Festivals and traditions at preschools : a qualitative study about the descriptions and reflections of five preschool teachers around the celebration of festivals and traditions at preschool

This study is about the work around festivals and traditions that takes place in multicultural preschools. The purpose of this study is to describe and reflect upon the work around festivals and traditions in multicultural preschools from the view of five preschool teachers who are active in their profession.  The purpose is also to investigate which festivals and traditions that are given attention at preschool and for what reason according to the preschool teachers. The method of research chosen in this study is qualitative in the form of individual interviews with the intention of obtaining and interpreting the descriptions and reflections of the informants around the subject. The results will be analyzed from an intercultural perspective. The results show that all investigated preschools celebrate the traditional Swedish festivals Christmas, St. Lucia’s day, Easter and Midsummer, and that these festivals take up lots of space in terms of time and labor. At some of the preschools attention was also given to other festivals from different faiths and cultures out of diversity and a more globalized perspective. The results also revealed that all of the preschool teachers were positive to giving attention to festivals from other faiths and cultures. It was considered to bring an increased understanding and respect for differences between people. It appeared that an operation with increased cultural features would result in the confrontation of some difficulties

The innovative climate of leadership styles and examining the effect of the innovative climate on the innovative work behavior

Çalışanların örgüt içerisinde yarattığı yenilik bir örgüt için çok büyük değer ifade etmektedir. Bu değeri büyütebilmek ve çalışanların yenilikçi iş yapma davranışında bulunma motivasyonunu artırmak büyük ölçüde bir liderin liderlik yapma tarzına bağlıdır. Bu nedenle yenilikçilik iklimi ve bu iklimin sebep olduğu yenilikçi iş yapma davranışı liderlik tarzından ayrı düşünülemez. Birbiriyle bu denli alakalı olan bu kavramlar arasındaki ilişkileri daha iyi anlayabilmek ve bu ilişkileri daha net bir şekilde ortaya çıkarabilmek amacıyla yapılan bu çalışmada, liderlik tarzının yenilikçilik iklimine, yenilikçilik ikliminin ise yenilikçi iş yapma davranışı üzerine olan etkisi incelenmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu varsayımları test etmek amacıyla Mersin ilinde lojistik alanında faaliyet gösteren 19 forwarder firmasında çalışan 114 beyaz yakalı personelden elektronik ortamda yapılan anket yöntemi ile veri elde edilmiştir. Tam sayım yöntemiyle elde edilen bu veriler SPSS ve AMOS paket programları kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Analiz sonucunda liderlik tarzı ile yenilikçilik iklimi arasında pozitif yönde ve orta düzeyde; yenilikçilik iklimi ile yenilik yapma davranışı arasında ise yine pozitif yönde ancak yüksek düzeyde anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca bu ilişkiler alt boyutlar ve demografik değişkenler itibariyle de incelenmiştir.The innovation created by employees within an organization has a great value for the organization. Increasing this value and increasing the motivation of employees to do innovative work depends, to a large extent, on the leadership style of a leader. For this reason, the innovation climate and the innovative work behavior caused by this climate cannot be considered apart from the leadership style. In this study, which was conducted to better understand the relationships between these concepts that are so closely related to each other and to reveal these relationships more clearly, the influence of leadership style on innovation climate and the influence of innovation climate on innovative work behavior were analyzed. In order to test these assumptions, data were obtained through an electronic survey method from 114 white-collar personnel working in 19 forwarder companies operating in the logistics sector in Mersin. Obtained by full counting method, the data were evaluated using SPSS and AMOS package programs. The results of the analysis showed a positive and medium level relationship between the leadership style and the innovation climate, and a positive but highly significant relationship between the innovation climate and the innovation behavior. These relationships were also studied in terms of sub-dimensions

The evaluation of peri-implant sulcus fluid osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin levels in peri-implant diseases

WOS: 000430670400005PubMed ID: 29683501Background: Peri-implant mucositis is an inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding an implant. Peri-implantitis refers to a process characterized by peri-implant bone loss along with an inflammation of the soft tissues. Osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin proteins are related to bone remodeling. The aim of the present study was to investigate peri-implant sulcus fluid (PISF) osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin levels in peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis. Methods: Fifty-two implants with peri-implantitis, 46 implants with peri-implant mucositis, and 47 control implants were included in the study. Clinical parameters including probing depth, modified sulcus bleeding index and modified plaque index were recorded. PISF osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin levels were analyzed by ELISA kits. Results: There were no significant differences in PISF osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin total amounts between healthy controls, peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis groups (P > 0.05). Probing depths were not correlated with PISF osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin levels in the study groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Soft tissue inflammation around dental implants does not cause a change in osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin levels in PISF. Also, peri-implantitis does not seem to give rise to an increase in PISF levels of osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteonectin.Ege University Research FoundationEge UniversityThe authors greatly appreciate the statistical advice received from Professor Mehmet Orman, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir. This study was supported by a grant from Ege University Research Foundation. The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to the present study