Mediation Strategies Research Articles

Dynamic assessment of narratives: Case studies of bilingual Filipino kindergarteners with language difficulties

The goal of the present study was to investigate the performance of four Filipino–English bilingual kindergarteners with language difficulties on a dynamic assessment of English narratives. Using a multiple case-study design, we examined the children's modifiability by detailing their responsiveness, level of skill transfer, and the amount and type of effort the examiner expended during two mediation sessions. We also assessed the children's narrative skills using the Test of Narrative Language—second edition (TNL-2). During mediation, similarities among the four children included difficulty answering wh-questions, little transfer of the newly learned skills, frequent focus on the story problem, and the need for continual prompting and repetition. However, the children showed individual learning styles, behavior when learning, and learning potential, prompting the examiner to apply different strategies to support their individual abilities. Gains on the TNL-2 were also negligible, consistent with the modifiability findings, apart from one child who showed improvement in comprehension scores. The case studies provide novel information regarding the narrative skills of Filipino bilingual children with language difficulties, an under-researched population. They can help guide expectations of such children during a dynamic assessment and suggest mediation strategies that clinicians could incorporate into their practice with other groups of bilingual children.

Why is it difficult to reach consensus in interpersonal value conflict situations? Theoretical explanations and mediation strategies

Why is it difficult to reach consensus in interpersonal value conflict situations? Theoretical explanations and mediation strategies

Social mediation as a tool of peace and consent at community level

This article is about social mediation and its applicability in Kazakhstanian socio-cultural setting. The author writes that the relevance of this study is determined by the need for scientific understanding of social mediation as a relatively new tool for conflict management and transformation. Social mediation as a new type of socio-communicative practice can contribute to the achievement of peace and harmony within and between communities. The author defines the term, further presents a brief history of its evolution, rooted in the history of the development of human relations, as well as the effectiveness of its application and the role of mediators in the settlement of social conflicts. The methodological basis of the article is the general scientific methods of cognition and the results of the research on the example of 11 conflicts of South Kazakhstan in the period 2006-2021. The article concludes with some conclusions and discussion. In addition, the practical significance of this article will allow to form a strategy of social mediation to prevent social conflicts.

EFICÁCIA DA MEDIAÇÃO LABORAL OBRIGATÓRIA NO CHILE: A UTILIZAÇÃO DE ESTRATÉGIAS INFORMADAS POR TERCEIROS

ABSTRACT This article explores the effectiveness of labor mediators in Chile, focusing on their use of strategies of mediation in compulsory mediation, based on the successful mediator questionnaire developed by Golberg (2005) and the key factors explaining why parties trust the mediator proposed by Poitras et al., (2003) and Poitras (2009). The self-descriptions were analyzed using Atlas.ti 23 software, from which the suggested category system of mediation strategies for building a good relationship with conflict parties was used. Mediators reported the use of two types of strategies, contextual and reflective in compulsory mediation. The results of this research show that the main reason for successful performances reported by mediators was due to the use of contextual and reflective strategies in two types of conflicts (rights and interest–based conflicts) in compulsory mediation in Chile.

The Influence of Mediation Approaches, Social Factors, and Psychological Factors on Family Dispute Resolution at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in West Java

This research investigates the influence of mediation approaches, social factors, and psychological factors on the resolution of family disputes at the West Java Ministry of Religious Affairs. Employing a quantitative approach, the study involves a sample of 250 participants and utilizes Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) for data analysis. The results reveal significant positive relationships between mediation approaches, psychological factors, and social factors with family dispute resolution. The integrated analysis underscores the interplay of these variables, highlighting the importance of culturally sensitive mediation strategies and holistic interventions that address both social and psychological dimensions. The findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of family dispute resolution dynamics in the specific cultural and religious context of West Java, providing valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in the field.

Letters, sketches and drawings for the story of a negotiation

The architectural process, from the concept to the actual building itself, is a long sequence of compromises, reconsiderations and unexpected events that require mediation strategies and the balancing of the attitudes of the architects. The relationship between the client and the designer represents a significant part of the architectural process as it has a considerable influence on the end result. This study investigates episodes of formal negotiation between the architect Francesco Berarducci (Rome, 1924-92) and the client of the San Valentino church in the Olympic Village in Rome (promoted in 1960). It examines archival documents such as letters, sketches and drawings of the cross correspondence between Berarducci and the priest. The aim is to investigate the involvement of the religious client in the decision-making process, resulting in the final consistency of the church, and to individuate the mediation strategies at the base of the professional skill of Berarducci.

Lexicography, Culture and Mediation. Or Why a Good Lexicographer Must Also Be a Good Cultural Mediator

Culture-bound items are often omitted in lexicographic resources, and when they are present, they are rarely described in an appropriate way, especially in bilingual dictionaries: the listed equivalents often do not reflect the meaning of the cultural word precisely, usage examples may be missing and above all — especially for a non-native speaker — important information on the cultural level is omitted (Nied Curcio 2020). Communication problems and misunderstandings which are triggered not by divergences on the linguistic level, but on the cultural level, can arise between speakers of different languages and cultures. Specific cultural knowledge and an advanced level of intercultural competence are required. Mediation of texts and concepts and using mediation strategies can provide significant input developing the lexicographer's intercultural competence, which is essential for an adequate lexico­graphic description of cultural aspects. Mediators often resort to their plurilinguistic and pluricul­tural repertoire and use mediation strategies. The same skills can also be harnessed by lexicogra­phers for adequate and successful descriptions of culture-bound items in lexicographic resources. In this article the focus is on the concept of mediation; the Companion Volume of the Common Euro­pean Frame­work of Reference for Languages (2018) shows parallels in the requirements of skills between mediators and lexicographers, and advocates the use of mediation strategies by lexicogra­phers to ensure that cultural information is adequately represented in the dictionary. Keywords: bilingual dictionaries, cultural items, translation, inter­cultural competence, mediation, mediation strategies, plurilingual com­petence, pluricultural competence

Subterfuge: a parental strategy for mediating young children’s digital media practices in Azerbaijan

ABSTRACT The present study introduces the ways in which parents mediate young children’s digital media practices in Azerbaijan, a former Soviet country. This study reveals a new parental mediation strategy – subterfuge, which refers to parents’ indirect communication about digital media restrictions with their children. With this approach, parents blame digital devices or internet connectivity for limiting children’s access. Using the strategy, parents prefer indirect interference with their children's digital practices to avoid upsetting or confronting them. The strategy is explained through parental ethnotheories – parents’ cultural beliefs and values about childrearing. The study calls for adding parental ethnotheories to research on parental mediation in digital environments. Findings presented here originated in a study involving five families with a five-year-old child through family visits and the living journals method developed specifically for this study.

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF MALAYSIAN MUSLIM MOTHERS IN MEDIATING THEIR CHILDREN'S YOUTUBE USAGE

Abstract: In this digital era, YouTube has become prominent in children's lives as a source of entertainment and education. Nonetheless, parents face conundrum in controlling or monitoring their children activities on YouTube. This research explores the significant role that Malaysian Muslim mothers play in mediating their children's engagement with YouTube. We aim to gain insights into the mothers' mediation strategies through in-depth interviews with three informants. Using a purposive sampling technique, we selected three Malaysian Muslim mothers of children aged 3-8 years old who actively viewed YouTube. We conducted semi-structured interviews, which allowed the informants to share their strategies, challenges, and perspectives regarding their children's YouTube usage. A thematic analysis based on mediation strategies theories was conducted to extract critical insights, including - 1) rules and guidelines, 2) mothers' roles, and 3) Islamic influences. The findings of this study suggest the used of restrictive and instructive mediation strategies to manage children's media consumption. These strategies aim to strike a balance between allowing children some autonomy in their media choices and ensuring the content aligns with the family's values and educational goals. They actively set time limits, verify the content, recommend Islamic content and explain the significance of good and bad content. Their commitment reflects a dynamic relationship between religious faith and digital parenting practices within the Malaysian Muslim context.
 Keywords: Children; Mediating; Muslim mothers; Parenting; YouTube

Unlocking the Capacity of Bismuth Oxide by a Redox Mediator Strategy for High-Performance Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries.

Many cathode materials store zinc ions based on the intercalation reaction mechanism in neutral aqueous Zn-ion batteries, and the structural design of the cathodes has been stuck in the curing mode by extending the ion diffusion channel. Here, we first develop halide ions to unlock the electrochemical activity of conversion-type Bi2O3 in aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Notably, the iodide ion shows the best performance compatibility with the Bi2O3 cathode. The electrochemical reaction mechanism studies show that iodide ions can be regarded as a redox medium to reduce the charge-transfer activation energy and motivate the conversion of Bi2O3 from Bi3+ to Bi0 during the cycle. Unsurprising, the discharge-specific capacity can reach 436.8 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 and achieve a cyclic lifespan of 6000 cycles at a current density of 3 A g-1. The activation of the Bi2O3 conversion reaction by iodide ions is of great significance for broadening the research range of ZIB cathode materials.

Using Moodle's branching scenario tool to teach and assess linguistic mediation strategies

In the current global context, languages are the most direct expression of our culture, and linguistic diversity is a reality we need to protect and boost. Existing since 2001 and being officially introduced in the Foreign Language Teaching (FLT) curriculum in 2019, the concept of linguistic mediation mainly aims at boosting plurilingualism. Both teachers and students across Europe start using linguistic mediation strategies to perform different mediation activities relying on the descriptors for all levels provided by the new Companion Volume and extensive cascading formation programs. In this article, we intend to prove Moodle’s branching scenario tool to address the teaching and assessing of mediation strategies to explain new concepts through synchronous and asynchronous sessions by making a contribution to the teaching and evaluation process of H5P content for C2 level in the field of adult education, more precisely in the Official School of Languages (OSL). Thus, having provided a theoretical and methodological framework supporting those mediation tasks, we will then provide a sample action-oriented scenario using Moodle’s branching scenario tool to facilitate the acquisition of the mediation strategies to mediate texts, communication and concepts using an AOA and taking potential difficulties in its implementation into consideration. We will finally share observations and suggest further research.

Do parental control tools fulfil family expectations for child protection? A rapid evidence review of the contexts and outcomes of use

ABSTRACT Among the parental mediation strategies promoted by policymakers to ensure children’s safety in a digital age is the use of parental control tools. A rapid evidence review was conducted to identify which families use parental controls and why, and the outcomes of such use, beneficial or otherwise. Of 1,656 articles returned by a keyword search of five research databases, the full text of 40 studies was coded to answer the research questions. The available research revealed that the use of parental controls depends on the age of the parents and children, their digital skills, parental involvement, and the motivation to reduce exposure to online risk. However, the consequences of use were mixed, with evidence of parental controls having both beneficial and adverse outcomes, limiting other outcomes or simply having no outcomes. While the review found little support for advocating parental controls as a stand-alone strategy, parents valued them when embedded in a broader approach to parental mediation and parent – child relations. The conclusions highlight the importance of a child-centred approach that holistically evaluates the potential of parental controls.

Qatar’s evolving role in conflict mediation

ABSTRACT Qatar’s role in mediation diminished following the 2017 Gulf Crisis and the regional backlash to its interventionist policy during the Arab Spring. After the resolution of the Gulf Crisis in 2021, the Qatari role in conflict mediation re-emerged with a return to third-party mediation in the early 2020s, receiving widespread attention following the U.S.-Taliban agreement. The post-crisis return of Qatar to playing central mediator and facilitator roles in conflict management has, however, been subject to discontinuities as well as continuities in its mediation style as a result of the crisis in its international relations. This article analyses the evolution of mediation strategy, utilizing case studies of Qatar’s mediation in Afghanistan, Chad, and Libya through a framework focusing on results, modality, acceptability and reception. The analysis identifies key comparative findings on Qatar’s post-2020 renewed role in conflict mediation.

Fuzzy borders

AbstractIn the western Indian city of Jodhpur, computer typists provide migration brokerage services to Pakistani Hindu refugee‐migrants and Indian immigration officers. Such encounters and their interpretations contrast with the Indian state's emphasis on governmental proximity and immediate state‐subject relations. Though computer typists—who I am calling brokers—are essential mediators, their acts of mediation are underrecognized. Immigration officers’ strategies of mediation, such as intermittently acknowledging typists, implicate brokerage as both part of and distinct from the everyday bureaucratic workings of the state. I argue that through their acts of mediation, brokers are essential to bureaucratic work and have come to embody the fuzziness surrounding where the state begins and ends.

Адаптация опросника родительского посредничества детской медиа-активности Г. Нимрод, Д. Лемиш, Н. Элиас на российской выборке родителей старших дошкольников

<p>The issue of digitization of modern childhood is attracting increasing attention from researchers. In most cases, we obtain information about how preschoolers use various gadgets from parents. Literature analysis has shown that many authors consider the strategies through which adults regulate and mediate the influence of digital devices and various media products on children as the most adequate parameter for studying parental mediation of children's media activity. However, there are not many tools available for studying this phenomenon. Such questionnaires are more common in English-language literature. The task was to adapt the questionnaire "Parental Mediation of Children's Media Activity" by G. Nimrod, D. Lemish, and N. Elias, which has proven itself well, for the Russian-speaking sample. The study involved 322 parents of children in the upper preschool age group attending kindergartens in large and small cities (average age of parents was 28.5 years, including 237 women and 85 men). The study showed that the adapted Russian-language questionnaire differs from the original in its factor structure and consists of 12 statements and three scales: restrictive mediation strategy, instructive mediation strategy, and co-use. The Russian-language questionnaire demonstrates test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct, and convergent validity, and can be used to study parental mediation and assess children's media activity for the Russian-speaking sample.</p>

Parenting the TikTok algorithm: An algorithm awareness as process approach to online risks and opportunities

Teens inhabit an algorithmically curated digital world. Thus, algorithm awareness has emerged as a critical digital skill for parents of teens to mitigate online risks and maximize online opportunities. This study explores how parents’ algorithm awareness of the TikTok “For You” feed relates to perceived online risks and opportunities as well as parental mediation strategies. A survey of U.S. parents found that greater algorithm awareness on TikTok was associated with more negative attitudes about the TikTok algorithm via the mediator of perceived TikTok risks. Parents with negative attitudes about algorithms on TikTok were more likely to prohibit their teenager from using TikTok, but algorithm awareness and attitudes were unassociated with other parental mediation strategies. This study contributes to research on digital parenting practices, suggesting that (a) perceptions of risks, not opportunities, frame the algorithm awareness process for parents and (b) algorithm awareness may operate differently than other digital skills.

GROUNDED THEORY ABOUT THE USE OF LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) TO DISTANCE EDUCATION MANAGEMENT

Purpose: develop a substantive theory of factors influencing the use of Learning Management System in the management of Distance Education. Method / approach: the Grounded Theory guided the methodological procedures in the light of Strauss and Corbin (2008), and ATLAS.ti Software was used for data analysis. Mains findings: six factors were integrated around the central category, allowing the elaboration of the theory fundamental hypothesis and the establishment of causal and intervening conditions. The relational model, which consists of eight propositions, allowed the emergence of four consequences. The central category analysis revealed four sub processes, which involve its mechanisms of action/interaction. In addition, it was possible to identify external and internal contextual conditions that influence the mediation strategies in a sequence of four movements in three phases along time. Methodological / social / managerial contributions: the research responds to the general theories about the use of LMS from the perspective of managers. Also, can represent an advance in the sense of contributing with a systemic view of the LMS as an administrative-educational mediator element, recognizing components, dynamics, and movement. The study can assist in the development of technological and management solutions based on business Intelligence systems (BI), big data, and learning analytics systems aligned to the LMS to improve distance education management. Originality / relevance: the results will add up to this area research, showing implications of digital technologies use at distance education management process.

Frequency of Perceived Conflict between Families and Clinicians at Time of Clinical Ethics Consultation in Hospitalized Children

Background Little is known about the frequency of conflict between clinicians and families at the time of pediatric clinical ethics consultation (CEC) and what factors are associated with the presence of conflict. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a single, tertiary urban US pediatric hospital that included all hospitalized patients between January 2008 and December 2019 who received CEC. Utilizing the hospital’s CEC database that requires documentation of the presence of conflict by the consultant at the time of CEC, we determined the frequency and types of perceived conflict between families and clinicians. We also assessed the bivariable association between conflict and patient age, patient- or family-reported race/ethnicity, language for care, insurance status, clinical setting, and consultant involvement. Results Perceived conflict between clinicians and families was present in 44% (91/209) of CEC. We observed a higher occurrence of clinician-family conflict within certain consult topics than others, in particular, informed consent/parental permission (69%), cultural considerations (67%), benefit/harm assessment (58%), and limitation of life-sustaining treatment (58%). We found no other significant associations between the presence of perceived conflict and patient sociodemographic factors or CEC factors. Conclusions Conflict between healthcare teams and families appears common in CEC, particularly with certain consult topics. Further study is needed to better understand conflict types, causes of conflicts, management and mediation strategies, and outcomes.

Ripeness obscured: inductive lessons from Türkiye’s (transactional) mediation in the Russia–Ukraine war

PurposeConventional wisdom tells us that mediation without ripeness is a fool’s errand (Zartman and Touval, 1985). What, then, is Türkiye’s motivation for mediating the war in Ukraine in lieu of ripeness – and what can its behavior as a mediator tell us about that motivation? In pursuit of this question, this paper inductively analyzes Turkish mediation in the Ukraine war to unpack the relationship between a contextual (ripeness) and actor-level (motivation) variable. Of particular interest is the decision-making and behavior of third parties (like Türkiye in Ukraine) who elect to mediate highly complex conflicts in which ripeness is indiscernible. The purpose of this research is not to propose or test a causal relationship between obscured ripeness and mediation, but rather to examine mediation behavior in situations where ripeness is obscured.Design/methodology/approachThe impact of weaponized information on ripeness and third-party mediation is evaluated through an original, systematic and inductive case study analysis of Turkish mediation in the Russia–Ukraine war. As an intense theater of operations for information warfare for well over a decade, the war in Ukraine serves as an especially apt choice for an analysis of “obscured ripeness.” Likewise, Türkiye’s anomalous position as the only substantive source of mediation in the conflict lends significance to an empirical examination of its motivation and behavior as a mediator.FindingsThis research reveals that the pervasive use of weaponized information in the Russia–Ukraine war has distorted and disordered the information environment, thereby obscuring the ability of third parties to determine if the conflict is or could be ripe for mediation. However, the condition of obscured ripeness that prevails in the conflict has not proven a deterrent for mediation by Türkiye, which, as the only mediator in the conflict, has used a transactional approach to mediation motivated by self-regarding interests and animated by a manipulative mediation strategy. In sum, this inductive analysis of Turkish mediation in Ukraine reveals that the use of weaponized information in a conflict indirectly selects on transactional mediation (and mediators). The significance of this finding is magnified by the widespread use of weaponized information in contemporary conflicts as well as the declining frequency of third-party mediation.Originality/valueThere have been few, if any, systematic assessments in Turkish mediation of the Russia–Ukraine war, and none specifically concerned with the effects of weaponized information. Additionally, the paper proposes a typology of mediator motivation that is used to structure that assessment, while also introducing a new concept (“obscured ripeness”) and linking that concept both to the existing literature on ripeness and to the use of weaponized information in contemporary armed conflicts. As such, this manuscript represents an important contribution both to the empirical and theoretical landscape with respect to the study of mediation and international conflict management.

High Areal-Capacity Aqueous Manganese-Based Batteries Enabled by Redox Mediators

Aqueous manganese batteries based on deposition-dissolution of Mn2+/MnO2 reactions have aroused great attention due to their intrinsic low cost, high potential, and high energy.1, 2 However, the incomplete dissolution and exfoliated dead MnO2 would inevitably lead to capacity loss and poor cyclability at high areal capacity application.3, 4 Herein, we apply a redox mediator strategy to dissolve the accumulated MnO2 via a spontaneous chemical reaction between redox mediators iodide and MnO2.5,6 During the discharge process, the iodide (I–) could react with the residual MnO2 and be oxidized to I3 – that could be further reduced back to I– on the electrode, continuing this process until fully dissolved the accumulated MnO2. We will discuss detailed reaction mechanisms verified by ex-situ UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The zinc-manganese (Zn-Mn) battery with iodide mediator showed improved cycling stability at 2.5 mAh cm–2 (400 vs. 100 cycles, static mode) and 15 mAh cm–2 (225 vs. 60 cycles, flow mode). Areal capacity is one of the most important parameters determining system energy for deposition-based batteries.7 The Zn-Mn flow cell could demonstrate a high areal capacity application at 50 mAh cm–2 for 50 cycles. We will discuss how to expand this strategy to other manganese-based batteries and broaden the horizon of aqueous batteries.AcknowledgmentThis work is supported by a grant from the Research Grant Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (project no. C1002-21G).Reference W. Chen, G. Li, A. Pei, Y. Li, L. Liao, H. Wang, J. Wan, Z. Liang, G. Chen, H. Zhang, J. Wang and Y. Cui, Nat. Energy, 2018, 3, 428-435. D. Chao, W. Zhou, C. Ye, Q. Zhang, Y. Chen, L. Gu, K. Davey and S.-Z. Qiao, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 2019, 58, 7823-7828. C. Liu, X. Chi, Q. Han and Y. Liu, Adv. Energy Mater., 2020, 10, 1903589. G. Liang, F. Mo, H. Li, Z. Tang, Z. Liu, D. Wang, Q. Yang, L. Ma and C. Zhi, Adv. Energy Mater., 2019, 9, 1901838. J. Lei, Y. Yao, Z. Wang and Y.-C. Lu, Energy Environ. Sci., 2021, 14, 4418-4426. J. Lei, Y. Yao, Y. Huang and Y.-C. Lu, ACS Energy Letters, 2022, DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.2c02524, 429-435. Y. Yao, J. Lei, Y. Shi, F. Ai and Y.-C. Lu, Nat. Energy, 2021, 6 (6), 582–588.