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Qualitative Analysis, Framework and Interpretation of Large Qualitative Datasets (QUALI-FIND):A New and Novel Learning Opportunity
Full text linkPoster Contribution - see Poste
Insights from Culturally Sustaining Leadership:A Hybrid Leadership model for a Chinese International School
Full text linkThis article proposes an innovative leadership practice designed to address the challenges of dual-management structures in international schools in China. Grounded in the principles of Culturally Sustaining Leadership (CSL), the proposed "hybrid leadership model" moves beyond merely managing cultural differences to proactively leveraging them for institutional improvement. This is an interpretive case study drawing on firsthand observations as an insider-practitioner in a Chongqing international school, an institution characterised by a cross-border collaboration involving a Chinese principal and Western academic leaders. The study details a specific strategic initiative—the "US Track Language Plan," where deep-seated conflicts arose from divergent pedagogical approaches—student-centred versus standards-based instruction. The intervention involved establishing structured working groups to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue and co-construct solutions in the context of dual-management international schools. The key insight is the creation of a "third space" for dialogue that resulted in a synthesised curriculum and hybrid assessment plan superior to what either side could develop independently. The objective is to provide a practical, reflective framework for school administrators to navigate complex cultural dynamics, foster collaborative decision-making, and ultimately enhance educational quality in cross-cultural settings.<br/
Insights from Culturally Sustaining Leadership:A Hybrid Leadership model for a Chinese International School
Full text linkThis article proposes an innovative leadership practice designed to address the challenges of dual-management structures in international schools in China. Grounded in the principles of Culturally Sustaining Leadership (CSL), the proposed "hybrid leadership model" moves beyond merely managing cultural differences to proactively leveraging them for institutional improvement. This is an interpretive case study drawing on firsthand observations as an insider-practitioner in a Chongqing international school, an institution characterised by a cross-border collaboration involving a Chinese principal and Western academic leaders. The study details a specific strategic initiative—the "US Track Language Plan," where deep-seated conflicts arose from divergent pedagogical approaches—student-centred versus standards-based instruction. The intervention involved establishing structured working groups to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue and co-construct solutions in the context of dual-management international schools. The key insight is the creation of a "third space" for dialogue that resulted in a synthesised curriculum and hybrid assessment plan superior to what either side could develop independently. The objective is to provide a practical, reflective framework for school administrators to navigate complex cultural dynamics, foster collaborative decision-making, and ultimately enhance educational quality in cross-cultural settings.<br/
Lifestyle Intervention Improves Parasympathetic Activity in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Full text linkBackground: A limited number of studies have investigated the effects of lifestyle interventions in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This study evaluated the effect of a novel lifestyle intervention incorporating physical activity (PA) and dietary nitrate supplementation on heart rate variability (HRV) and haemodynamic measures in HCM. Methods: Twenty-eight individuals with HCM were randomised into either the intervention or control group. Frequency-domain HRV measures including low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF) and LF/HF were recorded at rest using bioimpedance. Non-invasive haemodynamic variables were recorded at rest using bioreactance. Participants in the intervention group consumed 6 mmol of nitrate daily (concentrated beetroot juice) and were instructed to increase and maintain daily PA by ≥ 2000 steps/day above baseline for 16 weeks. Control group participants retained their usual lifestyle and monitored daily step counts. Results: There was a significant increase in post-intervention HF power (7.54 ± 2.14 vs 8.78 ± 1.60 ms2, P <.01) and LF power (6.89 ± 2.33 vs 8.17 ± 1.55, P <.01) in the intervention but not in the control group. Resting mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in the intervention group significantly reduced at follow-up (108 ± 6 vs 102 ± 7 mmHg, P <.01).Conclusions: A novel lifestyle intervention including PA and dietary nitrate supplementation enhanced parasympathetic activity and resting MABP in HCM.<br/
How do beliefs in free will and determinism correlate with beliefs in conspiracy, paranormal, and pseudoscience beliefs?
No full textIn this study, we tested the relationship between personal agency beliefs, represented by free will, scientific and fatalistic determinism and unpredictability, and epistemically suspect beliefs (ESBs), including conspiracy, paranormal, and pseudoscience beliefs, across two different cultures (Türkiye and the UK). In two preregistered studies (NStudy 1 = 682, NStudy 2 = 532), we proposed and found correlational evidence for the idea that although seemingly contradictory, both forms of determinism—scientific and fatalistic—might lead individuals to feel a reduced control over their actions, prompting them towards simpler explanations offered by ESBs, thereby compensating for a diminished sense of agency. The relationship between free will, unpredictability, and ESBs varied by culture, likely influenced by the cultural interpretation of those beliefs. Our results underscore the link between personal agency and ESBs, suggesting that ESBs may act as a safeguard against eroding personal agency
Contemporary music improvisation for silent film:Challenging and evoking the jazz canon
No full textThis article explores how contemporary music improvisation for silent film both evokes and challenges the jazz canon by pushing the boundaries of genre, instrumentation, techniques, and collaboration while also engaging with the narrative and cultural contexts of the films. It draws from my practice-led research over the last twenty years, which has consisted of performing free improvised music in response to the screening of silent film, as a solo performer or as part of a jazz ensemble. The corpus of films used in the research spans animated shorts by Dutch director Gerrit van Dijk, surrealist shorts by Man Ray, German expressionist feature film by Fritz Lang and F. W. Murnau, French feminist film by Germaine Dulac, and documentary and amateur archive film of the North West Film Archive in Manchester and the Media Archive for Central England in Lincoln. In the performances, while jazz is taken as primary influence, musicians often incorporate elements of other musics, make use of a broader range of instruments and of non-traditional sound sources beyond the typical jazz ensemble, and employ experimental techniques and unconventional playing methods that challenge and evoke the conventional improvisational norms of jazz. Musicians might opt to follow or contradict the narrative and emotional cues of the film, which can result in processes of music making that prioritize the exploration of the boundaries of storytelling over traditional jazz forms and structures. Across this research, I have observed how silent film improvisation has been attracting diverse audiences. This cross-pollination of audiences can introduce jazz to new fans and challenge preconceived notions about who jazz is for
The road to designing integrated neuromuscular training programs for children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textIntegrative neuromuscular training (INT) combines motor competence and strength development to boost athletic performance but its specific components and effects on children and adolescents are not well understood. Three pre-determined principles (INT exercise categories, INT progression modalities, and INT program effectiveness) were used to guide this review. Electronic databases SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE (Ovid), APA PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase were searched. Search terms related to study design, population and intervention were identified, and risk of bias was appraised using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. Narrative synthesis indicated “strength training” (18 out of 30 studies, 60%), particularly core strength exercises (72.2%), was the most common in INT exercise categories. Twelve out of 30 studies (40%) met at least two types of INT progression modalities (i.e., volume-based progressions, intensity-based progressions and complexity-oriented progressions). Meta-analysis reported significant improvements in countermovement jump (mean difference [MD] 3.32 cm, 95% CI [2.07, 4.38]; p=0.00), push-up (MD 3.74 repetitions, 95% CI [1.53, 5.95]; p=0.00) and sprint (standardized MD -0.18s, 95% CI [-0.26, -0.09]; p=0.00), but not in flexibility. Subgroup analysis revealed that meeting all the three progression modalities significantly enhanced sprint (standardized MD -0.76s, 95% CI [1.21, -0.31]; p=0.03) and flexibility (MD 6.38 cm, 95% CI [5.45, 7.31]; p=0.00). This review provides evidence that INT programs have a positive effect on improving children and adolescents’ physical fitness and is regarded as a promising protocol. This review and future research can inform a call to action for using INT as a novel approach for developing motor competence, strength and conditioning simultaneously during childhood and adolescence
Evaluative expression in architectural practice:An analysis of UK Design and Access Statements
Full text linkWriting is the main medium of communication between practising architects, their clients and other professionals involved in the construction and regulation of the built environment (Forty 2004; Decq 2013; Binotto 2013; Gerber & Patterson 2013). Although visual material such as photos, maps, diagrams and plans are essential for the practice of Architecture, these only establish the basic semantic (ideational) content of an architect’s plans, and language is needed to express attitudes towards this content (Medway 1996). However, most prior studies of the language used by architects have examined texts from Architecture magazines and journals as opposed to practitioners’ choices relating to Field, Tenor and Mode in response to the social context of the workplace. Our paper investigates the register of Design and Access Statements (DASs), documents which all architects practising in the UK are required by law to submit to their local authorities when making planning applications. We chose the sub-system of ATTITUDE within the theoretical framework of Appraisal (Martin & White 2005) to examine one aspect of the register of DASs: the linguistic resources used to evaluate architectural phenomena in order to justify architectural decisions to local clients and regulatory authorities. We found that inanimate entities in the DASs tended to be judged from an ethical and legal perspective, and were assigned feelings of desire, well-being or satisfaction. As one of the first investigations to relate the linguistic choices of practising architects to a specific situational context, our study should be relevant to all students of register and professional discourse, and particularly those involved in the professional development of practitioners, for example in Schools of Architecture
Effectiveness of healthcare providers’ performance improvement interventions for childhood acute respiratory infection management in Sub-Saharan Africa
No full textThis study evaluated the effectiveness of interventions for healthcare provider’s performance (HCPP) improvement with a focus on childhood acute respiratory infections (ARIs) management in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using a systematic and statistically supported analysis of literature, the eligible study designs were randomised and non-randomised studies with pre-post-test comparison, and outcomes of percentage and continuous measures of HCPP. The effect size was estimated using ‘difference in difference’ and summarised as ‘median effect size’. Strategy implementation and context were evaluated using the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) model. Twenty-one studies implemented 17 HCPP improvement strategies. Among the hospital-based healthcare providers (HCPs), ‘training, supervision and mhealth’ showed the largest effect (68.9%) whereas for community-based HCPs (CHWs), ‘training, supervision, strengthening infrastructure, and HCP-directed financial incentives’ had the largest effect (60.05%). Strategies incorporating HCP-directed financial incentives were likely to have very large effect (60.0% and 51.2%). Only supervision (17.0%) and mhealth (–5.0%) were tested as standalone strategy and had high quality of evidence. Effectiveness of strategies for HCPP improvement varied in this study, however, it appears that multifaceted strategies could be more effective than standalone strategies