Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
  1. Home
  2. Publications
  3. Textbooks
  4. Content Listing

Refine search

Refine search

Access:
Content type:
Publication date:
Apply   From and To filters
Subject: Show more
Journals Show more
Publishers: Show more
Societies Show more
Series: Show more
Collections: Show more

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

38626 results in Cambridge Textbooks

Page 1512 of 1932

  • 6 - Functions and continuity: Neighbourhoods, limits of functions

  • from PART II - FUNCTIONS
  • R. P. Burn, University of Exeter
  • Book:
    Numbers and Functions
    Published online:
    11 May 2018
    Print publication:
    19 February 2015, pp 141-175

  • Summary

    Preliminary activity: make sure that you have access to graph-drawing facilities on a computer or graphic calculator, and that you can use these facilities with confidence.

    Preliminary reading:Leavitt ch. 1.

    Concurrent reading: Swann and Johnson, Hart, Reade, Smith, Spivak chs 4, 5, 6.

    Further reading:Mason.

    Before coming to university you will have worked with polynomials, trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions. Now we explore properties shared by all of these functions: continuity, differentiability and integrability.

    Functions

    When you read or hear the phrase ‘the function f(x)’, what comes to your mind? Perhaps a formula, perhaps a graph.

    1 Write down what x can stand for, and what is meant by f, in the expression f(x). Compare your answer with the one in the summary at the end of this section.

    We will introduce some special vocabulary in order to be clear what we mean when talking about functions.

    The domain of a function

    If f(x) = x2 and the values of x are 0, ±1, ±2, ±3, …, ±n, …, then the values of f(x) are 0, 1, 4, 9, …, n2, …. The set of possible values of x is called the domain of the function. When we say that x is a variable, we mean that the symbol x is being used to denote any member of the domain of a function. When the possible values of x are real numbers, the function is called a function of a real variable.

    The range and co-domain of a function

    The set of possible values of f(x) is called the range of the function, and any set which contains the range may be declared to be the co-domain of the function. We have just given a function with domain ℤ and range ℕ ∪ {0}, which we express symbolically by writing f: ℤ → ℕ ∪ {0}, with the definition f(x) = x2 (or f: x → x2).

  • 4 - The laws of thermodynamics

  • David Goodstein, California Institute of Technology
  • Book:
    Thermal Physics
    Published online:
    28 May 2018
    Print publication:
    19 February 2015, pp 69-90

  • Summary

    The origin and meaning of the first and second laws

    Of all the tales in the repertory of human folklore, one of the best may be one that is hardly ever told. It is the epic saga of the second law of thermodynamics. The second law was born in an attempt to improve the steam engine, and it went on to predict the ultimate fate of the Universe. It captured the popular imagination, defined the meaning of time, and led to the discovery of quantum mechanics. It was born, like some mythical beast, before its putative mother, the first law of thermodynamics.

    Before we get swept away by the mighty tide of these powerful laws, let us remind ourselves that we already know everything there is to know about what they say and why they are true. The first law expresses, in a special way, the conservation of energy. We examined it at some length earlier. The second law says essentially that the entropy of an isolated system increases until it can get no larger. We’ve already seen that that’s true. What we have to say here is therefore mere elaboration.

    Before the middle of the nineteenth century, it was believed that heat was a fluid, called caloric, which could flow fromone body to another. That view differed from our present understanding in that each body was thought to possess a definite amount of caloric, which, being a fluid, could neither be created nor be destroyed. It was a successful theory, but it wasn’t quite right.

  • Chapter 1 - Understanding self

  • from Part 1 - Thinking About People and Places
  • Nadine Louise McCrea, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Leading and Managing Early Childhood Settings
    Published online:
    12 August 2019
    Print publication:
    13 February 2015, pp 9-29

  • Summary

    Socrates advised us ‘know thyself’ and he claimed the unexamined life is not worth living … Unexamined lives may well be valuable and worth living, but an education that does not invite such examination may not be worthy of the label education.

    Nel Noddings (2006, p. 10)

    Broad concepts

    In this chapter, your journey along the professional leading-managing path encompasses concepts about the self, including both your personal life and your professional life. You are encouraged to think about the following Steps:

  • Is ‘knowing oneself’ relevant?

  • Who am I personally?

  • Who am I professionally?

  • What is leading with managing?

    • From this first chapter onwards, you will traverse the professional path filled with diverse ideas that are linked with professional experiences, research findings and professional associations. These sources represent multiple professional fields and academic disciplines, including early childhood education, philosophy, feminism, sociology, anthropology, psychology, ethics, human ecology, social justice and equity.

    Step 1: Is ‘knowing oneself’ relevant?

    The notion of knowing and understanding oneself may be related to asking oneself such questions as:

  • Who am I?

  • Who is my family?

  • Where do I come from?

  • What is my background?

  • When (in what times) did I grow up?

  • How did I live?

  • Who am I now?

  • What roles do I have in society?

  • How did I get to this point?

  • How comfortable am I with myself right now?

    • Additionally, it will be helpful if you incorporate a qualifier question – ‘Why?’ – for each of the above questions, as suggested by Noddings (2006, p. 10). For example, revisiting the ‘Who am I?’ with a ‘Why?’ forms the deeper question: ‘Why am I who I am?’ Carefully revisiting past childhood and earlier adulthood experiences can help reveal our present thoughts, values and attitudes, dispositions and habits of mind and indeed result in greater self-awareness. Such a trip back in time may help us understand the impact of the past on our current daily adult lives. This kind of self-study, or memory work, is not about self-interest or self-promotion, nor is it about selfishness (Noddings, 2006). Rather, the purpose of better knowing oneself relates to living and working authentically with others. In fact, Amanda Sinclair (2007) suggested ‘going back’ because ‘leadership has a childhood’.

  • Chapter 3 - Contemplating workplaces

  • from Part 1 - Thinking About People and Places
  • Nadine Louise McCrea, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Leading and Managing Early Childhood Settings
    Published online:
    12 August 2019
    Print publication:
    13 February 2015, pp 56-80

  • Summary

    Leadership is by people with people and their organizations. It is possible that this human-centered perspective works to distance humans from the natural world … Is it one of humans over, with or of Nature? … Nature-centered leaders encourage others to reflect on these relationships.

    Spencer Stober, Tracey Brown & Sean Cullen (2013, p. 2)

    Broad concepts

    Here your journey along a professional leading-managing path has reached a point for stopping to explore early childhood settings and significant organisations beyond them. You will be thinking about the following Steps:

  • How diverse are early childhood settings?

  • What are some beyond-the-fence contexts surrounding early childhood settings?

  • What constitutes an organisation?

    • Diverse settings

    There is a wide variety of early childhood settings across Australia and internationally. We begin from a contemporary frame of these places and spaces, with some relevant historical perspectives included (Ailwood, 2007a). This ‘present-and-past’ approach to workplaces may assist professionals when they consider which aspects of settings to protect and what features and practices to change. One consideration about settings relates to their ‘naming’ (refer back to this concept in Chapter 2). The past-present time dimensions are a relevant leadership and management issue here because the same name can have different meanings and nomenclature across contexts and over decades. Thus, staff, parents, community members and even governments may be confused or misled by the names and labels used for early childhood settings.

  • Chapter 2 - Exploring communication

  • from Part 1 - Thinking About People and Places
  • Nadine Louise McCrea, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Leading and Managing Early Childhood Settings
    Published online:
    12 August 2019
    Print publication:
    13 February 2015, pp 30-55

  • Summary

    As stated by the eminent cognitive neuroscientist Michel Gazzaniga: ‘Everything in life is memory, save for the thin edge of the present.’ Memory allows us to recall birthdays, holidays and other significant events that may have taken place hours, days, months, or even many years ago. Our memories are personal and ‘internal’, yet without memory we wouldn’t be able to undertake ‘external’ acts – such as holding a conversation, recognising our friends’ faces, remembering appointments, acting on new ideas, succeeding at work, or even learning to walk.

    Jonathan K Foster (2009, p. 2)

    Broad concepts

    Here your journey along a professional leading-managing path encompasses concepts about communicating authentically, both within early childhood settings and beyond them. You will explore what communication involves, professional ways of communicating and much more. You are encouraged to think about the following Steps:

  • Why is communicating with others essential?

  • How and why are our words so powerful?

  • What does professional communication encompass?

    • Step 1: Why is communicating with others essential?

    Language is central to people’s humanity. Each of us has a language – our mother tongue that was learned informally from infancy while sitting on the knees of family members. Of course, many infants learn more than one mother tongue simultaneously. Additionally, many of today’s infants are enrolled in early childhood settings, where they also learn some of their first or second language on the knees of staff. Communication is so deeply intertwined with both our interacting and relating that the three can hardly be separated. This aspect of our humanness is so fundamental, especially in this fast-paced world. Thus, it is essential that early childhood staff consider how to wisely support young children and their burgeoning communications.

  • Chapter 6 - A professional role – a pedagogy creator

  • from Part 2 - Thinking About Practices as Roles
  • Nadine Louise McCrea, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Leading and Managing Early Childhood Settings
    Published online:
    12 August 2019
    Print publication:
    13 February 2015, pp 120-145

  • Summary

    We recognise that we are both co-products and co-producers of this moment and that the best we can do is offer glimpses.

    Richard Edwards & Robin Usher (2008, p. 14)

    Broad concepts

    In this chapter, your professional path widens to a well-marked and maintained four-lane highway, with side paths that are firmly gravelled and well-trodden by foot and bicycle traffic. The size and condition of this travel route represents the centrality or key purpose of early childhood settings. As young children are the centre point, everything that contributes to their well-being and authentic learning is pivotal. All other aspects of these settings as presented throughout this book exist as contributors to young children’s living and learning. Young children are the central purpose of all ECE work. In this chapter, you will be thinking about the following Steps:

  • What are the leading and managing facets of a pedagogy creator role?

  • Which responsibilities help frame children’s learning?

  • Who is involved in children’s learning?

    • Step 1: What are the leading and managing facets of a pedagogy creator role?

    Being an effective and authentic pedagogy creator involves engaging with many people, various educational places and diverse curricular models and practices. Both positional and situational leader-managers are usually active participants in all aspects of early childhood pedagogy. Generally, pedagogy relates to children’s educational experiences beginning with adults’ philosophical ideas, moving to other learning steps and teaching processes, and finally to the everyday interactions and experiences within early childhood settings.

  • Chapter 7 - A professional role – a rights advocate

  • from Part 2 - Thinking About Practices as Roles
  • Nadine Louise McCrea, University of New England, Australia
  • Book:
    Leading and Managing Early Childhood Settings
    Published online:
    12 August 2019
    Print publication:
    13 February 2015, pp 146-162

  • Summary

    A non-violent revolution is not a program of seizure of power. It is a program of transformation of relationships, ending in a peaceful transfer of power.

    Mohandas K. Gandhi (2007, p. 40)

    Broad concepts

    In this chapter, your professional path moves on to what some would consider the edges of an early childhood education roadway, or maybe even a sidetrack. Being an advocate may be viewed as taking on a trailblazer mantle; this is a person who marks out a route through what is seen as wilderness. Such a trail could involve sharp hairpin turns as the contour of the land is followed. Clearing a trail and going around these bends may reward you with new vistas of the ECE profession and field. This trailblazer metaphor can be applied across ECE, where it relates to the intrigue of politics and forces of power at all layers of government and in the corporate world. Here, you will be thinking about the following Steps:

  • What are the leading and managing facets of a rights advocate role?

  • Which responsibilities link with professional vision and moral higher ground?

    • Step 1: What are the leading and managing facets of a rights advocate role?

    This leader-manager role relates to and focuses on advocating within early childhood settings and often beyond them. We will investigate examples of positional leaders as well as situational or distributing leaders attending to both human and Earth rights (link back to rights and fairness in other chapters). In this chapter advocacy is acknowledged as one challenging component of a professional journey through the ECE field.

Page 1512 of 1932