Interconnected Concepts Research Articles

Modeling the contribution of self‐efficacy, collective efficacy, and autonomy to professional creativity of Chinese EFL teachers

AbstractIn the modern educational landscape, teacher creativity has a vital role, especially in language education. Teacher creativity plays a crucial role in today's world, and some studies have explored the factors influencing creativity among language teachers. The present research explored the impact of psychological factors, self‐efficacy, collective efficacy, and autonomy on the professional creativity of Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. These interconnected concepts provide a holistic perspective on motivation and performance, impacting both individuals and groups. In a study involving 542 English teachers from diverse backgrounds (varying in gender, age, and teaching experience) within Chinese educational settings, researchers administered four distinct scales: teacher creativity, self‐efficacy, collective efficacy, and autonomy. The responses were then analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The analysis revealed a significant relationship between Chinese EFL teachers’ self‐efficacy, collective efficacy, and autonomy, and their creativity. Specifically, regression analysis indicated that higher levels of self‐efficacy and collective efficacy were statistically associated with better creativity among teachers (p < 0.05). The model further showed that 52% of the differences in teachers’ professional creativity can be described by their self‐efficacy, while approximately 37% of the variance is attributed to collective efficacy. Additionally, autonomy accounts for approximately 61% of the variance in teachers’ professional creativity. The results from the SEM analysis corroborate the existing literature, affirming that self‐efficacy, collective efficacy, and autonomy significantly influence professional creativity among Chinese EFL teachers. These psychological factors play a crucial role in enhancing individual teacher creativity. Educational administrators can leverage these insights to design focused professional development programs that strengthen teachers’ self‐efficacy and collective efficacy. Additionally, granting teachers greater autonomy in curriculum design and implementation fosters an environment where creative teaching strategies are more likely to flourish.

The structure of ability beliefs in EFL classrooms: A cross-theoretical analysis bridging self-efficacy and perceived competence needs satisfaction

Theoretical parsimony represents one avenue forward for the study of positive psychology in language education. This study examined two well-recognized but interconnected concepts in the context of second language classrooms: academic self-efficacy rooted in Social Cognitive Theory and competence need satisfaction derived from Self Determination Theory. The investigation sought to show the distinctions and intersections in these constructs, underscoring the necessity for empirical scrutiny to establish their coherent definitions. We aim to present both concepts within a unified framework in order to facilitate a meaningful connection between the two theories. A sample comprising 181 students attending a private junior-high school in urban Japan participated in this study by completing widely used scales measuring self-efficacy and perceived competence. The research employed conventional independent cluster confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), bifactor-CFA, bifactor-ESEM, and the S-1 model for comparative analysis. Among these, the S-1 model emerged as the most theoretically sound model with a good fit and absence of anomalies. Furthermore, the factor representing global perceived competence needs satisfaction exhibited a strong association with students’ later academic achievements. These results indicate the potential cross-theoretical nature of competence beliefs and carry implications for both theory and practice in the psychology of language learning.

INTEGRASI KEILMUAN ISLAM HOLISTIK-INTEGRATIF PERGURUAN TINGGI DI INDONESIA

There are various ways of integrating holistic-integrative Islamic scholarship in the era of postmodernism such as in Indonesia today. This qualitative descriptive writing with a literature study aims to discuss the holistic-integrative integration of Islamic knowledge in higher education in Indonesia. The data analysis technique uses content analysis by sorting data according to the research objectives and problems. This research found the following two things. First, in essence, the integration of Islamic scholarship from holistic-integrative postmodernism-era thinkers is a criticism of the normative-theological Islamic scientific paradigm of the traditionalism era as well as a criticism of the empirical-sociological Islamic paradigm of the modernism era. Second, the essence of the integration of Islamic science in the postmodern era of religious universities in Indonesia is to end the dichotomy of science and religious science for scientific construction in the future. Several Islamic universities in Indonesia have carried out scientific integration, including UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta with the concept of Reintegration of Sciences in Islam, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta with the concept of Integration-Interconnection using the Spider Web metaphor, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang with the concept of Integration of Science in Islam with the Tree of Knowledge metaphor, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung with the concept of Wahyu Guiding Knowledge with the wheel metaphor, UIN Alauddin Makasar with the concept of Integration and Interconnection of Science and Religious Knowledge with the metaphor of the Tree of Science Cells, and others.

What’s left of the populist radical left? SYRIZA and Die Linke compared

ABSTRACT This paper examines the discursive articulations of populism with egalitarianism in the parties of the Greek Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) and the German The Left Party (Die Linke). I draw on tools of political discourse analysis and use a discursive-analytical perspective to develop an analytical framework for examining egalitarianism and populism as separate yet interconnected concepts in the examined cases. My data is drawn from speeches and interviews of each party’s leadership during the national and European Parliament elections from 2009 to 2019. The aim is to make an argument for the analytical utility of ‘the elite’ term and its importance within each party’s socio-political context to separate egalitarian from populist elements in each party’s discourse and offer a renewed understanding of the distinction between egalitarianism and populism as two concepts that are often conflated in radical left parties. The analysis showed that there was a distinction between egalitarian and populist discursive elements in both parties’ discourses, with each party employing them on different levels depending on their respective contexts.

A Review on Interconnection Concept of Teacher Commitment and Performance in Instructional Leadership

The Conventional Instructional Leadership (CIL) model is a traditional approach to educational leadership that prioritizes academic accomplishments through a hierarchical structure. However, the literature fails to address the interconnection concept of teacher commitment and performance in instructional leadership. The interconnection concept includes economic, social, and political elements that have the potential to influence instructors' motivation and job satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to establish an interconnection between teacher commitment and performance in instructional leadership. Essentially, the discipline of educational leadership has thoroughly studied the correlation between teacher dedication and effectiveness in instructional leadership. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of previous research on teacher commitment and performance in instructional leadership. Hence, to enhance the quality of education at all levels, the next study should strive to unveil the intricacies of instructional leadership, the significance of teachers' roles, and the determinants that influence teacher dedication and effectiveness.

Integrated nonurban-urban flood management using multi-objective optimization of LIDs and detention dams based on game theory approach

Flood events in urban and non-urban areas have long-term devastating impacts on communities resulting in casualties and economic damages. Different interconnected concepts of flood management lead decision-makers to broaden their focus from traditional points of view to transcend the disciplinary boundaries of hydrological modeling. So, evaluating interconnected aspects of flood control requires configuring an Integrated Flood Management (IFM) system. In this research, a novel comprehensive framework is proposed to control floods in urban and non-urban areas using Low-Impact Development (LID) practices and detention dams, simultaneously. In the first step, urban and non-urban areas of the Darakeh catchment in Tehran, Iran, as the study area, are modeled using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Next, by coupling the SWMM with Pareto Envelope-based Selection Algorithm II (PESA-II), optimal management scenarios are generated considering four hydrological-economic objectives. Each management scenario specifies the optimal sites and dimensions of detention dams and the optimal location and area of LIDs in non-urban and urban areas, respectively. Indeed, the innovative IFM framework provides a multi-dimensional trade-off between upstream and downstream flood protection. Then, interactions among the main stakeholders with conflicting interests are incorporated into utility functions. Ultimately, using COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS) and Nash bargaining methods the most capable management scenarios are selected based on stakeholders' preferences. Results showed that the IFM framework can be significantly effective in flood severity attenuation. Based on the findings, proposed method warrants peak flow reduction up to 60.04 and 53.50 percent at the inlet and outlet of the urban area. Besides, the Nash bargaining approach tends to select a scenario with a higher peak flow reduction compared to the COPRAS method. Also, results signify that each stakeholder's relative importance and preferences can remarkably impact the decision-making process. In addition to resolving conflicts arising from implementing flood control measures, this framework can incorporate divergent aspects of flood management into a reliable system.

Passivity-Based Control with Disturbance Observer of Electromagnetic Formation Flight Spacecraft in the Port-Hamiltonian Framework

Satellite formation flying technology currently represents a focal point in space mission research. Traditional spacecraft payload performance and lifespan are often constrained by propellant limitations. Electromagnetic Formation Flying (EMFF), a propellant-free formation flying technique, has garnered widespread attention. Its inherent strong nonlinearity and coupling present challenges for high-precision control within EMFF. This paper presents the relative motion dynamics of a two-satellite EMFF in the port-Hamiltonian framework and constructs an accurate nonlinear model of the dynamics. Utilizing the concept of Interconnection and Damping Assignment and nonlinear disturbance observer, a composite disturbance-rejection passivity-based controller is designed, offering a method for controlling the magnetic dipole strength of formation satellites. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted to demonstrate the viability of the proposed dynamics model and control strategy.

An Effective Model for Selecting the Best Cloud Platform for Smart Farming in Smart Cities: A Case Study

Cloud computing has become an essential technology for various industries, including smart farming and smart city initiatives. Integrating smart farming into smart city initiatives can bring numerous benefits, such as increased food production, resource efficiency, environmental sustainability, and improved quality of life for urban residents. Smart cities and smart farming are two interconnected concepts that aim to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban areas. Smart cities use technology and data to optimize infrastructure, services, and resources, while smart farming applies these same principles to agriculture. Smart farming with cloud computing involves the use of cloud computing technologies to optimize agricultural processes and improve crop yields. By using cloud computing technologies, farmers can collect, store, and analyze large amounts of data, access advanced analytics and machine learning tools, collaborate with agricultural experts, and benefit from scalability and flexibility. In this paper, we propose a novel MEREC-MAIRCA method to select the best cloud platform that helps decision-makers use smart farming in smart cities. By leveraging technology and data, smart farming can enable new business models, create new jobs, and foster social connections around food production and consumption.

An Overview of AI Data Protection in the Context of Saudi Arabia

The Personal Data Protection Law in Saudi Arabia aims to protect individuals’ data and regulate businesses that collect, retain, analyze, process, and share it across borders around the globe. Artificial intelligence and data protection are interconnected concepts since AI uses data sets to make decisions and perform activities. However, ethical questions about personal data use and potential bias in AI persist in the present AI environment. Therefore, while AI has led to digital transformation in sectors like transportation, healthcare, and finance, the technology has privacy implications that limit its usage by many organizations. In the country’s journey to reduce its oil dependency and become modernized, it is significant for Saudi Arabia to have a sufficient set of regulations and laws to deal with AI-related legal challenges. In this regard, the authorities have initiated programs to streamline the KSA’s data protection laws with European AI regulations and data safety laws after recognizing the need to preserve data sets. This paper examines the present laws and legal regulatory framework for AI and data protection in Saudi Arabia and the legal challenges to protecting data in AI. The paper also discusses legal issues related to AI data protection and the barriers that restrict data protection law reform in light of the available literature on AI data protection. After examining the present data protection measures in the KSA, the paper gives recommendations for improving the overall AI data protection laws and regulations in the kingdom.

Exploring the connection between adaptive architecture and artificial intelligence

Interactive adaptive architecture refers to the design of systems that can adapt to changes in their operating environment through interaction with users or other agents in the system. Artificial intelligence, on the other hand, refers to the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence. Interactive adaptive architecture and artificial intelligence are two interconnected concepts that have evolved with the development of cybernetics. The development of interactive architecture based on the use of artificial intelligence will not mean the disappearance of architecture, as we know it, but rather a change in the way it is perceived. In the future, architecture will be participatory, with an active role of inhabitants in shaping and transforming architectural habitats, but there will always be a need for a moderator, the architect, to design and set the rules of the game for humans.

A strengths-based qualitative exploration of critical care nurses' reasons for remaining in critical care.

Globally, the nursing shortage is a growing concern. Much of the research on retention of nurses focuses on the experience of those who left positions. In this study, we set out to listen to critical care nurses (CCRNs) who have chosen to remain in their positions to understand the factors retaining them in critical care. This interpretive descriptive study was guided by the following research question: 'what factors influence CCRN's decision to continue to work in critical care?' Digitally recorded interviews and a focus group were conducted between July 2022 and January 2023 using a semi-structured, strengths-based interview guide with CCRNs from three critical care units at a tertiary hospital in a city in a central Canadian province. Transcribed interviews were analysed using open, axial and selective coding and constant comparative analysis. Twenty-two CCRNs participated in interviews and three in a focus group. The theme of Respect, demonstrated through the interconnected concepts of Working to Full Scope, Team, Rotations and Compensation was identified. Working to Full Scope was described as providing nursing care aligned with how each nurse envisions what nursing is. Being part of a Team led by strong nurse leaders that provides opportunities and supports the sharing of their perspectives was also found. Respect was also found to be demonstrated through Rotations that recognize that work is one part of these nurses' lives. Compensation that reflects the increased education, knowledge and skills required in critical care was the final concept of Respect. Organizations should focus their efforts across the identified concepts to demonstrate Respect for CCRNs and retain them. The findings of this study provide ways to support the retention of CCRNs. This research will have an impact on nursing leaders by providing tangible ways to retain CCRNs. Reporting of this work was guided by the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. No patient or public contribution.

Can One Health Policy Help Us Expand an Ethics of Interconnection and Interdependence?

One Health-a holistic approach to health that brings the moral status of animals and environments into consideration-is understood as a "professional imperative," a value-laden obligation that flows from the scope and objectives of professional roles. In this article, antimicrobial resistance provides a case study to demonstrate the fruitfulness of public health and bioethics collaborations by applying One Health key concepts of interconnection and interdependence. Moving toward an ethics of One Health requires a more nuanced analysis of ecological relationships, including humans' connections to other species as hosts, vectors, domestic companions, meat-eaters' food, and farmers' livelihood.

Civility and resilience practices to address chronic workplace stress in nursing academia

BackgroundChronic workplace stress (CWS) is a root cause of burnout and defined as a prolonged and persistent state of psychological, emotional, and physical strain experienced by individuals in their work environment. InnovationThe related concepts of civility and resilience are introduced as effective strategies to address CWS in nursing academia. The authors define and describe the interconnected concepts of civility and resilience and offer evidence-based strategies to promote personal well-being and healthy work environments. ImplicationsBecause CWS can have a detrimental impact on faculty well-being and workplace health, evidence-based strategies are needed to improve individual wellness, workplace culture, civility, and resilience. ConclusionsCivil and resilient responses to CWS include engaging in civil discourse, advocating for organizational change, exercising moral courage, cocreating cultural norms, and empowering individuals and academic leaders to positively impact system issues that lead to CWS. The authors provide insight, competencies, and strategies to transform the culture of nursing academia to promote healthy and sustainable work environments where all members can thrive.

Breaking the Magic of Automation and Augmentation in Swedish Classrooms

This paper provides a critical examination of the domain of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, with a focus on the expectations and practical implications accompanying its integration into teaching. The expectations have been propelled by two interconnected concepts: (1) the potential for AI to automate pedagogical processes, replacing teachers in certain scenarios; and (2) the notion that teachers’ insights can be augmented through AI-based analysis. Drawing on two ethnographic studies in Swedish primary and secondary schools, this paper explores the enactments of pupils, teachers and two AI-based educational technologies. The aim is to demonstrate how automation and augmentation can emerge in teachers’ practice. Utilizing inspiration from a relational epistemological problematisation of socio-technical phenomena, the paper demonstrates how rather than automation and augmentation, AI in education is an act of symmation in which automation and augmentation is co-produced by the technology and teachers’ different hidden work, in this paper conceptualised as adaptations, experimentations, compensations and confirmations. The paper suggests that the study of symmation in relation to the teaching profession can be productive in further exploring the yet limited understanding of AI in educational practice.

RCAviz: Exploratory search in multi-relational datasets represented using relational concept analysis

The conceptual structures built with Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) and its extensions are appropriate constructs for supporting Exploratory Search (ES). FCA indeed classifies a set of objects described by Boolean attributes in a concept lattice which is prone to (intra-lattice) navigation. Relational Concept Analysis (RCA), for its part, classifies several sets of objects connected through multiple binary relationships by using logical operators (quantifiers) which can be approximate. The output is a set of interconnected concept lattices, thus adding inter-lattice navigation opportunities. In this paper, we describe the web platform RCAviz, which aims to support such intra- and inter-lattice navigation. The user can select a subset of objects and attributes as a starting point for navigation. Then RCAviz shows the associated concept and its close intra- and inter-lattice neighbors. The user can access to the objects and attributes introduced and inherited in a concept. They then can navigate, i.e. zoom and pan the current view, and move from one concept to another. Additional views show the previous and the next conceptual structures, as well as an history which allows the user to browse its navigation. A navigation example is shown on a real dataset to illustrate the potential of RCAviz for ES.

Abitudine, contingenza, oralità: per una letteratura “viva” a partire da Leopardi


 
 
 What is the relationship between habit and literary creativity? What role does the notion of habit play in the process of composition and, in general, in artistic productivity and the aesthetic experience? How do the terms habit and improvisation, habituation and contingency relate to each other? To answer these questions, crucial for aesthetics, this essay moves from the discussion of some significant passages in Giacomo Leopardi’s Zibaldone. On the one hand, the notions of habit and habituation will be discussed, understood – in the specific case of their application to poetry – as the poetic work of giving oneself a form; on the other hand, I shall analyze the notion of environmental or contextual contingency as the input that activates the poetic composition, in terms of a so-called “deliberate improvisation”. Against the background of these interconnected concepts the issues of the relationship between book and orality, performativity and recitation, lowbrow culture and highbrow culture will emerge, in a dense web of cross-references that defines, at least in its general lines, one of the axes of Leopardi's theoretical thinking around the 1820s.
 
 

DT4BPM: A proposed approach for combining Digital Transformation and Business Process Management

Business Process Management (BPM) and Digital Transformation (DT) are two interconnected concepts. BPM involves identifying, analyzing, and improving business processes, while Digital Transformation leverages digital technologies to transform business operations. BPM provides the foundation for digital transformation by optimizing processes, and digital technologies enhance BPM by providing data, analytics, and automation tools. Together, BPM and digital transformation enhance business operations and lead to better customer experiences and increased profitability. Ultimately, the integration of BPM and digital transformation is a strategic imperative for organizations seeking to thrive in today’s digitally driven landscape. A new approach combining BPM and DT named DT4BPM is proposed in this paper. DT4BPM takes advantage from both approaches and will have a lifecycle which includes in the proper way phases and sub-phases that were obtained through a positioning of each of the lifecycles of BPM and DT.

Introducing semantic loadings in factor analysis: Bridging network psychometrics and cognitive networks for understanding depression, anxiety and stress

A psychometric scale reports experiences in terms of items/sentences rated by individuals. We investigate whether psychometric item ratings reflect semantic/syntactic associations between concepts in items. To this aim, we introduce semantic loadings as a semantic counterpart of psychometric factors, i.e. clusters of items obtained by correlations between item ratings. Semantic loadings quantify how clusters of semantically related concepts, as expressed in the texts of items, are allocated across psychometric factors as identified by ratings. As a case study, we focus on 39775 individual responses to the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) with 42 items on a 4-point Likert scale. To identify communities of semantically related concepts, we exploit the cognitive network framework of Textual Forma Mentis Networks (TFMNs), which reconstruct semantic/syntactic links encoded in the texts of items (e.g. "feel" and "sad" in the item "I usually feel sad"). To identify factors we compare eigenvector-based exploratory analysis with Graph Exploratory Analysis (EGA), which can both cluster items (and their texts) according to user ratings. We find that EGA is better at reconstructing the psychological organisation of DASS along the dimensions of anxiety, stress and depression. Following dual coding theory and the Deep Lexical Hypothesis, we posit that the act of reading items activates interconnected concepts and this influences user ratings and their expressed psychological constructs. Our results show a quantitative match: TFMN-based semantic loadings can identify specific aspects of emotional dysregulation, emotional exhaustion, physical distress and tension states of EGA-based psychometric factors, in non-random ways (up to p < 0.001). We discuss our results in view of relevant mental distress literature, psychometric scale designing and links with episodic and semantic memories.

Navigating Unprecedented Challenges: A Narrative Review of Socio-Emotional Learning Competencies and Emotional Intelligence Among Nurses and Nursing Students in the COVID-19 Era

This narrative review examines the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and emotional intelligence (EI) among nurses and nursing students, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emotional intelligence and Socio-Emotional Learning are interconnected concepts encompassing the effective perception, understanding, management, and utilization of emotions. EI encompasses skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and interpersonal effectiveness, while SEL is an educational framework designed to cultivate specific social and emotional skills in students. SEL programs aim to foster competencies such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Within the healthcare environment, the proficiency of nurses and nursing students in EI not only impacts their personal well-being but also exerts a substantial influence on patient outcomes and the overall quality of care. The integration of SEL into the training of healthcare professionals holds the potential to augment their capacity to establish positive patient relationships, effectively manage stress, and deliver compassionate care. This study seeks to describe the influence of SEL competencies and emotional intelligence on students and nurses during and after the COVID-19 crisis. Recognizing the important nature of incorporating SEL competencies and emotional intelligence into the education and practice of nurses and nursing students is crucial for fostering psychological resilience, nurturing positive relationships, and ensuring the provision of high-quality care, particularly amidst unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: emotional intelligence, socio-emotional learning, COVID-19, nursing

EXPLORING “LIVING WELL” FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease; however, at the same time individuals living with dementia experience symptoms, they also want to live well with the disease. Although living well with dementia holds different meaning to different people, it generally includes some commonalities, such as maintaining autonomy and independence. To explore the concept of living well with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD), the Alzheimer’s Association gathered data from nearly 100 individuals living with dementia through focus groups and online surveys. Themes from the focus groups were revealed on living well, including being viewed as an individual (person-centered care), staying involved, and receiving multiple types of support to assist their well-being. Open-ended questions from the surveys illustrated additional themes related to living well, as well as on personal meaningfulness of disease modifying therapies including more time with loved ones and opportunities to be part of significant family events. Within these findings, an underlying theme emphasizing the importance of person-centered care and well-being arose. Further discussion will explore these interconnected concepts of living well, person-centered care, and well-being, specifically including the perspectives of individuals living with ADRD. In addition, these concepts can be utilized to tailor resources and support to better support individuals living with ADRD to live well. Lastly, the concept of living well in relation to the emergence of disease modifying therapies and how personal meaningfulness is just as important as clinical meaningfulness will also be explored.