“Understanding the Architecture of Human Thought”? Questioning the Mathematical Conception of Nature with Heidegger

New technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), are currently touted as, not only giving us a better picture of the structure of the brain, but also a better understanding of our thinking. As Alan Snyder demonstrates when he claims his aim is to understand the ‘architecture of thought’ by investigating the brain. Against this backdrop, I will argue that new technologies present a worrying extension of mathematical natural science into the domain of human affairs. Extrapolating upon Heidegger, I will put forward that neuroscientific experiments force thinking to conform to the mathematical conception of nature, rather than reveal something about the ‘true’ nature of our thinking. In a time when the expansion of mathematical natural science threatens to reduce every domain to that which is quantifiable, I will conclude by suggesting that the responsibility of the philosopher is to question the presuppositions of modern science and psychology.New technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), are currently touted as, not only giving us a better picture of the structure of the brain, but also a better understanding of our thinking. As Alan Snyder demonstrates when he claims his aim is to understand the ‘architecture of thought’ by investigating the brain. Against this backdrop, I will argue that new technologies present a worrying extension of mathematical natural science into the domain of human affairs. Extrapolating upon Heidegger, I will put forward that neuroscientific experiments force thinking to conform to the mathematical conception of nature, rather than reveal something about the ‘true’ nature of our thinking. In a time when the expansion of mathematical natural science threatens to reduce every domain to that which is quantifiable, I will conclude by suggesting that the responsibility of the philosopher is to question the presuppositions of modern science and psychology.Nuevas tecnologías como la imagen de resonancia magnética funcional (fMRI) y la estimulación magnética transcranial se consideran presumiblemente capaces de darnos no solo una mejor imagen de nuestro cerebro, sino también una mejor comprensión de nuestro pensamiento, tal como demuestra Alan Snyder cuando afirma que su objetivo es entender la “arquitectura del pensamiento” mediante la investigación del cerebro. Contra este marco general, argumentaré que las nuevas tecnologías nos presentan una preocupante extensión de la ciencia natural matemática al dominio de los asuntos humanos. Extrapolando a partir de Heidegger, propondré que los experimentos neurocientíficos fuerzan al pensamiento a conformarse a la concepción matemática de la naturaleza en vez de revelar algo sobre la verdadera naturaleza de nuestro pensamiento. Nos encontramos en un momento en que o la expansión de la ciencia natural matemática amenaza con reducir todos los dominios a lo que es cuantificable. Concluiré sugiriendo que la responsabilidad del filósofo es cuestionar los presupuestos de la ciencia moderna y de la psicología

Teachers\u27 Experiences With English Language Learners in the K-5 Classroom

Teachers across the nation face challenges in today\u27s diverse classrooms. To add to the pressure of meeting all of the students\u27 needs and being successful on high-stakes tests, the growth in the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the regular classroom has grown tremendously over the last several years. This study examined teachers\u27 experiences in working with ELLs and their families in the K-5 classroom. Research on teachers\u27 attitudes in working with this population was reviebecause teachers\u27 attitudes have an effect on the quality of the education ELLs receive. Evidence based strategies to help teachers with ELL instruction were also reviewed. The qualitative research of this project was based on teachers\u27 experiences in the K-5 language arts setting. Listening to the teachers\u27 stories helped the researcher to identify their attitudes in working with this challenging population. Observations of these teachers in their natural setting and the teaching strategies they use with ELLs were also examined

Experiences of Professionals of Color in the Child Welfare Workforce

“Entrenched disparities in our laws and public policies, and in our public and private institutions, have often denied that equal opportunity to individuals and communities. Our country faces converging economic, health, and climate crises that have exposed and exacerbated inequities, while a historic movement for justice has highlighted the unbearable human costs of systemic racism.” - Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government, January 20, 2021 Many Americans are currently engaged in a painful examination of the nation’s history of individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism. Leaders within the child welfare system are no exception. Some jurisdictions have stated that there is a critical need for systemic changes to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the child welfare workforce. In order to effectively address DEI, it must first be measured and understood. Very little, if any, information is regularly collected nationwide on child welfare workforce demographics, including race, ethnicity, age, educational background and training of workers, tenure, and other important metrics. National data from the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II) published in 2011 reported that 58% of child welfare caseworkers were White, 24% were Black, 15% were Latine and 4% are classified as other. Among professionals surveyed in the eight QIC-WD workforce intervention sites, these same general proportions of White and Black professionals held true although the Latine and Indigenous populations varied across sites. While there is little empirical evidence on the impact of the demographics among child welfare professionals on outcomes for American Indiana/Alaska Native (AI/AN), Black and Latine children, a diverse staff would likely better engage with and understand the community’s concerns and service needs. Literature from social psychology reveals that explicit and implicit biases can affect racial interactions and that discrimination against AI/AN, Black and Latine persons affects their future behaviors and interactions (Barbee et al., 2022). Most importantly, individuals and systems can be changed to minimize the effects of biases and threats. As state and tribal jurisdictions develop data systems related to workforce, the standardized collection of workforce demographics data is essential to better understand the association between caseworker race and ethnicity and outcomes for children and families. The Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) led a workforce analytics institute to support select jurisdictions with an interest in better using their data and measuring DEI. Sample questions to guide inquiry included: What is the racial and ethnic diversity of your applicant pool? What is the racial and ethnic diversity of your workforce? How do these compare? Does turnover vary by race or ethnicity? Does your workforce reflect the diversity of the children and families your agency serves? Some agencies had examined data related to children and families of color involved in the child welfare system, especially the over-representation and disparate treatment of AI/AN and Black children, and some had surveyed staff about their own experiences in the workforce. In general, however, there is a dearth of information on the experiences and perceptions of workers of color in the child welfare workforce (Lawrence et al., 2019). This brief, aimed at child welfare decision makers, summarizes some of the latest studies and focuses on workforce development actions that jurisdictions can consider to address DEI at both the individual professional and child welfare system levels. Examining Worker Perceptions of Discrimination Workplace discrimination can be overt or covert, interpersonal, or organizational. Workplace discrimination has been examined in other disciplines, including mental and occupational health and medicine, but it has not been well studied in child welfare. A recent study focused on the perceptions of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) child welfare professionals provides insight to jurisdictions interested in addressing workforce DEI (He et al., 2021). Researchers used the Psychological Stressor-Strain theory to assess “the associations between everyday workplace discrimination, racial/ethnic identities and psychological well-being among public child welfare caseworkers.” “If we seek true change to strengthen families and communities, prevent unnecessary family separation, and promote equity, each one of us must address implicit and actual bias and racism and confront it in every aspect of this system. That includes making sure that every single person a family touches in the system receives interdisciplinary training, including teaching collaborative justice and holistic defense, the intersection of public health and the justice system, collateral consequences, the importance of tradition and culture, social science, and, most importantly, compassion and empathy.” (Reimaging Child Welfare Through Tribal Perspectives and Practices) The study used a subsample of caseworkers (most participants were female and BIPOC) from an organizational health assessment conducted in public child welfare agencies across multiple jurisdictions. Study findings indicated that professionals who identified as BIPOC reported experiencing greater everyday discrimination in the workplace than their White coworkers. BIPOC professionals were more than twice as likely to report feeling singled out because of their race and ethnicity compared to White professionals and were less likely to agree that promotions were fair and free of bias. White workers reported greater burnout while BIPOC staff reported lower psychological safety. Perceptions of discrimination were significantly associated with poorer job satisfaction and psychological safety and greater burnout. Study authors recommend that agencies consider assessing current hiring and promotional practices to identify bias and inequity. One agency that the QIC-WD worked with to address workforce challenges, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Family Safety Program, felt it was important to help child welfare professionals better understand their own explicit and implicit biases as they engage in casework. They decided to address it as part of their onboarding intervention. This study and the EBCI interventions are single examples of how the child welfare discipline is starting to examine worker perceptions. Unaddressed Racism A 2022 study found that child welfare workers of color self-reported experiencing higher degrees of workplace racism than White workers (Chakravarty & Lawrence, 2022). This study used the Workplace Prejudice & Discrimination Inventory (WPDI) to measure child welfare professionals’ experiences with racism in the workplace. Seventy percent of respondents self-reported as people of color. Most respondents were female public agency caseworkers. According to the authors, “study findings indicate that unaddressed racism affects the overall organizational climate, worker of color career advancement, and the inclusion of workers of color in leadership positions.” They suggested anti-bias and diversity training coupled with “bias-free hiring process and formal career mentorship efforts.” The study also suggests that agencies build positive diversity and inclusion work climates. Diversity climate is described as “employees’ shared perceptions that an employer utilizes fair personnel practices and socially integrates underrepresented employees into the work environment.” Inclusion climates are those in which “individuals of all backgrounds, not just members of historically powerful identity groups—are fairly treated, valued for who they are and included in core decision-making.” Child welfare training programs, especially those in partnership with universities, offer great opportunities to design anti-racism training based on evidence and to develop more rigorous research and evaluation. It is critical to set clear, realistic training goals and to understand that training alone, in the absence of a comprehensive, well-planned, and evaluated strategy is not enough. Employees value what they are held accountable for and what is incorporated into performance measures. Relevant questions might include: Are workers held accountable for how well they work with clients of all social classes, races, ethnicities, and nationalities? Are workers encouraged in annual reviews to continue to develop professionally in their ability to be culturally responsive, to address implicit biases and to stand up to structural racism? Leadership and Intent to Stay Employed Two recent studies provide further insight into the experiences of child welfare professionals of color related to leadership and intent to stay employed. The first study used data from a multi-site survey of child welfare professionals and looked at factors related to intention to remain employed for White caseworkers and caseworkers of color. A significant implication of this study is that “to retain workers, organizations must improve job satisfaction regardless of race or ethnicity” (Zeitlin et al., 2022). In addition, the study found that perceptions of leadership influenced caseworkers of color’s intent to stay employed more than it did for White workers. Study authors recommended “…improving job satisfaction for all workers, strengthening leadership practices, and support leadership development of workers of Color” as overall strategies for retaining a diverse and inclusive child welfare workforce. Job satisfaction can be improved when there is meaningful work, perceived organizational support, job embeddedness, and when employees are thriving at work, among other factors. Leadership training can be an effective tool in strengthening leadership practices but should be developed after a needs analysis is conducted to ensure that the training is responsive to agency needs. The second study, using multi-state child welfare staff survey data, examined the representation of people of color in supervisory and managerial roles; those workers’ intent to remain employed; and worker well-being and organizational experience to include agency climate, burnout, and job satisfaction (Lawrence et al., 2019). The survey was conducted as part of a workforce assessment in three jurisdictions participating in the workforce excellence initiatives of the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. The study indicated that child welfare professionals of color and White professionals did not differ in overall job satisfaction. However, people of color were more likely to be caseworkers while White employees were more likely to be supervisors and managers. Additionally, professionals of color had lower burnout, but were less likely to intend to stay. Conclusion and Future Directions The experiences and perceptions of people of color in the child welfare workforce can provide important insight for addressing the current workforce crisis. Child welfare researchers and evaluators are adding to the body of knowledge specific to measuring and addressing DEI in the child welfare workforce. The QIC-WD developed several resources on measuring DEI, including a short video on engaging in self-reflection before beginning this work, a tip sheet on measuring DEI for child welfare professionals, and a webinar providing more context around these tools. The studies highlighted in this brief, and the measurement tools they include, also continue to build the evidence about how to address DEI in the child welfare workforce. Despite this work, many questions remain for further exploration and understanding, including identifying effective strategies to address the issue and exploring the connections between addressing workforce inequity and the overrepresentation and disparate treatment of children and families of color. Additionally, there remains a critical need to systematically collect information on key caseworker demographics to address these and other child welfare workforce concerns. References & Related Resources: Barbee, A. P., & Antle, B. F. (2021). Workforce development strategies to address racial disproportionality and disparities in child welfare systems. Racial disproportionality and disparities in the child welfare system, 285-308. Barbee, A., & Curry, D. (2011). Combating Disproportionality and Disparity with Training and Professional Development. Belanger, K., CWLA, Green, D.K., & McRoy, R. (Eds.), Challenging racial disproportionality in child welfare: Research, policy and practice, (pp. 297-307). Child Welfare League of America. Barbee, A. P., Winters, A., & Sterrett-Hong, E. (2022). Approaches from related fields to integrate into anti-racist initiatives in child welfare. Child Welfare Special Issue: Transforming Child Welfare Through Anti-Racist Approaches, 100(1), 1-28. Chakravarty, S. & Lawrence, C.K. (2022). Our Agency Doesn\u27t Like to Use the Word Racism Let Alone Talk about It: Firsthand Stories of Workplace Racism in Child Welfare. Child Welfare, 100(1). Ellis K. (2019). Race and Poverty Bias in the Child Welfare System: Strategies for Child Welfare Practitioners. American Bar Association: Chicago, IL, USA. He, A., Park, I., & Rienks, S. (2021). Everyday workplace discrimination: Differential perceptions and psychological well-being among child welfare caseworkers. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. Lawrence, C.K ., Zeitlin, W., Chakravarty, S., DeCristofano, A., & Armendariz, S. (2019). Racial diversity and inclusive representation in urban public child welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 14(1), 38-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2019.1674232 Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (2020). Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Onboarding Program Intervention Overview. Zeitlin, W., Lawrence, C.K., Armendariz, S., & Chontow, K. (2022). Predicting Retention for a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 47(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2022.211543

Podiatrists’ perspectives of the provision of foot health education for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis

IntroductionPatient education is considered to be a key role for podiatrists in the management of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). However there is no evidence that identifies or supports the most appropriate strategies and content for its delivery. The aim of this study was to identify the nature and content of the current provision by podiatrists in relation to foot health education for people with RA. Any potential barriers to its provision were explored.MethodTwelve members (all female) of the Northwest Podiatry Clinical Effectiveness Group for Rheumatology volunteered to take part in a Focus Group, ranging from newly qualified podiatrists with an interest in working within rheumatology to those with extensive years of experience managing patients with RA (working within Primary and Secondary care). The dialogue was recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a structured, thematic approach by the lead author. The full transcription was verified as accurate by the focus group to ensure trustworthiness of the data.ResultsFive overarching themes emerged from the data, each with it’s own set of sub-themes, these were, 1. The Essence of Patient Education [information provision & empowerment,] 2. The content [what, why, when & by whom], 3. Barriers to Provision [external, psychosocial, educational, concordance & professional experience], 4. The therapeutic relationship [patient/practitioner knowledge & attitudes, influence of age & gender, role/title confusion, taboo subject areas] and 5. Tools of the trade [group v individual, verbal & written, audio-visual, web-based].DiscussionThis methodological approach of this study has revealed aspects of patient education, which this group of podiatrists find to be most influential in its overall delivery from their perspective. This adds new knowledge as no previous study has been carried out. The lead author is currently exploring the same area with patient participants. Ultimately the aim is to achieve the development of a patient-centred and negotiated approach to the provision of foot health education for people with RA

How Do Communities Use a Participatory Public Health Approach to Build Resilience? The Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience Project.

Community resilience is a key concept in the National Health Security Strategy that emphasizes development of multi-sector partnerships and equity through community engagement. Here, we describe the advancement of CR principles through community participatory methods in the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience (LACCDR) initiative. LACCDR, an initiative led by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health with academic partners, randomized 16 community coalitions to implement either an Enhanced Standard Preparedness or Community Resilience approach over 24 months. Facilitated by a public health nurse or community educator, coalitions comprised government agencies, community-focused organizations and community members. We used thematic analysis of data from focus groups (n = 5) and interviews (n = 6 coalition members; n = 16 facilitators) to compare coalitions' strategies for operationalizing community resilience levers of change (engagement, partnership, self-sufficiency, education). We find that strategies that included bidirectional learning helped coalitions understand and adopt resilience principles. Strategies that operationalized community resilience levers in mutually reinforcing ways (e.g., disseminating information while strengthening partnerships) also secured commitment to resilience principles. We review additional challenges and successes in achieving cross-sector collaboration and engaging at-risk groups in the resilience versus preparedness coalitions. The LACCDR example can inform strategies for uptake and implementation of community resilience and uptake of the resilience concept and methods

The rheumatoid foot: a systematic literature review of patient-reported outcome measures

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The foot is often the first area of the body to be systematically affected by rheumatoid arthritis. The multidimensional consequences of foot problems for patients can be subjectively evaluated using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). However, there is currently no systematic review which has focused specifically upon the PROMs available for the foot with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this systematic review was to appraise the foot-specific PROMs available for the assessment and/or evaluation of the foot affected with rheumatoid arthritis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic search of databases was conducted according to pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria. PROMs identified were reviewed in terms of: conceptual bases, quality of construction, measurement aims and evidence to support their measurement properties.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 11 PROMs were identified and 5 papers that provided evidence for the measurement properties of some of the PROMs. Only one of the PROMs was found to be RA disease-specific. The quality of construction, pretesting and presence of evidence for their measurement properties was found to be highly variable. Conceptual bases of many of the PROMs was either restricted or based on reductionist biomedical models. All of the PROMs were found to consist of fixed scales.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There is a need to develop an RA-disease and foot-specific PROM with a greater emphasis on a biopsychosocial conceptual basis, cognitive pre-testing methods, patient preference-based qualities and evidence to support the full complement of measurement properties.</p

Water quality as related to possible heavy metal additions in surface and ground water in the Springfield and Joplin areas, Missouri

Students supported: 3 MS StudentsSome 165 seasonal water samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metals from surface and subsurface sources in a one hundred mile area around Springfield and Joplin, Missouri, respectively. Joplin is in a former large zinc mining district. Springfield is 72 miles east. Locally, cadmium, lead, zinc and iron exceed acceptable PHS standards for drinking water, but the majority of water samples are well within the established limits. Yet, ten percent of the water wells sampled in the Springfield area and twenty-five percent of those sampled in the Joplin area approached or exceeded the PHS limits of the one or more heavy metals for drinking water. High zinc values are related to known zinc-lead mineralization in both areas. Average cadmium values are slightly higher in Joplin, copper content is similar for both areas, and lead content is slightly higher near Joplin. Surface waters in Joplin are 17 times higher in average zinc content than in Springfield, though shallow wells for both areas are similar in zinc content. Iron is higher and more variable in Joplin. Mercury, in very low quantity in both areas, is somewhat higher in the Springfield area. Some seasonal variation occurs in the heavy metal content in both areas. Alternate sources of water are suggested or those areas having heavy metal content in excess of PHS standards. Effects on living systems within areas containing anomalous heavy metal content are unknown.Project # B-054-MO Agreement # 14-31-0001-360

Care planning sub-program: description of projects funded to improve care planning in palliative care

This document is one of three reports for the national evaluation of the Care Planning Sub- Program of the Local Palliative Care Grants Program, a national palliative care program funded by the Australian Government between April 2006 and May 2009