Aspirational Goal Research Articles

Teachers Learning On-the-Job Through Participation in an Organizational Routine: A Comparative Case Study of Three Curriculum Materials Adoption Processes for Elementary Science

ABSTRACT There is limited time for elementary teacher professional learning in science in order to meet the aspirational goals of current reform efforts. In this study, we investigated what and how teachers learn on-the-job to gain insight into modes of support less often included in teacher education design. Specifically, we studied elementary teachers’ participation in a system-level organizational routine: curriculum materials adoption processes (CMAPs). Using a communities of practice framework, we explored teacher learning in a comparative case study of three U.S. school districts’ CMAP routines, observing CMAP committee meetings and interviewing participants about their expeirences. We found that what teachers learned varied across each district’s CMAP. We argue this variation can be traced to two CMAP features: (1) teachers’ use of boundary objects and (2) their boundary spanning roles and structures. Results have implications for the design of educational systems’ organizational routines to more intentionally serve a dual role as a professional learning opportunity.

Unlocking sustainable development: Evaluating the impact of monetary and fiscal policies on ecological footprint in India

India's rapid economic growth underscores the increased necessity of pursuing the paradigms of sustainable development. However, concerns over environmental sustainability have risen in tandem with the country's aspirational goals for economic progress. Therefore, a crucial aspect of managing this is to create a balance between economic prosperity and environmental quality, wherein comprehending how fiscal and monetary policies affect India's ecological footprint becomes an utmost priority. In this vein, this study evaluates the impact of fiscal and monetary policies on India's ecological footprint while controlling for economic growth, squared economic growth, and renewable energy consumption between 1990 and 2022. Given the complexity of these links and well-suitability for examining both short-term dynamics and long-term relationships, this study employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model as its methodology for the empirical analysis. Thus, the findings indicate a significant long-term relationship between India's ecological footprint, fiscal policy, monetary policy, economic growth, squared economic growth, and renewable energy consumption while considering the ecological footprint as the dependent variable. Surprisingly, fiscal policy demonstrates insignificat negligible impacts on the ecological footprint in both the short and long run. Conversely, the result underscores that monetary policy effectively curbs the ecological footprint in both the short and long run. Furthermore, the study validates the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in the long run. However, no evidence supports the EKC hypothesis in the short run. Besides, the outcome unveils that renewable energy consumption reduces the ecological footprint with no temporal differences. Hence, the policy implications derived from these findings emphasize the crucial role of monetary policy and integrating renewable energy strategies into policy frameworks for achieving sustainable development outcomes, in addition to the other policy interventions that prioritize ecological conservation alongside economic development, ensuring a balanced approach to solve environmental and economic challenges in India.

Neural Functions Enabled by a Polarity-Switchable Nanofluidic Memristor.

Reproducing neural functions with artificial nanofluidic systems has long been an aspirational goal for neuromorphic computing. In this study, neural functions, such as neural activation and synaptic plasticity, are successfully accomplished with a polarity-switchable nanofluidic memristor (PSNM), which is based on the anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanochannel array. The PSNM has unipolar memristive behavior at high electrolyte concentrations and bipolar memristive behavior at low electrolyte concentrations, which can emulate neural activation and synaptic plasticity, respectively. The mechanisms for the unipolar and bipolar memristive behaviors are related to the polyelectrolytic Wien (PEW) effect and ion accumulation/depletion effect, respectively. These findings are beneficial to the advancement of neuromorphic computing on nanofluidic platforms.

Right Care, Right Time, Right Place: Real-life Challenges in Delivering Sláintecare – A Multi-Centre Survey of Multidisciplinary Team Members

Abstract Background Sláintecare launched in 2018 seeks to reform the delivery of healthcare services in Ireland towards equity of access based on patient need1. However, delivering the right care, in the right place at the right time is, as yet an aspirational goal. We sought to identify the on-the ground challenges that exist in delivering Sláintecare in the day-to-day practice of multidisciplinary team members. Methods An online survey questionnaire was distributed to medical social workers, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. Respondents were asked about their experience in applying for community-based care in their practice including home care packages, community occupational therapy and home equipment. Descriptive statistics were applied to numerical data and a thematic analysis was performed on free text responses. Results There were 31 respondents from 10 clinical sites including acute and rehabilitation settings. All nine community healthcare organisations (CHOs) were represented. 29/31 (94%) felt that access to community-based care differed based on the patient’s residential address. 23/31 (74%) stated the referral documentation and process for home care packages varied depending on the patients’ CHO. Qualitative analysis identified three core themes; Unfulfilled care hours due to dearth of carer availability differed across CHOs; inconsistencies in the application process that exists between CHO’s and incongruities in the availability of and accessibility to publicly funded services on hospital discharge. Conclusion Our survey highlights the practical challenges of delivering Sláintecare currently. It reinforces the health inequities that limits patients’ ability to access quality healthcare because of their geographical location.

The Greening of One Health: Plants, Pathogens, and the Environment.

One Health has an aspirational goal of ensuring the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment through transdisciplinary, collaborative research. At its essence, One Health addresses the human clash with Nature by formulating strategies to repair and restore a (globally) perturbed ecosystem. A more nuanced evaluation of humankind's impact on the environment (Nature, Earth, Gaia) would fully intercalate plants, plant pathogens, and beneficial plant microbes into One Health. Here, several examples point out how plants and plant microbes are keystones of One Health. Meaningful cross-pollination between plant, animal, and human health practitioners can drive discovery and application of innovative tools to address the many complex problems within the One Health framework.

Innovative Assessment Practices Aligned with India’s National Educational Policy-2020

The National Education Policy -2020 [1] is the latest education policy of India, which strives to achieve benchmarks in the development of the educational scenario of India leading the students towards achieving the aspirational goals of 21st century education. NEP 2020 advocates for multidisciplinary education, multiple entry-exit and research-based programmes which mandates for a swift transition from traditional methods of assessment to innovative assessment techniques which would be more flexible, comprehensive and competency-based that would ensure a deeper understanding of subject matter than just memorizing facts. It aims to promote critical and higher order thinking and applying their knowledge to real-world situations. The primary objective of the article is to throw light on some non-traditional and innovative assessment techniques that align with the vision of NEP 2020. The researchers have employed the content analysis approach to explain these innovative techniques such as- experiential learning, holistic education, present opposite’s point of view, plot a family tree, Adaptive Learning Assessment and so on. However, further research may enlighten more such approaches according to the changing scenario in the global context and a comprehensive guide to apply these techniques.

Emerging Threats To India’s National Stability

It is known truism that no country can achieve economic growth and resultant prosperity unless it has a wellthought-out plan in place to meet these goals. And, such a plan cannot be achieved unless the country is stable and secure. This prescription is also relevant for India as it stands at the cusp of a greater economic growth and a more prominent role and standing in global politics. As the world enters a new era of global politics, marked by the growing interests and aspirations of the erstwhile colonized nations, the Republic of India stands as a shining example of how a nation, despite all its adverse historical experiences, has been able to make substantial progress in the fields of economy, science and technology, human security and development to the extent of being recognised as an emerging power of the world. Relatedly, the country has had to ensure the availability of requisite conditions to facilitate this progress and continued growth in multiple fields. Further, through optimum usage of its soft and hard power, as well as its value-based attributes such as its multiculturalism, its pluralistic values promoting respect for all religions and furthering the ideals of democracy, India has been able to carve a place for itself on the right side of history in this changing world of geopolitics and geo-economics. However, there are many challenges in the realms of security, both internal and external, which need to be addressed effectively in a timely mannerfor India to make speedy progress and achieve its aspirational goals. Through careful identification and examination of the challenges that India could face in the realms of national security, it is intended to define the means and methods to deal effectively with these challenges so that India can achieve its carefully formulated national goals, interests and objectives in an optimal and timely manner. The agencies concerned of the government will accordingly be able to prepare themselves not only for the challenges of today, but also the future, so that India can achieve its developmental and aspirational goals of becoming a developed country and a major global power by 2047.

Toward Greater Transparency and Inclusion in Manuscript Review Processes: A Relational Model

Peer review is widely accepted as critical to legitimating scholarly publication, and yet, it runs the risk of reproducing inequities in publishing processes and products. Acknowledging at once the historical need to legitimize SoTL publications, the current danger of reproducing exclusive practices, and the aspirational goal to “practice what we preach” as SoTL practitioners regarding effective feedback to students, we argue for rethinking “rigor,” developing more inclusive practices, and engaging in greater transparency in relation to peer review. To situate our discussion, we revisit foundational work in the development of SoTL and then offer an analytical framework informed by recent scholarship on redefining rigor and the emotional experience of receiving feedback. Using this framework, we propose a relational model of peer review and present two examples of efforts in which we have been involved as founding co-editors of the International Journal for Students as Partners to move toward greater transparency and inclusion in manuscript review processes.

Visions, Paradigms, and Anomalies of Urban Transport

Urban transport has evolved based on three main visions: automobility, multimodality, and accessibility. The first dominates North American cities; the second, European; the third, significantly discussed in the literature, is still in the early stages of practical development, with a few limited examples. Each of the first two visions has an aligned planning paradigm to support aspirational goals and future directions. But implementation has been disappointing, owing to the appearance of anomalies; that is, unanticipated and unexplained mismatches between the vision and the paradigms that refuse to be resolved. The attempts are self-defeating, and result, for example, in congestion and road accidents. A review of the literature with some new insights can shed light on the problems and the anomalies of these two visions. For the third vision, a new paradigm has been proposed based on accessibility and polycentric and multi-timed cities, promising new insights and breakthroughs in the way of thinking about transport and cities. Some practical examples of accessibility cities are presented with a focus on people, places, land use changes, telecommunications, transportation demand management (TDM), and public and non-motorized transport. Some minor anomalies are discussed. In conclusion, enhancing accessibility in cities is crucial for creating more inclusive and sustainable urban environments that are less dependent on cars, but this vision and this paradigm still require further development to be accepted and implemented.

Aligning adaptation and sustainability agendas: lessons from protected areas

Nations worldwide are committing to international environmental agreements and defining aspirational goals aligned with their sustainable development priorities and responsibilities. The post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is an example of such aspirations. Under this framework, nations aim to expand protected areas or create new ones as one way to integrate conservation and climate change agendas. However, implementing those high-level agreements does not necessarily align with local realities and dynamics. In this paper we examined the operational challenges experienced by protected areas actors to adapt conservation strategies to climate change. Based on interviews at the local level and a policy analysis, we identify adaptation narratives and explore potential mismatches in their implementation at the national and local level (protected areas) in three countries: Australia, Colombia, and South Africa. We assess how local visions and interpretations of adaptation align with high-level policies and how existing institutional arrangements facilitate or constrain the implementation of adaptation and, therefore, aspirations for long-term sustainability. We found that adaptation narratives at the local level are framed by common ideas and identities based on local relations within a territory. At the same time, existing governance arrangements and political contexts determine the feasibility of adaptation. The primary mismatches are high-level political and economic interests denoting different interpretations about the territory and of local realities, including the readiness, technical, and resource capacity of protected areas actors to implement adaptation. Place-based adaptation provides a common ground for scaling adaptation. However, scaling adaptation requires enabling institutional contexts, clear rules and policies to facilitate deliberations and coordinated responses across different actors and sectors, while guiding the uptake and integration of local needs and realities within national agendas.

Circles of sustainability: an activity for visualizing synergies and trade-offs in a systems thinking environment

ABSTRACT In 2015, the United Nations created a framework comprising 17 aspirational goals known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a view toward peace and prosperity by 2030. Green Chemistry (GC) has always been recognized as a pathway to sustainability. However, the best solutions cannot be found if we look at each of these separately, but rather it is important to apply a systems thinking approach and recognize the interconnected nature of the systems being studied. In this paper, we present activities that allow learners to visualize synergies and trade-offs with the SDGs when applying a systems thinking approach compared with a narrower perspective. We applied the approach to an industrial example (Nike) and to concerning chemicals such as bisphenols and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’). We believe this approach can be modified and used widely for various chemical processes in an educational context.

Post Covid Effect on the Nutritional Status, Academic Interest and Psycho-Social Behaviors among College Students

The COVID-19 epidemic has eclipsed global development activities. Global political, financial, and technical resources have been mobilised to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic’s impact will be long-lasting, affecting all aspects of human life and impeding all developmental endeavours, including the ambitious and aspirational Sustainable Development Goals. Good nutrition is an essential criterion for adolescent health, productivity, and functional efficiency. The present study was to investigate the impact of covid 19 to young people’s health and nutritional state, academic interest, and psychosocial behaviour. This is a cross-sectional study in which 100 adolescents aged 18 to 21 years were assessed for anthropometry, nutritional profile, and perceived stress using relevant scales. The findings demonstrated an association between good nutritional status and psychosocial behaviour in adolescents. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on adolescents’ dietary status, academic interest, and psychosocial behaviour. This study provides novel ideas for future policies and intervention programmes.

Spontaneous Transition between Multiple Conductance States and Rectifying Behaviors in an Artificial Single‐Molecule Funnel

It has long been an aspirational goal to create artificial channel structures that replicate the feat achieved by ion channel proteins. Biological ion channels occasionally demonstrate multiple conductance states (known as subconductance), remaining a challenging property to achieve in artificial channel molecules. We report a funnel‐shaped single‐molecule channel constructed by an electron‐deficient macrocycle and two electron‐deficient aromatic imide arms. Planar lipid bilayer measurements reveal distinct current recordings, including a closed state, two conducting states, and spontaneous transitions between the three states, resembling the events seen in biological ion channels. The transitions result from conformational changes induced by chloride transport in the channel molecule. Both opening states show a non‐linear and rectifying I‐V relationship, indicating voltage‐dependent transport due to the asymmetrical channel structure. This work could enhance our understanding of ion permeation and channel opening mechanism.

The paradox of growing technical capacities with low global governance: a review of Voluntary National Reviews’ SDG health-related indicators

BackgroundThis study delves into the States’ accountability for health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators from 2016 to 2020. An analysis of Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) is employed as an instrument to scrutinize the alignment of States’ indicators with the global indicator framework, shedding light on global health governance within the context of the 2030 Agenda and States’ strategic prioritization. A curation of 60 health-related indicators from 195 VNRs, produced during the aforementioned period, is organized into thematic groups.ResultsOur results highlight a concerning discrepancy in the reporting frequency of various health-related themes. The findings reveal a paradoxical coexistence characterized by the concurrent strengthening and diminution of the global health governance articulated in the Agenda’s global health governance. This manifests in the increased utilization and consistency of health-related indicators over the study years, coupled with an emphasis on infectious diseases and child and maternal health indicators. Conversely, a discernible governance decline is evidenced by the inadequate representation of health-related indicators in VNRs, notably within the domains of universal health coverage and health system indicators. Furthermore, High-Income States exhibit diminished accountability.ConclusionsThe VNRs unveil a paradox wherein burgeoning technical capacity coexists with governance deficits, a phenomenon attributable to both statistical capabilities and political preferences. The prevalent use of proxy indicators in VNRs oversimplifies the presentation of official indicators, thereby compromising the aspirational goal of pioneering statistical innovations for measuring intricate issues in the SDGs. In light of our conceptualization of the 2030 Agenda’s global health as a regime complex governance, we advocate for comprehensive investigations into each health regime cluster. This approach aims to unravel disputes, discern patterns, and elucidate States’ preferences concerning specific thematic areas. Functioning as an accountability mechanism for the Agenda’s governance, VNRs underscore States’ adaptability and short-term learning capabilities, offering valuable insights for identifying harmful goal prioritization. The discretionary nature of indicator selection by States in the VNRs, enabled by the Agenda’s proposition of a contextual adaptation of the SDGs and a blind eye to the guideline’s request to review all SDG indicators, highlights a critical flaw in the VNR as an accountability mechanism.

Traversing the digital divide in concept and effect: Relative interpretations and orientations

AbstractThis discussion offers a general framing and positioning statement for identifying and considering principal analytical dimensions and policy concerns in relation to the deep and persistent digital divide that marks today's increasingly digitalized world. The digital divide encompasses various socio‐technological inequalities and inequities apparent within and across different groups, organizations, and geographic areas. Also linked to the growing Internet of Things, the digital divide generally refers to differences in information and communications technologies access and artificial intelligence applications and usage within social systems and among the countries of the world. Indicating different types and levels of socio‐technological engagement and impact, it is an issue of social, cultural, institutional, economic, and political inequality and stratification processes in which disadvantage and vulnerability, as well as privilege and power, are distributed. Related digital asymmetries are considered here in conceptual, theoretical, and applied terms relative to various issues as critical representations of relative divides characterized by socio‐spatial inequalities, inequities, and disparities in information and knowledge creation, access, opportunities, usage, and benefits. Also considered are aspirational goals for mitigating such asymmetries in related policy dialogues and directives, asserting possibilities for enhancing well‐being across sectors and peoples.

The Applicability of Design Thinking in the Tourism Sector, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

One of the most significant corporate trends nowadays is design thinking, which gives firms the ability to develop their strategic thinking capabilities in order to tackle difficult problems. The goals of design thinking are to transform enterprises, encourage imaginative abilities, pinpoint needs and opportunities, and provide fresh ideas and scenarios for the company. South Africa's economy can grow as much as is desired by including all of these aspects. Design thinking is a capability that may deliberately assist the South African tourism industry in attaining its aspirational goals of increasing visitor arrivals, accelerating job development, and unleashing entrepreneurial prospects across sub-sectors that are closely related to the tourism sector. Tourism industry stakeholders must be aware of the evolving consumer demands. Understanding whether design thinking might be applied to the tourism sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and whether doing so may be effective and advantageous for this sector, was the study's primary objective. Purposive sampling was used in this study's qualitative research approach. Eleven members of the tourism industry participated in a design thinking workshop, a focus group, and interviews in August and September 2021. The main conclusions showed that design thinking would be an effective technique to support improvements and innovation in the tourism sector, as all participants confirmed and agreed. The study's findings have led to various factors that can help design thinking improve tourism industry business. It is recommended that though design thinking can boost business in the tourism industry, a number of contributing factors must be properly implemented.

Adapting the Zero Suicide framework to the adult emergency department setting: Strategies for nurse leaders

The ED has been increasingly recognized as a key setting for suicide prevention. Zero Suicide (ZS) is an aspirational goal to eliminate suicide for all patients within a health care system through utilization of best practices. However, there has been limited exploration of ZS implementation within the ED. As ED nurses play an important role in suicide prevention through their close contact with patients at risk for suicide, ZS implementation would benefit from tailored strategies for ED nurse leadership. We describe the ZS framework and provides strategies for nurse leaders to adapt each ZS component in the adult ED.

In Defense of 2.0°C: The Value of Aspirational Environmental Goals

Aspirational goals, such as the Paris Agreement’s goals of avoiding a global temperature increase of 1.5°C or 2.0°C, can be found throughout environmental law. Such goals, though sometimes unrealistic, perform important functions. They may serve as asymptotic directives that guide implementing entities; yardsticks to measure and evaluate progress; expressions of social values; and expanders of policy space. As asymptotic directives, aspirational goals may push actors to achieve more than they otherwise might accomplish. Incorporated into treaties or statutes, they can serve as guideposts for implementing concrete substantive and procedural requirements. With the passage of time, aspirational goals function as yardsticks for measuring progress and identifying needed adjustments and course corrections. Aspirational goals also express messages about society’s priorities while seeking to shape its values. While aspirational standards can deflect alternative approaches, weaken support for policy objectives, or mislead the public, they ultimately can expand the range of possible outcomes and motivate actions that achieve significant progress towards lofty aspirations.

Narratives of Harm and the case for detention abolition

This essay aims to foreground the perspectives and lived experiences of asylum-seekers, refugees and other migrants in the growing calls to abolish immigration detention. While focused on a singular case study - the Tamil maritime arrivals to Canada in 2009 and 2010, our findings shed light on the broader harms of immigration detention. We begin by briefly describing the breadth and scope of immi-gration detention and the legal framework that governs detention in Canada. The heart of the essay follows with a sampling of the narratives drawn from the case study - all of which highlight the incalculable harms produced by the carceral state. The essay concludes by underscoring the imperative for detention abolition as both an aspirational and practical goal.

Key antecedents of maximal levels of aspiration and minimal boundary goals: a structural equation modeling analysis

AbstractResearch findings indicate that two types of goals, which focus on the lowest (highest) levels of achievement possible in a learning setting, are strong predictors of how well students attain in school. Unfortunately, little is known about how these two goals, termed minimal boundary goals (MBG) and maximal levels of aspiration (MLA) relate to psychological constructs that are theorized to be antecedents of goals. To fill this knowledge gap, this research collected data from 463 secondary-school students and tested a model linking these goals to achievement motives and theory of intelligence. Results revealed that not believing that intelligence is fixed and devoting effort to studying was associated with a strong endorsement of MLA. At the same time, making low/no efforts to study, being afraid of failure, and believing that intelligence is fixed were strong predictors of MBG. These findings advance current knowledge and have important implications for teaching and learning.