Computers have transformed how we think, discuss and learn—as individuals, in groups, within cultures and globally. However, social media are problematic, fostering flaming, culture wars and fake news. This volume presents an alternative paradigm for computer support of group thinking, collaborative learning and joint knowledge construction. This requires expanding concepts of cognition to collectivities, like collaborative groups of networked students. Theoretical Investigations explores the conditions for group cognition, supplying a philosophical foundation for new models of pedagogy and methods to analyze group interaction. Twenty-five self-contained investigations document progress in research on computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL)—both in Stahl’s own research and during the first decade of the CSCL journal. The volume begins with two new reflections on the vision and theory that result from this research. Representing both ethnomethodological and social-constructivist research paradigms, the investigations within this volume comprise a selection of seminal and influential articles and critical commentaries that contribute to an understanding of concepts and themes central to the CSCL field. The book elaborates an innovative theory of group cognition and substantiates the pedagogical potential of CSCL. Theoretical Investigations: Philosophical Foundations of Group Cognition is essential as a graduate text for courses in educational theory, instructional design, learning and networked technologies. The investigations will also appeal to researchers and practitioners in those areas.

This second edition of the successful Foundations on Rock presents an up-to-date practical reference book describing current engineering practice in the investigation, design and construction of foundations on rock. An extra chapter on Tension Foundations has been included. The methods set out are readily applicable to high rise buildings, bridges, dams and structures subject to uplift and turning loads. Foundations on Rock differs from the many texts and handbooks on soil foundations in that it focuses on the effect of geology on the stability and settlement of rock foundations. While the intact rock may be strong, defects in the rock such as faults, joints and cavities, and the deterioration of the rock with time, will have a significant effect on foundation performance. Methods of detecting such defects are described, and their implications for foundation design and treatment are elaborated.

One-of-a-kind coverage on the fundamentals of foundation analysis and design Analysis and Design of Shallow and Deep Foundations is a significant new resource to the engineering principles used in the analysis and design of both shallow and deep, load-bearing foundations for a variety of building and structural types. Its unique presentation focuses on new developments in computer-aided analysis and soil-structure interaction, including foundations as deformable bodies. Written by the world's leading foundation engineers, Analysis and Design of Shallow and Deep Foundations covers everything from soil investigations and loading analysis to major types of foundations and construction methods. It also features: * Coverage on computer-assisted analytical methods, balanced with standard methods such as site visits and the role of engineering geology * Methods for computing the capacity and settlement of both shallow and deep foundations * Field-testing methods and sample case studies, including projects where foundations have failed, supported with analyses of the failure * CD-ROM containing demonstration versions of analytical geotechnical software from Ensoft, Inc. tailored for use by students in the classroom

Portfolio Decision Analysis: Improved Methods for Resource Allocation provides an extensive, up-to-date coverage of decision analytic methods which help firms and public organizations allocate resources to 'lumpy' investment opportunities while explicitly recognizing relevant financial and non-financial evaluation criteria and the presence of alternative investment opportunities. In particular, it discusses the evolution of these methods, presents new methodological advances and illustrates their use across several application domains. The book offers a many-faceted treatment of portfolio decision analysis (PDA). Among other things, it (i) synthesizes the state-of-play in PDA, (ii) describes novel methodologies, (iii) fosters the deployment of these methodologies, and (iv) contributes to the strengthening of research on PDA. Portfolio problems are widely regarded as the single most important application context of decision analysis, and, with its extensive and unique coverage of these problems, this book is a much-needed addition to the literature. The book also presents innovative treatments of new methodological approaches and their uses in applications. The intended audience consists of practitioners and researchers who wish to gain a good understanding of portfolio decision analysis and insights into how PDA methods can be leveraged in different application contexts. The book can also be employed in courses at the post-graduate level.

This text presents findings from the 3rd International Geotechnical Seminar, held in Ghent, Belgium. Topics include: American experiences with large diameter bored piles; case histories; static, dynamic and pile integrity testing; and installation parameters and capacity of screwed piles.