Personal Project Research Articles

The influence of the residential environment on well-being and personal projects: Perspectives of young people living in public housing

Public housing provides low-income households with affordable housing. The few studies of young public housing residents have focused on the negative aspects of these residential environments, such as the presence of economic hardship or substance abuse. Few studies have looked at the possible positive influence of public housing on the lives of the young people who live there. This qualitative study explores the influence of housing and neighborhood on the well-being and personal projects of young people living in public housing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 young people aged 14 to 20 living in public housing in a large city in Quebec, Canada. A thematic analysis led to the identification of five themes that describe the components of the residential environment that influence young people's well-being and personal projects: 1) parks, playgrounds and nature, 2) services and activities, 3) privacy, 4) relations with the neighborhood; and 5) the quality of the built environment. Implications for environmental psychologists and for improving public policies and supporting the well-being of young people living in public housing are discussed.

Prevalence and influencing factors of subjects at high risk for cardiovascular disease in different regions of Gansu province, China: a cross-sectional study of 100,725 residents from 2017 to 2022.

To investigate the prevalence rate of subjects at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to analyze the influencing factors in different regions of Gansu Province. We used data from the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE) Million Persons Project (MPP), which screened 100,725 residents aged 35-75 years from 10 project sites in Gansu Province, China, from 2017 to 2022. In addition, a questionnaire survey, anthropometric measurements, and collection of biological samples were carried out. Of the 100,082 residents included, 21,059 were identified as subjects at high-risk for CVD. The overall prevalence rate of subjects at high risk for CVD was 19.7%, and the prevalence rate in the HeXi region was greater than that in the LongZhong and LongDong regions. The prevalence rates were 14.0%, 58.2%, 34.9%, and 5.7% for cardiovascular history, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and WHO-assessed risk ≥20%, respectively. The prevalence rate of cardiovascular history type was the highest in the HeXi region, hypertension and dyslipidemia types were the highest in the LongZhong region, and WHO-assessed risk ≥20% type was the highest in the LongDong region. Male, higher education level, smoking status, snoring status, overweight and obesity status, central obesity status, and disease history were more likely to be risk factors for subjects at high risk for CVD. There were some differences among different regions in age, annual household income, farming status, rural/urban status, and drinking status. The prevalence rate of subjects at high risk for CVD in Gansu Province is relatively high. Individualized intervention measures as well as comprehensive prevention and control strategies should be adopted, focusing on the distribution characteristics of risk factors among high-risk subjects in different regions.

Exploring teachers’ agency in inclusive education: Secondary education teachers navigating their projects in responding to the diversity in students’ sociocultural backgrounds

This study examined educational projects that Dutch secondary teachers consider to be inclusive and their agency in implementing them. Using Banks' (1993) Multicultural Education (ME) model, we analyzed inclusive projects that twelve expert teachers mentioned having developed and used Personal Project Analysis (Little, 1983) to capture teachers' accompanied agency. Inclusive projects were considered meaningful, but poorly manageable and connected with daily teaching practice. A high degree of agency hinged on the ability to connect with existing curriculum and a management that supports teachers' inclusive initiatives. This paper refines ME's dimensions and uncovers misconceptions hindering teachers' agency in inclusive practices.

Proposal for a Guidance Program Based on John Holland's Theory for Building the Future Personal Professional Project of Vocational Trainees

The current study aims to propose a guidance program that involves designing multimedia guidance steps to build the professional life project for trainees in vocational training. This program aims to assist trainees in choosing the appropriate vocational specialization by constructing a personal professional project that helps them make informed decisions about their training in a career that aligns with their professional qualifications for future employment. Therefore, they are in dire need of guidance in their career choices through the provision of a guidance program based on Holland's theory that helps them build their personal professional project. In this regard, the proposed guidance program based on Holland's theory is presented, consisting of several steps (to be mentioned later), in order to achieve the set objectives and assist vocational trainees in choosing their professional project.

To Overcome Ethical Dilemmas in an Organization: Paradox and Ethics of Freedom Can Help

A theoretical model for managers responding to a morally challenging situation is developed in the article. This model explores and examines how managers deal with paradoxes created by ethical dilemmas. To explain their strategy, the authors’ model combines a moral philosophy approach – existentialism ‒ with paradox theories. Starting with an emblematic situation such as a dilemma, the lens of Smith and Tushman’s Paradoxical Cognition is used to develop the theoretical construct. Then, with the help of Sartre’s ethics of freedom, two stages that managers pass through to find a solution are explained. Drawing on those theories, a model of ethical cognition to solve the paradoxical tension issues from ethical dilemmas is submitted. A reflexive process that includes awareness, freedom, and personal projects is combined and described. Every stage with examples of issues from the previous research of human resource managers is illustrated. This model allows people to escape those paradoxical tensions and suggests how a person articulates and creates ethical principles to handle a paradoxical conflict. Based on the in-depth interviews reanalyzed, concrete illustrations about paradoxical cognition are shown. These semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to determine how French-Canadian HR managers make ethical decisions (respondents: 37 HR managers working in Montreal and its suburbs (Quebec, Canada); period: 2013‒2017; number of questions: 16, divided into 4 sections; discourse analysis of data: using AtlasTi software). In doing so, the gap between theory and empirical with Sartre’s concepts such as Awareness, Freedom, and Project is overcome. This conceptual model can be used in the individual to solve of a moral dilemma and can be most valuable for manager when they are facing some moral paradoxical situations.

It’s the Little Things in Life: Enjoyment of Different Types of Personal Projects

It’s the Little Things in Life: Enjoyment of Different Types of Personal Projects

Skills Mismatch in Entry-level Programmer Positions: Employer Expectations vs. Observations in Lalitpur, Nepal

Despite an annual influx of programming graduates from Information Technology (IT)-focused educational institutions, software companies struggle with the persistent challenge of finding qualified candidates for entry-level programming roles. In this context of skill shortage, this study explored the crucial issue of skill mismatch of IT graduates, by assessing the employers’ expectations and observations vital for entry-level programming positions. This study employed a quantitative survey approach to delve into this skills mismatch issue. Professionals within 128 software development companies in Lalitpur were surveyed, all holding managerial positions and possessing programming experience. Utilizing a Likert scale questionnaire distributed through Google Forms, these industry experts rated their expectations and real-world observations concerning the specific skills requisite for entry-level programming positions. The analysis of expectations of skills showed that learning attitude (personal), basic concepts of programming (technical), and organizational culture fit (interpersonal) were considered the most important skills. Personal or college projects and skills in version management and testing were considered equally important. The analysis of skill expectations versus observations uncovers noteworthy disparities, mostly observed in personal skills, with expectations significantly exceeding actual observations. Almost 50% of the skills were found to have high importance and high gaps, most of which were personal skills. The discrepancy was comparatively less in interpersonal and technical compared to personal skills. Perceptions regarding the alignment of knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) were mixed in which most of the respondents indicated moderate to strong alignment between expectations and observations for knowledge and skills, while weak alignment for attitudes. Statistical analysis confirmed significant mean differences between expected and observed skills across all skill categories, reaffirming the existence of a skills mismatch. Notably, employers overwhelmingly advocate ii addressing these skill mismatches through training and development initiatives. These findings shed light on the multifaceted nature of the skills mismatch challenge in Lalitpur’s entry-level programming job market, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to bridge this gap and foster alignment between employer expectations and the skills of recent graduates. Aligning curriculum with industry needs and designing skill development approaches is of utmost importance to enhance graduates’ workforce readiness, facilitating a smoother transition for entry-level programmer positions.

Towards nature-based production and valorization of cyanobacteria for the development of sustainable pigments and biomaterials

Cyanobacteria, also named blue-green algae, are one of the main oxygen producers in the oceans. This is developed through photosynthesis, a process in which solar power and carbon dioxide are captured to ensure the survival and proliferation of these microorganisms. Parallelly, cyanobacteria are outstanding candidates for transitioning towards cyclic recovery processes, as they can; i) easily propagate in waste effluents containing pollutants that they can remove, and ii) accumulate bioproducts, including blue pigments which are very scarce. Altogether, they suppose a sustainable subject for the manufacturing of biomaterials. This personal project called MATERCyan, aims to explore the potential of cyanobacteria to produce biodegradable materials and bio-based pigments, targeting to investigate the potential use of local waste sources for their formulation. Moreover, it focuses on assessing the durability of these pigments over time, by “immortalizing” them in natural matrixes. Finally, it pretends to encourage community building, as well as to fill the gap between scientists and local artists through the diffusion of simple and sustainable recipes.

Boredom and its perceived impact in adolescents with exceptional mathematical talent: a sequential mixed-methods study in Paraguay.

Boredom, a state where the task at hand presents difficulties in attentional resources and attributed meaning, can be detrimental to talent development by reducing cognitive engagement. This study employed a mixed sequential design to assess boredom in adolescents with exceptional mathematical talent in Paraguay participating in a talent development program. First, in the quantitative phase 54 students completed the Boredom Short Scale, School Attitudes Assessment Survey-Revised, and Psychological Well-Being Scale for Adolescents. Next, in the qualitative phase 50 students participated in focus groups to explore their personal experiences of boredom, along with their perception of possible factors that impact boredom. Boredom in this population was similar to the general population of adolescents, albeit significant differences existed in items and subscales showing a pattern unique to this population; they tended to become bored quicker but had an easier time sparking interest in activities. Higher boredom had small to moderate correlations with worse attitudes at school and with teachers, lower motivation and self-regulation in academic activities, lower self-control, and lower involvement in personal projects. Higher valuation of goals and academic self-perception related with a lower tendency toward boredom only in the context of a talent development program, but not at school. Boredom seemed multifaceted, with dimensions such as the absence of meaning, superficial entertainment, and wasted time. Contributing factors included waiting for other people's slower pace, limited choices, lack of novelty, insufficient intellectual challenge, and the influence of teachers and social dynamics. Coping mechanisms included inner intellectual stimulation, seeking entertainment and escape, pursuing independent learning, extracurricular activities, like-minded peers, and extreme sensation-seeking. Fostering adequate challenge and support in advanced academic endeavors for the development of mathematical talent can prevent negative consequences associated with boredom in exceptionally talented populations.

Non-Financial Rewards Towards Academic Job Satisfaction in State Universities in Sri Lanka

The employee retention and turnover depend on many factors including job satisfaction, financial and nonfinancial rewards, and other internal and external factors.The financial rewards of an organization are comprised of bonuses, salary incentives, gift vouchers, retirement plans, professional development plans and referral programs etc. Non-financial rewards are recognized as public recognition, experiential rewards, participation in the decision-making, time to work on personal projects, volunteering works, professional training, leadership training, increased autonomy, employee wellbeing programs, personal growth, awards, and career advancement. Hence, the study will focus on the impact of non-financial rewards on the job satisfaction of the academicians among state universities in Sri Lanka. Currently, it is a more significant and apt time to study the job satisfaction of academic staff in Sri Lanka as there is a higher rate of brain drain in Sri Lanka. The study was carried out by using qualitative methodology conducting in-depth interviews with fifteen faculty members in five state universities, aged between 30 to 55 male and female academic staff. Interview guides were used to collect data from selected thirty permanent academicians of state universities in Sri Lanka to determine the influence of nonfinancial rewards on job satisfaction. Thus, the study identified three main non-financial rewards as work autonomy, recognition, and professional development as the most influential factors towards the job satisfaction of academicians. Further, it was found that non-financial rewards have a positive and strong with job satisfaction than financial rewards. Hence, the study emphasizes the importance of enhancing the non- financial rewards of the employees to obtain their maximum performance.

Toward a phenomenology of politics: Vulnerability, autonomy, and the making of “hard” corporeal selves in Chile's migrant campamentos

AbstractHow do people experience vulnerability, and what can this experience tell us about how states help those living in precarious conditions? According to the Chilean state, people who live in vulnerable encampments do so strictly out of necessity, not choice, and vulnerability is best addressed by demolishing encampments, resettling their communities, and giving the poor opportunities to recover their economic and moral autonomy. Based on 15 months of ethnographic research in predominantly migrant informal settlements in Chile's northern border city of Antofagasta, this article shows how the state's project to demolish vulnerable encampments is in tension with migrant women community leaders’ own personal and collective projects of autonomy. Examining one migrant woman community leader's use of the moral concept of “hardness” to express her ethics of autonomy, I attend to ordinary instances where women helping the state resettle their communities instead subtly undermined the state's resettlement plan. This case advances feminist theories of politics and vulnerability that examine how the domain of the political is reconfigured through women's “domestic” work in the everyday. Psychological anthropology, with its recent turn to critical phenomenology, has much to add to this phenomenology of the critical, of politics.

Cardiometabolic factors and population risks of cardiovascular disease in community-dwelling adults with varied blood pressure statuses.

To examine the differential associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and to evaluate the population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for CVD among community-dwelling adults with varied blood pressure (BP) statuses. This prospective cohort study included participants without prevalent CVD from a subcohort of the China Patient-Centred Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Million Persons Project. Participants were divided into four BP groups according to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. The study exposure comprised the selected cardiometabolic risk factors, including waist circumference (WC), body mass index, (BMI) heart rate, fasting blood glucose (FBG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and remnant cholesterol. The outcome was hospitalizations for CVD. Cox proportional hazard models were conducted, and the PAFs were calculated in the analysis. Among the 94 183 participants (39.0% were men, mean age: 54.2 years), 26.6% had Stage 1 hypertension and 30.8% had Stage 2 hypertension. A total of 6065 hospitalizations for CVD were captured after a median follow-up of 3.5 years. BP (per 1-standard deviation [SD]: hazard ratio [HR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29, 1.40), FBG (per 1-SD: HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.14, 1.19) and WC (per 1-SD: HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.36, 1.47) were three major contributors to CVD events. BP status significantly modified the associations of abdominal obesity, suboptimal BMI, suboptimal heart rate and abnormal FBG with CVD, with stronger associations with CVD observed in optimal BP groups compared to hypertensive groups (p for risk factor-by-BP group interaction <0.05). Participants with all cardiometabolic risk factors were at the highest risk for CVD, accounting for 35.6% (95% CI 30.0, 40.8) of the PAF for CVD. Among the risk factors, BP control explained the highest PAF for CVD (15.1%, 95% CI 8.2, 21.4) The overall PAFs of cardiometabolic risk factors for CVD were higher among the normotensive participants compared to the hypertensive participants. The awareness and control rates of hypertension were extremely low among Southern Chinese adults. BP status significantly modified the associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and CVD, and the overall PAFs for CVD were higher among people with normal BP. Dedicated efforts are needed to improve the management of cardiometabolic factors.

Sex Differences in the Associations of Traditional Risk Factors and Incident Heart Failure Hospitalization: A Prospective Cohort Study of 102 278 Chinese General Adults.

Evidence regarding sex differences in the associations of traditional risk factors with incident heart failure (HF) hospitalization among Chinese general adults is insufficient. This study aimed to evaluate the potential sex differences in the associations of traditional risk factors with HF among Chinese general adults. Data were from a subcohort of the China PEACE (Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) Million Persons Project. The traditional risk factors were collected at baseline, and the study outcome was HF-related hospitalization identified from the Inpatients Registry. A total of 102 278 participants (mean age, 54.3 years; 39.5% men) without prevalent HF were recruited. A total of 1588 cases of HF-related hospitalization were captured after a median follow-up of 3.52 years. The incidence rates were significantly higher in men (2.1%) than in women (1.2%). However, the observed lower risk of HF in women was significantly attenuated or even vanished when several traditional risk factors were poorly controlled (P for sex-by-risk factors <0.05). The selected 11 risk factors collectively explained 62.5% (95% CI, 55.1-68.8) of population attributable fraction for HF in women, which is much higher than in men (population attributable fraction, 39.6% [95% CI, 28.5-48.9]). Although women had a lower incidence rate of hospitalization for HF than men in this study, the risk for HF increased more remarkably in women than in men when several traditional risk factors were poorly controlled. This study suggests that intensive preventative strategies are immediately needed in China.

Toward inclusive teaching: Utilizing student‐created case studies in a personal finance course

AbstractIn this qualitative study, we explore the potential of an innovative case study approach in a personal finance course among college students with the goal of making the course inclusive for students who are from economically disadvantaged families and traditionally have unsuccessful experiences in math. Students were required to create their own cases based on their unique, diverse backgrounds. Student reflections on their personal case study projects underwent thematic analyses. Our analysis documents the benefits and barriers perceived by students in this unique case study implementation, which has implications for promoting inclusive teaching in personal finance course design and delivery.

When is translation geography?

ABSTRACT: Translation has been central to the history of geography. Geographers are constantly thinking and writing in translation, reading translations and translating themselves and others. Yet translation as a practice in anglophone geography remains largely invisible. This article explores two personal translation projects to argue for embracing translation as a practice of thinking geographically.

Circling the Square with Straightedge &amp; Compass in Euclidean Geometry

There are three classical problems remaining from ancient Greek mathematics which are extremely influential in the development of Geometry. They are Trisecting an Angle, Squaring the Circle, and Doubling the Cube problems. I solve the Squaring the Circle problem, of which paper is published in the International Journal of Mathematics Trends and Technology (Volume 69, June 2023). Upstream from this method of exact “Squaring the Circle”, we can deduce, conversely/inversely, to get a new Mathematical challenge "CIRCLING THE SQUARE" with a straightedge &amp; a compass in Euclidean Geometry. This study idea came from my exact solution “Squaring the Circle by Straightedge &amp; compass in Euclidean Geometry”, published by IJMTT in June 2023 at https://ijmttjournal.org/Volume-69/Issue-6/IJMTT-V69I6P506.pdf for this ancient Greek Geometry problem. In this research, I adopt the ANALYSIS method to prove the process of solving this new challenge problem, which has not existed in the Mathematics field till today. The process is an inverse/converse solution solving the ancient Greek Geometry challenge problem of “Squaring the Circle”, using a straightedge &amp; a compass. I hereby commit that this is my own personal research project.

THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN GUIDING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO CREATE THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A STARTUP

Objective: This resvalueearch paper aims to shed light on the role of entrepreneurship education in realizing the personal and professional project of a university student within the framework of a startup. This is considering that entrepreneurial learning or (entrepreneurship education as some call it) is one of the basic courses that help the university student form a vision about future projects and professions.&#x0D; &#x0D; Theoretical Framework: Entrepreneurship education is a set of formal education methods that is based on informing and training any individual who wishes to participate in social economic development, through a project aimed at enhancing entrepreneurial awareness, establishing business projects or developing small business projects.&#x0D; &#x0D; Method: In order to be able to become familiar with this topic and address the problem at hand, we relied in this study on the descriptive and analytical approach, by describing entrepreneurship education, and analyzing the extent of the role that entrepreneurship education plays in guiding and assisting university students in establishing a startup project.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results and Discussion: The study reached several results, the most important of which is that entrepreneurship education plays a major role in creating personal and professional projects for university students and transforming them into a startup capable of finding innovative solutions to the problems at hand. The study also found that building a university student’s personal and professional project requires many acquisitions and skills that qualify him to establish a startup enterprise, such as: teamwork and team building skills, leadership skills, effective communication skills, and problem-solving skills.&#x0D; &#x0D; Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurship education in realizing the personal and professional project of a university student especially in the form of startups, which would lead to its itegration in Higher education programmes.

Association between metabolic phenotypes of overweight/obesity and cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women

Background and aimObesity and metabolic abnormalities were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is unclear how metabolic weight phenotypes relate to cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. This study aimed to explore the relationships in postmenopausal women. Methods and resultsWe included 15,575 postmenopausal women aged 35–75 years (median age, 60.6) without cardiovascular disease at baseline from a subcohort of the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Million Persons Project. Metabolically unhealthy phenotype was defined as having ≥2 risk factors of metabolic syndrome: blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg or current use of antihypertensive drugs, fasting glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L or current use of antidiabetic agents, triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol/L, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <1.3 mmol/L. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the risks of cardiovascular diseases. Over a median follow-up period of 3.55 (interquartile range, 2.59–4.44) years, a total of 1354 cardiovascular events occurred. Compared to metabolically healthy normal weight, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were 1.41 (1.16–1.72) for metabolically unhealthy normal weight, 1.42 (1.16–1.73) for metabolically healthy overweight/obesity, and 1.75 (1.48–2.08) for metabolically unhealthy overweight/obesity. Subdividing overweight/obesity into separate groups revealed higher total cardiovascular disease risk only in metabolically unhealthy individuals across body mass index categories. ConclusionIn postmenopausal women, both metabolically healthy overweight/obesity and metabolically unhealthy normal weight were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to metabolically healthy normal weight, and the greatest risk was observed in the metabolically unhealthy overweight/obesity category.

Artist as healer

Amidst escalating ecological crises, artists grapple with representing landscapes in the Anthropocene era, where human activity dominates. Departing from traditional portrayals, the artist advocate for acknowledging interconnectedness within ecosystems. Through personal experiences and projects like "Happy Owners," the author challenges conventional perceptions and inspire critical engagement with nature. Recent explorations into ancestral rituals and the Breton coast underscore a personal journey towards understanding human-environment relationships. Ultimately, art serves as a medium for interpretation and exploration, rather than didactic activism.

Exploring the Art of Stained Glass. On Copying a Portrait Drawing Using Stained Glass Ggrisaille

The hard-to-achieve skill of glass painting is most easily acquired by copying. If a student, unfamiliar with the complexities and possibilities of a new technology, embarks on designing and developing a personal project, failure to meet his or her expectations may discourage any further interest in the subject – at times forever. However, if a student carefully follows an otherwise impeccable example, he or she is then rewarded with a compelling, almost certainly appealing result – the fruits of his or her diligent work. In doing so, an understanding of techniques and skill cultivation are imperceptibly acquired. In the first half of the 2022/2023 academic year, 4th year students of the Sergey Andriaka Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts were invited to copy portraits by Hans Holbein the Younger (1530s) that were executed in a complex hybrid technique on primed paper of various colors. They were also requested to produce a copy of a self-portrait by Annibale Carracci (1594), drawn with red and white chalk on rose paper. When transferring the drawing into a new material, an attempt was made to accurately convey the nature of the stroke, the texture of the paper, as well as to emulate underdrawing with charcoal, white and red chalk.