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A Qualitative Evaluation of a Project to Enhance Pupils' Emotional Literacy Through a Student Assistance Programme
No full textRecent policy highlights schools' responsibility for safeguarding children and promoting their health and welfare and addressing their emotional and behavioural needs. In doing so, it is anticipated that their emotional literacy and social competence might be enhanced. Recognizing that an increasing number of children exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties affecting their learning, Wrexham Local Education Authority implemented a Student Assistance Programme (SAP). SAP offers primary prevention and early intervention to pupils who exhibit high-risk behaviours and supports those whose circumstances affect their ability to engage with others at home and school, through participation in support groups. A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SAP. The study aimed to illuminate changes in student behaviour as described by themselves and facilitators, and to identify any wider implications of the SAP in terms of its effects on peers, teachers and family members. Using an interactive, responsive evaluation design, 11 focus group interviews were conducted involving 21 facilitators, seven head-teachers and 64 children. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed benefits, challenges and issues of sustainability. This paper discusses the findings of the study and the implications for future sustainability
Politics and Health
Get PDFThe discipline of politics examines the debates, ideas and institutions that surround community organisation and collective decision making about resources. In this chapter, the contribution of politics to health studies is examined. The first part of the chapter considers how politics is defined and how this underpins the various strands of political science. It also examines some of the key concepts of political study: power, ideology, democracy, government and the state. It also explores what contribution politics has and can make to health studies. The second part considers some of the theoretical and methodological approaches within politics. It looks at political ideologies, how they offer competing definitions of politics, varied views of the social and political world, and divergent views on health and health improvement. A case study explores how recent changes in many contemporary societies, associated in particular with neo-liberal economic policies, have led to a greater emphasis on freedom through choice. Individuals are called upon to take a greater role in self-care and risk management in relation to their bodies. At the same time the development of large multi-national companies has given rise to a system of production whereby their size and dominance have provided them with an ability to structure the food market
Pentecostalism A Very Short Introduction
No full text• Comprehensive introduction examining both the historical and global nature of Pentecostalism
• Well balanced coverage looking at historical, sociological, and political aspects
• Outlines theological view point - looks at the main beliefs of Pentecostals
• Considers the future for Pentecostals and Christians in general
In religious terms Pentecostalism was probably the most vibrant and rapidly-growing religious movement of the 20th century. Starting as a revivalistic and renewal movement within Christianity, it encircled the globe in less than 25 years and grew in North America and then in those parts of the world with the highest birth-rates. Characterised by speaking in tongues, miracles, television evangelism and megachurches, it is also noted for its small-group meetings, empowerment of individuals, liberation of women and humanitarian concerns.
Without the financial and military support of the state (as was the case with communism), it flourished in almost every conceivable socio-political environment. Even in Europe, where religion most frequently appeared tired and out of date, Pentecostalism might draw large crowds or, within mainline Christian congregations, flourish in a more muted charismatic form. When these two forms are added together, Pentecostalism and neo-Pentecostalism are thought to account for around 450 million people.
William K Kay outlines the origins and growth of Pentecostalism, looking at not only the theological aspects of the movement, but also the sociological influences of its political and humanitarian viewpoints.
Readership: Students of theology and religion, general readers interested in religion and spirituality, and religious professionals who want a concise overview of pentecostalis
A Practical Guide to Care Planning in Health and Social Care
No full textA Practical Guide to Care Planning in Health and Social Care was written for anyone who wants to improve their care planning skills or who wants to know more about the care planning process. It is written in plain language to suit people who are new to care planning but explores in depth some of the issues that arise when planning good quality care. Each chapter focuses upon different parts of the care planning process giving them equal attention and there are samples provided throughout the book. There are also free blank care plans available to download from the publisher’s website so that students can practice their skills in this very important part of health and social care practice. Reference is made to health and social care policy and to professional and educational standards, in order to demonstrate the need for quality service provision within health and social care practices and the importance of good care planning skills
Comparison of the mechanical and physical properties of a carbon fibre epoxy composite manufactured by resin transfer moulding using conventional and microwave heating
Get PDFMicrowave processing holds great potential for improving current composite manufacturing techniques, substantially reducing cure cycle times, energy requirements and operational costs. In this paper, microwave heating was incorporated into the resin transfer moulding technique. Through the use of microwave heating, a 50% cure cycle time reduction was achieved. The mechanical and physical properties of the produced carbon fibre/epoxy composites were compared to those manufactured by conventional resin transfer moulding. Mechanical testing showed similar values of flexural moduli and flexural strength for the two types of composites after normalisation of the corresponding data to a common fibre volume fraction. A 9% increase of the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) was observed for the microwave cured composites. This enhancement in ILSS is attributed to a lowering of resin viscosity in the initial stage of the curing process, which was also confirmed via scanning electron microscopy by means of improved fibre wetting and less fibre pull-out. Furthermore, both types of composites yielded minimal void content
Choosing threshold levels for electromagnetic hazards
Get PDFThe concept of electromagnetic hazards is today frequently taken to refer to direct effects on biological tissue. However, several other effects are possible and have been the subject of a substantial amount of research in earlier decades. One of these is the hazard of ignition of flammable gas/vapor mixtures due to sparks resulting from radiofrequency currents flowing in metallic structures. Although the physics of the mechanism linking power from a radio transmitter to ignition of a flammable mixture is relatively straightforward, compared with bioelectromagnetic effects, there are many uncertainties and poorly-understood steps in the process, leading to considerable difficulties for committees tasked with setting safety limits. The author has experience of such committees, notably that concerned with British Standard 6656, and the way in which these difficulties were addressed may give useful insights for the regulation of other hazards
Absence of nonlinear responses in cells and tissues exposed to RF energy at mobile phone frequencies using a doubly resonant cavity
No full textGuidelines for exposure to radiofrequency fields are based largely on thermal effects of these fields. However, controversy remains over the possibility of adverse health effects from exposure to low level fields such as those associated with the use of mobile phones. A plausible mechanism considers the demodulation of amplitude modulated RF fields by biological systems: if this were to operate, they would be exposed to low frequency fields similar to those of biological processes, and therefore with the potential for biological activity.
This study performed the experiment originally proposed by Balzano [2002] to test whether biological cells exhibit the nonlinear responses necessary for demodulation. This would be indicated by the generation of a second-harmonic signal upon exposure of the sample to a pure fundamental signal at around 883 MHz. The experiment used a highly sensitive system employing a doubly-resonant cavity. Storage of the high-frequency energy in the highly-resonant cavity with very low noise amplification and the avoidance of any electrode contact with the samples allowed the experiments to approach the ultimate limits of physical sensitivity.
Using a wide range of biological materials, the study was not able to demonstrate non-linear conversion of RF energy by biological materials. The results do not support the hypothesis that living cells possess the non-linear properties necessary to rectify or demodulate RF energy. Therefore biological systems do not appear to act as effective radio receivers, at frequencies above a few hundred MHz
Finding Optimal Solutions to Backbone Minimisation Problems using Mixed Integer Programming
Get PDFAttempts to evaluate heuristic algorithms are often hampered by the lack of known exact solutions with which to compare results. This is true, in particular, in the study of network backbone design - to date, a fairly undeveloped area in mathematical optimisation. This paper uses a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) approach to find optimal solutions to the problem of backbone minimisation in mesh networks. A simple model is formulated and then adapted to reduce the number of variables and constraints. Network reliability issues are then considered and a more complex model introduced. Finally the model is solved using a commercial solver to generate test instances with which to test the accuracy of a simulated annealing (SA) heuristic. The heuristic is shown to be accurate to within a very small error margin and the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches are discussed
Metaheuristics for Wireless Network Optimisation
Get PDFThis paper introduces two new algorithms for the minimum connected dominating set (MCDS) problem with constraints applicable to wireless network design, based on simulated annealing and tabu search principles. Each algorithm is tested on a selection of random graphs and shown to produce significantly smaller connected dominating sets when compared to a number of established methods. The simulated annealing algorithm is found to favour large, sparse graphs while the tabu search heuristic prefers smaller dense instances. In conclusion, we consider the adaptation of these algorithms to hybrid techniques and comment on the possible use of hyper-heuristics
Remote-Controlled Home Automation Systems with Different Network Technologies
Get PDFThis paper describes an investigation into the potential for remote controlled operation of home automation systems. It considers problems with their implementation, discusses possible solutions through various network technologies and indicates how to optimize the use of such systems. The home is an eternal, heterogeneous, distributed computing environment, which certainly requires a careful study before developing any suitable Home Automation System (HAS) that will accomplish its requirements. Nevertheless the latest attempts at introducing Home Automation Systems in actual homes for all kinds of users are starting to be successful thanks to the continuous standardization process that is lowering the prices and making devices more useful and easier to use for the end user. Even so several important issues are always to be handled strictly before developing and installing a Home Automation System; factors like security, reliability, usefulness, robustness and price are critical to determine if the final product will accomplish the expected requirements