The importance of systems thinking,context, and inclusion when studying the feasibility of expanding the FoodShare (SNAP) outreach program to rural communities of Northern Wisconsin

Evaluators often neglect to question whether a program has been appropriately designed for a new context prior to a feasibility study’s commencement. In this paper, we document the results of a case study that closely examined context when determining the feasibility of implementing a FoodShare outreach program in rural northern Wisconsin. Using community-based participatory mixed methods, we examine how stakeholder engagement led to both study refinement and a more comprehensive understanding of community food security based on contextual factors and systems thinking. Lessons learned when conducting feasibility studies from this perspective are provided to improve evaluation practice.     

Participation in Everyday Life Before and After a Housing Adaptation

Housing adaptation aims to enable clients to live independently in their own homes. Studies focusing on participation in everyday life following a housing adaptation are lacking and needed. This study aimed to explore housing adaptation clients' experiences of participation in everyday life before and after a housing adaptation, through the lens of a housing adaptation, using a qualitative follow-up design, with 11 participants. It was found that when the housing adaptation met the participants' needs, performance of activities improved and the housing adaptation opened doors to engagement and participation in everyday life. Thus, focus on performance and engagement in everyday life at the onset of the housing adaptation process, combined with regular follow-ups, may enhance participation.     

Functional and emotional traits of corporate social media message strategies: Behavioral insights from S&P 500 Facebook data

Drawing from literature regarding public engagement, the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), computer-mediated communication research, and emotion psychology, this study examines the effects of companies’ social media communication strategies on public engagement behaviors as indexed by post likes, shares, and comments. Specifically, it investigates how corporate Facebook posts’ functional traits (functional interactivity and vividness) and emotional traits (emotion presence, valence, and strength) impact public engagement online. Through data mining and computer-assisted sentiment analysis of 33,379 posts from 106 Standard & Poor 500 companies’ Facebook accounts, this study finds a negative effect of functional interactivity but a positive effect of vividness on engagement. It also shows that emotional traits overall yield stronger public engagement outcomes. Two-way interactions between emotional and functional features are also detected. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The emergence of the emergence-based approach in community practice

Community practitioners are often challenged to work in complex environments and situations that naturally occur in communities. This article focuses on the theoretical and practical use of the Emergence-Based Approach that is relevant for work in complex community situations. Using this approach, the practitioner encourages the emergence of novel ideas and initiatives, and engages a decentralized network of activists, helping them develop their initiatives. Using a field study, we compare this approach to the traditional Outcomes-Based Approach. Although their mindsets are very different, and even contradict one another, we suggest practical ways to combine the two in an effective way.     

案例教学中学生参与度及其影响因素研究——以工商管理本科生为例

学生参与度是案例教学效果得以保障的重要影响因素。研究通过问卷调查的方式进行,问卷分析结果表明,在案例教学过程中,学生大多能够认真阅读案例,但是在加入到讨论小组、主动发表自己观点和与同学辩论这三个步骤中参与程度都偏低;SPSS软件分析结果显示,影响学生参与案例教学的因素可分为五类：课堂气氛、学生自身因素、案例的难度因素、案例的新颖性和典型性因素和沟通因素。     

中国地方政府绩效评估中公民参与的障碍分析及对策

中国地方政府的绩效评估正在从传统的"上级评价下级"的内部评估模式逐步向由多元主体参与的外部评估模式转变,坚持"公民导向"成为政府绩效评估实践的重要发展趋势.公民作为政府所进行的公共管理和公共服务的最终接受者,对政府的实际绩效最有资格进行判断,公民参与绩效评估的广度与深度会直接影响最终评估结果的信度与效度.但公民参与中国地方政府绩效评估却依然面临诸多的障碍与"瓶颈".从公民角色与责任视角入手,结合中国地方政府绩效评估的实践模式,探讨了公民参与政府绩效评估中遇到的突出障碍及其基本特征,以及构建政府绩效评估中公民参与的有效机制和途径.     

从评价理论看“A Good Heart to Lean On”叙事手段

运用J．R．Martin的评价系统理论对课文“A Good Heart to Lean On”的叙事手段进行分析。将整篇课文置于评价系统中，从态度、介入和级差三方面具体地分析作者对父亲的情感变迁在词汇方面的体现，帮助学生更好地理解叙事作者是如何表达思想的，以此提高学生对语言的感悟力。     

对大学生发展影响的实证研究———以学生参与度及学校环境感知为视角

采用偏最小二乘（PIs）方法对天津市五所高校的647名本科生进行调查统计分析,并用结构方程模型方法对学生有效教育活动的参与度、学校环境感知、学生发展以及学生满意之间的影响关系进行检验,结果显示：学生参与度、学校环境感知及学生发展是多维度的,学生参与度通过学习活动、实践活动及思维意识三方面来测量,学校环境感知体现在课程构建、教师引导、硬件条件及服务支持四个方面,而学生发展包括认知发展、通识发展和自我发展;且有效教育活动的参与程度对学生发展具有显著的积极影响,学校环境感知对学生发展有直接的积极影响,同时通过学生参与的中介效应对学生发展产生间接影响;而学生发展对学生满意度有显著的积极影响。     

The role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and internal CSR communication in predicting employee engagement: Perspectives from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

This study examined relationships among employees’ perception of CSR, three models of internal CSR communication and employee engagement. The findings, based on 516 valid survey responses from employees across different sectors in the United Arab Emirates, revealed that internal communication of CSR, both one-way and two-way symmetrical, predicted employee perceptions of CSR, with two-way asymmetrical communication being a negative predictor; perceptions of CSR predicted employee engagement; social and sustainable dimensions of CSR most strongly predicted social and affective dimensions of employee engagement; and both two-way symmetrical communication of CSR and employee perceptions of CSR strongly predicted employee engagement. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.