Flexibility In Mind Research Articles

Fostering Flexible Minds: The Effect of Probing Questions in Enhancing Divergent Thinking in Geography

Fostering Flexible Minds: The Effect of Probing Questions in Enhancing Divergent Thinking in Geography

A MATLAB-based simulator for the study of process control of fed-batch yeast fermentations

This paper presents a MATLAB-based simulator for the study of process control of fed-batch yeast fermentations that meets the educational needs of undergraduate and graduate students. Against the background of challenges in interdisciplinary education, the paper examines the evolving environment of simulation tools in the field of bioprocesses. It emphasizes the need for interdisciplinarity to prepare students for the complexities of the modern biotechnology industry. Built with accessibility and flexibility in mind, the simulator offers a modular structure with a graphical user interface (GUI) for novice users and direct access to MATLAB functions for advanced users. This design choice ensures ease of use for students with different programming backgrounds and allows for adaptability to alternative software environments. The introductory sections provide a detailed overview of the simulator development, including the mathematical models that govern biomass growth kinetics, mass transfer, and process quality indicators. Selected process control strategies such as rule-based and feedforward approaches are incorporated in the simulator to enhance the learning experience by allowing students to experiment with different scenarios. The paper concludes by emphasizing the simulator's adaptability, modularity, and user-friendly interface as a valuable asset in educating students about the complexities of bioprocess control.

Acceptance and commitment approaches for athletes' wellbeing and performance: The flexible mind

Acceptance and commitment approaches for athletes' wellbeing and performance: The flexible mind

An exploratory study of mainland Chinese parents’ ideologies about bilingualism and bilingual education

ABSTRACT The current study investigates mainland Chinese parents’ ideologies on bilingualism and biliteracy, specifically for those who chose Mandarin-English bilingual education for their children. We explored children’s language and literacy usage at home as they attend school with Mandarin and English as the instructional languages. Three hundred and eight survey responses were collected from parents in Shanghai, China. Results from an exploratory factor analysis showed that parents generally held positive attitudes toward both bilingualism and bidialectalism. Additionally, multiple correspondence analyses demonstrated that parents who reported more multilingual usage in daily conversation at home with their children generally aspired for their children to develop an identity of being a global citizen, whereas parents who reported more Mandarin literacy activities engagement typically expected their children to (a) have a flexible mind for learning regardless of the instructional language, (b) become internationally competitive, and (c) be communicative within diverse social groups. It is suggested that parental perceptions of the importance of bilingualism and bidialectalism should be taken into consideration in curriculum planning and language policy making. Understanding parents’ perception of bilingualism may facilitate schools to partner with parents and devise responsive language education goals in schools.

Kimberlite team at the XIV all-Russian open field Olympiad for young geologists

This article is about the XIV All-Russian open field Olympiad for young geologists. Subject Olympiads are a competition of students where participants demonstrate their skills and knowledge in certain disciplines. The children's and youth geological movement in Russia has a very rich history. Today, in the country, the promotion of geological knowledge among schoolchildren is carried out in accordance with the training program, innovative programs introduced as part of the implementation of the priority national project "Education". The All-Russian fields Olympiads for young geologists are held by the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use in different regions of Russia every two years. The organizers of the Olympiad hope that thanks to the movement of young geologists, a new generation of highly professional specialists will grow up. The novelty of the article is the description of the participation in 2023 of a team of schoolchildren from Yakutia in the XIV All-Russian Field Olympiad in Geology in Tatarstan. The experience of the Yakut team Kimberlit should help the next participants of the Olympiad from the republic. Competitions and contests of the Olympiad are original, require non-standard thinking and flexibility of mind. However, many of the tasks of the Olympiad are composed by analogy with previous years. Therefore, an effective way to prepare is to know the specifics of the tasks of the Olympiads of previous years. Observation of the Kimberlite team during the competition allows us to state that the Geology Olympiad provides not only knowledge and skills, but also the experience of human communication, physical training, and everything that is necessary for a real geologist. Participation in the Olympiad is a great responsibility, especially for a representative of a subject of the federation.

An Appraisal of the Requirements for the Validity of a Customary Marriage in South Africa, Before and After the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998

This article appraises the requirements for the validity of a customary marriage. It peruses two eras separated by a statute called the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 (RCMA). Prior to delving into what the requirements for validity before the RCMA were, the article differentiates between peremptory and directory provisions. These terms are usually applied in interpreting statutes. They also find application in determining the requirements of the validity of customary law. The era before the RCMA lists essential requirements for a valid customary marriage. The gist of these requirements is as follows: consent of the bride and bridegroom (spouses), consent of the bride’s father or guardian (parents), payment of lobolo, the handing over of the bride and the absence of a civil marriage by either spouse. If any of these requirements were not met, there was no valid customary union. The RCMA added more requirements which seem to address formal and customary law requirements. Both prospective spouses need to be 18 years or older, with certain exceptions, and must consent to getting married in terms of customary law. These requirements are peremptory. The customary law requirements relate to the negotiation and celebration of such a marriage. These requirements remain essential. Unlike formal requirements, these requirements allow indigenous African people a certain latitude. As a result, they are directory. This article further deliberates on certain issues regarding the requirements of customary marriages that became contentious. This includes the delivery of lobolo, the handing over of the bride, polygamous and dual marriages, and the registration of customary marriages. In conclusion, it is shown that customary law is a rapidly growing independent source of law. The requirements for validity must be comprehended with this flexibility in mind and should not unnecessarily be held as being static.

Ղեկավարի գործունեության արդյունավետությունն ապահովող կարողություններն ու «փափուկ հմտությունները» արդի աշխարհի մարտահրավերների համատեքստում / Effective Manager's Capabilities and "Soft Skills" in the Context of the World's Challenges

Abstract. The article outlines new requirements for the efficiency of managers in the context of the challenges facing the world today and the uncertainty they bring with them. First, here are presented the definitions of a capable manager, then, the studies of the Armenian, Russian and Western authors with detailed descriptions of the managers’ required capabilities. The availability of a number of capabilities and skills is the key to allowing a person to engage in a manager's professional occupation, and some skills are required to define the professional activity as effective. Data of professiogrames from a variety of scientists has been highlighted and compared to the requirements set out in the legislative framework of the RA. In the context of geopolitical processes, especially after the global epidemic, which is also accompanied by unprecedented technological advances, and even some scientists are soon predicting a "technological revolution," the world has changed into a new situation, under which a manager is expected to have flexibility in mind and practice, quick response skills, high development of communication capabilities, emotional high intelligence, ability to navigate properly and a number of other important qualities.

Discussing ChatGPT’s implications for industry and higher education: The case for transdisciplinarity and digital humanities

This comment builds on the example of chat generative pretrained transformer (ChatGPT) to discuss the implications of generative AI on industry and higher education, underlining the need for more transdisciplinary digital literacy education. The release of ChatGPT has generated significant academic and professional interest and instigated a vibrant discussion on the opportunities offered and challenges posed by powerful and readily accessible generative AI reshaping teaching and learning at universities. ChatGPT has reignited an age-old debate on the impact of disruptive technologies on occupations and the labor market, but recent discussions have paid little attention to how university offerings may need to adapt. We strive to open this discussion arguing that while recent GPT technology has, indeed, made more conceivable the substitution of many tasks of white-collar and knowledge workers, and suggested an acceleration of the labor market shift towards technology-centric occupations, it has simultaneously made a stronger-than-ever case for transdisciplinary competences. Consequently, we emphasize the need to foster more transdisciplinary digital literacy in universities with curricula that provide breadth of knowledge and flexibility of mind, bridging humanities with STEM disciplines. Digital humanities education is in a unique position to promote the responsible use of generative AI, while encouraging critical reflection on its socio-cultural embeddedness.

Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in US State and Local Public Health Agencies: Sustaining Capacities and Applying Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic and 2022 Mpox Outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the lack of resources available to US state and local public health agencies to respond to large-scale health events. Two response activities that were notably underresourced are case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT), which health agencies routinely employ to control and prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. However, the scale of contact tracing required during the COVID-19 pandemic exceeded available resources, even in high-capacity public health agencies. For both routine outbreak response and epidemic preparedness, health agencies must have CI/CT program capacities in place prior to the detection of an outbreak to be ready to respond. Our research builds on previous work to identify the baseline CI/CT capacities needed in US state and local public health agencies to respond to any type of outbreak. Fifteen public health officials representing 10 public health agencies and 4 experts in CI/CT were interviewed about various aspects of their CI/CT program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The interviews coincided with the beginning of the 2022 mpox epidemic. Discussions on CI/CT during that response were collected to augment the interviews, where possible. Findings revealed that CI/CT capacities were underresourced prior to and during the pandemic, as well as during the mpox outbreak, even after substantial additional resourcing and efforts to scale up. Moreover, state and local health agencies encountered challenges in pivoting their COVID-19 CI/CT capacities for the mpox response, suggesting that CI/CT programs should either be designed with flexibility in mind, or should allow for specialization based on the pathogen's mode of transmission and the population at risk. Federal, state, and local health agency staff and officials should consider lessons learned from this research to plan for readily scalable and sustainable CI/CT programs to ensure readiness for future outbreaks.

FORMATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF CHILDREN OF SENIOR PRESCHOOL AGE BY MEANS OF PROBLEM TASKS

Considering the current situation in the educational space of Ukraine, the teacher should cultivate in the younger generation the ability to analyze, think critically, find solutions to problems, develop a personality capable of taking responsibility for their own actions and deeds. In this context, the problem of independence education is relevant, significant both in theoretical and practical aspects. We associate perspective ways of research with the study of the implementation of modern scientific approaches to the transformation of the pedagogical process, increasing attention to the personality of the child as an agent of cognitive activity, providing him with freedom of choice of activities and forms of participation in it, democratization of the educational process on the basis of cooperation between teachers and pupils, differentiation of education and training, development of flexible pedagogical technologies that best meet the needs and capabilities of pupils, in their independent mastering of various aspects of life. In this context, problem tasks that put the child in a situation where he/she is encouraged to use various methods of mental activity (comparison, analysis, synthesis, classification) are of undeniable value. This activates independence, the ability to find ways to solve problems, draw conclusions and generalize. Therefore, the aim of the study is the search for effective ways to form independence in children of senior preschool age. Studying the formation of independence as a basic personal quality in children of senior preschool age, we were guided by the fact that the independence of children of this age group is best manifested in new unfamiliar situations. By solving them, children can demonstrate independence of thought, originality of ways to solve the problem. In the light of this, we took into account the children's interest in independent actions in the conditions of choosing between the new and the familiar; independence and autonomy of actions in relation to the adult; ways of solving the problem; the result of the activity. As a result of the experimental study, we found that a significant number of children in the experimental group do not realize the possibilities of independence and do not reach the optimal level of its formation. The search for ways to solve this problem made it possible to identify effective means of forming independence in children of senior preschool age, among which a special place is occupied by problem solving tasks. They put children in the conditions of practical search for a solution to the problem, which pushes them to search independently, awakens the child's opinion, forms non-standard thinking. Such tasks encourage children to express their original ideas, to analyze problematic and ambiguous situations, to establish cause-and-effect relationships, to think over the situation, to build hypotheses, which also stimulates independence of thinking, flexibility of mind, develops creative abilities of the child. Thus, problem-bases tasks effectively influence the development of preschoolers' independence as an integral quality of personality.

Modeling of an Integrated Renewable-Energy-Based System for Heating, Cooling, and Electricity for Buildings

An integrated numerical model that describes the operation of a renewable-energy-based system for a building’s heating, cooling, and domestic hot water needs is described in this study. The examined energy system includes a vapor compression multi-source heat pump, PVT collectors, borehole thermal energy storage, and water tanks. Energy balance equations for the collectors and the tanks are coupled with correlations for the heat pump and the piping losses within a thermal network approach. The non-linear system of equations that arises is solved by employing in-house software developed in Python v. 3.7.3. The performance of the numerical tool is validated against measurements collected during the pilot operation of such a system installed in Athens (Greece) for two 5-day periods (summer and winter). It is shown that the proposed model can predict, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the building’s energy system performance, whereas limited deviations from the experimental findings are mostly observed when highly transient phenomena occur. The numerical tool is designed with flexibility in mind and can be easily adapted to accommodate additional energy-system configurations and operational modes. Thus, it can be utilized as a supporting decision tool for new energy systems’ designs and the optimization of existing ones.

FTflow: An Open-Source Python GUI for FT-IM-MS Experiments.

As part of a larger effort to aid in seamless integration of Fourier-based multiplexed ion mobility with a range mass analyzers, we have developed an all-in-one graphical user interface tool for FT-IM-MS data analysis that runs directly within a web browser. This tool, FTflow, accepts mzML files and displays necessary information such as mass spectra and extracted ion chromatograms in order to reconstruct arrival time distributions. It also extracts the corresponding mobility-related information (e.g., Ko and CCS) for each of the target ion populations. Furthermore, input fields for experimental conditions are clearly laid out for users and ease-of-use. With flexibility in mind, the processing scripts and GUI interface are written entirely in Python and allows users the option to modify source code to fit their specific needs. While the intention for this tool is to be a starting point for exploratory analysis of FT-IM-MS data, it has the capability to be adapted for use in more automated data processing pipelines through direct access of core processing routines.

Versatile DMA Engine for High-Energy Physics Data Acquisition Implemented with High-Level Synthesis

FPGA-based cards for data concentration and readout are often used in data acquisition (DAQ) systems for high-energy physics experiments. The DMA engines implemented in FPGA enable efficient data transfer to the processing system’s memory. This paper presents a versatile DMA engine. It may be used in systems with FPGA-equipped PCIe boards hosted in a server and MPSoC-based systems with programmable logic connected directly to the AXI system bus. The core part of the engine is implemented in HLS to simplify further development and modifications. The design is modular and may be easily integrated with the user’s DAQ logic, assuming it delivers the data via a standard AXI-Stream interface. The engine and accompanying software are designed with flexibility in mind. They offer a simple single-packet mode for debugging and a high-performance multi-packet mode fully utilizing the computational power of the processing system. The number of used DAQ cards and the amount of memory used for the DMA buffer may be modified in the runtime without rebooting the system. That is particularly useful in the development and test setups. This paper also presents the development and testing methodology. The whole design is open-source and available in public repositories.

Contemplating Flexibility in Chemistry Education

Many chemistry educators have taken to heart design guidelines proposed for teaching during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Often these guidelines incorporate suggestions for helping students encounter more flexible demands for their learning of course material. As educational settings return to modalities that more closely resemble prepandemic ones, the question has emerged as to the potential value of maintaining enhanced levels of flexibility for students. Such a choice can certainly be considered from the perspective of pedagogical theories, but it remains equally important to incorporate the idea that teachers and instructors require flexibility as well in the new paradigms that may emerge for formal learning. Keeping both desirable facets of educational flexibility in mind represents a core concept that merits consideration as future plans for teaching and learning are discussed.

Flexible minds make more moderate views: Subtractive counterfactuals mitigate strong views about immigrants’ trustworthiness

Public discourse on immigration has seemed to polarize over recent years—with some people strongly trusting, but others strongly distrusting immigrants. We examined whether a cognitive strategy could mitigate these biased outgroup judgments. Given that subtractive counterfactual thoughts (“If only I had not done X. . .”) facilitate cognitive flexibility and especially a relational processing style, we hypothesized that these thoughts (vs. additive counterfactuals “If only I had done X. . .” and no counterfactuals) would weaken the relationship between people’s political orientation and the perceived trustworthiness of immigrants. In five experiments (two preregistered; total N = 1,189), we found that inducing subtractive (but not additive) counterfactuals—either via rhetorical questions in a political speech or via mindset priming—had the predicted debiasing effect. Taken together, subtle means such as using subtractive counterfactual questions in political communication seem to be a promising way to reduce biased outgroup judgments in heated public debates.

Privacy as a motivating factor for spatial layout transformation in Jordanian public housing

Various studies have addressed the issue of privacy and referred to its critical role in shaping the spatial organization and functional configurations of buildings. Residents of public housing projects tend to modify their homes to achieve different functional and occupancy objectives. While the variables that motivate tenants to alter their spatial layouts have been extensively studied, only a few studies have researched the role of privacy as a motivating factor in modifying public housing units upon extended periods of occupancy. Therefore, this study examines the role of privacy as a motivating factor in the spatial layout modification of public housing units in Jordan. It sampled a Jordanian public housing project in which the spatial layout of several housing units has been modified by residents over time. The spatial configuration of the original and the modified version of the housing unit was assessed in terms of visibility, accessibility, hierarchical structure, and the spatial organization of interior spaces. Additionally, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the residents to gain a better understanding of privacy considerations in modified units. The study of Jordanian public housing units revealed that residents carried out various modifications over time that encompassed enclosing balconies with interior living spaces, adding private entrances, or expanding the space of balconies and terraces. The Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA) and J-Graph analyses showed that home modifications precipitated hierarchical spatial relationships that echo established sociocultural traditions in Jordanian society. The data analysis emphasized the key role that privacy plays as a motivational factor for spatial layout transformation. Hence, this research underlines the imperative of integrating sociocultural needs with functional aspects in the process of designing public housing projects. Designers should embed higher levels of flexibility in their masterplans and home layouts. With residents' satisfaction and spatial flexibility in mind, designers should identify and engage concerned stakeholders during the initial stages of planning and design of public housing.

Уровень креативности студентов, получающих профессию психолога (на примере студентов Кокшетауского университета им. Ш. Уалиханова)

Introduction. The article focuses on creativity, which is viewed as one of the main factors influencing successful professional activity of a psychologist. Creativity is understood as a person’s ability to innovate, which can be traced in emotions, thinking, communication and various types of activity. Creativity occupies an important place in the activity of a psychologist and is a professionally important quality for a psychologist. The formation of creativity begins during the university period, when creative thinking is integrated into educational and professional activities. This makes is relevant to assess the level of creativity in psychology students. The article analyzes the level of creativity of psychology students studying at Kokshetau University named after Sh. Ualikhanov (Kazakhstan). Materials and methods. We used Johnson’s Creativity Questionnaire to assess the following parameters: sensitivity to the problem, fluency of thinking, flexibility of mind, resourcefulness and ingenuity, ability to structure, originality, independence, and self-sufficient behavior. The total indicator of creativity was analyzed. The sample included 35 psychology students aged 18-22. Results. The empirical data showed that psychology students have a high degree of creativity—specifically, 60.0% of students have a high level of creativity, 28.6%, very high, and 11.4%, medium. Students with low and very low creativity levels were not found in the sample. Conclusion. We compared these results with the data regarding creativity in students studying on non-psychology programs presented by other authors, and we found that psychology students have a higher level of creativity. We suggest that these results are explained by the specifics of professional training of psychologists, which creates prerequisites for the development of creativity. The prospects of the study are connected with a detailed verification of this hypothesis.

Уровень креативности студентов, получающих профессию психолога (на примере студентов Кокшетауского университета им. Ш. Уалиханова)

Introduction. The article focuses on creativity, which is viewed as one of the main factors influencing successful professional activity of a psychologist. Creativity is understood as a person’s ability to innovate, which can be traced in emotions, thinking, communication and various types of activity. Creativity occupies an important place in the activity of a psychologist and is a professionally important quality for a psychologist. The formation of creativity begins during the university period, when creative thinking is integrated into educational and professional activities. This makes is relevant to assess the level of creativity in psychology students. The article analyzes the level of creativity of psychology students studying at Kokshetau University named after Sh. Ualikhanov (Kazakhstan). Materials and methods. We used Johnson’s Creativity Questionnaire to assess the following parameters: sensitivity to the problem, fluency of thinking, flexibility of mind, resourcefulness and ingenuity, ability to structure, originality, independence, and self-sufficient behavior. The total indicator of creativity was analyzed. The sample included 35 psychology students aged 18-22. Results. The empirical data showed that psychology students have a high degree of creativity—specifically, 60.0% of students have a high level of creativity, 28.6%, very high, and 11.4%, medium. Students with low and very low creativity levels were not found in the sample. Conclusion. We compared these results with the data regarding creativity in students studying on non-psychology programs presented by other authors, and we found that psychology students have a higher level of creativity. We suggest that these results are explained by the specifics of professional training of psychologists, which creates prerequisites for the development of creativity. The prospects of the study are connected with a detailed verification of this hypothesis.

ФОРМУВАННЯ ТА РОЗВИТОК В УЧНІВ КЛЮЧОВИХ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТЕЙ У ПРИРОДНИЧИХ НАУКАХ І ТЕХНОЛОГІЯХ ЗАСОБАМИ НАВЧАННЯ ФІЗИКИ

The article presents the problem of organizing the educational activities of students studying natural sciences. The purpose of the study is to carry out a theoretical analysis of the scientific literature regarding the determination of the structural components of key competencies in natural sciences and technologies that are formed and developed in students through the means of teaching physics. Formulation and understanding of competence, key co-competence in pedagogical activity from the standpoint of modern domestic and foreign researchers are considered. Indispensable components of competencies, according to S.V. Beketov, are defined as knowledge, skills, stereotypes of behavior, abilities, efforts, and attitude to activities in a certain field. Ten key competencies are given (communication in the state (and native – in case of difference) languages, communication in foreign languages, mathematical competence, basic competences in natural sciences and technologies, information and digital competence, ability to learn throughout life, initiative and entrepreneurship, social and civic competence , awareness and self-expression in the field of culture, environmental literacy and healthy life) of the New Ukrainian School, which are necessary for the formation of the student's personality in modern conditions, and the analysis of competencies and components based on elementary school physics curricula was carried out. The following skills are common to all competencies: the ability to read and understand what is read (to read); the ability to express an opinion orally and in writing (express); critical thinking (thinking, media literacy); the ability to logically justify a position (logic); show initiative (initiative); create (create); the ability to solve problems, assess risks and make decisions (make decisions); the ability to constructively manage emotions (emotions); apply emotional intelligence (emotions); the ability to cooperate in a team (teamwork). The ideal of modern education is a person with a flexible mind, with a quick reaction to everything new, with ideal communication skills.

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN JOHN LOCKE'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND EPISTEMOLOGY AND THE CONDUCT OF UNDERSTANDING

This paper addresses three fundamental features of John Locke's educational philosophy, crucial to understanding the philosophical underpinnings of Locke's theory of education and the conduct of the understanding. These three features are 1) intimate connection between education and epistemology, 2) role of sensory faculties in the attainment of knowledge, and 3) the nature of ideas. In the first section, I will examine Locke's conception of epistemology and its relation to his theory of education. Being more akin to the corpuscularian view of reality, Locke believes that one should not bother about the knowledge of those things for which one is not capable due to the limits of one's sensory capacities. The second section is devoted to explaining those factors mentioned by Locke in his educational writings, which are crucial to understanding the conduct of understanding and play an important role in a child's mental development. Such as thinking habits, ideas as an object of understanding, the flexibility of mind, history, culture, language, and morality. The third section aims to clarify the meaning and nature of ideas as they are the cornerstone of Locke's epistemology which is intimately connected to his educational philosophy. Being an empiricist philosopher, he reduces man to an experiential plane of life and believes that education aims not to know all things except those that affect our conduct.