Appreciation Of Diversity Research Articles

Using action methods to counter social isolation and shame among gay men

ABSTRACTDespite legal and cultural amelioration of homophobia, shame and internalized homophobia persist with concomitant adverse health and mental health consequences. J. L. Moreno's system of psychodrama, sociometry, and group psychotherapy offers approaches that help counter shame and internalized homophobia and increase peer support among diverse groups of gay men. Sociometric tools help create safety, establish group cohesion, build interpersonal connections, and strengthen identification and a sense of universality. The technique of doubling increases empathy. Explorations conducted during brief enactments using psychodramatic techniques heighten appreciation for diversity in the community while promoting self-acceptance and increased self-efficacy. Group sharing guidelines help strengthen mutual identification and mitigate shame and social isolation.

Dopamine Inhibition Differentially Controls Excitability of Substantia Nigra Dopamine Neuron Subpopulations through T-Type Calcium Channels.

While there is growing appreciation for diversity among ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons, much less is known regarding functional heterogeneity among the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) neurons. Here, we show that calbindin-positive dorsal tier and calbindin-negative ventral tier SNc dopaminergic neurons in mice comprise functionally distinct subpopulations distinguished by their dendritic calcium signaling, rebound excitation, and physiological responses to dopamine D2-receptor (D2) autoinhibition. While dopamine is known to inhibit action potential backpropagation, our experiments revealed an unexpected enhancement of excitatory responses and dendritic calcium signals in the presence of D2-receptor inhibition. Specifically, dopamine inhibition and direct hyperpolarization enabled the generation of low-threshold depolarizations that occurred in an all-or-none or graded manner, due to recruitment of T-type calcium channels. Interestingly, these effects occurred selectively in calbindin-negative dopaminergic neurons within the SNc. Thus, calbindin-positive and calbindin-negative SNc neurons differ substantially in their calcium channel composition and efficacy of excitatory inputs in the presence of dopamine inhibition.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons can be divided into two populations: the calbindin-negative ventral tier, which is vulnerable to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease, and the calbindin-positive dorsal tier, which is relatively resilient. Although tonic firing is similar in these subpopulations, we find that their responses to dopamine-mediated inhibition are strikingly different. During inhibition, calbindin-negative neurons exhibit increased sensitivity to excitatory inputs, which can then trigger large dendritic calcium transients due to strong expression of T-type calcium channels. Therefore, SNc neurons differ substantially in their calcium channel composition, which may contribute to their differential vulnerability. Furthermore, T-currents increase excitation efficacy onto calbindin-negative cells during dopamine inhibition, suggesting that shared inputs are differentially processed in subpopulations resulting in distinct downstream dopamine signals.

Do Parents Matter? Examination of White College Students’ Intergroup Experiences and Attitudes

The purpose of the study was to examine the association between parents’ attitudes towards diversity and their young adult children’s intergroup experiences and attitudes. We surveyed a sample of non-Latino White, first-year university students ( n = 154) and one of their parents ( n = 154) at the start of the academic year; a subsample of these students ( n = 87) and one of their parents ( n = 87) was also surveyed again at the end of their first year. We found that, among parents who expressed greater openness to diversity, young adult children were more likely to appreciate diversity and less likely to endorse racial colorblindness. We found similar effects regarding parents’ openness to diversity on students’ likelihood to engage in campus diversity experiences, which subsequently increased students’ diversity appreciation and decreased students’ endorsement of racial colorblindness. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Factors influencing effectiveness of age diverse teams

In this article three social psychology theories that allow to predict effectiveness of age diverse teams were presented shortly. Then a cycle of German studies that have identified factors influencing the relationship between age diversity and teams effectiveness were reviewed. The above factors were respectively discussed. They were: age saliance, age stereotypes, task complexity, age discrimination, appreciation of age diversity, ergonomic working conditions. Practical implications of the cycle of studies were presented.

Balance Toward Language Mastery

<p style="direction: ltr;" align="center">Problems in attaining language mastery with students from diverse language backgrounds and levels of ability confront educators around the world. Experiments, research, and experience see positive effects of adding sign language in communication methods to pre-school and K-12 education. Augmentative, alternative, interactive, accommodating, and enriching strategies using sign language aid learners in balancing the skills needed to mastery of one language or multiple languages. Theories of learning that embrace play, drama, motion, repetition, socializing, and self-efficacy connect to the options for using sign language with learners in inclusive and mainstream classes. The methodical use of sign language by this researcher-educator over two and a half decades showed signing does build thinking skills, add enjoyment, stimulate communication, expand comprehension, increase vocabulary acquisition, encourage collaboration, and helps build appreciation for cultural diversity.</p>

Simon Gaunt, Marco Polo’s “Le devisement du monde”: Narrative Voice, Language and Diversity. (Gallica 31.) Woodbridge, UK, and Rochester, NY: D. S. Brewer, 2013. Pp. 212. $99. ISBN: 978-1-84384-352-8.

Simon Gaunt, <i>Marco Polo’s “Le devisement du monde”: Narrative Voice, Language and Diversity</i>. (Gallica 31.) Woodbridge, UK, and Rochester, NY: D. S. Brewer, 2013. Pp. 212. $99. ISBN: 978-1-84384-352-8.

Embracing oligodendrocyte diversity in the context of perinatal injury.

Emerging evidence is fueling a new appreciation of oligodendrocyte diversity that is overturning the traditional view that oligodendrocytes are a homogenous cell population. Oligodendrocytes of distinct origins, maturational stages, and regional locations may differ in their functional capacity or susceptibility to injury. One of the most unique qualities of the oligodendrocyte is its ability to produce myelin. Myelin abnormalities have been ascribed to a remarkable array of perinatal brain injuries, with concomitant oligodendrocyte dysregulation. Within this review, we discuss new insights into the diversity of the oligodendrocyte lineage and highlight their relevance in paradigms of perinatal brain injury. Future therapeutic development will be informed by comprehensive knowledge of oligodendrocyte pathophysiology that considers the particular facets of heterogeneity that this lineage exhibits.

Workforce Diversity—A Journey Through Inclusion and Diversity in the Workplace

Working in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors has provided a rich learning environment that has built an appreciation for diversity and the need for inclusion.

Identifying barriers and motivators for adoption of multifunctional perennial cropping systems by landowners in the Upper Sangamon River Watershed, Illinois

The demand on agriculture to meet food security goals and mitigate environmental impacts requires multifunctional land-use strategies. Considering both farmer motivations and rural development needs, one option is to transition marginal farmland to perennial crops. In this study, we considered the potential for Multifunctional Perennial Cropping Systems (MPCs) that would simultaneously provide production and ecosystem service benefits. We examined adoption potential of MPCs on marginal farmland through an agricultural landowner survey in the Upper Sangamon River Watershed in Illinois, USA. We identified adoption preferences among landowners in conjunction with socio-demographic characteristics that would facilitate targeted implementation. Hierarchical cluster analysis and discriminant analysis identified landowner categories and key factors affecting adoption potential. Landowner age, appreciation for plant diversity, and future farm management involvement were the strongest predictors of potential MPCs adoption. The landowner categories identified within the survey data, supplemented with focus group discussions, suggested a high adoption potential farmer profile as a young, educated landowner with known marginal land they would consider converting to MPCs for improved soil and water quality conservation.

Improving Pupil Support Delivery in Schools by Promoting Inclusive Education

The article explores the ways to improve the pupil support system in school practice as part of the transition from integration to the inclusive education of pupils with special needs. The research question addresses the ways of improving the pupil support system in a school focused on inclusive education.&#x0D; Determining the ways of improving the pupil support system in school practice by promoting inclusive education following the case study of Verdenė Gymnasium in Visaginas can be described as the subject of the research. The objective of the research is to outline directions for improving the pupil support system in schools while focusing on the targets of inclusive education. The tasks of the research include: 1) analysing theoretical and operational guidelines provided in scientific literature and education guidance documents on the development of the pupil support system in inclusive schools; 2) determining the reasons why the current pupil support system in school needs improvement whenever the focus is placed on inclusive education; 3) drawing up guidelines for schools to help them upgrade the pupil support system based on inclusive education.&#x0D; Case study is used as the method of this research (Yin, 2003) focusing on an educational institution – gymnasium (grammar school). The choice of the case was determined by the distinctive character of the gymnasium: it delivers a broad range of curricula including an accredited secondary education programme (two years), two-part basic education programme (six years), primary education programme (four years) along with adapted and personalized programmes in primary and basic education and social skills development; it also provides the necessary support for pupils with a variety of special educational needs. The applied research methods include the analysis of written documents, a questionnaire survey and modelling. Units of analysis include national and school documents, teachers and other experts related to the case study schools and the research context. The theoretical and empirical study of the case established that:&#x0D; The implementation of the UNESCO proposed inclusive education concept is still a target to be achieved in the case study school. The school focuses on the types of pupil support established nationwide, which exclude children having special educational needs due to their exceptional abilities, nor do they place emphasis on the need for day to day teacher’s help, thus narrowing the scope of inclusive education.&#x0D; Pupil support in the case study school is institutionalised, its provision being entrusted to different bodies and structures. School documents by themselves postulate the philosophy of inclusive education; however, when it comes to education delivery, integration rather than inclusive education of SEN children tends to prevail in the school: pupils with SEN and gifted children are treated as homogeneous groups without highlighting the importance of the teacher’s help for all student groups in daily education process. The case study schools and other context schools delegate responsibility for inclusive education to SEN teachers and for the education of gifted children to other appointed teachers.&#x0D; The analysis of the research data leads to a conclusion that pupil support delivered by the case study schools is now in the phase of the deconstruction of special needs education and the formation of inclusive education; therefore, it needs improvement implementing inclusive education in line with the philosophy of togetherness and appreciation of diversity, which grants equal opportunities and respect for individuality.

Engaging with diversity: Framing multiculturalism as a learning opportunity reduces prejudice among high White American identifiers

AbstractMulticulturalism (i.e., acknowledgment and appreciation of diversity), despite its positive consequences, is often met with resistance among majority group members, particularly those whose race/ethnicity is central to their self‐concept. Building upon findings that multiculturalism lowers White Americans' prejudice when presented as an abstract relative to concrete concept, we tested whether and when even concrete forms of multiculturalism can improve intergroup attitudes. Across two experiments, highly identified White Americans exhibited less racial prejudice when induced to view multiculturalism as a concrete learning opportunity than as a concrete set of policies (Study 1) or a concrete ideology more generally (Study 2). This effect was mediated by high identifiers' increased perceptions that diversity benefits themselves and society as a whole. Implications for prejudice reduction and fostering majority group members' active involvement in diversity‐relevant issues, as well as the applicability of our studies to other cultural contexts, are discussed.

The identity of ‘Berkeleya scopulorum’ from Northeast Asia: Report on Climaconeis mabikii sp. nov. from temperate marine waters with notes on biogeography of the genus

While there have been many reports of the species ‘Berkeleya scopulorum’ from Northeast Asia mainly as Navicula scopulorum, the observation of the living specimen of the species has revealed that the species should be the member of the genus Climaconeis. Here we describe the species as Climaconeis mabikii sp. nov. based on microscopic observations by means of both light (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). As part of the review, the regional distribution of C. mabikii as well as the worldwide biogeography of the taxa belonging to the genus Climaconeis are discussed. Newly described C. mabikii from the present study is the seventeenth member of the genus. The discovery of the true identity of the diatom identified for a long time as ‘Berkeleya scopulorum’ and its description as a new Climaconeis species contributes to the proper appreciation of the diversity of the Northeast Asian diatom assemblage and fills old gaps in the published records.

Citizenship Education in Ecuador: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

&lt;p class="apa"&gt;The purpose of this study is to review literature about citizenship education in order to develop a framework for transformative citizenship education and compare that framework to the intended and implemented citizenship education curriculum in Ecuador. This study presents qualitative research carried out in eight schools in four provinces of Ecuador in June 2014. Information was gathered through surveys regarding teacher and student perspectives on the purpose of citizenship education, as well as students’ feelings of patriotism, compassion, and appreciation for diversity. Teachers were also interviewed in order to gain understanding about common practices in the classroom and uncover obstacles that teachers face in teaching this course. Based on the surveys and teacher interviews, it is evident that there are some obstacles to the successful implementation of citizenship education in Ecuador. Two main obstacles are a lack of resources, including textbooks, as well as a shortage of participatory class activities and projects.&lt;/p&gt;

Thinking outside anthropology's box: Socializing undergraduates through collaborative research, teaching, and service

Most undergraduate anthropology majors will not pursue postgraduate careers in the discipline, so the greatest value of anthropological training is in providing a holistic sense of cultural relativity and appreciation for human diversity. However, translating anthropology's value to other career paths is frequently hindered by students’ limited exposure to theory and methods and further complicated by the discipline's emphasis on individualistic fieldwork models and research outcomes. We argue these obstacles can be overcome by engaging students in mixed‐methods collaborative groups that integrate students and faculty in local research, teaching, and outreach. This socializes undergraduates to view anthropology as naturally collaborative and applicable beyond careers in research. In this article, we outline a program that fuses experimental and field approaches to train students in qualitative and quantitative methods and critical thinking. We then detail implementation of this pedagogical model as a generalizable template that trains students for postgraduate careers outside anthropology.

Inequalities and Agencies in Workplace Learning Experiences: International Student Perspectives

National systems of vocational education and training around the globe are facing reform driven by quality, international mobility, and equity. Evidence suggests that there are qualitatively distinctive challenges in providing and sustaining workplace learning experiences to international students. However, despite growing conceptual and empirical work, there is little evidence of the experiences of these students undertaking workplace learning opportunities as part of vocational education courses. This paper draws on a four-year study funded by the Australian Research Council that involved 105 in depth interviews with international students undertaking work integrated learning placements as part of vocational education courses in Australia. The results indicate that international students can experience different forms of discrimination and deskilling, and that these were legitimised by students in relation to their understanding of themselves as being an ‘international student’ (with fewer rights). However, the results also demonstrated the ways in which international students exercised their agency towards navigating or even disrupting these circumstances, which often included developing their social and cultural capital. This study, therefore, calls for more proactively inclusive induction and support practices that promote reciprocal understandings and navigational capacities for all involved in the provision of work integrated learning. This, it is argued, would not only expand and enrich the learning opportunities for international students, their tutors, employers, and employees involved in the provision of workplace learning opportunities, but it could also be a catalyst to promote greater mutual appreciation of diversity in the workplace.

Evaluating outcomes from stakeholders’ perception: evidence from an irrigation project in Nigeria

The need for the appreciation of values and knowledge diversity has contributed to the increasing relevance of stakeholder participation in the monitoring and evaluation (M&amp;E) of development projects. Using mixed methods research design and indicators, this paper assesses the outcomes of the participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME) process of the Tada Shonga Irrigation Project, Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 103 respondents were randomly selected for questionnaire administration, and 5 respondents interviewed for the study. An Outcome Perception Index (OPI) was developed to assess stakeholders’ perception of the extent to which the project had met its objectives. The study found out that the project’s PME process was deficient, and the outcomes of the project and its PME process had been a mixed bag. The study further established a significant relationship between the deficient PME process of the project and project outcomes, although the relationship is indicative, rather than proof of a possible causal relationship. This was corroborated by the qualitative analysis which highlighted other critical factors affecting project outcomes. The study concluded that stringent M&amp;E framework must be imbued in government policies to ensure success and sustainability of projects and programmes.Keywords: Participation, Monitoring, Evaluation, Programme, Development

Literary Routes: Migration, Islands, and the Creative Economy

Exploring the links among accelerating patterns of migration, homogenizing forces of globalization, and transnational sites of creativity, this essay highlights the contributions that francophone voices from islands of the global South have made to the diversification of the knowledge economy. We discuss the critical effectiveness of literature as an agent of cultural change, focusing on minor writers who reach wide audiences by negotiating new pathways into the literary marketplace. The Comoran Soeuf Elbadawi, the Malagasy Jean-Luc Raharimanana, the Mauritians Ananda Devi and Shenaz Patel, and the Tahitian Chantal Spitz instigate literary dialogues that underscore ways of reimagining our world and redefining world literature. The issues they raise reveal the enduring relevance of literary studies and its interpretive approaches to a full appreciation of human diversity, which cannot be captured by purely quantitative methods.

The 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church and the Liturgy: New Wine in Old Wineskins?

The 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church generated a significant number of resolutions related to the church's liturgy, most of which passed both Houses, including resolutions authorizing preparation of the revision of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982. A review of the resolutions related to liturgy and music, however, raises fundamental questions about the kind of liturgical reform the church may undertake and how it may integrate growing appreciation for linguistic and cultural diversity in the church, including the insights of feminist, postcolonial, and LGBTQ theological reflection and those produced by theologians of color. This essay argues that serious engagement with these questions suggests a completely reimagined liturgical “center of gravity” that integrates the insights of liturgical scholarship and practice since the authorization of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982, while providing the flexibility to respond to the church's current diverse contexts.

Living in the Digital Age: Youth, Prosocial Behavior, and the Broadway Musical

Discusses the American Broadway musical as performed in American high schools and concentrates on prosocial behaviors that are featured in these musicals and available in digital formats. The paper describes prosocial behaviors as “[...] a broad range of actions intended to benefit one or more people other than oneself – behaviors such as helping, comforting, sharing and cooperation.” Prosocial behavior can also be understood as “[...] a type of helping behavior [extended to others] that ultimately confers some benefits to the self.” This paper expands on these descriptions to include the following: acceptance of self and others; honoring commitments; appreciation of diversity; deciding on a direction in life; recognizing oppression, prejudice, and stereotyping; appreciation of self-awareness; and comfort with self-expression (Cherry). This paper explores how musicals can be used in the classroom to encourage prosocial behaviors among youth.

Civic Competence of Dutch Children in Female Same-Sex Parent Families

This study examined whether Dutch children reared in families headed by female same-sex parents differ in civic competence from Dutch children reared by opposite-sex parents. The participants, drawn from a national sample, included 32 children (11-13 years old) parented by female same-sex couples who were matched on demographic characteristics with 32 same-aged children parented by opposite-sex couples. The comparison revealed that children raised by female same-sex parents scored significantly higher on several civic competencies, specifically on attitudes concerning acting democratically, dealing with conflicts, and dealing with differences. These results suggest that growing up in a nontraditional family may be associated with a greater appreciation of diversity and the development of good citizenship.