Andrea Pintus, Chiara Bertolini, Lucia Scipione and Maja Antonietti
This study investigates the construct validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Teachers' Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) developed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the construct validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Teachers' Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) developed by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) and contributes to existing research aimed at exploring the elements and variables that influence teachers' self-efficacy levels.
Design/methodology/approach
The instrument, translated and adapted in Italian by Cardarello et al. (2017), was tested on a sample of 349 in-service second grade teachers with similar demographic profiles (gender, age, seniority). The study analyzes the data following the exploratory factor analysis.
Findings
The results of this research confirm the relevance of the three-factor model, but opens the possibility of a different organizational structure of the items within the scale. In fact, the results confirmed both the original TSES three-factor structure (student engagement, classroom management, instructional strategies) and a new four-factor structure. The new four-factor structure recognizes two new factors of an instructional nature, “Inclusive instructional strategies, learner-centered” and “Traditional instructional strategies, teacher-centered.” The first one recalls beliefs about capabilities to use strategies and assessments focused on students' needs (inclusive perspective); the second one refers to the dimension of the disciplinary master.
Originality/value
According to the idea that teachers' self-efficacy is a multidimensional construct, the findings of this study invite to reflect upon the meanings of scale application in different cultural contexts and open a discussion about instructional strategies and the experience of teaching in Italy.
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Maria Giuseppina Bartolini Bussi, Chiara Bertolini, Alessandro Ramploud and Xuhua Sun
The purpose of this paper is to explore the early implementation of a model of mathematics teacher development in Italian schools, inspired by Chinese lesson study (CLS), focusing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the early implementation of a model of mathematics teacher development in Italian schools, inspired by Chinese lesson study (CLS), focusing on similarities and differences.
Design/methodology/approach
A research lesson study on fractions in the fourth grade was conducted. The approach was designed based on the theory of semiotic mediation (TSM) enriched by means of quaternary analysis and the variation pedagogy of CLS. In this study, qualitative methods were employed involving the collection of data including lesson plans, observations and post-lesson analyses.
Findings
The purpose of this study is to determine what works and what does not work in the Italian context. Answers to the following research questions are provided: How did LS incorporate quaternary analysis and variation pedagogy in the TSM? How and why were changes introduced in the structure of the lesson plan with respect to the CLS? How did members of the Italian Mathematics Teaching Research Group increase their knowledge of teaching methods and content?
Research limitations/implications
The issues to be considered in further studies include the possible conflicts emerging between the cultures of teaching in China and Italy and the way to overcome them.
Practical implications
The main ideas of CLS are consistent with the general indications of the Italian Ministry of Education for the three-year program (2016-2019) of mandatory teacher development.
Originality/value
Reporting the findings of an Italian LS is aimed at exploring the differences and similarities among the different forms of LS, under the influence of cultural and institutional constraints.
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Cecilia Carlorosi, Chiara Giosuè, Van Anh Le Ngoc, Alessandra Mobili, Thi Nguyen Vu Trong, Phung Nguyen Huu Long, Fausto Pugnaloni and Francesca Tittarelli
This paper presents the outcomes of the international project “Protecting Landscape Heritage: a requalification project as an instrument for the re-birth of Quang Tri Old Citadel…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents the outcomes of the international project “Protecting Landscape Heritage: a requalification project as an instrument for the re-birth of Quang Tri Old Citadel in Vietnam”, achieved with scientific cooperation between the Università Politecnica delle Marche (Italy) and Hue University of Sciences (Vietnam) funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam. The research focuses on the Quang Tri Citadel, founded in 1809 and now in an advanced state of degradation.
Design/methodology/approach
For the purpose of rehabilitation, the wide multidisciplinary project first examined the historical context of the military model, the architectural aspects of the structure, the characterization of the existing materials, the degradation levels of different parts, and, finally, a proposal of the suggested interventions.
Findings
The original structure and geometry were extrapolated and studied. Building materials were produced with nearby raw materials. Firing temperatures of bricks ranged from 800 to 1,000 °C, hydraulic lime was supposed the binder of the mortar with a calcination temperature lower than 1,000 °C. Damage assessment was provided and after these analyses a requalification project was proposed so the cultural heritage can play a role for the future in the dialog between different cultures.
Originality/value
The requalification project achieved by an integrated analytical approach defines aspects in relation to the restoration of the structures, enabling compliance with the geometry, techniques, building materials used in the original construction and allowing its guardianship and management to align with the historical context of the architectural heritage.
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Monica Molino, Claudio G. Cortese, Arnold B. Bakker and Chiara Ghislieri
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of four recovery experiences (psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery, and control) in preventing work-family…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of four recovery experiences (psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery, and control) in preventing work-family conflict (WFC). Specifically, on the basis of WFC and recovery theories the authors hypothesized that workload would be positively related to WFC, and that recovery experiences would moderate this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The research involved 597 Italian employees (on pay-role or self-employed) from different occupational sectors. Participants filled-in an on-line questionnaire. Moderated structural equation modelling were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Results showed a positive relationship of workload with WFC. Regarding the hypothesized interaction effects, the relationship between workload and WFC was particularly strong under condition of low (vs high) psychological detachment, low relaxation, and low control.
Originality/value
This study highlights the beneficial role of recovery experiences in preventing the spillover of workload to the family domain, showing their moderating effects for the first time. These findings have several implications for both future research and practitioners.
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Danielle van den Heuvel and Julia Noordegraaf
How do we make sense of urban life in the past? What do we do when we study urban history, and to what extent do our methods fully capture the complexities of historical city…
Abstract
How do we make sense of urban life in the past? What do we do when we study urban history, and to what extent do our methods fully capture the complexities of historical city living? These are crucial questions for any scholar interested in the historical dimensions of urban experience. Notwithstanding the interest of most urban historians in the relationship between the physical form of urban space and its experience by inhabitants and visitors, very few scholars have written histories that systematically integrate these two areas of inquiry. In this chapter, we argue that such research requires a method and an accompanying tool that can analyze historical urban life in a more integrated, holistic way. We propose a way forward by introducing the Time Machine platform as a scalable data visualization and analysis tool for researching everyday urban experience across space and time. To illustrate the potential we focus on a case study: the area of the Bloemstraat in early modern Amsterdam. Unpacking a section of the Bloemstraat, house by house and room by room, we show how the Time Machine forms an instrument to connect spatial layouts to the arrangement of objects and to the practical and social use of the space by the inhabitants and visitors. We also sketch how this tool illuminates more dynamic spatial and temporal practices such as how people, goods, and activities are connected to locations in the wider city and beyond.
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Marianna Giunchi, Federica Emanuel, Maria José Chambel and Chiara Ghislieri
Different studies underline that perceived job insecurity (PJI) has negative consequences at both individual and organisational level. Some authors investigated PJI in temporary…
Abstract
Purpose
Different studies underline that perceived job insecurity (PJI) has negative consequences at both individual and organisational level. Some authors investigated PJI in temporary agency workers (TAWs) but these studies did not focus on specific countries and did not discuss the relationship with job exhaustion. Other researchers explored gender differences in PJI and found different results; some investigated differences in PJI perception and others its relationship with the outcome of stress or well-being. The purpose of this paper is to inquire about the effects of PJI (as a demanding condition) on job exhaustion, considering the mediation role of workload and exploring differences between male and female TAWs.
Design/methodology/approach
This research involved 474 Portuguese TAWs (209 men, 265 women). Data were collected through a self-report questionnaire; data analyses were performed using IBM Spss Statistics 22 for descriptive statistics, correlations and t-test; Mplus7 was used to estimate a multi-group structural equation model and to test the mediation.
Findings
The results confirmed that workload is a mediator and indicated gender differences in how PJI relates to workload and job exhaustion in TAWs. In fact, the mediation of workload in the relationship between PJI and job exhaustion was partial in men and total in women: in the women group the direct effect of PJI on job exhaustion is not significant, and the indirect effect mediated by workload is significant; in the men group both direct and indirect effects are significant.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to extend the research on job insecurity of TAWs in a specific national context and highlights gender differences in the relationship between PJI and job exhaustion.
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Piotr Staszkiewicz, Jarosław Horobiowski, Anna Szelągowska and Agnieszka Maryla Strzelecka
The study aims to identify the practical borders of AI legal personality and accountability in human-centric services.
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to identify the practical borders of AI legal personality and accountability in human-centric services.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a framework tailored for AI studies, this research analyses structured interview data collected from auditors based in Poland.
Findings
The study identified new constructs to complement the taxonomy of arguments for AI legal personality: cognitive strain, consciousness, cyborg paradox, reasoning replicability, relativism, AI misuse, excessive human effort and substitution.
Research limitations/implications
The insights presented herein are primarily derived from the perspectives of Polish auditors. There is a need for further exploration into the viewpoints of other key stakeholders, such as lawyers, judges and policymakers, across various global contexts.
Practical implications
The findings of this study hold significant potential to guide the formulation of regulatory frameworks tailored to AI applications in human-centric services. The proposed sui generis AI personality institution offers a dynamic and adaptable alternative to conventional legal personality models.
Social implications
The outcomes of this research contribute to the ongoing public discourse on AI’s societal impact. It encourages a balanced assessment of the potential advantages and challenges associated with granting legal personality to AI systems.
Originality/value
This paper advocates for establishing a sui generis AI personality institution alongside a joint accountability model. This dual framework addresses the current uncertainties surrounding human, general AI and super AI characteristics and facilitates the joint accountability of responsible AI entities and their ultimate beneficiaries.
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The retail sector is not largely studied in Italy. The study offers a comparison between youth retail shift work in Milan and London. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The retail sector is not largely studied in Italy. The study offers a comparison between youth retail shift work in Milan and London. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate on the one hand on youth work and on the other hand to the debate on agency and structural factors in life planning, representation of the future and the transition to adulthood, observed in the United Kingdom's and Italian labour market. Even if the second one is a Southern European Country, these contexts are both characterised by a service-oriented economy and the widespread of precarious and flexible jobs.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative methods were used: one year of ethnographic observation, 50 interviews and two focus groups were carried out between 2015 and 2018 with retail workers and trade unionists. The contexts are Corso Buenos Aires in Milan, Italy, and Oxford Street in London, United Kingdom. Analysing young workers' discourses, the author identifies narratives that allow to grasp their present agency and imagined future.
Findings
Observing the crisis of the narrative (Sennett, 2020) allows to highlight the social consequences of working times on young workers' everyday life and future. The author argues that young workers struggle with the narrative of their present everyday life and the representation of the future. This relates to the condition of time alienation due to the flexible schedules and the fast pace of work in retail, both affecting the work-life balance.
Originality/value
The social consequences of flexible schedules in retail and fast fashion sector, which are new issues not yet sufficiently explored, are here investigated from the perspective of young workers. The study is focussed on the representations of young people working with customers in social and economic contexts characterised by flexible schedules and the deregulation of shop openings, the so-called 24/7 service society, not largely investigated in the sociological scientific literature, above all in the Italian context.
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Laura Gabrielli and Valeria Farinelli
The historic assets are heterogeneous and different to each other, and for this reason, consolidated valuation methodologies do not exist in practice or in the literature. It is…
Abstract
Purpose
The historic assets are heterogeneous and different to each other, and for this reason, consolidated valuation methodologies do not exist in practice or in the literature. It is, therefore, necessary to dwell on the study of a particular historic building type or category. The assessment process of the valuers of Venetian Villas was explored, focusing on the study of the valuation function construction. The paper investigated if a possible value function, based on the partition of the characteristics, which significantly influence the value, exists and it is generalizable to the whole set of Venetian Villas. The purpose of this paper is to contribute knowledge on the economic valuation of Venetian Villas.
Design/methodology/approach
An application of Hedonic Pricing study to a database of 71 Venetian Villas has been tested. This statistical procedure allowed the authors to discover which results in a percentage of property values can be attributed to the historical characteristics of a building. Using a multiple linear regression and its variables an analysis of residuals and data relating to the variance has been performed.
Findings
This research identifies and proposes, therefore, a valuation approach that can be generalizable to the whole set of Venetian Villas (over 4,000 properties). The models show that the most important variables which influence the value of the villas are: age, internal and external area, maintenance conditions, and author. This model could be used for future valuations of the same type of asset.
Originality/value
The model enables valuers to address better to the property valuation of the Venetian Villas through the valuation functions, which suggest which are the main features which focus in the case of a Venetian Villa valuation and what impact they have on the value asset. The model can be specifically used for valuation reports in the enhancement project of such properties.