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Primary School Teacher Retention in England: Neoliberal Influences on Experienced Teachers’ Professional Identities in a Dynamic Educational Climate
No full textWith more than one-in-ten teachers leaving the profession by the end of their first year of teaching, rising to over 40% after ten years (Maisuria, Roberts, Long and Danechi, 2023), primary teacher retention in England is highly problematic. My study responded to a dearth of research in the primary teacher retention context by addressing the motivational drivers of long-term teachers and the need to further explore how to retain teachers in the profession.
Therefore, my thesis examined the perceptions of nine experienced primary school teachers. ‘Experienced’, in the context of this study, refers to teachers who have worked for six or more consecutive years, full-time, in English primary schools. My study explored the teachers’ beliefs about neoliberal accountability measures, such as high stakes testing, their teacher professional identity (TPI), and their reasons for remaining in teaching. From the researcher’s position as an ‘inbetweener researcher’, which harnessed the benefits of both ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ stances, this study generated qualitative data, via online semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2022). Dialogical Self Theory (DST) was applied as this study’s theoretical framework to the concept of teacher professional identity, as a way in which to explore the nine teachers’ daily experiences in schools.
Findings strongly suggest that many neoliberal values and principles were active and present forces in the participants’ schools. To illuminate the multiple intricacies of neoliberal policies and practices, this study is the first of its kind to re-think neoliberalism in the English primary school context through the lens of DST, to account for its strong relationship with these teachers and their professional identities. Positioning neoliberalism through the DST framework demonstrated how the teachers in this study have developed selfless TPIs; ones that are adaptable, flexible, reflective in nature and driven by the teachers’ sense of purpose, and motivations for teaching. Teachers in this study can manage any TPI conflict that they experience, remaining in the profession as they achieve a sense of harmony and balance within and across their multiple identities, which was more substantial than any negative feelings from TPI dissonance. Therefore, their TPIs were found to be a retentive force for the teachers of this study.
Recommendations are made for TPI to prominently feature in schools’ and national policy, and schools actively collaborate with teachers to develop and sustain a TPI conducive to primary school teacher retention. Teachers’ professional identities in this study evolved across their careers, making it essential for TPI to be embedded in the education policy context. This should be achieved through the centralisation of TPI knowledge and understanding from the onset of a teacher’s career. For trainee teachers, this integration should be done via their teacher training providers and the Initial Teacher Training Early Career Framework (ITTECF); schools must then build on this during the first two years of teachers qualifying as an Early Careers Teacher (ECT) by means of the Early Career Framework (ECF). Beyond the ECT phase, mentors must play a pivotal role in nurturing and reinforcing strong TPIs to ensure long-term professional growth and retention
A feasibility, wait-list design randomised controlled trial of a complex breathlessness intervention in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (BREEZE-IPF)
No full textIntroductionBreathlessness is common and impairs the quality of life of people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and non-IPF fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD). We report the findings of a multi-centre, fast-track (wait-list), mixed-methods, randomised-controlled, feasibility study of a complex breathlessness intervention in breathless IPF and non-IPF fibrotic-ILD patients.MethodsBreathless IPF and non-IPF fibrotic-ILD patients were randomised to receive the intervention within 1-week (fast-track) or after 8-weeks (wait-list). The intervention comprised two face-to-face and one telephone appointment during a 3-week period covering: breathing control, handheld fan-use, pacing and breathlessness management techniques, and techniques to manage anxiety. Feasibility and clinical outcomes were assessed to inform progression to, and optimal design for, a definitive trial. A qualitative sub-study explored barriers and facilitators to trial and intervention delivery. Results47 patients (M:F 38:9, mean [SD] age 73.9 [7.2]) were randomised with a recruitment rate of 2.5 participants per month across 3 sites. The adjusted mean differences [95% CI] for key clinical outcomes at 4-weeks post-randomisation were: Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire breathlessness mastery domain (0.45 [-0.07, 0.97]); and numerical rating scales for ‘worst’ (-0.93 [-1.95, 0.10]), ‘best’ (-0.19 [-1.38, 1.00]), ‘distress caused by’ (-1.84 [-3.29, -0.39]) and ‘ability to cope with’ (0.71 [-0.57, 1.99]) breathlessness within the past 24-hours. The qualitative sub-study confirmed intervention acceptability and informed feasibility and acceptability of study outcome measures. ConclusionA definitive trial of a complex breathlessness intervention in patients with IPF and non-IPF fibrotic ILD is feasible with preliminary data supporting intervention effectiveness. IntroductionBreathlessness is common and impairs the quality of life of people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and non-IPF fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD). We report the findings of a multi-centre, fast-track (wait-list), mixed-methods, randomised-controlled, feasibility study of a complex breathlessness intervention in breathless IPF and non-IPF fibrotic-ILD patients.MethodsBreathless IPF and non-IPF fibrotic-ILD patients were randomised to receive the intervention within 1-week (fast-track) or after 8-weeks (wait-list). The intervention comprised two face-to-face and one telephone appointment during a 3-week period covering: breathing control, handheld fan-use, pacing and breathlessness management techniques, and techniques to manage anxiety. Feasibility and clinical outcomes were assessed to inform progression to, and optimal design for, a definitive trial. A qualitative sub-study explored barriers and facilitators to trial and intervention delivery. Results47 patients (M:F 38:9, mean [SD] age 73.9 [7.2]) were randomised with a recruitment rate of 2.5 participants per month across 3 sites. The adjusted mean differences [95% CI] for key clinical outcomes at 4-weeks post-randomisation were: Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire breathlessness mastery domain (0.45 [-0.07, 0.97]); and numerical rating scales for ‘worst’ (-0.93 [-1.95, 0.10]), ‘best’ (-0.19 [-1.38, 1.00]), ‘distress caused by’ (-1.84 [-3.29, -0.39]) and ‘ability to cope with’ (0.71 [-0.57, 1.99]) breathlessness within the past 24-hours. The qualitative sub-study confirmed intervention acceptability and informed feasibility and acceptability of study outcome measures. ConclusionA definitive trial of a complex breathlessness intervention in patients with IPF and non-IPF fibrotic ILD is feasible with preliminary data supporting intervention effectiveness
Co-producing a randomised controlled trial on the frequency of bathing in eczema: description of a citizen science approach
No full textBackground
Eczema is a prevalent, chronic, itchy skin condition that often persists into adulthood and significantly affects the quality of life of patients and their families. With no cure available at present, effective management is crucial. Although important patient priorities related to eczema self-management have been identified, they are rarely the focus of large, high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
Objective
To outline the methodology of using a citizen science approach to co-produce an online RCT on the frequency of bathing, to support the self-management of eczema.
Methods
The co-production of the trial with patients living with eczema involved research prioritisation, intervention development and trial design, all carried out through a series of online meetings and surveys.
Results
Co-producing the trial took nine months, consisting of 13 online meetings (five to prioritise the topic, four to develop the intervention and four to design the trial), requiring 39 hours of time commitment from public members (n = 12) with a total spending of £5,440 on reimbursements. A prioritisation survey (n = 120) identified the most popular research question as how often to bath/shower, receiving 49% of votes. Following an iterative refinement among the co-production group members, the trial research question was formulated. The intervention development survey (n = 169) established current bathing practices and interest in participating in the trial. Survey results informed the development of study materials and influenced decisions related to trial design. The finalised study materials included key information about the target behaviour (weekly bathing or daily bathing), frequently asked questions and common concerns. The trial design co-production group determined the eligibility criteria, defined the intervention and comparator, selected the outcome measures, determined the study duration and developed the recruitment strategy. The Eczema Bathing Study opened to recruitment on 29th January 2024 and over 50% of the target sample size of 390 have been recruited within the first two months.
Conclusions
This paper provides a useful model for co-producing RCTs with members of the public. It describes the key stages of trial development (prioritisation, intervention development, trial design) and contains information on the time and resources required to design trials using this approach.
WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?
•This study describes the methodology and practicalities of co-producing an RCT with patients that addresses topics that are important to them
•It introduces an innovative approach of combining co-production and citizen science for more relevant and rapid trials
•It promotes inclusivity by demonstrating the value of involving patients as active stakeholders throughout the research proces
Enhanced DOS Attack Detection System in WSNs using Hybrid Model
No full textWireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are fundamental to Next-generation Wire-less systems, facilitating real-time data collection and analysis in diverse fields such as environmental monitoring, building automation, traffic man-agement, and healthcare. However, their decentralized architecture and lim-ited resources make WSNs particularly vulnerable to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks, which can severely disrupt network operations. Ensuring the security and reliability of these networks necessitates robust detection mech-anisms for such threats. Hence, this study develops a hybrid model to en-hance the detection of DoS attacks in WSNs. Utilizing the widely-recognized WSN-BFSF dataset, which contains labelled instances of network activity and various types of DoS attacks, we compare multiple detection approach-es. After extensive preprocessing, we implement both traditional and hybrid models, achieving an exceptional accuracy rate of 99.998\% with the J48 al-gorithm. The results demonstrate the superiority of the hybrid approach over the literature review by 0.1\%, offering significant improvements in the early detection and mitigation of DoS attacks in WSNs
Making Progress? Thinking about assessment and progression in lower secondary school music
No full textAssessment is an important activity which teachers and schools put a lot of time and effort into thinking about. This is also true for progression. There can seem to be quite a straightforward connection between assessment and progression, but in this article we want to try and problematise some of the thinking that lies behind what might seem to be, on the surface, a fairly simple set of ideas
Porn, Pedophilia, and Paganism: The Transnational Far-Right European Imaginary of Gaie France Magazine (1986–1994)
No full textOn July 11, 1992, eighteen years after the Carnation Revolution ended the fascist dictatorship in Portugal, the Portuguese public broadcaster ran a news story about the launch of the first ever gay magazine to reach Portuguese newsstands, one that was written in Portuguese despite still bearing the title of its parent publication, Gaie France. Five years earlier, on July 13, 1987, however, a petition had been signed at the Homosexual Summer University of Marseille denouncing Gaie France’s fascist politics. In this article, we offer a critical picture of Gaie France’s peculiar place in the landscape of late 20th-century homosexual media in Europe. We show how the magazine advocated a complex ideology that mixed paganism, pederasty, and far-right ideology, trying to spearhead a radical conservative European homosexual movement while having to deal with the view of homosexuality as degeneracy shared by the main ideologues of the European far-right. Rejected by political actors both in the organized homosexual movement and in the “New Right,” Gaie France forged a peculiar ideological path that can help us gain a more nuanced understanding of both the European homosexual movement and of Europe itself at the turn of the new millennium
‘Making potions and jumping on the moon’: exploring young children’s understanding of science and scientists using the Draw a Scientist Test (DAST)
No full textMisconceptions and stereotypical ideas about science and scientists can be a barrier to children and young people choosing to study or follow a career in science (Zúñiga-Mejías and Huincahue 2024). This study explores young children’s understanding of scientists' roles using the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) and semi-structured interviews with children aged 4-8 (n=75) who were visiting a Science Museum in England. A mixed methods design was adopted in order to address the following research questions: (i) How do young children represent scientists? (ii) What do children's drawings reveal about their understanding of scientists' gender, appearance, and specialties? (iii) How do children's characteristics such as gender influence their depictions, perceptions, and stereotypes of scientists? (iv) How do children explain their choices?
A statistically significant correlation was found between the gender of the child and the gender of the scientist depicted in their drawings. Regression analysis revealed that school year predicted children's overall scores on the DAST, while family characteristics did not predict their depictions and perceptions of scientists. A content analysis of children's responses provided insights into their thoughts about scientists, the importance they attribute to scientists' work, and a notable number of participants expressed a desire to attend university and pursue science studies when they are older. The findings inform a set of recommendations for teachers and parents in supporting children’s future science ambitions
Artificial Intelligence, Capitalism, and the Logic of Harm: Toward a Critical Criminology of AI
No full textThis paper seeks to advance a critical criminology of artificial intelligence (AI) by exploring how AI technologies function as mechanisms of systemic harm under late capitalism. Moving beyond sensationalist concerns regarding malicious actors utilising AI for nefarious purposes, we interrogate how AI reconfigures labour, governance, and social control in ways that intensify inequality and erode worker autonomy. Drawing from ultra-realism, zemiology, and social harm theory, we introduce a new typology of AI-related harms: Datafication, Algorithmic Governance, Operational , and Existential harms. These categories reveal how AI operates not as a neutral tool but as a mechanism of pseudo-pacification that consolidates elite power while masking deepening exploitation. Through a thematic analysis of 224 sources, we demonstrate that AI’s telos—its intended good—has been corrupted by the capitalist logic of efficiency and control. We argue that criminology must urgently engage with AI’s embedded harms to remain fit for purpose in an increasingly automated world
Associations between epileptic seizures in pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground
Epileptic seizures during pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Socioeconomic disparities in epilepsy incidence may extend to seizure control. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between epileptic seizures during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We also evaluated the association between socioeconomic and individual-level factors and seizure occurrence.
Methods and findings
We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases from inception to May 2025 for observational studies on pregnant women with epileptic seizures. We compared maternal and foetal outcomes in pregnant women with and without seizures and assessed the association between seizure occurrence and socioeconomic or individual-level factors. We used the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale to assess the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analyses using random effects model were performed to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
From 13,381 identified publications, 25 studies (24,596 pregnancies) are included in this analysis. In pregnant women with epilepsy, women with seizures compared to those without had increased odds of caesarean birth (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.30, p = 0.007), peripartum depression (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.65, p = 0.04), and small for gestational age baby (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.69, p = 0.03). The odds of preterm birth (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.15, p < 0.001), low birthweight (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.93, p = 0.006), and small for gestational age baby (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.74, p < 0.001) were higher in women with seizures compared to women without epilepsy. The risk of seizures was greater in pregnant women with epilepsy with low income compared to those with higher income (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.02, p < 0.001), and in women with focal epilepsy compared to those with generalised epilepsy (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.54 to 2.20, p < 0.001). The number of studies for some outcomes was small, limiting subgroup analyses and detection of heterogeneity.
Conclusion
Epileptic seizures are associated with increased risks of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. Risk assessment to identify women with epilepsy at highest risk of seizures is needed to optimise care