Moral Education in the Japanese Primary School Curricular Revision at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century: Aiming at a Rich and Beautiful Kokoro

This study examines values education in Japanese schools at the beginning of the millennium. The topic was approached by asking the following three questions concerning the curricular background, the morality conveyed through textbooks and the characterization of moral education from a comparative viewpoint: 1) What role did moral education play in the curriculum revision which was initiated in 1998 and implemented in 2002? 2) What kinds of moral responsibilities and moral autonomy do the moral texts develop? 3) What does Japanese moral education look like in terms of the comparative framework? The research was based on curriculum research. Its primary empirical data consisted of the national curriculum guidelines for primary school, which were taken into use in 2002, and moral texts, Kokoro no nôto, published by the Ministry of Education in the same context. Since moral education was approached in the education reform context, the secondary research material involved some key documents of the revision process from the mid-1990s to 2003. The research material was collected during three fieldwork periods in Japan (in 2002, 2003 and 2005). The text-analysis was conducted as a theory-dependent qualitative content analysis. Japanese moral education was analyzed as a product of its own cultural tradition and societal answer to the current educational challenges. In order to understand better its character, secular moral education was reflected upon from a comparative viewpoint. The theory chosen for the comparative framework, the value realistic theory of education, represented the European rational education tradition as well as the Christian tradition of values education. Moral education, which was the most important school subject at the beginning of modern school, was eliminated from the curriculum for political reasons in a school reform after the Second World War, but has gradually regained a stronger position since then. It was reinforced particularly at the turn of millennium, when a curriculum revision attempted to respond to educational and learning problems by emphasizing qualitative and value aspects. Although the number of moral lessons and their status as a non-official-subject remained unchanged, the Ministry of Education made efforts to improve moral education by new curricular emphases, new teaching material and additional in-service training possibilities for teachers. The content of the moral texts was summarized in terms of moral responsibility in four moral areas (intrapersonal, interpersonal, natural-supranatural and societal) as follows: 1) continuous self-development, 2) caring for others, 3) awe of life and forces beyond human power, and 4) societal contribution. There was a social-societal and emotional emphasis in what was taught. Moral autonomy, which was studied from the perspectives of rational, affective and individuality development, stressed independence in action through self-discipline and responsibility more than rational self-direction. Japanese moral education can be characterized as the education of kokoro (heart) and the development of character, which arises from virtue ethics. It aims to overcome egoistic individualism by reciprocal and interdependent moral responsibility based on responsible interconnectedness.

Examining effectiveness of an immigrant labor market integration intervention. The role of acculturation, discrimination, self-efficacy, outcome expectances, action and coping planning.

The designing of effective intervention tools to improve immigrants’ labor market integration remains an important topic in contemporary Western societies. This study examines whether and how a new intervention tool, Working Life Certificate (WLC), helps unemployed immigrants to find employment and strengthen their belief of their vocational skills. The study is based on quantitative longitudinal survey data from 174 unemployed immigrants of various origins who participated in the pilot phase of WLC examinations in 2009. Surveys were administered in three waves: before the test, right after it, and three months later. Although it is often argued that the unemployment among immigrants is due either to their lack of skills and cultural differences or to discrimination in recruitment, scholars within social psychology of behavior change argue that the best way of helping people to achieve their goals (e.g. finding employment) is to build up their sense of self-efficacy, alter their outcome expectances in a more positive direction or to help them to construct more detailed action and coping plans. This study aims to shed light on the role of these concepts in immigrants’ labor market integration. The results support the theories of behavior change moderately. Having positive expectances regarding the outcomes of various job search behaviors was found to predict employment in the future. Together with action and coping planning it also predicted increase in job search behavior. The intervention, WLC, was able to affect participants’ self-efficacy, but contrary to expectations, self-efficacy was found not to be related to either job search behavior or future labor market status. Also, perceived discrimination did not explain problems in finding employment, but hints of subtle or structural discrimination were found. Adoption of Finnish work culture together with strong family culture was found to predict future employment. Hence, in this thesis I argue that awarding people diplomas should be preferred in immigrant integration training as it strengthens people’s sense of self-efficacy. Instead of teaching new information, more attention should be directed at changing people’s outcome expectances in a more positive direction and helping them to construct detailed plans on how to achieve their goals.

Impact of agricultural market liberalization on food security in developing countries : a comparative study of Kenya and Zambia

This research investigates the impacts of agricultural market liberalization on food security in developing countries and it evaluates the supply perspective of food security. This research theme is applied on the agricultural sector in Kenya and in Zambia by studying the role policies played in the maize sub-sector. An evaluation of selected policies introduced at the beginning of the 1980s is made, as well as an assessment of whether those policies influenced maize output. A theoretical model of agricultural production is then formulated to reflect cereal production in a developing country setting. This study begins with a review of the general framework and the aims of the structural adjustment programs and proceeds to their application in the maize sector in Kenya and Zambia. A literature review of the supply and demand synthesis of food security is presented with examples from various developing countries. Contrary to previous studies on food security, this study assesses two countries with divergent economic orientations. Agricultural sector response to economic and institutional policies in different settings is also evaluated. Finally, a dynamic time series econometric model is applied to assess the effects of policy on maize output. The empirical findings suggest a weak policy influence on maize output, but the precipitation and acreage variables stand out as core determinants of maize output. The policy dimension of acreage and how markets influence it is not discussed at length in this study. Due to weak land rights and tenure structures in these countries, the direct impact of policy change on land markets cannot be precisely measured. Recurring government intervention during the structural policy implementation period impeded efficient functioning of input and output markets, particularly in Zambia. Input and output prices of maize and fertilizer responded more strongly in Kenya than in Zambia, where the state often ceded to public pressure by revoking pertinent policy measures. These policy interpretations are based on the response of policy variables which are more responsive in Kenya than in Zambia. According the obtained regression results, agricultural markets in general, and the maize sub-sector in particular, responded more positively to implemented policies in Kenya, than in Zambia, which supported a more socialist economic system. It is observed in these results that in order for policies to be effective, sector and regional dimensions need to be considered. The regional and sector dimensions were not taken into account in the formulation and implementation of structural adjustment policies in the 1980s. It can be noted that countries with vibrant economic structures and institutions fared better than those which had a firm, socially founded system.

Metsänomistajille tarjottavat palvelut, palveluntarjoajat ja palvelukentän rakenne

Suomessa metsänomistajille on tarjolla neljäntyyppisiä eri palveluita metsänhoidossa, puukaupassa, omaisuudenhoidossa ja informaatiopalveluissa. Palveluita tarjoaa joukko hyvin erikokoisia organisaatioita, joista osa toimii markkinalähtöisesti toisten tarjotessa palveluitaan lakiperusteisesti. Metsäalan palvelumarkkinat ovat nyt murrosvaiheessa, ja muutoksia on tapahtumassa sekä tarjonta- että kysyntäkentässä. Metsänomistajille tarjottavien palveluiden markkinoita ei tarjoajanäkökulmasta ole aiemmin tutkittu kattavasti. Tutkimukset ovat usein keskittyneet suppeasti johonkin palvelulajiin, eikä kokonaiskuvausta palvelumarkkinoista omaisuudenhoitopalvelut mukaan lukien ole ollut tarjolla. Tarjoajakenttään on odotettavissa muutoksia, sillä metsäalan palvelumarkkinoiden rahoituspohjaa ollaan muuttamassa, jolloin markkinoiden kilpailu vapautuu nykytilanteeseen verrattuna. Muutokset koskevat etenkin lakisääteisten organisaatioiden toimintaa, mutta ne tulevat vaikuttamaan koko toimialaan. Kysyntäkentässä aiempi tutkimus on ollut kattavampaa. Etenkin metsänomistajarakenteen muutosta, joka johtuu pääasiassa metsätilojen siirtymisestä kaupungistuneelle sukupolvelle, on tutkittu runsaasti. Lisäksi palveluiden kysyntään vaikuttavia tekijöitä ja palvelun eri laatu-ulottuvuuksia on tutkittu. Voidaan kuitenkin epäillä, kyetäänkö markkinoilla tarjoamaan sellaisia palveluita, jotka todella kattavasti tyydyttävät metsänomistajien tarpeita ja pystyvät tarjoamaan sellaisia hyötyjä, joista ollaan valmiita maksamaan. Tässä tutkimuksessa on tarkasteltu nykyisiä metsäpalvelumarkkinoita, sillä kokonaiskuvan luominen nykytilanteesta tarjoaa pohjan tulevien muutoksien ennakoimiselle. Tutkimusmenetelmänä on käytetty kvalitatiivista sisällönanalyysiä, ja tarkastelun kohteena on ollut palveluntarjoajien metsänomistajille suuntaama markkinointimateriaali – pääasiassa tarjoajien internetissä oleva materiaali. Markkinointimateriaalien tukena on käytetty palveluorganisaatioiden edustajien ja alan asiantuntijoiden teemahaastatteluita. Palveluita ja organisaatioita on tarkasteltu niiden asiakkaan kokemien hyötyjen pohjalta, joita markkinoinnissa palveluihin ja palveluntarjoajiin on pyritty liittämään. Teoreettisesti taustalla on käytetty mallia kuluttajan valintakriteereistä hankintapäätöstä tehtäessä. Tulosten perusteella on löydettävissä kysynnän kannalta kriittisiä palveluita, joiden ympärille palvelukokonaisuuksia on rakennettu. Metsänomistamisen odotetaan olevan kannattavaa, joten eräs palveluntarjonnan haasteista syntyy alan tarpeesta rahoittaa itsensä mielekkäällä aikajänteellä. Tämä luo tarpeen tuloja synnyttävien palveluiden yhdistämiseen kokonaisuuksiksi kustannuksia aiheuttavien, mutta muita hyötyjä tuottavien palveluiden kanssa. Tarjoajien kannalta tärkeää on kyetä luomaan asiakkaita hyödyttäviä palvelukokonaisuuksia muuttuville markkinoille.

Introduction of high-content screening method for studying drug-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocytes

Drug induced liver injury is one of the frequent reasons for the drug removal from the market. During the recent years there has been a pressure to develop more cost efficient, faster and easier ways to investigate drug-induced toxicity in order to recognize hepatotoxic drugs in the earlier phases of drug development. High Content Screening (HCS) instrument is an automated microscope equipped with image analysis software. It makes the image analysis faster and decreases the risk for an error caused by a person by analyzing the images always in the same way. Because the amount of drug and time needed in the analysis are smaller and multiple parameters can be analyzed from the same cells, the method should be more sensitive, effective and cheaper than the conventional assays in cytotoxicity testing. Liver cells are rich in mitochondria and many drugs target their toxicity to hepatocyte mitochondria. Mitochondria produce the majority of the ATP in the cell through oxidative phosphorylation. They maintain biochemical homeostasis in the cell and participate in cell death. Mitochondria is divided into two compartments by inner and outer mitochondrial membranes. The oxidative phosphorylation happens in the inner mitochondrial membrane. A part of the respiratory chain, a protein called cytochrome c, activates caspase cascades when released. This leads to apoptosis. The aim of this study was to implement, optimize and compare mitochondrial toxicity HCS assays in live cells and fixed cells in two cellular models: human HepG2 hepatoma cell line and rat primary hepatocytes. Three different hepato- and mitochondriatoxic drugs (staurosporine, rotenone and tolcapone) were used. Cells were treated with the drugs, incubated with the fluorescent probes and then the images were analyzed using Cellomics ArrayScan VTI reader. Finally the results obtained after optimizing methods were compared to each other and to the results of the conventional cytotoxicity assays, ATP and LDH measurements. After optimization the live cell method and rat primary hepatocytes were selected to be used in the experiments. Staurosporine was the most toxic of the three drugs and caused most damage to the cells most quickly. Rotenone was not that toxic, but the results were more reproducible and thus it would serve as a good positive control in the screening. Tolcapone was the least toxic. So far the conventional analysis of cytotoxicity worked better than the HCS methods. More optimization needs to be done to get the HCS method more sensitive. This was not possible in this study due to time limit.