Rural areas in the northern parts of the Netherlands have lots of potentials to provide a healthy environment for their residents. However, population changes (ageing, outmigration) have a negative impact on the quality of life of residents. The GO!-Method that has been developed by the National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM) in The Netherlands is used in this study. It allows us to identify the opportunities and needs in a systematic way and combine local knowledge by involving residents and local authorities with results of research for a sustainable move towards a healthier environment. Our presentation will focus on the GO!-Method as a bottom up method and its use in identifying threats and changes in realising a healthy living environment.
DOCUMENT
Background: Current use of smartphone cameras by parents create opportunities for longitudinal home-video-assessments to monitor infant development. We developed and validated a home-video method for parents, enabling Pediatric Physical Therapists to assess infants’ gross motor development with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). The objective of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of this home-video method from the parents’ perspective. Methods: Parents of 59 typically developing infants (0–19 months) were recruited, 45 parents participated in the study. Information about dropout was collected. A sequential mixed methods design was used to examine feasibility, including questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. While the questionnaires inquired after the practical feasibility of the home-video method, the interviews also allowed parents to comment on their feelings and thoughts using the home-video method. Results: Of 45 participating parents, 34 parents returned both questionnaires and eight parents agreed to an interview. Parent reported effort by the infants was very low: the home-video method is perceived as similar to the normal routine of playing. The parental effort level was acceptable. The main constraint parents reported was time planning. Parents noted it was sometimes difficult to find the right moment to record the infant’s motor behavior, that is, when parents were both at home and their baby was in the appropriate state. Technical problems with the web portal, reported by 28% of the parents were also experienced as a constraint. Positive factors mentioned by parents were: the belief that the home videos are valuable for family use, receiving feedback from a professional, the moments of one-on-one attention and interaction with their babies. Moreover, the process of recording the home videos resulted in an increased parental awareness of, and insight into, the gross motor development of their infant. Conclusion: The AIMS home-video method is feasible for parents of typically developing children. Most constraints are of a practical nature that can be addressed in future applications. Future research is needed to show whether the home-video method is also applicable for parents with an infant at risk of motor development problems.
DOCUMENT
OBJECTIVE: Loneliness and social isolation are pressing issues that can seriously impact the mental health and well-being of older adults. Interacting with nature can stimulate a feeling of connectedness. However, for older adults, access to nature is often troublesome because of physical limitations and mobility restrictions.METHODS: In the present mixed-method study, 37 older adults (62-99 years old) with varying care needs and mobility restrictions watched a video presenting a walkthrough of a simulated digital nature landscape.RESULTS: Quantitative results show a significant increase in social connectedness scores and enhanced peacefulness after experiencing a digital nature. Qualitative results stress the importance of variations in nature scenery and highlight the influence of contextual and person-related factors including nature experiences throughout the life span and mobility constraints that older adults may face.CONCLUSION: These findings testify to the potential of using digital nature as a complementary strategy when interactions with outdoor nature become increasingly difficult due to old age.
DOCUMENT
In competence-based vocational education, personal professional theories, in which students integrate different types of knowledge and beliefs, are seen as important. Exactly how these theories can be measured is the main focus of this study, which uses a multi-method triangulation approach, an interview and a self-report. The latter (less-structured) matter seems to provide less insight into personal professional theories then the structured methods. Both structure and adequate prompts are important when personal professional theories are explicated.
DOCUMENT
Behaviour change design has much to gain with the integration of insights from the behavioural sciences in the design process. However, this integration needs to be done without hampering the creative process. In two rich design cases aimed at health and safety behaviour change, we describe our efforts to develop a method for theory driven design based on the Double Diamond. Our method attempts to integrate insights from the Persuasive by Design-model (PbD) for behaviour change into the entire design process. Our case studies demonstrate that our method indeed augments the integration of theory and evidence in our designs, but only if the Double Diamond process model is complemented with an evaluation phase, and insights from the PbD-model are derived using rich, well developed tools.
DOCUMENT
How do policy analysts perceive the various roles that Models, Simulations and Games (MSG) have, or can have in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)? Fifty-five policy analysts in water management in The Netherlands and China were interviewed, following the procedure of the Q-method. Comparative analysis of the combined quantitative and qualitative data show that: (1) The debate on the role of MSG for IWRM is structured around five frames in The Netherlands and three frames in China. (2) The frames in The Netherlands and China are significantly different. (3) In China, there is a predominant frame that perceives MSG for IWRM as data driven simulation technology for rationalization of water management, which is less significant in The Netherlands. (4) The reverse is true with regard to MSG for stakeholder interaction, learning and integrated assessment, which are significant frames in The Netherlands, but not in China. The conclusion is that frame differences can easily confuse professional and academic debate about MSG for water management; within the same institutional and cultural context, but even more so in Netherlands-China co-operation projects. Frames are also relevant when designing, using or evaluating innovative methods for integrated water resources management.
DOCUMENT
Purpose For most people, nursing homes are a place they reside for the rest of their lives. Therefore, a nursing home, apart from providing good care, has to provide for a sense of home (1). Mostly professionals are responsible for this sense of home. The aim of this study was to explore how professionals (both care professionals, managers, suppliers of nursing home equipment and architects experience 'sense of home' in a nursing home. Method Over 70 persons (±20-65 years old, 2/3 women) having varying professional involvement in nursing homes participated. The Lego serious play method was used to engage participants in a personal and authentic manner (2). After building their model of 'sense of home', participants recorded their main issues on a sticky note. The models represented the personal stories of the participants, who shared the meaning of their model. Results & Discussion The findings revealed that a range of themes were considered important by the participants (table 1). The main themes involved privacy, space, mobility and freedom, for instance, to open doors, social engagement, being recognised as the person used to before, and nature or the presence of plants and animals. These results are compared with results of a recently performed literature review and photography supported research in residents, family and staff in four nursing homes (3).
DOCUMENT
Modern manufacturing has to deal with global competition, in which customers have high purchasing power. Production efficiency and rapid response to customer demand are dominant conditions for enterprises to stay successful. Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs) are designed to have a modular architecture in both mechanical design and control system. The architecture enables change of the machine structure quickly, by adding and removing parts of the system, and by changing the corresponding software programming. It can handle short times to market. This paper presents an ‘Index-Method’ to monitor the reconfiguration of RMS. The method is able to categorise the reconfiguration and related development in seven stages. It focusses specifically on the Independence Axiom. The main goal is to find all relevant parameters to cause interactions, and to decouple them. The solution, aiming to be scientifically vigorous and practically applicable, was applied to a true case; the development of a manufacturing system for an inkjet print head for industrial applications. The realisation of the system required the development of new process technology. The index-method may be considered successful. It has the ability to structure the configuration process of RMSs. The method harmonises well with the industry known V-model.
DOCUMENT
Designs for improving energy efficiency in historical buildings are tailor made. For initiators the flexible character of design processes raises uncertainty about why certain energy measures are (not) allowed. How is decision making in thedesign process organised? And what mechanisms influence tailor made designs? In this paper we present an integral design method for energy efficient restoration. Our theoretical background draws on two sources. Firstly, we follow design theory with distinct generic and specific designs. Secondly we use the ‘heritage-as-a-spatial-factor’ approach, where participants with different backgrounds focus on adding value to heritage. By applying the integral design method, we evaluate decision making processes and reflect on heritage approaches. We suggest how the integral design method can be improved andquestion the parallel existence of heritage approaches.
DOCUMENT
Baron and Kenny's (1986) causal steps approach has been widely used by researchers in mediation analyses. Yet, recently, some researchers have begun to argue that Baron and Kenny's approach is not an appropriate method for mediation analysis, and that contemporary or new methods that are based on bootstrapping would yield more valid and reliable results in mediation analysis. The aim of the current study was to discuss basic assumptions between the causal steps approach and new approach in mediation analysis and show statistical differences between the two approaches by using real data set. As a result, it can be stated that the validity of the causal steps approach, which has been used extensively in the analysis of mediation models until today, is controversial, and the use of a new approach based on the bootstrap technique in psychology and behavior research may bring more valid results.
DOCUMENT
