Conceptual Challenges Research Articles

The Challenges of Teachers Using Digital Games for Game-based Learning in Primary, Middle and High schools

Using digital games for game-based learning provides great potential for language learning. However, game-based learning differs from gamification, which teachers may be more familiar with, and it presents numerous conceptual and technical challenges to current front-line teachers, who are considered essential for the success of any technology integration project in schools. It is undeniable that the implementation and effectiveness of game-based learning significantly relies on the willingness of classroom teachers to embrace it. Therefore, this article explores front-line teachers understanding and attitudes toward using digital games for game-based learning and its application in teaching. 4 front-line teachers from the primary, middle and high school levels in China participated in this qualitative study. Data for the study were gathered through semi-structured interviews and subsequently analyzed using thematic and content analysis. According to the findings of the study, the participating teachers showed negative attitudes towards using digital games for language learning purposes, and almost all participants had difficulty distinguishing between game-based learning and gamification; In addition, all participating teachers showed their limited ability in using game-based learning strategies as educational support in teaching. This research aims to enhance the understanding of English teachers perceptions and attitudes toward using digital games for game-based learning in the Chinese context, potentially leading to constructive recommendations for educational authorities. Moreover, relevant teaching resources, including teacher training programs, can be further tailored to meet the specific needs of educators.

Three-dimensional Stacking of Phase Plates for Advanced Electron Beam Shaping.

Tuneable phase plates for free electrons are a highly active area of research. However, their widespread implementation, similar to that of spatial light modulators in light optics, has been hindered by both conceptual and technical challenges. A specific technical challenge involves the need to minimize obstruction of the electron beam by supporting films and electrodes. Here, we describe numerical and analytical mathematical frameworks for three-dimensional stacks of phase plates that can be used to provide near-arbitrary electron beam shaping with minimal obstruction.

Atom-Atom entanglement generation via collective states of atomic rings

Subwavelength atomic lattices have been established as a promising platform for quantum applications, utilizing collective superradiant and subradiant behavior to enhance atom-light interactions. While previous work has demonstrated high-fidelity atom-photon entanglement in these systems, the generation of atom–atom entanglement, a crucial ingredient for full scalability, remains a conceptual challenge. Here, we propose methods for high-fidelity entanglement generation between atomic qubits by identifying specific atoms within a ring array as qubits. The entanglement generation is achieved by collective atomic excitation involving both subradiant and superradiant states and leveraging the novel symmetry properties of the ring array. Specifically, we utilize symmetry breaking within the ring by preparing atomic qubits in a superpositions of detunings for our entanglement protocols. A fidelity analysis of the protocols provides practical experimental parameters for state-of-the-art setups. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

A multilayer control architecture for greenhouse crop production in agro-industrial districts: Conceptual framework, prospects and challenges

Agriculture is one of the most important primary-industry sectors, in which automatic control plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainability. This paper presents a conceptual view for a greenhouse control architecture that merges past and present technological trends. The main prospects and challenges are described, considering not only aspects of crop production but also other issues related to fruit quality, the environment, resource-use efficiency within the energy-water-food nexus, and IoT-based solutions. Illustrative results are shown for the different layers of the architecture, focusing on process control and optimal resource dispatch for an experimental case using a real Mediterranean greenhouse that is part of an agro-industrial district also comprising a solar desalination plant and multiple auxiliary systems. These results contribute to understanding the different techniques and paradigms employed, and their consequent advantages and disadvantages.

Similarities and Dichotomies Between Nature-Based Solutions and Green Infrastructure: a Systematic Literature Review

Objective: The study seeks to address the following question: What are the similarities and dichotomies between green infrastructure (GI) and nature-based solutions (NBS) from the perspective of Brazilian researchers, and how do the identified solutions mitigate the depletion of urban ecosystem services? Method: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted using the PRISMA protocol in research within the CAPES Journal database. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were original texts, peer-reviewed, published in national and international journals in Portuguese, covering the themes of NBS, GI, informal settlements, and public open space. After reviewing the 90 identified texts, a final selection of 41 texts was made for the SLR. Originality/Value: These texts were analyzed from a novel perspective, bringing together the themes of GI, NBS, ecosystem services protection, and urban land use. Results and Discussion: The study identified the authors’ views on the pressures of urbanization on ecosystem services and the solutions for their protection. It was concluded that the concepts of NBS and GI are often conflated in most approaches and that adopting urbanization associated with nature faces conceptual, operational, and managerial challenges. Research Implications: The research provides insights into the integration of GI and NBS in urban planning to address the challenges of uncontrolled urbanization and the degradation of ecosystem services.

Attributing Responsibility to Big Tech for Mass Atrocity: Social Media and Transitional Justice

Big Tech companies such as Meta, the owner of Facebook, are increasingly accused of enabling human rights violations. The proliferation of toxic speech in their digital platforms has been in the background of recent episodes of mass atrocity, the most salient of which recently transpired in Myanmar and Ethiopia. The involvement of Big Tech companies in mass atrocity raises multiple normative and conceptual challenges. One is to properly conceptualize Meta’s responsibility for the circulation of toxic speech. On one view, endorsed by the corporation itself, Meta can be absolved from any significant share of responsibility for these atrocities because toxic speech is the speech of some (rogue) users, hosted but neither created nor endorsed by the company; if anything, Meta is responsible for failing to anticipate and swiftly remove that speech. I will argue that this view is misleading, as it misses the underlying forces crafting toxic speech. Meta’s business model relies on what one might call the algorithmic capture of attention, which it achieves by manipulating its users and by creating an environment in which manipulative practices of some users thrive over others. This fact alone turns the company into a co-creator of toxic speech rather than a mere conduit of the toxic speech of others. As a result, it is safe to claim that Meta bears significant causal responsibility and sufficient moral responsibility for the dissemination of toxic speech, such that it justifies its inclusion in transitional justice processes and grounds its moral obligation to act in ways that advance these processes.

Catching Mind Wandering With Pupillometry: Conceptual and Methodological Challenges.

Mind-wandering (MW) refers to the shift of attention away from an ongoing task and/or external environment towards mental contents (e.g., memories, prospective thoughts) unrelated to the task. Physiological measures (e.g., pupil size, EEG, and fMRI) have often been acquired as objective markers for MW states, which has greatly helped their study as well as triangulation with other measures. Pupillometry in particular has been used as a covert biomarker of MW because it is reliably modulated by several distinct processes spanning arousal, emotion, and attention, and it signals attentional lapses. Yet, coupling MW and the measurement of pupil size has led to seemingly contrasting results. We argue that, common to the studies reviewed here, one reason is resolving to the measurement of tonic pupil size, which reflects low-frequency, slow changes in one's physiological state, and thus implicitly assumes that MW is a static, long-lasting process. We then additionally focus on three major axes of variability in the reviewed studies: (i) the definition and measurement of MW; (ii) the impact of contextual aspects, such as task demands and individual arousal levels; (iii) the identification and tracking of MW in combination with pupillary measures. We provide an overview of these differences and put forward recommendations for using physiological measures-including, but not limited to, pupil size-in MW research effectively. In conclusion, pupillometry can be a very informative tool for MW research, provided that it is used with the due methodological caution.

The Predictors of Patient Safety Culture in Hospital Setting: A Systematic Review.

Patient safety (PS) is a global public health concern. It is estimated that 10% of patients experience preventable harm while hospitalized. Patient safety culture (PSC) has been recognized as essential to improving PS, drawing inspiration from other high-risk industries. In PS research, however, PSC poses conceptual challenges, with inconsistent terminology, a lack of definitions, and limited use of substantiating theory. Despite these challenges, PSC remains widely used in PS research and practice, as it is seen as a potential gateway to understanding sociotechnical complex aspects of the healthcare system and improving safe patient treatment and care. This review explores the concept of PSC in a hospital setting. How PSC is used as an outcome, thus exploring the theoretical position underpinning PSC, which predictors impact PSC, and how these predictors are related to PSC. Using a search of 3 electronic databases, 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for review. The review identified 81 predictors of PSC. Study population, unit of analysis and method varied widely. PSC as an outcome was assessed based on one of 4 surveys. Thus, the underpinning position of the PSC construct is dominated by an organizational/managerial approach. The large number of predictors explored and the range in outcome measures, units of analysis, and methods make it hard to establish any causal relationship. We argue that studies closer to actual practices in the messy conditions of clinical practice are needed.

Closed-loop fMRI at the mesoscopic scale of columns and layers: Can we do it and why would we want to?

Technological advances in fMRI including ultra-high magnetic fields (≥ 7 T) and acquisition methods that increase spatial specificity have paved the way for studies of the human cortex at the scale of layers and columns. This mesoscopic scale promises an improved mechanistic understanding of human cortical function so far only accessible to invasive animal neurophysiology. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have applied such methods to better understand the cortical function in perception and cognition. This future perspective article asks whether closed-loop fMRI studies could equally benefit from these methods to achieve layer and columnar specificity. We outline potential applications and discuss the conceptual and concrete challenges, including data acquisition and volitional control of mesoscopic brain activity. We anticipate an important role of fMRI with mesoscopic resolution for closed-loop fMRI and neurofeedback, yielding new insights into brain function and potentially clinical applications.This article is part of the theme issue 'Neurofeedback: new territories and neurocognitive mechanisms of endogenous neuromodulation'.

Representation of Anticipated Rewards and Punishments in the Human Brain.

Subjective value is a core concept in neuroeconomics, serving as the basis for decision making. Despite the extensive literature on the neural encoding of subjective reward value in humans, the neural representation of punishment value remains relatively understudied. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the neural representation of reward value, including methodologies, involved brain regions, and the concept of common currency representation of diverse reward types in decision-making and learning processes. We then critically examine existing research on the neural representation of punishment value, highlighting conceptual and methodological challenges in human studies and insights gained from animal research. Finally, we explore how individual differences in reward and punishment processing may be linked to various mental illnesses, with a focus on stress-related psychopathologies. This review advocates for the integration of both rewards and punishments within value-based decision-making and learning frameworks, leveraging insights from cross-species studies and utilizing ecological gamified paradigms to reflect real-life scenarios.

Navigating local fiscal sustainability: topics and challenges

ABSTRACT Owing to pressing fiscal challenges, local fiscal sustainability has garnered increasing attention among scholars worldwide. This paper critically examines key conceptual and methodological challenges present in the existing literature. Our aim is to offer critiques and recommendations that could guide future research endeavours on this important topic.

Educational research in physics teacher education: the role of mathematics in physics teaching

Abstract Do student teachers benefit from contact with research, as required in our national teacher education curriculum? This paper describes the experiences of two pre-service teachers, who learned about common challenges encountered in the intersection between mathematics and physics. After a literature survey, they decided to try out a few questions with second-year high-school students (age 17). One of the student teachers constructed a pre- and post-test, confirming earlier results that students perform better on computational tasks. The second pre-service teacher included a few additional questions on a test given by another teacher. Based on the results on the test, four students were selected for interviews. The students interviewed all stated that they spend the majority of their time on calculations, whereas none of them had the habit of reading the textbook to understand the concepts. The interviews also revealed that solving a problem does not guarantee that the student understands the calculation. All students described a strategy of looking for a suitable formula on the sheet provided and just inserting numbers given. Through the test and the interviews, the student teachers gained training in assessment and an increased awareness of conceptual challenges and also of what Physics Education Research can offer.

Taxation in the context of high informality: Conceptual challenges and evidence from Sub‐Saharan Africa

AbstractThe terms ‘informal sector’ and ‘shadow economy’ are in vogue but remain conceptually fuzzy in what they measure or mean. They are used in tax research and policy but with many assumptions, leading to poorly designed policies that lead to further immiseration of those who derive their livelihoods informally. Focusing on Sub‐Saharan Africa, I critically interrogate the current conceptualisation of informal economic activities and how they are thought to relate to taxation. Critically, I use existing estimates of informality and taxation data to demonstrate the need to cast the tax net wider than the usual bias toward visible subsistence informality. I show that informality is not novel among many factors negatively associated with tax revenue mobilisation, especially in its broader historical context. I then show that technology adoption can play a role in mitigating taxation challenges associated with informality. However, the role of technology remains limited if not embedded in and supported by improving government institutions, which, though protracted, show higher outcomes on taxation. Since the terms ‘informal sector’ and ‘shadow economy’ describe diverse economic activities, conceptual diversity is not necessarily problematic, but precision is necessary when these terms are brought to tax research, including frank discussions on data quality issues and when the concepts need to be generalised or restricted to context.

TOWARDS JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IN GENOMICS STUDIES ON BEHAVIORAL, PSYCHIATRIC AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL TRAITS

Genomics research on sensitive traits such as neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and behavioral traits poses numerous conceptual, methodological, ethical, legal, and social challenges. Community engagement and participatory research have been proposed as tools to increase the relevance, rigor, and acceptability of research, including genetic and biomedical studies. Informed by a growing body of research and lessons learned from recent and ongoing efforts to engage communities affected by genomics studies, I set a vision for more just, equitable, and collaborative genomics where primary stakeholders are included in research and decision-making as peers and collaborators, not solely as objects of study. Further, considering recent debates, lapses, and successes, I propose frameworks to promote respectful and productive engagement, communication, and collaboration between diverse stakeholders.

Distinguishing bounce and inflation via quantum signatures from cosmic microwave background

Cosmological inflation is a popular paradigm for understanding Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR); however, it faces many conceptual challenges. An alternative mechanism to inflation for generating an almost scale-invariant spectrum of perturbations is a bouncing cosmology with an initial matter-dominated contraction phase, during which the modes corresponding to currently observed scales exited the Hubble radius. Bouncing cosmology avoids the initial singularity but has fine-tuning problems. Taking an agnostic view of the two early-universe paradigms, we propose a quantum measure — Dynamical Fidelity Susceptibility (DFS) of CMBR — that distinguishes the two scenarios. Taking two simple models with the same power-spectrum, we explicitly show that DFS behaves differently for the two scenarios. We discuss the possibility of using DFS as a distinguisher in the upcoming space missions.

Cross-sector collaboration to reduce health inequalities: a qualitative study of local collaboration between health care, social services, and other sectors under health system reforms in England

BackgroundPolicymakers across countries promote cross-sector collaboration as a route to improving health and health equity. In England, major health system reforms in 2022 established 42 integrated care systems (ICSs)—area-based partnerships between health care, social care, public health, and other sectors—to plan and coordinate local services. ICSs cover the whole of England and have been given explicit policy objectives to reduce health inequalities, alongside other national priorities.MethodsWe used qualitative methods to understand how local health care and social services organizations are collaborating to reduce health inequalities under England’s reforms. We conducted in-depth interviews between August and December 2022—soon after the reforms were implemented—with 32 senior leaders from NHS, social care, public health, and community-based organizations in three ICSs experiencing high levels of socioeconomic deprivation. We used a framework based on international evidence on cross-sector collaboration to help analyse the data.ResultsLeaders described strong commitment to working together to reduce health inequalities, but faced a combination of conceptual, cultural, capacity, and other challenges in doing so. A mix of factors shaped local collaboration—from how national policy aims are defined and understood, to the resources and relationships among local organizations to deliver them. These factors interact and have varying influence. The national policy context played a dominant role in shaping local collaboration experiences—frequently making it harder not easier. Organizational restructuring to establish ICSs also caused major disruption, with unintended effects on the partnership working it aimed to promote.ConclusionsThe major influences on cross-sector collaboration in England mirror key areas identified in international research, offering opportunities for learning between countries. But our data highlight the pervasive—frequently perverse—influence of national policy on local collaboration in England. National policymakers risked undermining their own reforms. Closer alignment between policy, process, and resources to reduce health inequalities is likely needed to avoid policy failure as ICSs evolve.

Immigrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees: Navigating conceptual challenges through multidimensional migration space-time

Migration is a pervasive social, political, and economic experience. Despite its ubiquity, the complexities of migration present challenges for scholars. Ongoing debates revolve around defining central categories that describe and understand human movement. Concepts such as migrant, asylum-seeker, and refugee are fraught with tensions and overlapping characteristics. Disaggregating these categories is complex due to the messy and varied nature of individuals’ lived experiences. This complexity prompts scholars to critically examine how these categories are constructed and applied. Considering this, I argue that reconceptualizing migration categories as interconnected positions within a temporally and geographically contingent multidimensional migration space-time allows scholars to better examine the complexities of movement. Moreover, the intricate nature of migration necessitates the construction and reconstruction of adaptable concepts to better understand highly contextual experiences. Therefore, researchers must design research projects that can capture the nuances, tensions, and contradictions inherent in migration experiences, even when these nuances do not align with narrow, instrumentalized definitions used in legal regimes and public policy. While more flexible concepts offer valuable opportunities for deeper insights, there are also significant risks to consider.

The ruble lever: Soviet development knowledge and the political economy of the UN

Abstract From the early 1950s, the USSR was the second largest contributor to the UN. Following UN rules, it gave much of its contribution in rubles, an infamously unconvertible currency that generally limited Soviet actions overseas. In the hands of UN officials, however, these ‘weak’ rubles became a powerful lever that made UN development projects more Soviet. Seeking to extract value from the ruble, officials increased the amount of UN development training held in the USSR, prioritized the purchase of Soviet equipment, and incentivized agencies to distribute Soviet manuals. Exploring the ruble lever contributes to our knowledge of the Soviet presence at the UN while foregrounding political economy as a key mechanism shaping UN practices more widely. Following the money in forms other than the dollar can reveal how economies of power at the UN intersect with global economic history, as well as the conceptual and contemporary challenges of international cooperation among wildly unequal economies.

What we owe (to) the present: Normative and practical challenges for strong longtermism

This paper critically examines the conceptual, normative, and practical challenges to strong longtermism—the view that the far future is the key priority in moral decision-making. The main challenge is that if we take strong longtermism seriously, it follows that harming present and near-future people is permissible, if not obligatory. Given that this conclusion is repugnant to most, we argue that strong longtermism must be substantially weakened. Furthermore, even if strong longtermists bite the bullet on the challenge of what we owe to the present, we raise a set of related concerns that demand attention. Specifically, we argue that it is questionable whether the far future can be a difference-maker in moral decision-making. Even if it could, our inability to predict or understand how the far future will unfold, or what values future generations will hold, severely limits our capacity to account for it. Finally, the implementation of strong longtermism requires a level of progressive moral reasoning that far exceeds our current cognitive and ethical capabilities. While these objections do not necessarily debunk strong longtermism, they seriously challenge its plausibility—as it currently stands.

Fusions in Intuitionistic Mereology

This paper investigates two intuitionistic mereological systems based on Tarski’s axiomatisation of general mereology. These systems use two intuitionistically non-equivalent formalisations of the notion of fusion. I study extensionality and supplementation properties as well as some variants of these systems, and defend parthood as a suitable primitive notion for intuitionistic mereology if working with Tarski’s axiomatisation. Furthermore, I arrive at an equi-interpretability result for one of the atomistic variants with intuitionistic plural logic. I discuss to what extent these results support the philosophical pertinence of the mereological systems under investigation as intuitionistic theories of parthood, thereby reacting to a conceptual challenge that we are confronted with when engaging in intuitionistic mereology.