4095 research outputs found
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Indexing league of legends performance: A systematic review and focus group study
Full text linkThis study investigates competitive League of Legends performance indicators through systematic review and focus group analysis. A review of 15 studies identified 87 performance variables across eight domains: game metrics, skill, cognition, strategy, awareness, knowledge, vigilance, and physical/physiological factors. Focus groups with panellists consisting of competitive players ( n = 15) from university, national, and international levels led to the construction of crucial insights: performance measurement should be role-specific; traditional statistics provide incomplete assessment without context; team synergy often supersedes individual skill; both consistency and peak performance represent distinct aspects of effectiveness; and evaluation criteria vary across competitive contexts. The findings suggest League of Legends performance is best conceptualised as an integrated dynamic system rather than isolated variables, challenging researchers to develop more sophisticated methodological approaches. The disconnection between statistical measures and player-perceived performance indicators highlights the need for multidimensional assessment frameworks that integrate objective metrics with subjective expertise. Future research should explore role-specific performance parameters, longitudinal tracking across competitive seasons, and advanced statistical techniques to test hierarchical relationships between cognitive capacities, skill execution, and performance outcomes
Substantiating relational reflexive practice: where the paddle meets the water
No full textThis paper is the product of a year-long process of inquiry with an opportunistically chosen group of fellow travellers in management education. We provide examples of relational reflexive practice, noticing the entanglements with art and relevant literature, as well as our own practice as educators, researchers and organisa- tional practitioners. We revive Hannah Arendt’s notion of ‘action’, (and the interaction with ‘work’), the invisible and often overlooked movement across a web of relationships by which change happens in human processes (Arendt, 1958, 2018). We use our experience of our contact with the river, amongst other imagery, to make visible this ephemeral yet vital quality of relationships and give it its right- ful place in management education. Using a deliberately emergent action research methodology, as an opportunistic and grounded practice rather than a paradigmatic distinction, we aim to substanti- ate and develop relational reflexive practice for ourselves and with our diverse community. For this reason we return to methods and choices at several points in the paper. We shy away from bold claims, insights or definitions, as this dulls reflexive practice
Health literacy in young children (age 4-8): a mixed-methods systematic review
Full text linkBackground
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on health literacy within children and adolescents, yet there is a paucity of research within the period of early childhood despite specific developmental and cognitive differences to older children in how they understand and conceptualise health. To best support the development and maintenance of health literacy within this specific population, we undertook a systematic review to identify theoretical definitions, models and outcomes in studies of health literacy in young children aged 4-8
Vocal behaviour affects the expression of empathy in trained and untrained speakers
No full textEstablishing trust in counselling professions relies on empathy, yet the acoustic and perceptual aspects of empathic communication remain underexplored. In a two-part study, 10 trained female counsellors and 10 untrained female speakers read sentences in their normal, most empathic, and least empathic voices. Overall, speakers exhibited slower speech, higher initial pitch, greater pitch variation, and higher mean pitch in empathic voices, with differential use of cues with training. A playback task with 207 listeners, unaware of speakers' identities, found both trained and untrained speakers received higher empathy ratings for empathic voices. The study suggests adults can intentionally modify their vocal behaviour to convey empathy, hinting at the potential learnability of this skill. Further research directions on the role of vocal behaviour in empathic communication are proposed
Beyond certification: improving lifeguard drowning detection through validated tools and specialized training
Full text linkThis study investigated two key aims: (1) the external validity of an animated performance assessment tool previously utilized in lifeguard training, with a focus on how lifeguard experience and task duration affect performance metrics, and (2) the impact of two distinct training protocols on lifeguard-specific drowning detection abilities. In the first experiment, experienced lifeguards demonstrated superior performance compared to inexperienced lifeguards in both 30-minute tasks; however, both groups exhibited a decline in performance over time. The external validity of the animated tool was supported by its ability to produce performance outcomes aligned with real-world lifeguard tasks. The second experiment revealed that training specifically designed for lifeguard drowning detection significantly enhanced detection performance, while working memory training showed no measurable effect. These results highlight the necessity of incorporating realistic drowning detection challenges—such as varied bather numbers, drowning durations, and locations—into lifeguard certification programs, which currently do not emphasize these critical elements. The study also points to the significant proportion of lifeguards who missed drowning scenarios at baseline, underscoring the urgent need for improved training. Future research should explore the potential of animated tools in training and further investigate the cognitive mechanisms that underpin effective drowning detection
Ambivalent Internationalisation: Reviewing Literature on the Social Policy Context for International Students in the United Kingdom and Implications for Social Exclusion
Full text linkThis study explored the social policy context for international students in the UK and its implications for social exclusion (an inability to fully participate in society). Within a rapid review policy literature addressing international student experience, forty-two articles from the Web of Science and Social Science Research Network (SSRN) were selected through multiple screenings. Migration and education were the most explored policy areas, followed by inequalities, work, health and wellbeing, security, and housing. Results demonstrated that policy both creates barriers to inclusion (e.g. hostile environment migration/bordering practices) and supports inclusion/adaption to social exclusion-related challenges (e.g. sanctuary scholarships for forced migrants, Graduate visas). All international students to some degree lack equitable participation in wellbeing-relevant provision. Overall, policies are constructed so the state and universities can extract value from internationals without fully including them in British society. Policies abdicate responsibility for students’ inclusion, making it expensive and complicated to build a life there
University of Chichester - Implementing a first destination social care, primary care and community degree at Masters level using a Blended learning Approach
Full text linkThis case study reflects on the antecedents and implementation of a new blended learning pre-registration M Level Adult Nursing cours
How on-demand agency of anonymous group exercise membership supports emergence-based social identity transition in mid-life
Full text linkMidlife's challenges, changes, and demands can create barriers to maintaining groups, activities, which, for some, include attending in-person group exercise classes. As a potential solution, on-demand group exercise platforms (e.g., Les Mills+) offer agency over participation, anonymity, and community interaction. This research explores how social identification processes shape participation in Les Mills+. Twenty Les Mills+ participants aged 40-64 were recruited for three data collection stages: (1) an initial semi-structured interview on exercise history and Les Mills+ usage; (2) a two-week post-exercise diary capturing social identification experiences; and (3) a follow-up interview to discuss topics from the first two stages. Results highlight how, through anonymous participation in on-demand group exercise, participants experienced a sense of agency, inclusion, and community while feeling socially supported both during and after participation. Findings from this study suggest four factors that can impact social identification within on-demand exercise platforms, namely (a) creating a collective event to foster unity, (b) providing anonymity and agency to enable increased exercise trial, (c) enabling exercise participation from self-excluded groups, and (d) amplify life-stage similarity and support on-screen and via social media
Commentary of the transferability of esports to military and emergency responder roles
Full text linkThis commentary examines the potential application of esports research to military and emergency responder roles. It highlights similarities between competitive gaming and operational environments, focusing on cognitive performance under pressure. The commentary explores how esports-derived knowledge could enhance recruitment, training, and performance in areas like rapid decision-making, strategic thinking, team coordination, and stress management. Potential applications include cognitive assessment, simulation training, and stress inoculation. While acknowledging challenges and limitations, the commentary suggests significant potential for leveraging esports insights in high-pressure occupational settings. However, further targeted research is needed to validate skill transfer and address ethical considerations in these real-world contexts
Lifeguard training sharpens brain dynamics in novices during drowning detection
Full text linkDrowning is a critical global health issue, responsible for over 236,000 deaths annually. Lifeguards play a key role in preventing drowning incidents by continually monitoring bathers and detecting hazards taking place in highly dynamic environments such as pools. Previous studies have observed that specialized drowning detection training is closely associated with enhanced detection of drowning events. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this greater drowning detection performance remain unclear. Here, we address this gap in the literature by comparing brain function between lifeguards and novices, and examining changes in brain dynamics associated with drowning detection training. Using a dynamic functional connectivity analysis method called Leading Eigenvector Dynamics Analysis (LEiDA), we analysed time-varying patterns of brain activity in 18 lifeguards and 16 novices during a drowning detection task and at rest. Our findings revealed significant differences within group and between groups in the probability of occurrence of attention-related brain networks, particularly the frontoparietal, ventral attention and Default Mode networks. These findings provide novel insights into the neural basis of lifeguard expertise and how specialized training shapes neural mechanisms and improves drowning detection performance in critical lifesaving scenarios