Personal Education Philosophy Matters:from Social Constructivism,Andragogy to Active Learning

Education philosophy,which plays a major role in teacher beliefs,is crucial for teacher educators. Ever since the end of last century, there has been a trend in North America to promote, or restore active learning in college/university classrooms. This paper, based on some explorations of the social constructivism, the six assumptions in Andragogy, the ARCS model, the active learning theory and some practical activities, proposes an integrated education philosophy about adult learning. It is assumed this will be able to provide some insight and guidance for college practitioners.

Enhancing EFL Students' Social Strategy Awareness and Use Through Interactive Learning Activities

Based on prior studies and a questionnaire survey,this paper is seeking to demonstrate that interactive activities will facilitate EFL learners' social strategy awareness and use,and thus enhance their linguistic development.A sample lesson plan is also presented in this paper to illustrate that social strategy awareness and use can be improved through interactive learning activities.

Education As an Instrument for an Active Social Policy： Assumptions, Performance, and Prospects

The crisis of the welfare state caused the change of the approach to the policy of social protection and the tools of its realization in countries of EU. The present trend consists in the transfer of the responsibility for the welfare of the society from the state to local autonomies, businessmen, and, first of all, people themselves. A basic assignment of the present social policy is building active attitudes of persons and families being found in a difficult situation. Help in this has to be： the realization of the watchword work instead of benefit and the broadly understood education as the protection （guarantee） against life risks. Therefore, the author undertook synthesis of the current sociological knowledge on the change of an approach to social policy objectives formulation. Using qualitative methods, she analyzed the content of literature comprising （showing） discourses on the opportunities and constraints associated with the modernization of the existing social policy and selected EU documents.

Associations between individual and environmental factors and habitual physical activity among older Chinese adults:A social–ecological perspective

Purpose: To examine, within a social–ecological framework, associations between multifaceted individual and environmental factors and habitual physical activity(HPA) among older Chinese adults.Methods: Through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, a survey instrument assessing various factors underlying 3 social–ecological dimensions of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community and environmental resources was developed. Using a cross-sectional design, older adults(n = 1580, aged 67 ± 7 years) recruited from 10 communities in Shandong province completed the social–ecological survey of HPA. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Path Modeling.Results: Factors related to intrapersonal(medical knowledge, motivation, physical function, sport skills, socioeconomic status, and education),interpersonal(social support, social activity, and social norms), and community and physical environmental resources(safety, capacity, availability of and access to physical activity facilities) were found to be significantly associated with older adults' participation in HPA.Conclusion: The findings provide an initial validation of a social–ecological approach to the study of HPA in China, suggesting that strategies aimed at promoting physical activity in older adults should address multiple levels of factors that may contribute to the likelihood of older Chinese adults being physically active.

The impact of perceived social support, loneliness, and physical activity on quality of life in South Korean older adults

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose and test a conceptual model that explains the interrelationships among perceived social support, loneliness, physical activity(PA), and quality of life(QoL) among active older adults in South Korea.Methods: Data were collected from 332 individuals over the age of 65 using a systematic stratified convenience sampling method. Survey data were collected and analyzed using a structural equation model(SEM).Results: Perceived social support had a significantly positive effect on PA(b = 0.14, p < 0.01) and QoL(b = 0.28, p < 0.001) while decreasing loneliness(b = —0.55, p < 0.001). PA had a significant positive effect on QoL(b = 0.12, p < 0.01), and loneliness had a negative effect on QoL(b = —0.37, p < 0.001). Loneliness mediated the relationship between perceived social support and QoL.Conclusion: The SEM results of the current study support the proposed model that explained the interrelationships among perceived social support, loneliness, PA, and QoL among active older adults in South Korea. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating social support mechanisms for PA interventions in order to enhance QoL. The findings of this study can help create more effective health and physical education programs for the older generations in South Korea to enhance their QoL.

Development of a Social Activities Scale for Community-Dwelling Older Men Requiring Support in Japan

Aim: We developed a scale to measure the social activities of community-dwelling older men requiring support. Methods: The participants were a group of 134 men, ≥65 years old, who required support and were living in Hokkaido, Japan. An anonymous questionnaire was administered through individual interviews. Valid responses were obtained from 121/134 interviewees. The construct validity of the resulting scale was assessed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Criterion-related validity was tested with Spearman’s rank correlation test based on the Social Activities Index for Elderly People (SAI-E). Reliability was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha. Results: A Social Activities Scale for Community-dwelling Older Men Requiring Support (SASOMS) scale was created, comprised of the following three subscales: daily interactions with familiar people;intimate relationships with family members;and interactions with others through activity programs (e.g., exercise, games, recreation, etc.). The created SASOMS scale correlated with the SAI-E (r = 0.557), and its criterion-related validity was confirmed. The alpha coefficient of the new scale was 0.791, and its internal consistency was confirmed. Conclusions: The reliability and validity of the developed SASOMS scale was confirmed, demonstrating that it can be used to assess social activities specifically in older men requiring support. Our results suggest that the scale can be used effectively by care providers who support older men requiring care. The usability of the SASOMS should continue to be improved, and it is necessary to verify its validity in longitudinal studies.

Comparison of social interaction and neural activation in the main olfactory bulb and the accessory olfactory bulb between Microtus mandarinus and Microtus fortis

To gain insight into the function of AOB and MOB during different social interaction and in different vole species,the behaviors and neural activation of the olfactory bulbs in social interactions of mandarin voles Microtus mandarinus and reed voles Microtus fortis were compared in the present research.Mandarin voles spent significantly more time attacking and sniffing their opponents and sniffing sawdust than reed voles.During same sex encounters,mandarin voles attacked their opponents for a significantly longer time and sniffed its opponent for shorter time compared with male-female interactions.However,no significant behavioral differences were found during encounters of two individual reed voles,regardless of gender composition of the pair.Using c-Fos as an indicator of neural activation,we observed that neural activation was significantly higher in almost all sub-regions of the main olfactory bulb(MOB)and the accessory olfactory bulb(AOB)of mandarin voles compared with reed voles.Numbers of c-Fos-ir neurons in almost all sub-regions of the AOB and the MOB during male-female interactions were also higher than those in interactions of the same sex.Anterior-posterior ratios of Fos-ir neurons in the AOBM(AOBMR)and the AOBG(AOBGR)in male-female interaction were significantly higher than those in interaction of the same sex.The AOBMR of male mandarin voles and reed voles were larger than those of females in male-female interactions.Behavioral patterns are consistent with cellular activity patterns.Consistent level of neural activation in MOB and AOB suggests important roles of both the main olfactory bulb and the accessory olfactory bulb in social interaction in two species.

Preparatory Activities for 1995 World Summit on Social Development

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Relationship between Self-Perceived Age and Social Activity in Older Japanese Adults: The KAGUYA Study

Youthful feelings were shown to have a positive effect on the mental and physical conditions of the elderly. On the contrary, elderly people whose self-perceived age is older than their chronological age were shown to experience negative health outcomes. This study investigated whether the self-perceived age (younger or older) relative to chronological age promotes social activity. The baseline data acquired from 3094 older adults as part of the Keeping Active across Generations Uniting the Youth and the Aged study was used in the current study. The participants completed a questionnaire that solicits information pertaining to sociodemographic factors, felt age, self-rated health, physical activity, depression, disease burden, fall history, fear of falling, level of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and social activity. The discrepancy between felt age and chronological age was defined as the self-perceived age. Self-perceived age was calculated by subtracting the participant’s chronological age from the felt age, and the score for the difference was divided by the chronological age. The Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence was used to evaluate social activity. Regression analysis results revealed that a younger self-perceived age was associated with higher social activity after controlling for sociodemographic factors, self-rated health, depression, physical activity, disease burden, level of IADL, fall history and fear of falling. Fall history was significantly associated with higher social activity in young-old participants (65 - 74 years) (p = 0.014) but not in old-old participants (>75 years). This study suggests that a younger self-perceived age in older adults would lead to a high-level living function. This finding may provide useful information for interventions aimed at the promotion of health and/or the prevention of frailty.

Integrated and Seamless Services for Active Aging, a Model for Zhuhai

The Aging Tsunami as it is often quoted to describe the worrying situations of rapidly aging in China has not met with detail planning in facilities upgrade and careful consideration in service models. Broad brushed central policies categorizes services into home care, community care and institutional care and set policy goals at 90-6-4, representing the percentage of older people in receiving respective care. This leaves local officials helpless on how these ideals can be actualized. Some cities have inclined to build huge older people homes and pour resources into institutional care, forgetting the need for older people to be connected with the society. This paper reviews the historical developments of older people services in Hong Kong and recommends an integrative model of social work services connecting institutional, community and home care into a seamless network. The city of Zhuhai will be presented as a perfect experimental city on how its existing facilities can be converted and developed according to the model. Survey on the situations of the 16 public older people homes will be used to illustrate the potentials of an integrative model.

Impact of the Community-Based Active Monitoring Program on the Long Term Care Services Use and In-Patient Admissions of the Over-74 Population

Introduction: Social isolation increases in the over-74 population and it is a risk factor for death and Long Term Care (LTC) use. In order to prevent the negative consequences of social isolation on this population community interventions focused on strengthening the social network should be intensified. The aim of this paper is to describe the impact on health care use of a Community-based pro-Active Monitoring Program (CAMP) providing phone monitoring to all the clients and home visits according to the individual’s needs. Methodology: In order to provide an evaluation of the program outcomes, the rates of clients’ hospitalization and admissions to Long Term Care facilities during 2011 have been assessed. The observed rates have been compared with expected ones calculated on available information for similar population. A cost-analysis has been also carried out to analyze the program sustainability. Results: The studied sample is made up by 1408 over-74 citizens followed up during 2011 in Rome (Italy) by CAMP. The cumulative observation time was 1362 p/y;61 individuals died during 2011 (death rate 4.3%). The hospital admission rate observed among CAMP’s clients was 254‰ (357/1408;CL95% ± 91‰), lower than the 282‰ reported for the over-74 population of Rome. This translates into 39 averted hospitalization. The LTC admission rate is also reduced among CAMP’s clients (9/1,408, 6.6‰ CL95% ± 0.8‰ vs. 9.7‰ reported for a comparable sample);it translates into 4 averted LTC admissions. The averted cost ranged between 47,153 € and 220,117 € according to the range of services used by the clients, which translates into a percentage of estimated cost reduction on yearly basis ranged between 3% and 12.5% of the whole cost of services used by the studied population. Discussion: The paper suggests the capacity of CAMP to reduce both the over-74 hospitalization rate and use of LTC. Cost analysis also indicates a cost reduction as a consequence of the CAMP implementation. Further studies including a control group and a detailed cost-benefit analysis are needed to check the program sustainability on larger population.

The association of various social capital indicators and physical activity participation among Turkish adolescents

Background: Physical activity participation(PAP) has been proven to improve health and promote optimal growth among adolescents. However,most adolescents do not meet the current physical activity(PA) recommendations in Turkey. The role of the social environment and social factors on PAP is being increasingly recognized. Although social capital(SC) indicators have been examined in high-income countries, there are few studies on developing countries. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between SC indicators and PAP among Turkish adolescents.Methods: A survey was conducted among 19 high schools in 4 different cities in Turkey in 2016. A total of 506 female and 729 male high school students participated in this study. The dependent variable was overall PAP, which was measured using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The independent variables included self-perceived family, neighborhood, and school SC. Self-rated health and obesity status, measured by body mass index, were other study covariates in multiple binary logistic regression models. Chi-square tests were used to assess the differences between genders.Results: PAP levels were significantly different between males and females. A higher percentage of males reported PAP(77.4%) compared to females(51.0%). Among males, teacher–student interpersonal trust and informal social control were inversely associated with PAP, while high students interpersonal trust was positively associated with increased odds of PAP. For females, students interpersonal trust was inversely associated with PAP.Conclusion: Various SC indicators are associated with PAP for males and females. These associations are different from findings of studies conducted in developed countries. Therefore, health-promotion interventions and policies should consider gender and different social agents on the social and cultural background to improve PAP among Turkish adolescents.

Children’s Health, Parent-Child Activities, Using Digital Devices, and Social Competence: Serial Mediation

Background: Studies have pointed out the influence of different children’s activities and prolonged use of digital products on their social development. However, whether the parent-child activities and using digital devices were serial mediators of the relationship between children’s health and social development needs further verification. Purpose: This study explored how parent-child activities and children’s use of digital devices influence the relationship between children’s health and their social competence. Method: This study used data from Kids in Taiwan: National Longitudinal Study of Child Development and Care. A total sample of 2164 participants was used in this study. Serial mediation analyses were performed using model six of Hayes’ PROCESS (2012). Results: This study found that parent-child activities and the use of digital devices can serially mediate the relationship between children’s health and social competence. Children’s health could directly improve their social competence, but it could also serially mediate social competence by increasing parent-child activities and reducing the use of digital devices. Conclusion: Childcare policy planners and parenting educators should not only call on parents to reduce the use of electronic products for their children, but also encourage parents to spend more time interacting with their children, so that children can learn social skills by interacting with others in their daily lives.

The moderating effect of social cognitive factors on self-management activities and HbA1c in Thai adults with type-2 diabetes

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a serious chronic disease.Self-management strategies help persons with DM make choices which will develop skills needed to reach their goal of blood glucose control and allow them to be successful in reaching goals.Objective: To examine the impact of self-management activities on HbA1c for persons with DM and to examine the impact of social support,self-efficacy and Buddhist values as moderators on the relationship between the self-management activities and HbA1c.Method: This study is a cross-sectional design.The sample included 401 Thai adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,aged 20-65 years old who had at least one HbA1c test in the last three months were recruited.Participants completed four questionnaires to measure self-management activities,as well as self-efficacy,Buddhist values and social support as moderating factors on self-management activities and HbA1 c,Results: The self-management activities were negatively associated (β =-2.05,p ≤ 0.001) with HbA1c.The Social support,self-efficacy and Buddhist values had a significant interaction effect between selfmanagement activities and HbA1c (β =-0.97,p ≤ 0.05,β =-0.18,p ≤ 0.05 and β =-2.76,p ≤ 0.001).Conclusion: The diabetes self-management activities were more strongly associated with HbA1c under conditions of high social support,self-efficacy and health beliefs with Buddhist values.Future interventions for T2DM self-management programs should incorporate mechanisms to measure and support these factors.

The Relationship between Rural Left-Behind Children’s Physical Activity and Hope:The Mediating Effects of Perceived Social Support

It has been confirmed in previous studies that there is a positive correlation between physical activity and hope.In this study,rural left-behind children in China was taken as the participants to investigate the impact of physical activity on hope in rural left-behind children and examine the mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between physical activity and hope.797 valid copies of the questionnaire were collected from China.Pearson correlation coefficient was employed to analyze the relationship between physical activity and hope;SEM and Bootstrap were used to test the mediating effect of perceived social support.The results show that physical activity can not only directly and positively predict the level of hope in rural leftbehind children but can also predict the level of hope through perceived social support;perceived social support plays a mediating role in the relationship between physical activity and hope.These results highlight the necessity to pay more attention to the physical activity of left-behind children and the possibility to improve the level of hope by increasing their physical activity;at the same time,the acquisition of more material,emotional and psychological support from teachers and guardians is more conducive to improving the sense of hope in left-behind children.These findings can deepen the understanding of the sense of hope in left-behind children,and provide new methods for and enlightenments on improving the level of hope in left-behind children.

Social Media Use for Information-Sharing Activities Among Youth in Malaysia

Social media are popular among youth for sharing information. This study tries to explore the popularity of the social media sites, the level of use of the social media sites, the types of information-sharing activities involved on the social media sites, to compare youth of various background in relation to information-sharing activities, and to analyze the relationship between the level of social media use and the information-sharing activities among youth. This study employs a quantitative research design, using survey method with questionnaire as the research instrument used for data collection. In this study, youth aged between 17-40 years old nationwide were surveyed. The study was developed based on the user and gratification theory （Blumler ＆ Katz, 1974）. Findings showed that youth always （five to seven days per week） use social media to share information including personal information. Results also showed that youth used the social media more for sharing negatively-oriented information compared to the positively-oriented information. Although there were more items on the positively-oriented information-sharing activities but more youth spent their time on the negatively-oriented information-sharing activities. The results are supported by a strong relationship between frequency of use and the negatively-oriented information-sharing activities.

Making the case for the evolving role of social media in health professions education and a literature review on the application of some in ophthalmology

Background and Objective:Social media(SoMe)has emerged as a tool in health professions education(HPE),particularly amidst the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Despite the academia’s initial skepticism SoMe has been gaining traction in supporting learning communities,and offering opportunities for innovation in HPE.Our study aims to explore the integration of SoMe in HPE.Four key components were outlined as necessary for a successful integration,and include designing learning experiences,defining educator roles,selecting appropriate platforms,and establishing educational objectives.Methods:This article stemmed from the online Teaching Skills Series module on SoMe in education from the Ophthalmology Foundation,and drew upon evidence supporting learning theories relevant to SoMe integration and models of education.Additionally,we conducted a literature review considering Englishlanguage articles on the application of SoMe in ophthalmology from PubMed over the past decade.Key Content and Findings:Early adopters of SoMe platforms in HPE have leveraged these tools to enhance learning experiences through interaction,dialogue,content sharing,and active learning strategies.By integrating SoMe into educational programs,both online and in-person,educators can overcome time and geographical constraints,fostering more diverse and inclusive learning communities.Careful consideration is,however,necessary to address potential limitations within HPE.Conclusions:This article lays groundwork for expanding SoMe integration in HPE design,emphasizing the supportive scaffold of various learning theories,and the need of furthering robust research on examining its advantages over traditional educational formats.Our literature review underscores an ongoing multifaceted,random application of SoMe platforms in ophthalmology education.We advocate for an effective incorporation of SoMe in HPE education,with the need to comply with good educational practice.

Five Points on the Participation of Social Organizations in the activities of the United Nations

On June 30,2019,on behalf of the Beijing Zhicheng Migrant Workers Legal Aid and Research Center(hereinafter referred to as the Center),I went to Geneva to attend the 41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council.This is my third time to participate in the activities of the UN Human Rights System.

Kenya and the Emerging Power-Shift in Global Political-Economy: Right-Wing Populism and Social Media Activism

A potential global power transition characterized by emerging economies of BRICS where China is the likely leading contender against the United States as the only global hegemon seems inevitable.The increasingly multipolar world is evidenced by the attention given to right-wing populism in Europe and USA attributed to China’s aggressive approach to international trade through its stealth entry and subsequent investments in global political-economy.China’s presence in Africa and Trump’s America first policy’s attempt to open“new business frontiers”in emerging economies of Asia and Africa in order to contain Chinese influence and threat in global hegemony are interesting happenstances that require closer scrutiny.Kenya,the biggest economy in East Africa,which is among the fastest growing regions globally,is the gateway to the East African Common Market.Historically,Kenya has a policy of non-alignment in international relations making it possible to receive FDI from both China and the US but with highly contested elections.Therefore,Kenya presents a perfect laboratory for examining the emerging power-shift in global political-economy as the country grapples with traditionally chaotic electoral power transitions and the two biggest economies in the world compete for business in Nairobi.The 2017 elections not only betrayed the international community’s commitment to Western values of human rights and democracy,but also revealed the challenges of governance in post-World War II global liberalism characterized by sophisticated media institutional spaces.

Media Sporting Events as Platforms for‘Soft Power’and Digital Activism

Mediatic sporting events are increasingly used in the geopolitical arena to gain consensus, at the same time emerging as platforms for the discussion of social issues, such as human rights and sustainability. This article presents an investigation into the role of mediatic sporting events and digital platforms in sparking political debate and social engagement to bring about change, including discussions on global and local interests and the performances of activist fans to promote debate on specific issues. The investigation employs a quantitative methodology. The initial inductive analysis uses a matrix of cultural key-frames of the empowerment and protest that accompany media sporting events, verifying their presence and effectiveness in different communication milieus. An analysis of the representation of protests on social media was performed through content analysis. The results of the investigation show that mediatic sporting events are to be understood as a diverse range of generators of multiple political effects: from the exercise of power to mass mobilization and media criticism.