People Progress Research Articles

Feasibility of generating structured motivational messages for tailored physical activity coaching.

Tailored motivational messages are helpful to motivate people in eHealth applications for increasing physical activity, but it is not sufficiently clear how such messages can be effectively generated in advance. We, therefore, put forward a theory-driven approach to generating tailored motivational messages for eHealth applications for behavior change, and we examine its feasibility by assessing how motivating the resulting messages are perceived. For this, we designed motivational messages with a specific structure that was based on an adaptation of an existing ontology for tailoring motivational messages in the context of physical activity. To obtain tailored messages, experts in health psychology and coaching successfully wrote messages with this structure for personas in scenarios that differed with regard to the persona's mood, self-efficacy, and progress. Based on an experiment in which 60 participants each rated the perceived motivational impact of six generic and six tailored messages based on scenarios, we found credible support for our hypothesis that messages tailored to mood, self-efficacy, and progress are perceived as more motivating. A thematic analysis of people's free-text responses about what they found motivating and demotivating about motivational messages further supports the use of tailored messages, as well as messages that are encouraging and empathetic, give feedback about people's progress, and mention the benefits of physical activity. To aid future work on motivational messages, we make our motivational messages and corresponding scenarios publicly available.

Public education in Iran 1921-1925 AD

Education is a basic nucleus in building society, as people's progress is measured by the progress of their education system. Developed peoples are those who follow a developed system in terms of curricula and methods of education, and provide modern buildings to make them educational centers. This study came to show the developments and changes that occurred in public education in Iran during the four years that followed the white coup led by Reza Khan in 1921 AD, his assumption of the prime minister (1923-1925 AD), and the most important laws that were enacted during that period and the schools that opened, whether they were (primary, intermediate, secondary, vocational).

Mapping the Autistic Advantage from the Accounts of Adults Diagnosed with Autism: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Autism has been associated with specific cognitive strengths. Strengths and weaknesses have traditionally been conceptualized as dichotomous.Methods: We conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with autistic adults. Maximum variation sampling was used to ensure diversity in relation to support needs. We asked which personal traits adults attributed to their autism, and how these have helped in the workplace, in relationships, and beyond. Data were collected in two stages. Responses were analyzed using content and thematic techniques.Results: The ability to hyperfocus, attention to detail, good memory, and creativity were the most frequently described traits. Participants also described specific qualities relating to social interaction, such as honesty, loyalty, and empathy for animals or for other autistic people. In thematic analysis we found that traits associated with autism could be experienced either as advantageous or disadvantageous dependent on moderating influences. Moderating influences included the social context in which behaviors occurred, the ability to control behaviors, and the extent to which traits were expressed.Conclusions: Separating autistic strengths from weaknesses may be a false dichotomy if traits cannot be isolated as separate constructs of strengths or deficits. If attempts to isolate problematic traits from advantageous traits are ill conceived, there may be implications for interventions that have reduction in autistic traits as a primary outcome measure.Lay SummaryWhy was this study done?The study was done to find out what autistic adults could tell us about their own abilities. They told us about their abilities and how these abilities had helped them in their everyday lives: at work, in their relationships with other people, and at home.What was the purpose of this study?To tell a story about what aspects of their autism adults thought were of benefit, when going about their daily lives.What did the researchers do?The researchers interviewed 24 adults who had an autism diagnosis. Some lived in residential care and others lived alone in rented apartments. Some people were interviewed twice. Most people said they enjoyed the experience of being interviewed.Once the interviews were done, they were typed up and the researchers tried to figure out what were the common themes over all the stories they had heard. They thought about the themes, then did some more interviews with autistic adults to check they were on the right lines. After discussing them, they wrote the story.What were the results of the study?Hyper focus, attention to detail, and the ability to remember were the abilities that autistic people said benefitted them most often. But autistic adults who were interviewed said although their autistic traits were sometimes helpful, at other times they hindered their progress. So the same trait might be useful in some circumstances and unhelpful in other situations. For example, hypersensitivity led one person to enjoy nature, but was difficult to cope with in crowded streets. The study highlights this interchangeability.What do these findings add to what was already known?Before, autistic people were known to have both strengths and challenges, but studies tended to separate autistic strengths and weaknesses as different things. We theorize that some traits are expressed as behaviors that may serve to improve or hinder autistic people's progress, but this depends on their situation (context).What are potential weaknesses in the study?Because the researchers used interviews, they did not include any nonverbal autistic people in the study.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?It could be useful to think about autism in a way that does not focus on deficits and this study will help us to do that. Plus, if an autistic trait can give people an advantage or a disadvantage, interventions aimed at reducing autistic behaviors might risk dampening advantageous traits as they seek to help with difficulties. That means, autistic adults and children might lose useful abilities when and if they are treated for traits that can also be problematic. The researchers hope their study will lead to more discussion about these types of ideas.

The role of carers in supporting the progress of care leavers in the world of work

AbstractThe aim of this component of a preliminary cross‐national study (Ireland and Catalonia) of care leavers' experience in the world of work is to explore how carers may influence the entry of young people in care into the world of work and how they may also influence the young people's progress in that world. A total of 22 care leavers, aged 23–33 years, were recruited on the basis of their having substantial employment experience since leaving care. Evidence from the interviews reveals the importance of the role of carers in the work‐related progression of the young care leavers, especially in relation to gaining work experience while they were still in care. The qualitative analysis shows that carers were influential in promoting (and sometimes hindering) progress in work and education. Carers were often reported to play an important role in opening up opportunities, giving support (modelling skill development, giving practical help, etc.), being role models and cultivating the young person's agency. On the basis of these findings, we propose an initial conceptualization of carer roles in positive work support.

Realistic expectations: accounting for young people's progress in training programmes

PurposeThis paper aims to communicate the challenges and tensions faced by front‐line workers in negotiating the demands of performance targets and those of the young people they work with.Design/methodology/approachAn in‐depth study, over a two‐year period, of a number of training programmes combining participant observation and qualitative directed data collection.FindingsWorkers need to be sensitive to young people's previous educational experiences and social context while encouraging participation in education‐based work. Personal problems had to be addressed if progress towards the target of education, employment or training was to be achieved. Effective programmes rely on the front‐line workers but systems of accountability do not recognise the breadth of this work in handling the wider personal situations of young people. The role of training programmes needs to be better understood within this wider socio‐economic context.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is of a small number of training programmes so it is not possible to generalise from the findings. A limitation of the paper is that the ethical, moral and practical implications of the study are not explored.Practical implicationsThis paper extends our understanding of the complexity involved in the delivery of training programmes for young people.Originality/valueProviding practitioners working in training settings with an account of the work which may address some of the criticisms often levelled at them. It has potential value to inform policy development, implementation and future forms of accountability.

Interview with 2007 SPE President Abdul-Jaleel Al-Khalifa

2007 SPE President Abdul-Jaleel Al-Khalifa has been a manager at Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia, heading Reservoir Characterization for seven years, Area Exploration for two years and finally Reservoir Description & Simulation for two years. Before then, he served as Assistant to the Vice President of Petroleum Engineering and Development as well as in several division head assignments in the Reservoir Management and Simulation Dept. His areas of technical interest include exploration, reserves, reservoir characterization, modeling, and field development. Since joining the Society in 1988, his participation in, and support for, SPE has covered a wide spectrum. He served as 2002–05 Director-At-Large on the SPE Board of Directors and was the Chairperson of the Board Committee on Technical Programs and Meetings in 2004 and 2005. He was the Conference Program Chairman for the 2005 International Petroleum Technology Conference. Al-Khalifa was an SPE Distinguished Lecturer, speaking on "Reservoir Management of Giant Oil Fields in Saudi Arabia," during 1998–99. He received the SPE Middle East Regional Service Award in 1999 and was named an SPE Distinguished Member in 2001. In addition, Al-Khalifa was Director of the SPE Saudi Arabia Section during 1993–97, a Technical Editor for SPE Formation Evaluation during 1991–92, and Chairperson of the SPE Saudi Arabia Section Annual Technical Symposium during 1990–92. He also served as a Technical Editor for the Arabian Journal of Science and Engineering during 1993–94. Al-Khalifa earned BS and MS degrees from King Fahd U. of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, and a PhD degree in petroleum engineering from Stanford U. What will be your main goals as SPE President? I am climbing the trail up Everest, the highest mountain. I am following many shining stars who served as SPE Presidents, all of whom have left SPE a lasting message and contribution. My role will be to help the oil and gas industry move forward and to bolster SPE's position as a leader and major contributor to the industry. My lifelong goal has always been to help people make a positive impact on our industry so that they feel extremely satisfied and fully engaged. As SPE President, I plan to work very closely with industry leaders to articulate a year-2020 vision for our industry, with emphasis on people and technology, and I want to seek ways to eliminate impediments to people's progress and aspirations. I will strive to publicize this vision and promote these values in various industry forums and meetings. This will give me a unique opportunity to serve all SPE members. What individual views or perspective do you bring to the office? I have worked many years in upstream exploration as well as in reservoir characterization, modeling, and field development. I have learned that people are the most important asset in our industry. Pioneers such as George Reynolds, who discovered the Masjid Suleiman field in Persia in 1908, and Max Steineke, who discovered the Dammam field in Saudi Arabia, opened up the vast resources of the Middle East for the whole industry. Professionals have an equally important role in strategic field development, where they can significantly improve the ultimate recovery of existing fields.

Language, communication, and the enlightenment idea of progress

Eighteenth century French philosophers contemplated the relationship between the idea of progress and the evolutionary development of language and communication. They both viewed language and communication as tools to measure a people's progress in the development of language throughout history.