The research group Teaching, Learning & Technology investigates the didactic use of technology in learning processes. In doing so, it looks at themes such as flexibilisation, personalised learning, activating didactics and the effects of the use of technology in educational practice, particularly in higher vocational education. What had not been investigated so far was whether previously conducted research had a demonstrable impact on educational practice. This study is the first phase in providing insight into the impact of research carried out by the Teaching, Learning & Technology (TLT) research group of Inholland University of Applied Sciences. It looks at research carried out between 2010 and 2021. The objective is to describe how impact factors that can be influenced in previous research have been shaped. On the basis of this description, it may be possible to make recommendations to the research group with which the impact of the research it conducts in relation to these factors can be increased. The research question is: How do stakeholders describe the impact of research carried out by the research group Teaching, Learning & Technology in relation to the impact factors that can be influenced with regard to the research, the dissemination and the user value (experienced)? In order to answer this research question, we used a convergent mixed methods design, in which a new conceptual model served as the basis for the analysis of data from the field research. Three types of data were collected, namely a qualitative document analysis (N=31), a survey (N=6) and semi-structured interviews with survey participants (N=4). The study revealed that stakeholders mainly point to the researcher as the primary source of impact. Impact begins and ends with the researcher, especially in the extent to which he or she makes an effort to make the research relevant and in line with questions from the educational practice. We have listed a number of recommendations with regard to the way in which impact can be achieved in future research. These recommendations are mainly aimed at the way in which researchers of the research group can pay attention in a structured way to the design of the collaboration and to the concrete visualisation of expectations and intended impact at an early stage.
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Knowledge of child development influences parental expectations of, and interactions with, children. Studies have shown that maternal knowledge supports cognitive and social–emotional development of young children and can have long-lasting benefits. Level of developmental knowledge of parents and grandparents has seldom been investigated on a population level. Our aim was to compare Canadian and Dutch samples of urban parents and grandparents in terms of normative knowledge of children’s cognitive and social–emotional development. Urban parents (n = 379) and grandparents (n = 174) from the province of Alberta, Canada (N = 553) and parents (n = 634) and grandparents (n = 96) of the city of The Hague in the Netherlands (N = 730) answered questions related to knowledge of cognitive and social–emotional development of young children, including topics such as “do children have stronger bonds with parents who stay at home instead of working outside the home?” and “do children learn more from hearing someone in the same room talk than hearing someone on TV?” Overall, the Canadian respondents were more likely to answer these questions correctly. In both samples, women were more likely than men to answer correctly. No significant relationship between age or role (parent or grandparent) and knowledge was identified, but there was a positive correlation between knowledge and level of education. Little is known about international differences in caregivers’ knowledge about normative child development. This study suggests that differences exist. Understanding differences between countries in parental knowledge may provide insight into cross-cultural variability in child behavioral and developmental outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018777027
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Social issues are becoming increasingly pressing. From dementia to climate change to corona; we as people, citizens, residents and city users - through our own experience or otherwise - have a sense of them. However, truly understanding and addressing these issues is difficult because there is no single owner. Everything is related, intertwined and also changing. Getting an overview and deciding together on necessary steps proves difficult. Complex issues thus become orphaned. Design and more specifically co-design - creative collaboration with others - is increasingly seen as a possible approach to these such issues and collaborations because it can deal with complexity and uncertainty, is optimistic and investigative in nature. With a co-design approach, we can find a shared desire and with that we connect with each other. By then searching together for mechanisms that can lead to the desired values, we gain insights on how to tilt a problematic situation. That enables us to imagine alternative futures. These help us on our way to a better, greener and more social world and social change.
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Dit beknopte onderzoeksverslag presenteert de belangrijkste resultaten van het tweejarig onderzoeksproject naar de kansen en uitdagingen voor het opschalen van sociale ondernemingen gericht op arbeidsparticipatie van mensen met een grote afstand tot de arbeidsmarkt. In de afgelopen jaren is het aantal sociale ondernemingen wereldwijd sterk gegroeid. Sociale ondernemingen zoeken naar nieuwe economisch duurzame manieren om structurele maatschappelijke problemen aan te pakken die vaak buiten de directe aandacht en doelstellingen van de publieke en private sector vallen. Sociale ondernemingen zijn in de eerste plaats missiegedreven, waarbij winst geen doel op zich is maar een middel om sociale impact te creëren met betrekking tot een specifiek maatschappelijk probleem. De aanleiding voor dit onderzoek vormde het feit dat veel sociale ondernemingen, ondanks hun groeiambities, er nog onvoldoende in slagen om wat betreft hun maatschappelijke impact het lokale niveau te overstijgen. Het effectief realiseren van meervoudige waarde —sociaal en economisch— is niet eenvoudig. Zo hebben sociale ondernemingen over het algemeen te maken met een grotere verscheidenheid aan belanghebbenden, waardoor de activiteiten niet altijd even consistent zijn en doelstellingen soms zelfs met elkaar in strijd lijken.
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De coronapandemie heeft een enorme impact op het mentale welzijn van de Nederlandse bevolking. Gebaseerd op een grootschalig panelonderzoek (N = 22.696) naar de sociale impact van COVID-19, onderzoekt dit artikel ten eerste welke sociale groepen het meest vatbaar zijn voor de gevolgen van de pandemie op de geestelijke gezondheid. Ten tweede onderzoeken we of sociaal kapitaal bescherming biedt tegen deze gevolgen. We vinden dat de impact van COVID-19 op de geestelijke gezondheid aanzienlijk is en dat deze in de loop van 2020 is toegenomen. Vrouwen, jongeren, respondenten met lage inkomens en/of een slechte zelf ervaren gezondheid, ervaren relatief meer angst en stress als gevolg van de pandemie. We vinden geen verschil tussen respondenten met of zonder migratieachtergrond. Sociaal kapitaal (ontvangen steun, vertrouwen in mensen en in instellingen) heeft het verwachte effect: hoe meer steun en vertrouwen, hoe minder angst en stress. Er is een bemiddelingseffect. Ouderen, respondenten met hoge inkomens en/of een goede gezondheid ervaren minder angst en stress, deels omdat ze meer sociaal kapitaal hebben. Dit is anders voor vrouwen. Zij zouden zelfs meer angst en stress ervaren in vergelijking met mannen, ware het niet dat zij meer sociaal kapitaal hebben. We concluderen dus dat sociaal kapitaal inderdaad enige bescherming biedt tegen de negatieve gevolgen van COVID-19 voor de geestelijke gezondheid.
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Social robots are reported to hold great potential for education. However, both scholars and key stakeholders worry about children’s social-emotional development being compromised. In aiming to provide new insights into the impact that social robots can have on the social-emotional development of children, the current study interviewed teachers who use social robots in their day-to-day educational practice. The results of our interviews with these experienced teachers indicate that the social robots currently used in education pose little threat to the social-emotional development of children. Children with special needs seem to be more sensitive to social-affective bonding with a robot compared to regular children. This bond seems to have positive effects in enabling them to more easily connect with their human peers and teachers. However, when robots are being introduced more regularly, daily, without the involvement of a human teacher, new issues could arise. For now, given the current state of technology and the way social robots are being applied, other (ethical) issues seem to be more urgent, such as privacy, security and the workload of teachers. Future studies should focus on these issues first, to ensure a safe and effective educational environment for both children and teachers.
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While social robots bring new opportunities for education, they also come with moral challenges. Therefore, there is a need for moral guidelines for the responsible implementation of these robots. When developing such guidelines, it is important to include different stakeholder perspectives. Existing (qualitative) studies regarding these perspectives however mainly focus on single stakeholders. In this exploratory study, we examine and compare the attitudes of multiple stakeholders on the use of social robots in primary education, using a novel questionnaire that covers various aspects of moral issues mentioned in earlier studies. Furthermore, we also group the stakeholders based on similarities in attitudes and examine which socio-demographic characteristics influence these attitude types. Based on the results, we identify five distinct attitude profiles and show that the probability of belonging to a specific profile is affected by such characteristics as stakeholder type, age, education and income. Our results also indicate that social robots have the potential to be implemented in education in a morally responsible way that takes into account the attitudes of various stakeholders, although there are multiple moral issues that need to be addressed first. Finally, we present seven (practical) implications for a responsible application of social robots in education following from our results. These implications provide valuable insights into how social robots should be implemented
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Paper for the European workshop Social Work Education in Europe: towards a stronger research-orientation, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, 31 March - 4 April 2004. The paper presents both general and specific aspects of the developing context in social work education in theory and practice according to the changing face of higher education in Europe.
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Social needs are important basic human needs; when not satisfied, loneliness and social isolation can occur and subsequently sickness or even premature death. For older people social needs can be more difficult to satisfy because of the loss of resources such as health and mobility. Interventions for older people to satisfy social needs are often not evaluated and when evaluated are not proven successful. Technological interventions can be successful, but the relationship between technology and social wellbeing is complex and more research in this area is needed. The aim of this research is to uncover design opportunities for technological interventions to fulfil social needs of older people. Context-mapping sessions are a way to gain more insight into the social needs of older people and to involve them in the design of interventions to fulfil social needs. Participants of the context-mapping sessions were older people and social workers working with older people. Four sessions with a total of 20 participants were held to generate ideas for interventions to satisfy social needs. The results are transcripts from the discussion parts of the context-mapping sessions and collages the participants created. The transcripts were independently analysed and inductive codes were attached to quotations in the transcripts that are relevant to the research question and subsequently thematic analysis took place. Collages made by the participants were independently analysed by the researchers and after discussion consensus was reached about important themes. The following three main themes emerged: ‘connectedness’, ‘independence’ and ‘meaningfulness’. Technology was not identified as a separate theme, but was addressed in relation to the above mentioned themes. Staying active in a meaningful way, for example by engaging in volunteer work, may fulfil the three needs of being connected, independent and meaningful. In addition, interventions can also focus on the need to be and remain independent and to deal with becoming more dependent. The older people in our study have an ambivalent attitude towards technology, which needs to be taken into account when designing an intervention. We conclude this paper by making recommendations for possible technological interventions to fulfil social needs.
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By having a healthy and happy social life, social needs are fulfilled. When social needs are not fulfilled, loneliness and social isolation can occur, which have negative consequences for one’s physical and mental health. Social technology, technology that enables social interaction, can be a resource to fulfil the social needs of older people. In this study, we aimed to learn what role social technology plays in the social life of older people. We held 15 interviews with people aged over 70 who regularly use some form of social technology. Our results indicate that social technology plays different roles in the lives of older people. It strengthens the existing social relationships and social structures. It also brings depth and fun to the social contacts of older people and in this way, enriches their social lives. Social technology also gives a sense of safety and peace of mind to the older people themselves but also to their network members. However, there are barriers in the use of social technology. The older people struggled with using social technology and feel that social technology sometimes stands in the way of real human contact. In supporting and facilitating people’s relationship with others, a community and society, technology helps fulfil older people’s need for connectedness, meaningfulness and independence. However, the relationship with independence is ambiguous. Their life experience gives older people a thoughtful way of looking at social technology and the role it plays in their lives
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