The aim of this paper is to design and test a smartphone application which supports personalized running experiences for less experienced runners. As a result of a multidisciplinary three-step design approach Inspirun was developed. Inspirun is a personalized running-application for Android smartphones that aims to fill the gap between running on your own (static) schedule, and having a personal trainer that accommodates the schedule to your needs and profile. With the use of GPS and Bluetooth heart rate monitor support, a user's progress gets tracked. The application adjusts the training schedule after each training session, motivating the runner without a real life coach. Results from three user studies are promising; participants were very satisfied with the personalized approach, both in the profiling and de adaptation of their training scheme.
The internationalization of higher education has been driven by an increasingly globalized and interconnected world. One concept that embodies this internationalization process is global citizenship, which can be promoted through student mobility, internationalization-at-home, or other forms of intercultural learning. While global citizenship remains a broad and highly contested term, the increased interest of its role in higher education has inspired research in different fields. The aim of this paper is to provide a review of existing research approaches to studying global citizenship, and to formulate future research directions that may integrate these approaches into a holistic framework. By reviewing literature from different fields in the social sciences, we have identified three main research approaches: intercultural competence, social identification with a global community, and civic engagement. While each approach reflects an important dimension of global citizenship, they remain separate in the literature, complicating the understanding and application of global citizenship in higher education. Therefore, for each approach we present a general conceptualization and a brief overview of prior findings. We discuss how integrating these approaches can lead to a more holistic understanding of global citizenship and guide future avenues for research and practice in higher education.
Background: Although principles of the health promoting school (HPS) approach are followed worldwide, differences between countries in the implementation are reported. The aim of the current study was (1) to examine the implementation of the HPS approach in European countries in terms of different implementation indicators, that is, percentage of schools implementing the HPS approach, implementation of core components, and positioning on so‐called HPS‐related spectra, (2) to explore patterns of consistency between the implementation indicators across countries, and (3) to examine perceived barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the HPS approach across countries. Methods: This study analyzed data from a survey that was part of the Schools for Health in Europe network's Monitoring Task 2020. The survey was completed by HPS representatives of 24 network member countries. Results: Large variations exist in (the influencing factors for) the implementation of the HPS approach in European countries. Observed patterns show that countries with higher percentages of schools implementing the HPS approach also score higher on the implementation of the core components and, in terms of spectra, more toward implementing multiple HPS core components, add‐in strategies, action‐oriented research and national‐level driven dissemination. In each country a unique mix of barriers and facilitators was observed. Conclusion: Countries committed to implementing the HPS approach in as many schools as possible also seem to pay attention to the quality of implementation. For a complete and accurate measurement of implementation, the use of multiple implementation indicators is desirable.
Flying insects like dragonflies, flies, bumblebees are able to couple hovering ability with the ability for a quick transition to forward flight. Therefore, they inspire us to investigate the application of swarms of flapping-wing mini-drones in horticulture. The production and trading of agricultural/horticultural goods account for the 9% of the Dutch gross domestic product. A significant part of the horticultural products are grown in greenhouses whose extension is becoming larger year by year. Swarms of bio-inspired mini-drones can be used in applications such as monitoring and control: the analysis of the data collected enables the greenhouse growers to achieve the optimal conditions for the plants health and thus a high productivity. Moreover, the bio-inspired mini-drones can detect eventual pest onset at plant level that leads to a strong reduction of chemicals utilization and an improvement of the food quality. The realization of these mini-drones is a multidisciplinary challenge as it requires a cross-domain collaboration between biologists, entomologists and engineers with expertise in robotics, mechanics, aerodynamics, electronics, etc. Moreover a co-creation based collaboration will be established with all the stakeholders involved. With this approach we can integrate technical and social-economic aspects and facilitate the adoption of this new technology that will make the Dutch horticulture industry more resilient and sustainable.
Dutch society faces major future challenges putting populations’ health and wellbeing at risk. An ageing population, increase of chronic diseases, multimorbidity and loneliness lead to more complex healthcare demands and needs and costs are increasing rapidly. Urban areas like Amsterdam have to meet specific challenges of a growing and super divers population often with a migration background. The bachelor programs and the relating research groups of social work and occupational therapy at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences innovate their curricula and practice-oriented research by multidisciplinary and cross-domain approaches. Their Centres of Expertise foster interprofessional research and educational innovation on the topics of healthy ageing, participation, daily occupations, positive health, proximity, community connectedness and urban innovation in a social context. By focusing on senior citizens’ lives and by organizing care in peoples own living environment. Together with their networks, this project aims to develop an innovative health promotion program and contribute to the government missions to promote a healthy and inclusive society. Collaboration with stakeholders in practice based on their urgent needs has priority in the context of increasing responsibilities of local governments and communities. Moreover, the government has recently defined social base as being the combination of citizen initiatives, volunteer organizations , caregivers support, professional organizations and support of vulnerable groups. Kraktie Foundations is a community based ethno-cultural organization in south east Amsterdam that seeks to research and expand their informal services to connect with and build with professional care organizations. Their aim coincides with this project proposal: promoting health and wellbeing of senior citizens by combining intervention, participatory research and educational perspectives from social work, occupational therapy and hidden voluntary social work. With a boundary crossing innovation of participatory health research, education and Kraktie’s work in the community we co-create, change and innovate towards sustainable interventions with impact.
The number of tourists in Zeeland is high, which influences the livability and quality of life in the region. There are also increasing concerns about health and well-being in this area. Zeeland aims to be a vital region, where a vital Leisure, Tourism, Hospitality (LTH) sector is in balance with society and the environment. The practical problem revolves around the realisation of the social legitimation of the impact of tourism on its environment. This PD-trajectory overall ambition is to contribute to the social legitimation of LTH by strengthening crossovers between the LTH sector and the health sector. The objective of this PD-trajectory is to support LTH entrepreneurs in a way that their initiatives contribute to the health of the local residents. To accomplish this task, entrepreneurs in the LTH industry have a need for practical tools and guidelines that assist them in contributing to these societal challenges. So far, there are no concrete tools or other support products available in the region for LTH entrepreneurs to base their actions (in quadruple helix context) on in order to achieve crossovers and positive impact on health. How this process works and what is required for this is important to gain insight into so that this co-creation process can serve as an example for other initiatives in the LTH sector. Therefore, this process will be monitored and evaluated so that lessons can be learned. Ultimately, a decision support tool will be developed from this effort which other entrepreneurs can use to develop and organize their initiatives in a quadruple helix context with the aim of health benefits for the resident. This will help to establish a cross-domain approach and work in co-creation on regional positive impact of LTH in line with the future vision for Zeeland.
