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The state of play for the human species
No full textWhat is the state of play for humanity? A philosophical reflection upon the prehistorical development of animal imagination, and the meaning of play to our species
Game Design Lineages: Minecraft’s Inventory
No full textGame design is conditioned by the practice, both formal and informal, of drawing from previous designs as a source of knowledge and inspiration. Innovation in game design is thus often the result of old ideas recombined in novel ways. We propose the concept of the game design lineage as a framework for tracing, analyzing, understanding, and explaining the historical significance of specific design elements in games. In addition to game design elements, a design lineage should consider a game’s socio-cultural context, including the design and player practices of its creators, and the relationship between these and the prevailing player practices of the time. We contrast this with approaches that consider individual games as their unit of analysis – e.g. comparing different games with each other and establishing connections between them without considering the historical context of their player practices. We feel this approach, while insightful for understanding changes between games that are superficially similar, risks implying a strict Linnaean-style inheritance pattern (inheritance by genre), and thus struggle to account for games with a diversity of design elements that originate elsewhere. We argue that the flow of influences in game design is typically fluid and heterogeneous, and not constrained by genre. Key to this concept of a game design lineage is the role of player practices; i.e. how players receive, perceive, and interact with games, and the ways these have shaped the ideas that are then implemented. We illustrate the game design lineage approach with an analysis of Minecraft’s inventory system, tracing its different elements across multiple games, genres, designers, and player practice
Student resilience : exploring the positive case for resilience
No full textResilience is a word that is increasingly being used alongside student welfare, but what is meant by resilience? This paper takes a closer look at the subject of student resilience and I hope will encourage greater debate, exploration and fresh perspectives. As the paper outlines, while the study of student resilience is still very much in its infancy in the UK, there is recognition that student mental wellbeing is a growing challenge, and one which needs greater consideration.While overall student satisfaction at UK universities is rightly high, it has become clear that not all students find the transition to university life a straightforward one. Unite Students provides a home to around 50,000 students across the UK and our own research findings from the past few years demonstrate that some students can and do face difficulties. This is what prompted us to dedicate a significant portion of our annual Unite Students Insight Report in 2016 to finding out more about students’ own views on resilience by trying to identify some of the challenges surrounding student mental health, isolation and stress. These research insights support the detailed operational data from which we and our partner universities have seen an increase in welfare-related incidents over the last two years, and which encourage us to continually review and improve our operational processes and support services
Lean production and supply chain innovation in baked foods supplier to improve performance
No full textPurpose:Service industries are currently facing an excess of over production that results in extra inventory and waste levels. With the prospect of methods such as lean production, this research seeks to investigate the impacts of lean production methods towards enhanced performance of service based industries through the study of a local baked foods supplier.Design/methodology/approach:The paper highlights the first stage of research study through current world literature and a critical review as inputs of research findings. The research applies a descriptive research framework within a semi-structured questionnaire survey method which was implemented within three different companies, the baked goods manufacturer, the café purchasing the baked foods products, and the end users, hence covering the overall supply chain cycle and its entities.Findings:The research study identified that one of the major challenges facing the baked food company when adopting the lean practices was the lack of commitment from the top management, continuous training and hence, employee engagement measures were necessary towards performance improvement of the organisation.Originality/value:The research novelty is to develop an early understanding of lean production practices within the baked goods manufacturer and its upstream and downstream stakeholders. This paper would be considered by the food manufacturer companies in order to require their key suppliers to adopt the most common lean tools identified as Just in Time (JIT), Value Steam Mapping (VSP) and the 5S methods
Eliciting expert practitioner knowledge through pedagogy and infographics
No full textQualitative research routinely requires expert practitioner knowledge to be elicited. However, effectively eliciting tacit or implicit knowledge can be problematic. This chapter presents a method in which pedagogy and infographics were combined to elicit the knowledge of expert professionals. During interlocutions, using a progressive series of infographics accompanied by explanations, research participants were quickly taught new topics. Then as the learning occurred, they were asked to reflect on their experience using their new knowledge as a lens. Deployed with Information Systems practitioners, the approach was effective, bringing forth 130,000 words of relevant and advanced discourse. Although details of the Information Systems research are presented in the chapter as an illustration, the chapter’s foci are the method’s underpinning principles and deployment. It is believed that this approach could be easily transferred into a range of qualitative research domains. Given the ambiguity surrounding the term, the concepts of expert and expertise are also discussed along with the challenge of establishing definitions for a given domain
An investigation of the challenges faced by a religious charitable organisation in efforts to attain self-sustenance in non-religious secular Britain
No full textChristianity is on a downward slope in the United Kingdom. A country which used to pride itself as a Christian nation, Britain sent out Christian missionaries in the 17th and 18th centuries to almost every part of the world to do the work of evangelism. In the ‘dark continent’ of Africa for instance, missionaries from Britain not only brought religion, but along with it, education and health care, setting up not only churches, but also schools and hospitals. Fast forward to 21st century, Britain has become a ‘non-religious’ secular state. Church attendance is on a rapid decline, churches are closing their doors due to lack of funding, pubs and other businesses are taking over church buildings It is in this gloomy backdrop that RCCG HP Salford – a small Pentecostal church, is striving to achieve self-sustenance. Efforts in this direction have been a struggle. Sunday service attendance have stagnated for some years, and so is funding. The aim of this study therefore is to investigate and identify factors that have contributed to the said stagnancy and consequently proffer solutions that will aid the church’s self-sustaining effort.The author employed three key research methods to achieve set objectives – Data Line Analysis, Self-Completed Questionnaire, and Semi-Structured Interview. Analysis tools employed were varied – Excel and SPSS (for SCQ and DLA respectively) as well as manual analysis for SSI’s.The findings of the research were also varied. Factors such as location, and competition among churches did not have much impact on the subject matter. However, other factors such as church website, and search engine visibility which were unearthed in the course of the research, bore more relevance to the research topic. The research aim of enhancing the financial position of RCCG HP Salford were fully met by the recommendations proffered in chapter 6. Current funding streams for most churches have proved grossly inadequate, however, this study will help churches develop alternative options in their effort toward self-sustenance.The implications of this research, its limitations, and indication for future research are documented in chapters 7 and 5 respectively
LibGuiding the way: how improved signposting can develop our understanding of student interaction with library electronic resources
No full textFollowing the successful implementation of the library’s cross-searching web-based service Discover@Bolton, it became clear that a further barrier to access and use of resources was the way in which information about and links to resources was presented. Too many entry points and a lack of clarity relating to accessing material meant that some students were not finding the information needed to complete their assignments. To resolve the issue, software was purchased and implemented over a period of three months to coincide with the start of the new academic year. The principle objective was simply to improve access, but it has to lead to a far deeper understanding of user behaviour surrounding use of academic material.This paper looks at the way in which significant changes to the web presence of subject-specific information has evolved at the University of Bolton, and what analyses of the usage of these pages can tell us about student information retrieval and research behaviour. By appraising the approach to resource access points we can ensure that students’ experiences match expectations: quick, easy access to information that does not depend on significant prior experience or even knowledge: students can put energy into finding and using resources, rather than trying to figure out how to access them at the start of this process. The results of this research will be used to inform future developments, including improved methods of engagement with academic staff to ensure that this type of learning environment best suits of the needs of students
Bandwidth management using MPLS model for future mobile wireless networks
No full textThe recent surge in the development of new technologies, most especially in the field of mobile and wireless communications, requires the adequate maintenance and overall procurement of network infrastructures. this is due to a great deal of accelerating demand from Mobile users having access to real-time information such as data, voice and video services. Therefore, the operators and service providers require seamless integration of network protocols with an improved quality of service (QoS). This paper addresses the performance of multimedia services in Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) nodes and network models design using simulation approach. MPLS ensures the reliability of the communication minimizing the delays and enhancing the speed of packet transfer. It is valuable in its capability of providing Traffic Engineering (TE) for minimizing the congestion by efficient throughput. The verification of the MPLS model will be the focus of the performance evaluation. An elaborate description of MPLS and its principle of operation will be required. It will eventually address the challenges of packet loss, high latency, high operational cost, more bandwidth utilization, and poor QoS
Translating healthcare innovation from academia to industry
No full textInnovation lies at the heart of academia, and universities generate high-quality, intellectual property on a large scale. However, commercial translation of this intellectual property has traditionally been poor, particularly in the critical healthcare sector. It is critical that this situation is addressed to ensure that innovation from research institutes can fulfil its potential and progress to have a genuine impact on the outside world. In this article, we consider the nature of healthcare innovation in academia and ways in which commercial translation of intellectual property can be successfully realised. This is first analysed from an academic perspective, with a particular focus on how academic motivations and work practices can shape successful translation. We then switch perspective to examine the same process from an industry perspective, looking at the characteristics and expectations involved in the innovation life cycle. To place these analyses in context, we present a case study examining a project being undertaken to commercialise a novel surgical instrument, the intra-abdominal platform, from identification of clinical need, through the development life cycle, to commercialisation of the system. We reflect on the successes and challenges encountered during the intra-abdominal platform project, the broader lessons learned and in conclusion use these to emphasise how academia can adopt practices to better translate intellectual property in the future
Changing the direction of Nurse Education: The development and implementation of the first Noncommissioned BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) programme in England.
No full textThis critical commentary sets out the background to, and implementation of “The Bolton Model.” The model was developed by the researcher. The future health service will be constantly challenged, requiring a workforce built around the actual needs of the population (Willis, 2015).The ability of the NHS to deliver world class compassionate care is dependent on the quality of training and education of the healthcare workforce (DH, 2015a). ‘The Bolton Model’ of nurse education was designed, developed and implemented, so that NHS Partner Trusts could ensure the future supply of nurses to care for their service users. This innovative nursing degree programme is the first nurse education programme that is not funded by NHS commissioning bodies and has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the University of Bolton.“The Bolton Model” features in Willis’s 2015 report ‘Raising the bar ’as good practice, and has led, influenced, trail-blazed the national debate on non-commissioned nursing programmes in England changing the face of nurse education. In addition, it has influenced other Higher Education Institutes to also develop similar programmes.In this critical commentary the author sets out the policy and practice context for a new model of undergraduate nursing education, demonstrating that there have been decades of professional and government policies that have brought about the drive and change of nurse education which has led to ongoing challenges. A critical overview of the process used to design, develop and implement ‘The Bolton Model’ of nurse education is offered. The development of the programme utilised the principles of participatory action research, appreciative inquiry, Kotter’s (1996) 8 step change management model and theories of collaboration. A key influence in the design of ‘The Bolton Model’ was based around a number of principles from the Transition Pedagogy Handbook (Nelson et al, 2014).A personal critical reflection of the main aspects encountered throughout the journey of the innovation from initial ideas through to the current stage of the programme is presented. This includes the personal learning in relation to the project itself, reflections on the innovations of the curriculum at this point in United Kingdom nursing history, along with reflections on the responses from within the community of nurse educations providers and practitioners. The implementation of ‘The Bolton Model’ required confidence, enthusiasm, motivation, self-belief and willingness to take the risk of developing a completely new module of nurse education. In addition, it was necessary to research all aspects thoroughly, to challenge, defend and share the vision explicitly ensuring it was clearly communicated to all key stakeholders to enable the project to come to fruition and create the desired impact.Finally it is recommended that HEIs and healthcare providers need to establish effective partnerships and work in true collaboration ensuring that they are more flexible and responsive to meet local workforce needs. In addition, HEIs and healthcare providers need to have a number of innovative provisions of nurse education programmes that will enable differing entry routes into nurse education