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Creative contagion or missing story? – examining the REF archives for evidence of provision for creative practice in doctoral study
No full textPurpose
This study aims to investigate whether there is evidence that tailored provision for creative practice was spreading across disciplines in the UK during the period 2014–2020. In doing so, the author examined the potential and limitations of the archives of a national research assessment exercise as a source for understanding perceived priorities in doctoral provision during a period of recent history.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examined descriptions of doctoral provision in the research environment statements that formed part of the publicly available submissions to the, 2021 research excellence framework (REF). Aligning with meta-research and historical discourse analysis approaches, the study involved a close reading and critical analysis of a small sample of documents across four different disciplinary areas.
Findings
In creative disciplines, tailored support was identified for creative practice in practice research. There was a lack of discussion of such provision in other disciplines, including in education research where arts-based methods are used. This study demonstrates the limitations and challenges of using the REF archives to understand the history of doctoral provision. Only qualified interpretations can be made about actual institutional practice, revealing more about perspectives on the relative importance of different facets of doctoral provision.
Originality/value
The research is novel in investigating the potential of discipline level REF research environment statements as sources for research into discourse on doctoral education. In identifying evidence for tailored provision and the missing stories of this spreading to other disciplines, it challengesthe author to consider the support requirements for creative practice appropriate to the doctoral education contexts
The HIV Anxiety Scale (HAS): Developing and Validating a Measure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Anxiety
No full textMost research assessing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) anxiety relies on single-item measures or psychometric measures that are outdated in terms of concepts and language. There is a critical need for a robust, reliable, and contemporary measure to identify populations at risk of avoiding HIV testing, treatment, and prevention, thereby supporting global HIV eradication goals. Focus groups informed the initial development of the HIV Anxiety Scale (HAS), revised through expert feedback. The factor structure was assessed in two studies. In Study 1, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted with 251 participants. In Study 2, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with 200 participants was performed alongside validity, internal consistency, and measurement invariance assessments. Studies 1 and 2 elicited a 3-factor model, resulting in a 16-item measure with the following subscales: Psychosocial Implications of HIV, Lifestyle Implications of HIV, and HIV Testing Anxiety. The HAS demonstrated a good factor structure, acceptable validity and excellent internal consistency across diverse groups in Study 2. The HAS provides a contemporary, robust measure of HIV anxiety, addressing limitations of previous tools and contributing to efforts to identify and support populations at risk of HIV avoidance behaviours. We recommend that future research continue to validate and test this new measure, but it offers a standardised tool to inform targeted interventions for HIV testing, prevention, and treatment
Enhancing Learning and Teaching Quality through Collaborative Observation - Final Report
No full textExecutive summary
Enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in higher education (HE) is a policy priority for all HE providers in the UK. Yet current HE policies and institutional practices continue to rely on managerialist approaches that decontextualise learning and teaching as socially situated
practices. As a result, too much emphasis is placed on measuring outcome-focused data such
as module evaluations, student completion and attainment, with too little emphasis on
investigating the processes and experiences of those involved. This has led to the creation of a
vicious policy-practice circle with institutions continuing to concentrate their efforts on doing
more of the same (i.e. measuring learning and teaching) without actually making a tangible
impact on moving knowledge, understanding and practice forward in the field of quality
enhancement. The inspiration for this project came from a frustration and dissatisfaction with
these engrained policies and practices in HE and a desire to want to think and do things
differently.
Enhancing Learning and Teaching Quality through Collaborative Observation (ELTQCO) puts the two most significant players involved in learning and teaching (i.e. students and academic staff) at the centre of the process through an authentic model of collaboration and dialogue that provides situated opportunities for them to work together to understand and improve their learning-teaching experiences. For both the students and staff who participated in the project, pedagogical relationship building was identified as the key to creating the conditions for learning and teaching enhancement to be effective and sustainable for both parties. This
relationship building underpinned the collective sharing and discussion of meaningful learning
and teaching experiences among the participants. Our innovative Cycle of Collaborative
Observation (CoCO) provided the participants with a structured framework for fostering
meaningful pedagogical relationships. It is a genuinely collaborative model that provides
institutions with an authentic approach to addressing the burning question of how students and staff can work better together to understand and enhance the learning-teaching experience for both parties.
Our project findings reinforce the belief that students and academic staff learn about teaching
and learning by interacting with their peers and with each other, by sharing their insights and
experiences in collaborative, cooperative forums. It therefore makes sense that any attempt to
enhance understanding of and improve these practices is best served by allowing its key
participants to be part of a collective community in which they are encouraged to engage in
reflexive dialogue and collective sense making. The case studies included in this report reveal
that creating the conditions in which students and staff have the opportunity to examine their
understanding and experiences of teaching and learning and open them up to dialogic exchange is fundamental to developing greater awareness of the strengths and areas for development in their practices. Participation in CoCO helped to create these shared spaces in which teaching staff were able to come together with their peers, and equally with their students, to engage in reflexive pedagogical dialogue on their classroom teaching and learning, with the ultimate aim of improving the learning experiences for all
Clinical Outcomes of First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Arthrodesis Using the BOFAS Registry: A Prospective Cohort Study
No full textBackground
This study investigated the quality and clinical outcomes of the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS) registry first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) arthrodesis pathway.
Methods
A prospective cohort study using data derived from the BOFAS registry. Adults aged ≥ 18 years with a record of undergoing first MTPJ arthrodesis in the UK from 29/08/2014 to 31/10/2019. The pre‐ and post‐treatment pathway was evaluated by analysing Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) at baseline, 6 months and 12 months intervals. Consistency of data capture and completeness were explored using means, SD, medians and IQR for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables.
Results
The mean age of the study population ( n = 459) was 64.1 (± 12.1) years and 98.9% of the study cohort were female. Completeness of data collection was low for some items (e.g., medication 46%, surgical procedures 52%). Baseline completion of PROMs was moderate with 52.5% of participants providing MOXFQ (Manchester–Oxford Foot Questionnaire) pain and walking/standing scores at baseline. However, follow‐up response rates declined substantially to 27.2% at 6 months and 15.7% at 12 months. Improvement in PROMs by 12 months following surgery was statistically and clinically significant ( p < 0.001), with median scores of 10 [IQR: 0–20] for MOXFQ pain, 5.5 [0–21] for walking/standing, 0 [0–19] for social interaction, 5 [1–31] for NRS pain and 0.8 [0.7–1.0] for EQ‐5D‐5L.
Conclusion
The analysis highlights the clinical benefits of first metatarsophalangeal joint (first MTPJ) fusion surgery, with improvements in pain intensity, walking/standing ability, social interaction and quality of life. The BOFAS registry serves as a valuable tool for collecting patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM) data, providing important insights into treatment effectiveness and participant well‐being. Strengthening the data collection capabilities of the BOFAS registry could further enhance our understanding of the benefits of first MTPJ fusion and inform future treatment strategies
From Measurement to Music: Reviving the Acoustic Heritage of St. Michael’s Church, Coventry, UK
No full textThis paper presents findings from the Aural Histories project, which explores how music was experienced in historical ecclesiastical spaces through acoustic modelling and auralisation. Focusing on St Michael’s Church, Coventry, UK, digital reconstructions of the building as it may have stood in 1451 and 1617 were created using archival and typological evidence, and analysed using Odeon software. Simulations suggest that architectural changes between these dates had only minor impact on acoustic conditions in the chancel, with reverberation and clarity metrics remaining consistent. To support auralisation, recordings of an eight voice choir performing Tallis’s Why Fum’th in Fight were captured in both studio and anechoic settings. Spectral and cepstral analyses revealed minimal differences between the two, particularly in mid and high frequencies. Expert listening tests showed no statistically significant perceptual differences between auralisations using either source supporting the practical use of studio recordings in virtual acoustic reconstructions. Future work will explore additional repertoire and conduct further perceptual testing in immersive environments such as the Birmingham SoundLab® to assess the impact of recording choices on spatial perception and listener experience
An Exploration of the Oral Health-Seeking Behaviour of Adults A Mixed-Methods Systematic Literature Review
No full textBACKGROUND: Despite oral diseases being preventable, they affect nearly half of the global population. However, it is estimated that 46% of individuals do not routinely visit the dentist. The delayed utilisation of dental services results in irreversible morbidity, reduced quality of life, loss of economic productivity, and mortality. OBJECTIVES: To assess the oral health-seeking behaviour (OHSB) of adults and explore factors influencing it. METHODS: Following the Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, and Google Scholar was conducted for articles from 2015 to 2025 that included adults aged 18 and older. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies were included and assessed for inclusion using the JBI appraisal tools. The thematic analysis approach was used to synthesize and present findings. RESULTS: Three themes emerged regarding the OHSB of adults: the delayed use of dental services, non-utilisation of dental services, and enablers of dental service utilisation (DSU). Sub-themes emerging under delayed use of dental services were socioeconomic and psychosocial factors. Under non-utilisation of dental services, sociodemographic, intrapersonal factors and the use of alternative treatment pathways were sub-themes. Sub-themes emerging under enablers of DSU were need and health system factors. CONCLUSION: Poor OHSB of adults results in morbidity, reduced quality of life, and mortality. The avoidance of dental services is influenced by sociodemographic, intrapersonal factors and the use of alternative treatment pathways. Delayed DSU is driven by socioeconomic and psychosocial factors, and need and health system factors are enablers of DSU. However, further in-depth research is required on how social, cultural, and health system factors influence OHSB in varying contexts
Impact of Covid-19 on the incidence and severity of odontogenic infections in Fiji islands: a multicenter hospital-based retrospective study
No full textBackground
Severe odontogenic infections (OIs), often associated with untreated dental caries, can lead to life-threatening complications. In Fiji, dental caries is highly prevalent, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, limited access to dental care may contributed to the progression of untreated lesions, potentially resulting in an increased number of severe OI cases. However, there is a lack of evidence from Fiji on this issue. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation of patients with OIs.
Methods
A retrospective, multicenter hospital-based study was conducted in Fiji, involving 260 participants who presented with odontogenic infections (OIs) during two time periods: pre-COVID-19 (March 2019 to February 2020) and during COVID-19 (March 2020 to February 2021). Collected variables included patient demographics, clinical presentation, etiological factors, and admission status. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with descriptive statistics and association tests conducted at a significance level of 0.05.
Results
No statistically significant difference in the overall number of patients presenting with OIs was observed during the COVID-19 period. A higher proportion of cases occurred in patients under 30 years of age (62.8%), among the i-Taukei ethnic group (69.2%), and those residing in urban areas (48.1%), with a nearly equal distribution between males and females. The majority of cases were managed as outpatients (60.4%). Most infections involved a single fascial space and presented with a single clinical sign or symptom (76.9%). Dental caries was identified as the most common cause of infection (90.4%). While CWM Hospital and Lautoka Hospital reported a reduction in patient numbers (9.7% and 25%, respectively), Labasa Hospital recorded a significant increase in cases (34.7%, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
There was no evidence of a change in the prevalence, admission rates, or severity of odontogenic infections (OIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a significant regional variation in patient distribution was observed, with Labasa Hospital experiencing a notable increase in cases, attributed to the absence of lockdown measures and COVID-related restrictions in that region
Fixed Identities, Zero-Sum Games and Oppression Hierarchies: The Impasses of Current Debates About Race and Their Consequences for Contemporary Politics
No full textThis article examines the persistence of common-sense conceptions of race and ethnic identity and the role they play within contemporary politics in the UK. Drawing on the work of Claire Alexander and Rogers Brubaker, the article reflects on why we continue to see ethnic identity as something fixed and static, and why this persists despite theoretical developments which have drawn attention to identity’s fluidity and contingency. Using a conjunctural analysis, the article examines how such conceptions of ethnic identity intersect with two other aspects of the current conjuncture: firstly, neoliberal individualism; and secondly, culture war politics. Consistent with neoliberal individualism, it is assumed that groups compete with each other for recognition and success, mostly within the framework of nation states. Within the divisive politics of culture wars, competition and fixed identities harden into a zero-sum game: greater recognition and rights for one group becomes, by definition, a loss of rights and recognition for another. Solidarity and collectivity become inconceivable, and international politics—particularly international solidarity—becomes unrecognisable within this framework. Ethnic disparity reports are considered, and how these draw attention to how racism is experienced by different groups, but in ways that make it difficult to consider what might be shared. The article then considers two examples from contemporary politics. First of these is a recent controversy surrounding Diane Abbott MP and her claims that racism experienced by those racialised as Black is different from those who can pass for white. Secondly, the article explores reactions to independent candidates in the 2024 election who called for a ceasefire in Gaza. These reactions framed the situation as sectarian politics relating to the ‘Muslim vote’. In both examples, where fixed identities, competitive individualism and zero-sum games are mobilised to narrow the scope of debate, misrepresent people and situations and exclude important political questions from discussion, especially international politics. The article ends by reflecting on the continued appeal of fixed identities, and also what narrow discussions about race can exclude. It calls for a reconsideration of anti-racism to move beyond these impasses and categories
Data-driven cleaning optimisation strategy for multi-technology PV systems in the higher education sector in arid climate: A case study perspective in MENA region
No full textThe accumulation of dust and other contaminants on photovoltaic (PV) panels is a multifactorial process that significantly affects system performance. While cleaning is vital to maintaining energy output and efficiency, its methods, frequency, and procedures also influence environmental impact, resource use, and operational costs.
This study investigates the effects of cleaning protocols on PV energy generation at the Applied Science University (ASU) campus in Amman, Jordan, addressing challenges faced by higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A controlled intervention was implemented on eight PV arrays with different technologies and installation configurations over a 19-week period. Machine learning techniques were applied for data imputation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to assess the significance of cleaning interventions on energy performance.
The findings demonstrate that uniform cleaning schedules are suboptimal, as different PV technologies and orientations exhibit varying responses to maintenance interventions. The study underscores the importance of customised cleaning strategies that account for technological type and system configuration to maximise power generation and efficiency. These results provide valuable insights for developing sustainable PV maintenance frameworks for HEIs and other institutions operating in arid climates across the MENA region