Decent work in care homes: lessons and implications of the pandemic experience from Scotland

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify lessons and implications on the theme of decent work in social care. This has long been highlighted as integral to improving social care for the elderly. The COVID-19 pandemic experience reveals lessons and implications about the systemic absence of decent work in one place, Scotland, in care homes. The main lesson and implication is a need for change beyond the focus on levels of pay and systemic advocacy of decent work as it is conventionally understood. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected using qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 20 care workers in care homes.[AQ4] A range of care system institutional stakeholders was also interviewed. A range of care system institutional stakeholders was also interviewed. Findings: Decent work in social care may only be progressed to the extent that a culture change is achieved, transcending the institutional stasis about who owns and engages with progressing decent work. Research limitations/implications: This is a study in one place, Scotland, with a small sample of frontline care workers in care homes and representatives from a range of institutions. Practical implications: Effective culture change for decent work in care homes needs to be a higher research priority. More explicit culture policies can be a mechanism by which overall decent work and system change may be catalysed and sustainably secured together. Explicit culture change is here set out with respect to operational, institutional and national domains. Social implications: There needs to be social policy and political support for situating decent work to be part of a broader culture change around care work with the elderly. A culture-oriented change plan as well as new resourcing and structures can together ensure that the nadir of the pandemic experience was a historical turning point towards transformation rather than being just another low point in a recurring cycle. Originality/value: The situating of systemic decent work progress within a broader culture change, and modelling that culture change, are original contributions. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Statistical modelling of the impact of online courses in higher education on sustainable development

Purpose>The concept of sustainable development (SD) is a popular response to society's need to preserve and extend the life span of natural resources. One of the 17 goals of the SD is "education quality” (Fourth Goal of Sustainable Development [SDG-4]). Education quality is an important goal because education is a powerful force that can influence social policies and social change. The SDG-4 must be measured in different contexts, and the tools to quantify its effects require exploration. So, this study aims to propose a statistical model to measure the impact of higher education online courses on SD and a structural equation model (SEM) to find constructs or factors that help us explain a sustainability benefits rate. These proposed models integrate the three areas of sustainability: social, economic and environmental.Design/methodology/approach>A beta regression model suggests features that include the academic and economic opportunities offered by the institution, the involvement in research activities and the quality of the online courses. A structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis allowed selecting the key variables and constructs that are strongly linked to the SD.Findings>One of the key findings showed that the benefit provided by online courses in terms of SD is 62.99% higher than that of offline courses in aspects such as transportation, photocopies, printouts, books, food, clothing, enrolment fees and connectivity.Research limitations/implications>The SEM model needs large sample sizes to have consistent estimations. Thus, despite the obtained estimations in the proposed SEM model being reliable, the authors consider that a limitation of this study was the required time to collect data corresponding to the estimated sample size.Originality/value>This study proposes two novel and different ways to estimate the sustainability benefits rate focused on SDG-4, and machine learning tools are implemented to validate and gain robustness in the estimations of the beta model. Additionally, the SEM model allows us to identify new constructs associated with SDG-4.

Study on the Opening of School Sports Facilities under the National Fitness Programme

In recent years, with the continued promotion of the national fitness programme, the motivation of people of all ages to participate in daily fitness exercises has been significantly enhanced. The higher demand for national fitness obviously needs to be matched with more supply of sports venues and sports facilities. The lack of sports facilities in China has led to a growing conflict between the growing demand for sports and the relatively poor public sports services. As a major component of China's public sports facilities, school sports facilities are an important vehicle for the implementation of the national fitness programme. The opening of school sports facilities is directly related to the solid foundation of facilities and venues for the national fitness programme in China. This paper studies the opening of school sports facilities in the context of the national fitness programme, explores the difficulties and challenges faced by the opening of school sports facilities, and proposes practical countermeasures and suggestions for the opening of school sports facilities.

Understanding the effects of Covid-19 through a life course lens.

The Covid-19 pandemic is shaking fundamental assumptions about the human life course in societies around the world. In this essay, we draw on our collective expertise to illustrate how a life course perspective can make critical contributions to understanding the pandemic's effects on individuals, families, and populations. We explore the pandemic's implications for the organization and experience of life transitions and trajectories within and across central domains: health, personal control and planning, social relationships and family, education, work and careers, and migration and mobility. We consider both the life course implications of being infected by the Covid-19 virus or attached to someone who has; and being affected by the pandemic's social, economic, cultural, and psychological consequences. It is our goal to offer some programmatic observations on which life course research and policies can build as the pandemic's short- and long-term consequences unfold.

Mobile Learning and Readiness of Ongoing Foreign Language Teacher Candidates for Future Retrospective Studies

Due to technical advancements, humanity has seen a variety of sociological transformations. In historical terms, the move to sedentary life may be categorized widely into two categories: industrial society and information society. It also indicates that these changes and advances are permanent in the educational and training contexts and that the link between teaching and technology is anchored and evolving. The specific differences of each student will be taken into account in future foreign language classrooms, as well as providing them with an active role, associating their learning, and equipping teachers with technical tools. This may be accomplished by submitting the future approach to educational settings to teacher candidates. The readiness is an essential factor, as the quality of preparation of teacher candidates and technology itself. Further technical breakthroughs have affected our everyday lives, the formation of new vehicles utilized in educational contexts, and the development of new methodologies, including today's smart tablet computers from the abacus. Today's research reflects the need to consider the potential effects of the COVID pandemic from a broader viewpoint. According to this perspective, rather than being viewed as an event, the integration of technology into education should be seen as a process influenced by variables other than only technological development. It is critical to assess the current situation in light of the history of technology and the existing situation in the present and changes throughout time as indicators of future developments. However, the extent of current data on the usage of mobile technology, which falls under the category of mobile technology, limits the reach of a retrospective cohort study (also called a historical cohort study or with a more general name longitudinal cohort study). The purpose of this study is to present data for future Longitudinal Cohort Studies by illustrating the degree of readiness of ongoing Anadolu University, Faculty of Education German as a Foreign Language Teacher Candidates.

Spaces and Prospects for Student Empowerment in the Debt-Ridden Greek Education System. Future Possibilities for Change According to Student's Views

This paper presents a research project that was conducted in Athens, Greece in 2018 and 2019. The main objective of this project was to address students' views on Greek society and education in the context of the socio-economic crisis, their prospects, and their aspirations for educational and social transformation. The paper concentrates on students' views on education and discusses the role of schools in creating democratic societies. It provides a closer insight into possible ways of thinking about education, and food for thought for any attempts to deconstruct or initiate radical change in the education system. It looks at the potentialities and possibilities of deploying critical pedagogy as a mode of resistance for transformative and empowering education within the Greek education system. It concludes that during times of multiple crises, critical pedagogy is clearly relevant and has a responsibility to rethink its views and practices, build active resistance and engage in fostering educational and social change that can lead to a more just, equal and fair society.

Another Perspective: Music Education in the Age of Innovation

Music, one of civil society's most important cultural treasures, is undergoing radical, inevitable transformation, especially in places like the United States. A tidal wave of new technology enables a new toolbox for music learning. This is an era of digital music streaming, online experiences, and intelligent instruments that also shape new patterns of music creation and consumption. And the pandemic of 2020-2021, despite all its challenges, has been a powerful spur to innovation. In this article, John Kao begins by identifying four key drivers of the coming and inevitable disruption that will lead to the transformation of music education. He states educational institutions must prepare to navigate the Age of Innovation in the face of disruptive change. He then presents a framework intended as a starter kit to help educators and educational institutions begin that adventure.

Smart working as an organisational process or as a social change? An Italian pandemic experience

Purpose: Along the coronavirus pandemic, huge business challenges are facing as a result of collapsing customer demand and organisational significant changes supported by digital development, while the increasing social and environmental needs involve business and individuals. The authors argue that this trend is modifying organisational and market logic, replacing them with values and practices linked to community-based models. The present work aims to study the impact that smart working (SW) has on the worker, seen both as a member of the organisation and the social community. Design/methodology/approach: The study data were collected from a computer-assisted web interview administered in 2020 to public employees working for health agencies across the Campania region, in South Italy. To test the conceptual model, partial least squares-structural equation modelling is used. Considering the abductive soul of the research, the study represents a pilot survey that will deliver stochastic results to be subsequently replicated in all Italian health agencies. Findings: The results of the research highlighted how the evolutionary dynamics of SW employees tend towards a reconceptualisation of workspaces, a redefinition of time and emotions and a better balance between work and personal life, thus creating a greater space for social and community aspects and determining a greater involvement in their working life. Originality/value: This research introduces a new win-win logic in the labour market, one capable of generating advantages for people, organisations and the entire social system by allowing workers to better reconcile working times with their personal needs and with flexibility demands coming from companies. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Remnants of Community: What I Learned in the First Year of the Pandemic

This commentary reflects briefly on 10 of the many lessons that defined the Covid‐19 pandemic. These reflections are taken from one disabled person's experience but resonate with many. As such they give a flavour of the thematic issue as a whole, while offering a highly personal contribution to the publication project. © 2023 by the author(s).

Disabled People's Experiences of the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Call to Action for Social Change

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused significant disruption and change in most aspects of society, and there are concerns that disabled people may be particularly disadvantaged. This article, written by disabled activists and non‐disabled allies, shares data extrapolated from focus groups regarding the lived experiences of twelve disabled people and disability allies during the Covid‐19 pandemic, eleven of whom were based in the UK, and one based in Iraq. We describe the key issues and learning points from this data, arguing that the measures taken by the government and organisations to protect the public during the pandemic have instead brought to the fore long‐standing ableist narratives regarding which bodies are valuable in society. This ableist agenda has acted to control and silence the voices of disabled people by objectifying disability and defining "pre‐existing health conditions” as being more expendable, and therefore less worthy of attention during the pandemic. In presenting our position for change and call to action, we will argue that it is only when disabled peo-ple's experiences and voices are heard in decision‐making that policymakers can begin to learn from the inequalities that have been demonstrated through the pandemic. Here, we will introduce our Wellcome Trust‐funded "We Are the People” Disability Research Collective programme (2021–2026). This programme develops a new disability activist‐led research network, whereby disabled people can conduct research into topics that are important to them. © 2023 by the author(s);licensee Cogitatio (Lisbon, Portugal).

Reporting on Sustainable Development Goals in the European Union: what drives companies' decisions?

Purpose>This paper aims to identify the changes in the share of large public interest entities (PIEs) in European Union (EU) Member States providing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) reporting prior to (2017) and after (2019) the implementation of Directive 2014/95/EU and the factors that influence their decisions to provide SDG reporting in 2019.Design/methodology/approach>The authors use the multilevel theory of social change in organizations as the theoretical background. The sample consists of 341 PIEs based in the EU Member States, for which reports published in 2017 and 2019 are available in the global reporting initiative sustainability disclosure database. The authors analyzed the data using the statistical significance test of equal proportions and the logistic regression model.Findings>The study findings allow to identify a significant positive change in the share of companies providing a reference to SDGs in 2019 compared with 2017. The research confirms that companies' engagement in United Nations Global Compact and previous experience in sustainability reporting positively influences the decision to report on SDGs in 2019. Contrary to the expectations, industry, size, SDG implementation score, future orientation of government and corporate governance score do not seem to be relevant factors influencing PIEs' disclosures.Originality/value>The paper adds to the understanding of the differences in SDG reporting within the EU, which is seen as a frontrunner in implementing the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

The crises of 2020: The effects of intersectionality and virality on marginalized youth in the U.S

The article briefs about the effects of intersectionality and virality on marginalized youth in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic and violence inflicted on communities of color by police in the United States has caused unrest across the country. Scholars have focused on the significant influence of social media use during the twinned crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing political protests in terms of education, mental well-being, and health interventions. While that research is important, there has been little discussion about the role of virality in these converging crises and the ways youth with marginalized identities respond to them. In this context, the term "marginalized" refers to youth from racial or ethnic communities that have historically endured institutional discrimination, and deprivation in terms of economic and social resources. By focusing on teenagers who live through intersectional strains of inequality, authors draw attention to the complexity of the simultaneous viral health and social crises in more detail, and it is possible to better understand their needs. Marginalized youths' lives matter. The impact of the pandemic on youth has been systematic and disproportionate. As authors have seen, social media has and should be harnessed to support crisis response and provide youth the opportunity to voice their experiences and engage with others. However, scholars must examine and understand the interconnectedness and overlapping systems of discrimination that expose and exacerbate inequities and the way intersectional identities influence how marginalized youth respond to the viral messages that accompanied the crises of 2020. While the curve may flatten and the protest ween, the impact of this year on youth marginalized by intersections of racism, sexism, and classism should not be understated. Authors need considerably more research utilizing an intersectional lens within children and adolescents research if authors are to truly understand how they interact with viral pandemic messages and make a difference for those in need. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Lived experience of geographically dispersed employees in the absence of shared-air organizational interactions

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of employees choosing an off-site employment option increased annually. During COVID-19-related work-life modifications, many organizations worldwide were required to transition to a geographically dispersed, off-site workforce. While some individuals may enjoy the flexibility, convenience, and work-life balance of a geographically dispersed position, there is a need for organizations and employees to explore how workers perceive social support, experience feeling valued by and connected with leaders and team members and are impacted by technology and virtual interactions for those who work wholly off-site or at such a distance that face-to-face organizational interactions are not feasible. As both theory and method, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) guided the collection and analysis of interviews regarding the lived experiences of six geographically dispersed employees, allowing for a deeper understanding of the perceptions and experiences of those working in a remote environment without the opportunity for shared-air organizational interactions by highlighting subjective narratives. By considering the results of this study, including feelings of isolation and disconnection as well as the desire for communication, inclusion in decision and policy-making, organizational leaders and policy makers may better understand the off-site employee's experience. The exploration of the lived experiences of the study's participants may encourage the review of or implementation of strategies that could contribute to positive social change by influencing the perceived social support, feelings of being valued, sense of connection, and inclusion of the increasing number of geographically dispersed employees. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The Business Relationship Between Taiwan and China from the Development and Economic Perspective

Taiwan has achieved impressive economic growth from an agricultural state to produce the globes most advanced semiconductors. No less dynamic and exciting are the political developments on the island. Once a colony under the Dutch, Chinese and Japanese flags, the island has become quasi-autonomous. The abolition of martial law and the transformation into one of the world's most democratic nations are impressive. High education levels, an exceptionally well handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a non-corrupt government pushing future technology and supporting Taiwan's democratic path make Taiwan an attractive investment target. One look at the facts is enough to see that the Taiwanese are happy with their current system and enjoy great space. One country and two systems are not a good solution for Taiwan politically and economically. In principle, Taiwan has only one option: keep the status quo, minimize provocations against China, and hope for a diplomatic and acceptable outcome to the situation. At the same time, the government must promote itself in the free world and conclude free trade and other mutual exchange agreements.

New research in sexual and reproductive health and rights for promoting social change in sub-Saharan Africa

Editor in Chief, African Journal of Reproductive Health, Centre Leader, Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation, University of Benin, Nigeria When the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) gave birth to the science of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Cairo, Egypt in 1994, the sub-Saharan African region provided sordid social examples of the abuse of sexuality and sexual rights that warranted the emergence of the discipline. Participants at the conference provided evidence indicating that these adverse social, economic, and cultural experiences, accounted for the high rate of maternal deaths, unwanted pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortion, and reproductive morbidities experienced in the African region as compared to other world regions. [...]the Conference agreed to adopt a new approach to programming based on the social development and empowerment of women, especially those grounded on the principles of human rights, equity, gender equality, and social justice. Covering a wide-range of topics such as teenage/adolescent sexuality, female genital cutting, maternal health, and women's experiences of COVID-19, the papers speak uniformly of the existence of sexual and reproductive health denials in all part of the continent, and provide detailed explanation of the social change contour needed to overcome the challenges and promote social development in the African continent.

COVID-19, strategic language, and communication: Implications of mass media to the ethical well-being of the society

Society plays a vital role in guiding human behaviours;as a result, the public needs to adhere to societal rules. This then gives primal importance to institutions, especially mass media, which communicate to the public. The accuracy of the institutions' information influences how well the public adheres to societal rules. This paper uses COVID-19 as a case study to investigate how mass media influences society's compliance with societal rules. This paper aims to examine both the positive and negative impacts of the media during COVID-19 and massages out how the media bring about social change through their influence on human behaviour. This paper is guided by strategic communication theory. The paper concludes that moving forward, the ethics of mass media is the best approach as it would go a long way to ensure that the industry's standards are high.

THE PLACE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, BETWEEN PRESENT AND FUTURE

Over the last few decades, the socio-economic changes that have affected contemporary societies have had different impacts and outcomes for men and women who face complex scenarios. Welfare systems, when present, struggle to respond to the needs that emerge from different social groups, leaving them exposed to a strong sense of uncertainty and insecurity. The economic and financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these processes by increasing inequality. Young people represent the social group most affected by the consequences of these two crises, both in the short and medium-long term, both on material conditions and on the construction of identity and the attitude to planning the future. This article summarizes the main dynamics starting with some specific areas of change: demographic changes, educations changes, labor market changes, and social participation changes. © Società Editrice Il Mulino.

Linguistic and communication exclusion in COVID-19 awareness campaigns in Malawi

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has unravelled the significance of having robust communication structures about health and disease to dynamic soci-eties. The need to construct a mutual understanding of health issues has become imperative, and achieving a universal understanding of the disease burden requires robust information-sharing processes which can easily surmount the barriers to communication. What is challenging, however, is to communicate in a way and in a language that the majority of the population understands. In Malawi, where the majority of the population (84 per cent) live in rural areas, and without access to information technologies, it becomes more challenging when devising messages that should reach such hard-to-reach populations. This therefore begs the question: how effective is the COVID-19 communication to the Malawi public domain? This article attempts to answer this question by discussing the language choice vis-à-vis the lingua-cultural needs of the masses in COVID-19 awareness, and the strategies and modes of communication in COVID-19 communication. In view of this, the article argues that the government communication strategies concerning COVID-19 were not entirely effective. The article notes that the use of English in most of the COVID-19 messages has excluded the majority and has perpetuated the attitude of perceiving COVID-19 as a disease for the rich people. The modes being used in communicating COVID-19 do not effectively reach the masses since the media penetration is minimal resulting in most Malawians getting second-hand information and developing myths and conspiracy theories. The article concludes that it is imperative for Malawi to devise a contextually appropriate framework for communicating complex health messages. © 2022 Intellect Ltd Article. English language.

The pandemic in post-modernity and its implications for the concept of love

This reflection article presents the theme of love in the pandemic postmodern scenario, arguing the transformation of the concept of love according to the particularities that the containment measures for the Covid-19 have generated, understanding that the confinement and quarantines have been realities understood from particular experiences permeated by the economy, social reality, spiritual or philosophical reflection on the meaning of life or the impacts on mental health. The article offers an analytical reflection from a diversity of positions that help to understand the phenomenon of the pandemic in the postmodern scenario and the way in which it has transformed the concept of love. Thus, elements are collected that allow us to understand particularities of the Covid-19 pandemic in postmodernity, showing the diversity of experiences from which it was signified and the way in which these meanings give particular meanings to the reality that this event represented for the humanity.

The Design of a Gamified App for Supporting Undergraduates' Resilience

Supporting students in building psychological resilience is crucial considering the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on the population's mental health. Psychological resilience refers to finding ways to cope with stress and achieve goals despite obstacles. It is an important life skill that has become highly relevant in the post-pandemic era. Mobile devices and applications are becoming integral to users' self-monitoring of health data for their access, convenience, and cost advantages. Most resilience apps target specific professional groups, are not gamified, and lack solid theoretical foundations. Phone-based sensor data collected using Internet of Things (IoT) technology allow for new ways to measure psychological health and provide personalized recommendations. However, none of the existing gamified apps on resilience used IoT. None of the existing resilience apps refers to behavioral change techniques. The proposed resilience app addresses these gaps in the literature. This paper describes the design of a prototype for a gamified, theory-based mobile app that utilizes IoT to provide personalized data and support undergraduates' resilience in the "new normal" of the pandemic. The poster also provides preliminary data on undergraduates' feasibility and usability evaluation of the prototype, focusing on first-year students. Users set one of three goals daily (focusing on studying, engaging in physical exercise, and socializing), monitor their progress towards achieving them, and receive points and badges when reaching their goals. Goal setting, progress monitoring, and self-reflection at the end of each day are connected to a) self-reported data (e.g., through the use of a short, validated mental health survey that automatically calculates users' level of anxiety) and b) objectively measured data through the use of IoT (accelerometer and noise sensors) in the app. Users can share their badges on their social media networks. Thirty first-year undergraduates (M=18.41 years old, SD=0.57) tested the prototype resilience app and completed an evaluation questionnaire examining feasibility and usability. Neutral to positive responses (M=3.32 out of 5) were received for all functions indicating feasibility. Design usability was evaluated as satisfactory (System Usability Score=70.3). Future research will evaluate the app in a quasi-experimental setting. Implications for the design of gamified mobile apps for health are drawn. © 2022 Dechema e.V.. All rights reserved.