To adapt or not to adapt, that is the question. Examining farmers’ perceived adaptive capacity and willingness to adapt to sustainability transitions

The agricultural sector is one of the areas that has been highlighted as requiring a sustainability transition. For these kinds of transitions to succeed over the long-term, farmers need to be able to adapt to the required changes. Identifying which individual and institutional aspects are important for farmers’ adaptive capacity and willingness to adapt is therefore an essential step in gaining insight into the role of farmers’ agency in transition processes and their long-term sustainability. So far, adaptive capacity literature has mainly focused on adaptive capacity in relation to climate change or individual innovations, thereby leaving a knowledge gap on adaptive capacity in relation to sustainability transitions. In this study, we aim to address this by deepening our understanding of these aspects through 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with English farmers and organisations in the context of the post-Brexit agricultural transition. Whilst we found many similarities with previous adaptation literature in the context of climate change and individual innovation, we also found aspects that have not been prominent and thus seem to be specific for adaptation in relation to sustainability transitions. These include the dual role that access to finances and information can play; land ownership status in terms of having the right to implement adaptation measures; state of mind; feeling respected, appreciated, and understood; perceived level of control and ownership; and considerations of (global) consequences. Further research is needed to strengthen and further develop our findings, for example through case studies in other geographical locations or sectors

Assessing Conceptual Knowledge of Differential Equations

The differential equations and linear algebra math classes at Valparaiso University participate in an online tutoring survey consisting of conceptual questions from the field. The test was originally constructed by a team of math professors from San Diego State University. The questions are available in an online format and most questions provide scaffolding, or a tutoring set of questions when a primary question is answered incorrectly. This project analyzes the effectiveness of the scaffolding on a subset of questions with specific focus on areas of separable variables and Euler’s method. Special attention has been given to questions with multiple knowledge components, which may complicate the effectiveness of the scaffolding. In several questions, we have found that the scaffolding is not impacting student understanding of the subject area. We are also discovering surprising anomalies in students’ conceptions that the test creators did not predict. Thus, in some cases, it may be necessary to adapt the scaffolding or question wording to maximize test efficiency and overall student comprehension

Sustaining Cooperation in trust Games

It is well-known in evolutionary game theory that population clustering in Prisoner Dilemma games allows some cooperative strategies to invade populations of stable defecting strategies. We adapt this idea of population clustering to a two-person trust game. Players are typed based on their recent track record as whether or not they are trusting (Players 1) and whether or not they are trustworthy (Players 2). They are then paired according to those types: trustors with trustworthy types, and similarly non-trustors with untrustworthy types. The empirical question we address is whether this adaptation of clustering to bargaining environments sustains cooperative play analogous to the situation in finitely repeated PD games.exchange, trust, reciprocity, cooperation, clustering, bargaining, experimental economics

Lifestyle adaptations of patients with coronary artery disease who underwent coronary artery bypass graph surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or insertion of a coronary stent

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is one of the most common cardiovascular disorder in adults. CAD often results in myocardial infarction or angina (Wilson, 2003:21). It is an accepted fact that the incidence of CAD has reached endemic proportions in South Africa (Venter, 1993:15). Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) and insertion of a coronary stent are major therapeutic approaches to the treatment of CAD. However, these procedures do nothing to correct the underlying disease process (Hunt, Hendrata, Myles, 2000:389; Venter, 1993:15). Due to physiological changes patients suffering from CAD are expected to make lifestyle adaptations, in order to improve quality of life and prevent further damage to coronary arteries (Gotto, 1987:29). It is suspected that patients do not always adapt their lifestyle when they suffer from CAD, or if they do, do not maintain these adaptations. The following question emerges: • Do patients with coronary artery disease adapt their lifestyle and if they do, do they maintain these adaptations? The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the extent to which patients with CAD who underwent CABG, PTCA or insertion of a coronary stent adapt their lifestyles and to what extent they maintain these adaptations. Secondly, the purpose is to set guidelines to help with the improvement of lifestyle adaptations and contingency of adaptations. The objectives of the study is to explore and describe the extent to which patients with CAD adapt their lifestyles following CABG surgery, PTCA or insertion of a i coronary stent, the comparison of the extent of these lifestyle adaptations after two and four months and to set guidelines to improve the extent and contingency of lifestyle adaptations. An explorative and descriptive study was done in order to explore and describe the extent to which patients with CAD, who underwent CABG surgery, PTCA or insertion of coronary a stent, adapted their lifestyle, and to determine the maintenance of these lifestyle adaptations. For the purpose of this study questionnaires, based on a conceptual framework, were designed. The questionnaires enabled the researcher to explore and describe the lifestyle adaptations that patients with CAD underwent. The study was conducted in five private hospitals in Gauteng. The data obtained confirmed that patients suffering from CAD do adapt their lifestyle after having CABG surgery, PTCA or insertion of a coronary stent. Data also showed that the presence of a cardiac rehabilitation centre at the hospital where participants were treated, has a significant influence on patients’ ability to adapt their lifestyle and to maintain this new lifestyle.Dr. W.O.J. Nel Ms. W. Jacob

Is Federal Crop Insurance Policy Leading to Another Dust Bowl?

As the southern Great Plains get hotter and drier, is federal policy that encourages farmers not to adapt to climate change leading to another Dust Bowl?That's the troubling question raised by a new EWG report that shows how a provision in the federal crop insurance program provides a strong financial incentive for growers to plant the same crops in the same way, year in and year out, regardless of changing climate conditions. What's worse, this program is focused on the same southern Great Plains counties hit hardest by the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, the worst man-made environmental disaster in American history.The federal crop insurance program guarantees farmers' earnings from their crops won't fall below a percentage of their usual income. The percentage is set based on a multi-year average of a farmer's actual crop yields. Averaging good and bad years grounds the program in reality.But a provision called the Actual Production History Yield Exclusion – snuck into the 2014 Farm Bill during conference negotiations – allows growers to drop bad years from their average crop yield calculations. The government simply pretends these bad years didn't happen. In some cases, more than 15 bad years can be thrown out when calculating the average yield, resulting in artificially inflated insurance payouts.It makes sense for crop insurance to give growers a break if they're occasionally hit by one or two bad years, but keeping growers on a treadmill of failed crops and insurance payouts is foolish. Helping farmers adapt to the new weather conditions would be considerably better, and was exactly what helped growers survive the Dust Bowl and return to productivity.The southern Great Plains are getting hotter and drier. Drought has been common over the last 10 years and forecasts show the number of days above 100 degrees quadrupling by 2050. Implementing conservation practices to adapt to changing climate conditions is vital for growers who want to stay in business.Some, but not enough, growers are already adopting conservation techniques in this region. Savings from ending the misguided yield exclusion policy could be used to help more growers change the way they farm to face the challenges posed by a changing climate

A critique of "understanding the unintended consequences of online teaching"

In an ever-changing environment, (of which the “ever-changing” was recently made more prominent due to a world-wide pandemic), humankind either needs to adapt or die. The question however remains: to what extent should we adapt to the “new”? Accepting the fact that each reader would glean and react to different aspects presented in the article “Understanding the unintended consequences of online teaching”, I herewith present my opinion and use this opportunity to raise my concerns regarding the article. The critique of a largely unchallenged characterization of online teaching is a sign of growing intellectual vibrancy in the field which can foster innovative ideas for teaching methods. The objective of this critical note is not to reiterate the case for understanding the unintended consequences of online teaching, rather it is written in the pursuit to expand on what has been published thus far to advance online higher education pedagogy and to highlight the importance and value of academic research in an ever-changing environment

Happiness Dynamics with Quarterly Life Event Data

This paper addresses the question of when and to what extent individuals are affected by major positive and negative life events, including changes in financial situation, marital status, death of child or spouse and being a victim of crime. The key advantage of our data is that we are able to identify these events on a quarterly basis rather than on the yearly basis used by previous studies. We find evidence that life events are not randomly distributed, that individuals to a large extent anticipate major events and that they quickly adapt. These effects have important implications for the calculation of monetary values needed to compensate individuals for life events such as crime or death of spouse. We find that our new valuation methodology that incorporates these dynamic factors produces considerably smaller compensation valuations than those calculated using the standard approach.life satisfaction, life events, adaptation, compensation

Cohort differences in 3-year adaptation to health problems among Dutch middle-aged, 1992–1995 and 2002–2005

Midlife is a period during which ageing-related health problems first emerge. In view of increasing life expectancy, it is of great importance that people in midlife adapt to possible health problems, to be able to lead productive and engaged lives as long as possible. It may be expected that given the better circumstances in which more recent cohorts grew up, they are better equipped to adapt to health problems than earlier cohorts. This study addresses the question if the way people in midlife adapt to health problems is or is not improving in the Netherlands. The study is based on the nationally representative 1992–1993 and 2002–2003 cohorts of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (ages 55–64 years), with follow-up cycles in 1995–1996 (n = 811) and 2005–2006 (n = 829), respectively. Mastery is considered as a measure of adaptation, and 3-year change in mastery is compared in subjects without and with health problems at baseline. A rise was observed in the prevalence of diabetes, chronic lung disease, arthritis, subthreshold depression, and disability. Subjects without health problems in the recent cohort had better mastery than their counterparts in the early cohort. Regardless of cohort membership, mastery declined over 3 years for those with subthreshold depression, mild disability, chronic lung disease, and stroke. In the recent cohort only, mastery declined for those with cognitive impairment, but improved for those with heart disease. These findings do not support the expectation that recent cohorts are better equipped to deal with health problems for conditions other than heart disease

Qualitative & Quantitative Analyses of Existing Buildings’ Adaptability

In order to promote resiliency and sustainability, there is a benefit to making buildings more adaptable. Adaptable buildings are believed to be more likely to be modified, changed, or reused instead of being demolished. The research goals revolved around understanding what features, if any, can be implemented during the design phase to make a building more adaptable in the future. Three objectives were included for this research: 1. Compare qualitative data from real-world adaptation projects with Design for Adaptability (DfA) strategies reported in the literature. 2. Create a model for quantifying the “openness” of floorplans. 3. Measure the relationship (if any) between design-based adaptability (DBA), building condition (BC), historical/sentimental value (HS) and adapt/demo outcomes. This objective tests the null-hypothesis that HS, BC, or DBA are not significant predictors for the demolition and adaptation outcome of projects. The research presented in objective one was conducted to answer the question: Do empirical data from real-world projects align with the Design for Adaptability (DfA) strategies reported in the literature? To answer this question, a Thematic Analysis was used to evaluate qualitative data from 89 building adaptation projects. The research evidence suggests that when DfA strategies are present in a building design (intentionally or otherwise), they facilitate adaptation. Similarly, when the strategies are not present, the adaptation project is impeded. This research provides empirical support for implementing DfA strategies into new building designs. The second objective was the creation of the Areal Openness Model (AOM) to answer the question “how open is open in adaptable floor plans”, partly motivated by the link between openness and adaptability. Case study comparisons are presented to show proof of concept evaluation of AOM with adapted and demolished buildings. The proposed AOM provides a means of quantitatively measuring openness as it relates to adaptability. Future potential is for designers and owners to use the model to evaluate building design alternatives with respect to adaptability. The third objective was to measure the relationship (if any) between historical/sentimental status (HS), building condition (BC), and design-based adaptability (DBA) and adapt/demo outcomes. A quantitative assessment of demolished and adapted buildings was conducted using a logistic regression model of 88 projects that are either adapted or demolished. The assessment was particularly focused on evaluating the impact of design-based adaptability on adapt/demo outcomes. The research reveals that the historical and sentimental status of the building is statistically significant to the outcome of adaptation. Building condition and design-based adaptability are also positively related to adaption outcomes but not to a statistically significant level