4101 research outputs found
Sort by
A systematic review exploring the reflective accounts of applied sport psychology practitioners
No full textThis systematic review explores the reflective accounts of applied sport psychology practitioners. The aim of this review was to synthesize the reflective accounts of applied sport psychology practitioners and highlight common themes that provide focus to their reflective practice. The insight into current progress on reflective content in applied sport psychology provides a foundation to build on as we continue to understand this topic. Following a systematic search of the literature, a total of 73 studies were included within the review, which were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Analysis of the reflective accounts resulted in the creation of nine higher-order themes: Process and Purpose of Reflective Practice; Ethical Practice; Supporting Person and Performer; Practitioner Individuation; Relationships with Clients; Cultural Awareness; Competence-Related Angst; Support of Practitioner Development; and Evaluating Practitioner Effectiveness. The review includes recommendations for future research, such as the use of narrative analysis to provide further insight into applied practitioners’ experiences. We also provide practical implications, which are tailored to match the specific demands of practitioners at different stages of development and include increased engagement in critical reflection for trainee practitioners and engaging with ‘critical friends’ to facilitate the process of meta-reflection for newly qualified practitioners
Real-time Pashto handwritten character recognition using salient geometric and spectral features
No full textPashto scripts are cursive in nature and hard to recognize in real-time. Native speakers of the Pashto language are large in numbers and reside in different regions of the world. Due to the cursive nature of the Pashto script along with variations in character strokes, the printed, as well as handwritten characters, are difficult to be detected, classified or recognized. In real-time handwritten character recognition systems, the challenging factors that constraints the system depends on the stroke noise, geometric behavior (like rotation, scaling and shifting, etc.) of the text. In this article, we provide an efficient technique that aimed to recognize handwritten characters in real-time by first smoothing the noise components in the text and then extract shape-based invariant features from the handwritten strokes. For real-time recognition of characters, the probability-based multi-class Naïve Bayesian classifier is exploited, which determines the probabilities of geometric invariant features to predict the character with the highest likelihood. The performance of the proposed approach has been validated through extensive experiments and based on the recognition matrices, the proposed technique achieves an accuracy of 97.5% for online Pashto handwritten characters in real-time
A machine learning-based approach for the segmentation and classification of malignant cells in breast cytology images using gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and support vector machine (SVM)
No full textBreast cancer is one of the common disease in female gender population all over the world. The classical methods of segmentation and classification for malignant cells are not only repetitive but also very time-consuming. Therefore, a computer-aided diagnosis is needed for automatic segmentation and classification of malignant cells in breast cytology images. In this article, a machine learning-based approach is proposed for malignant cell segmentation and classification in breast cytology images. In the proposed approach, the segmentation of cells is performed by a level set algorithm which is used to extract statistical information related to the malignant and benign cells. Similarly, the gray level co-occurrence matrix is computed to exploit the texture information, and support vector machine-based classification is used for the classification of malignant and benign cells. It has been observed through experiments that the proposed approach achieved high accuracy (96.3%) in the classification of malignant and benign cells
Identification of the factors that affect entrepreneurship in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe
No full textThe former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe have the developed world’s lowest number of entrepreneurs. Since small and medium businesses are the economic drivers for long term economic growth, this issue creates an economic weakness for the Czech Republic and greater region. In the literature there is a lot of general knowledge about entrepreneurship, but very little is focused on entrepreneurship in the East compared to the literature available regarding Western nations. This study’s research is focused on the factors that affect entrepreneurship in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe in terms of culture, norms, and the impact of communism on today’s entrepreneurial environment. The aim of this study is to broaden our understanding of how entrepreneurship currently works in this unique region, because understanding the factors, characteristics, and barriers to entry for new entrepreneurial economic activity will help business development, and raise economic growth in the region.In order to identify, understand, and compare the characteristics of entrepreneurs, the research is focused on three areas: how entrepreneurship has evolved from West to East, an investigation of the factors that that influence entrepreneurship in developing countries with transitional economies, and finally, an analysis of the factors that impact entrepreneurship in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe.A mixed methods approach was used for the design of the primary research:Qualitative methodology was used to collect data through semi structured interviews, while Quantitative methodology was used to collect information through an electronic questionnaire. The secondary research was then compared with the primary research using triangulation to identify the critical themes of entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe. The characteristics identified in the region were: control and corruption, critical thinking, risk taking, access to capital and mentoring, and education. Overall, the communist machinery that kept markets closed still exists today, with the former communist politicians still in charge, and the power structures organized in such a way as to keep wealth within the hands of a few. The psychological effects of communism have left a measurable impact upon individual appetite for risk, standing out, or thinking differently. Finally, there is a lack of infrastructure available to train and mentor new entrepreneurs.The original contribution of this work has been the identification of these factors, which expands the knowledge base of global entrepreneurship in terms of the unique social, cultural, and business environment for the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe
A\u9c text worthy of Plotinus the lives and correspondence of P. Henry S.J., H.-R. Schwyzer, A.H. Armstrong, J. Trouillard and J. Igal S.J
No full textA Text Worthy of Plotinus' makes available for the first time information on the collaborative work that went into the completion of the first reliable edition of Plotinus? 'Enneads: Plotini Opera, editio maior', three volumes (Brussels, Paris, and Leiden, 1951-1973), followed by the 'editio minor', three volumes (Oxford, 1964-1983). Pride of place is given to the correspondence of the editors, Paul Henry S.J. and Hans-Rudolf Schwyzer, with other prominent scholars of late antiquity, amongst whom are E.R. Dodds, B.S. Page, A.H. Armstrong, and J. Igal S.J. Also included in the volume are related documents consisting in personal memoirs, course handouts and extensive biographical notices of the two editors as well as of those other scholars who contributed to fostering the revival of Plotinus in the latter half of the 20th century. Taken together, letters and documents let the reader into the problems ? codicological, exegetical, and philosophical ? that are involved in the interpretation of medieval manuscripts and their transcription for modern readers. Additional insights are provided into the nature of collaborative work involving scholars from different countries and traditions.0'A Text Worthy of Plotinus' will prove a crucial archive for generations of scholars. Those interested in the philosophy of Plotinus will find it a fount of information on his style, manner of exposition, and handling of sources. The volume will also appeal to readers interested in broader trends in 20th century scholarship in the fields of Classics, History of Ideas, Theology, and Religion
Cartesian and complexity science in quantitative risk management in Zimbabwean banks
No full textThis thesis aims to examine critically the extent of Zimbabwean banks’ compliance to cartesian (Basel II/III) and complexity science theories in Quantitative Risk Management. Traditionally, Quantitative Risk Management in banks is examined within the dichotomy of cartesianism and interpretivism where probability and subjective tools are applied respectively. However, the emergence of complexity science from natural and engineering sciences, offers a new perspective. Quantitative Risk Management in Zimbabwean banks is an unexplored field.Mixed methods are employed to answer objectives of testing and examining critically the usefulness of cartesian and complexity science theories’ adoption in Zimbabwean banks. Data are collected from sixteen banks with structured questionnaires completed by 120 Risk Managers, and archival analysis on 112 annual audited financial statements and 20 reports from past surveys. Data analysis is done with descriptive statistics and hermeneutic methods for triangulation, complementarity, better evidence, and to obtain a holistic picture.The study empirically discovers that to a large extent Zimbabwean banks have adopted Basel II/III and complexity science with the same speed and in the same direction. However, there is an unbalanced implementation of both theories due to information asymmetries. For instance, Basel II/III implementation reveals stronger compliance to calculative idealism (Pillar 1) than supervision (Pillar 2) and market discipline (Pillar 3). Similarly, complexity science shows stronger adoption of dynamic risk management framework than modeling methods. While all banks in Zimbabwe are compliant to Basel II/III capital modeling methods regardless of size thus creating a level plain field of competition, its usefulness in promoting financial stability is refuted because of diverging regulatory and economic capital. Furthermore, complexity science is found to be more useful where pattern-based management is a prerequisite.This thesis contributes to knowledge in four specific ways. First, it provides empirical confirmation to laissez-faire theory that cartesian regulation is not useful in bank capitalisation. Second, it pioneers the application of complexity science theory from natural sciences to Quantitative Risk Management of banks within developing country settings. Third, it proposes a dynamic risk management framework and lastly, offers national policy recommendations to improve capital management in Zimbabwean banks
Disrupting dominant discourses: a (re)introduction to social practice theories of adult numeracy
No full textThe role of dominant discourse in constructing a deficit view of adult numeracy is examined, using reports from recent international surveys of adult skills as illustrative examples. Social practice theory is introduced as an alternative perspective for examining the ways adults actually use numeracy in their daily lives and work. This perspective suggests the test items used by large-scale surveys such as PIACC are only proxies for real-life numeracy skills, and that performance in such tests may misrepresent the numeracy skills of adults. Instead, social practice theory suggests that adults may have informal, situated numeracy practices that serve them adequately in their daily lives. However, it also draws attention to the difficulty of transferring mathematics from the classroom to everyday numeracy situations, while it recognizes that adult numeracy learners may be motivated by other goals than functional numeracy, such as personal fulfillment or a gateway qualification. Alternative approaches to classroom teaching for adult students are suggested which acknowledge and draw on adults’ rich and varied experiences; the challenges and tensions of such approaches are explored
The use of social media, online support groups, and apps for pregnant women during COVID-19
No full textAt the start of 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Pregnant women were deemed a vulnerable group globally and advised to shield. Due to social distancing and the changes in maternity services, it was a reasonable assumption that pregnant women would turn to the online platform for advice and guidance. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this chapter explored the effect of social media, support groups, and app usage on pregnant women during the outbreak. Results evidenced that pregnant women utilised social media, support groups, and apps for information and support. Positive aspects were maintaining social connections whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines, access to support groups and people in similar situations, and ease of access to information. Negative aspects were excessive amounts of and overwhelming information, misinformation, judgement from others, and increased anxiety. Apps were deemed positive for general pregnancy but lacked COVID-19-related information
LEAP Online: Supporting Teaching, Learning and Assessment
No full textThis poster will focus on the value and impact of LEAP Online’s approach to support blended and differentiated learning, inclusive assessment and student success. It will highlight sections of LEAP Online specifically developed to support University of Bolton core eLearning systems such as Zoom, Office 365 and Moodle together with approaches to inclusive assessment and differentiated learning. The digital badge data alongside student and staff feedback also demonstrate how LEAP Online is now firmly valued and embedded in the student journey and the University’s learning and teaching strategy
Understanding what matters most to patients in acute care in seven countries, using the flash mob study design
No full textBackgroundTruly patient-centred care needs to be aligned with what patients consider important, and is highly desirable in the first 24 h of an acute admission, as many decisions are made during this period. However, there is limited knowledge on what matters most to patients in this phase of their hospital stay. The objective of this study was to identify what mattered most to patients in acute care and to assess the patient perspective as to whether their treating doctors were aware of this.Methods This was a large-scale, qualitative, flash mob study, conducted simultaneously in sixty-six hospitals in seven countries, starting November 14th 2018, ending 50 h later. One thousand eight hundred fifty adults in the first 24 h of an acute medical admission were interviewed on what mattered most to them, why this mattered and whether they felt the treating doctor was aware of this.Results The most reported answers to “what matters most (and why)?” were ‘getting better or being in good health’ (why: to be with family/friends or pick-up life again), ‘getting home’ (why: more comfortable at home or to take care of someone) and ‘having a diagnosis’ (why: to feel less anxious or insecure). Of all patients, 51.9% felt the treating doctor did not know what mattered most to them.Conclusions The priorities for acutely admitted patients were ostensibly disease- and care-oriented and thus in line with the hospitals’ own priorities. However, answers to why these were important were diverse, more personal, and often related to psychological well-being and relations. A large group of patients felt their treating doctor did not know what mattered most to them. Explicitly asking patients what is important and why, could help healthcare professionals to get to know the person behind the patient, which is essential in delivering patient-centred care