Real Work Activities Research Articles

THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING POLYTECHNICAL EDUCATION TO THE SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE EARLY 1930s (BASED ON ARCHIVAL SOURCES OF ULYANOVSK REGION)

Rapidly changing global conditions dictate the need to reform the education system. For this process to be effective, it is supposed to study the historical experience, in particular the positive experience of reforming the Soviet education system, which indicates the practical significance of the research work.
 
 The purpose of the research is to study the process of introducing polytechnical education to the Soviet school in order to identify problems, difficulties and practical methods of their overcoming that could be applied at the present stage.
 
 Materials and methods. The materials of local archival sources and the press were used; the methods of introducing polytechnical education into the secondary education, as well as their actual implementation in schools were analyzed. Of scientific interest is the factual material (archival documents, publications in the local press), which provides a favorable basis for studying the way the party policy was implemented locally.
 
 Study results. The structure of the executive branch was a guarantee that party policy would be implemented, but bureaucratization hindered this process, which in general terms is the analogue of current situation. The multilateral system of control in the school system (administrative, party and public ones) contributed to the fact that the introduction of polytechnical education passed quite effectively not only in the city, but in rural areas as well. In addition, involvement of schoolchildren in real work activities, as well as introduction of practical classes, had a positive impact on the process of introducing polytechnical education and optimizing the entire education system.
 
 Conclusions. Introduction of theoretical classes in vocational guidance, as well as practical lessons, can contribute to improving the general level of education in modern schoolchildren, their awareness about the diversity of professions, and increase the prestige of “working” specialties. The author provides a parallel analysis of the situation in the early 1930s and the current state of the educational system, showing new opportunities of prompts for solving modern problems in the educational system.

Ergonomic assessment of postal workers’ pain symptoms and musculoskeletal risks related to parcel processing activity for delivery

The parcel delivery activity is carried out all over the world and workers in this sector have suffered from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to the strong demand for work generated by the recent increase in e-commerce. This study aimed to evaluate postal workers' pain symptoms, movements and identify MSDs risks related to the parcel processing activity for delivery, proposing preventive measures. A sample of thirty-two workers was evaluated with the application of sociodemographic and Nordic questionnaires and electrical bioimpedance. The motion capture sensors were used to evaluate right/left shoulder joints, segment C7-T1 (Cervical) and segment L5-S1 (Lumbar) of three postal workers (percentiles of anthropometric data: 5, 50, and 95) during four real work activities that are part of the parcel processing. The analyzed workers presented musculoskeletal complaints in practically all body regions, with a greater prevalence in shoulders, hands, lower back, and knees. According to the Body Mass Index (BMI), they were on average overweight (27.8 ± 3.7 kg/m2). In the movement analysis, we identified risks related to cervical protrusion, anterior trunk flexion, and shoulder flexion, in addition to repetitive movements. In some activities, the higher stature showed an increase in lumbar and cervical anterior flexion. The set of evaluations showed that the activity of processing orders for delivery offers musculoskeletal risks. We identify that ergonomic adaptations are necessary to adapt the heights of the work environment to the statures of the postal workers. Relevance to industry: The activity of processing orders for delivery is carried out practically all over the world generating jobs and income for its employees. Nonetheless, there are still situations of ergonomic disadvantage that can generate musculoskeletal risks. The findings elucidate ergonomic risks and provide useful information for future ergonomic interventions in the postal/delivery workplace environment.

Peran Pendidikan dan Pelatihan dalam Meningkatkan Perekonomian Masyarakat

The purpose of education and training is to improve the knowledge, skills, attitudes and skills of employees to be more professional in the work so that organizational goals can be achieved and has been linked to employees to performance. Increase the morale of the workforce throughout the workforce to carry out an organization with higher organization commitment. While the benefits of education and training is to improve the stability of the employees and can provide an opportunity for employees to develop themselves in order to carry out the tasks can be carried out effectively and efficiently. Education and training of employees is a job requirement to improve the mastery of a wide range of skills, expertise and knowledge based on detailed real work activities and routines in order to perform and complete the work give to him. While the process or steps of education and training should be conducted with respect to: a) Targets, b) Curriculum, c) Infrastructure, d) Participants, e) Coaches, and f) Implementation. Training organizers also must firts establish clear goals to be achieved for the implementation of the training program can be directed to the achievement of organizational goals

A Wearable System Based on Flexible Sensors for Unobtrusive Respiratory Monitoring in Occupational Settings

Workers experiencing high levels of stress may suffer from poor motivation, low level of attention, and physical disorders which, in turn, may lead to work injuries. Respiratory frequency (fR) is considered one of the most reliable indicators of the mental load and fatigue state of workers. Monitoring this parameter through wearable devices represents an efficient solution for the maintenance of Occupational Health and Safety. We developed an innovative wearable system equipped with flexible sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) to monitor fR in static and dynamic conditions characterizing occupational settings. This article provides a description of the system and of the metrological characteristics of the flexible sensors in terms of response to strain and temperature changes, and hysteresis error. The performances of the device, evaluated in a laboratory during the execution of tasks mimicking real work activity, are also reported. The obtained promising results encourage the engineering of the system for use in real workplaces to collect quantitative information on the psychophysical state of workers and its relation to stress level.

Workers’ Aging Management—Human Fatigue at Work: An Experimental Offices Study

The aging issue in the work context is becoming a significant element of the future sustainability of service and industrial companies. It is well known that with increasing worker age the problem of maintaining the performance and the safety level when fatigue increases is a crucial point, and fatigue increases with the age. Due to social and political developments, especially in Western countries, the retirement age is increasing and companies operate with a higher workforce mean age. Therefore, the problem of recognizing and measuring fatigue has become a key aspect in the management of aging. Note that in the scientific engineering field, the problem of fatigue evaluation when a worker is performing his/her work activities is an important issue in the industrial and service world and especially in the context of the researchers that are investigating the human reliability assessment. As it is clear from the literature, the industrial operations management are suffering from some misleading concepts that only the medicine scientific context can clarify. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to define what are the open issues and the misleading concepts present in the classical fatigue evaluation methods, and second to define two experimental curves of fatigue that will help the decision makers to minimize the impact of fatigue on the workers, thus maximizing the sustainability of the working tasks assigned. This aim is achieved by examining the medical literature about the measurement of a particular kind of fatigue related to the circadian cycle, i.e., the cognitive one; after that, a survey about the possible technologies for measurements is performed. On the basis of technology selection, an experiment on real work activities is performed and some remarkable results about the fatigue in the workers observed and the technology use and its limitations are defined.

Development of an Acceptance Model for Occupational Exoskeletons and Application for a Passive Upper Limb Device

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONOccupational exoskeletons may help reduce the physical demands of work, but several challenges exist in their workplace integration. While there is evidence that wearing an exoskeleton can reduce perceptions of effort and muscle fatigue, exoskeletons can negatively affect user acceptance if they increase local discomfort or do not provide sufficient adjustability. Additionally, most existing evidence is from laboratory settings, which has unknown validity for real work activities. To address these limitations, we completed a field study to identify key acceptance factors in real contexts of use, as well as methods for measurement. From our results, we present acceptance factors in a model centered on four aspects concerning the use of an occupational exoskeleton, a global methodology for factor identification, and propose easy measurement methods for practitioners. These outputs provide new ergonomics specifications for human–exoskeleton interaction in the early use stage.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: To address the high costs of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, several industries have started to experiment with exoskeletons, but have faced technical and psychological barriers. The design of efficient and usable exoskeletons needs to account for both technical constraints and more subtle requirements related to their acceptance by users. Existing models of acceptability, essentially based on predictive methods and information sciences, were not considered relevant for the case of occupational exoskeletons. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to specify an acceptance model adapted to occupational exoskeletons, in order to facilitate their evaluation during the initial phase of use in the field. Methods: We employed an ecological approach. Because of the physical interaction the user experiences with an exoskeleton and within the working situation, acceptance criteria were developed from actual field use. Initially, an action research process was completed to identify key determinants in the field. New factors, missing in existing acceptability models, were added to a proposed new model, together with methods for their measurement. To test the new model, an experiment was completed on manual operations in an industrial context and partly in a laboratory. Results: We organized the identified factors into an acceptance model, which was then validated and completed by exoskeleton experts in ergonomics based on four aspects: physical, occupational, cognitive, and affective. Conclusions: This new model, focused on usability, is based on easy-to-implement methods and could, therefore, be of use to diverse stakeholders (exoskeleton designers, ergonomists, etc.). Based on a real use approach, such a model makes it easier to evaluate the human–exoskeleton system, and could thus facilitate more successful adoption by companies.

PEMETAAN DEMOGRAFI DESA CIBURUY KECAMATAN PADALARANG KABUPATEN BANDUNG BARAT MELALUI KEGIATAN KULIAH KERJA NYATA

Community development in a village certainly should start from the existing potentials in the village both the potential of human resources and natural resources potential. To view these potentials need for demographic mapping of a village. Therefore, in this study the demographic mapping of Ciburuy village was carried out through real work activities. The purpose of this study was to map the demographics of Ciburuy village and to see the relevance of the real work activities of STKIP Siliwangi programs in Ciburuy village. The method used in this study is the qualitative research method. Data collection is done directly using the observation sheet and questionnaire. Demographic status Ciburuy village viewed from various fields, namely the field of population, education, health, religion, social and culture is the right village to be used as a village area guided by STKIP Siliwangi. Potentials that exist in Ciburuy consists of potential natural resources such as situ ciburuy, plantations, agriculture, fisheries, and limestone mines. Potential local products such as comring business, bamboo carving, making aquariums, making tables and chairs from Olympic materials, and making sequins. There is relevance between the real work program of STKIP Siliwangi and programs at Ciburuy village.

Uma interpretação discursiva sobre o real da atividade docente no ensino superior: dificuldades e super-ações

RESUMO Este artigo tem por objetivo apresentar os resultados de uma análise de um texto produzido por um professor de ensino superior em que identificamos representações construídas sobre o seu trabalho efetivamente realizado a partir dos níveis enunciativo e semântico (Machado & Bronckart 2009). Seguimos o interacionismo sociodiscursivo (Bronckart 2006, 2008), que atribui ao agir e à linguagem papel fundamental no desenvolvimento humano, e a Psicologia do Trabalho (Clot 2006, 2010) que estudam situações de trabalho. Para a geração do texto em análise, utilizamos um procedimento denominado instrução ao sósia com um professor experiente da área de estudos da linguagem de uma universidade pública. Como resultado, identificamos elementos que remetem a dificuldades para a realização de algumas atividades de trabalho, mas também a superações, evidenciado o real da atividade de trabalho do professor.

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Performance indicators of work activity

The measurement of performance is a current topic in the management of people in companies, used as a parameter of effectiveness of processes and operations of production. The methods and models of the indicators of current use in the production have concentrated in the assessment of people's performance as determinative resource of the organizational success in the search for the competitiveness. Associated with the classic indicators of performance assessment of the production proceeding, other indicators are used in the assessment of risks and hazards, however with methods focused in the tasks, without connection with the real work activity. The present article explores literature on the models of performance measurement in use in companies and a field research to understand how companies interpret and use indicators that relate health and work, to direct future studies on the subject. Regarding the literature review, one can see that health indicators can be basically divided into two major groups: the legal and managerial indicators. When conducting case studies, it can be realized that companies do not have precisely the concept of health indicator, or were unable to define which of the indicators could be considered indicators of health, considering that absenteeism was the indicator mentioned by the four companies.

Towards understanding and managing the learning process in mail sorting

This paper was based on case study research at the Swedish Mail Service Division and it addresses learning time to sort mail at new districts and means to support the learning process on an individual as well as organizational level. The study population consisted of 46 postmen and one team leader in the Swedish Mail Service Division. Data were collected through measurements of time for mail sorting, interviews and a focus group. The study showed that learning to sort mail was a much more complex process and took more time than expected by management. Means to support the learning process included clarification of the relationship between sorting and the topology of the district, a good work environment, increased support from colleagues and management, and a thorough introduction for new postmen. The identified means to support the learning process require an integration of human, technological and organizational aspects. The study further showed that increased operations flexibility cannot be reinforced without a systems perspective and thorough knowledge about real work activities and that ergonomists can aid businesses to acquire this knowledge.

The PhOCoe Model – ergonomic pattern mapping in participatory design processes

The discipline and practice of human factors and ergonomics is quite rich in terms of the availability of analysis, development and evaluation tools and methods for its various processes. However, we lack effective instruments to either map or regulate comprehensively and effectively, cognitive and organizational related impacts, especially the environmental ones. Moreover, when ergonomic transformations through design - such as a new workstation design or even an entire new facility - is at play, ergonomics professionals tend to stay at bay, relying solely on design professionals and engineers. There is vast empirical evidence showing that participation of ergonomists as project facilitators, may contribute to an effective professional synergy amongst the various stakeholders in a multidisciplinary venue. When that happens, everyone wins - users and designers alike -because eventual conflicts, raised up in the midst of options selection, are dissipated in exchange for more convergent design alternatives. This paper presents a method for participatory design, in which users are encouraged to actively participate in the whole design process by sharing their real work activities with the design team. The negotiated results inferred from the ergonomic action and translated into a new design, are then compiled into a "Ergonomic Pattern Manual". This handbook of ergonomics-oriented design guidelines contains essential guidelines to be consulted in recurrent design project situations in which similar patterns might be used. The main drive is simple: nobody knows better than workers themselves what an adequate workplace design solution (equipment, workstation, office layout) should be.

An ergonomic approach to reorganize parking inspection agents' work productivity, health and safety in São Paulo, Brazil

The Traffic Engineering Company of the City of São Paulo (Brazil) observed a decrease in productivity, and an increase in sick leave, accidents and psychological distress among their parking inspection agents. To document this situation, qualitative research was undertaken to obtain an in-depth comprehension of work activity. Workers, managers and health and safety professionals contributed to the documentation of the problem and to the proposal of possible solutions. Ergonomic work analysis focusing on real work activity, as well as interviews with individual or groups of stakeholders, were conducted. This research revealed that political-economic factors gradually contributed to: 1) an increasing work load; 2) growing fatigue throughout the day, increasing the workers' vulnerability to incidents and accidents and their tendency to react inappropriately to violence experienced on the street; and 3) excessive individual responsibility to manage dangerous situations. Recommendations to ameliorate the situation are proposed. These suggestions are discussed in terms of feasibility given the impact of macro social factors upon micro work activity, and the associated potential expansion of the ergonomist's role.

Heart rate in professional musicians

BackgroundVery few studies have analysed heart rate (HR) with regard to music playing, and the scarce evidence available is controversial. The purpose of this study was to analyse the HR response of professional musicians during their real-work activity.MethodsSixty-two voluntary professional musicians (20 women, 42 men), whose ages ranged between 15 and 71 years old, underwent the test while playing their instruments in real life scenarios, i.e. rehearsals, practice and public concerts. The musicians carried Sport Tester PE4000 (Polar®, Finland) pulsometers to record their HR.In order to compare data from differently aged subjects we calculated their Maximum Theoretical Heart Rate (MTHR). Later on we found out the MTHR percentages (%MTHR) corresponding to the registered HR of each subject in different situations. The value of the MTHR for every musician was obtained by means of the 220 – age (in years) formula.ResultsThroughout the HR recordings, we have observed that musicians present a heightened HR while playing (in soloists, mean and maximum HR were 72% and 85%MTHR, respectively). Cardiac demand is significantly higher in concerts than in rehearsals while performing the same musical piece. The HR curves corresponding to the same musician playing in repeated concerts (with the same programme) were similar.ConclusionThe cardiac demand of a professional instrument player is higher than previously described, much greater than what would be expected from a supposedly sedentary activity.

Participation in videoconferenced meetings: user disposition and meeting context

Although videoconferencing systems are increasingly becoming important in the support of geographically dispersed groups, there are few studies that identify the types of tasks that are most effectively performed within videoconferenced meetings. This study investigates the relationship between (a) technology quality and communication activity during videoconferenced meetings, and (b) the intention of participants to support subsequent meetings. The data consists of a sample ( n=295) of participants in a group videoconferencing system trial conducted by twenty government departments and incorporated bodies. Meeting sessions involved real work activities chosen by each of the participating groups. The results show that perceptions about the quality of technology and the communication activity conducted during the session are significantly related to the intentions of participants to support the use of the technology. Contrary to what might have been presumed, the findings also sbow that a significant majority of the participating groups chose communication activities least suited to the processing capabilities of the videoconferencing media.