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Purpose This study aims to offer insights into the presence and nature of an information environment provided for young children to support their learning and explore how an information environment for young children can be characterized. Design/methodology/approach Observations of video-recorded public library storytimes were used to investigate the presence and nature of an information environment for young children’s learning. Findings The observations revealed that storytimes provide a rich, multimodal information environment where information is shared with young children and they are encouraged to interact with it in a variety of ways. The storytime participants take on several different roles that help to foster and sustain the information environment. Originality/value This study tests the applicability of Eisenberg and Small’s (1993) information-based education framework for exploring an information environment and recommends revisions to improve the framework’s effectiveness for characterizing information environments for young children.

Self-efficacy toward information literacy is and has been demonstrated as an essential and fundamental key for academic performance and lifelong learning of students at all levels. This research reported the results of a cross-sectional survey carried out to investigate the correlatives of information literacy self-efficacy among business students at the University of Management and Technology, Lahore. The questionnaire contained an Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale, which along with sociodemographic and academic variables was utilized for collecting data from 350 students. The survey participants were recruited through a convenient sampling procedure due to accessibility issues and time limitations. The data were analyzed by applying both descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS. The results revealed that the business students had high self-efficacy for basic information literacy skills and low self-efficacy for advanced-level information literacy skills. Age, study program, study stage, proficiency for computer, and English language appeared to be the correlatives of students’ information literacy self-efficacy. The pragmatic insights generated in this research might be used as a guide by university librarians, especially those who are engaged in information literacy instructions for designing a need-based and student-centered curriculum for information literacy instruction programs.

This study investigates the effect of corporate derivatives usage on stock price crash risk. We test two competing hypotheses. Under the transparency hypothesis, derivatives usage reduces informati...

This article proposes the concept of digital heuristics to model and explain political communication strategies in the complex environment of hybrid media systems. Insights from recent psychological and political research on heuristic decision-making are combined with literature on the current structural context and features of online communication in order to make the case for a heuristics-oriented approach to political communication strategies. I argue that despite the growing importance of data analytics, in increasingly dynamic and uncertain communication environments, political actors mainly design their strategies according to simple rules (heuristics) that rely on selective information (as well as trial and error) rather than to complex models. Analyzing interviews with communication managers from major political parties in Germany and the United Kingdom, I identify and conceptualize two types of digital heuristics in use: hybridity-based and algorithm-based. The article concludes with considerations for a future research agenda using the concept of digital heuristics.

Introduction. The process of involving children, adolescents and youth in the constantly developing information space is an objective reality. At the same time, the lack of monitored indices of the safety of electronic devices (ED) for the health of children and adolescents, the lack of a clearly built system of preventive measures require its development and improvement, which will reduce the risk of the digital information environment impact on the health of the younger generation. Materials and methods. The survey using a questionnaire, developed by specialists from the Research Institute of Hygiene and Health Protection of Children and Adolescents in 2017-2020, was used to collect data on the nature of ED using by schoolchildren and students in educational and leisure activities (1218 questionnaires). In 2017-2020, 805 schoolchildren and students from the Moscow gymnasium №12 and the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University underwent an ophthalmological examination. Results. All the surveyed schoolchildren and students used ED. Analysis of the questionnaire data allowed us to determine the duration of continuous use of ED (computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) by children, adolescents, and young people during school and vacation time. All categories of respondents both during the academic period and during holidays showed a high duration of continuous use of ED. Thus, the presence of a behavioral risk factor for the uncontrolled use of ED (long duration of continuous work with ED) was shown among all categories of respondents, which may cause the development of eye diseases. The analysis of the results obtained revealed significant negative values of the correlation coefficients between students’ visual acuity and the duration of their continuous use of both stationary (computer) and mobile (smartphone, tablet) ED. Discussion. The introduction of these preventive measures into the daily routine and lifestyle of children, adolescents, and young people will help prevent visual acuity disorders. Conclusion. It is necessary to introduce hygienic rationing of the frequency and duration of the possible influence of ED not only during the educational process but also in leisure time to increase the awareness of parents and the degree of their control over the use of ED. To elevate awareness of all ED users’ categories it is necessary to intensify work to promote the rules for the safe use of ED and related foundations of a healthy lifestyle and self-control over ED use. In connection with the development of the digital educational environment, it is advisable to improve the hygienic standardization of text information in electronic publications for children, adolescents, and students. To prevent the symptoms of eye fatigue, it is advisable to limit continuous work with a bright screen (no more than 60 minutes), followed by a break of at least 15-20 minutes, not related to viewing the illuminated screen, in compliance with the recommendations for relieving stress from the visual analyzer.

We investigate whether the index reconstitutions of the China Securities Index (CSI) are suitable as a quasi-natural experiment to investigate the effect of institutional ownership on corporate policies. Using both actual and predicted index constituents, we document a sharp discontinuity in institutional ownership, especially of domestic mutual funds around the CSI 300 and 500 index thresholds, overcoming a key concern of the approach based on the Russell reconstitution. Using inclusion in the CSI 500 index as an instrument, we find that higher institutional ownership increases the likelihood and amount of dividends, improves firm performance, and improves the information environment surrounding firms. These findings inform us of the salience of domestic institutions in emerging markets.

The paper reviews the existing approaches to using digital footprints in the digital learning environment. Monitoring digital footprints of university students can help to design smart learning environment and predict models of interaction between this environment and the user. The article covers the main analysis tools that can be applied to activity monitoring in LMS Moodle, including datasets as a convenient resource for distant learning. The authors studied authentication techniques that are based not on one’s knowledge but on the confirmation of one’s digital profile. The research results revealed some personal styles and patterns of cognitive behavior that reflect students’ work in the digital learning environment. The research results can be used to develop new psychological support of activity monitoring of the digital university environment, as well as to create new effective cognitive user-friendly interfaces.

This paper provides an understanding of the concept of knowledge management and its role in the creation of an integrated information environment for effective learning in schools. It presents findings from a research project being undertaken at the University of Technology, Sydney that seeks to identify from the perspective of librarians, including teacher-librarians, the significant dimensions of knowledge management, the key understandings and skills required for effective knowledge management, and the role of librarians engaging in knowledge management processes in libraries and information agencies. The implications for teacher-librarians are examined in this report.

Despite increasing research on firm-specific news, it is unclear how the media affects the assimilation of macroeconomic news by futures markets. To fill this gap, we employ scheduled and non-scheduled macroeconomic announcements, as well as 60,030 instances of macroeconomic news reporting in China, to investigate the media’s role in transmitting macroeconomic news to the gold futures market. We find that macroeconomic announcements, while necessary, may not be sufficient to drive the gold futures market. Meanwhile, the media—as a vital intermediary—is essential for news absorption; the effect is stronger for national and political media. Further, the gold futures market asymmetrically reacts to good and bad news; only reporting on good news can invoke significant market responses. Our findings demonstrate the importance of the information environment cultivated by powerful media in improving the efficiency of financial markets, and help to explain why bad news moves slowly from a media perspective.

This paper studies large price declines of individual stocks in 22 emerging markets. Using analyst reports as a proxy for information arrivals, we find that majority of crashes in emerging markets are not accompanied by information events, and these crashes are followed by price reversals. Further analyses show that crashes in countries with a better information environment or a lower level of openness are less likely to reverse in the short run, suggesting that factors such as information transparency and market integration may shape the large swings in emerging market stock prices.

Актуальність. Розробка та застосування інформаційної системи для впровадження сертифікатних програм та дисциплін на основі даної системи є перспективною, оскільки даний підхід дозволить покращити навчальний процес та зробити його гнучкішим та надійнішим. Мета дослідження. Метою магістерської роботи є створення спеціальної інформаційної системи, котра могла б використовуватись, як середовище для впровадження сертифікатних програм та організації дистанційного навчального процесу за рахунок систем сумісного керування проектами. Об’єкт дослідження – навчальні процеси підготовки фахівців для галузі Інформаційні технології, що породжують проблеми віддаленого доступу до інформації та програмних кодів, сумісної роботи над Open Source навчальними проектами, а також проблеми підготовки фахівців. Предмет дослідження – способи та підходи організації навчання у ВНЗ, зокрема в дистанційному режимі, що за рахунок використання сучасних інформаційних систем та систем сумісного керування проектами дозволять вдосконалити навчальні курси для студентів галузі Інформаційні технології та надати їм навички роботи над реальними проектами в ІТ компаніях. Методи досліджень. Було використано теоретичні методи досліджень: аналіз та класифікація інформаційної інфраструктури, абстрагування від апаратної та програмної частини задля формування вимог до магістерської дисертації, пояснення обраного стеку технологій та конкретних програмних продуктів, синтез загального способу побудови інфраструктури на різних її рівнях та узагальнення отриманих результатів задля їх візуалізації, а також емпіричний метод експерименту для визначення якості отриманого програмного забезпечення. Наукова новизна одержаних результатів. Розроблений підхід дозволяє покращити дистанційний навчальний процес, забезпечує можливість надійного збереження навчальних даних та реалізує процес роботи студентів в командах за рахунок створеної інформаційної системи керування проектами. Практична значимість результатів дослідження. Отримані за результатами роботи інформаційне середовище та застосунок для взаємодії з інформаційним середовищем використовуються в симбіозі для забезпечення сертифікатної програми ESE&IoT та деяких навчальних дисциплін на кафедрі Обчислювальної Техніки факультету Інформатики та обчислювальної техніки Київського політехнічного інституту імені Ігоря Сікорського.

In the process of designing engineering systems, early system design often plays an important role. Although the existing system design methods are very effective, the preference information of dif...

This article examines the concept of “digital environment of trust”. Elucidation of content of this concept is substantiated by the need to understand the task set in the National Project “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” aimed at building the digital environment of trust from the perspective of the science of information law. Achievement of the required effectiveness of the project is virtually impossible in the conditions of ambiguity of the applied conceptual-terminological apparatus. The concepts and related terms “electronic”, “digital”, “information”, as well as their derivatives in the science of information law did not received due theoretical reflection, which resulted in their incoherent application. The goal of this work is to form an appropriate scientific representation of the content and essence of the concept of “digital environment of trust”, as well as the possibility of granting it the status of the category of information law. The author explores several methodological approaches towards elucidation of content of the concept of “digital environment of trust”. Taking into consideration the views developed in legal science regarding the content and meaning of legal categories that comprise the categorical apparatus of scientific knowledge of legal phenomena, the concept of “digital environment of trust”, in a broad sense, implies the combination of information resources in digital form; the interaction with such and (or) their use ensure for legal subjects information security, consistency and unambiguity of the rules and conditions of such interaction, as well as guarantee due diligence and equality of the participants of information exchange. It is demonstrated that the concept of “digital environment” and its derivatives, which are associated with the initial stage of development of new technical means of information exchange and conditioned by it, reflect just the technical and technological fundamental principles of emergence of the modern information law. Therefore, the concept of “digital environment of trust” cannot be addressed as a “basic” scientific category of information law, i.e. overarching, fundamental concept that determines the future scientific research of information relations.

Subject. This article deals with the issues of receivables management on the basis of a prospective assessment of the financial solvency of potential counterparties. Objectives. The article aims to develop methodological approaches to the management of receivables when checking the counterparty for reliability by identifying the existence of a statistically significant relationship between the quick liquidity ratio and impact factors. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of analysis and synthesis, generalization and comparison, logical and systemic reasoning, and stochastic analysis. Results. The article proposes a developed methodology of prospective assessment of the financial soundness of counterparties on the basis of special tools of the Gretl software. The methodology is a way to manage an organization's receivables by providing prospective and estimated information at the contract stage to minimize potential risks when executing agreements. Conclusions. The proposed algorithm of prospective assessment of the creditworthiness of counterparties will help reduce the risk of non-repayment of receivables and develop minimum requirements, which the counterparty must meet in order to obtain a loan. The results of the study can be applied in the organization's practical activities as part of the development of receivables management activities.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, there has been a massive amount of misinformation both related to the condition, and a range of linked social and economic issues. We present a mixed methods study of misinformation debunked by Indian fact checking agencies since January 2020. Alongside this, we present an analysis of what politicians in India have been discussing in the overlapping period. We find that affective issues dominate misinformation, especially in the period following the lockdown in India. Furthermore, we find that communal prejudice emerges as a central part of the misinformation environment, something that is reflected in the political speech around the same period.

When do scandals hurt candidates? In this study, we employ a candidate conjoint experiment to understand the conditions under which candidates are most penalized for scandals. Survey respondents evaluate candidates in election scenarios that vary candidate partisanship, the presence and type of negative news about the candidate, and the amount of other information available to voters about the candidates, such as issue positions and demographics. Averaging across respondents and the distribution of candidate attributes, the results show scandal decreases the probability of voting for a candidate, but the size of this negative effect varies by context. The negative effects of scandal on voting decisions are mitigated by the amount of other information available to voters. Our findings also reveal that it is not always the case that voters are blind to the moral failings of scandal-plagued candidates in the presence of other information; voters may continue to rate scandal-plagued candidates negatively in terms of morality but prefer these candidates in terms of partisanship and shared political views.

The increasing number of discretionary stock halts, has attracted the attention of regulatory authorities and scholars. They have also become a significant obstacle to the internationalization of C...

The current dynamic information environment allows readers to access a vast amount of content, but of varied quality. Information professionals increasingly should promote students’ scientific news...

Categories intentionally create discontinuities. By breaking the world up into cognizable chunks, they simplify the information environment. But the signals they provide may be inaccurate or scrambled by strategic behavior. This Article considers how law might approach the problem of optimal categorization, given the role of categories in managing and transmitting information. It proceeds from the observation that high categorization costs can be addressed through two opposite strategies—making classifications more fine-grained (splitting), and making classifications more encompassing (lumping). Although continuizing and other forms of splitting offer intuitive answers to inaccurate classification and gaming along category lines, lumping is sometimes a better solution. If category membership carries multiple and offsetting implications, the incentive to manipulate the classification system is dampened. To take a simple example, insurance that covers only one risk is more vulnerable to adverse selection than is an insurance arrangement that covers two inversely correlated risks. Making categories larger, more durable, and more heterogeneous can produce such offsets. These and other forms of bundling can arrest damaging instabilities in categorization.

Combatting the coronavirus politicians and policy makers have to continuously make a trade-off between public health and democratic rights. How do citizens’ attitudes towards democracy develop in a pandemic? In this study we test whether changes in the information environment affect citizens’ trust in the local and national government. Moreover, we study whether changes in the information environment are associated with the perceptions about the extent to which democratic processes are under pressure. We address these questions using a five wave panel study in the Netherlands conducted between April and September 2020. We find that during this period media use and political trust decreased. Moreover, Dutch citizens are worried about the effects of the corona crisis on local and national democracy. When it comes to the effects of media use on political trust and attitudes towards democracy, we find that media use has a limited effect on attitudes towards democracy. If anything, consuming news via the public broadcaster has a positive effect on political trust. To conclude, our study provides descriptive evidence about the development of attitudes towards democracy in the Netherlands during a major public health crisis. Dutch citizens are worried about democracy but media play a limited role in amplifying or reducing these worries.

The article considers the importance of information and communication technologies for the formation of health-preserving competence of preschool children. The authors propose a detailed analysis of the following concepts: “information and communication technologies”, “health-preserving competence”, “information environment”, “healthy lifestyle”. Based on this analysis, the importance of using information and communication technologies in the organization of the educational process in preschool educational institutions is discovered. The article highlights the possibilities of information and communication technologies for the formation of health-preserving competence of preschool children. The role of information and communication technologies in the organization of information and educational environment of preschool education is figured out. This article evolves the opinion that knowledge, skills, abilities, valuable orientations in the aspect of health-preserving competence should be considered within the information and communication competence as one of its components. The technologies that provide the formation of health-preserving competence of children are described. The following statement is determined: information and communication technologies are one of the priority conditions for health-saving usage of software and hardware in the educational process. The authors substantiate the importance of educational work among children, parents, teachers and administration of preschool institutions to increase their information and communication competence, to organize effective educational process and establish partnership with parents. It is emphasized that methodically correct usage of information and communication technologies contributes to the modernization of the process of health-preserving competence formation of preschool children. Keywords: preschool education, health, teacher, information environment, educational environment, preschool education institution, information and communication technologies, information and communication competence, health preservation, health preservation competence, software, healthy lifestyle.

This article is about the role of e-textbooks in the development of e-learning, improving the quality of education, systematic management of the educational process and the quality of education, facilitating the integration of education into world education. Based on the high demand for e-textbooks due to the urgency of the use of information technology in the educational process; The article discusses the requirements for e-textbooks in biology and the role of e-textbooks in the education system, improving the methodological support of teaching biology through modern technologies, increasing interdisciplinary connectivity and opportunities for virtual education. Introduction of artificial intelligence technologies in our country, their widespread use, expansion of the use of digital data, the independent use of electronic textbooks by gifted students or the creation of an information environment for students in the educational process, the expansion of scientific outlook, clear solutions and its role in the formation of non-standard thinking skills.