Education, Skills and Labor Market Outcomes: Results from Large-Scale Adult Skills Surveys in Urban Areas in 12 Countries

In recent years, skills development has become a priority among developed and developing countries alike. The World Bank Group, in its quest to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity, has joined efforts with countries and multilateral development partners to ensure that individuals have access to quality education and training opportunities and that employers can find the skills they need to operate. The skills towards employability and productivity (STEP) skills measurement program is part of the World Bank's portfolio of analytical products on skills. The STEP program consists of two survey instruments that collect information on the supply and demand for skills in urban areas: a household survey and an employer survey. STEP has been implemented in waves, the first surveys being implemented in seven countries in 2012 (Bolivia, Colombia, Ghana, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (PDR), Ukraine, Vietnam, and the Yunnan Province in China), and the second in five countries in 2013 (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kenya, and Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of (FYR)). The data presented in this publication correspond to these countries. It illustrates the similarities and differences among groups that have completed different education levels on a wide range of issues and outcomes. Section one analyzes the trajectory of skills acquisition: participation in early childhood education programs, educational attainment by gender, and participation in training and apprenticeship programs. Section two explores background conditions associated with educational attainment, including the socioeconomic status of survey respondents at age 15, the educational attainment of their parents, their households' asset levels, their health (as expressed by the presence of chronic illness), and their overall satisfaction with life. Section three covers cognitive skills: writing, numeracy, and reading (which is also evaluated through a direct reading assessment). Section four covers job-relevant skills, which are task-specific and which respondents possess or use on the job; and section five covers socio-emotional skills, using established metrics to measure personality and behavior. Section six covers the status of survey respondents in the labor market: whether they are employed, unemployed, or inactive

Immediacy, Ensemble Setup, And Classroom Space: A Quasi-experimental Study Among Secondary Instrumental Teachers and Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of closed and opened setup conditions on students’ and teachers’ reported immediacy, affect, motivation, and group cohesion in band and orchestra classrooms. A secondary purpose was to explore relationships among students’ and teachers’ reported immediacy, affect, motivation, and group cohesion. Six teachers and 379 of their students participated in the study. In this within-subjects experiment, teachers were asked to teach with their classrooms arranged in closed and opened setup conditions. In the closed condition, teachers used a traditional setup of arcs and were not asked to change their use of space when teaching. In the opened condition, an aisle was added to the ensemble setup and teachers were provided with strategies to encourage movement toward and among students when teaching. At the end of each condition, teachers and students completed measures of constructs related to immediacy, affect, motivation, and group cohesion. Results indicate the effect of the intervention increased negative affect among students, teacher proximity was associated with negative affect among students, and students’ perceptions of their teacher’s immediacy was found to have positive relationships with student affect, motivation, and group cohesion

Establishing Reliability and Validity of a Tool for Large Ensemble Teacher Use of Space and Interactions

The primary purpose of this study was to design a reliable and valid continuous-time coding tool for measuring teacher use of space and teacher interactions based on prior research (Hesler, 1972; Martin, 2002). The tool captured teachers’ use of space as they moved through 14 identified areas of the large instrumental ensemble classroom and engaged in 10 types of verbal and musical interactions with students. Evidence for content validity is presented, and the tool was found to have high inter-rater reliability. The secondary purpose of the study was to explore the effect of a brief expository lesson on preservice instrumental music teachers’ use of classroom space and proximity while teaching, with specific emphasis on teachers moving away from the podium and toward and among students. The expository intervention changed teachers’ use of space during the lesson immediately following the intervention (i.e., teachers spent less time on the podium and more time moving toward and among students), but the behaviors did not persist over time

European Sustainability Reporting Standards : En kvalitativ analyse av kommentarbrev publisert av selskaper i revisjonsbransjen mot ISAE 3000-rammeverket og EFRAGs utkast til standard for bærekraftsrapportering

Today, there is a great focus and many expectations on how sustainability reporting for the business sector in Europe will be and how it will be prepared. The background of the study is EFRAG’s launch of a public publication of the draft of a European sustainability standard, with various requirements linked to 13 sustainability themes, with a deadline for feedback in August 2022. A broad variety of different stakeholders responded to the draft, through a two-part survey. The new sustainability standard is a part of CSRD and is expected to enter into force from 2024. The set of standards is called the European Sustainability Reporting Standard (ESRS). The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how the auditing industry reacted to the draft of ESRS. Thereafter to investigate the challenges and suggestions for improvement, by analyzing published comment letters and surveys. Our research question of this thesis is “what reactions and expectations from the auditing industry have come as a result of the draft on the sustainability reporting standards, and which challenges does this entail for the auditors’ assurance of non-financial information?”. In order to answer this question, we have utilized relevant theory and research as our starting point. Furthermore, we have used qualitative theory, feedback from the companies within the auditing industry, the ESRS and ISAE 3000 standards. We find that the feedback can be linked to five conditions: the use of a materiality assessment, the value chain, the implementation process, the auditor’s assurance of non-financial information and information overload.nhhma

Plantevernmidler i grunnvann i jordbruksområder. Resultater fra prøvetaking i 2010 - 2012

I perioden 2010 – 2012 har det blitt gjennomført prøvetaking av grunnvannsbrønner i 9 områder i Norge – Klepp, Kongsberg, Grue, Ullensaker/Nannestad, Nesodden, Larvik, Råde, Grimstad og Overhalla. Prosjektet er en videreføring av arbeid utført i perioden 2007 – 2009. Målet har vært å kartlegge forekomst av plantevernmidler i viktige grunnvannsforekomster i tilknytning til jordbruk. Det ble påvist plantevernmidler i 24 av totalt 28 undersøkte brønner/kilder. Midler ble påvist i alle undersøkte områder. Det ble påvist plantevernmidler i 89 av 199 analyserte prøver (45 %). Av disse overskred 24 prøver (12 %) veiledende grenseverdi for plantevernmidler i drikkevann (≤0,1 μg/l). Til sammen ble det påvist 19 ulike plantevernmidler og metabolitter. Plantevernmidlene som ble påvist i flest prøver var bentazon (35), atrazin (18), simazin (16), metalaksyl (13), MCPA (11) og BAM (11). Deretter fulgte pencykuron (6), trifloksystrobinmetabolitt (3), azyksystrobin (2), mekoprop (2) og imidakloprid (2). 13 midler og metabolitter ble påvist i konsentrasjoner over veiledende grenseverdi for drikkevann (≤0,1 μg/l). Midlene som viste flest overskridelser var bentazon (ugrasmiddel) og pencykuron (beisemiddel mot sopp). Prosjektet er finansiert over ”Handlingsplanen for redusert risiko ved bruk av plantevernmidler 2010 - 2014”. Analysene av plantevernmidler har blitt utført av Bioforsk Plantehelse, avdeling for pesticidkjemi.publishedVersio

E18 Bommestad – Sky. Opptak av siltgardiner ved Farriseidet og i Farriskilen. Overvåking av partikkelspredning

Etter oppdrag fra Statens vegvesen overvåket NIBIO turbiditet i Farrisvannet ved Farriseidet i forbindelse med opptak av siltgardiner i regi av JVF – Joint Venture Farris Bru, ANS. Undersøkt område var ved Farris Øst, der det ble lagt ut ekstra siltgardiner for å sikre mot uønsket spredning av partikler i forbindelse med utfyllingsarbeider. En ekstra siltgardin ble lagt ut i forbindelse med innvilget søknad om å fylle ut ved akse 1 og 6 uten bruk av fiberduk. Under opptaket av siltgardinene ble grenseverdi gitt av Fylkesmannen i Vestfold i «Tillatelse til utfylling i sjø og utgraving i strandsonen» (av 18.12.2013, nr. 2013407.T) lagt til grunn. Turbiditet som følge av opptak av siltgardin skulle ikke overstige 7 NTU i en periode på mer enn 30 minutter.publishedVersio

Plantevernmidler i grunnvann. Forprosjekt automatisert overvåking i faste forsøksfelt.

Gjennom et forprosjekt finansiert gjennom «Handlingsplan for bærekraftig bruk av plantevernmidler, 2016 – 2020» har NIBIO utredet og beskrevet mulig framtidig overvåking av plantevernmidler i grunnvann i faste forsøksfelt. Forsøksfeltene har blitt valgt ut for å dekke nødvendig variasjon i naturgitte forhold, ulike produksjoner og driftsforhold samt forskjellig klima. Viktige produksjoner er poteter, grønnsaker, frukt og bær samt grasproduksjon og husdyrhold. Forsøksfeltene er valgt ut for å representere nasjonale grunnvannsforekomster i områder med intensiv landbruksdrift. Grunnvannsforhold, løsmasser og jordbunnsforhold for de fem lokalitetene som har blitt valgt ut, er for en del godt beskrevet gjennom tidligere undersøkelser. Det er gjort utprøving og gitt beskrivelser av utstyr for automatisk overvåking av grunnvann og forhold i umettet sone. I tilleg er det beskrevet rutiner for prøvetaking og dokumentasjon av grunnvannskvalitet.publishedVersio

A prospective evaluation of the predictive value of faecal calprotectin in quiescent Crohn’s disease

Background: The faecal calprotectin (FC) test is a non-invasive marker for gastrointestinal inflammation. Aim: To determine whether higher FC levels in individuals with quiescent Crohn’s disease are associated with clinical relapse over the ensuing 12 months.<p></p> Methods: A single centre prospective study was undertaken in Crohn's disease patients in clinical remission attending for routine review. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the primary endpoint of clinical relapse by 12 months, based on FC at baseline, was calculated. Kaplan-Meier curves of time to relapse were based on the resulting optimal FC cutoff for predicting relapse.<p></p> Results: Of 97 patients recruited, 92 were either followed up for 12 months without relapsing, or reached the primary endpoint within that period. Of these, 10 (11%) had relapsed by 12 months. The median FC was lower for non-relapsers, 96µg/g (IQR 39-237), than for relapsers, 414µg/g (IQR 259-590), (p=0.005). The area under the ROC curve to predict relapse using FC was 77.4%. An optimal cutoff FC value of 240µg/g to predict relapse of quiescent Crohn’s had sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 74.4%. Negative predictive value was 96.8% and positive predictive value was 27.6%. FC≥240μg/g was associated with likelihood of relapse 5.7 (95% CI 1.9-17.3) times higher within 2.3 years than lower values (p=0.002).<p></p> Conclusions: In this prospective dataset, FC appears to be a useful, non-invasive tool to help identify quiescent Crohn’s disease patients at a low risk of relapse over the ensuing 12 months. FC of 240µg/g was the optimal cutoff in this cohort.<p></p&gt

Rensing av nitrogen fra sprengstein. Pilotforsøk med biofilter

publishedVersio