bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extent of Evaluation Activity and Evaluation Utilization of CES Members
Authors: Shea Michael P. , Towson Shelagh M. J.
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This article reports surveys results obtained from 69.3% of the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) members listed in the 1988 membership directory. Only 310 (58.4%) of the 530 survey respondents had completed a Canadian program evaluation in the years 1985 through 1987. Of those who had completed an evaluation during this period, 11.3% were unaware of how their results had been utilized. The remaining 275 CES members supplied data on the extent of their evaluation activity that demonstrated high variability between CES members and revealed that a minority were full-time evaluators. Data on the extent of utilization showed extensive conceptual, instrumental, and persuasive utilization.
Getting On and Off the Policy Agenda: A Dualistic Theory of Program Evaluation Utilization
Authors: Cabatoff Kenneth A.
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This article deals with the impact of program evaluation on policy making and, more specifically, on policy making with regard to home care and services for the elderly in Québec. Three important evaluations have influenced policy making in this area since 1983. The article proposes a “policy communities” framework to explain why and how these evaluations either influenced or failed to influence policy. It suggests that program evaluation strategies should reflect the political context in which evaluation takes place, and that the utilization of program evaluation results depends to some extent on program evaluators’ ability to participate effectively in the policy processes in question.
How Can Information About the Competencies Required for Evaluation Be Useful?
Authors: Perrin Burt
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This article explores the main themes and implications arising from the three articles in this thematic segment regarding evaluation competencies. It identifies five potential uses for competency information: (a) basic education and training, (b) self-evaluation, (c) professional development, (d) information and advocacy about the skills required for competent evaluations, and (e) assisting evaluation commissioners in choosing and managing evaluators. The article identifies the need for more attention to the competencies required by evaluation commissioners as well as those needed by evaluation practitioners. It also urges caution in moving toward accreditation or certification, suggesting that there are less drastic effective alternatives.
Thickening the Plot: Combining Objectives- and Methods-Oriented Approaches in the Evaluation of a Provincial Superintendents’ Qualification Program
Authors: Gawley Tim
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This article discusses the evaluation framework for an ongoing provincial superintendents’ qualification program. Combining the standards-based Discrepancy Evaluation Model (DEM) with a methodologically intensive case study method, this evaluation assessed the program across three generally defined focus areas: program alignment, skills commensurability, and comparative training. These areas were grounded in formal legislative and regulatory standards commensurate with the procedures of the DEM, but evaluation findings for each of these areas were strengthened with the addition of the case study method. Theoretical, methodological, and utilization merits of this framework are discussed. Lessons for the evaluation of similar programs are also considered.
L’examen de la qualité des évaluations fédérales: une méta-évaluation réussie?
Authors: Daigneault Pierre-Marc
Published: April 2023

Abstract: Evaluation quality is a fundamental issue within the evidence-based management and policy movement. The Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS) conducted a wide-ranging review of the quality of federal evaluations in 2004. In terms of its relevance and methodology and the credibility of its conclusions, is the meta-evaluation a success? This article answers the question by presenting an evaluation of the TBS quality review. Despite serious shortcomings with respect to the quality theory and criteria, design, coding process, and data analysis, the meta-evaluation conclusions are relevant and credible overall. Lessons learned from this quality review are proposed as recommendations for evaluators and officials responsible for evaluation units who wish to conduct a similar review that does not suffer from the same shortcomings.
Latent Profiles of Evaluators’ Self-Reported Practices
Authors: Christie Christina A. , Masyn Katherine E.
Published: April 2023

Abstract: Presented are the results of a study using latent profile analysis to describe the self-reported practices of 138 evaluators. Four classes emerged and were labeled (a) indistinct pattern of practice, (b) method-focused, (c) user-focused, and (d) robust pattern of practice. Evaluators in the “indistinct pattern of practice” class had mean item responses closest to zero relative to the other three classes, suggesting relatively weak associations with the practices described by the study instrument. The “method-focused” class had strong and distinct preferences for using particular methods. The “user-focused” class placed high importance on the role of the evaluator as facilitator, and was concerned with attaining a high level of stakeholder/participant involvement. The “robust pattern of practice” class evaluators showed a high degree of rigor in their reported patterns of practice, specifically as they are prescribed by evaluation theorists. The four profiles were distinguished by years of evaluation experience, degree attainment, and internal/external evaluator status.
A Promising New Approach to Eliminating Selection Bias
Authors: Peck Laura R. , Camillo Furio , D’Attoma Ida
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This article presents a creative and practical process for dealing with the problem of selection bias. Taking an algorithmic approach and capitalizing on the known treatment-associated variance in the X matrix, we propose a data transformation that allows estimating unbiased treatment effects. The approach does not call for modelling the data, based on underlying theories or assumptions about the selection process, but instead calls for using the existing variability within the data and letting the data speak. We illustrate with an application of the method to Italian Job Centres.
Interrater Reliability in Content Analysis of Healthcare Service Quality Using Montreal’s Conceptual Framework
Authors: Leclerc Bernard-Simon , Dassa Clément
Published: April 2023

Abstract: This study examines the usefulness of the Montreal Service Concept framework of service quality measurement, when it was used as a predefined set of codes in content analysis of patients’ responses. As well, the study quantifies the interrater agreement of coded data. Two raters independently reviewed each of the responses from a mail survey of ambulatory patients about the quality of care and recorded whether or not a patient expressed each concern. Interrater agreement was measured in three ways: the percent crude agreement, Cohen’s kappa, and the coefficient of the generalizability theory. We found all levels of interrater code-specific agreement to be over 96%. All kappa values were above 0.80, except four codes associated with rarely observed characteristics. A coefficient of generalizability equal to 0.93 was obtained. All indices consistently revealed substantial agreement. We empirically showed that the content categories of the Montreal Service Concept were exhaustive and reliable in a well-defined content-analysis procedure.
To Case Study or Not to Case Study: Our Experience with the Canadian Government’s Evaluation Practices and the Use of Case Studies as an Evaluation Methodology for First Nations Programs
Authors: Johnston Andrea L. K.
Published: April 2023

Abstract: Canadian policy decision-making has utilized case studies extensively in recent years. Johnston Research Inc. (JRI) has completed more evaluation-related case studies over the past 4 years than in the previous 15 years of our evaluation work. To understand the growing application of case studies, we interviewed clients and contacts from First Nations that had been case study sites for our government clients, to understand what aspects of case study evaluation research had helped them share their opinions and improve their programs, and what aspects had not. We then interviewed our government clients, asking how well case studies served their evaluation purposes and their programs or policy development efforts. JRI conducted and financed this study to help us improve our own approaches for conducting case studies in Aboriginal populations and to share these findings with others. This article presents our interview findings on the value of case studies for Aboriginal evaluation projects and shares some best practices for conducting case studies within, and with, First Nations. Finally, we explore the impact case studies have had on Canadian policy.
Exemple d’application de l’évaluation formative centrée sur l’utilisation des résultats
Authors: Lessard Sabrina , Leclerc Bernard-Simon
Published: April 2023

Abstract: The use of results produced through an evaluation process is a real concern for evaluators, especially when the process has a formative purpose. Utilization focused-evaluation seeks to ensure that several conditions must be met to optimize the use of knowledge generated during the evaluation process. This article describes this approach as well as the conditions of transfer of knowledge that optimize the use of evaluation results by users. It provides a concrete example of an applied utilization-focused evaluation and highlights the success factors.
The Five Cs for Innovating in Evaluation Capacity Building: Lessons from the Field
Authors: Danseco Evangeline
Published: April 2023

Abstract: Innovation is essential in addressing complex evaluation capacity building (ECB) efforts that include a host of interacting, nonlinear, adaptive, and dynamical individual and organizational level factors. This article highlights five key ingredients in fostering innovation in ECB, based on evaluation capacity building efforts of the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health. For the past 5 years, 87 organizations have participated in an integrated ECB program combining funding, training, and coaching support. The five key ingredients to fostering innovation in ECB are curiosity, courage, communication, commitment, and connection.
The Art of Acting Up: Johann Friedrich Löwen and the Genesis of German Theatre Historiography
Authors: Feminella Matthew
Published: April 2023

Johann Friedrich Löwen is generally considered to have written the first history of the German theatre, though scholars rarely discuss his role as a historian and are typically drawn instead to his program for establishing a national theatre. This article will examine his contributions to the historiography of the German theatre in the eighteenth century. His Geschichte des deutschen Theaters represents a substantial break in how German theatre historiography was written and conceptualized, as he favoured an actor-centred narrative instead of a catalogue of plays and playwrights, setting genre trends that would be felt for decades. In a move unexpected for a dedicated reformer of the theatre, however, Löwen depicts the history of German actors in a resoundingly negative light. Such an approach reveals that Löwen views the creation of historical narratives not only as a means for recording the past, but also for attesting to the urgency of theatre reform.
كأس العالم 2022 فضاءً لتصدير هوية قطرية عالم-محلية
Authors: الخطيب سنى
Published: April 2023

​تتناول هذه الدراسة العلاقة بين ممارسات القوة الناعمة وصناعة السمة الوطنية باعتبارها جزءًا من تصدير الهوية الوطنية، وأداةً طيّعة تستخدمها الدول في تحقيق أهداف السياسة الخارجية. في هذا الإطار، تسلّط الدراسة الضوء على ملفّ استضافة قطر بطولة كأس العالم لكرة القدم 2022 ، في محاولةٍ لفهم مساعي الدولة في توظيف الرياضة لتحقيق أهداف اجتماعية وسياسية مختلفة. وهي تبحث في الدوافع والرؤى التي دفعت صانع القرار القطريّ إلى الاستثمار الهائل في استضافة هذ الحدث عبر تصدير هوية عالم-محلية، قائمة على المزج بين بُعدين، أولهما عالمي يؤكد على المواكبة والتطور، وثانيهما محلي يدفع نحو المحافظة على خصوصية البلد وتقاليده وتسليط الضوء على تاريخه. تركز الدراسة، على نحو خاصّ، على جانب الهندسة المعمارية للملاعب الرياضية باعتبارها تجليًا لعمارة القوة الناعمة، وأحد أساليب تصدير هوية وطنية قطرية عالم-محلية.
أوكرانيا: التطورات العسكرية التقليدية وغير التقليدية والمقاتلون الأجانب
Authors: أبو عامر مجد
Published: April 2023

​عقدت وحدة الدراسات الاستراتيجية في المركز العربي للأبحاث ودراسة السياسات، يوم الإثنين 29 آب/ أغسطس 2022، ندوة أكاديمية بعنوان "أوكرانيا: التطورات العسكرية التقليدية وغير التقليدية والمقاتلون الأجانب"، شارك فيها ثلاثة من الباحثين المتخصصين في الدراسات الأمنية والاستراتيجية، وهم عمر عاشور، مدير وحدة الدراسات الاستراتيجية ورئيس برنامج الدراسات الأمنية النقدية في معهد الدوحة للدراسات العليا، وكاسبر إدوارد ريكافيك Kacper Edward Rekawe، باحث ما بعد الدكتوراه في مركز أبحاث التطرف بجامعة أوسلو، وهاميش دي برتون-غوردون Hamish de Bretton-Gordon، زميل باحث في كلية المجدلية بجامعة كامبريدج والقائد السابق لفوج مكافحة الهجمات النووية والكيمياوية والبيولوجية والإشعاعية في الجيش البريطاني. وترأسها سيد أحمد قوجيلي، أستاذ الدراسات الأمنية النقدية في معهد الدوحة.
Solving Volterra-Fredholm integral equations by natural cubic spline function
Authors: Salim S.H. , Jwamer K.H.F. , Saeed R.K.
Published: April 2023

Using the natural cubic spline function, this paper finds the numerical solution of Volterra-Fredholm integral equations of the second kind. The proposed method is based on employing the natural cubic spline function of the unknown function at an arbitrary point and using the integration method to turn the VolterraFredholm integral equation into a system of linear equations concerning to the unknown function. An approximate solution can be easily established by solving the given system. This is accomplished with the help of a computer program that runs on Python 3.9.
A remark on Schottky representations and Reidemeister torsion
Authors: Hezenci F. Hezenci , Sozen Y.
Published: April 2023

The present paper establishes a formula of Reidemeister torsion for Schottky representations. The theoretical results are applied to 3-manifolds with boundary consisting orientable surfaces with genus at least 2.
La experiencia de exploración vocacional de jóvenes que ingresan a estudiar Pedagogía
Authors: Soto Ana María , Cárdenas Ana , Nervi Hugo
Published: April 2023

The Chilean Teacher Professional Development System diversifies access to Pedagogy studies. It entrusts Higher Education Institutions the responsibility to create programs for the preparation and access intended for secondary education, in order to attract young people with greater abilities. Thus, the need to know the characteristics of those who show an early interest in the career arises. This article shows the results of a qualitative study, using biorams and focus groups. The discourse of eighteen young people studying their first year on Pedagogy programs were analyzed.Â  To know personal, social and school aspects of their vocational exploration experiences, and understand Â Â Â Â Â which ones favored their interest and what resources they mobilized. The results describe experiences involved in such exploration, the resources that are mobilized, and the conditions and contexts in which they are carried out. Results allow us to conclude that it is a subjective, fragmented, and unassisted experience that responds to the context, in occasional interactions with family and school actors. The findings allow for the design of accompaniment processes throughout secondary education, to strengthen the disposition to Pedagogy and to respond to institutional challenges of improvement in the mechanisms for appealing future teachers.
THINGS OF THE HOUSE: Material Culture and Migration from Post-Colonial Mozambique to Portugal
Authors: Rosales Marta Vilar
Published: April 2023

Discussing multiple aspects of material culture and domestic consumption, this book tackles the relationship between the trajectories and biographies of people, families, houses and objects and how they intertwine and produce each other. Focusing on the life stories of a group of European and Catholic Brahmin Goan families of the colonial elite who left Mozambique after the country's independence in 1975, the book shows how material culture interferes with structuring dimensions of migratory experiences, in the management of family memories, ties and networks of belonging, as well as in the social dynamics of positioning, hierarchy and distinction.
STRUCTURAL, PHYSICAL, AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF LEAD BORO-TELLURITE GLASSES DOPED WITH EUROPIUM TRIOXIDE
Authors: Gowda G.V. Jagadeesha , K Devendra Bharath , Reddy G. V. Ashok , G. Maruthi  , M. Manjunatha  , G. Harisha  , C. Devaraja
Published: April 2023

Here, it was explored how europium ions affected the physical, structural, and optical properties of alkali lead borotellurite glasses. The glasses were made using the standard melt quenching technique, and their structural properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The physical properties of ready glasses were evaluated by quantifying density variations using the Archimedes approach. Using the Davis-Mott approach, optical properties such as optical energy band gap and Urbach energy were identified. The analysis of the refractive index, dielectric constant, molar refraction, and molar polarizability are reported. According to the results, the recently studied alkali lead boro tellurite glasses have demonstrated potential uses in the fields of optical materials
Women and Solid Waste Management in High-density Areas: The Case of Hatcliffe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Authors: Kasimba Rosemary , Zorodzai Choguya Naume , Muqayi Solomon
Published: April 2023

The Zimbabwean government has for a while been reeling under pressure from inadequate resources for waste management mainly due to the expansion of its cities. The study explored household waste management in Hatcliffe Extension, a high-density suburb in Harare, and sought to identify dominant household solid waste management disposal systems by women. The study aim was to explore women’s experiences of solid waste management in the face of poor service delivery in refuse collection. Qualitative research methodology was employed to collect data in the study from conveniently sampled participants. In-depth interviews and observations were the instruments utilised for data collection. The study draws from the Rational Choice Theory to understand human behaviour in relation to people’s choices on suitable and sustainable practices in solid waste management and the environment. The study reveals lack of education and knowledge and poor refuse collection by responsible authorities as driving the disposal of diverse waste materials such as paper, diapers and plastic packages, which have heightened solid waste generation in the area. Dominant household solid waste management disposal systems in Hartcliffe Extension include illegal dumping, open burning, and burying of the waste materials. Overall, Hartcliffe Extension residents practise improper solid waste disposal systems due to lack of collection services from the Harare city council, which is the authority responsible for solid waste management. The study also established various ways in which poorly managed solid waste poses a threat to the environment. The study recommends the education of residents on eco-friendly waste disposal measures that do not pose a threat either to both human beings or the environment.
Gender-Based Violence: Sociocultural Barriers to Men speaking up and Seeking Help in South Africa
Authors: Berlinda Majola Khanyisile , Michael Mkhize Sazelo , James Akpan Udoh
Published: April 2023

Gender-based violence (GBV) includes, but is not limited to, physical, sexual, psychological, and other threats, coercion, economic harm, etc. Because of their gender placement in society, men are frequently associated with being the perpetrators.. Therefore, using the term “gender-based” reflects the unequal power relationships between the genders, which are entrenched in all societies. It portrays the male gender as being the aggressor and the more powerful, endowed, and opportune in society. This article examines and speculates on the notion that men are sometimes the victims of gender-based violence and women are the perpetrators. Mobilising a secondary data methodology through a systematic review approach, the article consulted electronic resources such as EBSCOHOST, JSTOR, and Google Scholar. The articles consulted ranged from 1996 to 2022, were searched from a global perspective, especially the West, and finally narrowed down to South Africa. JSTOR and Google Scholar produced 95% of the search results, though Google Scholar was most dominant. The key words and phrases used for the search were centred on foregrounding the problem of male GBV victims and their reluctance to speak up and seek help. The inclusion criteria focused on males who suffered violence at the hands of female perpetrators. Male to female violence was excluded. The study concluded that there is a need for society, especially the police organisation to recognise violence against men as a social problem that requires urgent help. It also suggests that counsellors be set up for men in remote places who are losing their self-confidence and esteem in relationships, family setting, and society. It also recommended that South African men need to be encouraged by the media and the Civil Society Organisation to speak up and seek help so that they can maintain their sociocultural prestige, and manage social cohesion in the family and society.
Challenges of Women Leaders in South African Schools: Towards a Resolution
Authors: Musa Grace Zitha , Israel Lumadi Rudzani
Published: April 2023

This article explored the challenges of women leaders in South African schools, in the Gauteng Province. Existing studies on this issue only document the situation but do not specify or suggest frameworks on how the challenges can be dealt with. The article used secondary data sources obtained in both grey and academic literature, using terms such as women leaders, women leader challenges, women empowerment and women emancipation as key terms. It also utilised in-depth interviews conducted with a total of 52 education stakeholders consisting of six male and female principals, six male and female deputy principals, 12 male and female departmental heads, 18 Post Level one teachers, five male and female members of the School Governing Body (SGB) from staff and parent components, three Gauteng Department of Education officials, one representative of South African Principals Association in Gauteng and one labour union representative who were selected purposively. The theoretical framework adopted in the article integrated feminist and sociocultural theories. The article showed that women leaders faced a variety of social, cultural and structural challenges. It proposed the deployment of transformational leadership across all levels of the department as the best long-lasting solution.
Experiences of Female-headed Households in the ADRA Cash Transfer Programme in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe
Authors: T. Fajji Grace , C. Garutsa Tendayi
Published: April 2023

The social, economic, and political crises in Zimbabwe have resulted in extreme poverty and the female-headed families are no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated poverty and food insecurity in rural households. This sudden shock was not anticipated, and many governments failed to sustain livelihoods for smallholder farmers who relied solely on farming activities and selling of farm produce. The state has failed to fulfil its basic mandate of social service provision to the most vulnerable sections of society. Consequently, the Basic Agricultural Assistance programme was introduced as a microeconomic stability tool to buffer income risks faced by the poor. The article aimed to discuss the experiences of female-headed households in the Adventist Development and Relief Agency cash transfer Programme in Nganunu Village in Zvishavane. A phenomenological research approach through an exploratory qualitative research design was used to get in-depth insights on the experiences of female-headed households. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Content thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Findings indicated that despite health, political and economic crises, the implementation of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency cash transfer was a success in bridging the gap left by the collapse of the social welfare system. The cash transfer programme empowered female-headed households to access agricultural inputs timeously. Female-headed households were capacitated to make decisions and improve food security in and to initiate social cohesion with other beneficiaries. The study recommended inter-sectoral collaborations between state and non-state actors for more effective programmes that cushion female-headed households from poverty.
Formation of Students’ Intercultural Competency on the Basis of the Textocentric Approach
Authors: Klementsova N. N.
Published: April 2023

The task of training a highly cultured person within the framework of university education involves mastering the intercultural (universal) competency necessary for efficient communication and self-development throughout life. The article aims at finding out the possibilities of the textocentric approach in the development and use of the technology for forming the intercultural competency of a non-linguistic university student.

The concept substantiating the suggested technology is based on the idea of using the developing potential of the textual activity, the latter dominating language classes in a non-linguistic university. The established correlation of textual skills, indicating a number of activities fundamental for self-realization of the students, with the components of their intercultural competency indicates the possibility of using textual activity in forming intercultural competency, determining its structural components and substantiating a component-by-component assessment in order to identify the level of its formation.

The experimental testing embracing 460 students of Kaliningrad State Technical University involved the use of the technology algorithm providing for logically structured textual activity in foreign language classes, as well as training and methodological support of the technology provided by the university.

Diagnostics of the competency formation level was carried out using the author’s method of express and detailed diagnostics. As a result of experimental work, the formation level of intercultural competency of students upon entering the university was defined as conditionally basic; social and communicative components of the intercultural competency were specified as the least developed ones; the pedagogical conditions for the efficient implementation of the technology were determined and created. The detailed diagnostics revealed significant dynamics in the level and component development of the intercultural competency of the students in the experimental groups compared with the results of the groups conventionally considered as the control ones. The greatest difference among the indicators of the formation of the competency components concerned the social (42%) and informational (34%) components. At the end of the language course 70.7% of the students of the experimental groups were at a productive level of intercultural competency development.

Experimental work confirmed the efficiency of the technology for the formation of intercultural competency based on the textocentric approach and determined the conditions for its use in a nonlinguistic university.
Peculiarities of the Formation of Educational Trajectories of Russian Students: Assessment and Opportunities
Authors: Aleshkovski I. A. , Gasparishvili A. T. , Krukhmaleva O. V. , Narbut N. P. , Savina N. Ye.
Published: April 2023

New geopolitical challenges that necessitate the formation of a nationally oriented education system require a multidimensional analysis, socio-cultural understanding and the search for new formats for the organization of higher education in Russia. In the conditions of the post-Bologna reality, Russia needs to create its own model of higher education, which will be able to provide the economy with highly qualified personnel, which will coopt all the best from the classical Soviet system of education and will be able to build on the national traditions, interests of students, their parents, teachers and employers. In this regard, it is relevant to analyze and evaluate the requests of nowadays students for these changes and the nature of those changes.

The article is based on the materials of the authors’ sociological research (N=123977 people), conducted in 2022.The problematic area of the research supposed that the revision of the existing predominantly two-level (bachelor and master) structure of higher education requires a transition to the optimal and traditional for Russia model of the specialist program with the introduction of more flexible forms of work, the possibility of changing the educational trajectory in the learning process, the search for new ways of academic mobility and universities cooperation.

The research data are compared with the data of similar works of Russian and foreign analysts. An analysis of the opinion of Russian students showed that in the process of learning and gradually entering a specialty, some students need certain changes in the chosen training program made upon admission. The possibility or impossibility of implementing these changes determines their motivation for learning, academic achievements, further educational and professional trajectories, and satisfaction with education in general. Based on the analysis done and the results obtained, the authors propose practical steps to form a new structure of higher education based on the specialist program. They suggest recommendations on the necessary changes in the legislative, organizational, educational and methodological nature related to this process.
Specifics of Transformation Projects in Universities and the Work of the Project Team
Authors: Apenko S. N. , Efimova G. Z. , Semenov M. Yu.
Published: April 2023

The article deals with the practices and specifics of the implementation of transformation projects in Russian universities. Particular attention is focused on the direct performers – members of project teams. The specifics of their formation are considered, the criteria necessary for employees to be included in a project team, as well as the peculiarities of such team functioning and development for more effective and productive activities are studied. The peculiarities of exclusion and withdrawal of employees from the project team – what are the reasons for it and what actions are taken by the head of the team to replace the withdrawn participant (selection of a new or redistribution of functions of the withdrawn to the remaining employees or another option) are considered separately.

The conclusions presented in the article are based on the materials of an empirical sociological study conducted during the year (in the period from December 2021 to December 2022) by the method of indepth semi-formalized interviews with 78 representatives of administrative and managerial staff, scientific and pedagogical workers, heads of departments and deans of universities in three regional classical universities (in Siberian and Volga Federal Districts of the Russian Federation).

Based on the results of the empirical study, the authors come to several conclusions. The transformation projects implemented in universities are associated with many diverse problems, key among which were: the destruction of agreements due to geopolitical risks; lack or complete absence of funding; varying financial success of projects; disunity of the team and lack of understanding of common goals and objectives of the project; lack of practical implementation of the project, etc.

The success of the transformation project is signaled by both classical criteria called in the theory and practice of project management, for example, compliance with project deadlines, project execution within the allocated resources, and criteria less frequently mentioned in research, for example, the development of the project team, the formation of project values and norms of project culture, satisfaction of stakeholders and others. Transformation project teams are often formed spontaneously, the basis is often the potential candidate’s belonging to the required position or function, the competencies of candidates are rarely assessed, and their future competence and role statuses are planned.
Hackathon: Definition, Practice and Perspectives of Use in Higher Education
Authors: Grechushkina N. V. , Arefieva E. A.
Published: April 2023

In the article there are represented results of generalization and systematization of scientific and practical information about hackathons as an educational technology that is used in higher education and is of great interest to researchers and practitioners. The review has been made on the basis of Russian and foreign scientific publications considering the features of the organization and application of hackathons in the practice of higher education. The authors selected 494 articles issued in the period from 2011 to 2022 in publishings of the RSCI and SCOPUS databases by keywords “hachathon” and “education”, and 83 articles of them were analyzed in this review. It was found that publications about personal experience of participation and organization of hackathons and analytical articles revealing the author’s position on the issues considered in them dominate in the scientific literature on various aspects of hackathons use in the practice of higher education. Empirical studies and scientific reviews are presented to lesser extent. The analysis of publications made it possible to clarify the definition of the term “hackathon”, to identify the types of hackathons most often mentioned in the educational context (pedagogical, educational), and to define the term “educational hackathon”. A content analysis of publications has shown that various aspects of organizing and conducting hackathons in an educational context, their potential and impact on the educational process and its results are the subject of pedagogical discourse. Hackathons as educational intensives have found their application in university educational practice, providing new opportunities for improving the educational process in higher education, as they allow to implement project-, practice- and business-oriented approaches in training specialists. The main prospects of the hackathons use in education are identified and summarized. Introducing educational hackathons in the event plan of an educational organization make it possible to solve educational and career-oriented tasks, activate heuristic and creative cognitive activity of students. The analysis and evaluation of the hackathons impact on professionalization, academic motivation and educational achievements of students are promising areas of research on the problem of using hackathons in the educational process of higher education.
An evaluation of cooling Portland cement mortars exposed to high temperature, by using firefighting foam
Authors: Dinler Ebru
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cooling Portland cement mortars exposed to high temperature, with synthetic high-expansion firefighting foam. In this experimental study, mortar samples produced with Portland cement CEM I 42,5R, Rilem-Cembureau sand and tap water were first subjected to water curing for 28, 90 and 180 days and then exposed to 20°C, 150°C, 300°C, 500°C and 700°C for 3 hours, respectively. Cement mortars exposed to high temperatures were cooled with high expansion firefighting foam and the resulting flexural strength and compressive strengths were evaluated according to hydration period and temperature parameters. Subsequently, 180-day cement mortar samples exposed to high temperature were cooled using air, water, and foam cooling methods. It was determined that the air cooling method resulted in a higher compressive strength than water or foam cooling. The flexural strength, compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and mass loss percentage values, obtained by the different cooling methods and exposure temperatures employed, were then analysed. It was determined that samples exposed to 500°C, cooling with firefighting foam, yielded a compressive strength of 9% higher, compared to water cooling. SEM images of 180-day Portland cement mortars exposed to 20°C, 300°C and 700°C and subsequently air, water and foam cooled, respectively, were obtained and analysed.
Vermittlung zwischen polarisierten Differenzen. Konflikt- und Kooperationsdynamiken in senegalesischen Hochschulen
Authors: Tekath Miriam
Published: April 2023

Politische Polarisierung prägt gleichermaßen politische Systeme wie alltägliche Lebenswelten. Die lebensweltliche Bedeutung polarisierter sozialer Differenzen wird in den stark institutionalistisch geführten Debatten um Konfliktbearbeitung in polarisierten Gesellschaften jedoch wenig beachtet. Dabei können gerade lebensweltliche Perspektiven wichtige konflikttheoretische Erkenntnisse für politisch polarisierte Gesellschaften generieren. Diese Forschungsnotiz geht daher der Frage nach, welche Konflikt- und Kooperationsdynamiken von sozialer Polarisierung geprägte Begegnungskontexte aufweisen. Als hochgradig diverse und insbesondere territorial polarisierte Kontexte bieten senegalesische Hochschulen dafür ein ideales Forschungsfeld. Aufbauend auf mehrfachen Forschungsaufenthalten im Senegal argumentiere ich, dass die Polarisierung territorialer Differenzen zwar situativ konfliktverschärfend wirkt, senegalesische Studierende jedoch auch auf ein breites Handlungsspektrum rekurrieren, um der Polarisierung zu begegnen. Friedlichen Kooperations- und polarisierten Konfliktdynamiken kommt somit eine gewisse Gleichzeitigkeit zu; die Betonung der relationalen Verbundenheit als Studierende in einem geteilten prekären Kontext hilft jedoch, zwischen den politisch polarisierten Differenzpositionen zu vermitteln.
RECOMMENDATIONS ON PREPARING FOR THE PART “WRITING” OF THE UNIFIED STATE EXAM IN ENGLISH (CASE STUDY OF IRKUTSK REGION)
Authors:   Irkutsk State University, Kalinina V. V. , Sivtseva N. G. ,   Irkutsk National Research Technical University
Published: April 2023

Recommendations on Preparing for the Part “Writing” of the Unified State Exam in English (Case Study of Irkutsk Region) Results. The study shows that most of the graduates of 2022 successfully completed the basic level task of the new format (84.2% - “Communicative task” criterion, 92.8% - “Organization of the text” criterion). The lexico-grammatical aspect of the text was the only one that presented difficulties (46.3%). The participants with the low or medium levels of English made mistakes related to misunderstanding of the communicative task due to vocabulary issues. The high level task was successfully accomplished by the graduates with the high and above average levels of language proficiency (69.1%). Discussion and Conclusion. To complete the written tasks 39 and 40 successfully, it is necessary to use systematic, consistent sets of exercises, which are designed on the basis of “from simple to complex” principle. A set of exercises aimed at preparing students for writing an electronic personal letter should contain exercises to train the skills of structuring a personal letter, taking etiquette phrases that correspond to the declared style and using correct linguistic means to express thoughts. A set of exercises to prepare students for task 40 is more complex and contains exercises for drilling advanced grammatical and syntactic structures, academic vocabulary, for training the skills of competent writing of the introductory part, reasoned identification of the problem and determining ways to solve it, as well as for developing the ability to express thoughts logically and coherently within the context of required style. These sets can be used for individual and group work, for self checking and mutual checking techniques. The sets of exercises recommended by the authors were tested at the courses for preparing pupils for the Unified State Examination in English at the Irkutsk National Research Technical University and showed their effectiveness. The main differentiating feature of the discussed sets is an effective transition from the grammar translation to the communicative-cognitive approach in teaching.
FLIPPED CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Authors:   Surgut State University, Muller O. Yu.
Published: April 2023

Introduction. The relevance of pedagogical technologies is undeniable due to the progress in cybernetic pedagogy, information and educational technologies and many other scientific and pedagogical areas. The author examines the essence of the flipped learning process, which results in a teacher becoming an organizer of the educational process rather than a lecturer, and a student becoming a subject who independently designs their learning process rather than a passive listener. The purpose of the article is to determine the effectiveness of the Flipped Classroom technology in the educational process when teaching students with special educational needs. The methods. The author used the following research methods in this study: theoretical (analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization) and empirical (observation, questionnaire methods). Research results. The results of the implementation of the Flipped Classroom technology in teaching students with special educational needs, identified in this study by a questionnaire, show an increase in the overall level of student loyalty to the educational process. Conclusion. The effectiveness of the application of this technology is aimed at developing the creative abilities of students, boosting their motivation, increasing the effectiveness of training, and improving cognitive functions such as attention, memory, thinking.
REVISITING THE ISSUE OF CONTENT AND MANIFESTATIONS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF THE TEACHER
Authors:   Irkutsk State University, Krapchetova O. S. , Chernetskaya N. I. ,   Irkutsk State University, Shchukina E. G. ,   Transbaikal State University
Published: April 2023

Introduction. The article focuses on the problematics of psychological well-being of a person as a complex construct. Theoretical and empirical works prove that the psychological well-being of teachers is interconnected with both the academic achievements of students and the educational environment. In the scientific literature, this phenomenon is considered, among other things, as a factor in the psychological safety of the educational environment. Materials and Methods. More than 400 educators from 21 preschool educational institutions of the Transbaikalia and Irkutsk region participated in the study. Psychological Wellbeing Scale (Carol D. Ryff), Subjective Wellbeing Scale (А. Perrudet-Badoux, G. Mendelssohn and J. Chiche), Satisfaction with Life Scale (E. Diener) were applied. Results. An analysis of approaches to the phenomenon of the well-being in psychology is presented: the special nature is determined; the content and correlation of the individual concepts within the problematic of well-being are defined; the conceptual sources of psychological studies of well-being are revealed; the key manifestations of teachers’ well-being are identified. The results of the empirical study of educators’ subjective well-being are summarized. Discussion and Conclusion. Due to the identified ambiguity of the concept and the lack of a sufficient number of studies on the consideration of the psychological well-being of a teacher as a factor, it seems relevant to identify the features of psychological well-being in the context of the problem of psychological safety of education and from the point of view of psychological support for teachers.
PECULIARITIES OF RESILIENCE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH LOW PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Authors:   Tyumen Secondary School No. 22, Pidzhakova K. A. , Kukhterina G. V. ,   Tyumen State University
Published: April 2023

Introduction. The article explores the role of physical activity in forming resilience in children. Conditions for intensive formation of personality traits are created in the primary school age. The change of the leading activity and expansion of interaction with the society at this age cause a greater number of difficult, stressful situations which require active reactions from the child such as coping, adaptation and manifestation of personal resilience. Regular physical activity contributes to overcoming difficulties. Younger students with sedentary lifestyles have lower level of resilience and its components than their physically active peers. Materials and methods. The following methods were used in the research: “Student’s personality socialization” by M.I. Rozhkov, “Attention span test” by P.Y. Galperin and S.L. Kabylnitskaya, “Multifactorial personality questionnaire” by R. Cattel adapted by E.M. Aleksandrovskaya (factor F). There were 43 respondents of third-grade school students. The control group included 26 children that were consistently and systematically engaged in physical activity, and the experimental group consisted of 17 school students with low physical activity. Results. The study found that the level of resilience and its components such as engagement, control, and risk-taking in a group of inactive primary school students is statistically significantly lower than of their physically active peers. Such children are socially less active and adaptive; they do not express their interest in new experiences, do not tend to take responsibility for their actions, are reserved in communication, and tend to complicate things. Conclusion. The findings about the reduced level of resilience and its components of physically inactive primary school students have determined the further direction of the research. It is planned to continue the study on the purposeful development of resilience in primary school students by organizing and conducting a program of physical extracurricular activities.
Covid-19: the angiotensin II pro-inflammatory response, the Mas receptor downregulation, pulmonary artery and nitric oxide involvement
Authors: Labrou Dimitris
Published: April 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the disease covid-19, is characterized by high mortality among the elderly. The main manifestation that separates this virus from other beta-coronaviruses, is associated with the increased risk of pneumonia, that leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Any tissue damage in the periphery, is triggered by the excess of cytokines, that are released in the bloodstream, after the initiation of ARDS. Moreover, the virus appears to have the RNAemia trait, a condition that is also witnessed in the case of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but the difference lies in the inability of the former to be transmitted through blood. The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2R) downregulation leads to increased renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation, and also decreased activity of the Mas receptor, a well-known GPCR, which is the substrate for the ligand angiotensin 1-7, which is produced by the conversion of angiotensin II, by the ACE2R. Last but not least, since pneumonia is one of the main causes of acute lung injury (ALI), the latter, present due to severe damage to the main pulmonary artery, we hence claim that medication used for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension could decrease the fatality risk of pneumonia, and in combination with the standard approach of corticosteroids, antiviral agents, and NO administration, could alleviate, or even eradicate pneumonia symptoms.