Developmental Purpose Research Articles

Teachers’ experiences with a mandatory multi-purpose teaching portfolio: a mixed methods study

ABSTRACT Little is known about the use of multipurpose teaching portfolios. In this study we examined teachers’ general perceptions of a mandatory and publicly available multipurpose teaching portfolio at a research-intensive university with a survey design and a mixed-method approach. Responses from a representative sample of 384 teachers from the intended university population (N=1,160) on 20 survey items were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The portfolio was found to only support its intended developmental purpose to a minor extent. The perceived value of the portfolio was influenced by how teaching was perceived to be valued by leadership in the context. The evidence from this study is relevant for academic developers advising institutional or governmental quality policy makers on the use of teaching portfolios.

Retracing Islamic Prohibition on Genetic Gestational Surrogacy (Uterine Service) for Married Couples

Assisted reproduction involving third party (sperm, ova or uterus) in the procreation has invited fierce debate amongst Muslim scholar’s world over and the two main theological schools of Islam; Shia and Sunni responded to it differently. In Shia Islam it is practice, while Sunni Islam prohibited it and this prohibition enjoys the endorsement of leading religious clergies (Ulemas) across spectrum. This paper opens up a novel paradigm with regards to prohibition on availing uterine service to gestate embryo created from the gametes of married intended couple for developmental purpose (genetic gestational surrogacy) from analogical and scientific reference in conjunction to Quranic citation; taking into consideration that wet nursing and gestational surrogacy both are societal services and share certain undeniable biogenesis characteristic. The argument is novel in our knowledge and has not been so comprehensively put forth in written form with such explicit scientific evidences before. The parallels between genetic gestational surrogacy and wet nursing/foster motherhood are discussed, with special reference to mainstream arguments of purity of lineage, sanctity (Hurmat) of surrogate women and sacredness of womb etc. The key aspects of gestational surrogacy and wet nursing are also elaborated alongside certain departure points between contemporary surrogacy and Islam inspired surrogacy.

Mapping hotspot clustering: An approach to study the spatial pattern of quality of living households in India

This study provides insight into the regional disparity of households’ quality of living standards in India through the selective indicators. A household quality of living index (HQI) which is called a composite index was developed by integrating four indices which are housing facility index (HFI-1), basic facility index (BFI-2), financial asset index (FAI-3) and human capital index (HCI-4). These four indices have been developed from 23 census indicators through entropy techniques. The research findings indicate that the central (Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh), eastern (Odisha, Jharkhand), and northeastern region (Arunanchal Pradesh and Nagaland) have poor living standards, and these are highly influenced by the basic facility index and financial asset index. Further, the indicators like concrete materials, radio, computer, two-wheeler, four-wheeler and drainage systems are totally in the poor category for almost 95% of the districts of India. Accordingly, hotspot GIS maps were generated and these maps explored that the 24.6% (157 districts) of the study region covered by hotspot showing poor quality of living. Nearly 14 states covered by hotspots, in which Bihar has the highest hotspot district (29), followed by Odisha (24), Madhya Pradesh (22) and Jharkhand (20). Additionally, three set of hotspot clusters were created for the developmental purpose: Cluster 1: (Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh), cluster 2: (Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal) and cluster 3: (Assam and Meghalaya). Where cluster 1 needs immediate attention followed by cluster 2 and 3. The current study results certainly assists the regional and national policy and decision makers to implement the development plan in hotspot clusters to enhance the quality of living.

Α1-ANTITRYPSIN DEFICIENCY IN GREEKS: FOCUS ON RARE VARIANTS

TYPE: Abstract TOPIC: Genetic and Developmental Disorders PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate genotype and phenotype characteristics of a Greek cohort of A1AT deficiency patients. METHODS: A1AT deficiency patients followed-up in Greece and analyzed in A1AT Laboratory, Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg GmbH, Germany were enrolled in the study. Patients underwent A1AT measurement for early emphysema RESULTS: Included are 24 adults, 54.2% males, 28.6% never-smokers, diagnosed at a median age (IQR) of 49 (43.0-59.5) years with A1AT levels of 0.255 (0.185-0.380) g/L. Patients presented with a median (IQR) FEV1 (% predicted), FEV1/FVC% and DLCO (% predicted) of 40.9 (29.9, 59.8), 50.5 (39.3, 63.0) and 52.8 (35.8, 68.0) respectively. Ten patients (41.7%) presented PI*ZZ genotype, 4 patients (16.7%) PI*Q0Q0 genotypes and 3 patients (12.5%) PI*ZQ0 genotypes. Q0 alleles corresponded to PI*Q0-Bellingham (1/7pts), PI*Q0-Amersfoort (3/7 pts) and PI*Q0-Granitefalls 3/7pts), ultra-rare null variants. Four patients (16.7%) were carriers of at least one of the following rare variants MHeerlen, MProcida and MMalton. In 3 patients (12.5%) sequencing indicated other ultra-rare mutations. Null variants were significantly associated with lowest A1AT levels and lower FVC values, compared to other variants [p=0.023 and p=0.034 respectively]. A1AT protein levels significantly correlated to FEF25-75% (% predicted) [p=0.013, r=0.559] CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides new evidence about an increased incidence of rare and ultra-rare A1AT variants in Greece of clear pathogenic significance, confirming an established North to South European geographical trend in A1AT deficiency. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The interpretation of novel SERPINA1 variants highlighted the importance of unravelling new mechanisms of A1AT deficiency pathophysiology in a personalized medicine era DISCLOSURE: Nothing to declare. KEYWORD: A1 ANTITRYPSIN DEFIECIENCY

Clustering Secondary Education and the Focus on Science: Impacts on Higher Education and the Job Market in Bangladesh

Many countries continue to follow a policy of clustering educational provision by disciplinary stream as developed during the British colonial era. Whether such an approach enables education to fulfill its developmental purpose is still open to debate. Using multiple qualitative tools, this study investigates the impact of clustering education in Bangladesh. The findings suggest that the clustering system favors science graduates, creating an atmosphere of educational disparity. This disparity affects the symbiotic and reciprocal relationship that exists between different levels (i.e., secondary, tertiary) of education. The clustering system further contributes to a larger “horizontal educational mismatch” in the job market. As a consequence, it is argued that, in Bangladesh, the education system fails adequately to support social and economic developments. This article suggests a revision of the prevailing policy to address the constraints.

PART OR NOT TO PART: BRONCHO-PULMONARY SEQUESTRATION, A RARE BUT POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ANATOMICAL ANOMALY

TYPE: Abstract Publication TOPIC: Genetic and Developmental Disorders PURPOSE: Bronchopulmonary sequestration is a rare but potentially dangerous anatomical anomaly. With our case, we hope to increase awareness about this entity. METHODS: 26 year-old female presented with right-sided pleuritic chest pain and associated intermittent dry cough. She denied dyspnea, wheezing, hemoptysis, fever, chills or sick contacts. Medical history was significant for SLE on hydroxychloroquine. Physical exam and initial lab work were unremarkable. CT chest with IV contrast incidentally revealed a focal area of consolidation in the RLL with large feeding vessel arising directly from descending thoracic aorta. No discrete draining veins were identified. She was diagnosed with intralobar RLL bronchopulmonary sequestration. Her chest pain was attributed to serositis and improved with short course of steroids and NSAIDs. But management of her bronchopulmonary sequestration was tricky. RESULTS: It is a rare abnormality of the respiratory tract consisting of nonfunctioning lung tissue lacking communication with tracheobronchial tree and receiving its arterial blood supply from systemic circulation. Usually diagnosed in-utero or in childhood, but can rarely be asymptomatic, eventually leading to major complications like massive hemoptysis, recurrent pneumonias, high-output cardiac failure; occasionally reports of neoplasms arising within the sequestration have been reported. CONCLUSIONS: Management options include observation, surgical resection or coil embolization of feeding artery. We discussed her case in multidisciplinary pulmonary-radiology conference. She did not have high risk features like large lesion ∼20% of hemithorax, bilaterality, multifocal/cystic lesions, but due to risk of infection and hemoptysis, consensus opinion recommended treatment with surgical resection of the RLL sequestration. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Bronchopulmonary sequestration requires careful risk benefit deliberation. DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships. KEYWORD: Bronchopulmonary sequestration

Coping with Climate Extremes: Railways and Pastoralism During Australia's Federation Drought

Abstract Transport networks can play an important role in responses to extreme climate events, especially when governments own the network and intervene directly. Railways occupied a central place in Australian rural development by the late nineteenth century, a topic that has been discussed widely by scholars of economic history. Much less is known about their contribution during the severe drought crises faced by rural communities. We investigate the role railways played during the Federation Drought of 1895-1903 in sustaining Australia's largest export industry, pastoralism. Government ownership of the railways enabled subsidies to be offered for the movement of livestock from drought areas and fodder to those areas. These policies assisted the rapid recovery of pastoral output and contributed to longer-term industry improvements. The intervention, however, came at significant financial cost to the railways, which was borne for the public good as part of an economic developmental purpose. The costs and benefits of drought relief policies continue to be debated today; our study demonstrates the major role transport networks can play in response to extreme climate events, both for immediate relief and in shaping subsequent behaviours.

The experience of introducing 8–10 y.o. children into chemistry

Abstract The experience of introducing 8–10 y.o. children is described and reflected in connections with modern education theories and approaches. The cognitive, psychomotor and affective outcomes were evaluated by (a) observation of the children in the laboratory and (b) individual interviews. Eight to ten y.o. children can be introduced into chemistry by quite complicated hands-on activity. The experiments should be quite bright, a little risky and employ different equipment. Such skills as dissolution, heating, weighting, grinding, filtering, boiling can be developed, at first – one at a time and then – in combinations. The initial instructions should be given in the way “do as I do”. Theoretical discussions should be restricted. In this age children do not ask questions “why” that makes inquiry-based learning impossible. Thus the main developmental purpose for this age should be maintaining interest to chemistry, developing observational and procedural skills and accumulating experience that would serve as groundwork for further studying chemistry.

How Do the Brains of Children, Teenagers, and Adults Respond to Others’ Pain?

Seeing someone in pain triggers a specific brain response, which is called “pain empathy.” In the present article, we examined this brain response in children, teenagers, and adults. We found that children’s brain response was of a certain type (called alpha power increase), whereas adults’ brain response was of a different type (called alpha power decrease). What we found particularly interesting was that teenagers’ brain responses included both types: alpha power increase and alpha power decrease. This suggests that the brain’s response to others’ pain changes in the course of human development. This study brings up two fascinating questions for future studies: (1) Why do the brains of children, teenagers, and adults respond in very different activation patterns to the pain of others? (2) What is the developmental purpose of the change we see as people get older?

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CARBON NEUTRALIZATION: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT

In this study, the problem of carbon neutralization is addressed due to the greenhouse effect, comprising the international mechanisms for such, aiming at demonstrating the possibility of effectuation of rights through the development theory as freedom, added to the reading regarding the dynamogenesis process and the social education. The legal responsibilities worldwide with the goal to face the global warming issue and pointing as one of the possible ways of carbon neutralization, is corroborated by the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement regarding the clean development. The possibilities condition is regarded in favor of the fundamental right to the ecologically balanced fundamental right. The development theory as freedom, the normative production and education are essential so that the individuals take part of the formation of the society values, concerning the concretization of the full developmental purpose.

Класифікація засобів компетентнісно орієнтованого навчання української мови

The article presents the classification of teaching aids used in competently oriented teaching of the Ukrainian language. Having generalized the works of Ukrainian teachers and linguists the scholar has made several conclusions. Firstly, the means of study enables to successfully achieve a certain educational and developmental purpose; secondly, it facilitates the acquisition of knowledge, experience of certain type (or types) of activity, motivates cognitive activity of students. Thirdly, the peculiarity of aids used in teaching Ukrainian language lies in the fact that they enable synthetic assimilation of the norms of modern Ukrainian literary language, involve students to receptive and productive forms of speech activity. It is noted that the peculiarity of means of competence-oriented learning is primarily to change the purpose of their application: not simply to reveal or transmit the information by the dynamic image, to get the students interested, to attract their attention to a certain language phenomenon, etc., but to re-accentuate the attention from the course of the subject-subject educational process on its outcome. In the context of competence-oriented learning, the scholar considers them to be the representatives of information that activates the cognitive activity of students, stimulate their acquisition of new kind of activity and the modeling of ways for applying new knowledge. The study of the above classifications confirmed the author's conclusions that, classifying the aids of competently oriented teaching of Ukrainian language, it is vital to take into account the dominant mode of perception, the purpose the participants of educational proses have (the students wants to learn, review etc.) teacher (explain, generalize, stimulate, etc.)), functions (informational, illustrative, operational, developmental, control, etc.), way of presenting information (traditional or electronic).

Exploring the Effect of Different Performance Appraisal Purposes on Miners’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Mediating Role of Organization Identification

This study theorized and examined the effect of performance appraisal purposes on miners’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) via organizational identification. Survey data from 700 miners in state-owned Chinese coal mine enterprises were analyzed using multiple regression and bootstrap sampling. Results indicated that both developmental purpose of the performance appraisal and evaluative purpose of the performance appraisal had positive effects on overall OCB and its four dimensions via organizational identification. Furthermore, developmental purpose of the performance appraisal had a stronger relationship with overall OCB and its four dimensions than evaluative purpose of the performance appraisal. This study provides practical guidance to assist Chinese and even Asian coal mining enterprises in deciding how to motivate miners’ OCB through improving a performance appraisal system and how to strengthen miners’ organizational identification.

Promoting Local Content Creation Through User Centric Mobile Application Design

Research problem is that the local content are important for India‘s development and the key determinants of successful mobile interface diffusion for local content creation. There is enormous amount of local knowledge and information available with rural people in India but it has been hardly realized for developmental purpose. There are several mobile users in India along with the fact they have ample of local knowledge and information but due to lack of user-friendly interface of mobile they are not able to create content. On other hand the organizations do not consider the users at the bottom of pyramid while designing and promoting mobile interface. They consider only few determinants and implement in their own design process, without user participation. Therefore policy issue is how to fit Indian users with contextual mobile interface design and promotion while achieving inclusive development.

Mediating family play: Exploring the expectations of digital media through a mobile application designed to facilitate real-world child–parent play

Abstract This article highlights the necessity of considering socio-cultural values and attitudes when designing digital media, through presenting a study that explores parental attitudes toward play and digital media in childhood. Here we present a study examining the effectiveness of a mobile application designed to encourage real-world play between parents and their children (aged three to five years old). A series of quasi-naturalistic play spaces were created in child-centric organisations with parents visiting these organisations invited to use the play space — including tablet devices loaded with the application. Surveys – including open and closed questions – were collected from 28 parents along with observational data focusing on parent–child–screen interactions. The research highlights a tension between the physicality and preconceptions of digital devices and parent–child play. We also note the mobilisation of the notion ‘quality time’ as somewhat antithetical to digital play — indeed, expectations of digital devices in childhood, alongside a presumed developmental purpose of certain forms of play, impacted the capacity of this application to facilitate real-world play. These findings and resulting methodological discussion have implications for both the design of mobile applications and future research. Moreover, this article highlights some of the values and assumptions that influence parental expectations of purposing play and digital media.

Factors affecting Happiness of Expatriate Academicians and Expatriate Non-Academicians in Dubai.

The research measures the levels of happiness of expatriate academicians in selected Dubai universities and compares them with happiness levels of non-academic people.
 A face to face interview followed by a cross-sectional survey was used as a method to collect data from teaching staff from different universities in Dubai and also from the random public working in different business sectors in Dubai.?
 Happiness is significanlty related to the other factors. There is no significant relationship between knowledge sharing and happiness of academics and well as non-academics.
 The sample size of the academic group and the study targeted at the population of Dubai city only.
 The discoveries of the research give helpful recommendations to the administration of Universities to provide better knowledge sharing opportunities among their teaching faculty to improve their happiness levels. It will also provide recommendations for a developmental purpose to University of Dubai and UAE’s “Happiness and Positivity program”.
 There is no known research that studies the determinants of happiness for academics with non-academics in the UAE.
 Keywords: Happiness, Expatriate Academics, Job Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction

Creating an anti-corruption norm in Africa: Critical reflections on legal instrumentalization for development

AbstractThis article reflects critically on the instrumental value of law in the anti-corruption struggle in Africa. Three questions are central to this reflection: (a) Is the instrumental use of law to achieve a developmental purpose, such as anti-corruption, defensible in theory and practice? (b) Is law necessary to, and/or adequate for, the creation of an anti-corruption norm? (c) Why do the developing countries perform so poorly in the fight against corruption in comparison with their wealthier, industrialized counterparts? While the article defends the instrumentalization of law in this regard, it argues that the African normative context of corruption throws up peculiar challenges. The article suggests that these challenges must be confronted in order to liberate the full potential of law in the struggle against corruption.

'Cinderella of the Education System': Margaret Thatcher's Plan for Nursery Expansion in 1970s Britain.

The Department of Education and Science, led by then Secretary of State Margaret Thatcher, published a White Paper in December 1972 calling for a dramatic expansion of public nursery education, so that it might be available within a decade to all families with 3- and 4-year-old children who chose to utilize it. While this failed policy is seldom remembered today, and Thatcher's efforts to promote the care and education of young children are not considered part of her considerable legacy, the White Paper's policy propositions challenge understandings about the formation and consistency of both Britain's child care policy and 'Thatcherism'. During this period, Thatcher believed that extending the frontiers of the state was appropriate to promote child welfare during the crucial first years of life. She conceived of nursery education as serving a developmental and educational purpose for all children, quite separate from welfare provisions for poor families or work supports for women. It is this crucial, albeit arbitrary, distinction which explains how nursery education was envisaged as an exception to her advocacy of cutting welfare spending.

Emerging integration projects in Eurasia: a search for new cooperation formats?

The paper focuses on a series of integration projects and initiatives emerging across the Eurasian continent. China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or New Silk Road initiative, the ASEAN’s Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) previously led by the U.S., and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) promoted by Russia seem to be unsettling the existing balance of economic and political power between the members and the other indirectly involved countries. The emerging regional initiatives challenge the model established by B. Balassa. The TTP tries to promote new principles of international trade policy by debating with the WTO’s rules and focusing additionally on the protection of foreign direct investment, labour and environmental standards. The OBOR has a clear developmental purpose of industrialization in the countries with a lack of infrastructure. The EEU and the RCEP seemingly follow the traditional European model of integration. The authors compare the potential and sustainability of these initiatives through an analysis of economic indicators. The research realized shows that the RCEP has the best potential among the integration initiatives considered. The associations with the Russian Federation’s participation need to be enlarged by other countries’ neighbouring trading partners to increase their economic consolidation.

Comment on “The Current Wave of State Enterprise Reform in China: A Preliminary Appraisal”

Comment on “The Current Wave of State Enterprise Reform in China: A Preliminary Appraisal”

From overexcitabilities to openness: Informing gifted education with psychological science

ABSTRACTIn the theory of positive disintegration (TPD), Dabrowski described overexcitabilities (OEs), manifestations of inner energy with a developmental purpose that appear more common in gifted individuals. Unfortunately, most studies present OEs outside of the context of the original theory as if they were standalone traits applicable to gifted students. In this atheoretical conceptualization, OEs seem to define the personality trait of openness to experience described in the five-factor model of personality (FFM) as each OE can be matched with a specific facet of openness. Descriptions of facets of openness and corresponding OEs are strongly similar. In this article we argue that they are conceptually equivalent and that current research on openness and OE supports this assertion. The FFM has robust empirical support, and TPD lacks empirical support; additionally, OEs as currently presented in gifted education deviate from TPD’s original tenets. Therefore, gifted education should shift its way of explaining these tendencies by framing them as the personality trait of openness to experience rather than OEs.