A ‘Contest’ as a Pedagogical Method in Tourism Higher Education: a Case Study in Teaching Creativity Through Problem-Solving

Author(s): Tomasz Napierała,Katarzyna Leśniewska-Napierała,Kathleen M.C. Tjørve,Even Tjørve / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2020

The main goal of the paper is to discuss whether a contest, as an educational tool, can develop the creativity of participants when the main goal of the students may be to win. A 24HOURS contest was implemented as a case study. Three methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the 24HOURS contest: a written questionnaire, individual in-depth interviews, and an online questionnaire. Results proved that the contest was unsatisfactory in increasing students’ creativity, as they were oriented to win, or to acquire knowledge, rather than to cooperate or interact with representatives of other student teams. The investigation confirmed the tutors’ enabling responsibility for both cooperation and creativity during the contest. However, expectations of tutor engagement caused concern and their role should, therefore, have been more clearly defined. Analysis of the case study presented in this paper can provide pedagogues with insight into the design and implementation of contests as educational tools.

A magyar kistérségek fejlettségi különbségei

Author(s): Albert Faluvégi / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 01/2020

Unchanged reproduction of a study published on pages 319–346 of issue 4 in the 40th volume of our journal. The first chapter of the study presents the state of the Hungarian micro-regions at the end of the 1990s, using the following classifications: dynamically developing, developing, converging, stagnating and converging. The second chapter examines the social spatial structure of micro-regions in terms of urbanization, residential population,active earners, unemployed people, educational attainment and income. The third chapter describes the economic spatial structure of micro-regions in terms of entrepreneurial activity,foreign capital and accessibility.

A magyarországi településrendszer strukturális változásának sajátos vonásai

Author(s): György Kőszegfalvi / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 01/2020

Unchanged reproduction of a study published on pages 453–475 of issue 5 in the 32nd volume of our journal. The author characterizes the structural change of the Hungarian settlement system by examining industrial and agricultural production, tertiary sector,infrastructure of intellectual life, concentration of population, infrastructure, settlement structure, land use and administrative structure. Following agglomerations (Budapest metropolitan area, the Sajó Valley, and the Balaton-side settlement corridor receiving the most tourists) and agglomerating areas (Győr, Pest area, Zagyva valley, settlement corridor between Szombathely and Kőszeg), the study presents urbanizing corridors and areas, settlement clusters, city pairs, 'urban triplets' and urban regions.

A megújuló forrásból származó villamos energia önellátási és exportlehetőségei a magyarországi településeken

Author(s): Balázs Kulcsár / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 04/2020

The goal of the study is to develop an estimation method with software calculation, based on average exploitage data. With this calculation we will determine what proportion the small-scale household power plants (SSHPP) and a power plant under 0.5 MW capacity contribute to the electricity demand of all Hungarian settlements. These small power plants generate electricity only from local renewable energy sources. Furthermore, this study would like to present the results achieved in the past 10 years since the Electricity Act came into force which allows the installation of small power plants. It would like to show the results obtained in the process of energy sources renewal. Are there any settlements in Hungary which could provide their electricity demand from local renewable energy sources in 100% and could they even overproduce it? If the results prove overproduction this may create an opportunity for energy export to the neighbouring settlements. This study points out that decentralized, local, renewable energy-based power supply systems theoretically may be realised in Hungary. Whit this method, energy policy could be more easily planned, the support system could be revised, the energy mix could be modified and the process of energy renewal may be accelerated. We performed our tests based on energy and settlement geographical viewpoints.

A munkás-alkalmazotti népesség jövedelmi színvonala az egyes megyékben

Author(s): László Lengyel / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 01/2020

Unchanged reproduction of a study published on pages 53–60 of issue 2 in the twelfth volume of our journal.The study presents the results of the Labour Force Survey of 1959 in Budapest, 42 rural towns and 143 villages, covering a total of 18,577 households, broken down by county: the majority (81.8%) of the total income of working-class households (HUF 26,832 per year per household) came from employment. The combined average annual amount of income from social security and social insurance and the average annual income per household from backyard farms were more than HUF 2000 (7.3% and 6.6%, respectively).The average amount of other incomes was HUF 1404 (4.3%) per year.

A PERSPECTIVE ON CO-OPERATION AND INTEROPERABILITY, MILESTONES FOR IMPROVING SECURITY IN THE BLACK SEA REGION

Author(s): Mihail-Lucian MANGIUREA / Language(s): English / Issue: 10/2015

The Black Sea region has lately emerged as a region of main concern due to its increased geopolitical importance and the wide range of security issues it confronts with. As a result both regional and international actors have focused their attention in finding suitable solutions to secure the area. Finding solutions is not an easy issue as there is not regional identity and the regionalization process is nascent. Using information present in academic and government literature, this paper concludes that the process of NATO integration, regional cooperation and defense transformation has been the main drivers for Romania’s contribution in improving the security environment in the region. The paper also identifies international cooperation and standardization as tools for increasing the confidence and security in the Black Sea region.

A SHORT HISTORY OF COMPUTER USE AT FACULTY OF PHYSICS – UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST

Author(s): Mircea Victor Rusu / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

For physicists computing is a main activity. Starting from devising an experiment to problem solving with computer, from using mathematical tables to other aids to computation, physics has grown its strength by using each step the numerical computation. So, computing for researches as well as education was used and steadily improved by us, starting from first minicomputers to the last generation of computers and algorithms. In this presentation we will follow, in short, the evolution of computing, hard and soft, in physics at our faculty. We selected here the main field of interests that was connected with problems showing: programmed solutions, simulations and modeling, computer application and software during the time. Such a time recollection is interesting and surprises me as how diverse and far such activity was done. Examples will be from computation in tradition physics, to biology, chemistry, astronomy, medicine to data processing and visualization, data management, to create our own educational software and so on. The fields as nonlinear dynamics, complexity, chaos and fractals, as well as fluid dynamics, atomic, molecular or nuclear physics, earth or stellar physics, connected to improvement of the experiments and devices via artificial intelligence are some of our topics which will be exemplified here.

A smart planning szerepe a fenntartható városfejlesztésben

Author(s): Mária Szalmáné Csete,Attila Buzási / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 03/2020

In this paper, we sought to answer the question of whether a smart city concept can contribute to the transition towards sustainability at the city level in the age of digitalization, and if so, how. We propose the use of the developed smart planning method and the development of as corecard-based indicator system that may contribute to the evaluation of the sustainable, climate-conscious and smart nature of local development ideas by guiding local decision makers and other stakeholders. Due to this indicator system, the continuous efficiency improvement of monitoring processes can be realized for the city management and operation,as well as the ex-ante evaluation of market-base durban development projects. A pilot study was conducted at a city of county rank in order to examine the feasibility of the developed indicator system and smart planning method. The described evaluation system may be a useful tool for local governments for identifying the most cost-effective and resource-efficient market solutions considering regional characteristics, to select the most appropriate and optimal solutions according to the development objectives of the municipality fostering the practical implementation of smart and sustainable urban development.

A szomszédos országokban született népesség területi mintázata Magyarországon, 2011, 2017

Author(s): Áron Kincses,Géza Tóth / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 02/2020

This study focuses on spatial approaches (rather than spatial analysis) by examining neighbourhood, local similarity as well as spatial locations and patterns. The authors through this methodological paper present how spatial autocorrelation can be used in territorial analysis on Hungarian residents born in neighbouring countries to answer the following questions: To what extent do other uses of space characterize different foreign affiliated resident groups? To what extent do immigrant populations form distinct groups, multi-district regions and arrays by citizenship? What is their spatial pattern? Which places have values similar to or different from those of neighbouring districts? How stable are they in time?The first part of the analysis models general spatial similarities for groups of Hungarian residents born in Austria, Romania, Serbia,Slovakia and Ukraine. The authors have shown that there is a positive trend in autocorrelation,with the formation of district groups where the foreign-affiliated population is grouped by citizenship. The second part used the Luc Anselin's Local Moran I method to quantify and map spatial autocorrelation. With this procedure,the authors were able to graphically isolate differences in the geographical location of populations involved in international migration.

A társadalmi vállalkozások munkaerőpiaci szerepe

Author(s): Eszter Siposné Nándori / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 02/2020

The paper examines the labour market role of the Hungarian social enterprises based on a questionnaire about Hungarian social enterprises.The founders of social enterprises often aim to improve the employment of those suffering from disadvantages in the labor market. The paper analyses to what extent the examined social enterprises provide opportunities for such atypical employment forms as part-time employment or public employment. It examines whether there are any significant differences among the Hungarian regions based on these employment forms. It also addresses the question whether the concentration of the social enterprises founded to improve employment is significant in the areas with the highest unemployment.

A területi jövedelemegyenlőtlenségek változása Békés megyében, 1988–2017

Author(s): Zoltán Egri / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 04/2020

The dissertation aims to point out the territorial and spatial correlations of the income inequality of one of Hungary's peripheral counties (Békés), which is peripheral in socio-economic terms, too. The aims of the research include the examination of income inequalities by settlement structure (by population size), the drawing up of a longterm inequality pathway, the analysis of the income mobility and spatial similarity of settlements, and the temporal change of the income position of settlements. In the first part of the study, the author points out the historical context of peripheralization, highlighting the main effects of the Treaty of Trianon and the socialist economic policy. Analysis methods include one-dimensional territorial inequality indices (such as weighted relative standard deviation), exploratory spatial data analysis (spatial autocorrelation and regressions), and the Markov-chain method. According to the results, today Békés county still does not reach the relative income position of 1988, as do half of the settlement categories. The long-run inequality path is clearly related to the Williamson hypothesis and Richardson's polarization reversal hypothesis. It is important to emphasize that income convergence is due not only to the differentiated catching up of the settlement network, but also to the downward levelling of the major county centres (Békéscsaba, Gyula). Small centres with a population of 5,000-9,999 appear as a special territorial feature of catching up, with an average income position above that of major district centres. According to the Markov-chain model, the income mobility of the settlements was high during the examined period, and in some sub-periods very intensive processes were observed. Between 1988 and 2017 there was a marked spatial polarization (based on neighbourhood relations) in Békés county, which is significantly related to the regional income inequality. These characteristics do not always move together, two different patterns are observed during the period under study. Models explaining the temporal differentiation of the income situation of settlements point to the role of traditional territorial income inequality factors (for example, settlement size, centre-periphery relations, path dependence, etc.), but many historical features also appear as background factors.

A UKRAINIAN SCHOLAR IN POLAND: NOTES IN THE MARGINS

Author(s): Iuliia Buyskykh / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

The epigraph is not random; it reflects the current intention to write a text, which would be partially a scientific interpretation based on my fieldnotes, and partially my reflections and subjective impressions obtained from fieldwork in Poland. Reflexivity as a method of anthropology inspired me to write this report. I consider my whole stay in Poland as fieldwork which I conducted using participant observation. Therefore, I rely on James Clifford’s approach to the field as habitus, the aggregate of embodied trends and practices, not just a physical place, as well as interpretation of field research as embodied spatial practice (Clifford 1997).

A UNIFIED MODEL FOR THE GOVERNING DYNAMICS OF AGRICULTURAL FRONTIER ZONES

Author(s): Christopher Barber Troskosky,Jonathan Mark White,Lukas Gaižauskas / Language(s): English / Issue: 45/2019

We present a unified model for the movement of agricultural frontiers based on the construction of the parallax shift and its relation to normalizable science. The model is based on data from the Baltic Basin, where for thousands of years, complex and semi-complex hunter/gatherer/fishers and agriculturalists remained in an equilibrium state. When agriculturalization occurred, it occurred in a punctuated equilibrium manner, which defies current models of agricultural frontier movement, and by extension, current understandings of the underlying dynamics of social change. This new model is a modification of Structuration (Giddens 1984), with the emerging field of selforganized criticality within Physics (Bak et. al 1988; Brunk 2002b). These modifications require two additional governing dynamics not included in Giddens’s original formulation. When joined to an agricultural frontiers model with selective information permeability, these governing dynamics allow for societies to undergo punctuated equilibrium change under stress affect conditions. This results in critical behavior without the need for chaotic state change (Bak et. al 1988). This results in the creation of new material culture assemblages, reflecting new societal structures which are in equilibrium with the social and environmental landscape. The model is scale independent in both space and time, presenting some interesting conclusions.

Across Haimos: Inconveniences and Dangers in Crossing the Mountains of Bulgaria in the Middle Ages

Author(s): Kirił Marinow / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2018

The location and terrain of the Haimos Mountains (in modern terms, consisting primarily of the massifs of the Stara Planina and the Sredna Gora) were a natural barrier to travellers and troops intending to move from north to south, from south to north, or along the famous via militaris, passing through the eastern half of what is now designated as the Balkan Peninsula. The Stara Planina divides the Danubian Plain from the southern regions of Illyria and Thrace, while the Sredna Gora separates the latter two from each other. In the past, these mountains were difficult to cross because of bad weather conditions, including sudden thunderstorms, thermal inversions and mountain rivers overflowing with spring meltwaters. The thick snow cover, which extended to the lower parts of the massifs in winter, created a lot of difficulties even for locals, who knew the terrain very well, but considerably more so for outsiders, who were practically unable to traverse it at that time of the year. The Byzantines were evidently often discouraged from crossing, partly because the image of these mountains and their inhabitants, particularly among members of Byzantine elites, was formed by readings of classical literature and knowledge of past military losses suffered by the Empire in the region. Stories of brigands ravaging the area also played a part, diffused as they were among soldiers and the ordinary populace by oral tradition or devotional literature, such as saints’ lives. Analysis of geographical facts and historical sources demonstrates that the Haimos was a dominant geographical feature in the region during the Middle Ages. It was a natural dividing line and a reference for the location of individual territories. It is not surprising therefore that Byzantine military troops and travellers heading northwards wanted to avoid crossing that difficult area and risking ambush; instead, they readily used the sea route along the eastern coast of Thrace and Moesia or instigated various nomadic peoples to invade the Bulgarian-populated lands from the north.

Acta Geographica Lodziensia

Frequency: 2 issues / Country: Poland

The journal Acta Geographica Lodziensia has been published since 1948. Its founder and first editor was Professor Jan Dylik. The journal publishes original papers and monographs focusing on broad aspects of physical geography, particularly geomorphology and palaeogeography of Central Poland. The range of interest often goes beyond the regional frames and brings a general contribution to the earth sciences. The journal is intended to be a chronicle of regional scientific events. Research problems presented in the journal refers directly to current global trends in earth sciences.

Acta Innovations

Frequency: 4 issues / Country: Poland

Acta Innovations is a scientific journal, published quarterly by Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia, dedicated to applied research on innovative sustainable technologies. Our interest focuses in particular on pilot-scale and full-scale experiences (European Commission TRL 5 or higher) and their economic & social aspects. The overriding idea of Acta Innovations is to promote trans-disciplinarity as one of the key factors contributing to the creation of innovation.

Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum

Frequency: 4 issues / Country: Poland

„Acta Scientiarum Polonorum” is an interdisciplinary scientific journal, established by Polish agricultural universities. Series „Administratio Locorum” („Land Administration”) has been  incessantly published since 2001. Four volumes with articles written both in Polish and Englishare published annually.

Series „Administratio Locorum” is concerned with the social, economic, geographic, legal, environmental and planning aspects of land administration. The aim of the journal is to provide an interdisciplinary platform for the exchange of ideas and information among scientists representing various disciplines, whose ideas and discoveries  tribute to effective land administration. Thus, journal publishes both reviews and empirical studies presenting the results of surveys and  laboratory works. Topics covered by our Authors include, i.e.: land administration, technical and social infrastructure, spatial economics, social-economic geography, land management, real estate management, rural areas, environmental protection, protection of historical buildings, spatial planning, local and regional development, sustainable development, urban studies, real estate market, transport systems, legal regulations for the land administration, and spatial management.

The primary aim of the journal  and its mission are to spread information and guidance  relevant both for authorities responsible for the effective land administration (local, regional and central), scientists and teachers.

Four issues are published every year.

The journal is published in a printed format (ISSN 1644-0749) and in electronic form (eISSN 2450-0771).

It is an open-access licence journal, offering free access to full texts of all the publications via website.

“Acta Scientiarum Polonorum” series „Administratio Locorum” is indexed in the following databases: AGRO, PolIndex, Baz Hum and Index Copernicus

Publisher:Pursuant to the decision by the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education of 23 December 2015, 9 points are awarded for publishing a scientific paper in the “Acta Scientiarum Polonorum” series “Administratio Locorum”.

Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Geographica Physica

Frequency: 1 issues / Country: Poland

Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Geographica Physica“ is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the University of Lodz since 1997. From 2013, the journal is an annual. The thematic scope of published papers covers various fields of physical geography, landscape ecology, geomorphology,  other environment-related studies,  including research in human-environment interaction, some aspects of quaternary geology, geophysics – mainly atmospheric physics, and GIS applications in environmental studies. The journal publishes scientific papers, presenting the results of original empirical, theoretical, technical or analytical research. Besides, other types of works appear: short scientific reports, conference materials, research resource reviews, as well as memoirs and reports on important events in the world of physical geography and related disciplines.

Adaptive strategy of Rapana venosa (Gastropoda, Muricidae) in the invasive population of the Black Sea

Author(s): Y. V. Slynko,E. E. Slynko,V. I. Rabushko / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2020

We conducted molecular-genetic and morphological studies on the veined rapa whelk Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) in the Crimean waters of the Black Sea in order to determine possible reasons of the invasive success of this mollusk. Molecular-genetic tests were performed using COI gene; the surveyed samples reliably identified to R. venosa species. We compared the data on initial (from the Far-Eastern seas) and some invasive populations. In the natural conditions of the Yellow, East China Seas, and the Sea of Japan, the genetic diversity of rapa whelk is high (Hd = 0.933, π = 0.002). In all the invasive populations of rapa whelk (Black Sea, European and North American), an extremely low level of haplotypic and nucleotide diversity was determined (Hd = 0.0, π = 0.0). Despite low values of genetic diversity, the invasive populations of rapa whelk are characterized by ecological success. We noted stable growth of populations, tolerance to diseases and parasites, effective reproduction, high fertility. This contradicts the main provisions of the population genetics theory of formation of edge of range populations, because usually only a small number of specimens of rapa whelk were introduced. The explanations of the unique condition of the invasive populations of rapa whelk, both from an ecological perspective (high resistance to fluctuations of hydrologicalfactors and chemical pollution, absence of enemies, high fertility) and genetic perspective (high selective value of separate haplotypes settled in the new water areas) have not been confirmed. We determined that a very important factor for the naturalization of the rapa whelk at low genetic diversity is the intra-species morpho-ecological divergence. In the Crimean water area of the Black Sea, R. venosa was found to have two morpho-ecological forms associated with the peculiarities of the development of the proportions of the shell. Study of successful invasive species would allow timely and adequate reaction to new cases of introduction.

Administracja samorządowa i instytucje kultury w województwie podlaskim. Podstawy regionalnej polityki publicznej

Author(s): Cezary Mielko / Language(s): English,Polish / Issue: 3/2017

The subject of the analysis in the article is the participation of the local government administration in running a cultural institution. The situation in the Podlaskie voivodship 100 Cezary Mielko Studia z Polityki Publicznej has been analyzed on a nationwide basis. The main problems focus on the principles and methods of financing cultural institutions by regional self-government and various ways of obtaining additional, extra-budgetary funding for their activities, especially from Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the European Union. The author points to spatial, social, and financial diversification related to the access to cultural events and participation in them using the example of Podlaskie voivodship. He propounds greater professionalisation related to running cultural institutions at the level of the voivodship as well as conducting pro-development cultural policy by local government units. He also stresses the need for activating local and regional communities in connection with cultural events and participation in organizing them. Participation in culture at the local and regional level and prudent government policy in this area are the foundation for building a strong social and regional identity.