Participation In Different Activities Research Articles

Gamification and Sustainable Water Use: The Case of the BLUTUBE Educational Program

Background In a world increasingly stressed by climate change and scarcity of natural resources, the prosocial behaviors of new generations become increasingly essential, especially when aimed at sustainability. This study aims to investigate the gamified system applied to the game-based educational program BLUTUBE, designed to promote better practices regarding virtuous water usage in the primary schools of the Municipality of Lucca. Methods We analyze the self-reported sustainable behaviors of almost 800 students of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades, using a survey about water consumption and awareness of related topics. We examine the association between the increase in the self-reported prosocial behaviors, which occurs after the end of the educational program, and participation in different activities - measured by the number of accumulated points - stimulated through gamification. Results We find that higher participation in gamified activities corresponds more likely to a higher increase in reported sustainable behaviors. Moreover, we observe that this result is led by specific activities - playing the board game Blutube at school, playing the urban game, and taking pictures of virtuous actions - rather than others - playing the board game at home. Lastly, given the difference between genders in the perceived benefits from gamification, we find that males increase more their awareness about sustainable behaviors by playing more the board game than females. In contrast, females raise their awareness when playing the urban game more. Discussion We suggest that playing the board game in a broader social context, such as school, can enhance the perception of children’s behaviors’ impacts on the external environment. Also, to effectively promote sustainable behaviors, educators should consider using game-based learning materials that incorporate rewards mechanisms into the activities. Conclusions This work sheds light on the relationship between gamification and pro-environmental behaviors, laying the ground for future research.

Business internships for bachelor's degrees at blended learning universities: A pilot study to assess the transition from hybrid studies to the workplace

Enhancing the employability of new graduates is a growing demand for universities. The subject “Curricular Practices” (a business internship) in the undergraduate qualifications of management, economics, and business offers students the chance to experience on-site learning in the labour environment, which does not fit in a priori with blended and online teaching but, in contrast, can offer them a structured transition from the virtual classroom to a personal presence, as required in the workplace. The main objective of this research is to assess the interest in the professional boundary-crossing of university students of hybrid studies. This pilot study with students from bachelor's degrees in management (business administration) and economics at one of the largest blended universities in Europe shows that students take on an active role in the learning process and professionally socialise through internships. Student become more involved. They acquire reflexive learning and increase their participation in different activities. Furthermore, internships give them a richer, more diversified (online and offline) and efficient education. This type of subject offers more opportunities than an exclusively virtual learning environment, generating positive synergies that improve the regulated transition process from a hybrid academic university environment to the workplace.

For the Love of Teaching: The Chronicles of Teachers Handling Students with Special Educational Needs

Teaching learners with special needs is a very different reality in the profession. This study aimed to determine the lived experiences of teachers who handle learners with special needs. Qualitative-phenomenological design was employed in order to explore their lived experiences. The participants were purposefully chosen based on pre-determined criteria and were interviewed in order to gather the needed data. Results showed that they encountered difficulty in communication and performing adaptive skills, denial of parents on their children’s condition, learners having delayed motor skills, lack of parental support, and the most recurring challenge that emerges is learners’ behavioral problems. With the educational practices that teachers employed that are suitable for the children’s needs, several outcomes were identified specifically increased participation in different activities, improvement of verbal and non-verbal skills, improvement of behavior through simple instructions, increased socialization with their classmates, and learners improved their skills in reading and writing. Furthermore, compassion, enthusiasm, good communication and leadership skills, patience, and resourcefulness and creativity were the skills necessary for teachers to possess in providing the most suitable learning experience to their learners.

Evaluation of Participation Level of Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

Background: Adolescence is a time of rapid development in many facets of an individual’s physiological, cognitive, and interpersonal traits, but it also comes with some complexities. Aim: To evaluate the level of participation in different domains of life situations in adolescents with Cerebral Palsy. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methodology: Study conducted in adolescents with Cerebral Palsy between age 10 – 19, with motor impairment level I, II and level III on GMFCS. Sample size was 84 participants. Questionnaire of Young People’s Participation (QYPP) was used to evaluate participation in different activities and domains of life. Statistical analysis: Analysis of data was done by SPSS v.26. Results: The highest percentage score was observed for Autonomy followed by Getting on with other people, Home life, Reception and Leisure and School or College life. The least percentage score was seen for two domains i.e., Work life and Preparing for the future. It was observed that participants in higher age category had higher score except school or college life domain but no significant difference was evident as per p-value. Conclusion: It was concluded that overall frequency of participation levels proved inadequate in adolescents with CP in all the domains tested. Keywords: Adolescents, Cerebral Palsy, Personal Autonomy and Social Participation.

Deconstruction of Commuters’ Activity Space and Social Exclusion under Anchor Point Theory: A Case Study of Kunming, China

Activity space directly reflects residents’ utilization of urban space and their quality of life. However, the existing activity space measurement methods do not consider the differences in individual participation in different activities. To solve this problem, this study proposes a new method based on anchor theory to describe the activity space of urban commuters. First, the activity space is defined as the collection of space-time resources available in personal daily travel activities. According to the activity type, the activity space is divided into restricted space and free space. Second, using the survey data collected from Kunming city, China, three activity space patterns of commuters are identified, namely the restrict-oriented, free-oriented, and balance-oriented. Third, the influencing factors of different activity space patterns of commuters, including socio-demographics and built environment, are investigated using a multinomial logistic model. The results show that the method of deconstructing activity space can better describe the behavior patterns of urban residents. Besides, this study identifies the commuters who have small activity space but are not socially excluded and those who have large activity space but are at risk of social exclusion. This finding complements the previous identification of social exclusion. The research results can help policymakers develop suitable policies to avoid the mismatch between urban facilities and residents’ needs.

Clinicians’ informal acquisition of accounting literacy in UK clinical commissioning groups

IMPACT This article offers practitioners important insights into the way clinicians can be engaged in the management of funds through situated learning in the workplace. Situated learning has the potential to foster accountability by engaging clinicians in meaningful and goal-driving activities and to stimulate the acquisition of accounting literacy informally. When clinicians work alongside accountants, learning takes place informally. A context needs to be created in which clinicians and accountants can work together to achieve common goals. This has been achieved in clinical commissioning groups (CCG) in the UK.

Participating in Different Activities and Their Association with Mental Health Problems in the Working Disabled Population in Korea.

Background: There are a large number of people suffering from disabilities and this number is rapidly rising. People with disabilities experience various hardships and are more vulnerable to mental health problems. Participating in different types of activities (e.g., leisure, social, etc.) has been shown to ameliorate people’s mental health problems such as stress and depression. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of leisure and social activities on the mental well-being of the working disabled population in Korea. Methods: A total of 1521 disabled people aged between 15 and 64 were included in the study. The degree of participation in leisure (i.e., weekends or weekdays) and social activities, as well as stress and depressive symptoms, were measured using single-item questions. The association between participation in different activities (i.e., leisure and social) and mental health (i.e., stress and depression) was analyzed using a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model. Results: In the fully adjusted model, participation in leisure activities was associated with the level of stress, and less leisure participation was significantly associated with higher odds of stress. For example, in the “2 or fewer hours” group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.461, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.193–1.789) with the “5 h or more” group used as the reference for weekdays and the “5–9 h” group (OR = 1.223, 95% CI = 1.007–1.486) with the “10 h or more” group used as the reference for weekends. In terms of participation in social activities, increased participation was associated with lower levels of depression. For example, in the “Very much” group (OR = 0.314, 95% CI = 0.156–0.633) compared to the “Not at all” group. Conclusions: Participation in different activities was associated with better mental health outcomes in the working disabled population in Korea.

Factors determining the participation of natural resource cooperative members in forest management: A study of dry forest area in Ethiopia

For realizing sustainable forest resources management, participatory forest management (PFM) program has been implemented in different areas of Ethiopia for the last two decades. However, the success of PFM program largely depends on the active involvement of local community in the different activities of the PFM program. This study examines the determinants of household's level of participation in different activities of the PFM program in Metema and Quara districts of Amhara region, Ethiopia, with information obtained using a structured questionnaire survey of 156 member households of natural resource conservation cooperatives employing ordered logistic regression analysis. The results of the regression analysis reveal that gender, age, educational level of cooperative members and their regional provenance, income from NTFPs, access to extension service, perception on the proper implementation of the forest management plan and living distance from the community forest are important factors which explain the participation level of cooperative members in forest conservation, forest utilization and decision-making activities of the PFM program. The study suggests for empowerment of all members in decision-making process including improvement in women's participation through a policy reform in the organizational structure of natural resource conservation cooperatives in order to enhance local community participation in the PFM program. Hence, this policy reform may help ensuring the success of the PFM program. Moreover, effective mechanisms should be developed to ensure equitable benefit-sharing among members of cooperatives for the success of the PFM program.

Rates of ecological knowledge learning in Pemba, Tanzania: Implications for childhood evolution.

Humans live in diverse, complex niches where survival and reproduction are conditional on the acquisition of knowledge. Humans also have long childhoods, spending more than a decade before they become net producers. Whether the time needed to learn has been a selective force in the evolution of long human childhood is unclear, because there is little comparative data on the growth of ecological knowledge throughout childhood. We measured ecological knowledge at different ages in Pemba, Zanzibar (Tanzania), interviewing 93 children and teenagers between 4 and 26 years. We developed Bayesian latent-trait models to estimate individual knowledge and its association with age, activities, household family structure and education. In the studied population, children learn during the whole pre-reproductive period, but at varying rates, with the fastest increases in young children. Sex differences appear during middle childhood and are mediated by participation in different activities. In addition to providing a detailed empirical investigation of the relationship between knowledge acquisition and childhood, this study develops and documents computational improvements to the modelling of knowledge development.

Empirical Support for the Tenets of Sport Participation and Physical Activity-Based Models: A Scoping Review.

Notwithstanding their wide-spread use, it is unclear what level of empirical evidence exists to support sport participation and physical activity-based models. Sport participation and physical activity-based models characterize different stages of sport involvement based on sport activities (organized and unorganized) individuals take part in throughout their lifespan. The objectives of this scoping review was to explore the nature of empirical support for tenets of sport participation and physical activity-based models describing the evolution of an individuals' sport participation. Seventeen different sport participation models were identified through an iterative literature review, using a snowball search strategy and expert (n = 8) consultation. Of the identified models, three described the evolution of an individual's sport participation based on their participation in different activities at various stages of sport involvement and were retained for the review. A second literature review identified peer-reviewed publications supporting at least one tenet of these three models. Many tenets of retained models received some empirical support from some of the 38 publications identified, but some tenets were not tested. Most of the evidence supporting tenets originated from studies among elite-level athletes. Whereas some evidence exists to support current sport participation and physical activity models, more research is warranted, particularly among the general population of non-elite athletes, for the models to be used in full confidence to guide sport policies, programs, and practices.

Nursing Home Residents Aged over 80-A Cross-Sectional Analysis on Which Activity Traits Correlate to Positive Affect.

Admission to a care facility is assumed to enhance depressive symptoms and dependent behavior in old age. In this context, the relevance of participation in activities that make everyday life in a care facility more pleasant has been pointed out. This study examines if there is a relationship between participation in different activities as well as the frequency of this participation and the positive affect of nursing home residents aged over 80. Data from the unique cross-sectional representative study ‘Quality of life and subjective well-being of the very old in North Rhine-Westphalia’ in Germany (n = 150, aged 90.15 years in average) were used. The data were collected between 08/2017 and 02/2018 using computer-assisted personal interviewing. The variability in and frequency of activity participation functioned as independent, and positive affect as dependent variable. Multiple regression analysis was performed. Residents’ predicted positive affect significantly increased with a higher variability in activity participation. There was no independent effect of frequency in participation. Our findings indicate that there is a significant and positive relationship between participating in a high number of different activities and the overall positive affect of residents aged over 80 years. This does not hold true for the frequency of participation.

Community clinics in Bangladesh: A unique example of public-private partnership

BackgroundBangladesh has established more than 13,000 community clinics (CCs) to provide primary healthcare with a plan of each covering a population of around 6,000. The inception of CCs in the country has revolutionized the healthcare delivery to reach the doorstep of people. The provision of healthcare through CCs is truly participatory since the community people donate land for building infrastructure and also involve in management process. The study was conducted to assess pattern of public private partnership in healthcare delivery through participation of community people in establishment, management, monitoring and utilization of community clinics. MethodsThis quantitative study involving descriptive cross sectional design included 63 healthcare providers, 2,238 service-users and 3,285 community people as household members. Data were collected by face-to-face interview and reviewing records of CCs with the help of semi-structured questionnaire and checklist respectively. The public private partnership was assessed in this particular study by finding community participation in different activities of CCs. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. ResultsAlmost all (96.9%) CCs are located in easy-to-reach areas and have good infrastructure. Lands of all CCs are donated by the respective communities. The security of most of the CCs (93.7%) is maintained by community people. Cleanliness of the CCs is maintained by the cleaners or ayas who are appointed by local communities. Community Groups (CGs) of 88.9% and Community Support Groups (CSGs) of 96.8% CCs are found to be active. In most of the CCs (98.4%), monitoring is done by analysis of monthly reports. All CCs provide referral services for pregnant women. Health care delivery is found to be ‘good’ in more than three-fourths while health education service is ‘good’ in 96.7% of CCs. All CCs showed an increased trend in the utilization of services and conduction of normal child deliveries. Benefits of CCs as perceived by service users included free drugs (82.1%), free treatment (81.2%), easy access (76.3%), need-based health services (75.0%), and immunization services (68.6%). Almost all (99.0%) of the CC service users opined that CGs are involved in management of CC activities. ConclusionIn resource-poor settings of developing countries, public private partnership in primary healthcare delivery through community clinics may play crucial role in sustainable development of community health by providing quality health care. The study recommends public-private partnership for strengthening CCs including establishment, maintenance, utilization, monitoring and supply of essential drugs and logistics.

Theoretical and empirical aspects of the manifestation of stakeholder participation in city brand development activities

Theoretical and empirical aspects of the manifestation of stakeholder participation in city brand development activities

The Effectiveness of Augmented Reality Technology (AR) in Reducing Attention Deficiency Disorder (ADD) for Children with Learning disabilities (LD)

The present study aims at determining the effectiveness of Augmented Reality (AR) technique in reducing Attention Deficiency Disorder among children with learning difficulties. The study sample consisted of 20 children with learning difficulties they were distributed among two groups, control and experiment, each consisting of 10 children, aging between 6 and 9 years. The children were provided with computers for learning and activities, as well as, 3D glasses for watching educational and behavioral movies. The current study used the following tools: Professional interview and Attention deficiency scale. The study concluded that the children achieved changes in levels of concentration and improvement in their follow up of their lessons, as well as, their participation in different activities and tasks. The results also showed the impact of AR on the attention deficiency, more than on the impulsive behavior and the hyperactivity. Keywords: Augmented Reality (AR), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Learning disabilities (LD)

Factors Influencing the Value of CPD Activities Among VET Teachers

Context: Teachers in vocational education and training (VET teachers) have specific conditions for their continuing professional development (CPD). They have a background in an initial occupation, in which they now teach and train the next generation. Thus, as VET teachers, they are expected to master the knowledge and skills of that occupation, even if they have now crossed the boundary from the community of their initial occupation to the community of the school. This study explores the perceived values among VET teachers of different activities that may contribute to their CPD in teaching subjects/initial occupations. The study examines VET at the upper secondary level in Sweden. Here, the VET teachers have the main responsibility for students' vocational learning in the vocational subjects, including the work-based parts. In the latter parts, the teachers are supplemented by supervisors at the workplace.Approach: We argue for the duality of a VET teacher identity with a professional competence that comprises two intertwined parts -- teaching skills, and knowledge of the teaching subjects based in the teachers' initial occupations. Our study is based on a situated learning perspective, and the empirical findings particularly concern values created from learning through participation and boundary crossing. CPD activities typically include some form of participation in and/or boundary crossing between school and work-life practices. In the analysis we also include the possible influence of institutional, situational, and dispositional drivers and barriers for participation in different activities. The research question was: what factors can explain the variation in perceived values created by participation in different CPD activities among VET teachers? The study was conducted as a survey of 886 Swedish VET teachers. Focus was put on the values created through different types of activity, values for the teachers' vocational knowledge, for networks in working life, and for teaching. The data were primarily analysed using logistic regression modelling.Findings: Dispositional drivers, the teacher's sex, and regular performance of the activity are important for the perceived value. The dispositional factor is the one most commonly retained, and it has a consistently positive effect. Factors such as educational background and vocational training have weaker influence, which suggests that individual driving factors are important when VET teachers assess the value of CPD activities.Conclusions: The study covers a general challenge for VET teachers, but is of particular relevance in systems with a high degree of school-based VET, full-time employed VET teachers, and VET teachers who are responsible for students' vocational learning. Here, the values for vocational knowledge, for networks, and for teaching that are created through different activities are important for the VET teacher identity. They are also interrelated, and together they provide professional development in relation to the initial occupation, and for the occupation as a vocational teacher.

La participación del cuidador en el proceso de Rehabilitación visual y/o auditiva durante el periodo 2016 en el Instituto para Niños Ciegos y Sordos del Valle del Cauca -Colombia

En este artículo se presentan los resultados de un estudio sobre los cuidadores de personas en condición de discapacidad. La investigación se realizó con las personas que ejercen el rol de cuidadores de los niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) de la Unidad de Rehabilitación del Instituto para Niños Ciegos y Sordos (INCYS) del Valle del Cauca, sede Cali. En el proceso de atención es indispensable la participación activa de la familia, sin embargo, se viene observando baja corresponsabilidad familiar que se ve reflejada con la participación en las diferentes actividades, el acompañamiento en casa, los comportamientos sobreprotectores y el rol de cuidador delegado en el (78.49%) a las madres, lo que significa para ellas una sobrecarga emocional y de las labores del hogar que afectan su calidad de vida y muchas veces el proceso de rehabilitación del niño o niña.

Extent of people’s participation in different activities at various stages in integrated watershed management programmed

Extent of people’s participation in different activities at various stages in integrated watershed management programmed

Extracurricular Activities Amongst Health Colleges Students at the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

OBJECTIVES: To study the attitude of health colleges students about extracurricular activities.METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among 213 students, only 117 students responded. An online survey was sent to all students in the second-year health colleges at the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (formally University of Dammam) in Saudi Arabia in 2015 (February-April). The survey consisted of two parts; Part I: Students participation in different activities, and Part II: consisted of questions about the barriers of participating in the extracurricular activities.RESULTS: The results showed that the participation percentage in extracurricular activities was low (9.6%). Students at the present study reported that the most common obstacle was the conflict with the classes. Students stated other factors such as; there were no incentive, not encouraged by faculty members to participate in extracurricular activities, no guidance for the activities and its objectives and that most of the activities are not attractive.CONCLUSION: Engagement in extracurricular activities among health colleges student at the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University was low. Obstacles should be addressed by the deanships of student affairs in order to enhance the involvement in extracurricular activity.

La importancia de mantenerse activo en la vejez

La participación es uno de los tres pilares del envejecimiento con éxito, junto con la salud y el alto funcionamiento cognitivo y físico. La importancia de la participación radica en su influencia sobre otras variables como el bienestar, la salud física y mental. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el impacto de la participación sobre el bienestar, depresión y salud y determinar si existen diferencias según el tipo de actividad realizada. Para ello se utilizó una muestra de 139 personas de entre 55 y 94 años de la provincia de Granada (49 hombres y 90 mujeres). A los participantes se les preguntó sobre su participación en una lista de 16 actividades clasificadas como formativas, físicas o de manualidades, se les pidió que valoraran su salud subjetiva y se les aplicaron las Escalas de Bienestar Psicológico y la versión abreviada de la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica (GDS). Los resultados indican diferencias de género en la participación pero no en las otras variables analizadas. La participación total en actividades se relacionaba y fue predictor del bienestar psicológico, la salud subjetiva y la depresión pero se observaron diferencias según el tipo de actividad realizada. Las actividades formativas se relacionan con el crecimiento personal, las actividades manuales con el dominio del entorno y la salud y las actividades físicas con las relaciones personales, salud y depresión. Estos resultados resaltan la importancia de lograr una participación integral en diferentes actividades si queremos potenciar el envejecimiento exitoso de las personas mayores.

Maintaining Competence in the Initial Occupation: Activities among Vocational Teachers

Contemporary work-life changes rapidly, and vocational education and training (VET) teachers need to keep up-to-date with changing knowledge demands and technological developments. This article concerns VET teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) related to the specific vocations for which they teach. The aim is to analyse VET teachers’ participation in various types of activities designed to make them become more knowledgeable in relation to industry currency. The study draws on a socio-cultural perspective on practice and learning. Theory concerning adults’ participation in education is also used in analysing drivers of and barriers to participation in learning activities. The analyses are based on survey data from 886 Swedish VET teachers relating to their participation in different activities, barriers/drivers concerning participation in these activities, perceived effects (outcomes) of participation in terms of professional development, and teachers’ background. Reading professional texts was the most common CPD activity among those VET teachers participating in the study. Reading, and work in the VET teacher’s former/initial occupation were the two activities where variation in performing them could be explained to the highest degree. The study particularly highlights the importance of boundary crossing between school and work-life for maintaining and developing the industrial currency of VET teachers’ competence. Active membership and engagement in the community of practice of the initial occupation is important for participation in CPD activities closely related to this community.