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The state of research in teaching and learning of sport and exercise science: A scoping review
No full textEvidence based pedagogy in Higher Education (HE) requires accessible collation of evidence. This study aims to collate and map the evidence that exists in teaching the unique discipline of sport and exercise science (SES). A systematic search of three electronic databases (SportDiscus; Web of Science; ERIC) for peer reviewed original articles evaluating pedagogical approaches in SES related disciplines in HE was performed. Abstracts and subsequent full-text articles were screened by dual reviewers and data extracted (article characteristics, topic and outcome measures). Literature quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). 44,447 articles were identified, 509 eligible for full text assessment and 156 for inclusion. Most were conducted in the USA, UK and Spain. Study designs were primarily quantitative although qualitative and mixed methods approaches were evident. Articles were published in a large range of journals, 88 in total, with a single publication in 62 journals. The most common topic category was student experience, followed by teaching methods. Articles on eLearning, student learning and achievement and attainment were also prevalent. MMAT quality checks revealed 61% were deemed high quality and 25% satisfactory. Aside the surge of literature on the impact of Covid-19 the research is diverse, without a saturation of any facet of pedagogic research in the SES field. Further research specific to SES students is required in all areas however, there are specific gaps in terms of research on ‘diversity and inclusion’ and ‘access to higher education’ which need to be filled
Suicide prevention measures at high-risk locations: A goal-directed motivation perspective
No full textUnderstanding the effectiveness of suicide prevention measures for high-risk locations can often be challenging as many rely, at least to some degree, on psychological processes (e.g., engaging with help-seeking behaviours). Establishing how these measures may influence decision-making during a suicide attempt could be helpful for understanding how and when they may be most effective at preventing deaths. In the present work, we consider how suicide prevention measures may influence “goal pursuit” as it unfolds. Drawing on findings from across the suicide prevention literature, we apply the descriptive framework outlined in GOAL Architecture to consider how different measures may shape perceptions of “distance”, “time”, and “rate of progress” and, in turn, could influence levels of motivational drive associated with specific acts (e.g., “accessing means for suicide”). This is discussed in relation to real-time decisions around accessing means for suicide, avoiding intervention by a third party, and engaging in help-seeking behaviours. As well as the psychological processes that could encourage or prevent an individual from disengaging from a suicide attempt, we also consider potential risks and the influence of person-level factors
Validation of the Caen Chronotype Questionnaire: Exploring the added value ofamplitude and correlations with actigraphy
No full textChronotype self-report instruments are time and cost-efficient measures to profile diurnal or time-of-day preferences. The Caen Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ) captures morningness and eveningness(CCQ-ME) and a circadian amplitude dimension for diurnal variation (distinctiveness; CCQ-DI). This study extends prior multilanguage validations for the English version of the CCQ. In total, 628participants enrolled from a UK working population (mean age 30.34 ± 8.36 years, 61.3% female)including a subset of shift workers (n = 179; mean age 27.62 ± 5.95 years, 49.2% female). A subsample of participants also wore a consumer-grade actigraph device (Fitbit Charge 4) for seven days to compare chronotype estimates with objective sleep-wake parameters (n = 22; mean age 27.05± 3.99 years, 81.8% female, 90.9% worked standard daytime schedules, and 9.1% worked rotating shifts). All participants completed online chronotype measures, including the CCQ and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; PSQI), and other outcome measures. Results from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) offer support for a two-factor structure of the CCQ in an English-speaking sample, highlighting how individual preferences for the timing of activities is associated with chronotype (morningness-eveningness; ME) and a second subjective amplitude dimension (DI). However, in contrast with the original CCQ structure, a more parsimonious solution and best overall fit involved the reduction of the original 16-item questionnaire (8 items per factor) to 4 ME items and 5DI items. Convergent validity with the reduced CCQ scale (rME) and the MEQ was also established. The CCQ was sensitive in discriminating differences in actigraphic sleep-wake timings between morning-and evening-oriented individuals. Regression models demonstrated that amplitude (CCQ-DI) was a significant predictor explaining most of the variance in depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) compared to other variables. Overall, the English version of the CCQ was shown to be a robust tool in estimating chronotype in a sample of adults based in the UK
Effects of monetary policy and deposit insurance on financial policy: Does ownership structure matter? Evidence from Chinese banks
No full textThis study empirically investigates the influence of monetary policy and deposit insurance on the financial policy of Chinese banks, taking into account the moderating role of ownership structure. The study examines an unbalanced panel of 116 banks encompassing the years 2000 to 2024. Various analytical tools, including the two-step system GMM, quadratic and nonlinear associations, three-stage least squares (3SLS) technique, and alternative measures of financial policy, have been employed to analyze the latest dataset. The findings suggest that monetary policy and deposit insurance significantly influence the financial policy adherence to the ownership structure. The ownership structure of banks has a contingent impact on financial policy. The financial policy is subject to greater influence from commercial and other banks including cooperative or rural banks compared to specialized banks. Additionally, it has been noted that reserve requirements and deposit insurance displays U-shaped relationships with financial policy. The results have imperative implications for banks and regulatory bodies that are managing key financial instruments in the complex financial landscape
Data and data privacy impact assessments in the context of AI research and practice in the UK
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) projects in healthcare research and practice require approval from information governance (IG) teams within relevant healthcare providers. Navigating this approval process has been highlighted as a key challenge for AI innovation in healthcare by many stakeholders focused on the development and adoption of AI. Data privacy and impact assessments are a part of the approval process which is often identified as the focal point for these challenges. This perspective reports insights from a multidisciplinary workshop aiming to characterise challenges and explore potential solutions collaboratively. Themes around the variation in AI technologies, governance processes and stakeholder perspectives arose, highlighting the need for training initiatives, communities of practice and the standardization of governance processes and structures across NHS Trusts
Student financial support: How understanding spend trends can support retention, with a focus on commuter students.
No full text1) An overview of data on how students use their financial awards, including timelines and what they spend it on.
2) Case study: commuter students. How we can use these data to enhance understanding of students at risk, with a view to designing interventions to improve retention and progression
The multimodal construction of empathy in the representation of Ukrainian displaced people: The case of British television
No full textRecent studies on the representation of Ukrainian Displaced People (UDP) in the press have highlighted a more positive depiction of UDP compared to other refugees (Bashri and Tedam, 2023; Sales, 2023, Prieto-Andrés, Fernández and López-Avilés, 2024). To date, however, there has been no systematic analysis of televised programmes focussing on this issue.
Through a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis lens (e.g. Kress and van Leeuwen 2001; Machin and Mayr, 2012), this paper analyses the representation of UDP in programmes broadcast on British television that focussed on the Ukrainian diaspora, and explores the multimodal construction of empathy. The corpus comprises 11 television programmes broadcast on BBC, ITV and Sky channels between 13th March 2022 and 1st March 2024.
The data is analysed both quantitatively through the ELAN software and qualitatively. In relation to the multimodal construction of empathy, the quantitative analysis will provide details regarding: i) the distribution and frequency of the social actors (van Leeuwen 1996) represented; ii) the distribution and frequency of framing techniques in the moving image mode (distance and camera angle); iii) the distribution and frequency of the sound mode (diegetic vs. non-diegetic) and the music mode. The quantitative results are considered both within each programme and comparatively to the corpus. The qualitative analysis will interpret and explain the data by placing the programmes within the socio-political context in which they were produced, distributed and received: here differences and similarities between the different media producers (BBC, ITV and Sky) will also be highlighted.
A final discussion will focus on how the refugees can be multimodally constructed in a positive way. The goal of the project is, therefore, to support the design of a media semiotics blueprint for the positive representation of refugees and migrants more broadly
Dose-response relationship in digital psychological therapies for people with psychosis: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.
No full textIntroduction: Recent digital technological advances have emerged with the aim of improving accessibility, engagement, and effectiveness of psychological interventions for psychosis. Systematic reviews have provided preliminary evidence that digital health technologies for psychosis may improve symptoms. However, little research has examined how treatment effect is related to dose of therapy. Thus, we planned to investigate the association between treatment outcome and different dose characteristics, such as session length, number of sessions and their frequency.
Methods: This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines, including a risk of bias assessment utilizing the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool. Searches were completed in November 2023 using Embase, Ovid MEDLINE(R) and APA PsychInfo, and were limited to English language and peer-reviewed journal articles. Studies included any randomised controlled trial (including pilot/feasibility studies) in adults that reported a non-interventional control condition and included clinical symptom outcome measurement and dose information. Meta-analyses and meta-regressions were completed.
Results: 19 studies were included in this review. 14 studies included web, mobile or computer-based interventions, and 5 included virtual reality interventions. Digital interventions significantly improved clinical symptoms, with a small effect size (Cohen’s d = -0.14, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.23 to -0.05]). Although subgroup analyses were not significant, data patterns favoured interventions focusing on clinical outcomes over cognitive outcomes, and interventions that included therapist support, over those without. Due to the small overall effect size, we were not able to explore dose predictors.
Discussion: This meta-analysis provided preliminary evidence that digital mental health interventions for psychosis are effective, even when not targeting symptoms directly. Despite exploring multiple dose characteristics, no significant dose-response relationship was found. Further research is needed to understand the role of dose in digital interventions for psychosis.
Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023411836, identifier CRD42023411836
Interdisciplinarity and stages in a process of engagement with theatre practice and disability
No full textInterdisciplinary perspectives are crucial in navigating recent shifts in diversity agenda in the theatre industry and ensuring continued moves towards the accurate representation, equal participation, and valued contribution of disabled people on and off stage. Knowledge that is commonplace for disability scholars is still unfamiliar to many involved in day-to-day theatre work. Understanding lived experience perspectives of disability is also lacking, yet this is crucial for making sense of attitudes, structures, and environments experienced in theatre settings. This article considers what aspects of disability studies knowledge are most necessary to share in building, and moving from, disability consciousness in the theatre sector and training. It introduces the concept of Stages in a Process of Engagement with Theatre Practice and Disability for Actors and Directors and A Reflective Tool: Personal Positioning in a Process of Engagement with Theatre Practice and Disability. This article examines how interdisciplinary perspectives support individuals’ processes of exploring new territory, building familiarity across disabled and non-disabled communities, and sharing responsibility for industry-wide change
Assessing rice straw availability and associated carbon footprint for methanol production: A case study in India
Get PDFThe necessity of transitioning to clean energy sources is driving a transformative shift towards the utilisation of biofuels as a promising pathway to achieve a future with net-zero emissions and robust energy security. This global imperative has intensified research into biofuels, with bio-methanol emerging as a highly promising candidate.
This study conclusively demonstrates the feasibility of producing bio-methanol from rice straw residues in rural India, focusing specifically on Assam. Utilising GIS technology, the research accurately mapped rice straw availability and designed an optimised supply network for efficient collection and transportation. The findings revealed substantial rice straw resources in the region, capable of yielding over 1200 tonnes of bio-methanol annually. Furthermore, the associated carbon footprint was significantly lower than that of conventional methanol production.
By evaluating 5480 ha of potential cropland for rice, the study estimated an annual generation of 4411 tonnes of rice straw, translating to an impressive bio-methanol production potential of over 1215 tonnes, or approximately 3.3 tonnes per day. The study calculated the overall carbon footprint to be 421.84 tonnes CO2e per year, equating to just 0.096 kg CO2e per kilogram of rice straw and 0.347 kg CO2e per kilogram of biomethanol, remarkably lower than the footprint of traditional fossil methanol production. The results demonstrate the viability of bio-methanol from rice straw as a sustainable biofuel solution for rural India. Precise biomass assessment, optimised transport networks, and significantly reduced carbon footprint align perfectly with India's clean energy objectives. This robust framework provides policymakers with a powerful tool to harness rural bioenergy, revolutionising the energy landscape and driving sustainable development towards a cleaner future not only in India but in other developing countries as well.
This study provides a compelling foundation for further exploration, asserting that biomethanol when blended with fossil fuels, can enhance energy security, foster a circular bioeconomy, and contribute significantly to net-zero emissions targets