This volume highlights the importance of interactive, practice-based learning as a means to promote more thorough innovation dynamics in regional and national economies. Successful experiences in Scandanavia and southern European countries are examined, with insightful policy lessons extracted from each case.

'National Systems of Innovation' presents a new perspective on the dynamics of the national and the global economy. Its starting point is that the international competitiveness of nations is founded on innovation. Which role do different parts of the national system play in determining the long-term dynamics of the economy? What is happening to the coherence of national systems of innovation in an era characterised by far-reaching internationalisation and globalisation? These and other issues are addressed in this volume. Available for the first time in paperback, the book is an invaluable resource for scholars and policy-makers.

3D technology is not new; research on 3D started back in early 1960s. But unlike in previous times, 3D technology has now rapidly entered our daily life from cinema to office to home. Using 3D for education is a new yet challenging task. This book will present several innovative efforts using 3D for immersive and interactive learning covering a wide spectrum of education including gifted program, normal (technical) stream, and special needs education. The book will also share experience on curriculum-based 3D learning in classroom setting and co-curriculum-based 3D student research projects. The book is organized as follows. Chapter 1 introduces the fundamentals of 3D educational technology and their applications in immersive and interactive learning. Chapter 2 discusses the use of virtual reality in teaching and learning of Molecular Biology. Chapter 3 presents the daVinci Lab @ River Valley High School. Chapter 4 describes the 3D education development process. Chapter 5 studies the adaption 3D system for learning gains in lower secondary normal (technical) stream. Chapter 6 investigates the effects of virtual reality technology on spatial visualization skills. Chapter 7 showcases a sabbatical program for students to use 3D for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning. Chapter 8 shares the use of 3D virtual pink dolphin to assist special education. The foreword of this book is written by Dr Cheah Horn Mun, Director, Education Technology Division, Ministry of Education, Singapore.

‘The Learning Economy and the Economics of Hope’ brings together contributions by an expert on policies, management and economics of innovation and knowledge. It offers original insights in processes of innovation and learning and it draws implications for economic theory and public policy. It introduces the reader to important concepts such as innovation systems and the learning economy. It throws a new light on economic development and opens up for a new kind of economics – the economics of hope. It offers a fresh perspective on many of the most important global challenges of today showing how full attention to the characteristics of the learning economy needs to be combined with innovation in global governance if we want to be able to handle these challenges. ‘The Learning Economy and the Economics of Hope’ presents work published between 1985 and 1992 and introduces the core concepts innovation as an interactive process. The analysis demonstrates that new technology is developed in an interaction between individuals and organisations and that innovation would not thrive in an economy similar to textbook models of pure markets and perfect competition. It also presents articles that were published between 2004 and 2010. These may be seen as further developments and evidence-based consolidation of ideas that were presented more than ten years earlier. It presents the learning economy through the perspective of the economics of knowledge. The concluding part of the book includes three papers that make use of the conceptual frameworks developed in an analysis of China’s innovation system and policy, Europe’s crisis and Africa’s underdevelopment.

The aim of this book is to contribute to the understanding of product innovation - how it takes place and how it affects firms and the economy. It links product innovation to interactive learning and to the performance of firms. It studies the interconnections between these three elements on the basis of unique data sets and detailed case studies. The book will prove helpful for managers, employees and policy makers as well as for scholars and students who want to understand the role of product innovation in the economy. In the book it is shown that product innovation is of major importance. For the economy as a whole, the introduction of new products is fundamental for economic growth. Process innovation without product innovation would sooner or later result in economic stagnation and in what has been called technological unemployment. In turbulent sectors product innovation is necessary for firms to survive and grow. The book also shows that product innovation is a complex and multi-dimensional phenomenon. In order to capture this complexity authors combine different theoretical perspectives, different levels of aggregation, and different methodological approaches.

Renowned cognitive scientist Allan Collins proposes a school curriculum that will fit the needs of our modern era. Examining how advances in technology, communication, and the dissemination of information are reshaping the world, Collins offers guidelines to help schools foster flexible, self-directed learners who will succeed in the global workplace.

Shift Students’ Roles from Passive Observers to Active Participants. Preparing students for a world that did not exist when they were students themselves can be challenging for many teachers. Engaging students, particularly disinterested ones, in the learning process is no easy task, especially when easy access to information is at an all-time high. How then do educators simultaneously ensure knowledge acquisition and engagement? Ron Nash encourages teachers to embrace an interactive classroom by rethinking their role as information givers. The Interactive Classroom provides a framework for how to influence the learning process and increase student participation by sharing • Proven strategies for improving presentation and facilitation skills • Kinesthetic, interpersonal, and classroom management methods • Brain-based teaching strategies that promote active learning • Project-based learning and formative assessment techniques that promote a robust learning environment Intended to cultivate an interactive classroom in which students take an active role in learning, this book provides a blueprint for educators seeking to amplify student engagement while imparting critical twenty-first century skills.