Reading Practices, Postcolonial Literature, and Cultural Mediation in the Classroom

Ingrid Johnston and Jyoti Mangat’s compact and comprehensive text, Reading Practices, Postcolonial Literature, and Cultural Mediation in the Classroom, provides readers, educators, researchers, policy makers, and educational administrators invaluable insights into how difference in race, ethnicity, tradition, language, gender, class and power can be negotiated through the integration of postcolonial discourse and literature into English Language Arts classrooms

Hotel guests’ perceptions of sustainable hotel practices in a Mexican destination

Hotel selection and attributes that are important to travelers has been extensively researched using a variety of methods (Dolnicar, 2002). Dolnicar & Otter (2003) confirmed, after reviewing 21studies related to hotel attributes, cleanliness as the top priority, followed by hotel location. In total, 173 attributes were identified that were related to image, price/value, the hotel itself, and service (Lockyer, 2005). None of those attributes, however, were related to environmental attributes of a hotel. For more than a decade, the hospitality industry has been under pressure by government legislation and regulations to implement environmental strategies and thereby reduce their carbon footprint (Zurburg, Ruff & Ninemeier, 1995). In addition to this, increased customer awareness regarding the environment has provided for new marketing opportunities for the industry (Revilla, Dodd & Hoover, 2001). 78 percent of American travelers consider themselves “environmentally conscious” (U.S Travel Association, 2009). In a survey of 1000 business travelers, 95 percent of respondents thought that lodging companies should be undertaking green initiatives. (Weissenberg, Redington, & Kutyla, 2008). Hotels have implemented a gamut of green strategies in their operations. These practices however are often implemented despite a lack of research on how specific green attributes might influence a customer’s hotel selection (Millar & Baloglu, 2008). Mark Dolliver (2008) suggests that green marketing has now become mainstream to consumers, and that companies need to make more informed decisions regarding spending on environmental initiatives and not ride the green wave without first understanding what their customers want. Several marketing research studies have concluded that customer satisfaction has a close relationship with purchase intentions (Barsky, J., & Nash, L., 2003; Baloglu, S., 2002; Mattila, A. S.,2001). Consumers form their beliefs of products’ attributes through their cognitive-learning; then generate affective responses and attitudes regarding their likes or dislikes for the products; and finally, the likes and dislikes lead to purchase behavior intentions and purchase behaviors (Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I., 1975)

The Gay Gap – are Gay and Lesbian Hotel Guests Getting What They Want?

The past decade has seen a surge in commercial efforts to attract the gay market, and this is evident in the hotel industry. The question remains, however, what does it take to become a truly gay friendly hotel? Do hoteliers know how to effectively target this market by offering features that are gay friendly? Is the perception of what is gay friendly the same for hotels and gay guests, or does a listening gap exist? Through gap analysis, this study looks at what hospitality managers know about their gay guests. By considering both service providers’ and gay guests’ perspectives (analyzing the “gay gap”), misinterpretation and inaccurate decision making can be avoided and resources can be utilized to more effectively target this potentially lucrative market

SoundRunner: Out of the Starting Blocks

This paper presents a project in the art-science nexus. SoundRunner is a platform that exploits the potential of electroacoustic music to create an interactive sound- and music-making experience. The project investigates how data on running performance can be harnessed in real time to drive musical creation. A range of psychological indices (and associated analyses) is used to assess the effects of the SoundRunner platform on runners. Driven by health and well-being imperatives, the project served to augment running experience with unique sound and music. The paper discusses implications regarding running performance and the further technological development of SoundRunner

Inflation, its causes and consequences

The economic crisis has various negative consequences, among which there is a considerable growth of inflation. As a result the prices increase for different categories of goods and devalue the savings of the population in national currency. Managing inflation is a major problem for economic policy. To reduce the rate of inflation it is necessary to take measures for carrying out a wide complex of anti-inflation measures. The article describes the main reasons of inflation, highlights the social and economic consequences of its occurrence. It also analyses the current state of the Russian financial market inflation and describes inflation forecasts for the future periods

ПРАКТИЧНА ПІДГОТОВКА МАЙБУТНЬОГО СОЦІАЛЬНОГО ПЕДАГОГА З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНИХ І КОМУНІКАЦІЙНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ

In article the structure and the content of practical preparation of the future social pedagogues in Poltava V.G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University at the educational levels “bachelor”, “specialist”, “master”, is analyzed, prospects of wide use of information and communication technologies at all stages of the organization of different types of practice are proved.Key words: social pedagogues, professional training, student practical training, information and communication technologies.У статті аналізуються структура і зміст практичної підготовки майбутнього соціального педагога у Полтавському національному педагогічному університеті імені В.Г. Короленка на освітньо-кваліфікаційних рівнях “бакалавр”, “спеціаліст”, “магістр”, обґрунтована перспективність широкого використання інформаційних і комунікаційних технологій на всіх етапах організації різних видів практики. Ключові слова: професійна підготовка соціальних педагогів, практична підготовка студента, інформаційно-комунікаційні технології

Self-image congruence with communication channels and its impact on reward program loyalty

Loyalty programs have become products in and of themselves. They need to maintain member loyalty in order to survive. It is proposed that communication has a larger impact on program loyalty than previously thought. This study utilizes structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the influence of communication typologies and dimensions on hotel reward program loyalty via self-image congruence, service quality, satisfaction, and trust. Moreover, this dissertation presents a communication identity model, which focuses on promoting hotel reward program loyalty via self-congruence with communication channels. Newly discovered significant paths were found between: communication style and self-congruence with communication channels; self-congruence with communication channels and information quality; and finally, information quality and satisfaction. The impact of different communication channels on antecedents of loyalty yielded some unexpected results, namely that social media was less relevant to participants than company websites and interpersonal communication. The results suggest that loyalty programs must consider the impact of communication style on satisfaction and ultimately program loyalty. In addition, it was found that fostering member self-congruence with communication channels through `communication identity management\u27 may be crucial to attaining the sense of community that is vital to membership loyalty

Sound Runner Out of the Starting Blocks

Supplementary data: A glossary of specialized terms found within the article “SoundRunner: Out of the Starting Blocks.” © 2023 David G. Berezan and Costas I. Karageorghis (docx file). The The sound engine and arising musical mix (0:00–0:41 min), and pilot study outcomes (music, treadmill, and running sounds), with a variety of running cadences, musical tempi, and experimental conditions: a) Synchronous (0:42–1:09 min); b) Synchronous (1:10–1:29 min); c) Asynchronous (1:30–1:50 min); d) Asynchronous (1:51–2:10 min). © 2023 David G. Berezan (mp3 file). Additional details of a) the self-report measures used in the SoundRunner pilot participant studies and b) the pilot study results, with associated references. © 2023 Costas I. Karageorghis (docx file).This paper presents a project in the art-science nexus. SoundRunner is a platform that exploits the potential of electroacoustic music to create an interactive sound-and music-making experience. The project investigates how data on running performance can be harnessed in real time to drive musical creation. A range of psychological indices (and associated analyses) is used to assess the effects of the SoundRunner platform on runners. Driven by health and well-being imperatives, the project served to augment running experience with unique sound and music. The paper discusses implications regarding running performance and the further technological development of SoundRunner

European practices of inclusive education (experience for Ukraine)

In the era of globalization, there is a process of democratization and openness of society. The value of human beings, their dignity, and their lives are being redefined and given new meaning. Race, gender, gender, social stratum, physical and mental capabilities are no longer “criteria” for being in society. Everyone has the right to exercise his or her rights. Everyone has the right to education, medicine, life, etc. Ukraine is gradually moving towards Europe and over the past five years has been actively implementing a program of inclusive education. Inclusive education is a system of educational activities aimed at overcoming discrimination and exclusion of students with physical and psychological disabilities. This system of education has become in opposition to the boarding school system, where students are cut off from society. For five years, Ukraine has been actively creating inclusive classes and introducing various teaching methods. We can consider Europe as an example as a defender of democracy and human dignity. Therefore, the purpose of our work is to study the European practices of inclusive education in Ukraine. For the purpose we used the following methods: observation (throughout the study), interviews with all subjects of the learning process, inductive method, testing to check knowledge. Since the essence of inclusive education is not only the acquisition of knowledge but also comfortable growth in society, we want to pay special attention to this aspect. The results of the study showed that a special role is played by individual development of tasks for students, allowing to involve children even with psychophysiological problems. Also, a special role is played by parents and a teacher's assistant (for example, in Italy), the game form of learning, the change of activities after 10-20 minutes, group work, etc. The novelty of the study lies precisely in the analysis of the implementation and evaluation of European practices in Ukraine. The results of the study can be used in adjusting educational programs of inclusive education, communication of all subjects of training and for their qualitative implementation, as well as acquiring the importance of the role of assistant teache

Educação inclusiva na Ucrânia

O objetivo do artigo é analisar o uso de tecnologias inovadoras modernas na educação inclusiva da Ucrânia e do mundo nas condições dos desafios modernos com base em uma revisão da literatura científica moderna. Utilizou-se o método de análise de conteúdo, com o auxílio do qual foi traçado o conteúdo da literatura científica pedagógica. Os resultados determinaram a importância do ensino a distância e seu desenvolvimento nas condições de um desafio militar na Ucrânia, os problemas e as perspectivas desta tecnologia inovadora. Foram estudadas avaliações do ambiente técnico inovador na educação inclusiva em condições de crise. A ênfase é colocada na pesquisa sobre educação STEM em métodos de projetos de inclusão e no uso de tecnologias simples e complexas. As conclusões enfatizam que as possibilidades de introdução da aprendizagem síncrona e assíncrona garantirão a aquisição dos conhecimentos e habilidades necessários, mas também permitirão que as crianças socializem