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No full textThe 1960s witnessed an unprecedented shift in the cultural soundscape, as the boundaries between music, visual art, and everyday noise began to dissolve. In tandem with the meteoric rise of pop music, which was rapidly transforming from mass entertainment into a vehicle for experimentation and countercultural expression, artists across continents continued to probe sound as a material in its own right. What had traditionally been dismissed as background or interference such as feedback, distortion, and mechanical hums suddenly acquired aesthetic weight, resonating with the radical energy of the decade. Sound and visual artists actively pursued chance-based operations and radical sonic experiments, thereby contributing to the articulation of sound art as a practice distinct from music. This convergence of popular innovation and avant-garde inquiry signaled the development of a heightened sonic awareness, one that would ripple across disciplines and recon!gure the role of sound in contemporary art. [excerpt]peer-reviewe
Opinions and attitudes of trainee Teachers towards plurilingualism : the 'hidden' role of language repertoires
Get PDFTeachers‘ opinions and attitudes are crucial in shaping educational practices, though their
analysis remains complex due to internal and external influences, such as training and
socio-biographical background. Recent large-scale European studies identified significant
gaps in teacher preparation regarding plurilingualism and related classroom practices. In
order to delve deeper into this issue, the current research investigates trainee teachers‘
opinions and attitudes on these topics in Malta, a dynamic plurilingual setting shaped by a
strong English influence and rising levels of migration. Using data collected by means of a
questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, we explored variations in opinions and
attitudes between trainee teachers specialising in languages and others from different,
non-language related, areas of studies. The subjects‘ language competences, specifically their
fluency in two languages or more were also taken into consideration and findings, somewhat
unexpectedly, revealed that these competences were more pivotal when considering opinions
and attitudes towards plurilingual education than their area of specialisation. A further insight
emerging from the study is the mismatch between awareness and practices, highlighting the
need to address this discrepancy. Furthermore, the specificity of the sociolinguistic landscape
appears to decisively shape trainee teachers‘ pedagogical choices, reinforcing the urgency of
sustained and context-sensitive teacher training strategies.peer-reviewe
From compliance to collaboration : redefining QA in challenging times through digital innovation
No full textIn the face of accelerating political, economic, and technological disruption, quality assurance (QA) in
higher education must evolve to remain relevant, resilient, and responsive. This practice-based paper
examines the University of Malta’s (UM) digital peer-review platform as a proactive QA initiative that
integrates digital technologies to enhance adaptability, foster continuous improvement, and support
institutional resilience. Developed using sustainable, open-source technologies, the platform
facilitates a flexible, inclusive, and transparent annual programme review process that empowers
academics to engage in reflective evaluations, deliver structured feedback, and foster a culture of
collaboration, co-learning, and quality enhancement. The platform supports a no-code environment
for customisable rubrics and review forms, facilitating adaptability to emergent academic needs
without requiring advanced technical expertise. Through collaboration, peer feedback, and real-time
oversight, the system fosters a reflective academic culture rooted in shared ownership and continuous
improvement. It acts as a QA tool and a catalyst for academic dialogue and innovation—critical
qualities during times of disruption. Programme coordinators engage multidisciplinary teams,
including students, ensuring holistic evaluation through collaborative submission processes. Peer
reviewers, guided by standardised rubrics, evaluate an annual programme review process with clarity
and consistency, while automated aggregation of feedback highlights areas of consensus and
contention. This structured yet dynamic approach enhances transparency and expedites decision-making, even under pressure. In line with the EQAF 2025 theme, this case study demonstrates how
digital QA systems can uphold academic values, promote institutional autonomy, and sustain public
trust in higher education. By embedding QA into the everyday academic workflow, UM's model
counteracts reductive, compliance-driven approaches and instead fosters participatory
governance. Ultimately, UM’s platform exemplifies how agile QA infrastructure supports both quality
and innovation in higher education. It serves as a scalable model for institutions seeking to enhance
resilience, maintain educational excellence, and contribute meaningfully to society amid ongoing
transformation.peer-reviewe
A primer
Get PDFHow do we live, learn, and act in a world where every space can become content and every interaction might be shaped by algorithms? This fundamental question drives our need to rethink what digital literacy means in an age of artificial intelligence. This primer examines how digital saturation and the rise of generative AI are transforming the way we access information, perform identity, and exercise citizenship. It offers a framework for understanding our contemporary engagement with our connected world. For over two decades, policymakers and educators have leaned on the idea of the “digital native”: the belief that young people intuitively master digital technologies simply because they have grown up with them. This publication challenges that assumption head-on. Research shows that genuine digital competence is not a birthright and requires structured, ongoing development across cognitive, technical, and social dimensions. We live in a world where every space can become potential content and every moment a possible post. This means we are simultaneously participants and audience in our own digital theatre, shaped by algorithms and the screens we carry. The boundaries between living and documenting our lives have blurred. As generative AI becomes mainstream and transforms how we seek information, our relationship with these technologies is becoming increasingly intense and potentially compulsive. This new digital ecosystem demands an urgent reconsideration of what literacy means today. Beyond Digital Natives addresses the profound shifts occurring in our lives due to the omnipresence of digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Comprehensive Framework for Digital Literacies Digital literacies as integrated cognitive, technical, and social capabilities that empower us to critically navigate, evaluate, and create content in digital environments, including those increasingly influenced by AI systems. Eight interconnected literacies – ranging from information evaluation and AI systems literacy to privacy management, digital citizenship, and ethical integration – are mapped out as essential capabilities for today’s socio-technical world. Debunking myths about young people online The myths we often tell about online behaviour frequently reflect our own anxieties about technological change rather than evidence-based understanding of how people truly engage with digital systems. Twelve common misconceptions – from “young people don’t care about privacy” to “AI will make them dependent” – are unpacked and reframed through evidence and practice. Practical tools for agency The primer introduces foundational questions to ask of any technology, alongside specialized critical frameworks for evaluating AI systems. These help readers develop the reflexes needed to retain control and accountability in a world mediated by opaque systems and increasingly shaped by business interests and algorithmic opacity. A call for systemic change Beyond individual skills, the text insists on collective action: reforming education, holding platforms accountable, and advocating for fairer digital infrastructures that serve democratic and human needs. It provides foundational questions to consider before adopting any new technology and encourages moving beyond individual responsibility to engage in collective action for systemic change. The goal is to foster critical digital citizens who can harness technology’s benefits while actively resisting its potential harms, enabling us all to inhabit our digital futures with intention, wisdom, and care for our shared humanity.peer-reviewe
Surrounded by predators : the lived experiences of online harassment by male public figures
Get PDFOnline harassment is a pervasive threat to public figures, with journalists and politicians facing heightened exposure due
to their visibility and engagement in public discourse. While international research has explored the gendered nature of
cyberharassment, little is known about the lived experiences and coping strategies of male public figures. This study focuses
on the lived experiences of cyberharassment among male journalists and Members of Parliament (MPs) in Malta. Online
semi-structured interviews were conducted with three MPs and three journalists, aged between 28 and 70 years. Data were
analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Findings reveal substantial commonalities between journalists
and MPs in both the impact of harassment and the coping mechanisms employed. Two superordinate themes emerged: “A
gladiator among tigers”, which captures a range of adverse physical, psychological, and emotional effects, as well as concerns
for others and about the changing online environment; and “From ‘standing the heat’ to firefighting”, which examines the
problem-solving, emotion-focused, and avoidance coping strategies used to manage cyberharassment. Notably, participants
described unique coping methods, such as seeking reconciliation with perpetrators and deriving meaning from public service
through investigative journalism. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by male
public figures in the digital sphere. A series of individual and structural strategies are recommended to support individuals
experiencing online harassment. Further research is needed to explore intersectional factors and to inform policy and practice
recommendations for safeguarding the wellbeing of public figures against online harassment.peer-reviewe
Paċi u propaganda fil-kuntest ta’ Gaża
No full textIx-xahar ta’ Settembru 2025 għalaq bl-aħbar li ‘intlaћaq ftehim
dwar Gaża’. Il-President Amerikan Donald Trump sejjaħ il-proposti
tiegħu stess bħala opportunità tad-deheb għal ftehim storiku u “paċi
eterna” f’reġjun bi 3,000 sena ta’ tensjonijiet, gwerer u tixrid tad-demm.
L-opinjoni pubblika globali donnha ħadet nifs kbir ’il ġewwa. Ħsibna li
hemm mnejn li jintemmu l-attakki Iżraeljani fuq il-Palestinjani mġewħa
u trawmatizzati. Għedna forsi fl-aħħar jippermettu li jidħlu f’Gaża
l-provvisti tal-ikel u mediċinali tant meħtieġa. Ittamajna li jinħelsu
l-ostaġġi Iżraeljani li kienu se jagħlqu sentejn maħtufa mill-Ħamas.
Hemm kienu f’Washington s-Sur Trump u Benjamin Netanyahu quddiem
il-midja internazzjonali. Ħabbru ‘deal’ li kellu l-appoġġ ta’ wħud mill-
“pajjiżi Għarab u Musulmani” (New York Post, 2025). Xaqq ta’ dawl
wara abbiss ta’ dlam, li iżda fuq medda twila mhux se jiggarantixxi la
paċi u lanqas stabbilità.peer-reviewe
Growth in counselling : counsellor perspectives and implications for practice
Get PDFGrowth in the counselling process is leveraged metaphorically through images
and words. Its prominence and prevalence vary over time and across professional
and cultural contexts. The individual and cultural understandings that counsellors
develop of the concept of growth shape their identity as individuals and professionals. This qualitative study aimed to explore how counsellors in Malta understand
the concept of growth, what factors shaped this understanding, and the role that this
understanding plays in their work to support clients in achieving increased wellbeing. Five warranted counsellors in Malta with at least three years of experience
were interviewed. The semi-structured interviews used visual and linguistic stimuli to support and enhance the typical interlocution process behind semi-structured
interviews. Findings were analysed using thematic network analysis and reflexive thematic analysis. Participants effected a process of personal growth navigating intrapsychic and external factors engaging in a cycle of discovery, with active
self-direction through adverse circumstances shaping their mobilisation of personal
agency. Participants identified the important relationship between their experiences of growth through their counselling and their clients’ potential and possible
outcomes. Participants’ individual experience of growth could support their work
with clients by providing a reference point to make sense of their clients’ experiences. This could also pose potential dangers to their work by obscuring clients’
experiences and journeys with their own. Recommendations include more stress on
growth in training courses, international collaboration between organisations and
institutes to reach common understandings of growth, and more research across different cultures and countries.peer-reviewe
tidysdm : Leveraging the flexibility of tidymodels for species distribution modelling in R
Get PDFIn species distribution modelling (SDM), it is common practice to explore multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms and combine their results into ensembles. In R, many implementations of different ML algorithms are available but, as they were mostly developed independently, they often use inconsistent syntax and data structures. For this reason, repeating an analysis with multiple algorithms and combining their results can be challenging.
Specialised SDM packages solve this problem by providing a simpler, unified interface by wrapping the original functions to tackle each specific requirement. However, creating and maintaining such interfaces is time-consuming, and with this approach, the user cannot easily integrate other methods that may become available.
Here, we present tidysdm, an R package that solves this problem by taking advantage of the tidymodels universe. tidymodels provide standardised grammar, data structures and modelling interfaces, and a well-documented infrastructure to integrate new algorithms and metrics. The wide adoption of tidymodels means that most ML algorithms and metrics are already integrated, and the user can add additional ones. Moreover, because of the broad adoption of tidymodels, new statistical approaches tend to be implemented quickly, making them easily integrated into existing pipelines and analyses.
tidysdm takes advantage of the tidymodels universe to provide a flexible and fully customisable pipeline to fit SDM. It includes SDM-specific algorithms and metrics, and methods to facilitate the use of spatial data within tidymodels.
Additionally, tidysdm is the first software that natively allows SDM to be performed using data from different periods, expanding the availability of SDM for scholars working in palaeontology, archaeology, palaeobiology, palaeoecology and other disciplines focussing on the past.peer-reviewe
Small states and a more nuanced understanding of central government coordination
Get PDFThis article discusses which important answers small states offer to the question of central
government coordination. It identifies a gap in the mainstream literature, which focuses
predominantly on larger countries, and emphasizes formal coordination mechanisms and
coordination problems. By reviewing recent studies on government coordination in various small
states, the article explores how coordination practices vary in smaller states: first, compared to larger
states, they often experience lower coordination needs. Secondly, less complex government structures
and closer personal relations facilitate coordination through informal mechanisms. This contribution
challenges the universality of coordination problems and highlights small states’ unique practices that
offer valuable insights into efficient coordination strategies adaptable by larger governments. Future
research could explore how size intersects with other factors, such as development and colonial
legacies, in shaping coordination practices.peer-reviewe
Structural health monitoring of corrosion in reinforced concrete : a key component for smart cities
Get PDFPURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a scientific framework for
detecting and monitoring reinforcement corrosion in reinforced concrete structures through
the integration of the Magnetic Force Induced Vibration Evaluation (M5) method, Artificial
Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. The research aims to
demonstrate that this approach can serve as a foundation for proactive and sustainable
infrastructure management in smart cities.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study employed a systematic literature review (SLR)
following PRISMA standards to identify state-of-the-art methods for corrosion diagnostics in
reinforced concrete. Based on the SLR results, the Magnetic Force Induced Vibration
Evaluation (M5) method was selected and experimentally validated as a core component of a
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system. The research combined AI-based Association
Rules Analysis (ARA) for signal interpretation with IoT integration to enable real-time, nondestructive monitoring of corrosion processes.FINDINGS: Research shows that reinforcement corrosion in reinforced concrete (RC)
structures is a major challenge for the construction industry, significantly hindering smart
city development. One of the few effective methods for detecting corrosion in structural
health monitoring (SHM) is the Magnetic Force Induced Vibration Evaluation (M5) method.
The newly developed Association Rules Analysis (ARA) technique reveals that M5 frequency
characteristics can indicate corrosion by damping specific resonant frequencies of the
structure. Integrating M5-based SHM systems with the IoT can prevent structural failures
and extend the lifespan of RC structures. This integration not only helps avoid construction
disasters but also achieves cost savings, reduces material usage, and lowers CO2 emissions, fostering the growth of smart, sustainable cities.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The outcomes highlight opportunities to extend the service life of
reinforced concrete structures, reduce inspection costs, and align infrastructure management
with sustainability goals by lowering material consumption and emissions. Implementing
these in smart city contexts could enable proactive maintenance and early warning systems,
reducing costs and risks, and promoting sustainable urban development.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study introduces an innovative integration of modal analysis
diagnostics, AI machine learning, and IoT communication to develop an advanced SHM
system.This research was funded by the National Science Centre (in Polish: NCN
- Narodowe Centrum Nauki), program: Preludium, grant number
2021/41/N/ST7/02728 (“Smart support system for the Magnetic Force Induced
Vibration Evaluation (M5) - an electromagnetic, non-destructive method designed
for the evaluation of composite materials containing ferromagnetic and conductive
elements”).peer-reviewe