Policy Issues Research Articles

A case study of South Korean elementary school teachers’ emergency remote teaching

COVID-19 is an unprecedented pandemic that has impacted the whole world. The pandemic made researchers and educators realize the critical need to prepare for future disasters. This study explored a context-specific case for elementary online learning where we investigated how elementary school teachers transitioned to emergency remote teaching (ERT) from face-to-face to online learning during the pandemic. A case study approach was used to explore South Korean elementary teachers’ ERT approaches and experiences during COVID-19. Using the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, and Product) framework, we sought to understand how the transition occurred from the perspectives of the teachers. The analysis uncovered several themes that fall under each category of the framework. In terms of context, limited technological aptitude and lack of training in online instructional design as well as policy issues and socio-economic differences were identified as key factors in assessing the current state of the ERT. In terms of input, instructors’ efforts as well as support from in and out of school were discussed. Student interaction and engagement were identified as key factors in understanding the process of ERT. Lastly, learning outcomes, instructional strategies, and systemic transformation emerged as products of ERT.

Chinese Oncologists' Perspectives on Integrating AI into Clinical Practice: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought significant interest to its potential applications in oncology. Although AI-powered tools are already being implemented in some Chinese hospitals, their integration into clinical practice raises several concerns for Chinese oncologists. This study aims to explore the concerns of Chinese oncologists regarding the integration of AI into clinical practice and to identify the factors influencing these concerns. A total of 228 Chinese oncologists participated in a cross-sectional web-based survey from April to June in 2023 in mainland China. The survey gauged their worries about AI with multiple-choice questions. The survey evaluated their views on the statements of "The impact of AI on the doctor-patient relationship" and "AI will replace doctors." The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and variate analyses were used to find correlations between the oncologists' backgrounds and their concerns. The study revealed that the most prominent concerns were the potential for AI to mislead diagnosis and treatment (163/228, 71.5%); an overreliance on AI (162/228, 71%); data and algorithm bias (123/228, 54%); issues with data security and patient privacy (123/228, 54%); and a lag in the adaptation of laws, regulations, and policies in keeping up with AI's development (115/228, 50.4%). Oncologists with a bachelor's degree expressed heightened concerns related to data and algorithm bias (34/49, 69%; P=.03) and the lagging nature of legal, regulatory, and policy issues (32/49, 65%; P=.046). Regarding AI's impact on doctor-patient relationships, 53.1% (121/228) saw a positive impact, whereas 35.5% (81/228) found it difficult to judge, 9.2% (21/228) feared increased disputes, and 2.2% (5/228) believed that there is no impact. Although sex differences were not significant (P=.08), perceptions varied-male oncologists tended to be more positive than female oncologists (74/135, 54.8% vs 47/93, 50%). Oncologists with a bachelor's degree (26/49, 53%; P=.03) and experienced clinicians (≥21 years; 28/56, 50%; P=.054). found it the hardest to judge. Those with IT experience were significantly more positive (25/35, 71%) than those without (96/193, 49.7%; P=.02). Opinions regarding the possibility of AI replacing doctors were diverse, with 23.2% (53/228) strongly disagreeing, 14% (32/228) disagreeing, 29.8% (68/228) being neutral, 16.2% (37/228) agreeing, and 16.7% (38/228) strongly agreeing. There were no significant correlations with demographic and professional factors (all P>.05). Addressing oncologists' concerns about AI requires collaborative efforts from policy makers, developers, health care professionals, and legal experts. Emphasizing transparency, human-centered design, bias mitigation, and education about AI's potential and limitations is crucial. Through close collaboration and a multidisciplinary strategy, AI can be effectively integrated into oncology, balancing benefits with ethical considerations and enhancing patient care.

Developing an Ethics and Policy Framework for Psychedelic Clinical Care: A Consensus Statement.

As government agencies around the globe contemplate approval of the first psychedelic medicines, many questions remain about their ethical integration into mainstream medical practice. To identify key ethics and policy issues related to the eventual integration of psychedelic therapies into clinical practice. From June 9 to 12, 2023, 27 individuals representing the perspectives of clinicians, researchers, Indigenous groups, industry, philanthropy, veterans, retreat facilitators, training programs, and bioethicists convened at the Banbury Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Prior to the meeting, attendees submitted key ethics and policy issues for psychedelic medicine. Responses were categorized into 6 broad topics: research ethics issues; managing expectations and informed consent; therapeutic ethics; training, education, and licensure of practitioners; equity and access; and appropriate role of gatekeeping. Attendees with relevant expertise presented on each topic, followed by group discussion. Meeting organizers (A.L.M., I.G.C., D.S.) drafted a summary of the discussion and recommendations, noting points of consensus and disagreement, which were discussed and revised as a group. This consensus statement reports 20 points of consensus across 5 ethical issues (reparations and reciprocity, equity, and respect; informed consent; professional boundaries and physical touch; personal experience; and gatekeeping), with corresponding relevant actors who will be responsible for implementation. Areas for further research and deliberation are also identified. This consensus statement focuses on the future of government-approved medical use of psychedelic medicines in the US and abroad. This is an incredibly exciting and hopeful moment, but it is critical that policymakers take seriously the challenges ahead.

Framing Policy Reform in Europe. A Comparative Study of Frame Variation Across Countries, Newspapers, and Time

ABSTRACT Politicians must navigate the complexities of social policy reform to ensure sustainable fiscal policies while considering their impact on citizens. News media play a crucial role as a source of political information, influencing public attitudes towards policy changes through selective framing of issues. This study focuses on how European news media frame the controversial policy reform of raising the retirement age, and explores factors that potentially explain variations in framing across contexts. Using a manual content analysis of newspapers in Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom over the period 2011–2020 (n = 1059 articles), we examine country-, newspaper-, and time-related factors to explain the relative presence of issue-specific diagnostic and prognostic frames in European news coverage of pension reform. While the results show that all three types of factors determine the coverage of the reform measure to some extent, in particular variations across newspapers and over time are prevalent. The most striking differences are that left-leaning newspapers emphasize frames related to inequality, and that over time, framing crystallizes into a more concentrated set of diagnostic and prognostic frames. This article sheds light on European news coverage of a much-debated policy issue and its contextual dependency.

Examining expert views on maternal mortality in Turkey: A qualitative study.

Maternal mortality ratio is one of the significant indicators of a country's healthcare quality and development. In recent years, Türkiye has made significant advancements in maternal and child health services. However, it has been discussed that stagnation has been observed in recent years, and the migration from Syria and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly overshadowed this success. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current situation of the maternal mortality level in the country based on the experiences and views of experts working in this area. Key informant interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of academics, representatives of public institutions, and NGOs to understand the mechanisms of success in maternal mortality in the 1990s. Thematic analysis was used to understand the reasons for the stagnation of the decline in maternal mortality and to develop recommendations for reducing maternal mortality. Twenty-five key informant interviews were conducted. Positive developments contributing to the success of maternal mortality, problems and obstacles hindering further progress and suggestions/recommendations are the themes of this research. The key informants highlighted the health transformation policies, the lack of data on the impact of COVID-19, recent migration on maternal mortality, inadequate education and training on sexual and reproductive health (SRH), the absence of rights-based policies, and gender equality as critical issues in current policies. The outcomes of this study underline the importance of the availability, accessibility, and quality of SRH services and empowering women, girls, families, and communities to eliminate preventable maternal mortality levels.

Barriers Experienced by First Nations Deaf People in the Justice System.

Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that members of the First Nations Deaf community experience more barriers when engaging with the criminal justice system than those who are not deaf. Therefore, our purpose for writing this article is to highlight legal and policy issues related to First Nations Deaf people, including perspectives of professionals working with these communities, living in Australia who have difficulty in accessing supports within the criminal justice system. In this article, we present data from semi-structured qualitative interviews focused on four key themes: (a) indefinite detention and unfit to plead, (b) a need for an intersectional approach to justice, (c) applying the maximum extent of the law while minimizing social services-related resources, and (d) the need for language access and qualified sign language interpreters. Through this article and the related larger sustaining project, we seek to center the experiences and needs of First Nations Deaf communities to render supports for fair, just, and equitable access in the Australian criminal justice system to this historically marginalized group.

A Marketing Perspective on Maladaptive Consumption and Product Regulation

While maladaptive consumption and its consequences are well known, the management and regulation of such consumption is fraught with numerous issues related to definition, locus of responsibility, and potential modes of intervention. The present article provides a review of the conceptual, methodological, and policy issues surrounding maladaptive consumption. The authors suggest that marketing has an important and unique role in the design of products and regulation intended to address maladaptive consumption. Questions for future research and public policy are identified and discussed.

Polarization, the Pandemic, and Public Trust in Health System Actors.

Public opinion on the performance of health system actors is polarized today, but it remains unclear which actors enjoy the most or the least trust among Democrats and Republicans, whether the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced how people view their own physicians, and whether doctors have retained the ability to influence public beliefs about policy issues. The authors conducted two national surveys in 2022 and 2023 to examine these questions. Democrats rated the performance of medical research scientists and public health experts during the pandemic more highly than did Republicans and independents. About three in ten Republicans said the pandemic decreased their trust in their personal doctors. Nonetheless, most Americans reported confidence in physicians. The authors replicated the findings of Gerber and colleagues (2014) to demonstrate that respondents continued to have more positive views of doctors than other professionals and that public opinion was responsive to cues from a doctors' group. What polarizes Democrats and Republicans today is not the question of whether medical scientists and public health experts are competent but whether the advice offered by these actors is in the public interest and should guide policy makers' decisions. Democrats strongly believe the answer to these questions is yes, while Republicans exhibit skepticism.

Hubs for Interactive Literature (HILs) as a Complimentary Visual Tool for Reviews

In the last few years, microplastics research has exploded, with the field exploring new procedures and techniques that focus on a variety of scientific and policy issues. As there are not standardized definitions for many terms in the field, including the term microplastic itself, researchers utilize the same labels to describe different aspects of microplastic pollution. Here we provide a visual tool, called a Hub for Interactive Literature (HIL), to assist researchers in identifying and targeting specific literature. Currently, there are four Hubs for Interactive Learning (HILs) corresponding to previously published reviews, including a scoping review of microplastics literature as well as three reviews examining the human exposure and health effects of microplastics, the unique liver carcinogenicity of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics, and micro and nanoplastics found in the air. The HILs incorporate all of the literature used to produce the corresponding reviews. A couple of advantages that HILs provide in their capacity as a supportive instrument are the filtering options and easily accessed original references. This tool can be leveraged by researchers to rapidly review microplastics research and isolate specific subtopics of interest to develop new conclusions and quickly identify data gaps. We give an in-depth look at the HIL corresponding to a scoping review of microplastics literature to exhibit the novel functionality and advantages of this exciting tool. We demonstrate a novel world map of the literature to show that microplastics are a global scientific and public health issue. The map offers the additional functionality of filtering the references by country. We also provide a brief description of the current HILs to show the flexibility and personalization available when using this method.

Seeking the high ground: Exploring advocacy groups' use of policy narratives in the legalization of same‐sex marriage in Taiwan

AbstractAdvocacy groups employ narrative strategies and framing techniques to enhance societal support. However, to date, it remains unclear how the dynamics of narrative strategy evolve over time and what factors contribute to these shifts. To fill this research gap, we use the Narrative Policy Framework to analyze the competing advocacy groups' Facebook pages in Taiwan's same‐sex marriage debate from 2016 to 2019. The findings reveal that policy positions offer greater predictive power for the devil–angel shift, yet the utilization of conflict expansion and containment strategies is tied to policy issues, political events, and their intended target audience. Our findings also demonstrate that the phenomenon of policy narrative learning occurs when convergence of potential policy outcome is achieved. Furthermore, this study highlights the role of institutional mechanisms in advocacy through venue shopping, underscoring the contextual nature of advocacy groups' narrative strategies. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the utilization of narrative strategy in addressing a contentious social issue.

Criminal Law Policy Related to Corporate Criminal Liability in Facing the Challenges of Globalization

The acceptance of corporations as the target of crime, thus raising the issue of criminal policy in the prosecution of corporate crime. There are two main topics in this research, namely (1) how is the current criminal law policy towards criminal liability? (2) How is the criminal policy of criminal liability in the problem of globalization era in review of ius constituendum? The research method uses normative jurisprudence research method with law making, comparison and analysis of legal concepts. The results of the research are: (1) Criminal law does not regulate society as an object of criminal offense has regulated society as an object of crime. (2) economic life between countries is increasingly dependent on each other, therefore international trade regulations are increasingly needed. There used to be a saying that the poorer a country is, the higher the crime is, now the saying only applies to ordinary crimes such as theft, robbery, fraud and embezzlement.

A Bibliometric Study of Issues in Educational Policy

Education policies help to improve society by decreasing inequities and establishing effective learning environments. Periodic assessments can help researchers and policymakers uncover new obstacles and ensure progress on these ever-changing education policy concerns using critical theory. Bibliometric studies, a type of periodic study, emphasize the importance of data-driven approaches in the formulation and implementation of education policies. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of education policy issues from 2000 to 2023. Based on keywords, we initially selected 931 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database. Only articles in English were included, and we used PRISMA guidelines to reduce the number of articles to 363. We focused on citations, publication frequency, topics, trends, and issues. Two independent researchers analyzed the documents for reliability. For validity, we used transferability. We also used a content analysis of frequently cited articles. Our analysis revealed three prominent trends. The first trend pertained to controversial environmental issues and sustainability concepts in education policy. The second theme was professional development, special education, and school choice. The third one was science, vocational education, special education, and ICT. The content analysis results indicated that teaching and learning, professional development, science education, subject matter teaching, and mobile learning were the topics of the content analyzed articles. We found that relying solely on bibliometric review resulted in broad conceptualizations of educational policy issues, focusing primarily on efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, we applied critical theoretical frameworks to conduct a more comprehensive analysis of the emergent issues identified through bibliometric analysis.

Why philanthropic foundations collaborate with city governments: an exploration of three English cities

ABSTRACT This study analyses why philanthropic foundations are motivated to engage with city governments. Case study analysis of three contrasting English cities, Bristol, Manchester, and Newcastle, shows that philanthropic foundations can be a capacity-building partner of city government, providing funding and non-financial resources. Foundations are motivated to improve public services, advocate on policy issues, and fill funding gaps left by austerity. Furthermore, this study has found that foundations do not work with city governments when their priorities are unclear, they are hard to engage, or when there is a slow pace of change. City governments are motivated to engage with foundations to access resources, help amplify the voice of city governments, and because foundations are perceived as a less bureaucratic funder. Rather than austerity prompting cities to seek foundation resourcing, this study has found that a lack of internal capacity can prevent the city government from seeking foundation involvement.

Factors Affecting the Citizen Satisfaction With Public Policy in Vietnam

The correlation between individuals and policies has been a longstanding concern within the realm of public policy analysis. However, scant attention has been paid to rigorous investigations into people's contentment with existing policies. Research focusing on good governance, characterized by attributes such as participatory, consensus-oriented, transparent and accountable, responsive and effective, efficient, equitable, inclusive and following the rule of law, has laid the groundwork for a constructive evaluation framework for each nation's governance, particularly in the evaluation of public policies. The evaluation of people's satisfaction constitutes a pivotal component of policy assessment. Individuals possess the right to understand and be informed about policy issues, their underlying rationales, and the benefits they accrue to the populace at large, thereby ensuring alignment with the country's political directives and policies. Evaluating satisfaction through the lens of good governance theory enriches analyses and discussions concerning the determinants of public satisfaction with the policy-making process, thereby broadening the discourse on policies centered around human welfare. Consequently, it offers insightful implications for national strategies. Vietnam is one of the developing countries that always listens to the thoughts and aspirations of the people, improves policies in accordance with reality, and ensures the leadership of the Party and State. The article uses qualitative methods to systematize the research model and uses quantitative methods to show factors affecting people's policy satisfaction

English as a subtle technology of distraction in postcolonial contexts: undoing linguistic colonialism by linguistic coloniality

ABSTRACT This paper discusses how the political interplay between English-in-society and English-in-education policy in the Global South(s) facilitates what I term ‘English as a subtle technology of policy distraction’ in postcolonial spheres that were colonised by languages other than English. ‘English as a subtle technology of policy distraction’ is conceptualised and operationalised as a theoretical and analytical framework through which current issues in language planning and policy within postcolonial contexts where colonial languages such as French, Spanish, Russian and German, etc function as the first or second language are framed, justified, enacted, contested and critically examined. I unpack how the state, politicians, officials and stakeholders make use of the political instrumentalization of English to assign credibility to their discourses that overshadow the core issues and root causes of the crises in the Moroccan education sector such as contract teachers, lack of infrastructure, classroom crowdedness and successive unsuccessful reforms. Political instrumentalization enables scholars to deconstruct the process of gaining access to the political implications of a technical subject (language in education) and its intersection with wider social problems (coloniality, dependency, insufficient quality of education …) which previously had not been treated politically.

EFFECT OF POLICY ISSUE SALIENCE ON PUBLIC POLICY FORMULATION IN WAJIR EAST SUB COUNTY, KENYA

EFFECT OF POLICY ISSUE SALIENCE ON PUBLIC POLICY FORMULATION IN WAJIR EAST SUB COUNTY, KENYA

Insiders Versus Outsiders: A Comparative Study of Female Politician’s Social Media use

In the past, the media had a tendency to neglect women's issues, thereby restricting their visibility concerning development endeavours and political representation. However, this is changing due to technological advancements. Social media offers female politicians access to millions of users, freedom to interact directly with the electorate, bypass gatekeepers and opportunities for self-promotion. This research aims to investigate female politicians' social media use during their legislative terms with a focus on their self-presentation and the policy issues they support. The study involves content analysis of six female politicians from countries with a much lower female representation than their regional counterparts; three from Kenya and three from Hungary who have the highest number of followers on Twitter and Facebook respectively. The data was collected over a three-month period. The visuals were coded using 3 variables based on the insider and outsider perspective (Gulati 2004) while the text was coded in accordance with the 21 policy agendas defined by the Comparative Agendas Project codebook (Baumgartner 2019). The results indicate that a majority of female politicians in both countries, in the ruling parties presented themselves as insiders while those in the opposition presented themselves as outsiders. The insiders were majorly characterized by wearing of formal clothing, an important element of statesmanship, that portrays them as ideal candidates. In addition, the insiders' social media use was characterized by original content while outsiders reshared articles and retweets. Both Kenyan and Hungarian female politicians addressed women related policy issues. There were however some differences in social media use and self-presentation between the female politicians of the two countries such as the sharing of personal information and family pictures. The limitation of this study is that it does not fully represent the views and use of social media of all female politicians in Kenya and Hungary.

Consent and Inclusion of People Living with Dementia (PLWD) in Research: Establishing a Canadian Agenda for Inclusive Rights-Based Practices.

People living with dementia (PLWD) may want to participate in research, but the guidelines and processes enacted across various contexts may prohibit this from happening. Understanding the experiences of people with lived experiences of dementia requires meaningful inclusion in research, as is consistent with rights-based perspectives. Currently, the inclusion of PLWD in Canadian research is complex, and guidelines and conceptual frameworks have not been fully developed. This research note outlines a three-year proof-of-concept grant on the inclusion and consent of PLWD in research. It presents a brief report on some of the contradictions and challenges that exist in legislation, research guidelines, and research practices and raises a series of questions as part of an agenda on rights and inclusion of PLWD in research. It suggests conceptual, legal, and policy issues that need to be addressed and invites Canadian researchers to re-envision research practices and to advocate for law and policy reform that enables dementia research to align and respect the rights and personhood of PLWD.

Impact investing: A study of structural transformations of a macroregion's social services

Subject. This article discusses the issues of investment policy and support for the social sphere. Objectives. The article aims to analyze changes in the sectoral and territorial structures of investments in the subjects of the Ural economic region (macroregion) for the period from 2005 to 2021. Methods. For the study, I used the economic and mathematical research methods. Results. The article finds that despite the increase in investment in education and healthcare in the Ural macroregion, in general, there have been no significant structural changes in favor of these sectors. Noticeable changes in the sectoral structure of the economy are recorded in the Orenburg Oblast and the Udmurt Republic. Relevance. The research results can be used to develop regional programmes to support economic sectors.

Caring for Older Patients: Quality and Efficiency of Australia's Healthcare System

AbstractWith population ageing and increased longevity, Australia faces pressing policy issues on caring for older people. As Medicare turns 40, it is timely to assess how the system has been performing, and what changes are needed to modernise Medicare. This article examines the quality and efficiency of care using hospital administrative data. We find that the current system provides good quality and efficient care for older patients, except for those living in residential aged care homes. These patients receive lower quality care yet stay longer in hospitals. We suggest alternative approaches designed around bundled payments and a single budget holder to provide incentives for integrated team‐based care.