Ageism, empathy, attitudes, and aging anxiety: an evaluation of the Gray for a Day program with college students

Master of ScienceSchool of Family Studies and Human ServicesErin L. YellandStudies have shown ageism, empathy, attitudes toward older adults and aging anxiety to be important factors for not only individuals planning to work with older adults, but for all individuals to be able to age healthfully. Increased levels of empathy are associated with decreased levels of ageism and knowledge of the aging process promotes more positive attitudes towards aging and decreased aging anxiety. Aging simulations have been created to increase empathy, improve attitudes toward older adults, and decrease ageism and aging anxiety, but there are still mixed results when evaluating these programs. This study utilized Kolb’s experiential learning theory to understand the ways in which participation in the Gray for a Day program, an educational program about sensory and functional decline in older adults, impacts ageism, empathy, attitudes toward older adults and aging anxiety by evaluating the Gray for a Day program with students in an introduction to human development course at a Midwestern university. Changes in ageism, empathy, attitudes toward older adults and aging anxiety after participation in Gray for a Day were assessed using paired samples t-tests. Results showed that participation in Gray for a Day significantly increased positive attitudes towards older adults and the level of understanding and positive perceptions of older adult experiences among participants. Other measures showed decreases in ageism, empathy, and aging anxiety following participation in the program, but the differences were not statistically significant. Results indicate that the Gray for a Day program is effective at improving attitudes toward older adults and increasing understanding and positive perceptions of older adult experiences, but further evaluation and possible program adjustments are needed to reassess for ageism, empathy, and aging anxiety outcomes from the program

Experiential Role of Artefacts in Cooperative Design

The role of material artefacts in supporting distributed and co-located work practices has been well acknowledged within the HCI and CSCW research. In this paper, we show that in addition to their ecological, coordinative and organizational support, artefacts also play an ‘experiential’ role. In this case, artefacts not only improve efficiency or have a purely functional role (e.g. allowing people to complete tasks quickly), but the presence and manifestations of these artefacts bring quality and richness to people’s performance and help in making better sense of their everyday lives. In a domain like industrial design, such artefacts play an important role for supporting creativity and innovation. Based on our prolonged ethnographic fieldwork on understanding cooperative design practices of industrial design students and researchers, we describe several experiential practices that are supported by mundane artefacts like sketches, drawings, physical models and explorative prototypes – used and developed in designers’ everyday work. Our main intention to carry out this kind of research is to develop technologies to support designers’ everyday practices. We believe that with the emergence of ubiquitous computing, there is a growing need to focus on personal, emotional and social side of people’s everyday experiences. By focusing on the experiential practices of designers, we can provide a holistic view in the design of new interactive technologies

“Wonder” Through the Eyes of Empathy: A Middle Grades Teacher’s Guide

This Practitioner Perspective provides brief definitions to the three main components of empathy (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) and outline the importance of incorporating empathy education into the classroom, specifically looking at the areas of diversity, social skills, and moral development. In addition, the paper provides teachers with discussion questions, prompts, and a “how to” guide to assist students in exploring each character through the eyes of that individual, while also helping to build empathy as they read and discuss the book. The objective of this paper is to help teachers think more deeply about how to use literature to encourage empathy in their own classrooms. By connecting diversity, social skills, and moral development to empathy, middle grades teachers are not just teaching empathy but are also enhancing important life skills for their students and thereby helping to promote productive citizenship for the future

Collaborative Practices that Support Creativity in Design

Design is a ubiquitous, collaborative and highly material activity. Because of the embodied nature of the design profession, designers apply certain collaborative practices to enhance creativity in their everyday work. Within the domain of industrial design, we studied two educational design departments over a period of eight months. Using examples from our fieldwork, we develop our results around three broad themes related to collaborative practices that support the creativity of design professionals: 1) externalization, 2) use of physical space, and 3) use of bodies. We believe that these themes of collaborative practices could provide new insights into designing technologies for supporting a varied set of design activities. We describe two conceptual collaborative systems derived from the results of our study

Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health: A Double-Edged Sword

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of mental health presents a complex scenario characterized by both advantageous prospects and inherent hazards. AI possesses the capacity to fundamentally transform the field of mental healthcare through the provision of individualized and readily accessible assistance. AI systems possess the capacity to analyze extensive quantities of data and identify patterns, thereby offering valuable assistance to doctors in the diagnosis of mental diseases, development of personalized treatment programs, and even prediction of relapses. Furthermore, there is ongoing development in the field of AI to create chatbots that utilize AI technology and serve as virtual therapists. These chatbots aim to provide individuals with continuous emotional support, available at any time of the day. Nonetheless, this technological advancement also gives rise to apprehensions about issues of privacy, ethical considerations, and an excessive dependence on automated systems. Robust security measures are crucial in safeguarding the anonymity of consumers while utilizing AI systems due to the sensitive nature of mental health data. Furthermore, it is important to consider the potential for dehumanization when patients only depend on interventions driven by machines, as opposed to fostering human connection and empathy. Achieving an optimal equilibrium between technical progress and preserving interpersonal connection remains a key aspect in fully using the capabilities of AI in the field of mental health, while simultaneously ensuring its effects on individual welfare are protected

Regulating Mobile Mental Health Apps

Mobile medical apps (MMAs) are a fast‐growing category of software typically installed on personal smartphones and wearable devices. A subset of MMAs are aimed at helping consumers identify mental states and/or mental illnesses. Although this is a fledgling domain, there are already enough extant mental health MMAs both to suggest a typology and to detail some of the regulatory issues they pose. As to the former, the current generation of apps includes those that facilitate self‐assessment or self‐help, connect patients with online support groups, connect patients with therapists, or predict mental health issues. Regulatory concerns with these apps include their quality, safety, and data protection. Unfortunately, the regulatory frameworks that apply have failed to provide coherent risk‐assessment models. As a result, prudent providers will need to progress with caution when it comes to recommending apps to patients or relying on app‐generated data to guide treatment

The Reform of Service Bureaucracy in the County Building Permit in Banyumas

Article licensing service bureaucracy reform is more focusing on three aspect, they are; restructuring the bureaucracy, standard operational procedure rearrangement and the rearrangement of resource agencies. The process of implementation of the restructuring of the bureaucratic Ministry licensing is done through the strengthening of the Organization, with the revamp of the bureaucracy of the Echelon like: Echelon III becomes II, that is equivalent to Echelon team conducting multiple instances servicing building permit, to facilitate coordination and the process of determination of the worth or whether the proposed creation of an IMB permitted by the citizens, and to get the authority publishing letters IMB from Regent to the head of BPMPP in order to shorten the time of clearance process IMB hierarchy; Preparation of the SOP are simpler, clearer and transparent; Apparatus Setup through recruitment and placement apparatus based on competencies, making the details of the task is clear and unequivocal, as well as the development of the ability of the apparatus through the various types of training. Bureaucratic reform is done through the three aspects, are able to improve the quality of service of IMB, one of them was able to shorten the time of completion of the IMB, which had 60-74 completing time work days to 14 working days

Intercultural New Media Studies: The Next Frontier in intercultural Communication

New media (ICT\u27s) are transforming communication across cultures. Despite this revolution in cross cultural contact, communication researchers have largely ignored the impact of new media on intercultural communication. This groundbreaking article defines the parameters of a new field of inquiry called Intercultural New Media Studies (INMS), which explores the intersection between ICT\u27s and intercultural communication. Composed of two research areas—(1) new media and intercultural communication theory and (2) culture and new media—INMS investigates new digital theories of intercultural contact as well as refines and expands twentieth-century intercultural communication theories, examining their salience in a digital world. INMS promises to increase our understanding of intercultural communication in a new media age and is the next frontier in intercultural communication