Creating Autonomy in the Advance of Teacher and Moral Educator Development

The demand for character development in many of the Western World’s public schools is increasing. Yet there are substantive steps being taken beyond manipulating student behavior in rigidly constructed contexts. Unfortunately manipulating behavior only develops self-interest as the measure of all good and might makes right the legitimation of authority. Yet as any anthropologist can explain it is role-modeling family and village elders that decides which of two instincts will dominate human development: self-interest or cooperation (Tomasello, 2019). As Aristotle famously observed, it makes no small difference what habits humans develop rather, it makes all the difference. But to be truly conducive to moral development those habits must reflect autonomous conviction to develop organizational well-being over the pandemonium self-interest leads towards. The Moral Self-assessment Protocol discussed herein creates the conditions for teacher and other leaders to track their own moral development to role model for those growing into organization membership, in schools, cities, states, countries and businesses.

Hyperspectral Pansharpening in the Reflective Domain with a Second Panchromatic Channel in the SWIR II Spectral Domain

Hyperspectral pansharpening methods in the reflective domain are limited by the large difference between the visible panchromatic (PAN) and hyperspectral (HS) spectral ranges, which notably leads to poor representation of the SWIR (1.0–2.5 μm) spectral domain. A novel instrument concept is proposed in this study, by introducing a second PAN channel in the SWIR II (2.0–2.5 μm) spectral domain. Two extended fusion methods are proposed to process both PAN channels, namely, Gain-2P and CONDOR-2P: the first one is an extended version of the Brovey transform, whereas the second one adds mixed pixel preprocessing steps to Gain-2P. By following an exhaustive performance-assessment protocol including global, refined, and local numerical analyses supplemented by supervised classification, we evaluated the updated methods on peri-urban and urban datasets. The results confirm the significant contribution of the second PAN channel (up to 45% of improvement for both datasets with the mean normalised gap in the reflective domain and 60% in the SWIR domain only) and reveal a clear advantage for CONDOR-2P (as compared with Gain-2P) regarding the peri-urban dataset.

Social and Economic Outcomes of Fisheries Certification: Characterizing Pathways of Change in Canned Fish Markets

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-labeling program provides fisheries a pathway to demonstrate their sustainability by undergoing an environmental certification. Like other standard-setters, the MSC’s ‘theory of change’ presumes that markets use this information to select for sustainable products, providing an incentive for producers to improve their practices and become certified. However, the underlying mechanisms which actually work to link market behavior and participation in the program in different contexts have not been systematically identified. We draw on broad MSC field experience to identify processes that have supported the theory of change in individual fisheries. Then, we develop a broadly applicable rapid assessment protocol, relying on a semi-structured interviews of key informants, to gather systematic evidence for key dynamics within the theory of change: the effects of going through MSC certification on market processes, partnerships in the fishery, and governance. In a pilot test of the protocol, we identify important common and idiosyncratic processes in three canned product fisheries: United States west coast albacore tuna, Brittany sardines, and Portuguese sardines. We find that the harvesters and buyers/processors in these fisheries sought certification primarily to expand or maintain their market share, and that certification was synergistic with stakeholder cooperation. The cases demonstrate how our rapid assessment interviews allow program participants to relate their experience in their own words yet facilitate systematic comparison to identify common mechanisms within the theory of change. We propose its wider application to systematically advance our understanding of social and economic processes that drive of eco-label interventions in different geographies and supply chains around the world.

Welfare of Farmed Crocodilians: Identification of Potential Animal-Based Measures Using Elicitation of Expert Opinion

Animal-based measures are the measure of choice in animal welfare assessment protocols as they can often be applied completely independently to the housing or production system employed. Although there has been a small body of work on potential animal-based measures for farmed crocodilians, they have not been studied in the context of an animal welfare assessment protocol. Potential animal-based measures that could be used to reflect the welfare state of farmed crocodilians were identified and aligned with the Welfare Quality® principles of good housing, good health, good feeding and appropriate behaviour. A consultation process with a panel of experts was used to evaluate and score the potential measures in terms of validity and feasibility. This resulted in a toolbox of measures being identified for further development and integration into animal welfare assessment on the farm. Animal-based measures related to ‘good feeding’ and ‘good health’ received the highest scores for validity and feasibility by the experts. There was less agreement on the animal-based measures that could be used to reflect ‘appropriate behaviour’. Where no animal-based measures were deemed to reliably reflect a welfare criterion nor be useful as a measure on the farm, additional measures of resources or management were suggested as alternatives. Future work in this area should focus on the reliability of the proposed measures and involve further evaluation of their validity and feasibility as they relate to different species of crocodilian and farming system.

Racial and Ethnic Diversities in Cognitive Health Appraisals: Findings from the HCAP

The aims of the study were: (1) to investigate the relationship between cognitive performance and cognitive health appraisals across non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic older adults in the United States and (2) to explore within-group variations by examining interactions between cognitive performance and background and health variables. The sample (N = 3,099) included 2,260 non-Hispanic White, 498 non-Hispanic Black, and 341 Hispanic adults aged 65 or older, from the 2016–2017 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol. Regression models of cognitive health appraisals, indicated by self-rated cognitive health, were examined in the entire sample and in racial and ethnic subgroups to test direct and interactive effects of cognitive performance, indicated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The regression model for the entire sample showed direct effects of cognitive performance and race/ethnicity on cognitive health appraisals, as well as a significant interaction between cognitive performance and being non-Hispanic Black. Cognitive performance and cognitive health appraisals were positively associated in non-Hispanic Whites but not significantly associated in non-Hispanic Blacks. Our subsequent analysis within each racial/ethnic group showed that the effect of cognitive performance in non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics became either reversed or nonsignificant when background and health variables were considered. Modification by age or chronic medical conditions in each racial and ethnic group was also observed. Overall, these findings suggest that perceptions and appraisals of cognitive health vary by race and ethnicity and hold implications for how these differences should be considered in research and practice with diverse groups of older adults.

Performance of early literacy students in cognitive-linguistic skills during the pandemic

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic made discrepancies between the different educational realities more evident for schoolchildren in the beginning of literacy. Objective: to characterize the performance of cognitive-linguistic skills of students in early literacy phases during the pandemic. Methods: Twenty-two elementary school students participated in this study, distributed in GI 1st year students and 2nd year GII students, submitted to the application of the Cognitive-Linguistic Skills Assessment Protocol for students in the initial stage of literacy. Results: Students from GI and GII showed average performance for writing the name and writing the alphabet in sequence. The GI presented a refusal response for the subtests of word dictation, pseudoword dictation and picture dictation, word repetition and visual sequential memory of shapes and poor performance for alphabet recognition in random order and average performance for alphabet recognition in sequence. GII showed lower performance for the subtests of word dictation, pseudoword dictation, picture dictation and superior performance for alphabet recognition in random order, alphabet in sequence and visual sequential memory of shapes. Discussion: The appropriation of the letter-sound relationship mechanism raises questions, since it evidenced the difficulty of all students in cognitive-linguistic skills necessary for the full development of reading and writing in an alphabetic writing system such as Brazilian Portuguese . Conclusion: Students in the 1st and 2nd years showed lower performance in cognitive-linguistic skills important for learning reading and writing.

Effects of Health-Promoting Lifestyles in Midlife on Cognitive Functioning in Later Life

Maintaining cognitive function in later life is key to healthy aging because cognitive impairments compromise everyday functional abilities, impeding independent living. Numerous studies have discovered early life experiences and lifestyle behaviors over the lifespan to have substantial influences on cognitive functioning with age. Especially, subtle brain changes related to dementia occur as early as midlife, and lifestyle factors in midlife influence neuropathological development, suggesting that midlife is a critical period for preserving cognitive health in later life. This study investigated the association between lifestyle behaviors in midlife and cognitive performance in later life using 12-year follow-up data from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging (KLoSA). Cognitive function was assessed with the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) for KLoSA. Eight thousand respondents from the KLoSA sample were administered HCAP neuropsychological tests. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine whether health-promoting lifestyles at baseline (2006) predicted cognitive function in 2018 after controlling for health-related covariates. We identified a positive influence of health-protective behaviors (non-smoking, moderate drinking, regular exercise, weight management, and health screening) at baseline on language abilities in 2018 (β = .05, p < .05). In addition, health-promoting behaviors covering interpersonal relationships, social engagement, optimistic outlook, and positive attitudes at baseline were predictive of language abilities (β = .08, p < .01), executive function (β = .06, p < .01), and the visuospatial ability (β = .06, p < .05) in 2018. This study highlights the importance of midlife health-promoting lifestyles in maintaining cognitive health in later life.

Self- and Informant-Reported Loneliness and Cognitive Function: Evidence From Three HCAP Studies

Loneliness is defined as a distressing feeling that arises from the discrepancy between one’s desired and perceived social relationships. Theorists have posited that loneliness involves affective, cognitive, and behavioral components that can be noticed by close family or friends. Little is known about whether social withdrawal, a behavioral marker of loneliness observed by knowledgeable others, shares similar associations with cognition as self-reported loneliness. The present study examined whether self-reported and informant-rated loneliness are related to cognitive function in older adulthood. Data come from Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol subsample included in three national aging studies from the US (HRS; N = 2,821, Mage = 75.8), England (ELSA; N = 896, Mage = 73.6), and India (LACI-DAD; N = 2,994, Mage = 69.3). Respondents reported on 1-item loneliness and informants rated the respondent’s withdrawal behavior. Regression models were used to analyze the association between both measures of loneliness and cognition, controlling for respondent (age, gender, education, race/ethnicity) and informant (age, gender, education, spouse, known years, frequency of contact) covariates. Meta-analysis showed that both respondent-reported and informant-rated loneliness were independently associated with lower cognitive functioning (memory, speed–attention–executive, visuospatial ability, and fluency) and global cognition (MMSE). The associations between observed withdrawal and cognition did not vary by informant-level characteristics nor the respondent’s cognitive impairment status. The present study indicates that withdrawal behavior observed by informants is associated with cognitive function, supporting psychosocial observations provided by knowledgeable others can be utilized in detecting cognitive function.

MusicCohort: Pilot feasibility of a protocol to assess students’ physical and mental health in a Canadian post-secondary school of music

Objective Music-related physical and mental health conditions are common among post-secondary music students, with many studies reporting a prevalence greater than 70%. However, there is currently no consensus on appropriate, validated assessments for this population. The aim of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of an assessment protocol developed for a German longitudinal study with Canadian post-secondary music students, and to compare the health of music students to non-music students. Using a cross-sectional design, first-semester music and non-music control students were recruited at two campuses at the same university. Both groups completed questionnaires and physical testing, including range of motion, core strength, and pressure pain threshold. Nineteen music students and 50 non-music student controls participated in this study. Results The German protocol is feasible in a Canadian post-secondary setting. Canadian music students demonstrated similar health outcomes to those in the parent study. All participants demonstrated poorer mental and physical quality of life than the Canadian norms, though this was not statistically significant. The results of this study should be confirmed in a larger study. Future studies with larger sample sizes can provide further insight into the health of Canadian music students, providing a basis for prevention and intervention.