Critical Knowledge Mobilization: Directions for Social Gerontology

Author(s):  
Amanda Grenier ◽  
Igor Gontcharov ◽  
Karen Kobayashi ◽  
Equity Burke

ABSTRACT The concept of knowledge mobilization (KMb) is prominent in governance frameworks of tri-council funding in Canada. Yet there are a number of conceptual and practical challenges when such ideas are proposed for adoption across large multidisciplinary contexts. This research note introduces the concept of critical knowledge mobilization as a way to understand KMb in large multidisciplinary teams and social gerontology. It begins with a high-level sketch of the historic changes in knowledge production and knowledge sharing, followed by a definition of critical knowledge mobilization and examples of historical ideas and everyday tensions in practice. Building on these, we propose the need to advance and shift the culture of KMb, and to embark on engaged research as a means of innovation. We suggest that a reflexive process of critical KMb can facilitate innovation and promote a culture of knowledge mobilization in Canadian social gerontology.

Author(s):  
Andrea Renda

This chapter assesses Europe’s efforts in developing a full-fledged strategy on the human and ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI). The strong focus on ethics in the European Union’s AI strategy should be seen in the context of an overall strategy that aims at protecting citizens and civil society from abuses of digital technology but also as part of a competitiveness-oriented strategy aimed at raising the standards for access to Europe’s wealthy Single Market. In this context, one of the most peculiar steps in the European Union’s strategy was the creation of an independent High-Level Expert Group on AI (AI HLEG), accompanied by the launch of an AI Alliance, which quickly attracted several hundred participants. The AI HLEG, a multistakeholder group including fifty-two experts, was tasked with the definition of Ethics Guidelines as well as with the formulation of “Policy and Investment Recommendations.” With the advice of the AI HLEG, the European Commission put forward ethical guidelines for Trustworthy AI—which are now paving the way for a comprehensive, risk-based policy framework.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1388
Author(s):  
Daniele Oboe ◽  
Luca Colombo ◽  
Claudio Sbarufatti ◽  
Marco Giglio

The inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM) is receiving more attention for shape sensing due to its independence from the material properties and the external load. However, a proper definition of the model geometry with its boundary conditions is required, together with the acquisition of the structure’s strain field with optimized sensor networks. The iFEM model definition is not trivial in the case of complex structures, in particular, if sensors are not applied on the whole structure allowing just a partial definition of the input strain field. To overcome this issue, this research proposes a simplified iFEM model in which the geometrical complexity is reduced and boundary conditions are tuned with the superimposition of the effects to behave as the real structure. The procedure is assessed for a complex aeronautical structure, where the reference displacement field is first computed in a numerical framework with input strains coming from a direct finite element analysis, confirming the effectiveness of the iFEM based on a simplified geometry. Finally, the model is fed with experimentally acquired strain measurements and the performance of the method is assessed in presence of a high level of uncertainty.


2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Houda Ajmi ◽  
Wissem Besghaier ◽  
Wafa Kallala ◽  
Abdelhalim Trabelsi ◽  
Saoussan Abroug

Abstract Background Children affected by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) showed various manifestations. Some of them were severe cases presenting with multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) causing multiple organ dysfunction. Case presentation We report the case of a 12-year-old girl with recent COVID-19 infection who presented with persistent fever, abdominal pain and other symptoms that meet the definition of MIS-C. She had lymphopenia and a high level of inflammatory markers. She was admitted to pediatric intensive care unit since she rapidly developed refractory catecholamine-resistant shock with multiple organ failure. Echocardiography showed a small pericardial effusion with a normal ejection fraction (Ejection Fraction = 60%) and no valvular or coronary lesions. The child showed no signs of improvement even after receiving intravenous immunoglobulin, fresh frozen plasma, high doses of Vasopressors and corticosteroid. His outcome was fatal. Conclusion Pediatric patients affected by the new COVID-19 related syndrome may show severe life-threatening conditions similar to Kawasaki disease shock syndrome. Hypotension in these patients results from heart failure and the decreased cardiac output. We report a new severe clinical feature of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children in whom hypotension was the result of refractory vasoplegia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4176
Author(s):  
Seckyoung Loretta Kim

Recognizing the importance of knowledge sharing, this study adopted social learning and social exchange perspectives to understand when employees may engage in knowledge sharing. Using data collected from 192 employees in various South Korean organizations, the findings demonstrate that there is a positive relationship between supervisor knowledge sharing and employee knowledge sharing. As employees perceive a high level of supervisor knowledge sharing, they are likely to engage in knowledge sharing based on social learning and social exchange theories. Furthermore, the study explores the moderating effects of learning goal orientation and affective organizational commitment in the relationship between supervisor knowledge sharing and employee knowledge sharing. The result supports the hypothesis that the relationship between supervisor knowledge sharing and employee knowledge sharing is strengthened when there is a high level of affective organizational commitment. Employees who obtain valuable knowledge from their supervisors are likely to engage in knowledge sharing when they are emotionally attached to their organization. However, in contrast to the hypothesis, the positive relationship between supervisor knowledge sharing and employee knowledge sharing was stronger at the lower levels of learning goal orientation (LGO) than at the higher levels of LGO.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (24) ◽  
pp. 4014-4020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Goss ◽  
Michael P. Link ◽  
Suanna S. Bruinooge ◽  
Theodore S. Lawrence ◽  
Joel E. Tepper ◽  
...  

Purpose The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Cancer Research Committee designed a qualitative research project to assess the attitudes of cancer researchers and compliance officials regarding compliance with the US Privacy Rule and to identify potential strategies for eliminating perceived or real barriers to achieving compliance. Methods A team of three interviewers asked 27 individuals (13 investigators and 14 compliance officials) from 13 institutions to describe the anticipated approach of their institutions to Privacy Rule compliance in three hypothetical research studies. Results The interviews revealed that although researchers and compliance officials share the view that patients' cancer diagnoses should enjoy a high level of privacy protection, there are significant tensions between the two groups related to the proper standards for compliance necessary to protect patients. The disagreements are seen most clearly with regard to the appropriate definition of a “future research use” of protected health information in biospecimen and data repositories and the standards for a waiver of authorization for disclosure and use of such data. Conclusion ASCO believes that disagreements related to compliance and the resulting delays in certain projects and abandonment of others might be eased by additional institutional training programs and consultation on Privacy Rule issues during study design. ASCO also proposes the development of best practices documents to guide 1) creation of data repositories, 2) disclosure and use of data from such repositories, and 3) the design of survivorship and genetics studies.


Author(s):  
Abigail Berry

The famous anthropologist Pierre Bourdieu argued that there is an “unnatural idea of inborn culture, of a gift of culture, bestowed on certain people by Nature.” [1] Bourdieu is arguing that people, who have not been born into a higher class, or who cannot receive a high level of education, are unable to appreciate and understand art. The study of art history is expensive, and often involves extremely high travel costs, thus making it inaccessible to anybody who does not enjoy the means to pursue it. How can we address this accessibility problem in the study of art history? Is there any way to bring art to the people who do not possess “inborn culture?” Bourdieu wrote his book on art and class in 1984, at a time when the computer, and its democratizing potential, was a new and little -understood invention. My research proposes that modern technology provides an answer to this problem, which has plagued the discipline of art history. This presentation will examine three research projects that I’ve been working on at Queen’s. Each project uses digital technologies to improve the general public’s knowledge and access to art. The projects are all different: the first focuses on creating a digital model of 18th - century Canterbury Cathedral based on a book from W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections, the second project works on understanding Herstmonceux Castle and medieval England through technology, and the third involves image processing for art historical investigations. Despite their differences, each project makes art accessible to people who do not possess Bourdieu’s definition of “inborn culture.”        


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Stute ◽  
Andrea Hurwood ◽  
Julie Hulcombe ◽  
Pim Kuipers

Background The uptake and utilisation of allied health assistants as professional support staff has been variable across disciplines and jurisdictions. Although they are potentially very important in the current health workforce context, there is little agreement on their roles or the most suitable methods to define these roles. Method Based on a review of literature, existing role descriptions and focus groups, a Delphi survey process was undertaken. This process comprising three rounds of discussion and clarification via email, with between 107 and 188 participants, was undertaken to define and establish consensus on allied health assistant roles at three levels. Results Three cycles of editing, qualitative feedback and rating of agreement with statements resulted in substantial clarification of roles and a meaningful degree of consensus regarding the role and scope of such positions. High levels of agreement were not reached for more high-level or contested clinical tasks. Conclusions The Delphi process resulted in key tasks and roles being defined and contentious aspects clearly identified. The process facilitated engagement with workforce members most closely affected by these questions. It was a useful means of drawing together the opinions of the workforce and informing implementation trials to follow. What is known about the topic? Allied health assistants are important members of health teams. Current developments in health services necessitate considerable growth in these positions. The role and scope of practice of allied health assistants is poorly defined and varies between disciplines, settings and facilities, which threatens the establishment of these positions. What does this paper add? This study describes a methodology used to define the role and scope of practice of allied health support staff, which resulted in high levels of consensus and documentation of concerns regarding these positions. Tasks and roles have been defined at different allied health assistant position levels. What are the implications for practitioners? The definition of roles and establishment of scope of practice of emerging positions can be substantially advanced by well researched and widely consultative methods. For more advanced allied health assistant positions to be effectively implemented, tasks relating to treatment, leadership, documentation, assessment and team participation must be clearly elucidated and agreed.


Author(s):  
Scott C. Chase

AbstractThe combination of the paradigms of shape algebras and predicate logic representations, used in a new method for describing designs, is presented. First-order predicate logic provides a natural, intuitive way of representing shapes and spatial relations in the development of complete computer systems for reasoning about designs. Shape algebraic formalisms have advantages over more traditional representations of geometric objects. Here we illustrate the definition of a large set of high-level design relations from a small set of simple structures and spatial relations, with examples from the domains of geographic information systems and architecture.


2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessio Malizia ◽  
Paolo Bottoni ◽  
S. Levialdi

The design and development of a digital library involves different stakeholders, such as: information architects, librarians, and domain experts, who need to agree on a common language to describe, discuss, and negotiate the services the library has to offer. To this end, high-level, language-neutral models have to be devised. Metamodeling techniques favor the definition of domainspecific visual languages through which stakeholders can share their views and directly manipulate representations of the domain entities. This paper describes CRADLE (Cooperative-Relational Approach to Digital Library Environments), a metamodel-based framework and visual language for the definition of notions and services related to the development of digital libraries. A collection of tools allows the automatic generation of several services, defined with the CRADLE visual language, and of the graphical user interfaces providing access to them for the final user. The effectiveness of the approach is illustrated by presenting digital libraries generated with CRADLE, while the CRADLE environment has been evaluated by using the cognitive dimensions framework.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Georges L. Romme

The “science park” model has long been showing signs of aging, with many science parks now facing budget cuts by local and regional governments. In this study, we dissect the blueprint of a highly successful campus-based ecosystem, the High Tech Campus Eindhoven (HTCE). As an innovation ecosystem, the HTCE provides its residents (a) access to shared resources and facilities, to facilitate research and product development, and (b) an innovation community that enhances knowledge sharing between people at the campus. The success of the HTCE arises from a deep and inclusive understanding of the conditions in which an ecosystem for research and development can thrive, and the commitment to carefully grow and sustain these conditions. These conditions include: low physical distances between the various buildings, offices and shared facilities; a dynamic portfolio of thematic workshops and meetings stimulate knowledge sharing and informal networking; careful management of the diversity and reputation of the campus; attracting and hosting “connectors” that have the capability to initiate and/or manage collaboration across a newly emerging value chain; and a high level of responsiveness to requests and feedback of residents.


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