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Motivation to lead in primary school headship – a multi-career-stage study
Get PDFIt is increasingly difficult to retain and recruit primary school headteachers in England, as well as internationally. There is an urgent need to understand how to attract primary teachers to headship, and develop a pipeline of qualified headteacher candidates. This study explored motivation to ascend to school headship amongst primary teachers, and current and former heads, drawing upon motivation to lead (MTL) constructs. Qualitative interviews were conducted with early career teachers (n = 7), experienced teachers (n = 8), current headteachers (n = 10), and retired headteachers (n = 8). The study found that having autonomy and the ability to make an impact across a whole school community were motivating factors for headship at all career stages, whereas stereotypes of headteachers and the fear of exposure and failure in the role were demotivating. A sense of duty was a motivator for the current and retired heads. Re-balancing the personal rewards and challenges of headship is necessary to motivate more teachers to become headteachers
Women in O'Casey's plays
No full textSean O’Casey is one of Ireland’s best-known writers. He is
the most frequently performed playwright in the history of the Irish National Theatre (the Abbey); and his work is also frequently revived onstage elsewhere. O’Casey is also widely studied in schools, colleges, and universities in the English-speaking world.
This book offers a new contextualisation of this famous writer’s work, revisiting his association with Irish nationalism, historical revisionism, and celebrated contemporaries such as W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. The volume also brings O’Casey’s work into contact with topics including disability studies, gender and sexuality ,postcolonialism, ecocriticism, and race. O’Casey in Context therefore explores a number of existing ideas about O’Casey in the light of new academic developments and understandings, and updates our understanding of this important writer by taking into account recent scholarly and theatrical thinking.
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Performances of Eating Disorders on TikTok – A Case of Hysterical Modes of Externalisation
No full textAn increasing number of videos on the social media platform TikTok show individuals who allegedly have or are recovering from an eating disorder. The videos depict particular performances and aestheticisations of eating disorders which are analysed in detail in this article through an interdisciplinary perspective of psychoanalysis as well as media and communication studies. This analytical perspective focusses upon the dialectic of content and aesthetic form, while also taking into account the technical features of the platform. The guiding question is whether eating disorders can be analysed using the psychoanalytic concept of hysteria which is applied to further unpack common qualities of the videos around performances of reinterpreting and remodelling of inner and psychosocial reality as a pseudo-solution of conflicts. We argue that eating disorders staged and performed in the videos by the young women can be regarded as different forms of externalisation in hysterical modes: attempting triangulation; repeating and acting out; representing a punishing super-ego. We conclude that hysteria remains a vital and critical concept for understanding contemporary representations of the body in the context of mental health on digital platforms
Sex-based comparison of the blood pressure, haemodynamic and cardiac autonomic adaptations following isometric exercise training in sedentary adults: a randomised controlled trial
Get PDFObjectives: We aimed to explore sex-specific differences in resting blood pressure (BP) reduction and associated cardiovascular adaptations following isometric exercise training (IET).
Methods: 100 sedentary adults with normal to high- normal systolic BP volunteered for the study. Participants either performed home-based lower-body IET in the form of a wall squat three times a week for 4 weeks (each session comprised 4×2 min bouts) or were allocated to the control group. Cardiovascular variables, including BP, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, stroke volume and heart rate variability (HRV), were measured at rest preintervention and postintervention.
Results: Following 4 weeks of IET, there were no significant differences in resting systolic BP and diastolic BP between females (122.1±6.9 and 80.0±8.3 mm Hg) and males (119.6±7.2 and 77.4±8.6 mm Hg). However, female participants had a greater cardiac autonomic response following training, evidenced by a lower low- frequency to high-frequency HRV ratio (F: 1.38±1.27 and M: 2.1±1.5, p=0.004) and decreased and elevated low- frequency normalised units (F: 50.3%±16.2% and M: 60.9%±16.9%, p=0.015) and high-frequency normalised units (F: 49.7%±16.2% and M: 39.1%±16.9%, p=0.015), respectively.
Conclusions: While resting BP reductions were comparable between female and male participants, there was a greater autonomic response and a higher incidence of clinically important BP reductions in females, which could indicate a greater cardioprotective effect following IET. These findings highlight the importance of considering sex differences in the prescription and evaluation of exercise interventions for hypertension management
Initial Stages of a Participatory Research Project about Risks Associated with People with Intellectual Disabilities
Get PDFParticipatory research involves people who may not have formal research experience but belong to, or represent, the group being studied throughout the process. This approach is frequently used in studies involving people with intellectual disabilities. However, due to the word limits of traditional journal articles, finer details of the participatory processes are often not reported. As a result, valuable insights may be lost, and the participatory processes may receive insufficient scrutiny. To address this gap, this paper offers practical guidance about the outset of a participatory project exploring risks experienced by individuals with intellectual disabilities. Details of partnering with community members and related organisations and completing the early stages of a design phase are reported (Vaughn & Jacquez, 2020). It reports on considerations related to project planning, methodological choices, ethical issues and venue selection. Specific challenges and next steps are outlined. Some critical reflection is also provided. A conclusion emphasising the importance of enjoyment and flexibility is drawn
Hypertonic Saline-Evoked Muscle Pain in the Quadriceps Reduces Neuromuscular Performance and Alters Corticospinal Excitability.
Get PDFMuscle pain can alter corticospinal function, but the specific excitatory/inhibitory effects on the quadriceps across different levels of corticospinal neuron recruitment remain unclear. Furthermore, maximal force production is reduced with muscle pain, but how the rate of force development, a key component of neuromuscular function remains less-known. To investigate this, healthy participants completed an isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) followed by submaximal, intermittent contractions after receiving a hypertonic saline injection into the vastus lateralis to cause quadriceps pain (HYP) or isotonic saline, a non-painful control (ISO). Peripheral nerve stimulation was delivered during and after MVCs to determine neuromuscular function. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was delivered at 120% and 150% of active motor threshold during submaximal contractions to determine corticospinal excitability/inhibition, along with paired-pulse TMS to determine short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). Results revealed a moderate effect size (ES) reduction in MVC force (ES = -0.68, = 0.020), early-phase rate of force development (ES = -0.57, = 0.029), and voluntary activation (ES = -0.66, = 0.008) in HYP compared to ISO. Corticospinal excitability increased in HYP compared to ISO (ES = 0.60, = 0.023), whereas corticospinal inhibition decreased in HYP at higher stimulation intensities only (ES = 0.63, = 0.017). Conversely, SICI increased in HYP compared to ISO (ES = 0.58, = 0.035). Our findings indicate that muscle pain induced by a hypertonic saline injection reduced quadriceps neuromuscular function due to centrally mediated mechanisms, potentially involving both excitatory and inhibitory effects on the corticospinal tract
“My menstruation journey in sport was sad and lonely”: The menstruation experiences of Pacific sports women in Aotearoa New Zealand
Get PDFThis research examined the lived experiences of Pacific sportswomen living in Aotearoa New Zealand concerning menstruation and sport. This research looks into understanding how the different cultural beliefs and taboos on menstruation may impact a Pacific sportswoman's life. Pacific sportswomen in Aotearoa experience menstruation through an intersectional lens with their family and cultural values and practices, intersecting with gender to shape their experiences in sporting contexts. Guided by the Masi methodology, this research ensures that the Pacific sportswomen's voices remain centered and prioritized. Our analysis illustrates three key findings (1) The intersections of family, culture, and sports; (2) Fears, Silencing, and Questionable Advice in Elite Sport; (3) Changes in sports organizations menstrual knowledge. Drawing upon interviews with 16 Pacific sportswomen living in Aotearoa, our research highlights how culture intersects with gender and other key variables (i.e. socioeconomic considerations) to influence sportswomen's experiences of menstruation
Recruitment and retention of international trainee teachers: a call for coherence in policies and practices
Get PDFTo support the integration and development of the growing numbers of international trainee teachers coming to join the teaching profession in England we would invite policy makers to explore:
1. Coherence in policies in recruitment from the Department for Education and immigration laws and quotas. Waiving visa requirements for trainee teachers and early career teachers in shortage. This would reduce administration and cost burden for
candidates, Initial Teacher Training providers and schools trying to recruit teachers.
2. Re-evaluate relocation packages and bursaries to reduce precarity and support with the cost of living in the UK during training
3. Explore best practice from UNESCO Education 2030 and other countries who have developed robust international teacher recruitment such as New Zealand who offer relocation packages, and curriculum adjustment programmes before training
starts reducing burden for schools and providers
Supporting a beginning languages teacher who is struggling: a range of scenarios
No full text[This chapter has been ‘crowd-sourced’ by the co-editors from the languages community, including among members of the Association for Language Learning.]
This chapter begins with a brief exploration of the mentor's role in identifying a potential concern, investigating the cause of the problem, creating a support plan and involving other colleagues where appropriate. Experienced practitioners and mentors share a range of scenarios as a springboard for reflection as mentors seek to identify possible solutions-focused approaches to support the beginning languages teacher to make expected progress
Effectiveness of Client-Centred Counselling on Weight Management among Black African Women with Overweight and Obesity in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review
No full textClient-centred counselling, a collaborative approach, aims at reducing ambivalence and enhancing behavioural change for weight loss. This systematic review assessed the effectiveness of client-centred counselling for weight management in Black African women with overweight and obesity in high-income countries, identifying culturally tailored strategies and theoretical underpinnings. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, with nine databases searched from 1970 to June 2022. Twenty-two studies were included, 91% (n=20) of which reported positive effects on weight loss. Face-to-face and a combination of in-person and telephone client-centred counselling were found effective. Although the optimal treatment duration was unclear, interventions lasting six to twelve months were most beneficial. Interventions were delivered by registered dietitians, physicians, nutritionists, and health coaches. Most interventions (n=14) were informed by social cognitive theory, with 19 studies incorporating cultural adaptations such as language considerations, socio-cultural values, constituent involvement, and leveraging target group experiences. Studies using at least two cultural adaptation strategies were more likely to be effective. Client-centred counselling appears promising for weight management in Black African women with overweight or obesity. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of these interventions in this population over time