Process-Based Evaluation of the Potential Affectiveness of Futures Studies as a Profession

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 308-319
Author(s):  
Philip H. Spies
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Methodological Development ◽  
Futures Studies ◽  
Scenario Development ◽  
Application System ◽  
Heuristic Learning ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Dialogue Design

This article argues that futures studies practice must have relevance and meaning for society and organizations—that is, it should be affective—and that it should be evaluated as such. Evaluation should be process-based, specifically by observing the way futures studies as a profession is managed and interacts with society. Within this context, “evaluation” is defined as merit determination through process review, using as central norm the raison d’être for futures studies, namely, it must enhance better long-term decision making in organizations and in society. Affectiveness is an emergent quality. Emergence is a property that a whole (such as the subject area of futures studies) displays which is not apparent in its parts. In other words, it is a property that emerges from the interactions between the parts of the whole. With this in mind, futures studies can be visualized as an “application system” comprising of various specialized subsystems such as conceptual development, methodological development, scanning and trend research, scenario development, and idealized planning. The article defends and proposes a process-based approach to the evaluation of affectiveness: one that is based on a heuristic learning and dialogue design in the practice of futures studies. The quest for affectiveness is a journey toward an ideal, perhaps never to be reached but forever a guide toward improving the relevance and meaning of an important profession.

Expanding Foresight Evaluation Capacity

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-291
Author(s):  
Annette L. Gardner ◽  
Peter Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Scenario Development ◽  
Evaluation Capacity ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Evaluation Approaches

The subject of evaluating foresight work has been around for almost as long as the professional practice itself has, but the field has done little to move closer to a systematic evaluation of its work. This special issue marks the second collection of articles on that project after a special issue of Futures in 2012 (Van Der Duin and Van Der Martin 2012). This issue takes a three-part approach: Part 1: evaluation of foresight in general and evaluation approaches and methods that can support designing an appropriate evaluation; Part 2: evaluation of foresight work in organizations and its impact on long-term thinking and decision-making; and Part 3: evaluation of specific foresight activities—an undergraduate learner foresight experience and a health sector scenario development exercise. The foreword ends with a reflection on the continuing issue of foresight and evaluation.

scholarly journals ON THE CREATION OF THE AUTOMATION SYSTEM RELATED TO SOCIAL-ECONOMIC MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE

2018 ◽  
pp. 29-38
Author(s):  
L. V. Rudikova ◽  
V. V. Danilchik
Keyword(s):  
Data Storage ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
General Concept ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Automation System ◽  
Universal System ◽  
External Sources ◽  
The Subject ◽  
General Architecture

Nowadays, it is considerable to develop a general concept and implement a system for storing and analyzing data related to socio-economic displacements of people. The population movement, related to long-term and short-term migrations, has an increasing nature, which directly affects the various fields of activity in a single country and the world community as a whole. The proposed article describes the subject area associated with socio-economic displacements of people, the key features of internal and external migrations are noted. Based on the subject area, the general architecture of the universal system of data storage and processing is proposed, which is based on the client-server architecture. A fragment of the data model, associated with the accumulation of data from external sources, is provided. General approaches of algorithms and data structures usage are proposed. The system architecture is described with the possibility of scaling both vertical and horizontal.The proposed system organizes the process of searching for data and filling the database from third-party sources. To do this, a module for collecting and converting information from third-party Internet sources and sending them to the database has developed. In the paper is noted the feature of the client application, which provides a convenient interface for analyzing data in the form of diagrams, graphs, maps, etc. The system is intended for various users interested in analyzing economic and social transfers, for example, to tourist organizations wishing to obtain statistics for a certain time, to airlines which could plan flights in one direction or another, as well as for state structures with the purpose of analyzing the migration flows of the population and developing appropriate strategy for their regulation.

The state of democracy in the European Union in scenarios: federation, empire and Europe à la carte

2016 ◽  
pp. 90-108
Author(s):  
Marta Witkowska
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Reference Point ◽  
The State ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Scenario Development ◽  
Normative Approach ◽  
Norms And Values ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Eu ◽  
A La Carte

The aim of the article is to present possible scenarios on maintaining democracy in the EU, while assuming different hypothetical directions in which it could develop as a federation, empire and Europe à la carte. Selected mechanisms, norms and values of the EU system that are crucial for the functioning of democracy in the European Union are the subject of this research. The abovementioned objective of scenario development is achieved through distinguishing the notions of policy, politics and polity in the research. In the analysis of the state of democracy in the European Union both the process (politics) and the normative approach (policy) have been adopted. The characterised norms, structures, values and democratic procedures in force in the EU will become a reference point for the projected scenarios. The projection refers to a situation when the existing polity transforms into a federation, empire or Europe à la carte. The article is to serve as a projection and is a part of a wider discussion on the future of the basis on which the European Union is build.

Philosophical and Cultural Aspects of Medical Profession: Philosophical and Conceptual Peculiarities

Cultura ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-174
Author(s):  
Iryna MELNYCHUK ◽  
Nadiya FEDCHYSHYN ◽  
Oleg PYLYPYSHYN ◽  
Anatolii VYKHRUSHCH
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Human Relations ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Cultural Proximity ◽  
Personal Qualities ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Ecological Culture ◽  
High Level

The article analyzes the philosophical and cultural view of “doctor’s professional culture” as a result of centuries-old practice of human relations, which is characterized by constancy and passed from generation to generation. Medicine is a complex system in which an important role is played by: philosophical outlook of a doctor, philosophical culture, ecological culture, moral culture, aesthetic culture, artistic culture. We have found that within the system “doctor-patient” the degree of cultural proximity becomes a factor that influences the health or life of a patient. Thus, the following factors are important here: 1) communication that suppresses a sick person; 2) the balance of cultural and intellectual levels; 3) the cultural environment of a patient which has much more powerful impact on a patient than the medical one.At the present stage, the interdependence of professional and humanitarian training of future specialists is predominant, as a highly skilled specialist can not but become a subject of philosophizing. We outlined the sphere where the doctors present a genre variety of philosophizing (philosophical novels, apologies, dialogues, diaries, aphorisms, confessions, essays, etc.). This tradition represents the original variations in the formation of future doctor’s communicative competences, which are formed in the process of medical students’ professional training.A survey conducted among medical students made it possible to establish their professional values, which are indicators of the formation of philosophical and culturological competence. It was found out that 92% of respondents believed that a doctor should demonstrate a high level of health culture (avoid drinking and smoking habits, etc.)99% of respondents favoured a high level of personal qualities of a doctor which would allow methods and forms of medical practice to assert higher human ideals of truth, goodness and beauty that are the subject area of cultural studies and philosophy.

New Approaches to Understanding Judicial Ethics in the Information

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 12-32
Author(s):  
E. V. Burdina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Self Regulation ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Legal Norms ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Judicial Administration ◽  
Personal Approach ◽  
Personal Qualities ◽  
The Subject

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problems of the essence and content of judicial ethics in the new conditions of the technical revolution and with other social needs for legal regulation. Theoretical Basis. Methods. The work used a systematic, activity-personal approach to the study of moral and ethical standards of the conduct of judges. This made it possible to reveal a new and broader view on judicial ethics, which is not simply a set of moral restrictions and obligations imposed on a judge. Results. The work has identified and analysed the signs of judicial ethics at the current stage of development. It is argued that ethical regulation is precautionary in relation to the legal regulation of the independence of judges, for they complement ethical rules and reinforce legal norms. The ethical conduct of judges is an instrument guaranteeing judicial independence in all of its manifestations, including in organisational and judicial relations. The new realities of our time recognise the expansion of boundaries and the subject area itself of ethical regulation. A broader view on judicial ethics, which differs from the traditional one, is hereby justified. The latter is defined in two ways – namely both as a system of professional values, as well as a means of judicial administration based on the principle of self-regulation. By its very nature, judicial ethics is the result (and the way) of judicial self-governance, developed on the basis of the experience of functioning bodies of the judicial community. Discussion and Conclusion. Conclusions are drawn on both the instrumental and the managerial impact of the categories of ethics. The subject of judicial ethics has been defined, which constitutes the rules of conduct of judges in the performance of their professional duties and beyond – namely the set of general principles of work of a judge, as well as the personal qualities of a judge personifying the judicial power. Proposals on the optimisation of the mechanism of ethical influence, differentiation of ethical and disciplinary norms have also been substantiated.

Construction of an Achievement Test in General Science for Class IX Based on NCERT Syllabus

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (26) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sailendra Bhuyan ◽  
Punita Borpuzari Deori
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Achievement Test ◽  
General Science ◽  
School Students ◽  
The People ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Government ◽  
Time Changes ◽  
Teaching Learning

Achievement test is of very important assessment tool to evaluate the student’s current level of knowledge and skill acquired from classroom instruction. This test is designed to evaluate the student’s level of achievement in a particular subject for a particular class prescribed under the board or the university. In other words, to assess how much the pupils have achieved the educational objectives in teaching learning process at the end of the course and if achieved then to what extent, it has been achieved. Achievement tests are proved to be very helpful in various ways to the people who are involved in the field of education such as the teachers, the administrators, the planners, to the parents as well as for the students. The teacher very carefully develops and conduct achievement test in the class which enable the teacher to get an overall idea of the progress or the level of achievement of his students in the subject area. The teacher can determine the pupil’s strength and weakness in the subject area. So, based on this the teacher can take necessary remedial instructional strategies for the betterment of the pupil’s progress. In the same time, it also provides feedback for the teaching efficiency of the teacher.As with the time changes there have been many educational reforms taken place and in between syllabus had also been changed under different Boards of Studies. In order to maintain uniform standard of education the Government has formulated a policy to implement NCERT syllabus common to all School Boards throughout the country and accordingly the State Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) follow NCERT syllabus and to evaluate students’ achievement in terms of the policy formulated by the Board. Till now, no any standardized achievement test has been conducted for the secondary school students of Assam. Therefore, the investigators felt to construct and standardize an achievement test in the subject General Science which will definitely help in educational research.

Building a Culture of Ethical, Comparable, Authentic Assessment

2019 ◽  
pp. 463-481
Author(s):  
Andrew Reid ◽  
Julie Ballantyne
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Authentic Assessment ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
System Level ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
School Based ◽  
The Subject

In an ideal world, assessment should be synonymous with effective learning and reflect the intricacies of the subject area. It should also be aligned with the ideals of education: to provide equitable opportunities for all students to achieve and to allow both appropriate differentiation for varied contexts and students and comparability across various contexts and students. This challenge is made more difficult in circumstances in which the contexts are highly heterogeneous, for example in the state of Queensland, Australia. Assessment in music challenges schooling systems in unique ways because teaching and learning in music are often naturally differentiated and diverse, yet assessment often calls for standardization. While each student and teacher has individual, evolving musical pathways in life, the syllabus and the system require consistency and uniformity. The challenge, then, is to provide diverse, equitable, and quality opportunities for all children to learn and achieve to the best of their abilities. This chapter discusses the designing and implementation of large-scale curriculum as experienced in secondary schools in Queensland, Australia. The experiences detailed explore the possibilities offered through externally moderated school-based assessment. Also discussed is the centrality of system-level clarity of purpose, principles and processes, and the provision of supportive networks and mechanisms to foster autonomy for a diverse range of music educators and contexts. Implications for education systems that desire diversity, equity, and quality are discussed, and the conclusion provokes further conceptualization and action on behalf of students, teachers, and the subject area of music.

Marcus Cunliffe Writes America

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-382
Author(s):  
MICK GIDLEY
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
American Studies ◽  
Academic Career ◽  
The United States ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Washington Dc ◽  
George Washington ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Washington University

Marcus Cunliffe (1922–1990) was incontestably an important figure in American studies. In the early part of his academic career he helped to found the subject area in Britain, and he was later both awarded professorial appointments at the Universities of Manchester and Sussex and elected to the chairmanship of the British Association for American Studies, from which positions he served as a personal inspiration and professional mentor to several “generations” of UK American studies academics. Those who knew him and worked with him were invariably struck by his tall good looks, charisma and charm – characteristics that no doubt also contributed to his successful career, in Britain and in the United States, first as a visiting scholar, and later, during his final years, as the occupant of an endowed chair at George Washington University in Washington, DC. As the correspondence in his papers attest, he was held in high – and warm – regard by many of the leading US historians of his heyday. More might be said about his charm here because it also permeates his writing and persists there as a kind of afterglow, and not only for those who encountered him in person – but this essay is a critical reconsideration of his published work that, though appreciative, at least aspires towards objectivity.

scholarly journals Non-breeding feather concentrations of testosterone, corticosterone and cortisol are associated with subsequent survival in wild house sparrows

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1733) ◽  
pp. 1560-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Koren ◽  
Shinichi Nakagawa ◽  
Terry Burke ◽  
Kiran K. Soma ◽  
Katherine E. Wynne-Edwards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Darwinian Fitness ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
The Subject ◽  
As Stress

Potential mechanistic mediators of Darwinian fitness, such as stress hormones or sex hormones, have been the focus of many studies. An inverse relationship between fitness and stress or sex hormone concentrations has been widely assumed, although empirical evidence is scarce. Feathers gradually accumulate hormones during their growth and provide a novel way to measure hormone concentrations integrated over time. Using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, we measured testosterone, corticosterone and cortisol in the feathers of house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) in a wild population which is the subject of a long-term study. Although corticosterone is considered the dominant avian glucocorticoid, we unambiguously identified cortisol in feathers. In addition, we found that feathers grown during the post-nuptial moult in autumn contained testosterone, corticosterone and cortisol levels that were significantly higher in birds that subsequently died over the following winter than in birds that survived. Thus, feather steroids are candidate prospective biomarkers to predict the future survival of individuals in the wild.

The Long-Term Regulation of Safety Standards: The Case of the Electricity Industry in Australia and New Zealand

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-332
Author(s):  
Malcolm Abbott
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Electricity Industry ◽  
Political Context ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Organizational Approach

Throughout much of the history of the electricity industry in Australia and New Zealand the industry has been the subject of safety regulations. Although this regulation has been a constant throughout the life of the industry the organizational approach to regulation has changed over the years. Periodically in Australia and New Zealand history these questions have been raised in a political context, although notably the structure of safety regulators does not get much attention in the standard histories of the industry. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to discuss some of the general issues that have arisen in the reform of regulation in the case of electricity safety over the longer term and how it relates overall to the development of the electricity industry.

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