Pre-Service and In-Service English as a Second Language Teachers’ Beliefs about the Use of Digital Technology in the Classroom

It has been long accepted that teachers’ beliefs guide their classroom practices (Borg, 2006; Fang, 1996; Pajares, 1992; Woods, 1996). Yet, in the current high-tech age and with the push by mainstream education to incorporate technology in language teaching, little is known about what teachers think and feel about technology integration. Using Borg’s (2006) framework of language teacher cognition, this study investigated the beliefs of pre-service and in-service English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers (n = 35) about the use of digital technology in the classroom and the factors that influence those beliefs. The participants completed a three-part beliefs’ questionnaire and some (n = 10) were later met for one-on-one interviews. The results suggest that while the teachers value technology and its use in the ESL classroom, the two groups differed in their subscribed beliefs. These differences were traced back to the teachers’ age, classroom practice, experiences with digital technology, context(s) in which digital technology was used, and the amount of technology-related training the teachers received

Field Monitoring of Joint-Less Curved Integral Abutment Bridge in Nebraska

SPR-P1(19) M087The research objective of this project is to study the behavior of the curved full integral abutment bridge designed in Nebraska through field monitoring and numerical simulation to 1) understand and model the complex short-term and long-term behavior of curved integral abutment bridges, 2) evaluate if the details provided in Nebraska (pile embedment over 4 ft into the abutment) can be expanded for wider design and construction practices (longer spans and larger curvature for curved bridges), and 3) better maintain existing full curved integral bridges in Nebraska based on the findings of this study (revise and optimize design, if needed). The research team carefully instrumented a curved full-integral abutment bridge following the construction schedules of the bridge starting from Jan. 2020 to Aug. 2021, and measured the abutment backfill pressure, abutment tilts, and pile movement profiles. This study documents the measurements completed between April 2021 to July 2022, including a full annual cycle since the bridge has been fully integral. A three-dimensional finite element model was developed for numerical simulation, and the backfill pressure, tilt, and pile top displacement calculated through the model and measured at the field were compared. The results demonstrate that the backfill pressure and the pile top displacement are within 5% difference, and comparable while the tilt has 20% difference between the model and field measurements. However, the change in tilt due to the annual temperature change (ambient) and the shape of the change (trend) is similar between the simulation and monitoring results. A parametric study was conducted additional to these annual cyclic measurements to study the limits of the curved full integral abutment bridge and recommendations are provided based on the findings. Continuous measurements of the backfill pressure, tilt, and pile movement is recommended until the entire bridge movements level out in several years

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Sustainable Life of Korean Adolescents: Exploring Gender Differences

To ensure that adolescents continue to lead healthy, well-adjusted lives—“sustainable lives”—after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to examine the latter’s impact on various aspects of their lives compared to the socio-cultural context before the outbreak. This study used national representative data on Korean adolescents to analyze the impact of the pandemic on adolescent life from various perspectives, with a focus on gender differences. Our findings confirm that during the pandemic physical activity and sitting time for study purposes decreased, while sleeping and sitting for purposes other than studying increased, with more pronounced changes among girls. Drinking and smoking decreased and boys experienced greater decreases. The findings also indicated that the pandemic generated positive outcomes for mental health: stress, sadness/despair, and suicidal ideation decreased, which was counterintuitive to our general expectations, with a greater impact seen among girls

Gender differences in job satisfaction among disabled workers.

This paper explores the association between job satisfaction and gender for workers with disabilities, using data from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled, which interviews officially registered persons with disabilities in Korea. To take full advantage of the longitudinal data, we apply random-effects ordered probit models to investigate the underlying factors that affect gender differentials in job satisfaction. Our findings reveal that merely different work values between women and men do not account for the significantly higher job satisfaction among women. We suggest that workers' expectations play a role in explaining why female workers are happier in the workplace than their male counterparts; that is, holding other factors constant, women's expectations from jobs are lower than men's. This hypothesis is partially supported by the empirical analyses that gender differentials diminish among the highly educated workers, for whom there is less likely to be a gender gap in terms of job expectations

Employee Volunteering Meaningfulness and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Exploring the Effects of Organizational Support, Pride, and Trust

This study examined the mediating effects of organizational pride and trust on the relationship between employee volunteering meaningfulness and organizational citizenship behavior. The study also investigated the moderating effects of perceived organizational support for the relationships between volunteering meaningfulness with organizational pride and trust. The study was administered in South Korea and sampled 267 full-time employees and found organizational pride and trust mediates the relationship between volunteering meaningfulness and organizational citizenship behavior, while perceived organizational support moderated the relationships between volunteering meaningfulness and organizational pride and trust. In addition, supplementary analysis found mediated moderation suggesting that supportive feelings had indirect effects on citizenship behavior

Employees’ Participation in Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Person–CSR Fit

This study investigated the moderating effects of person–corporate social responsibility (CSR)-fit for the relationships between CSR participation and job satisfaction, organizational identification, and organizational commitment. The study was conducted in South Korea and sampled 393 full-time employees from several conglomerates. The study found CSR participation to be positively related with job satisfaction, organizational identification, and organizational commitment. Furthermore, person–CSR fit significantly moderated the relationships between CSR participation and job satisfaction, organizational identification, and organizational commitment. These findings suggest that CSR participation positively affects organizational outcomes and that person–CSR fit enhances the relationships between CSR participation and the organizational outcomes. Therefore, the study suggests the importance of CSR participation and person–CSR fit in CSR initiatives, as CSR participation and person–CSR can promote a healthy work environment

Can Empathy Help Individuals and Society? Through the Lens of Volunteering and Mental Health

(1) Background: Empathy affects an individual’s decision to participate in volunteering, and volunteering, in turn, influences mental health. Intriguingly, studies have been limited in exploring underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions for the relationship between empathy and mental health. Furthermore, volunteering studies have overlooked the multi-dimensionality of empathy. Therefore, this study seeks to contribute to extant literature by investigating the mediating effect of volunteering for the relationships between cognitive and affective empathy and mental health and the moderating effect of gender for the relationship between empathy and volunteering. (2) Methods; Data were collected using a survey in South Korea and consisted of 301 full-time employees who voluntarily engaged in their corporate volunteer programs. Furthermore, they voluntarily participated in the study. The hypotheses were tested with path analysis and a group comparison was also conducted. (3) Results: Volunteering was found to mediate the relationships between cognitive empathy and affective empathy with mental health. In addition, gender moderated the relationship between empathy and volunteering. (4) Conclusions: As the study found empathy to increase individuals’ engaging in volunteering activities which then improved mental health, the study supports extant theoretical frameworks on empathy and volunteering. Moreover, the study found gender differences on empathy and volunteering; thereby supporting and contributing to extant literature

The Mediating Roles of Happiness and Cohesion in the Relationship between Employee Volunteerism and Job Performance

This study investigated the mediating effects of happiness and cohesion in the relationship between employee volunteerism, in-role behavior, and helping behavior. The study surveyed 312 full-time employees in South Korea, and regression analyses and the bootstrapping method were used to test the hypotheses. The study found happiness and cohesion to mediate the relationships between employee volunteerism and in-role and helping behavior. The findings suggest that employee volunteerism can promote a healthy working environment through increased feelings of happiness and cohesion as well as by improving performance behaviors

The Impact of Amyloid-Beta Positivity with 18F-Florbetaben PET on Neuropsychological Aspects in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

The neuropathology of Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) is heterogenous, and the impacts of each pathophysiology and their synergistic effects are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and impacts of co-existence with Alzheimer’s disease in patients with PDD by using 18F-florbetaben PET imaging. A total of 23 patients with PDD participated in the study. All participants underwent 18F-florbetaben PET and completed a standardized neuropsychological battery and assessment of motor symptoms. The results of cognitive tests, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and motor symptoms were analyzed between the positive and negative 18F-florbetaben PET groups. Four patients (17.4%) showed significant amyloid burden. Patients with amyloid-beta showed poorer performance in executive function and more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms than those without amyloid-beta. Motor symptoms assessed by UPDRS part III and the modified H&Y Scale were not different between the two groups. The amyloid PET scan of a patient with PDD can effectively reflect a co-existing Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Amyloid PET scans might be able to help physicians of PDD patients showing rapid progression or severe cognitive/behavioral features