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Touching God: Dementia and the Bodies of Christ
No full textThe dread of dementia has a unique hold over us, because dementia seems to eat away at what makes us human. If we lose our capacity to remember, to think, to act and even to speak, what is left of us? And where is the God who promised to be with us? These are profound theological questions that go beyond a need for better pastoral care or more welcoming churches: they hold up a mirror to what we really believe about human beings, about God and about dementia itself.
The purpose of this book is to explore what these questions have to teach us, by reflecting theologically on the faith journey of people who live with dementia. It is a personal theological pilgrimage, digging down into the theological meaning of dementia itself, looking for hidden pearls of insight. But it is also an attempt to look past the details, to see the “big picture” of God’s grace and faithfulness, embodied in the person and life of the crucified and risen Christ. It will speak not just to people who are challenged or troubled by dementia, but to anybody seeking to grapple with their faith in challenging times
CPD developments in China: insights from the 2022 New English Curriculum Standards
No full textThe 2022 New English Curriculum Standards (NECS) in China represent a significant shift towards an integrated, holistic approach to developing core competencies and international understanding among students (MoE PRC, 2022). On 19 April 2024, a diverse panel of experts convened at the IATEFL Conference in Brighton to discuss the recent developments in CPD for English teachers in China under the NECS. The panel brought together insights from UK-China collaborative research and CPD projects supported by the British Council, exploring challenges, needs and future directions at this critical juncture in China’s educational development
A Complete Guide to the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training
No full textA new, fourth edition of the essential text for all those working towards the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training.
This new edition takes into account the refreshed ETF standards while still incorporating key information on reflective practice, study and research skills, and providing full coverage of all mandatory units. Accessible language is combined with a critical approach that clearly relates practical examples to the required underpinning theory. This fourth edition:
- includes a new end of chapter feature to develop evidence-informed practice
- recognises the need to provide better support and guidance to learners around gender, sexuality, racism, mental health and well-being
- supports the revolution in online practices and its implications for hybrid work and learning patterns
- reflects the escalating importance of the sustainability agenda and the need to decolonise the curriculum
considers apprenticeships and new Ofsted foci and terminology
- is suitable for use with all awarding organisations and HEIs
- provides the depth and criticality to meet level 5 requirements
‘From where I stand, you're all legs’. Expectation, Desire and Queerness in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Full text linkAs modern queerness advances, so do the expectations of the queer media audience. Queer media has traversed various tropes, such as the demonisation of queerness and the traditional “coming-out” narrative, but increasingly more queer narratives are steering away from queer-centric narratives to queer-additive narratives. The focus of these stories is less about who queer people are, and more about what they do as themselves. Games are a prime example of this, largely driven by the tastes of a queer audience that changes the onus of queer narratives. Games that focus on player choice and provide fantasy, especially roleplay games, benefit massively from an understanding of their audiences and their wants, needs, and, ultimately, expectations of queerness in modern games. Using a case study of games in the Dragon Age series and a longitudinal study of reflections collected from the Diversity Lounge at PAX East after the release of Dragon Age Inquisition, we look at expectation fulfilment of expressions of desire for queerness in games. We find that the latest in the Dragon Age series, Dragon Age: The Veilguard has largely fulfilled these expectations, though is not without its criticism
A Digital Testing Framework for Design Improvements of Three-Piece Alloy Wheels Through Finite Element Analysis
Full text linkThree-piece alloy wheels are widely used across the automotive industry, favoured due to their lightweight construction and ease of customisation. Vehicle wheels must withstand forces generated during acceleration, braking, cornering, and impacts, ensuring safety and durability under real-world conditions. Finite element analysis (FEA) plays a crucial role in simulating these loading conditions, thoroughly assessing structural performance prior to manufacturing. This study develops and validates a digital FEA testing framework tailored to low-volume wheel manufacturers, demonstrating that FEA can replace traditional physical wheel fatigue tests where such facilities are unavailable. This research was conducted in collaboration with a UK company specialising in the design and manufacture of bespoke, limited-production three-piece alloy wheels. However, the absence of dedicated structural testing procedures caused many of their existing designs to be overengineered, resulting in excessive material usage, increased weight, and high production costs. In some cases, lack of testing also contributed to wheel failures. This work selected three of the company’s existing wheel designs and subjected them to comprehensive analysis. Using FEA, each wheel was evaluated under industry-standard radial, cornering, biaxial, and impact tests. To verify the simulations, a known case of wheel failure was analysed and compared to real-world values. Once verified, any design issues were addressed. The redesigned wheels achieved substantial weight reduction (up to 25%), while still meeting or exceeding the relevant safety standards and allowing for manufacturability. Ultimately, this work demonstrated that applying digital simulation techniques can significantly improve the performance and safety of custom three-piece alloy wheels
Discursive Policy Inquiry: A Critical Interpretive Approach
No full textDiscursive Policy Inquiry (DPI) is a distinctive theoretical approach to policy research, which endeavours to problematise and critically explain policy-making processes in a wide range of social and political settings. This chapter sets out the core assumptions, concepts and research strategies of this approach, highlighting the primary role of politics in shaping and investigating core societal problems and policy dilemmas. It locates DPI in relation to Poststructuralist Discourse Theory (PDT), which was founded by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, and developed by the Essex School of Discourse Analysis, and alongside the latter’s distinctive methodological orientation – the Logics of Critical Explanation (LCE) – which has been developed by Jason Glynos and David Howarth. In so doing, the chapter elaborates and connects the core notions of discourse, antagonism, power, hegemony and subjectivity to the specific questions and dilemmas that arise in policy analysis. The main elements of the theoretical approach are illustrated and further developed by analysing the changing practices of policymaking in the field of UK aviation policy since 1945, which draws on Steven Griggs and David Howarth’s Contesting Aviation Policy
Still Digging Deeper: The Impact of Austerity on Inequalities and Deprivation in the Coalfield Areas
Full text linkThe report argues that the large-scale pit closures, the attack on trade unions and the welfare state by the Thatcher Government in 1984 onwards leave a 40-year legacy of extensive inequality and deprivation. Overall, public expenditure cuts since 1984 have disproportionately impacted on coalfield and deindustrialised areas of the UK. However, since 2010, Austerity has been stepped up with welfare reforms and benefit cuts amounting to £32.6 billion over the period (2010-2021). Coalfield Local authorities have a combined funding gap in 2025/26 of £447 million.
The report focuses on a number of case study areas; Fife and South Lanarkshire (Scotland) Barnsley and Stoke on Trent (England) and Neath/Port Talbot and Merthyr Tydfil (Wales) revealing the ‘violent’ consequences of austerity policies.
Findings for Stoke on Trent: local authority budget gap £24.6m, local NHS spending deficit £90.9m, estimated benefit loss £880 per working age adult (England average £640) Childcare places per 100 children 7years and under 20.2 (England average 25.0,) long term sickness percentage of inactivity 25.9% (England average 18.8%) Mortality 369.0 per 100,000 (England average 253.0) Indicator of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) ranking number 1 in most deprived category (the most deprived local authority).
The report argues that the current Labour Government commitment to austerity and welfare cuts is only going to exacerbate and reinforce entrenched inequalities. The report calls for economic and social policies based on a just transition: an end to austerity, revitalised public services and an economic plan that involves trade unions, workers and communities
A Beginner’s Guide to Directing Theatre
No full textAn accessible guide to the theatre directing process of text-based theatre, from the choice of the play through to an encounter with an audience.
Moving from how to choose a play to the opening night, A Beginner's Guide to Directing Theatre takes the reader, via a step-by-step approach, through various techniques, practitioners, methodologies and exercises that could be applied to text-based theatre.
Through doing so, the reader comes to understand:
- The differences between directing (the approach) and the director (the role), how that crosses over and ways to navigate this
- A range of practices, methodologies and techniques for the differing and diverse styles, genres, playwrights and movements. i.e. the 'what' of directing
- How to create inclusive, safe and diverse practices of casting and rehearsal methods
By not providing one single methodology, but introducing readers to various methods, the author garners an understanding of how different plays, genres, styles and movements require their own approaches to reach opening night.
Whilst not concentrating on devised or non-text based theatre, the book makes explicit how devising, experiential and improvisatory techniques can be embraced to inform the types of methodologies a director may embrace whilst approaching text-based work
Emotion AI in the Classroom: Ethics of Monitoring Student Affect Through Facial and Vocal Analytics
No full textEmotion artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly being introduced into classrooms worldwide, using facial expression analysis and vocal tone analytics to monitor student affect and engagement. Schools and ed-tech companies are piloting systems that promise real-time feedback to teachers, for example, alerting them when students appear confused or disengaged, and adaptive learning experiences tuned to students’ emotional states. However, these developments raise complex ethical questions. This conceptual paper proposes a novel, pragmatic ethical framework for deploying Emotion AI in educational contexts, aiming to balance innovation with safeguarding student rights and well-being. We take a globally scoped perspective, examining international use cases ranging from AI-equipped classrooms in China to experimental pilots in the United States and Europe’s more precautionary regulatory stance. We integrate technical considerations (how these AI systems operate and their limitations), psychological insights (the impact on learning and student mental health), and policy analysis (privacy laws, consent requirements, and cultural norms) into a comprehensive discussion. Key ethical dimensions addressed include privacy and data governance, informed consent (especially for minors), algorithmic bias and fairness, the risk of misinterpreting emotions across diverse cultures, and potential misuse or unintended consequences of constant affective surveillance. Real-world scenarios illustrate both the promise and perils of Emotion AI: for instance, systems that boost student engagement through timely feedback versus dystopian visions of “Big Brother” monitoring every smile or frown. In response, we outline an actionable ethical model, grounded in principles of student autonomy, transparency, equity, and accountability, to guide stakeholders in the responsible implementation of emotional analytics in schools. A summary table of ethical considerations and a framework diagram facilitate practical understanding. Ultimately, this work offers a foundation for future research and policymaking at the intersection of education, AI, and ethics, emphasising that protecting students’ dignity and psychological safety must be paramount as we explore Emotion AI’s educational potential
The Wall In The Head
No full textWhat impact does the setting that a person grows up in have on them, their view of the world, and the paradigm through which they view the world? In Lynsey Hanley’s Estates, she describes an invisible wall around council estates beyond which lies an unknown world of possibility. This wall constrains council estate dwellers in the environment that they know, and it takes an effort of will, and often, luck, to move beyond this ‘wall in the head’.
The Dee Road estate was designed partly to improve living conditions for people housed in so-called ‘slums’, whose properties were compulsorily purchased and demolished, and who were moved to the new concrete, system-built estate. Construction, design and policy issues resulted in the showpiece estate quickly becoming seen as one of the worst places to live in the town. Blocks designed to have a 60-year lifespan were largely abandoned a decade after construction, and were demolished within 15 years.
The design of the concrete panels used in the Dee Road estate is distinctive and was only ever used in two other locations. Its design resonates with the popular aestheticisation of brutalist architecture, yet to those who recognise it, it is a cipher that invokes a very specific experience of social trauma and municipal neglect.
The Wall In The Head is a series of prints depicting concrete panels from the now-demolished flats on the Dee Road estate
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