Community Practitioners Research Articles

Measuring digital humanities learning requirements in Spanish & English-speaking practitioner communities

Technology is global, but our use of it is subtly local. Digital scholarship in the humanities is no different. Where one is doing digital scholarship affects the types of methods and tools one will find most fruitful for humanities research. This paper considers global variations in digital humanities tool demand, by comparing broad patterns in digital skill-seeking through Programming Historian tutorial web traffic data. Programming Historian is a multilingual open learning resource publishing digital humanities tutorials in four languages. Its tutorials have played an important role for scholars seeking to learn about new tools and skills in digital humanities. Drawing on a unique dataset of 3.7 million visitors to Programming Historian between May 2019 and May 2022, this paper looks for patterns of regional use to identify skills most and least in demand in certain parts of the world. It does so through a pair of case studies that look at the top three national sources of anonymised web traffic to the English-language publication (United States, India, United Kingdom) and Spanish-language publication (Spain, Mexico, Colombia). The resultant conclusions identify key differences in skill-seeking both across the language divide (English / Spanish) and in different countries, some of which can be explained by cultural, economic, and bureaucratic factors. The paper concludes that while the specific variations of need will evolve, they will continue to exist, and digital humanities educators should adopt practices that acknowledge those differences and make space for local experts to define and best serve those needs.

AI and atoms: How artificial intelligence is revolutionizing nuclear material production

ABSTRACT The associability of artificial intelligence (AI) as a dual-use technology for nuclear material production (NMP) within the academic and practitioner communities remains widely neglected, and so a widening opportunity for AI to aid in illicit and covert non-peaceful applications exists. To address this emerging gap, this paper investigates the evolving and applicable uses of AI and finds broad evidence of its use to optimize performance, promote innovation, reduce costs, and enhance safety associated with the development and production of nuclear material. AI’s use in this arena will, thereby, facilitate broader accessibility of peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, while at the same time cause concerns that said improvements can aid the illicit development of nuclear weapons. As such, this paper advocates for a three-dimensional solution to manage the evolving dual-use concern of AI that involves advancing states-centric monitoring and regulation, promoting intellectual exchange between the nonproliferation sector and the AI industry, and encouraging AI industrial contributions.

Enabling Multicentric Participatory Disease Surveillance for Global Health Enhancement: Viewpoint on Global Flu View.

Participatory surveillance (PS) has been defined as the bidirectional process of transmitting and receiving data for action by directly engaging the target population. Often represented as self-reported symptoms directly from the public, PS can provide evidence of an emerging disease or concentration of symptoms in certain areas, potentially identifying signs of an early outbreak. The construction of sets of symptoms to represent various disease syndromes provides a mechanism for the early detection of multiple health threats. Global Flu View (GFV) is the first-ever system that merges influenza-like illness (ILI) data from more than 8 countries plus 1 region (Hong Kong) on 4 continents for global monitoring of this annual health threat. GFV provides a digital ecosystem for spatial and temporal visualization of syndromic aggregates compatible with ILI from the various systems currently participating in GFV in near real time, updated weekly. In 2018, the first prototype of a digital platform to combine data from several ILI PS programs was created. At that time, the priority was to have a digital environment that brought together different programs through an application program interface, providing a real time map of syndromic trends that could demonstrate where and when ILI was spreading in various regions of the globe. After 2 years running as an experimental model and incorporating feedback from partner programs, GFV was restructured to empower the community of public health practitioners, data scientists, and researchers by providing an open data channel among these contributors for sharing experiences across the network. GFV was redesigned to serve not only as a data hub but also as a dynamic knowledge network around participatory ILI surveillance by providing knowledge exchange among programs. Connectivity between existing PS systems enables a network of cooperation and collaboration with great potential for continuous public health impact. The exchange of knowledge within this network is not limited only to health professionals and researchers but also provides an opportunity for the general public to have an active voice in the collective construction of health settings. The focus on preparing the next generation of epidemiologists will be of great importance to scale innovative approaches like PS. GFV provides a useful example of the value of globally integrated PS data to help reduce the risks and damages of the next pandemic.

Editorial: Introduction to giftedness, disability, gender and well-being in higher education: A socio-psycho-pedagogical perspective

This introductory paper explains the background to the special collection entitled Giftedness, Disability, Gender and Well-Being in Higher Education: A Socio-Psycho-Pedagogical Perspective and provides an overview of the five selected articles. The authors approach the topic of higher education from different perspectives, focusing on student well-being, inclusive education and social inequality. This special collection aims to enable the community of scholars, policy-makers and practitioners to consider the latest approaches to these areas. The papers are based on empirical data and theoretical perspectives. Collectively, the articles highlight the centrality of well-being in the educational journey, arguing for its consideration alongside academic achievement.

Shifting the Paradigm: Cultivating Socially Responsible Atmospheric Scientists through Leadership and Action

Abstract The geosciences have the lowest racial and ethnic diversity of all STEM fields at all levels of higher education, and atmospheric science is emblematic of this discrepancy. Despite a growing awareness of the problem, Black, Indigenous, people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQIA+ persons continue to be largely absent in academic programs and in the geoscience workforce. There is a desire and need for new approaches, new entry points, and higher levels of engagement to foster a diverse community of researchers, scholars, and practitioners in atmospheric science. One challenge among many is that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are often siloed from many aspects of the scientific process, technical training, and scientific community. We have worked toward bridging this gap through the development of a new atmospheric science course designed to break down traditional barriers for entry into diversity, equity, and inclusion engagement by graduate students, so they emerge better prepared to address issues of participation, representation, and inclusion. This article provides an overview of our new course, focused on social responsibility in atmospheric science. This course was piloted during Fall 2021 with the primary objective to educate and empower graduate students to be “diversity champions” in our field. We describe 1) the rationale for a course of this nature within a graduate program, 2) course design and content, 3) service-learning projects, 4) impact of the course on students, and 5) scalability to other atmospheric science graduate programs.

Mental Health First Aid Training in Rural Maryland during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Program Implementation through Virtual Delivery

The growing mental health concerns during COVID-19, particularly among rural residents, is a public health emergency. Rural residents are at an elevated risk, as rurality has been associated with various disparities, including lower accessibility to mental health services. Maryland Rural Opioid Technical Assistance (ROTA; Maryland Extension) aimed to address this issue by delivering evidence-based programs on opioid misuse and mental health to rural community members and practitioners throughout Maryland when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. and all research activities had to transition to the virtual setting. The current study provides an overview of the implementation process of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program and reports the findings from the evaluation efforts. Participants (N = 398) completed a one-time online survey and answered open-ended questions, reporting high satisfaction rates and positive experiences with the virtual delivery of the program. Results suggested that the virtual format was still effective in program content delivery and that virtual delivery of evidence-based programs may be an opportune strategy to reach more rural residents. Recommendations for future research and practice efforts include building sustainable partnerships with local community organizations and considering rurality and prolonged-pandemic factors for effective program implementation.

Clinical Year Veterinary Students' Expectations of New Graduate Independence Exceed Their Self-Perceived Competence and Expectations of Community Practitioners.

Veterinary medicine is unique in that graduating veterinarians can be licensed to practice independently at the time of graduation. A veterinary curriculum needs to not only prepare graduate veterinarians to meet the expectations of their professional community but also ensure those veterinarians have an accurate perception of expected job requirements. This paper evaluates and compares veterinary students' perceived expectations of graduate-level independence with their self-perceived competence over their clinical (fourth) year. Additionally, we compare these findings to practitioner expectations of graduate-level independence. A survey assessing nine technical and three non-technical categories was distributed to clinical year students at the beginning and end of their clinical year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (UW-SVM). These results were compared to previously obtained survey data from community practitioner members of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association (WVMA). Results indicate an improvement in student self-perceived competence in technical tasks over the clinical year, with the final measures of self-perceived competence aligning with community practitioner expectations of graduate-level independence. However, our results demonstrate a significant difference between student expectations of graduate-level independence, their self-perceived competence, and the community practitioner expectations of graduate independence. These results indicate that veterinary students have unrealistic expectations of their expected independence at graduation and that their self-perceived competence cannot meet these perceived expectations of independence. This misalignment and perceived self-deficit could perpetuate stress and burnout. Further investigation into the cause of this misalignment may help inform educational interventions that encourage students to set realistic expectations.

Understanding the Environmental Security Perceptions of the European Union’s Security Actors

In this paper, we are interested in assessing the different environmental security concepts, policies, and actions of actors involved in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Through exploratory qualitative research, we interviewed key stakeholders who formulate both the climate security discourse and its policy outcomes. Aiming at finding the different perceptions and practices among various actors, we conducted 27 qualitative interviews with practitioners from 17 different institutions, such as EU bodies and agencies, think tanks, and ministries of defense (MoDs). This article discusses the divergence between announced environmental and climate security strategies and policies related to their actual results. Notably, the findings indicate that the effectiveness of the political directives compared with the practices and the developed capabilities around the environment–security nexus are dependent on individual initiatives and efforts that a developing community of practitioners is attempting to carry out. Our study indicates that tailored environmental security policies and actions are needed to motivate both practitioners and policymakers to develop downstream methods and programs that are suited to resolving security-related challenges associated with environmental issues and especially climate change.

Rational quality and cost of critical care systems are more important than individual considerations: a view from India.

Critical or Intensive Care Units (CCU/ICUs) play a crucial role in treating critically ill patients, but they contribute significantly to healthcare costs. In India and many other resource-limited countries, private ICU treatment is largely unaffordable for the poor and even a section of the middle class, who are not substantially insured. It is essential for all stakeholders involved in critical care to prioritize quality and cost-effectiveness. To ensure quality assurance, legally binding quality standards must be developed collaboratively by the government, professional bodies, hospital administrators, and domain experts. Regulatory benchmarks relevant to different types of ICUs can enforce adherence and transparency. Telemedicine, referral systems, and interhospital transport need improvement. Addressing attrition rates among staff and greater empowerment of formally qualified registered intensivists in the private hospitals can enhance outcomes and cost control. Long-term post-ICU recovery care is often unaffordable or unavailable in many parts of the world. Engaging families in home care and providing training in basic caregiving tasks can improve outcomes and reduce costs. In areas with limited access to qualified professionals, training of lay community caregivers and practitioners can be beneficial. Multidisciplinary post-ICU clinics and necessary telephonic handholding can support home-based patients and their families. Standardizing prices of essential necessities and promoting rational practices are crucial. System-wide efforts and novel approaches like decentralization of critical care services are necessary to ensure holistic quality and cost-effectiveness, particularly in densely populated countries with resource limitations. These innovations will not only improve care but also enhance preparedness for future pandemics.

Multi-objective sizing and real-time scheduling of battery energy storage in energy-sharing community based on reinforcement learning

Reducing peak demand and enhancing self-sufficiency have made the battery energy storage system (BESS) essential in microgrids when combined with photovoltaic (PV) systems. Previous studies have shown that BESS usage remains expensive, and it is more practical to share it within a community rather than installing individual systems. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a framework for BESS sizing and scheduling in an energy-sharing community based on reinforcement learning. To validate the proposed framework, a case study was conducted based on the BESS ownership scenarios (i.e., individual-owned BESS (IOB) and community-shared BESS (CSB)) considering the following purposes of potential stakeholders: (i) enhancing SSR; (ii) reducing peak demand; and (iii) increasing economic profit. The maximum SSR of CSB was 12.4% higher than IOB, while the peak load of CSB was 0.07% lower than IOB. As the BESS size increased, the total cost of BESS increased, and the total profits on electricity decreased. The economic profit increased by about 38% when CSB was used compared to IOBs. The proposed framework offers more promise for a broader range of building loads and PV generation within the energy-sharing community. Ultimately, this study would allow prosumers, community practitioners, and policymakers to better understand the sharing mechanisms in the community and provide decision guidelines for ownership types, operational strategies, and sizing of BESS and PV systems.

Understanding US healthcare provider preferences for consumption of publication content: opportunities to leverage omnichannel approaches

Objective Understanding the healthcare provider (HCP) journey of discovering and consuming medical and scientific information is critical for optimizing publication reach. A survey was conducted in 2019-2020 to understand how HCPs in the United States discover, review, and share publications of interest. A follow-up survey was conducted in 2021-2022 to assess how HCP behavior in the United States has evolved over the past 2 years, including due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Expanding on the survey completed in March 2020, a 24-question, online survey was conducted via SurveyMonkey. Survey invitations were sent via email list, social media, and personal outreach to practicing US-based HCPs with MD or DO degrees. Results Thirty-nine HCPs responded in 2020. Of the 33 HCPs who responded in 2021-2022, 67% were community practitioners; 45% had practiced for >20 years, while 30% had practiced for <5 years. Medical media channels (preferred by 73%) were the most common means of discovering publications of interest (vs targeted PubMed/Embase searches in early 2020). Sixty-seven percent of HCPs found supplemental digital information (also called publication enhancers) moderately/very useful for understanding article content vs 56% in the 2020 survey. When asked about pandemic-related behavior changes, HCPs reported increases in social media use (55%), medical media use (52%), direct reading of research articles (45%), accessing supplemental digital information (39%), and sharing/recommending articles to colleagues (33%). Conclusions These survey results suggest that how HCPs interact with publication content is evolving and that these changes appear accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This evolution is important to understand, and be accounted for, in the framework of omnichannel publication planning.

A quantifiler™ trio-based HRM screening assay for the accurate prediction of single source versus mixed biological samples.

At present, the forensic DNA workflow is not capable of providing information about the contributor status (single source vs. multiple contributors) of evidentiary samples prior to end-point analysis. This exacerbates the challenges inherent to mixtures and low-template DNA samples. If additional sample information could be provided earlier in the workflow, protocols could be implemented to mitigate these challenges. An integrated Quantiplex®- high resolution melt (HRM) assay was shown to be effective in distinguishing between single source and mixture DNA samples; however, integration of the HRM assay into a more commonly used chemistry would be beneficial to the practitioner community. Thus, the assay was redesigned as an integrated Quantifiler™ Trio-HRM assay, which included the identification of a new DNA-binding dye, an increased reaction volume, and the establishment of new data analysis and standard curve metrics for all targets. This redesigned assay produced quantification values and qualitative values that were comparable to those produced when the same samples were tested using the standard Quantifiler™ Trio chemistry and settings. Further, STR profiles generated with quantification values produced from the integrated Quantifiler™ Trio-HRM assay and standard Quantifiler™ Trio chemistry were complete and fully concordant. Most importantly, the integrated Quantifiler™ Trio-HRM assay was able to accurately predict whether a sample was single source or a mixture 79.2% of the time, demonstrating the potential of this approach. With the incorporation of an expanded training set for prediction modeling, and completion of critical developmental validation studies, this assay could prove useful to the forensic DNA practitioner community.

Diagnostic Accuracy and economic value of a Tiered Assessment for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (DATAforFASD): Protocol

IntroductionAustralian practices for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are lengthy and require specialist expertise. Specialist teams are based in urban locations; they are expensive and have prolonged waitlists. Innovative,...

Exploring the interplay of credit and liquidity risks: Impacts on banks’ profitability

This research delves into the intricate relationship between credit and liquidity risks and their far-reaching consequences on the overall profitability of banks. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset comprising 132 observations across twelve distinct financial institutions, spanning the period from 2009 to 2019, the analysis employs a sophisticated empirical framework grounded in simultaneous equations. By incorporating three meticulously chosen control variables, this approach adeptly disentangles the distinct effects of credit and liquidity risks on banks’ financial performance. The methodological trajectory unfolds in a sequential manner, commencing with isolated scrutiny of the individual impacts of credit and liquidity risks on banks’ profitability. This evaluation is gauged through robust metrics such as Returns on Assets and Economics. Subsequently, a nuanced exploration ensues, probing the intricate interplay between these two risks and their combined effect on banks’ profitability. Eminent findings emerge from this investigation, underscoring the adverse consequences of escalated credit risk on bank liquidity, accompanied by a simultaneous elevation in overall risk exposure. This disturbing trend notably casts a substantial shadow over banks’ profitability. Conclusively, this study consistently establishes the detrimental impact of the confluence of credit and liquidity risks on the financial well-being of banks. Evidently, this interaction exerts a negative influence on banks’ profitability, a perspective persistently reinforced by the authors’ analyses. The insights garnered from this study hold notable implications for the banking community and financial practitioners. By enhancing comprehension of the distinct attributes of credit and liquidity risks, this research contributes to a refined understanding of risk management dynamics. Moreover, it accentuates the urgency of fortifying the holistic management of liquidity-credit risks, a call to action that resonates deeply with both bankers and financiers seeking to navigate the intricate terrain of contemporary financial landscapes.

DESIGN OF MASTER DATA ARCHITECTURE

Master data management (MDM) is a concept that is gaining traction in both the scientific and practitioner communities of information systems. MDM is a set of operations that must be completed to achieve business needs, for example, regulatory compliance, business unification, and inclusive customer management. The design and maintenance of the master data is a very critical task. Surprisingly, the scientific community has been almost deafeningly mute on how enterprises approach master data architecture design. This article discusses the report of a research study conducted at Bosch Group to shed light on this under-researched area. The report demonstrates that master data architecture design is a multifaceted effort that necessitates harmonizing the objectives of several stakeholders, handling various technical options, and satisfying the requirements of multiple master data classes.

China’s adherence to corporate social responsibility in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo: A comparative analysis

Background: China’s international relations with Africa have recently received much attention from the community of international relations scholars and practitioners. Even though such a scholarly conversation has become a hot topic, little attention has been paid to the Chinese multinational corporations’ (MNCs) adherence to and practice of corporate social responsibilities in African countries like Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Aim: This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of China’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagements in both Angola and DRC.Setting: Based on historical sensibility, this research article uses Zambia’s political and economic fertile grounds to revisit what drives the Chinese engagement in Zambia within a historical context.Methods: Methodologically, this research article has deployed the use of document review to assemble the data used.Results: This article has discovered that China has not been adhering to the international norms and expectations of CSR in both countries.Conclusion: China’s international relations with Africa, Angola and the DRC in context do not at all serve the interests of Africans but those of China.Contribution: This article has contributed in terms of bringing an awareness among Africans about the conduct of China and her multinational corporations in the continent. This will then deepen the current scholarly conversation on an urgent need for policy transformation in Angola and the DRC when it comes to matters of CSR.

Wet-grassland breeding bird conservation in Germany: current status and future perspectives

The decline of wet-grassland breeding bird populations across Europe, and Germany more specifically, continues unabated. In an effort to address this ongoing issue, we conducted a Horizon Scanning survey to identify the current strengths, weaknesses, future opportunities, and threats for wet-grassland breeding bird conservation across both continental and Atlantic biogeographic regions in Germany. We conducted the survey in 2022 and targeted primarily the community of conservation practitioners. We structured the survey with nine simple questions to identify the profile of the participants and collect their expert opinions. Our results confirm established challenges for bird conservation and bring into the spotlight emerging opportunities and threats. Thus, we summarize here the results of this survey and provide recommendations to decision-makers and stakeholders to work collectively towards the recovery of wet-grassland breeding bird populations in Germany and preserve grassland biodiversity for future generations.

Unincorporated

In this paper, the authors take part in a duoethnographic dialogical and reflective conversation about their experiences in mathematics teaching and learning in two unincorporated United States (US) territories (Guåhan and the US Virgin Islands) and discuss how such differed from experiences since moving to the US mainland. The two authors are in a professional mentor-mentee relationship and currently work at a large research university in the central US. Informed by recent experiences since living in the US mainland, the authors used the edited book, “Rehumanizing Mathematics for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx Students” by Goffney et al. (2018) to ground their reflections and discussion. The Rehumanizing Mathematics conceptual framework was used as a sociopolitical lens to guide their dialogic exchange. As duoethnography was used as the methodological approach to analyze the discussion and reflections, the authors were the focal sites of research. Findings from this duoethnography revealed three themes: (1) a recollection of race, culture, language in mathematics; (2) math classrooms as familial community; and (3) culturally responsive mathematics. The paper concludes with implications of these findings for researcher and practitioner communities.

DIY Design and Radical Worldbuilding at The Grove Skatepark, London

This paper presents an ethnographic case study of DIY design practices at a skatepark in London, UK. The skatepark is presented as an urban commons, offering a framework for DIY infrastructuring that contrasts top-down and inequitable urbanisation processes. Three key themes emerge from the fieldwork that demonstrate the capacities and limitations of DIY design. Firstly, DIY practices are viewed as “learning-by-doing”, wherein skateboarders not only learn how to construct a skatepark but also an array of vocational and soft skills. Here, DIY’s qualities of low barriers to participation, multidisciplinarity, and low risk of failure foreground a rich environment of vernacular knowledge exchange that underpins the research methodology of this paper utilising skatepark construction as object-orientated, research-through-design. Secondly, DIY design is found to support a community of practitioners that transcend the space as just a skatepark, incorporating a community garden, collaborative theatre project and arts-based workshops that transcend male-dominated histories of DIY skateboarding cultures. Here, Participatory Design (PD) notions of ‘infrastructuring’ mirror an emergent and open-ended design process that supports inclusive socio-material worldmaking. Thirdly, DIY design practices influence the ways in which the space is governed, in which there are found to be contradictory notions of “prefigurative politics.” Here, the space is argued to be inclusive and anarchic yet centres agency around notions of “core skateboarding” that reinforce masculine hegemonies. Collectively, this paper argues that DIY design has the potential to serve as a worldmaking agent underpinned by a unique set of values and modes which are well-suited to times of uncertainty, flux and crisis, yet highlights the necessity for critically engaging with the politics and practices of both DIY and skateboarding communities.

Trend Topic in School-based Lesson Study for Learning Community in Transformational Program

Implementation of lesson study encourages Reflective Practitioners to get used to collaborating in learning practice. In Indonesia, educational programs have been designed with collaboration in mind, promoting a reflection process within the learning community. This research focuses on trending topics/themes of reflective practitioners in supporting the sustainability of their learning communities. The participants involved in this study were 75 reflective practitioners consisting of school principals (P), school supervisors (SS), and learning committee teachers (T). Through the Facilitating School Program (FSP) Questionnaire, information was obtained that two topics were becoming trends by all reflective practitioners in Learning Community for Reflective Practitioners (LCRP) activities in schools, namely, commitment to improving quality sustainably 85.3% and conducting research collaboratively 841%. Schools must collaborate with teachers and principals to design straightforward school programs so that these two topics can be implemented smoothly