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Developing teacher capabilities for 21st century challenges: findings from a climate simulation pilot workshop on learning, teaching and action
Get PDFIn June 2024 we collaborated on a climate modelling workshop for around 200 of UCL’s pre-service (PGCE) secondary school teachers. This focused on the use of the En-ROADS climate simulator which was developed by MIT-Sloan, primarily for policy decision-makers. The initiative was part of broader efforts at UCL to integrate sustainability and climate education into teacher education. In this article we reflect on this collaboration
Professionals’ perspectives on barriers for timely antenatal care for migrant and ethnic minority women in the UK and the Netherlands
No full textBackground Antenatal care (ANC) is provided to women during pregnancy by healthcare professionals and is important to promote health and well-being of women and babies. Women from ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds are likely to start ANC later and to attend fewer appointments than recommended compared to white women in high-income European countries. These women and their babies are more likely to experience negative health outcomes. This study explored the perspectives of maternity care professionals on barriers for timely ANC initiation for ethnic minority and migrant women in the United Kingdom (UK) and The Netherlands. Methods We conducted qualitative semi structured in-depth interviews with 19 maternity care professionals (eight and eleven from the UK and The Netherlands respectively) including nurses, midwives, general practitioners, obstetricians and NGO representatives. All interviews were conducted virtually on Teams or Zoom and were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. Results Professionals in the UK and The Netherlands perceived more or less similar barriers for ethnic minority and migrant women for timely ANC initiation. As reflected in the accounts, these barriers operated at individual, health system and wider societal levels, and included negative interactions with antenatal care providers, women’s and community’s lack of trust in the health system, differences in spoken language between women and professionals, cultural differences, role of family and wider networks, and difficulties in reaching care. Perceived measures to facilitate access included skill development of healthcare professionals; educating women and building awareness in the community about how to navigate the healthcare system; integration of preventative psychosocial care into maternity services and continuity of care. Conclusion Similarity in perceived barriers and mitigation measures indicated the potential for developing and implementing targeted cross-country strategies and programs to facilitate timely healthcare acess for ethnic minority and migrant women in high-income European countries
The purpose of a literature review
No full textIn this chapter, Alex draws upon their recent experience of writing a LGBTQ+ themed doctoral thesis ‘Que(e)rying Leadership on a LGBTQ+ Leadership Development Programme for UK Higher Education Staff’ and the valuable guidance they received during doctoral workshops and supervisions at University College London (UCL)
Market signalling by microenterprises when building reputational capital
Get PDFThis paper addresses two gaps in our understanding: how Microenterprises (MEs) build reputational capital and how this compares with current theory (here the Stereotype Content Model or SCM). It also aims to explain our finding that MEs focus on communicating their competence but not their status. A content analysis of the relevant parts of 44 ME websites from the UK and China, is used to assess ME signalling of their ‘warmth, competence, and status’ and to identify major themes within each category. Both samples included B2B as well as B2C businesses and a wide range of business types. Data were collected during late 2021. As hypothesised from the SCM, MEs used all three types of signalling. Contrary to SCM theory, but compatible with prior work that small firms are stereotyped as lacking in competence, competence, rather than warmth, signals predominated. Status signalling was the least used option. Using a 2 × 2 experimental design survey among potential customers, competing explanations for this last finding are then tested. A tenet from the SCM, that the role of status signals is to inform competence evaluations, was not supported. Instead, status signalling was found to be potentially off-putting to customers as it can imply higher prices. The paper’s practical contributions include both examples and a thematic structure to guide the content of ME communication. The theoretical implications are that some of the SCM’s underlying theory may need modification in the context of MEs, specifically that concerning the role of both competence and status signalling
Adaptive Neural Network for CO <sub>2</sub> Reduction
No full textThis paper proposes an innovative machine learning algorithm that integrates Graph Attention Networks (GAT) with Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) techniques to optimize the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in crude oil vessel production. This novel approach aims to reduce CO2 emissions, minimize lead times, and enhance cost savings within the supply chain. A synthetic dataset representing 15,000 companies in the oil and gas sector was used to test the algorithm. The results demonstrate potential improvements in key metrics, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient supply chain operations
A multi-factor reputation management approach integrated with Blockchain for Smart Grid 2.0
No full textSmart Grid 2.0 underscores the need for a robust and secure reputation management system to instate trust in energy transactions while improving efficiency in grid operation, maintaining sustainable energy usage practices, and improving network capacity utilization. This paper proposes a multifactor reputation scoring system, integrating factors directly reflecting individual behaviour and factors whose cumulative impact considering similar users, affects the grid operations. The proposed multi-factor reputation management framework for Peer-to-Peer energy trading is validated through tests, which indicate the correlation of the factors assessed in computing the reputation score. The algorithm is further deployed on the Sepolia blockchain test network to evaluate the associated transaction latency, which resulted in an average of 14s
Improving the immersion in VR with real-time full body performance tracked avatars in a football free-kick simulation
No full textThe primary objective of this research was to enhance immersion in Virtual Reality (VR) technology and bridge the user-experience gaps. In sports-oriented simulation environments, there are prefabricated technologies that could be implemented to enhance immersion. According to [19] Petri, K., Bandow, N., & Witte, Sports tasks such as running, jumping, batting, catching, throwing, kicking, rowing, cycling, swimming, etc., have been emulated in VR since the simulation could completely immerse a user in a digital environment. However, current commercial VR systems and applications are limited to tracking and could influence immersion in the technology. In this study, we simulate a Football penalty kick game in a Virtual Environment (VE) to test the hypothesis that complete performance capture can enhance immersion by manipulating the interaction with game objects during game play. Handheld activities are the main use of controllers in commercial VR systems. However, there are limitations to tracking the entire body's performances during the simulation. Most commercial systems, for example, avoid tracking the lower body because there is a general assumption that players are more focused on the task rather than on how they perform it. This research, therefore, tests this assumption to explore whether it applies to all simulations and to gain an understanding of whether user avatar plays an important role in a kicking simulation's immersion. Here, we examine conventional approaches to designing immersive commercial VR systems. A Microsoft Kinect sensor was used for real-time motion capture in VR gameplay and compared to a version including a commercial VR game mechanic. The pilot-study data from 42 adult participants were statistically analysed to study the immersion in this technology. Studies were conducted to validate the simulations' immersion, collecting various metrics and measures, and by observing the in-game recordings along with a subjective questionnaire
Pain displays in childbirth: how first-stage contractions are interactionally managed in midwife-led births
No full textBirthing is an exemplary setting for investigating how non-pathological painful sensations are intersubjectively established. Contractions are integral to giving birth and are physiologically normal events that can range from mild to intensely painful sensations. This conversation analytic study is the first to examine how first-stage labour contractions are made recognisable and shape interaction between labouring women, birth partners and attending clinicians. Drawing on recordings from two UK midwife-led units, we show how participants convey and recognise contraction pain through breathiness, pain cries, (limited) talk, and visible bodily actions. Contractions can be prospectively announced and/or retrospectively noticed. We demonstrate that breathing patterns become central to how participants collectively orient to and manage contractions, with the onset of pain temporarily suspending ongoing activities in favour of breath work. Data are in British English
Optimal 5G network sub-slicing orchestration in a fully virtualised smart company using machine learning
Get PDFThis paper introduces Optimal 5G Network Sub-Slicing Orchestration (ONSSO), a novel machine learning framework for dynamic and autonomous 5G network slice orchestration. The framework leverages the LazyPredict module to automatically select optimal supervised learning algorithms based on real-time network conditions and historical data. We propose Enhanced Sub-Slice (eSS), a machine learning pipeline that enables granular resource allocation through network sub-slicing, reducing service denial risks and enhancing user experience. This leads to the introduction of Company Network as a Service (CNaaS), a new enterprise service model for mobile network operators (MNOs). The framework was evaluated using Google Colab for machine learning implementation and MATLAB/Simulink for dynamic testing. The results demonstrate that ONSSO improves MNO collaboration through real-time resource information sharing, reducing orchestration delays and advancing adaptive 5G network management solutions
What makes a good nursing education: meeting the needs of students and society in a free-market education system - cluster analysis of United Kingdom universities
Get PDFAim: Examine quality of education through classification of universities providing undergraduate pre-registration nursing courses in the United Kingdom using data from university league tables. Background: Educational quality for nursing courses can be defined in many ways. University league tables are often used, but it can be difficult to interpret these because of the diversity of measures. These include educational input and output measures, but are not patient focussed. Design: Cluster analysis of league table data. Methods: Data were from the Complete University and Guardian University League Tables. Cluster analysis was undertaken using euclidean distance and average linkage. Data were scaled by turning each value into a percentage of the maximum possible score. Results: Careers and graduate prospects for nurses are high. Satisfaction with teaching and feedback are closely related and while these broadly cluster with research quality but there was a weak relationship between research quality and overall student satisfaction (correlation −0.008, SE 0.049, p = 0.869, adjusted R 2 = −0.014). There was no clear pattern and few universities excelled in all areas. Conclusions: Traditional methods of ranking universities does not fit nursing well, where employment is higher and research quality lower than other subjects. There was no clear pattern in university results. Countries considering a free-market approach to nurse education should consider how they will meet the needs of students and health and social care services, while promoting research. The quality of nursing education should include broader measures of societal value and address the theory-practice gap.</p
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