Interdisciplinary Perspective Research Articles

Podporné mechanizmy školy ako inštitúcie v inkluzívnom matematickom vzdelávaní

This paper offers an interdisciplinary perspective of researchers from the fields of therapeutic pedagogy and mathematics didactics in identifying the support mechanisms of the school as an institution in inclusive mathematics education. Qualitatively analysing the written accounts of mathematics teachers in Slovak primary and secondary schools in mainstream education, it brings together the suggestions from these teachers on the support mechanisms of the school in inclusive mathematics education for pupils with special needs. The research findings may be helpful in the pre-service training of teachers of subjects other than mathematics in the context of teaching pupils with enhanced support.

Exploring Climate Resilience: Interdisciplinary perspectives from spatial sciences

Exploring Climate Resilience: Interdisciplinary perspectives from spatial sciences

Hajj Funds Management Based on Maqāṣid Al-Sharīʿah; A Proposal for Indonesian Context

Indonesian hajj funds (BIPH) have the potential to support the implementation of hajj worship in an effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable manner while complying with Islamic law. However, it is said that the management turned out to be ineffective and unprofessional. This research aims to examine the management of hajj funds in detail using maqāṣid al-sharīʿah perspective to propose a breakthrough for its better management. It uses a normative juridical method through data presentation and explanation using an interdisciplinary perspective on maqāṣid al-sharīʿah. The data comes from journal articles, scientific documents, and statistical data. The research results show that in maqāṣid al-sharīʿah perspective, namely an instrument to create a balance of the Muslim way of life with Islamic legal values in social, political, economic, spiritual, and universal human aspects, the ḥifẓ māldimension urges using hajj funds for the benefit of society. Therefore, the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) should collaborate with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other related stakeholders to manage Hajj funds optimally and efficiently while increasing trust and reducing negative public perceptions. Policies and regulations by the government are made in such a way that it can ease hajj pilgrims to carry out the worship comfortably, safely, smoothly, and spiritually enriching.

BEYOND THE SURFACE: A DEEP DIVE INTO CULTURE AND HAPPINESS AT WORK

The present study examines happiness and culture from a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspective. Addressing cultural barriers and aligning institutional values with cultural norms is crucial. Developing and precisely measuring a framework for a healthy culture can enhance wellness initiatives at work and foster inclusive workplaces. The cultural viewpoint on employee well-being and the effects of culture on relationships and values must thus be explored through research. Five research questions were designed to answer this purpose: 1) What is the relationship between happiness and culture in various settings? 2) What are the commonalities and differences across the studies? 3) What is the role of culture in promoting employee well-being and happiness? 4) What factors influence this relationship? 5) What are the limitations of the studies and the need for further research? The systematic literature search was conducted using the Web of Science, and the included studies were synthesized using a narrative synthesis approach. The studies demonstrate a complex relationship between happiness and culture in various settings. The research reveals that cultural differences significantly shape employees' perceptions of happiness and the factors impacting their subjective well-being at work. The findings indicate that cultural norms and values influence how employees express and regulate emotions in customer service interactions and the workplace. The research also suggests that the relationship between happiness and culture is complex and can be influenced by factors within and outside the employee. However, the studies have limitations, such as lack of generalizability, and may not fully account for other factors that can impact happiness and culture in the workplace.

Digital transformation of education: Semiotic and interdisciplinary perspectives

Digital transformation of education: Semiotic and interdisciplinary perspectives

The Effect of Attitudes Towards Physical Violence and Demographic Variables on Serious Leisure Time Activity Choice

More than 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives every year due to violence. This rate makes the phenomenon of violence one of the leading causes of death in the world and can become an element of pressure on both economic and social life. It is extremely important to evaluate the solution proposals for the phenomenon of violence from an interdisciplinary perspective. At this point, it is assumed that there is a relationship between serious leisure activities and violence. Based on this point, the aim of this relational survey research is to determine the extent to which individuals' gender, educational status, weekly participation in serious leisure time activities, and perceptions of violence affect the likelihood of preferring serious leisure time activities. A relationship survey model and a simple random sampling method were used in the study. According to the findings, participants' weekly participation time in serious leisure time activities and educational level are significant predictors of serious leisure time activity choice. On the other hand, a negative relationship was found between the activity duration of serious leisure-time participants and their perceptions of physical violence. As a result, it was revealed that the attitudes towards violence of individuals who participated in outdoor serious leisure time activities were at a lower level compared to individuals who participated in indoor serious leisure time activities.Keywords: Indoor Recreation Activities, Outdoor Recreation Activities, Serious Leisure Activities, Violence

Polar climate change: a multidisciplinary assessment

The rapid environmental changes in polar regions have been attracting considerable political, public, and scientific attention in recent years. The polar amplification is recognized as a robust feature of the climate system in response to carbon dioxide (CO2) forcing, resulting in sea ice loss, ice sheet melting, and methane release from permafrost thawing. From a physical perspective, this paper examines the polar amplification and sea ice changes for past and future scenarios using satellite, reanalysis, and climate model datasets. From an interdisciplinary perspective, we discuss the potential environmental, socioeconomic, and political effects associated with these changes. The observational data showed enhanced warming and rapid changes in sea ice cover in polar regions. Under the largest future CO2 forcing, climate simulations indicate an unprecedented rise in air temperature and fast sea ice loss, even in low emission scenarios. This results in a number of physical, environmental, and social-economic effects that need to be carefully considered. Polar climate change, however, offers new opportunities, including the local increase in fisheries and the opening of new navigation routes, which substantially impact the world economy. At the same time, it also implies critical environmental consequences associated with many socioeconomic and ecological risks, such as migration or extinction of populations and species; sea level rise; an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather in mid-latitudes; and infrastructure damage from permafrost thawing. Even with the advances and improvements in climate modeling in recent decades, the exact nature of these nonlinear interactions is still in debate.

A human rights‐based approach to climate injustices at the local, national, and international levels: Program and policy recommendations

AbstractThe climate crisis threatens and violates human rights to development, education, food, health, housing, life, meaningful and informed participation, self‐determination, and water. Climate injustices refer to how some communities are shouldering the disproportionate brunt of the negative effects of climate change while being the least responsible. With a human rights‐based approach focused on protection and participation rights, this paper reviews climate injustices based on age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, geography, income, Indigenous identity, migratory status, race, refugee and internally displaced status, and their intersections. Policy recommendations include increasing climate education, utilizing disaggregated data, and expanding mental health services. Cross‐cutting themes throughout the paper are that climate change is interconnected with other crises, thereby compounding inequalities, and that a diversity of interdisciplinary and international perspectives and knowledge centered on the voices of frontline communities are essential for addressing the climate crisis.

Considering the IMPACT framework to understand the AI-well-being-complex from an interdisciplinary perspective

Artificial intelligence (AI) is built into many products and has the potential to dramatically impact societies around the world.This short theoretical paper aims to provide a simple framework that might help us understand how the introduction and/or use of products with AI might influence the well-being of humans.It is proposed that considering the dynamic Interplay between variables stemming from Modality, Person, Area, Culture and Transparency categories will help to understand the influence of AI on well-being. The Modality category encompasses areas such as the degree of AI being interactive, informational versus actualizing, or autonomous. The Person variable contains variables such as age, gender, personality, technological self-efficacy, and perceived competence when interacting with AI, whereas the Area variable can comprise a certain product where AI is in-built or a certain domain where AI is used to make a difference (such as the health sector, military sector, education sector, etc.). The Culture variable is of importance to understand because cultural settings might shape attitudes towards AI. Finally, this might also be true for transparent AI (or understandable/explainable AI), with high degrees of transparency likely to elicit trust.The proposed model suggests that there is no easy answer when one seeks to understand the impact of AI on the world and humans. Only by considering a myriad number of variables in a model, summed up in the acronym IMPACT (Interaction/Interplay of Modality-Person-Area-Culture-Transparency), we might get closer to an understanding of how AI impacts individuals’ well-being.

A MULTI-PERSPECTIVE VIEW ON THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL PROTECTION AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORK IN (NOT ONLY) WARTIME CONDITIONS

The purpose of this article is to explore the multifaceted dimensions of the concept of social protection and the role of social work in (not only) wartime conditions. This is necessary, because social workers are often acting “helpless” confronted with massive global crises or even wars or war-like conditions. This article tries to sharpen the possible role and position of social work and with this the expectations on the discipline and profession of social work. To reach this, this article wants to shed light on the subject and the understanding of “crisis” and the different perspectives surrounding the interdisciplinary and multi perspective concepts of social protection, social support, and resilience. This perspective allows to a better understanding of the underlying principles, challenges and potential solutions related to social protection in times of crisis. In times of crisis, ensuring social protection and social support becomes an urgent priority for affected populations and even individuals. Social protection encompasses a wide range of measures designed to protect individuals and communities from the adverse effects of crises and to provide them with the necessary resources and assistance to cope with the challenges they face. This article is on the one side a s theoretical examination of the key terms. On the other hand directly affected people have their say: The co-author as a Ukrainian narrates her migration experiences and the results of a student - peer project with affected refugees from Ukraine in Eastern Switzerland are presented. The results are concrete and surprise at some points and sharpen the task and role of social work: First, feeling safe and getting (social) support and psychological assistance in the trauma and war situation is much important even to feel welcome and resurrected. But then mobility, networks, and the change to support their families, relatives and friends at home have a great importance. It is also very important to be able to travel to Ukraine (home) from time to time and to be able to return to the host country. The task of social work is a very special one: It is not primarily the role of the benefactor and care giver, but of the professional who makes things possible and supports and empowers the people who feel it. The article also makes clear, that a one-dimensional and static understanding of crisis, flight, migration and needs no longer works in today's world global situations and crisis. Keywords: Social work, social protection, social support, crises, war in Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees, needs

The Sociological Perspective on The Study of The Living Law: Is It a Part of Legal Discipline or Social Discipline?

The legalistic positivist Civil Law tradition still dominates legal thinking in Indonesia. Therefore, law is often only defined as legislation. Law that is realized in norms is postulated in the form of laws. Whereas outside state law there is also a law that grows and develops in society which has a very effective force. The law is known in the concept of The Living Law which is translated by academics in Indonesia as Customary Law, where the law is realized in the attitude of legal action. Its existence as an embodiment of the original Indonesian Legal system is different from the Civil Law legal system. The problem is when each claims the truth of the law. Meanwhile, if we look at the legislation, the existence of Customary Law as The Living Law is highly dependent on state recognition. Therefore, to understand and explain it brings methodological consequences that use an external perspective. The question that arises is whether the law embodied in the attitude of legal action can be interpreted sociologically? If it can, is this sociological study part of the study in the discipline of law or is it a study of social disciplines? This paper will argue about the importance of an interdisciplinary perspective in the study of legal disciplines, such as the Sociology of Law in the study of The Living Law.

Criminal law and sexting as a form of adolescent online violence in Croatia: normative and empirical findings

ABSTRACT This paper addresses sexting from an interdisciplinary perspective through a normative analysis of the new criminal offense of the misuse of recordings of sexually explicit content (Art. 144a, CC) introduced in 2021 in the Croatian Criminal Code. Based on the legislative framework and empirical study analysis, we provide conclusions on the adequacy of the existing criminal provisions with implications for future research, and present empirical findings from a 2020 online survey on sexting experiences and risky sexual behaviour with 724 adolescents (Ngirls = 534, 73,8%) aged 14–22. Older adolescents reported significantly higher sexting perpetration. Lower school achievers reported higher sexting victimization. Non-heterosexual participants reported more sexting perpetration. Participants with more sexual partners scored higher for both sexting perpetration and victimization. Sexting perpetration correlated to the group of older adolescents with lower school attainment and academic achievement who reported less family relationships satisfaction. Sexters reported more risky behaviour, higher media use intensity and more sexual knowledge, but less sexual media content exposure. Sexting positively correlated to the number of sexual partners and the relationship duration. Male gender, older age, risky behaviour, higher media use intensity, better general sexual knowledge and the number of sexual partners represented significant predictors of sexting perpetration.

Interdisciplinary approaches and teaching models in English reading instruction

This paper explores interdisciplinary approaches and teaching models in English reading instruction, aiming to enhance students' reading proficiency and interdisciplinary literacy. By analyzing existing literature and practical experiences, the paper takes an interdisciplinary perspective and discusses the application of multidisciplinary knowledge such as linguistics, psychology, and education in English reading instruction. Regarding teaching models, the paper combines examples to analyze the implementation effects of problem-based teaching, cooperative learning, and technology-supported teaching. Finally, the paper summarizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and teaching models in improving the effectiveness of English reading instruction and proposes directions for future research.

Media Literacy and Its Implications for The Understanding of Truth and Reality: A Philosophical Exploration

In an era characterized by an overwhelming abundance of information and media channels, the concept of truth and reality has become increasingly complex. Media literacy, the ability to critically analyse, evaluate, and understand media messages, plays a crucial role in navigating this complexity. This paper explores the philosophical dimensions of media literacy and its implications for the understanding of truth and reality. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from philosophy, communication studies, and cognitive science, this study investigates the intricate relationship between media literacy and the construction of truth and reality. By delving into various philosophical frameworks, including epistemology, ontology, and phenomenology, the research examined how individuals' media literacy skills shape their perceptions and interpretations of truth and reality. Additionally, the study examines how media literacy influences individuals' ontological understanding of reality. It explores how media messages shape and mediate individuals' perception of the world, examining the interplay between subjective experiences, social constructs, and media representations. Furthermore, the study investigated the potential for media literacy to foster a more nuanced understanding of reality, encouraging individuals to engage in critical reflexivity and challenge their preconceived notions. The findings of this study showed that media literacy plays a pivotal role in enhancing critical thinking skills and mitigating truth distortion in a post-truth society.

INTEGRATING ANIMAL MODEL, HUMAN SUBJECTS, AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS IN NUTRITION AND AGING RESEARCH

Abstract This symposium will bring together speakers who will present cutting-edge research on nutrition and aging from interdisciplinary perspectives using complementary methods. Nutrition plays an important role in understanding the biology of aging, promoting healthy aging, preventing age-related diseases, and supporting aging populations at risks. This symposium will present innovative studies using animal models, population surveys, and nutrition programs to inform future research and promote nutrition security and diet quality. Lee et al. examine sex-specific differences in gut homeostasis and host metabolism in female and male mice fed different rodent diets. Shea et al. and Ardisson Korat et al. focus on dietary quality and patterns in older populations. Using a novel network analysis, Shea et al. examine similarities and differences in the manner in which food groups are consumed in a nationally representative sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Ardisson Korat et al. utilize data from the Nurse’s Health Study and evaluate the long-term role of dietary carbohydrate quality in promoting healthy aging. Borth & Whitmire and El-Abbadi et al. investigate food insecurity and nutrition programs among older adults during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from US Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey (April 2020 to December 2022), El-Abbadi et al. explore the differences in food insecurity by age-groups, gender, and race and ethnicity. Borth & Whitmire conduct research on congregate nutrition programs to identify successful practices of nutrition programs during the pandemic and discuss challenges and directions in future congregate nutrition programs. This is a Nutrition Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF OLDER ADULTS: INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ON NEW DIRECTIONS

Abstract Financial exploitation of older adults is a topic that has drawn increased public recognition in recent years. Despite advances in research, services, products, and policies working to prevent financial exploitation of older adults and support victims, interdisciplinary perspectives are needed to strengthen interventions. This symposium will bring together scholars and practitioners to address the issue of financial exploitation from a variety of disciplines, all united in their mission to detect and prevent financial exploitation of older adults and to support victims. The first two presentations in the symposium will highlight conceptual understandings of financial exploitation of older adults, including a revisionary model of financial exploitation of older adults that includes emerging cognitive, cultural, and other contextual factors (Presentation 1) and a study of financial vulnerability and mental health as they are associated with financial exploitation, particularly when perpetrated by trusted others (Presentation 2). The remaining presentations will describe research from cross-sector, cross-industry, interventions. Presentation 3 will describe study findings about a helpline for concerned persons of exploitation victims that dually offers services directed to primary victims of financial exploitation. Presentation 4 will highlight a study of case characteristics associated with a new adult protection law designed to protect older and vulnerable adults experiencing exploitation. Presentation 5 will describe a study of financial professionals’ experiences with, and attitudes toward, financial exploitation of aging clients. Findings from all five presentations will point to next steps for research and intervention across multiple disciplines, including social work, law and policy, healthcare, and financial services.

INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE JOURNAL OF AGING & SOCIAL POLICY

Abstract Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers need a balanced, thoughtful, and analytical resource to meet the challenge of global aging at a rate that’s historically unprecedented. The Journal of Aging & Social Policy (JASP), which was founded in 1989, serves this role by drawing contributions from an international panel of policy analysts and scholars who assume an interdisciplinary perspective in examining and analyzing critical phenomena that affect aging and the development and implementation of programs for older adults from a global perspective. Study settings extend beyond the United States to include Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Latin America, Asia, and the Asia-Pacific rim. This presentation will document the scope, content, and focus of JASP, including the rise of international submissions, which now account for approximately half of articles published. Opportunities for publishing in JASP will be discussed; so too will strategies for navigating the peer-review process successfully.

Role of Gardening in Mental Health, Food Security, and Economic Well-Being in Resettled Refugees: A Mixed Methods Study

Executive Summary Home and community gardening is emerging as a beneficial intervention for resettled refugee populations. Using an interdisciplinary lens, we examined whether gardening influences mental health, food security, and economic well-being. A mixed methods study ( n = 29) was conducted with quantitative surveys to assess indicators of mental health, food security, and economic well-being. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews explored gardener participants’ experience of gardening benefits ( n = 10). Participants had on average been in the United States for seven and a half years, with most having lived in refugee camps prior to arrival. Findings showed gardeners reporting fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma, and lesser food insecurity than non-gardeners, and similar indicators of economic well-being. Non-parametric regression analysis showed that being a gardener significantly predicted less psychological distress. Qualitative data substantiated these findings with gardeners reporting improved mental health, closer family, social relationships and connections with culture, and more access to fresh and organic food. The multiple, simultaneous benefits of gardening reported here provide strong support for building community-based health promotion programs to assist refugee integration, including long after arrival. The study further highlights the importance of examining these interrelated factors of mental health, food security, and economic well-being simultaneously and reevaluating the established goals of refugee resettlement, particularly in the United States. We offer the following recommendations: • Policymakers and refugee resettlement practitioners should integrate culturally appropriate community-based health promotion efforts in refugee programs long after the initial resettlement period. • Researchers on refugee integration outcomes should include interdisciplinary perspectives that offer comprehensive understanding of processes related to health outcomes. • Policymakers on refugee resettlement and integration should consider the linkages between mental health, food security, and economic well-being.

Simulated Learning Environments as an Interdisciplinary Option for Vocational Training: A Systematic Review

Background The current scenario of university education calls for training spaces that go beyond direct instruction and knowledge memorization exercises. Such requirement stems from the need to articulate very diverse knowledge and skills that the current professional must develop both in university practice and in their daily work. Given this circumstance, it is imperative to build new teaching experiences that articulate the space of practice and the knowledge that corresponds to it, as scenarios for the interdisciplinary and permanent construction of knowledge. Method To address this issue, a systematic literature review has been conducted to explore research from the last 20 years on the educational implementation of simulations in various professions. After conducting filtering and sampling processes, 101 articles were reviewed, which were read in depth and to which qualitative processes of categorization and frequency analysis were applied. Results The results of the review highlight some advantages and limitations of simulations as learning resources and suggest the importance of their deployment from an interdisciplinary perspective of teaching, especially in health sciences. Conclusion Finally, we reflect on the importance of approaching simulation-based learning from a curricular perspective, which brings learning in higher education closer to the complex realities of the world of work. In addition, the existence of great challenges and transformative effects of its implementation on university educational structures and models is highlighted.

Promoting students’ informal inferential reasoning through arts-integrated data literacy education

PurposeArts-integration is a promising approach to building students’ abilities to create and critique arguments with data, also known as informal inferential reasoning (IIR). However, differences in disciplinary practices and routines, as well as school organization and culture, can pose barriers to subject integration. The purpose of this study is to describe synergies and tensions between data science and the arts, and how these can create or constrain opportunities for learners to engage in IIR.Design/methodology/approachThe authors co-designed and implemented four arts-integrated data literacy units with 10 teachers of arts and mathematics in middle school classrooms from four different schools in the USA. The data include student-generated artwork and their written rationales, and interviews with teachers and students. Through maximum variation sampling, the authors identified examples from the data to illustrate disciplinary synergies and tensions that appeared to support different IIR processes among students.FindingsAspects of artistic representation, including embodiment, narrative and visual image; and aspects of the culture of arts, including an emphasis on personal experience, the acknowledgement of subjectivity and considerations for the audience’s perspective, created synergies and tensions that both offered and hindered opportunities for IIR (i.e. going beyond data, using data as evidence and expressing uncertainty).Originality/valueThis study answers calls for humanistic approaches to data literacy education. It contributes an interdisciplinary perspective on data literacy that complements other context-oriented perspectives on data science. This study also offers recommendations for how designers and educators can capitalize on synergies and mitigate tensions between domains to promote successful IIR in arts-integrated data literacy education.