Complex Concept Research Articles

A transdisciplinary co‐conceptualisation of marine identity

Abstract Challenge 10 of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) calls for the restoration of society's relationship with the ocean. Research suggests that the relationship people have with marine environments can influence their depth of engagement in marine citizenship action, and the important role for ‘marine identity’ in driving that action. Although identity is well‐researched, marine identity is a concept novel to academia and a baseline understanding is required, both to grasp the scope of the concept, and to support research into its role in transforming the human‐ocean relationship. Here, a transdisciplinary study, endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Activity and by the EU Mission Ocean & Waters, brought together a multinational community of marine researchers and practitioners to co‐produce a baseline conceptualisation of marine identity, drawing on photovoice and deliberative methodology. This paper presents the findings of the co‐production process and offers a first introduction in the literature of the multiple variations and formations of marine identity. We find marine identity to be a complex and multidimensional concept, suffused with individual experiences and understandings of the marine environment, based on social and cultural understandings of the ocean, contemporarily and historically. We present real‐world examples of marine identity to illustrate key themes that were developed through co‐production. Policy implications: We propose marine identity as a catalyst for understanding existing multifaceted and caring relationships with the ocean, as well as the restoration of society's relationship with the ocean. Marine identity research should, therefore, be prioritised in research seeking to contribute to the UN Ocean Decade Challenge 10, as this will support integration of non‐material values of the ocean into marine planning processes and policy making, enabling effective responses to Challenge 10's emphasis on integrating traditional/cultural ways of knowing and valuing the marine environment, through diverse marine identities. We welcome research efforts that will further develop the marine identity concept and empirically investigate the relationships between marine identity, marine citizenship, and people's relationships with the ocean. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Reflective Questions: Promoting Metacognition Through Discussion Board Prompts

During two semesters, a numerical methods course for mechanical engineering students at a large US southeastern university used discussion board questions to promote reflection and metacognition. The course covered eight chapters, each with a related discussion question. The students could choose to answer these questions and receive 2% extra credit for the course. This was intended to help the students who missed some of the 30 online homework assignments that comprised 15% of the final course grade. The questions were also meant to encourage the students to think deeply and creatively. The students could see other students’ responses after they posted their own. The questions ranged from making a meme, writing a nursery rhyme, and explaining a complex or easy concept. Only 64% of the total possible responses were submitted by students, and there was a small-to-medium practical but no statistical significance between the levels of participation among the high- or low-performing students. The submissions were analyzed and determined to be at the low level of Bloom’s taxonomy. They identified complex topics to inform future instruction.

Pengembangan Media Monopoli sebagai Sarana Belajar dan Bermain Siswa Sekolah Dasar dalam Materi Perkembangan Hewan dan Tumbuhan

The background is the need for an innovative approach in education to facilitate students' understanding of complex concepts. Monopoly media is developed to increase student engagement and facilitate understanding of concepts. Through interactive and interesting game elements. This study aims to develop Monopoly game-based learning media for animal and plant development material in Elementary Schools by applying the ADDIE model, which includes the analysis, design, and development stages. In the analysis stage, identification of needs and potential problems in learning is carried out. The design stage involves creating game components that are in accordance with the learning material. The development stage includes media production and validation, including the creation of game boards, question cards, and mystery cards. The subjects in this study were elementary school students, data collection techniques were carried out by interviewing and observing and data analysis was carried out using the Miles and Huberman data analysis techniques. The results of this development are expected to enrich students' learning experiences, improve collaboration, and motivate them in understanding animal and plant development material.

Is God evolving? Totems in contemporary art

This article explores the evolution of totemic symbolism in contemporary visual art and its profound link with religious concepts, particularly the image of God. It examines how artists reinterpret sacred themes through totems, reflecting both historical religious traditions and modern societal transformations. Through a review of totemic representations from ancient to contemporary artworks, this study illuminates the evolving portrayal of divine figures – from traditional religious icons to more personalised spiritual symbols. This evolution not only signifies changes in artistic expression but also suggests a deepening societal understanding of divinity. The analysis highlights the totem’s role as a mediator between the human and the divine, offering insights into the spiritual connections that transcend conventional religious frameworks. This research not only enriches the discourse on the relationship between art and religion but also underscores the dynamic interaction between cultural heritage and contemporary artistic exploration.Contribution: This study enriches the field of art history and religious studies by tracing the transformative representation of totems in art from ancient symbolism to modern reinterpretations. It underscores the totem’s role as a dynamic symbol in contemporary visual culture, facilitating deeper spiritual connections and dialogues across various cultural and religious landscapes. The findings of this study provide a nuanced understanding of how contemporary art mediates complex theological concepts, thus offering new perspectives on the intersection of art, religion and spirituality.

Addressing diversity: An analysis of German curricula for history

AbstractThis article analyses the extent to which German history curricula address aspects of diversity. The curricula are analysed in terms of whether they include diagnostic phases to identify students' individual interests. It also examines whether the historical experiences of minorities and the agency of subaltern groups are addressed. The extent to which the curricula abandon a Eurocentric perspective and integrate global historical aspects will also be considered. Methodologically, the curricula of two main school types in all German states were analysed by means of a qualitative content analysis. The focus was on curricula for lower and upper secondary schools. The results show that diversity is usually addressed only from the perspective of established narratives. A national and Eurocentric history continues to dominate the curricula. Only a few curricula explicitly address the diagnosis of students' performance and ideas. Finally, the paper discusses the evolving nature of curricula, influenced by societal needs and growing sensitivity to social diversity. It highlights the need for future research on diversity in teacher education and the practicality of implementing complex concepts such as postcolonial thought in the classroom. More empirical research is needed on current curricula and the teaching of history in different regions and types of school.

Harnessing artificial intelligence for efficient systematic reviews: A case study in ecosystem condition indicators

Effective evidence synthesis is important for the integration of scientific research into decision-making. However, fully depicting the vast mosaic of concepts and applications in environmental sciences and ecology often entails a substantial workload. New Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools present an attractive option for addressing this challenge but require sufficient validation to match the vigorous standards of a systematic review. This article demonstrates the use of generative AI in the selection of relevant literature as part of a systematic review on indicators of ecosystem condition. We highlight, through the development of an optimal prompt to communicate inclusion and exclusion criteria, the need to describe ecosystem condition as a multidimensional concept whilst also maintaining clarity on what does not meet the criteria of comprehensiveness. We show that, although not completely infallible, the GPT-3.5 model significantly outperforms traditional literature screening processes in terms of speed and efficiency whilst correctly selecting 83 % of relevant literature for review. Our study highlights the importance of precision in prompt design and the setting of query parameters for the AI model and opens the perspective for future work using language models to contextualize complex concepts in the environmental sciences. Future development of this methodology in tandem with the continued evolution of the accessibility and capacity of AI tools presents a great potential to improve evidence synthesis through gains in efficiency and possible scope.

Climate decision making: influence of prevailing social norms and probability of climate change

IntroductionThe global rise in climatic calamities necessitates effective strategies for understanding and addressing Earth’s climate complexities. Although recent research underscores simulation tools’ effectiveness in elucidating complex concepts related to Earth’s climate, partner influence on climatic decisions within simulation studies has been overlooked.MethodsEmploying the Partner Interactive Climate Change Simulator (P-ICCS), we examined 180 participants across varied conditions. The study manipulated partner nature (optimal, irrational, or none) and climate change probability (high or low) to observe effects on participants’ responses (mitigation or adaptation) within P-ICCS.ResultsResults revealed a significant impact of partner presence, with the optimal partner notably enhancing monetary investments against climate change compared to the irrational partner. Intriguingly, climate change probability did not sway participants’ investment behavior.DiscussionThe findings emphasize the pivotal role of partner influence in climate decision-making, offering insights for effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Molecular complexity as a driving force for the advancement of organic synthesis.

The generation of molecular complexity is a primary goal in the field of synthetic chemistry. In the context of retrosynthetic analysis, the concept of molecular complexity is central to identifying productive disconnections and the development of efficient total syntheses. However, this field-defining concept is frequently invoked on an intuitive basis without precise definition or appreciation of its subtleties. Methods for quantifying molecular complexity could prove useful for characterizing the state of synthesis in a more rigorous, reliable and reproducible fashion. As a first step to evaluating the importance of these methods to the state of the field, here we present our perspective on the development of molecular complexity quantification and its implications for chemical synthesis. The extension and application of these methods beyond computer-aided synthesis planning and medicinal chemistry to the traditional practice of 'complex molecule' synthesis could have the potential to unearth new opportunities and more efficient approaches for synthesis.

EFFECTIVE PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR DIGITAL LEARNERS

This study investigated the effectiveness of various pedagogical strategies in digital learning environments, focusing on blended learning, gamification, adaptive learning technologies, interactive multimedia content, and frequent feedback. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combined quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with students and educators to assess the impact of these strategies on engagement, motivation, and academic performance. The results revealed that blended learning enhances flexibility and personalization, gamification increases motivation through interactive elements, and adaptive technologies tailor content to individual needs. Interactive multimedia content improves retention and understanding of complex concepts, while frequent feedback supports continuous learner development. The findings emphasized integrating diverse pedagogical strategies to optimize digital education and address varying learner needs. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of these strategies, emerging technologies, and their effectiveness across different educational contexts to ensure equitable and compelling learning experiences. KEYWORDS: blended learning, gamification, adaptive learning technologies, multimedia content, frequent feedback, digital learning, educational technology

The trees of occupation are flourishing: employment and substitution effects of regional economic complexity

PurposeCan regional economic complexity improve the employment effect, and is the employment structure also affected by heterogeneity? In order to solve these doubts, this paper plans to carry out systematic theoretical analysis and quantitative tests on these problems.Design/methodology/approachBased on the macroeconomic data of 129 countries from 1995 to 2022, this paper empirically studies the impact of economic complexity on the employment effect and its mechanism channel by building relevant models.FindingsThe results show that regional economic complexity can significantly improve the employment effect of society. At the same time, regional economic complexity has an indirect positive role in promoting employment from two aspects: accumulating fiscal surplus and increasing the working-age population. The former can stimulate employment policies by increasing the government’s tax sources, while the latter can increase production specialization and complexity by stimulating demand and increasing employment. In addition, regional economic complexity will lead to job market differentiation, making the boundary between the service sector and the labor market between industry and agriculture and between the informal employment market and the formal employment more obvious, thus triggering the substitution effect of employment.Originality/valueThe possible innovations and marginal contributions of this paper are as follows: First, there are many studies on the influencing factors of employment or unemployment, and this paper provides a new research direction for the literature on the influencing factors of employment effect by using the concept of regional economic complexity for the first time. Second, this paper broadens the research perspective of the employment effect of regional economic complexity, divides the employment substitution effect of various sectors from the perspective of industrial structure and further analyzes the employment promotion effect of regional economic complexity.

Analysis of Teacher Needs in Developing Flipbook-Based Interactive Teaching Materials in Elementary Schools

This research analyzes teachers' needs in developing flipbook-based interactive teaching materials in elementary schools. This research method uses quantitative research with a survey research type and descriptive qualitative. The research locations were Sidosermo 1 Surabaya public Elementary School, Margorejo VI public Elementary School Surabaya, Margorejo 1 public Elementary School, Taquma Elementary School, Kyai Ibrahim Elementary School, and Jemursari I Surabaya public elementary school. Data collection techniques using questionnaires. The research instrument is a wide questionnaire that experts have validated. Data analysis techniques were carried out using descriptive statistics and descriptive qualitative using data reduction, data display, and verification. The research results show that 100% of teachers need flipbook-based interactive teaching materials for elementary school students. This teaching material is considered the most appropriate and effective solution for meeting the learning needs of Pancasila Education in class IV, semester 2. The implications of these findings are significant. The demand for such teaching materials underscores the necessity of providing resources that are not only aligned with the curriculum but also capable of captivating students' interest and facilitating a deeper understanding of the content. Modern, interactive materials like flipbooks can offer a more dynamic learning environment, helping students better grasp complex concepts through engaging and visually stimulating content.

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Emerging Technologies on Student Learning, Engagement, and Employability in Built Environment Education

This paper presents a systematic literature review of the impact of emerging technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and gamification on student engagement, learning outcomes, and employability in Built Environment (BE) education. This review covers studies conducted between 2013 and 2023, utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework. From an initial pool of 626 studies, 61 were identified and rigorously analyzed. The findings reveal that these technologies significantly enhance student engagement by providing immersive and interactive learning experiences that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Furthermore, their use is shown to improve learning outcomes by facilitating a deeper understanding of complex concepts and increasing student motivation. In terms of employability, the integration of digital tools into BE education equips students with the requisite skills that are increasingly demanded in the modern workplace. However, the study also identifies several challenges, including high costs, limited resources, and the need for extensive faculty training, which act as barriers to the effective implementation of these technologies. Despite these challenges, this review underscores the transformative potential of digital technologies in BE education. This study is significant as it synthesizes recent evidence to highlight the critical role of digital technologies in reshaping BE education. It offers practical recommendations for educators and policymakers to enhance teaching and learning practices. Providing pathways for integrating these technologies into BE curricula, this study aims to inform future research and pedagogical strategies, ultimately contributing to the development of a highly skilled and adaptable workforce.

Approach Uses Multidisciplinary Constraints for Automatic Well-Path Generation

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 215021, “A New Paradigm for Automatic Well-Path Generation Using Multidisciplinary Constraints,” by Eric Cayeux, SPE, Gilles Pelfrene, SPE, and Rodica G. Mihai, SPE, NORCE, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ Because of the multidisciplinary nature of the well-planning process, many iterations are necessary to generate a well path. This is a time-consuming process that finally leads to planned trajectories that may be suboptimal. Departing from the traditional incremental approach to well-path generation, the method proposed in the complete paper relies on the collection of experienced-based constraints from each discipline to generate possible alternatives to the well path. As a result of this new process, the multidisciplinary team can focus on the relevance of the constraints rather than on the details of the planned trajectory. Constraint-Based Well-Path Design To better capture the decisions during the well-path-planning process and their motivation, a constraint-based design is proposed. Typical constraints that can be included in such an approach are geological, geomechanical, operational, economic, time-related, technical, social, and environmental. The complete paper focuses on geometrical constraints and aspects related to their influence on well-path design. Target and Target-Group Constraints Definition. A target is a complex concept with no standard definition across the industry or within companies themselves. In the proposed approach, the target is defined as a set of geometrical constraints to be met, each referring to a target body. It differs from the standard approach in that it does not discriminate between target bodies to reach (such as points or target axes), which can be called attractors, and those to avoid (such as faults or vertical walls of lease lines), which can be called repellors. The distinction is particularly relevant when the well-path-generation algorithm can process the set of constraints globally, thus providing an ensemble of solutions that inherently meet all constraints.

Incivility in Nursing Education: A Concept Analysis.

Incivility in nursing education is a complex concept that is not exactly defined in nursing. The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of incivility in nursing education in the Iranian cultural context. Concept analysis was performed based on hybrid model in three steps. In the theoretical phase, a review of studies was conducted from 2000 to 2020. During the fieldwork, 7 nursing faculty members and 9 nursing students were interviewed. The third phase included the comparison of the themes that were extracted from the two previous phases. From the 1250 titles, 45 articles were analyzed. Review of literature showed that incivility has several attributes: unconventional communication, irresponsible and disrespectful behavior. The fieldwork phase added unmanaged behavior and being contrary to academic goal. Defining the concept of incivility in nursing education refers to an unconventional, disrespectful, unmanaged behavior that is contrary to the academic goal of nursing education and results from individual differences, stress, improper application of technology, and inappropriate role models which, by creating an unsafe learning condition leads to harming the individual, organization and profession. Here, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the incivility in nursing education that can be used in instrumentation, model building, and development of theory.

Cognitive performance of grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) during a discrimination learning task: Effect of the emotional valence of stimuli.

Emotions are omnipresent in many animals' lives. It is a complex concept that encompasses physiological, subjective, behavioural and cognitive aspects. While the complex relationship between emotion and cognition has been well studied in humans and in some nonhuman primates, it remains rather unexplored for other nonhuman primate species, such as lemurs. In our study, we evaluated the performance of N = 48 grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) in a discrimination learning task using visual emotional stimuli. We tested whether the type of visual stimulus (positive, negative or neutral) influenced the cognitive performance of mouse lemurs. Individuals had to learn to discriminate between two platforms according to the associated visual stimuli and to jump to the target platform (leading to a reward). Our main finding was that emotional stimuli, whether positive or negative in valence, impaired cognitive performance when used as a target. Specifically, the lowest success rate occurred when the target was associated with the emotional stimuli, and the highest success rate occurred when it was associated with neutral stimuli. Our results show a similar pattern to that found in other primate species and support the adaptive role of emotion. Our results also support that individual differences could be a factor impacting the relation between emotion and cognition. This study is the first to explore how emotions interfere with the cognitive abilities of a lemur species and highlights the importance of acknowledging emotion in mouse lemurs as well as studying the emotion-cognition interaction in a wider range of primate species.

Healthcare Professionals’ Perspectives on Dignity in Dementia: A Qualitative Analysis

In dementia care, the concept of dignity has garnered substantial attention from both researchers and policymakers. However, the concept often remains vague and open to interpretation, potentially leading to misunderstandings and suboptimal care for people with dementia. As healthcare professionals occupy a critical role in upholding dignity, exploring their viewpoints on this complex concept is paramount. In this study, we explore Danish healthcare professionals’ views on the dignity of people with dementia and discuss these perspectives against existing theoretical accounts. We employed thematic analysis of data collected during facilitated discussions with a total of 99 healthcare professionals, including nurses and healthcare workers, during which we posed the question, “What is dignity to you?” and documented their perspectives. Through a systematic process of data coding and interpretation, we identified recurring patterns in their responses. This approach allowed us to uncover the depth and complexity of their viewpoints, providing valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of dignity as perceived by healthcare professionals. Our findings revealed that healthcare professionals possessed a nuanced understanding of dignity, recognizing both a subjective element and a universal aspect applicable to all individuals, aligning with theoretical interpretations. However, conceptual ambiguity remained a challenge.

Pressure never sucks, pressure only pushes: a physiological exploration of the pushing power of pressure.

The movement of air into and out of the lungs is facilitated by changes in pressure within the thoracic cavity relative to atmospheric pressure, as well as the resistance encountered by airways. In this process, the movement of air into and out of the lungs is driven by pressure gradients established by changes in lung volume and intra-alveolar pressure. However, pressure never sucks! The concept that pressure never sucks, pressure only pushes encapsulates a fundamental principle in the behavior of gases. This concept challenges common misconceptions about pressure, shedding light on the dynamic forces that govern the movement of gases. In this Illumination, we explore the essence of this concept and its applications in pulmonary ventilation. Pressure is one of the most important concepts in physics and physiology. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is equal to 1 atmosphere or around 101,325 Pascal [Pa (1 Pa = 1 N/m2)]. This huge pressure is pushing down on everything all the time. However, this pressure is difficult to understand because we do not often observe the power of this incredible force. We used five readily available, simple, and inexpensive demonstrations to introduce the physics and power of pressure. This extraordinarily complex physics concept was approached in a straightforward and inexpensive manner while still providing an understanding of the fundamental concepts. These simple demonstrations introduced basic concepts and addressed common misconceptions about pressure.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The concept that pressure never sucks, pressure only pushes challenges common misconceptions about pressure, shedding light on the dynamic forces that govern the movement of gases. In this Illumination, we will explore the essence of this concept and its applications in pulmonary ventilation. Specifically, we used five readily available, simple, inexpensive demonstrations to introduce the physics and power of pressure.

An innovative educational approach to teach high school students the physiological mechanisms and nutrition concepts associated with the development of obesity.

An interdisciplinary team-teaching session was introduced to high school students who participated in the Oakland University William Beaumont Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program. The rising prevalence of adolescent obesity necessitates innovative educational strategies that effectively engage high school students in understanding the complex physiologic mechanisms and nutrition concepts underlying its development. This submission presents a session that is designed to integrate the physiological concepts and nutrition that are associated with the development of obesity. Foundational information about the different food ingredients and physiology of the gastrointestinal organ system followed by concepts associated with the development of obesity and its complications were introduced. The session was delivered using combined educational approaches such as a dialogical-narrative approach and hands-on application activities by two discipline experts, physiology and nutrition. This innovative approach was well received, as evidenced by high satisfaction rates among participants. While direct measures of critical thinking and practical skills development were not captured, the positive feedback suggests that students appreciated the engaging, hands-on application of theoretical concepts. The sessions fostered an awareness of personal health responsibilities, with students actively participating and connecting learned material with practical scenarios. We believe that using combined educational approaches in interdisciplinary team-teaching sessions promotes inclusiveness and interactive engagement and enhances long-life learning.NEW & NOTEWORTHY An interdisciplinary team-teaching session was introduced to high school students who participated in the Oakland University William Beaumont Future Physician Summer Enrichment Program. The session aimed to integrate physiological concepts and nutrition that are associated with the development of obesity. The session was delivered using combined educational approaches including a dialogical-narrative approach and hands-on application activity that are guided by combined learning theories such as dialogism, narrative, theories of engagement, and multimedia active learning.

Medical metaphors in the conservation discourse: insights from critical metaphor analysis

This article explores the use of medical metaphors in conservation discourse, analysing their impact on shaping the concept of conservation through the lens of cognitive linguistics and sociology. Through analysis of 120 papers from the ICOM-CC Theory, History and Ethics Working Group, metaphors such as the conservation object is a human being and the conservator is a doctor were identified. The study reveals how these metaphors frame conservation as a beneficent act of caring for an object, akin to medical treatment. However, it also highlights limitations in explaining stakeholder involvement and community autonomy, the stages of conservation actions, and more nuanced concepts of damage. While this article does not argue against the use of medical metaphors in conservation, it aims to raise awareness of those limitations deriving from the use of complex and fluid concepts in both fields. In conclusion, this study advocates for further research to explore culture-specific features and chronological changes in the use of metaphors to promote a deeper understanding of cross-cultural and inter-generational communications in conservation.

THE POWER OF COMICS: FOSTERING PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS' INTEREST IN ENGLISH LESSONS

Comics have emerged as a potent tool for enhancing engagement and comprehension in primary school education. This article explores the efficacy of utilizing comics to cultivate pupils' interest in lessons. By amalgamating visual storytelling with educational content, comics offer a dynamic and captivating medium to captivate young learners. Through an examination of relevant research and practical examples, this article elucidates how incorporating comics into the curriculum can stimulate curiosity, facilitate retention, and promote critical thinking skills among primary school pupils. Furthermore, it delves into the strategies educators can employ to integrate comics effectively into lesson plans, ensuring an enriching and immersive learning experience. By harnessing the inherent appeal of comics, educators can nurture a love for learning and empower pupils to explore complex concepts with enthusiasm and creativity.