Creation Of Community Research Articles

Arts employability and extracurricular communities of practice: A case study of the University of Melbourne’s creative community connections

Developing student employability is a key strategy within institutions of higher education, particularly for students in creative industries where labour market supply has outpaced employer demand. Existing literature shows that activities that promote communities of practice offer clear employability benefits for students. However, such activities are often centred within university curriculum or driven by career development units with limited student engagement. This article considers an alternative approach, an academically-supported career community delivered as an extracurricular activity within an arts and cultural management graduate program at the University of Melbourne. Drawing on program metrics and an anonymous survey of participants in the program’s pilot iteration, we find evidence of a flexible career community built around the intelligent career theory tenets of knowing how and knowing whom, in which participants experienced positive and discipline-specific impacts related to employability and increased self-confidence in approaching the arts and cultural labour market.

Bridging the Evidence and Practice Gap in Chronic Kidney Disease: A System Thinking Approach to Population Health.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, costly, and life-limiting, requiring dialysis and transplantation in advanced stages. Although effective guideline-based therapy exists, the asymptomatic nature of CKD together with low health literacy, adverse social determinants of health, unmet behavioral health needs, and primary care providers' (PCP) limited understanding of CKD result in defects in screening and diagnosis. Care is fragmented between PCPs and specialty nephrologists, with limited time, expertise, and resources to address systemic gaps. In this article, the authors define how they classified defects in care and report the current numbers of patients exposed to these defects, both nationally and in their health system Accountable Care Organization. They describe use of the health system's three-pillar leadership model (believing, belonging, and building) to empower providers to transform CKD care. Believing entailed engaging individuals to believe defects in CKD care could be eliminated and were a collective responsibility. Belonging fostered the creation of learning communities that broke down silos and encouraged open communication and collaboration between PCPs and nephrologists. Building involved constructing a fractal management infrastructure with transparent reporting and shared accountability, which would enable success in innovation and transformation. The result is proactive and relational CKD care organized around the patient's needs in University Hospitals Systems of Excellence. Systems of excellence combine multiple domains of expertise to promote best practice guidelines and integrate care throughout the system. The authors further describe a preliminary pilot of the CKD System of Excellence in primary care.

Developing a support model for hybrid work-integrated continuous professional development

In the contemporary digitalised knowledge society, work-integrated professional development is an important and continuous activity. Continuous professional development should preferably be a hybrid format, where academia collaborates with industry and the surrounding society in a multi-directed exchange of ideas. Continuous professional development is today conducted in a blend of workplace activities, and in technology enhanced online environments. A complex blend for professionals that at the same time are working full-time with their ordinary jobs. The need for a support model to navigate in these new digital learning spaces is obvious, where the support model also should include collaboration and a community of practice. A community where the members communicate regularly to improve their skills and knowledge in their common professional domain. The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the development of a support model that involves these aspects. Findings confirm the necessity of the four steps in the earlier model, at the same time as they indicate the need for a fifth step facilitating the creation of Communities and Landscapes of Practice. The use of the model may support higher education institutions in creating beneficial conditions for hybrid work-integrated continuous professional development for industry.

Public Spaces for Older People: A Review of the Relationship between Public Space to Quality of Life

This paper investigates the relationship between public spaces and quality of life (QoL) for older adults, aiming to identify knowledge gaps within the context of population ageing and urbanisation. Recognising the growing importance of sustainable urban development, the research explores how cities can foster active ageing and improve QoL through accessible and inclusive public spaces. A scoping literature review identifies five key QoL domains for older adults: autonomy, meaningful activities, positive social relationships, leisure opportunities, and health. To identify knowledge gaps, a review of the literature was conducted for each of the highlighted themes. The review highlights areas requiring further investigation, including the interplay between environmental design and social connections, intergenerational perspectives on public space liveliness, the influence of context on QoL and the built environment, and the value of qualitative research in this field. By contributing to the understanding of QoL in relation to public spaces through the lens of person–environment fit theory, this study aims to inform urban design, landscape architecture, and policymaking in the creation of age-friendly communities with inclusive public spaces.

CONTENT AND FORMS OF SOCIAL WORK WITH THE FAMILIES OF MILITARY SERVANTS

The review article is devoted to highlighting the results of scientific research on finding out the content and forms of social work with the families of military personnel, because it is this category of people today that faces many difficulties and therefore needs special social, psychological and pedagogical support. Social work with the families of military personnel is an important area of social work, as it is aimed at support and assistance in solving problems that arise in the families of military personnel as a result of their service. As a result of the search, it was found out that the main problems and needs of families of military personnel determine the content of social work with this category of clients and include: post-traumatic stress syndrome; economic difficulties; problems in family relationships; medical and psychological assistance; access to education and professional training, etc. The key goal of social work with family members of military personnel is comprehensive support of their well-being, providing access to various services and resources aimed at improving the quality of life. Each family of a military man has its own unique needs, so approaches to the use of various forms of social work should be individual. The main forms of support for the mental and social well-being of family members of military personnel include psychological support (various types of psychological therapy, counseling, training in coping and self-regulation, development of communication skills, psychological work with traumatic experiences) and social support (provision of information and resources, social services , support programs, legal advice, creation of communities for communication). The perspective of further research on the topic of the article is a further theoretical and empirical study of the achievements of domestic and foreign scientists and the substantiation of the scientific foundations of social work with the families of those military servicemen who took part in the armed military conflict.

The delivery of creative socially prescribed activities for people with serious mental health needs during lockdown: Learning about remote, digital and hybrid delivery.

Social prescribing interventions connect mental health service users to community resources, to support physical and mental wellbeing and promote recovery. COVID-19 restrictions impacted the delivery of socially prescribed activities, preventing face to face contact for long periods. The aim of this study was to understand how Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations working with a local NHS mental health Trust responded to the challenges of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This understanding will be used to make recommendations for future practice, post-lockdown. Using a convergent mixed methods design, we surveyed VCSE providers of socially prescribed activities intended to be accessible and appropriate for people with severe mental health needs. Follow-up interviews explored further how they adapted during the first year of the pandemic, the challenges they faced, and how they sought to overcome them. The survey and interview data were analysed separately and then compared to identify convergent and divergent findings. Twenty VCSE representatives completed the survey which provided a snapshot of changes in levels of connection and numbers reached during lockdown. Of 20 survey respondents, 11 participated in follow-up interviews. Interviews revealed that lockdown necessitated rapid change and responsive adaptation; activities were limited by resource, funding, safeguarding and government restrictions; no single format suited all group members; connection was key; and impact was difficult to gauge. VCSE organisations commissioned to deliver creative socially prescribed activities during the pandemic rapidly adapted their offer to comply with government restrictions. Responsive changes were made, and new knowledge and skills were gained. Drawing on experiences during lockdown, VCSE organisations should develop bespoke knowledge, skills and practices to engage service users in future hybrid delivery of arts, sports, cultural and creative community activities, and to ensure that digital activities offer an equivalent degree of connection to face-to-face ones. Additionally, more effective methods of gaining feedback about patient experience of hybrid delivery is needed.

Peculiarities of the activities of local self-government bodies in united territorial communities under martial law

Peculiarities of the activities of local self-government bodies in united territorial communities under martial law

Columns: Black Youth Futures: The Community Is Our Classroom: An Anthology

This collection of poems and a story encapsulates the experiences of teaching, delving into the creation of a learning community and exploring the acts of joy, empowerment, love, liberation, and community-building that foster Blackness inside and outside the classroom.

Beyond the Campus: The Role of Social Media in Expanding Educational Horizons and Management Practices

This paper examines the transformative role of social media in education, which extends beyond traditional classroom boundaries to enhance teaching, learning, and management practices in educational settings. With the digital era reshaping educational processes, social media platforms have emerged as critical tools in redefining learning environments and expanding access to educational resources globally. These platforms facilitate multifaceted communication and interaction among students and educators and enable the creation and management of virtual academic communities. This study highlights how social media transcends geographical constraints, fostering connectivity and community, which are essential elements in modern education. It explores the implications of social media in broadening educational horizons and innovating management practices within educational institutions.

Intellectual property and creative freedom within the cultural vernacular

ABSTRACT In a world dominated by the distribution of global media franchises, what are the impacts on creativity when intellectual property law seeks to control what can and cannot be written? The development of modern distribution mechanisms that allow corporations to distribute copyright protected works such as film franchises globally and across many different media has had a significant effect on the cultural vernacular. Generations are now growing up with storyworlds that are the intellectual property of multinational businesses, rather than within the public dimain (as might previously have been the case with folk stories and religious texts). With Jenkins’ ideas of Participatory Culture perhaps sidestepping the consequences of intellectual property ownership, this paper looks to Hyde and others to question whether current intellectual property discourse properly acknowledges the issue of how the pervasive marketing of ringfenced storyworlds is affecting the creative community’s relationship with the cultural vernacular when seeking to create commercially exploitable work. This paper argues that moral as well as legal questions must be raised regarding the extent to which corporations should be effectively allowed to own elements of the collective story consciousness and, as a consequence, to exert control over the creation of new works.

“For me, it is important to maintain self while adapting.” Understanding Chinese foreign language teachers’ identity in an intercultural context

ABSTRACT This qualitative exploratory study addresses how Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers perceive their identity in an intercultural context in the Netherlands. In this study with twenty-one native Chinese-speaking language teachers, empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Foucault’s poststructuralist view of identity is employed to conceptualize teachers’ identity. The findings show teachers’ perceptions of their identity are shaped by their cultural and educational background, as well as their teaching experiences in an intercultural context. CFL teachers’ professional identity adapts during the process of interacting with students from another cultural background. Although CFL teachers sometimes struggle during this process of transformation, they generally showed willingness to adjust. The findings indicated that even if teachers’ identity reconstruction is inevitable in the cross-cultural setting, most CFL teachers hold onto their primary Chinese identity. Implications for teacher professional development and teaching Chinese in intercultural settings are discussed, for instance, the need for pedagogical courses that fit the Dutch educational context and consider the Chinese language’s specific features, and for the creation of a collaborative CFL teaching community.

Families of organ donors between Jews and Arabs in Israel during a military operation: Constructing meaning through participation in an epistemic Community - Media analysis of two cases

This study explores how bereaved families of organ donors become participants in an ‘imagined epistemic community’ of organ donor families, amidst a national conflict between Jews and Arabs in Israel. Utilizing a media case study approach, we identified factors contributing to the creation of this bi-national community and examined what the families received in return for their part. Additionally, we explored the reasons behind the community splitting into two separate entities. Based on the media reports, we suggest that entry into the community is conditional on donating organs during wartime, granting these families a special moral status in return, resonating messages of altruism, solidarity and coexistence. Further to this, we propose that when the Arab family felt they did not receive the expected recognition, they withdrew from the common community in favor of a separate national community.

Unpublished Sources in the Archive of the Samizdat and Non-traditional Printing Sector of the State Public Scientific Technological Library of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The aim of the article is to present the structure of the common archive of the Samizdat and Non-traditional Printing Sector of the Laboratory of Book Studies of SPSTL SB RAS formation on the ­example of the main storage units – personal collections of writers, artists, cultural figures and musicians. It provides classification of the existing unpublished sources in the sector’s collections, analyzes authorial materials, dedications, autographs, drawings and markings, mentions of the alternative printing process authors and participants in periodicals and correspondence. The article describes the sources of samizdat and non-traditional printing, existing in the sector, reveals the content of the main thematic directions. It characterizes archival units on the examples of alternative book publishing, various forms of samizdat, ephemera, ego-documents, fragments of personal libraries, examples of periodical printing. It also offers the classification of personal collections based on temporal periodization, thematic and territorial characteristics. The analysis of the content of the presented sources bases on the personal collections of M. Baturin, I. Akhmetiev, V. Ivaniv, O. Volov, E. Shurygin, E. Iordansky, A. Chekanov, as well as various unofficial creative communities and groups. Special attention is paid to the formation of communication chains and links between authors in the informal cultural environment, in the field of samizdat and alternative book publishing from the 1960s to the 2010s that clarifies the criteria of such ties.

Correction: De Franco et al. Drivers, Motivations, and Barriers in the Creation of Energy Communities: Insights from the City of Segrate, Italy. Energies 2023, 16, 5872

Three contributors’ names were missing in the original version of the authorship of the paper [...]

A comprehensive study to facilitate Student Space platform with collaborative learning

The Student Space Virtual Study Groups Platform is a groundbreaking solution designed to transform collaborative learning for students, addressing challenges in forming and sustaining study groups. This online platform integrates advanced technology to create a user-friendly environment, featuring an intuitive interface, dynamic group formation with smart algorithms, real-time collaboration through video conferencing and document editing, centralized resource sharing, and smart scheduling tools. Student Space aims to overcome the limitations of traditional study groups, offering an inclusive and adaptable virtual space for students to connect, collaborate, and excel academically. Anticipated impacts include improved academic performance and the creation of a vibrant academic community. Ongoing enhancements, such as integration with Learning Management Systems, a mobile app for on-the-go collaboration, and improved AI-driven matching algorithms, are planned for the future.

Sounding out horse mussel sediment thickness: an integrated data approach

Horse mussel beds are listed as a Priority Marine Feature (PMF) in Scotland for their influence in the creation of diverse benthic communities and provision of ecosystem services. In Scotland, horse mussel beds are also recognised for their importance in marine carbon sequestration. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of data on horse mussel bed carbon stocks and sediment thickness. There are also significant financial and logistical barriers with which to address these data gaps. This study investigates the robustness of Sub-Bottom Profiling (SBP) as a cost-effective method to quantify horse mussel sediment thickness across a landscape. Integrating SBP and Drop-Down Video (DDV) data, this study also details an integrated approach to investigate the links between horse mussel habitat condition and sediment thickness. With the addition of abiotic data, this study uses Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to elucidate key relationships between abiotic factors, biotic variables, and sediment thickness. There is a significant positive correlation of horse mussel habitat condition and sediment thickness. Average horse mussel total sediment thickness, across all measures of habitat condition, was 1.37m. These findings substantially increase previous estimates of horse mussel sediment thickness, and potential value to climate change mitigation through blue carbon frameworks. This study highlights the importance of both abiotic and biotic factors on marine carbon sediment quantification.

DISEMINASI MORAL ACTING DALAM MEMBANGUN NILAI KARAKTER: Studi Kasus Siswa Mts Takhassus Al-Qur’an Bonang Demak

The current behavior of students is very sad and worrying, not only students towards teachers but also towards each other, such as; bullying, fighting teachers, beatings. In fact, he has gained knowledge from teachers with noble behavior, through learning in the classroom and outside the classroom, but the impact has not been maximized, so he needs to take a step in building character values within himself through habituation in the madrasa which can grow the soul to internalize all the madrasa curriculum. This research aims to analyze learning and guidance as well as habituation (moral acting) that applies in madrasas, so that students have noble character as an implication of the education and skills process in madrasas, as well as institutionalizing the madrasa culture that has been built over a long time, and can be accepted by all school residents. This research uses a qualitative method, with a descriptive approach, namely the researcher analyzes the "habituation" method in madrasas and what forms of habituation there are, as well as noble moral values by adhering to theory and practice. The results of this research show that; Moral acting has become a culture at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Takhassus al-Qur'an with habits that have been established in the school, as well as regular assistance from teachers and transfer to other students, so that the school culture is the result of the creation of the school community (principal, teaching staff, students, homeroom teacher, committee, education staff) which are instilled through daily activities in accordance with the curriculum that has been determined and applied.

DECENTRALIZATION AS A FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES IN UKRAINE: EXPERIENCE OF THE EU COUNTRIES

The analysis of modern Ukrainian political and legal research suggests that the theory is dominated by the understanding of the territorial organization of power according to which the territorial community is the basis for the organization of the system of community development management. According to the researchers, it is the excessive number of small administrative-territorial units of the basic level that has determined the need for reform. The lack of the necessary economic and human resources makes it impossible for basic local government units to effectively exercise their powers. The main problem of decentralization is that the creation of new territorial communities did not take into account resource provision, transportation tasks, and economic and geographical zoning in general. The author analyzes and compares the experience of EU countries in decentralization. To ensure a favorable climate for the decentralization process, special regional development institutions have been created in different countries as executive bodies that assist various departmental structures in their activities, and these can also be independent institutions for the development of regional development programs and fund management, public non-profit organizations, and other non-governmental organizations working in partnership with government institutions. Today, in the context of war, our state as a whole and each individual territorial community in particular lives by different principles, budgets are formed and used in a completely different way, many projects have been suspended, funds allocated for them have been redirected to other areas, and mass migration has taken place both within the country and abroad.
 The article reveals that, according to the researchers, an excessive number of small administrative-territorial units of the basic level determined the need for decentralization reform. It is found that the main problem of decentralization is that the creation of new territorial communities did not take into account resource provision, transportation tasks, and economic and geographical zoning in general. The author analyzes and compares the experience of EU countries on decentralization issues. It is determined that the goals and objectives of the state policy on reform and decentralization are formed and coordinated with each other, they are specified in various programs and regulations. It can be argued that, in general, Ukraine is moving in the right direction in terms of reforming local self-government and territorial organization of power and covers all socially important areas.

Using community interaction theory to understand the effects of group mentoring on adolescents

This paper describes the outcomes for adolescents taking part in a 12-week group behavioural mentoring programme and possible causal mechanisms involved, using Law's (1981) Community Interaction Theory as a theoretical framework. The two-stage qualitative research with four groups of students aged 13-14 showed that there were changes to their understanding of self, their self-confidence, their ability to control emotions and behaviour and, importantly, changes in their career aspirations. Interacting with their mentors (adults from outside their previous communities) appeared to have a significant impact on them. The data suggests this was via the creation of a new community which moderated existing beliefs about who they were, and what opportunities were open to them. The mentors provided feedback, support and information, and were perceived as a credible and trusted role model. The study offers an application of Law's theory to the younger students it was developed for and provides evidence suggestive of the importance of interactions with wider communities in career development and widening participation, although future research should consider long-term follow-up of mentees.

Image-to-ASCII Conversion and Preservation

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) art is a fascinating and durable kind of visual expression in the everchanging digital realm. This study delves deeply into the complex craftsmanship associated with converting photos to ASCII characters art, making use of Python's versatility and strength as a programming language. We explore a wide range of methods, libraries, complex algorithms, and many applications related to this fascinating process as we go into a comprehensive investigation. Our main goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the image-to-ASCII art conversion by developing a GUI and reveal its deep relevance in modern digital culture. In addition, we analyse the instruments that are at our disposal with great care, meeting the needs of both the creative community and the practical use of this novel medium. We hope to shed light on the subtle nuances and draw attention to the artistic possibilities and useful applications that are there in the field of image-to-ASCII conversion by offering a thorough examination.