Urban District Research Articles

Convalescing from SAM: The pitfalls and possibilities of caring for vulnerable children in Harare's high-density neighbourhoods

It is widely recognised that children recovering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), remain vulnerable to risk of death following hospital discharge due to a wide range of biological and social factors. In light of this heightened risk, we report here on a qualitative study which aimed to better understand the caring contexts that children recovering from SAM were recuperating in within the high density urban and suburban districts of Harare, Zimbabwe. Undertaken with the mothers and other primary caregivers of 10 children enrolled on a large observational cohort study (HOPE-SAM), this paper identifies several dimensions of the women's lives that impede their caring capabilities. Given the country's status as a global ‘hunger hotspot’ (FAO/WFP, 2022), it should not be surprising that food insecurity featured prominently amongst these. Beyond this, the paper highlights the women's uneven access to informal social protection, experiences that are reflective of what recent scholarship refers to as examples of ‘uncaring’ or ‘noncaring,’ as well as their responses to discourses of shame and stigma within the community and hospital settings. The paper concludes by considering what this means for understanding of, and responses to, the bodies encountered in the place of global health research and interventions.

Making Sense of Teacher Turnover: A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Why Teachers Leave

Background/Context: High teacher turnover has directed a great deal of scholarly attention toward the connection between teacher retention and teacher working conditions. Prior work has identified a set of key working conditions associated with teacher retention, including supportive school leadership, school safety, a collaborative professional community, a manageable workload, and autonomy. These working conditions are often identified using Likert-based surveys, which allow for the analysis of large and representative samples but cannot fully show the nuance of teachers’ experiences. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study examines why teachers leave their positions and how these reasons for leaving appear differently in Likert-style fixed-response questions and free-response questions. This comparison can reveal important distinctions in teachers’ understanding of how their working conditions can contribute to their turnover that may be hidden in simpler surveys. Research Design: This study takes advantage of teacher exit surveys administered by a large urban district that included both fixed- and free-response questions about why teachers left their positions. I use a convergent mixed-methods design to examine how reasons for leaving converged and diverged across question types across the entire sample and within individual teachers. Conclusions or Recommendations: I find confirmatory evidence that, when given the opportunity to describe their reasons for leaving in their own words, many teachers identify the same general categories of reasons as identified in Likert questions: school leadership, evaluations, workload, personal reasons, pay, and student behavior. Additionally, teacher free responses add new shades of meaning to our understanding of working conditions. The outsized importance of school leadership, already well established in prior literature, was strongly tied to the influence of school leadership on other aspects of teacher work that are generally considered as separate working conditions. Teachers who left because of student behavior concerns had diverse and often contradictory proposed policy solutions to increase student safety, and teachers who left for personal reasons like retirement or having children were still responsive to more malleable aspects of their work. Finally, many teachers were concerned about their workload, specifically unnecessary work added by school and district policy.

Assessment of Compliance of LBR Technology for Wastewater Treatment of Centralized Discharge Systems in Settlements with the Reference Requirements

The paper considers the method for cleaning the municipal wastewater using LBR-technology (Laminar Biofilm Reactor) implemented by RDIEI with patented improvements to analogues. An assessment was made of the technology compliance with the requirements of the best available technologies set out in the information and technical reference book ITS 10-2015 "Wastewater treatment using centralized sewerage systems for settlements and urban districts".

Improvement of Air Quality During Lockdown Period of COVID-19 Pandemic in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley is currently Nepal's most hazardous region for human health and environmental sustainability because of increased air pollution and high particulate matter levels. According to multiple studies and observations, Nepal's urban districts saw an improvement in air quality during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standard method of informing the public about air pollution levels. The AQI is based on the quantitative value of pollutants' constituent parts, such as particulate matter (PM). Thus, the focus of this study was on how the AQI values change in the Ratna Park suburb of the Kathmandu district in the Kathmandu Valley and how those fluctuations are related to lockdown and non-lockdown times during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing them to identify crucial information’s. This study shows that during the lockdown, the air quality in the Kathmandu Valley dramatically improved, with average AQI values for PM2.5 and PM10 rising to 21.34 and 64.42 from 50.74 and 106.51, respectively. Furthermore, we investigate the positive correlation between relative humidity, a meteorological component, and air quality.

From the field to the classroom: Exploring instructors’ motivation and the teacher identity in dual credit career and technical education programs

AbstractCompared to other educators, career and technical education (CTE) instructors often possess significant industry knowledge but limited pedagogical skills. Some may define their jobs as role models or trainers for the next generation of professionals, rather than teachers. In this case study, we interviewed 12 CTE dual credit instructors at a CTE center offering CTE dual credit programs to all eligible high school students within an urban public school district located in the southeastern United States. Specifically, this study explored CTE instructors’ educational and professional trajectories, motivations to teach, and identification as teachers. We sought to understand how previous work experiences and other social contexts influenced the teacher identity of CTE dual credit instructors at The Center. Findings about teacher preparation and teacher identity can generate practical recommendations for recruiting and retaining highly competent instructors for CTE dual credit programs.

The spatial mismatch between foreign direct investment and street networks: Evidence from Hanoi, Vietnam

This research investigates the spatial mismatch between the distribution of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the configurational characteristics of street networks in Hanoi's urban districts. Two indicators are employed to represent the connectivity of street networks generated by space syntax methodology, global integration for vehicular movements and local integration for pedestrian traffic. Findings reveal that FDI clusters have preferred areas highly connected by arterial roads, including traditional commercial centres and new suburban locations, confirming that FDI is spatially matched with vehicle-oriented street networks. However, the major FDI clusters have been established without tight connections to street networks for pedestrians. The findings shed light on the new spatiality of global capital accumulation that expedites an unsustainable, vehicle-oriented urban structure.

The Interplay Between Language Ideologies and Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) Policy Implementation in the Philippines

AbstractDrawing on Sutton and Levinson’s Socio-cultural Approach to policy, this study explores the experiences and collective language beliefs of 25 teachers implementing the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) policy in two urban Philippine school districts. Mixed methods were used to understand policy enactment and teacher perspectives. Findings reveal that teacher beliefs about language significantly influence their appropriation of the MTBMLE policy. While some teachers accommodated the policy, others demonstrated negotiation and some showed nuanced resistance due to perceived pedagogical challenges hindering implementation. This research highlights the role of teachers as active agents in shaping policy, not simply passive recipients. By uncovering teachers’ deeply held language ideologies, the study offers valuable insights for MTBMLE policy reformulation.

Hydrodynamics-based assessment of flood losses in an urban district under changing environments

Hydrodynamics-based assessment of flood losses in an urban district under changing environments

How teachers’ student voice practices affect student engagement and achievement: exploring choice, receptivity, and responsiveness to student voice as moderators

AbstractStrategies that promote student voice have long been championed as effective ways to enhance student engagement and learning; however, little quantitative research has studied the relationship between student voice practices (SVPs) and student outcomes at the classroom level. Drawing on survey data with 1,751 middle and high school students from one urban district, this study examined how the SVP of seeking students’ input and feedback related to their academic engagement, agency, attendance, and grades. Findings revealed strong associations between this SVP and student engagement. Additionally, results showed that having just one teacher who uses the SVP is associated with significantly greater agency, better math grades, higher grade point averages, and lower absent rates than having no teachers who do so. In models testing interaction effects with choice, responsiveness, and receptivity to student voice, teachers’ receptivity was strongly associated with all outcomes. Few interaction effects were found. This study contributes compelling evidence of the impact of classroom SVPs and teacher receptivity to student voice on desired student outcomes.

A Study on the Current Situation of Public Service Facilities’ Layout from the Perspective of 15-Minute Communities—Taking Chengdu of Sichuan Province as an Example

With the rapid expansion of cities, the construction of 15-minute communities has become an important way to improve the urban living environment and enhance the quality of life of residents. In this study, based on the perspective of a 15-minute community in Chengdu, the current situation of the spatial layout in the 12 main urban districts of 15,941 public service facility points is studied. Additionally, the matching relationship between the supply and demand of five major categories (19 subcategories) of public service facilities and the population is assessed by using the kernel density analysis method, the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method, the hierarchical analysis method and the bivariate spatial autocorrelation. Finally, suggestions for the optimization of basic service facilities are made in the light of the current development situation in Chengdu. The results show that (1) there is a large spatial heterogeneity in the distribution and accessibility of public service facilities in the study area; (2) there is a mismatch between the supply and demand of public service facilities and the population in Chengdu; and (3) in order to further optimize the allocation of public service facilities, it is necessary to focus first on areas where demand exceeds supply. This study built a framework for assessing the current status of spatial distribution of public service facilities, which measures the 15-minute accessibility of basic public service facilities in a more comprehensive way and bridges the gap of previous single-type studies, which make it difficult to make comprehensive optimization recommendations directly. Meanwhile, the bivariate spatial autocorrelation reveals the areas of mismatch between supply and demand more accurately, and more clearly shows the areas that need to be focused on for optimization by policy makers.

Encouraging STEM Careers among Minoritized High School Students: The Interplay between Socio-Environmental Factors and Other Social Cognitive Career Constructs

Performance in math, particularly algebra, is a major barrier to student success and participation in STEM among under-represented minoritized students, particularly Black U.S. high school students. This research applies social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to measure the impacts of an afterschool algebra for engineering program on math self-efficacy and interest in STEM among high school students in a large urban district. To study the program’s effects, a mixed methods research design was used where schools were assigned to either treatment or control conditions. Students in treatment schools accessed algebra for engineering modules, STEM professional role model videos, and field trips, while students in control schools accessed role model videos and field trips only. Surveys measuring math self-efficacy and STEM interest, outcome expectations, and choice goals were completed by participants in both conditions at the beginning and end of two separate program years, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. Across both years, quantitative results suggest some positive effects of participation, particularly for STEM choice goals, but benefits depend upon student participation levels. Qualitative data offer student voice around prior experiences in math and science and the development of postsecondary plans in STEM. In combination, the results suggest that for students who do not initially identify as STEM career-bound, afterschool programming may not necessarily promote preparation for STEM careers due to an accumulation of weak math and science school experiences and other socio-environmental influences.

Family Engagement Practices in a Public Pre-Kindergarten Program: Variation by Program, Classroom, and Staff Characteristics

ABSTRACT Family engagement is considered a key component of preschool program quality, and early childhood education teachers and programs are increasingly expected to engage families in their programs. However, there is limited knowledge on what strategies preschool programs use to engage families and how these family engagement practices vary across programs. This study uses survey data collected from public pre-kindergarten program administrators and teachers in a mid-sized, urban school district to describe various types of family engagement practices and to examine associations between family engagement practices and pre-K program, classroom, and staff characteristics. We also conduct thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses to triangulate and complement our quantitative findings and to provide insight into teachers’ and administrators’ perceived barriers and facilitators of family engagement. We find that teachers frequently communicated with parents and provided involvement opportunities. Programs also provided various referrals and family support services. Family engagement practices were associated with staff’s professional training and classroom and program characteristics. Our findings highlight the importance of considering program structure, such as half- versus full-day program, and the importance of teachers’ knowledge and training in family engagement for shaping preschool programs’ family engagement practices.

Advanced Integration of Urban Street Greenery and Pedestrian Flow: A Multidimensional Analysis in Chengdu’s Central Urban District

As urbanization accelerates, urban greenery, particularly street greenery, emerges as a vital strategy for enhancing residents’ quality of life, demanding attention for its alignment with pedestrian flows to foster sustainable urban development and ensure urban dwellers’ wellbeing. The advent of diverse urban data has significantly advanced this area of study. Focusing on Chengdu’s central urban district, this research assesses street greening metrics against pedestrian flow indicators, employing spatial autocorrelation techniques to investigate the interplay between street greenery and pedestrian flow over time and space. Our findings reveal a prevalent negative spatial autocorrelation between street greenery and pedestrian flow within the area, underscored by temporal disparities in greenery demands across various urban functions during weekdays versus weekends. This study innovatively incorporates mobile phone signal-based population heat maps into the mismatch analysis of street greenery for the first time, moving beyond the conventional static approach of space syntax topology in assessing pedestrian flow. By leveraging dynamic pedestrian flow data, it enriches our understanding of the disconnect between street greening plans and pedestrian circulation, highlighting the concept of urban flow and delving into the intricate nexus among time, space, and human activity. Moreover, this study meticulously examines multiple street usage scenarios, reflecting diverse behavior patterns, with the objective of providing nuanced and actionable strategies for urban renewal initiatives aimed at creating more inviting and sustainable urban habitats.

Visual Analysis of Social Media Data on Experiences at a World Heritage Tourist Destination: Historic Centre of Macau

The burgeoning field of sustainable tourism in historically significant urban districts has derived increasing attention in tandem with broader urban economic development. The perceived image of a tourist destination significantly affects tourist consumption behaviors and destination choices, while negative evaluations provide destination managers with insights for targeted improvements to tourist amenities, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of these historically significant districts. This study leveraged Python 3.12.3 software to collect online textual data from popular tourism websites, specifically Ctrip 8.71.4 and Mafengwo 11.1.7. Then, ROST CM6.0 software facilitated high-frequency word analysis, network semantic analysis, and sentiment analysis to outline the perceived image and characteristics of the Macau Historic District, a UNESCO World Heritage site, from the perspective of tourists. The findings are as follows: (1) The image of the Historic Centre of Macao as a tourist destination comprises four primary dimensions: cultural (16.02%), landscape (30.85%), emotional (16.97%), and local (36.16%). (2) Tourists perceive the Historic Centre of Macao as a blend of dynamism and tranquility, tradition, and modernity. (3) Emotional evaluations of the Historic Centre of Macao as a tourist destination are primarily positive (85.45%), whereas negative sentiments constitute 5.76%, with recurring themes pertaining to overcrowding, high prices, a lack of interactive experiences at attractions, excessive commercialization, and insufficient public rest facilities. These findings offer valuable directives for the future planning and development of tourism in Macau, a city recognized for its World Heritage status. (4) In summary, the thematic image of the Historic Centre of Macao can be considered authentic, romantic, and commercialized.

Comparison of municipalities within whose borders specially protected natural areas are located

Purpose: is to present and to substantiate methodological approaches to comparing the municipalities by income, taking into account the specially protected natural areas (SPNA) located on them.Methods: the clustering method (k-means) is used to differentiate municipalities within groups built according to the SPNAs network scale. The method of full-time formalized interviews is used to compare the tourists` expenses at the SPNA of urban districts. The comparative analysis method is used to compare the economic parameters of municipalities involved in the overall ecotourism project.Results: the authors proposed three methodological approaches to comparing municipalities based on the income of local residents and the municipality as a whole. Within the first approach, characteristics of groups of municipalities formed according to the share of SPNA`s area in the area of the municipality were obtained. The group with the weakest position in terms of budget self-sufficiency is «10.1%– 15.0%», in terms of population changes – «15.1%–20.0%», in terms of residents` income level – «20.1%–30.0%». The second approach made it possible to estimate the income of urban districts from SPNA visits. Under the level of SPNA attendance and the number of tourists, the annual volume of tourist spending on SPNA ranges from 0.1 billion up to 0.5 billion rubles. The comparison of municipalities connected by a single project on SPNA revealed the data on the small businesses development and territory`s tax revenues, as well as the features in the local residents` income level changes.Conclusions and Relevance: the obtained characteristics of groups of municipalities indicate insufficient use of the potential of SPNA to generate income for the local residents (group «20.1%–30.0%») and income for the territory (group «10.1%–15.0%»). Urban districts` SPNA tourist visits can provide a significant revenue base for the municipality, but its volume is not always determined by the SPNA network scale. The development of eco-tourism in rural municipalities makes it possible to reduce the crisis periods` impact on the local budget filling and residents` income.

Predicting Land Use Changes under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway–Representative Concentration Pathway Scenarios to Support Sustainable Planning in High-Density Urban Areas: A Case Study of Hangzhou, Southeastern China

Amidst the challenges posed by global climate change and accelerated urbanization, the structure and distribution of land use are shifting dramatically, exacerbating ecological and land-use conflicts, particularly in China. Effective land resource management requires accurate forecasts of land use and cover change (LUCC). However, the future trajectory of LUCC, influenced by climate change and urbanization, remains uncertain. This study developed an integrated multi-scenario framework by combining system dynamics and patch-generating land use simulation models to predict future LUCC in high-density urban regions under various Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP)–Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. The results showed the following: (1) From 2020 to 2050, cultivated land, unused land, and water are projected to decrease, while construction land is expected to increase. (2) Future land use patterns exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity across three scenarios. Construction land will expand in all districts of Hangzhou, particularly in the main urban areas. Under the SSP585 scenario, the expansion of construction land is most significant, while it is the least under the SSP126 scenario. (3) Distinct factors drive the expansion of different land use types. The digital elevation model is the predominant factor for the expansion of forest and grassland, contributing 19.25% and 30.76%, respectively. Night light contributes the most to cultivated land and construction land, at 13.94% and 20.35%, respectively. (4) The average land use intensity (LUI) in central urban districts markedly surpasses that in the surrounding suburban areas, with Xiacheng having the highest LUI and Chun’an the lowest. Under the SSP126 scenario, the area with increased LUI is significantly smaller than under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios. These findings offer valuable guidance for sustainable planning and built environment management in Hangzhou and similarly situated urban centers worldwide.

Correction to: Teachers’ job satisfaction and perceptions of working conditions in an urban emergent school district

Correction to: Teachers’ job satisfaction and perceptions of working conditions in an urban emergent school district

Организационно-правовые модели управления крупными городами: городской округ с делением на административные районы, не являющиеся муниципальными образованиями, и городской округ с внутригородским делением

This work is devoted to the consideration and analysis of management models of large urban districts from the point of view of territorial organization. The constant increase in the territory and population in large municipalities with the status of urban districts requires certain changes in the mechanism of exercising power. Currently, there are two models in the Russian Federation that define the territorial organization of government in urban districts. At the first, a unified system of local self-government bodies is maintained, and at the same time, administrative districts are created where territorial divisions of citywide bodies operate to improve the quality of management of individual parts of the city. The second involves the creation of a two-level structure of local self-government bodies, when inner-city districts are formed as independent municipalities with their own competence. The study found that when choosing any of these organizational and legal models, there are a number of features and nuances that affect the quality and nature of the exercise of power, which should be taken into account when implementing and adapting them.

The revenge of districts that don’t matter: inequality and elections in Rome from 2000 to 2023

ABSTRACT This article examines whether the theory of the ‘revenge of the places that don’t matter’ applies to urban districts within a metropolis like Rome, Italy. To contribute to this body of literature, we test the hypothesis of a ‘deprivation loop’ arising from local issues related to socio-economic marginality and urban deprivation. To explore this hypothesis, we analyse the relationships among compositional and contextual indicators using principal components analysis. We then use the resulting factor components as explanatory variables in multiple linear regression analyses of voting patterns. Between 2000 and 2023, electoral outcomes reveal that left-wing parties perform best in semi-central, densely populated districts, while right-wing and populist parties gain more support in low-density, sprawling outskirts. Other areas exhibit more variable trends following the turning points of 2008 and 2016. Our findings indicate that certain territorial determinants of discontent enhance electoral support for right-wing or populist parties by channelling protest votes. Key factors include residence in new sprawling districts with many young households, in socially challenged and marginal areas with a high prevalence of precarious or underemployed workers (often foreigners), and generally in ‘left behind’ places.

Family engagement practices and children’s attendance and early learning skills in a public pre-kindergarten program

Family engagement is a key component of preschool program quality with the potential to benefit children’s early learning skills. Yet, there is limited research on what practices teachers and programs use to engage families and whether these practices are associated with improved child outcomes. This study links administrative data on children’s records and survey data collected from public pre-k teachers and administrators in a mid-sized, urban school district to estimate the associations between family engagement practices and children’s attendance in pre-k and their early literacy and socioemotional skills at the end of pre-k. Overall, we found limited evidence that family engagement practices are, on average, associated with children’s outcomes. Only teachers’ practices for communicating with families were associated with lower chronic absenteeism. However, these associations varied by child, family, and program characteristics. Our findings identify promising family engagement practices for preschool programs and highlight the need for future research to consider the heterogenous effects of family engagement across different types of practices and across child, family, and program characteristics.