It's a question of balance: Reconsidering learning partnerships through genuine teacher mentoring conversations

In Australia, and internationally, mentoring is proffered as a powerful professional learning experience for both early career teachers (ECTs) and their mentors alike. However, authentically beneficial learning partnerships have proven challenging to achieve. This paper provides a theoretical and practical response to this issue, arguing the criticality of genuine conversations cultivated through balanced, non-hierarchical questioning to position ECTs and mentors as co-learners. Drawing on positioning theory in conjunction with the concept of genuine conversations, the contents of five recorded mentoring conversations involving Australian ECTs and mentors were analysed. These findings have important implications for mentoring practice across educational contexts

Teacher wellbeing in rural, regional, and metropolitan schools: Examining resources and demands across locations

Teachers’ work conditions impact their wellbeing. However, it is currently not well-known what role school location plays in these associations. The current study used a multigroup structural equation model to identify similarities and differences in the associations between job demands/resources, self-efficacy, and teacher wellbeing in rural, regional, and metropolitan locations in Australia. Workload and student behavior stress (negatively) and teacher collaboration (positively) were predictive of teacher wellbeing in all locations. In contrast, professional development irrelevance had unique associations with wellbeing for rural teachers. The findings suggest the importance of considering what demands/resources are most salient for teachers in specific contexts

Narcissism, Social Media Addiction, Self-Esteem, and Haxeco Traits: Exploring Influences on Life Satisfaction Among Generation Z

Thanh Ngoc Dan Nguyen,1 Hao Yen Tran,2 Giang Hoang Minh Nguyen,2 Yen Kim Nguyen,2 Hoai Thi Mong Dinh2 1Faculty of Business Administration, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 2School of Advanced Study, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamCorrespondence: Thanh Ngoc Dan Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Vietnam, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to analyze the influence of narcissism on self-esteem and social media addiction. In addition, it highlights the consequences of social media addiction through internal factors such as self-esteem and external factors such as life satisfaction. It also examined the regulatory role of personality traits in this context.Participants and Methods: Conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, it surveyed 426 Generation Z individuals aged 13– 26 spending over two hours daily on social media, using convenience sampling. Data analysis and reliability assessment were done with SPSS 29, and SmartPLS 4 evaluated the linear structural model.Results: The study has demonstrated that narcissism among Generation Z significantly influences life satisfaction. The results indicate that narcissism plays a crucial role in determining the self-esteem of Generation Z. Furthermore, individuals exhibit varying levels of narcissism, which are positively related to various online social activities. Therefore, high levels of narcissism are likely to lead to social media addiction. Those who exhibit symptoms of social media addiction tend to have lower self-esteem because they perceive social media as a safe space where they can express themselves. However, each individual possesses unique personality traits, and this study has proven that specific personality traits such as Agreeableness and Openness impact the life satisfaction of Generation Z.Conclusion: The study investigated how narcissism, self-esteem, and social media addiction affect life satisfaction among Generation Z, exploring their complex interplay and mental health implications. It emphasized Gen Z’s widespread social media engagement and addiction risks, impacting mental health and emotional satisfaction. Additionally, it highlighted the influence of personality traits on life satisfaction. The examination scrutinized the intricate relationship between self-esteem and narcissism, stressing its nuances, especially among Generation Z.Keywords: narcissism, social media addiction, self-esteem, life satisfaction, HEXACO traits, Gen

PFAS removal from landfill leachate by ozone foam fractionation: System optimization and adsorption quantification.

Landfills are the primary endpoint for the disposal of PFAS-laden waste, which subsequently releases PFAS to the surrounding environments through landfill leachate. Ozone foam fractionation emerges as a promising technology for PFAS removal to address the issue. This study aims to (i) assess the effectiveness of the ozone foam fractionation system to remove PFAS from landfill leachate, and (ii) quantify equilibrium PFAS adsorption onto the gas-water interface of ozone bubbles, followed by a comparison with air foam fractionation. The results show that ozone foam fractionation is effective for PFAS removal from landfill leachate, with more than 90 % long-chain PFAS removed. The identified operating conditions provide valuable insights for industrial applications, guiding the optimization of ozone flow rates (1 L/min), dosing (43 mg/L) and minimizing foamate production (4 % wettability). The equilibrium modelling reveals that the surface excess of air bubbles exceeds that of ozone bubbles by 20-40 % at a corresponding PFAS concentration. However, the overall removal of PFAS from landfill leachate by ozone foam fractionation remains substantial. Notably, ozone foam fractionation generates foamate volumes 2 - 4 times less, resulting in significant cost savings for the final disposal of waste products and reduced site storage requirements

Myxomycetes recorded from three lowland tropical forests in Vietnam

Abstract The first report of myxomycetes from Vietnam was in 2009 by van Hooff, who listed 23 species, including one (Cribraria tecta) new to science, from moist chamber cultures prepared with samples of dead leaves, lychee husks, woody twigs and herbaceous stems. Two other species, both new to science, were reported in a recent paper. The project reported herein investigated the occurrence of myxomycetes in moist chamber cultures prepared with samples of various types of dead plant material collected in three lowland tropical forests in Vietnam. These samples were randomly collected from Cuc Phuong, Bu Gia Map and Nam Cat Tien national parks in the late dry season or between the dry season and the rainy season during 2012 and 2013. From 360 moist chambers, 43 species of myxomycetes representing 19 genera were recorded. The most abundant species were Arcyria cinerea, Collaria arcyrionema, Cribraria microcarpa, Cribraria violacea, Perichaena chrysosperma and Perichaena depressa. The taxonomic composition of the assemblage of species associated with the three study areas was found to be similar to what has been reported from Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, the other regions of SE Asia for which comparable studies have been carried out. In brief, the present project added 32 new records of myxomycetes for Vietnam, increasing the total number of species known from the country to 57

Evaluation of sealants to mitigate the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from AFFF-impacted concrete: Characterization and forecasting.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) within concrete pads impacted by historical firefighting training using aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) may be potential secondary sources of PFAS due to surficial leaching. This study aimed to (i) characterize the effectiveness of two commercially available sealants (Product A and Product B) in mitigating leaching of five PFAS (e.g., PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFHxA, 6:2 FTS) from concrete surfaces at the laboratory-scale, and (ii) develop a model to forecast cumulative leaching of the same five PFAS over 20 years from sealed and unsealed concrete surfaces. Laboratory trials demonstrated that both sealants reduced the surficial leaching of the five PFAS studied, and Product B demonstrated a comparatively greater reduction in surface leaching than Product A as measured against unsealed controls. The cumulative PFOS leaching from an unsealed concrete surface is estimated by the model to be about 400 mg/m2 over 20 years and reached asymptotic conditions after 15 years. In contrast, the model output suggests asymptotic conditions were not achieved within the modeled time of 20 years after sealing with Product A and 85% of PFOS was predicted to have leached (∼340 mg/m2). Negligible leaching of PFOS after sealing with Product B was observed ( < 5 × 10-9 mg/m2). Results from modeled rainfall scenarios suggest PFAS leachability is reduced from sealed versus unsealed AFFF-impacted concrete surfaces

Team Learning: the Missing Construct from a Cross-Cultural Examination of Higher Education?

Team learning should be an important construct in organizational management research because team learning can enhance organizational learning and overall performance. However, there is limited understanding of how team learning works in different cultural contexts. Using an international comparative research approach, we developed a framework of antecedents and outcomes in the higher education context and tested it with samples from the UK and Vietnam. The results show that a common framework is applicable in the two different contexts, subject to slight modifications. However, this study does not find that team learning (measured via the proxy of “attitude towards team learning”) exhibits any statistically significant relationship as a predictor of the proposed outcomes. Other findings from this study on educational contexts are important not only to scholars in this field, but also for practicing managers, particularly those who study and operate in the extensive global market

Occurrence, spatiotemporal trends, fate, and treatment technologies for microplastics and organic contaminants in biosolids: A review.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, fate, treatment and multi-criteria analysis of microplastics (MPs) and organic contaminants (OCs) in biosolids. A meta-analysis was complementarily analysed through the literature to map out the occurrence and fate of MPs and 10 different groups of OCs. The data demonstrate that MPs (54.7% occurrence rate) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants (44.2% occurrence rate) account for the highest prevalence of contaminants in biosolids. In turn, dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) have the lowest rates (<0.01%). The occurrence of several OCs (e.g., dioxin, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceutical and personal care products, ultraviolet filters, phosphate flame retardants) in Europe appear at higher rates than in Asia and the Americas. However, MP concentrations in biosolids from Australia are reported to be 10 times higher than in America and Europe, which required more measurement data for in-depth analysis. Amongst the OC groups, brominated flame retardants exhibited exceptional sorption to biosolids with partitioning coefficients (log Kd) higher than 4. To remove these contaminants from biosolids, a wide range of technologies have been developed. Our multicriteria analysis shows that anaerobic digestion is the most mature and practical. Thermal treatment is a viable option; however, it still requires additional improvements in infrastructure, legislation, and public acceptance

µ-X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and fluorine K-edge µ-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy for detection of PFAS distribution in the impacted concrete

An improved understanding of the distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in PFAS-impacted concrete is important for risk management and decontamination of PFAS. This study incorporates µ-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) and fluorine K-edge µ-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (µ-XANES) spectroscopy to gain non-destructive insights into PFAS distribution in the impacted concrete. The μ-XRF and μ-XANES spectroscopy provided additional details on the detection of PFAS, which were not detected by the desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) imaging method conducted previously. The shorter chain PFAS were found on the top part of the concrete core (0.5 cm), and longer chain PFAS were mostly at the bottom part of the concrete core (5 cm). The inorganic fluorine fraction was also detected, and it likely hampered the detection of organic fluorine such as PFAS in the concrete. Thus, this non-destructive technique is an complementary approach to detect PFAS in contaminated concrete