STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT AND AGRICULTURAL EXPORT RESPONSE IN LATIN AMERICA

Expanding exports has been one of the principal goals of structural adjustment programs aimed at restoring external balance of payments equilibria in many developing countries. This paper analyzes the changing responsiveness of agricultural exports to price and exchange rate variation for selected crops in eight Latin American countries over the period 1961-1990. The results show that: (1) commodity and country disaggregation in estimation generates much higher export response elasticities than previously estimated; (2) real exchange rate changes dominate price changes in stimulating export response; and (3) statistical tests confirm structural change in export response elasticities in over half of the equations estimated. Overall, the evidence suggests that price and exchange rate changes accompanying stabilization and adjustment reforms have had significant though non-uniform effects in stimulating agricultural export expansion in Latin America.International Relations/Trade,

Science in Informal Learning Spaces: Tinkering Space at Science World

Aside from unique architecture Science World has become iconic for families in Vancouver to explore hands-on exhibits and galleries that nurture their process of discovery and inspire connection with their natural, physical, and built environments. Our value of inquiry-rich, play-based, cross-disciplinary learning is embedded in every aspect of design, from fun interactive exhibits, engaging stage shows, and unique school programs. Throughout Science World you will discover that each gallery focuses on different themes and topics. Gallery spaces have their own narratives, learning goals, and outcomes. One of newest galleries at Science World is our Tinkering Space: The WorkSafeBC Gallery. The Tinkering Space has daily tinkering programming where you can solve problems, make new things from existing parts, create something cool and imaginative, and learn through experimenting and making mistakes. You’ll also learn about the science behind safety and how important it is to choose the right tools for the job. This informal learning environment captures the playful spirit of Science World all in one place. Creating the Tinkering Space is an iterative journey, and we continue to work hard to build out the visitor experience and pedagogical practice we have today

A Framework for Exploring and Evaluating Mechanics in Human Computation Games

Human computation games (HCGs) are a crowdsourcing approach to solving computationally-intractable tasks using games. In this paper, we describe the need for generalizable HCG design knowledge that accommodates the needs of both players and tasks. We propose a formal representation of the mechanics in HCGs, providing a structural breakdown to visualize, compare, and explore the space of HCG mechanics. We present a methodology based on small-scale design experiments using fixed tasks while varying game elements to observe effects on both the player experience and the human computation task completion. Finally we discuss applications of our framework using comparisons of prior HCGs and recent design experiments. Ultimately, we wish to enable easier exploration and development of HCGs, helping these games provide meaningful player experiences while solving difficult problems.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Juvenile Justice Facilities: The Best Thing for Convicted Youths

In today’s society, as soon as a child turns eighteen, they are legally considered adults and no longer need parental consent on matters. However, if eighteen is the standard age of the beginning of adulthood, why then, are more and more underage children being tried as adults, and if convicted, being sent to adult prisons? Society sets all of these age limits on what youths under eighteen can and cannot do, but when it comes to crime, apparently no age is too young to be considered an adult. In this paper I argue that children should not be tried as adults because the juvenile justice system proves more beneficial to helping these children, contrary to current beliefs. I will argue that the programs offered in juvenile facilities prove more beneficial in protecting both society and the convicted children as studies show that fewer youths released from juvenile facilities are rearrested as opposed to those released from adult prisons. Another argument is found in scholarly studies where physical and sexual abuse is reported in greater numbers in prisons than juvenile facilities. Youths in adult prisons are the main targets for abuse, and because of that suicide rates are extremely high. Finally, I will argue that youths gain nothing from being in adult prisons, while juvenile facilities offer so many beneficial programs for them. Once released, youths in adult jails have a much more difficult time adjusting to life after prison, making it easier for them to fall back into crime

Is It Even Possible? : Student Affairs and Practitioner Preparation for More Racially Diverse College Campuses

In recent years student activism on college campuses has called for new and more equitable racial policies, practices, and pedagogies. Both fueled by and fertile ground for social movements, colleges and universities have mirrored national protests and calls for action toward the democratic imperative of higher education. However, often student affairs administrators have struggled in conceptualizing their roles in engaging students. How were they prepared for this? This research seeks the answer this question - how, if at all, are student affairs practitioners being prepared to work on more racially diverse college campuses? Grounded in cultural-historical activity theory (Engeström, 2001) and critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001; Yosso, 2002), this research provides analysis of the ways in which student affairs programs engage para-practitioners in racial learning and development. Specifically, this research utilizes a critical case study analysis (Stake, 2005; Yin, 2014) to explore how one higher education and student affairs master\u27s program works to make racial learning and development toward advocacy possible. In doing so this research exposes the reproductive of normative and dominant discourses in national standards and competency documents often used to evaluation para-practitioner learning and the tension experienced as the program at stake attempts to aid para-practitioners in navigating the complex object of racial learning. Implications for teaching and learning, practice, and research present possibilities of affect and emotionality as locations for racial learning, as well as proposing a shift from faculty notions of expertise to shared and consistent learning

Evaluating Parenting Practices as a Mediating Factor Between Marital Conflict and Children\u27s Adjustment

A wealth of research has illustrated that negative parenting practices mediate the relation between destructive marital conflict and externalizing problems in children; however, the study of constructive marital conflict and adjustment problems in children is less developed. Research has also suggested that psychological control is related to children\u27s behavior; however, previous research is unclear as to the specific relationship between marital conflict and children\u27s internalizing and externalizing behavior. To address this gap, the present study examined positive and negative parenting practices and psychological control as mediators of constructive and destructive marital conflict and children\u27s internalizing and externalizing problems. Married mothers of 121 children between the ages of 6 and 12 completed online and/or paper questionnaires measuring marital conflict, parenting practices, and child adjustment. Path analyses revealed several significant direct relationships between predictors and outcome variables. Destructive marital conflict was found to be a significant predictor of negative parenting practices, psychological control, children\u27s internalizing behavior, and children\u27s externalizing behavior. Path analysis revealed indirect relationships as well. Psychological control was found to partially mediate the relationships between destructive marital conflict and both children\u27s externalizing and internalizing behavior

A landscape forensic investigation of the 2021 flood in the Ahr Valley, Germany

The Ahr River experienced a catastrophic flood in July 2021, damaging or destroying nearly every home and piece of infrastructure in the valley. Though the river has had serious floods in history, contemporary methods to measure risk failed to account for the qualitative descriptions available and instead referenced a limited qualitative data set that has been collected since 1947. This drastically underdimensioned the risk of flooding for the Ahr during low pressure system "Berndt", which led to approximately €40 billion in damages in the region and the deaths of 135 people in the Ahr Valley alone. A comprehensive plan for disaster risk reduction is necessary but still completely lacking nearly a year after the disaster. The understanding of what is needed to reduce risk has developed through history, with several paradigms that underwent major shifts in how we see nature, spaces, and people as having a role. These paradigms are used to understand the benefits and limitations of planning concepts in each, so that an optimal risk reduction plan can be produced for the Ahr Valley reconstruction.M-GL

Elementary Classroom Teachers’ Perceptions of Redesigned Classroom Space: A Qualitative Case Study

Classroom redesign is being recognized globally as necessary to better increase student’s enjoyment levels, engagement, collaboration, and learning. Instead of seeing traditional classrooms in a fixed setting where students are seated in rows facing the front of the room, classrooms are being arranged in multiple ways. As a result of this focus on redesigned learning spaces, there is a need to examine teachers’ perceptions about redesigned classroom spaces and understand the decisions behind their design. Thus, it is important to examine teachers’ perceptions of their classroom space to better understand if they consider their students learning needs, engagement levels, and reactions when designing their classrooms. As a result, there is a call to understand the features (i.e. desks, chairs, plants, technology) teachers perceive to be important in their redesigned classroom spaces. This case study investigated elementary classroom teachers’ perceived conceptualizations and rationalizations of redesigned classroom spaces during the design process, as well as any considerations of students’ potential learning, reactions, and engagement levels when designing classroom spaces. Eight elementary classroom teachers currently teaching in a full-day suburban Mid-Atlantic, U.S. public school comprised the case study in this research. Data were collected in the form of drawings with written responses, individual interviews, and a focus group. Triangulation of data was performed to develop main categories and identify central themes within the case study. Findings contributed to the field of research in elementary teachers’ perspectives of redesigned classroom spaces. The data from the qualitative case study revealed that teachers consider their students’ learning, collaboration, and needs when designing the classroom space. Specifically, conceptualization included students’ physiological needs, equity, and limited multicultural awareness. Classroom designs were perceived to support students learning through flexibility, movement, engagement, and creative spaces. Data collected through this research also supports the idea that teachers use their personal experience with students and their own experiences when constructing their classroom space. Lastly, elementary teachers perceived grouped desks, flexible seating options, and manipulatives as important features in the classroom space. Research findings from this study will inform teachers, administration, policymakers, and school building designers of elementary teachers’ perspectives of a redesigned learning space and their considerations during classroom design