980 research outputs found
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The experiences of newly qualified teachers in 2020 and what we can learn for future cohorts
No full textThose training to become teachers in England during the 2019/20 academic year were severely impacted by the first national lockdown due to COVID-19, with many missing school placements, giving them less time to build experience and confidence before becoming Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs). Their first year of teaching was also severely impacted by the pandemic.
As part of a British Academy funded project, we collected data from 2020/21 NQTs in England through their first year of teaching. This paper focuses on the qualitative data from seven participants, utilising online interviews to understand the challenges and opportunities they faced within the sector during the pandemic. Our findings, whilst drawing upon small-scale data, provide insights into how schools and training providers can support trainees in healthier times and include the importance of relationships within school, support given by school leaders and the need to acknowledge challenges of beginning a professional career. These findings may also be useful in future disruptive events for early teacher education
In-group and out-group Loneliness: The experiences of Chinese top-up students in a UK university
No full textThis study explores cross-cultural integration of Chinese top-up students in a UK university from the perspective of loneliness. Existing research on integration has underplayed loneliness. This study used semi-structured interviews to collect data at three key transition points during the top-up year. The findings suggest that students experienced loneliness both within and beyond their group, notwithstanding a number of reasons why they might be expected to be less lonely than other international students. Loneliness seemed to have a significant impact on cross-cultural integration, and participants were also unable to form strong bonds within their cohort of Chinese top-up students, and unable to experience healthy solitude. There are implications for the pre-departure preparation of such students, for the institutions hosting such students, and for responses to the social and emotional challenges they experience
Psychological trauma, mood and social isolation do not explain elevated dissociation in functional neurological disorder (FND)
No full textFunctional Neurological Disorder (FND) results in altered motor, sensory and cognitive function in the absence of evident organic disease. It often co-occurs alongside dissociative disorders and dissociation has been found to be high in patients across FND subtypes (particularly in those with Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder; NEADs). However, the presence of dissociation in FND is varied and there are contradictory definitions and suggestions for elevated levels. Here, three studies show that dissociation is a prominent, defining feature of people with FND compared to those who are healthy or have other, similar long-term health conditions, and that this heightened dissociation is not explained by a history of trauma (study 1, N = 121), mood (study 2, N = 589) and is not associated with social isolation/social exclusion (study 3, N = 542). As dissociation appeared to occur in FND in the absence of the usual contributing factors, and as higher levels of dissociation were associated with increased disability and illness impacts, understanding its role is of fundamental importance to developing our understanding of FND. These findings have further applications, beyond the theoretical, in clinical settings and in research; the implications for further research are discussed
An exploration into the implications of the Covid‐19 restrictions on the transition from Early Years Education to Key Stage 1 for children with special educational needs and disability – a comparative study
No full textThis small‐scale comparative study explores how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted on the transition from Early Years Education to Key Stage 1 (KS1) for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in a SEND specialist school in the UK. Two focus group interviews were conducted with nine professionals who work across three KS1 classes for pupils with moderate learning difficulties at a SEND specialist provision setting. This study aimed to compare their experiences and observations of how the children responded to this significant transition in September 2020, in the context of the coronavirus restrictions, and how their practice, provision and transitional support were adapted to meet the needs of the children and to adhere to the changing Covid‐19 guidance. The novel findings of this study revealed that the professionals observed significant disruptions and delays in children's independence skills and social and emotional skills, and in adhering to behavioral expectations, in comparison to cohorts in previous academic years. Additionally, the study identified a lack of consistent and systematic educational guidance during the coronavirus pandemic and a significant difference in transitional support practices due to the coronavirus restrictions
Who are the experts? Why autistic voices should be central to autism training in schools.
No full textPlaying to learn: Learning to TALK
No full text‘We love the fact she can learn through play, because she is learning but not realising, and she doesn’t feel pressurised to learn’ (Parent of a child with neurodiverse developmental disorders [NDD]). Engaging children with NDD in meaningful learning can be challenging and exacerbated when children are neither motivated nor equipped with skills to facilitate engagement. Communication barriers hinder learning and children with NDD need extra support to develop language skills. This action research promoted communication competence through structured interventions, consolidated through play. Findings confirmed that progression in spontaneous communication and interaction interrelates with creative play. An innovative structured teaching approach, including video-modelling, was devised, Total Augmented Language and Key Skills (TALKS). This research affirms that by changing conditions in learning environments to an integrated teaching model, Connectivity and adopting TALKS, enhances a whole school approach to communication competence for children with NDD
Anglican cathedrals and implicit religion: Softening the boundaries of sacred space through innovative events and installations
No full textHigh profile (and controversial) events and installations, like the Helter-Skelter in Norwich and the Crazy Golf Bridges in Rochester, have drawn attention to innovation and public engagement within Anglican cathedrals. The present study contextualised these innovations both empirically and conceptually. The empirical framework draws on cathedral websites to chronicle the wide and diverse range of events and installations hosted by Anglican cathedrals in England and the Isle of Man between 2018 and 2022. The conceptual framework draws on Edward Bailey’s theory of implicit religion to classify and to explore these events and installations. Two insights from the theory of implicit religion emerged as of particular significance. First, the notion of implicit religion softens the boundaries between the sacred and the secular. This was exemplified by eight categories of events: scientific exhibitions, festivals, musical events, art exhibitions, theatre, markets, community events and installations. Second, the notion of implicit religion draws attention to the themes and activities that generate meaning and purpose. This was exemplified by seven themes: social justice and social conscience, violence and reconciliation, remembrance, migration and sanctuary, COVID-19 and lockdowns, personal well-being and nature and environment.
Contribution: Situated within the science of cathedral studies, this article identifies the range of innovative events and installations hosted by Anglican Cathedrals in England and the Isle of Man and assesses the significance of these events and installations through Edward Bailey’s lens of implicit religion, discussing first the softening of boundaries between the sacred and the secular and then the generation of meaning and purpose through the core themes raised by these events and installations
Enhancing inclusivity and diversity among cathedral visitors: the Brecon Jazz Festival and psychographic segmentation
No full textA series of previous studies concerned with the psychographic segmentation of visitors to six cathedrals across England and Wales, employing psychological type theory, reported highly similar results, suggesting that cathedrals had a well-defined, but somewhat restricted appeal. Several cathedrals are attempting to widen their appeal by engaging a variety of events or exhibitions. Taking one specific example, the Brecon Jazz Festival, the present study found that 196 visitors to Brecon Cathedral during this period differed significantly from the standard psychological type profile of cathedral visitors in two ways. There were significantly more intuitive types (41% compared with 28%) and significantly more perceiving types (27% compared with 20%). These findings demonstrate that specific events have the capacity to widen the psychographic appeal of cathedrals
Adapting to and assessing online worship: Listening to rural Church of England lay people
No full textThe aim of the present study was to analyse the comments made by 133 rural lay people who voiced their views on, and experience of, the move to online provision of worship services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Issues identified centred on the content and structure of such worship with virtual Holy Communion being the service most frequently mentioned as cause for concern. Overall, however, rural lay people were positive about their experience. In particular, the opportunities online worship provided for increasing communication among and across congregations, for growing church numbers and attracting previously hard-to-reach groups, and for the ways in which it was enriching worshipping life by increasing choice and access to a wider range of services. Going forward these rural lay people were optimistic that worship that continued to respect the importance of gathering in the church building could be combined with some level of online provision
Who visits cathedrals? The science of cathedral studies and psychographic segmentation
No full textThis study applied psychographic segmentation theory to explore the psychological type profile of 1,082 visitors to four cathedrals (three in England and one in Wales) and to set this profile alongside the published national normative data. Data provided by the Francis Psychological Type Scales demonstrated that among cathedral visitors there were more introverts (60%), sensing types (72%), and judging types (80%), with a balance between thinking types (49%) and feeling types (51%). Comparisons with the population norms demonstrated that extraverts and perceiving types were significantly underrepresented among visitors to these four cathedrals. The implications of these findings are discussed for enhancing the visitor experience of those currently visiting and for attracting those psychological types currently less likely to visit.
Contribution: Situated within the science of cathedral studies, this article demonstrates (by means of applying psychographic segmentation theory and gathering data from four cathedrals) that extraverts and perceiving types were significantly under-represented among cathedral visitors. These data are important for understanding limitations on the reach of cathedrals within the wider community