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“I just feel like the teacher understood me, and she knew what I needed”:School experiences of autistic students from diverse backgrounds
No full textBackground and aims: Gathering Autistic young people's testimony is critical for understanding their lived experience of education and designing settings in which these students can thrive. Despite increasing knowledge in this field, we lack perspectives from a broad range of Autistic students which necessarily limits our ability to build inclusive, supportive environments for all. This study explored the educational experiences of preschool and school-aged Autistic students from diverse age groups, backgrounds, and educational settings. Methods: Thirty-six Autistic students (aged 4–18 years) from Chinese, Vietnamese, Somali, Lebanese, and White Australian backgrounds shared their thoughts and experiences of their education. Through semi-structured interviews, students told their stories using words and pictures. Interview transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Students described experiencing significant overwhelm within education settings, which led them to value access to safe spaces and having autonomy over decisions in their school day. A strong sense of fairness and justice was reported with students frustrated by inequitable application of school rules, as well as being discouraged by educators’ low expectations of them. Students preferred teachers who were clear and direct in their communication and genuinely cared about them as individuals. Students were mindful of others’ differences and perspectives, striving for mutual respect and friendship with their peers. Conclusions: Findings from this research indicate that to thrive academically, emotionally and socially, Autistic students need thoughtfully designed education settings with high expectations for every student, together with individualistic care from teachers. Implications: Our findings reinforce how classroom design and education practices must consider the needs of all students for Autistic students to thrive. From a practice perspective, promoting student autonomy around aspects of their educational environment—such as the ability to use headphones in class or provision of spaces in which to retreat to prevent or manage sensory/social overwhelm—could be “quick wins” for schools wanting to foster safer, more secure settings for Autistic learners. Broadly, educators should aim to embed as much certainty as possible into Autistic students’ educational environments to lay a solid foundation for learning. This foundation is likely to be most effective when educators are partners in discovery with each individual Autistic student, seeking to understand their unique strengths, needs, personalities and identities, and build trusting student–teacher relationships. While our research examined the perspectives of a diverse range of Autistic students, future research should attempt to elicit the educational experiences of both younger Autistic children (e.g., preschoolers) and non- or semi-speaking children, exploring methods suited to this purpose.</p
Does COVID-19 Affect Third Molar Surgery Complications? —A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study in Hospital Segamat of Southern Malaysia
No full textBackground: The surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars is a routine oral and maxillofacial surgery frequently associated with a range of post-operative complications. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced significant disruptions to dental care, including delays in treatment and changes in clinical protocols. This study aimed to compare third molar surgeries conducted before and during the pandemic, focusing on patient characteristics, surgical factors, and post-operative complications. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted involving 253 patients who underwent mandibular third molar surgery under local anesthesia at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Hospital Segamat, Malaysia, between 2018 and 2021. Of these, 100 patients underwent surgery before the pandemic (2018-2019), and 153 during the pandemic period (2020-2021). Results: Most patients were young adults, and 31% were female. A significantly higher proportion of female patients received surgery during the pandemic (p = 0.001). The most frequently removed teeth were 38 (53.4%) and 48 (46%), with horizontal and mesio-angular impactions being most common. Difficult extractions (72%) were significantly associated with impaction depth and the pandemic period (p = 0.003). Surgery delays over 90 days occurred in 8% of cases, primarily during the pandemic. The overall complication rate was 28%, including pain (22%), swelling (12%), alveolar osteitis (10%), and trismus (7%). Bleeding was significantly more common pre-pandemic (p = 0.016), possibly due to stricter hemostasis during COVID-19. Complications were significantly associated with impaction depth (p = 0.045) and nerve proximity (p = 0.047), but not with the surgical period. Conclusion: The pandemic impacted case complexity and treatment timing in third molar surgeries without significantly increasing complication rates. Findings highlight the importance of adaptive surgical planning and infection control during healthcare disruptions
Participatory Grantmaking builds community resilience:lessons and insights from the Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund
No full textParticipatory Grantmaking (PGM) is gaining traction as an inclusive and democratic funding model that shifts decision-making power to those directly affected by funding outcomes. In parallel, research and practice in disaster resilience increasingly highlight the importance of moving beyond top-down models toward approaches that foster local leadership, strengthen participatory governance, and build adaptive capacity. While PGM aligns with these shifts, most documented examples focus on philanthropic or social justice contexts. There is limited empirical research on how community-led PGM functions in disaster recovery settings or how it contributes to long-term community resilience. This article contributes both theoretical and practical insights by examining a community-led grantmaking initiative established in response to the 2019–20 bushfires in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia. Through a co-produced case study of the Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund (CCBRF), we explore how PGM can serve not only as a funding mechanism but also as a relational and resilience-building practice. We identify factors that enabled or constrained implementation and show how community-led PGM helped strengthen key resilience capacities, including local leadership, collaborative decision-making, and social and economic capital. In doing so, the article responds to calls from communities, governments, disaster management agencies, and scholars for place-based investment models that support self-determination and local capability. We conclude that community-led grantmaking offers a scalable and context-responsive framework for operationalising resilience – when grounded in local practice and structurally supported by inclusive policy and institutional settings.</p
Effective components of integrated motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy for lifestyle behaviour change:a modified Delphi study
No full textBackground: There are high levels of ill health across the world, largely due to lifestyle risk factors such as inadequate physical activity, unhealthy diet, and smoking. Behaviour change interventions are widely recommended for addressing many of these risk factors. While integrated motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy (MI-CBT) is increasingly used to support behaviour change, there is currently no established consensus on its core effective components. The aim of this study was to establish expert consensus on the essential elements of MI-CBT interventions for lifestyle behaviour change. Methods: A modified Delphi study comprised of three iterative online surveys involving international experts in MI-CBT and lifestyle behaviour change was conducted. Using key literature and practice guides, a list of 63 commonly used components in individually delivered motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions were developed. In each round, experts rated their agreement with each component using a Likert scale. Components reaching at least 80% agreement in Rounds 2 or 3 were included in the final list of essential MI-CBT components. Results: Thirty experts with a median of 13 years of experience in behaviour change intervention design and delivery participated in Round 1, with 28 (93%) completing Round 2, and 25 (83%) completing Round 3. Consensus was achieved for 26 components. Of these, eight were relational components which included open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, summaries, emphasising autonomy and offering emotional support. Sixteen components were based on cognitive behavioural content, and included exploring change expectations, identifying and exploring avoidant behaviour, identifying past successes, and technical strategies such as activity scheduling and relapse prevention. Finally, two process components emphasised the importance of scheduling sessions flexibly based on client needs, and ensuring that the therapist meets recognised standards for MI-CBT training and practice. Conclusions: Expert consensus was established regarding the essential elements of MI-CBT interventions for lifestyle behaviour change. This consensus provides guidance on essential elements to include in integrated MI-CBT interventions, which may strengthen MI-CBT training, improve intervention fidelity, and enhance real-world and research applications targeting physical activity, dietary intake, and smoking cessation. The proposed consensus framework offers a foundation for future trials assessing the effectiveness and implementation of integrated MI-CBT interventions.</p
NEXAFS Spectroscopy of P3HT and PBTTT at the Sulfur K-Edge
No full textThe sulfur K-edge near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure (NEXAFS) spectra of the common conjugated polymers P3HT and PBTTT are studied from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. Experimental angle-resolved spectra are measured to characterize both the dominant peaks and the dichroism of the polymers. First-principles calculations using the density functional theory-based many-body X-ray absorption spectroscopy (MBXAS) method are performed for the two polymers as well as for the thiophene and thienothiophene units that make up the conjugated backbones of these polymers. Through this combined approach, we are able to confidently assign the observed peaks to specific molecular orbitals and identify the orientation of their transition dipole moments (TDMs) with respect to the coordinate frame of the polymer backbone. In particular, we are able to establish the character and orthogonal nature of the three main low-energy peaks at: (i) 2473.5 eV, 1s → (S–C)π* with TDM along the π-stacking direction; (ii) 2474.1 eV, 1s → (S–C)σ* with TDM along the backbone; and (iii) 2475.4 eV, 1s → (S–C)σ* with TDM perpendicular to the first two. By performing both gas-phase and solid-state simulations, and with reference to the NEXAFS spectra of thiophene and thienothiophene building blocks, the influences of polymerization and molecular packing are also explored.</p
On top of the world:mapping the Nordic crime fiction boom based on translation data
Get PDFNordic Noir–crime fiction originating in the Nordic region–is one of the most significant international publishing success stories of the twenty-first century. Despite its importance, no one has mapped and analysed the circulation of Nordic Noir as world literature. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by quantitatively mapping the global translation flows of Nordic Noir during the period of its greatest international success, from 2000 to 2020. Drawing on the “Nordic Noir in Translation Database” containing 8,886 translations from all five main Nordic languages–Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish–this study is the first to chart the so-called “boom” in a comparative macro perspective, bringing to light the nuances of its international dissemination and impact. Key findings relate to the chronological structure of the boom, the scale of Swedish dominance and the role of a small group of top authors in driving overall translation rates.</p
“We're already experts in school, right?”:Supporting students’ construction of future school scenarios
Get PDFRecent interest in education futures amongst policymakers and industry has been accompanied by acknowledgement of the need to better include the voices and views of diverse groups in the production of narratives around what future forms of schooling might look like. This paper explores the issues implicit in engaging school students in anticipating future forms of schooling. Drawing on empirical research with secondary school students (aged 12–14 years), the paper reflects on the strengths and limitations of engaging students in such futuring work. Rather than producing liberatory scenarios of radically different forms of education, the paper reflects on how students’ visions of the future school tended to anticipate the continued core structures of schooling, albeit shaped by changes in the mundane, everyday practices of education related to values of care, security and relationality. The paper also highlights the ways in which students’ uses of digital presentation tools, online content and generative AI tended to limit and flatten-out more imaginative and idiosyncratic futures thinking and instead lead to the replication of popular ‘future school’ tropes. It is concluded that student-produced ‘future school’ scenarios perhaps have most value as: (i) a means of working through what qualities, and (ii) characteristics of the existing school model might be usefully amplified, and as a basis for supporting students to work out forms of action that they might meaningfully engage in developing these aspects of their current school experiences.</p
Responding to the de-professionalisation of teaching:empowering teachers to enhance their pedagogy through action research
Get PDFEducation is embedded within a complex societal ecosystem that attempts to imbue students with the cultural norms and values of the society in which it operates. Neoliberalism ideology has been shaping education systems, policies and reforms in Australia and many other countries, since the early 1980s. Arguably, there are both benefits and challenges related to neoliberal education. For example, neoliberals advocate for education systems to be run according to free market principles, that elements of education should be privatised endogenously and exogenously, that parents/guardians and students should have more agency and that top-down management should be increased through surveillance and mandated performance. This paper addresses the last point that increased teacher accountability measures and the standardisation of student learning outcomes have resulted in the de-professionalisation of teaching. Using case study research, five expert teachers’ experiences of using action research to explore and challenge their pedagogy isinvestigated. Perceptions about teacher autonomy and the de-professionalism of teaching emerged as the overarching research aim inquired whether action research can be used as a response to the declining status of the teaching profession. Findings suggest that through action research, teachers can be empowered to enhance their pedagogy, while developing meaningful and contextually relevant evidence-based practice
Bootstrapping non-stationary and irregular time series using singular spectral analysis
Get PDFThis article investigates the consequences of using Singular Spectral Analysis (SSA) to construct a time series bootstrap. The bootstrap replications are obtained via a SSA decomposition obtained using rescaled trajectories (RT-SSA), a procedure that is particularly useful in the analysis of time series that exhibit nonlinear, non-stationary and intermittent or transient behaviour. The theoretical validity of the RT-SSA bootstrap when used to approximate the sampling properties of a general class of statistics is established under regularity conditions that encompass a very broad range of data generating processes. A smeared and a boosted version of the RT-SSA bootstrap are also presented. Practical implementation of the bootstrap is considered and the results are illustrated using stationary, non-stationary and irregular time series examples.</p