Action Research as an Agent for Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Physical Education: A Physical Education Teacher's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keegan, Rosemary

2016-01-01

Introduction: Action research is a useful method for implementing change through its spiral of plan, act, observe, and reflect, but little research has been published on it in the area of physical education. The purpose of this intervention was to assess the effectiveness of action research as an agent of change and its impact on enhancing my…

Seeking Sisterhood: Understanding the Gender Climate on a College Campus Using Participatory Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kates, Emily

2013-01-01

Through Participatory Action Research (PAR), the present study investigated psychological and social aspects of women's experiences at a diverse Catholic college in California (CU). The study sought to better understand female students' perspectives about the environment for women on campus and to develop actionable outcomes to improve women's…

Knowledge and Transformative Social Action: The Encounter of Selected Traditions of Participatory (Action) Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Streck, Danilo Romeu

2014-01-01

The argument in this paper is that action and participatory research developed within the context of social and political movements aimed at promoting democratic relationships and institutions represents a methodological strategy for deconstructing and reconstructing the hegemonic perspective of knowledge and knowledge production. After a brief…

Social Scientific Research and Societal Practice: Action Research and Cultural-Historical Research in Methodological Light from Kurt Lewin and Lev S. Vygotsky

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaiklin, Seth

2011-01-01

The main interest is the relationship between social scientific research and societal practice, with specific attention on action research and cultural-historical research. To provide a productive way to engage with these research traditions, a historically-grounded, superordinate perspective is formulated that places practice in the centre. This…

We Did It Together: A Participatory Action Research Study on Poverty and Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buettgen, Alexis; Richardson, Jason; Beckham, Kristie; Richardson, Kathy; Ward, Michelle; Riemer, Manuel

2012-01-01

This article presents the perspective of both non-disabled and developmentally disabled people working together in a research project on poverty and disability. Our study used a participatory action research approach that challenges the norm of exclusion in the research process. Control of the research agenda has been inclusive and shared to…

Learning Sustainability Leadership: An Action Research Study of a Graduate Leadership Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Heather L.

2016-01-01

This study used action research methodology to examine the development of sustainability leadership in a graduate leadership course. The research investigated the impact of this leadership course, which was designed using transformative learning theory with attention to integrating thematic content, multiple and nondominant perspectives, a…

Placing Motivation and Future Time Perspective Theory in a Temporal Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Joke; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Lens, Willy; Lacante, Marlies

2004-01-01

An overview of the conceptual development of future time perspective theory [Nuttin, J. R. (1984). "Motivation, Planning and Action: A Relational Theory of Behavior," Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ; Nuttin, J., and Lens, W. (1985). "Future Time Perspective and Motivation: Theory and Research Method," Leuven University Press and Erlbaum, Leuven, Belgium…

Multiculturalism and a Research Perspective in Initial Teacher Education: Possible Dialogues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canen, Ana

2007-01-01

This article describes action research within a multicultural pedagogical praxis orientation in a teacher education course at a higher education institution in Brazil during the academic year 2003. The narrative draws on the ways in which the course sought to develop a research perspective that could equip student teachers with elements that allow…

Beyond You and Me: Stories for Collective Action and Learning? Perspectives from an Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gearty, Margaret

2015-01-01

This paper explores the combination of storytelling and reflective action research as a means to effect change and learning within and across communities and organizations. Taking the complex challenge of "pro-environmental behaviour change" as an example, the paper reflects on the experiences of a pilot project run for the UK government…

Need for Affect, Need for Cognition, and the Intention-Fruit Consumption Relationship: An Action-Control Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Bruijn, Gert-Jan; Keer, Mario; van den Putte, Bas; Neijens, Peter

2012-01-01

Objective: Predictors of action-control profiles are useful targets for health behaviour change interventions, but action-control research has not focused on fruit consumption and has not yet included need for affect and need for cognition, despite the demonstrated usefulness of these variables in a broad range of research. The role of these…

Impressions of Action and Critical Action Learning: Exploring the Leadership Development of Senior Doctors in an English Healthcare Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCray, Janet; Warwick, Rob; Palmer, Adam

2018-01-01

This paper aims to explore the influence of one cycle of a learning set experience in a postgraduate medical leadership development programme. It does so from two perspectives: first, from the self-reports of nine senior doctors working in leadership roles in England in the National Health Service; and second from a researcher perspective as we…

Advancing Health Marketing Research and Policy Recommendations by Incorporating Source Perspectives.

PubMed

Mackert, Michael; Guadagno, Marie; Champlin, Sara

2015-01-01

Communication researchers, recognizing the message sent is not necessarily the same as the message received, have incorporated the perspective of advertising professionals into the study of advertising effects. Health marketing research could similarly benefit from incorporating this largely absent perspective into the academic and policy debate surrounding the impact of advertising on health issues ranging from obesity to alcohol use. This commentary serves as a call to action to stakeholders in this academic and policy debate: focus on the perspective of advertising professionals to enrich health marketing and public health research in which advertising is the delivery vehicle for health messages.

Student-Centered Empowerment of Teacher-Centered Practices: An Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clegorne, Nicolas; Mitchell, Roland

2013-01-01

This action research reflects a narrative inquiry into the age-old debate concerning the relationship between theory and practice in educational settings. The unique perspective we add to this discussion is our distinct vantages. One researcher is a faculty member and the other is a student-affairs practitioner both working in a large public…

Pupils' Perspectives on the Lived Pedagogy of the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemi, Reetta; Kumpulainen, Kristiina; Lipponen, Lasse; Hilppö, Jaakko

2015-01-01

This paper is based on a pedagogical action research initiative that explores what constitutes the "lived pedagogy" of the classroom from the pupils' perspective. Photography and group interviews were utilised to allow pupils to express their perspectives. The results show that pupils considered situations meaningful when they were able…

Putting the Politics of Research with Animals in Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Larry

1988-01-01

A discussion of the relationship of politics and the welfare of research animals looks at the nineteenth-century history of the issue, current activism in Europe, recent legislative and political action in the United States, and the position of the biomedical community, and provides guidelines for political action. (MSE)

Understanding Action and Adventure Sports Participation-An Ecological Dynamics Perspective.

PubMed

Immonen, Tuomas; Brymer, Eric; Orth, Dominic; Davids, Keith; Feletti, Francesco; Liukkonen, Jarmo; Jaakkola, Timo

2017-12-01

Previous research has considered action and adventure sports using a variety of associated terms and definitions which has led to confusing discourse and contradictory research findings. Traditional narratives have typically considered participation exclusively as the pastime of young people with abnormal characteristics or personalities having unhealthy and pathological tendencies to take risks because of the need for thrill, excitement or an adrenaline 'rush'. Conversely, recent research has linked even the most extreme forms of action and adventure sports to positive physical and psychological health and well-being outcomes. Here, we argue that traditional frameworks have led to definitions, which, as currently used by researchers, ignore key elements constituting the essential merit of these sports. In this paper, we suggest that this lack of conceptual clarity in understanding cognitions, perception and action in action and adventure sports requires a comprehensive explanatory framework, ecological dynamics which considers person-environment interactions from a multidisciplinary perspective. Action and adventure sports can be fundamentally conceptualized as activities which flourish through creative exploration of novel movement experiences, continuously expanding and evolving beyond predetermined environmental, physical, psychological or sociocultural boundaries. The outcome is the emergence of a rich variety of participation styles and philosophical differences within and across activities. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (a) to point out some limitations of existing research on action and adventure sports; (b) based on key ideas from emerging research and an ecological dynamics approach, to propose a holistic multidisciplinary model for defining and understanding action and adventure sports that may better guide future research and practical implications.

Commentary on the Future of Community Psychology: Perspective of a Research Community Psychologist.

PubMed

Milburn, Norweeta G

2016-12-01

Community psychology is commented upon from the perspective of a community psychologist who was trained in the Community Psychology Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Her background and training are reviewed. A brief survey of research on homelessness as a frame for community psychology research is presented. Concluding remarks are provided on the future of research in community psychology. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

Conscious Engagement in Undergraduate Male Nursing Students: Facilitating Voice through an Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maykut, Colleen A.; Lee, Andrew; Argueta, Nelson Garcia; Grant, Sean; Miller, Cole

2016-01-01

Although women have made significant progress into traditionally male-dominated professions, such as medicine and engineering, the same cannot be said of men in the nursing profession. Utilizing a critical social theory perspective, an action research project was designed to encourage participants, current male nursing students and alumni of…

Exploring Constructivist Social Learning Practices in Aiding Russian-Speaking Teachers to Learn Estonian: An Action Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiilo, Tatjana; Kutsar, Dagmar

2012-01-01

Based on appreciative inquiry and threshold concepts from an intercultural learning perspective, the article makes insights into the constructivist social learning practice of Estonian language learning amongst Russian-speaking teachers in Estonia. The application of educational action research methodology, more specifically that of Bridget…

Conducting Action Research in a Practicum: A Student Teacher's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasula, Alex

2015-01-01

This article looks at my reflection as a teacher during a master's degree practicum for a Second Language Studies Program. This particular practicum differs from the other common student teacher-training courses found in master's programs as it incorporated a teacher-training session on conducting action research (AR) in the classroom, a practice…

Weaving Curricular Standards into the Language Classroom: An Action Research Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamada, Yuko; Moeller, Aleidine J.

2001-01-01

This action research study examines the perspectives and voices of students in a postsecondary Japanese class through an authentic project--a pen pal letter exchange. The project's effects on student motivation and learning are analyzed through the lens of the five goals of the national standards: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons,…

Teaming from Three Perspectives: Interviews with Participatory Action Research Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Judith

2008-01-01

Taking part in the autism spectrum disorder participatory action research (ASD PAR) project was a genuine team effort for the group of people supporting Rose, a primary school student with Asperger syndrome. The following excerpts are from interviews with some of Rose's team. This is a collaborative approach to telling the story of the team's…

Justifying Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helskog, Guro Hansen

2014-01-01

In this paper I use a general philosophy of science perspective in looking at the problem of justifying action research. First I try to clarify the concept of justification, by contrasting it with the concept of validity, which seems to be used almost as a synonym in some parts of the literature. I discuss the need for taking a stand in relation…

Building the Relations of New and Veteran Teachers to Address Retention: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, John-Bernard

2016-01-01

This dissertation analyzed the factors that affected the retention of new teachers in the United States. This action research study was conducted utilizing qualitative data. Qualitative methods were relied upon to investigate perspectives from new and veteran teachers. It was proposed that teachers left the profession due to opportunity cost…

Changing Perspectives: Exploring a Pedagogy to Examine Other Perspectives about Stem Cell Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

France, Bev; Mora, Helen A.; Bay, Jacquie L.

2012-01-01

This study explores how teachers developed and critically evaluated a range of teaching strategies that could support the discussion of a socio-scientific issue (SSI) that had the potential to be controversial. The issue was stem cell research and six New Zealand teachers of senior biology students (grades 12/13) took part in an action research…

The Attack on Affirmative Action: Lives in Parallel Universes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olivas, Michael A.

1993-01-01

In response to criticism of affirmative action in higher education, it is argued that affirmative action has brought demonstrable improvements in U.S. society. The debate, and the related research and literature, are reviewed from both perspectives, and it is concluded that the time has come to end white male privilege. (MSE)

An Evaluation of Professional Development to Improve Teachers' Perspectives and Behaviors: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckford-Young, Paulette Vivienne

2016-01-01

The purpose of this action research study was to conduct a professional development activity to provide content-area teachers with academic vocabulary strategies to be implemented during instruction on a daily basis. Professional development is essential for teachers to gain new knowledge and skills in order to hone their craft to improve student…

Reconnecting with Your Passion: An Action Research Study Exploring Humanities and Professional Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Melissa J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this action research study was two-fold. The first purpose was to examine the process of how nurses engaged in a professional development program that drew upon reading and creative writing related to their lives and work as nurses. Secondly, this study examined the nurses' perspectives on how their involvement in the process…

Housework Metaphor for Gambling Public Health Action: An Indigenous Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyall, Lorna; Hawke, Zoe; Herd, Ruth; Nahi, Papa

2012-01-01

Housework, those duties done at home or in one's community to keep and clean and tidy, is used in this paper as a metaphor for Maori involvement in gambling public health action in New Zealand. For over a decade Maori have been developing their own voice, public health actions, gambling services, research and workforce development initiatives to…

Ethical issues in the reuse of qualitative data: perspectives from literature, practice, and participants.

PubMed

Yardley, Sarah J; Watts, Kate M; Pearson, Jennifer; Richardson, Jane C

2014-01-01

In this article, we explore ethical issues in qualitative secondary analysis through a comparison of the literature with practitioner and participant perspectives. To achieve this, we integrated critical narrative review findings with data from two discussion groups: qualitative researchers and research users/consumers. In the literature, we found that theoretical debate ran parallel to practical action rather than being integrated with it. We identified an important and novel theme of relationships that was emerging from the perspectives of researchers and users. Relationships were significant with respect to trust, sharing data, transparency and clarity, anonymity, permissions, and responsibility. We provide an example of practice development that we hope will prompt researchers to re-examine the issues in their own setting. Informing the research community of research practitioner and user perspectives on ethical issues in the reuse of qualitative data is the first step toward developing mechanisms to better integrate theoretical and empirical work.

The Social Action Perspective: Attachments to Work and Productivity in the Research Function.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebne, Douglas

1989-01-01

Examines faculty motivation and quantitative performance in research. Factor analysis discloses three bases of employment motivation: moral, calculative, and alienative. Regression analysis indicates that moral and alienative attachments contribute to explaining research productivity. (Author/TE)

State of the Art: Perspectives on Serving Deaf-Blind Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowell, Edgar L., Ed.; Rouin, Carole C., Ed.

Provided is a collection of 23 papers on current services for deaf-blind individuals with four sections on background information, medical and diagnostic perspectives, home visitation and parent counseling, and other topics which include research, program evaluation, and legislative and legal action. Among the entries included are the following…

Re-Imagining "Bildung Zur Humanität": How I Developed the Dialogos Approach to Practical Philosophy through Action Inquiry Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helskog, Guro Hansen

2015-01-01

This paper presents an account of how I developed the Dialogos approach to practical philosophy through action inquiry research. The process of development is understood as a contribution to the reconstruction of the notion "Bildung zur Humanität" as an ideal in education. Core perspectives, traditions and purposes involved in the action…

Experiences in Conducting Participatory Communication Research for HIV Prevention Globally: Translating Critical Dialog into Action through Action Media.

PubMed

Parker, Warren Martin; Becker-Benton, Antje

2016-01-01

Developing communication to support health and well-being of vulnerable communities requires a multifaceted understanding of local perspectives of contextual challenges and potentials for change. While participatory research enhances understanding, robust methodologies are necessary to translate emerging concepts into viable communication approaches. Communicators and change agents need to clarify pathways for change, barriers and enablers for change, as well as the role, orientation, and content of communication to support change. While various approaches to participatory action research with vulnerable communities have been developed, there is a dearth of methodologies that address the formulation of communication concepts that can be applied at scale. The Action Media methodology has been refined over a period of two decades, being applied to addressing HIV, related aspects such as gender-based violence, as well as broader issues, such as maternal and child health, sanitation, and malaria in Africa, The Caribbean, and Asia. The approach employs a sequence of interactive sessions involving communicator researchers and participants from one or more communities that face social or health challenges. Sessions focus on understanding audiences through their engagement with these challenges and leading to shaping of relevant communication concepts that can be linked to mobilization for change. The Action Media methodology contributes to processes of shared learning linked to addressing social and health challenges. This includes determining priorities, identifying barriers and facilitators for change, understanding processes of mobilizing knowledge in relation to context, determining appropriate communication approaches, and integrating indigenous language and cultural perspectives into communication concepts. Emerging communication strategies include support to systematic action and long-term mobilization. Communication to address public health concerns is typically developed through expert-led didactic approaches that, at best, engage audiences at the end of the development cycle through pretesting of communication concepts. Action Media provides an alternative approach that can be utilized to inform communication by integrating community perspectives at the outset. Notwithstanding the focused engagement with small group representative of health-vulnerable subpopulations, Action Media findings have informed large-scale communication interventions. The approach is directly linked to enabling ownership, critical thinking, and mobilization of knowledge for change.

Planning Perspectives for Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, A. P., Ed.; McNamara, James F., Ed.

This book presents a collection of previously published journal articles dealing with the theory, practice, and research of planning. The various readings were selected to stimulate thought and action in educational planning, rather than to present solutions to specific problems. The articles include "Knowledge and Action: A Guide to Planning…

Action Research on Development and Application of Internet of Things Services in Hospital.

PubMed

Park, Arum; Chang, Hyejung; Lee, Kyoung Jun

2017-01-01

Services based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have emerged in various business environments. To enhance health service quality and maximize benefits, this study applied an IoT technology based on NFC and iBeacon as an omni-channel service for patient care in hospitals. Application of the IoT technology based on NFC and iBeacon was conducted in a general hospital during August 2015 through June 2016, and the development and evaluation results were aligned to an action research framework. The five phases in the action research included diagnosing, planning action, taking action, evaluating action, and specifying learning phases. During the first two phases, problems of functional operations in a hospital were diagnosed and eight service models were designed by using iBeacon and NFC to solve the problems. Service models were applied to the hospital by installing beacons, wearable beacons, beacon scanners, and NFC tags during the third phase. During the fourth and fifth phases, the roles and benefits of stakeholders participating in the service models were evaluated, and issues and knowledge of the whole application process were derived and summarized from technological, economic, social and legal perspectives, respectively. From an action research perspective, IoT-based healthcare services were developed and verified. IoT-based services enable the hospital to acquire lifelog data for precision medicine and ultimately be able to go one step closer to precision medical care. The derived service models could provide patients more enhanced healthcare services and improve the work efficiency and effectiveness of the hospital.

Action Research on Development and Application of Internet of Things Services in Hospital

PubMed Central

Park, Arum; Chang, Hyejung

2017-01-01

Objectives Services based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have emerged in various business environments. To enhance health service quality and maximize benefits, this study applied an IoT technology based on NFC and iBeacon as an omni-channel service for patient care in hospitals. Methods Application of the IoT technology based on NFC and iBeacon was conducted in a general hospital during August 2015 through June 2016, and the development and evaluation results were aligned to an action research framework. The five phases in the action research included diagnosing, planning action, taking action, evaluating action, and specifying learning phases. Results During the first two phases, problems of functional operations in a hospital were diagnosed and eight service models were designed by using iBeacon and NFC to solve the problems. Service models were applied to the hospital by installing beacons, wearable beacons, beacon scanners, and NFC tags during the third phase. During the fourth and fifth phases, the roles and benefits of stakeholders participating in the service models were evaluated, and issues and knowledge of the whole application process were derived and summarized from technological, economic, social and legal perspectives, respectively. Conclusions From an action research perspective, IoT-based healthcare services were developed and verified. IoT-based services enable the hospital to acquire lifelog data for precision medicine and ultimately be able to go one step closer to precision medical care. The derived service models could provide patients more enhanced healthcare services and improve the work efficiency and effectiveness of the hospital. PMID:28261528

Andragogy as a didactic perspective in the attitudes of nurse instructors in Finland.

PubMed

Janhonen, S

1991-08-01

In this article the didactic perspectives of nurse instructors (NIs) is examined with the help of andragogy defined by the concepts of self-directed learning, learning as a process and lifelong learning. The results of a pilot study of ongoing research on the educational perspective of NIs, are used as examples to discuss how far NIs have accepted the features of andragogy as their didactic perspective both in their public stance and in their actions as described by NIs themselves.

Black Education: A Transformative Research and Action Agenda for the New Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Joyce E., Ed.

2005-01-01

This volume presents the findings and recommendations of the American Educational Research Association's (AERA) Commission on Research in Black Education (CORIBE) and offers new directions for research and practice. By commissioning an independent group of scholars of diverse perspectives and voices to investigate major issues hindering the…

Action, Interaction, and Transaction: Three Means of Viewing the Communication "World."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eadie, William F.

Three philosophical perspectives on communication research are identified, described, and compared. First, communication of "action," a one-way approach, is a type of "cybernetic" theory of communication involving observation and experience in developing patterns of communication performance. It is simplistic, has a weak capacity for replication…

Exclusion in an Inclusive Action Research Project: Drawing on Student Perspectives of School Science to Identify Discourses of Exclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nystrom, Eva

2007-01-01

This article reports on the outcomes of an action research project on gender and science education carried out in two upper secondary schools in Sweden. The article focuses on how student voices draw on wider societal discourses when they talk about what it means to be natural science students at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The…

Behavior, Experience and Expression: Some Research Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romanyshyn, Robert D.

Utilizing research conducted on nostalgia, this paper shows how a phenomenological approach assists in understanding behavior, experience and expression. Moreover, a clearer understanding of them aids one's research with and comprehension of nostalgia. Human action can be studied from the experiential, behavioral and expressive perspectives. These…

The Value of ICT from a Learning Game-Playing Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeill, Michael C.; Fry, Joan M.

2012-01-01

This study evaluated an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) case study in physical education teacher education from a student perspective. Action research evaluated the impact of a range of ICT options on student teachers' learning to play as well as learning to teach games in a secondary school context. Although multiple media were…

An Organizational Perspective to the Creation of the Research Field.

PubMed

Talamo, Alessandra; Mellini, Barbara; Camilli, Marco; Ventura, Stefano; Di Lucchio, Loredana

2016-09-01

The aim of the paper is to contribute to the definition and analysis of the "access to the field" (Feldman et al. 2003) through an inter-organizational perspective. The paper discusses a case study on the access of a researcher to a hospital department where both organizations and actors are shown as actively constructing the research site. Both researcher and participants are described in terms of work organizations originally engaged in parallel systems of activity. Dynamics of negotiation "tied" the different actors' activities in a new activity system where researcher and participants concur to the effectiveness of both organizations (i.e., the research and the hospital ward). An Activity Theory perspective (Leont'ev 1978) is used with the aim of focusing the analysis on the activities in charge to the different actors. The approach adopted introduces the idea that, from the outset, research is made possible by a process of co-construction that works through the development of a completely new and shared work space arising around the encounter between researchers and participants. It is the balance between improvised actions and the co-creation of "boundary objects" (Star and Griesemer 1989), which makes interlacement possible between the two activity systems. The concept of "knotworking" (Engeström 2007a) is adopted to interpret specific actions by both organizations and actors intended to build a knot of activities whereby the new research system takes place.

Global Conceptualization of the Professional Learning Community Process: Transitioning from Country Perspectives to International Commonalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffman, Jane B.; Olivier, Dianne F.; Wang, Ting; Chen, Peiying; Hairon, Salleh; Pang, Nicholas

2016-01-01

The authors seek to find common PLC structures and actions among global educational systems to enhance understanding and practice. Six international researchers formed the Global Professional Learning Community Network (GloPLCNet), conducted literature reviews of each country's involvement with PLC actions, and noted similarities and common…

Preschooler's Understanding of the Role of Mental States and Action in Pretense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganea, Patricia A.; Lillard, Angeline S.; Turkheimer, Eric

2004-01-01

This research investigated 3- to 5-year-old's understanding of the role of intentional states and action in pretense. There are two main perspectives on how children conceptualize pretense. One view is that children understand the mental aspects of pretending (the rich interpretation). The alternative view is that children conceptualize pretense…

A Multiple Case Study Based on Action-Oriented Sexuality Education: Perspectives of the Portuguese Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vilaça, Teresa

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss teachers' practices, barriers and facilitating factors associated with a regional school-based action-oriented sexuality education (SE) project with the use of information and communication technology. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative research was anchored in a constructivist paradigm,…

Reflections of a "Late-Career" Early-Career Researcher: An Account of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groves, Catherine J.

2016-01-01

This account of practice describes the journey of an "accidental academic" through the Doctoral programme in Business Administration (DBA). It reflects on her experience of action learning and lessons learned to better embed action learning in future DBA teaching and assessment. The account is told from the perspective of a mature…

Factors That Influence Faculty Actions: A Study on Faculty Responses to Academic Dishonesty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coalter, Terry; Lim, Chi Lo; Wanorie, Tekle

2007-01-01

Persistent academic dishonesty has perplexed researchers who focus their studies on why students cheat. There are limited studies regarding the faculty perspective of this issue. This study explores factors that influence faculty action when faced with dishonesty or evidence of dishonesty. A questionnaire consisting of thirty-five items was sent…

Participative Decision-Making. Research Action Brief Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR.

This report examines the role of participative decision-making in education by reviewing significant research on the involvement of teachers in educational policy-making. The discussion attempts to put participative decision-making (PDM) in perspective by highlighting empirical research on how well PDM works and by identifying some of the…

One Secondary School's Subject-Area Teachers' Perspectives on Co-Teaching Students with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legutko, Robert S.

2015-01-01

This study is an action research study conducted at one rural northeastern Pennsylvania junior/senior high school to gain secondary education subject-area teacher's perspectives on educating students with special needs in a co-teaching environment. A written open-ended questionnaire was issued to relevant faculty members which determined that…

Exploring Links between Empowerment and Community-Based Arts and Cultural Practices: Perspectives from Barcelona Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrasco, Ruben David Fernández; Monferrer, Moisés Carmona; Tarditi, Andrés Di Masso

2016-01-01

In this paper, we reflect on the development of community-based arts and cultural (CBAC) practices to promote psychosocial, group/organisational and community changes from the perspective of empowerment. We draw on findings from an initial exploratory phase of an ongoing action-research project in Spain about creative tools that empower artists…

The School Principal as Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning. Perspective. Expanded Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace Foundation, 2013

2013-01-01

This Wallace "Perspective" summarizes a decade of foundation research and work in school leadership to identify what it is that effective school principals do. It concludes that they carry out five key actions particularly well, including shaping a vision of academic success for all students and cultivating leadership in others. The…

Control with an eye for perception: Precursors to an active psychophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flach, John M.

1991-01-01

The perception-action cycle is viewed within the context of research in manual control. A portrait of a perception-action system is derived from the primitives of control theory in order to evaluate the promise of this perspective of what Warren and McMillan (1984) have termed 'active psychophysics'. That is, a study of human performance that does justice to the intimate coupling between perception and action.

What does it mean to transform knowledge into action in falls prevention research? Perspectives from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

PubMed

Tetroe, Jacqueline M; Graham, Ian D; Scott, Vicky

2011-12-01

The concept of knowledge translation as defined by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Knowledge to Action Cycle, described by Graham et al (Graham et al., 2006), are used to make a case for the importance of using a conceptual model to describe moving knowledge into action in the area of falls prevention. There is a large body of research in the area of falls prevention. It would seem that in many areas it is clear what is needed to prevent falls and further syntheses can determine where the evidence is sufficiently robust to warrant its implementation as well as where the gaps are that require further basic research. The phases of the action cycle highlight seven areas that should be paid attention to in order to maximize chances of successful implementation. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discourses of dementia: a call for an ethnographic, action research approach to care in linguistically and culturally diverse environments.

PubMed

Müller, Nicole; Guendouzi, Jacqueline A

2009-08-01

The methods of ethnography and action research have much to offer to the field of speech-language pathology, particularly as our clinical populations are becoming increasingly diverse. We suggest that practicing speech-language pathologists and students, as well as researchers, will benefit from strategies that use the methods of participatory action research and ethnography as guiding principles to their work. Ethnography seeks to discover meaningful structures in a culture from the perspective of those whose culture it is. Action research, which shares a methodological basis with ethnography, is undertaken with the aim of improving the functioning of the social institution, practice, or structure investigated for the benefit of those most closely involved with that institution or practice. By way of illustration, we use data collected during fieldwork in Louisiana, involving persons with dementia from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds.

The case for integrating grounded theory and participatory action research: empowering clients to inform professional practice.

PubMed

Teram, Eli; Schachter, Candice L; Stalker, Carol A

2005-10-01

Grounded theory and participatory action research methods are distinct approaches to qualitative inquiry. Although grounded theory has been conceptualized in constructivist terms, it has elements of positivist thinking with an image of neutral search for objective truth through rigorous data collection and analysis. Participatory action research is based on a critique of this image and calls for more inclusive research processes. It questions the possibility of objective social sciences and aspires to engage people actively in all stages of generating knowledge. The authors applied both approaches in a project designed to explore the experiences of female survivors of childhood sexual abuse with physical therapy and subsequently develop a handbook on sensitive practice for clinicians that takes into consideration the needs and perspectives of these clients. Building on this experience, they argue that the integration of grounded theory and participatory action research can empower clients to inform professional practice.

A practitioner-focused approach to the provision of psychological support in soccer: adopting action research themes and processes.

PubMed

Gilbourne, David; Richardson, David

2005-06-01

In this review, we explore a practitioner-focused approach to the provision of psychological support in soccer. Support is depicted to be a collaborative exercise and is associated with action research themes and processes. Various procedures and perspectives that are associated with action research are outlined. The ideas presented suggest that many soccer-based practitioners (coaches, managers and physiotherapists) have the capacity to influence how sport psychology practice might be experienced by players. The sport scientist is depicted here as someone who acts as a critical friend to those practitioners who are interested in developing aspects of their own working practice. Having established these ideas, the review provides an illustration of how a combination of action research themes and qualitative research techniques has been used to influence and support heads of education and welfare in UK soccer academies across the north-west of England.

Workshop on Wildlife Crime: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 Wildlife crime, computation, conservation, criminology , conservation biology, risk, poaching REPORT...Action items? Conference on “Conservation, Computation, Criminology ” C^3? Technology Transfer

Students and Teacher Academic Evaluation Perceptions: Methodology to Construct a Representation Based on Actionable Knowledge Discovery Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molina, Otilia Alejandro; Ratté, Sylvie

2017-01-01

This research introduces a method to construct a unified representation of teachers and students perspectives based on the actionable knowledge discovery (AKD) and delivery framework. The representation is constructed using two models: one obtained from student evaluations and the other obtained from teachers' reflections about their teaching…

An Inferentialist Perspective on the Coordination of Actions and Reasons Involved in Making a Statistical Inference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakker, Arthur; Ben-Zvi, Dani; Makar, Katie

2017-01-01

To understand how statistical and other types of reasoning are coordinated with actions to reduce uncertainty, we conducted a case study in vocational education that involved statistical hypothesis testing. We analyzed an intern's research project in a hospital laboratory in which reducing uncertainties was crucial to make a valid statistical…

New Media Literacies as Social Action: The Centrality of Pedagogy in the Politics of Knowledge Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jocson, Korina M.

2015-01-01

In this article, the author illustrates the blurring lines of youth cultural production and participatory politics from the perspective of new media literacies. Drawing on design-based action research, the author discusses pedagogical considerations in the conceptualization of new media literacies in a semester-long course that culminated in…

Web 2.0 Technologies and Building Online Learning Communities: Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdelmalak, Mariam Mousa Matta

2015-01-01

The purpose of this action research was to explore students' perspectives regarding using Web 2.0 technologies to develop a community of learners. The course described in this study was a fully online course in an Educational Learning Technologies master's program at a medium-sized university in the U.S. Southwest. A variety of Web 2.0 tools…

Transformation to a Customer-Oriented Perspective through Action Learning in Product and Service Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Annika

2007-01-01

Customer orientation is strongly visible in the visions and strategies of most organizations, but how do these visions and strategies move from intentions to practice? This question provides the focus for this research which aims to acquire deeper insights into this process. The point of departure is the change in perspective from a product to a…

Teachers Attitude towards Poverty & Its Impact on Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harbert, William T.

2017-01-01

This book has two major portions. The majority of the book is my perspective of the life that I have lived as a child raised in poverty. The other portion of this book provides educators and others who work with children some research-based practices that are linked to particular behaviors or actions. These are provided from a dual perspective,…

Steps towards Collective Sustainability in Biomedical Research.

PubMed

Salvetti, Marco; Lubetzki, Catherine; Kapoor, Raj; Ristori, Giovanni; Costa, Ericka; Battaglia, Mario A; Andreaus, Michele; Abbracchio, Maria Pia; Matarese, Giuseppe; Zaratin, Paola

2018-05-01

The optimism surrounding multistakeholder research initiatives does not match the clear view of policies that are needed to exploit the potential of these collaborations. Here we propose some action items that stem from the integration between research advancements with the perspectives of patient-advocacy organizations, academia, and industry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Participatory Action Research and Impact: An Ecological Ripples Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trickett, Edison J.; Beehler, Sarah

2017-01-01

Assessment of the impact of varied forms of participatory research is enhanced by specific attention to the ripples, such work initiates in the social context. Ripples are defined as consequences either unintended or unanticipated by those carrying out the participatory research. Following a brief documentation of the range of reported ripples in…

The State of Space Propulsion Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sackheim, R. L.; Cole, J. W.; Litchford, R. J.

2006-01-01

The current state of space propulsion research is assessed from both a historical perspective, spanning the decades since Apollo, and a forward-looking perspective, as defined by the enabling technologies required for a meaningful and sustainable human and robotic exploration program over the forthcoming decades. Previous research and technology investment approaches are examined and a course of action suggested for obtaining a more balanced portfolio of basic and applied research. The central recommendation is the establishment of a robust national Space Propulsion Research Initiative that would run parallel with systems development and include basic research activities. The basic framework and technical approach for this proposed initiative are defined and a potential implementation approach is recommended.

Exploring teacher's perceptions of concept mapping as a teaching strategy in science: An action research approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks Krpan, Catherine Anne

In order to promote science literacy in the classroom, students need opportunities in which they can personalize their understanding of the concepts they are learning. Current literature supports the use of concept maps in enabling students to make personal connections in their learning of science. Because they involve creating explicit connections between concepts, concept maps can assist students in developing metacognitive strategies and assist educators in identifying misconceptions in students' thinking. The literature also notes that concept maps can improve student achievement and recall. Much of the current literature focuses primarily on concept mapping at the secondary and university levels, with limited focus on the elementary panel. The research rarely considers teachers' thoughts and ideas about the concept mapping process. In order to effectively explore concept mapping from the perspective of elementary teachers, I felt that an action research approach would be appropriate. Action research enabled educators to debate issues about concept mapping and test out ideas in their classrooms. It also afforded the participants opportunities to explore their own thinking, reflect on their personal journeys as educators and play an active role in their professional development. In an effort to explore concept mapping from the perspective of elementary educators, an action research group of 5 educators and myself was established and met regularly from September 1999 until June 2000. All of the educators taught in the Toronto area. These teachers were interested in exploring how concept mapping could be used as a learning tool in their science classrooms. In summary, this study explores the journey of five educators and myself as we engaged in collaborative action research. This study sets out to: (1) Explore how educators believe concept mapping can facilitate teaching and student learning in the science classroom. (2) Explore how educators implement concept mapping in their classrooms. (3) Identify challenges educators experience when they implement concept mapping. (4) Explore factors that impact on facilitating collaborative action research. (5) Provide insight into my growth as an action research facilitator.

The meaning of recovery in a regional mental health service: an action research study.

PubMed

Kidd, Susan; Kenny, Amanda; McKinstry, Carol

2015-01-01

To explore the meaning of the term recovery to people with experience providing and receiving mental health services. Internationally, governments have proposed recovery-oriented mental health policy. In practice, people managing mental health difficulties struggle to recover, self-manage, or improve their quality of life. Mental health services increasingly provide acutely focused and poorly coordinated services to people experiencing mental health difficulties, with self-management, wellness and recovery overlooked. A cooperative enquiry, action research design guided the study. Participants were people with experience of mental health difficulties from consumer, carer and clinician perspectives. Data were collected between August 2012-July 2013. Analysis was conducted using an iterative process for the duration of the study. A thematic network was developed that reflected key organizing themes. The overarching theme developed from the participants' group discussions, reflections, actions and observations was recovery as an ongoing quest in life. This global theme was constructed from five organizing themes: 'finding meaning', 'an invisible disability', 'empowerment and agency' 'connection' and 'the passage of time'. Participatory approaches support the inclusion of lived experience perspectives. Structured processes are needed to bring different perspectives together to find solutions, through dialogue, and acknowledge the barriers to participation that people who use mental health services experience. The lack of integration of lived experience perspectives demonstrates forms of discrimination that inhibit consumer participation and prevent the recovery-oriented transformation required in mental health systems. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Phenomenology and Symbolic Interactionism: Recommendations for Social Science Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Karen S.

Commonalities between the philosophical perspectives of Alfred Schatz, a European phenomenologist, and George Herbert Mead, the father of symbolic interactionism, are discussed, and the two men's potential significance in social science research is examined. Both men were concerned with the question of the nature of social action, believing that…

A Character Education Research Perspective for the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Matthew

2014-01-01

The Institute for Excellence and Ethics (IEE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of research-based tools and strategies for building intentional cultures of excellence and ethics in education, athletics, home, and workplace settings. The following five emphases and recommended actions are offered are…

The Power and Passion of Playpacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Nanette

Using an action research model, this study concentrated on easing the transition into school by providing an induction program for preschool children which promotes the emotional needs of the child within the family. The research followed an ecological perspective, considering individual needs within the frameworks of school, home, and community…

National Study of Excellence and Innovation in Physical Therapist Education: Part 2-A Call to Reform.

PubMed

Jensen, Gail M; Hack, Laurita M; Nordstrom, Terrence; Gwyer, Janet; Mostrom, Elizabeth

2017-09-01

This perspective shares recommendations that draw from (1) the National Study of Excellence and Innovation in Physical Therapist Education research findings and a conceptual model of excellence in physical therapist education, (2) the Carnegie Foundation's Preparation for the Professions Program (PPP), and (3) research in the learning sciences. The 30 recommendations are linked to the dimensions described in the conceptual model for excellence in physical therapist education: Culture of Excellence, Praxis of Learning, and Organizational Structures and Resources. This perspective proposes a transformative call for reform framed across 3 core categories: (1) creating a culture of excellence, leadership, and partnership, (2) advancing the learning sciences and understanding and enacting the social contract, and (3) implementing organizational imperatives. Similar to the Carnegie studies, this perspective identifies action items (9) that should be initiated immediately in a strategic and systematic way by the major organizational stakeholders in physical therapist education. These recommendations and action items provide a transformative agenda for physical therapist education, and thus the profession, in meeting the changing needs of society through higher levels of excellence. © 2017 American Physical Therapy Association.

Research Needs for Human Factors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-19

the parties aggregate their perspectives through some structured interaction (Sachman, 1975; Steiner, 1972). This approach, well worked by students of...be thought of as an action, so may each action be thought of as a decision. Most students of decision making would probably agree with the hypothesis...structuring has become part of the training of some medical students . The user of computerized information retrieval systems (e.g., Prestel, Teletext) might

Picturing Kids and "Kids" as Researchers: Preservice Teachers and Effective Writing Instruction for Diverse Youth and English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zenkov, Kristien; Pellegrino, Anthony; Sell, Corey; Ewaida, Marriam; Bell, Athene; Fell, Megan; Biernesser, Sam; McCamis, Megan

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors--a team of veteran and preservice teacher educators and teachers--describe the results of a photovoice, Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) study that positioned diverse adolescents as researchers to explore these youths', teachers', and teacher educators' perspectives on school and literacy pedagogies. We have…

Action Research and Collaboration: A New Perspective in Social Research and Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fandiño, Yamith José

2007-01-01

The disconnection between what counts as social research (SR) and what serves society's needs and interests results in a way of theorizing which, while useful, does not integrate theory and practice; a form of social theory that is not embodied in real lives and does not help non-academic people understand their contexts and practices. This…

The Cognitive Unconscious.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kihlstrom, John F.

1987-01-01

Addresses implications drawn from contemporary research in cognitive psychology which deal with the impact of nonconscious mental structures and processes on an individual's experience, thought, and action. Discusses the information-processing perspective, automatic processes, subliminal perception, implicit memory, hypnotic alterations, and the…

Aboriginal Community Engagement in Primary Schooling: Promoting Learning through a Cross-Cultural Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Angela; Wilson, Katie; Wilks, Judith L.

2017-01-01

This article reports on action research conducted at a primary school in rural New South Wales, Australia. The research responded to an expressed school aspiration to foster greater understanding of local Aboriginal culture, historical perspectives and knowledge systems within the school. An exploratory model was developed using a mixed methods…

What Is in a Recommendation? A Perspective from Work-Based Doctorates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Paul; Maguire, Kate

2012-01-01

This paper is about writing effective recommendations for action based on inquiries, evidence or arguments that have the purpose of effecting change. The importance of the topic for higher education is evident in the increasing accountability being asked of research from within institutions, in other words, research which provides evidenced-based…

Perspectives on Effective Teaching and the Cooperative Classroom. Analysis and Action Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinhartz, Judy, Ed.

This collection of 7 articles focuses on the themes of 10 workshops that comprise an inservice training program, Effective Teaching, and the Cooperative Classroom. In "Research in Teacher Effectiveness," Georgea M. Sparks traces the research findings on effective teaching practices and educational outcomes during the last 15 years, and…

Insiders Doing PAR with Youth in Their Schools: Negotiating Professional Boundaries and Healing Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herr, Kathryn

2017-01-01

In this essay, I explore my experiences as a practitioner researcher collaborating with my students on a participatory action research project aimed at institutional change. I take up two areas: blurring the boundaries of professionalism in working toward authentic collaborations with students, and secondly, incorporating perspectives of…

Project-Based Community Language Learning: Three Narratives of Multilingual Story-Telling in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotherington, Heather; Holland, Michelle; Sotoudeh, Shiva; Zentena, Mike

2008-01-01

At Joyce Public School (JPS) in the Greater Toronto Area, we are engaged in ongoing collaborative action research to develop pedagogical approaches to emergent literacies that engage multilingual, multicultural, and multimodal perspectives in complex interplay. Our research is grounded in the challenges children experience in acquiring literacy…

[Women caregivers' experiences in caring at home for a family member with dementia: a feminist approach].

PubMed

Yih, Bong-Sook; Kim, Chun-Mi; Yi, Myungsun

2004-08-01

The purpose of this study was to explore women caregivers' lived experiences in caring at home for a family member with dementia and to identify conditions that oppress women in the context of family caregiving. This study was conducted within the feminist perspectives using qualitative secondary data. Ten secondary data conveying self reflective contents were selected from the 25 original data obtained in 1999 to 2000. Six themes that emerged from the qualitative thematic content analysis were; androcentric view of family caregiving, undervalued family caregiving by the family members, Self rationalization in the context of family caregiving, family-centric care mechanism, exemplary caring within the family context, and inter-familial relationships among women. The main focus of feminist research is to provide empowerment for the women research participants and to bring about social change of oppressive constraint through some actions. On the basis of the research findings, therefore, action strategies from feminist perspectives were suggested in some aspects of health care delivery sectors, nursing education and research sectors, and administrative sectors.

Researching pharmacist managerial capability: philosophical perspectives and paradigms of inquiry.

PubMed

Woods, Phillip; Gapp, Rod; King, Michelle A

2015-01-01

In successful community pharmacy business enterprises suitably responsive actions to meet ever-increasing change require capable pharmacy managers who readily learn and adapt. Capability as a concept is generally understood to be the ability of a manager to identify and act to solve unfamiliar problems in unfamiliar situations. Capability is characterized by adaptability and flexibility. However, different understandings of the concept 'capability' and what it means to be 'capable' are indirect and incomplete. This paper aims to clarify current theories regarding the concept of 'capability' at the level of the individual, and through this to make more explicit what is known about the phenomenon, but more particularly, how we know what we know. The analysis includes the concept of 'competence' because explanations of capability include competence, and the two concepts are not clearly separated in the literature. By probing the epistemological origins of current theory concerning both concepts, the limiting taken for granted assumptions are revealed. Assumptions about context and time, and the psychological theory through which individuals are assumed to perceive, know and learn, are illuminated. The analysis, in connection with the literature, shows how the interpretive philosophic research approach may reveal a different and useful theoretical perspective for explaining capability as a dynamic performance. It is suggested that such a perspective may narrow the gap between the theory of capability and its practice. The interpretive perspective holds potential to reveal how capability, as performed by successful community pharmacy managers, might be further researched and strengthened. This paper supports the challenging suggestion that pharmacy social research needs to rebalance the dominance of purely empirical research by exploring interpretive methodologies to better understand human actions and relations in the context of pharmacy. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Policy, Research and Residents' Perspectives on Built Environments Implicated in Heart Disease: A Concept Mapping Approach.

PubMed

Stankov, Ivana; Howard, Natasha J; Daniel, Mark; Cargo, Margaret

2017-02-09

An underrepresentation of stakeholder perspectives within urban health research arguably limits our understanding of what is a multi-dimensional and complex relationship between the built environment and health. By engaging a wide range of stakeholders using a participatory concept mapping approach, this study aimed to achieve a more holistic and nuanced understanding of the built environments shaping disease risk, specifically cardiometabolic risk (CMR). Moreover, this study aimed to ascertain the importance and changeability of identified environments through government action. Through the concept mapping process, community members, researchers, government and non-government stakeholders collectively identified eleven clusters encompassing 102 built environmental domains related to CMR, a number of which are underrepresented within the literature. Among the identified built environments, open space, public transportation and pedestrian environments were highlighted as key targets for policy intervention. Whilst there was substantive convergence in stakeholder groups' perspectives concerning the built environment and CMR, there were disparities in the level of importance government stakeholders and community members respectively assigned to pedestrian environments and street connectivity. These findings support the role of participatory methods in strengthening how urban health issues are understood and in affording novel insights into points of action for public health and policy intervention.

Cognitive structure, flexibility, and plasticity in human multitasking-An integrative review of dual-task and task-switching research.

PubMed

Koch, Iring; Poljac, Edita; Müller, Hermann; Kiesel, Andrea

2018-06-01

Numerous studies showed decreased performance in situations that require multiple tasks or actions relative to appropriate control conditions. Because humans often engage in such multitasking activities, it is important to understand how multitasking affects performance. In the present article, we argue that research on dual-task interference and sequential task switching has proceeded largely separately using different experimental paradigms and methodology. In our article we aim at organizing this complex set of research in terms of three complementary research perspectives on human multitasking. One perspective refers to structural accounts in terms of cognitive bottlenecks (i.e., critical processing stages). A second perspective refers to cognitive flexibility in terms of the underlying cognitive control processes. A third perspective emphasizes cognitive plasticity in terms of the influence of practice on human multitasking abilities. With our review article we aimed at highlighting the value of an integrative position that goes beyond isolated consideration of a single theoretical research perspective and that broadens the focus from single experimental paradigms (dual task and task switching) to favor instead a view that emphasizes the fundamental similarity of the underlying cognitive mechanisms across multitasking paradigms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Beyond Criminalization: Toward a Criminologically Informed Framework for Mental Health Policy and Services Research

PubMed Central

Silver, Eric; Wolff, Nancy

2010-01-01

The problems posed by persons with mental illness involved with the criminal justice system are vexing ones that have received attention at the local, state and national levels. The conceptual model currently guiding research and social action around these problems is shaped by the “criminalization” perspective and the associated belief that reconnecting individuals with mental health services will by itself reduce risk for arrest. This paper argues that such efforts are necessary but possibly not sufficient to achieve that reduction. Arguing for the need to develop a services research framework that identifies a broader range of risk factors for arrest, we describe three potentially useful criminological frameworks—the “life course,” “local life circumstances” and “routine activities” perspectives. Their utility as platforms for research in a population of persons with mental illness is discussed and suggestions are provided with regard to how services research guided by these perspectives might inform the development of community-based services aimed at reducing risk of arrest. PMID:16791518

A transcranial magnetic stimulation study of the effect of visual orientation on the putative human mirror neuron system.

PubMed

Burgess, Jed D; Arnold, Sara L; Fitzgibbon, Bernadette M; Fitzgerald, Paul B; Enticott, Peter G

2013-01-01

Mirror neurons are a class of motor neuron that are active during both the performance and observation of behavior, and have been implicated in interpersonal understanding. There is evidence to suggest that the mirror response is modulated by the perspective from which an action is presented (e.g., egocentric or allocentric). Most human research, however, has only examined this when presenting intransitive actions. Twenty-three healthy adult participants completed a transcranial magnetic stimulation experiment that assessed corticospinal excitability whilst viewing transitive hand gestures from both egocentric (i.e., self) and allocentric (i.e., other) viewpoints. Although action observation was associated with increases in corticospinal excitability (reflecting putative human mirror neuron activity), there was no effect of visual perspective. These findings are discussed in the context of contemporary theories of mirror neuron ontogeny, including models concerning associative learning and evolutionary adaptation.

Student Support in China: Addressing the Perceived Needs of Undergraduate English Department Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schippers, Margriet

2008-01-01

As yet little research into the perspectives of Chinese students studying in mainland China's Higher Education Institutions has been undertaken. This paper explores the issue of students' support needs and presents the findings of a study carried out in 2005-2007 at a public university in North East China. The Action Research method used…

Getting Ideas into Action: Building Networked Improvement Communities in Education. Carnegie Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryk, Anthony S.; Gomez, Louis M.; Grunow, Alicia

2010-01-01

In this Carnegie essay by Anthony Bryk, Louis Gomez and Alicia Grunow, the authors argue that the social organization of the research enterprise is badly broken and a very different alternative is needed. They instead support a science of improvement research and introduce the idea of a networked improvement community that creates the purposeful…

Factorial Structure of the Family Values Scale from a Multilevel-Multicultural Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, Barbara M.; van de Vijver, Fons J. R.

2014-01-01

In cross-cultural research, there is a tendency for researchers to draw inferences at the country level based on individual-level data. Such action implicitly and often mistakenly assumes that both the measuring instrument and its underlying construct(s) are operating equivalently across both levels. Based on responses from 5,482 college students…

The Perception of Public Secondary Education through the Lens of African American Male Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dandridge, Janae' K.

2012-01-01

This study examines the perspective of public secondary education through the lived experiences and voices of 10 African American male students. The study was qualitative in nature and utilized an action research case study design. The researcher conducted semi structured interviews with a randomly selected group of African American male students…

Research and Teaching: Photovoice as a Pedagogical Tool--Student Engagement in Undergraduate Introductory Chemistry for Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroud, Mary W.

2014-01-01

This study explores the use of Photovoice as a pedagogical tool in two introductory undergraduate chemistry courses for nonscience majors. Photovoice, historically linked to participatory action research, is a qualitative mode of inquiry in which the perspectives provided in narratives and pictures are generally personal, subjective, and unique.…

The view from everywhere: disciplining diversity in post-World War II international social science.

PubMed

Selcer, Perrin

2009-01-01

This paper explores the attempt of social scientists associated with Unesco to create a system of knowledge production to provide the international perspective necessary for democratic governance of a world community. Social scientists constructed a federal system of international associations that institutionalized American disciplines on an international scale. An international perspective emerged through the process of interdisciplinary international research. I call this ideal of coordinating multiple subjectivities to produce objectivity the "view from everywhere." Influenced by social psychological "action-research," collaborative research was group therapy. The attempt to operationalize internationalists' rallying slogan, "unity in diversity," illuminated tensions inherent in the mobilization of science for social and political reform.

Food marketing targeting children: unveiling the ethical perspectives in the discourse on self-regulation.

PubMed

Silva, Dillian Adelaine Cesar da; Cunha, Antonio Carlos Rodrigues da; Cunha, Thiago Rocha da; Rosaneli, Caroline Filla

2017-07-01

When it comes to food marketing, children are one of the major targets. Regulatory actions can play a strategic role in health protection. The objective of this research was to characterize the ethical perspective in the discourse against state regulatory actions on food marketing directed at children, aiming to understand the context of the discourse's production and how it creates meaning. The methodology adopted was qualitative, with documentary analysis and use of concepts and procedures from Discourse Analysis. The work of Hans Jonas, specifically his Responsibility Principle, and Garrafa and Port's Intervention Bioethics oriented the analysis. The self-regulation discourse analysis showed an ethical perspective in which relations of consumption predominate over the children´s vulnerability. The rhetorical excess is constant, as well as the use of resources like naturalization, untruthfulness, ideological dissimulation and euphemism. An erasure of social conflicts takes place, and an ahistorical perspective is present. The discourse does not align with Jonas´ Responsibility Principle, nor those of Intervention Bioethics. Lastly, the ethical perspective of the discourse represents a double paradox, because it is a business discourse that hides its competitive roots and metamorphoses into an ethical one.

Prosocial behavior: multilevel perspectives.

PubMed

Penner, Louis A; Dovidio, John F; Piliavin, Jane A; Schroeder, David A

2005-01-01

Current research on prosocial behavior covers a broad and diverse range of phenomena. We argue that this large research literature can be best organized and understood from a multilevel perspective. We identify three levels of analysis of prosocial behavior: (a) the "meso" level--the study of helper-recipient dyads in the context of a specific situation; (b) the micro level--the study of the origins of prosocial tendencies and the sources of variation in these tendencies; and (c) the macro level--the study of prosocial actions that occur within the context of groups and large organizations. We present research at each level and discuss similarities and differences across levels. Finally, we consider ways in which theory and research at these three levels of analysis might be combined in future intra- and interdisciplinary research on prosocial behavior.

Insulin Resistance and Hunger in Childhood Obesity: A Patient and Physician's Perspective.

PubMed

Scinta, Wendy; Bayes, Harold; Smith, Nicole

2017-10-01

This article is co-authored by the mother of a child with obesity and insulin resistance, who gives her perspective. It is also co-authored by the treating Obesity Medicine clinician and an investigator in obesity clinical research (both certified in Obesity Medicine), who give their perspectives. The discussion focuses upon the potential clinical use of metformin in managing young patients with obesity and insulin resistance. The article integrates what is scientifically known about the mechanisms of actions of metformin and how these mechanisms are reflected in the clinical response of young patients.

Evaluation of an action research project in ophthalmic nursing practice.

PubMed

Waterman, Heather; Harker, Rona; MacDonald, Heather; McLaughlan, Rita; Waterman, Christine

2005-11-01

This paper reports the evaluation phase of an action research project that promoted face-down posturing of patients following vitreo-retinal surgery for macular hole to enhance patient outcomes. The evaluation phase identified areas of practice needing further development from the perspectives of those involved with the care of patients. To achieve best results following surgical repair of macular hole, patients are required to posture face down for several weeks. As a consequence, patients complain of severe back and neck ache and find it difficult to persist with the posturing. Work to advance nursing practice as surgical developments occur has relevance beyond ophthalmology and the particular context of this project. The first three phases of this action research--problem identification, planning and action--have been reported in another paper. Throughout the project an action research group comprising of representatives of key stakeholders were actively involved in researching and changing practice. During the evaluation phase, a qualitative methodology was chosen. Interviews with 17 members of staff from the inpatient area were carried out to elicit their perspectives on the posturing of patients. Qualitative interviews were selected to facilitate comparison with interview data from Phase 1. Data analysis ran concurrently with data collection, so that one could inform the other. Overall, nurses and healthcare support workers felt that patients were more agreeable to posturing and after surgery began to posture more quickly. Communication was still an issue in some instances, and patients having urgent as opposed to planned surgery were found to be more difficult to prepare and the psychological care of patients still posed problems for nursing staff. The evaluation suggests that improvements in the care of this group of patients have occurred. A 10-point plan to promote face-down posturing has been developed which will be of use to practitioners in other settings. Some aspects of practice remain less well-understood, for example, the psychological care of patients.

The Research-Teaching Nexus from the Portuguese Academics' Perspective: A Qualitative Case Study in a School of Social Sciences and Humanities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farcas, Diana; Bernardes, Sónia Figueira; Matos, Madalena

2017-01-01

This paper reports on a study conducted as part of an action-research project--INTEGRA I&E--aiming to promote the research and teaching (R&T) nexus at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities of a Research University in Lisbon, Portugal (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, ISCTE-IUL). This study set out to investigate a multi-informant…

Questioning 'participation': a critical appraisal of its conceptualization in a Flemish participatory technology assessment.

PubMed

van Oudheusden, Michiel

2011-12-01

This article draws attention to struggles inherent in discourse about the meaning of participation in a Flemish participatory technology assessment (pTA) on nanotechnologies. It explores how, at the project's outset, key actors (e.g., nanotechnologists and pTA researchers) frame elements of the process like 'the public' and draw on interpretive repertoires to fit their perspective. The examples call into question normative commitments to cooperation, consensus building, and common action that conventionally guide pTA approaches. It is argued that pTA itself must reflect an awareness of competing interests and perspectives inherent in the discourse associated with the meaning of 'participation' if it is to incite action beyond vested interests and ensure genuine mutual learning.

Finding common ground: perspectives on community-based childhood obesity prevention.

PubMed

Porter, Christine M; Pelletier, David L

2012-11-01

To support successful and inclusive community organizing for childhood obesity prevention, this research identified stakeholder perspectives on what communities should do to prevent childhood obesity. It employed factor analysis on statement sorts (Q methodology) conducted by 95 people in an upstate New York community. These participants sorted 36 statements about the issue by how much he or she agreed or disagreed with each. Participants were recruited through strategic snowball sampling to sample a variety of perspectives. The four resulting factors, or perspectives, were interpreted in the context of presort demographic surveys and postsort interviews. This research found one stance that fits the environmental perspective common in public health. The other three factors indicate important variations among perspectives centered on individual responsibility, ranging from libertarian to technocratic views. However, overall, results revealed a substantial degree of agreement among the four perspectives, including on providing access to family activities and on making fruits and vegetables more available and affordable, for example, through subsidies. This article points to common ground for community action on childhood obesity prevention, highlights areas likely to generate considerable contention, and shows whose views are not being accounted for in, at least, this community's childhood obesity prevention project.

Substance use disorder in the context of LGBT health: a social work perspective.

PubMed

Silvestre, Anthony; Beatty, Rodger L; Friedman, M Reuel

2013-01-01

The impacts of public and private funding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health research, the state of integration of LGBT health issues into the academic and professional training programs of health care practitioners, and the larger social reality experienced by LGBT people profoundly affect substance use and substance use disorders in those populations. This analysis uses a social work perspective and considers the current state of research, professional training, and social oppression as they affect the health of LGBT people. Suggestions for action are offered that may improve the health of LGBT peoples and the practice of social work.

Evaluation of Career Development Programs from an Action Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Richard A.; Valach, Ladislav

1994-01-01

Presents action-theoretical approach to evaluation of career development programs based on constructionist epistemology. Propositions from action-theoretical perspective center around career and action as related, interpretative constructs. Propositions give rise to implications for evaluation of career programs that address ongoing nature of…

The Human-Computer Interface and Information Literacy: Some Basics and Beyond.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Gary M.

1999-01-01

Discusses human/computer interaction research, human/computer interface, and their relationships to information literacy. Highlights include communication models; cognitive perspectives; task analysis; theory of action; problem solving; instructional design considerations; and a suggestion that human/information interface may be a more appropriate…

Towards a Postmodern Research Agenda For Public Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holtzhausen, Derina R.

2002-01-01

Explores the possibility of postmodernism as an alternative theoretical approach to public relations. Examines modernist public relations as a hegemonic practice that interpolates practitioners into the system to legitimize the perspectives and actions of corporate managers as objective knowledge. Concludes with suggestions for a postmodern…

Setting strategy for system change: using concept mapping to prioritise national action for chronic disease prevention.

PubMed

Wutzke, Sonia; Roberts, Nick; Willis, Cameron; Best, Allan; Wilson, Andrew; Trochim, William

2017-08-08

Chronic diseases are a serious and urgent problem, requiring at-scale, multi-component, multi-stakeholder action and cooperation. Despite numerous national frameworks and agenda-setting documents to coordinate prevention efforts, Australia, like many countries internationally, is yet to substantively impact the burden from chronic disease. Improved evidence on effective strategies for the prevention of chronic disease is required. This research sought to articulate a priority set of important and feasible action domains to inform future discussion and debate regarding priority areas for chronic disease prevention policy and strategy. Using concept mapping, a mixed-methods approach to making use of the best available tacit knowledge of recognised, diverse and well-experienced actors, and national actions to improve the prevention of chronic disease in Australia were identified and then mapped. Participants (ranging from 58 to 78 in the various stages of the research) included a national sample of academics, policymakers and practitioners. Data collection involved the generation and sorting of statements by participants. A series of visual representations of the data were then developed. A total of 95 statements were distilled into 12 clusters for action, namely Inter-Sectoral Partnerships; Systems Perspective/Action; Governance; Roles and Responsibilities; Evidence, Feedback and Learning; Funding and Incentive; Creating Demand; Primary Prevention; Social Determinants and Equity; Healthy Environments; Food and Nutrition; and Regulation and Policy. Specific areas for more immediate national action included refocusing the health system to prevention over cure, raising the profile of public health with health decision-makers, funding policy- and practice-relevant research, improving communication about prevention, learning from both global best-practice and domestic successes and failures, increasing the focus on primary prevention, and developing a long-term prevention strategy with an explicit funding commitment. Preventing chronic diseases and their risk factors will require at-scale, multi-component, multi-stakeholder action and cooperation. The concept mapping procedures used in this research have enabled the synthesis of views across different stakeholders, bringing both divergent and convergent perspectives to light, and collectively creating signals for where to prioritise national action. Previous national strategies for chronic disease prevention have not collated the tacit knowledge of diverse actors in the prevention of chronic disease in this structured way.

Transforming Language Ideologies through Action Research: A Case Study of Bilingual Science Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Eunah

This qualitative case study explored a third grade bilingual teacher's transformative language ideologies through participating in a collaborative action research project. By merging language ideologies theory, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), and action research, I was able to identify the analytic focus of this study. I analyzed how one teacher and I, the researcher, collaboratively reflected on classroom language practices during the video analysis meetings and focus groups. Further, I analyzed twelve videos that we coded together to see the changes in the teacher's language practices over time. My unit of analysis was the discourse practice mediated by additive language ideologies. Throughout the collaborative action research process, we both critically reflected on the classroom language use. We also developed a critical consciousness about the participatory shifts and learning of focal English Learner (EL) students. Finally, the teacher made changes to her classroom language practices. The results of this study will contribute to the literacy education research field for theoretical, methodological, and practical insights. The integration of language ideologies, CHAT, and action research can help educational practitioners, researchers, and policy makers understand the importance of transforming teachers' language ideologies in designing additive learning contexts for ELs. From a methodological perspective, the transformative language ideologies through researcher and teacher collaborated video analysis process provide a unique contribution to the language ideologies in education literature, with analytic triangulation. As a practical implication, this study suggests action research can be one of the teacher education tools to help the teachers transform language ideologies for EL education.

Using Action Research and Peer Perspectives to Develop Technology That Facilitates Behavioral Change and Self-Management in COPD

PubMed Central

McCabe, Catherine; Dinsmore, John; Brady, Anne Marie; Mckee, Gabrielle; O'Donnell, Sharon; Prendergast, David

2014-01-01

Background. Behavioural change and self-management in patients with chronic illness may help to control symptoms, avoid rehospitalization, enhance quality of life, and decrease mortality and morbidity. Objective. Guided by action research principles and using mixed methods, the aim of this project was to develop peer based educational, motivational, and health-promoting peer based videos, using behavioural change principles, to support self-management in patients with COPD. Methods. Individuals (n = 32) living with COPD at home and involved in two community based COPD support groups were invited to participate in this project. Focus group/individual interviews and a demographic questionnaire were used to collect data. Results. Analysis revealed 6 categories relevant to behavioural change which included self-management, support, symptoms, knowledge, rehabilitation, and technology. Participants commented that content needed to be specific, and videos needed to be shorter, to be tailored to severity of condition, to demonstrate “normal” activities, to be positive, and to ensure that content is culturally relevant. Conclusions. This study demonstrated that detailed analysis of patient perspectives and needs for self-management is essential and should underpin the development of any framework, materials, and technology. The action research design principles provided an effective framework for eliciting the data and applying it to technology and testing its relevance to the user. PMID:24959177

Perspectives of key stakeholders and experts in infant feeding on the implementation of the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015.

PubMed

Hull, Naomi S; Schubert, Lisa C; Smith, Julie P

2017-03-01

Breastfeeding is widely accepted as an important public health issue for babies and their mothers. Yet, despite this, Australia continues to struggle with reaching global targets for breastfeeding indicators. In 2007, the Best Start Parliamentary Inquiry Report was released and set the stage for the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy [2010-2015), which was announced in November 2009, with the vision to increase Australia's breastfeeding rates of infants at 6 months of age and beyond. The aim of this research project was to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders in the field of infant feeding in Australia on the implementation of the strategy, barriers and enablers to its successful implementation and actions that were still needed. Using qualitative research methods of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, this study identifies main themes of these perceptions about the strategy implementation and some recommendations for future strategies and further research. The main themes identified were initial opinions of the strategy as a blueprint for action, the strategy as a driver for action, lessons learned and recommendations for the future. For success in improving implementation of national breastfeeding strategies, it is recommended that Australia establish an independent breastfeeding/infant feeding committee, increase the political prioritisation of issues surrounding infant feeding and strengthen the regulation of the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.

AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AND PROTECTIVE ACTIONS AMONG MINORITY WOMEN IN NORTHERN MANHATTAN. (R827027)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Free Education! A "Live" Report on the Chilean Student Movement 2011-2014--Reform or Revolution? [A Political Sociology for Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simbuerger, Elisabeth; Neary, Mike

2015-01-01

This paper provides a report on the Chilean student movement, 2011-2014, from the perspective of the students themselves, based on the main research question: are the student protests for reform or revolution? The research data was collected during October 2013 before the Chilean Presidential and Parliamentary elections using the methodology of…

High and Low Computer Self-Efficacy Groups and Their Learning Behavior from Self-Regulated Learning Perspective While Engaged in Interactive Learning Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santoso, Harry B.; Lawanto, Oenardi; Becker, Kurt; Fang, Ning; Reeve, Edward M.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate high school students' computer self-efficacy (CSE) and learning behavior in a self-regulated learning (SRL) framework while utilizing an interactive learning module. The researcher hypothesizes that CSE is reflected on cognitive actions and metacognitive strategies while the students are engaged with…

Do Actions Speak Louder than Words? A Comparative Perspective on Implicit versus Explicit Meta-Cognition and Theory of Mind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Couchman, Justin J.; Beran, Michael J.; Coutinho, Mariana V. C.; Boomer, Joseph; Zakrzewski, Alexandria; Church, Barbara; Smith, J. David

2012-01-01

Research in non-human animal (hereafter, animal) cognition has found strong evidence that some animal species are capable of meta-cognitively monitoring their mental states. They know when they know and when they do not know. In contrast, animals have generally not shown robust theory of mind (ToM) capabilities. Comparative research uses methods…

The Unconscious Mind

PubMed Central

Bargh, John A.; Morsella, Ezequiel

2008-01-01

The unconscious mind is still viewed by many psychological scientists as the shadow of a “real” conscious mind, though there now exists substantial evidence that the unconscious is not identifiably less flexible, complex, controlling, deliberative, or action-oriented than is its counterpart. This “conscious-centric” bias is due in part to the operational definition within cognitive psychology that equates unconscious with subliminal. We review the evidence challenging this restricted view of the unconscious emerging from contemporary social cognition research, which has traditionally defined the unconscious in terms of its unintentional nature; this research has demonstrated the existence of several independent unconscious behavioral guidance systems: perceptual, evaluative, and motivational. From this perspective, it is concluded that in both phylogeny and ontogeny, actions of an unconscious mind precede the arrival of a conscious mind—that action precedes reflection. PMID:18584056

Philosophical inquiry and the goals of nursing: a critical approach for disciplinary knowledge development and action.

PubMed

Grace, Pamela J; Perry, Donna J

2013-01-01

Philosophical inquiry remains critically important for nursing education, practice, and knowledge development. We propose a 3-level taxonomy of philosophical inquiry to guide nursing curricula and research development. Important background information about philosophy and the development of philosophical methods is given. Then philosophical inquiry is linked to the goals of nursing using our proposed taxonomy: level I-cultivating an attitude of "critical consciousness" related to all nursing situations and actions, level II-analysis and application of philosophical perspectives to nursing problems and level III-generating new knowledge for nursing purposes including new theories of practice and research.

Exploring multiple intelligences theory in the context of science education: An action research approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodnough, Karen Catherine

2000-10-01

Since the publication of Frames of Mind: The Theory in Practice, multiple intelligences, theory (Gardner, 1983) has been used by practitioners in a variety of ways to make teaching and learning more meaningful. However, little attention has been focused on exploring the potential of the theory for science teaching and learning. Consequently, this research study was designed to: (1) explore Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (1983) and its merit for making science teaching and learning more meaningful; (2) provide a forum for teachers to engage in critical self-reflection about their theory and practice in science education; (3) study the process of action research in the context of science education; and (4) describe the effectiveness of collaborative action research as a framework for teacher development and curriculum development. The study reports on the experiences of four teachers (two elementary teachers, one junior high teacher, and one high school teacher) and myself, a university researcher-facilitator, as we participated in a collaborative action research project. The action research group held weekly meetings over a five-month period (January--May, 1999). The inquiry was a qualitative case study (Stake, 1994) that aimed to understand the perspectives of those directly involved. This was achieved by using multiple methods to collect data: audiotaped action research meetings, fieldnotes, semi-structured interviews, journal writing, and concept mapping. All data were analysed on an ongoing basis. Many positive outcomes resulted from the study in areas such as curriculum development, teacher development, and student learning in science. Through the process of action research, research participants became more reflective about their practice and thus, enhanced their pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1987) in science. Students became more engaged in learning science, gained a greater understanding of how they learn, and experienced a science curriculum that was more relevant and personalized. In addition, the action research process provided a feasible and effective forum for both curriculum development and professional development.

Differing Perceptions Concerning Research Integrity Between Universities and Industry: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Godecharle, Simon; Nemery, Benoit; Dierickx, Kris

2017-09-14

Despite the ever increasing collaboration between industry and universities, the previous empirical studies on research integrity and misconduct excluded participants of biomedical industry. Hence, there is a lack of empirical data on how research managers and biomedical researchers active in industry perceive the issues of research integrity and misconduct, and whether or not their perspectives differ from those of researchers and research managers active in universities. If various standards concerning research integrity and misconduct are upheld between industry and universities, this might undermine research collaborations. Therefore we performed a qualitative study by conducting 22 semi-structured interviews in order to investigate and compare the perspectives and attitudes concerning the issues of research integrity and misconduct of research managers and biomedical researchers active in industry and universities. Our study showed clear discrepancies between both groups. Diverse strategies in order to manage research misconduct and to stimulate research integrity were observed. Different definitions of research misconduct were given, indicating that similar actions are judged heterogeneously. There were also differences at an individual level, whether the interviewees were active in industry or universities. Overall, the management of research integrity proves to be a difficult exercise, due to many diverse perspectives on several essential elements connected to research integrity and misconduct. A management policy that is not in line with the vision of the biomedical researchers and research managers is at risk of being inefficient.

Aphasia therapy on a neuroscience basis

PubMed Central

Pulvermüller, Friedemann; Berthier, Marcelo L.

2008-01-01

Background Brain research has documented that the cortical mechanisms for language and action are tightly interwoven and, concurrently, new approaches to language therapy in neurological patients are being developed that implement language training in the context of relevant linguistic and non-linguistic actions, therefore taking advantage of the mutual connections of language and action systems in the brain. A further well-known neuroscience principle is that learning at the neuronal level is driven by correlation; consequently, new approaches to language therapy emphasise massed practice in a short time, thus maximising therapy quantity and frequency and, therefore, correlation at the behavioural and neuronal levels. Learned non-use of unsuccessful actions plays a major role in the chronification of neurological deficits, and behavioural approaches to therapy have therefore employed shaping and other learning techniques to counteract such non-use. Aims Advances in theoretical and experimental neuroscience have important implications for clinical practice. We exemplify this in the domain of aphasia rehabilitation. Main Contribution Whereas classical wisdom had been that aphasia cannot be significantly improved at a chronic stage, we here review evidence that one type of intensive language-action therapy (ILAT)—constraint-induced aphasia therapy—led to significant improvement of language performance in patients with chronic aphasia. We discuss perspectives for further improving speech-language therapy, including drug treatment that may be particularly fruitful when applied in conjunction with behavioural treatment. In a final section we highlight intensive and rapid therapy studies in chronic aphasia as a unique tool for exploring the cortical reorganisation of language. Conclusions We conclude that intensive language action therapy is an efficient tool for improving language functions even at chronic stages of aphasia. Therapy studies using this technique can open new perspectives for research into the plasticity of human language circuits. PMID:18923644

Children's Musical Empowerment in Two Composition Task Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucura, Elizabeth; Weissberg, JulieAnne

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary students' creating processes and perspectives through composition. Two fourth-grade classes took part in this action research, which consisted of creating four compositions--two with acoustic instruments and two with computer software. For each of the two sound sources, the first composition…

A Multiyear Investigation of Combating Bullying in Middle School: Stakeholder Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriberg, David; Burns, Mallory; Desai, Poonam; Grunewald, Stephanie; Pitt, Rachel

2015-01-01

Working collaboratively to address bullying among middle school students is an ongoing challenge. This study used participatory action research to collaborate with key stakeholders within a middle school to identify needs and implement more effective practices. Extensive qualitative and quantitative data are presented, along with process…

Formative Assessment Design for PDA Integrated Ecology Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Pi-Hsia; Lin, Yu-Fen; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2010-01-01

Ubiquitous computing and mobile technologies provide a new perspective for designing innovative outdoor learning experiences. The purpose of this study is to propose a formative assessment design for integrating PDAs into ecology observations. Three learning activities were conducted in this study. An action research approach was applied to…

Conducting Participatory Culture-Specific Consultation: A Global Perspective on Multicultural Consultation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Varjas, Kristen; Bernstein, Rachel; Iavasena, Asoka

2000-01-01

Describes a participatory approach to consultation that builds upon contemporary models of research and practice and is designed to address the culture-specific needs of individuals and systems. The Participatory Culture-Specific Consultation (PCSC) model embodies a participatory interpersonal process and relies on ethnographic and action research…

Social Identity Theories and Educational Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Sean

2009-01-01

There is a large body of research in studies of schooling, particularly ethnographic case studies, which posits that collective action among students undermines engagement in school and contributes to educational inequality. In this paper I review studies of engagement from a social identity theory perspective. To what extent can collective action…

The Interplay between Attention, Experience and Skills in Online Language Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Lijing; Stickler, Ursula; Lloyd, Mair E.

2017-01-01

The demand for online teaching is growing as is the recognition that online teachers require highly sophisticated skills to manage classrooms and create an environment conducive to learning. However, there is little rigorous empirical research investigating teachers' thoughts and actions during online tutorials. Taking a sociocultural perspective,…

Scale of Academic Emotion in Science Education: Development and Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiang, Wen-Wei; Liu, Chia-Ju

2014-01-01

Contemporary research into science education has generally been conducted from the perspective of "conceptual change" in learning. This study sought to extend previous work by recognizing that human rationality can be influenced by the emotions generated by the learning environment and specific actions related to learning. Methods used…

Weberian Perspectives and the Study of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Ronald

1980-01-01

Considers the sociological research of Max Weber in relation to recent sociology of education. Elements of his approach (social action, power, authority and bureaucracy, ideology, and class) are compared with other approaches. Journal available from Carfax Publishing Co., Haddon House, Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxford 0X9 8JZ, England. (Author/DB)

Ecopedagogy in the Age of Globalization: Educators' Perspectives of Environmental Education Programs in the Americas Which Incorporate Social Justice Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misiaszek, Gregery William

2011-01-01

Ecopedagogy is defined in this research as transformative environmental education which critically and dialectically deconstructs how social conflicts and environmental (socio-environmental) devastation are connected. Understanding these connections is necessary because environmental destructive actions are inherently political--benefiting some…

Anthropological Perspectives on Participation in CBPR: Insights From the Water Project, Maras, Peru.

PubMed

Cartwright, Elizabeth; Schow, Diana

2016-01-01

In this article, we anthropologically explore one part of the process of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR): participation. Participation in CBPR is usually conceptualized as whether, and the degree to which, community members are involved in the research process. Our focus regarding participation is less on quantity and more on quality of the interaction between community members and researchers; within this context, we elaborate the concept of "bridging" as it is understood in CBPR. Using data from our ongoing "Water Project" in the Peruvian Andes, we explore how interaction, as a participative act of the research interview, creates the space for participating and imagining. Out of this interaction come data that are elaborated, contextualized, and, ultimately, from a CBPR perspective, made useful for meaningful engagement and community action. © The Author(s) 2015.

Grasping the Agent’s Perspective: A Kinematics Investigation of Linguistic Perspective in Italian and German

PubMed Central

Gianelli, Claudia; Marzocchi, Michele; Borghi, Anna M.

2017-01-01

Every day, we primarily experience actions as agents, by having a concrete perspective on our actions, their means and goals. This peculiar perspective is what allows us to successfully plan and execute our actions in a dense social environment. Nevertheless, in this environment actions are also perceived from an observer’s perspective. Adopting such a perspective helps us to understand and respond to other’s people actions and their outcomes. Importantly, similar experiences of being agent and observer occur also when actions are not physically acted/perceived but are merely linguistically shared. In this paper we present two exploratory studies, one in Italian and one in German, in which we applied a direct comparison of three singular perspectives in combination with different verb categories. First, second and third person pronouns were combined with action and interaction verbs, i.e., verbs implying an interaction with an object – e.g., grasp – or an interaction with an object and another person – e.g., give. By means of kinematics recording, we analyzed participants’ reaching-grasping responses to a mouse while they were presented with the different combinations of linguistic stimuli (pronouns and verb type). Results of Experiment 1 on reaching show that, when they are preceded by YOU, interaction verbs reached the velocity peak earlier than action verbs, since a further motor act will follow. Thus pronouns influence perspective taking and while comprehending language we are sensitive to the motor chain organization of verbs. The absence of the same effects in Experiment 2 is likely due to the fact that, being the pronoun in German mandatory, it is perceived as less salient than in Italian. Overall our result supports the idea that language is grounded in the motor system in a flexible way, and highlights the need for cross-linguistic studies in the field of embodied language processing. PMID:28223947

Alternatives to Animal Use in Research and Testing. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology of the Committee on Science and Technology. House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Science and Technology.

Perspectives, policy issues, and options for Congressional action that relate most directly to the development and implementation of alternatives to animal use in research and testing are addressed in this report. Testimonies and reports include those from the Office of Technology Assessment, the National Institute of Health, and the Food and Drug…

Online Discussion and the Moral Pathway to Identity Politicization and Collective Action

PubMed Central

Alberici, Augusta Isabella; Milesi, Patrizia

2018-01-01

Research on the mobilizing potential of the Internet has produced some controversy between optimistic vs. skeptical perspectives. Although some attention has been paid to the effects of online discussions on collective participation, very little is known about how people’s experience of online interactions affects the key psychosocial predictors of collective action. The present research investigated whether use of the Internet as a channel for deliberation influenced the moral pathway to collective mobilization by shaping users’ politicized identity, thereby indirectly influencing collective action. Results showed that when people perceived online discussions as a constructive communication context, their politicized identity was imbued with the meaning of responding to a moral obligation, and willingness to participate in collective action was sustained. However, when participants perceived that online discussions were not constructive, their identification with the movement did not refer to moral obligation, and intention to participate in collective action was not sustained. Our discussion focuses on the need to deepen investigation of how people experience the particularities of interacting online, and on how this can affect psychosocial processes leading to collective action.

Are Graphic Novels Always "Cool"? Parent and Student Perspectives on Elementary Mathematics and Science Graphic Novels: The Need for Action Research by School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesmith, Suzanne; Cooper, Sandi; Schwarz, Gretchen; Walker, Amanda

2016-01-01

Often the stakeholders most affected by curriculum change are uninvolved in the change process, leading to curriculum reforms that fail. Thus, a group of university researchers conducted a small-scale study to explore the thoughts and opinions of parents and elementary students on the use of mathematics and science graphic novels to support the…

Action research in gender issues in science education: Towards an understanding of group work with science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyhof-Young, Joyce Marion

Action research is emerging as a promising means of promoting individual and societal change in the context of university programmes in teacher education. However, significant gaps exist in the literature regarding the use of action research groups for the education of science teachers. Therefore, an action research group, dealing with gender issues in science education, was established within the context of a graduate course in action research at OISE. For reasons outlined in the thesis, action research was deemed an especially appropriate means for addressing issues of gender. The group met 14 times from September 1992 until May 1993 and consisted of myself and five other science teachers from the Toronto area. Two of us were in the primary panel, two in the intermediate panel, and two in the tertiary panel. Five teachers were female. One was male. The experiences of the group form the basis of this study. A methodology of participant observation supported by interviews, classroom visits, journals, group feedback and participant portfolios provides a means of examining experiences from the perspective of the participants in the group. The case study investigates the nature of the support and learning opportunities that the action research group provided for science teachers engaged in curiculum and professional development in the realm of gender issues in science education, and details the development of individuals, the whole group and myself (as group worker, researcher and participant) over the life of the project. The action research group became a resource for science teachers by providing most participants with: A place to personalize learning and research; a place for systematic reflection and research; a forum for discussion; a source of personal/professional support; a source of friendship; and a place to break down isolation and build self-confidence. This study clarifies important relational and political issues that impinge on action research in groups through a critical examination of the group dynamics and power issues arising within our group. The results of this study challenge us as educators to clarify our visions, to share power, to negotiate and to collaborate across our differences.

The Unconscious Mind.

PubMed

Bargh, John A; Morsella, Ezequiel

2008-01-01

The unconscious mind is still viewed by many psychological scientists as the shadow of a "real" conscious mind, though there now exists substantial evidence that the unconscious is not identifiably less flexible, complex, controlling, deliberative, or action-oriented than is its counterpart. This "conscious-centric" bias is due in part to the operational definition within cognitive psychology that equates unconscious with subliminal. We review the evidence challenging this restricted view of the unconscious emerging from contemporary social cognition research, which has traditionally defined the unconscious in terms of its unintentional nature; this research has demonstrated the existence of several independent unconscious behavioral guidance systems: perceptual, evaluative, and motivational. From this perspective, it is concluded that in both phylogeny and ontogeny, actions of an unconscious mind precede the arrival of a conscious mind-that action precedes reflection. © 2008 Association for Psychological Science.

Natural Resource Management based on Gender Perspectives and Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the Tepera in Jayapura, Papua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumbiak, W. A.; Wambrauw, E. V.

2018-05-01

The Tepera in Jayapura Regency have a traditional ecological concept of managing their natural resources which evolved over generations. The spatial concept of their resources management is recorded visually on mental maps. The existing conditions of the landscape, forest, coastal area, and sea are considered heritage and have economic, ecological, and cultural values. The people have their own perspectives on the relationship between the resources management, cultural values, gender perspectives, and development. Thus, this research aims to identify the gender perspective in the natural resource management and environmental services; and to analyse the sustainable pattern of the land use and cultural zoning in the resources management. The methodology comprises grounded research and Participatory Action Research. This research has three findings, i.e., the tribe named the landscape; they have developed a zoning system to manage the forest traditionally; and there is a difference in perception between men and women regarding the type of forest and landscape related to food and traditional medicine sources. Therefore, it is important to incorporate the concept of managing the environment and the cultural zones of the Tepera in the programs of the local government to direct the development in sustainable way. In addition, the female participation in managing the environment should be improved, especially related to domestic aspects.

Managing in the interprofessional environment: a theory of action perspective.

PubMed

Rogers, Tim

2004-08-01

Managers of multidisciplinary teams face difficult dilemmas in managing competing interests, diverse perspectives and interpersonal conflicts. This paper illustrates the potential of the theory of action methodology of Argyris and Schön (1974, 1996) to illuminate these problems and contribute to their resolution. An empirical example of a depth-investigation with one multidisciplinary community health care team leader in Australia demonstrates that the theory of action offers a more accurate account of the causal dimensions of her dilemmas and provides more scope for effective intervention than her lay explanation will allow. It also provides a more satisfactory analysis of her difficulties with two common problems identified in the literature: defining the appropriate level of autonomy for team members and developing constructive dialogue across perceived discipline-based differences of opinion. Consequently the theory of action appears to offer enormous promise to managers of multidisciplinary teams wanting to understand and resolve their problems and develop a rigorous reflective practice. Further research on the viability of the theory to facilitate a self-correcting system that can promote learning even under conditions of stress and conflict is suggested and implications for learning and teaching for the multidisciplinary environment are briefly discussed.

The development of motor behavior

PubMed Central

Adolph, Karen E.; Franchak, John M.

2016-01-01

This article reviews research on the development of motor behavior from a developmental systems perspective. We focus on infancy when basic action systems are acquired. Posture provides a stable base for locomotion, manual actions, and facial actions. Experience facilitates improvements in motor behavior and infants accumulate immense amounts of experience with all of their basic action systems. At every point in development, perception guides motor behavior by providing feedback about the results of just prior movements and information about what to do next. Reciprocally, the development of motor behavior provides fodder for perception. More generally, motor development brings about new opportunities for acquiring knowledge about the world, and burgeoning motor skills can instigate cascades of developmental changes in perceptual, cognitive, and social domains. PMID:27906517

Translating evidence-based guidelines to improve feedback practices: the interACT case study.

PubMed

Barton, Karen L; Schofield, Susie J; McAleer, Sean; Ajjawi, Rola

2016-02-09

There has been a substantial body of research examining feedback practices, yet the assessment and feedback landscape in higher education is described as 'stubbornly resistant to change'. The aim of this paper is to present a case study demonstrating how an entire programme's assessment and feedback practices were re-engineered and evaluated in line with evidence from the literature in the interACT (Interaction and Collaboration via Technology) project. Informed by action research the project conducted two cycles of planning, action, evaluation and reflection. Four key pedagogical principles informed the re-design of the assessment and feedback practices. Evaluation activities included document analysis, interviews with staff (n = 10) and students (n = 7), and student questionnaires (n = 54). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the questionnaire data. Framework thematic analysis was used to develop themes across the interview data. InterACT was reported by students and staff to promote self-evaluation, engagement with feedback and feedback dialogue. Streamlining the process after the first cycle of action research was crucial for improving engagement of students and staff. The interACT process of promoting self-evaluation, reflection on feedback, feedback dialogue and longitudinal perspectives of feedback has clear benefits and should be transferable to other contexts. InterACT has involved comprehensive re-engineering of the assessment and feedback processes using educational principles to guide the design taking into account stakeholder perspectives. These principles and the strategies to enact them should be transferable to other contexts.

Steps to overcome the North-South divide in research relevant to climate change policy and practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blicharska, Malgorzata; Smithers, Richard J.; Kuchler, Magdalena; Agrawal, Ganesh K.; Gutiérrez, José M.; Hassanali, Ahmed; Huq, Saleemul; Koller, Silvia H.; Marjit, Sugata; Mshinda, Hassan M.; Masjuki, Hj Hassan; Solomons, Noel W.; Staden, Johannes Van; Mikusiński, Grzegorz

2017-01-01

A global North-South divide in research, and its negative consequences, has been highlighted in various scientific disciplines. Northern domination of science relevant to climate change policy and practice, and limited research led by Southern researchers in Southern countries, may hinder further development and implementation of global climate change agreements and nationally appropriate actions. Despite efforts to address the North-South divide, progress has been slow. In this Perspective, we illustrate the extent of the divide, review underlying issues and analyse their consequences for climate change policy development and implementation. We propose a set of practical steps in both Northern and Southern countries that a wide range of actors should take at global, regional and national scales to span the North-South divide, with examples of some actions already being implemented.

[Why is it difficult to implement biomedical policy? the case of the Cancéropôles, the French cancer organizations].

PubMed

Vézian, Audrey

2014-01-01

This article examines the new organizations in cancer research in France called cancéropôles and created in 2003, whose mission is to coordinate actors from industry, research and clinical fields. Our research is based on a study of cancéropôles which embraces an evolutionary perspective on cluster formation and development. Our analysis reveals that although clear differences exist between them, our sample of the three established Cancéropôles display similar patterns of unsuccessful cases. Eventually, the identification of mechanisms that reduce their action in the cancer research environment raises questions about the factors that may influence any public action to a reconfiguration of the French biomedical sector. © 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Promoting Positive Citizenship: Priming Youth for Action. CIRCLE Working Paper 05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaff, Jonathon F.; Malanchuk, Oksana; Michelsen, Erik; Eccles, Jacquelynne

2003-01-01

Researchers have theorized that programs to promote positive citizenship should begin with an opportunity for adolescents to participate in civic activities, such as community service or political volunteering. In this report, authors expand this theoretical perspective by arguing that programs to promote positive citizenship may need to begin by…

Factors for Radical Creativity, Incremental Creativity, and Routine, Noncreative Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madjar, Nora; Greenberg, Ellen; Chen, Zheng

2011-01-01

This study extends theory and research by differentiating between routine, noncreative performance and 2 distinct types of creativity: radical and incremental. We also use a sensemaking perspective to examine the interplay of social and personal factors that may influence a person's engagement in a certain level of creative action versus routine,…

Asian Americans and the Benefits of Campus Diversity: What the Research Says

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Julie J.

2012-01-01

A key argument for affirmative action is that college students benefit from engagement in a racially diverse student body. Because many students have few meaningful experiences with diversity prior to college, exposure to divergent viewpoints and perspectives is an essential part of spurring student growth and development. Engagement with…

A Data-Driven Conceptualization of Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Namaghi, Seyyed Ali Ostovar

2010-01-01

Research perspectives on teacher evaluation present evaluators with a set of possible acts. Local evaluation systems, on the other hand, specify a permissible set of acts from the total universe. The acts specified within a given locality act as conditions for teacher action. Using the sampling and analytical procedures of grounded theory, this…

Working with Learning Disabled Writers: Some Perspectives. Research to Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardine, Bryan

Although most learning disabled (LD) adult learners have a strong desire to enhance their writing skills, many obstacles hinder their success. Characteristics of LD students found in their writing or actions include the following: frustration; poor study/note taking skills; test anxiety; lack of social skills; a difficult time following oral…

Cultural Reciprocity in Sociocultural Perspective: Adapting the Normalization Principle for Family Collaboration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harry, Beth; Rueda, Robert; Kalyanpur, Maya

1999-01-01

Findings from a collaborative action research project involving seven culturally diverse families with children with disabilities are used to illustrate how professionals can provide assistance in a family's zone of proximal development, rather than targeting goals that are normative for the mainstream, but not for the family. (Author/CR)

Primary Physical Education Perspective on Creativity: The Nature of Creativity and Creativity Fostering Classroom Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konstantinidou, Elisavet; Gregoriadis, Athanasios; Grammatikopoulos, Vasilis; Michalopoulou, Maria

2014-01-01

From the beginning of the twenty-first century, many authorities and educational policies had begun to campaign their curricula towards the promotion of creativity. Researchers' interest turned to teachers' perceptions, implicit theories and beliefs about creativity-related issues which reflect and influence their behaviours and actions in…

Information Systems, Competitive Dynamics, and Firm Performance: An Interpretive and Centering Resonance Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vannoy, Sandra A.

2010-01-01

This dissertation examines, from a managerial interpretive perspective, how information systems contribute to firms' specific competitive actions and responses, and the resultant impacts upon firm performance. The findings from this research suggest that the answer may well lie within the role of information systems in firms' competitive dynamics…

Compatibility and Complementarity of Classroom Ecology and Didactique Research Perspectives in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leriche, Jérôme; Desbiens, Jean-François; Amade-Escot, Chantal; Tinning, Richard

2016-01-01

A large diversity of theoretical frameworks exists in the physical education literature. This article focuses on two of those frameworks to examine their compatibility and their complementarity. The classroom ecology paradigm concentrates on the balance between three task systems, two vectors, and programs of actions proposed by the physical…

Action Research on College English Writing Based on Information Technology from the Perspective of MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Xuan

2016-01-01

The educational reform based on information technology at college has been paid high attention recently in China, which aims at using educational informatization to drive educational modernization and bringing online education into the reform and development strategy of the overall higher education. To promote the educational informatization is…

Hierarchically Organized Behavior and Its Neural Foundations: A Reinforcement Learning Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Botvinick, Matthew M.; Niv, Yael; Barto, Andrew C.

2009-01-01

Research on human and animal behavior has long emphasized its hierarchical structure--the divisibility of ongoing behavior into discrete tasks, which are comprised of subtask sequences, which in turn are built of simple actions. The hierarchical structure of behavior has also been of enduring interest within neuroscience, where it has been widely…

Institutionalization in Action: Interactive Science Center Interactivity and Materiality from the Family Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crain, Rhiannon Lorraine

2009-01-01

Interactive science centers are unique players in the science education community, but their positioning as both authorities on science and providers of "free choice" learning presents learning researchers with a problematic contradiction rooted in the complexities of trying to be both "scientific" and "education" organizations. Using insight from…

Research applications of ecosystem patterns

Treesearch

Robert G. Bailey

2009-01-01

This article discusses the origins of natural ecosystem patterns from global to local scales. It describes how understanding these patterns can help scientists and managers in two ways. First, the local systems are shown within the context of larger systems. This perspective can be applied in assessing the connections between action at one scale and effect at another,...

"HEY, MOM, THANKS!": USE OF FOCUS GROUPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLACE-SPECIFIC MATERIALS FOR A COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION CAMPAIGN. (R827027)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Systems Thinking in Action: A District Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Leslie Goldring

2008-01-01

Research on the enduring contribution of leadership to student achievement can be integrated as part of a system planning model. This article offers a formative sample in the convergence of two dissimilar forces: (1) the stability of school culture, whose rock-solid nature resembles a tectonic plate; and (2) the flowing energy of administrators…

Negotiating the Use of Formative Assessment for Learning in an Era of Accountability Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yin, Xinying

2013-01-01

The purpose of this collaborative action research was to understand how science educators can negotiate the tension between integrating formative assessment (FA) for students' learning and meeting the need for standardized summative assessment (testing) from a critical perspective. Using formative assessment in the era of accountability testing…

Social Network Sites: A Starting Point for Career Development Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strehlke, Christina

2010-01-01

This action research study explores the career influence of social network sites (SNSs) by examining 14 web-based articles that consider the risks and opportunities of SNSs from a job search perspective. Three themes are discussed: user visibility, self-presentation, and network connections. Practical strategies are identified to help career…

Reflexivity-in-Action: How Complex Instruction Can Work for Equity in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pescarmona, Isabella

2017-01-01

This study explores how experimenting with Complex Instruction can broaden teachers' perspectives and develop understanding of the classroom as a complex social and cultural system. It critically presents and interweaves data collected during ethnographic research, which was carried out with a group of in-service teachers, plus four workshops…

Going to University: Pacific Island Migrant Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuthill, Michael; Scull, Sue

2011-01-01

Despite extensive and on-going efforts, people from a low socio-economic background continue to be significantly under-represented in Australian higher education. In response to this situation, a two year action research project explored the broad issue of higher education access for young people from low socio-economic backgrounds in South East…

ASSESSMENT OF PERSONAL EXPOSURES TO PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) AMONG ASTHMATIC CHILDREN IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN AS PART OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGAINST ASTHMA (CAAA). (R826710)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Using Photovoice to Explore Environmental Sustainability across Languages and Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Kristin; Brown, Alan; Ballard, Genny

2016-01-01

Though work in the area of "photovoice" (in which students take photos to structure a dialogue that can serve to advance social action as the community responds to the participants' perspectives and locates them in solution-generation) has been conducted in science education research to focus on learner's experiences, little has been…

Perspective Taking Promotes Action Understanding and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lozano, Sandra C.; Martin Hard, Bridgette; Tversky, Barbara

2006-01-01

People often learn actions by watching others. The authors propose and test the hypothesis that perspective taking promotes encoding a hierarchical representation of an actor's goals and subgoals-a key process for observational learning. Observers segmented videos of an object assembly task into coarse and fine action units. They described what…

On how Watson and Crick discovered what Watson and Crick had suggested: the "folk" concept of discovery rediscovered.

PubMed

Charpa, Ulrich

2008-01-01

This article opens with general and historical remarks on philosophy of science's problems with the concept of discovery. Then, drawing upon simple examples of Watson's and Crick's non-philosophical usage, I characterize phrases of the type "x discovers y" semantically. It will subsequently be shown how widespread philosophical discussion on discovery violates the semantic constraints of phrases of the type "x discovers y." Then I provide a philosophical reconstruction of "x discovers y" that is in keeping with the "folk" notion of discovery. The philosophical ingredients of this approach are taken from a certain aspect of action theory and from epistemological reliabilism. The approach draws upon the concept of superior action and connects this concept to progressive research. In contrast to normal actions, superior actions are primarily explained by competencies. This perspective includes reminders of what some nineteenth-century philosopher-scientists had advocated as a competence-oriented view on scientific research. Finally, this approach is applied to the case of Watson's and Crick's discovery.

Research Ethics Committees and Participatory Action Research With Young People: The Politics of Voice.

PubMed

Yanar, Zeynep M; Fazli, Mehria; Rahman, Jahanara; Farthing, Rys

2016-04-01

Participatory action research (PAR) is a methodological approach that seeks to maximize the participation of people whose lives it researches. It is underpinned by an ethical concern to research "with" people, rather than "on" people. However, this ethical approach to research is often, paradoxically, problematized by universities' research ethics committees (RECs). This article explores one site of tension between PAR and RECs-the requirement for anonymity for below 18-year-olds. It explores this tension by exploring a case study of a peer-to-peer research project undertaken by young women in East London, and using our own experiences and perspectives, it argues that anonymity can be unjust, disempowering, and unnecessary, and can reduce "pride." Without wanting to develop specific recommendations, given the limited scope of our case study, this article uses firsthand experiences to add weight to the broader discussions calling for a critical rethink of REC guidelines. © The Author(s) 2016.

The theory-practice gap in nurse education: its causes and possible solutions. Findings from an action research study.

PubMed

McCaugherty, D

1991-09-01

Kurt Lewin, the originator of action research, proposed that it was valuable not only for innovating change, but also the process of change could lead to new insights into the nature of the problem that was being tackled. This action research project developed and evaluated a teaching model that aimed to help RGN (registered general nurse) students to bridge the theory-practice gap. During the course of this work, the possible reasons for a theory-practice gap started to become clear. This paper provides a discussion of these factors. The viewpoint for this discussion is that of the student nurse. The student is assumed to 'own' the problem and it is from her perspective that the theory-practice gap is analysed. The paper includes a critical examination of books, lectures, the school curriculum and ward nursing practice. Finally, possible solutions to the theory-practice problem are discussed and it is hoped that these will provide a rational basis for tackling the problem.

Building shared experience to advance practical application of pathway-based toxicology: liver toxicity mode-of-action.

PubMed

Willett, Catherine; Caverly Rae, Jessica; Goyak, Katy O; Minsavage, Gary; Westmoreland, Carl; Andersen, Melvin; Avigan, Mark; Duché, Daniel; Harris, Georgina; Hartung, Thomas; Jaeschke, Hartmut; Kleensang, Andre; Landesmann, Brigitte; Martos, Suzanne; Matevia, Marilyn; Toole, Colleen; Rowan, Andrew; Schultz, Terry; Seed, Jennifer; Senior, John; Shah, Imran; Subramanian, Kalyanasundaram; Vinken, Mathieu; Watkins, Paul

2014-01-01

A workshop sponsored by the Human Toxicology Project Consortium (HTPC), "Building Shared Experience to Advance Practical Application of Pathway-Based Toxicology: Liver Toxicity Mode-of-Action" brought together experts from a wide range of perspectives to inform the process of pathway development and to advance two prototype pathways initially developed by the European Commission Joint Research Center (JRC): liver-specific fibrosis and steatosis. The first half of the workshop focused on the theory and practice of pathway development; the second on liver disease and the two prototype pathways. Participants agreed pathway development is extremely useful for organizing information and found that focusing the theoretical discussion on a specific AOP is extremely helpful. In addition, it is important to include several perspectives during pathway development, including information specialists, pathologists, human health and environmental risk assessors, and chemical and product manufacturers, to ensure the biology is well captured and end use is considered.

Potential of Plant Essential Oils and Their Components in Animal Agriculture - in vitro Studies on Antibacterial Mode of Action.

PubMed

O'Bryan, Corliss A; Pendleton, Sean J; Crandall, Philip G; Ricke, Steven C

2015-01-01

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils and their components has been recognized for several years. Essential oils are produced as secondary metabolites by many plants and can be distilled from all different portions of plants. The recent emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has spurred research into the use of essential oils as alternatives. Recent research has demonstrated that many of these essential oils have beneficial effects for livestock, including reduction of foodborne pathogens in these animals. Numerous studies have been made into the mode of action of essential oils, and the resulting elucidation of bacterial cell targets has contributed to new perspectives on countering antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of these bacteria. In this review, an overview of the current knowledge about the antibacterial mode of action of essential oils and their constituents is provided.

Potential of Plant Essential Oils and Their Components in Animal Agriculture – in vitro Studies on Antibacterial Mode of Action

PubMed Central

O’Bryan, Corliss A.; Pendleton, Sean J.; Crandall, Philip G.; Ricke, Steven C.

2015-01-01

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils and their components has been recognized for several years. Essential oils are produced as secondary metabolites by many plants and can be distilled from all different portions of plants. The recent emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has spurred research into the use of essential oils as alternatives. Recent research has demonstrated that many of these essential oils have beneficial effects for livestock, including reduction of foodborne pathogens in these animals. Numerous studies have been made into the mode of action of essential oils, and the resulting elucidation of bacterial cell targets has contributed to new perspectives on countering antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of these bacteria. In this review, an overview of the current knowledge about the antibacterial mode of action of essential oils and their constituents is provided. PMID:26664964

From action to language: comparative perspectives on primate tool use, gesture and the evolution of human language

PubMed Central

Steele, James; Ferrari, Pier Francesco; Fogassi, Leonardo

2012-01-01

The papers in this Special Issue examine tool use and manual gestures in primates as a window on the evolution of the human capacity for language. Neurophysiological research has supported the hypothesis of a close association between some aspects of human action organization and of language representation, in both phonology and semantics. Tool use provides an excellent experimental context to investigate analogies between action organization and linguistic syntax. Contributors report and contextualize experimental evidence from monkeys, great apes, humans and fossil hominins, and consider the nature and the extent of overlaps between the neural representations of tool use, manual gestures and linguistic processes. PMID:22106422

An Integrative Perspective on Interpersonal Coordination in Interactive Team Sports

PubMed Central

Steiner, Silvan; Macquet, Anne-Claire; Seiler, Roland

2017-01-01

Interpersonal coordination is a key factor in team performance. In interactive team sports, the limited predictability of a constantly changing context makes coordination challenging. Approaches that highlight the support provided by environmental information and theories of shared mental models provide potential explanations of how interpersonal coordination can nonetheless be established. In this article, we first outline the main assumptions of these approaches and consider criticisms that have been raised with regard to each. The aim of this article is to define a theoretical perspective that integrates the coordination mechanisms of the two approaches. In doing so, we borrow from a theoretical outline of group action. According to this outline, group action based on a priori shared mental models is an example of how interpersonal coordination is established from the top down. Interpersonal coordination in reaction to the perception of affordances represents the bottom-up component of group action. Both components are inextricably involved in the coordination of interactive sports teams. We further elaborate on the theoretical outline to integrate a third, constructivist approach. Integrating this third approach helps to explain interpersonal coordination in game situations for which no shared mental models are established and game situations that remain ambiguous in terms of perceived affordances. The article describes how hierarchical, sequential, and complex dimensions of action organization are important aspects of this constructivist perspective and how mental models may be involved. A basketball example is used to illustrate how top-down, bottom-up and constructivist processes may be simultaneously involved in enabling interpersonal coordination. Finally, we present the implications for research and practice. PMID:28894428

Paraprofessional Home Visitors' Perspectives on Addressing Poor Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tandon, S. Darius; Mercer, Constance D.; Saylor, Elizabeth L.; Duggan, Anne K.

2008-01-01

This research was conducted to understand paraprofessional home visitors' perceptions of their training in addressing poor mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence, and their actions in working with families in addressing these issues. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of 28 paraprofessional home visitors. Three main…

Motivation and Perceived Control in Early Adolescent Friendships: Relations with Self-, Friend-, and Peer-Reported Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojanen, Tiina; Stratman, Aaron; Card, Noel A.; Little, Todd D.

2013-01-01

Motivation is assumed to influence behaviors via perceived agency over goal pursuits, but empirical research integrating motivation and action-control processes in social development is close to nonexistent. We applied this perspective to the study of early adolescent friendships by examining motivation for and perceived control (ability and…

Motivators and Outcomes of Faculty Actions towards International Students: Under the Influence of Internationalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Yingxia; Li, Xiaofan; Jiang, Amy; Bai, Kang

2014-01-01

The population of international students continues to grow in the U.S. colleges and universities against the backdrop of internationalization; so do the studies on their academic and social experience as well as predicaments and concerns. However, most of the research has approached these issues from the perspectives of institutions and students,…

"I Practice Teaching": Transforming Our Professional Identities as Literacy Teachers through Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schutz, Kristine M.; Hoffman, James V.

2017-01-01

The authors argue for the importance of practice in the professional lives of literacy teachers. Literacy practices and teaching practices are imbued with intentionality, context (temporal, social, political, and cultural), perspective, and outcomes. The goal of this article is to open a dialogue that could begin to normalize a theory of practice…

District Administrator Perspectives on Student Learning in an Era of Standards and Accountability: A Collective Frame Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Stephen E.; Macri, Joelle Rodway

2009-01-01

Our analysis explores the agenda for student learning communicated in interviews with school district officials from four Ontario districts. Using research methods drawn from collective action framing theory, we identified six core frames and one broader frame in the discourse on student learning: (a) measureable academic achievement, (b)…

Decision Rules Used in Academic Program Closure: Where the Rubber Meets the Road.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckel, Peter D.

This study examines, from an organizational perspective, decision rules guiding program discontinuance, testing the framework of decision rule rationality versus action rationality. A multi-site case study method was used; interviews were conducted with 11-16 individuals at each of four research I or II universities that had discontinued at least…

Perceived Factors Impacting School Music Programs: The Teacher's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abril, Carlos R.; Bannerman, Julie K.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary music teachers' perceptions of factors impacting their music programs and teaching positions as well as the actions these teachers take in response to those factors. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What factors are perceived to impact music programs and teaching…

Havens of Hope or the Killing Fields: The Paradox of Leadership, Pedagogy, and Relationships in an Urban Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beachum, Floyd D.; Dentith, Audrey M.; McCray, Carlos R.; Boyle, Tina M.

2008-01-01

This study focused on the actions and relationships among educators, which promoted an environment of failure or success for African American students. The researchers examined the perspectives of teachers and administrators as related to pedagogy and practice in a Midwestern urban middle school. Specifically, the study employed ethnographic…

Shadow Formation at Preschool from a Socio-Materiality Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Impedovo, Maria Antonietta; Delserieys-Pedregosa, Alice; Jégou, Corinne; Ravanis, Konstantinos

2017-01-01

The paper is set in socio-material farming to offer a way of conceptualising actions and interactions of children in preschool involved in the understanding of scientific concepts. A model of early science education about the physical phenomena of shadow formation is implemented in group work in a French context. The research involved 44 children…

Transforming EFL Classroom Practices and Promoting Students' Empowerment: Collaborative Learning from a Dialogical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreras León, Janeth Juliana; Chapetón Castro, Claudia Marcela

2017-01-01

This study investigates the impact of implementing collaborative learning from a social and dialogical perspective on seventh graders' interaction in an English as a foreign language classroom at a public school in Bogotá, Colombia. Thirty students participated in this action research where field notes, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews,…

Stirring It up or Stirring It in? Perspectives on the Development of Sexualities Equality in a Faith-Based Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nixon, David; East, Sue

2010-01-01

This article examines what happened within one Church of England primary school during an action research project concerning sexualities. "No Outsiders" aimed at exploring how teachers developed classroom practices that promoted greater inclusion of sexual minorities, at the same time as working to eradicate homophobic bullying and…

Technology Integration in a One-to-One Laptop Initiative: A Multiple Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Marsha B.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this multiple case study analysis was to examine teachers' experiences and perceptions in order to understand what actions and interactions supported or inhibited technology integration during a one-to-one laptop initiative. This research sought to gain teachers' perspectives on the challenges and successes they faced as classroom…

Conflicted Worlds of Multilingual Communities in Africa: Literacy Tangled in Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maganda, Dainess

2016-01-01

Drawing from a sociocultural perspective of literacy, with the goal to promote the use of African Native Languages (ANL) in schools, I conducted a Participatory Action Research in one multilingual primary school community in North West Tanzania. For three weeks, 19 teachers, 19 parents and 119 6th grade students collaborated with each other in a…

An Action-Oriented Perspective on Caring Leadership: A Qualitative Study of Higher Education Administrators' Positive Leadership Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uusiautti, Satu

2013-01-01

Interest in human experiences, especially positive experiences, has been increasing ever since positive psychology gained a foothold in public attention. In this research, higher education administrators from Finland and the USA ("N"?=?13) were asked to describe positive or successful situations or chains of events in which their…

Formative Assessment as a Vehicle for Changing Classroom Practice in a Specific Cultural Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Jingping

2015-01-01

In this commentary, I interpret Xinying Yin and Gayle Ann Buck's collaborative action research from a social-cultural perspective. Classroom implementation of formative assessment is viewed as interaction between this assessment method and the local learning culture. I first identify Yin and Buck's definition of the formative assessment, and then…

Critical Thinking and School Music Education: Literature Review, Research Findings, and Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kokkidou, May

2013-01-01

The most up-to-date validations of educational praxis propose that teachers and learners should engage together in a process of understanding life and the world, should share their anxieties and their problematic issues, look for solutions, make plans for action, express themselves creatively and take a critical stance toward every new datum…

Eight Voices of Empowerment: Student Perspectives in a Restructured Urban Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Brian R.

2017-01-01

This article explores student empowerment in a restructured urban Title I middle school. The study includes data from eight participants in an action research project that involved a critical inquiry unit in an eighth-grade language arts class that asked students, "How are you empowered and disempowered by school?" Findings reveal that…

A Critique of Science Education as Sociopolitical Action from the Perspective of Liberal Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadzigeorgiou, Yannis

2015-01-01

This paper outlines the rationale underpinning the conception of science education as sociopolitical action, and then presents a critique of such a conception from the perspective of liberal education. More specifically, the paper discusses the importance of the conception of science education as sociopolitical action (e.g., it can provide…

Indigenous teachers' experiences of the implementation of culture-based mathematics activities in Sámi school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nutti, Ylva Jannok

2013-03-01

The goal of Indigenous education is that it should be approached on the basis of the Indigenous language and culture; this is also the case with Sámi education. The Sámi School Board has stated that all teaching in Sámi schools should be culturally based, despite the fact that Sámi culture-based teaching is not specifically defined. Therefore, teachers themselves must adapt the teaching and as a result, usually no Sámi culture-based mathematics teaching takes place. The aim of this article is to discuss Indigenous teachers' experiences with designing and implementing culture-based mathematics activities in Sámi preschool and primary school. The teachers' work with culture-based mathematics activities took the form of Sámi cultural thematic work with ethnomathematical content, Multicultural school mathematics with Sámi cultural elements, and Sámi intercultural mathematics teaching. Culture-based mathematics activities took place within an action research study in the Swedish part of Sápmi. Sápmi comprises northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland, as well as the Kola Peninsula in Russia. In the action research study, six teachers conducted culture-based mathematics activities in preschool and primary school on the basis of the action research loop "plan-act-observe-reflect." During the study the teachers changed from a problem-focused perspective to a possibility-focused culture-based teaching perspective characterised by a self-empowered Indigenous teacher role, as a result of which they started to act as agents for Indigenous school change. The concept of "decolonisation" was visible in the teachers' narratives. The teachers' newly developed knowledge about the ethnomathematical research field seemed to enhance their work with Indigenous culture-based mathematics teaching.

A virtue ethics guide to best practices for community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Schaffer, Marjorie A

2009-01-01

Rule ethics, or principled thinking, is important in the analysis of risks and benefits of research and informed consent, but is not completely adequate for guiding ethical responses to communities as research participants and collaborators. Virtue ethics theory can be used to guide actions in relationships, which are foundational to the implementation of community-based participatory research (CBPR). Virtues are strengths of character that contribute to a life of flourishing or well-being for individuals and communities. This article provides an overview of virtue ethics theory, identifies common ethical problems in CBPR, and discusses how professional virtues can be used to guide ethical research practice. The virtues of compassion, courage, honesty, humility, justice, and practical reasoning are defined and applied to ethical practice in the development, implementation, and dissemination of CBPR. Best practices for CBPR that consider the well-being of communities are identified. The virtues of compassion and humility foster inclusiveness and integration of community perspectives in research collaboration. Courage requires researchers to step out of the research safety-net to listen to community member voices and wisdom and share power in research decisions. Honesty requires researchers to communicate realistic expectations for research outcomes, share all findings with the community, and consider community perspectives in research dissemination. Systematic involvement of the community in all steps of the research process represents the virtue of practical reasoning. From a justice perspective, CBPR aims to restore communities rather than take from them.

Taking stock of youth organizing: an interdisciplinary perspective.

PubMed

Christens, Brian D; Kirshner, Ben

2011-01-01

Youth organizing combines elements of community organizing, with its emphasis on ordinary people working collectively to advance shared interests, and positive youth development, with its emphasis on asset-based approaches to working with young people. It is expanding from an innovative, but marginal approach to youth and community development into a more widely recognized model for practice among nonprofit organizations and foundations. Along the way, it has garnered attention from researchers interested in civic engagement, social movements, and resiliency. A growing body of published work evidences the increasing interest of researchers, who have applied an assortment of theoretical perspectives to their observations of youth organizing processes. Through an appraisal of the current state of this still-emerging area of practice and research, including case examples, the authors identify common elements of the practice of youth organizing--relationship development, popular education, social action, and participatory research and evaluation--and conclude with a discussion of promising future directions for research and practice. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Looking back in time: self-concept change affects visual perspective in autobiographical memory.

PubMed

Libby, Lisa K; Eibach, Richard P

2002-02-01

People who change often report that their old selves seem like "different people." Correlational (Study 1) and experimental (Studies 2 and 3) studies showed that participants tended to use a 3rd-person observer perspective when visualizing memories of actions that conflicted with their current self-concept. A similar pattern emerged when participants imagined performing actions that varied in self-concept compatibility (Study 4). The authors conclude that on-line judgments of an action's self-concept compatibility affect the perspective used for image construction. Study 5 shows applied implications. Use of the 3rd-person perspective when recalling past episodes of overindulgent eating was related to optimism about behaving differently at an upcoming Thanksgiving dinner. The authors discuss the effect of self-concept compatibility on cognitive and emotional reactions to past actions and consider the role of causal attributions in defining the self across time.

"Put Myself Into Your Place": Embodied Simulation and Perspective Taking in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Conson, Massimiliano; Mazzarella, Elisabetta; Esposito, Dalila; Grossi, Dario; Marino, Nicoletta; Massagli, Angelo; Frolli, Alessandro

2015-08-01

Embodied cognition theories hold that cognitive processes are grounded in bodily states. Embodied processes in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have classically been investigated in studies on imitation. Several observations suggested that unlike typical individuals who are able of copying the model's actions from the model's position, individuals with ASD tend to reenact the model's actions from their own egocentric perspective. Here, we performed two behavioral experiments to directly test the ability of ASD individuals to adopt another person's point of view. In Experiment 1, participants had to explicitly judge the left/right location of a target object in a scene from their own or the actor's point of view (visual perspective taking task). In Experiment 2, participants had to perform left/right judgments on front-facing or back-facing human body images (own body transformation task). Both tasks can be solved by mentally simulating one's own body motion to imagine oneself transforming into the position of another person (embodied simulation strategy), or by resorting to visual/spatial processes, such as mental object rotation (nonembodied strategy). Results of both experiments showed that individual with ASD solved the tasks mainly relying on a nonembodied strategy, whereas typical controls adopted an embodied strategy. Moreover, in the visual perspective taking task ASD participants had more difficulties than controls in inhibiting other-perspective when directed to keep one's own point of view. These findings suggested that, in social cognitive tasks, individuals with ASD do not resort to embodied simulation and have difficulties in cognitive control over self- and other-perspective. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diagnosing climate change impacts and identifying adaptation strategies by involving key stakeholder organisations and farmers in Sikkim, India: Challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Azhoni, Adani; Goyal, Manish Kumar

2018-06-01

Narrowing the gap between research, policy making and implementing adaptation remains a challenge in many parts of the world where climate change is likely to severely impact water security. This research aims to narrow this gap by matching the adaptation strategies being framed by policy makers to that of the perspectives of development agencies, researchers and farmers in the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India. Our case study examined the perspectives of various stakeholders for climate change impacts, current adaptation strategies, knowledge gaps and adaptation barriers, particularly in the context of implementing the Sikkim State Action Plan on Climate Change through semi-structured interviews carried out with decision makers in the Sikkim State Government, researchers, consultants, local academia, development agencies and farmers. Using Stakeholders Network Analysis tools, this research unravels the complexities of perceiving climate change impacts, identifying strategies, and implementing adaptation. While farmers are less aware about the global phenomenon of climate change impacts for water security, their knowledge of the local conditions and their close interaction with the State Government Agriculture Department provides them opportunities. Although important steps are being initiated through the Sikkim State Action Plan on Climate Change it is yet to deliver effective means of adaptation implementation and hence, strengthening the networks of close coordination between the various implementing agencies will pay dividends. Knowledge gaps and the need for capacity building identified in this research, based on the understandings of key stakeholders are highly relevant to both the research community and for informing policy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Living with a mentally ill parent: exploring adolescents' experiences and perspectives.

PubMed

Trondsen, Marianne V

2012-02-01

Although a considerable body of research has described the implications of parental mental illness, the perspectives of children and adolescents have rarely been addressed. In this article, I explore adolescents' experiences in everyday life, based on an action-oriented study of a Norwegian online self-help group for adolescents (aged 15 to 18) with mentally ill parents. The analysis was conducted through participant observation of the group for 2 years. The adolescents experienced a variety of difficult challenges related to their parent's mental illness: lack of information and openness; unpredictability and instability; fear; loneliness; and loss and sorrow. However, they also discussed strategies for active management of the challenges arising from the family situation. I argue that these adolescents can be understood as vulnerable as well as active participants in managing their everyday lives. I emphasize the importance of including perspectives of children and adolescents in further research so as to improve health care for families with parental mental illness.

Tagging polyketides/non-ribosomal peptides with a clickable functionality and applications

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xuejun; Zhang, Wenjun

2015-01-01

Bioorthogonal chemistry has recently emerged to be one of the most powerful tools in drug discovery and chemical biology. The exploration of it has successfully advanced the field of natural product research. In this Perspective, we survey current strategies for the installation of chemical handles into the molecular scaffolds of several major classes of natural products, including polyketides (PKs), non-ribosomal peptides (NRPs), and their hybrids. By tagging these natural products with chemical handles and coupling them with subsequent bioorthogonal reactions, researchers have visualized and studied the mode of action of natural products, as well as synthesized derivatives with better pharmaceutical properties. We conclude this Perspective by considering two questions: is there a general way to synthesize tagged PKs/NRPs? Does natural product labeling have a broader impact in the field of natural product research beyond current known applications? PMID:25815285

Insiders Views of the Valley of Death Behavioral and Institutional Perspectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolfe, Amy K; Bjornstad, David J; Shumpert, Barry L

Valley of death describes the metaphorical depths to which promising science and technology too often plunge, never to emerge and reach their full potential. Behavioral and institutional perspectives help in understanding the implications of choices that inadvertently lead into rather than over the valley of death. A workshop conducted among a diverse set of scientists, managers, and technology transfer staff at a U.S. national laboratory is a point of departure for discussing behavioral and institutional elements that promote or impede the pathway from research toward use, and for suggesting actionable measures that can facilitate the flow of information and productsmore » from research toward use. In the complex systems that comprise research institutions, where competing pressures can create barriers to information or technology transfer, one recommendation is to re-frame the process as a more active ushering toward use.« less

Emotion in Action: A Predictive Processing Perspective and Theoretical Synthesis

PubMed Central

Ridderinkhof, K. Richard

2017-01-01

Starting from a decidedly Frijdian perspective on emotion in action, we adopt neurocognitive theories of action control to analyze the mechanisms through which emotional action arises. Appraisal of events vis-à-vis concerns gives rise to a determinate motive to establish a specific state of the world; the pragmatic idea of the action’s effects incurs the valuation of action options and a change in action readiness in the form of incipient ideomotor capture of the selected action. Forward modeling of the sensory consequences of the selected action option allows for the evaluation and fine-tuning of anticipated action effects, which renders the emotional action impulsive yet purposive. This novel theoretical synthesis depicts the cornerstone principles for a mechanistic view on emotion in action. PMID:29098017

The Integrated Model of Sustainability Perspective in Spermatophyta Learning Based on Local Wisdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartadiyati, E.; Rizqiyah, K.; Wiyanto; Rusilowati, A.; Prasetia, A. P. B.

2017-09-01

In present condition, culture is diminished, the change of social order toward the generation that has no policy and pro-sustainability; As well as the advancement of science and technology are often treated unwisely so as to excite local wisdom. It is therefore necessary to explore intra-curricular local wisdom in schools. This study aims to produce an integration model of sustainability perspectives based on local wisdom on spermatophyta material that is feasible and effective. This research uses define, design and develop stages to an integration model of sustainability perspectives based on local wisdom on spermatophyta material. The resulting product is an integration model of socio-cultural, economic and environmental sustainability perspective and formulated with preventive, preserve and build action on spermatophyta material consisting of identification and classification, metagenesis and the role of spermatophyta for human life. The integration model of sustainability perspective in learning spermatophyta based on local wisdom is considered proven to be effective in raising sustainability’s awareness of high school students.

Fieldwork and social science research ethics.

PubMed

Contractor, Qudsiya

2008-01-01

Fieldwork as a part of social science research brings the researcher closest to the subject of research. It is a dynamic process where there is an exchange between the researcher, participants, stakeholders, gatekeepers, the community and the larger sociopolitical context in which the research problem is located. Ethical dilemmas that surface during fieldwork often pose a unique challenge to the researcher. This paper is based on field experiences during an action research study conducted with a human rights perspective. It discusses the role conflict that researchers face during fieldwork in a situation of humanitarian crisis. It raises issues pertaining to the need to extend the ethical decision-making paradigm to address ethical dilemmas arising during the course of fieldwork.

Action learning for health system governance: the reward and challenge of co-production.

PubMed

Lehmann, Uta; Gilson, Lucy

2015-10-01

Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is centrally concerned with people, their relationships and the actions and practices they can implement towards better health systems. These concerns suggest that HPS researchers must work in direct engagement with the practitioners and practice central to the inquiry, acknowledging their tacit knowledge and drawing it into generating new insights into health system functioning. Social science perspectives are of particular importance in this field because health policies and health systems are themselves social and political constructs. However, how can social science methodologies such as action research and narrative and appreciative enquiry enable such research, and how can methodologies from different disciplines be woven together to construct and make meaning of evidence for 'this' field? This article seeks to present 'methodological musings' on these points, to prompt wider discussion on the practice of HPSR. It draws on one long-term collaborative action learning research project being undertaken in Cape Town, South Africa. The District Innovation and Action Learning for Health System Development project is an action research partnership between two South African academic institutions and two health authorities focused, ultimately, on strengthening governance in primary health care.Drawing on this experience, the article considers three interrelated issues: The diversity and complexities of practitioner and research actors involved in co-producing HPSR; The nature of co-production and the importance of providing space to grapple across different systems of meaning;The character of evidence and data in co-production. There is much to be learnt from research traditions outside the health sector, but HPSR must work out its own practices--through collaboration and innovation among researchers and practitioners. In this article, we provide one set of experiences to prompt wider reflection and stimulate engagement on the practice of HPSR for people-centred health systems. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

Look, Think, Act: Using Critical Action Research to Sustain Reform in Complex Teaching/Learning Ecologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Leslie; Baldwin, Shelia; Araujo, Juan; Shearer, Ragina; Stewart, Mary Amanda

2010-01-01

This paper argues that educators interested in sustainability should look to complexity science for guiding principles. When we view our classrooms and campuses as living, dynamic ecologies, we can, as insiders, make sense of what might otherwise seem chaotic or meaningless. This perspective enables us not only to describe and explain what is…

Rethinking Ovarian Cancer: Recommendations for Improving Outcomes

PubMed Central

Vaughan, Sebastian; Coward, Jermaine I.; Bast Jr., Robert C.; Berchuck, Andy; Berek, Jonathan S.; Brenton, James D.; Coukos, George; Crum, Christopher C.; Drapkin, Ronny; Etemadmoghadam, Dariush; Friedlander, Michael; Gabra, Hani; Kaye, Stan B.; Lord, Chris J.; Lengyel, Ernst; Levine, Douglas A.; McNeish, Iain A.; Menon, Usha; Mills, Gordon B.; Nephew, Kenneth P.; Oza, Amit M.; Sood, Anil K.; Stronach, Euan A.; Walczak, Henning; Bowtell, David D.; Balkwill, Frances R.

2012-01-01

There have been major advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of the human malignancies collectively referred to as ovarian cancer. At a recent Helene Harris Memorial Trust meeting, an international group of researchers considered actions that should be taken to improve the outcome for women with ovarian cancer. Nine major recommendations are outlined in this Perspective. PMID:21941283

Creating an Inclusive Collegiate Learning Environment for Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Participatory Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxam, Susan L.

2012-01-01

Despite the growing number of students on the autism spectrum in postsecondary institutions around the nation, there is a paucity of literature dealing with issues and interventions related to creating inclusive, collegiate learning environments from the perspectives of both faculty and these students. Therefore, this study sought to gain a deeper…

Silent Partners: Uncovering Middle School and High School Students' Perceptions of Their Roles in Two School-University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruse, Nathan B.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore middle school and high school band students' perceptions of two ongoing school-university partnerships. Interviews and focus group interviews were conducted with school students to capture their unique perspectives and to support the tenets of formative and action research designs. Findings indicated that…

Accountable to Whom? A Critical Science Counter-Story about a City that Stopped Caring for its Young

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Madeline; Fine, Michelle

2013-01-01

Coming from a critical youth studies perspective, this article sketches a participatory action research project designed by youth and adults in New York City to evaluate the impact of neo-liberal public policies on young people. Through telling the counter-story of the Polling for Justice (PFJ) project, we propose that re-considering…

First Graders and Fairy Tales: One Teacher's Action Research of Critical Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Ryan T.

2008-01-01

By using the fairy tale genre, one teacher was able to foster critical literacy in a first-grade classroom. By encouraging a critical perspective, the author reveals how the issues of identity, rules, and power were exposed to the students. The article also portrays how the author engaged in significant learning himself, realizing that to instill…

Challenges in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Elementary Settings with Math Instruction Using Learning Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganesh, Tirupalavanam G.; Middleton, James A.

2006-01-01

This research effort reports the findings of an empirical study focusing on the ways in which technological tools are implemented specifically in mathematics education in a Title I school. The purpose was to identify the perspectives and actions of the school's mathematics specialist and the multi-graded (grades 2-3) classroom teacher as they…

Making Sense of Power Relations in a Malaysian English-as-a-Second-Language Academic Writing Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abraham, Alison

2014-01-01

The role of power in an English-as-a-second-language classroom has yet to be fully explored by an action research practitioner, especially in a Malaysian higher education setting. This study aims to contribute to this gap by working within an academic literacies perspective to teaching academic writing, which propagates the understanding of…

Real and Fictive Motion Processing in Polish L2 Users of English and Monolinguals: Evidence for Different Conceptual Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomczak, Ewa; Ewert, Anna

2015-01-01

We examine cross-linguistic influence in the processing of motion sentences by L2 users from an embodied cognition perspective. The experiment employs a priming paradigm to test two hypotheses based on previous action and motion research in cognitive psychology. The first hypothesis maintains that conceptual representations of motion are embodied…

The Repercussions of Reporting Bullying: Some Experiences of Students at an Independent Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Niamh; Munn-Giddings, Carol; Moules, Tina

2018-01-01

This article reports on the complex web experienced by young people when making decisions to report bullying in school. The study was conducted in the secondary school of an independent day and boarding school in the east of England. A Participatory Action Research approach was used with student voice and perspective at its core. This study…

Journalism 2.0: Exploring the Impact of Mobile and Social Media on Journalism Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochrane, Thomas; Sissons, Helen; Mulrennan, Danni; Pamatatau, Richard

2013-01-01

This paper explores the impact of social media upon journalism education from two perspectives: both from the pedagogical changes Web 2.0 and mobile devices enable, and within the context of the changes in journalism that social media use are driving. A participatory action research approach was adopted, beginning with the establishment of a…

Professional Development in Teacher Digital Competence and Improving School Quality from the Teachers' Perspective: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cervera, Mercè Gisbert; Cantabrana, José L. Lázaro

2015-01-01

Professional development in ICT for teachers, in addition to being necessary given the dynamic nature of technology, also improves the institutional quality of schools. This work, based on action research, provides evidence that the school itself is capable of organising and designing a training plan as part of a broader process to improve quality…

Psychological responses to the proximity of climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brügger, Adrian; Dessai, Suraje; Devine-Wright, Patrick; Morton, Thomas A.; Pidgeon, Nicholas F.

2015-12-01

A frequent suggestion to increase individuals' willingness to take action on climate change and to support relevant policies is to highlight its proximal consequences, that is, those that are close in space and time. But previous studies that have tested this proximizing approach have not revealed the expected positive effects on individual action and support for addressing climate change. We present three lines of psychological reasoning that provide compelling arguments as to why highlighting proximal impacts of climate change might not be as effective a way to increase individual mitigation and adaptation efforts as is often assumed. Our contextualization of the proximizing approach within established psychological research suggests that, depending on the particular theoretical perspective one takes on this issue, and on specific individual characteristics suggested by these perspectives, proximizing can bring about the intended positive effects, can have no (visible) effect or can even backfire. Thus, the effects of proximizing are much more complex than is commonly assumed. Revealing this complexity contributes to a refined theoretical understanding of the role that psychological distance plays in the context of climate change and opens up further avenues for future research and for interventions.

The contribution of brain sub-cortical loops in the expression and acquisition of action understanding abilities☆

PubMed Central

Caligiore, Daniele; Pezzulo, Giovanni; Miall, R. Chris; Baldassarre, Gianluca

2013-01-01

Research on action understanding in cognitive neuroscience has led to the identification of a wide “action understanding network” mainly encompassing parietal and premotor cortical areas. Within this cortical network mirror neurons are critically involved implementing a neural mechanism according to which, during action understanding, observed actions are reflected in the motor patterns for the same actions of the observer. We suggest that focusing only on cortical areas and processes could be too restrictive to explain important facets of action understanding regarding, for example, the influence of the observer's motor experience, the multiple levels at which an observed action can be understood, and the acquisition of action understanding ability. In this respect, we propose that aside from the cortical action understanding network, sub-cortical processes pivoting on cerebellar and basal ganglia cortical loops could crucially support both the expression and the acquisition of action understanding abilities. Within the paper we will discuss how this extended view can overcome some limitations of the “pure” cortical perspective, supporting new theoretical predictions on the brain mechanisms underlying action understanding that could be tested by future empirical investigations. PMID:23911926

Who speaks? Who looks? Who feels? Point of view in autobiographical narratives.

PubMed

Habermas, Tilmann

2006-04-01

In this paper, the author aims to substantiate Freud's claim that neurotic illness creates gaps in autobiographical narratives in terms of the narrator's stating and inducing perspectives. He sketches out the role of narrative perspective and the joint taking of a shared perspective by analyst and patient in psychoanalytic therapy. He introduces four ways of representing perspectives in narratives. Three degrees of narrative distortion are exemplified by three excerpts from life narratives and explored in terms of narrative perspective representation. The most comprehensive perspective representation is achieved in the first example by explicitly stating the present perspective of the narrator as well as the past perspective of the story's protagonist by use of mental verbs. In the second narrative, exclusive use of linguistic forms for inducing the protagonist's perspective both overwhelms the narrator and gives the listener an incomplete picture of what happened. Inconsistent motives, denial of responsibility and omission of detail render the third narrative even more difficult to follow. The author discusses the clinical significance of this exploratory analysis of perspectives in narratives in terms of claiming responsibility for one's past action and of level of defence mechanisms, and by highlighting the emotional impact on listeners, which the author suggests is the stronger the more perspectives are left out. He discusses analogies to countertransference. The analysis of narrative perspectives offers an approach for systematic research in psychoanalytic practice.

Assessing and Synthesizing the Last Decade of Research on the Major Pools and Fluxes of the Carbon Cycle in the US and North America: An Interagency Governmental Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavallaro, N.; Shrestha, G.; Stover, D. B.; Zhu, Z.; Ombres, E. H.; Deangelo, B.

2015-12-01

The 2nd State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-2) is focused on US and North American carbon stocks and fluxes in managed and unmanaged systems, including relevant carbon management science perspectives and tools for supporting and informing decisions. SOCCR-2 is inspired by the US Carbon Cycle Science Plan (2011) which emphasizes global scale research on long-lived, carbon-based greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane, and the major pools and fluxes of the global carbon cycle. Accordingly, the questions framing the Plan inform this report's topical roadmap, with a focus on US and North America in the global context: 1) How have natural processes and human actions affected the global carbon cycle on land, in the atmosphere, in the oceans and in the ecosystem interfaces (e.g. coastal, wetlands, urban-rural)? 2) How have socio-economic trends affected the levels of the primary carbon-containing gases, carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere? 3) How have species, ecosystems, natural resources and human systems been impacted by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, the associated changes in climate, and by carbon management decisions and practices? To address these aspects, SOCCR-2 will encompass the following broad assessment framework: 1) Carbon Cycle at Scales (Global Perspective, North American Perspective, US Perspective, Regional Perspective); 2) Role of carbon in systems (Soils; Water, Oceans, Vegetation; Terrestrial-aquatic Interfaces); 3) Interactions/Disturbance/Impacts from/on the carbon cycle. 4) Carbon Management Science Perspective and Decision Support (measurements, observations and monitoring for research and policy relevant decision-support etc.). In this presentation, the Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group and the U.S. Global Change Research Program's U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program Office will highlight the scientific context, strategy, structure, team and production process of the report, which is part of the USGCRP's Sustained National Climate Assessment process.

A case study of the development of environmental action projects from the framework of participatory action research within two middle school classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charmatz, Kim

The purpose of this study was to understand student and teacher empowerment through a socially critical environmental education perspective. The main research question guiding this study was: How do participants make sense of a learning experience in which students design and carry out an environmental action project in their community? This study used participatory action research and critical theory as practical and theoretical frameworks. These frameworks were relevant as this study sought to examine social change, power, and relationships through participants' experiences. The context of this study was within one seventh and one eighth grade classroom participating in environmental projects. The study was conducted in spring 2005 with an additional follow-up data collection period during spring 2006. The school was located in a densely populated metropolitan suburb. Fifty-three students, a teacher researcher, and three science teachers participated. Data sources were written surveys, scores on Middle School Environmental Literacy Survey Instrument (MSELI), observations, interviews, and student work. This study used a mixed methodological approach. Quantitative data analysis involved dependent samples t-test scores on the MSELI before and after the completion of the projects. Qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive analysis approach. This study has implications for educators interested in democratic education. Environmental action projects provide a context for students and teachers to learn interdisciplinary content knowledge, develop personal beliefs, and learn ways to take action in their communities. This pedagogy has the potential to increase cooperation, communication, and tensions within school communities. Students' participation in the development of environmental action projects may lead to feelings of empowerment or being able to make a difference in their community, as an individual or member of a group. Future research is needed to discern why participants experience this type of educational experience differently, for example, how does the type of environmental action project influence individual and group empowerment?

Linking research, education and public engagement in geoscience: Leadership and strategic partnerships (invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harcourt, P.

2017-12-01

Addressing the urgent issue of climate change requires mitigation and adaptation actions on individual to global scales, and appropriate action must be based upon geoscience literacy across population sectors. The NSF-funded MADE CLEAR (Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Education, Assessment, and Research) project provides a coordinated approach to embed climate change into education programs at the university level, in formal K12 classrooms, and among informal educators. We have worked with state agencies, university systems, non-profit organizations, and community groups to establish and support research-based education about climate change. In this panel I will describe how MADE CLEAR approached the task of infusing climate change education across sectors in the highly diverse states of Delaware and Maryland. I will share the characteristics of our strongest alliances, an analysis of significant barriers to climate change education, and our perspective on the outlook for the future of climate change education.

Shared knowledge or shared affordances? Insights from an ecological dynamics approach to team coordination in sports.

PubMed

Silva, Pedro; Garganta, Júlio; Araújo, Duarte; Davids, Keith; Aguiar, Paulo

2013-09-01

Previous research has proposed that team coordination is based on shared knowledge of the performance context, responsible for linking teammates' mental representations for collective, internalized action solutions. However, this representational approach raises many questions including: how do individual schemata of team members become reformulated together? How much time does it take for this collective cognitive process to occur? How do different cues perceived by different individuals sustain a general shared mental representation? This representational approach is challenged by an ecological dynamics perspective of shared knowledge in team coordination. We argue that the traditional shared knowledge assumption is predicated on 'knowledge about' the environment, which can be used to share knowledge and influence intentions of others prior to competition. Rather, during competitive performance, the control of action by perceiving surrounding informational constraints is expressed in 'knowledge of' the environment. This crucial distinction emphasizes perception of shared affordances (for others and of others) as the main communication channel between team members during team coordination tasks. From this perspective, the emergence of coordinated behaviours in sports teams is based on the formation of interpersonal synergies between players resulting from collective actions predicated on shared affordances.

Challenges and perspectives for improved management of HIV/Mycobacterium tuberculosis co-infection.

PubMed

Sester, M; Giehl, C; McNerney, R; Kampmann, B; Walzl, G; Cuchí, P; Wingfield, C; Lange, C; Migliori, G B; Kritski, A L; Meyerhans, A

2010-12-01

HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) are two widespread and highly successful microbes whose synergy in pathogenesis has created a significant threat for human health globally. In acknowledgement of this fact, the European Union (EU) has funded a multinational support action, the European Network for global cooperation in the field of AIDS and TB (EUCO-Net), that brings together experts from Europe and those regions that bear the highest burden of HIV/MTB co-infection. Here, we summarise the main outcome of the EUCO-Net project derived from an expert group meeting that took place in Stellenbosch (South Africa) (AIDS/TB Workshop on Research Challenges and Opportunities for Future Collaboration) and the subsequent discussions, and propose priority areas for research and concerted actions that will have impact on future EU calls.

[Communication and citizenship empowerment in health care: a case of action-research in a polarized Venezuela].

PubMed

Nahón Serfaty, Isaac; Eid, Mahmoud

2015-07-01

An action-research project was implemented in Venezuela from 2009-2013 to empower social activists and patients in their fight against breast cancer (BC). The project was implemented in a context of high political and social polarization of the so-called «Bolivarian revolution». Based on an ecological perspective of health activism and communication, that encompasses the interpersonal, group and social levels, a series of activities were celebrated to develop the advocacy capabilities of citizens, especially women, expand the collaborative networks among different stakeholders, and promote a consensual view between social and institutional actors about a national response to fight BC. A horizontal and participatory communication allowed that the voice of usually marginalized actors was heard in the process of shaping health care policy.

Accelerating the carbon cycle: the ethics of enhanced weathering.

PubMed

Lawford-Smith, H; Currie, A

2017-04-01

Enhanced weathering, in comparison to other geoengineering measures, creates the possibility of a reduced cost, reduced impact way of decreasing atmospheric carbon, with positive knock-on effects such as decreased oceanic acidity. We argue that ethical concerns have a place alongside empirical, political and social factors as we consider how to best respond to the critical challenge that anthropogenic climate change poses. We review these concerns, considering the ethical issues that arise (or would arise) in the large-scale deployment of enhanced weathering. We discuss post-implementation scenarios, failures of collective action, the distribution of risk and externalities and redress for damage. We also discuss issues surrounding 'dirty hands' (taking conventionally immoral action to avoid having to take action that is even worse), whether enhanced weathering research might present a moral hazard, the importance of international governance and the notion that the implementation of large-scale enhanced weathering would reveal problematic hubris. Ethics and scientific research interrelate in complex ways: some ethical considerations caution against research and implementation, while others encourage them. Indeed, the ethical perspective encourages us to think more carefully about how, and what types of, geoengineering should be researched and implemented. © 2017 The Author(s).

Feedback of Individual Genetic Results to Research Participants: Is It Feasible in Europe?

PubMed Central

Mascalzoni, Deborah; Soini, Sirpa; Machado, Helena; Kaye, Jane; Bentzen, Heidi Beate; Rial-Sebbag, Emmanuelle; D'Abramo, Flavio; Witt, Michał; Schamps, Geneviève; Katić, Višnja; Krajnovic, Dusanca; Harris, Jennifer R.

2016-01-01

Background: There is growing consensus that individual genetic research results that are scientifically robust, analytically valid, and clinically actionable should be offered to research participants. However, the general practice in European research projects is that results are usually not provided to research participants for many reasons. This article reports on the views of European experts and scholars who are members of the European COST Action CHIP ME IS1303 (Citizen's Health through public-private Initiatives: Public health, Market and Ethical perspectives) regarding challenges to the feedback of individual genetic results to research participants in Europe and potential strategies to address these challenges. Materials and Methods: A consultation of the COST Action members was conducted through an email survey and a workshop. The results from the consultation were analyzed following a conventional content analysis approach. Results: Legal frameworks, professional guidelines, and financial, organizational, and human resources to support the feedback of results are largely missing in Europe. Necessary steps to facilitate the feedback process include clarifying legal requirements to the feedback of results, developing harmonized European best practices, promoting interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration, designing educational programs and cost-efficient IT-based platforms, involving research ethics committees, and documenting the health benefits and risks of the feedback process. Conclusions: Coordinated efforts at pan-European level are needed to enable equitable, scientifically sound, and socially robust feedback of results to research participants. PMID:27082461

A social identity model of pro-environmental action (SIMPEA).

PubMed

Fritsche, Immo; Barth, Markus; Jugert, Philipp; Masson, Torsten; Reese, Gerhard

2018-03-01

Large-scale environmental crises are genuinely collective phenomena: they usually result from collective, rather than personal, behavior and how they are cognitively represented and appraised is determined by collectively shared interpretations (e.g., differing across ideological groups) and based on concern for collectives (e.g., humankind, future generations) rather than for individuals. Nevertheless, pro-environmental action has been primarily investigated as a personal decision-making process. We complement this research with a social identity perspective on pro-environmental action. Social identity is the human capacity to define the self in terms of "We" instead of "I," enabling people to think and act as collectives, which should be crucial given personal insufficiency to appraise and effectively respond to environmental crises. We propose a Social Identity Model of Pro-Environmental Action (SIMPEA) of how social identity processes affect both appraisal of and behavioral responses to large-scale environmental crises. We review related and pertinent research providing initial evidence for the role of 4 social identity processes hypothesized in SIMPEA. Specifically, we propose that ingroup identification, ingroup norms and goals, and collective efficacy determine environmental appraisals as well as both private and public sphere environmental action. These processes are driven by personal and collective emotions and motivations that arise from environmental appraisal and operate on both a deliberate and automatic processing level. Finally, we discuss SIMPEA's implications for the research agenda in environmental and social psychology and for interventions fostering pro-environmental action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Analysis of Feedback in after Action Reviews

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

CONNTSM Page INTRODUCTIUN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Perspective on Feedback. . ....... • • ..... • 1 Overviev of %,•urrent Research...part of their training program . The AAR is in marked contrast to the critique method of feedback which is often used in military training. The AAR...feedback is task-inherent feedback. Task-inherent feedback refers to human-machine interacting systems, e.g., computers , where in a visual tracking task

Making the Invisible Visible: A Responsive Evaluation Study of ESL and Spanish Language Services for Immigrants in a Small Rural County in Indiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawan, Faridah; Thomalla, Therese Groff

2005-01-01

This article describes a responsive evaluation study of ESL services and Spanish language services for immigrants in a rural county in Indiana. An ESL specialist led the evaluation of language services in the county from the perspectives of language providers and recipients. The responsive evaluation--a form of action research that uses…

Persuading Teachers to Adopt Academic Theories (or Deontological Perspectives in Professional Motivation to Translate Academic Theories into Praxis): Developing a Communications Epistemology by Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thody, Angela

2008-01-01

This article is to encourage debate about the challenges for academics wanting to see our theories translated into practice in schools. Conventional academic articles do not provide information ready for immediate download into daily school practice. Should academics therefore publish in alternative formats and styles as exemplified in the…

Korean University EFL Student Perspectives of Smartphone Applications (Apps) as Tools for Language Learning: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Bernedette S.

2017-01-01

Learning a second or foreign language may be a daunting task for anyone; however, learning a language that is vastly different from a person's native language can be extremely difficult. This is especially true in South Korea where English is taught and spoken as a foreign language. For Korean students, who typically study English from a young…

A Global Perspective on Early Childhood Care and Education: A Proposed Model. Action Research in Family and Early Childhood. UNESCO Education Sector Monograph.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lillemyr, Ole Fredrik; Fagerli, Oddvar; Sobstad, Frode

This monograph describes an alternative model for early childhood care and education involving a complex and integrated system that allows for more collaboration among early childhood care and education activities. The model, with its emphasis on values in all educational practices, is intended to promote a more global and total approach to…

Annual Research Review: All Mothers Are Not Created Equal--Neural and Psychobiological Perspectives on Mothering and the Importance of Individual Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Jennifer; Fleming, Alison S.

2011-01-01

Quality of mothering relies on the integrity of multiple physiological and behavioral systems and on two maternal factors, one proximal and one distal, that have a great impact on how a mother mothers: postpartum depression and early experiences. To mother appropriately requires the action of systems that regulate sensation, perception, affect,…

Alice: Overcoming the Border Motto--"I Am No Longer Afraid of the World"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levínská, Markéta; Doubek, David

2017-01-01

In our paper, we present the story of emancipation of a Roma woman, who works as a social outreach worker. Our method is based on ethnographic approach and our paper focuses on the study the emic perspective of participants in our research. The aim of the paper is to show the tension arising between the actions and expectations of Alice and the…

Ethics: Can It Be Taught

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-05

end up the subject of front-page media coverage (Allen, 2015). Given that the Army already teaches ethics , this research paper explores whether...inspired by frequent media coverage of ethics failures in both the public and private sectors. The questions included respondents’ perspective on moral...Acquisition community , ethics training consists only of a mandatory annual briefing. A last conclusion from CASAL may be that, as actions of an individual

An Agent-Based Model of New Venture Creation: Conceptual Design for Simulating Entrepreneurship

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Provance, Mike; Collins, Andrew; Carayannis, Elias

2012-01-01

There is a growing debate over the means by which regions can foster the growth of entrepreneurial activity in order to stimulate recovery and growth of their economies. On one side, agglomeration theory suggests the regions grow because of strong clusters that foster knowledge spillover locally; on the other side, the entrepreneurial action camp argues that innovative business models are generated by entrepreneurs with unique market perspectives who draw on knowledge from more distant domains. We will show you the design for a novel agent-based model of new venture creation that will demonstrate the relationship between agglomeration and action. The primary focus of this model is information exchange as the medium for these agent interactions. Our modeling and simulation study proposes to reveal interesting relationships in these perspectives, offer a foundation on which these disparate theories from economics and sociology can find common ground, and expand the use of agent-based modeling into entrepreneurship research.

The effect of culture on perspective taking.

PubMed

Wu, Shali; Keysar, Boaz

2007-07-01

People consider the mental states of other people to understand their actions. We evaluated whether such perspective taking is culture dependent. People in collectivistic cultures (e.g., China) are said to have interdependent selves, whereas people in individualistic cultures (e.g., the United States) are said to have independent selves. To evaluate the effect of culture, we asked Chinese and American pairs to play a communication game that required perspective taking. Eye-gaze measures demonstrated that the Chinese participants were more tuned into their partner's perspective than were the American participants. Moreover, Americans often completely failed to take the perspective of their partner, whereas Chinese almost never did. We conclude that cultural patterns of interdependence focus attention on the other, causing Chinese to be better perspective takers than Americans. Although members of both cultures are able to distinguish between their perspective and another person's perspective, cultural patterns afford Chinese the effective use of this ability to interpret other people's actions.

The processing of linear perspective and binocular information for action and perception.

PubMed

Bruggeman, Hugo; Yonas, Albert; Konczak, Jürgen

2007-04-08

To investigate the processing of linear perspective and binocular information for action and for the perceptual judgment of depth, we presented viewers with an actual Ames trapezoidal window. The display, when presented perpendicular to the line of sight, provided perspective information for a rectangular window slanted in depth, while binocular information specified a planar surface in the fronto-parallel plane. We compared pointing towards the display-edges with perceptual judgment of their positions in depth as the display orientation was varied under monocular and binocular view. On monocular trials, pointing and depth judgment were based on the perspective information and failed to respond accurately to changes in display orientation because pictorial information did not vary sufficiently to specify the small differences in orientation. For binocular trials, pointing was based on binocular information and precisely matched the changes in display orientation whereas depth judgment was short of such adjustment and based upon both binocular and perspective-specified slant information. The finding, that on binocular trials pointing was considerably less responsive to the illusion than perceptual judgment, supports an account of two separate processing streams in the human visual system, a ventral pathway involved in object recognition and a dorsal pathway that produces visual information for the control of actions. Previously, similar differences between perception and action were explained by an alternate explanation, that is, viewers selectively attend to different parts of a display in the two tasks. The finding that under monocular view participants responded to perspective information in both the action and the perception task rules out the attention-based argument.

Being useful: achieving indigenous youth involvement in a community-based participatory research project in Alaska

PubMed Central

Ford, Tara; Rasmus, Stacy; Allen, James

2012-01-01

Objectives To report on a participatory research process in southwest Alaska focusing on youth involvement as a means to facilitate health promotion. We propose youth-guided community-based participatory research (CBPR) as way to involve young people in health promotion and prevention strategizing as part of translational science practice at the community-level. Study design We utilized a CBPR approach that allowed youth to contribute at all stages. Methods Implementation of the CBPR approach involved the advancement of three key strategies including: (a) the local steering committee made up of youth, tribal leaders, and elders, (b) youth-researcher partnerships, and (c) youth action-groups to translate findings. Results The addition of a local youth-action and translation group to the CBPR process in the southwest Alaska site represents an innovative strategy for disseminating findings to youth from a research project that focuses on youth resilience and wellbeing. This strategy drew from two community-based action activities: (a) being useful by helping elders and (b) being proud of our village. Conclusions In our study, youth informed the research process at every stage, but most significantly youth guided the translation and application of the research findings at the community level. Findings from the research project were translated by youth into serviceable action in the community where they live. The research created an experience for youth to spend time engaged in activities that, from their perspectives, are important and contribute to their wellbeing and healthy living. Youth-guided CBPR meant involving youth in the process of not only understanding the research process but living through it as well. PMID:22584510

Reason and reaction: the utility of a dual-focus, dual-processing perspective on promotion and prevention of adolescent health risk behaviour.

PubMed

Gibbons, Frederick X; Houlihan, Amy E; Gerrard, Meg

2009-05-01

A brief overview of theories of health behaviour that are based on the expectancy-value perspective is presented. This approach maintains that health behaviours are the result of a deliberative decision-making process that involves consideration of behavioural options along with anticipated outcomes associated with those options. It is argued that this perspective is effective at explaining and predicting many types of health behaviour, including health-promoting actions (e.g. UV protection, condom use, smoking cessation), but less effective at predicting risky health behaviours, such as unprotected, casual sex, drunk driving or binge drinking. These are behaviours that are less reasoned or premeditated - especially among adolescents. An argument is made for incorporating elements of dual-processing theories in an effort to improve the 'utility' of these models. Specifically, it is suggested that adolescent health behaviour involves both analytic and heuristic processing. Both types of processing are incorporated in the prototype-willingness (prototype) model, which is described in some detail. Studies of health behaviour based on the expectancy-value perspective (e.g. theory of reasoned action) are reviewed, along with studies based on the prototype model. These two sets of studies together suggest that the dual-processing perspective, in general, and the prototype model, in particular, add to the predictive validity of expectancy-value models for predicting adolescent health behaviour. Research and interventions that incorporate elements of dual-processing and elements of expectancy-value are more effective at explaining and changing adolescent health behaviour than are those based on expectancy-value theories alone.

Evidence-based practice for mere mortals: the role of informatics and health services research.

PubMed

Sim, Ida; Sanders, Gillian D; McDonald, Kathryn M

2002-04-01

The poor translation of evidence into practice is a well-known problem. Hopes are high that information technology can help make evidence-based practice feasible for mere mortal physicians. In this paper, we draw upon the methods and perspectives of clinical practice, medical informatics, and health services research to analyze the gap between evidence and action, and to argue that computing systems for bridging this gap should incorporate both informatics and health services research expertise. We discuss 2 illustrative systems--trial banks and a web-based system to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines (alchemist)--and conclude with a research and training agenda.

How Do Future Life Perspective and Present Action Work in Japanese Youth Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kawai, Toru; Moran, Seana

2017-01-01

"Future life perspective" and "present action," whose interaction affects how one's current activity affects later life, offer a critical crossroads for young adults in Japan as stable career paths have become more uncertain. Past generations benefited from stable institutional pathways, but recent generations must forge their…

The Schooling of Texts in the Pedagogy Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Silva, Elizabeth Maria; Castanheira, Maria Lúcia

2016-01-01

This article examines how literate actions of reading texts in academic contexts are characterized in semi-structured interviews with first-year and senior students at a Brazilian federal university. Adopting a social perspective of literacy and an ethnographic perspective, the analysis reveals that the literate action of reading texts is…

Distinctive laterality of neural networks supporting action understanding in left- and right-handed individuals: An EEG coherence study.

PubMed

Kelly, Rachel; Mizelle, J C; Wheaton, Lewis A

2015-08-01

Prior work has demonstrated that perspective and handedness of observed actions can affect action understanding differently in right and left-handed persons, suggesting potential differences in the neural networks underlying action understanding between right and left-handed individuals. We sought to evaluate potential differences in these neural networks using electroencephalography (EEG). Right- and left-handed participants observed images of tool-use actions from egocentric and allocentric perspectives, with right- and left-handed actors performing the actions. Participants judged the outcome of the observed actions, and response accuracy and latency were recorded. Behaviorally, the highest accuracy and shortest latency was found in the egocentric perspective for right- and left-handed observers. Handedness of subject showed an effect on accuracy and latency also, where right-handed observers were faster to respond than left-handed observers, but on average were less accurate. Mu band (8-10 Hz) cortico-cortical coherence analysis indicated that right-handed observers have coherence in the motor dominant left parietal-premotor networks when looking at an egocentric right or allocentric left hands. When looking in an egocentric perspective at a left hand or allocentric right hand, coherence was lateralized to right parietal-premotor areas. In left-handed observers, bilateral parietal-premotor coherence patterns were observed regardless of actor handedness. These findings suggest that the cortical networks involved in understanding action outcomes are dependent on hand dominance, and notably right handed participants seem to utilize motor systems based on the limb seen performing the action. The decreased accuracy for right-handed participants on allocentric images could be due to asymmetrical lateralization of encoding action and motoric dominance, which may interfere with translating allocentric limb action outcomes. Further neurophysiological studies will determine the specific processes of how left- and right-handed participants understand actions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient Perceptions About Data Sharing & Privacy: Insights from ActionADE.

PubMed

Small, Serena S; Peddie, David; Ackerley, Christine; Hohl, Corinne M; Balka, Ellen

2017-01-01

Information communication technologies (ICTs) may improve health delivery by enhancing informational continuity of care and enabling secondary use of health data including public health surveillance and research. ICTs also introduce concerns related to privacy. In this paper, we examine and address this tension in the context of the development and implementation of a novel platform that will enable the documentation and communication of patient-specific ADE information, titled ActionADE. We explored privacy concerns qualitatively from the perspective of patients. Our findings will inform a series of recommendations for system design that seek to balance the need to both share and protect personal health information.

Space-time thermodynamics of the glass transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merolle, Mauro; Garrahan, Juan P.; Chandler, David

2005-08-01

We consider the probability distribution for fluctuations in dynamical action and similar quantities related to dynamic heterogeneity. We argue that the so-called “glass transition” is a manifestation of low action tails in these distributions where the entropy of trajectory space is subextensive in time. These low action tails are a consequence of dynamic heterogeneity and an indication of phase coexistence in trajectory space. The glass transition, where the system falls out of equilibrium, is then an order-disorder phenomenon in space-time occurring at a temperature Tg, which is a weak function of measurement time. We illustrate our perspective ideas with facilitated lattice models and note how these ideas apply more generally. Author contributions: M.M., J.P.G., and D.C. performed research and wrote the paper.

Understanding Ethical Issues of Research Participation from the Perspective of Participating Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Broome, Marion E.

2017-01-01

Background The past twenty years have seen distinct shifts in the way the participation of children and adolescents in research is viewed. This has been emphasized by the growing pediatric research enterprise. Additional information on children’s and adolescents’ experiences during research participation is needed to better inform researchers on the ethical conduct of research with this vulnerable population. Aims The objective of this analysis was to examine ethical issues in research with children and adolescents from their perspective as participants, including: assent, parental consent, risk perception, impact of research participation, and incentives. Methods This systematic review was conducted per the Long et al. framework by means of an iterative searching process. Using the key words ‘research ethics’ and ‘child or pediatric or adolescent’, PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost databases were searched to identify articles. Limitations placed on the original searches were: English language, year of publication between 2003–2014, humans, abstract available, and age birth–18 years. Findings Twenty-three empiric studies were identified and formed the sample. Included studies represented a diverse range of areas of research, methods, settings, sample demographics, authors, and journals. Discussion Even young children demonstrated the ability to understand essential elements of research, although there is variability in children’s level of understanding. Trust was a significant contributing factor to children’s and adolescents’ participation in research, and also shaped their assessments of risk. Research participation was mainly beneficial for children and adolescents. Incentives were mainly viewed positively, although concerns of possible undue influence were expressed. Linking Evidence to Action This systematic review highlights the importance of including the perspectives of children and adolescents and provides researchers and nurse clinicians with best practices for involving children in research. PMID:28207982

Action learning in virtual higher education: applying leadership theory.

PubMed

Curtin, Joseph

2016-05-03

This paper reports the historical foundation of Northeastern University's course, LDR 6100: Developing Your Leadership Capability, a partial literature review of action learning (AL) and virtual action learning (VAL), a course methodology of LDR 6100 requiring students to apply leadership perspectives using VAL as instructed by the author, questionnaire and survey results of students who evaluated the effectiveness of their application of leadership theories using VAL and insights believed to have been gained by the author administering VAL. Findings indicate most students thought applying leadership perspectives using AL was better than considering leadership perspectives not using AL. In addition as implemented in LDR 6100, more students evaluated VAL positively than did those who assessed VAL negatively.

African American Perspectives and Experiences of Domestic Violence in a Rural Community.

PubMed

Valandra; Murphy-Erby, Yvette; Higgins, Brandon M; Brown, Lucy M

2016-09-01

Relatively few studies have explored domestic violence from a multiplicity of African American perspectives, experiences, and socio-demographic backgrounds within rural African American communities. Community-based participatory action research methods were used to explore domestic violence perceptions of African Americans with heterogeneous backgrounds and experiences of violence. Ten focus groups were held throughout the community with 52 diverse women ( n = 33) and men ( n = 19) living in the northwest region of Arkansas. Demographic data were collected from 47 women ( n = 28) and men ( n = 19) participating in focus groups regarding their perceptions and experiences of domestic violence, media messages, help-seeking behaviors, and services. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Three major themes emerged, including (a) a heightened awareness of race, gender, and class differences; (b) imbalanced and mixed messages from media; and (c) multi-systemic dynamics influencing abusive behavior and relationships. Results indicate that study participants' perspectives and experiences with domestic violence reflect a complex interrelated gamut of societal, community, familial, and individual dynamics. Participant recommendations related to interpersonal dynamics, media messages, and societal influences are reported with implications for practice, policy, and future research.

Towards a Consistent and Scientifically Accurate Drug Ontology.

PubMed

Hogan, William R; Hanna, Josh; Joseph, Eric; Brochhausen, Mathias

2013-01-01

Our use case for comparative effectiveness research requires an ontology of drugs that enables querying National Drug Codes (NDCs) by active ingredient, mechanism of action, physiological effect, and therapeutic class of the drug products they represent. We conducted an ontological analysis of drugs from the realist perspective, and evaluated existing drug terminology, ontology, and database artifacts from (1) the technical perspective, (2) the perspective of pharmacology and medical science (3) the perspective of description logic semantics (if they were available in Web Ontology Language or OWL), and (4) the perspective of our realism-based analysis of the domain. No existing resource was sufficient. Therefore, we built the Drug Ontology (DrOn) in OWL, which we populated with NDCs and other classes from RxNorm using only content created by the National Library of Medicine. We also built an application that uses DrOn to query for NDCs as outlined above, available at: http://ingarden.uams.edu/ingredients. The application uses an OWL-based description logic reasoner to execute end-user queries. DrOn is available at http://code.google.com/p/dr-on.

Dissociable intrinsic functional networks support noun-object and verb-action processing.

PubMed

Yang, Huichao; Lin, Qixiang; Han, Zaizhu; Li, Hongyu; Song, Luping; Chen, Lingjuan; He, Yong; Bi, Yanchao

2017-12-01

The processing mechanism of verbs-actions and nouns-objects is a central topic of language research, with robust evidence for behavioral dissociation. The neural basis for these two major word and/or conceptual classes, however, remains controversial. Two experiments were conducted to study this question from the network perspective. Experiment 1 found that nodes of the same class, obtained through task-evoked brain imaging meta-analyses, were more strongly connected with each other than nodes of different classes during resting-state, forming segregated network modules. Experiment 2 examined the behavioral relevance of these intrinsic networks using data from 88 brain-damaged patients, finding that across patients the relative strength of functional connectivity of the two networks significantly correlated with the noun-object vs. verb-action relative behavioral performances. In summary, we found that verbs-actions and nouns-objects are supported by separable intrinsic functional networks and that the integrity of such networks accounts for the relative noun-object- and verb-action-selective deficits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Justice, Research, and Adolescence

PubMed Central

Russell, Stephen T.

2016-01-01

In what ways might research on adolescence contribute to social justice? My 2014 Presidential Address identified strategies for social justice in our field. First, we need research that is conscious of biases, power, and privilege in science, as well as in our roles as scholars. Second, we need research that attends to inequities in lives of adolescents, and as scholars we need to question the ways that our research may unwittingly reinforce those inequalities. Third, we need research that attends to urgencies, that is, issues or conditions that influence adolescents’ well-being which demand attention and action. I draw from a range of concepts and theoretical perspectives to make the case for a framework of social justice in research on adolescence. PMID:27307689

A Protean Practice? Perspectives on the Practice of Action Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brook, Cheryl; Pedler, Mike; Burgoyne, John G

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to assess the extent to which these practitioners ' perspectives and practices match Willis's conception of a Revans "gold standard" of action learning. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a qualitative design and methodology based on interviews and the collection of cases or accounts of…

Enacting Instructional Leadership: Perspectives and Actions of Public K-12 Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terosky, Aimee LaPointe

2016-01-01

This article's purpose is to highlight the perspectives and actions of urban, public school K-12 principals who are noted for prioritising instructional leadership. Grounded in the conceptual framework of agency, I examined the work experiences of 18 New York City public school principals nominated by supervisors, colleagues, trained educational…

Getting critical with children: empowering approaches with a disempowered group.

PubMed

Berman, Helene

2003-01-01

The study of children and childhood has historically been accorded a marginal place in the health, human, and social sciences. In part, this is due to prevailing Western ideology that constructs children as passive, presocial, innocent, and vulnerable. The dominant discourse is further characterized by the treatment of children as a homogeneous group, devoid of race, class, or gender. While many investigators have described strategies for the conduct of research that is situated in the interpretive paradigm, there has been no comparable articulation of ideas regarding the conduct of critically grounded research when our participants are children. The purpose of this article is to put forth a historical and contextual analysis of childhood, including a discussion of evolving perspectives about childhood. The manner by which changing social, political, and environmental landscapes have contributed to the marginalization and disenfranchisement of children is examined. Finally, strategies for conducting nursing research that is grounded in the critical paradigmatic perspective, with the simultaneous aims of action, change, and empowerment, are proposed.

User involvement: children's participation in a parent-baby group.

PubMed

Maconochie, Heloise; McNeill, Fiona

2010-08-01

According to the National Service Framework, children have a right to participate in the development of healthcare services and yet research suggests that young children are at risk of exclusion from user involvement initiatives. This paper outlines the findings of a participatory action research project conducted with families attending a health visitors' parent-baby group. A combination of participatory research methods were used to ascertain the infants' perspectives of the service and this led to a number of changes in terms of professional attitudes, service provision and working practices. Changes in professional attitudes included acknowledging the importance of social interaction to the children, recognising young children's views as embodied and produced within social interactions, and respecting children as active contributors and not simply as passive recipients of healthcare services. Changes in service provision resulted in redistributing resources, structures and spaces to take account of children's perspectives. Finally, reciprocity and responsiveness were seen as key components in enhancing young children's participation.

Hermeneutic application research - finding a common understanding and consensus on care and caring.

PubMed

Koskinen, Camilla; Nyström, Lisbet

2017-03-01

To clinically and contextually implement the theoretical and factual knowledge of care and caring that has been developed in the last 30 years is seen as a great challenge in caring science research. Emphasis has been put on problem-solving research methodologies and action research in hopes of narrowing the divide between caring theory and clinical practice. Thus, the intention is now to further action research towards a hermeneutic approach and to put emphasis on hermeneutic application where theory and praxis become one through human dialogue. This article highlights hermeneutic application research as an alternative methodology within participatory-oriented research which presents a new opportunity to unite clinical practice and caring theory. The aim is to contribute to the development of the hermeneutical application research design in its epistemological, ontological and ethical perspective, by articulating and clarifying the central foundations in the application. On the basis of Gadamer's hermeneutical thinking and Levinas ethical thinking, the central foundations in the application research are ethics, creation of a hermeneutical room, dialogue and common understanding and appropriation and action. When theoretical understanding turns into praxis, knowledge also becomes activity and theory and practice become one. Application thus realises the basic idea that praxis and theory are one, and thus, theory of caring can only become evident and implemented in a clinical practice through moments when the participants find a common understanding and consensus on the knowledge of care and caring. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Brain systems for visual perspective taking and action perception.

PubMed

Mazzarella, Elisabetta; Ramsey, Richard; Conson, Massimiliano; Hamilton, Antonia

2013-01-01

Taking another person's viewpoint and making sense of their actions are key processes that guide social behavior. Previous neuroimaging investigations have largely studied these processes separately. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine how the brain incorporates another person's viewpoint and actions into visual perspective judgments. Participants made a left-right judgment about the location of a target object from their own (egocentric) or an actor's visual perspective (altercentric). Actor location varied around a table and the actor was either reaching or not reaching for the target object. Analyses examined brain regions engaged in the egocentric and altercentric tasks, brain regions where response magnitude tracked the orientation of the actor in the scene and brain regions sensitive to the action performed by the actor. The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) was sensitive to actor orientation in the altercentric task, whereas the response in right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was sensitive to actor orientation in the egocentric task. Thus, dmPFC and right IFG may play distinct but complementary roles in visual perspective taking (VPT). Observation of a reaching actor compared to a non-reaching actor yielded activation in lateral occipitotemporal cortex, regardless of task, showing that these regions are sensitive to body posture independent of social context. By considering how an observed actor's location and action influence the neural bases of visual perspective judgments, the current study supports the view that multiple neurocognitive "routes" operate during VPT.

Resistance, Critical Agency and Initiatives of Black Post-School Youth, Facilitators and Organisers in a Black Township in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Devika

2017-01-01

The Post-school Education and Training (PSET) policy seeks to address the education and training needs of post-school youth not in education, employment nor training (NEET). The problem of youth NEET has been researched from many perspectives. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the responses, views and actions of post-school youth NEET…

[The qualitative research on social inequalities in health: the life courses].

PubMed

Roy, Bernard; De Koninck, Maria

2013-02-11

Adopting a lifecourse perspective is more and more frequent in the health inequalities research field. This article describes such an approach, as applied in a study on poverty and social exclusion. In this study, life histories were collected through open interviews and focused on the meaning of lived experiences. An original analysis table was used, in which words are grouped within categories identifying the different components of a lifecourse. Whether it refers to experiences lived in childhood or adulthood, the life history enables the placing of these within the individual's lifecourse. The horizontal analysis of different individual stories makes it possible to identify experiences that have harmful, or conversely, beneficial effects. When transferring results, reporting the experiences lived by the populations using the same words they did to describe them can help those responsible for program development or implementation understand the genesis of social health inequities. The analysis of life histories, based on the different components of a lifecourse, allows the identification of key moments in the interviewees' life evolution and, in an action perspective, to do so while taking health and social intervention fields into account. Such results make it easier to design actions to counter social health inequities - and above all their chronic nature - that are suited to the realities encountered.

The Construct of Intent in Interpersonal Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamp, Glen H.; Knapp, Mark L.

1990-01-01

Observes that three dominant perspectives on intentionality--the encoder, decoder, and interactional--emerge from communication literature. Explains that the encoder perspective links intent to conscious activity, whereas the decoder perspective associates intent with observable actions. Notes that the interactional perspective attempts to unite…

Experiences and Perspectives of African-American, Latina/o, Asian-American and European-American Psychology Graduate Students: A National Study

PubMed Central

Maton, Kenneth I.; Wimms, Harriette E.; Grant, Sheila K.; Wittig, Michele A.; Rogers, Margaret R.; Vasquez, Melba J. T.

2013-01-01

A national, web-based survey of 1,222 African-American, Latina/o, Asian-American and European-American psychology graduate students revealed both similarities and differences in experiences and perspectives. Mentoring was found to be the strongest predictor of satisfaction across groups. Academic supports and barriers, along with perceptions of diversity were also important predictors of satisfaction. Students of color differed from European-American students in perceptions of fairness of representation of their ethnic group within psychology, and in aspects of the graduate school experience perceived as linked to ethnicity. Limitations of the study and implications for future research and action are discussed. PMID:21341899

Innovation, Technology and Decision Making: A Perspective for Strategic Action in Firms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulenburg, Gerald M.

2002-01-01

Innovation, technology, and the making of decisions are tightly intertwined in what can generally be called, strategic decision making. Although true for all firms, it is especially true in innovative, high technology firms that operate in a turbulent, fast moving environment where strategic decisions must be made accurately and quickly to survive. This paper looks at some factors reported in the literature that affect how and why the strategic decision process is so important, especially in companies in fast-moving, competitive environments. The work of several prominent authors who looked critically at past theory and research, and the current state of knowledge and practice, provides a perspective of how firms make strategic decisions.

Experiences and perspectives of African American, Latina/o, Asian American, and European American psychology graduate students: A national study.

PubMed

Maton, Kenneth I; Wimms, Harriette E; Grant, Sheila K; Wittig, Michele A; Rogers, Margaret R; Vasquez, Melba J T

2011-01-01

A national, Web-based survey of 1,219 African American, Latina/o, Asian American, and European American psychology graduate students revealed both similarities and differences in experiences and perspectives. Mentoring was found to be the strongest predictor of satisfaction across groups. Academic supports and barriers, along with perceptions of diversity within the academic environment, were also important predictors of satisfaction. Students of color perceived less fairness of representation of their ethnic group within psychology than European American students, and a greater linkage between aspects of the graduate school experience and their ethnicity. Limitations of the study and implications for future research and action are discussed.

[Strategic patient safety action plan for the anesthesiology and intensive care service of Ukraine: basic modules and their components].

PubMed

Федосюк, Роман Н

In recent years, the problem of patient safety has become top-priority in further improvement of national healthcare systems in all developed countries. To develop a modular structure and a component composition of the strategic patient safety action plan for the anesthesiology and intensive care service of Ukraine as a part of the National Action Plan. Major domestic priorities, substantiated and made public by the author in previous works, are taken as the basis for the modular structuring of the action plan. Existing foreign prototypes, evaluated for the patient safety effectiveness and the potential for the adaptation to domestic conditions, as well as author's own innovations are offered for a component filling-up of each module. Eight modules - infectious safety, surgical safety, pharmaceutical safety, infrastructural safety, incident monitoring and reporting, education and training, research and awards - have been proposed. Individual components for each of the modules are selected from a variety of foreign prototypes and author's own developments. Inter-modular stratification of the components into short-term perspective tools and long-term perspective tools, depending on the amount of resources needed for their implementation, is carried out. The strategic patient safety action plan for the anesthesiology and intensive care service of Ukraine is the embodiment, within a particular specialty, of the wider National Action Plan developed by the First National Congress on Patient Safety (Kiev, 2012) on the initiative of the Council of Europe and aimed at the fulfillment of international obligations of Ukraine in the healthcare sector. Its implementation will contribute to enhancing the safety of anesthesia and intensive care services in Ukraine and further development of the specialty.

First Person Perspective of Seated Participants Over a Walking Virtual Body Leads to Illusory Agency Over the Walking.

PubMed

Kokkinara, Elena; Kilteni, Konstantina; Blom, Kristopher J; Slater, Mel

2016-07-01

Agency, the attribution of authorship to an action of our body, requires the intention to carry out the action, and subsequently a match between its predicted and actual sensory consequences. However, illusory agency can be generated through priming of the action together with perception of bodily action, even when there has been no actual corresponding action. Here we show that participants can have the illusion of agency over the walking of a virtual body even though in reality they are seated and only allowed head movements. The experiment (n = 28) had two factors: Perspective (1PP or 3PP) and Head Sway (Sway or NoSway). Participants in 1PP saw a life-sized virtual body spatially coincident with their own from a first person perspective, or the virtual body from third person perspective (3PP). In the Sway condition the viewpoint included a walking animation, but not in NoSway. The results show strong illusions of body ownership, agency and walking, in the 1PP compared to the 3PP condition, and an enhanced level of arousal while the walking was up a virtual hill. Sway reduced the level of agency. We conclude with a discussion of the results in the light of current theories of agency.

Stakeholders’ perspectives towards effective climate change adaptation on the Mongolian livestock sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batbaatar, A.; Apichayakul, P.; Tantanee, S.

2018-03-01

Climate change is one of the greatest threats that world is facing today, and having significant deleterious effects on natural and human systems. Recent climate-induced extreme events and their impacts demand timely adaptation actions to the changing odds of their occurrence. The great phenomenon is already being felt in the Mongolian plateau, especially on the livestock sector. The sector provides the main income and livelihood for one-third of the population of about three million people. A high number of livestock is lost due to a unique phenomenon is known as a “dzud”. This paper examines the key stakeholders’ perspectives in the implementation of climate change adaptation and identifies its barriers, with a focus on the livestock sector. In order to meet the objectives, this research used a semi-structured interview with organizations related to the livestock sector and climate change. The extent of stakeholders’ perspectives might be depending on the way they share information, stakeholder engagement, and their experiences with extreme events, as well as their location and level in government. The research findings will indicate an understanding of climate change perspectives, adaptation, and level of capacity of organizations, which can be used as a guideline for organizations to develop climate change adaptation policies related to the livestock sector in Mongolia.

From research to self-reflection: learning about ourselves as academics through a support group's resistance to our intervention.

PubMed

Scherr, Courtney Lynam; Mattson, Marifran

2012-01-01

Purdue University's Center for Healthcare Engineering developed a computer-assisted technology hub (CATHUB) designed to aid individuals with disabilities. Upon realizing the lack of input from the very individuals they were trying to help, Marifran approached the developers of CATHUB and offered to engage a group of amputees to aid in the design and implementation of the hub. In this essay, Courtney and Marifran recount, each from their own perspective, their experiences working with Amputees in Action as participants in their research project. Ultimately the researchers discovered their research agenda was not compatible with the amputees' needs, resulting in enlightened self-reflection by the researchers and abandonment of the research project.

Observing Fearful Faces Leads to Visuo-Spatial Perspective Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zwickel, Jan; Muller, Hermann J.

2010-01-01

A number of recent studies suggested that visuo-spatial perspective taking (VSPT) occurs spontaneously when viewing either a human body or an action by an agent. However, it remains unclear whether VSPT is caused by the observation of an (potential) action or occurs because the observer infers from certain cues that another mind is present…

The Right Stuff: White Male Perspectives on Merit, Measurement, and Affirmative Action Admissions to Graduate Professional Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipson, Helen D.

This exploratory study examines several facets of everyday perspectives on merit and the meritocratic allocation of rewards and opportunities, focusing on race-targeted, affirmative action admissions of Blacks and Latinos to law schools, medical schools, and Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs. Subjects were 32 white, male college…

Divergent Perspectives and Differing Logics: The Case for Affirmative Action in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rout, Bharat Chandra

2012-01-01

Affirmative action (AA) is one of the most suitable mechanisms to promote equity and social justice in education in India. This essay deals with the impact of the different conceptualizations of AA in terms of its vision and the historic approaches to social inequalities in India. Primarily focusing on the various perspectives of affirmative…

Caught in the Middle: Understanding Asian Pacific American Perspectives on Affirmative Action through Blumer's Group Position Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inkelas, Karen Kurotsuchi

2003-01-01

This study examines Asian Pacific American undergraduates' views on affirmative action and their perspectives on U.S. race relations through Herbert Blumer's (1958) theory of group position. Results indicate that Asian Pacific American (APA) students may perceive other minority student applicants as inferior to APA applicants and feel threatened…

Reflexivity and the "Acting Subject": Conceptualizing the Unit of Analysis in Qualitative Health Research.

PubMed

Shaw, James A

2016-07-06

The ways in which social scientists conceptualize the "reflexive" human subject have important consequences for how we go about our research. Whether and how we understand human subjects to be the authors of our own actions helps to structure what we say about health, health care, and the many other topics addressed in qualitative health research. In this article, I critically discuss assumptions of human reflexivity that are built into qualitative social science of health and medicine. I describe three alternative ways of understanding reflexive thought and human action derived from the theoretical works of Pierre Bourdieu, Bruno Latour, and George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, respectively. I then apply these three different ways of thinking about reflexivity and the acting subject to the analysis of an excerpt of participant observation data from a health services research study of transitions from hospital to home, illuminating the different kinds of analyses that arise from each perspective. I conclude with a call for social scientists to commit to the search for better ways of understanding the human subject, resisting the temptation to "settle" on theoretical statements that close down the path to more sophisticated conceptualizations of human thought and action. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evidence-based Practice for Mere Mortals

PubMed Central

Sim, Ida; Sanders, Gillian D; McDonald, Kathryn M

2002-01-01

The poor translation of evidence into practice is a well-known problem. Hopes are high that information technology can help make evidence-based practice feasible for mere mortal physicians. In this paper, we draw upon the methods and perspectives of clinical practice, medical informatics, and health services research to analyze the gap between evidence and action, and to argue that computing systems for bridging this gap should incorporate both informatics and health services research expertise. We discuss 2 illustrative systems—trial banks and a web-based system to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines (alchemist)— and conclude with a research and training agenda. PMID:11972727

Employee recruitment.

PubMed

Breaugh, James A

2013-01-01

The way an organization recruits can influence the type of employees it hires, how they perform, and their retention rate. This article provides a selective review of research that has addressed recruitment targeting, recruitment methods, the recruitment message, recruiters, the organizational site visit, the job offer, and the timing of recruitment actions. These and other topics (e.g., the job applicant's perspective) are discussed in terms of their potential influence on prehire (e.g., the quality of job applicants) and posthire (e.g., new employee retention) recruitment outcomes. In reviewing research, attention is given to the current state of scientific knowledge, limitations of previous research, and important issues meriting future investigation.

Engagement strategies that foster community self-determination in participatory research: Insider ownership through outsider championship.

PubMed

Salsberg, Jon; Macridis, Soultana; Garcia Bengoechea, Enrique; Macaulay, Ann C; Moore, Spencer

2017-06-01

In order to maximize the benefits of community-based participatory research, effective ownership over the research process must be at least equally in the hands of the community. A previous social network analysis documented that the participatory research process shifted ownership from academic to community partners, but did not show what actions and strategies fostered this shift. This study follows the trajectory of a community-academic partnership and asks, from the perspective of the project stakeholders, which actions and strategies over the lifespan of the research led to the observed shift in ownership and decision-making from the original external academics to the community stakeholders? Qualitative description using inductive thematic analysis. One academic and five community stakeholders identified as central in a previous social network analysis, participated in retrospective, semi-structured interviews. Actions deemed to have fostered the observed shift in ownership included: existence of a strong champion; stimulating 'outside' ideas; emergence of core people; alignment of project goals with stakeholders' professional roles; involving the right people; personal qualities of the champion; trust-building; and active use of participatory engagement strategies. Although communities must take ownership over the research process to assure sustained action and change, a strong, trusted and accepted outside champion who actively enacts participatory engagement strategies can facilitate the participatory process and provide community stakeholders the time and support they need to achieve meaningful and sustained leadership roles. These findings have implications for how partnership research is designed and implemented, both in community and in clinical organisational settings. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Alliance members' roles in collective field-building: an assessment of leadership and championship within the Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada.

PubMed

Di Ruggiero, Erica; Kishchuk, Natalie; Viehbeck, Sarah; Edwards, Nancy; Robinson, Kerry; Riley, Barbara; Fowler, Heather Smith

2017-12-06

The Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada (PHIRIC) is a multi-stakeholder alliance founded in 2006 to advance population health intervention research (PHIR). PHIRIC aimed to strengthen Canada's capacity to conduct and use such research to inform policy and practice to improve the public's health by building PHIR as a field of research. In 2014, an evaluative study of PHIRIC at organisational and system levels was conducted, guided by a field-building and collaborative action perspective. The study involved 17 qualitative key informant interviews with 21 current and former PHIRIC Planning Committee and Working Group members. The interviews examined how individuals and organisations were acting as champions and exerting leadership in building the field of PHIR. Founding PHIRIC organisational members have been championing PHIR at organisational and system levels. While the PHIR field has progressed in terms of enhanced funding, legitimacy, profile and capacity, some members and organisations faced constraints and challenges acting as leaders and champions in their respective environments. Expectations about the future of PHIRIC and field-building of PHIR were mixed, where longer-term and founding members of PHIRIC expressed more optimism than recent members. All agreed on the need for incorporating perspectives of decision-makers into PHIR directions and initiatives. The findings contribute to understanding alliance members' roles in leadership and championship for field-building more generally, and for population health and PHIR specifically. Building this field requires multi-level efforts, collaborative action and distributed leadership to create the necessary conditions for PHIRIC members to both benefit from and contribute to advancing PHIR as a field. Lessons from this 'made in Canada' model may be of interest to other countries regarding the structures needed for PHIR field-building.

Enhancing Classroom Participation of Rural Trainee Teachers of English through Use of Action Research: A Reflecton from a Chinese Teacher Trainer's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ping, Wang

2015-01-01

A common problem for Chinese teacher trainers is coping with a passive class with silent trainee learners, when trainees tend to be unresponsive and avoid interactions with the trainer. This is especially true when a trainer seeks interactions in the process of training, such as asking questions to the class as a whole or expecting at least one…

Quality in School Environments: A Multiple Case Study of the Diagnosis, Design and Management of Environmental Quality in Five Elementary Schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools from an Action Research Perspective. Volumes I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackney, Jeffery A.

Environmental factors are being increasingly recognized as playing a role in school effectiveness and educational outcomes. Volume 1 examines what is known concerning the diagnosis, design, and management of environmental quality in schools, and the perceived relationship between environmental quality and educational outcomes, as revealed in an…

The Case of Jessica Chang: A Business and Industry Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahnasarian, Michael

1997-01-01

Presents a business and industry perspective of a Chinese-American woman's career. Analyzes career issues from an organizational perspective and from a career counseling perspective, with attention to salient cross-cultural counseling issues. Emphasizes actions that organizations can take to anticipate similar situations and explores proactive…

Ten commandments for the future of ageing research in the UK: a vision for action

PubMed Central

Franco, Oscar H; Kirkwood, Thomas BL; Powell, Jonathan R; Catt, Michael; Goodwin, James; Ordovas, Jose M; van der Ouderaa, Frans

2007-01-01

Increases in longevity resulting from improvements in health care and living conditions together with a decrease in fertility rates have contributed to a shift towards an aged population profile. For the first time the UK has more people over age 60 than below 16 years of age. The increase in longevity has not been accompanied by an increase in disease-free life expectancy and research into ageing is required to improve the health and quality of life of older people. However, as the House of Lords reported, ageing research in the UK is not adequately structured and a clear vision and plan are urgently required. Hence, with the aim of setting a common vision for action in ageing research in the UK, a 'Spark Workshop' was organised. International experts from different disciplines related to ageing research gathered to share their perspectives and to evaluate the present status of ageing research in the UK. A detailed assessment of potential improvements was conducted and the prospective secondary gains were considered, which were subsequently distilled into a list of 'ten commandments'. We believe that these commandments, if followed, will help to bring about the necessary implementation of an action plan for ageing research in the UK, commensurate with the scale of the challenge, which is to transform the manifold opportunities of increased longevity into actual delivery of a society living not only for longer, but also healthier, wealthier and happier. PMID:17477869

Psilocybin--summary of knowledge and new perspectives.

PubMed

Tylš, Filip; Páleníček, Tomáš; Horáček, Jiří

2014-03-01

Psilocybin, a psychoactive alkaloid contained in hallucinogenic mushrooms, is nowadays given a lot of attention in the scientific community as a research tool for modeling psychosis as well as due to its potential therapeutic effects. However, it is also a very popular and frequently abused natural hallucinogen. This review summarizes all the past and recent knowledge on psilocybin. It briefly deals with its history, discusses the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and compares its action in humans and animals. It attempts to describe the mechanism of psychedelic effects and objectify its action using modern imaging and psychometric methods. Finally, it describes its therapeutic and abuse potential. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

The difference biocultural "place" makes to community efforts towards sustainable development: Youth participatory action research in a marine protected area of Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McRuer, Jennifer; Zethelius, Margarita

2017-12-01

The Latin American concept of "(collective) biocultural heritage" arose from Indigenous knowledge and practices with respect to local natural resources and environment, including the food being hunted, the crops being grown, and the landscapes being created. The term is now used more widely to describe community practices, goals and priorities that are determined, maintained and managed by diverse cultural relationships with "place". The study presented in this article investigated biocultural place relationships in connection with well-being and sustainability. In the context of learning and action for sustainability in Isla Grande, an island in a marine protected area of Colombia, this study targeted the significance of place to the everyday lives of Afro-Colombian youth - from their perspective. Beyond aiming to merely observe and collect data, the methodology included a research design which actively involved local youth and incorporated the aspect of place. The authors describe and reflect on the processes, learning and action that emerged throughout the research, as well as the study's limitations. They discuss broad implications in terms of how place relationships influence research, and how research influences place relationships. Local implications include supporting the voice of youth in community efforts to re-imagine and transform place relationships in response to critical place issues such as climate change, top-down resource management, privatisation, commodification and growing environmental injustice.

Conflicts of Interest, Selective Inertia, and Research Malpractice in Randomized Clinical Trials: An Unholy Trinity

PubMed Central

Berger, Vance W.

2014-01-01

Recently a great deal of attention has been paid to conflicts of interest in medical research, and the Institute of Medicine has called for more research into this important area. One research question that has not received sufficient attention concerns the mechanisms of action by which conflicts of interest can result in biased and/or flawed research. What discretion do conflicted researchers have to sway the results one way or the other? We address this issue from the perspective of selective inertia, or an unnatural selection of research methods based on which are most likely to establish the preferred conclusions, rather than on which are most valid. In many cases it is abundantly clear that a method that is not being used in practice is superior to the one that is being used in practice, at least from the perspective of validity, and that it is only inertia, as opposed to any serious suggestion that the incumbent method is superior (or even comparable), that keeps the inferior procedure in use, to the exclusion of the superior one. By focusing on these flawed research methods we can go beyond statements of potential harm from real conflicts of interest, and can more directly assess actual (not potential) harm. PMID:25150846

Action semantics: A unifying conceptual framework for the selective use of multimodal and modality-specific object knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Elk, Michiel; van Schie, Hein; Bekkering, Harold

2014-06-01

Our capacity to use tools and objects is often considered one of the hallmarks of the human species. Many objects greatly extend our bodily capabilities to act in the physical world, such as when using a hammer or a saw. In addition, humans have the remarkable capability to use objects in a flexible fashion and to combine multiple objects in complex actions. We prepare coffee, cook dinner and drive our car. In this review we propose that humans have developed declarative and procedural knowledge, i.e. action semantics that enables us to use objects in a meaningful way. A state-of-the-art review of research on object use is provided, involving behavioral, developmental, neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. We show that research in each of these domains is characterized by similar discussions regarding (1) the role of object affordances, (2) the relation between goals and means in object use and (3) the functional and neural organization of action semantics. We propose a novel conceptual framework of action semantics to address these issues and to integrate the previous findings. We argue that action semantics entails both multimodal object representations and modality-specific sub-systems, involving manipulation knowledge, functional knowledge and representations of the sensory and proprioceptive consequences of object use. Furthermore, we argue that action semantics are hierarchically organized and selectively activated and used depending on the action intention of the actor and the current task context. Our framework presents an integrative account of multiple findings and perspectives on object use that may guide future studies in this interdisciplinary domain.

Self-efficacy as a unifying construct in nursing-social work collaboration with vulnerable populations.

PubMed

Washington, Olivia G M; Moxley, David P

2013-03-01

The authors consider self-efficacy practice as an organizing construct guiding nursing-social work action research in partnership with older homeless and formerly homeless African-American women. The authors, both academics who together have worked with members of this vulnerable population for a decade and a half, report on their unifying action research perspective immersed in self-efficacy theory. We examine how our adaptations of Bandura's classic four sources of self-efficacy form a distinctive intervention practice designed to help older African-American women emerge from homelessness. We amplify the incorporation of the four sources (vicarious experience and exposure to powerful role models, emotional arousal and accompanying catharsis, verbal persuasion, and role performance) into a grand strategy useful in working collaboratively with members of vulnerable populations, so they can achieve outcomes that improve their functional health, well-being and ultimately their quality of life. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Imagining the “open” university: Sharing scholarship to improve research and education

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Open scholarship, such as the sharing of articles, code, data, and educational resources, has the potential to improve university research and education as well as increase the impact universities can have beyond their own walls. To support this perspective, I present evidence from case studies, published literature, and personal experiences as a practicing open scholar. I describe some of the challenges inherent to practicing open scholarship and some of the tensions created by incompatibilities between institutional policies and personal practice. To address this, I propose several concrete actions universities could take to support open scholarship and outline ways in which such initiatives could benefit the public as well as institutions. Importantly, I do not think most of these actions would require new funding but rather a redistribution of existing funds and a rewriting of internal policies to better align with university missions of knowledge dissemination and societal impact. PMID:29065148

From Neurons to Social Beings: Short Review of the Mirror Neuron System Research and Its Socio-Psychological and Psychiatric Implications

PubMed Central

Jeon, Hyeonjin

2018-01-01

The mirror neuron system (MNS) is a brain network activated when we move our body parts and when we observe the actions of other agent. Since the mirror neuron’s discovery in research on monkeys, several studies have examined its network and properties in both animals and humans. This review discusses MNS studies of animals and human MNS studies related to high-order social cognitions such as emotion and empathy, as well as relations between MNS dysfunction and mental disorders. Finally, these evidences are understood from an evolutionary perspective. PMID:29397663

Perception of effort in Exercise Science: Definition, measurement and perspectives.

PubMed

Pageaux, Benjamin

2016-11-01

Perception of effort, also known as perceived exertion or sense of effort, can be described as a cognitive feeling of work associated with voluntary actions. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of what is perception of effort in Exercise Science. Due to the addition of sensations other than effort in its definition, the neurophysiology of perceived exertion remains poorly understood. As humans have the ability to dissociate effort from other sensations related to physical exercise, the need to use a narrower definition is emphasised. Consequently, a definition and some brief guidelines for its measurement are provided. Finally, an overview of the models present in the literature aiming to explain its neurophysiology, and some perspectives for future research are offered.

The care network of the families involved in violence against children and adolescents: the Primary Health Care perspective.

PubMed

Carlos, Diene Monique; de Pádua, Elisabete Matallo Marchesini; da Silva, Lygia Maria Pereira; Silva, Marta Angélica Iossi; Marques, Walter Ernesto Ude; Leitão, Maria Neto da Cruz; Ferriani, Maria das Graças Carvalho

2017-08-01

To contribute the understanding of the network care provided to families involved in family violence against children and adolescents (FVACA), from the Primary Health Care (PHC) perspective. Children and adolescents figure among the main victims of violence around the world, which occurs predominantly in the family context. PHC-guided network care has emerged as a new process that contrasts with traditional approaches, which rely on fragmented, punctual and compensatory actions and produce simplified and segmented interventions in response to complex phenomena like violence. The Paradigm of Complexity interacts with the network care approach and, by articulating the multiple dimensions of the research phenomenon, contributes to its understanding. Qualitative research, based on the Paradigm of Complexity. Data were collected through minimal maps of the external institutional social network, focus groups and semi-structured interviews held with 41 PHC professionals in Brazil. The notions of comprehension and contextualisation as well as dialogical, recursive and holographic principles from complexity theory guided the data analysis. The two thematic categories that emerged revealed reduced institutional networks, with low-density and homogeneous bonds, which resulted in fragmented care in all stages of the care process. Although the network organisation of care for the families involved in FVACA is fundamental, the construction of these networks still represents a great challenge, as it requires the joint work of a multiprofessional team. For nursing to respond to the contemporary care demands in a contemplative and pertinent manner, a perspective and a reference framework need to be developed, leading to broader and more contextualised actions, with a multidimensional approach to the families and communities of which child and adolescent victims of violence are a part. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Caring Across the Continuum: A Call to Nurse Leaders to Manifest Values Through Action With Community Outreach.

PubMed

Dyess, Susan MacLeod; Opalinski, Andra; Saiswick, Kim; Fox, Valerie

2016-01-01

As health reform continues to advance, there is a need for nurse leaders to broaden their perspective related to possible nursing practice models and potential community partners in order to successfully address caring, accomplish the triple aim mandate, and achieve suitable metrics for maximum reimbursement. Intentional efforts must be made by nurse leaders to maximize caring and ensure that professional nurses are responding to the key drivers shifting health care delivery in the 21st century. Academic-practice collaboration (APC) and community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) align well. Together, they provide an ideal mechanism to pursue endeavors that extend evidence for caring services across the health care continuum. One APC/CBPAR model for community outreach that can maximize individual and population health outcomes is highlighted in this article. Furthermore, useful action steps are offered that could be taken by a nurse leader to develop and maintain any form of APC/CBPAR in order to manifest values through caring action across the health care continuum.

Engagement of Sectors Other than Health in Integrated Health Governance, Policy, and Action.

PubMed

de Leeuw, Evelyne

2017-03-20

Health is created largely outside the health sector. Engagement in health governance, policy, and intervention development and implementation by sectors other than health is therefore important. Recent calls for building and implementing Health in All Policies, and continued arguments for intersectoral action, may strengthen the potential that other sectors have for health. This review clarifies the conceptual foundations for integral health governance, policy, and action, delineates the different sectors and their possible engagement, and provides an overview of a continuum of methods of engagement with other sectors to secure integration. This continuum ranges from institutional (re)design to value-based narratives. Depending on the lens applied, different elements can be identified within the continuum. This review is built on insights from political science, leadership studies, public health, empirical Health in All Policy research, knowledge and evidence nexus approaches, and community perspectives. Successful integration of health governance, policy, and action depends on integration of the elements on the continuum.

The design of scenario-based training from the resilience engineering perspective: a study with grid electricians.

PubMed

Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu; Wachs, Priscila; Righi, Angela Weber; Henriqson, Eder

2014-07-01

Although scenario-based training (SBT) can be an effective means to help workers develop resilience skills, it has not yet been analyzed from the resilience engineering (RE) perspective. This study introduces a five-stage method for designing SBT from the RE view: (a) identification of resilience skills, work constraints and actions for re-designing the socio-technical system; (b) design of template scenarios, allowing the simulation of the work constraints and the use of resilience skills; (c) design of the simulation protocol, which includes briefing, simulation and debriefing; (d) implementation of both scenarios and simulation protocol; and (e) evaluation of the scenarios and simulation protocol. It is reported how the method was applied in an electricity distribution company, in order to train grid electricians. The study was framed as an application of design science research, and five research outputs are discussed: method, constructs, model of the relationships among constructs, instantiations of the method, and theory building. Concerning the last output, the operationalization of the RE perspective on three elements of SBT is presented: identification of training objectives; scenario design; and debriefing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Educators’ perspectives about how older hospital patients can engage in a falls prevention education programme: a qualitative process evaluation

PubMed Central

Hill, Anne-Marie; McPhail, Steven M; Francis-Coad, Jacqueline; Waldron, Nicholas; Etherton-Beer, Christopher; Flicker, Leon; Ingram, Katharine; Haines, Terry P

2015-01-01

Objectives Falls are the most frequent adverse event reported in hospitals. Patient and staff education delivered by trained educators significantly reduced falls and injurious falls in an older rehabilitation population. The purpose of the study was to explore the educators’ perspectives of delivering the education and to conceptualise how the programme worked to prevent falls among older patients who received the education. Design A qualitative exploratory study. Methods Data were gathered from three sources: conducting a focus group and an interview (n=10 educators), written educator notes and reflective researcher field notes based on interactions with the educators during the primary study. The educators delivered the programme on eight rehabilitation wards for periods of between 10 and 40 weeks. They provided older patients with individualised education to engage in falls prevention and provided staff with education to support patient actions. Data were thematically analysed and presented using a conceptual framework. Results Falls prevention education led to mutual understanding between staff and patients which assisted patients to engage in falls prevention behaviours. Mutual understanding was derived from the following observations: the educators perceived that they could facilitate an effective three-way interaction between staff actions, patient actions and the ward environment which led to behaviour change on the wards. This included engaging with staff and patients, and assisting them to reconcile differing perspectives about falls prevention behaviours. Conclusions Individualised falls prevention education effectively provides patients who receive it with the capability and motivation to develop and undertake behavioural strategies that reduce their falls, if supported by staff and the ward environment. PMID:26656027

Introducing visual participatory methods to develop local knowledge on HIV in rural South Africa.

PubMed

Brooks, Chloe; D'Ambruoso, Lucia; Kazimierczak, Karolina; Ngobeni, Sizzy; Twine, Rhian; Tollman, Stephen; Kahn, Kathleen; Byass, Peter

2017-01-01

South Africa is a country faced with complex health and social inequalities, in which HIV/AIDS has had devastating impacts. The study aimed to gain insights into the perspectives of rural communities on HIV-related mortality. A participatory action research (PAR) process, inclusive of a visual participatory method (Photovoice), was initiated to elicit and organise local knowledge and to identify priorities for action in a rural subdistrict underpinned by the Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). We convened three village-based discussion groups, presented HDSS data on HIV-related mortality, elicited subjective perspectives on HIV/AIDS, systematised these into collective accounts and identified priorities for action. Framework analysis was performed on narrative and visual data, and practice theory was used to interpret the findings. A range of social and health systems factors were identified as causes and contributors of HIV mortality. These included alcohol use/abuse, gender inequalities, stigma around disclosure of HIV status, problems with informal care, poor sanitation, harmful traditional practices, delays in treatment, problems with medications and problematic staff-patient relationships. To address these issues, developing youth facilities in communities, improving employment opportunities, timely treatment and extending community outreach for health education and health promotion were identified. Addressing social practices of blame, stigma and mistrust around HIV-related mortality may be a useful focus for policy and planning. Research that engages communities and authorities to coproduce evidence can capture these practices, improve communication and build trust. Actions to reduce HIV should go beyond individual agency and structural forces to focus on how social practices embody these elements. Initiating PAR inclusive of visual methods can build shared understandings of disease burdens in social and health systems contexts. This can develop shared accountability and improve staff-patient relationships, which, over time, may address the issues identified, here related to stigma and blame.

Introducing visual participatory methods to develop local knowledge on HIV in rural South Africa

PubMed Central

Brooks, Chloe; Kazimierczak, Karolina; Ngobeni, Sizzy; Twine, Rhian; Tollman, Stephen; Kahn, Kathleen; Byass, Peter

2017-01-01

Introduction South Africa is a country faced with complex health and social inequalities, in which HIV/AIDS has had devastating impacts. The study aimed to gain insights into the perspectives of rural communities on HIV-related mortality. Methods A participatory action research (PAR) process, inclusive of a visual participatory method (Photovoice), was initiated to elicit and organise local knowledge and to identify priorities for action in a rural subdistrict underpinned by the Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). We convened three village-based discussion groups, presented HDSS data on HIV-related mortality, elicited subjective perspectives on HIV/AIDS, systematised these into collective accounts and identified priorities for action. Framework analysis was performed on narrative and visual data, and practice theory was used to interpret the findings. Findings A range of social and health systems factors were identified as causes and contributors of HIV mortality. These included alcohol use/abuse, gender inequalities, stigma around disclosure of HIV status, problems with informal care, poor sanitation, harmful traditional practices, delays in treatment, problems with medications and problematic staff–patient relationships. To address these issues, developing youth facilities in communities, improving employment opportunities, timely treatment and extending community outreach for health education and health promotion were identified. Discussion Addressing social practices of blame, stigma and mistrust around HIV-related mortality may be a useful focus for policy and planning. Research that engages communities and authorities to coproduce evidence can capture these practices, improve communication and build trust. Conclusion Actions to reduce HIV should go beyond individual agency and structural forces to focus on how social practices embody these elements. Initiating PAR inclusive of visual methods can build shared understandings of disease burdens in social and health systems contexts. This can develop shared accountability and improve staff–patient relationships, which, over time, may address the issues identified, here related to stigma and blame. PMID:29071128

What do we (not) know about how paracetamol (acetaminophen) works?

PubMed

Toussaint, K; Yang, X C; Zielinski, M A; Reigle, K L; Sacavage, S D; Nagar, S; Raffa, R B

2010-12-01

Although paracetamol (acetaminophen), N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)acetamide, is one of the world's most widely used analgesics, the mechanism by which it produces its analgesic effect is largely unknown. This lack is relevant because: (i) optimal pain treatment matches the analgesic mechanism to the (patho)physiology of the pain and (ii) modern drug discovery relies on an appropriate screening assay. To review the clinical profile and preclinical studies of paracetamol as means of gaining insight into its mechanism of analgesic action. A literature search was conducted of clinical and preclinical literature and the information obtained was organized and reviewed from the perspective of its contribution to an understanding of the mechanism of analgesic action of paracetamol. Paracetamol's broad spectrum of analgesic and other pharmacological actions is presented, along with its multiple postulated mechanism(s) of action. No one mechanism has been definitively shown to account for its analgesic activity. Further research is needed to uncover the mechanism of analgesic action of paracetamol. The lack of this knowledge affects optimal clinical use and impedes drug discovery efforts. © 2010 The Authors. JCPT © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Rhythm in joint action: psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms for real-time interpersonal coordination

PubMed Central

Keller, Peter E.; Novembre, Giacomo; Hove, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Human interaction often requires simultaneous precision and flexibility in the coordination of rhythmic behaviour between individuals engaged in joint activity, for example, playing a musical duet or dancing with a partner. This review article addresses the psychological processes and brain mechanisms that enable such rhythmic interpersonal coordination. First, an overview is given of research on the cognitive-motor processes that enable individuals to represent joint action goals and to anticipate, attend and adapt to other's actions in real time. Second, the neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin rhythmic interpersonal coordination are sought in studies of sensorimotor and cognitive processes that play a role in the representation and integration of self- and other-related actions within and between individuals' brains. Finally, relationships between social–psychological factors and rhythmic interpersonal coordination are considered from two perspectives, one concerning how social-cognitive tendencies (e.g. empathy) affect coordination, and the other concerning how coordination affects interpersonal affiliation, trust and prosocial behaviour. Our review highlights musical ensemble performance as an ecologically valid yet readily controlled domain for investigating rhythm in joint action. PMID:25385772

[Frontiers in Live Bone Imaging Researches. Novel drug discovery by means of intravital bone imaging technology].

PubMed

Ishii, Masaru

2015-06-01

Recent advances in intravital bone imaging technology has enabled us to grasp the real cellular behaviors and functions in vivo , revolutionizing the field of drug discovery for novel therapeutics against intractable bone diseases. In this chapter, I introduce various updated information on pharmacological actions of several antibone resorptive agents, which could only be derived from advanced imaging techniques, and also discuss the future perspectives of this new trend in drug discovery.

COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar": first-year activities and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajewski, Lara; Benedetto, Andrea; Loizos, Andreas; Slob, Evert; Tosti, Fabio

2014-05-01

This work aims at presenting the first-year activities and results of COST (European COoperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar". This Action was launched in April 2013 and will last four years. The principal aim of COST Action TU1208 is to exchange and increase scientific-technical knowledge and experience of GPR techniques in civil engineering, whilst simultaneously promoting throughout Europe the effective use of this safe and non-destructive technique in the monitoring of infrastructures and structures. Moreover, the Action is oriented to the following specific objectives and expected deliverables: (i) coordinating European scientists to highlight problems, merits and limits of current GPR systems; (ii) developing innovative protocols and guidelines, which will be published in a handbook and constitute a basis for European standards, for an effective GPR application in civil- engineering tasks; safety, economic and financial criteria will be integrated within the protocols; (iii) integrating competences for the improvement and merging of electromagnetic scattering techniques and of data- processing techniques; this will lead to a novel freeware tool for the localization of buried objects, shape-reconstruction and estimation of geophysical parameters useful for civil engineering needs; (iv) networking for the design, realization and optimization of innovative GPR equipment; (v) comparing GPR with different NDT techniques, such as ultrasonic, radiographic, liquid-penetrant, magnetic-particle, acoustic-emission and eddy-current testing; (vi) comparing GPR technology and methodology used in civil engineering with those used in other fields; (vii) promotion of a more widespread, advanced and efficient use of GPR in civil engineering; and (viii) organization of a high-level modular training program for GPR European users. Four Working Groups (WGs) carry out the research activities. The first WG focuses on the design of innovative GPR equipment, on the building of prototypes and on the testing and optimisation of new systems. The second WG focuses on the GPR surveying of pavement, bridges, tunnels and buildings, as well as on the sensing of underground utilities and voids. The third WG deals with the development of electromagnetic forward and inverse scattering methods, for the characterization of GPR scenarios, as well as with data- processing algorithms for the elaboration of the data collected during GPR surveys. The fourth WG works on the use of GPR in fields different from the civil engineering, as well as on the integration of GPR with other non-destructive testing techniques. Each WG includes several Projects. COST Action TU1208 is active through a range of networking tools: meetings, workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions, dissemination activities. During the first year of activities, a First General Meeting was organized in Rome, in July 2013, a second meeting took place in Nantes, in February 2014, and the Second General Meeting is being held jointly with the 2014 EGU General Assembly. A training school on "Microwave Imaging and Diagnostics: Theory, Techniques, and Applications", held in March 2014, was co-organised with the European School of Antennas. Four Short-Term Scientific Missions were funded, allowing young researchers to spend a period of time in an institution abroad, in order to carry out a research project contributing to the scientific objectives of the Action. The Action's activities were disseminated in international conferences [1]-[4], as well as in further workshops and meetings. Two volumes were published [5]-[6], and several scientific papers on peer-reviewed journals. A Springer book presenting the state of the art on civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar is being prepared and is going to be published in summer 2014. A COST Action is a wide bottom-up interdisciplinary science and technology network, open to researchers from universities, public and private research institutions, as well as to NGOs, industry and SMEs. At present, About 100 Institutions from 24 COST Member Countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Macedonia, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom) have already joined the Action, together with an Institution from Armenia (Near Neighbour Country, NNC). Beyond European borders, six Institutions from U.S.A., one from Rwanda and one from Australia have joined the Action. Further applications from two NNCs (Egypt and Ukraine) and International Partner Countries (Hong Kong and Japan) are under examination. COST Action TU1208 is still open to the participation of new parties and it is possible to include, in the scientific work plan, new perspectives and activities. Scientists and scientific institutions willing to join COST Action TU1208 are encouraged to contact the Chair of the Action and to follow the procedure described at http://www.cost.eu/participate/join_action. For more information on COST Action TU1208, please visit www.GPRadar.eu. ----------------------------- Acknowledgement The Authors thanks COST for funding COST Action TU1208. References [1] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, A. Loizos, E. Slob, F. Tosti, "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar: Research Perspectives in COST Action TU1208," Geophysical Research Abstracts, European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2013, 7-12 April 2013, Vienna, Austria, article ID EGU2013-13941. [2] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, G. Schettini, F. Soldovieri, "Applications of GPR in archaeological prospecting and cultural heritage diagnostics: Research Perspectives in COST Action TU1208," Geophysical Research Abstracts, European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2013, 7-12 April 2013, Vienna, Austria, article ID EGU2013-14010. [3] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, X. Dérobert, A. Giannopoulos, A. Loizos, G. Manacorda, M. Marciniak, C. Plati, G. Schettini, I. Trinks, "Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar in Civil Engineering - COST Action TU1208," Proc. 7th International Workshop on Advanced Ground Penetrating Radar (IWAGPR), 2-5 July 2013, Nantes, France, pp. 1-6 (INVITED). ISBN 978-1-4799-0937-7, doi:10.1109/ IWAGPR.2013.6601528). [4] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, "Advanced Ground Penetrating Radar: open issues and new research opportunities in Europe," Proc. 10th European Radar Conference (EuRad), 2013 European Microwave Week (EuMW), 6-11 October 2013, Nuremberg, Germany, pp. 1847-1850. [5] Proceedings of the First Action's General Meeting (Editors: L. Pajewski and A. Benedetto; Publishing House: Aracne; Rome, July 2013; 194 pp.; ISBN 978-88-548-6191-6; o.o. 978-88-548-6190-9) - available as free download on www.GPRadar.eu [6] Booklet of Participants and Institutions (Editors: L. Pajewski and A. Benedetto; Publishing House: Aracne; Rome, July 2013; 127 pp.; ISBN 978-88-548-6192-3; o.o. 978-88-548-6190-9) - available as free download on www.GPRadar.eu

Subliminal Priming-State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

PubMed

Elgendi, Mohamed; Kumar, Parmod; Barbic, Skye; Howard, Newton; Abbott, Derek; Cichocki, Andrzej

2018-05-30

The influence of subliminal priming (behavior outside of awareness) in humans is an interesting phenomenon and its understanding is crucial as it can impact behavior, choices, and actions. Given this, research about the impact of priming continues to be an area of investigative interest, and this paper provides a technical overview of research design strengths and issues in subliminal priming research. Efficient experiments and protocols, as well as associated electroencephalographic and eye movement data analyses, are discussed in detail. We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of different priming experiments that have measured affective (emotional) and cognitive responses. Finally, very recent approaches and findings are described to summarize and emphasize state-of-the-art methods and potential future directions in research marketing and other commercial applications.

The Geek Perspective: Answering the Call for Advanced Technology in Research Inquiry Related to Pediatric Brain Injury and Motor Disability.

PubMed

Wininger, Michael; Pidcoe, Peter

2017-10-01

The Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy Research Summit IV issued a Call to Action for community-wide intensification of a research enterprise in inquiries related to pediatric brain injury and motor disability by way of technological integration. But the barriers can seem high, and the pathways to integrative clinical research can seem poorly marked. Here, we answer the Call by providing framework to 3 objectives: (1) instrumentation, (2) biometrics and study design, and (3) data analytics. We identify emergent cases where this Call has been answered and advocate for others to echo the Call both in highly visible physical therapy venues and in forums where the audience is diverse.

Profiling the ‘Pro-environmental Individual’: A Personality Perspective

PubMed Central

Markowitz, Ezra M.; Goldberg, Lewis R.; Ashton, Michael C.; Lee, Kibeom

2011-01-01

There is considerable scientific interest in the psychological correlates of pro-environmental behaviors. Much research has focused on demographic and social-psychological characteristics of individuals who consistently perform such actions. Here, we report the results of two studies in which we explored relations between broad personality traits and pro-environmental actions. Using a wide variety of behavior and personality measures, we consistently found moderate positive relations between Openness to Experience and pro-environmental activities in both a community sample (Study 1: N = 778) and an undergraduate student sample (Study 2: N = 115). In Study 2 we showed that the effect of Openness on pro-environmental behaviors was fully mediated by individuals’ environmental attitudes and connection to nature. Our findings suggest that high levels of aesthetic appreciation, creativity, and inquisitiveness, but not personality traits associated with altruism, may have motivated the performance of pro-environmental actions among our respondents. Implications for intervention development are discussed. PMID:21241310

Shaping Learning Cultures: A Strategic Challenge for Universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Euler, Dieter

While there are strong stakeholders at universities arguing for increasing efforts to improve the research record, innovative actions for a corresponding commitment on teaching and learning are less frequent. In many cases, this issue is left to the discretion of individual teachers. In order to improve teaching and learning at universities, this approach does not seem to be appropriate. Rather, actions on different dimensions have to be organized, ranging from the individual, interactional, and institutional level of a university. The different perspectives on analysis and action are assembled in a construct called "learning cultures." This term covers the various dimensions impacting on student learning. The article provides a definition of "learning cultures," which will then be explained. Based on the explicated notion, a conceptual frame is put forward covering the key features of "learning cultures." Finally, some ideas are given providing some preliminary answers on how to shape learning cultures at the strategic level at universities.

Challenges for the Protection of Critical ICT-Based Financial Infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hämmerli, Bernhard M.; Arendt, Henning H.

A workshop was held in Frankfurt during September 24-25, 2007, in order to initiate a dialogue between financial industry (FI) stakeholders and Europe’s top-level research community. The workshop focused on identifying research and development challenges for the protection of critical ICT-based financial infrastructures for the next 5 years: “Protection of Massively Distributed Critical Financial Services” and “Trust in New Value Added Business Chains”. The outcome of the workshop contributed to the development of the research agenda from the perspectives of three working groups. A number of project ideas were spawned based on the workshop, including a coordination actions project entitled PARSIFAL, which this paper will focus on.

The Feeling of Action Tendencies: On the Emotional Regulation of Goal-Directed Behavior

PubMed Central

Lowe, Robert; Ziemke, Tom

2011-01-01

In this article, we review the nature of the functional and causal relationship between neurophysiologically/psychologically generated states of emotional feeling and action tendencies and extrapolate a novel perspective. Emotion theory, over the past century and beyond, has tended to regard feeling and action tendency as independent phenomena: attempts to outline the functional and causal relationship that exists between them have been framed therein. Classically, such relationships have been viewed as unidirectional, but an argument for bidirectionality rooted in a dynamic systems perspective has gained strength in recent years whereby the feeling–action tendency relationship is viewed as a composite whole. On the basis of our review of somatic–visceral theories of feelings, we argue that feelings are grounded upon neural-dynamic representations (elevated and stable activation patterns) of action tendency. Such representations amount to predictions updated by cognitive and bodily feedback. Specifically, we view emotional feelings as minimalist predictions of the action tendency (what the agent is physiologically and cognitively primed to do) in a given situation. The essence of this point is captured by our exposition of action tendency prediction–feedback loops which we consider, above all, in the context of emotion regulation, and in particular, of emotional regulation of goal-directed behavior. The perspective outlined may be of use to emotion theorists, computational modelers, and roboticists. PMID:22207854

A graduate education framework for tropical conservation and development.

PubMed

Kainer, Karen A; Schmink, Marianne; Covert, Hannah; Stepp, John Richard; Bruna, Emilio M; Dain, Jonathan L; Espinosa, Santiago; Humphries, Shoana

2006-02-01

Conventional graduate training related to tropical conservation and development has typically separated the two fields, with students focusing on either conservation from the perspective of the biophysical sciences or development as an extension of the social sciences. On entering the workforce, however graduates find they are required to work beyond disciplinary boundaries to address the complex interconnectivity between biological conservation and human well-being. We devised a framework for graduate education that broadens students' skill sets to learn outside their immediate disciplines and think in terms of linked socioecological systems, work in teams, communicate in nonacademic formats, and reflect critically on their own perspectives and actions. The University of Florida's Tropical Conservation and Development program has adopted a learning and action platform that blends theory, skills, and praxis to create an intellectual, social, and professionally safe space where students, faculty, and other participants can creatively address the complex challenges of tropical conservation and development. This platform operates within a nondegree-granting program and includes core courses that are taught by a team of biophysical and social scientists. It incorporates a range of alternative learning spaces such as student-led workshops, retreats, visiting professionals, practitioner experiences, and a weekly student-led seminar that collectively encourage students and faculty to enhance their skills and systematically and thoroughly reflect on program activities. Challenges to the described approach include increased service demands on faculty, a redefinition of research excellence to include effective and equitable collaboration with host-country partners, and the trade-offs and uncertainties inherent in more collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Despite these challenges, growing interdisciplinary programs, coupled with adaptive educational approaches that emphasize learning and action networks of students, faculty, and field partners, provide the best hope for responding to the emerging challenges of tropical conservation and development.

Impulsive action: emotional impulses and their control

PubMed Central

Frijda, Nico H.; Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; Rietveld, Erik

2014-01-01

This paper presents a novel theoretical view on impulsive action, integrating thus far separate perspectives on non-reflective action, motivation, emotion regulation, and impulse control. We frame impulsive action in terms of directedness of the individual organism toward, away, or against other givens – toward future states and away from one’s present state. First, appraisal of a perceived or thought-of event or object on occasion, rapidly and without premonition or conscious deliberation, triggers a motive to modify one’s relation to that event or object. Situational specifics of the event as perceived and appraised motivate and guide selection of readiness for a particular kind of purposive action. Second, perception of complex situations can give rise to multiple appraisals, multiple motives, and multiple simultaneous changes in action readiness. Multiple states of action readiness may interact in generating action, by reinforcing or attenuating each other, thereby yielding impulse control. We show how emotion control can itself result from a motive state or state of action readiness. Our view links impulsive action mechanistically to states of action readiness, which is the central feature of what distinguishes one kind of emotion from another. It thus provides a novel theoretical perspective to the somewhat fragmented literature on impulsive action. PMID:24917835

Action observation as a tool for neurorehabilitation to moderate motor deficits and aphasia following stroke

PubMed Central

Ertelt, Denis; Binkofski, Ferdinand

2012-01-01

The mirror neuron system consists of a set of brain areas capable of matching action observation with action execution. One core feature of the mirror neuron system is the activation of motor areas by action observation alone. This unique capacity of the mirror neuron system to match action perception and action execution stimulated the idea that mirror neuron system plays a crucial role in the understanding of the content of observed actions and may participate in procedural learning. These features bear a high potential for neurorehabilitation of motor deficits and of aphasia following stroke. Since the first articles exploring this principle were published, a growing number of follow-up studies have been conducted in the last decade. Though, the combination of action observation with practice of the observed actions seems to constitute the most powerful approach. In the present review, we present the existing studies analyzing the effects of this neurorehabilitative approach in clinical settings especially in the rehabilitation of stroke associated motor deficits and give a perspective on the ongoing trials by our research group. The data obtained up to date showed significant positive effect of action observation on recovery of motor functions of the upper limbs even in the chronic state after stroke, indicating that our approach might become a new standardized add-on feature of modern neurorehabilitative treatment schemes. PMID:25624838

Stakeholder Perspectives on a Culture of Health: Key Findings.

PubMed

Acosta, Joie D; Whitley, Margaret D; May, Linnea Warren; Dubowitz, Tamara; Williams, Malcolm V; Chandra, Anita

2017-06-01

Since 2013, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has embarked on a pioneering effort to advance a Culture of Health. The Culture of Health action framework is founded on a vision in which "everyone in our diverse society leads healthier lives now and for generations to come." To put the Culture of Health vision into action, RWJF asked RAND Health to support the development of an action framework and measurement strategy. This article summarizes the stakeholder engagement efforts that RAND used to inform this work. It draws on a series of interviews and focus groups that RAND researchers conducted with stakeholders both within and outside the United States. It should be of interest to RWJF, as well as to those individuals and organizations interested in advancing the Culture of Health action framework. Given that RWJF is focused on using the Culture of Health action framework and measures to catalyze national dialogue about content and investments to improve population health and well-being, the study should be beneficial to a range of national, state, and local leaders across a variety of sectors that contribute to health as described by the Culture of Health action framework.

Need for gender-specific pre-analytical testing: the dark side of the moon in laboratory testing.

PubMed

Franconi, Flavia; Rosano, Giuseppe; Campesi, Ilaria

2015-01-20

Many international organisations encourage studies in a sex-gender perspective. However, research with a gender perspective presents a high degree of complexity, and the inclusion of sex-gender variable in experiments presents many methodological questions, the majority of which are still neglected. Overcoming these issues is fundamental to avoid erroneous results. Here, pre-analytical aspects of the research, such as study design, choice of utilised specimens, sample collection and processing, animal models of diseases, and the observer's role, are discussed. Artefacts in this stage of research could affect the predictive value of all analyses. Furthermore, the standardisation of research subjects according to their lifestyles and, if female, to their life phase and menses or oestrous cycle, is urgent to harmonise research worldwide. A sex-gender-specific attention to pre-analytical aspects could produce a decrease in the time for translation from the bench to bedside. Furthermore, sex-gender-specific pre-clinical pharmacological testing will enable adequate assessment of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic actions of drugs and will enable, where appropriate, an adequate gender-specific clinical development plan. Therefore, sex-gender-specific pre-clinical research will increase the gender equity of care and will produce more evidence-based medicine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perspective: General Education at the Community College, 1952-1978. Comparing Two Reports: General Education in Action--B. Lamar Johnson [and] General Education in a Changing Society--Miami-Dade Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Donald R., Jr.

The values, goals, and organization of general education have been highly controversial subjects in higher education for years. Two different perspectives are provided by B. Lamar Johnson's "General Education in Action" (1952) and Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) "General Education in a Changing Society" (1978). Concerns…

Person-centred Leadership: a relational approach to leadership derived through action research.

PubMed

Cardiff, Shaun; McCormack, Brendan; McCance, Tanya

2018-04-21

How does person-centred leadership manifest in clinical nursing. Person-centred practice fosters healthful relationships and is gaining increasing attention in nursing and healthcare, but nothing is known about the influence of a person-centred approach to leadership practice. Most leadership models used in nursing were originally developed outside of nursing. A three year participatory action research study where participant leaders planned, researched and learned from their practice development. After an orientation phase, four action spirals focused on: critical and creative reflective inquiries into leadership practice change; leading the implementation and evaluation of a new nursing system; facilitating storytelling sessions with staff and annually reflecting on personal leadership change. Multiple data gathering methods offered insight into leadership development from several perspectives. Critical and creative thematic data analysis revealed a set of attributes, relational processes and contextual factors that influenced the being and becoming of a person-centred leader. Comparing the findings with nursing leadership literature supports a conceptual framework for person-centred leadership. Person-centred leadership is a complex, dynamic, relational and contextualised practice that aims to enable associates and leaders achieve self-actualisation, empowerment and wellbeing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Putting Action in Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lozano, Sandra C.; Hard, Bridgette Martin; Tversky, Barbara

2007-01-01

Embodied approaches to cognition propose that our own actions influence our understanding of the world. Do other people's actions also have this influence? The present studies show that perceiving another person's actions changes the way people think about objects in a scene. In Study 1, participants viewed a photograph and answered a question…

Parental Involvement in the Habilitation Process Following Children's Cochlear Implantation: An Action Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaidman-Zait, Anat; Young, Richard A.

2008-01-01

Action theory and the qualitative action-project method are used in this study to address and illustrate the complexity of parenting children who have received cochlear implants (CIs) as well as the intentionality of parents engaged in that process. "Action" refers to individual and joint goal-directed and intentional behaviors. Action theory has…

Learning and motivation in the human striatum.

PubMed

Shohamy, Daphna

2011-06-01

The past decade has seen a dramatic change in our understanding of the role of the striatum in behavior. Early perspectives emphasized a role for the striatum in habitual learning of stimulus-response associations and sequences of actions. Recent advances from human neuroimaging research suggest a broader role for the striatum in motivated learning. New findings demonstrate that the striatum represents multiple learning signals and highlight the contribution of the striatum across many cognitive domains and contexts. Recent findings also emphasize interactions between the striatum and other specialized brain systems for learning. Together, these findings suggest that the striatum contributes to a distributed network that learns to select actions based on their predicted value in order to optimize behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Habit in Personality and Social Psychology.

PubMed

Wood, Wendy

2017-11-01

Habits are largely absent from modern social and personality psychology. This is due to outdated perspectives that placed habits in conflict with goals. In modern theorizing, habits are represented in memory as implicit context-response associations, and they guide responding in conjunction with goals. Habits thus have important implications for our field. Emerging research shows that habits are an important mechanism by which people self-regulate and achieve long-term goals. Also, habits change through specific interventions, such as changes in context cues. I speculate that understanding of habits also holds promise for reducing intergroup discrimination and for understanding lay theories of the causes for action. In short, by recognizing habit, the field gains understanding of a central mechanism by which actions persist in daily life.

Targeted therapies: a nursing perspective.

PubMed

Kay, Polly

2006-02-01

To review the development of targeted therapies and the biology of relevant therapeutic targets. To analyze the relevance of targeted agents as part of current clinical practice. Research articles. Several targeted agents are now available for clinical use. Their mechanisms of action are more specific against tumor cells than traditional cytotoxics. Monotherapy regimens based on targeted agents tend to be better tolerated than chemotherapy, and most combination regimens with targeted agents have proven feasible. Their availability has greatly expanded cancer treatment options, especially for chemorefractory patients. Nurses involved in the care of patients with cancer can benefit from an increased understanding of targeted therapies, including their mechanisms of action, their efficacy profile, as well as prophylaxis and management of adverse events and administration procedures.

Motor and verbal perspective taking in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Changes in social interaction with people and tools.

PubMed

Studenka, Breanna E; Gillam, Sandra L; Hartzheim, Daphne; Gillam, Ronald B

2017-07-01

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty communicating with others nonverbally, via mechanisms such as hand gestures, eye contact and facial expression. Individuals with ASD also have marked deficits in planning future actions (Hughes, 1996), which might contribute to impairments in non-verbal communication. Perspective taking is typically assessed using verbal scenarios whereby the participant imagines how an actor would interact in a social situation (e.g., Sally Anne task; Baron-Cohen, Leslie, & Frith, 1985). The current project evaluated motor perspective taking in five children with ASD (8-11 years old) as they participated in a narrative intervention program over the course of about 16 weeks. The goal of the motor perspective-taking task was to facilitate the action of an experimenter either hammering with a tool or putting it away. Initially, children with ASD facilitated the experimenter's action less than neurotypical control children. As the narrative intervention progressed, children with ASD exhibited increased motor facilitation that paralleled their increased use of mental state and causal language, indicating a link between verbal and motor perspective taking. Motoric perspective taking provides an additional way to assess understanding and communication in children with ASD and may be a valuable tool for both early assessment and diagnosis of children with ASD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Action semantics: A unifying conceptual framework for the selective use of multimodal and modality-specific object knowledge.

PubMed

van Elk, Michiel; van Schie, Hein; Bekkering, Harold

2014-06-01

Our capacity to use tools and objects is often considered one of the hallmarks of the human species. Many objects greatly extend our bodily capabilities to act in the physical world, such as when using a hammer or a saw. In addition, humans have the remarkable capability to use objects in a flexible fashion and to combine multiple objects in complex actions. We prepare coffee, cook dinner and drive our car. In this review we propose that humans have developed declarative and procedural knowledge, i.e. action semantics that enables us to use objects in a meaningful way. A state-of-the-art review of research on object use is provided, involving behavioral, developmental, neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. We show that research in each of these domains is characterized by similar discussions regarding (1) the role of object affordances, (2) the relation between goals and means in object use and (3) the functional and neural organization of action semantics. We propose a novel conceptual framework of action semantics to address these issues and to integrate the previous findings. We argue that action semantics entails both multimodal object representations and modality-specific sub-systems, involving manipulation knowledge, functional knowledge and representations of the sensory and proprioceptive consequences of object use. Furthermore, we argue that action semantics are hierarchically organized and selectively activated and used depending on the action intention of the actor and the current task context. Our framework presents an integrative account of multiple findings and perspectives on object use that may guide future studies in this interdisciplinary domain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

When Action-Inaction Framing Leads to Higher Escalation of Commitment: A New Inaction-Effect Perspective on the Sunk-Cost Fallacy.

PubMed

Feldman, Gilad; Wong, Kin Fai Ellick

2018-04-01

Escalation of commitment to a failing course of action occurs in the presence of (a) sunk costs, (b) negative feedback that things are deviating from expectations, and (c) a decision between escalation and de-escalation. Most of the literature to date has focused on sunk costs, yet we offer a new perspective on the classic escalation-of-commitment phenomenon by focusing on the impact of negative feedback. On the basis of the inaction-effect bias, we theorized that negative feedback results in the tendency to take action, regardless of what that action may be. In four experiments, we demonstrated that people facing escalation-decision situations were indeed action oriented and that framing escalation as action and de-escalation as inaction resulted in a stronger tendency to escalate than framing de-escalation as action and escalation as inaction (mini-meta-analysis effect d = 0.37, 95% confidence interval = [0.21, 0.53]).

Rethinking language in autism.

PubMed

Sterponi, Laura; de Kirby, Kenton; Shankey, Jennifer

2015-07-01

In this article, we invite a rethinking of traditional perspectives of language in autism. We advocate a theoretical reappraisal that offers a corrective to the dominant and largely tacitly held view that language, in its essence, is a referential system and a reflection of the individual's cognition. Drawing on scholarship in Conversation Analysis and linguistic anthropology, we present a multidimensional view of language, showing how it also functions as interactional accomplishment, social action, and mode of experience. From such a multidimensional perspective, we revisit data presented by other researchers that include instances of prototypical features of autistic speech, giving them a somewhat different-at times complementary, at times alternative-interpretation. In doing so, we demonstrate that there is much at stake in the view of language that we as researchers bring to our analysis of autistic speech. Ultimately, we argue that adopting a multidimensional view of language has wide ranging implications, deepening our understanding of autism's core features and developmental trajectory. © The Author(s) 2014.

A current perspective on medical informatics and health sciences librarianship.

PubMed

Perry, Gerald J; Roderer, Nancy K; Assar, Soraya

2005-04-01

The article offers a current perspective on medical informatics and health sciences librarianship. The authors: (1) discuss how definitions of medical informatics have changed in relation to health sciences librarianship and the broader domain of information science; (2) compare the missions of health sciences librarianship and health sciences informatics, reviewing the characteristics of both disciplines; (3) propose a new definition of health sciences informatics; (4) consider the research agendas of both disciplines and the possibility that they have merged; and (5) conclude with some comments about actions and roles for health sciences librarians to flourish in the biomedical information environment of today and tomorrow. Boundaries are disappearing between the sources and types of and uses for health information managed by informaticians and librarians. Definitions of the professional domains of each have been impacted by these changes in information. Evolving definitions reflect the increasingly overlapping research agendas of both disciplines. Professionals in these disciplines are increasingly functioning collaboratively as "boundary spanners," incorporating human factors that unite technology with health care delivery.

A journey of restoring self-confidence: the life experiences of women recipients of augmentation mammaplasty.

PubMed

Wu, Wan-Ru; Chung, Ue-Lin; Chang, Sophia C N

2007-06-01

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the preoperative through postoperative phase experience of women who had undergone augmentation mammaplasty. Nine women undergoing augmentation mammaplasty were selected by purposive sampling and interviewed using semi- structured, open-ended interview guidelines. Researchers used Symbolic interactionism to frame their overall perspective and analyzed data with the content analysis method. Rigors of data analysis were adopted credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability proposed by Guba and Lincoln. The main theme of living experience of women who received augmentation mammaplasty could be summarized as "a journey to restore self-confidence". The categories identified within this journey included: (1) the invisible standards of breast beauty; (2) Taking courageous action to make changes; (3) conflicts between the natural and artificial. The above findings provided initial qualitative data from Taiwanese women's perspective. By better understanding their experience, nurses can become increasingly sensitive to patients' psychosocial adjustment and provide prudential nursing care.

Scientists researching teaching: Reforming science education and transforming practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Tarin Harrar

Reforming science education is a multidimensional and complex undertaking. Of extreme importance is transforming how teachers teach. Answering the equity call of reform initiatives requires focusing on the underlying values and beliefs guiding teacher action and the promotion of inclusive practices (Brickhouse, 2001; Harding, 1994; Eisenhart, Finkel, & Marion, 1995; Mayberry & Rees, 1999; Rodriguez, 1997). Reform efforts within the last decade are being directed at college level science courses. Course and pedagogical transformations are particularly aimed at increasing the numbers of females and persons of color in science and improving the education of preservice teachers. Facilitating transformations toward these goals at the individual and program level is challenging work. This study explores and describes the conditions of the teacher change process toward an inclusive pedagogy. Two science professors affiliated with a reform collaborative were the main participants of the research. The professors, in collaboration with the primary researcher, engaged in assisted action research that lead to the identification and descriptions of their context and practical teaching theories. Among the questions explored were: "How does placing the professor in a position to conduct an assisted action research project help to foster teacher change conditions?" "How do the practical theories guiding the professors' teaching foster or impede inclusionary practice?" "What necessary conditions of the teacher change process toward an inclusive pedagogy emerged from the study?". Using case study and ethnographic qualitative research strategies for data collection and analysis, this study affords a unique perspective through which to consider why and how science professors change their practice. Data indicated that the assisted action research strategy fostered the conditions of teacher change. In addition, findings revealed that the professors shared a teacher and curriculum centered teaching philosophy and an ethic of care and respect for their students that, in varying ways, both supported and impeded inclusive practice. Teacher change was heavily mediated by departmental contexts. Assertions are made about the necessary conditions of teacher change toward an inclusive pedagogy and implications for further research are explored.

A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists.

PubMed

Moon, Katie; Blackman, Deborah

2014-10-01

Natural scientists are increasingly interested in social research because they recognize that conservation problems are commonly social problems. Interpreting social research, however, requires at least a basic understanding of the philosophical principles and theoretical assumptions of the discipline, which are embedded in the design of social research. Natural scientists who engage in social science but are unfamiliar with these principles and assumptions can misinterpret their results. We developed a guide to assist natural scientists in understanding the philosophical basis of social science to support the meaningful interpretation of social research outcomes. The 3 fundamental elements of research are ontology, what exists in the human world that researchers can acquire knowledge about; epistemology, how knowledge is created; and philosophical perspective, the philosophical orientation of the researcher that guides her or his action. Many elements of the guide also apply to the natural sciences. Natural scientists can use the guide to assist them in interpreting social science research to determine how the ontological position of the researcher can influence the nature of the research; how the epistemological position can be used to support the legitimacy of different types of knowledge; and how philosophical perspective can shape the researcher's choice of methods and affect interpretation, communication, and application of results. The use of this guide can also support and promote the effective integration of the natural and social sciences to generate more insightful and relevant conservation research outcomes. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Advancing ophthalmic nursing practice through action research.

PubMed

Waterman, Heather; Harker, Rona; MacDonald, Heather; McLaughlan, Rita; Waterman, Christine

2005-11-01

This paper reports an action research project that promoted posturing face down following macular hole surgery and aimed to enhance patient outcomes. This paper gives an overview of the process and outcomes of the first three of four phases of the project: problem identification, planning and action. The fourth phase, which was an evaluation of the project, is reported in another paper. Surgical repair for macular hole is common procedure carried out worldwide, and patients are required to posture face down for several weeks after this surgery. There is anecdotal evidence that many patients find this difficult to carry out. In the context of increasing medical specialization, nursing practice must be developed to meet the needs of patients being treated. This study will, therefore, be relevant beyond the particular specialty and geographical location described. The methodology was participative and cyclical. Initially, a fact-finding exercise was undertaken, using qualitative interviews with 18 members of staff to elicit their perspectives on the posturing of patients. Based on the fact-finding exercise, seven action objectives were set. While these were being implemented, three further research projects were identified and undertaken. Two were qualitative studies: one investigated patients' experiences of the surgery and posturing, and the second concerned nurses' developing working theories on the promotion of posturing and effects of nursing care on patient outcomes. Another pilot study was a randomized controlled trial to consider the effect of two different posturing regimes on patient outcomes. In addition to regular action research group meetings, these studies served to inform and monitor the changes as they were put into practice. The work was carried out from 1998 to 2002. Several factors appeared to influence whether patients postured after surgery, namely: education of staff and patients, appropriately timed services, clear lines of responsibility for patient care, good communication and availability of equipment. The research suggests that an approach to care is required that appreciates and deals with the multiple factors that influence whether patients carry out the posturing.

Global Forum 2015 dialogue on "From evidence to policy - thinking outside the box": perspectives to improve evidence uptake and good practices in the African Region.

PubMed

Kirigia, Joses Muthuri; Pannenborg, Charles Ok; Amore, Luis Gabriel Cuervo; Ghannem, Hassen; IJsselmuiden, Carel; Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet

2016-07-18

The Global Forum 2015 panel session dialogue entitled "From evidence to policy - thinking outside the box" was held on 26 August 2015 in the Philippines to debate why evidence was not fully translated into policy and practice and what could be done to increase its uptake. This paper reports the reasons and possible actions for increasing the uptake of evidence, and highlights the actions partners could take to increase the use of evidence in the African Region. The Global Forum 2015 debate attributed African Region's low uptake of evidence to the big gap in incentives and interests between research for health researchers and public health policy-makers; limited appreciation on the side of researchers that public health decisions are based on multiple and complex considerations; perception among users that research evidence is not relevant to local contexts; absence of knowledge translation platforms; sub-optimal collaboration and engagement between industry and research institutions; lack of involvement of civil society organizations; lack of engagement of communities in the research process; failure to engage the media; limited awareness and debate in national and local parliaments on the importance of investing in research and innovation; and dearth of research and innovation parks in the African Region. The actions needed in the Region to increase the uptake of evidence in policy and practice include strengthening NHRS governance; bridging the motivation gap between researchers and health policy-makers; restoring trust between researchers and decision-makers; ensuring close and continuous intellectual intercourse among researchers, ministry of health policy-makers and technocrats during the life course of research projects or programmes; proactive collaboration between academia and industry; regular briefings of civil society, media, relevant parliamentary committees and development partners; development of vibrant knowledge translation platforms; development of action plans for implementing research recommendations, preferably in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals; and encouragement of competition on NHRS strengthening and research output and uptake among the countries using a barometer or scorecard to review their performance at various regional ministerial forums and taking into account the lessons learned from the MDG period.

Developing the science of end-of-life and palliative care research: National Institute of Nursing Research summit.

PubMed

Csikai, Ellen L

2011-01-01

A rare opportunity to examine accomplishments and identify ways to advance research in end-of-life and palliative care was offered by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) through a summit meeting held in August 2011. The Science of Compassion: Future Directions in End-of-Life and Palliative Care brought together nationally recognized leaders in end-of-life and palliative care research, including grantees of NINR, as well as more than 700 attendees from all disciplines. It was an exciting affirmation of the importance of moving forward in the field. Presented in this article is a summary of the summit and a call to action for end-of-life and palliative care social workers to engage in seeking funding to conduct needed research and to ensure our unique perspective is represented.

A medicinal chemistry perspective on 4-aminoquinoline antimalarial drugs.

PubMed

O'Neill, Paul M; Ward, Stephen A; Berry, Neil G; Jeyadevan, J Prince; Biagini, Giancarlo A; Asadollaly, Egbaleh; Park, B Kevin; Bray, Patrick G

2006-01-01

A broad overview is presented describing the current knowledge and the ongoing research concerning the 4-aminoquinolines (4AQ) as chemotherapeutic antimalarial agents. Included are discussions of mechanism of action, structure activity relationships (SAR), chemistry, metabolism and toxicity and parasite resistance mechanisms. In discussions of SAR, particular emphasis has been given to activity versus chloroquine resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Promising new lead compounds undergoing development are described and an overview of physicochemical properties of chloroquine and amodiaquine analogues is also included.

The role of technology as air transportation faces the fuel situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Driver, C.

1980-01-01

Perspectives on the air transportation fuel stituation are discussed including intercity air traffic, airline fuel consumption, fuel price effects on ticket price, and projected traffic and fuel useage between now and the year 2000. Actions taken by the airlines to reduce consumption are reviewed, as well as efforts currently underway to improve fuel consumption. Longer range technology payoffs resulting from NASA research programs are reviewed and results from studies on the use of alternate fuels are discussed.

Fostering Intercultural Communicative Competence through Reading Authentic Literary Texts in an Advanced Colombian EFL Classroom: A Constructivist Perspective (Desarrollo de la competencia comunicativa intercultural mediante la lectura de textos literarios auténticos: una perspectiva constructivista)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez, Luis Fernando R.

2012-01-01

This article describes an action research experience carried out in an advanced English as a foreign language classroom of the language program at a university in Bogotá, Colombia, in 2010. The study proposes the inclusion of authentic literary texts in the English as a foreign language classroom through the implementation of four constructivist…

Hypertension: management perspectives.

PubMed

Borghi, Claudio; Cicero, Arrigo F G

2012-10-01

The increasing worldwide prevalence of hypertension and the related increase in cost due to diagnosis, management and negative outcomes forces public health institutions and clinical researchers to find new strategies to improve blood pressure (BP) control. So what are the possible future perspectives for high BP management? Three main points are briefly discussed in this article: individualized therapy, the known genetic contribution to hypertension development and control, and the improvement of disease management, including perspectives on new antihypertensive drug development. It is likely that the integration of the best available current knowledge with recent diagnostic and therapeutic achievements for the management of hypertension prevention and treatment will lead to the early detection of at-risk conditions, early diagnosis, and individualized and efficacious treatment. The most promising antihypertensive drugs currently in development are innovative renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system modulators. Further drugs have potentially interesting mechanisms of action, but renalase analogs are in the very early phases of development, and available endothelin antagonists have a poor safety profile.

Advancing Global Health – The Need for (Better) Social Science

PubMed Central

Hanefeld, Johanna

2016-01-01

In his perspective "Navigating between stealth advocacy and unconscious dogmatism: the challenge of researching the norms, politics and power of global health," Ooms argues that actions taken in the field of global health are dependent not only on available resources, but on the normative premise that guides how these resources are spent. This comment sets out how the application of a predominately biomedical positivist research tradition in global health, has potentially limited understanding of the value judgements underlying decisions in the field. To redress this critical social science, including health policy analysis has much to offer, to the field of global health including on questions of governance. PMID:27239873

The Acculturation of Community Psychology: Is There a Best Way?

PubMed

Birman, Dina

2016-12-01

In this paper I describe a community psychology perspective on acculturation and adjustment of immigrants and refugees and suggest that this field of acculturation research has in turn something to offer heuristically as we consider our identity and training for future generations of community psychologists over the next 50 years. I suggest that honoring our heritage, maintaining our disciplinary identity as community psychologists, and sustaining doctoral programs that offer training specific to community psychology are crucial for our survival as a field and is not antithetical to, and is indeed necessary for, interdisciplinary collaborations. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karagöz-Akar, Gülseren

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between prospective secondary mathematics teachers' perspectives and their mathematical knowledge for teaching in action. Data from two prospective teachers' practice-teachings, one in geometry and one in algebra, their lesson plans and self-reflections were analyzed with Teacher Perspectives and Knowledge…

The positive and negative framing of affirmative action: a group dominance perspective.

PubMed

Haley, Hillary; Sidanius, Jim

2006-05-01

Using a sample of 328 White, Latino, and Black Los Angeles County adults, the authors examined the tendency to employ various affirmative action "frames" (e.g., affirmative action as a "tie-breaking" device or as a quota-based policy). All three groups agreed about which frames cast affirmative action in a positive light and which cast it in a negative light. Although minorities had a tendency to frame affirmative action in terms that most people find morally acceptable, Whites had a tendency to frame affirmative action in terms most people find unacceptable. In addition, compared to minorities, Whites were less supportive of affirmative action regardless of how it was framed. LISREL modeling also was employed to test two competing models regarding predictors of the tendency to use frames that one personally finds to be relatively negative versus positive. Consistent with the expectations of social dominance theory and a motivated cognition perspective, the authors found that social dominance orientation (SDO) had significant net direct and indirect effects on one's framing of affirmative action.

Integrating surveillance data on water-related diseases and drinking-water quality; action-research in a Brazilian municipality.

PubMed

Queiroz, Ana Carolina Lanza; Cardoso, Laís Santos de Magalhães; Heller, Léo; Cairncross, Sandy

2015-12-01

The Brazilian Ministry of Health proposed a research study involving municipal professional staff conducting both epidemiological and water quality surveillance to facilitate the integration of the data which they collected. It aimed to improve the intersectoral collaboration and health promotion activities in the municipalities, especially regarding drinking-water quality. We then conducted a study using the action-research approach. At its evaluation phase, a technique which we called 'the tree analogy' was applied in order to identify both possibilities and challenges related to the proposed interlinkage. Results showed that integrating the two data collection systems cannot be attained without prior institutional adjustments. It suggests therefore the necessity to unravel issues that go beyond the selection and the interrelation of indicators and compatibility of software, to include political, administrative and personal matters. The evaluation process led those involved to re-think their practice by sharing experiences encountered in everyday practice, and formulating constructive criticisms. All this inevitably unleashes a process of empowerment. From this perspective, we have certainly gathered some fruit from the Tree, but not necessarily the most visible.

Perspectives on chemical oceanography in the 21st century: Participants of the COME ABOARD Meeting examine aspects of the field in the context of 40 years of DISCO

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fassbender, Andrea J.; Palevsky, Hilary I.; Martz, Todd R.; Ingalls, Anitra E.; Gledhill, Martha; Fawcett, Sarah E.; Brandes, Jay; Aluwihare, Lihini; Anderson, Robert M.; Bender, Sara; Boyle, Ed; Bronk, Debbie; Buesseler, Ken; Burdige, David J.; Casciotti, Karen; Close, Hilary; Conte, Maureen; Cutter, Greg; Estapa, Meg; Fennel, Katja; Ferron, Sara; Glazer, Brian; Goni, Miguel; Grand, Max; Guay, Chris; Hatta, Mariko; Hayes, Chris; Horner, Tristan; Ingall, Ellery; Johnson, Kenneth G.; Juranek, Laurie; Knapp, Angela; Lam, Phoebe; Luther, George; Matrai, Paty; Nicholson, David; Paytan, Adina; Pellenbarg, Robert; Popendorf, Kim; Reddy, Christopher M.; Ruttenberg, Kathleen; Sabine, Chris; Sansone, Frank; Shaltout, Nayrah; Sikes, Liz; Sundquist, Eric T.; Valentine, David; Wang, Zhao (Aleck); Wilson, Sam; Barrett, Pamela; Behrens, Melanie; Belcher, Anna; Biermann, Lauren; Boiteau, Rene; Clarke, Jennifer; Collins, Jamie; Coppola, Alysha; Ebling, Alina M.; Garcia-Tigreros, Fenix; Goldman, Johanna; Guallart, Elisa F.; Haskell, William; Hurley, Sarah; Janssen, David; Johnson, Winn; Lennhartz, Sinikka; Liu, Shuting; Rahman, Shaily; Ray, Daisy; Sarkar, Amit; Steiner, Zvika; Widner, Brittany; Yang, Bo

2017-01-01

The questions that chemical oceanographers prioritize over the coming decades, and the methods we use to address these questions, will define our field's contribution to 21st century science. In recognition of this, the U.S. National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration galvanized a community effort (the Chemical Oceanography MEeting: A BOttom-up Approach to Research Directions, or COME ABOARD) to synthesize bottom-up perspectives on selected areas of research in Chemical Oceanography. Representing only a small subset of the community, COME ABOARD participants did not attempt to identify targeted research directions for the field. Instead, we focused on how best to foster diverse research in Chemical Oceanography, placing emphasis on the following themes: strengthening our core chemical skillset; expanding our tools through collaboration with chemists, engineers, and computer scientists; considering new roles for large programs; enhancing interface research through interdisciplinary collaboration; and expanding ocean literacy by engaging with the public. For each theme, COME ABOARD participants reflected on the present state of Chemical Oceanography, where the community hopes to go and why, and actionable pathways to get there. A unifying concept among the discussions was that dissimilar funding structures and metrics of success may be required to accommodate the various levels of readiness and stages of knowledge development found throughout our community. In addition to the science, participants of the concurrent Dissertations Symposium in Chemical Oceanography (DISCO) XXV, a meeting of recent and forthcoming Ph.D. graduates in Chemical Oceanography, provided perspectives on how our field could show leadership in addressing long-standing diversity and early-career challenges that are pervasive throughout science. Here we summarize the COME ABOARD Meeting discussions, providing a synthesis of reflections and perspectives on the field.

Building Community-Engaged Health Research and Discovery Infrastructure on the South Side of Chicago: Science in Service to Community Priorities

PubMed Central

Lindau, Stacy Tessler; Makelarski, Jennifer A.; Chin, Marshall H.; Desautels, Shane; Johnson, Daniel; Johnson, Waldo E.; Miller, Doriane; Peters, Susan; Robinson, Connie; Schneider, John; Thicklin, Florence; Watson, Natalie P.; Wolfe, Marcus; Whitaker, Eric

2011-01-01

Objective To describe the roles community members can and should play in, and an asset-based strategy used by Chicago’s South Side Health and Vitality Studies for, building sustainable, large-scale community health research infrastructure. The Studies are a family of research efforts aiming to produce actionable knowledge to inform health policy, programming, and investments for the region. Methods Community and university collaborators, using a consensus-based approach, developed shared theoretical perspectives, guiding principles, and a model for collaboration in 2008, which were used to inform an asset-based operational strategy. Ongoing community engagement and relationship-building support the infrastructure and research activities of the Studies. Results Key steps in the asset-based strategy include: 1) continuous community engagement and relationship building, 2) identifying community priorities, 3) identifying community assets, 4) leveraging assets, 5) conducting research, 6) sharing knowledge and 7) informing action. Examples of community member roles, and how these are informed by the Studies’ guiding principles, are provided. Conclusions Community and university collaborators, with shared vision and principles, can effectively work together to plan innovative, large-scale community-based research that serves community needs and priorities. Sustainable, effective models are needed to realize NIH’s mandate for meaningful translation of biomedical discovery into improved population health. PMID:21236295

Stakeholders' perspectives on biobank-based genomic research: systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Husedzinovic, Alma; Ose, Dominik; Schickhardt, Christoph; Fröhling, Stefan; Winkler, Eva C

2015-01-01

The success of biobank-based genomic research is widely dependent on people's willingness to donate their tissue. Thus, stakeholders' opinions should be considered in the development of best practice guidelines for research and recruiting participants. We systematically analyzed the empirical literature describing different stakeholders' views towards ethical questions with regard to type of consent, data sharing and return of incidental findings. Patients are more open to one-time general consent than the public. Only a small proportion desires recontact if the research aim changed. A broad consent model would prevent only a small proportion of patients from participating in research. Although professionals are concerned about a risk of reidentification, patients and the public support data sharing and find that the benefit of research outweighs the potential risk of reidentification. However, they desire detailed information about the privacy protection measures. Regarding the return of incidental findings, the public and professionals focus on clinically actionable results, whereas patients are interested in receiving as much information as possible. For professionals, concrete guidelines that help managing the return of incidental findings should be warranted. For this it would be helpful addressing the different categories – actionable, untreatable and inheritable diseases – upfront with patients and public. PMID:25735479

Poverty and Serious Mental Illness: Toward Action on a Seemingly Intractable Problem.

PubMed

Sylvestre, John; Notten, Geranda; Kerman, Nick; Polillo, Alexia; Czechowki, Konrad

2018-03-01

This paper examines the issue of poverty among people with serious mental illness (SMI), positioning it as a key issue to be confronted by community mental health systems and practitioners. The paper reviews three perspectives on poverty, considering how each sheds light on poverty among people with SMI, and their implications for action: (a) monetary resources, (b) basic needs, and (c) capabilities. The paper argues that community mental health programs and systems are currently unable to address poverty as they are overly focused on individual-level interventions that, on their own, cannot raise people out of poverty. The paper calls for a social justice value, informed by the concept of citizenship, as a necessary complement to the recovery concept that has informed community mental health practice for almost 25 years. Finally, the paper argues that community psychologists, with their concepts, methods, and values, are well positioned to contribute to this important issue. However, it also contends that addressing poverty requires collaboration from community psychologists with researchers and practitioners from other fields and domains of expertise to begin to make progress. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

Canadian governance of health research involving human subjects: is anybody minding the store?

PubMed

McDonald, M

2001-01-01

From an ethical perspective, good governance involves the translation of collective moral intentions into effective and accountable institutional actions. With respect to the use of human subjects in Canadian health research, I contend that there have been many good intentions but very little in the way of appropriate governance arrangements. Hence, the question, "who minds the store?" is especially acute with respect to the protection of vulnerable individuals and groups that are typically recruited as subjects for health research in Canada. Beyond diagnosing failures in governance and their causes, I offer suggestions for significant reforms, including evidence-based ethics assessment, independent oversight, and greater participation of research subjects in governance. I will close with some more general reflections on ethics, law, and governance.

From subject to participant: ethics and the evolving role of community in health research.

PubMed

Bromley, Elizabeth; Mikesell, Lisa; Jones, Felica; Khodyakov, Dmitry

2015-05-01

Belmont Report principles focus on the well-being of the research subject, yet community-engaged investigators often eschew the role of subject for that of participant. We conducted semistructured interviews with 29 community and academic investigators working on 10 community-engaged studies. Interviews elicited perspectives on ethical priorities and ethical challenges. Interviewees drew on the Belmont Report to describe 4 key principles of ethical community-engaged research (embodying ethical action, respecting participants, generalizing beneficence, and negotiating justice). However, novel aspects of the participant role were the source of most ethical challenges. We theorize that the shift in ethical focus from subject to participant will pose new ethical dilemmas for community-engaged investigators and for other constituents interested in increasing community involvement in health research.

From Subject to Participant: Ethics and the Evolving Role of Community in Health Research

PubMed Central

Mikesell, Lisa; Jones, Felica; Khodyakov, Dmitry

2015-01-01

Belmont Report principles focus on the well-being of the research subject, yet community-engaged investigators often eschew the role of subject for that of participant. We conducted semistructured interviews with 29 community and academic investigators working on 10 community-engaged studies. Interviews elicited perspectives on ethical priorities and ethical challenges. Interviewees drew on the Belmont Report to describe 4 key principles of ethical community-engaged research (embodying ethical action, respecting participants, generalizing beneficence, and negotiating justice). However, novel aspects of the participant role were the source of most ethical challenges. We theorize that the shift in ethical focus from subject to participant will pose new ethical dilemmas for community-engaged investigators and for other constituents interested in increasing community involvement in health research. PMID:25790380

Aircraft accident investigation: the decision-making in initial action scenario.

PubMed

Barreto, Marcia M; Ribeiro, Selma L O

2012-01-01

In the complex aeronautical environment, the efforts in terms of operational safety involve the adoption of proactive and reactive measures. The process of investigation begins right after the occurrence of the aeronautical accident, through the initial action. Thus, it is in the crisis scenario, that the person responsible for the initial action makes decisions and gathers the necessary information for the subsequent phases of the investigation process. Within this scenario, which is a natural environment, researches have shown the fragility of rational models of decision making. The theoretical perspective of naturalistic decision making constitutes a breakthrough in the understanding of decision problems demanded by real world. The proposal of this study was to verify if the initial action, after the occurrence of an accident, and the decision-making strategies, used by the investigators responsible for this activity, are characteristic of the naturalistic decision making theoretical approach. To attend the proposed objective a descriptive research was undertaken with a sample of professionals that work in this activity. The data collected through individual interviews were analyzed and the results demonstrated that the initial action environment, which includes restricted time, dynamic conditions, the presence of multiple actors, stress and insufficient information is characteristic of the naturalistic decision making. They also demonstrated that, when the investigators make their decisions, they use their experience and the mental simulation, intuition, improvisation, metaphors and analogues cases, as strategies, all of them related to the naturalistic approach of decision making, in order to satisfy the needs of the situation and reach the objectives of the initial action in the accident scenario.

Concepts of peace education: A view of western experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, Robin; Aspeslagh, Robert

1983-09-01

Approaches to the theory and practice of peace education are as varied as the situations across the world in which it is undertaken. Against a framework established by the Peace Education Commission of IPRA, current trends in the conceptualization and experience of peace education (from a Western view-point) are considered and reveal (1) acceptance of `development' with `justice' and `human rights' as integral to the concept of peace; (2) emphasis on the psychological as well as socio-political, economic and structural conditions that maintain present injustices and oppressions; (3) renewed efforts to try out innovative educational approaches to a variety of learning situations, from the pre-school to adult formal and non-formal settings; (4) new concern about the materials, content and techniques of learning; and (5) fresh examination of the inter-relationships between theory and practice, research and action. Analyzing a number of conceptual approaches to peace and disarmament education, the authors support a political, participatory strategy and set it in a historical context. Hence, its connection with development education and the significance and implications of a global perspective are demonstrated. The global perspective is seen as a growing-point for peace education today, providing the potential for political consciousness and action.

Perspectives to performance of environment and health assessments and models--from outputs to outcomes?

PubMed

Pohjola, Mikko V; Pohjola, Pasi; Tainio, Marko; Tuomisto, Jouni T

2013-06-26

The calls for knowledge-based policy and policy-relevant research invoke a need to evaluate and manage environment and health assessments and models according to their societal outcomes. This review explores how well the existing approaches to assessment and model performance serve this need. The perspectives to assessment and model performance in the scientific literature can be called: (1) quality assurance/control, (2) uncertainty analysis, (3) technical assessment of models, (4) effectiveness and (5) other perspectives, according to what is primarily seen to constitute the goodness of assessments and models. The categorization is not strict and methods, tools and frameworks in different perspectives may overlap. However, altogether it seems that most approaches to assessment and model performance are relatively narrow in their scope. The focus in most approaches is on the outputs and making of assessments and models. Practical application of the outputs and the consequential outcomes are often left unaddressed. It appears that more comprehensive approaches that combine the essential characteristics of different perspectives are needed. This necessitates a better account of the mechanisms of collective knowledge creation and the relations between knowledge and practical action. Some new approaches to assessment, modeling and their evaluation and management span the chain from knowledge creation to societal outcomes, but the complexity of evaluating societal outcomes remains a challenge.

Epidemiology and the Tobacco Epidemic: How Research on Tobacco and Health Shaped Epidemiology.

PubMed

Samet, Jonathan M

2016-03-01

In this article, I provide a perspective on the tobacco epidemic and epidemiology, describing the impact of the tobacco-caused disease epidemic on the field of epidemiology. Although there is an enormous body of epidemiologic evidence on the associations of smoking with health, little systematic attention has been given to how decades of research have affected epidemiology and its practice. I address the many advances that resulted from epidemiologic research on smoking and health, such as demonstration of the utility of observational designs and important parameters (the odds ratio and the population attributable risk), guidelines for causal inference, and systematic review approaches. I also cover unintended and adverse consequences for the field, including the strategy of doubt creation and the recruitment of epidemiologists by the tobacco industry to serve its mission. The paradigm of evidence-based action for addressing noncommunicable diseases began with the need to address the epidemic of tobacco-caused disease, an imperative for action documented by epidemiologic research. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychological Climates in Action Learning Sets: A Manager's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeadon-Lee, Annie

2015-01-01

Action learning (AL) is often viewed as a process that facilitates professional learning through the creation of a positive psychological climate [Marquardt, M. J. 2000. "Action Learning and Leadership." "The Learning Organisation" 7 (5): 233-240; Schein, E. H. 1979. "Personal Change Through Interpersonal…

Civil Society, Adult Learning and Action in India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tandon, Rajesh

2000-01-01

Five case studies of individual and collective learning projects in India demonstrate that (1) the impetus for civic action arises from local conditions; (2) transformative action requires sustained adult learning; and (3) civil society is a complex concept reflecting diverse priorities and perspectives. (SK)

Work and Inter-subjectivity: a theoretical reflection on its dialectics in the field of health and nursing.

PubMed

Carvalho, Brígida Gimenez; Peduzzi, Marina; Mandú, Edir Nei Teixeira; Ayres, José Ricardo de Carvalho Mesquita

2012-01-01

This theoretical reflection intends to show the inter-subjective relationship that takes place in health and nursing practices under the following theoretical perspectives: Institutional Analysis, Psychodynamics of Labor and the Theory of Communicative Action, with an emphasis on the latter. Linking these concepts to the Marxist approach to work in the field of health emerges from recognizing the need for its continuous reconstruction-in this case, with a view to understand the interaction and communication intrinsic to work in action. The theory of Communicative Action seeks to consider these two inextricable dimensions: work as productive action and as interaction. The first corresponds to instrumental action based on technical rules with a production-guided rationale. The second refers to the interaction that takes place as communicative action and seeks understanding among subjects. We assume that adopting this theoretical perspective in the analysis of health and nursing practices opens new possibilities for clarifying its social and historical process and inter-subjective connections.

Humans display a reduced set of consistent behavioral phenotypes in dyadic games.

PubMed

Poncela-Casasnovas, Julia; Gutiérrez-Roig, Mario; Gracia-Lázaro, Carlos; Vicens, Julian; Gómez-Gardeñes, Jesús; Perelló, Josep; Moreno, Yamir; Duch, Jordi; Sánchez, Angel

2016-08-01

Socially relevant situations that involve strategic interactions are widespread among animals and humans alike. To study these situations, theoretical and experimental research has adopted a game theoretical perspective, generating valuable insights about human behavior. However, most of the results reported so far have been obtained from a population perspective and considered one specific conflicting situation at a time. This makes it difficult to extract conclusions about the consistency of individuals' behavior when facing different situations and to define a comprehensive classification of the strategies underlying the observed behaviors. We present the results of a lab-in-the-field experiment in which subjects face four different dyadic games, with the aim of establishing general behavioral rules dictating individuals' actions. By analyzing our data with an unsupervised clustering algorithm, we find that all the subjects conform, with a large degree of consistency, to a limited number of behavioral phenotypes (envious, optimist, pessimist, and trustful), with only a small fraction of undefined subjects. We also discuss the possible connections to existing interpretations based on a priori theoretical approaches. Our findings provide a relevant contribution to the experimental and theoretical efforts toward the identification of basic behavioral phenotypes in a wider set of contexts without aprioristic assumptions regarding the rules or strategies behind actions. From this perspective, our work contributes to a fact-based approach to the study of human behavior in strategic situations, which could be applied to simulating societies, policy-making scenario building, and even a variety of business applications.

Linking Language with Embodied and Teleological Representations of Action for Humanoid Cognition

PubMed Central

Lallee, Stephane; Madden, Carol; Hoen, Michel; Dominey, Peter Ford

2010-01-01

The current research extends our framework for embodied language and action comprehension to include a teleological representation that allows goal-based reasoning for novel actions. The objective of this work is to implement and demonstrate the advantages of a hybrid, embodied-teleological approach to action–language interaction, both from a theoretical perspective, and via results from human–robot interaction experiments with the iCub robot. We first demonstrate how a framework for embodied language comprehension allows the system to develop a baseline set of representations for processing goal-directed actions such as “take,” “cover,” and “give.” Spoken language and visual perception are input modes for these representations, and the generation of spoken language is the output mode. Moving toward a teleological (goal-based reasoning) approach, a crucial component of the new system is the representation of the subcomponents of these actions, which includes relations between initial enabling states, and final resulting states for these actions. We demonstrate how grammatical categories including causal connectives (e.g., because, if–then) can allow spoken language to enrich the learned set of state-action-state (SAS) representations. We then examine how this enriched SAS inventory enhances the robot's ability to represent perceived actions in which the environment inhibits goal achievement. The paper addresses how language comes to reflect the structure of action, and how it can subsequently be used as an input and output vector for embodied and teleological aspects of action. PMID:20577629

Patient perspective workshop: moving towards OMERACT guidelines for choosing or developing instruments to measure patient-reported outcomes.

PubMed

Kirwan, John R; Fries, James F; Hewlett, Sarah E; Osborne, Richard H; Newman, Stanton; Ciciriello, Sabina; van de Laar, Mart A; Dures, Emma; Minnock, Patricia; Heiberg, Turid; Sanderson, Tessa C; Flurey, Caroline A; Leong, Amy L; Montie, Pamela; Richards, Pam

2011-08-01

The workshop Choosing or Developing Instruments held at the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) 10 meeting was designed to help participants think about the underlying methods of instrument development. Conference pre-reading material and 3 brief introductory presentations elaborated the issues, and participants broke into discussion groups before reconvening to share insights, engage in a more general discussion of the issues, and vote on recommendations. Tradeoffs between using current imperfect measures and the long and complex process of developing new instruments were considered, together with the need for rigor in patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument development. The main considerations for PRO instrument development were listed and a research agenda for action produced. As part of the agenda for action, it is recommended that researchers and patient partners work together to tackle these issues, and that OMERACT bring forward proposals for acceptable instrument development protocols that would meet an enhanced "Truth" statement in the OMERACT Filter.

Seeing Context through Metaphor: Using Communications Research to Bring a Social Determinants Perspective to Public Thinking about Child Abuse and Neglect.

PubMed

Kendall-Taylor, Nathaniel; Stanley, Kate

2018-01-19

Human beings think in metaphor and reason through analogy. The metaphors through which we think influence how we understand and feel about social issues as well as the actions that we see as appropriate and important. Metaphors can be used to increase understanding of how issues work and increase the salience of a given issue, build support for programs and policies necessary to address the issue, and instigate demand for change and civic action. In this paper, we use a mixed methods research design, including brief qualitative interviews, experimental surveys, and focus groups, to test the ability of different metaphors to influence public understanding of the social determinants of child abuse and neglect in the UK. We find one metaphor in particular that improves people's understanding of the social causes of child maltreatment and increases support for structural solutions. This metaphor can be used to build support for preventative public health solutions.

Conjugal violence in the perspective of "Family Health Strategy" professionals: a public health problem and the need to provide care for the women

PubMed Central

Gomes, Nadirlene Pereira; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini

2014-01-01

Objective to construct a theoretical matrix based on the meanings of the interactions and actions experienced by the professionals regarding the nursing care practices and the health of women in situations of conjugal violence in the ambit of the Family Health Strategy. Methods research based in Grounded Theory. Following approval by the Research Ethics Committee, 52 professionals were interviewed in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The analysis was based on open, axial and selective codifications. Results the theoretical model was delimited based on the phenomenon "Recognizing conjugal violence as a public health problem, and the need for management of the care for the woman", which reflects the experience of the professionals in relation to care for the woman, as well as the meanings attributed to this care. Conclusions the phenomenon allows one to understand the movement of action and interaction regarding the care for the woman in a situation of conjugal violence. PMID:24553706

Seeing Context through Metaphor: Using Communications Research to Bring a Social Determinants Perspective to Public Thinking about Child Abuse and Neglect

PubMed Central

Kendall-Taylor, Nathaniel; Stanley, Kate

2018-01-01

Human beings think in metaphor and reason through analogy. The metaphors through which we think influence how we understand and feel about social issues as well as the actions that we see as appropriate and important. Metaphors can be used to increase understanding of how issues work and increase the salience of a given issue, build support for programs and policies necessary to address the issue, and instigate demand for change and civic action. In this paper, we use a mixed methods research design, including brief qualitative interviews, experimental surveys, and focus groups, to test the ability of different metaphors to influence public understanding of the social determinants of child abuse and neglect in the UK. We find one metaphor in particular that improves people’s understanding of the social causes of child maltreatment and increases support for structural solutions. This metaphor can be used to build support for preventative public health solutions. PMID:29351195

Addressing prospective elementary teachers' mathematics subject matter knowledge through action research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hourigan, Mairéad; O'Donoghue, John

2015-01-01

There is international dissatisfaction regarding the standard of mathematics subject matter knowledge (MSMK) evident among both qualified and prospective elementary teachers. Ireland is no exception. Following increasing anecdotal evidence of prospective elementary teachers in one Irish College of Education (provider of initial teacher education programme) demonstrating weaknesses in this regard, this study sought to examine and address the issue through two cycles of action research. The examination of the nature of prospective teachers' MSMK (as well as related beliefs in the main study) informed the design and implementation of an intervention to address the issue. A mixed method approach was taken throughout. In both cycles, Shapiro's criteria were used as a conceptual framework for the evaluation of the initiative. This paper focuses on the perceived and actual effects of the intervention on participants' MSMK. As well as its contribution at a local and national level, the study provides an Irish perspective on approaches taken to address the phenomenon internationally.

Conjugal violence in the perspective of "Family Health Strategy" professionals: a public health problem and the need to provide care for the women.

PubMed

Gomes, Nadirlene Pereira; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini

2014-01-01

to construct a theoretical matrix based on the meanings of the interactions and actions experienced by the professionals regarding the nursing care practices and the health of women in situations of conjugal violence in the ambit of the Family Health Strategy. research based in Grounded Theory. Following approval by the Research Ethics Committee, 52 professionals were interviewed in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The analysis was based on open, axial and selective codifications. the theoretical model was delimited based on the phenomenon "Recognizing conjugal violence as a public health problem, and the need for management of the care for the woman", which reflects the experience of the professionals in relation to care for the woman, as well as the meanings attributed to this care. the phenomenon allows one to understand the movement of action and interaction regarding the care for the woman in a situation of conjugal violence.

Issues in Action Learning: A Critical Realist Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgoyne, John

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to argue that the perspective of "critical realism" has considerable potential for moving forward the theory and practice of action learning. The paper addresses three questions: (1) Does action learning emphasise the individual or the collective? (2) Can action learning be thought of as critical, but should it also be…

Ethical Perspectives, Reactions to Other's Moral Behavior, and Consequent Moral Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope, William R.; Forsyth, Donelson R.

In analyzing various moral and legal philosophies, two perspectives emerge, absolute moral rules/higher law, and situationally-specific moral rules/legal positivism. From these two perspectives, four types of individuals emerge in accordance with their degree of adherence to ideological tenets: (1) situationists (high on idealism and relativism);…

The Interaction between Interoceptive and Action States within a Framework of Predictive Coding

PubMed Central

Marshall, Amanda C.; Gentsch, Antje; Schütz-Bosbach, Simone

2018-01-01

The notion of predictive coding assumes that perception is an iterative process between prior knowledge and sensory feedback. To date, this perspective has been primarily applied to exteroceptive perception as well as action and its associated phenomenological experiences such as agency. More recently, this predictive, inferential framework has been theoretically extended to interoception. This idea postulates that subjective feeling states are generated by top–down inferences made about internal and external causes of interoceptive afferents. While the processing of motor signals for action control and the emergence of selfhood have been studied extensively, the contributions of interoceptive input and especially the potential interaction of motor and interoceptive signals remain largely unaddressed. Here, we argue for a specific functional relation between motor and interoceptive awareness. Specifically, we implicate interoceptive predictions in the generation of subjective motor-related feeling states. Furthermore, we propose a distinction between reflexive and pre-reflexive modes of agentic action control and suggest that interoceptive input may affect each differently. Finally, we advocate the necessity of continuous interoceptive input for conscious forms of agentic action control. We conclude by discussing further research contributions that would allow for a fuller understanding of the interaction between agency and interoceptive awareness. PMID:29515495

Rhythm in joint action: psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms for real-time interpersonal coordination.

PubMed

Keller, Peter E; Novembre, Giacomo; Hove, Michael J

2014-12-19

Human interaction often requires simultaneous precision and flexibility in the coordination of rhythmic behaviour between individuals engaged in joint activity, for example, playing a musical duet or dancing with a partner. This review article addresses the psychological processes and brain mechanisms that enable such rhythmic interpersonal coordination. First, an overview is given of research on the cognitive-motor processes that enable individuals to represent joint action goals and to anticipate, attend and adapt to other's actions in real time. Second, the neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin rhythmic interpersonal coordination are sought in studies of sensorimotor and cognitive processes that play a role in the representation and integration of self- and other-related actions within and between individuals' brains. Finally, relationships between social-psychological factors and rhythmic interpersonal coordination are considered from two perspectives, one concerning how social-cognitive tendencies (e.g. empathy) affect coordination, and the other concerning how coordination affects interpersonal affiliation, trust and prosocial behaviour. Our review highlights musical ensemble performance as an ecologically valid yet readily controlled domain for investigating rhythm in joint action. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The Policy Argument for Healthcare Workforce Diversity.

PubMed

Mensah, Michael O; Sommers, Benjamin D

2016-11-01

This perspectives article considers the potential implications an affirmative action ban would have on patient care in the US. A physician's race and ethnicity are among the strongest predictors of specialty choice and whether or not a physician cares for Medicaid and uninsured populations. Taking this into account, research suggests that an affirmative action ban in university admissions would sharply reduce the supply of primary care physicians to Medicaid and uninsured populations over the coming decade. Our article compares current conditions to the potential effect of an affirmative action ban by projecting how many future medical students will become primary care physicians for Medicaid and uninsured patients by 2025. Based on previous evidence and current medical student training patterns, we project that a ban could deny primary care access for 1.25 million of our nation's most vulnerable patients, considerably worsening existing healthcare disparities. More broadly, we argue that the effects of eliminating affirmative action would be fundamentally contrary to the Association of American Medical Colleges' stated goal of medical education-"to improve the health of all."

Children of Chernobyl: A psycho-social empowerment project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kane, M.S.

The focus of this research has been to design and implement a social action project, using a Freirian Methodology for popular mental health among the victims of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear meltown disaster living in Belarus. Although Chernobyl is in the Ukraine, only 35 kilometers from Kiev, 70% of the 50 million curies of radiation from the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown fell on the Republic of Belarus. This continues to directly affect 2.4 million of the total population of 10 million people. These people, 800,000 of whom are children, still live in the radiated zones. They live with the knowledge thatmore » the food, the water, and the ground are slowly poisoning them through continued and ongoing exposure to radiation. While there has been some significant research on the medical effects of the disaster in the Ukraine, much more research needs to be done in Belarus. Very little research or treatment has responded to the emotional, mental health and psychosocial impacts of the disaster on individuals, families and communities. Following the introduction to the problem, a rationale for a new paradigm in Mental Health Treatment is presented in a chapter titled Liberation Psychology'. This chapter integrates fields of psychology, psychotherapy, social work, education, and community organization from a Freirian perspective. The Social Action Project is outlined and described in specific detail. The Social Action Project has led to medical, computer and school supplies being sent to Belarus. Workshops and training have been designed and implemented. Texts and manuals have been translated and published. Further, there is documentation of a joint conceptualization and design of this Children of Chernobyl' project with signed letters of agreement and a report of a fact finding mission to Belaraus. The Social Action Project is then evaluated with Future Planning discussed in the conclusion.« less

CTE Teachers' Perspectives on the Process of CTE and Science Content Integration: A Grounded Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spindler, Matthew Kenneth

The integration of career and technical education (CTE) and academic curricular content that capitalizes on natural and inherent connections represents a challenge for CTE professionals. The research question that was used to guide the current study was: What are CTE teachers' perspectives of and experiences with the process of CTE and science content integration? And more specifically, to generate a grounded theory which explicates the process of CTE and science content integration from the perspective of CTE teachers. The CTE teachers expressed that the process of CTE and science content integration was a process of evolutionizing. From the perspective of the CTE teachers involved integrating CTE and science content resulted in their programs of study being adapted into something different than they were before the process of integration was begun. The CTE teachers revealed that the evolutions in their programs of study and themselves were associated with three other categories within the grounded theory: (a) connecting; (b) enacting; and (c) futuring. The process of CTE and science content integration represents a deep and complex episode for CTE teachers. The process of CTE and science content integration requires connecting to others, putting ideas into action, and an orienting towards the future.

Platinum, palladium, gold and ruthenium complexes as anticancer agents: Current clinical uses, cytotoxicity studies and future perspectives.

PubMed

Lazarević, Tatjana; Rilak, Ana; Bugarčić, Živadin D

2017-12-15

Metallodrugs offer potential for unique mechanism of drug action based on the choice of the metal, its oxidation state, the types and number of coordinated ligands and the coordination geometry. This review illustrates notable recent progress in the field of medicinal bioinorganic chemistry as many new approaches to the design of innovative metal-based anticancer drugs are emerging. Current research addressing the problems associated with platinum drugs has focused on other metal-based therapeutics that have different modes of action and on prodrug and targeting strategies in an effort to diminish the side-effects of cisplatin chemotherapy. Examples of metal compounds and chelating agents currently in clinical use, clinical trials or preclinical development are highlighted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing Ethanol's Actions in the Suprachiasmatic Circadian Clock Using In vivo and In vitro Approaches

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Research over the past decade has demonstrated substantial interactions between the circadian system and the processes through which alcohol affects behavior and physiology. Here we summarize the results of our collaborative efforts focused on this intersection. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches, we have shown that ethanol affects many aspects of the mammalian circadian system, both acutely as well as after chronic administration. Conversely, we have shown circadian influences on ethanol consumption. Importantly, we are beginning to delve into the cellular mechanisms associated with these effects. We are also starting to form a picture of the neuroanatomical bases for many of these actions. Finally, we put our current findings into perspective by suggesting new avenues of inquiry for our future efforts. PMID:25457753

The Quench Action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caux, Jean-Sébastien

2016-06-01

We give a pedagogical introduction to the methodology of the Quench Action, which is an effective representation for the calculation of time-dependent expectation values of physical operators following a generic out-of-equilibrium state preparation protocol (for example a quantum quench). The representation, originally introduced in Caux and Essler (2013 Phys. Rev. Lett. 110 257203), is founded on a mixture of exact data for overlaps together with variational reasonings. It is argued to be quite generally valid and thermodynamically exact for arbitrary times after the quench (from short times all the way up to the steady state), and applicable to a wide class of physically relevant observables. Here, we introduce the method and its language, give an overview of some recent results, suggest a roadmap and offer some perspectives on possible future research directions.

Integrating macro- and micro-level approaches in the explanation of population change

PubMed Central

Billari, Francesco C.

2015-01-01

Demographers study population change across time and place, and traditionally they place a strong emphasis on a long-range view of population change. This paper builds on current reflections on how to structure the study of population change and proposes a two-stage perspective. The first stage, discovery, focuses on the production of novel evidence at the population level. The second stage, explanation, develops accounts of demographic change and tests how the action and interaction of individuals generate what is discovered in the first stage. This explanatory stage also provides the foundation for the prediction of demographic change. The transformation of micro-level actions and interactions into macro-level population outcomes is identified as a key challenge for the second stage. Specific instances of research are discussed. PMID:25912913

Optimizing the Multisectoral Nutrition Policy Cycle: A Systems Perspective.

PubMed

Lamstein, Sascha; Pomeroy-Stevens, Amanda; Webb, Patrick; Kennedy, Eileen

2016-12-01

Based on the data collected in Uganda, Nepal, and Ethiopia, the papers included in this supplement fill a critical gap in evidence regarding multisectoral National Nutrition Action Plans. The studies offer new data and new thinking on how and why governance, effective financial decentralization, and improved accountability all matter for nutrition actions in low-income countries. This introductory paper offers an overview of the current state of evidence and thinking on the multisectoral nutrition policy cycle, including how governance and financing support that process. It also explores the benefits of applying a systems lens to understand the dynamic, enabling processes of the policy cycle-from research to knowledge and ultimately action-and to provide more dynamic and accurate information for nutrition advocacy and evidence-based decision-making. It concludes with key findings from the 5 country-level studies included. Several important themes emerge: the egregious gap in human resources needed for effective nutrition actions in most low-income settings, the value of research on bottlenecks and successes, and the need for routine monitoring of national policies and plans to measure their effectiveness in achieving both their own stated goals and global sustainable development goals. Reviewing these studies together provides a path forward in building stronger, evidence-based multisectoral nutrition policies and supporting implementation of the nutrition activities included within them. © The Author(s) 2016.

Behavioral Modeling of Adversaries with Multiple Objectives in Counterterrorism.

PubMed

Mazicioglu, Dogucan; Merrick, Jason R W

2018-05-01

Attacker/defender models have primarily assumed that each decisionmaker optimizes the cost of the damage inflicted and its economic repercussions from their own perspective. Two streams of recent research have sought to extend such models. One stream suggests that it is more realistic to consider attackers with multiple objectives, but this research has not included the adaption of the terrorist with multiple objectives to defender actions. The other stream builds off experimental studies that show that decisionmakers deviate from optimal rational behavior. In this article, we extend attacker/defender models to incorporate multiple objectives that a terrorist might consider in planning an attack. This includes the tradeoffs that a terrorist might consider and their adaption to defender actions. However, we must also consider experimental evidence of deviations from the rationality assumed in the commonly used expected utility model in determining such adaption. Thus, we model the attacker's behavior using multiattribute prospect theory to account for the attacker's multiple objectives and deviations from rationality. We evaluate our approach by considering an attacker with multiple objectives who wishes to smuggle radioactive material into the United States and a defender who has the option to implement a screening process to hinder the attacker. We discuss the problems with implementing such an approach, but argue that research in this area must continue to avoid misrepresenting terrorist behavior in determining optimal defensive actions. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Oxytocin Depolarizes Fast-Spiking Hilar Interneurons and Induces GABA Release onto Mossy Cells of the Rat Dentate Gyrus

PubMed Central

Harden, Scott W.; Frazier, Charles J.

2016-01-01

Delivery of exogenous oxytocin (OXT) to central oxytocin receptors (OXT-Rs) is currently being investigated as a potential treatment for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, social anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite significant research implicating central OXT signaling in modulation of mood, affect, social behavior, and stress response, relatively little is known about the cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying these complex actions, particularly in brain regions which express the OXT-R but lie outside of the hypothalamus (where OXT-synthesizing neurons reside). We report that bath application of low concentrations of the selective OXT-R agonist Thr4,Gly7-OXT (TGOT) reliably and robustly drives GABA release in the dentate gyrus in an action potential dependent manner. Additional experiments led to identification of a small subset of small hilar interneurons that are directly depolarized by acute application of TGOT. From a physiological perspective, TGOT-responsive hilar interneurons have high input resistance, rapid repolarization velocity during an action potential, and a robust afterhyperpolarization. Further, they fire irregularly (or stutter) in response to moderate depolarization, and fire quickly with minimal spike frequency accommodation in response to large current injections. From an anatomical perspective, TGOT responsive hilar interneurons have dense axonal arborizations in the hilus that were found close proximity with mossy cell somata and/or proximal dendrites, and also invade the granule cell layer. Further, they have primary dendrites that always extend into the granule cell layer, and sometimes have clear arborizations in the molecular layer. Overall, these data reveal a novel site of action for OXT in an important limbic circuit, and represent a significant step towards better understanding how endogenous OXT may modulate flow of information in hippocampal networks. PMID:27068005

Developing preceptorship through action research: Part 1.

PubMed

Hilli, Yvonne; Melender, Hanna-Leena

2015-09-01

Clinical preception in practice plays a significant role in both registered and practical nurse studies. As such, the cooperation between the faculty and working life is important to narrow the theory-practice gap, with emphasis being placed on a student-oriented approach promoting self-direction and lifelong learning. The aim of this project was to develop the preceptorship at five different units within the health-care sector in western Finland by implementing an action research (AR) approach. This article is the first of a two-part article on the project, focusing on a cultural analysis and the development of preception models conducted within the project. The five units participating in the study were the following: a long-term care ward in the community, a ward for people with dementia, a geriatric ward, a medical ward and a surgical ward representing specialised care. The starting point of the study was a cultural analysis, which was made in all the five units to obtain a 'bottom-up' perspective. In each of the five units 3-5 nurses were appointed to become members of the core groups. This meant that all the units would start from the perspective of their own working environment when creating a preception model that would fit into their particular workplace. During this process, the participants received continuous support from the researchers. Several workshops and seminars were also arranged to further support the core groups and staff. The models were implemented and tested during the academic year 2010-2011 followed by an evaluation of the project. The evaluation results will be presented in the second part of the two-part article. The project showed that reflective practice and critical thinking can be improved through an AR approach. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Comparative Research on Human Settlements in Asian Rural Areas Based on Collaborative Construction Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Sui; Chaoyang, Sun; Mo, Li

2018-02-01

Rural planning is perceived as a spatial planning centered on the human settlements and there are many activities for rural reconstruction and researches conducted from the perspective of active intervention, with fewer studies regarding the village as the main body for the establishment of self-built system. And the other-organization built by the rural areas is strongly oriented. In Asian countries like China, South Korea and Japan, there are farming traditions, in which the familial and small-scale farmland holding and agricultural production mode are deep-rooted. Traditional agriculture and rural areas are not fundamentally changed by industrialization and modernization process. And the small-scale peasant in the East is marked by the decentralized possession of farmland and management in the rural areas and a large number of farmers to be remained. But the rural population keeps decreasing. After analyzing the status quo of human settlements in China, Korea and Japan, the paper makes an analysis from the different ways of thinking and professional perspective and focuses on putting forward the solutions to the problems on macro level, with the feasibility of the practical significance and the landing researches still staying in the testing stage. In the context of increasingly missing regional and contextual features, the launching and researches of “co-constructed community” as the folk protection way to emerging rural heritage are just started, and the researches on rural construction in Northeast China from the perspective of catalyst are absent. The contact agent with the catalytic action mechanism of seeing big things through small ones fits the rural areas marked by vast territory and diversified aspect, which is applicable to the bottom-up operation mechanism autonomously built by the villagers.

An examination of the social determinants of health as factors related to health, healing and prevention of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in a northern context – the brightening our home fires project, Northwest Territories, Canada

PubMed Central

Badry, Dorothy; Felske, Aileen Wight

2013-01-01

Objective The Brightening Our Home Fires (BOHF) project was conceptualized as an exploratory project to examine the issue of the prevention of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) from a women's health perspective in the Northwest Territories (NT). While dominant discourse suggests that FASD is preventable by abstention from alcohol during pregnancy, a broader perspective would indicate that alcohol and pregnancy is a far more complex issue, that is, bound in location, economics, social and cultural views of health. This project was prevention focused and a social determinant of health (SDH) perspective informed this research. Methods The BOHF project was a qualitative research project using a participatory action research framework to examine women's health and healing in the north. The methodology utilized was Photovoice. Women were provided training in digital photography and given cameras to use and keep. The primary research question utilized was: What does health and healing look like for you in your community? Women described their photos, individually or in groups around this central topic. This research was FASD informed, and women participants were aware this was an FASD prevention funded project whose approach focused on a broader context of health and lived experience. Results This project drew 30 participants from: Yellowknife, Lutsel ‘ke, Behchokö and Ulukhaktok. These four different communities across the NT represented Dene and Inuit culture. The qualitative data analysis offered themes of importance to women's health in the north including: land and tradition; housing; poverty; food; family; health, mental health and trauma, and travel. Photovoice provides a non-threatening way to engage in dialogue on complex health and social issues. PMID:23984290

Psychosocial Adaptation to Chronic Illness and Disability: A Virtue Based Model.

PubMed

Kim, Jeong Han; McMahon, Brian T; Hawley, Carolyn; Brickham, Dana; Gonzalez, Rene; Lee, Dong-Hun

2016-03-01

Psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability (CID) is an area of study where a positive psychology perspective, especially the study of virtues and character strengths, can be implemented within the rehabilitation framework. A carefully developed theory to guide future interdisciplinary research is now timely. A traditional literature review between philosophy and rehabilitation psychology was conducted in order to develop a virtue-based psychosocial adaptation theory, merging important perspectives from the fields of rehabilitation and positive psychology. The virtue-based psychosocial adaptation model (V-PAM) to CID is proposed in the present study. The model involves five qualities or constructs: courage, practical wisdom, commitment to action, integrity and emotional transcendence. Each of these components of virtue contributes to an understanding of psychosocial adaptation. The present study addresses the implications and applications of V-PAM that will advance this understanding.

The impact of prison staff responses on self-harming behaviours: prisoners' perspectives.

PubMed

Marzano, Lisa; Ciclitira, Karen; Adler, Joanna

2012-03-01

To further understanding of how health and correctional staff responses to self-harming behaviours influence prisoners and their subsequent actions. Participant-centred, qualitative methods were used to explore the complex and under-researched perspectives of self-harming male prisoners. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adult male prisoners who had engaged in repetitive, non-suicidal self-harm during their current prison sentence, or considered doing so. The interviews were analyzed drawing on principles of thematic analysis and discourse analysis. With some exceptions, prison officers, nurses, and doctors are portrayed by prisoners as being ill-prepared to deal with repetitive self-harm, often displaying actively hostile attitudes and behaviours. These findings underscore the need for appropriate training, support and supervision for staff working with self-harming prisoners. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Vicariously touching products through observing others' hand actions increases purchasing intention, and the effect of visual perspective in this process: An fMRI study.

PubMed

Liu, Yi; Zang, Xuelian; Chen, Lihan; Assumpção, Leonardo; Li, Hong

2018-01-01

The growth of online shopping increases consumers' dependence on vicarious sensory experiences, such as observing others touching products in commercials. However, empirical evidence on whether observing others' sensory experiences increases purchasing intention is still scarce. In the present study, participants observed others interacting with products in the first- or third-person perspective in video clips, and their neural responses were measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We investigated (1) whether and how vicariously touching certain products affected purchasing intention, and the neural correlates of this process; and (2) how visual perspective interacts with vicarious tactility. Vicarious tactile experiences were manipulated by hand actions touching or not touching the products, while the visual perspective was manipulated by showing the hand actions either in first- or third-person perspective. During the fMRI scanning, participants watched the video clips and rated their purchasing intention for each product. The results showed that, observing others touching (vs. not touching) the products increased purchasing intention, with vicarious neural responses found in mirror neuron systems (MNS) and lateral occipital complex (LOC). Moreover, the stronger neural activities in MNS was associated with higher purchasing intention. The effects of visual perspectives were found in left superior parietal lobule (SPL), while the interaction of tactility and visual perspective was shown in precuneus and precuneus-LOC connectivity. The present study provides the first evidence that vicariously touching a given product increased purchasing intention and the neural activities in bilateral MNS, LOC, left SPL and precuneus are involved in this process. Hum Brain Mapp 39:332-343, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Pathway to Learner Autonomy: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Pingying; Zhang, Jiaxiu

2017-01-01

Concepts of learner autonomy and the self-determination theory provided a theoretical rationale for the action program for learner autonomy. The action program incorporated satisfying learners' basic psychological needs into English Foreign Language (EFL) course education. The action program was implemented for one academic year. Both qualitative…

Action Learning in Virtual Higher Education: Applying Leadership Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtin, Joseph

2016-01-01

This paper reports the historical foundation of Northeastern University's course, LDR 6100: Developing Your Leadership Capability, a partial literature review of action learning (AL) and virtual action learning (VAL), a course methodology of LDR 6100 requiring students to apply leadership perspectives using VAL as instructed by the author,…

Evolution of the knowledge system for agricultural development in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico.

PubMed

McCullough, Ellen B; Matson, Pamela A

2016-04-26

Knowledge systems-networks of linked actors, organizations, and objects that perform a number of knowledge-related functions that link knowledge and know how with action-have played a key role in fostering agricultural development over the last 50 years. We examine the evolution of the knowledge system of the Yaqui Valley, Mexico, a region often described as the home of the green revolution for wheat, tracing changes in the functions of critical knowledge system participants, information flows, and research priorities. Most of the knowledge system's key players have been in place for many decades, although their roles have changed in response to exogenous and endogenous shocks and trends (e.g., drought, policy shifts, and price trends). The system has been agile and able to respond to challenges, in part because of the diversity of players (evolving roles of actors spanning research-decision maker boundaries) and also because of the strong and consistent role of innovative farmers. Although the agricultural research agenda in the Valley is primarily controlled from within the agricultural sector, outside voices have become an important influence in broadening development- and production-oriented perspectives to sustainability perspectives.

Seeing Meaning in Action: A Bidirectional Link between Visual Perspective and Action Identification Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libby, Lisa K.; Shaeffer, Eric M.; Eibach, Richard P.

2009-01-01

Actions do not have inherent meaning but rather can be interpreted in many ways. The interpretation a person adopts has important effects on a range of higher order cognitive processes. One dimension on which interpretations can vary is the extent to which actions are identified abstractly--in relation to broader goals, personal characteristics,…

An Action Plan for FCS. Putting the Family Perspective into Healthcare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riportella, Roberta

2005-01-01

Family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals often are called upon to work with groups that are seeking to create healthier communities. This article offers an expanded perspective on what it means to include a family focus in these discussions and it answers the question, How does a family perspective lead to different solutions for creating…

Collaborative multicenter trials in Latin America: challenges and opportunities in orthopedic and trauma surgery.

PubMed

Moraes, Vinicius Ynoe de; Belloti, Joao Carlos; Faloppa, Flavio; Bhandari, Mohit

2013-01-01

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Orthopedic research agendas should be considered from a worldwide perspective. Efforts should be planned as the means for obtaining evidence that is valid for health promotion with global outreach. DESIGN AND SETTING Exploratory study conducted at Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil, and McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. METHODS We identified and analyzed collaborative and multicenter research in Latin America, taking into account American and Canadian efforts as the reference points. We explored aspects of the data available from official sources and used data from traffic accidents as a model for discussing collaborative research in these countries. RESULTS The evaluation showed that the proportion of collaborative and multicenter studies in our setting is small. A brief analysis showed that the death rate due to traffic accidents is very high. Thus, it seems clear to us that initiatives involving collaborative studies are important for defining and better understanding the patterns of injuries resulting from orthopedic trauma and the forms of treatment. Orthopedic research may be an important tool for bringing together orthopedic surgeons, researchers and medical societies for joint action. CONCLUSIONS We have indicated some practical guidelines for initiatives in collaborative research and have proposed some solutions with a summarized plan of action for conducting evidence-based research involving orthopedic trauma.

[Methodology for an appreciative, dynamic and collaborative process: 3rd Canary Islands (Spain) Health Plan].

PubMed

O'Shanahan Juan, José Joaquín; Hernández Rodríguez, Miguel Ángel; Del Otero Sanz, Laura; Henríquez Suárez, José Andrés; Mahtani Chugani, Vinita

The need for new approaches to strategic planning by incorporating the perspectives of professionals and inhabitants has led to a new model for the 3rd Canary Islands (Spain) Health Plan (IIIPSC). A dual-phase participatory process using qualitative techniques is proposed: 1) local phase: a quantitative and qualitative study based on training and a research-action-participation initiative; and 2) insular phase: health conferences with face-to-face discussion of results in each health area (island) and proposals for action. The process prioritises problems and establishes a specific action plan for each island through initiatives that are considered to be viable, grouped by themes and weighted according to the potential impact on priority problems. This process of interaction may help to guide planning model changes and health policy decision-making, and was included in the IIIPSC Project for its parliamentary procedure. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Conflicting Epistemologies and Inference in Coupled Human and Natural Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, M. E.

2017-12-01

Last year, I presented a model that projects per capita water consumption based on changes in price, population, building codes, and water stress salience. This model applied methods from hydrological science and engineering to relationships both within and beyond their traditional scope. Epistemologically, the development of mathematical models of natural or engineered systems is objectivist while research examining relationships between observations, perceptions and action is commonly constructivist or subjectivist. Drawing on multiple epistemologies is common in, and perhaps central to, the growing fields of coupled human and natural systems, and socio-hydrology. Critically, these philosophical perspectives vary in their view of the nature of the system as mechanistic, adaptive or constructed, and the split between aleatory and epistemic uncertainty. Interdisciplinary research is commonly cited as a way to address the critical and domain crossing challenge of sustainability as synthesis across perspectives can offer a more comprehensive view of system dynamics. However, combining methods and concepts from multiple ontologies and epistemologies can introduce contradictions into the logic of inference. These contractions challenge the evaluation of research products and the implications for practical application of research findings are not fully understood. Reflections on the evaluation, application, and generalization of the water consumption model described above are used to ground these broader questions and offer thoughts on the way forward.

Competition as rational action: Why young children cannot appreciate competitive games

PubMed Central

Priewasser, Beate; Roessler, Johannes; Perner, Josef

2013-01-01

Understanding rational actions requires perspective taking both with respect to means and with respect to objectives. This study addresses the question of whether the two kinds of perspective taking develop simultaneously or in sequence. It is argued that evidence from competitive behavior is best suited for settling this issue. A total of 71 kindergarten children between 3 and 5 years of age participated in a competitive game of dice and were tested on two traditional false belief stories as well as on several control tasks (verbal intelligence, inhibitory control, and working memory). The frequency of competitive poaching moves in the game correlated with correct predictions of mistaken actions in the false belief task. Hierarchical linear regression after controlling for age and control variables showed that false belief understanding significantly predicted the amount of poaching moves. The results speak for an interrelated development of the capacity for “instrumental” and “telic” perspective taking. They are discussed in the light of teleology as opposed to theory use and simulation. PMID:23182381

The point of no return: A fundamental limit on the ability to control thought and action.

PubMed

Logan, Gordon D

2015-01-01

Bartlett (1958. Thinking. New York: Basic Books) described the point of no return as a point of irrevocable commitment to action, which was preceded by a period of gradually increasing commitment. As such, the point of no return reflects a fundamental limit on the ability to control thought and action. I review the literature on the point of no return, taking three perspectives. First, I consider the point of no return from the perspective of the controlled act, as a locus in the architecture and anatomy of the underlying processes. I review experiments from the stop-signal paradigm that suggest that the point of no return is located late in the response system. Then I consider the point of no return from the perspective of the act of control that tries to change the controlled act before it becomes irrevocable. From this perspective, the point of no return is a point in time that provides enough "lead time" for the act of control to take effect. I review experiments that measure the response time to the stop signal as the lead time required for response inhibition in the stop-signal paradigm. Finally, I consider the point of no return in hierarchically controlled tasks, in which there may be many points of no return at different levels of the hierarchy. I review experiments on skilled typing that suggest different points of no return for the commands that determine what is typed and the countermands that inhibit typing, with increasing commitment to action the lower the level in the hierarchy. I end by considering the point of no return in perception and thought as well as action.

Changing perspectives on pearly mussels, North America's most imperiled animals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strayer, David L.; Downing, John A.; Haag, Wendell R.; King, Timothy L.; Layzer, James B.; Newton, Teresa J.; Nichols, S. Jerrine

2004-01-01

Pearly mussels (Unionacea) are widespread, abundant, and important in freshwater ecosystems around the world. Catastrophic declines in pearly mussel populations in North America and other parts of the world have led to a flurry of research on mussel biology, ecology, and conservation. Recent research on mussel feeding, life history, spatial patterning, and declines has augmented, modified, or overturned long-held ideas about the ecology of these animals. Pearly mussel research has begun to benefit from and contribute to current ideas about suspension feeding, life-history theory, metapopulations, flow refuges, spatial patterning and its effects, and management of endangered species. At the same time, significant gaps in understanding and apparent paradoxes in pearly mussel ecology have been exposed. To conserve remaining mussel populations, scientists and managers must simultaneously and aggressively pursue both rigorous research and conservation actions.

The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation.

PubMed

Ng, Betsy

2018-01-26

Our actions can be triggered by intentions, incentives or intrinsic values. Recent neuroscientific research has yielded some results about the growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. With the advances in neuroscience and motivational studies, there is a global need to utilize this information to inform educational practice and research. Yet, little is known about the neuroscientific interplay between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. This paper attempts to draw on the theories of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation, together with contemporary ideas in neuroscience, outline the potential for neuroscientific research in education. It aims to shed light on the relationship between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in terms of supporting a growth mindset to facilitate intrinsic motivation through neural responses. Recent empirical research from the educational neuroscience perspective that provides insights into the interplay between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation will also be discussed.

The Impact of Education on Views of Homosexuality in the Senior Clergy of Hidalgo County, Texas.

PubMed

Park, John; Perez, Pamela R; Ramírez-Johnson, Johnny

2016-06-01

This study explores clergy perspectives on homosexuality and mental health. Interviews were conducted with 245 senior clergy of faith-based organizations in Hidalgo County, Texas. Analyses revealed that the less education the individual had, the more likely he or she viewed homosexuals as being more psychologically disturbed than heterosexuals. Clergy also expressed uncertainty in their views and actions regarding referral practices. A need for clergy education on views of homosexuality is documented. Suggestions are made for future research and education.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilbert, Jack A.; Quinn, Robert A.; Debelius, Justine

Rapid advances in DNA sequencing, metabolomics, proteomics and computation dramatically increase accessibility of microbiome studies and identify links between the microbiome and disease. Microbial time-series and multiple molecular perspectives enable Microbiome-Wide Association Studies (MWAS), analogous to Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Rapid research advances point towards actionable results, although approved clinical tests based on MWAS are still in the future. Appreciating the complexity of interactions between diet, chemistry, health and the microbiome, and determining the frequency of observations needed to capture and integrate this dynamic interface, is paramount for addressing the need for personalized and precision microbiome-based diagnostics and therapies.

An opportunity: improving client services during disaster relief.

PubMed

Helferich, Omar Keith; Griggs, John E

2006-11-01

Access to current, accurate, and relevant information is mandatory for effective disaster response. In-field observations, reviews of after-action reports, and basic research indicate that this most basic of requirements is not being met. Participating disaster recovery parties, in particular environmental health agencies, lack clarity about their exact roles and lack the most basic of technological solutions that could support any given role definition. There is a need, from both cost and training perspectives, for a single, integrated solution covering risk-based routine inspections, abnormalities, and major incidents.

"It's like Tuskegee in reverse": a case study of ethical tensions in institutional review board review of community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Malone, Ruth E; Yerger, Valerie B; McGruder, Carol; Froelicher, Erika

2006-11-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) addresses the social justice dimensions of health disparities by engaging marginalized communities, building capacity for action, and encouraging more egalitarian relationships between researchers and communities. CBPR may challenge institutionalized academic practices and the understandings that inform institutional review board deliberations and, indirectly, prioritize particular kinds of research. We present our attempt to study, as part of a CBPR partnership, cigarette sales practices in an inner-city community. We use critical and communitarian perspectives to examine the implications of the refusal of the university institutional review board (in this case, the University of California, San Francisco) to approve the study. CBPR requires expanding ethical discourse beyond the procedural, principle-based approaches common in biomedical research settings. The current ethics culture of academia may sometimes serve to protect institutional power at the expense of community empowerment.

Embodying Others in Immersive Virtual Reality: Electro-Cortical Signatures of Monitoring the Errors in the Actions of an Avatar Seen from a First-Person Perspective.

PubMed

Pavone, Enea Francesco; Tieri, Gaetano; Rizza, Giulia; Tidoni, Emmanuele; Grisoni, Luigi; Aglioti, Salvatore Maria

2016-01-13

Brain monitoring of errors in one's own and other's actions is crucial for a variety of processes, ranging from the fine-tuning of motor skill learning to important social functions, such as reading out and anticipating the intentions of others. Here, we combined immersive virtual reality and EEG recording to explore whether embodying the errors of an avatar by seeing it from a first-person perspective may activate the error monitoring system in the brain of an onlooker. We asked healthy participants to observe, from a first- or third-person perspective, an avatar performing a correct or an incorrect reach-to-grasp movement toward one of two virtual mugs placed on a table. At the end of each trial, participants reported verbally how much they embodied the avatar's arm. Ratings were maximal in first-person perspective, indicating that immersive virtual reality can be a powerful tool to induce embodiment of an artificial agent, even through mere visual perception and in the absence of any cross-modal boosting. Observation of erroneous grasping from a first-person perspective enhanced error-related negativity and medial-frontal theta power in the trials where human onlookers embodied the virtual character, hinting at the tight link between early, automatic coding of error detection and sense of embodiment. Error positivity was similar in 1PP and 3PP, suggesting that conscious coding of errors is similar for self and other. Thus, embodiment plays an important role in activating specific components of the action monitoring system when others' errors are coded as if they are one's own errors. Detecting errors in other's actions is crucial for social functions, such as reading out and anticipating the intentions of others. Using immersive virtual reality and EEG recording, we explored how the brain of an onlooker reacted to the errors of an avatar seen from a first-person perspective. We found that mere observation of erroneous actions enhances electrocortical markers of error detection in the trials where human onlookers embodied the virtual character. Thus, the cerebral system for action monitoring is maximally activated when others' errors are coded as if they are one's own errors. The results have important implications for understanding how the brain can control the external world and thus creating new brain-computer interfaces. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/360268-12$15.00/0.

Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Pain: Mode of Action.

PubMed

Vallejo, Ricardo; Bradley, Kerry; Kapural, Leonardo

2017-07-15

Literature review. A review of the literature that presents a perspective on mechanisms of actions behind spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy for chronic pain. SCS is an effective therapeutic alternative for the treatment of intractable chronic pain. Its application has been mostly based on the gate control theory of pain. Computational models have been fundamental on the understanding of clinical observations and the design of therapies that provide optimal neuromodulation. Research has provided insight into the involvement of specific neurotransmitters that support segmental and supraspinal mechanisms of action. A literature review was performed with emphasis on mechanisms of action for SCS including the effects of electrical fields on spinal cord structures based on computational models and preclinical and clinical explorations. This review provides background on the development of SCS, which has been driven around a paresthesia-based paradigm as a result of the gate control theory. A review of computational models emphasizes their importance on our current understanding of the mechanism of action and clinical optimization of therapy. Electrophysiology and molecular biology have provided a closer, yet narrow, view of the effect of SCS on neurotransmitters and their receptors, which have led to the formulation of segmental and supraspinal mechanisms. Literature supporting the involvement of glial cells in chronic pain and their characteristic response to electrical fields should motivate further investigation of mechanisms involving neuroglia. Finally, a review of recent results paresthesia-free strategies should encourage research on mechanisms of action. The mechanisms of SCS have been extensively studied and several consistent phenomena have emerged. The activation of A-beta fibers to induce paresthesia also involve neurotransmitter release via segmental and supraspinal pathways. Despite advancements, much remains to be understood, particularly as new stimulation strategies are developed. N /A.

Building and Using Digital Repository Certifications across Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, L.

2017-12-01

When scientific recommendations are made based upon research, the quality and integrity of the data should be rigorous enough to verify claims and in a trusted location. Key to ensuring the transparency and verifiability of research, reproducibility hinges not only on the availability of the documentation, analyses, and data, but the ongoing accessibility and viability of the files and documents, enhanced through a process of curation. The Research Data Alliance (RDA) is an international, community-driven, action-oriented, virtual organization committed to enabling the open sharing of data by building social and technical bridges. Within the RDA, multiple groups are working on consensus-building around the certification of digital repositories across scientific domains. For this section of the panel, we will discuss the work to date on repository certification from this RDA perspective.

From Results to Action - Implementing an Indoor Air Quality Pilot Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, A. M.; Ware, G. E.; Iwasaki, P. G.; Billingsley, L. R.; Main, D.; Hannigan, M.; Pfotenhauer, D.

2016-12-01

One of the key differences between community-based participatory research (CBPR) and more conventional scientific research is the expectation that a project does not end with finalized results, but rather with taking action based on those results. Using an indoor air quality pilot project as an example, we will discuss how the consideration of potential actions and applications for the project findings should be integrated into planning throughout the life of a project. We will also share general reflections on effective CBPR from the perspective of both science and community partners on the project. In 2015, Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart (TNH2H), a community-based organization in Northeast Denver, researchers from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and AGU's Thriving Earth Exchange partnered to conduct a pilot project investigating indoor air quality in a Denver community. This partnership formed in response to community concerns about potential environmental contamination from dry cleaning operations, specifically through spills of the compound perchloroethylene. The exploration of the presence of radon, another indoor air quality concern common across the state of Colorado, was also added to the project. Using an iterative process, the team designed a sampling plan, selected a target location, and recruited homes and residents to participate in the pilot project. Radon and perchloroethylene data were then collected in 15 homes. Following data collection, results were first shared with project participants, after which de-identified data were shared with the members of TNH2H. Together TNH2H and researchers then developed strategies for public dissemination of the project findings. While we did not find levels of percholorethylene above the `action level' in any of the participating homes; however, we did find more frequent occurrences of radon levels above the `action level' than we had anticipated. For example, 80% of the homes in our study had radon levels requiring remediation while the reported average percentage for the Denver County is only 40% of homes. These results are currently driving our partnership to pursue actions that will lower residents' exposure to radon and improve public health in the TNH2H communities.

An Enactivist Perspective on Teaching Mathematics: Reconceptualising and Expanding Teaching Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Towers, Jo; Proulx, Jerome

2013-01-01

We reject a trajectory approach to teaching that classifies "good" and "bad" teaching actions and seeks to move teachers' practices from one of these poles to the other. In this article we offer instead a conceptualisation of mathematics teaching actions as a "landscape of possibilities". We draw together terms…

Franchisees in Crisis: Using Action Learning to Self-Organise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donoghue, Carol

2011-01-01

The present article describes the use of action learning by a group of 30 franchisees to organise themselves and work through a period of upheaval and uncertainty when their parent company faced liquidation. Written from the perspective of one of the franchisees who found herself adopting action learning principles to facilitate the group, it…

A current perspective on medical informatics and health sciences librarianship

PubMed Central

Perry, Gerald J.; Roderer, Nancy K.; Assar, Soraya

2005-01-01

Objective: The article offers a current perspective on medical informatics and health sciences librarianship. Narrative: The authors: (1) discuss how definitions of medical informatics have changed in relation to health sciences librarianship and the broader domain of information science; (2) compare the missions of health sciences librarianship and health sciences informatics, reviewing the characteristics of both disciplines; (3) propose a new definition of health sciences informatics; (4) consider the research agendas of both disciplines and the possibility that they have merged; and (5) conclude with some comments about actions and roles for health sciences librarians to flourish in the biomedical information environment of today and tomorrow. Summary: Boundaries are disappearing between the sources and types of and uses for health information managed by informaticians and librarians. Definitions of the professional domains of each have been impacted by these changes in information. Evolving definitions reflect the increasingly overlapping research agendas of both disciplines. Professionals in these disciplines are increasingly functioning collaboratively as “boundary spanners,” incorporating human factors that unite technology with health care delivery. PMID:15858622

Culture and cognition in health systems change.

PubMed

Evans, Jenna M; Baker, G Ross; Berta, Whitney; Barnsley, Jan

2015-01-01

Large-scale change involves modifying not only the structures and functions of multiple organizations, but also the mindsets and behaviours of diverse stakeholders. This paper focuses on the latter: the informal, less visible, and often neglected psychological and social factors implicated in change efforts. The purpose of this paper is to differentiate between the concepts of organizational culture and mental models, to argue for the value of applying a shared mental models (SMM) framework to large-scale change, and to suggest directions for future research. The authors provide an overview of SMM theory and use it to explore the dynamic relationship between culture and cognition. The contributions and limitations of the theory to change efforts are also discussed. Culture and cognition are complementary perspectives, providing insight into two different levels of the change process. SMM theory draws attention to important questions that add value to existing perspectives on large-scale change. The authors outline these questions for future research and argue that research and practice in this domain may be best served by focusing less on the potentially narrow goal of "achieving consensus" and more on identifying, understanding, and managing cognitive convergences and divergences as part of broader research and change management programmes. Drawing from both cultural and cognitive paradigms can provide researchers with a more complete picture of the processes by which coordinated action are achieved in complex change initiatives in the healthcare domain.

Adding Perspective: Predicting Adolescent Sunscreen Use with an Extended Health Action Process Approach.

PubMed

Schüz, Natalie; Schüz, Benjamin; Eid, Michael

2016-07-01

Diseases such as skin cancer often have a very long latency period. For adolescents, especially, it may be difficult to grasp that current risk behavior is related to future health outcomes. This study examines the role of health-related time perspective (i.e. the degree to which short-term outcomes are discounted over long-time health benefits) within the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). More specifically, based on expectancy*value theory, we tested whether time perspective interacts with self-efficacy, the central variable in this approach. A longitudinal study with three measurement points across one year assessed 156 high school students. Data were analyzed using structural equation models. While time perspective had no direct association with sunscreen use intentions, there was an interaction effect with self-efficacy; the shorter the time perspective, the smaller the association of self-efficacy with intention. Intention in turn predicted planning and sunscreen use at Time 3 (one year later). In order to maximise the impact of early onset measures for skin cancer prevention targeting the motivation for sunscreen use in adolescents, time perspective should be addressed in comprehensive sun protection interventions. © 2016 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Perspectives to Performance of Environment and Health Assessments and Models—From Outputs to Outcomes?

PubMed Central

Pohjola, Mikko V.; Pohjola, Pasi; Tainio, Marko; Tuomisto, Jouni T.

2013-01-01

The calls for knowledge-based policy and policy-relevant research invoke a need to evaluate and manage environment and health assessments and models according to their societal outcomes. This review explores how well the existing approaches to assessment and model performance serve this need. The perspectives to assessment and model performance in the scientific literature can be called: (1) quality assurance/control, (2) uncertainty analysis, (3) technical assessment of models, (4) effectiveness and (5) other perspectives, according to what is primarily seen to constitute the goodness of assessments and models. The categorization is not strict and methods, tools and frameworks in different perspectives may overlap. However, altogether it seems that most approaches to assessment and model performance are relatively narrow in their scope. The focus in most approaches is on the outputs and making of assessments and models. Practical application of the outputs and the consequential outcomes are often left unaddressed. It appears that more comprehensive approaches that combine the essential characteristics of different perspectives are needed. This necessitates a better account of the mechanisms of collective knowledge creation and the relations between knowledge and practical action. Some new approaches to assessment, modeling and their evaluation and management span the chain from knowledge creation to societal outcomes, but the complexity of evaluating societal outcomes remains a challenge. PMID:23803642

Comparative study of group treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Maxwell, Kendal; Callahan, Jennifer L; Holtz, Pamela; Janis, Beth M; Gerber, Monica M; Connor, Dana R

2016-12-01

Presented herein is a comparative study of group treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, an emerging intervention, memory specificity training (MeST), was compared with cognitive processing therapy (CPT) using standardized outcome measures of target symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depression from client perspective; memory specificity from independent rater perspective) and global functioning (independent rater perspective), as well as a process measure of expectancy (client perspective). Clients were assessed on 3 separate occasions: at baseline, posttreatment, and 3 months posttreatment. Adherence and treatment fidelity (independent rater perspective) were monitored throughout the course of both treatment conditions. Improvement in PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and global functioning were similar between MeST and CPT; an increase in ability to specify memories upon retrieval was also similar between MeST and CPT. Positive reliable change was observed in both groups on all outcome measures. With respect to the primary target of PTSD symptoms, 88% of participants in both treatment groups moved into the functional distribution by posttreatment and maintained these gains at follow-up. Notably, compared with CPT, MeST required only half the dosage (i.e., number of sessions) to accomplish these gains. Illustrative vignettes from client-therapist exchanges are provided, and results are discussed in terms of the potential mechanisms of action. Implications for both clinical practice and clinical research are also included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Researcher and Institutional Review Board Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of Reporting Back Biomonitoring and Environmental Exposure Results

PubMed Central

Ohayon, Jennifer Liss; Cousins, Elicia; Brown, Phil; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Brody, Julia Green

2017-01-01

As the number of personal exposure studies expands and trends favor greater openness and transparency in the health sciences, ethical issues arise around reporting back individual results for contaminants without clear health guidelines. Past research demonstrates that research participants want their results even when the health implications are not known. The experiences of researchers and institutional review boards (IRBs) in studies that have reported personal chemical exposures can provide insights about ethical and practical approaches while also revealing areas of continued uncertainty. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 researchers and nine IRB members from seven personal exposure studies across the United States to investigate their experiences and attitudes about the report-back process. Researchers reported multiple benefits of report-back, including increasing retention and recruitment, advancing environmental health literacy, empowering study participants to take actions to reduce exposures, encouraging shifts in government and industry practices, and helping researchers discover sources of exposure through participant consultation. Researchers also reported challenges, including maintaining ongoing contact with participants, adopting protocols for notification of high exposures to chemicals without health guidelines, developing meaningful report-back materials, and resource limitations. IRB members reported concern for potential harm to participants, such as anxiety about personal results and counterproductive behavior changes. In contrast, researchers who have conducted personal report-back in their studies said that participants did not appear overly alarmed and noted that worry can be a positive outcome to motivate action to reduce harmful exposures. While key concerns raised during the early days of report-back have been substantially resolved for scientists with report-back experience, areas of uncertainty remain. These include ethical tensions surrounding the responsibility of researchers to leverage study results and resources to assist participants in policy or community-level actions to reduce chemical exposures, and how to navigate report-back to vulnerable populations. PMID:27960129

Lifelong Learning in Action: Hong Kong Practitioners' Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cribbin, John, Ed.; Kennedy, Peter, Ed.

This document consists of 32 papers presenting Hong Kong practitioners' perspectives on lifelong learning. The following papers are included: "Lifelong Learning" (Albert Tuijnman); "Growth and Development of Lifelong Learning in Hong Kong " (John Cribbin); "Competition and Collaboration" (John Cribbin); "A…

Climate change effects on human health in a gender perspective: some trends in Arctic research.

PubMed

Natalia, Kukarenko

2011-01-01

Climate change and environmental pollution have become pressing concerns for the peoples in the Arctic region. Some researchers link climate change, transformations of living conditions and human health. A number of studies have also provided data on differentiating effects of climate change on women's and men's well-being and health. To show how the issues of climate and environment change, human health and gender are addressed in current research in the Arctic. The main purpose of this article is not to give a full review but to draw attention to the gaps in knowledge and challenges in the Arctic research trends on climate change, human health and gender. A broad literature search was undertaken using a variety of sources from natural, medical, social science and humanities. The focus was on the keywords. Despite the evidence provided by many researchers on differentiating effects of climate change on well-being and health of women and men, gender perspective remains of marginal interest in climate change, environmental and health studies. At the same time, social sciences and humanities, and gender studies in particular, show little interest towards climate change impacts on human health in the Arctic. As a result, we still observe the division of labour between disciplines, the disciplinary-bound pictures of human development in the Arctic and terminology confusion. Efforts to bring in a gender perspective in the Arctic research will be successful only when different disciplines would work together. Multidisciplinary research is a way to challenge academic/disciplinary homogeneity and their boundaries, to take advantage of the diversity of approaches and methods in production of new integrated knowledge. Cooperation and dialogue across disciplines will help to develop adequate indicators for monitoring human health and elaborating efficient policies and strategies to the benefit of both women and men in the Arctic. Global Health Action 2011. © 2011 Kukarenko Natalia.

Holistic actions are essential to combat the global public health burden of non-viral sexually transmitted infections: challenges and future perspectives.

PubMed

Unemo, Magnus

2014-06-01

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) represent a significant international public health burden. These infections result in substantial morbidity, mortality and economic costs globally, and require more attention and resources internationally. This special focus issue of Expert Review of Anti Infective Therapy invited key opinion leaders to review and discuss the challenges associated with the diagnosis and treatment of non-viral STIs. The issue also elucidates the future perspectives, ways forward and holistic actions imperative to effectively combat these STIs.

Multifunctional encoding system for assessment of movable cultural heritage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tornari, V.; Bernikola, E.; Osten, W.; Groves, R. M.; Marc, G.; Hustinx, G. M.; Kouloumpi, E.; Hackney, S.

2007-07-01

This is an introductory paper of a recent EC project dealing with research in cultural heritage and aiming to communicate new fields of application for optical metrology techniques. The project is in its initial state and more conclusive information is expected to be available at the time of the perspective conference. Nowadays safety, ethical, economical and security issues as well as the increase demand for loaning of art objects for exhibitions in transit, are forcing the Conservation Community to undertake strong initiatives and actions against various types of mistreatment, damage or fraud, during transportation of movable Cultural Heritage. Therefore the interest directs to the development of innovative methodologies and instrumentation to respond to critical aspects of increased importance in cultural heritage preservation, among which of prior consideration are: to secure proper treatment, assess probable damage, fight fraud actions in transportation.

A Community-Based Participatory Planning Process and Multilevel Intervention Design: Toward Eliminating Cardiovascular Health Inequities

PubMed Central

Schulz, Amy J.; Israel, Barbara A.; Coombe, Chris M.; Gaines, Causandra; Reyes, Angela G.; Rowe, Zachary; Sand, Sharon; Strong, Larkin L.; Weir, Sheryl

2010-01-01

The elimination of persistent health inequities requires the engagement of multiple perspectives, resources and skills. Community-based participatory research is one approach to developing action strategies that promote health equity by addressing contextual as well as individual level factors, and that can contribute to addressing more fundamental factors linked to health inequity. Yet many questions remain about how to implement participatory processes that engage local insights and expertise, are informed by the existing public health knowledge base, and build support across multiple sectors to implement solutions. We describe a CBPR approach used to conduct a community assessment and action planning process, culminating in development of a multilevel intervention to address inequalities in cardiovascular disease in Detroit, Michigan. We consider implications for future efforts to engage communities in developing strategies toward eliminating health inequities. PMID:21873580

Games people play-toward an enactive view of cooperation in social neuroscience.

PubMed

Engemann, Denis A; Bzdok, Danilo; Eickhoff, Simon B; Vogeley, Kai; Schilbach, Leonhard

2012-01-01

The field of social neuroscience has made considerable progress in unraveling the neural correlates of human cooperation by making use of brain imaging methods. Within this field, neuroeconomic research has drawn on paradigms from experimental economics, such as the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) and the Trust Game. These paradigms capture the topic of conflict in cooperation, while focusing strongly on outcome-related decision processes. Cooperation, however, does not equate with that perspective, but relies on additional psychological processes and events, including shared intentions and mutually coordinated joint action. These additional facets of cooperation have been successfully addressed by research in developmental psychology, cognitive science, and social philosophy. Corresponding neuroimaging data, however, is still sparse. Therefore, in this paper, we present a juxtaposition of these mutually related but mostly independent trends in cooperation research. We propose that the neuroscientific study of cooperation could benefit from paradigms and concepts employed in developmental psychology and social philosophy. Bringing both to a neuroimaging environment might allow studying the neural correlates of cooperation by using formal models of decision-making as well as capturing the neural responses that underlie joint action scenarios, thus, promising to advance our understanding of the nature of human cooperation.

Games people play—toward an enactive view of cooperation in social neuroscience

PubMed Central

Engemann, Denis A.; Bzdok, Danilo; Eickhoff, Simon B.; Vogeley, Kai; Schilbach, Leonhard

2012-01-01

The field of social neuroscience has made considerable progress in unraveling the neural correlates of human cooperation by making use of brain imaging methods. Within this field, neuroeconomic research has drawn on paradigms from experimental economics, such as the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) and the Trust Game. These paradigms capture the topic of conflict in cooperation, while focusing strongly on outcome-related decision processes. Cooperation, however, does not equate with that perspective, but relies on additional psychological processes and events, including shared intentions and mutually coordinated joint action. These additional facets of cooperation have been successfully addressed by research in developmental psychology, cognitive science, and social philosophy. Corresponding neuroimaging data, however, is still sparse. Therefore, in this paper, we present a juxtaposition of these mutually related but mostly independent trends in cooperation research. We propose that the neuroscientific study of cooperation could benefit from paradigms and concepts employed in developmental psychology and social philosophy. Bringing both to a neuroimaging environment might allow studying the neural correlates of cooperation by using formal models of decision-making as well as capturing the neural responses that underlie joint action scenarios, thus, promising to advance our understanding of the nature of human cooperation. PMID:22675293

Future challenges for occupational health services can be prevented by proactive collaboration with the companies using the services: a participatory and reflection project

PubMed Central

Lydell, Marie; Hildingh, Cathrine; Söderbom, Arne; Ziegert, Kristina

2017-01-01

Background There is clearly a need for research in the field of occupational health service (OHS) for applying new perspectives. Proactive collaboration is needed between the OHSs and the companies. The customers of the companies using the services should be able to safeguard themselves from the health problems caused by the work environment through proactive collaboration with the OHSs. Objective The main purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to explore how the stakeholders reflected to create and agree on core values for future challenges in OHS, as seen from the perspectives of OHS professionals and customer companies. Methodology An action research process was conducted. This study was divided into three phases. In phase I, the data were collected from interviews and diaries of interdisciplinary occupational health professionals (n=12). A focus group that sampled the eight managers of the customer companies was also included. In phase II, a questionnaire was developed with 24 questions focusing on examining the future challenges for OHS. The questionnaire was sent to customer companies (n=116). In phase III, a scoping review was undertaken. Results Three categories emerged from the analysis: “Balancing complex situations” clarified the complexity regarding senior employees; “Working with a proactive approach” indicated the need for working with a new proactive approach supporting sustainable health; and “Collaborate internally and externally” showed good relationships between the customer and the OHS, which is a mutual responsibility to both the partners. Conclusion The results outlined that it is necessary to take action to apply new proactive health promotions, with a focus on workplace health promotion. The results also indicated that interventions for senior employees are of importance. This study was done in collaboration with the stakeholders from the occupational health care service center and the managers from the customer companies. The use of a participatory research design, including close collaboration with the participants, allows the researchers to see the challenges. PMID:28579793

Future challenges for occupational health services can be prevented by proactive collaboration with the companies using the services: a participatory and reflection project.

PubMed

Lydell, Marie; Hildingh, Cathrine; Söderbom, Arne; Ziegert, Kristina

2017-01-01

There is clearly a need for research in the field of occupational health service (OHS) for applying new perspectives. Proactive collaboration is needed between the OHSs and the companies. The customers of the companies using the services should be able to safeguard themselves from the health problems caused by the work environment through proactive collaboration with the OHSs. The main purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to explore how the stakeholders reflected to create and agree on core values for future challenges in OHS, as seen from the perspectives of OHS professionals and customer companies. An action research process was conducted. This study was divided into three phases. In phase I, the data were collected from interviews and diaries of interdisciplinary occupational health professionals (n=12). A focus group that sampled the eight managers of the customer companies was also included. In phase II, a questionnaire was developed with 24 questions focusing on examining the future challenges for OHS. The questionnaire was sent to customer companies (n=116). In phase III, a scoping review was undertaken. Three categories emerged from the analysis: "Balancing complex situations" clarified the complexity regarding senior employees; "Working with a proactive approach" indicated the need for working with a new proactive approach supporting sustainable health; and "Collaborate internally and externally" showed good relationships between the customer and the OHS, which is a mutual responsibility to both the partners. The results outlined that it is necessary to take action to apply new proactive health promotions, with a focus on workplace health promotion. The results also indicated that interventions for senior employees are of importance. This study was done in collaboration with the stakeholders from the occupational health care service center and the managers from the customer companies. The use of a participatory research design, including close collaboration with the participants, allows the researchers to see the challenges.

Current significant challenges in the decommissioning and environmental remediation of radioactive facilities: A perspective from outside the nuclear industry.

PubMed

Gil-Cerezo, V; Domínguez-Vilches, E; González-Barrios, A J

2017-05-01

This paper presents the results of implementing an extrajudicial environmental mediation procedure in the socioenvironmental conflict associated with routine operation of the El Cabril Disposal Facility for low- and medium- activity radioactive waste (Spain). We analyse the socio-ethical perspective of this facility's operation with regard to its nearby residents, detailing the structure and development of the environmental mediation procedure through the participation of society and interested parties who are or may become involved in such a conflict. The research, action, and participation method was used to apply the environmental mediation procedure. This experience provides lessons that could help improve decision-making processes in nuclear or radioactive facility decommissioning projects or in environmental remediation projects dealing with ageing facilities or with those in which nuclear or radioactive accidents/incidents may have occurred. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technological innovations and the rise of social inequalities in health.

PubMed

Weiss, Daniel; Eikemo, Terje Andreas

2017-11-01

Social inequalities in health have been categorised as a human-rights issue that requires action. Unfortunately, these inequalities are on the rise in many countries, including welfare states. Various theories have been offered to explain the persistence (and rise) of these inequalities over time, including the social determinants of health and fundamental cause theory. Interestingly, the rise of modern social inequalities in health has come at a time of great technological innovation. This article addresses whether these technological innovations are significantly influencing the persistence of modern social inequalities in health. A theoretical argument is offered for this potential connection and is discussed alongside the typical social determinants of health perspective and the increasingly popular fundamental cause perspective. This is followed by a proposed research agenda for further investigation of the potential role that technological innovations may play in influencing social inequalities in health.

Japanese parents' perception of disclosing the diagnosis of cancer to their children.

PubMed

Watanabe, Akiko; Nunes, Terezinha; de Abreu, Guida

2014-01-01

In Japan, the practice of disclosing the diagnosis of cancer to young people varies between hospitals. Some hospitals respect parent's wishes and do not to tell young people about their diagnoses whereas others encourage parents to adopt their policy of informing patients. Unfortunately, there is no research about parents' adjustment to either course of action. This study examines parents' perspectives regarding this decision. Parents (55) and grand-parents (3) were interviewed about their experience of sharing or not sharing the diagnosis with their children. Analysis of the interviews reveals a complex picture in which parents struggle to balance their emotions, their representation of 'cancer as death', their views of their children's level of understanding as well as the positive and negative effects of disclosure on their children. We suggest that knowledge of parents' perspectives can be useful to health professionals who support parents living with this dilemma.

Oral health technicians in Brazilian primary health care: potentials and constraints.

PubMed

Aguiar, Dulce Maria Lucena de; Tomita, Nilce Emy; Machado, Maria de Fátima Antero Sousa; Martins, Cleide Lavieri; Frazão, Paulo

2014-07-01

Different perspectives on the role of mid-level workers in health care might represent a constraint to health policies. This study aimed to investigate how different agents view the participation of oral health technicians in direct activities of oral healthcare with the goal of understanding the related symbolic dispositions. Theoretical assumptions related to inter-professional collaboration and conflicts in the field of healthcare were used for this analysis. A researcher conducted 24 in-depth interviews with general dental practitioners, oral health technicians and local managers. The concepts of Pierre Bourdieu supported the data interpretation. The results indicated inter-professional relations marked by collaboration and conflict that reflect an action space related to different perspectives of primary care delivery. They also unveiled the symbolic devices related to the participation of oral health technicians that represent a constraint to the implementation of oral health policy, thus reducing the potential of primary health care in Brazil.

When West Meets East: Generalizing Theory and Expanding the Conceptual Toolkit of Criminology.

PubMed

Messner, Steven F

2015-06-01

This paper considers the ways in which established criminological theories born and nurtured in the West might need to be transformed to be applicable to the context of East Asian societies. The analyses focus on two theoretical perspectives-Situational Action Theory and Institutional Anomie Theory-that are located at opposite ends of the continuum with respect to levels of analysis. I argue that the accumulated evidence from cross-cultural psychology and criminological research in East Asian societies raises serious questions about the feasibility of simply transporting these perspectives from the West to the East. Instead, my analyses suggest that the formulation of theoretical explanations of crime that are truly universal will require criminologists to create and incorporate new concepts that are more faithful to the social realities of non-Western societies, societies such as those in East Asia and Asia more generally.

Visual perception from the perspective of a representational, non-reductionistic, level-dependent account of perception and conscious awareness

PubMed Central

Overgaard, Morten; Mogensen, Jesper

2014-01-01

This article proposes a new model to interpret seemingly conflicting evidence concerning the correlation of consciousness and neural processes. Based on an analysis of research of blindsight and subliminal perception, the reorganization of elementary functions and consciousness framework suggests that mental representations consist of functions at several different levels of analysis, including truly localized perceptual elementary functions and perceptual algorithmic modules, which are interconnections of the elementary functions. We suggest that conscious content relates to the ‘top level’ of analysis in a ‘situational algorithmic strategy’ that reflects the general state of an individual. We argue that conscious experience is intrinsically related to representations that are available to guide behaviour. From this perspective, we find that blindsight and subliminal perception can be explained partly by too coarse-grained methodology, and partly by top-down enhancing of representations that normally would not be relevant to action. PMID:24639581

Bacteriocinogenic LAB Strains for Fermented Meat Preservation: Perspectives, Challenges, and Limitations.

PubMed

Favaro, Lorenzo; Todorov, Svetoslav Dimitrov

2017-12-01

Over the last decades, much research has focused on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) bacteriocins because of their potential as biopreservatives and their action against the growth of spoilage microbes. Meat and fermented meat products are prone to microbial contamination, causing health risks, as well as economic losses in the meat industry. The use of bacteriocin-producing LAB starter or protective cultures is suitable for fermented meats. However, although bacteriocins can be produced during meat processing, their levels are usually much lower than those achieved during in vitro fermentations under optimal environmental conditions. Thus, the direct addition of a bacteriocin food additive would be desirable. Moreover, safety and technological characteristics of the bacteriocinogenic LAB must be considered before their widespread applications. This review describes the perspectives and challenges toward the complete disclosure of new bacteriocins as effective preservatives in the production of safe and "healthy" fermented meat products.

An overview of rapamycin: from discovery to future perspectives.

PubMed

Yoo, Young Ji; Kim, Hanseong; Park, Sung Ryeol; Yoon, Yeo Joon

2017-05-01

Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive metabolite produced from several actinomycete species. Besides its immunosuppressive activity, rapamycin and its analogs have additional therapeutic potentials, including antifungal, antitumor, neuroprotective/neuroregenerative, and lifespan extension activities. The core structure of rapamycin is derived from (4R,5R)-4,5-dihydrocyclohex-1-ene-carboxylic acid that is extended by polyketide synthase. The resulting linear polyketide chain is cyclized by incorporating pipecolate and further decorated by post-PKS modification enzymes. Herein, we review the discovery and biological activities of rapamycin as well as its mechanism of action, mechanistic target, biosynthesis, and regulation. In addition, we introduce the many efforts directed at enhancing the production of rapamycin and generating diverse analogs and also explore future perspectives in rapamycin research. This review will also emphasize the remarkable pilot studies on the biosynthesis and production improvement of rapamycin by Dr. Demain, one of the world's distinguished scientists in industrial microbiology and biotechnology.

Perspectives for elucidating the ethylenediurea (EDU) mode of action for protection against O3 phytotoxicity.

PubMed

Agathokleous, Evgenios

2017-08-01

Ethylenediurea (EDU) has been widely studied for its effectiveness to protect plants against injuries caused by surface ozone (O 3 ), however its mode of action remains unclear. So far, there is not a unified methodological approach and thus the methodology is quite arbitrary, thereby making it more difficult to generalize findings and understand the EDU mode of action. This review examines the question of whether potential N addition to plants by EDU is a fundamental underlying mechanism in protecting against O 3 phytotoxicity. Yet, this review proposes an evidence-based hypothesis that EDU may protect plants against O 3 deleterious effects upon generation of EDU-induced hormesis, i.e. by activating plant defense at low doses. This hypothesis challenges the future research directions. Revealing a hormesis-based EDU mode of action in protecting plants against O 3 toxicity would have further implications to ecotoxicology and environmental safety. Furthermore, this review discusses the need for further studies on plant metabolism under EDU treatment through relevant experimental approach, and attempts to set the bases for approaching a unified methodology that will contribute in revealing the EDU mode of action. In this framework, focus is given to the main EDU application methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental Education: Some Global and Local Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lisowski, Marilin; Williams, Robert

1993-01-01

Environmental education is an interdisciplinary approach that draws on biology, mathematics, chemistry, social studies, and humanities and provides a balanced, comprehensive perspective. Knowledge and skills required are applicable to regional, statewide, and global concerns. Methods include infusion, issue investigation and action, and educating…

Love of the World: Civic Skills for Jobs, Work, and Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronan, Bernie

2016-01-01

This chapter looks at civic learning and democratic engagement from the perspective of political philosophy to suggest the essential cognitive, affective, and political skills needed for careers of fulfilling public work and for civic action.

Mapping Intellectual Resources: Insights from Critical Modernism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Regan, Philip; O'Donnell, David

2000-01-01

Intellectual capital and the management and use of an organization's intellectual resources can be understood from the perspective of Habermas' theory of communicative action. The systematic and reciprocal relations of communicative action create value through the mechanisms of exchange. (SK)

On the Nature of Verb-Noun Dissociations in Bilectal SLI: A Psycholinguistic Perspective from Greek

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kambanaros, Maria; Grohmann, Kleanthes K.; Michaelides, Michalis; Theodorou, Eleni

2014-01-01

We report on object and action picture-naming accuracy in two groups of bilectal speakers in Cyprus, children with typical language development (TLD) and children with specific language impairment (SLI). Object names were overall better retrieved than action names by both groups. Given that comprehension for action names was relatively intact for…

Defining Health Research for Development: The perspective of stakeholders from an international health research partnership in Ghana and Tanzania.

PubMed

Ward, Claire Leonie; Shaw, David; Anane-Sarpong, Evelyn; Sankoh, Osman; Tanner, Marcel; Elger, Bernice

2017-05-03

The study uses a qualitative empirical method to define Health Research for Development. This project explores the perspectives of stakeholders in an international health research partnership operating in Ghana and Tanzania. We conducted 52 key informant interviews with major stakeholders in an international multicenter partnership between GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, Vaccine Developer) and the global health nonprofit organisation PATH and its Malaria Vaccine Initiative program (PATH/MVI, Funder-Development Partner), (RTS, S) (NCT00866619). The respondents included teams from four clinical research centres (two centres in Ghana and two in Tanzania) and various collaborating partners. This paper analyses responses to the question: What is Health Research for Development? Based on the stakeholders' experience the respondents offered many ways of defining Health Research for Development. The responses fell into four broad themes: i) Equitable Partnerships; ii) System Sustainability; iii) Addressing Local Health Targets, and iv) Regional Commitment to Benefit Sharing. Through defining Health Research for Development six key learning points were generated from the four result themes: 1) Ensure there is local research leadership working with the collaborative partnership, and local healthcare system, to align the project agenda and activities with local research and health priorities; 2) Know the country-specific context - map the social, health, legislative and political setting; 3) Define an explicit development component and plan of action in a research project; 4) Address the barriers and opportunities to sustain system capacity. 5) Support decentralised health system decision-making to facilitate the translation pathway; 6) Govern, monitor and evaluate the development components of health research partnerships. Overall, equity and unity between partners are required to deliver health research for development. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A complex-network perspective on Alexander's wholeness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Bin

2016-12-01

The wholeness, conceived and developed by Christopher Alexander, is what exists to some degree or other in space and matter, and can be described by precise mathematical language. However, it remains somehow mysterious and elusive, and therefore hard to grasp. This paper develops a complex network perspective on the wholeness to better understand the nature of order or beauty for sustainable design. I bring together a set of complexity-science subjects such as complex networks, fractal geometry, and in particular underlying scaling hierarchy derived by head/tail breaks - a classification scheme and a visualization tool for data with a heavy-tailed distribution, in order to make Alexander's profound thoughts more accessible to design practitioners and complexity-science researchers. Through several case studies (some of which Alexander studied), I demonstrate that the complex-network perspective helps reduce the mystery of wholeness and brings new insights to Alexander's thoughts on the concept of wholeness or objective beauty that exists in fine and deep structure. The complex-network perspective enables us to see things in their wholeness, and to better understand how the kind of structural beauty emerges from local actions guided by the 15 fundamental properties, and in particular by differentiation and adaptation processes. The wholeness goes beyond current complex network theory towards design or creation of living structures.

Informatics in clinical research in oncology: current state, challenges, and a future perspective.

PubMed

Chahal, Amar P S

2011-01-01

The informatics landscape of clinical trials in oncology has changed significantly in the last 10 years. The current state of the infrastructure for clinical trial management, execution, and data management is reviewed. The systems, their functionality, the users, and the standards available to researchers are discussed from the perspective of the oncologist-researcher. Challenges in complexity and in the processing of information are outlined. These challenges include the lack of communication and information-interchange between systems, the lack of simplified standards, and the lack of implementation and adherence to the standards that are available. The clinical toxicology criteria from the National Cancer Institute (CTCAE) are cited as a successful standard in oncology, and HTTP on the Internet is referenced for its simplicity. Differences in the management of information standards between industries are discussed. Possible future advances in oncology clinical research informatics are addressed. These advances include strategic policy review of standards and the implementation of actions to make standards free, ubiquitous, simple, and easily interpretable; the need to change from a local data-capture- or transaction-driven model to a large-scale data-interpretation model that provides higher value to the oncologist and the patient; and the need for information technology investment in a readily available digital educational model for clinical research in oncology that is customizable for individual studies. These new approaches, with changes in information delivery to mobile platforms, will set the stage for the next decade in clinical research informatics.

The Symbolic Value and Limitations of Racial Concordance in Minority Research Engagement

PubMed Central

Fryer, Craig S.; Passmore, Susan R.; Maietta, Raymond C.; Petruzzelli, Jeff; Casper, Erica; Brown, Natasha A.; Butler, James; Garza, Mary A.; Thomas, Stephen B.; Quinn, Sandra C.

2015-01-01

The well-documented underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in research demands action. The field of health disparities research, however, lacks scientific consensus about how best to respectfully recruit underrepresented minority populations in research. We explore the investigators’ perspective regarding how their own racial and ethnic background influenced their ability to recruit minorities, including 1) the influence of racial concordance (“race-matching”) in research recruitment, 2) attributes and shared values important in the development of trust with minority communities, and 3) the role self-reflection plays in the development of meaningful research relationships. In 2010, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured, telephone interviews with investigators (N=31) experienced with minority populations. Through the analysis of this coherent narrative, we uncovered both the symbolic and surface level assumptions regarding minority recruitment to expose a deep structure understanding of race, ethnicity, and social context that are critical for bridging the true social difference between researchers and participants. PMID:25769299

The Point of No Return

PubMed Central

Logan, Gordon D.

2015-01-01

Bartlett (1958) described the point of no return as a point of irrevocable commitment to action, which was preceded by a period of gradually increasing commitment. As such, the point of no return reflects a fundamental limit on the ability to control thought and action. I review the literature on the point of no return, taking three perspectives. First, I consider the point of no return from the perspective of the controlled act, as a locus in the architecture and anatomy of the underlying processes. I review experiments from the stop-signal paradigm that suggest that the point of no return is located late in the response system. Then I consider the point of no return from the perspective of the act of control that tries to change the controlled act before it becomes irrevocable. From this perspective, the point of no return is a point in time that provides enough “lead time” for the act of control to take effect. I review experiments that measure the response time to the stop signal as the lead time required for response inhibition in the stop-signal paradigm. Finally, I consider the point of no return in hierarchically controlled tasks, in which there may be many points of no return at different levels of the hierarchy. I review experiments on skilled typing that suggest different points of no return for the commands that determine what is typed and the countermands that inhibit typing, with increasing commitment to action the lower the level in the hierarchy. I end by considering the point of no return in perception and thought as well as action. PMID:25633089

Correlates of Research Effort in Carnivores: Body Size, Range Size and Diet Matter

PubMed Central

Brooke, Zoe M.; Bielby, Jon; Nambiar, Kate; Carbone, Chris

2014-01-01

Given the budgetary restrictions on scientific research and the increasing need to better inform conservation actions, it is important to identify the patterns and causes of biases in research effort. We combine bibliometric information from a literature review of almost 16,500 peer-reviewed publications on a well-known group of 286 species, the Order Carnivora, with global datasets on species' life history and ecological traits to explore patterns in research effort. Our study explores how species' characteristics influenced the degree to which they were studied (measured as the number of publications). We identified a wide variation in intensity of research effort at both Family and Species levels, with some of the least studied being those which may need protection in future. Our findings hint at the complex role of human perspectives in setting research agendas. We found that better-studied species tended to be large-bodied and have a large geographic range whilst omnivory had a negative relationship with research effort. IUCN threat status did not exhibit a strong relationship with research effort which suggests that the conservation needs of individual species are not major drivers of research interest. This work is the first to use a combination of bibliometric analysis and biological data to quantify and interpret gaps in research knowledge across an entire Order. Our results could be combined with other resources, such as Biodiversity Action Plans, to prioritise and co-ordinate future research effort, whilst our methods can be applied across many scientific disciplines to describe knowledge gaps. PMID:24695422

The dilemma of dual use biological research: Polish perspective.

PubMed

Czarkowski, Marek

2010-03-01

Biological research with legitimate scientific purpose that may be misused to pose a biological threat to public health and/or national security is termed dual use. In Poland there are adequate conditions for conducting experiments that could be qualified as dual use research, and therefore, a risk of attack on Poland or other countries exists. Optimal solutions for limiting such threats are required, and the national system of biosecurity should enable early, reliable, and complete identification of this type of research. Scientists should have a fundamental role in this process, their duty being to immediately, upon identification, report research with dual use potential. An important entity in the identification system of dual use research should also be the Central Register of Biological and Biomedical Research, which gathers information about all biological and biomedical research being conducted in a given country. Publishers, editors, and review committees of journals and other scientific publications should be involved in evaluating results of clinical trials. The National Council of Biosecurity should be the governmental institution responsible for developing a system of dual use research threat prevention. Its role would be to develop codes of conduct, form counsel of expertise, and monitor the problem at national level, while the Dual Use Research Committee would be responsible for individual cases. In Poland, current actions aiming to provide biological safety were based on developing and passing an act about genetically modified organisms (GMO's) and creating a GMO Committee. Considering experiences of other nations, one should view these actions as fragmentary, and thus insufficient protection against dual use research threats.

The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation

PubMed Central

Ng, Betsy

2018-01-01

Our actions can be triggered by intentions, incentives or intrinsic values. Recent neuroscientific research has yielded some results about the growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. With the advances in neuroscience and motivational studies, there is a global need to utilize this information to inform educational practice and research. Yet, little is known about the neuroscientific interplay between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. This paper attempts to draw on the theories of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation, together with contemporary ideas in neuroscience, outline the potential for neuroscientific research in education. It aims to shed light on the relationship between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in terms of supporting a growth mindset to facilitate intrinsic motivation through neural responses. Recent empirical research from the educational neuroscience perspective that provides insights into the interplay between growth mindset and intrinsic motivation will also be discussed. PMID:29373496

The Coordination Dynamics of Observational Learning: Relative Motion Direction and Relative Phase as Informational Content Linking Action-Perception to Action-Production.

PubMed

Buchanan, John J

2016-01-01

The primary goal of this chapter is to merge together the visual perception perspective of observational learning and the coordination dynamics theory of pattern formation in perception and action. Emphasis is placed on identifying movement features that constrain and inform action-perception and action-production processes. Two sources of visual information are examined, relative motion direction and relative phase. The visual perception perspective states that the topological features of relative motion between limbs and joints remains invariant across an actor's motion and therefore are available for pickup by an observer. Relative phase has been put forth as an informational variable that links perception to action within the coordination dynamics theory. A primary assumption of the coordination dynamics approach is that environmental information is meaningful only in terms of the behavior it modifies. Across a series of single limb tasks and bimanual tasks it is shown that the relative motion and relative phase between limbs and joints is picked up through visual processes and supports observational learning of motor skills. Moreover, internal estimations of motor skill proficiency and competency are linked to the informational content found in relative motion and relative phase. Thus, the chapter links action to perception and vice versa and also links cognitive evaluations to the coordination dynamics that support action-perception and action-production processes.

Cortisol and DHEA in development and psychopathology.

PubMed

Kamin, Hayley S; Kertes, Darlene A

2017-03-01

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol are the most abundant hormones of the human fetal and adult adrenals released as end products of a tightly coordinated endocrine response to stress. Together, they mediate short- and long-term stress responses and enable physiological and behavioral adjustments necessary for maintaining homeostasis. Detrimental effects of chronic or repeated elevations in cortisol on behavioral and emotional health are well documented. Evidence for actions of DHEA that offset or oppose those of cortisol has stimulated interest in examining their levels as a ratio, as an alternate index of adrenocortical activity and the net effects of cortisol. Such research necessitates a thorough understanding of the co-actions of these hormones on physiological functioning and in association with developmental outcomes. This review addresses the state of the science in understanding the role of DHEA, cortisol, and their ratio in typical development and developmental psychopathology. A rationale for studying DHEA and cortisol in concert is supported by physiological data on the coordinated synthesis and release of these hormones in the adrenal and by their opposing physiological actions. We then present evidence that researching cortisol and DHEA necessitates a developmental perspective. Age-related changes in DHEA and cortisol are described from the perinatal period through adolescence, along with observed associations of these hormones with developmental psychopathology. Along the way, we identify several major knowledge gaps in the role of DHEA in modulating cortisol in typical development and developmental psychopathology with implications for future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Career Theory from an International Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guichard, Jean; Lenz, Janet

2005-01-01

The Career Theory in an International Perspective group highlighted 7 approaches: action theory, self-construction model, transition model, dynamics of entering the workforce, narrative in career guidance, dilemma approach, and interactive identity construction. Three main characteristics appear to be common to these different contributions: (a)…

Competition as rational action: why young children cannot appreciate competitive games.

PubMed

Priewasser, Beate; Roessler, Johannes; Perner, Josef

2013-10-01

Understanding rational actions requires perspective taking both with respect to means and with respect to objectives. This study addresses the question of whether the two kinds of perspective taking develop simultaneously or in sequence. It is argued that evidence from competitive behavior is best suited for settling this issue. A total of 71 kindergarten children between 3 and 5 years of age participated in a competitive game of dice and were tested on two traditional false belief stories as well as on several control tasks (verbal intelligence, inhibitory control, and working memory). The frequency of competitive poaching moves in the game correlated with correct predictions of mistaken actions in the false belief task. Hierarchical linear regression after controlling for age and control variables showed that false belief understanding significantly predicted the amount of poaching moves. The results speak for an interrelated development of the capacity for "instrumental" and "telic" perspective taking. They are discussed in the light of teleology as opposed to theory use and simulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding gender differences in m-health adoption: a modified theory of reasoned action model.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaofei; Guo, Xitong; Lai, Kee-Hung; Guo, Feng; Li, Chenlei

2014-01-01

Mobile health (m-health) services are becoming increasingly popular in healthcare, but research on m-health adoption is rare. This study was designed to obtain a better understanding of m-health adoption intention. We conducted an empirical research of a 481-respondent sample consisting of 44.7% women and 55.3% men and developed a modified theory of reasoned action (TRA) model by incorporating the nonlinearities between attitude and subjective norms and the moderating effect of gender. The results indicate that, based on the study population in China: (1) facilitating conditions, attitude, and subjective norms are significant predictors of m-health adoption intention; (2) the model including the nonlinearities enhances its explanatory ability; (3) males enjoy a higher level of m-health adoption intention compared with females; (4) the modified TRA model can predict men's behavior intention better than that of women; and (5) males have an Edgeworth-Pareto substitutability between attitude and subjective norms in predicting m-health adoption intention. Thus, we found gender differences in m-health adoption from the perspective of social psychology.

Conservation without borders: building communication and action across disciplinary boundaries for effective conservation.

PubMed

Margles, Shawn W; Peterson, Richard B; Ervin, Jamison; Kaplin, Beth A

2010-01-01

Interdisciplinary approaches to conservation research and environmental management continue to garner interest among practitioners, academics, and students. Yet, cases of practitioners and researchers from different disciplines successfully working in concert towards an integrated conservation approach are rare. What is preventing practitioners of multiple disciplines from harmoniously working together? Why are practitioners and academics struggling to apply their graduate training to real world conservation? What is preventing the benefits of cooperation and partnerships between different disciplines addressing conservation from being realized? This special issue "Conservation without Borders: Building Communication and Action across Disciplinary Boundaries for Effective Conservation" asks readers to consider the numerous interpretations and implications of the phrase "Conservation without Borders" and to reflect on how different academic and disciplinary lenses can contribute to a more integrated approach to tackling conservation challenges. The articles that comprise this special issue offer readers insights into the ways in which different disciplines view conservation work and interdisciplinary approaches to environmental problems. Bringing these perspectives and approaches together in one place is a step towards improving communication across disciplines for the purpose of achieving more successful biodiversity conservation.

Dimensionality and R4P: A Health Equity Framework for Research Planning and Evaluation in African American Populations.

PubMed

Hogan, Vijaya; Rowley, Diane L; White, Stephanie Baker; Faustin, Yanica

2018-02-01

Introduction Existing health disparities frameworks do not adequately incorporate unique interacting contributing factors leading to health inequities among African Americans, resulting in public health stakeholders' inability to translate these frameworks into practice. Methods We developed dimensionality and R4P to integrate multiple theoretical perspectives into a framework of action to eliminate health inequities experienced by African Americans. Results The dimensional framework incorporates Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, and includes dimensions of time-past, present and future. Dimensionality captures the complex linear and non-linear array of influences that cause health inequities, but these pathways do not lend themselves to approaches to developing empirically derived programs, policies and interventions to promote health equity. R4P provides a framework for addressing the scope of actions needed. The five components of R4P are (1) Remove, (2) Repair, (3) Remediate, (4) Restructure and (5) Provide. Conclusion R4P is designed to translate complex causality into a public health equity planning, assessment, evaluation and research tool.

Improving a health information system for real-time data entries: An action research project using socio-technical systems theory.

PubMed

Adaba, Godfried Bakiyem; Kebebew, Yohannes

2018-03-01

This paper presents the findings of an action research (AR) project to improve a health information system (HIS) at the Operating Theater Department (OTD) of a National Health Service (NHS) hospital in South East England, the UK. Informed by socio-technical systems (STS) theory, AR was used to design an intervention to enhance an existing patient administration system (PAS) to enable data entries in real time while contributing to the literature. The study analyzed qualitative data collected through interviews, participant observations, and document reviews. The study found that the design of the PAS was unsuitable to the work of the three units of the OTD. Based on the diagnoses and STS theory, the project developed and implemented a successful intervention to enhance the legacy system for data entries in real time. The study demonstrates the value of AR from a socio-technical perspective for improving existing systems in healthcare settings. The steps adopted in this study could be applied to improve similar systems. A follow-up study will be essential to assess the sustainability of the improved system.

Perspectives on Phytochemicals as Antibacterial Agents: An Outstanding Contribution to Modern Therapeutics.

PubMed

Khatri, Savita; Kumar, Manish; Phougat, Neetu; Chaudhary, Renu; Chhillar, Anil Kumar

2016-01-01

Despite the considerable advancements in the development of antimicrobial agents, incidents of epidemics due to multi drug resistance in microorganisms have created a massive hazard to mankind. Due to increased resistance against conventional antibiotics, researchers and pharmaceutical industries are more concerned about novel therapeutic agents for the prevention of bacterial infections. Enormous wealth of traditional system of medicine gains importance in health therapies over again. With ancient credentials of potent medicinal plants, various herbal remedies came forward for the management of bacterial infections. The Ayurvedic approach facilitates the development of new therapeutic agents due to structural and functional diversity among phytochemicals. The abundance and diversity is responsible for the characterization of new lead structures from medicinal plants. Industrial interest has increased due to recent research advancements viz. synergistic and high-throughput screening approach for the evaluation of vast variety of phytochemicals. The review certainly emphasizes on the traditional medicines as alternatives to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. The review briefly describes mode of action of various antibiotics and resistance mechanisms. This review focuses on the chemical diversity and various mechanisms of action of phytochemicals against bacterial pathogens.

Children's preference for social stories.

PubMed

Barnes, Jennifer L; Bloom, Paul

2014-02-01

Many scholars have proposed theories to explain the appeal of fictional stories, but relatively little research has examined this issue from a developmental perspective. Here, we investigate the role that social and mental content play in attracting children to stories. In Experiment 1, 4- to 8-year-old children preferred stories that contained people over those that focused on objects. In Experiment 2, children preferred stories with mental content over stories that were described purely in terms of action, while in Experiment 3, children preferred stories with more characters to those with fewer but did not prefer stories that contained mental states embedded in other mental states. No age effects were found. These results are discussed in terms of theories of fiction, and directions are suggested for future research.

Prefrontal cortex as a meta-reinforcement learning system.

PubMed

Wang, Jane X; Kurth-Nelson, Zeb; Kumaran, Dharshan; Tirumala, Dhruva; Soyer, Hubert; Leibo, Joel Z; Hassabis, Demis; Botvinick, Matthew

2018-06-01

Over the past 20 years, neuroscience research on reward-based learning has converged on a canonical model, under which the neurotransmitter dopamine 'stamps in' associations between situations, actions and rewards by modulating the strength of synaptic connections between neurons. However, a growing number of recent findings have placed this standard model under strain. We now draw on recent advances in artificial intelligence to introduce a new theory of reward-based learning. Here, the dopamine system trains another part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, to operate as its own free-standing learning system. This new perspective accommodates the findings that motivated the standard model, but also deals gracefully with a wider range of observations, providing a fresh foundation for future research.

Effectiveness of the implementation of an evidence-based nursing model using participatory action research in oncohematology: research protocol.

PubMed

Abad-Corpa, Eva; Meseguer-Liza, Cristobal; Martínez-Corbalán, José Tomás; Zárate-Riscal, Lourdes; Caravaca-Hernández, Amor; Paredes-Sidrach de Cardona, Antonio; Carrillo-Alcaraz, Andrés; Delgado-Hito, Pilar; Cabrero-García, Julio

2010-08-01

To generate changes in nursing practice introducing an evidence-based clinical practice (EBCP) model through a participatory process. To evaluate the effectiveness of the changes in terms of nurse-sensitive outcome (NSO). For international nursing science, it is necessary to explore the reasons for supporting EBCP and evaluate the real repercussions and effectiveness. A mixed methods study with a sequential transformative design will be conducted in the bone marrow transplant unit of a tertiary-level Spanish hospital, in two time periods >12 months (date of approval of the protocol: 2006). To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, we will use a prospective quasi-experimental design with two non-equivalent and non-concurrent groups. NSO and patient health data will be collected: (a) impact of psycho-social adjustment; (b) patient satisfaction; (c) symptom control; (d) adverse effects. All patients admitted during the period of time will be included, and all staff working on the unit during a participatory action research (PAR). The PAR design will be adopted from a constructivist paradigm perspective, following Checkland's "Soft Systems" theoretical model. Qualitative techniques will be used: 2-hour group meetings with nursing professionals, to be recorded and transcribed. Field diaries (participants and researchers) will be drawn up and data analysis will be carried out by content analysis. PAR is a rigorous research method for introducing changes into practice to improve NSO.

[Gender inequalities in research in public health and epidemiology in Spain (2007-2014)].

PubMed

García-Calvente, María Del Mar; Ruiz-Cantero, María Teresa; Del Río-Lozano, María; Borrell, Carme; López-Sancho, M Pilar

2015-01-01

To analyse gender inequalities in research on public health and epidemiology in Spain for the period 2007-2014. A descriptive study was conducted by sex of leadership positions in the Centre for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER), especially in the subject area of epidemiology and public health (CIBERESP) in 2014; scientific societies of public health (SESPAS) and epidemiology (SEE) 2009-2014; research projects requested (13,320) and financed (4,699), and monetary amounts of calls for Strategic Action in Health (AES), 2007-2013. Women were clearly under-represented in positions of leadership and in research excellence in public health (CIBER), with a predominance of men in decision-making positions. Although research projects led by women in AES increased slightly between 2007 and 2013, among proposed projects this figure was less than 50%, with the exception of the public health commission. The gender gap was even greater in funded projects. Projects led by men were more likely to be funded, representing 29% in public health. There was also a persistence of horizontal gender segregation in positions of scientific recognition in the SESPAS and SEE Congresses. The overrepresentation of male leaders in public health research in Spain can be understood as an indicator and a consequence of androcentrism in scientific societies and professional groups. This sexist situation threatens the existence of innovative products and services from a gender perspective that respond to the needs and demands of society as a whole. More women are needed in research incorporating this perspective. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Crafting usable knowledge for sustainable development.

PubMed

Clark, William C; van Kerkhoff, Lorrae; Lebel, Louis; Gallopin, Gilberto C

2016-04-26

This paper distills core lessons about how researchers (scientists, engineers, planners, etc.) interested in promoting sustainable development can increase the likelihood of producing usable knowledge. We draw the lessons from both practical experience in diverse contexts around the world and from scholarly advances in understanding the relationships between science and society. Many of these lessons will be familiar to those with experience in crafting knowledge to support action for sustainable development. However, few are included in the formal training of researchers. As a result, when scientists and engineers first venture out of the laboratory or library with the goal of linking their knowledge with action, the outcome has often been ineffectiveness and disillusionment. We therefore articulate here a core set of lessons that we believe should become part of the basic training for researchers interested in crafting usable knowledge for sustainable development. These lessons entail at least four things researchers should know, and four things they should do. The knowing lessons involve understanding the coproduction relationships through which knowledge making and decision making shape one another in social-environmental systems. We highlight the lessons that emerge from examining those coproduction relationships through the ICAP lens, viewing them from the perspectives of Innovation systems, Complex systems, Adaptive systems, and Political systems. The doing lessons involve improving the capacity of the research community to put its understanding of coproduction into practice. We highlight steps through which researchers can help build capacities for stakeholder collaboration, social learning, knowledge governance, and researcher training.

Crafting usable knowledge for sustainable development

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This paper distills core lessons about how researchers (scientists, engineers, planners, etc.) interested in promoting sustainable development can increase the likelihood of producing usable knowledge. We draw the lessons from both practical experience in diverse contexts around the world and from scholarly advances in understanding the relationships between science and society. Many of these lessons will be familiar to those with experience in crafting knowledge to support action for sustainable development. However, few are included in the formal training of researchers. As a result, when scientists and engineers first venture out of the laboratory or library with the goal of linking their knowledge with action, the outcome has often been ineffectiveness and disillusionment. We therefore articulate here a core set of lessons that we believe should become part of the basic training for researchers interested in crafting usable knowledge for sustainable development. These lessons entail at least four things researchers should know, and four things they should do. The knowing lessons involve understanding the coproduction relationships through which knowledge making and decision making shape one another in social–environmental systems. We highlight the lessons that emerge from examining those coproduction relationships through the ICAP lens, viewing them from the perspectives of Innovation systems, Complex systems, Adaptive systems, and Political systems. The doing lessons involve improving the capacity of the research community to put its understanding of coproduction into practice. We highlight steps through which researchers can help build capacities for stakeholder collaboration, social learning, knowledge governance, and researcher training. PMID:27091979

A public health approach to eating disorders prevention: it's time for public health professionals to take a seat at the table.

PubMed

Austin, S Bryn

2012-10-09

The societal burden of eating disorders is clear, and though there is a compelling need for a public health approach to eating disorders prevention, public health professionals have yet to take up the challenge. The article lays out an argument for what steps need to be taken to bring a public health approach to eating disorders prevention. First, stock is taken of what the field has achieved so far, using tools from the prevention science literature, and, second, a research plan of action is offered that plays to the unique strengths of public health, drawing on a triggers-to-action framework from public health law. Minimal participation was found from public health professionals in eating disorders prevention research, and the vast majority of prevention research to date was found to be concentrated within the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry. Extreme disciplinary concentration of the research has led to a preponderance of individually targeted prevention strategies with little research focused on environmental targets, particularly at the macro level. New environmental initiatives are now emerging, such as a government-sponsored mass media anti-dieting campaign, and legal bans on extremely thin models in advertising, but for the most part, they have yet to be evaluated. A triggers-to-action framework, which focuses on evidentiary base, practical considerations, and political will, developed in public health law provides a basis for a strategic research plan for a public health approach to eating disorders prevention. There is enormous potential for growth in the scope and diversity of eating disorder prevention research strategies, particularly those targeting the macro environment. A public health approach will require a strategic plan for research that leverages the macro environment for prevention. The full engagement of public health professionals will bring to the field the much broader range of preventive strategies and perspectives needed to tackle the problem of eating disorders.

A public health approach to eating disorders prevention: It’s time for public health professionals to take a seat at the table

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The societal burden of eating disorders is clear, and though there is a compelling need for a public health approach to eating disorders prevention, public health professionals have yet to take up the challenge. Discussion The article lays out an argument for what steps need to be taken to bring a public health approach to eating disorders prevention. First, stock is taken of what the field has achieved so far, using tools from the prevention science literature, and, second, a research plan of action is offered that plays to the unique strengths of public health, drawing on a triggers-to-action framework from public health law. Minimal participation was found from public health professionals in eating disorders prevention research, and the vast majority of prevention research to date was found to be concentrated within the disciplines of psychology and psychiatry. Extreme disciplinary concentration of the research has led to a preponderance of individually targeted prevention strategies with little research focused on environmental targets, particularly at the macro level. New environmental initiatives are now emerging, such as a government-sponsored mass media anti-dieting campaign, and legal bans on extremely thin models in advertising, but for the most part, they have yet to be evaluated. A triggers-to-action framework, which focuses on evidentiary base, practical considerations, and political will, developed in public health law provides a basis for a strategic research plan for a public health approach to eating disorders prevention. Summary There is enormous potential for growth in the scope and diversity of eating disorder prevention research strategies, particularly those targeting the macro environment. A public health approach will require a strategic plan for research that leverages the macro environment for prevention. The full engagement of public health professionals will bring to the field the much broader range of preventive strategies and perspectives needed to tackle the problem of eating disorders. PMID:23043459

Benefits from a geographers' perspective on human-water systems - the waterscape concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evers, Mariele; Höllermann, Britta; Almoradie, Adrian; Taft, Linda

2016-04-01

Recently a couple of theoretical foundations and concepts were developed such as hydro-sociology, hydro-economics and integrated water resources management in order to structure and process parameterizations of hydrological research and reflect human-water-interrelations. However, a remaining challenge in human-water-system research is that approaches like socio-hydrology still struggle to formalize hypotheses which are capable to capture the basic driving mechanisms of the dynamic human-water system beyond optimizing algorithms or the principle of optimality or entropy as the societal values and experiences may unfold diverging policy and society responses (cf. Troy et al. 2015). Another challenge that we see is the integration of physical and social sciences with regard to the different epistemologies and perspectives: positivist thinking common in natural sciences and engineering and constructivist conceptualisation common in the social sciences. Here, geographic research seeks to acknowledge multi-spatial perspectives of the different actors and entities and their integration into the physical system that needs mutual recognition of natural and social sciences concepts, theories and methods. We suggest for human-water system research a more geographic perspective, which we call waterscape concept. Water can be regarded as a key structuring element for landscape and its management and, hence, from our perspective, the dynamics in water resources and interrelation of actors and entities in its management also helps to better understand current landscape patterns, their developments and interrelations, respectively. By our definition, a waterscape includes sources and users of water, their interactions, feedbacks and external influencing factors. It is therefore not only the physical space but rather includes the arena of actors and entities interacting. Against this understanding, waterscapes are defined by reciprocal boundary conditions which allow integrating the knowledge of natural and social sciences by acknowledging their different epistemologies, concepts and methods at the same time, hereby, fostering a true integration of the disciplines. Space and time and feedback loops are the three key factors to understand human-water interactions. Especially, by recognizing the degree of feedback sensitive system parameters can be detected and allow for emerging a set of multiple framings and possible development paths. Therefore, the geographical perspective on the waterscape concept proposes a search apart from one solution or best practice as, in our assumption, there are no single best answers because the human dimension and their action and reaction are guided also beyond perceptions, preferences, benefits and costs. Our waterscape concept allows a multi-spatial and multi-disciplinary perspective on water and its projection into space by acknowledging multiple meanings, alternative framings and possible development paths, hence fostering an integrative perspective on human-water systems. It further provides a fruitful framework for transdisciplinary research approaches since it is open and supports societal co-production and reframing of knowledge and policies. Troy, T. J., Pavao-Zuckerman, M., and Evans, T. P.: Debates Perspectives on socio-hydrology: Socio-hydrologic modeling: Tradeoffs, hypothesis testing, and validation, Water Resour Res, 51, 4806-4814, 10.1002/2015WR017046, 2015

Healthcare leadership's diversity paradox.

PubMed

Silver, Reginald

2017-02-06

Purpose The purpose of this research study was to obtain healthcare executives' perspectives on diversity in executive healthcare leadership. The study focused on identifying perspectives about diversity and its potential impact on the access of healthcare services by people of color. The study also identified perspectives about factors that influence the attainment of executive healthcare roles by people of color. Design/methodology/approach A convenience sample of healthcare executives was obtained. The executives identified themselves as belonging to one of two subgroups, White healthcare executives or executives of color. Participants were interviewed telephonically in a semi-structured format. The interviews were transcribed and entered into a qualitative software application. The data were codified and important themes were identified. Findings The majority of the study participants perceive that diversity of the executive healthcare leadership team is important. There were differences in perspective among the subgroups as it relates to solutions to improve access to healthcare by people of color. There were also differences in perspective among the subgroups, as it relates to explaining the underrepresentation of people of color in executive healthcare leadership roles. Research limitations/implications This research effort benefited from the subject matter expertise of 24 healthcare executives from two states. Expansion of the number of survey participants and broadening the geographical spread of where participants were located may have yielded more convergence and/or more divergence in perspectives about key topics. Practical implications The findings from this research study serve to add to the existing body of literature on diversity in executive healthcare leadership. The findings expand on the importance of key elements in contemporary literature such as diversity, cultural competency and perspectives about the need for representation of people of color in leadership roles that guide healthcare policy and access. This study connects contemporary literature to perspectives of executives in the field and offers practical solutions to improving the representation of people of color in executive healthcare leadership roles. Social implications The recommendations offered as a result of this research effort serve to create awareness of the challenges that people of color face in career attainment. Although the process of increasing the representation of people of color in executive healthcare leadership will be a complex task that will involve a number of players over the course of several years, this study serves to provide a practical roadmap with actionable tactics that can be deployed. Originality/value This paper is an extension of the work that was done by the author during the course of completing the program requirements for the author's doctoral program. The findings were previously discussed in the author's dissertation. The value of these findings is significant because they validate some of the topics in contemporary literature with the perspectives of practicing healthcare executives. This study is also unique from other studies in that it offers a long-term plan to increase the representation of people of color in executive roles by creating an early disposition toward executive level roles and identifies a number of practical steps toward that end.

Advancing Global Health - The Need for (Better) Social Science Comment on "Navigating Between Stealth Advocacy and Unconscious Dogmatism: The Challenge of Researching the Norms, Politics and Power of Global Health".

PubMed

Hanefeld, Johanna

2016-02-06

In his perspective "Navigating between stealth advocacy and unconscious dogmatism: the challenge of researching the norms, politics and power of global health," Ooms argues that actions taken in the field of global health are dependent not only on available resources, but on the normative premise that guides how these resources are spent. This comment sets out how the application of a predominately biomedical positivist research tradition in global health, has potentially limited understanding of the value judgements underlying decisions in the field. To redress this critical social science, including health policy analysis has much to offer, to the field of global health including on questions of governance. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Cancer as a Social Dysfunction - Why Cancer Research Needs New Thinking.

PubMed

Pienta, Kenneth J; Axelrod, Robert

2018-05-21

The incidence and mortality for many cancers continues to rise. As such, critical action is needed on many fronts to reshape how a society thinks, discusses, and fights cancer especially as the population grows and ages. Cancer can be described as a broken social contract which requires different conceptual frameworks such as game theory. To this end, it is our hope that this perspective will catalyze a discussion to rethink the way we approach, communicate, and fund cancer research - thinking of cancer as a broken social contract is only one example. Importantly, this endeavor will require infusion of ideas from other fields such as physics, computational medicine, complexity science, agent-based modeling, sociology, and ecology all of which have the capacity to drive new insights into cancer biology and clinical medicine. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Imagining others' handedness: visual and motor processes in the attribution of the dominant hand to an imagined agent.

PubMed

Marzoli, Daniele; Menditto, Silvia; Lucafò, Chiara; Tommasi, Luca

2013-08-01

In a previous study, we found that when required to imagine another person performing an action, participants reported a higher correspondence between their own dominant hand and the hand used by the imagined person when the agent was visualized from the back compared to when the agent was visualized from the front. This suggests a greater involvement of motor representations in the back-view perspective, possibly indicating a greater proneness to put oneself in the agent's shoes in such a condition. In order to assess whether bringing to the foreground the right or left hand of an imagined agent can foster the activation of the corresponding motor representations, we required 384 participants to imagine a person-as seen from the right or left side-performing a single manual action and to indicate the hand used by the imagined person during movement execution. The proportion of right- versus left-handed reported actions was higher in the right-view condition than in the left-view condition, suggesting that a lateral vantage point may activate the corresponding hand motor representations, which is in line with previous research indicating a link between the hemispheric specialization of one's own body and the visual representation of others' bodies. Moreover, in agreement with research on hand laterality judgments, the effect of vantage point was stronger for left-handers (who reported a higher proportion of right- than left-handed actions in the right-view condition and a slightly higher proportion of left- than right-handed actions in the left-view condition) than for right-handers (who reported a higher proportion of right- than left-handed actions in both view conditions), indicating that during the mental simulation of others' actions, right-handers rely on sensorimotor processes more than left-handers, while left-handers rely on visual processes more than right-handers.

EIA--A Teacher Education Project in Bangladesh: An Analysis from Diversified Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karim, Abdul; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Rahman, Mohammad Mosiur

2017-01-01

English in Action (EIA) is an ongoing teacher education project which places mobile technology at the centre of its action. Most of the studies carried out focused on the changes EIA brought in teachers' classroom actions. Along with this, they also explored the classroom to observe whether the input given during training program is implemented in…

Accountability from Several Perspectives: A Report on the 20th Mary E. Switzer Memorial Seminar (East Lansing, MI, September 24-26, 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, L. Robert, Ed.

This document presents five action papers and three invited papers originally presented at a seminar concerned with accountability in rehabilitation. Each of the five principal chapters contains three parts: an action paper, selected scholars' reaction papers (brief written responses to the action papers), and the summary of recommendations which…

Influence Actions of School Principals in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United States: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pisapia, John; Pang, Nicholas Sun-Keung

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine if Chinese school principals use influence actions differently from US principals. The concepts framing this study are leader influence actions, societal and local culture. The analysis was conducted with data from two independent studies conducted in each country using the strategic leadership questionnaire…

International Perspectives on Affirmative Action. A Bellagio Conference (Lake Como, Italy, August 16-20, 1982).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rockefeller Foundation, New York, NY.

This volume presents nine papers read at a conference on affirmative action, sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and held at Columbia University in August 1982; a preface, summary paper, and list of participants are also included. Each paper addresses the issue of affirmative action within a different country and describes: (1) the policies…

An implementation science perspective on psychological science and cancer: what is known and opportunities for research, policy, and practice.

PubMed

Rabin, Borsika; Glasgow, Russell E

2015-01-01

We discuss the role of implementation science in cancer and summarize the need for this perspective. Following a summary of key implementation science principles and lessons learned, we review the literature on implementation of cancer prevention and control activities across the continuum from prevention to palliative care. We identified 10 unique relevant reviews, four of which were specific to cancer. Multicomponent implementation strategies were found to be superior to single-component interventions, but it was not possible to draw conclusions about specific strategies or the range of conditions across which strategies were effective. Particular gaps identified include the need for more studies of health policies and reports of cost, cost-effectiveness, and resources required. Following this review, we summarize the types of evidence needed to make research findings more actionable and discuss emerging implementation science opportunities for psychological research on cancer prevention and control. These include innovative study designs (i.e., rapid learning designs, simulation modeling, comparative effectiveness, pragmatic studies, mixed-methods research) and measurement science (i.e., development of context-relevant measures; practical, longitudinal measures to gauge improvement; cost-effectiveness data; and harmonized patient report data). We conclude by identifying a few grand challenges for psychologists that if successfully addressed would accelerate integration of evidence into cancer practice and policy more consistently and rapidly. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Society and the Carbon Cycle: A Social Science Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero-Lankao, P.

2017-12-01

Societal activities, actions, and practices affect the carbon cycle and the climate of North America in complex ways. Carbon is a key component for the functioning of croplands, grasslands, forests. Carbon fuels our industry, transportation (vehicles and roadways), buildings, and other structures. Drawing on results from the SOCCR-2, this presentation uses a social science perspective to address three scientific questions. How do human actions and activities affect the carbon cycle? How human systems such as cities, agricultural field and forests are affected by changes in the carbon cycle? How is carbon management enabled and constraint by socio-political dynamics?

Parental "Intrapreneurship" in Action: Theoretical Elaboration through the Israeli Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yemini, Miri; Ramot, Rony; Sagie, Netta

2016-01-01

Parents are widely acknowledged as prominent actors in schools' success; consequently, school-parent interactions are heavily investigated from sociological, psychological, political, and cultural perspectives. By applying the "open system" perspective to schools as an eco-system, this study addresses parents as integrative stakeholders…

Too Good to be True? Ideomotor Theory from a Computational Perspective

PubMed Central

Herbort, Oliver; Butz, Martin V.

2012-01-01

In recent years, Ideomotor Theory has regained widespread attention and sparked the development of a number of theories on goal-directed behavior and learning. However, there are two issues with previous studies’ use of Ideomotor Theory. Although Ideomotor Theory is seen as very general, it is often studied in settings that are considerably more simplistic than most natural situations. Moreover, Ideomotor Theory’s claim that effect anticipations directly trigger actions and that action-effect learning is based on the formation of direct action-effect associations is hard to address empirically. We address these points from a computational perspective. A simple computational model of Ideomotor Theory was tested in tasks with different degrees of complexity. The model evaluation showed that Ideomotor Theory is a computationally feasible approach for understanding efficient action-effect learning for goal-directed behavior if the following preconditions are met: (1) The range of potential actions and effects has to be restricted. (2) Effects have to follow actions within a short time window. (3) Actions have to be simple and may not require sequencing. The first two preconditions also limit human performance and thus support Ideomotor Theory. The last precondition can be circumvented by extending the model with more complex, indirect action generation processes. In conclusion, we suggest that Ideomotor Theory offers a comprehensive framework to understand action-effect learning. However, we also suggest that additional processes may mediate the conversion of effect anticipations into actions in many situations. PMID:23162524

Slip of the tongue: Implications for evolution and language development.

PubMed

Forrester, Gillian S; Rodriguez, Alina

2015-08-01

A prevailing theory regarding the evolution of language implicates a gestural stage prior to the emergence of speech. In support of a transition of human language from a gestural to a vocal system, articulation of the hands and the tongue are underpinned by overlapping left hemisphere dominant neural regions. Behavioral studies demonstrate that human adults perform sympathetic mouth actions in imitative synchrony with manual actions. Additionally, right-handedness for precision manual actions in children has been correlated with the typical development of language, while a lack of hand bias has been associated with psychopathology. It therefore stands to reason that sympathetic mouth actions during fine precision motor action of the hands may be lateralized. We employed a fine-grained behavioral coding paradigm to provide the first investigation of tongue protrusions in typically developing 4-year old children. Tongue protrusions were investigated across a range of cognitive tasks that required varying degrees of manual action: precision motor action, gross motor action and no motor actions. The rate of tongue protrusions was influenced by the motor requirements of the task and tongue protrusions were significantly right-biased for only precision manual motor action (p<.001). From an evolutionary perspective, tongue protrusions can drive new investigations regarding how an early human communication system transitioned from hand to mouth. From a developmental perspective, the present study may serve to reveal patterns of tongue protrusions during the motor development of typically developing children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Qualitative research: which priority for scientific journals?].

PubMed

Rodella, Stefania

2016-04-01

Quantitative and qualitative approaches in scientific research should not be looked at as separate or even opposed fields of thinking and action, but could rather offer complementary perspectives in order to build appropriate answers to increasingly complex research questions. An open letter recently published by the BMJ and signed by 76 senior academics from 11 countries invite the editors to reconsider their policy of rejecting qualitative research on the grounds of low priority and challenge the journal to develop a proactive, scholarly and pluralistic approach to research that aligns with its stated mission. The contents of the letter, the many voices raised by almost fifty rapid responses and the severe but not closed responses of the editors outline a stimulating debate and hopefully prelude some "change in emphasis", ensuring that all types of research relevant to the mission of the BMJ (as well as other core journals) are considered for publication and providing an evolving landmark for scientific and educational purposes.

Past, Present and Future: Urgency of Dealing with Climate Change

EPA Science Inventory

This paper gives an historic perspective on 10 critical phases and actions in advancing an understanding of climate change and taking appropriate domestic and international action. Credit goes to atmospheric scientists for their committed efforts to understand, model and measure ...

A 21st century perspective on postfire seeding

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keeley, J.E.; Allen, Craig D.; Betancourt, J.; Chong, G.W.; Fotheringham, C.J.; Safford, H.D.

2006-01-01

Wildfires elicit a perceived need for emergency action to stabilize denuded landscapes. Aerial seeding of rapidly growing nonnative grasses is used routinely in an attempt to control postfire erosion, despite limited scientific basis for its effectiveness and with little consideration for its unintended ecological impacts. As fire size and magnitude have increased in recent decades, so has the prevalence and cost of postfire seeding and the potential footprint of its unintended impacts. We see a growing consensus in the research community on two important points: this management practice often is not cost-effective and it appears to create more problems than it solves.

Light Pollution - An international perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wainscoat, Richard J.

2018-01-01

The CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, or International Commission on Illumination) is the international organization devoted to worldwide cooperation and the exchange of information on all matters relating to the science and art of light and lighting, colour and vision, photobiology and image technology. Its actions and recommendations affect lighting worldwide, and artifiical lighitng has a profound impact on ground-based astronomy. The CIE establishes Technical Committees to research speicific aspects of lighting. The CIE will hold its biannual meeting in October 2017 in South Korea. I will report on astronomy and light pollution related information from that meeting.

Research & market strategy: how choice of drug discovery approach can affect market position.

PubMed

Sams-Dodd, Frank

2007-04-01

In principal, drug discovery approaches can be grouped into target- and function-based, with the respective aims of developing either a target-selective drug or a drug that produces a specific biological effect irrespective of its mode of action. Most analyses of drug discovery approaches focus on productivity, whereas the strategic implications of the choice of drug discovery approach on market position and ability to maintain market exclusivity are rarely considered. However, a comparison of approaches from the perspective of market position indicates that the functional approach is superior for the development of novel, innovative treatments.

Temozolomide and other potential agents for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

PubMed

Nagasawa, Daniel T; Chow, Frances; Yew, Andrew; Kim, Won; Cremer, Nicole; Yang, Isaac

2012-04-01

This article provides historical and recent perspectives related to the use of temozolomide for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. Temozolomide has quickly become part of the standard of care for the modern treatment of stage IV glioblastoma multiforme since its approval in 2005. Yet despite its improvements from previous therapies, median survival remains approximately 15 months, with a 2-year survival rate of 8% to 26%. The mechanism of action of this chemotherapeutic agent, conferred advantages and limitations, treatment resistance and rescue, and potential targets of future research are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is It More Important to Address the Issue of Patient Mobility or to Guarantee Universal Health Coverage in Europe?

PubMed Central

Legido-Quigley, Helena

2016-01-01

This paper discusses whether European institutions should devote so much attention and funding to cross-border healthcare or they should instead prioritise guaranteeing universal health coverage (UHC), “addressing inequalities” and tackling the effects of austerity measures. The paper argues through providing the evidence in both areas of research, that the priority at European level from a public health and social justice perspective should be to guarantee UHC for all the population living in Europe and prioritise protective action for those who are most in need. PMID:26673649

Social determinants, political contexts and civil society action: a historical perspective on the Commission on Social Determinants of Health.

PubMed

Solar, Orielle; Irwin, Alec

2006-12-01

To evaluate opportunities for action on social determinants of health (SDH) requires a historical perspective. Plans for addressing SDH should be developed with an awareness of past similar efforts and factors that contributed to their success or failure. Review of published historical literature on analysis and action on SDH, in particular from the Latin American social medicine movement. In the period since World War II, global public health has oscillated between a social vision of health and a more individualistic, technological and medicalised model. Action on SDH was central to comprehensive primary health care as promulgated at the 1978 Alma-Ata conference and championed by the movement for 'Health for All by the Year 2000'. Subsequently, commitment to addressing SDH declined under the impact of restrictive interpretations of 'selective primary health care' and the pressure of neo-liberal economic and health policies. Through its critique of politically naive medical and public health approaches and of neo-liberal ideology, the Latin American social medicine tradition offers important lessons for today's efforts to advance action on SDH. Key lessons concern: (1) the model of praxis, consciously uniting reflection and action for political change; and (2) the importance of civil society and community participation in action on SDH.

Relating spatial perspective taking to the perception of other's affordances: providing a foundation for predicting the future behavior of others

PubMed Central

Creem-Regehr, Sarah H.; Gagnon, Kyle T.; Geuss, Michael N.; Stefanucci, Jeanine K.

2013-01-01

Understanding what another agent can see relates functionally to the understanding of what they can do. We propose that spatial perspective taking and perceiving other's affordances, while two separate spatial processes, together share the common social function of predicting the behavior of others. Perceiving the action capabilities of others allows for a common understanding of how agents may act together. The ability to take another's perspective focuses an understanding of action goals so that more precise understanding of intentions may result. This review presents an analysis of these complementary abilities, both in terms of the frames of reference and the proposed sensorimotor mechanisms involved. Together, we argue for the importance of reconsidering the role of basic spatial processes to explain more complex behaviors. PMID:24068992

Shared action spaces: a basis function framework for social re-calibration of sensorimotor representations supporting joint action

PubMed Central

Pezzulo, Giovanni; Iodice, Pierpaolo; Ferraina, Stefano; Kessler, Klaus

2013-01-01

The article explores the possibilities of formalizing and explaining the mechanisms that support spatial and social perspective alignment sustained over the duration of a social interaction. The basic proposed principle is that in social contexts the mechanisms for sensorimotor transformations and multisensory integration (learn to) incorporate information relative to the other actor(s), similar to the “re-calibration” of visual receptive fields in response to repeated tool use. This process aligns or merges the co-actors’ spatial representations and creates a “Shared Action Space” (SAS) supporting key computations of social interactions and joint actions; for example, the remapping between the coordinate systems and frames of reference of the co-actors, including perspective taking, the sensorimotor transformations required for lifting jointly an object, and the predictions of the sensory effects of such joint action. The social re-calibration is proposed to be based on common basis function maps (BFMs) and could constitute an optimal solution to sensorimotor transformation and multisensory integration in joint action or more in general social interaction contexts. However, certain situations such as discrepant postural and viewpoint alignment and associated differences in perspectives between the co-actors could constrain the process quite differently. We discuss how alignment is achieved in the first place, and how it is maintained over time, providing a taxonomy of various forms and mechanisms of space alignment and overlap based, for instance, on automaticity vs. control of the transformations between the two agents. Finally, we discuss the link between low-level mechanisms for the sharing of space and high-level mechanisms for the sharing of cognitive representations. PMID:24324425

Women and tobacco: moving from policy to action.

PubMed Central

Ernster, V.; Kaufman, N.; Nichter, M.; Samet, J.; Yoon, S. Y.

2000-01-01

A gender perspective contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiological trends, social marketing strategies, economic policies, and international actions relating to women and the tobacco epidemic. Evidence is provided in this article for the negative impact of tobacco use by women and of passive smoking on the health of women and children. Use of tobacco by women is increasing and this is related to the tobacco industry's aggressive advertising, sponsorship and promotion strategies. Policy directions are proposed in this article. At all levels, a multi-pronged strategy--including changes in legislation and fiscal policies, improvements in gender-sensitive health services, and cessation programmes--should be considered. Much more gender-specific research on tobacco use is needed, particularly in developing countries. Women's empowerment and leadership should be at the centre of all tobacco control efforts and are essential for the success of national programmes and the recently introduced Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. PMID:10994262

The emotive nature of conflict monitoring in the medial prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Saunders, Blair; Lin, Hause; Milyavskaya, Marina; Inzlicht, Michael

2017-09-01

The detection of conflict between incompatible impulses, thoughts, and actions is a ubiquitous source of motivation across theories of goal-directed action. In this overview, we explore the hypothesis that conflict is emotive, integrating perspectives from affective science and cognitive neuroscience. Initially, we review evidence suggesting that the mental and biological processes that monitor for information processing conflict-particularly those generated by the anterior midcingulate cortex-track the affective significance of conflict and use this signal to motivate increased control. In this sense, variation in control resembles a form of affect regulation in which control implementation counteracts the aversive experience of conflict. We also highlight emerging evidence proposing that states and dispositions associated with acceptance facilitate control by tuning individuals to the emotive nature of conflict, before proposing avenues for future research, including investigating the role of affect in reinforcement learning and decision making. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.