Floreren : een praktisch-theologisch onderzoek over positieve psychologie in de praktijk van het onderwijs

De vraag naar wat een goed leven inhoudt en wat een mens gelukkig maakt is van alle tijden. Vandaag de dag is met name in de Westerse samenleving de beweging van de positieve psychologie invloedrijk inzake het stimuleren van geluk, welbevinden en een florerend leven. In een deel van het orthodox-christelijk onderwijs is een bepaalde verlegenheid ontstaan toen interventies uit de positieve psychologie hun intrede deden. Een aanzienlijk deel van de leraren in het christelijk onderwijs ervaart een spanningsveld ten aanzien van het gedachtegoed van de positieve psychologie. Er is ook een deel van de leraren dat op dit punt geen spanningsveld ervaart. Beide groepen laten zien dat er op dit vlak sprake is van een probleem. Enerzijds is dat verlegenheid ten aanzien van het integreren van inzichten uit de positieve psychologie met het christelijk gedachtegoed. Anderzijds is dat een kritiekloos of pragmatisch accepteren van inzichten uit de positieve psychologie zonder dat de vraag gesteld wordt hoe zich dat verhoudt tot de christelijke identiteit. Dit praktisch-theologisch onderzoek gaat over de spanning die leraren in het christelijk onderwijs ervaren ten aanzien van het gedachtegoed van de positieve psychologie. Deze spanning is onderzocht aan de hand van het begrip floreren. Floreren is een kernbegrip in de positieve psychologie en tevens een begrip dat vanuit theologisch perspectief bestudeerd is. De centrale vraag voor dit onderzoek luidt: Hoe verhouden een positief psychologische en een theologische benadering van floreren zich tot elkaar in de praktijk van het onderwijs? Deze vraag is uitgewerkt in drie deelvragen: Hoe denken leraren in het christelijk primair onderwijs over floreren en hoe verbinden ze dat met hun christelijke identiteit? Op welke manier duidt de positieve psychologie het begrip floreren? Op welke wijze komt het begrip floreren ter sprake in de theologie? Dit onderzoek heeft laten zien dat in de praktijk van het christelijk onderwijs (positieve) psychologie en theologie elkaar ontmoeten en deel uit maken van de pedagogische werkelijkheid rondom het thema floreren. Er kleven theologische risico’s aan het gebruik van het gedachtegoed van de positieve psychologie. Het christelijk onderwijs kan dat aan als ze zelf een samenhangende visie heeft op floreren en het gebruik van (positief) psychologische interventies en inzichten. Het christelijk onderwijs is dé plek om een visie te ontwikkelen op floreren en de dialoog aan te gaan tussen psychologie en theologie. Het thema van floreren is bij uitstek een thema om die dialoog vruchtbaar aan te gaan omdat dan niet de (theologische) antropologische verschillen het uitgangspunt zijn, maar de Bijbelse opdracht het leven goed te leven

Robust absolute magnetometry with organic thin-film devices

Magnetic field sensors based on organic thin-film materials have attracted considerable interest in recent years as they can be manufactured at very low cost and on flexible substrates. However, the technological relevance of such magnetoresistive sensors is limited owing to their narrow magnetic field ranges (~30 mT) and the continuous calibration required to compensate temperature fluctuations and material degradation. Conversely, magnetic resonance (MR)-based sensors, which utilize fundamental physical relationships for extremely precise measurements of fields, are usually large and expensive. Here we demonstrate an organic magnetic resonance-based magnetometer, employing spin-dependent electronic transitions in an organic diode, which combines the low-cost thin-film fabrication and integration properties of organic electronics with the precision of a MR-based sensor. We show that the device never requires calibration, operates over large temperature and magnetic field ranges, is robust against materials degradation and allows for absolute sensitivities of <50 nT Hz^(−1/2)

DESIGN OF GEODETIC NETWORKS BASED ON OUTLIER IDENTIFICATION CRITERIA: AN EXAMPLE APPLIED TO THE LEVELING NETWORK

We present a numerical simulation method for designing geodetic networks. The quality criterion considered is based on the power of the test of data snooping testing procedure. This criterion expresses the probability of the data snooping to identify correctly an outlier. In general, the power of the test is defined theoretically. However, with the advent of the fast computers and large data storage systems, it can be estimated using numerical simulation. Here, the number of experiments in which the data snooping procedure identifies the outlier correctly is counted using Monte Carlos simulations. If the network configuration does not meet the reliability criterion at some part, then it can be improved by adding required observation to the surveying plan. The method does not use real observations. Thus, it depends on the geometrical configuration of the network; the uncertainty of the observations; and the size of outlier. The proposed method is demonstrated by practical application of one simulated leveling network. Results showed the needs of five additional observations between adjacent stations. The addition of these new observations improved the internal reliability of approximately 18%. Therefore, the final designed network must be able to identify and resist against the undetectable outliers – according to the probability levels

Student midwives' perceptions on the organisation of maternity care and alternative maternity care models in the Netherlands - a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: A major change in the organisation of maternity care in the Netherlands is under consideration, going from an echelon system where midwives provide primary care in the community and refer to obstetricians for secondary and tertiary care, to a more integrated maternity care system involving midwives and obstetricians at all care levels. Student midwives are the future maternity care providers and they may be entering into a changing maternity care system, so inclusion of their views in the discussion is relevant. This study aimed to explore student midwives' perceptions on the current organisation of maternity care and alternative maternity care models, including integrated care. METHODS: This qualitative study was based on the interpretivist/constructivist paradigm, using a grounded theory design. Interviews and focus groups with 18 female final year student midwives of the Midwifery Academy Amsterdam Groningen (AVAG) were held on the basis of a topic list, then later transcribed, coded and analysed. RESULTS: Students felt that inevitably there will be a change in the organisation of maternity care, and they were open to change. Participants indicated that good collaboration between professions, including a shared system of maternity notes and guidelines, and mutual trust and respect were important aspects of any alternative model. The students indicated that client-centered care and the safeguarding of the physiological, normalcy approach to pregnancy and birth should be maintained in any alternative model. Students expressed worries that the role of midwives in intrapartum care could become redundant, and thus they are motivated to take on new roles and competencies, so they can ensure their own role in intrapartum care. CONCLUSIONS: Final year student midwives recognise that change in the organisation of maternity care is inevitable and have an open attitude towards changes if they include good collaboration, client-centred care and safeguards for normal physiological birth. The graduating midwives are motivated to undertake an expanded intrapartum skill set. It can be important to involve students' views in the discussion, because they are the future maternity care providers. (aut. ref.

O estabelecimento de padrões de referência altimétrica utilizando o nivelamento geométrico para a definição de alvos altos e inacessíveis

As estruturas geodésicas altimétricas são fundamentais para os projetos de Engenharia. Neste contexto, pode-se utilizar a tecnologia do nível digital para a determinação de pontos de referência altimétrica através do método do nivelamento geométrico. Outra solução é a utilização da tecnologia da estação total para a determinação de altitudes em pontos situados em locais altos e inacessíveis nas estruturas arquitetônicas, como por exemplo, alvos em estrutura de edificação situados em torres de igrejas e para a realização de uma estrutura geodésica através do método de nivelamento trigonométrico. As estruturas geodésicas altimétricas, implantadas e determinadas pelo método do nivelamento geométrico, materializam, neste trabalho, pontos para o estabelecimento de padrões de referência altimétrica e para a determinação altimétrica de alvos altos e inacessíveis. As estruturas geodésicas foram implantadas e determinadas, no Sítio Histórico de Olinda, empregando-se nível digital de alta precisão e mira de ínvar com código de barras. Este trabalho tem como objetivo definir padrões de referência altimétrica utilizando o método de nivelamento geométrico, resultando na implantação e análise da qualidade de estruturas geodésicas altimétricas

Deliberating Animal Values: a Pragmatic-Pluralistic Approach to Animal Ethics.

Debates in animal ethics are largely characterized by ethical monism, the search for a single, timeless, and essential trait in which the moral standing of animals can be grounded. In this paper, we argue that a monistic approach towards animal ethics hampers and oversimplifies the moral debate. The value pluralism present in our contemporary societies requires a more open and flexible approach to moral inquiry. This paper advocates the turn to a pragmatic, pluralistic approach to animal ethics. It contributes to the development of such an approach in two ways. It offers a pragmatist critique of ethical monism in animal ethics and presents the results of a qualitative study into the value diversity present in the different ways of thinking about animals in the Netherlands. Carefully arranged group discussions resulted in the reconstruction of four distinctive moral value frameworks that may serve as instruments in the future process of moral inquiry and deliberation in the reflection on animal use. © 2010 The Author(s)