely bothered. Today, friends and family are only fingertips or a click away. It’s mind boggling how far we’ve come.

Understanding Current Trends(Third Culture Kids-tcks)

The first question we should ask is why we should study current trends. Aside from stimulating the mind or merely piquing one’s curiosity, an examination of such trends can give us a snapshot of today’s most recent perspectives. Such a study can also be used as a roadmap for understanding the changing world we are entering and give us a glimpse toward the future.
At first glance, these trends mirror the major themes shaping the way TCKs are growing up. Upon closer examination they reveal the need for more information, specifically for more research to gain a deeper understanding of the impact these trends are having. Hence, the focus of this paper is to summarize the “Top Eight Research Needs” for the purpose of gaining that deeper understanding.
Two major themes dominate the TCK landscape today. The first is the increasingly visible and important role that adult TCKs are playing in the public and private sectors, specifically in the areas of education, politics, and business. The second is the exponential growth of research and resources being produced in universities and by those working directly with these children, whether they are teachers of TCKs or consultants who prepare them for their transition abroad.
One shortcoming to this growth of research, however, is the separation that often exists among intercultural researchers. At present, the data and investigations of those in academia and those who work in the field might be seen as separate dots on a map as yet unconnected by roads. It is hoped that by building roads of communication, we can discover what data is available, clarify where gaps exist, and then outline what the present research needs are. Following such a method, we will be in a better position to coordinate and direct research that is most needed now. Dealing effectively with the research needs of the present, we will also be better prepared to deal with the needs of the future.

Global Children Today, Future Voices Tomorrow

A whole generation of adult TCKs is taking center stage as authors, journalists, academics, and

trainers. From Malaysia to Canada, from Kuwait to Oklahoma, in the most unexpected places the
realm of Third Culture Kids is being discussed about extensively whether it’s on the Internet, in
newspapers or in scholarly journals.2 Not only are they being written about more and more, but
increasingly adult third culture kids (ATCKs) themselves are the ones responsible for the
evolution of the TCK term as it gradually enters the consciousness of the internationally mobile
populations and those who work and live with them. Evidence that TCKs are coming of age is all
around us. It can be found in their personal stories and in the rapid growth of the field itslef.
So what exactly is the “third culture” that these kids experience? It is simply the world expatriates
develop that is “rooted in the home culture, lived out in the host culture, but in the end, neither
fully one nor the other.” 3
This notion of living in a “world between worlds” is often experienced by many children even
those remaining in the same country all their lives. When one considers the increasing numbers
of children born to immigrants and refugees, it is not difficult to understand the prevalence of this
‘between worlds” identity among many TCKs and cross-cultural kids (CCKs). Though the trends
and needs of CCKs are worth study, it is the task of this paper to focus on the TCK community.

Indian Science Research Platform

Dedicated Indian Science Research Platform? Is there need to find other funding sources rather relying on Governments & Institutions? 

by 

Pratik Khandagale

Is there need for having single dedicated platform for Indian Research?
I believe that most of research opportunities in India are missed due to lack of proper Guidance & most importantly funding. There are literally thousands of Brilliant students in India, who can literally dominate the world if proper access to basic amenities are provided to them for research.This are not my words but recent turnarounds proves it.
Recently I came across news of some guy in Nagpur. He had developed a sole for our footwear which can generate electricity enough for recharging your iPods, Cell Phones, etc. It was good to knew & he done it on his own resources and funding. But important part is the cognizance of his sole was taken by big corporate houses like Adidas,Reebok to use that type of soles in their products. But that guy done another great thing, he setup his own manufacturing plant for those soles & is about to start to sell that thing to those soles to the companies! He could have sold that patent & had glorious life but he took on Entrepreneurship & not only make good of his own but also generating employment in the region. Now, this is something to think on!
Well, now we might assume that guy might have good financial background so he must have taken that step. Yes, right but here we are talking for people who have researched something new not even having access to those hi-tech laboratories. Many farmers have developed their own variety of Rice,Mangoes,Flowers,etc..The list is very very big. But pathetically they all are unexplored & not given proper attention. Same situation applies to students learning in different parts of India.Literally until today I was unknown to this awesome forum & sites like incentive! This should be changed.
I recommend all of you a book by Dr.Raghunath Mashelkar “Reinventing India”. I heard him this January in Pune & was immensely inspired to do something to connect all those unexplored talent to the platform where they can get proper guidance,funding & all basics in order to start with their research project.Recently I started a forum named IndiaScienceForum to initiate a step in this direction. Well, I came to this site accidentally while performing SEO for newly launched site at 14 June. The forum is still at its basic level but I hope that it will fly with those bright Minds of students seeking proper guidance from already settled research guys. Here are my replies to Govind’s thread for uniting all Indian scientist round the world Read it here
Please provide with your valuable suggestions & advice to make this forum a primary resource point.
Your help is much appreciated & as well as if any one is interested in moderator ship of this forum,You are welcome.
Thank you!

Survey relation with research ....

A survey is a systematic method of collecting data from a population of
interest. It tends to be quantitative in nature and aims to collect information
from a sample of the population such that the results are
representative of the population within a certain degree of error.

The purpose of a survey is to collect quantitative information, usually
through the use of a structured and standardized questionnaire.

ADVANTAGES OF SURVEYS

Can complete structured questions with many stakeholders within a
relatively short time frame.

Can be completed by telephone, mail, fax, or in-person.

It is quantifiable and generalizable to an entire population if the

population is sampled appropriately.

Standardized, structured questionnaire minimizes interviewer bias.

Tremendous volume of information can be collected in short period of
time.

Can take less time to analyses than qualitative data.

Survey Research

Survey research is one of the most important areas of measurement in applied social research. The broad area of survey research encompasses any measurement procedures that involve asking questions of respondents. A "survey" can be anything form a short paper-and-pencil feedback form to an intensive one-on-one in-depth interview.

We'll begin by looking at the different types of surveys that are possible. These are roughly divided into two broad areas: Questionnaires and Interviews. Next, we'll look at how you select the survey method that is best for your situation. Once you've selected the survey method, you have to construct the survey itself. Here, we will be address a number of issues including: the different types of questions; decisions about question content; decisions about question wording; decisions about response format; and, question placement and sequence in your instrument. We turn next to some of the special issues involved in administering a personal interview. Finally, we'll consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of survey methods.

Research Fellows, Expression Of Interest at australia

Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute

About the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI): Monash University, the Victorian State Government and the Australian Commonwealth Government are investing over $AUD150m in ARMI, a new research institute for regenerative medicine, focused on unraveling basic mechanisms of the regenerative process and developing clinical applications.

Situated on the Monash University Clayton campus in Melbourne, ARMI is a research Institute within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. Working with multiple centres and disciplines at Monash University and the neighboring institutes and medical centres, ARMI is laying the groundwork for the development of future therapeutic approaches to traumatic injury and degenerative disease, and will pursue rapid commercial transfer for its technologies. 

ARMI research groups are located in new, state-of-the-art laboratories with well equipped common facilities creating a framework for a creative, interdisciplinary and highly interactive environment. A key objective of ARMI is to enhance the field of regenerative medicine by promoting the career opportunities for young scientists.  As the headquarters of the European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL) Australia Partner Laboratory, ARMI will also include at least 6 groups operated according to the EMBL research model and philosophy.

Essential guide to doing research

•  Creative and strategic thinking should be seen as central to the research process. Research can be thought of as "thinking game" and "a whole brain activity that often demands that researcher should think outside any set of perspective 'rules'. It demands creativity that is effectively balanced with focus and structure.

• Scientific war born of positivism and adopted the assumptions of paradigm. These assumptions include: knowable and predictable world; empirical and reductionist research ; objective and expert teacher; hypothesis driven methods and quantitative findings.

•  The assumption of positivism have been brought into question. Post-positivist research acknowledge :a world that is ambiguous and variable ; research that can be intuitive and holistic ; research that can be collaborative and subjective ; method that can be exploratory and inductive; and research that can be ideographic and qualitative.

• Rather than positioning the research according to paradigmatic assumption, the reflexive researcher can consider whether it is possible to explore the assumptions of various paradigms as they relate to particular research questions.