Who gets access to fast broadband? Evidence from Los Angeles County

Regulatory and market changes in residential (fixed) broadband have raised concerns about Internet Service Providers (ISPs) prioritizing investments in the most profitable areas, thus relegating low-income and minority communities to fewer broadband options and legacy networks. This study examines these concerns for Los Angeles (LA) County during the 2014–18 period. The analysis uses rollout data collected by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in combination with demographic information from the American Community Survey (ACS). Because the spatial distribution of broadband investments cannot be directly observed, competition and the availability of FTTH services are used as proxies. The findings indicate that competition and fiber-based services are less likely in low-income areas and minority communities, with the most severe deficits observed in census block groups that combine poverty and a large share of Black residents. We outline alternative policy tools to address intracity inequalities in broadband investments in the conclusion.     

Challenges to Institutionalizing Participatory Extension: The Case of Farmer Livestock Schools in Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this article is to analyze the introduction of participatory extension approaches (PEA) in the predominantly supply-driven, hierarchical Vietnamese extension system. Drawing on the case of the so-called Farmer Livestock School (FLS) concept, the authors investigate the potential and challenges of scaling up and out the FLS/PEA principles of participatory training methods, encompassing intensive and interactive training sessions, group-based sharing of experience, practical learning, and learning-by-doing processes.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The article is based on data collected and synthesized from 36 pilot communes from 2000 to 2007 and draws on the extensive insider experience of two of its authors during their work for a DANIDA-funded livestock project.

Findings: At the micro-scale and with external support, FLS has been a successful experiment of using participatory extension approaches in farmer training and extension in the livestock sector. Yet, possibilities of scaling up and institutionalizing FLS remain a challenge given the capacity and resource limitations and the resistance at various levels within the Vietnamese extension system.

Practical Implications: The starting point for successfully institutionalizing participatory extension approaches should be to assess the existing system's root problems and capacities and then gradually and systematically introduce institutional innovations rather than aiming at a complete overhaul of a system that may result in the creation of a parallel universe.

Originality/Value: The FLS project provided a unique opportunity to study the enabling and constraining factors of institutionalizing participatory extension approaches in a traditionally top-down oriented extension system beyond the immediate duration of an externally orchestrated project.     

Culture,education et developpement technologique dans la croissance des nouveaux pays industrialises: Le cas de la Coree du Sud

Résumé Depuis plusieurs années, on assiste à la croissance industrielle, à un rythme élevé, des pays dits nouveaux pays industrialisés (NPI). Parmi ceux-ci, la Corée du Sud qui connait un taux de croissance impressionnant, a mis en application une stratégie qu'il serait intéressant d'approfondir. Il importe également de mettre en avant les facteurs autres qu'économiques qui ont pu contribuer à cette croissance industrielle. Dans cet esprit, le présent article se propose d'examiner le rôle et la place des facteurs culturels (tradition culturelle confucianiste), des ressources humaines (éducation et emploi) et du développement technologique (transfert de technologie, RD) dans cette stratégie de croissance, ainsi que certaines limites propres à un tel modèle sur le plan politique et social.

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The last few years have witnessed the increased pace of industrial growth in countries termed newly industrialized countries (NICs). Among these, South Korea has achieved an impressive rate of growth by applying a strategy that merits study. It is also relevant to bring to the fore the non-economic factors which have contributed to this industrial growth. To this end the present article sets out to examine the role and place of cultural factors (the Confucianist cultural tradition), human resources (education and employment) and technological development (technology transfer, R and D) in this growth strategy. It further considers certain political and social limits to such a growth model.

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Zusammenfassung In den letzten Jahren hat sich die industrielle Wachstumsrate in Ländern, die als sogenannte neuindustrialisierte Länder bezeichnet werden, erhöht. Zu diesen Ländern gehört Südkorea, das eine beeindruckende Wachstumsrate erzielen konnte aufgrund einer Strategie, die es noch weiter zu erforschen gilt. Zusätzlich sind die nicht wirtschaftlichen Faktoren relevant, die zum industriellen Wachstum mit beigetragen haben. Zu diesem Zweck ist der Verfasser des vorliegenden Artikels bemüht, die Rolle und den Stellenwert der kulturellen Faktoren (die konfuzianische kulturelle Tradition), die menschlichen Ressourcen (Erziehung und Beruf) und die technische Entwicklung (Technologietransfer, Forschung und Entwicklung) dieser Wachstumsstrategie zu untersuchen. Berücksichtigt werden ferner die politischen und gesellschaftlichen Grenzen des Wachstumsmodells.

     

The Use of Think-Aloud to Evaluate a Navigation Structure for a Multimedia Health and Wellness Application for Older Adults and Their Caregivers

Despite the increasing use of health information technologies (HITs) for older adults living in the community and their caregivers, few have been rigorously evaluated for usability by the end users. Think-aloud protocols are a relatively easy method for both clinicians and researchers to use with older adults and those therapists that work with them to provide such an evaluation. In the present report, we provide an exemplar using this method in order to evaluate the usability of a health and wellness technology tool designed for older adults and caregivers. In addition, we discuss methodological and practical considerations for others interested in this approach. The methodology described in this study is easy and practical to undertake, and it can be effectively conducted by researchers and clinicians to find usability issues related to HITs for older adults and their caregivers.     

The role of entertainment in engagement with climate change

Abstract

The blending of entertainment and education is often used as a mechanism for communicating science to the general public. Key to dissemination of scientific information is cognitive engagement of the audience with the content. The authors describe a study investigating the relationship between entertaining videos and cognitive engagement of the viewer on a topic associated with climate change. Two identical videos discussing the science of climate change were created, with one video containing additional content that was entertaining and based on popular cultural references. Viewers completed an online survey (n?=?472) and the data demonstrated that there was no direct link between presentation of the climate change information in an entertaining video and an individual’s level of cognitive engagement with the content. Further, that an indirect link was identified so that perceived entertainment increased cognitive engagement. These findings may be useful for communicators of environmental issues, especially with consideration of the development of the field of edutainment.     

The Invariance Paradox: Using Optimal Test Design to Minimize Bias

Studies investigating invariance have often been limited to measurement or prediction invariance. Selection invariance, wherein the use of test scores for classification results in equivalent classification accuracy between groups, has received comparatively little attention in the psychometric literature. Previous research suggests that some form of selection bias (lack of selection invariance) will exist in most testing contexts, where classification decisions are made, even when meeting the conditions of measurement invariance. We define this conflict between measurement and selection invariance as the invariance paradox. Previous research has found test reliability to be an important factor in minimizing selection bias. This study demonstrates that the location of maximum test information may be a more important factor than overall test reliability in minimizing decision errors between groups.     

Dynamic changes in perfectionism dimensions and psychological distress among adolescents assessed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

This prospective longitudinal study evaluated changes in psychological distress among adolescents, pre-pandemic to intra-pandemic, the extent to which within-person and between-person differences in trait multidimensional perfectionism were associated with such changes, and the role of stress in explaining associations between perfectionism and psychological distress. Adolescents (N = 187; 80% female; 78% White, 7% Asian Canadian, 2% Indigenous Peoples in Canada, 2% Black or African Canadian, 2% Latin Canadian, or 9% Other; M_age = 17.96 years) completed online surveys assessing perfectionism (i.e., self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism), depression, anxiety, and stress pre-pandemic (i.e., March 12, 2020 or earlier) and during Ontario, Canada's first (i.e., March 13, 2020 to July 24, 2020) and second (December 26, 2020 to February 7, 2021) government-mandated lockdowns. Between-person differences and within-person changes in multidimensional trait perfectionism were associated with increases in psychological distress and perceived stress. Perceived stress served as an intermediary pathway linking multidimensional trait perfectionism to psychological distress during the pandemic.