Core Variable Research Articles

Transactional distance and connectivism learning theories during crisis times

ABSTRACT The abrupt transition from face-to-face classes to online learning in March 2020 occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The physical distance between students and teachers led to changes in interactions. This case study explored the implications of online learning during times of crisis by examining teachers’ and students’ experiences of the online platform. The study utilised a qualitative approach, with three junior and high schools participating. Thirteen teachers were interviewed, and 27 students participated in three focus groups, one from each school. Three main themes were identified: Curriculum structure and student autonomy, Dialogue between teachers and students, and Social distance. Findings indicate a gap between pedagogy and technology, expressed through a non-flexible structure, low dialogue, and a high Transactional Distance. Autonomy is a core variable of Transactional Distance Theory and Connectivism Theory, relying on the learner rather than the teacher to determine goals and learning experiences. However, teachers reported using autonomy to vary their teaching approaches. At the same time, students felt uncertain about how to cope with the autonomy given to them and even perceived neglect from their teachers. The findings emphasize the importance of teacher-student interaction, flexible structure, and autonomy that aligns with learners’ abilities.

Is disinformation more likely to spread? A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of emerging infectious diseases on China’s short video platform

ObjectivesThis study aimed to develop a model for the dissemination of information on emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) by identifying the specific features of mpox (monkeypox)-related short video content that encourages...

Kingdon의 정책흐름 모형을 활용한 중국 ‘쌍감(双减)’ 정책의 정책의제설정 및 정책결정과정 분석

This study aimed to analyze the policy formation process of the ‘Double Reduction’ Policy (DRP) based on Kingdon’s multiple streams model. As a result of the study, the problems stream refers to the problem of inequity in education, heavy homework burden and overheated extracurricular education destroying the educational order, leading to social problems and becoming a national issue. In order to solve these problems, the government and educational experts discussed, revised, and reunited countermeasures and previous policies and created policy alternatives. The politics stream is the core variable, which solves the academic burden problem in the education reform process through factors such as national emotions and changes in national educational development concepts. The educational development concept of “strengthening moral education and cultivating people” and maintaining educational equity have strongly impacted on the derivation, development, and transformation of policies to reduce student burden. A significant opportunity to create a “policy window” by combining the above three streams was realized through the combination of national ‘Two Sessions’ in 2021 and the opening of the 19th meeting of the comprehensively deepening reform Committee on May 21, 2021. The policy intention to reform school education and regulating off after-school educational training was raised as a policy agenda, and the DRP was eventually formed.

The formation mechanism of primary health care team effectiveness : a qualitative comparative analysis research

BackgroundTeam-based care is an essential part of primary health care (PHC), and its team service delivery process is a systematic one involving multiple and complex influences. Research on the formation mechanism can help improve the effectiveness of primary health care teams (PHCTs).MethodsFirst, based on the Donabedian model, we explored the theoretical framework of a PHC team’s effectiveness formation mechanism. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23primary health care team members in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. A total of seven factors were then included as conditional variables using the crisp set qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA) to explore the complex influences between them and the outcome variable through univariate necessity analysis and path configuration analysis.ResultsUnivariate necessity analysis showed that only “Clear Goals” in the structural dimension were necessary for team effectiveness perception. Six pathways to good primary health care team perception of effectiveness were identified. Two of these paths were more typical.Conclusion“Clear Goals” was the core variable that should be emphasized when exploring the mechanism of PHCT formation. The results suggest that human resources in the management team should be rationally allocated, goal-oriented, and given good attention. Future studies should explore complex combinations of PHCT factors to improve the effectiveness of PHCTs.

Study on the Impact of RMB Exchange Rate on China's Industrial Structure Adjustment

This paper firstly summarizes the current situation of China's current industrial structure as well as the change of exchange rate system, systematically describes the research object of this paper, and outlines its main features. After that, this paper analyzes the impact of the real effective exchange rate of RMB on China's secondary and tertiary industries for the purpose of the study, takes into full consideration the main factors affecting the industrial structure, selects a large number of control variables, and completes the empirical analysis of China's overall as well as the eastern, middle and western regions by using the panel data of the country's 30 provinces in the 16-year period from 2005 to 2020. In addition, a variety of robustness tests were conducted to fully ensure the stability and interpretability of the model. It is finally concluded that the appreciation of RMB exchange rate will significantly benefit the development of China's tertiary industry, promote the industrial structure from the secondary industry to the tertiary industry, and complete the upgrade of industrial structure. Specifically, for every 1% increase in the real effective exchange rate of RMB, the proportion of tertiary industry in the GDP of the whole country, the east, the center and the west will increase by 0.7850%, 0.7171%, 1.0186% and 0.4873% respectively. Besides, this paper also verifies the indirect impact of the exchange rate on the industrial structure through the three paths of price effect, foreign trade openness and FDI, and verifies the existence of the intermediary effect. According to the empirical results, the price effect, FDI, and the increase of foreign trade openness will promote the advanced industrial structure of China. But both FDI and foreign trade openness are negatively correlated with the exchange rate, which is the core variable of this paper.

Environmental regulations, technological innovation, and low carbon transformation: A case of the logistics industry in China

China is the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide. The logistics industry is the second largest source of CO2 emissions, second only to the manufacturing industry. Therefore, developing effective environmental regulations to achieve low-carbon transformation in the logistics industry is an urgent task for government managers. Based on the 2005–2021 panel data of China's 30 provinces, this article adopts a data-driven nonparametric additive model to investigate the role of environmental regulations in CO2 emission reduction in the logistics industry. The results display that overall, environmental regulations contribute to carbon reduction in the logistics industry (an inverted N-shaped effect). After endogeneity test and various robustness tests such as replacing the variable value of core variable, this conclusion still has good reliability. Further heterogeneity analysis indicates that the carbon reduction effect of mandatory environmental regulations fluctuates frequently (a W-shaped impact). However, the carbon reduction impact of incentive environmental regulations has gradually shifted from insignificant in the early stages to prominent in the later stages (an inverted U-shaped pattern). Regional heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of environmental regulations on carbon reduction in the eastern, central, and western regions also has significant nonlinear characteristics. Finally, this article verifies that technological innovation and energy consumption structure are effective intermediate mechanisms for environmental regulations to affect emission reduction. The research findings provide practical inspiration for the government to formulate relevant environmental policies and promote the green development of the logistics industry.

"What choice do you have knowing your child can't breathe?!": Adaptation to Parenthood for Children Who Have Received a Tracheostomy.

A growing number of parents are navigating parenthood influenced by medical complexity and technological dependency as the group of children with long-term tracheostomy grows. However, little is known regarding the parental experiences of parenthood for this heterogeneous group of children now surviving through infancy and intensive care. This study aimed to analyze how parents of children who have received a tracheostomy adapted to parenthood. Interviews were conducted and analyzed following a constructivist grounded theory approach. Ten parents of seven children living with a tracheostomy in Sweden were recruited via the long-term intensive care unit (ICU). The core variable of parenthood "Stuck in survival" was explained by two categories and six subcategories. The category "Unaddressed previous history" describes the experiences from being in the ICU environment and how the parents are not able, due to insufficient time and resources, to address these stressful experiences. The category "Falling through the cracks of a rigid system" describes how the parents found themselves and their children to be continuously ill-fitted in a medical system impossible to adapt to their needs and situation. Parents placed the starting point of parenthood with the birth of the child, whilst the tracheotomy only constituted a turning point and would lead to the loss of any previously held expectations regarding parenthood. This study identified a previously undescribed period prior to tracheostomy placement, which may have long-lasting effects on these families. The care provided in ICUs following the birth of a child who will require tracheostomy may not be tailored or adapted to accommodate the needs of these families leading to long-lasting effects on parenthood.

Have Pesticides and Fertilizers Improved Agricultural Development? The Threshold Effect Based on China’s Agricultural Film Usage

The use of agricultural films, pesticides, and fertilizers has increased in China, leading to the degradation of the agricultural ecological environment. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2010 to 2021, this paper takes agricultural film usage as the threshold variable to study the impact of pesticide and fertilizer usage on agricultural development. The research results show that a single threshold effect of agricultural film usage is significant. When agricultural film usage is both a core and threshold variable, that is lower than the threshold value, every 1% increase in agricultural film usage will reduce agricultural output value by 0.9862%, and the impact is significant. When agricultural film usage crosses the threshold value, every 1% increase in agricultural film usage will increase agricultural output value by 1.1843%, and the impact is significant. When pesticide usage is the core variable, regardless of whether agricultural film usage is below or above the threshold, pesticide usage promotes agricultural development. Its impact is significant. When fertilizer input is a core variable, regardless of whether agricultural film usage is below or above the threshold, the use of fertilizers hinders agricultural development. The impact of fertilizer input on agricultural development is significant. Through empirical testing, this paper explores the deep relationship between agricultural film usage, pesticide usage and fertilizer input on agricultural development. These can effectively allocate agricultural production factors, transform the mode of agricultural economic growth, achieve the coordinated development of the ecological environment and agricultural economy and provide data support for the formulation of agricultural green development policies.

The importance of extended-STIRPAT in responding to the environmental footprint: Inclusion of environmental technologies and environmental taxation

This research dives deep into the interplay between environmental technology, environmental taxes, and renewable energy consumption, emphasizing their collective influence on ecological footprints within the East Asian context. The scrutiny period extends from 1999 to 2019, encompassing five pivotal nations: Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and China. At the heart of this study lies the choice of environmental technology as a core variable, driven by its potential to be a game-changer in sustainable development trajectories. Our findings bring a salient negative correlation between environmental technology and ecological footprints, underscoring its transformative role in reducing environmental impacts. In contrast, environmental taxes and renewable energy consumption seemed to tread lightly, casting a more subdued shadow on ecological footprints. Meanwhile, urban population dynamics and economic surges were found to magnify ecological repercussions. These insights spotlight the profound role of technological innovations in environmental stewardship and suggest a recalibration of policy emphasis in the East Asian sphere. This research ultimately offers invaluable perspectives for stakeholders, urging them to harness the promise of environmental technology while re-evaluating current policy tools.

HCV Co-Infection and Its Genotypic Distribution in HIV-Infected Patients in Nepalese Population.

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) co-infection and its genotypic distribution in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) show global inconsistency. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and genotypic distribution patterns of HCV, along with viral load, in people living with HIV. This cross-sectional study was conducted at SRL Diagnostics Nepal, Pvt. Ltd. in 203 HIV-seropositive patients attending the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal from October 2021 to May 2022. The viral load and HCV genotypes were estimated from RNA extracted from the blood sample (plasma) of PLHIV by using a standard Q-PCR protocol. HCV infection was considered as a core variable, whereas covariates used for this study were duration of HIV infection, age, sex, and ART regimen. Out of total 203 PLHIV, the estimated prevalence of HCV co-infection was 115 (56.6%). Male gender was a unique characteristic associated with a high prevalence of HCV co-infection compared to females. The HCV viral load among PLHIV ranged from 34 to 3,000,000 IU/mL. Among HCV co-infected PLHIV, 56 (48.69%) had a low level of HCV viral load. Interestingly, only 3 (2.6%) patients had an HCV viral load higher than 3,000,000 IU/mL. Diverse HCV genotypes were found in the population, including genotypes 1, 1a, 3a, 5a, and 6. However, genotype 3 was the most prevalent HCV variant among HCV-co-infected PLHIV, with a distribution of 36 (61.1%) and viral load ranging from 34 to 3000 IU/mL. HCV co-infection is frequent in the Nepalese population of people living with HIV, particularly due to HCV genotypic variant 3. The findings of this study could be useful for the management and clearance of the HCV co-infection in PLHIV, aiming to provide a good quality of life.

Study on the Moral Realism Theory and Its Enlightenment

Moral realism theory takes political leadership as the core variable, which differs from the traditional realism theory. Moral realism theory aims to analyze the motivation and logic of rising state replacing dominant state in international system. This paper uses documentary analysis to introduce and analyze this theory, which provides an innovative perspective for analyzing the current strength comparison between China and the United States and its impact on international relations in the future, while also helping to understand the diversified development of realism theory in international relations.

The use of psychological network analysis in informal dementia care: an empirical illustration

Objective: Theoretical models in informal dementia care have been developed to understand how risk and protective factors interact to cause caregiver’s distress. The development of psychological network analysis provides a rich complement to our current models, as explores how different variables (or nodes) are associated using graph theories. Methods: The present study explored the use of network analysis using data from 125 informal caregivers of their partner with dementia (PwD). The included variables were recipient’s dependency, self-efficacy, conflict within the family, dyadic adjustment, and caregiver’s distress. Results: The analysis suggests a complex network of interacting variables. The core variable was not the caregiver’s distress but rather their dyadic adjustment with their PwD. Variables were associated with caregiver distress through a large array of direct and indirect pathways and were associated with each other in the form of an asymmetric spider’s web.Conclusion: The results show the complex interplay of variables in a psychological network. The central role of distress suggests a complex and dynamic role, notably through a bidirectional influence with quality of interactions. In the same way, quality of interactions appeared as one of the strongest nodes, its connectivity suggesting a crucial role to consider in our models and interventions.

Explaining the Process of Spiritual Adjustment in Parents of a Child with Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Having a child with cancer impacts the family members and reduces their quality of life. Considering the fact that spirituality creates tranquility, hope for the future, and acceptance of the disease, this study aimed to explain the process of spiritual care in parents of a child with cancer. Methods: This study was carried out using a qualitative method and grounded theory approach. The setting of this research was oncology and radiotherapy wards, governmental oncology clinics and pediatric hospitals. Using purposive and theoretical sampling method, 22 participants (eight mothers, three fathers with childhood cancer experience and 11 individuals working in oncology departments of different Iranian pediatric hospitals) were selected and individual and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Results: The data analysis led to the creation of a core variable of "bridge towards spirituality" which included five main categories of "unstable situation", "spirituality," "crossing rocky path", "multi-dimensional support", and "rethink". Conclusion: Due to the significant impacts of a child's cancer on parents and the fact that people's spiritual needs increase in critical and stressful situations, paying attention to the spirituality process is essential for managing the conditions created by the child's disease and help parents through developing a comprehensive program of spiritual care in health care centers. Spiritual care is currently absent in the health care system of Iran, which necessitates attention to this issue in the parents of children with cancer.

Impact of Haze Pollution on Industrial Agglomeration: Empirical Evidence From China

This study analyzes the relationship between haze pollution and industrial agglomeration using particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration data from 269 prefecture-level cities in China between 2007 and 2016. We calculate the industrial agglomeration level using the location entropy method with industrial output as the core variable. We find that the industrial agglomeration effect is adversely affected by increased haze pollution, proving a negative correlation between them. We also compare the effect of haze pollution on industrial agglomeration before and after the 18th National Congress. The comparison shows that the effect of haze pollution on industrial agglomeration during 2012 to 2016 was significantly less than that during 2007 to 2011. Therefore, the industrial agglomeration effect can be strengthened by reducing environmental pollution through vigorous environmental governance efforts. These findings provide empirical evidence for governments’ continued implementation of current environmental protection policies.

Can Public-Private Partnership Wastewater Treatment Projects Help Reduce Urban Sewage Disposal? Empirical Evidence from 267 Cities in China.

Human activities have placed enormous pressure on the world’s water resources. To improve the efficiency of water supply and wastewater treatment, public–private partnerships (PPPs) are widely used for sewage treatment. However, an academic question remains about whether PPP sewage treatment projects (PPPSTs) help reduce urban sewage disposal when responsibilities shift from the public sector to the private sector. This study used panel data of 267 prefecture-level cities in China from 2009 to 2020 to construct a difference-in-difference (DID) model based on the counterfactual framework to answer this question empirically. The model results significantly support the effect of PPPSTs on sewage disposal reduction. Furthermore, these results passed the parallel trend test and the placebo test, and the results were still achieved when the quadratic term of the core variable was introduced, indicating that the model is reliable. In addition, the moderating effect models were used to expand the analysis. That is, the regressions were derived by multiplying the relevant extended variables and the core independent variables. This analysis indicates that the operation mode of PPPST and the characteristics of national demonstration play an essential role in reducing the amount of urban sewage disposal. However, the effect of fiscal decentralization is not apparent. These conclusions were also confirmed in the model using the investment scale of PPPSTs. Therefore, paying attention to the formation of PPPST contracts and adopting a practical supervision system is of great significance for improving the effect of sewage disposal reduction.

The dynamic evolution mechanism of public health risk perception and the choice of policy tools in the post-epidemic era: Evidence from China

ObjectivesRepeated outbreaks of small-intensity epidemics are one of the important features of the post-epidemic era. After a new round of epidemics broke out in Liaoning in mid-May 2021, the Chinese government's vaccination process quickly accelerated, completing nearly 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccination within 7 days. How is this efficient policy implementation process accomplished? What is the behavioral logic behind it? MethodsThis article constructs an analysis framework of “perception-goal-tool”. Trying to study the individual's micro-psychological mechanism as a starting point, with the help of a Health Belief Model, to explore the dynamic evolution of individual health risk perception before and after the outbreak of a small-intensity epidemic and its impact on vaccination willingness. And on this basis, analyze the flexible governance process of the Chinese government in the post-epidemic period. ResultsThe perceived severity is the core variable that affects the public's willingness to vaccinate. A small-intensity epidemic outbreak will aggravate the impact of the three health belief components on the public's willingness to vaccinate. In the three interactive analyses of health belief components, individuals have the highest willingness to inoculate in situations of low perceived susceptibility, low perception barriers, and high perception severity, and economic policy tools and authoritative policy tools play a key role before and after the outbreak of a small-intensity epidemic. ConclusionIn the context of a small-intensity epidemic, the reason why the Chinese government can achieve rapid crisis management lies in the interaction between policy goals, policy tools, and public risk perception.

The Effect of Urban Shrinkage on Carbon Dioxide Emissions Efficiency in Northeast China.

Climate change caused by CO2 emissions is a controversial topic in today’s society; improving CO2 emission efficiency (CEE) is an important way to reduce carbon emissions. While studies have often focused on areas with high carbon and large economies, the areas with persistent contraction have been neglected. These regions do not have high carbon emissions, but are facing a continuous decline in energy efficiency; therefore, it is of great relevance to explore the impact and mechanisms of CO2 emission efficiency in shrinking areas or shrinking cities. This paper uses a super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model to measure the CO2 emission efficiency and potential CO2 emission reduction (PCR) of 33 prefecture-level cities in northeast China from 2006 to 2019. For the first time, a Tobit model is used to analyze the factors influencing CEE, using the level of urban shrinkage as the core variable, with socio-economic indicators and urban construction indicators as control variables, while the mediating effect model is applied to identify the transmission mechanism of urban shrinkage. The results show that the CEE index of cities in northeast China is decreasing by 1.75% per annum. For every 1% increase in urban shrinkage, CEE decreased by approximately 2.1458%, with urban shrinkage, industrial structure, and expansion intensity index (EII) being the main factors influencing CEE. At the same time, urban shrinkage has a further dampening effect on CEE by reducing research and development expenditure (R&D) and urban compactness (COMP), with each 1% increase in urban shrinkage reducing R&D and COMP by approximately 0.534% and 1.233%, respectively. This can be improved by making full use of the available built-up space, increasing urban density, and promoting investment in research.

Domestic violence against women, Islamic Republic of Iran: a grounded theory study.

Although a silent phenomenon, violence against women has been well studied. Such violence is a universal problem with different regional and cultural patterns; it imposes heavy costs on society. This study aimed to assess the circumstances and features of domestic violence against women in Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran. This was a qualitative study using the grounded theory approach. Individual semi-structured interviews were held with 24 purposely selected women who had experienced domestic violence and who had gone to the Legal Medicine Organization of Mashhad for help. Data were analysed according to grounded theory. From analysis of the interview data, seven main categories emerged: risk factors of violence; protective factors against violence; excuses for violence; behavioural and cultural challenges in men; inevitable adjustment; escalation of violence; and presenting to legal medicine organizations. Constant comparative analysis of the data led to the identification of inevitable adjustment as the core variable of the study. Inevitable adjustment was the main strategy of women to deal with domestic violence against them. Promoting respect for the universal human rights of women, strengthening the network of services and social support for women and enforcing legal protection are necessary to reduce violence against women.

Various Dimensions of Quality Work Life and It’s Impact on Labours Emotional Attachment to the Organization: Critical Analysis of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries of Pune District

There are several dimensions of quality of work life stated by renowned authors in their studies. Further, researcher has gone through the diverse studies wherein it was found that, these dimensions has close relevance with the labours psychology at the workplace. Changing mindset and behaviour towards workplace and whole organization is the most important concern in today’s era. Because; it has a direct relation with labours productivity and turnover ratio which is already stated by various authors. However, it is also needing to study the emotional attachment of the workers towards the organization which is an affective commitment in context of quality work life. Therefore, researcher has considered the quality work life and emotional attachment i.e affective commitment as a core variable of this study. The main objective of this study was to identify the association of quality work life’s dimensions and it’s impact on emotional attachment of the labours to the organization of the large-scale manufacturing industries of Pune district. Data were collected from 390 respondents. Three independent structured close ended schedules were used as instruments for collecting primary data from respondents. Simple Linear Regression & Multiple Linear Regression was used to find the impact of independent variable and dependent variable. Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) test was used for analysis of relationship. All of the scales utilized in this investigation had acceptable levels of composite reliability, convergent and discriminate validity, according to the measurement model analysis.

The Influence of Food Tourism Experience on Revisit Intention

With the advent of the experience economy and the change of tourists' consumption concept, tourists pay more and more attention to the experience process of tourism, and the food experience has become an important factor for many tourists to choose tourism destinations. Based on this, this paper took Chengdu Jianshe Road as an example, carried out a combined online and offline questionnaire survey on Chengdu Jianshe Road tourists, and adopted SPSS 26 software to conduct factor, correlation and regression analysis to explore the effect of food experience on land revisit intention. First, tourists' evaluation indicators of Chengdu Jianshe Road can be divided into four dimensions: food characteristics, soft and hard conditions, food culture, and price level, which are generally positive. There was no significant correlation between revisit intentions (P<0.05); in addition, through the exploration on the relationship between gourmet tourism experience and revisit intentions, it was found that food characteristics had a significant positive impact on revisit intentions (β=0.715, p < 0.01), and has the greatest influence. In theory, this paper innovatively incorporates the exploration of food tourism experience as a core variable into the study of revisit intention, and provides relevant suggestions for future food research. In practice, this research has important reference significance for the marketing and development of food tourism destinations.