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Salt, Snow, Earth
No full textA poem drawing on the rhythms of a children's game to explore themes of racism and war
Regional networks in revolt: opposition to the Valois in Gascony at the end of the Hundred Years’ War, c.1452-1453
Full text linkThis article offers a reassessment of late medieval resistance to the Valois monarchy, through examining south-western France in the mid-fifteenth century as a case study. Whereas modern scholarship has often foregrounded Valois success and treated Gascony as sliding inexorably into the maw of the French state, it is shown here that a deep-rooted revolt against King Charles VII occurred in the south-west in 1452-53, in conjunction with Gascon exiles and the English. Influential and durable networks under the leadership of regional nobles were fundamental throughout the movement, and these entities remained a potent force even after it was defeated. Overall, this is indicative of how backing for, and cooperation with, the English in France around the end of the Hundred Years’ War has traditionally been underestimated, and of how noble-led networks retained the ability to underpin and inspire resistance to the French monarchy
The poetics of deep time
No full textThe idea of deep time or geological time has been troubling to conceptions of human importance since it was first mooted by Scottish geologist James Hutton in the late eighteenth century. The Romantic poet Charlotte Smith addressed the issue in her poem 'Beachy Head'. In this article, I offer a reading of the work of Canadian poet Don McKay who has written a number of poetry collections which address deep time. McKay calls what he is writing 'geopoetry'. In his poetry, and a series of related essays, McKay examines how poetry can provide a 'bridge over the infamous gulf separating scientific from poetic frames of mind.' On the one hand he is keen to avoid the 'tendency of facts to close the imagination' and on the other the tendency of what he calls 'romantic poets' to turn any object of perception into an 'emotional condition'
Burnout in esports: an item response theory examination of the Athlete Burnout Scale
No full textIntroduction: Athlete burnout is increasingly reported as impacting esports players' wellbeing and performance. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Athlete Burnout Scale (ABO-S) in esports. The ABO-S assesses three burnout dimensions: physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and negative feelings toward sport. The study focused on item discrimination and difficulty parameters to establish optimal raw cut-off scores indicating levels of burnout risk.
Methods: Participants were 453 adult esports players proficient in English, ranked in the top 40% of one of seven major esports. The sample included 372 males, 74 females, and seven nonbinary participants from 66 countries. Item Response Theory was used to assess the ABO-S’s psychometric properties. Results: The GRM provided a superior fit, with all but one item showing sufficient discrimination and difficulty levels. Items reflecting weariness, lacking energy, and physical exhaustion demonstrated high levels of information and reliability across a range of burnout levels. A provisional diagnostic cut-off score of ≥63 (+2 SD) was established, identifying 2% of participants at high burnout risk. Additional raw score thresholds of ≥47 (+0.5 SD) and 52 (+1 SD) were also identified.
Conclusion: The ABO-S is a robust instrument for assessing burnout in esports players, with specific items effectively identifying varying levels of burnout. The establishment of cut-off scores aids in identifying players at high risk of burnout, contributing to better support and intervention strategies in the esports community. These findings further the understanding of burnout in esports, highlighting the scale's utility in monitoring and addressing player wellbeing
Envisioning the good life: The limits of contemporary vitalism
No full textEnvisioning the Good Life is a call to re-imagine our lives beyond the limits of recent understandings. While contemporary thinkers of life have promoted a vision of life as excess to escape the crises that beset the present, these vitalist visions leave life detached from reality and fragmented. Contemporary vitalism imagines life as excessive, savage life, as damaged life that flees power, and as redeemed life that forms a new dispersed community. While exploring these visions of life, this book argues for an integrated understanding of the good life. Reading against the limits of the current imaginary, Envisioning the Good Life suggests that our lives are not defined by the limits of illness, death, and finitude. This book urges us to rediscover the vision of the good life in the collective and to grasp our own powers to transform our lives and the world
Co-produced research to bridge the ‘Knowledge Gap’ to support physical activity participation in disabled children and young people with limb difference
No full textThe objective of this nationwide (i.e., England), longitudinal (i.e., 2015-2024), and commissioned (i.e., National Disability Sport Organisation) study was to co-produce research with and for disabled children and young people with limb difference and their families to encourage participation in physical activity and create a more equitable and socially just society. Underpinned and informed by an equitable and experientially informed form of co-production, a core working group (N=45) was formed of families, service providers, and academics. Two research aims were constructed: (a) identify and understand a timely, relevant, and meaningful barrier to physical participation experienced by children and young people with limb difference and their families in England; and (b) co-produce resources that address this barrier and encourage physical activity participation. Multiple methods of data collection were used (N=4 multistakeholder sandpits; 84 meetings; N=351 nationwide surveys, N=26 focus groups, N=22 interviews). The barrier– ‘The Knowledge Gap’ (i.e., informational knowhow, experiential knowhow, and practical knowhow)– was addressed through three co-produced resources: website, social media forum, and physical activity events. Given a recent national survey in England found that disabled children are less active than their non-disabled peer (Activity Alliance 2020, 2024) and the World Health’s Organisation’s (2019) global action plan on physical activity, we believe this research makes a significant contribution to national and international strategy
Psychological well-being and adult ballet-from the perspective of the adult ballet teacher
No full textAdult recreational ballet is a growing area and is an under-researched area within the literature especially with regard to the well-being of the teachers who teach adult ballet. This qualitative study examines teacher well-being, their teaching practices and how they perceive they can enhance the well-being of the adults they teach. Participants also outlined their views and their own experiences and values with regard to adult ballet. Reflexive thematic analysis of 17 teacher interviews highlighted that positive well-being outcomes were experienced by these participants when teaching adult ballet. It also emphasizes a disparity between professional ballet and adult ballet, where professional ballet was more outcome focused and perceived to require a stricter and more disciplined teaching not always conducive to well-being. Adult ballet, however, was more process focused with an emphasis on dancer well-being through a more caring pedagogy
Examining the use of verbal teacher feedback in physical education lessons
Full text linkThis study analysed the frequency and nature of verbal feedback given by physical education (PE) teachers in a secondary school, focusing on the influence of teacher gender, experience, and student learning stage. Eight PE teachers (four male, four female) were observed across 24 lessons, with each teacher observed three times. Feedback was systematically coded using a structured framework for evaluating coaching practises. The results revealed variations in feedback patterns based on teacher experience, gender, and student age. Female teachers provided more specific positive feedback (28%) compared to male teachers (23%). Younger, less experienced students received more corrective feedback (years 7 and 8: 18.7%; years 9 and 10: 12.7%), highlighting the importance of targeted instruction in early learning stages. Additionally, less experienced teachers used less corrective feedback (15%) than their more experienced counterparts (25.6%), suggesting a need for professional development in feedback strategies. These findings emphasise the role of tailored feedback in PE to optimise student learning and engagement
The role of interventions led by student teachers as autonomous approximations of practice for developing knowledge, skills and confidence in initial teacher education
No full textThis research paper outlines how a student-teacher-led intervention, where a student teacher designs and implements an instructional intervention that will support children to make progress, can be viewed as an approximation of practice. The research analysed student teachers’ self-evaluation documentation and utilised interviews with student teachers in one higher education institution in England and experienced teachers who have adopted mentorship roles in schools. The research finds that elements of core practices in teacher education can be seen through the student-teacher intervention, most notably the opportunity for student teachers to master skills with reduced complexity. In this way, the student-led interventions can be viewed as an approximation of practice. This approach to teacher education is enhanced by affording the student teacher with a degree of autonomy that they do not experience elsewhere in the typical English context. Despite the lack of immediate feedback, the student teacher is supported by receiving feedback in different forms. The paper concludes by suggesting that student-teacher-led interventions can be viewed as an autonomous approximation of practice that is beneficial in developing the confidence and skills of the student teacher