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Enhancing fundamental motor skills through active play : a systematic review and meta-analysis of educational contexts
Get PDFThis study examines the effectiveness of active play interventions to enhance Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) in children aged 2–5 and compares different intervention modalities. It also explores the moderating role of world region and the use of recess in educational contexts. A systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis were conducted, using data from MEDLINE, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, PsycINFO, Cinahl, and SPORTdiscus up to January 2023. Clinical trials with active play interventions in educational settings were included, excluding multicomponent interventions. Eighteen studies (2816 participants; 240 effect sizes) met the criteria. The overall average treatment effect (ATE) of active play versus control was 0.07 (95% CrI −0.004–0.15). Motor skills interventions showed a significant effect (SMD = 0.16, 95% CrI 0.01–0.29), especially when integrated into recess (SMD = 0.31, 95% CrI 0.03–0.62). The effectiveness varied across regions, highlighting the need for regional consideration in implementation
Supporting their school communities during and in the aftermath of lockdown : changing perceptions of former Into Headship students of their role and its perceived impact on the school community
No full textThis chapter focusses on a study which examined how former students on a national headship preparation programme in Scotland (Into Headship [IH]) supported their school communities in the recovery period of the pandemic beyond the initial lockdown in the spring of 2020 in their roles as senior leaders. It illuminates the experiences of two Depute Headteachers from the primary and special education sectors respectively. This constitutes the 2nd phase of a longitudinal, qualitative study, conducted in Dec 2022/Jan 2023 via individual interviews and focus group discussions with eight respondents to an initial survey drawn from the secondary, primary and special education sectors. The chapter explores not only the actions taken to support the school community and their perceived efficacy, but how the multiple, dynamic transitions experienced by the former students affected perceptions of their role and sense of identity. Further, this chapter illustrates how their experiences had a ripple effect across the transitions experienced by other members of the school community, including staff, parents/carers and pupils, linking this to Jindal-Snape’s (2023) Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions (MMT) Theory, ecological theory, and Gale and Parker’s (2014) concept of transition as becoming
Who gets in? A conjoint analysis of labour market demand and immigration preferences in England and Japan
Get PDFWe advance research on attitudes towards immigration using an experimental design that more clearly separates between skill level and labour market demand. In single profile conjoint design experiments fielded in England and Japan, we replicate the well-established finding that high-skill immigrants are generally preferred to low-skill immigrants. However, we also show a more nuanced result in that labour market demand – regardless of skill level – is also important. Indeed, in both England and Japan, the public is willing to accept low-skill workers in high-demand occupations at levels at least as much as for high-skill but low-demand occupations. Labour market demand is an important factor in understanding attitudes towards economic migration
Physical education and health curriculum reform in China : empowering physical educators through professional learning
Get PDFProfessional learning is a critical component in the implementation of national curriculum reforms. In China, a recent reform of the Physical Education and Health (PEH) curriculum seeks to enhance students’ physical and mental health, promote Chinese values and active lifestyles, as well as integrate traditional Chinese physical cultures. To support this reform, professional learning opportunities have been offered to physical education teachers to empower them to enact the new curriculum at the school level. This paper draws on a Foucauldian lens to examine how physical education teachers in Shanghai experience and make sense of these professional learning initiatives. Findings indicate that Shanghai provides a robust infrastructure for supporting public school teachers in implementing the new curriculum. However, disparities were observed across different contexts, particularly with respect to geographic location, socio-economic status, and between public and private school sectors. These inequities reflect broader social dynamics, including issues of class privilege and the marginalized status of physical education within the wider curriculum. The paper concludes by reflecting on the structural and relational factors that shape teachers’ access to professional learning and advocates for more equitable approaches to supporting curriculum reform across diverse educational settings
Micro-CPD in higher education : enhancing engagement and well-being through bite-sized professional development
Get PDFIn response to growing pressures on academic staff and declining engagement in professional development, the University of Strathclyde introduced Micro-CPD – a flexible, bite-sized learning initiative designed to support teaching practice. This article explores the rationale, design, and impact of the programme, drawing on mixed-methods evaluation data from surveys and focus groups. Findings highlight the importance of relevance, timing, and format in fostering engagement, with Micro-CPD prompting meaningful, incremental changes in practice. The study offers insights for educational developers seeking to adapt CPD provision to meet the evolving needs of higher education staff, advocating for microlearning as a scalable, responsive model that supports continuous improvement and well-being
Why not use personal norms in message framing? : Understanding the importance of self-consciousness and green preference when promoting pro-environmental behaviour
Get PDFNormative messages are an established way to promote pro-environmental behaviour. However, research examining the conditions under which such messages are effective predominantly focus on social rather than personal norms. As personal norms have been identified as a much stronger predictor of pro-environmental behaviour, the present study examined the mechanisms through which personal rather than social normative messages enable people to act in line with these norms. In two experimental studies (N=200 and N=249), in which normative messages and self-consciousness were manipulated, findings reveal that personal normative messages positively impact intentions to re-use hotel towels indirectly through one’s green preference on both studies, and directly as well in Study 2. Furthermore, these (in)direct effects are negatively moderated through one’s self-consciousness. These mechanisms through which personal normative messages vary in their effectiveness in promoting re-using towels, advances our understanding of how personal rather than social normative messages can be used to promote pro-environmental behaviour change
Emission of pairs of Minkowski photons through the lens of the Unruh effect
Get PDFWe discuss the emission of pairs of photons by charges with generic worldlines in the Minkowski vacuum from the viewpoint of inertial observers and interpret them from the perspective of Rindler observers. We show that the emission of pairs of Minkowski photons—commonly referred to as Unruh radiation—corresponds, in general, to three distinct processes according to Rindler observers: scattering, and emission and absorption of pairs of Rindler photons. In the special case of uniformly accelerated charges, the radiation observed in the inertial frame can be fully described by the scattering channel in the Rindler frame. Therefore, the emission of pairs of Minkowski photons can be seen as further evidence supporting the Unruh effect
Sensory-processing informed autism practice for child-centred therapists
No full textA majority of autistic children experience sensory processing difficulties. In this paper we give concise summaries of the impact of sensory processing difficulties and baseline chronic dysregulation for autistic children. We acknowledge the need for flexible, informed and individualized child-centred therapy practices that are sensitive to, embrace and include autistic sensory experiences. In consideration, we discuss the subtle implicit assumptions and communication biases non-autistic therapists may hold due their neurotype. We consider the concept of interactive mismatch: exploring how difficulties in autistic/non-autistic interactions are bidirectional in nature and not inherent to either neurotype. We identify five areas of sensory-processing informed adaptation in clinical technique, encouraging practitioners to (1) create sensory-stable spaces for their clients, (2) adapt their basic use of voice and body, (3) consider cross-neurotype differences of emotional experience and employ behavioural observations at the heart of empathic processes, (4) facilitate interoceptive awareness and support personalised connections between sensations and regulatory actions, and (5) support the development of individually tailored vocabularies of feelings. The strategies we present in this paper offer a practical roadmap to address each autistic child’s sensory needs, reducing dysregulation and fostering meaningful connection without compromising the child’s agency
Mathematics and ethics : narratives and conversations
Get PDFWe provide an eclectic overview of various narratives that mathematicians use to describe mathematics. We discuss some of the ethical issues and approaches that each narrative tends to emphasise, and how these can lead to productive conversation in the absence of a universally agreed philosophical or ethical framework. We also discuss the dangers of a deficit model of ethical engagement, and other threats to conversation
Coherent Ising machine based on polarization symmetry breaking in a driven Kerr resonator
No full textTime-multiplexed networks of degenerate optical parametric oscillators have demonstrated remarkable success in simulating coupled Ising spins, thus providing a promising route to solving complex combinatorial optimization problems. In these systems, referred to as coherent Ising machines, spins are encoded in the oscillator phases, and measured at the system output using phase-sensitive techniques, making intricate phase stabilization necessary. Here, we introduce an optical Ising machine based on spontaneous polarization symmetry breaking in a coherently driven fiber Kerr nonlinear resonator. In our architecture, the spins are encoded in the polarization state, allowing robust, all-intensity readout with off-the-shelf telecom components. By operating in a newly-discovered regime where nonlinearity and topology lock the system's symmetry, we eliminate drift and bias, enabling uninterrupted Ising trials at optical speeds for over an hour, without manual intervention. This all-fiber platform not only simplifies the hardware but also opens a path to more stable, high-throughput coherent optical optimization devices for applications from finance to drug design and beyond. [Abstract copyright: © 2026. The Author(s).
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