Policy Directions Research Articles

Gentrification creates social class disparities in belonging.

Gentrification impacts nearly every major city in the United States, posing a potential threat to lower social class residents' sense of belonging in their neighborhoods. In one survey and three preregistered experiments, we investigated how gentrification affects the belonging of residents across the social class spectrum and how to invest in working-class neighborhoods without undermining lower social class residents' sense of belonging. Studies 1-3 (Ns = 141, 1,085, and 510, respectively) provided correlational and experimental evidence that lower social class residents feel less belonging than higher social class residents in gentrifying neighborhoods. Study 3 showed that this belonging disparity was mediated by lower social class individuals perceiving themselves to be less similar to and less trusting of other residents and higher social class individuals feeling the amenities would better suit them in the gentrifying neighborhood. Nevertheless, neighborhood investment does not always threaten lower social class individuals' sense of belonging. Study 4 (N = 402) showed that lower social class individuals anticipated greater belonging and were more supportive when neighborhood investment was community driven (i.e., prioritized the needs of existing residents) than capital driven (i.e., prioritized economic growth). We discuss implications for equitable urban policy and future directions for a social psychology of gentrification. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on mother and child health - the case of Ghana.

The lockdown measures in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have led to a wide range of unintended consequences for women and children. Until the outbreak of COVID-19, attention was on reducing maternal and infant mortality due to pregnancy and delivery complications. The aim of this study was to interrogate the impact of lockdown measures on women and children in two contrasting districts in Ghana - Krobo Odumase and Ayawaso West Wuogon. This study adopted the mixed-method approach using both qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative study relied on two data collection methods to explore the impacts of COVID-19 control measures on women and children in Ghana. These were: Focus Group Discussions (FGDs; n = 12) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs; n = 18). The study complemented the qualitative data with survey data - household surveys (n = 78) which were used to support the nutrition and school closure data; and policy data gathered from government websites consisting of government responses to COVID-19. The qualitative data was analysed using the thematic approach with codes generated apriori with the NVIVO software. The quantitative data used percentages and frequencies. Engagements with participants in the study revealed that the lockdown measures implemented in Ghana had consequences on child and maternal health, and the health care system as a whole. Our study revealed, for example, that there was a decrease in antenatal and postnatal attendance in hospitals. Childhood vaccinations also came to a halt. Obesity and malnutrition were found to be common among children depending on the location of our study participants (urban and rural areas respectively). Our study also revealed that TB, Malaria and HIV treatment seeking reduced due to the fear of going to health facilities since those ailments manifest similar symptoms as COVID 19. Government responded to COVID-19 using different strategies however the policy response resulted in both intended and unintended consequences especially for women and children in Ghana. It is recommended that national policy directions should ensure the continuous provision of child and maternal healthcare services which are essential health services during lockdowns.

Perceived stakeholder benefits of continuously training general practitioners in the same rural or remote practice: interviews exploring the Remote Vocational Training Scheme.

Explore stakeholder perspectives of the benefits of continuously training general practitioners in the same rural or remote practice in distributed locations via the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS). Online one-hour semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 RVTS staff, participants and supervisors from all states and territories between 16 October and 24 November 2023. Data were deductively and inductively coded by stakeholder type and the range of benefits, and the findings were informed by insights from a project reference group and a stakeholder advisory group. Questions explored the benefits of the RVTS - a program which supports doctors already working in rural, remote and First Nations communities to train towards general practice or rural generalist fellowship while remaining in the same practice. Perspectives on the nature and spread of benefits. Broad benefits were perceived to flow to four system-level stakeholders: communities, health services, participants and policy makers. Perceived participant and community benefits were doctors staying longer in distributed locations with tailored place-based supports and training, doctors building relationships with patients, and doctors learning through longitudinal care. Health service benefits included reduced reliance on locums, improved continuity of accessible and appropriate services in areas otherwise facing major recruitment and retention issues, and the doctors having more time to contribute to improving service quality and upskilling local staff. Policy-maker benefits were sustaining safe and high quality services for distributed populations with high needs. The RVTS model was perceived to offer diverse benefits for different system stakeholders which could improve quality of learning, service delivery and community care. It also aligned with key policy directions for a distributed and sustainable generalist workforce under the goals of the National Medical Workforce Strategy 2021-2031 and the directions set by the independent review of overseas health practitioner regulatory settings led by Robyn Kruk. However, models like the RVTS largely rely on distribution levers to recruit more doctors to the locations it supports.

Organization and financing of the health care system in Kazakhstan

Despite the challenges posed by the consequences of the global pandemic, achieving the country's national development goals remains a strategic direction of public health policy. The article aims to study the dynamics of healthcare financing in Kazakhstan, provide forecasts of upcoming development, and compare it with healthcare systems of developed countries. Based on the analysis of the current state and potential problems, recommendations were developed to improve the healthcare financing system in Kazakhstan. This article also analyzes the main parameters of health financing in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the period 2012–2022 and, in comparison with developed countries, provides the main reasons for maintaining low parameters of public health financing, which becomes a real obstacle to the implementation of measures aimed at achieving universal health coverage. During the research, a wide range of methodological approaches was applied, including system analysis (the study of an object as an integral system, interrelated elements), comparative analysis (comparison of the studied object with others in a number of characteristics), functional analysis (identification of the functions of the elements of the object and their interrelations), economic and statistical analysis and synthesis (collection, processing, interpretation of economic and statistical data), mathematical methods (modeling of studied processes and phenomena using mathematical models), dialectical methods (the study of an object in its development, change and contradictions), analysis of the burden of the disease (assessment of the economic and social consequences of the disease).

Quality of life modeling in Saint Petersburg and the Northwest regions

Subject: application of the quality economics methodology to obtain scientifically based assessments of the quality of life in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District. The purpose of the study: research development related to the search for possible areas of impact on the socio-economic system that contribute to improving the population’s quality of life in the context of digitalization (according to the data from St. Petersburg and the regions of the Northwestern Federal District). In the course of the study, a quality of life model was created for the regions of the Northwestern Federal District. A basic and comprehensive assessment of the quality of life was carried out, so now we can trace the more than ten-year dynamics of the indicator, group the regions, identify and justify their common and accusatory features in the context of the study. An analysis of individual characteristics of the quality of life in the Northwestern Federal District regions has shown that it is possible to measure the contribution that medical and demographic conditions, socio-economic well-being, comfort and safety of the living environment make to the quality of life indicator. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that it is important to assess the contribution of these components to determine the direction of regional development policy. In the interests of revealing promising opportunities for obtaining algorithmic solutions in the field of standardization of quality of life management in the region, a new format of a multi-level quality management system is proposed. The use of a digitalized format for managerial decision-making in a multi-level quality management system will greatly increase their effectiveness by expanding the capabilities of analyzing complex data without clear relationships, including for forecasting and optimizing processes occurring at the local, regional, and national levels.

Global spillovers of US climate policy risk: Evidence from EU carbon emissions futures

International climate policy risk spillovers occur when expected changes to climate policy stringency in one country affect expected climate policy stringency in another country. We develop an event study procedure to identify such spillovers in emissions trading systems, specifically examining the impact from the United States (US) to the European Union (EU). Distinguishing between policy events likely to reduce US commitment to climate action (‘brown events’) and those likely to increase it (‘green events’), we find that the average brown US policy event is associated with an anticipated increase in future EU carbon permit supply, leading to a cumulative 7.1% drop in EU carbon prices over the event window. Conversely, green US policy events are linked to an expected decrease in future EU permit supply, resulting in a cumulative 4.7% rise in EU carbon prices. These findings suggest that financial markets anticipate EU regulators to align with the direction of US climate policy. Our results underscore the significance of regulatory risk spillovers in global climate policy coordination.

Forms of Representation of Military Culture in Computer Games

The purpose of this article is to identify the forms of representation of military culture in computer games. In the course of the research, six types of interpretations of military culture were presented on the basis of a systematic approach, which made it possible to formulate a more general, broad concept that served as a basis for the subsequent discovery of its aspects and representations in computer games developed since the 2000s. The representation of aspects of military culture in games is reflected in four forms of representation: through game theme, individual game elements and stories, game genre, and game mechanics. The first one takes into account that the military theme is revealed in computer games in several forms of relation to reality: military-historical games; games thematically related to the modern army and modern military conflicts; games modelling military conflicts of the near future; fantasy games representing the army or armed forces of the distant future; fantasy games. The second demonstrates that mechanical elements and plot moves related to military culture can be present in games of almost all genres. The third defines genres related to military culture, the division of which is along the lines of personalized participation in military actions/simulation of a certain command and operation level, and each of them has its own aspects. The distinctive feature of the above forms is a limited representation of military culture, subjective focus on individual aspects. The fourth form of representation assumes a positive forecast of the development of computer games about military culture. It is expected that a simulator of everyday activities of servicemen will appear, which would make it possible to take a new look at military games and reflect the requirements of Russian legislation in the field of defense. This will help, among other things, to shape the directions of the state cultural policy for the development and preservation of the spiritual and moral foundations and traditional values of Russian culture embodied in modern forms and genres of art.

Relevance of Religious Court Decisions on Marriage to National Development Policy Directions: A Legal and Social Analysis

The results show that the Religious Courts play an important role in harmonising Islamic law with national development policies and international legal standards, particularly in the context of protecting the rights of women and children. However, challenges exist in harmonising interpretations of Islamic law with the principles of human rights and gender equality guaranteed by international conventions such as CEDAW. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method to analyse the relevance of Religious Court decisions related to marriage to national development policies as well as their relationship to international law. Primary data was obtained through analysis of Religious Court decisions in several regions of Indonesia in the last five years covering marital issues such as divorce, polygamy, child custody, and division of joint property. Secondary data included national policy documents, such as the RPJMN, as well as international legal instruments such as CEDAW. This research identifies the need for progressive reforms in the Religious Courts system, including capacity building of judges in understanding international law, revision of the Compilation of Islamic Law, and strengthening co-operation between relevant institutions. The innovative contribution of this research lies in its in-depth analysis of how the Religious Courts can serve as a bridge between religious law, national development policy, and Indonesia's international obligations.

What’s the Future for Science in the New Zealand Curriculum?

AbstractThis commentary article considers the current contentious debates over the national school science curriculum in Aoteaora New Zealand. The co-authors of this commentary are members of a group of science teacher educators and science education researchers who met recently to discuss concerns over aspects of these debates in the context of a wider political contest over the control and direction of education policy.

Practical Pedagogical Approaches: Integrating Play-based and Experiential Learning at Pre-Primary Education as per NEP 2020 and NCF-FS 2022

Early childhood education in India is undergoing significant changes, guided by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) 2022. This paper explores practical pedagogical approaches for pre-primary and early childhood care and education (ECCE) in India, aligning with these policy recommendations. It examines key strategies for implementing play-based learning, developing language and literacy skills, building foundational numeracy competencies, and incorporating inquiry-based and activity-based learning approaches. The study emphasizes the importance of creating stimulating learning environments featuring well-equipped indoor and outdoor play areas to facilitate meaningful play experiences. It details methods for fostering oral language development, phonological awareness, and early literacy skills through various activities and a print-rich classroom setting. Strategies for developing number sense, basic operations, spatial awareness, and other core numeracy concepts are outlined. The paper also explores approaches for integrating inquiry-based learning to nurture scientific thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, the paper discusses the role of diverse activities in promoting holistic development across physical, cognitive, social-emotional, language, and aesthetic domains. It highlights integrating art and experimentation in ECCE to enhance creativity and self-expression. The role of educators is analyzed, focusing on their contribution to creating stimulating learning environments and facilitating meaningful experiences for children. Challenges in implementing these approaches include infrastructure and resource constraints, teacher training needs, parental engagement, and cultural relevance. However, the evolving policy landscape also presents opportunities for transformation through increased investment, flexibility in curriculum design, and an emphasis on developmentally appropriate practices. The paper concludes with recommendations for future directions, such as strengthening ECCE infrastructure, enhancing teacher professional development, fostering community engagement, conducting further research, and developing culturally appropriate resources. By synthesizing evidence-based practices aligned with policy directives, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of effective pedagogy for fostering young children’s holistic growth and development in early childhood education in India.

Государственная политика в сфере развития креативной экономики Российской Федерации

The article analyzes the main directions of state policy in the field of development of the creative economy of the Russian Federation. The institutional framework for the legal regulation of politics, key concepts and their definitions are given, the principles of implementation of the policy under consideration are systematized and supplemented, the main groups of existing support measures are formed.

Police accountability and officer misconduct: moderation effects by officers’ gender and race for body-worn cameras and an early intervention system

PurposeMuch empirical work has examined body-worn cameras (BWCs), and there is a growing interest in early intervention systems (EISs) in policing. Whether the effects of these accountability mechanisms are stable by officer gender and race remains unknown – important assumptions of each program despite differences in misconduct levels and policing practices by subgroups of officers (i.e. male vs female officers, White vs Black and Hispanic officers).Design/methodology/approachThe current study uses data from a large Southwestern police department to examine the influence of BWCs and an EIS on alleged and sustained patrol officer misconduct between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2020.FindingsIn line with expectations and the intended goal of these programs, the effects of BWCs and the EIS on officer misconduct were stable by officer gender and race.Originality/valueGiven the importance of addressing officer misconduct to build and maintain community trust and the rapid expansion of BWCs and EISs across the United States, it is vital that police departments consider the accountability programs they implement and the equity of these programs. The current study provides insight into this process in one agency and offers policy implications and directions for future research.

Navigating new assessment policy

The last issue of Assessment News (Darr & Cosslett, 2024) outlined NZCER’s position on possible assessment policy directions that had been signalled by parties within the new coalition government. Since then, the Government has released a plan for consistent assessment, which requires all primary schools to use standardised assessment tools twice yearly. The PATs are one of three choices of assessment tools that schools can use for progression monitoring in Years 3–8. This edition of Assessment News is written by members of NZCER’s Assessment Services and Education Advisory teams. The team reflects on how they are going about providing the support needed to help schools to navigate the new policy settings and build assessment and data analysis capability according to where each school is at and what they want to achieve.

Editorial

E ngā kaipānui o Set: Research Information for Teachers, kia ora, kia kaha, kia māia. Ko tēnei te wā o Whiringa-ā-Nuku. The sun is trying its best to warm the ground, still with a chill in the air. This issue aims to provide some warm support to teachers who have received crisp directions over the winter months on how to structure teaching and learning. Two commissioned supporting articles provide the bookends. For Q&A I asked the lead developer of social and emotional learning resources for teachers, Aha and Oto, to share her wisdom. Cat Lunjevich explains how collaborating with researchers, schools, and their communities influenced the design of the cards and the support they provide for teachers to foster social and emotional learning. For Assessment News I asked the Progressive Achievement Tests’ (PAT) Assessment Services and Education Advisory team to explain how they will support schools to manage the Ministry of Education’s new assessment requirements. Ben Gardiner and advisers draw on the concept of wayfinding to understand each school’s starting point and guide them toward their preferred destination. The article follows up the previous edition of Assessment News, which outlined the position of the New Zealand Council of Educational Research (Darr and Cosslett, 2024) on potential policy directions prior to the Ministry’s July announcement. Between the two bookends readers will find articles across Practitioner Inquiry, He Rangahau Whakarāpopoto, and He Whakaaro Anō.

Technological Change and Techno-Social Systems: Re-Examining Sustainable Development and Digitalisation in Africa

This article argues that understanding currently dominant technological change models in low-and-middle income countries is important to addressing challenges to sustainable development with enhanced knowledge and effective policies. Combining such understanding with using systems thinking, as a theoretical framework, helps in illuminating techno-social systems and their overlaps with economic and human development systems, therefore highlighting possible leverage points for interventions to usher technological change towards sustainable development objectives. The proposed conceptual synthesis between technological change models and systems thinking is then critically applied to case studies related to digitalisation in Africa, where challenges to sustainability are amplified by continuous pressure for technological advancement, making local capabilities a central issue. The case studies examine how continental digitalisation indicators are ahead of industrialisation and human development indicators, with similar issues in digitalising agri-food ecosystems. We show that, while Africa is currently increasing in digitalisation, correlations between digitalisation and sustainable development are not as direct, or necessarily positive, as initially assumed. Similar trends are seen in digitalisation and agri-food ecosystems, where farm-raised data is monetised off-farm, thus removing opportunities for farmers to realise return on their knowledge investment. Examining the cases, using the proposed synthesis approach, reveals that digitalisation can contribute to development indicators when coupled with enhancing employment in productive sectors and that the prevailing order of ‘technology-push, demand-pull’ models suggests more investment in technological improvement. The article contributes to theory by illuminating overlaps between two theoretical/conceptual areas and to praxis by informing alternative policy directions.

MAIN DIRECTIONS OF STATE POLICY OF UKRAINE CONCERNING THE SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS IN THE FIELD OF MEDICAL, PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION OF PARTICIPANTS IN COMBAT ACTIONS

he article summarizes information on the main directions of the state policy of Ukraine in solving problems in the field of medical, physical and psychological rehabilitation of combatants. The study of the main directions of the state policy of Ukraine in solving problems in the field of medical, physical and psychological rehabilitation of combatants has a systemic nature. Therefore, research methods are also multidisciplinary, because the research concerns administrative law, public administration, and the field of health care. The functional-competence approach was specially applied, according to which the competence of the central bodies of the executive power of Ukraine was analyzed in terms of the development and implementation of state policy. The effectiveness of state policy in the field of state financial guarantees of medical care for the population under the medical guarantee program has been analyzed. Provision of sanatorium-resort treatment and medical benefits are considered. Problems have been identified when the transition of military personnel to civilian life will become a serious challenge for the country. The problem will arise in the context of ensuring a unified approach to the provision of benefits. The issue of rehabilitation financing was considered, in particular, it was noted that all the listed services are provided either exclusively at the expense of local budgets, or under a mixed system, when local authorities receive a partial subvention from the state budget. The problem of transfer of benefits administration functions to local self-government bodies and the introduction of an automated system for servicing the needs of veterans was declared.

Kingdon의 정책흐름 모형을 적용한 학교 상담 정책의 변동 분석

This study analyzed the process of policy change regarding school counseling using Kingdon's policy flow model. In order to analyze the overall school counseling policy, we collected government reports, press releases, and research reports published by professional educational institutions with public trust, as well as academic papers and press releases, and conducted a literature analysis to draw the following conclusions. The implementation system for implementing school counseling and the flow of policy for the placement of professional counselors are established in Article 12 of the 「School Violence Prevention and Countermeasures Act」 in 2004, which specifies the placement of professional counselors and the composition of a dedicated organization and provides for full-fledged school counseling. The policy has been activated. However, as individual policies are implemented without legal basis, there has been confusion in the performance of roles and duties due to changes in government or replacement of the minister in charge. The results of this study are expected to provide an opportunity to correct the direction of school counseling policy by understanding changes in the flow of goals and attributes during the implementation process of school counseling policy and exploring the process of policy emergence. Through this study, we aim to provide evidence to support the establishment of legislation for school counseling policies.

Dinamika Harga Beras di Kota Kendari: Analisis Fluktuasi 2015-2023

Food price stability is one of the essential issues in the direction of government policy. Price uncertainty at the farm level and the guarantee of food price stability at the consumer level are unresolved problems. This study aims to analyze rice price fluctuations in Kendari City from 2015 to 2024. The research was conducted in Kendari City in March - May 2024. The research used secondary data, namely time series data on rice prices in Kendari City from 2015 to 2023. The research data collection technique is a literature study, namely collecting time series data on rice prices in Kendari City sourced from the Central Bureau of Statistics and related agencies. The research variable is the price of rice in Kendari City from 2015 to 2023. Data analysis used to analyze rice price fluctuations in Kendari City is the Coefficient of Variation (CV). The results showed that rice price fluctuations in Kendari City from 2015 to 2023 were low, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 3%. The highest rice price condition in Kendari City occurred in 2023, which amounted to IDR 13,321 per kilogram. At the same time, the lowest rice price condition occurred in 2015, which amounted to IDR 9,738 per kilogram. Therefore, government policy intervention is needed to stabilize food prices, especially rice in Kendari City.

Enhancing The Quality Of Agricultural Technology Education In A Developing Economy

The development and transformation of Nigerian agriculture vis-a-vis the development of Nigerian economy has been the utmost concern of government. researchers and many individuals. Most developed and developing countries of the world have long realized that the only way to meet adequate diet and food demand of their people is by acquiring functional literacy, knowledge and skill for productive activity. Education policies in Nigeria have often focused on raising aggregate enrolment figures, training more teachers and building more schools, paying attention to the lopsidedness in the geographical distribution of educational facilities across the nation for the sake of social justice and equity. However, until recently, conspicuously absent n most planning efforts in Nigeria s the concern for the quality and relevance of our educational training towards National development. It is against this background that attempts is made by this paper to raise some basic issues relating to Agricultural Technology Education, this is with a view of establishing a basis for understanding the problem and indicate possible directions for policy making. Keywords: Quality, Agricultural Technology, Education, Developing Economy, Schools, Building

Assessing the impact of maker services in Barcelona and Milan towards the 15-minute city model through their accessibility

Re-organizing cities with proximity-based urban planning models such as the 15-Minute City model is an emerging and promising direction of policy, practice and research for sustainable cities. The planning of new urban spaces, infrastructures and mobilities requires planning and designing services that support citizens in their proximities. Along this direction, the emergence of the Maker Movement and its maker laboratories (Fab Labs, Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, DIYbio Labs, and so on) contributes to building the infrastructure for distributed design and manufacturing services in cities. How can we adopt the impact assessment of maker services in terms of potential accessibility for designing services towards the 15-Minute City model? We explore this issue within the context of the metropolitan areas of Barcelona and Milan by analysing 1) the 15-minute walking distance catchment areas of their maker service; 2) how to adopt this method for service design and impact assessment in the 15-Minute City model.