The environmental protection in the socio-economic development

Perspective of socio-economic development depends on many factors, mainly the the respective structural and systemic changes, and the proper use of resources. System and structural solutions accompanied by the necessary investment and funds along with the institutional support will have an overwhelming influence on this development. This paper presents the problems of environmental protection and the most important economic instruments for the environmental protection in socio-economic development. In this paper first discusses the theoretical environmental protection, then the issue of instruments in this field. The work ends with a brief conclusion.

The paper highlights the problem of creative and artistic development of preschoolers by means of art. The place and role of art in the creative and artistic development of children of senior preschool age are determined. The content and peculiarities of the creative and artistic development of children in the process of educational activity by means of art are revealed. The pedagogical conditions for the creative and artistic development of preschool children in the process of artistic activity are singled out on the basis of analyzed modern concepts. On the basis of pedagogical conditions, a model of creative and artistic development of children of senior preschool age by means of art is designed. Researchers reveal in children of the senior preschool age the dynamics of creative and artistic development and the degree of the development of the investigated qualities in children of the control and experimental groups is analyzed. The necessity of searching for rational ways and precisely specifying the mechanism of using art in the process of creative and artistic development of children of the senior preschool age is emphasized.

The specificity of guanxi – positive or negative social capital?

The text presents the problem of a Chinese-specific phenomenon known as guanxi. Their features and their connection with Confucianism were discussed. They emphasized their permanence and continuous presence in Chinese society, emphasizing their evolution after China adopted the principles of market economy. Also tried to look at guanxi in terms of social capital, showing elements connecting both phenomena. It has been noted that some researchers have a tendency to perceive guanxi in terms of negative social capital. This approach was considered as unauthorized as a result of Western ethnocentrism and pointed to the need to respect the cultural distinctiveness of the East and West. It has also been pointed out, that the interest in China and the role that guanxi play, especially in the sphere of economy, may be due to fears of Chinese domination, as well as the lack of understanding by the West that effective modernization based on other patterns is possible than those preferred in the Euro-Atlantic cultural circle.

Contemporary adolescents are tempted by effortless, consumerist lifestyles devoid of reflection. They display pretentious attitudes and exhibit problems with proper functioning within the society. Therefore, it is necessary to change educational processes at school in order to promote intensive emotional and spiritual development in pupils, so that young generations comprehensively develop to handle future problems, as well as to be able to construct their own knowledge about themselves and the outside world. Competent teachers can play certain roles in this process, introducing their pupils into the rich world of values.

Tożsamość jest jedną z kluczowych kategorii, która z uwagi na zmiany kulturowe, światopoglądowe czy ideologiczne uzyskała swoiste reprezentacje interpretacyjne w dyskursach oraz przestrzeni społecznej. Zmiany te skłaniać powinny do refleksji nad dotychczasową percepcją, a także recepcją fundamentalnych kategorii pozwalających zrozumieć, czym współcześnie jest tożsamość i jakie jest jej osadzenie w źródłach podmiotowości rozumianej w perspektywie wykładni Heideggerowskiego bycia-w-świecie (Dasein) czy Lacanowskiego pragnienia oraz relacji do Innego. Egzemplifikacja tych ontologicznych i fenomenologicznych reprezentacji nie jest przypadkowa, nie jest też wyborem dyskursu nazywanego z nieukrywaną dziś dezaprobatą – postmodernistyczną manierą uznawaną w swej ignorancji za (post)prawdę. Wyłonienie przedstawianych w tekście fenomenów kulturowych jest celowym ukazaniem spektrum takiego rodzaju hermeneutyki, która pozwala na uwzględnienie współczesnego rozumienia człowieka jako bytu uwikłanego w postęp technologiczny, określanego przez interes poznawczy i jednocześnie poddanego konieczności emancypacyjnej jako niezbywalnego prawa jednostki wyznaczającego jej miejsce w świecie i dla świata. Z drugiej strony mamy do czynienia z podmiotem, który niezmiennie uwikłany jest we własną historię rodzinną, lęki egzystencjalne czy jednostkowe kompleksy wynikające z nieadekwatności wobec otaczającej rzeczywistości i niepewnych relacji z Innym.

The article presents a solution for one of the significant tasks in pedagogical science and practice, namely the development of regulatory skills in younger school pupils as a significant factor of their educational and cognitive competence development. The aim of our study was to conduct practical evaluation of the proposed program of the development of regulatory skills in younger school pupils. Scientific novelty consists in the created program of the development of regulatory skills in younger school pupils, which generally allow for increasing education and cognitive competence, which is the basis for pupils’ functional expertise, in accordance with the aims and tasks of the state-significance documentation. The study used logical and historical analysis of scientific literature on the topic, pedagogical observation, a survey, questionnaires, testing and a pedagogical experiment. Based on the obtained results, we developed educational and methodological recommendations for teachers on the topic of developing regulatory skills in young school pupils, as an elective class program for 2nd-grade pupils.

Developmental disharmony is usually defined as adverse deviation from the normal development, regardless of reasons that cause it (Lagae, 2008). According to the APA, the problem concerns about 5-10% of school-age children (APA, 2000). The symptoms of developmental disharmony are heterogeneous and their manifestation is determined by the age of the child. The sphere of motor development plays a dominant role in the presentation of these disorders in the case of small children. So researchers suggest a psychomotor diagnosis as the most desirable diagnosis in the case of developmental disharmony of a small child. One of the tools allowing for such a diagnosis is German test MOT 4-6. The purpose of this article was to describe the validation procedure of the Polish version of the psychomotor MOT 4-6 by R. Zimmer and M. Volkammer for four-year-old children. This age group, due to the lack of objective tools, is very rarely included in diagnostic procedures. Results: The validation of the Polish version of the MOT 4-6 for four-year-old children indicates this tool as accurate and reliable in diagnosing delays in the psychomotor development of small children. The Polish adaptation of the test will help to fill the existing gap in Polish diagnostic tools for four-year-olds.

Koncepcję państwa rozwojowego uznaje się za kluczową w historycznym procesie modernizacji gospodarek wschodnioazjatyckich. Jednym z kluczowych jej elementów jest kontrakt społeczny, definiujący wzajemne powiązania uczestników procesów rozwojowych: elity politycznej, biurokracji gospodarczej, społeczeństwa oraz sektora biznesowego. Ich interakcja jest zdefiniowana poprzez pojęcie „osadzonej autonomii”. Społeczeństwo i biznes mogą wpływać na państwo poprzez instytucjonalnie umocowane kanały komunikacji; niemniej jednak państwo pozostaje w dużym stopniu autonomiczne w procesie podejmowania decyzji dotyczących polityki rozwojowej oraz budowy instytucji, co w rezultacie umożliwia pomnażanie zasobów. Państwo funkcjonuje poprzez koalicje, mające po pierwsze za zadanie osłabienie pozycji społeczeństwa, ale jednocześnie upodmiotowienie pewnych jego elementów; po drugie włączenie w procesy rozwojowe części sektora biznesowego poprzez stworzenie sojuszu państwa i biznesu.

The author of the article expresses the opinion that teachers’ professional activity, their professional and personal development is an important multidimensional and multi-faceted problem that requires an in-depth analysis. One of effective ways of solving the problem would be to study the needs of teachertraining, since the gap between professional education received in higher educational institutions and the upgrade of qualifications which takes place every five years, as well as lack of motivation for professional development, fail to contribute to the overcoming of many negative phenomena (pedagogical crises, pedagogical burnout, professional stagnation). The article describes the categories of development (personal and professional) and educational needs (of modern teachers) and investigates the peculiarities of forming teachers’ educational needs. Research results among different age groups are presented. The purpose of this study was to find out the level of the demand for educational needs, to assess the quality of educational services which are provided, to identify the driving motives, as well as to determine the prospects for improving the effectiveness of educational activities within this category.

The aim of the presented research results was to diagnose changes in leisure time behaviours in the situation of the Covid-19 epidemic. The acquired knowledge about changing leisure time behaviour will be used to develop programmes to promote leisure time activity for students during and after the pandemic. The respondents used the Jay B. Nash model of leisure time, which indicates 4 levels of positive use of leisure time and also includes 2 negative levels, i.e. excesses and crime. We assume that the change in leisure time behaviours during the pandemic may consist in creating more valuable forms of activity, giving not so much pleasure but satisfaction (e.g. pursuing interests, creative activity). We also assume that as a result of these changes a sense of spending time in a valuable and meaningful way during the pandemic (building health, feeling satisfied) will be created, which may result in the permanence of the behavioural changes that have occurred, which may become new health and leisure time habits.

The aim of the cross-sectional study is to map the development of self-concept in adolescents in terms of the Piers-Harris domain approach as well as to capture gender specifics, if any, in the process of its formation. Research involved 290 adolescents, divided in three age categories. The Piers-Harris Children’s and Adolescents´ Self-Concept Scale (Obereignerů et al., 2015) was used as the research tool. Results do not indicate statistically significant differences between groups of adolescents in their overall self-concept by age, except in certain self-concept dimensions. More specific results are provided by the gender analysis of age differences. Over time, change in physical self-concept (PHY) occurs in boys, and changes in behavioural self and anxiety (BEH, FRE) occur in girls. Results of the study can be taken into consideration by all school professionals in their work.

Covid-19 is considered as an important factor that impacts largely on the security and development. Covid-19 has caused the shiftin the definition of the national security and significance of new emerging non-traditional security issues, for instance the health security, and human security. Accordingly, Covid-19 has had devastating effects on the poor and human development, due to the economic recession and diversion of resources to focus on coping with the virus, stressing the accomplishment of sustainable development goals. It is anticipated that the entanglement of security and development issues gives rise to more complex challenges to ensure the stability and progress of sustainable economic development. This context has raised a question of how countries, especially lower middle-income countries like Vietnam, could cope with arising challenges and opportunities in the new context. This research concludes that Vietnam, as a perfect case study, has strongly supported global and regional cooperation to reset development agenda to focus on quick economic recovery towards resilient, green inclusive, and sustainable development. Internally, Vietnam was successful in controlling the pandemic, and become one of few countries that achieved positive GDP growth in the region in 2020. The key to overcome these challenges remains with the Communist Party of Vietnam’s strong political leadership to control Covid-19, and to take advantages of development trends such as globalization, shifting of supply chain, digital economy, and green recovery and green growth.

At present, not only the representatives of the world of science, but also ordinary inhabitants of the Earth follow evolutionary theories with interest. They ask themselves questions such as: Who are we in reality?, How have we developed in the history of humanity?, Have we indeed, as claimed by Charles Darwin, evolved from creatures who physically and intellectually were, colloquially speaking, no match for us?, Where are humanity and the human heading for and what will humans look like in the future?, What will the world be like in a few centuries? At a time when the dispute between the opponents and propagators of the theory of evolution is still hot, many scientists – assuming that evolution indeed takes place – wonder where this evolutionary process will lead us.

Scholars over the years have delved into the discourse of states’ foreign publics engagements in their foreign policy objectives. This analysis is done generally with the western perspective of public diplomacy with recent Asian scholarship evolving. As a result, this study aims to reflect on public diplomacy from an African perspective. Therefore, it analyses how African governments have been engaging their foreign publics (foreign governments and their citizens) to attract foreign aid, tourism, and investments in their nation-building and development trajectory. The article explores African public diplomacy mechanisms such as diasporas, nation branding, cultural diplomacy, and many others. It also digests some of the challenges confronting African governments in their public diplomacy campaigns, like lack of research, human and financial resources, and lack of coherent foreign policy documents. The article’s findings demonstrate that although Africa generally has rich public diplomacy resources, these are not adequately harnessed in most African states’ foreign policy. This situation has led to poor foreign policy implementation by most African governments. The study contributes to the public diplomacy scholarship in general and African public diplomacy in particular, which scholars have underexplored. It concludes that scholars should delve into the exegesis of the rich African public diplomacy currencies.

Regional market integration is crucial in increasing development for emerging economies. However, research has shown that, in the case of developing countries, the process of market integration faces various obstacles. This study aims to analyse the key determinants of successful market integration for developing countries, as well as to investigate under what conditions some countries may benefit more (or less) than others from market integration, particularly in the SADC region. Based on the existing literature on the main debates and theories on regional market integration of developing countries, this study has used the method of process-tracing to investigate the causal relationship between governance and institutions, market integration and development. The analysis based on this study has found that good and sound policies aimed at increasing domestic capabilities deriving from both public and private governance and institutions is vital in determining relative market integration success. The results indicate that the discrepancies found among SADC Member States hinder the process of regional market integration. On this basis, it is recommended that the linkages between the SADC Member States be strengthened through increased levels of coordination and integration.

Creativity as a perspective of experience. Synergy of experiences in (whole) life creativity

The intention of the author’s study is to show the role of creativity as a perspective of experience in the context of the processes of (whole) life creativity as the need for (self) realization of a human being in development. Creativity and the process of creation – being a coherent unity of thinking, feeling and acting is a kind of full and fulfilled experience. Through the qualitative understanding of human action, man is treated as an entity that creates and transforms the surrounding reality. Each area of activity in which the individual participates is co-created by him. It can be a specific manifestation of synergy (synergy effect), where we obtain multiplied benefits thanks to the skillful combination of the components of the whole. Creativity as a perspective of experience shows the meaning of creative work that gives meaning to life. Creativity (whole) in life was presented as folk art that expresses human psychological needs and as a life story and its expression on the example of the (in) obvious biography of a self-born creator. Creativity (whole) in life, present in folk and self-born creativity confirms its recognition as a personal, social, cognitive and aesthetic value.

Innovation is one of the key factors for growth and development in any society. However, there are many factors that can potentially impede innovation capacity. One of them is culture; this study has investigated how some African cultural practices can affect innovation potential. The author has taking into consideration such practices like prostrating, kneeling, bowing to show respect when greeting, and the perception that asking questions / been curious is impolite and disrespectful. Innovation can be triggered by curiosity and the desire to try new things; hence this research is an attempt to understand how intellectual curiosity and creativity can be stifled as a result of excessive adherence to certain cultural practices. The survey design used to collect primary data for the research featured 57 questions with total respondents of 502. Logistic regression was used to measure the predictive power and the degree to which the independent variables affected the target variable. 65% of respondents asserted that they grew up learning to be curious and had the cultural privilege to ask questions around older people. The study shows a positive relationship between growing up curious, asking questions around older people, and being potentially innovative while other cultural practices like showing respect by prostrating, kneeling, bowing, curiosity and not challenging traditional practices shows a negative relationship with innovation potential with the highest negative correlation value. However, this does not suggest that the continuous observance of these practices suppresses people’s innovation potential because correlation does not imply causation. The findings in this study implies that for Africa and Nigeria to become more competitive with respect to innovation potential, it must embrace and prioritize an open culture that eliminates subjugation in any form, one that values curiosity, out of the box thinking and creativity.

Inquisitiv as a Stage of Cognitive Activity of Children of Preschool Age

The article considers the essence of the concept of «curiosity » of preschool children. The theoretical and methodological substantiation of the researched problem is determined. The analysis of the works of scientists allowed to emphasize the need to cover this issue. Emphasis is placed on the process of cognition, which has several stages and it begins with the innate curiosity of the child. Under the guidance of an adult, whether in a preschool or with parents at home, curiosity is formed, which later grows into cognitive interest. The formation and improvement of cognitive interest, which generates cognitive activity, which is the culmination of the development and formation of the personality of a preschool child, is highlighted. It was found that curiosity is a source of cognitive interest of the preschooler, as well as the processes underlying the cognitive activity of older preschool children. The structure of the child’s curiosity development is clarified, which is formed on the basis of elementary curiosity and with further guidance develops on the basis of children’s natural cognitive needs. The process of cognition is full of emotions caused by the process of intellectual work and the perspective that arises in the course of cognition. Signs of preschooler’s curiosity are expressed, which are expressed in cognitive issues, desire to find solutions to problems, to gain new knowledge, inner openness to people, phenomena, the world, sincere desire to meet cognitive needs and gain new experiences or impressions. The conditions of successful development of curiosity in preschool children are characterized: creation of cognitive environment (fullness of zones, centers), encouragement of manifestations of independence in solving problems, in various activities, providing information that determines children’s social experience, holistic view of the environment, a variety of ways of activity and is actualized as cognitive activity. The connection between curiosity and its importance, which will be needed in the further school stage of life, is considered, because it is the basis on which the process of formation and development of independent cognitive activity of a senior preschooler is built. It is proved that successful mastering of experience, effective development of personality occurs only in active activity, in purposeful efforts to obtain the planned result. Much depends on the human environment: understanding, stimulation, support, communication are important in the formation of personality and education of curiosity. Further ways of research of a problem of development of cognitive activity are defined: comparison of all components, stages in their similarities and differences.

Coasts have always been a subject of intense protection and have been considered as a collective good of particular value for the humans. In Spain, given the State ownership thereof and its configuration as a public domain good, its legal regime lead us to consider the littoral lands as an inalienable, unseizable, and imprescriptible property. Its traditional protection has carried as well, a considerable amount of prohibitions and limitations on its use. But, nowadays, administrative intervention has focused its attention in some economic sectors as the tourist one in order to limit its development to suit it in an environmental protection politic that is needed to balance the littoral preservation with the exploitation of one of the most important economic sectors in Spain, as it is the tourist one. This work aims to show an outlook of the current regulation of the coasts as the scope in which the tourist sector development has to suit.

The European Union’s Economic Development Strategy and Cooperation with the Countries of Central Asia

The purpose of this study is to analyse the European Union (EU) economic and development cooperation in Central Asia. EU’s economic support to Central Asian countries strengthens its position in this region. Central Asia is a key strategic area for cooperation and the EU seems to have deeper engagement. Moreover, this research highlights the EU’s strategic gear up with Central Asian countries from 2007 to till now. Since the EU launched the Central Asia Strategy in 2007, the objective of this policy is to provide development assistance and establish diplomatic channels in the region. The following research questions rely on, why is Central Asia important to the EU and how does it shape relations with Central Asian countries? And this study relies on qualitative analysis that will be used in this research which addresses the main research problems. Further, the study uses the empirical approach to justify answers to the questions and identify the research outcomes.