21st Century Research Articles

INSET CONTENT TOWARDS TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY: GLOBAL CHALLENGES

The present paper discusses whether INSET content includes new thematic fields in line with the European and supranational directions as a result of the global advancements towards teachers’ efficient training and professional development in the 21st century. To this end, a review of the scholarly literature focusing on the official papers of supranational institutions has been carried out, along with an empirical study which investigates the extent to which INSET content has been updated to contribute to teachers’ professional development. As regards the empirical study, the quantitative research method was selected to gather data via an online questionnaire answered by 290 in-service state-school primary teachers. The research questions examine whether INSET content (a) includes topics related to 21st-century socio-educational challenges, (b) addresses modern state-school issues, (c) responds to teachers’ actual training needs, (d) satisfies teachers and/or needs revision. According to the research findings, INSET content seems to be out-of-date since modern educational topics deemed to be of crucial importance in the 21st-century education, such as global citizenship, human rights education, intercultural education and school bullying issues are included in teachers’ in-service training only to a minimum extent. Quantitative data also reveal deficient investigation of teachers’ training needs which results in a severe gap between INSET content and their actual training needs. Last but not least, findings raise implications for INSET content reform and update in order to focus on modern thematic fields as a prerequisite for teachers’ professional development in the 21st century via the systematic investigation of both teachers’ and schools’ needs.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0727/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Assessing the current and future trends of climate extremes at Zarima subbasin North Western Ethiopia

Climate extreme events in Ethiopia have increased, impacting the country’s agriculture dependent economy. Localized studies on rainfall extremes provides valuable insights to develop mitigation measures. This study focuses on the analysis of rainfall extremes for the observed (1984–2018) and the future mid time period (2031–2065) and end time period (2066–2100) projected under RCP4.5: moderate emissions reduction scenario aiming to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations by the mid-21st century and RCP8.5: high emissions scenario with continued increase in greenhouse gas emissions throughout the twenty-first century. Trend analysis was done using R statistical software modified Man Kendell package. The result revealed that the observed total rainfall in wet days (PRCPTOT) showed insignificant declining trend across the subbasin. Under the RCP4.5 scenario, mid time period projections indicated increasing trends in PRCPTOT at Maytsebri, Adiremet and Debarik stations while decreasing trends expected at Ketema Niguse and Zarima stations. In the RCP4.5 end time period, Debarik and Zarima stations showed increasing trends while other stations exhibited decreasing trends. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, PRCPTOT showed insignificant decreasing trend except Ketema Niguse station which showed significant increasing trend during the mid time period. The observed annual maximum 1-day rainfall (RX1day) and annual RX5day rainfall had both positive and negative trends over subbasin. The RCP4.5 scenario projected declining trends in annual RX1day rainfall, while the RCP8.5 scenario projected increasing trends, except the end time projection of Debarik station. Consecutive dry days (CDD) increased and Consecutive wet days (CWD) decreased insignificantly in majority the subbasin. Projections indicated higher CDD and decreased CWD are expected in majority of the subbasin area. These finding implied that further investigation is required on the impact of climate extremes.

Home Schooling and the Future Labor Market—Is There an Adequate Educational Answer for the Extensive Changes in the Labor Market?

Various aspects of human existence are changing, and these changes are having a significant effect on the current and future labor market. Some occupations are estimated to be at high risk of disappearing over the next several decades, others are at medium risk, while some are at low risk. At the same time, new trades are emerging. In order to successfully cope in an era where changes occur so frequently and so rapidly, and to be a part of the current and future labor market, we need to utilize a certain set of skills and competencies that is often referred to as “21st century skills”. This opinion paper argues that homeschooling is an education path that takes into account the extensive rapid changes in the 21st century as well as in the labor market and strives to give children the skills and competencies to cope with them successfully.

Oral Collage: A Study of the Storyteller-Migrant in Ali Smith's <em>Seasonal Quartet</em>

In this article, I will explore how Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet takes the form of an oral collage, a malleable, shape-shifting structure, to narrate the multi-layered affiliations of migratory experience. I will analyse Smith’s creation of oral collage using an interdisciplinary network spanning the disciplines of the visual arts, literary criticism, and migration studies. My examination of the relationship between Smith’s oral collage and the role of the storyteller-migrant will be informed by Yuval Etgar’s concept of collage as a mobile form which shifts attention to the margins or edges, creating ‘sites of disruption’ where ‘the unexpected, unscripted, or that was not meant to be included appear’. I will discuss how Smith’s representation of the migrant’s ‘simultaneity of connection,’ a criss-crossing of bloodline, geography, time, and memory, forms the foundation of her oral collage (Levitt and Glick Schiller). Further, I will examine how Smith’s oral collage contributes to the creation of a ’dissident counterpublic’ sphere through its foregrounding of the figure of the storyteller-migrant (Schrag). Finally, I will discuss the significance of Smith’s quartet for writing about migration, identity and belonging in the 21st century.

Cameroon and its 21st Century Challenges towards Achieving Sustainable Development: Appraisals and Proposals

Purpose: This study presents an appraisal of some of the dynamics which Cameroon continues to face in the 21st Century in its quest to achieve sustainable. Using various indicia, the study identifies and proffers explanation why the country continues to face surmountable challenges in its pursuit towards achieving sustainable development. To attain this objective, a broad review of published literature was employed using various journal articles, textbooks, internet sources, etc. Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative research methodology in the interpretation of data. These data are both primary and secondary derived from laws, text books, journal articles, reports, working papers and other internet sources. This study adopts an analytical approach in the interpretation of the available data. Findings: The study observes that irrespective of existence of deterrent penal laws, policy formulations from international organization and support from foreign donor institutions, the country is not yet on the path towards sustainably sound environmental practices. Cameroon is engulf in a number of challenges both internal and external, which has accounted for continuous impoverishment of its population, social progress and economic advancement of the country generally. The Study employs the post-colonial and dependency theories of development to justify some of the key findings. The internal challenges revealed in the study ranges from the continuous prevalence of poverty and hunger, corruption and misappropriation, lack of judicial independence, the prevalence of conflicts, environmental degradation and poor enforcement measures. Similarly, this study also found the underlying external challenges to include the Structural Adjustment Programmes, the influence of Foreign Financial Institutions, and neo-colonialism. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study therefore concludes that strengthening enforcement measures, effective implementation of poverty alleviation policies, fight against corruption and misappropriation, and citizen participation can positive contribute to sustainable development in the Cameroon.

The heritagization of cultural politics: anthropological research on Chinese cultural heritage

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, in alignment with globalization and the megatrend within the international socio-cultural sphere, China has initiated a large-scale “intangible cultural heritage (ICH) protection movement” through its proactive leadership and management of cultural heritage administration. As a significant component of Chinese cultural politics, this movement has profoundly influenced the cultural lives of Chinese society and its citizens and is poised to continue doing so. Some Chinese anthropologists have also participated in and significantly contributed to this movement in various ways. This paper comprehensively and meticulously examines these fundamental ways. Building upon this analysis, this paper further provides an overview and assessment of the research outcomes of anthropological research on Chinese cultural heritage, both domestically and internationally. The author posits that the paramount contribution of anthropologists, both domestically and internationally, to Chinese cultural heritages and the related protection endeavors lies in their academic research outcomes being predominantly based on their respective fieldwork practices. These outcomes, shaped and realized through on-the-ground fieldwork, hold exceptional value for cultural heritage administration and national cultural policies, as they effectively provide cultural criticism and dissenting perspectives.

Principles of digital professionalism for the metaverse in healthcare

BackgroundExperts are currently investigating the potential applications of the metaverse in healthcare. The metaverse, a groundbreaking concept that arose in the early 21st century through the fusion of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, holds promise for transforming healthcare delivery. Alongside its implementation, the issue of digital professionalism in healthcare must be addressed. Digital professionalism refers to the knowledge and skills required by healthcare specialists to navigate digital technologies effectively and ethically. This study aims to identify the core principles of digital professionalism for the use of metaverse in healthcare.MethodThis study utilized a qualitative design and collected data through semi-structured online interviews with 20 medical information and health informatics specialists from various countries (USA, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Italy, Iran). Data analysis was conducted using the open coding method, wherein concepts (codes) related to the themes of digital professionalism for the metaverse in healthcare were assigned to the data. The analysis was performed using the MAXQDA software (VER BI GmbH, Berlin, Germany).ResultsThe study revealed ten fundamental principles of digital professionalism for the metaverse in healthcare: Privacy and Security, Informed Consent, Trust and Integrity, Accessibility and Inclusion, Professional Boundaries, Evidence-Based Practice, Continuous Education and Training, Collaboration and Interoperability, Feedback and Improvement, and Regulatory Compliance.ConclusionAs the metaverse continues to expand and integrate itself into various industries, including healthcare, it becomes vital to establish principles of digital professionalism to ensure ethical and responsible practices. Healthcare professionals can uphold these principles to maintain ethical standards, safeguard patient privacy, and deliver effective care within the metaverse.

Translation transformations in Russian translation studies: A theoretical and analytical review from the middle of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century

Translation transformations in Russian translation studies: A theoretical and analytical review from the middle of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century

Domestic, Not Private: Feminine Proposals for Carabanchel PAU Expansion, Madrid, Spain

This paper offers a gender-based analysis of collective space in the domestic realm, beyond privacy, produced in significant social housing case studies in the urban expansion of Carabanchel neighbourhood (Carabanchel PAU, Madrid, Spain). Designed at the beginning of the 21st century, this period involves the incorporation of women into young architectural teams. Thus, this study seeks to delve into the significance of this role through the detailed study of eleven cases. Focussing on the common spaces of housing buildings, these small elements seem to recall the passage from the safe to the unsafe environment, from the space of the reproductive labour to that of the intersectionality. Following this finding, we propose an incipient study of the transitional spaces between the private and the public, where contacts between neighbours and the exchange of care beyond the private sphere are celebrated, as well as the public representation of domestic life. The methodological approach has stablished four meaning aspects to analyse, related to inhabitants’ life and intended as architectural parameters: spaces for neighbourhood flows, both for residents and visitors; areas of activity and leisure, available for resident daily life; connections between these areas of activity and leisure and, finally, connections of the common areas with the dwellings. The aim is to investigate the extent to which the participation of women architects makes these spaces more effective for care giving—or simply, more suitable for the expansion of intimate life and socialisation with neighbours. The results provide optimistic data for the discipline and its capacity, through this type of sensitivity, to correct some of the errors in the system of production of public space.

Understanding Virtual Laboratories in Engineering Education: A Systematic Literature Review

<div class="WordSection1"><p>Engineering education has gained significant importance in the 21st century due to its integration of essential technological literacy needed in our rapidly changing world. Laboratories, including virtual laboratories, allow students to apply theoretical knowledge practically. Virtual laboratories have emerged as innovative tools that offer increased accessibility and flexibility. This study reviewed 29 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Scopus and published between 2018 and 2023 on the use of virtual laboratories in engineering education. The research employed a systematic literature review framework, utilizing PRISMA for article selection. The findings indicate that virtual laboratories provide numerous benefits, including cost-effectiveness, flexibility, safety, and accessibility. They boost student motivation, engagement, and the ability to apply knowledge while effectively enhancing conceptual understanding and practical skills. Virtual laboratories support the development of pedagogical skills and promote careers in engineering by offering a comprehensive and inclusive learning environment. Despite these advantages, challenges like limited interactivity, restricted content, and technical issues persist. Virtual laboratories are valuable supplements to traditional laboratories, providing an economical means to explore phenomena and offering a safe space for experimentation. Educators should consider the benefits and limitations of integrating virtual laboratories into their curriculum. This study aims to deepen the understanding of virtual laboratories in engineering education, advocating for their broader adoption as an innovative tool with a positive impact.</p></div>

Exploring Heidegger's Reflections on Technology

Heidegger's reflection on technology is a deep reflection on technology and the future of mankind, which is still thought-provoking today in the twenty-first century. The purpose of philosophy is not only to know the world, but also to transform the world. Today is the age of technology, and the daily life of modern people and even the daily operation of modern society are permeated with the influence of modern technology, and are subject to the portrayal and description of modern technology. In this sense, Heidegger's philosophical reflection on technology is the inevitable requirement of the technological age.

Gentrification in the 21st century: Commodification or financialization?

Gentrification in the 21st century: Commodification or financialization?

Portrayal of Disability in Hindi Cinema

Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood, is a powerful medium that influences public perception and social norms in India. The portrayal of differently-abled characters in the films is also among them. The portrayal of disability can either reinforce stereotypes and prejudices or challenge them and promote inclusivity. This paper will analyze the portrayal of disability in Hindi cinema in the 21st century, exploring how these representations have evolved and their impact on societal attitudes towards disability. This study is based on qualitative research and uses secondary data like books, journals, and films. There are a total of 11 films taken from the time span of 2005 to 2023. The portrayal of disability in Hindi cinema has undergone significant changes, as demonstrated by many films. These films depict differently-abled individuals with outstanding empathy and depth, highlighting their capabilities and the obstacles they face in society. An examination of specific Hindi films reveals both advancements and difficulties in the depiction of disabilities. Although films have succeeded in increasing awareness and promoting empathy, they occasionally succumb to the pitfalls of sentimentalism or exceptionalism. The cultural consequences of these films differ, emphasizing the necessity for genuine and subtle depictions that strike a balance between realism and empowerment. Future films should aim to achieve a wide range of different and precise portrayals, which should include the participation of differently-abled actors and creators in order to guarantee authenticity. Cinema has the potential to promote inclusivity in society by nurturing empathy and questioning cultural prejudices, thereby acknowledging the dignity and skills of differently-abled individuals.

Scenario Analysis of Socio-Economic and Climate Related Changes in Nutrient Load and Retention for the Pregolya River Catchment (South-Eastern Baltic): The View at the Beginning of 21<sup>st</sup> Century

The study analysed the transboundary Pregolya River Catchment, covering both the Polish and Russian parts, using the HYPE hydrological module and FyrisNP emission-retention model. The results revealed significant spatial variations in nutrient retention. The data assessment indicates that, at the start of the 21st century, the nutrient load from the Polish part of the catchment is significantly greater than that from the Russian part. Model simulations based on climatic projections for the years 2041–2060, but with current nutrient loads, showed a significant level of uncertainty in the changes of nutrient export to the Baltic Sea. The range for total nitrogen was –10 % to +27 %, and for total phosphorus it was –29 % to –10 %. Model simulations based on different socio-economic scenarios, but current climate conditions, showed that if present 5-year trends are maintained, nutrient export will only increase slightly (3 % for total nitrogen and total phosphorus). If the plans for socio-economic growth of Polish and Russian local governments are implemented, including the expansion of agriculture in Kaliningrad Oblast, there will be a significant increase in nutrient export (78 % for total nitrogen and 55 % for total phosphorus).

The Harms of Imprisonment and Envisioning a Desistance-Supporting ‘Good Society’

Research evidence in the 21st century strongly indicates that prisons are inherently harmful environments in which to try to support rehabilitation, because of their destructive impact on identity, self-actualisation, mental health and social relationships. Yet HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) continues to propose that prisons can be legitimate sites of rehabilitation as well as centres of punishment. This article begins by interrogating this proposition by looking at research conducted in an adult male prison. By specifically focusing on the interpersonal conflicts and tensions that the men experience in their daily lives, the research highlights the ‘relational’ and ‘self-actualising’ harms that undermine the development of a successful rehabilitative culture within a prison. The article then moves on to consider a utopian vision of a ‘desistance-supporting’ rehabilitative ‘good society’ by drawing on a second piece of research that captures the voices and experiences of participants in a very successful community-based resettlement project. Lessons learned from this are then collated to consider how to build a rehabilitative ‘good society’ in prisons. The article concludes with a cautionary note about the possible difficulty of creating such a society in neoliberal times.

Progress in Ecosystem Services Research

The definition of ecosystem services has evolved and developed as the purpose and target audience of research has changed. The earliest analogue of 'ecosystem services', the concept of 'environmental service functions', appeared in the 1970 SCEP report published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The concept of "ecosystem services" was formally introduced by Ehrlich in 1981, when Daily proposed that ecosystem services are "the conditions and processes through which natural ecosystems and their constituent species satisfy and sustain human life activities", which was the first definition of ecosystem services. Daily proposed that ecosystem services are "natural ecosystems and their constituent species that satisfy and sustain human life activities through ecosystem conditions and processes", which was the first time the concept of "ecosystem services" was defined, and further elaborated on the difference between ecosystem service products and ecosystem goods. However, Costanza added ecosystem products to the definition of ecosystem services, and Daily and Costanza launched studies on the valuation of ecosystem services, which accelerated the progress of ecosystem services research. At the beginning of the 21st century, the MA report defined the concept of "ecosystem services" as "the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems", which was recognised by the majority of the population and widely used, and it is also the most widely accepted definition up to the present time, which has ushered in the development of research on ecosystem services. This definition was recognised and widely used by most people, and is the most widely accepted definition to date, leading to a boom in research on ecosystem services.

Do student teachers experience self-worth threats in computational thinking?

TheoryThe successful implementation of computational thinking into primary schools requires that primary school teachers feel safe and confident in teaching this topic to young learners. However, many student teachers face low expectancy of success and heightened anxiety towards computational thinking. Self-worth theory suggests that this may lead to a self-worth threat and in consequence to engagement in self-protective behaviours, hampering the successful acquisition of skills needed to implement computational thinking into their future classrooms. AimsThis study aims to investigate potential self-worth threats as amplifiers of student teachers’ resistance to engage in computational thinking. Method323 student teachers participated in the study. Participants filled out a questionnaire on expectancy of success and anxiety towards computational thinking, and rated how likely they were to engage in self-protective behaviours, i.e., self-handicapping, avoiding novelty, and academic cheating, when learning about computational thinking at the start of the semester. ResultsStudents showed heightened levels of anxiety and low levels of expectancy towards computational thinking. Further, they reported that they would be likely to engage in self-protective behaviours. A structural equation model showed that anxiety towards computational thinking was positively related to self-protective behaviours. Moreover, expectancy had a negative indirect effect via anxiety towards computational thinking on self-protective behaviours. DiscussionStudent teachers might experience self-worth threats when learning about computational thinking and engage in self-protective behaviours that might hamper their success. Our findings caution the impact of possible self-worth threats on teaching methods, thus influencing children's learning in the 21st century.

Disposability, social security, and the facts of work in Nicaragua’s sugarcane zone

ABSTRACT This article explores the instability of facts surrounding former sugarcane workers in Nicaragua with Chronic Kidney Disease of Non-Traditional Causes (CKDnt). CKDnt is a progressive disease that has been linked, albeit inconclusively, to working conditions in sugarcane plantations and other extreme environments. It emerged in the early twenty-first century, at a time when the social and political value of agricultural labor in Nicaragua and across the Americas was shifting due to the rise of new regimes of corporate responsibility and neoliberalized systems of state care. Partly as a result of a lack of conclusive knowledge about what causes the disease, former workers receive uneven medical and social benefits from both sugarcane corporations and the Nicaraguan social security system, the Instituto Nacional de Seguridad Social (INSS). This article traces the parallel emergence of Nicaragua’s agro-economy and the INSS during the twentieth century, and it draws on ethnographic research with ex-workers to understand how the making of facts about work and the making of facts about health shape each other. The article argues that the disposability of labor is not an inherent feature of monocrop capitalism; rather, disposability emerges as corporations and state authorities work strategically to manage the inherent porosity of the boundaries between plantations and their socio-political surroundings.

Bibliometric Analysis of Remote Sensing over Marine Areas for Sustainable Development: Global Trends and Worldwide Collaboration

More than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans and yet only a small portion of these oceans has been directly explored in detail, highlighting the need for powerful tools like remote sensing (RS) technology to bridge this gap. International frameworks, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and Ocean Decade point out the significance of marine areas for achieving sustainable growth. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of RS over marine areas for sustainable development to identify key contributors, collaboration networks, and evolving research themes from the beginning of the 21st century until last year. Using the Web of Science Core Collection database, 499 relevant articles published between 2000 and 2023 were identified. The bibliometric analysis showed a significant increase in scientific productivity related to the field. On an international level, China emerges as the most productive country, but international collaboration has played a crucial role, with 36.87% of articles resulting from international co-authorship, pointing to the global nature of research in this field. RS technology has continuously evolved from airborne sensors to the augmentation of Earth Observation missions. Our findings reveal a shift towards automated analysis and processing of RS data using machine learning techniques to integrate large datasets and develop robust scientific solutions.

Aquatic Macro-Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance in Eleyele Lake, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

The availability and quality of water system in 21st century plays a vital role in the growth and survival of all living organisms. Eleyele Lake is a general-purpose water body which supplies water to various communities in Ibadan metropolis. This research aimed to investigate the quality of the water using physico-chemical parameters and their influence on the diversity, abundance and distribution of aquatic macro-invertebrates of the lake. Monthly, sample of water and macro-invertebrates from April to September, 2021 at eight sampling points were done, using standard APHA and Winkler’s methods. Macro-invertebrates collected were identified using standard identification guides. Relationship between physico-chemical parameters and aquatic macro-invertebrates was determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). Species diversity, taxa richness, evenness and similarity were determined using Simpson, Shannon-Weiner, Margalef, Evennes and Equitablity. A total number of 670 macro-invertebrates belonging to 7 orders namely, Hemiptera (47%), Odonata (20%), Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Trombidiformes and Hygrophila were collected and identified during the study period. Positive correlations occurs between BOD, EC, TDS, Nitrate and Phosphate and Chironomus sp. Also, pH was positively correlated with Lestes sp. and Aeshna sp. while DO have negative correlation with Lethocerus sp., Physa sp. and Lymnaea sp. The physico-chemical parameters and the diversity indices of macro-invertebrates encountered indicated that the lake was moderately polluted and tends toward degradation as a result of indiscriminate discharge of domestic, agricultural and industrial effluents into the Lake. Therefore, proper management of the lake is required to prevent further deterioration.