You are Seldom Born with a Drum Kit in Your Hands: Music Teachers’ Conceptualizations of Knowledge and Learning Within Music Education as an Assessment Practice

Due to an increased demand for evaluation and accountability, the focus on assessment in public education has become stronger. Already leading to teachers’ deprofessionalization, another risk is assessment leading to criteria compliance and becoming a tool for measuring teaching quality. Those whose learning is affected are thereby not only students, but also teachers. One major factor to restore professionalism and focus assessment on learning is to change practitioners’ ways of thinking and not only their behaviour. Therefore, a group of seven music teachers and a researcher in music education have carried out a research and development project using participatory action research as approach as well as method. This article explores and presents these upper secondary school music teachers’ conceptualizations of musical knowledge, learning and educational communication working with peers. Using Deweyan pragmatism as a lens to interpret the qualitative data, the results show that while a professional language does exist, the music teachers’ conceptualizations of musical knowledge and learning and educational approaches differ. A key aspect for the teachers to develop their professional language, concepts and assessment practices is the teachers’ opportunities to communicate—both factual as well as perceived.     

How Systemic Inquiry Releases Citizen Knowledge to Reform Schools: Community Scorecard Case Studies

Despite the relevance of systemic practice for repairing broken public systems, documented instances where it empowers marginalised groups en masse to be action researchers are rare. Public school systems that fail to educate millions of pupils are ripe for systemic inquiry. Using evidence, this article identifies conditions under which such inquiry fosters school system accountability and increases pupil learning. By tracing the emergence of a type of community scorecard practice called Citizen Voice and Action (CV&A), it explains how and why marginalised groups use CV&A’s systems-enhanced participatory research to engage with and reform unresponsive public systems. It also shows how soft systems thinking and further action research enhanced scorecard methodology. Brief case studies of CV&A use in Ugandan primary schools illustrate and explain how communities reform schools by using CV&A to systematically foster accountability. Discussion identifies how processes free them to create and use systemic knowledge. This theorising helps explain conditions under which systemic inquiry into school and other public systems is being generalised and scaled up.     

Systemic Thinking and Practice Toward Facilitating Inclusive Education: Reflections on a Case of Co-Generated Knowledge and Action in South Africa

This article offers our reflections around a case of facilitating systemic thinking and practice in which the first author of the article (Tlale) interacted with research participants/participant researchers with the intention of strengthening systemic thought and action toward fostering inclusive education in the setting (a rural school in the Eastern Cape in South Africa). We reflect upon the process and also how our engagement was perceived by participants, as expressed in feedback received from them. We point to how Tlale introduced the idea of systemic thinking (to teachers, school management team, school governing body, and a district officer for the district) as tied to the possibility of acting to generate transformation toward a more inclusive educational context for the benefit of the learners at the school in question, thus acting as a systemic mediator on their behalf.     

基于荟萃分析的“工作对家庭的冲突”对员工工作领域的影响

为揭示“工作对家庭的冲突”（ ）对员工工作领域影响的普遍规律，以2014~2018年间170篇高度相关的实证研究为基础，通过荟萃分析法从员工的心理和行为两个方面建立定量模型、展开综合分析。研究结果表明，员工的 与工作压力、工作满意度、工作倦怠、心理困扰、离职意愿等员工工作心理变量之间存在较强的相关性，与组织承诺和感知组织支持的相关性不显著。在员工行为方面， 与反生产行为的相关性最强，与组织公民行为和工作投入的相关性不显著。研究结论为企业从组织管理的角度出发，重视并解决员工 问题，促进工作与家庭之间的平衡提供理论支撑。     

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model: Teachers’ Participation in Action Research

This article views a particular example of action research through the theoretical lens provided by the Concerns Based Adoption Model of professional development. A small group of teachers in Lesotho, used action research to investigate their understanding and practice in the midst of externally initiated change. Data was collected from teachers’ discussions during the 2 years of the project. Teachers interacted during planning sessions; lesson observations and reflection meetings. Results indicated that these teachers’ development and change through action research corresponded with the seven levels of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) which are awareness, information, personal concerns, management, consequences, collaboration and refocusing. The demonstrated resonance between CBAM and action research is significant, given the differing orientations of the two models. There is a need however to conduct further studies with larger samples and possibly from diverse areas to further explore the relationship between the Concerns-Based Adoption Model and action research.     

Optimal Implementation Strategy of Carbon Emission Reduction Policy Instruments in Consideration of Cost Efficiency

In this paper, regulatory and optimum programming model has been adopted. Considering the costs of emission reduction, supervision and penalty, we went all out to analyze the optimal decision of cost efficiency of regulators when implementing these three policy instruments: carbon emission standards, carbon emission trading permissions, and carbon taxes as well. Its result has indicated: In strict accordance with control target of total carbon emissions, regulators are willing to render social and economic cost able to achieve the goal of optimal cost efficiency by regulating carbon emission standards and supervising marginal cost caused by variations in the probability; fortunately, under the conditions of low supervisory cost and certain criteria which is met, the implementation of carbon emission trading permissions could provide social and economic cost with opportunities to realize that objective; through comparative analysis, carbon emission trading permissions have the advantages of higher efficiency than carbon emission standards on the premise of incomplete information. During the implementation of carbon taxes strategy, when there exists uncertainty information in the enterprises reduction behaviors, the condition which enterprises can fully comply with is the tax rate level is not higher than marginal penalty function; the tax rate level of enterprises perfect compliance ought not to be lower than the division of marginal penalty cost and marginal supervisory cost. The optimal strategy of enterprises imperfect compliance is that regulators varying the marginal cost of emission standards is equal to varying that of supervisory probability.     

Meta-Action Research on a Leadership Development Program: A Process Model for Life-long Learning

Our purpose in this paper is to contribute to the field of systemic practice by sharing a process of professional learning based on meta-action research. The process emerged as we engaged with evaluation data from a leadership development program (LDP). The aim of this LDP had been to help leaders design their team projects on poverty reduction through action research methods in six African countries. As facilitators of the program we discuss our experiential learning based on critical reflection. We explain how meta-action research can transform understandings of ways to improve professional practice in future applications. We present three process models: (1) a model of reflection on action, (2) a meta-action research model, and (3) a model for lifelong learning through meta-action research. These models may be of benefit and interest to readers who facilitate systemic practice and action research in education, higher education, communities, industry and government.     

Embracing the Complexity: Surfacing Problem Situations with Multiple Actors of the Pineapple Value Chain in Uganda

The complexity of local situations in which agricultural value chains are enacted requires a systemic understanding when seeking to improve interlinked livelihoods. Studying the fresh pineapple value chain in Uganda offers an illustrative example. Individually negotiated and context-specific actor relationships, along with their connected activities can be revealed by conceptualizing the chain as a purposeful human activity system. We followed a systems learning approach to elicit value chain actors’ perspectives on factors influencing their activities while surfacing relevant problem situations, resolutions and constraints. Participatory methods, including cognitive mapping, were used to spark dialogue during meetings with only farmers, traders and brokers and also with mixed groups. The results present the multiple natural, technical and social factors identified by value chain actors leading to losses and benefits to their income. System driving and shaping influences included infrastructure, seasonality, perishability and weather conditions. Process-oriented analysis of multi-stakeholder discussions revealed feedback cycles related to fragmentation of the chain. This resulted from and contributed to problematic communication, price fluctuations and challenges in actor relations. For example, actors proposed uniform pricing and debated the implications. Although the systemic perspective brought forward actors’ awareness of potential benefits of improved collaboration and recognition of interdependent activities, it also exposed barriers. Participatory systems learning helped to capture actors’ room of maneuver, and can support processes towards actor-driven change.     

Sustainability,Systems Thinking and Professional Practice

This article explores the impact of the new sustainability agenda on the occupational and professional needs of those who have taken educational and training programmes in the environmental field either at undergraduate or postgraduate level or through relevant professional institutions’ continuing professional development programmes. It also describes a one-day workshop for the professionals on sustainable development, based on systems thinking and practice. The workshop provides a model for developing greater understanding and effective action in professional practice, by using dialogue and interprofessional learning to explore approaches to sustainability in a variety of business and professional contexts. It introduces the principles underpinning the concept of sustainability and provides tools to support the integration of sustainable development into professional practice and organisational change.     

An Approach to the Notion of Reflective Teacher and Its Exemplification on Mathematics Education

Within research into the teaching profession, there are two main areas of interest, which have been thoroughly defined and consolidated: teacher’s knowledge and teacher’s professional development. This paper considers the latter area, and specifically sets out to define the concept of the reflective teacher and to show how we have applied this concept in our research. It aims at defining a more precise notion of teachers’ professional development linked to the concept of a reflective teacher, drawing on information from different interdisciplinary sources so as to frame the concept clearly. We discuss the conditions which determine the reflective teacher, and report on how these were put to use in a training course for practising teachers in which participants reflected on challenging episodes from their professional experience. We hope that clarifying this term will enable different educational agents (school teachers, teacher trainers or researchers) to have an informed view that can be interpreted and critiqued, and that it will also be of value to initial teacher training and to in-service courses.     

A Soft Systems Methodology Approach to Occupational Cancer Control Problem: a Case Study of the Ministry of Petroleum of Iran

Petroleum industries of Iran offer some of the best job opportunities within Iranian labor market. However, due to the attributes of the chemicals used in these industries, their staffs are exposed to various risk factors of several chronic diseases. Such exposures might lead to cancer incidence after a decade or two. The Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) runs an organization, namely Petroleum Industry Health Organization (PIHO), which is responsible for the health insurance of the personnel working in Petroleum industries. PIHO and Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) units play fundamental roles in providing the employees with health services during their professional life and retirement period. Yet, these organizations still do not have a system to specify occupational cancer control mechanisms at the MoP. The negative influences of cancer on patients suffering from it as well as its heavy costs of treatment have forced MoP to put measures of coping with this chronic disease in the first priority. This paper aims to define the structure and design a framework for MoP’s occupational cancer control problem as the first step for improving the described situation. Given the presence of various stakeholders and actors, and the wide range of complexities of this problematic situation, we have adopted Soft System Methodology (SSM). We have reached an agreement with the problem owners on a rich picture, CATWOE analysis, root definition and a conceptual model for the way this situation could improve within real world circumstances. The results were obtained through various sessions with practitioner from different departments of MoP, while the conflict of interests was common.     

Social responsibility as a next step in development of systemic behavior toward systems solutions of systemic problems of today

Data are clear: humankind is facing a global socio-economic crisis. Global bodies search for solution in ending the neoliberal monopolistic, rather than free market, economy, and in introduction of systemic behavior under the label of social responsibility. To support this effort, the research that is reported about in this contribution, suggests systemic perception of social responsibility to cause the end of abuse, strategy of promotion of social responsibility, and of suitable economic preconditions, supported by several lines of action, which everybody can trigger.     

Research and Reflection: Potential Impact on the Professional Development of Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Students

In occupational therapy education in South Africa, community service (CS) focuses learning opportunities during fieldwork placements. CS therefore enabled the researcher to utilise successive small scale research projects to guide learning of students during fieldwork while simultaneously developing the occupational therapy service at a residential care facility. This community setting provided a powerful environment through which research, in combination with opportunities for reflection, contributed to nurturing skills needed by these future health professionals. A technical action research (AR) approach incorporated AR cycles and opportunities for structured reflection. Therefore situations were created for the students to embrace experiential learning. Experiential learning in the form of anticipatory reflection, reflection-in-action, reflection on reflection and retrospective reflection impacted on the quality of the students’ work. Besides encouraging unique leaning opportunities for students when engaging in research during their fieldwork placement, engagement in AR cycles simultaneously improved service delivery to residents in the facility. Key benefits of this investigation were that fieldwork education utilising AR cycles within a CS situation promoted students to identify voids in their theoretical background as well as practice skills; to apply reflective practice that could contribute to their personal and professional development; and to utilize learning opportunities optimally. Despite positive gains showed by this study, the role of power relations between the researcher as fieldwork educator and the students prohibited the AR cycles from being more emancipatory in nature and should be addressed in follow-up studies.     

基于关系网络的工作倦怠有限交互演化模型

工作倦怠这一心理困扰问题已十分普遍, 若要进行有效的干预需对其演化过程进行分析. 为研究关系网络中行为人在工作倦怠方面上的自然产生、干预与交互, 描述不同情形选择作倦怠发展与演化的过程, 建立了工作倦怠主体信息有限交互的网络演化模型, 并对模型进行了仿真计算和分析. 首先, 根据人际关系网络的小世界特性, 运用NW方法生成了小世界网络, 并对整体工作倦怠水平进行赋值; 其次, 根据工作倦怠这一心理破坏过程和干预过程的缓慢性和动态性, 遵循工作倦怠的自然发展性、可干预性和有限交建立动态演化模型, 并在模型中加入关系网络各行为主体自我调整因素; 最后通过仿真计算和分析得到当干预与自然发展状况不匹配会导致倦怠扩散, 网络中行为人之间的交互作用增强会导致倦怠水平呈现更高的同步性, 行为人的自我调整会显著影响群体成员间倦怠的传播.     

Selection Optimal Drill Rigs by Grey Relational Analysis Method

Based upon the main properties of the relational analysis in grey system theory,a newmethod to select optimal drill rigs is proposed in this paper.Under the unified technique economicindex,with the practical data of four kinds of drill rigs in the mining district,east of Sichuan,China,an optimal reference number series was constructed.Through calculating the relational grade     

创业企业家资源禀赋与融资方案认知度关系实证研究

运用列联表分析和Tobit回归法来分析创业企业家的资源禀赋对其认知融资方案的影响程度。通过文献回顾,创业企业家的通用性人力资本、专用性人力资本和社会资本对创业企业家认知融资方案均有正向影响。运用湖南省135家创业企业的调查数据进行论证,研究结果表明,有商业教育背景的和有会计或财务从业经验的创业企业家对融资方案认知程度更高,与金融界有密切联系的创业企业家也有助于其对融资方案的认知,但创业企业家的通用性人力资本对其认知融资方案几乎不起作用。     

Living Life as Inquiry

In this paper I explain what I mean by living life as inquiry, showing how I apply notions of inquiry as method to many areas of my professional and personal activities and how research ideas are generated and tested throughout my life space. The paper has twin tracks which reflect the interwoven processes I am describing and advocating. One is more practice based; in it I outline some of my inquiry practices and dilemmas, and give two examples from my work situation. The second track is more focused on theory, highlighting ideas about systemic analysis, influencing change, relational work, and gender. Writing the paper became an example of my topic. I therefore note features of the text which illustrate processes and practices of inquiry.     

股权激励下家族企业职业经理人对非效率投资的影响

投资是维持企业持续经营和发展的基础,一直以来都是学术界研究的热点话题.作为民营企业的重要组成部分,我国家族企业经过40年的发展,目前进入代际传承的关键时刻,同时传统的家族管理模式已经显现出一定的弊端,向现代家族企业职业化转型已是一种必然趋势,选择职业经理人还是家族成员担任CEO对企业的投资行为具有重要的影响.本文以20...     

养老护理员工作幸福感的随机突变机理

针对养老护理员工作幸福感因外界扰动而出现随机突变的问题,考虑工作特征和组织氛围对养老护理员工作幸福感的影响,构建随机尖点突变模型分析养老护理员工作幸福感的离散突变机制,并利用R软件拟合调研数据.研究发现:调研地区的养老护理职业具有"工作强度大、工资较低"的显著工作特征和"女性为主、农民工居多、年龄偏大、学历层次较低、流...