Sudden Shift Research Articles

Profiles of goal adjustment capacities are differentially associated with perfectionism, excellencism, and psychological adjustment of students in a time of crisis

ABSTRACT Students had to adjust their goals during the sudden shift to online teaching amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This study with 613 university students identified four multidimensional profiles based on how they relied on goal disengagement, reengagement, and perseverative engagement (a new dimension of goal adjustment capacities). Students who disengaged from goals, reengaged in new ones, and were less likely to dwell on their former goals (goal reengagement profile) experienced less stress and burnout and more growth experiences. Students who reengaged less in goals (goal entrapment profile) and those who reengaged but dwelled on their former goals (action crisis profile) experienced worse psychological outcomes. Perfectionists were more likely than excellence strivers to be part of an action crisis goal adjustment profile.

BLENDED LEARNING IN TEACHING ENGLISH LITERATURE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS

This study investigates teachers' perceptions of blended learning in the context of English Literature during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research aims to understand how English teachers adapted to the sudden shift from traditional to blended learning environments. The research includes exploring the strategies employed by teachers when integrating literature lessons into a blended learning approach, impacts of blended learning during the pandemic to teachers’ teaching professionalism and problems faced by teachers when designing Literature lessons during the pandemic. Four English Literature teachers from SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Penampang participated in semi-structured interviews, providing different perceptions into their experiences with blended learning. The findings reveal that technology played an essential role in facilitating teaching and learning during the pandemic. The combination of traditional and digital methods allowed for a balanced approach to teaching English Literature, fostering interactive and collaborative learning experiences. Despite these benefits, the transition to blended learning presented significant challenges in terms of adaptation, professional growth and connectivity issues. The study helps to understand the implications of this research especially for researchers, teachers and students. The data gained from this study offer guidance for improving blended learning practices and addressing the needs of students and teachers in a rapidly evolving educational setting.

‘The Patriarchy Is Finished’: Broadcasting Women’s Emancipation on RIAS Berlin

Abstract This article examines a sudden shift in women’s radio programming in the late 1950s at RIAS Berlin (Radio in the American Sector Berlin). The American-led propaganda radio station had been established in 1946 to support democracy in West Berlin and then also to combat Communism in East Germany. From its initial broadcast day, RIAS targeted female audiences with a mix of household tips and political analysis that highlighted the ways the Communist regime worked against women. However, in 1957 the women’s division began to critique conservative gender norms in arguing for female equality in West Germany. RIAS introduced a new program, the soap opera Gaby and Franz, that modelled a more companionate form of marriage. At the same time, its established women’s programs, including Can You Spare 5 Minutes?, highlighted obstacles to the full realization of legal reforms such as the Law for the Protection of Mothers of 1952 and the Equal Rights Law of 1957. To promote women’s rights in the Federal Republic, the women’s division adapted the presentation style designed to fight East German Communism. Drawing upon scripts held by Deutschlandfunk Kultur, the successor station to RIAS, the article argues that radio offered an ideal medium for women to press for gender equality at the micro level of the home and the macro level of policy well before the women’s rights movement of the late 1960s.

Exploring distance learning in rural private schools in the Philippines: Challenges, coping mechanisms, and model development

The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant changes to the educational landscape, impacting not only public schools but also private learning institutions. This study explores the experiences of private schools at the administrative and faculty levels, focusing on the challenges encountered and the coping mechanisms employed in implementing distance learning. A descriptive phenomenology research design was used, emphasizing the subjective experiences of private school administrators and teachers. The researchers applied phenomenology to understand the core structure of their experiences in remote teaching and learning, with the goal of informing best practices and guiding potential changes in policies, theories, or responses to distance learning.Private schools faced a range of challenges due to this sudden shift, including insufficient professional preparation for teachers and inadequate technological infrastructure, both of which significantly affected the quality of distance learning. Despite these constraints, school leaders and teachers collaborated to propose strategies for mitigating the impact of these challenges. Key recommendations include prioritizing internet connectivity as a basic project for IT infrastructure with the support of school personnel and community leaders. Additional strategies involve offering diverse teaching modalities, conducting learner assessments, establishing effective communication and feedback systems, practicing efficient time management, fostering positive relationships, demonstrating professional integrity, advocating for ongoing training and simplified instruction, and recognizing the unique value of each learner within their academic environment.

Firearm Availability Reduces the Stability of Suicidal Ideation: Results from an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Firearm availability is correlated with increased risk of suicide but its link with suicidal ideation remains unclear. Previous studies are limited by retrospective reports and prospective designs with lengthy gaps between assessments that are ill-suited for measuring fluctuations in suicidal ideation. This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to repeatedly assess suicidal ideation in a sample of 138 U.S. adults (81 handgun owners, 57 non-owners). Participants received six EMA prompts per day for 28 consecutive days. Results revealed no group differences in the frequency, maximum amplitude, or variability of suicidal ideation across male and female handgun owners and non-owners. Stability of suicidal ideation significantly differed across groups, however (F(1,132) = 4.5, p = 0.036); male handgun owners had the strongest stability and male non-owners had the weakest stability. Stability of suicidal ideation was significantly lower when participants reported a firearm was nearby as compared to when no firearm was nearby (F(4,17732) = 5.6, p < 0.001). Results suggest firearm availability increases reactivity to the environment, slows recovery from acutely elevated risk states, and may increase vulnerability to sudden shifts to higher risk states characterized by increased probability of suicidal behavior. Although these effects were observed in both handgun owners and non-owners, they disproportionately impact handgun owners because they report being near firearms more often.

Common Envelopes, Gamma Rays, and Sudden Spectral Changes of Novae

A common envelope (CE) is proposed as the origin of the early post-outburst spectra of many novae. A simple model is proposed to explain the properties of the CE based on the emission line strengths and an assumed density distribution. Rapid changes in the spectrum during post-outburst decline are suggested as possible evidence for a CE. Time-resolved spectra from the ARAS group show sudden spectral shifts that are correlated with detected γ-ray emission, suggestive of its possible origin on the white dwarf that produces a change in condition within the CE. Episodic mass loss, formation of transient heavy element absorption systems, and dissipation of the CE may possibly be triggered by γ-ray emission.

Rapid predator-prey balance shift follows critical-population-density transmission between cod (Gadus morhua) and capelin (Mallotus villosus)

Sensing limitations have impeded knowledge about how individual predator-prey interactions build to organized multi-species group behaviour across an ecosystem. Population densities of overlapping interacting oceanic fish predator and prey species, however, can be instantaneously distinguished and quantified from roughly the elemental individual to spatial scales spanning thousands of square kilometres by wide-area multispectral underwater-acoustic sensing, as shown here. This enables fundamental mechanisms behind large-scale ordered predator-prey interactions to be investigated. Critical population densities that transition random individual behaviour to ordered group behaviour are found to rapidly propagate to form vast adversarial prey and predator shoals of capelin and surrounding cod in the Barents Sea Arctic ecosystem for these keystone species. This leads to a sudden major shift in predator-prey balance. Only a small change in local behaviour triggers the shift due to an unstable equilibrium. Such unstable equilibria and associated balance shifts at predation hotspots are often overlooked as blind spots in present ocean ecosystem monitoring and assessment due to use of highly undersampled spatio-temporal sampling methods.

Rethinking the Anthropocene: Not a time-transgressive event but a sudden rupture on the geologic time scale

The recent decision by the International Commission on Stratigraphy to reject the Anthropocene as an Epoch has reignited the debate on its definition. Some scholars have argued for interpreting the Anthropocene as an Event with no specific point of onset, but this argument has its shortcomings, including the fact that the term event has multiple connotations. This Viewpoint adds important insight to the ongoing debate by positing that (i) deliberations on the Anthropocene’s definition should not be confined to geological and historical viewpoints and must include ecological insights, and (ii) there is widespread evidence of anthropogenic reconfiguration of the planetary biosphere which translates to an accelerating sixth mass extinction as well as a conspicuous rise in the Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) at an unprecedented rate during the past few decades. When considered together with rapid anthropogenic climate change, these trends mark a major departure from previous trends on the geologic timescale, and they clearly show that the planetary biosphere has recently undergone a sudden and abrupt shift into a novel state, which cannot be adequately described by a temporally diffuse, gradual event; and must be conceptualized as a rupture—a geologically sudden major departure from prevalent trends; which in turn justifies the conceptualization of the Anthropocene as a separate chronostratigraphic unit. Understanding the catastrophic nature of the recent anthropogenic impact on the planetary biosphere is crucial for interpreting the Anthropocene and geologists must be cautious not to dilute its magnitude.

Impact of Virtual Learning on Student Performance and Engagement in Remote Hilly Areas of Uttarakhand

The rapid shift to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant changes to the education system, especially in geographically challenging regions like the remote hilly areas of Uttarakhand, India. This study explores how these shifts affected high school students' academic performance and engagement in virtual classrooms, given the unique challenges posed by limited infrastructure and connectivity. This study investigates the impact of virtual learning on student performance and engagement in the remote hilly areas of Uttarakhand, India. With the sudden shift to virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools in these regions faced unique challenges due to their geographic isolation, lack of internet access, and frequent power outages. The study aims to assess how these conditions have influenced the effectiveness of virtual learning and its impact on students' academic outcomes and engagement levels. A total of 51 high school students from 05 government schools in remote areas of Uttarakhand participated in this research. Data was collected through structured questionnaires, focusing on students’ experiences with virtual learning, their academic performance before and after the shift, and their engagement with online classes. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods, including descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and MANOVA, to analyze the data. Findings indicate that while virtual learning provided an essential educational lifeline during the pandemic, students in remote areas encountered significant barriers that hindered their learning experiences. Limited internet access and frequent electricity cuts were among the primary obstacles reported. Despite these challenges, a majority of students found virtual classrooms useful for maintaining continuity in their education. The study also reveals that virtual learning positively influenced student engagement, particularly in subjects that incorporated interactive content. However, the overall academic performance showed mixed results, with some students struggling due to the absence of traditional classroom interaction and practical learning opportunities. This research highlights the need for improved infrastructure and policy interventions to support virtual education in remote regions. It concludes that while virtual learning has potential, addressing technological and logistical barriers is crucial for ensuring equitable and effective learning experiences for all students in such areas.

Reverse Hall–Petch Effect of Nano-Bainite in a High-Carbon Silicon-Containing Steel

High-strength steels are widely used in various mechanical production and construction industries for their low cost, high strength and high toughness. Among these, bainitic steels have better comprehensive performance relative to martensite and ferrite. In this paper, from the point of view of its microscopic fine structure and mechanical properties, the high-carbon silicon-containing steel Fe-0.99C-1.37Si-0.44Mn-1.04Cr-0.03Ni was austenitized at high temperature after a brief isothermal treatment at 280 °C and is briefly reviewed. We have used EBSD, TEM and 3D-APT to observe a unique transformation in which high-carbon silicon-containing steels form nanostructured bainite with nanometer widths. Intriguingly, as the isothermal duration decreases, the beam bainite width becomes increasingly finer. When the beam bainite width falls below 50 nm, there is a sudden shift in defect type from the conventional edge-type dislocations to a defect characterized by the insertion of a semi-atomic surface in the opposite direction, which leads to different degrees of reduction in the micro- and macro-mechanical properties of high-carbon silicon-containing steels from 1754 MPa to 1667 MPa. This sudden change in the sub-structural properties is typical of the reverse Hall–Petch effect.

Stress, anxiety, and burnout among educators during the COVID-19 pandemic

The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 changed every individual’s way of living. The worldwide shift of educators toward online teaching brought to light various difficulties and challenges faced by educators. The present study was conducted to assess the stress, anxiety, and burnout among educators based in the Delhi-NCR region of India during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 77 educators participated in the web-based survey where they were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, and Maslach’s Burnout Inventory. The results revealed that stress experienced by them increased their anxiety. Anxiety increased the emotional exhaustion as well as depersonalization components of burnout whereas stress decreased the personal accomplishment component of burnout. Furthermore, the results indicated that female educators were more stressed compared to their male counterparts during this period. The findings showed how the mental health of educators was affected during the sudden shift to online teaching during the pandemic.

Cancer Prevalence across Vertebrates.

Cancer is pervasive across multicellular species, but what explains the differences in cancer prevalence across species? Using 16,049 necropsy records for 292 species spanning three clades of tetrapods (amphibians, sauropsids, and mammals), we found that neoplasia and malignancy prevalence increases with adult mass (contrary to Peto's paradox) and somatic mutation rate but decreases with gestation time. The relationship between adult mass and malignancy prevalence was only apparent when we controlled for gestation time. Evolution of cancer susceptibility appears to have undergone sudden shifts followed by stabilizing selection. Outliers for neoplasia prevalence include the common porpoise (<1.3%), the Rodrigues fruit bat (<1.6%), the black-footed penguin (<0.4%), ferrets (63%), and opossums (35%). Discovering why some species have particularly high or low levels of cancer may lead to a better understanding of cancer syndromes and novel strategies for the management and prevention of cancer. Significance: Evolution has discovered mechanisms for suppressing cancer in a wide variety of species. By analyzing veterinary necropsy records, we can identify species with exceptionally high or low cancer prevalence. Discovering the mechanisms of cancer susceptibility and resistance may help improve cancer prevention and explain cancer syndromes.

Push, Pull and Mooring Factors on Offline-Online Learning Switching Behavior

During the pandemic, many sectors, including education, were affected. The shift from traditional to online learning is an opening for students and educators to explore online learning. Students may connect from anywhere at any time through this learning mode. This sudden shift has impacted the learning behavior of students to a large extent. People can access information anytime and anywhere that is typically available only through a traditional classroom. This study adopts the Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) theory as the theoretical framework to understand how push, pull, and mooring factors affect students' shift from offline to online learning. A survey was used as the main instrument in this study. A quantitative approach was utilized to achieve the stated research objectives. The questionnaires were distributed among undergraduate students in public and private schools in Malaysia through convenience sampling techniques. The minimal 77 sample size has been determined by utilizing G*Power software. 117 responses were collected from the questionnaires that met the minimum required sample size for this study. The findings emphasize that push and pull factors are essential to student learning. However, the mooring factor does not affect the student's switching behavior. The study sheds light on capturing more essential measures in the theoretical development of switching behavior.

Climate transition risk, environmental news coverage, and stock price crash risk

Sudden shifts in climate policy, technological innovation, and market preference can negatively impact a firm's asset value, leading to potential climate transition risk. While numerous studies have examined the economic implications of climate transition risk, few have explored its impact on stock price crash risk. This study addresses this gap by introducing a novel quantitative method for assessing climate transition risk and analyzing its effect on stock price crash risk. Our findings indicate a significantly positive relationship between climate transition risk and stock price crash risk. This relationship can be mitigated by environmental news coverage. It is also found that the positive impact of climate transition risk on stock price crash risk is mainly realized through the paths of managers' hoarding of bad news and investors' divergence of opinion. The heterogeneity analysis further suggests that the positive effect of climate transition risk on stock price crash risk is weaker for firms with higher ESG performance, whereas this effect is more pronounced for firms with greater exposure to natural disasters and those operating in regions with stringent environmental regulation. Overall, our study provides novel empirical evidence on the relationship between climate risk and financial stability.

Resonant amplitude distribution of the Hilda asteroids and the free-floating planet flyby scenario

In some recent work, we provided a quantitative explanation for the number asymmetry of Jupiter Trojans by hypothesizing a free-floating planet (FFP) flyby into the Solar System. In support of that explanation, this paper examines the influence of the same FFP flyby on the Hilda asteroids, which orbit stably in the 3:2 mean motion resonance with Jupiter. The observed Hilda population exhibits two distinct resonant patterns: (1) a lack of Hildas with resonant amplitudes <40° at eccentricities <0.1; (2) a nearly complete absence of Hildas with amplitudes <20°, regardless of eccentricity. Previous models of Jupiter migration and resonance capture could account for the eccentricity distribution of Hildas but have failed to replicate the unusual absence of those with the smallest resonant amplitudes, which theoretically should be the most stable. Here we report that the FFP flyby can trigger an extremely rapid outward migration of Jupiter, causing a sudden shift in the 3:2 Jovian resonance. Consequently, Hildas with varying eccentricities would have their resonant amplitudes changed by different degrees, leading to the observed resonant patterns. We additionally show that, in our FFP flyby scenario, these patterns are consistently present across different resonant amplitude distributions of primordial Hildas arising from various formation models. We also place constraints on the potential parameters of the FFP, suggesting it should have an eccentricity of 1-1.3 or larger, an inclination up to 30° or higher, and a minimum mass of about 50 Earth masses.

Impact of school closure during COVID-19 pandemic on school-going children in a rural population of Haryana: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT Background: The Government of India undertook several measures for COVID-19 pandemic, of which school closure was one. This led to sudden shift of teaching methods from classroom-based to online mode. This study aimed to understand the effects of school closure on children during lockdown period. Methods: This was a community-based qualitative study conducted in Faridabad District, Haryana, India, from January 2022 to February 2022. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) with school students of 8th standard and above and two FGDs with parents of school students below 8th standard were conducted. In-depth interviews were conducted with two school headmasters, two teachers, a Senior Medical Officer (SMO), District Education Officer (DEO), and District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO). Responses were recorded, transcribed, and reviewed to identify themes, and thematic analysis was done. Four major themes were framed—academic, physical, behavioral, and psychosocial. Results: Decreased academic performance, teacher-student interaction, and distraction from the study were found in academic domain. There was reluctance to go back to school reopening. Low physical exercise, irregular sleep cycles meal skipping, and increased screen time were noticed. Limited mid-day meal nutrition was available. Increased fear, anxiety, and loneliness were faced along with an increase in household quarrels and violence. An increase in the number of child marriages was also reported. Few students had positive impacts like improvement in hygiene practices, learning new hobbies, and skills. Conclusion: School closure had impact on the physical, mental, socio-behavioral, and academic aspects of school-going children. In case of similar events in the future, these impacts must be kept in mind by policymakers to achieve a balance between effective pandemic control and fruitful childhoods.

The impact of distance learning on tourism and hospitality education during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Region VI, Western Visayas

This study investigates the impact of the shift from face-to-face to distance learning during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on tourism and hospitality education in colleges and universities in Region VI, Western Visayas. It compares the effects on academic performance and learning styles of students in different educational modes. The research employs a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative descriptive methods, using mobile and electronic online surveys with 292 participants from tourism and hospitality courses in Region VI. The study examines how students coped with the sudden use of technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), and their readiness for this abrupt shift. The pandemic led to psychological effects on students' academic performance as the educational system transitioned from traditional in-person learning to utilizing hardware, software, and learning resources to maintain effective education. The results indicate that academic motivation was "Average," study skills were "Moderately Low," and academic stress was "Average" across higher education institutions. A hybrid model of education and digital learning emerged, widening educational gaps due to the sudden shift in classroom activities. The pandemic reshaped national education delivery, affecting millions of private and public education students due to institutional closures. Students relied on on-hand modules and online learning through flexible or blended learning approaches, significantly impacting tourism and hospitality education and different educational modalities.

Imperatives Under Chinese Monochrome Art: Revisiting “Magiciens de la Terre”

“Les Magiciens de la Terre” has long been hailed as the first international contemporary art exhibition including both artists from Europe, Africa, Tibet, China, and other non-western places. Yang Jiechang, Gu Dexin, and Huang Yong Ping were the only three Chinese artists to participate in this exhibition. They made their debuts in front of unfamiliar overseas audiences, in which their art practices were rearranged, and Yang started his familiar series of “100 Layers of Ink.” My paper shifts the attention away from the single monochrome artwork of Yang’s 100 Layers of Ink at the Smart Museum, recenters it on the original context of the inception of this series at “Les Magiciens de la Terre,” and examines the general imperatives of those three artists’ first debuts — “distinct originality” and “being well-prepared.” The heightening emphasis on originality had already surfaced on the contemporary Chinese art scene and culminated in the curatorial plan of the exhibition’s curator, Jean-Hubert Martin. On the other hand, because of the importance of the debuts, “being well-prepared” underlined every aspect of their art-making for the exhibition, including enlarging scales, complicating the artistic concepts, and increasing working time. All those factors contributed to the sudden shifts in their art practices and shed new light on the imperatives under Yang’s monochrome art and his reflections on colors.

The Role Of Perceived Technology Support, Digital Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Employability In Remote Workers' Career Satisfaction

Remote workers have faced a sudden shift to virtual work without flexibility and often with inadequate training. This situation increases the burden related to technology. This study investigates the impact of perceived technology support and digital self-efficacy on career satisfaction among employees, and the mediating effect of perceived employability. This quantitative research was conducted using a survey approach. The study involved 210 remote workers, and data collection was conducted using a questionnaire, and analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0. The findings showed that perceived technology support had a positive influence on career satisfaction, while digital self-efficacy had no impact on career satisfaction. Perceived employability plays a mediating role in the relationship between perceived technology support, digital self-efficacy, and career satisfaction. This study extends the existing literature by exploring career satisfaction in the remote workers in the tourism industry.

Exploratory Study On The Impact Of Online Virtual Classroom Education On Physical &amp; Mental Health And Development Of Social Skills Of Children

Background: This study was done in the context of the sudden shift of educational system from the conventional classroom environment to virtual schooling at home through online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Substantial literature has brought out the positive and negative impacts of virtual schooling; for example, few of the positive effects are increase in social connections using the technology, helps in accessing resources and knowledge, children are more safer at home, etc. However, the negative impacts are more severe, particularly, on the health of the children participating online classes through electronic devices. As the children spend most of their active time indoors and watching the small, lighted screen the children are prone to physical and mental health issues. In this context, this study attempts to explore the physical &amp; mental health issues, social behavioural problems, and learning issues of children participated online classes. Materials and Methods: In this exploratory study, cross-sectional survey method and quantitative analytical process were applied. Data were collected from 200 children in the age group of 6 to 18 years both male and female and urban and rural locations, who participated the online classes. A structured closed-end selfreporting questionnaire was used. Results: This study established the negative effect on physical health, mental health, and learning &amp; participation issues of children of online virtual schooling. Findings confirmed the significant and positive relationship between the screen time and the various issues experienced by the children. Gender, age, and location type differences were indicated