Educational Books

Great book! I still use it now. It arrived in mint condition!

This is one of the few books providing a framework for implementing technology in a college or university environment. The author uses a straightforward approach to technology. The text is easy to read and understand.

Of the numerous books regarding the recent online learning movement that I have read, this book provided me with the most useful, applicable insights. I enjoyed the author's perceptive knowledge sharing. The resources provided in the book are definitely worth the price of the book. This author illustrates both the advantages and disadvantages of the unique contributions that technology can make in this evolving and exciting realm of online learning.

Tony Bates writes an immensely practical guide for coping with changing technological needs and developing a rational and strategic process for making sound decisions. As a manager in a university department, I appreciated a resource that focused on the academic environment. In addition, I think the issues he raises and the process he proposes have relevance for other educational institutions and training facilities, especially those in the public or non-profit sector which tend to be financially conservative by nature. Bates offers best practices and expert advice on factors to address when confronting technological change, especially as it relates to teaching. As he points out, technology is a means to an end, so in order to best manage technology one must be aware of the inevitable impact technology has in society and, consequently, position the institution within changing markets and needs. Major investments in technological infrastructure must be paired with a corresponding vision of the organization. This book is about the art of managing cultural change as much as it is about incorporating new tools, taking into account the human factors and the hazards implicit therein.

The format of the book is also helpful. It begins with an executive summary, provides concluding summaries at the end of each chapter, provides a balanced perspective on the pros/cons to choices that the institution must make, and presents real-world case studies to give a flavor of principles in action. I highly recommend this reading for anyone in an administrative or teaching capacity who finds himself or herself faced with the difficult choices inherent in a technology transformation. The only thing that would have increased the value of the book for me is a deeper discussion and emphasis on the role of the library or technology center within this transformation.

We loved this book! This is for people who want to incorporateeducation into fun times with the kids but are sometimes short onideas. I would recommend this book for working parents because it is easy to be organized or introduce projects at a moment's notice when bits of time are found. All of the ideas and instructions are right there in front of you. It would also be easy to leave for a caregiver as a lesson plan. Stay at home moms can certainly use this book to help fill the many hours constructively.

This book is concise and possesses a great deal of information on matrices. I had to buy $100+ book for a upper division linear algebra class and it sucked; it contained in 300 very cluttered and long winded pages what this book accomplishes in a little over a hundred pages with far greater depth. It's a highly affordable book and quite well written, which, I guess, is why they don't use this book to teach linear algebra in a 'modern' classroom.

So many math books take a relatively simple topic and with the use of horrible notation and confused english, convert it to something esoteric and complicated. This book, however, is anything but that. It involves mathematical rigor, covers a broad range of topics and has answers to selected problems at the back which for a math book, works real well for me. Besides you can't argue with the price.
This book never leaves my desk, recommended strongly.

Charles Cullen deserves to pat himself on the back for this one. The first three chapters are the meat of the book which review or, possibly to some, introduce the fundamentals of linear algebra (matrices, vector spaces, and determinants.)

After firmly laying down a foundation from which to work with, Cullen does a remarkable job explaining linear transformations and eigenvalues and eigenvectors (although, some basic calculus is assumed known).

After introducing matrix similarity and Jordan-canonical form, Cullen dabbles in polynomial matrices and more similarity with divisor theorems and polynomial matrix canonical form.

Finally, rounding third plate are an intro into formal matrix analysis (in which some upper-level, although not necessarily advanced, calculus is necessary) and numerical methods. Although these two chapters only encompass about 35 pages total, they do offer a solid foundation for further study.

I recommend this book as it breaks a lot of steps involving matrix calculations down and allows the reader to not only understand how, but why.

This book is in its second edition. But it was copyrighted 1972, not 1990. Its original price was $8.95. Perhaps Dover increased its price to $14.95 in the latest printing. But I still think Amazon was a bit misleading there.

In any case, this is an undergraduate level reference book with proofs on Laplace Expansion, Cramer's Rule, Jordan Canonical Form, Cayley-Hamilton Theorem, and other stuff that you see it proved once and never want to see it again. The last section even covers numerical methods on matrices. All in all, it got a good mix of rigor and practicality for a book of its kind.

For those new to the subject, this is a thorough orientation to the true purpose and value of meditation. It provides scientific, historical and cultural background to many metaphysical processes; in addition, the author shares enough of his personal experiences to provide credibility but always focuses on practical application of his words to the reader. The written content is complemented by beautiful photographs that demonstrate the author's message from another perspective. The CD that comes with the book is a bonus - and a very good starting point for regular meditation.

I have read a number of publications on meditation and related subjects and feel this one provides the most "value".

Tracey, Canada

What a great find this book and cd was last year. Having read many books over the years explaining meditation techniques, finally I was reading one that just resonated with me so beautifully. I can quite honestly say that my meditation practice just gets better and better and my friends and family have all been lucky recipients of a copy too!

I have read many meditation books over the last 30 years, since I first became interested in the subject. None has been so inspirational as Stephen Austen's book which introduces additional aspects of the subject which other authors tend to leave out. The writing style is straightforward but highly informative and leads the reader thoughtfully through all the subject areas. The fact that a CD is included helps to remove and diminish the mystery of this subject to many and provides one with an immediate and useful tool plus a link with the author. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to both the newcomer to the subject and to the experienced meditator.

This is one of the most inspiring meditation books that I have read. It is so clearly presented, that not only is it a "must" for those who haven't practiced meditation before, but a renewed source of inspiration for those who are already familiar with the benefits which meditation can bring. The step by step guidance allows the reader to progress at his or her own pace, which is particularly helpful. As well as describing the various meditation techniques, the author also explains in detail the positive effects they have on the health of the body. The lovely illustrations and helpful CD make this book excellent value for money.

This style dictionary/thesaurus offers opportunity to learn new words, expand one's vocabulary, and introduces us to new ways of further expressing ideas and thoughts with a greater array of words. It is easy and quick to use and small enough to carry. The type is small but still readable.

I received the dictionary/thesaurus quickly and in excellent condition! What wonderful service! Thank you! I would DEFINITELY order from them again!

This is a great product. The shipment was so quick that I was unable to cancel the order just a couple of hours after being placed.
I had ordered them for a 6th grade graduation class and then found out that the principal wanted the hardback version. So now, I am stuck with 12 brand new paperback dictionaries.

this is definitely going to be kept and well used. thick, which in this case, a good thing. tons of words, good font, definitely useful

This is a good introduction, although it does not offer a lot more than the introduction by Howard Hibbard. I prefer it to the one by Linda Murray in the World of Art-series. The book by Hughes offers a more balanced view on the works it describes, in the way that it usually gives several opinions of other writers, then sometimes gives a preference for one opinion in particular, but also sometimes states that there is simply not enough evidence to substantiate the views of other writers. Therefore it is a pity that Hughes does not always substantiate his own views, he doesn't tell us why a particular view is better than another.
Nevertheless the book is full of interesting information and easy to read.

Firstly, I was thoughroughly impressed by the quality of this little book. The layout of the pages, the quality of the paper, everything. I'm glad to report that the content matches its presentation: Very clean, clear text featuring an unbiased look at Michelangelo's life. The book often cites former biographers (specifically Vasari and Condivi) and more often than not, it tries to find the right history. Very good illustrations of his more famous artwork as well as some drawings. Excellent!

You know how rare that is! But this book is one you don't want to put down. It is so well written, educational, and has so many great illustrations. I enjoyed it a lot.

Hughes gives a lot of info in a short book, and paints a very well balanced idea of Michelangelo the man. I felt bad for
Buonaratti after reading this. He truly was a miserable man, yet his committment to his art was never diminished for a moment. In the end the story of his life is inspiring and humbling. Inspiring because it proves what man can acheive, humbling in the sacrifices that were made in order to fulfill his destiny as one of the great geniuses to have ever lived.

the book was in mint condition and i got it in the mail earlier than i expected.

book arrived in time for my class to start & was in excellent brand-new condition. would purchase from seller again!

Roger Arnold makes reading of economics similar to reading a good mystery novel. He provides examples of how economics can be found in unexpected places. The models he uses makes analysis of difficult economic principles into an accessable tool that any beginning economic student can use. Also included in the book are internet addresses for students to further their knowledge of any topic that interests them. In addition, the book conatins information on how to think like an economist, so that the student can better understand the world and the events that occur around them.

If you are looking for an economics book that isn't going to put you to sleep, this is the one. It is complete yet interesting to read. Yes, I said interesting in the same sentence as economics. Arnold uses many real life examples that the average student can relate to and keeps the math to a minimum (there is an appendix for this stuff). By far the best intro to econ books are by Arnold.

This edition was very helpful to me because I didn't always understand what the original text meant, so reading the modern version right after the old version was very helpful. The book was one of my favorites - it's such a comedy! The characters are so unique and interesting. I definitely reccomend this book to everyone - it's short and doesn't take long to read, but so lasting and classic!

I am not a very big reader. I read this book and fell in love with it. It has a lot of everthing:romance, comedy,and pure poetry. After reading the story, my class and I put on a play of this book, everyone enjoyed it of all ages. So if you are not a big reader like me read this book you will change your mind.

It was a riveting and classical masterpiece with an enchanted twist of creative and whimsical imagination.A timeless tale!

This edition was very helpful to me because I didn't always understand what the original text meant, so reading the modern version right after the old version was very helpful. The book was one of my favorites - it's such a comedy! The characters are so unique and interesting. I definitely reccomend this book to everyone - it's short and doesn't take long to read, but so lasting and classic!

I've been using this book for over 13 years. It has thought provoking activities that tie in well with any curriculum.

My husband and I use this resource in our classrooms - he's a high school teacher and I'm special education.

I use the activites with my elem. students when we have a few spare minutes. My students like the variety of activities and I like the fact that there isn's anything I need to do in advance.

I am currently student-teaching in a fourth grade class. The activities in the book are both challenging and enjoyable for the students. I am using many of them as supplements to required curriculum.

It is often the case that a new area of inquiry, comprised of elements from seemingly disparate disciplines, yields surprising insights. Zeigler's and Hammonds's effort is no exception. While linguistics has from time to time informed mathematics and computer science, to my knowledge little has been done to date towards the application of semantics and pragmatics to this type of data exchange.

The prose is concise, clear, and conversational. Given the complexity of the two topics and the more or less mutual exclusivity of their lexicons, readers whose experience has been acquired only in the one or the other of these two disciplines will nevertheless quickly become comfortable in this discussion. The authors provide many examples to illustrate their line of reasoning, all drawn from a wide variety of sources.

As an IT professional with 15 years' experience and an advanced degree in a foreign language, I found this book satisfying, illuminating, and provocative. While it is intended to address a specific engineering problem, its implications extend well beyond its stated purview. Heartily recommended for those who would like to think about the synergies of data engineering and pragmatics, and also for those who want to think about what might be beyond the horizon.

This book offers to the reader a thick and consistent theoretical background for dealing with ontologies (i.e., languages for describing "a state of the world".) Both authors merged very carefully their knowledge and disciplines [social and computer (engineering) sciences] in a complete and homogeneous framework.

In the new research area of computer-based problems, dealing with complex systems induces increasing efforts for building unifying modifiable ontologies describing the systems, data and communications. Large digital data are described and abstracted through more and more complex software. Computer-based problems need to have strong theories to map very quickly evolving technical evolutions. Developing such theories allows to build a common field for discussions and specifications to participate all together bringing tools and incremental concepts (concepts of concepts of concepts...) Always thinking of knowledge of knowledge (or metaknowledge) models can be constructed. Using such a philosophy, ideas become program-independent and right issues and perspectives are more easily identified. Knowledge can be organized to cognitively map real systems to computer-based models. This is what offers us this new book. But that's not all!

More than neutral/specifiable mathematical structures, this book provides precise mappings and discusses usual notations and current orientations (XML, HTML, UML, MDA, etc.) Actual generic large applications (geospatial sensor data, natural languages, hierarchical constructions, WWW, etc.) and a plethora of didactical examples are presented. Lastly, a web-based interface allows the reader to experiment his understandings.

Even researchers from the modelling and simulation field will find here a way to deal with digital input data.

According to me, this book is the starting point (and foundation) for those who intend to build soundly ontologies through computers in a modular, generic and hierarchical way: government agencies, developers, standards organizations, researchers, etc. They will find here the precise technical solutions they are searching for, as well as a common evolutive language to model data for dynamic systems. If all problems could not be grasped in one book, the latter will pinpoint major issues in such an abstract way that people are able to identify easily them and to find further solutions.

This book is definitely for those who intend to increase their knowledge on ontology, develop mental models and want to talk and search together in a controlled and original perspective!

Addressing the compatibility issues raised in sharing data between collaborative organizations that employ different approaches to representing data becomes a major concern in today's net-centric computing environment. Effective information exchange requires not only an agreement on the syntax and semantics to be established between data producers and consumers, but also a common understanding of the pragmatics, namely the intended use of the data in specific situational contexts. It is the development of a generic ontology framework called System Entity Structure (SES) to describe both static and dynamic world states and a set of openly available tools to support automated creating and testing of the data model, then, that is at the center of Bernard Zeigler and Phillip Hammonds's new book Modeling & Simulation-based Data Engineering.

By delineating the critical relationships that best structure a data engineer's domain of interest with the extra expressive power, the proposed pragmatic framework captures the exact intent of the data producers and consumers, which, in turn, allows for effective conversation and appropriate downstream processing. The SES framework is formulated as a labeled tree comprising basic elements and relations that satisfy a set of formation rules or axioms. With the supporting tools, it can be defined in a restricted form of natural language and subsequently be mapped into various computational forms, including eXtensible Markup Language (XML), Document Object Models (DOM), XML Document Type Definition (DTD), and XML Schema. A standard way of restructuring and pruning different SES representations is provided to improve representation utility and harmonization. The Pruned Entity Structure (PES) provides the basis for static and dynamic world state descriptions, efficient extraction of data, and more advanced form of information exchange. As the authors put it, "the SES together with the Discrete Event Systems Specification (DEVS) formalism offers a powerful system-theoretic framework for specifying families of dynamic services that can execute in simulated or real-time and interact with other services in a net-centric environment."

Throughout the book, a broad range of easy-to-follow examples, case studies, and exercises is provided to consolidate the concepts and methodologies presented in the text and to give readers significant hands-on experience. This book is addressed to all those who are concerned either with data engineering in general or with interoperability in multi-institutional collaboration. Any reader with a general knowledge of ontology and discrete-event modeling and simulation will be able to benefit from the authors' insights.

For those who are working on complex problems of data interoperability and reuse of data sources in distributed environment, especially GIG/SOA, this book provides rigorous and novel methods and framework approach to solve data harmonization and ontology integration problems effectively. The authors present the pragmatic frame concepts, ontologies, System Entity Structure (SES) framework, and modeling and simulation based data engineering, all of which are useful methodologies to achieve automated interoperability testing at syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic levels in a net-centric environment. The book identifies complex problems encountered in harmonization and testing and illustrates framework and approach to implement such solutions in software tools and services. The concept of SES is being implemented in a commercial software with some online support. It is a truly fine resource for data and system engineers who look for solid approach to solve complex real-world problems!