Plymouth Marjon University Repository
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Using ‘MESH Guides’ as Translational Research and Knowledge Mobilisation for Continuing Professional Development in Schools
No full textMore than Murder: Ethics and Hunting in New Zealand
Get PDFIn this article I examine the practice of hunting in New Zealand with particular reference to the ways in which hunters make sense of hunting, the embodied experience of hunting, and the moral status of animals. Drawing on ethnographic and interview data I reflect on how the practice and understanding of hunting is guided by a form of relational ethics. As such, the social and historical development of hunting in New Zealand and meaningful connections made with the environment and animals developed through the practice of hunting work to guide hunter’s ethical perspectives rather than any universalized philosophical principles or rules. I argue that by hunting, hunters recognize and consciously engage with multiple standpoints and interests in the backcountry environment in a manner that presents particular challenges to critical studies of human-animal interactions that are frequently unable to look past hunting as killing. As such, this article works to explicate the “experiential and cultural complexities” (Marvin, 2011 p.123) of hunting with particular emphasis on the development of an ethical perspective that guides hunters in New Zealand without seeking to judge, or defend, hunting and hunters
For the benefit of all? Developing a critical perspective in mega-event leverage
Get PDFThe purpose of this article is to bring to light the need for developing a critical leveraging perspective on mega-events and propose a research agenda that extends the
focus of the leverage concept towards this direction. Current research on leverage focuses on the attainment and magnification of mega-event outcomes. A critical lens
of inquiry however is needed to move forward and take into account the influence of power structures and social ordering processes on developing and implementing
strategic leveraging programmes. Such a perspective can help examine if and how the benefits of mega-events are fairly delivered to host communities, equally distributed
among stakeholders and then sustained, while negative impacts are minimised. Ten research themes are brought forward to help build a robust ground for a critical mega event leveraging perspective
A Learning-Scape for Reflective Practice and Professional Identity Formation
No full textGiven reflective practice is posited as the “bedrock of professional identity” (Finlay 2008:2), it is embraced as “a professional imperative” (McKay 2009:70) in UK higher education (HE) programmes as well as in professional practice itself. Since professional identity formation is an evolving process “ideally grounded by structured experiences, personal reflections, and guided feedback” (Furze et al 2011:412), reflective practice is “an enormously powerful tool” (Finlay 2008:10), and much in vogue. However, research with students and qualified practitioners revealed vital issues at the heart of ‘doing’ and ‘using’ reflective practice. Constructivist HE discourses impacting on reflective practice stifle liberalising engagement and thus developing professional identities (Trelfa & Telfer 2013). A growing literature base endeavours to address this through refinement and improvement of reflection-on-action. However, this ‘only considers a small part of professional activity’ (Bronfman 2005:13). Reflection-in-action (Schön 1983) remains “the real challenge” (Bronfman 2005:16), neglected due to being “something of a tease” (Sweet 2006:187), a rather delightful hint at a complex learning-scape. This paper explores ways to consider this complex learning-scape by drawing on my current research. Focussing on students reflection-in-action whilst engaged in professional practice, I discuss role and responsibility (Shapiro 2010), context (Coulter 2001; Biesta 2007) and the dominance given to cognitive processes; highlight a dichotomy between facets they draw on in their creation of a professional act compared with those emphasized in literature and dominant discourse; and suggest a learning-scape that more appropriately engenders means and ends, influenced by sensory ethnography (Pink 2009), and experimenting with new technologies
Transformative evaluation: organisational learning through participative practice
Get PDFPurpose
– This research paper presents an innovative evaluation methodology which was developed as part of a doctoral research study in a voluntary sector youth organisation in England.
Design/methodology/approach
– The transformative methodology synthesises aspects of appreciative inquiry, participatory evaluation and transformative learning and engages the whole organisation in evaluating impact. Using an interpretive paradigm, data were collected from youth workers via semi-structured interviews prior and post implementation of the transformative evaluation methodology.
Findings
– Drawing on thematic analysis of the youth workers' experiences, it is argued that the illuminative and transformative nature of the methodology enabled the learning and development functions of evaluation to be realised. Further, it is argued that this form of evaluation not only supports the collection of evidence to demonstrate impact externally, but that the process itself has the potential to enhance practice, improve outcomes “in the moment” and promotes organisational learning.
Research limitations/implications
– The research findings are limited by the small-scale nature of the project. Further research is needed to investigate the supporting and enabling factors that underpin participatory practices in organisation evaluation; and in particular to investigate the experience of the managers and trustees as these were not the focus of this research.
Originality/value
– This article makes a significant contribution to knowledge in regard to the design and use of participatory evaluation. It evidences the benefits in relation to generating practice improvements and for practitioners themselves in terms of countering the negatives effects of performativity. Transformative evaluation offers an innovative structure and process through which organisational learning can be realised
‘Over the hills and far away’ from the coast: Rural island tourism in the mountains and alternative regional development.
No full textA qualitative study of the impact of severe asthma and its treatment showing that treatment burden is neglected in existing asthma assessment scales
Get PDFBackground
People with severe asthma experience significant respiratory symptoms and suffer adverse effects of oral corticosteroids (OCS), including disturbed mood and physical symptoms. OCS impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have not been quantified. Asthma HRQoL scales are valid as outcome measures for patients requiring OCS only if they assess the deficits imposed by OCS.
Aims
The aim of this study was to compare the burden of disease and treatment in patients with severe asthma with items in eight asthma-specific HRQoL scales.
Methods
Twenty-three patients with severe asthma recruited from a severe asthma clinic were interviewed about the impact of their respiratory symptoms and the burden of their treatment. The domains from a thematic analysis of these interviews were compared with the items of eight asthma-specific HRQoL scales.
Results
In addition to the burden caused by symptoms, ten domains of OCS impact on HRQoL were identified: depression, irritability, sleep, hunger, weight, skin, gastric, pain, disease anxiety, and medication anxiety. Some patients experienced substantial HRQoL deficits attributed to OCS. Although all HRQoL scales include some OCS-relevant items, all eight scales fail to adequately assess the several types of burden experienced by some patients while on OCS.
Conclusion
The burden of OCS in severe asthma is neglected in policy and practice because it is not assessed in outcome studies. Existing asthma HRQoL scales provide an overly positive estimation of HRQoL in patients with frequent exposure to OCS and underestimate the benefit of interventions that reduce OCS exposure. Changes to existing measurement procedures are needed
Anticipated coastal impacts: What water-users think of marine renewables and why
No full textThis article explores the physical coastal impacts that are anticipated by coastal water-users in the lee of the Wave Hub marine renewables test facility (Cornwall, UK). In depth, semi-structured interviews were analysed using a grounded theory approach in order to explore contemporary anticipations as well as the process of opinion formation that has occurred for participants. The interviews focused on anticipated impacts to inshore wave conditions, beach sedimentation, rip current formation and beach safety. The results indicate that participants constructed their anticipations by weighing their perceptions of the technology against their perceptions of the coastal environment. A conceptual model is presented which allows the degree of anticipated coastal impact to be predicted, by categorizing technologies and coastal environments in terms of their perceived properties. The model indicates that wave energy deployments which are perceived to be large scale, close to shore, wide, stationary, or extracting high percentages of energy are likely to invoke anticipations of significant or severe coastal impacts. Conversely, those which are perceived to be small scale, far from shore, narrow, moving, or extracting low percentages of wave energy are more likely to invoke anticipations of insignificant or no coastal impact. Interestingly, the level of anticipated impact was most often based on device properties such as form or siting, and was rarely influenced by device extraction efficiency. The implications for future marine renewables deployments are discussed
Managing Heat and Immune Stress in Athletes with Evidence-Based Strategies
No full textHeat and immune stress can affect athletes in a wide range of sports and environmental conditions. The classical thermoregulatory model of heat stress has been well characterized, as has a wide range of practical strategies largely centered on cooling and heat-acclimation training. In the last decade evidence has emerged of an inflammatory pathway that can also contribute to heat stress. Studies are now addressing the complex and dynamic interplay between hyperthermia, the coagulation cascade, and a systemic inflammatory response occurring after transient damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Damage to the intestinal mucosal membrane increases permeability, resulting in leakage of endotoxins into the circulation. Practical strategies that target both thermoregulatory and inflammatory causes of heat stress include precooling; short-term heat-acclimation training; nutritional countermeasures including hydration, energy replacement, and probiotic supplementation; pacing strategies during events; and postevent cooling measures. Cooperation between international, national, and local sporting organizations is required to ensure that heat-management policies and strategies are implemented effectively to promote athletes’ well-being and performance