Socially responsible policy of the local authorities in the area of education

Priorytetowe znaczenie wiedzy dla rozwoju współczesnych społeczeństw sprawia, że rośnie zainteresowanie odpowiedzialnością władz publicznych za jakość i efekty polityki oświatowej. Autorzy poszerzają zakres rozumienia odpowiedzialności polityków wobec społeczeństwa, nawiązując do rozwijanej na gruncie przedsiębiorstw idei CSR, klasycznej debaty Carla Friedricha z Hermanem Finerem, oraz współczesnej koncepcji „moralnej polityki publicznej”. Ujawniają główne deficyty społecznej odpowiedzialności organizacji publicznych w Polsce, ilustrując to przykładami dwóch miejskich polityk oświatowych. Pokazują zwłaszcza fasadowość tzw. obiektywnej polityki, skrywającą grę bieżących interesów oraz będącą de facto przejawem braku rzeczywistej społecznej odpowiedzialności polityki publicznej.Due to knowledge playing an essential role in development of modern societies, there is an increased interest in the issue of the responsibility of the public authorities for the quality and results of the educational policy. Authors broaden the meaning of responsibility of politicians towards society, referring to CSR concept developed for companies, classical debate between Carl Friedrich and Herman Finer, as well as contemporary concept of “moral public policy”. They expose main shortcomings of social responsibility of public organisations in Poland, using two urban educational policies as examples. They draw attention to superficiality of so called objective policy, concealing the game of current interests, being de facto the manifestation of the lack of real responsibility of public policy

Modification of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Department of Medical Education of Jagiellonian University Medical College

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic contributed to the implementation of changes in the methodology of conducting many courses at medical universities. Achieving learning outcomes was associated with self-discipline and an increased portion of students’ independent work. The aim of the study is to analyze the adaptation of teaching methods to the requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic at the Department of Medical Education of Jagiellonian University Medical College. The university authorities, instructors and students made every effort not to neglect their education. The Microsoft Teams platform allowed for the efficient organization of remote classes. Lectures, activities based on dialogue, brainstorming and role-playing were conducted via the Internet. Presentations and short films were made available to students. The safety of individuals participating in classes was guaranteed by password access and an invitation sent prior to an online meeting. Remote learning allowed for the synthesis and deepening of students’ knowledge, improvement of communication skills and development of clinical thinking as future doctors. The disadvantages of online education was the inability to improve practical skills, especially on phantoms, under the direct supervision of a trained instructor

Success factors for the implementation of joint service centers in regional and local authorities

The objective of this paper is to define key success factors for implementing joint services in the public sector. The concept of joint services appeared first in the private sector. It is mainly defined as the concentration or consolidation of functions, activities, services or resources into one stand-alone unit as a provider for the client units. The joint service model is described as being akin to an open market system, in which the provider and client units are in partnership in a similar way a company enters into an agreement with its customers. We have identified key success factors for implementing shared service centers in local government units. The results are based on literature studies and empirical research

Between boreal Siberia and arid Central Asia - stable isotope hydrology and water budget of Burabay National Nature Park ecotone (Northern Kazakhstan)

Study region: Burabay National Nature Park (BNNP) of North Kazakhstan is located between humid boreal forests and an arid steppe of Central Asia. Study focus: The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope analyses of precipitation, stream, lake and ground waters were used for water budget calculations of the BNNP endorheic lake system to assess the impact of increasing aridity on lakes in this most continental part of the Earth. New hydrological insights for the region: The stable isotope results confirmed two different types of lakes in BNNP: Burabay and Shortandy Lakes are more similar to higher latitude lakes (e.g. South Siberia), while Kishi and Ulken Shabakty Lakes are more comparable to the steppe lakes of Central Asia. The slopes of evaporation lines for this region, obtained by regression analysis of lake water samples, ranged from 4.57 (steppe lakes) to 6.21 (forest lakes). The evaporation over inflow ratios (0.34 Burabay, 0.69 Ulken Shabakty, and 0.53 Shortandy) are in good agreement with catchment water budget calculations reflecting different groundwater inputs and water retention times. The recent water level rise in the Ulken Shabakty Lake terminal basin was observed for the first time in a decade. This increase can be explained by the ‘fill and spill’ hypothesis and suggest that a single unusually wet year may significantly replenish water resources despite long-term increasing aridity of the regio

Unrooting management education and entrepreneurial self from neoliberal demands : an action research approach

This study applies an action research to investigate the possibility of unsettling management education and the entrepreneurial self from neoliberal logic. The reflection takes as its case an action research diploma seminar in a Polish management school based on collaboration among students, employers from public and nongovernmental sectors, and academic teachers in the preparation of master's theses. The main goal of this article is to illustrate the struggles involved in resisting neoliberal demands, including the ethical reorientation of the entrepreneurial self, in the management classroom. We conclude with a discussion of the emancipatory value of our project and its limitations

Znaczenie wsparcia społecznego dla poziomu lęku i depresji oraz obciążenia opiekunów pacjentów po udarze mózgu – wyniki wstępne

Background. Stroke is a medical emergency, it occurs suddenly, putting the patient and his family in a new, unexpected and extremely stressful situation. About 70 000 people suffer stroke every year in Poland and the number is constantly increasing. Potential intervening factor, which influenced functioning of caregivers of patients with stroke may be social support, in the form of a health educational program.Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the importance of social support in the form of health educational program for anxiety and depression level and burden of stroke patients’ caregivers.Material and methods. The study group consisted of 22 caregivers (family members) of the patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurology for Adults, Medical University Hospital in Gdansk, with a stroke or TIA. The study was conducted in the period from January 2008 to February 2010. The research method was preexperimental study, one-group pretest-posttest design, without a control group. The evaluation assessed the level of anxiety and depression among caregivers and the level of caregivers burden load level (3 and 6-12 months after the occurrence of stroke in a close relative), the study compared with baseline during hospitalization.Results. The level of anxiety among caregivers ranged on the border between the lack of disturbance (0-7 pts.) and the symptoms of borderline (8-10 pts.). Based on the HADS scale there was no depression in this group. The level of emotional exhaustion in the group of careers was at the average level. However, depersonalization among caregivers performed at a low level. Caregivers highly evaluated their capabilities, to provide care for stroke relatives.Conclusions. 1. When the time passes from the occurrence of the incident stroke, the level of anxiety and depression among caregivers decreased. In the first study, the level of caregivers’ anxiety was significantly lower in the case of better functional status of the patient. 2. In the research population, there were no high-level of burden. 3. With the improvement of neurological and functional status of the stroke patients, the level of emotional exhaustion significantly decreased and significantly increased assessment of own capabilities of taking care. 4. In the study population of caregivers reported no high-level of burden. There was no statistically significant differences in the impact of applied health educational program on the level of anxiety and depression and caregivers burden. (PNN 2013;2(1):18-26)Wprowadzenie. Udar mózgu jest stanem zagrożenia życia, występuje nagle, stawiając chorego i jego rodzinę w nowej, niespodziewanej oraz niezwykle stresującej sytuacji. Rocznie w Polsce na udar mózgu zapada około 70 tys. osób i liczba ta stale wzrasta. Potencjalnym czynnikiem interwencyjnym wpływającym na funkcjonowanie opiekunów pacjentów po udarze mózgu może okazać się wsparcie społeczne, w formie programu edukacji zdrowotnej.Cel. Określenie znaczenia wsparcia społecznego, w formie programu edukacji zdrowotnej, dla poziomu lęku i depresji oraz obciążenia opiekunów pacjentów po udarze mózgu.Materiał i metody. Grupę badawczą stanowiło 22 opiekunów (członkowie rodzin) pacjentów hospitalizowanych w Klinice Neurologii Dorosłych UCK w Gdańsku, z powodu udaru mózgu bądź TIA. Badania przeprowadzono w okresie od stycznia 2008 roku do lutego 2010 roku. Zastosowano metodę preekseprymentalną (ang. preexperimental study), schemat jednogrupowy z dwukrotnym pomiarem (ang. one-group pretest-posttest design), bez grupy kontrolnej. Ocenie poddano poziom lęku i depresji oraz poziom obciążenia opiekunów, po upływie 3 i 6-12 miesięcy od chwili wystąpienia udaru mózgu u osoby bliskiej, w porównaniu z badaniem wyjściowym podczas hospitalizacji chorego.Wyniki. Poziom lęku wśród opiekunów wahał się na granicy między brakiem zaburzeń (0-7 pkt.) a objawami granicznymi (8-10 pkt.). W oparciu o skalę HADS nie odnotowano zaburzeń depresyjnych w tej grupie. Poziom wyczerpania emocjonalnego w badanej grupie opiekunów kształtował się na średnim poziomie. Natomiast depersonalizacja wśród opiekunów występowała na niskim poziomie. Opiekunowie chorych po udarze mózgu wysoko oceniali własne możliwości, co do sprawowania opieki na bliskim.Wnioski. 1. Wraz z upływem czasu od wystąpienia incydentu naczyniowego zaobserwowano obniżenie poziomu lęku i depresji wśród opiekunów. W pierwszym badaniu poziom lęku opiekuna był istotnie niższy w przypadku lepszego stanu funkcjonalnego pacjenta. 2. W badanej populacji opiekunów nie odnotowano wysokiego poziomu obciążenia. 3. Wraz z poprawą stanu funkcjonalnego i neurologicznego pacjenta, obniżał się istotnie poziom wyczerpania emocjonalnego opiekuna oraz istotnie zwiększała się ocena jego możliwości, co do sprawowania opieki. 4. Nie uzyskano istotnych statystycznie różnic w zakresie wpływu zastosowanego programu edukacji zdrowotnej na poziom lęku i depresji oraz obciążenia opiekunów pacjentów po udarze mózgu. (PNN 2013;2(1):18-26

Development, evaluation and validation of a new instrument for measurement quality of life in the parents of children with chronic disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Childhood chronic disease may affect patients' and their family's functioning. Particularly parents, who play an important role in cooperation between patient and health care professionals, report impaired health - related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of this study was development, evaluation and validation of a new instrument: Quality of Life in a Child's Chronic Disease Questionnaire (QLCCDQ). The questionnaire is addressed to parents of children with a chronic disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Study design included semi structured interview and qualitative study, which allowed to identify most troublesome problems. Following the results the questionnaire was developed, which consists of 15 questions and covers domains - emotions, patients -perceived symptoms, roles limitations. An observational study involving parents of asthma and diabetes children was conducted to assess the psychometric characteristics of the measure. Psychometric testing was based on the reliability of defined subscales, construct validity, reproducibility assessment, as well as comparison between stable/unstable disease stages and parents of healthy children.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most troublesome concerns for parents of child with chronic disease included emotional distress and feeling depressed due to child's disease, avoiding social interactions due to child's disease or symptoms. 98 parents of children with asthma or insulin - depended diabetes participated in the psychometric testing of QLCCDQ. Internal consistency reliability for the defined subscales ranged between 0.77 and 0.93. Reproducibility based on the weighted kappa coefficients showed expected level of agreement and was almost perfect in case of 8 questions, substantial for 5 questions and moderate for 2 questions. QLCCDQ demonstrated very good construct validity - all subscales showed statistically significant correlations ranging from 0.4 to 0.9. QLCCDQ scores differed significantly by clinical status - parents of children qualified as stable presented higher scores in most subscales in comparison to parents of children with unstable disease.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The QLCCDQ shows good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity. The questionnaire may be useful in helping to understand the impact of chronic child's disease on parental perception of health outcomes.</p

Individual debt ratio as a way of assessing the financial conditions of local government units

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to analyze existing methodological approaches and developments used to assess the financial condition.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The methodology was based on the methods of analysis and logical construction, the basics of descriptive statistics (to determine the phenomenon of debt), as well as the basic approach typical of the heuristic method.FINDINGS: Despite the development of methods of assessing the financial condition, practice very often confirms that the primary direction of assessing the financial condition is the ability to absorb debt. This approach forces a search for an answer to the question, can the individual debt ratio (IWZ) be a measure that answers the question about the financial condition of local government units?PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The IDR applied in Poland seems to be an effective instrument for controlling the debt of local government units. The structure of this indicator allows, on the one hand, systemic control of the debt of the entire public finance sector, and, on the other hand, it is flexibly adapted to the specificity and level of affluence of a given entity. Therefore, it is worth promoting such solutions in individual European Union countries as an effective tool for limiting LGU's uncontrolled debt.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Results of the study reflect that IDR concerns the possibility of debt service, but it cannot be a measure of financial condition, because in local government units there are liabilities not only classified as debt obligations. The omission of these obligations and their impact on the financial condition makes the information value of IDR imperfect and incomplete. It is difficult to indicate the optimal solution that would fully reflect the current financial condition. It is possible as well as from the point of view of additional workloads, difficult to implement in practice.peer-reviewe

Response of leaf stable carbon isotope composition to temporal and spatial variabilities of aridity index on two opposite hillslopes in a native vegetated catchment

© 2017 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (July 2017) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyThe stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) has been demonstrated to be a useful indicator of environmental conditions occurring during plant growth. Previous studies suggest that tree leaf δ13C is correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP) over a broad range of climates with precipitation between 100 and 2000 mm/year. However, this relationship confirmed at the large scale may not be present at the local scale with complex terrain where factors other than precipitation may lead to additional variability in plant water stress. In this study, we investigated δ13C of tree leaves in a native vegetation catchment over a local gradient of hydro-climatic conditions induced by two hillslopes with opposite aspects. Significant seasonal variations, calculated as a difference between the maximum and minimum δ13C values for each tree, were observed for two species, up to 1.9‰ for Eucalyptus (E.) paniculata, and up to 2.7‰ for Acacia (A.) pycnantha on the north-facing slope (NFS). Also the mean δ13C values calculated from all investigated trees of each hillslope were significantly different and leaf δ13C on the NFS was higher by 1.4 ± 0.5‰ than that on the south-facing slope (SFS). These results cannot be explained by the negligible difference in precipitation between the two hillslopes located just 200 m apart. The correlation coefficients between the δ13C of E. tree leaves and the integrated aridity index (AI) were statistically significant for temporal observations on the NFS (R2 0.18–0.44, p-value 0.00–0.06), and spatial observations (R2 = 0.35, p-value 0.05) at the end of the dry season. These results suggest that AI as a measure of plant water stress is better associated with leaf δ13C than precipitation. Therefore, leaf δ13C value can be used as a valuable proxy for plant water stress across the landscape in both time and space