Undergraduate College Student Perceptions Of Empathy Cultivation In The Humanities Classroom: A Qualitative Narrative Inquiry

Empathy—the human attribute of possessing concern for other humans in a way that others’ emotions are mirrored—is both an inborn characteristic, and one that can be taught in various settings throughout one’s life. This qualitative narrative inquiry study explored perceptions from undergraduate college students regarding empathy cultivation in the college humanities classroom setting using the theory of mind—the perspective-taking ability to infer other people’s intentions. Through Zoom-based, semi-structured interviews, data was collected from five undergraduate students at the university research site. Using thematic analysis to examine the data, four prominent themes emerged: (a) empathy cultivation in the classroom, (b) empathy cultivation in formative settings, (c) instructor support in empathy cultivation, and (d) the specific pedagogical strategies of small groupwork and discussions. The most prominent finding was that the study participants unanimously agreed empathy cultivation can and should transpire in the classroom setting; this could be beneficial for current or future instructors, students, and administrative personnel to understand empathy, and create and promote pedagogical materials to effectively deliver that end. It is recommended that instructors integrate specific pedagogical strategies into their curriculum and that administrators provide the necessary time and materials for instructors to be able to do so

Tear film thickness variations and the role of the tear meniscus

A mathematical model is developed to investigate the two-dimensional variations in the thickness of tear fluid deposited on the eye surface during a blink. Such variations can become greatly enhanced as the tears evaporate during the interblink period.\ud The four mechanisms considered are: i) the deposition of the tear film from the upper eyelid meniscus, ii) the flow of tear fluid from under the eyelid as it is retracted and from the lacrimal gland, iii) the flow of tear fluid around the eye within the meniscus and iv) the drainage of tear fluid into the canaliculi through the inferior and superior puncta.\ud There are two main insights from the modelling. First is that the amount of fluid within the tear meniscus is much greater than previously employed in models and this significantly changes the predicted distribution of tears. Secondly the uniformity of the tear film for a single blink is: i) primarily dictated by the storage in the meniscus, ii) quite sensitive to the speed of the blink and the ratio of the viscosity to the surface tension iii) less sensitive to the precise puncta behaviour, the flow under the eyelids or the specific distribution of fluid along the meniscus at the start of the blink. The modelling briefly examines the flow into the puncta which interact strongly with the meniscus and acts to control the meniscus volume. In addition it considers flow from the lacrimal glands which appears to occurs continue even during the interblink period when the eyelids are stationary

The Impact of Human Resource Management on Organizational Success: Suggestions for Hospitality Educators

A recent article in the Hospitality and Tourism Educator (Van Hoof, 1991) reported that recruiters for lodging and foodservice organizations consider human resource management (HRM) to be of primary importance when educating hospitality graduate students. The criticality and impact of HRM in the lodging and foodservice industries has been confirmed time and again by recruiters and leaders in the field. And yet, while HRM professionals and corporate leaders publicly acknowledge the importance of HRM, how do operational managers and employees view HRM\u27s role in addressing critical success factors such as increased profitability and enhanced service delivery? Is HRM narrowly confined to the traditional activities of hiring and firing, or is it perceived as having an impact on important strategic issues? This article reports on a study that examined whether HRM is viewed as having an impact on success factors outside of those traditionally associated with it. Data garnered from a restaurant chain is summarized; however the primary purpose is not to discuss the details of the research, but to consider the implications of the study’s findings for hospitality educators. Thus, the primary objective of this paper is to offer suggestions to educators about how to expose future managers to the potential roles HRM can play in operational issues. Before examining what educators can do to enhance student awareness of how to utilize the principles of HRM, we report on what practicing managers believe is the impact of HRM on critical success factors. Curiously, few researchers have explored systematically the question of whether HRM is perceived to have an impact on critical success factors outside the traditional personnel management domains of selection, retention, and payroll administration

Making Non-Career Jobs Attractive to Younger Workers

As most hospitality industry managers in the U.S. are already aware, there is a growing and persistent shortage of labor available for service-sector, non-career jobs, the very jobs so vital to the industry. In most cases, recruitment efforts for these jobs are targeted toward younger workers, those under age 25. The authors explore issues regarding the attractiveness of non-career jobs in the eyes of young persons and suggest that, in addition to factors related to the job itself (pay, hours, type of work), the type of procedures used by employers to make selection decisions are equally influential. Recommendations are made concerning how hospitality employers with non-career positions to fill can maximize the chances of successfully staffing their organizations

Human Resources as a Strategic Partner in Multiunit-Restaurants

Despite the importance of human-resources issues to the success of chain-restaurant business, a close look at one such company indicates that human resources managers are not yet party to firms’ strategic decision making

Multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica? Re-evaluating an 18th-century illness using 21st-century software

In this paper we report the application of an extensive database of symptoms, signs, laboratory findings and illnesses, to the diagnosis of an historical figure. The medical diagnosis of Augustus d'Este (1794–1848) – widely held to be the first documented case of multiple sclerosis – is reviewed, using the detailed symptom diary, which he kept over many years, as clinical data. Some of the reported features prompted the competing claim that d'Este suffered from acute porphyria, which in turn was used in support of the hypothesis that his grandfather, King George III, also suffered from the disease. We find that multiple sclerosis is statistically the most likely diagnosis, with neuromyelitis optica a strong alternative possibility. The database did not support a diagnosis of any of the acute porphyrias

Life stage and resistance effects in modelling phosphine fumigation of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.)

Resistance to phosphine in insect pests of stored grain is a serious problem and there is a world-wide need for the development of sustainable resistance management strategies. Here we introduce results from a new mathematical model of resistance development that includes all life stages, rates of oviposition, natural mortality and mortality under fumigation in relation to resistant genotype. The example we discuss is phosphine resistance in the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica where resistance is known to be controlled by two major genes that are close to recessive in expression, so that resistance is not fully expressed unless both resistant genes are present and homozygous. An example of a scenario where this model could be used concerns the repeat application of phosphine in a situation where control of all life stages has not been achieved. We determined a critical interval within which a second fumigation must occur to stop a rapidly recovering population of resistant genotypes. Such scenarios can be readily investigated using this approach to provide the grain industry with resistance management options and strategies. Keywords: Rhyzopertha dominica, Population dynamics, Stored wheat, Phosphine fumigant, Low concentratio