Contemporary Problems Research Articles

PROBLEMS OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FUTURE EDUCATORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL OF CHILDREN IN THE CONDITIONS OF AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

The article raises the issue of professional training of future educators for the development of children's creative potential in the conditions of an inclusive educational environment. The key object of the educational process in the modern educational paradigm is the personality of the child, who is able to critically perceive reality, analyse, propose ideas for solving tasks, realize his/her own uniqueness, the need for the development of individual abilities. The development of creative potential of a preschool child is aimed at forming the foundation for revealing the potential of each child in accordance with his needs, abilities, etc. The problem of the development of children's creative potential is intensified by the integration of inclusive education into the educational space of regular preschool education institutions, which puts forward new requirements for the professional training of educators who ensure the comprehensive development of all children in a single inclusive educational environment, adaptation and socialization of children with special educational needs in interaction with peers. Based on the analysis of scientific, pedagogical and methodological literature, the author highlights contemporary problems related to the research topic: the integration of inclusive education in Ukraine continues and has both positive developments and unresolved problems at the state and regional levels that slow down the achievement of the goal; the involvement of children with special educational needs in regular preschool education institutions requires in-depth improvement in order to expand opportunities for all children; lack of a model for the development of children's creative potential under the conditions of an inclusive educational environment; insufficient number of necessary specialists to work in the conditions of an inclusive educational environment; the need to modernize the variable component of professional training of future educators. The author comes to the conclusion that solving the above-mentioned problems requires targeted, thorough and long-term practical research in order to improve the quality of education, the productive development of the creative potential of each child in the conditions of an inclusive educational environment.

Participatory mapping of tree equity, preferences, and environmental justice in Portland, Oregon

In this study, we examine community lived experiences, preferences, and narratives about tree equity in Portland, Oregon. Using an environmental justice framework combined with participatory mapping, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews, we examine values, perceptions of canopy cover, and everyday relationships with trees across different racial and socio-economic backgrounds. Results show that participants from neighborhoods with histories of investment and privilege had different lived experiences compared to those with histories of disinvestment and marginalization. While participants overall valued trees, concerns about tree-related risk and safety varied in ways that reflected racial and class identities. Furthermore, memories and historic knowledge shaped perceived tree equity but contemporary problems such as tree removal, maintenance policies, and gentrification were viewed as barriers to achieving more equitable outcomes. Our study underscores the importance of centering community experiences, values, and needs along with tree programs that can alleviate barriers to tree care and maintenance.

From crisis to recovery: scientific endeavors of the Institute of Agroecology and Environmental Management of the NAAS of Ukraine in minimizing the consequences of the Chornobyl accident

The participation of scientists from the Institute of Agroecology and Nature Management of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine in mitigating and minimizing the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster during 1986–2024 is elucidated. It is demonstrated that the history of the development of radioecological research at the Institute originates from the early days following the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. Actually, from this time onwards, the monitoring of radiation in agricultural lands affected by accidents has begun. One of the most crucial directions of work during this period was conducting of aerial and ground radiation reconnaissance. Active efforts were made in radioecological monitoring and dosimetric control of the population. The radioactive contamination of the territory was analyzed based on landscape, basin, and landscape-geochemical principles, upon which maps of radiation contamination of the territory for 137Cs, 90Sr, and 94Pu were compiled. During the remote period of Chornobyl disaster aftermath, the team of the unit was engaged in developing countermeasures for various types of economic activities in conditions of radioactive contamination, taking into account modern trends in the development of the natural-economic complex and new economic conditions based on landscape-ecological approach. Analysis of the results of scientific activities of the institution’s staff indicates that during the post-accident period, the team of radioecologists gathered and systematized significant volumes of information, which were transformed into various databases, cartographic materials, mathematical models, methodological recommendations, regulations, drafts of normative documents, and so forth. Information was provided on the contribution of the Institute’s employees to the development of radioecology, restoration of agricultural production on radioactively contaminated lands, and rehabilitation of territories affected by the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident. Furthermore, contemporary radioecological problems and threats posed by the full-scale military aggression of Russia against Ukraine were outlined, including its violation of all seven principles of radiation safety, as well as potential radiation-related hazards in the future.

Corporate accountability for climate change and natural environment in Nigeria: Trends, limitations and future directions

One of the contemporary problems in the business and human rights debate is the obligations of business enterprises to reduce and redress the adverse effects of their operations on the environment. In Nigeria, despite the existence of various regulations and monitoring institutions, environmental pollution caused by the activities of business enterprises persists. The impact of climate change and environmental damage on sustainable development in Nigeria can no longer be ignored as our common future is becoming critically dependent on making the condition of the environment and human lives our top priorities. There is need for a stringent legal framework on business and human rights in Nigeria, accelerated implementation of the National Action plan on business and human right, a committed implementation of existing regulations on environmental protection, strict enforcement of laws and proper awareness that will ensure responsible business practices by business enterprises in all key sectors in Nigeria. This study examines the concept of corporate accountability in Nigeria. It identifies the inadequacies of existing national laws on corporate accountability for environmental protection, and proffer solutions to these gaps.

Obesity - an epidemic of the 21st century – literature review

Introduction and purpose: The article deals with the problem of obesity, which significantly increases the number of cases among children, adolescents and adults all over the world, leading to the occurrence of systemic disorders. A noticeable increase in the incidence of atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and diabetes leads to a reduction in life expectancy. The main aim of the work is to emphasize the seriousness of the contemporary problem, which causes impairment of the functioning of many systems. A secondary goal is to indicate the current standards of obesity treatment and how to deal with overweight. Brief description of the state of knowledge: Obesity is a disease that affects nearly 800 million people around the world and affects every fourth Pole. Uncontrolled weight gain is caused; lifestyle changes, consumption of highly processed foods, and genetic and endocrine factors. It is a chronic disease with a tendency to relapse, with serious consequences and in need of diagnostics, personalized treatment, and often associated with psychological support. Material and methods: The article analyzes the research to date and the latest treatment methods, which show that a person struggling with obesity is at risk of over 200 complications, including, for example, fatty liver, stroke, type 2 diabetes or cancer. Results and conclusion: According to our analysis, obesity is a pathological condition that is truly life-threatening. Despite the society's downplay of the problem, people affected by this disease struggle with many comorbidities that worsen their quality of life.

Education 4.0 framework for sustainable entrepreneurship through transdisciplinary and abductive thinking: a case study

The global challenges and problems that threaten sustainability and human well-being demand the provision of creative, innovative, and affordable solutions so that they are within the reach of different levels of society. From the point of view of Higher Education, this is a major challenge since it is responsible for training new generations with the competencies and knowledge that allow them to respond to contemporary challenges and problems. This study provides a framework to promote sustainable entrepreneurship through transdisciplinary and abductive thinking. This combination of approaches will allow students to identify, analyze, and understand contemporary problems and, through a systematized process based on the “design thinking” design model, propose creative, innovative, and affordable solutions that can be implemented through entrepreneurship mechanisms. The identified findings that will be presented in this work are (i) the relevance of the Education 4.0 model as a reference to promote transdisciplinarity in a current teaching-learning context, (ii) The relevance of “design for sustainable development” as a trigger for sustainable entrepreneurship, (iii) The formation of desirable competencies in the profile of the higher education student based on transdisciplinarity and abductive thinking within the active learning process, and (iv) quantitative and qualitative measurement that allows measuring acceptance and evaluation of the long-term sustainability of the solutions obtained. This work will present the implementation of the proposed framework through a case study. This case study allowed us to identify elements of the proposed reference framework. The case study will address the problem of water scarcity and pollution, describing initiatives to achieve ODS 6, where it explains how sustainable and visionary solutions can be forged through transdisciplinary collaboration and abductive thinking. The project named “STEAM-mural fountain” done by a transdisciplinary working team between academia-society-industry is described, which aims to make technological advances in water treatment and monitoring visible to society.

Indigenous bodies, gender, and sexuality in the Jesuit Missions of South America (17th–18th centuries)

Many studies tend to apply categories of gender and sexuality to indigenous peoples in the same way as they are used in the West. This ignores the fact that indigenous peoples have their own notions of people, which are often at odds with Western binary standards. The issue at stake in this article is the inclusion of the analytical categories of gender and sexuality in South American communities, starting with the Jesuit Missions that spread across present-day Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay during the 17th and 18th centuries. To this end, it uses as historical sources a set of 1212 Jesuit writings, including manuscripts and books, as well as architectural, sculptural, and pictorial remains. Using techniques specific to paleography to read manuscripts, the project’s methodology makes use of ethnohistory guided by Content Analysis, thus producing a reading that starts from contemporary indigenous problems in order to build an Indigenous History. The study’s discussion considers that indigenous bodies, once produced by village collectives made up of extended families, were forged in the Jesuit missions according to the parameters of the colonial project. The article therefore demonstrates the genealogy of the bodies of indigenous men, indigenous women, and abject indigenous people, concluding that the current scenario of gender and sexual violence in South America has its origins in the colonial process, and not in indigenous cultures.

Applying collective action frameworks to analyse local-level collaboration for electric vehicle-related policies

Many of the most pernicious contemporary urban problems require local governments to organise collectively across jurisdictions and reorganise or coordinate internally across bureaucratic silos. Climate change, for example, is a complex system phenomenon impacting a range of interconnected socio-environmental systems in a region, such as water, transportation and energy infrastructures which may not be directly under the control of a single department or government. This often requires managers and policymakers to coordinate policy responses across siloed units within governments and through network-based arrangements across governments. Theories of polycentricity and collective action have long drawn attention to the barriers and opportunities of collaboration and multilevel governance in fashioning adequate responses to complex problems. However, these approaches typically fail to explicate the relationships or interactions between internal and external collaboration risks and the institutional mechanisms for ameliorating them. This article empirically explores this relationship between functional collective action (collaboration across departmental units within a single government) and intergovernmental collective action (collaboration across governments). Situated in the context of climate adaptation and electric vehicle (EV) policy efforts in cities, the article highlights the need for greater scholarly attention more broadly to the development of institutional collective action theory.

THE USE OF CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE IN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS BETWEEN SPACES, IDENTITIES, ATTITUDES, AND COGNITIVE WELL-BEING

The paper explores some links between educational research, the use of cultural and environmental heritage and education, where it is possible to combine knowledge, disciplines, and skills to strengthen the cultural profile of the school population, but also to bring about important changes in attitudes and behavior. The world's cultural and environmental heritage, which collects the traces of extraordinary but also tragic events in human history, can act as a unifying force for peaceful coexistence for the whole of humanity, enabling future citizens to participate in democratic debate and make informed choices about the social challenges they face. It therefore contributes not only to the development of knowledge, but also to the ability of children, young people, and adults to understand contemporary problems by placing them in human, social, environmental, historical, and cultural contexts that help them to live. For cultural heritage to contribute to the recovery of knowledge, researchers, teachers, and operators must be able to share a solid research background that allows them to address the various issues relating to the quality of the experiences of use carried out in school contexts, with the aim of improving the learning processes of users. In fact, the cultural and environmental resources of the territory can only be a real methodological resource for improving cognitive well-being and the overall quality of education at all levels if they are seen as useful tools for different types of learning (cognitive, social, etc.) and not as general educational tools. The paper therefore questions the use of cultural and environmental heritage in education and its adequacy with respect to learning conditions, pausing to consider also the role played by attitudes to fruition, highlighting those elements and dimensions that can contribute to redefining the relationship between education, goods, and environment, in the idea of strengthening interpretative repertoires in educational contexts.

How ethical areas of post-normal science can invigorate mathematics education

Future experts, decision-makers, stakeholders and future citizens – they all go to school, which could be a place to prepare students to facing post-normal problems in their future roles. While the literature on mathematics and science education shows increased interest in post-normal science to critically understand contemporary problems, mathematics is still generally taught as a neutral subject with either correct or wrong answers. In this paper, I lean on post-normal science literature and the slowly growing literature on ethics and mathematics education to develop a framework for identifying how mathematics education can prepare students for ethical aspects of post-normal problems. Three areas of ethics associated with post-normal problems are explored through concepts from ethics and mathematics education: ethical perspectives of the problem, ethical perspectives embedded in knowledge, and ethics in interpersonal care in discussions and care for students’ self-esteem in participatory processes. This framework is used to analyse and discuss three classroom projects to provide examples of what these areas may contain. The projects partly align with post-normal science, and are about clothing and sustainability, traffic safety, and argumentation related to open an offshore area to oil exploitation. The ethical areas are discussed in terms of ethical awareness and democratic practices.

Baḥtsul Masāil at a Traditional Islamic Educational Institution in Aceh: Teungku Dayah's Contribution to the Development of Islamic Law

The global world has implications for the emergence of various contemporary problems and demands legal certainty for every Islamic legal issue. This research aims to examine Baḥtsul Masāil in Dayah as a traditional Islamic educational institution in Aceh, especially its contribution in responding to developments in contemporary Islamic law. This research uses a qualitative-normative method with a sociological approach to Islamic law. Data was obtained through interviews, observation and document study. The informants interviewed were Tengku Dayah in Aceh, observing the activities of Baḥtsul Masāil and the documents studied were journal articles, textbooks and books. The research results show that teungku dayah is able to answer contemporary Islamic law problems through Baḥtsul Masāil. This activity took the form of a focus group discussion involving professional staff from Islamic boarding schools and discussed various current issues from a legal perspective. In Baḥtsul Masāil uses the method of ilhaq and contextualization of the turats text. Ilhaq is achieved by equating law with problems that have not been answered by Islamic texts with problems that have been answered by Islamic texts, while contextualization of Islamic texts is achieved by interpreting Islamic texts in a contemporary context. The results of Baḥtsul Masāil are then disseminated to the community through community learning processes, recitations, or religious lectures. Thus, in terms of the sociology of Islamic law, Teungku Dayah and Dayah educational institutions as actors are able to contribute to contemporary Islamic problems and the problem of the vacuum of Islamic law in society can be overcome.

Mechanical and acoustic performance of mortar with partial replacement by biochar from civil construction wood waste at advanced ages

Civil construction generates large amounts of solid waste, most of which are non-toxic, but extremely voluminous, resulting in a contemporary sanitary health problem. Furthermore, cement fabrication, a widely used binding material, is responsible for the emission of 8% of the world’s CO2 into the atmosphere, making it an industry with a great environmental impact. The consumption figures of cement show an significant increasing over the years. Therefore, much research has focused on the search for energy efficiency in the production processes of cement and materials with potential use as additions, allowing the reduction of clinker consumption, the main component of the cement. In this sense, this research made use of wood waste from civil construction, and through the pyrolysis process, partially replaced cement with biochar at high levels compared to existing research, seeking to find an efficient replacement limit and analyzing its sound absorption and mechanical properties at advanced ages. Mortars were produced with levels of 5%, 10%, and 15% (m/m), replacing cement with biochar. The results demonstrated better mechanical performance at advanced ages, up to 30% for compression and 15% for tensile strength with 10% biochar, and lower water absorption by capillarity. Its acoustic performance showed that the samples with biochar did not exhibit properties of a sound-absorbing material.

Главы 10–11 из книги «Войны, революции и диктатуры: исследование исторических и современных проблем с компаративной точки зрения»

The journal «Political Conceptology» publishes a translation of the eighth and ninth chapters of Stanislav Andreski's book «Wars, Revolutions, Dictatorships: Studies of Historical and Contemporary Problems from a Comparative Viewpoint», published in 1992 by publishing house Frank Cass.

Gelatine Blends Modified with Polysaccharides: A Potential Alternative to Non-Degradable Plastics.

Non-degradable plastics of petrochemical origin are a contemporary problem of society. Due to the large amount of plastic waste, there are problems with their disposal or storage, where the most common types of plastic waste are disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles, and containers, and not all of them can be recycled. Due to growing ecological awareness, interest in the topics of biodegradable materials suitable for disposable items has begun to reduce the consumption of non-degradable plastics. An example of such materials are biodegradable biopolymers and their derivatives, which can be used to create the so-called bioplastics and biopolymer blends. In this article, gelatine blends modified with polysaccharides (e.g., agarose or carrageenan) were created and tested in order to obtain a stable biopolymer coating. Various techniques were used to characterize the resulting bioplastics, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), contact angle measurements, and surface energy characterization. The influence of thermal and microbiological degradation on the properties of the blends was also investigated. From the analysis, it can be observed that the addition of agarose increased the hardness of the mixture by 27% compared to the control sample without the addition of polysaccharides. In addition, there was an increase in the surface energy (24%), softening point (15%), and glass transition temperature (14%) compared to the control sample. The addition of starch to the gelatine matrix increased the softening point by 15% and the glass transition temperature by 6%. After aging, both compounds showed an increase in hardness of 26% and a decrease in tensile strength of 60%. This offers an opportunity as application materials in the form of biopolymer coatings, dietary supplements, skin care products, short-term and single-contact decorative elements, food, medical, floriculture, and decorative industries.

The Politics of Suicide: Miasma and Katharmos in Plato’s Political Thought

Despite the laudable efforts of the medical and scientific community, the suicide contagion of the early twenty first century shows little sign of abating, especially amongst veterans. This article suggests that a supplemental resource for addressing the contemporary problem of suicide might be found in the history of political thought. Namely, we suggest turning to Plato who construes suicide as an action perpetrated by an identifiable and culpable individual who, in committing suicide, harms the polis itself. For Plato, this political harm must be understood in terms of pollution (miasma) and purification (katharmos). We suggest that Plato’s arguments against suicide might be helpfully adapted into our preventative repertoire today, and that these arguments might be particularly poignant and helpful for military service members, both active duty and veteran.

A proposed program based on the global education approach in teaching history to develop awareness of some contemporary global problems and some economic values among middle school students

A proposed program based on the global education approach in teaching history to develop awareness of some contemporary global problems and some economic values among middle school students

Serial indirect effects from childhood maltreatment to adult chronic health conditions through contemporary family relationships and mental health problems: Inquiry into sleep disturbances and stress.

Childhood maltreatment accelerates biological aging, leaving adults vulnerable to chronic health problems. There is robust evidence that social relationships, including those with family members, may influence chronic health problems through psychological pathways, but there is little research considering stress and sleep problems, especially among adults who experienced childhood maltreatment. Furthermore, longitudinal research is lacking related to maltreatment and chronic health problems. The current study examined familial support and strain and subsequent sleep problems and stress in a serial mediational model linking childhood maltreatment to chronic health problems over time. Using three waves of data from the study of Midlife Development in the United States (N = 859; 55.8% female), structural equation modeling was used to examine familial support, strain, stress, and sleep problems in serial mediational model linking maltreatment to the number of chronic health conditions over a 9-year period. Childhood maltreatment was indirectly associated with a number of chronic health conditions through familial support and strain through subsequent reports of stress. Although family support was associated with fewer sleep problems, the bootstrapped indirect effect was not significant. Simple indirect effects from maltreatment to the number of chronic health problems were significant through both sleep problems and stress. Contemporary family relationships and psychological problems are possible points of prevention and intervention reducing the number of chronic health conditions among adults who were maltreated in childhood. Focusing on familial relationships and stress processes may be particularly fruitful. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationship ushul Fiqh, Qowa’id Fiqih dan Maqashid Al- Syariah With Islamic Economy

Current Islamic Economy One of the main challenges is the low level of sharia financial literacy among the public. This causes the public to still have low interest in using sharia financial products and services. Another challenge is the lack of research and development in the field of Islamic economics and the lack of application of Islamic economics in business practices in Muslim countries. Therefore, efforts are needed to increase sharia financial literacy among the public, increase research and development in the field of Islamic economics, and apply Islamic economics in business practices in Muslim countries. Researchers decided to use qualitative research methods. Researchers use qualitative research methods because the opinions of each expert and practitioner are definitely different, a science can be very solution and relevant if applied at one time, but it could be useless if applied at a different time. Ushul fiqh in Islamic economics can be applied not to economics but to an economic system. Because the system is a regulation that requires a basic set of foundations that are qath'i based on revelation. The role of Ushul Fiqh as a methodology for developing economic systems in order to answer all contemporary economic problems. Meanwhile, in its application, Jazuli classifies qawa'id into six different areas, namely mahdhah (special) worship, ahwal as-Syahshiyyah (personal and family matters), mu'amalah maaliyah (economic transactions), jinayah (criminality), siyasah ( politics), and fiqh qadhaya (procedural and judicial law). Among the most basic qawa'id in this matter is "All forms of muamalah are basically permissible (allowed) unless there is an argument that forbids it." In the economic context, maqashid shari'ah has a dual role, namely: as a control tool as well as a social engineering tool to realize human benefit. It provides a rational philosophical basis for economic activity. Without maqashid shari'ah, understanding and practice of Islamic economics will be narrow, rigid, static and slow. Islamic economics will lose the spirit and substance of its sharia. But on the contrary, with maqashid syari'ah, Islamic economics develops elastically, dynamically, in accordance with the character of Islamic syari'ah which is universal and relevant for all time and space).

One Self-Configurable Model to Solve Many Abstract Visual Reasoning Problems

Abstract Visual Reasoning (AVR) comprises a wide selection of various problems similar to those used in human IQ tests. Recent years have brought dynamic progress in solving particular AVR tasks, however, in the contemporary literature AVR problems are largely dealt with in isolation, leading to highly specialized task-specific methods. With the aim of developing universal learning systems in the AVR domain, we propose the unified model for solving Single-Choice Abstract visual Reasoning tasks (SCAR), capable of solving various single-choice AVR tasks, without making any a priori assumptions about the task structure, in particular the number and location of panels. The proposed model relies on a novel Structure-Aware dynamic Layer (SAL), which adapts its weights to the structure of the considered AVR problem. Experiments conducted on Raven's Progressive Matrices, Visual Analogy Problems, and Odd One Out problems show that SCAR (SAL-based models, in general) effectively solves diverse AVR tasks, and its performance is on par with the state-of-the-art task-specific baselines. What is more, SCAR demonstrates effective knowledge reuse in multi-task and transfer learning settings. To our knowledge, this work is the first successful attempt to construct a general single-choice AVR solver relying on self-configurable architecture and unified solving method. With this work we aim to stimulate and foster progress on task-independent research paths in the AVR domain, with the long-term goal of development of a general AVR solver.

Nationalism or cosmopolitanism? How Chinese football fans viewed the Japanese team and Japanese fans during the 2022 Men’s World Cup

ABSTRACT This study focuses on Chinese football fans’ reactions to the Japanese national team and their fans’ behaviour during the World Cup 2022. Despite the historical and contemporary problems that make friendly relations with Japan difficult to achieve, football fans in China largely welcomed the good performance of the Japanese national team. This attitude may be described as ‘thin cosmopolitanism’ because Chinese fans’ major frame of reference was still nationalistic. For them, the impressive performance of the Japanese national team means that Asians and the ‘yellow race people’ can also play good football. However, the Japanese fans, whose cleaning up of stadia received wide coverage during the World Cup, were criticized by the Chinese fans who interpreted the Japanese fans’ action as reinforcing the existing global racial order. The findings of this paper help reveal the limits regarding football’s role in contributing to a more cosmopolitan worldview.