scholarly journals Engagement of Families Attending Early Childhood Services During 5-Month School Closure Due to COVID-19: An Italian Experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Nossa ◽  
Emilia Biffi ◽  
Giovanna Colnago ◽  
Giovanna De Gregorio ◽  
Laura Saudelli ◽  
...  

During the COVID-19 outbreak, we experienced the suspension of both work-related and spare activities, with the closure of shops, companies, services, as well as schools. Children probably are the ones who have suffered the most from this situation, due to the limited socialization with peers and boredom experienced at home. In this context, schools and childhood services tried to relieve the negative effects brought by the pandemic through actions aimed at actively engaging students and their parents in promoting child development and wellbeing. Therefore, several worldwide actions have been implemented to guarantee educational continuity. However, most of these actions targeted 3–18years old children/adolescents, while the subgroup 0–3 was rarely included. Cooperativa Sociale Aeris, a social enterprise based in northern Italy that deals with socio-educational and welfare services, took several measures to overcome problems resulting from the closure of its services dedicated to 0–3 aged children. In this manuscript, we depict how Aeris kept engaged children and their parents, reporting families’ evaluation on the actions taken. For assessing their proposed activities, Aeris promptly distributed an on-line survey to the families in May 2020. The answers showed that the organized activities had a positive impact on both children and parents, diminishing the sense of loneliness and boredom for the former, and acting as an important support for the latter. Therefore, this manuscript could work as a reference for policy-makers and managers of educational services in implementing activities and initiatives during home schooling.

2012 ◽  
pp. 89-111
Author(s):  
Rita Canale Rosaria ◽  
Napolitano Oreste

The EMU assigns a marginal role to economic policy and relies on the idea that, if prices are kept constant, there will be an automatic convergence towards long-run equilibrium income. These beliefs represent the theoretical underpinnings of fiscal and monetary policy strategies in Europe. In order to highlight the weakness of these foundations, this paper evaluates empirically the effects of public expenditure and interest rate setting on equilibrium income in Italy from 1998 to 2008. Our analysis supports the conclusions that government spending has a positive impact on national income while monetary policy strategy has a negative impact. Moreover, the high level of debt does not produce negative effects on GDP. Finally, at a time of financial crisis, these results are reinforced for fiscal policy, but weakened for monetary policy. The paper finally states that the EMU's rigid rules for both fiscal and monetary policy have recessive outcomes.


Author(s):  
Khaled Salmen Aljaaidi

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the online social media networks (OSMNs) on productivity at workplace among 88 administrative staff at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaiziz University for the academic year 2020-2021. This study finds that using online social media networks by PSAU’s employees at the workplace enhances their productivity. The majority of the employees (59%) perceive that using the OSMNs at workplace have a positive impact on their productivity. In addition, the majority of the employees (33%) regu-larly use WhatsApp as a useful online social media network at the workplace. The results also indicate that the majority of the employees (66%) use the OSMNs at workplace more than once a day. Further, the majority of the PSAU’s employees (39%) use the OSMNs at work-place less than half an hour per a day. Furthermore, 39% of the PSAU’s employees use the OSMNs at workplace to keep in touch with their families and friends, and 34% of the employees use the OSMNs to search for work-related information. The results of this study should be useful to policy makers in Saudi Arabia at the country, ministry of education, PSAU, and elsewhere in gaining a deeper understanding on how using the OSMNs at work-place can enhances the employees’ productivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
Prashant Shukla ◽  
Jini Shukla ◽  
Ajay Singh ◽  
Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay

The Covid-19 induced strict measures like strict lockdown caused schools to be shut down. The classes turned into non-contact and online. This caused children and adolescents to stay at home and take classes from the comfort of their rooms. The lockdown had a positive impact on sleep pattern of children and adolescents as they are not under pressure to wake up early nor they have serious deadlines to submit homework. The data of children and adolescents were collected by the means of questionnaire which was distributed to them. The questionnaire was taken back and analysed. The lack of pressure on students has helped them get positive sleep patterns. Of 44 respondents who took part in the study 68% reported change in sleep time. Out of these 88% were from urban area. Similarly, 57% respondents reported sleeping better during the lockdown and subsequent unlock periods. 68% students experienced that they do not require help in waking up which was around 41% before Covid-19 induced lockdown. This happened because students wake up late as there was no pressure to wake up early. This study again provided evidence in support of late start of school. The policy makers and school administrators should consider the increasing amount of evidence and change the school timings in such a way that student is not forced to wake up too early.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 428
Author(s):  
Ahmet Uludağ ◽  
Yakup Erdal Ertürk

Sanayileşme ile başlayan ve kırdan şehre yönelen göçe paralel olarak ortaya çıkan şehirleşme, beton, cam ve asfaltın çerçevelediği gri bir hayat tarzını insanlara dayatmaktadır. Kendisi ya da bir nesil öncesi köylerden gelmiş olan insanlar, tabiat özlemlerini evlerinde yetiştirdikleri çeşitli bitkiler ve hayvanlarla gidermeye çalışmaktadırlar. Aynı olgu hızlı ve çarpık bir şehirleşme serüveni yaşayan Türkiye’de de kendini göstermektedir. Farklı olma isteği, görüntülü ve basılı yayınların giderek artan tesiri ve pazarlama kanallarının etkin çalışması gibi sebeplerle, bilinen yerli hayvan ve bitki türlerinin yerini alışılmışın dışında ve başka coğrafyalara ait canlılar almıştır. Son yıllarda bu canlılara yönelmiş olan yoğun talebin; bu ürünlerin ithalâtını, üretimini ve perakende satışlarını artırması, bu canlıların çevre açısından tehlikeli olma riskini de artırmaktadır. Başta biyolojik çeşitlilik olmak üzere, insan faaliyetlerini ve sağlığını etkileyen ve kendi anavatanları dışında yayılan bu canlılar, istilâcı yabancı türler (İYT) olarak adlandırılmaktadır. Evlerde beslenen hayvanlar ve bitkiler, ya kaçmak suretiyle ya da çeşitli sebeplerle ev şartlarında bakımlarının yapılamadığı durumlarda acıma hissi ile tabiata salınarak bulaştırılmaktadır. Bazı ülkelerde bu konularda kanunî düzenlemeler ve üretici ve ithalâtçıların gönüllü uygulamaları için prensipler hazırlanmıştır ve hazırlanmaktadır. Ülkemizdeki karantina uygulamaları da dâhil bu konuda yeterli bir kanunî alt yapı mevcut değildir. Bu türlerle mücadele için öncelikle muhtemel olumsuzluklarının ülkemiz ölçeğinde de belirlenmesi ve sıradan bir vatandaştan politika üreticilerine kadar bütün kesimlerde farkındalık yaratılmasına ihtiyaç vardır. Bu çalışmada ikincil veriler ve bilgiler kullanılmak suretiyle söz konusu tehdidin büyüklüğüne ve önemine dikkat çekilmektedir. The Negative Effects Of Imported Ornamentals And Pets On Environment Ornamentals improve environment outdoor and contribute our health, prospect and creativity indoor. Open areas and green corners that are planned well have positive impact on cities and their dwellers. Pets and companion animals have important role as friend of human, which can create a special atmosphere for owner, increase social life and help education of kids. Urbanization which has occurred in parallel to migration from rural areas to cities with industrialization era imposed a grey life style surrounded with concrete, glass and pavement. A person who is emigrated from villages himself or his parents tried to fulfill his desire of nature via growing ornamentals and having pets. Turkey has experienced the same cases. Due to the desire of being different, increasing effect of media, and effective marketing technique, new exotic ornamentals and pets have replaced usual common ones. Rising demand to the exotic plants and animals increased import, production, and retail marketing, which can increase the risk on environment due to these creatures. Those species that live in other places than their origins and have negative effect on biodiversity, human activities or health are described as invasive alien species (IAS). Ornamentals and pets escape to wild or release to wild, which can become IAS. There are legal documents and code of conducts in some countries. Unfortunately there are no legal documents enough including quarantine on IAS in Turkey. In order to control IAS, the impact of IAS should be determined nationwide and awareness should be created from policy makers to ordinary citizens. Getting attention on importance and magnitude of IAS problem caused by ornamental plants and animals by using second hand data was aimed in this paper.


Risks ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Ignatowski ◽  
Łukasz Sułkowski ◽  
Bartłomiej Stopczyński

Nepotism and cronyism are forms of favoritism towards certain people in the workplace. For this reason, they constitute a problem for organization managers, ethicists and psychologists. Identifying the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the increase of nepotism and cronyism may provide a basis for organizations to assess their extent and to take possible measures to prevent their negative effects. At the same time, the research presented in the article may provide a basis for further research work related to nepotism and cronyism at the times of other threats, different from the pandemic. The aim of the article is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on growing acceptance for nepotism and cronyism in Polish enterprises. Qualitative and quantitative methods have been included in the conducted research. Qualitative study aimed at improving knowledge of nepotism and cronyism and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these phenomena, followed by a quantitative study conducted in order to verify the information obtained in the qualitative study. This research has demonstrated that Nepotism and cronyism in the workplace, are phenomenon that are basically evaluated negatively. They adversely influences social and economic development, but the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on nepotism and cronyism is not significant.


Author(s):  
Shaden A. M. Khalifa ◽  
Mahmoud M. Swilam ◽  
Aida A. Abd El-Wahed ◽  
Ming Du ◽  
Haged H. R. El-Seedi ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious challenge for societies around the globe as entire populations have fallen victim to the infectious spread and have taken up social distancing. In many countries, people have had to self-isolate and to be confined to their homes for several weeks to months to prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing measures have had both negative and positive impacts on various aspects of economies, lifestyles, education, transportation, food supply, health, social life, and mental wellbeing. On other hands, due to reduced population movements and the decline in human activities, gas emissions decreased and the ozone layer improved; this had a positive impact on Earth’s weather and environment. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has negative effects on human activities and positive impacts on nature. This study discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on different life aspects including the economy, social life, health, education, and the environment.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
JON ORD ◽  
MARC CARLETTI ◽  
DANIELE MORCIANO ◽  
LASSE SIURALA ◽  
CHRISTOPHE DANSAC ◽  
...  

Abstract This article examines young people’s experiences of open access youth work in settings in the UK, Finland, Estonia, Italy and France. It analyses 844 individual narratives from young people, which communicate the impact of youthwork on their lives. These accounts are then analysed in the light of the European youth work policy goals. It concludes that it is encouraging that what young people identify as the positive impact of youth work are broadly consistent with many of these goals. There are however some disparities which require attention. These include the importance young people place on the social context of youth work, such as friendship, which is largely absent in EU youth work policy; as well as the importance placed on experiential learning. The paper also highlights a tension between ‘top down’ policy formulation and the ‘youth centric’ practices of youth work. It concludes with a reminder to policy makers that for youth work to remain successful the spaces and places for young people must remain meaningful to them ‘on their terms’.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2098082
Author(s):  
Md. Sazzadul Haque ◽  
Shafkat Sharif ◽  
Aseer Masnoon ◽  
Ebne Rashid

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has demonstrated both positive and negative effects on the environment. Major concerns over personal hygiene, mandated and ease in lockdown actions and slackening of some policy measures have led to a massive surge in the use of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) and other single-use plastic items. This generated an enormous amount of plastic waste from both healthcare and household units, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Apart from the healthcare workers, the general public have become accustomed to using PPE. These habits are threatening the land and marine environment with immense loads of plastic waste, due to improper disposal practices across the world, especially in developing nations. Contaminated PPE has already made its way to the oceans which will inevitably produce plastic particles alongside other pathogen-driven diseases. This study provided an estimation-based approach in quantifying the amount of contaminated plastic waste that can be expected daily from the massive usage of PPE (e.g. facemasks) because of the countrywide mandated regulations on PPE usage. The situation of Bangladesh has been analysed and projections revealed that a total of 3.4 billion pieces of single-use facemask, hand sanitizer bottles, hand gloves and disposable polyethylene bags will be produced monthly, which will give rise to 472.30 t of disposable plastic waste per day. The equations provided for the quantification of waste from used single-use plastic and PPE can be used for other countries for rough estimations. Then, the discussed recommendations will help concerned authorities and policy makers to design effective response plans. Sustainable plastic waste management for the current and post-pandemic period can be imagined and acted upon.


Author(s):  
F. Ziesemer ◽  
A. Hüttel ◽  
I. Balderjahn

AbstractAs overconsumption has negative effects on ecological balance, social equality, and individual well-being, reducing consumption levels among the materially affluent is an emerging strategy for sustainable development. Today’s youth form a crucial target group for intervening in unsustainable overconsumption habits and for setting the path and ideas on responsible living. This article explores young people’s motivations for engaging in three behavioural patterns linked to anti-consumption (voluntary simplicity, collaborative consumption, and living within one’s means) in relation to sustainability. Applying a qualitative approach, laddering interviews reveal the consequences and values behind the anti-consumption behaviours of young people of ages 14 to 24 according to a means-end chains analysis. The findings highlight potential for and the challenges involved in motivating young people to reduce material levels of consumption for the sake of sustainability. Related consumer policy tools from the fields of education and communication are identified. This article provides practical implications for policy makers, activists, and educators. Consumer policies may strengthen anti-consumption among young people by addressing individual benefits, enabling reflection on personal values, and referencing credible narratives. The presented insights can help give a voice to young consumers, who struggle to establish themselves as key players in shaping the future consumption regime.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zi Wang

Abstract The coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdown affected social life in every regard. In critical times, the well-being of vulnerable groups is often at stake. Migrants represent a case in point because language barriers and the lack of social networks impede their seeking help from public institutions and information access. In migration policy and research, current attention overwhelmingly focusses on COVID-19’s impact on travel restrictions and healthcare. This article contributes a new perspective by demonstrating how migrants’ well-being needs (understood as emotions and sense of achievement) in education during the COVID-19-induced school closure were addressed by community educational organisations. Focussing on the Chinese community in Germany, data were collected in Chinese heritage language (CHL) schools from three urban areas. This article argues that CHL schools’ reaction to public schools’ closure had a positive impact on their members’ well-being. Such organisations achieved this by expanding their educational programmes during and after the lockdown. These measures ensured continuity in migrant children’s education beyond the realm of heritage language instruction, while enabling migrant parents to seek employment as the economy reopened. Overall, the results of this study underscore the potential of community organisations’ educational programmes in maintaining migrants’ well-being, especially in trying times.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document