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Navigating the Future: Blockchain-based Metaverse in Education
No full textThis intricate system of integrating blockchain and metaverse technologies is having a revolutionary impact on the future of education by creating a decentralized system where student records can be securely stored, enabling fully immersive virtual learning environments. Indeed, this integration permits the construction of safe, collaborative, and interactive 3-D learning spaces on demand in action within an ever-shifting virtual environment. Indeed, the convergence of these technologies effectively re-situates and recontextualizes them with regard to change in the way users, learners, and educational organizations interact, implementing innovative and growing boundaries of digital developments in educational practices. This transformation changes the way that traditional systems of education create space for creativity toward reconfigurable thought for changing generations through dynamic adaption to meet the needs of fluid and changing present-day learning environments
Slowing-down tourism in heritage cities: The role of independent businesses in achieving just and regenerative futures
Get PDFThe industrial neoliberal model that dominates the tourism sector is unsustainable. Exploring tourism as a living system offers a novel and slower way to appreciate the industry's future. The pandemic significantly impacted cities. However, the historic City of York, United Kingdom, made an astounding recovery and critical to this success was York's independent businesses (SMEs), on whom this research focuses. Through film ethnography, the experiences of York's independent businesses are analysed, offering insights concerning the symbiotic relationship between SMEs and human and non-human stakeholders. By analysing tourism as a living system, practice-led regenerative processes are highlighted. The study demonstrates how localism is foundational to a shared identity that drives stewardship and empowers the regeneration of heritage and city spaces. The research shows how tourism and living systems thinking provide a novel perspective on conceptualising regenerative economic growth that promotes justice in historic cities
The Dark Matters: Dark-Sky Leisure Events as Regenerative Spaces for Climate Justice
Get PDFGlobally, the unprecedented brightening of the night sky poses severe consequences for all living things (Kyba et al. Citation2023). The call to protect dark skies has led to an increase in national parks hosting leisure-based festivals to raise awareness about the impact of light pollution. Taking an ecological justice lens that recognises environmental crises are deeply intertwined with social challenges, this paper contributes new knowledge by exploring the experiences and benefits of human and non-human stakeholder engagement in dark-sky festivals. Conducted during the North York Moors National Park, United Kingdom, Dark-skies Festival in February 2024, a novel methodology using sensory ethnography identified regenerative stakeholder practices and behaviours. The significance of this research is evident in the heightened ecological awareness of stakeholders participating in dark-sky festivals and the sustainable practices that are helping to mitigate light pollution in response to the climate crisis
Dyspraxia: why children with developmental coordination disorder in the UK are still being failed
No full textDesert Settings and How to See the Apocalypse
Get PDFDeserts have long been treated as apocalyptic spaces in cultural narratives. This is especially true of science fiction (SF), a genre which, throughout its historical develop-ment, has both narrated and critiqued colonialism. This article investigates deserts as apocalyptic settings in some American and Australian SF texts within the context of colonial and Indigenous beliefs and knowledges. I read the apocalyptic as a technique of seeing in relation to desert settings. I treat ‘setting’ as a formal, necessary precondition for narrative develop-ment, organising visual fields and producing agential environments. I then examine literary and filmic examples of SF desert settings with var-ied dominant perspectives: George Miller’s Mad Max 2(1981) meditates on settler colonial anxieties in its treatment of the Australian desert as a sym-bolically rich yet materially empty arid ‘wasteland,’ eliding Indigenous oc-cupation. A similar perspective emerges via Denis Villeneuve’s penchant for using aerial photography to present post-Romantic sublime desert views in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two(2024), since desert aerial photography has a specific colonial history dating back to WWI. Frank Herbert’s Dune(1965) (Villeneuve’s source text) instead privileges the more postcolonial view from below of the “Fremen.” Finally, Claire G. Coleman’s (2017) Terra Nullius is an anticolonial text which shifts between perspectives from above and below. The novel’s radical narrative rupture halfway through re-orients the reader’s understanding of the text’s apocalyptic framework in relation to Indigenous history. Coleman shows how the apocalyptic can be mobilised as a technique of seeing to critique historical injustice in desert SF settings
AI-Driven Waste Management in Innovating Space Exploration
Get PDFThis research evaluates advanced waste management technologies suitable for long-duration space missions, particularly focusing on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sorting systems, biotechnological bioreactors, and thermal processing methods, such as plasma gasification. It quantitatively assesses the waste generated per crew member. It analyses energy efficiency, integration capabilities with existing life-support systems, and practical implementation constraints based on experimental ground and ISS data. Challenges are addressed, including energy demands, microbial risks, and integration complexities. The research also discusses methodological approaches, explicitly outlining selection criteria and comparative frameworks used. Key findings indicate that plasma arc technologies significantly reduce waste volume, although high energy consumption remains challenging. Enhanced recycling efficiencies of water and oxygen are also discussed. Future research directions and actionable policy recommendations are outlined to foster sustainable and autonomous waste management solutions for space exploration
Paranoia in leadership : leading through uncertainty and strategies for resilience
No full textLeadership has emerged as a cornerstone of progress and transformation in organizations and societies in a world marked by constant change and ambiguity. However, one of the most formidable challenges leaders face is paranoia in leadership. This book is a profound exploration of this enigmatic phenomenon that plagues leaders and organisations, offering insights, solutions, and guidance for those navigating the complex terrain of leadership. With its unique focus on navigating paranoia within the context of leadership, this book delves explicitly into the nuanced challenge of paranoia. It offers practical insights and strategies for leaders to navigate and thrive in uncertain environments. It dissects the multifaceted nature of paranoia in leadership, delves into its psychological underpinnings, and provides practical strategies for mitigating its impact. By offering a comprehensive understanding of how to lead with resilience and trust, the book empowers leaders to confidently navigate the complexities of leadership in a world marked by uncertainty. It will be of interest to researchers, academics, practitioners, and students in the fields of leadership, organisational studies, psychology, and sociology
The Interplay Between Ethical Work Climate and Employee Mental Health: A Critical Analysis
No full textThe chapter examines how ethical work climates influence employee mental health, focusing on ethical leadership, psychological safety, and transparent policies. A systematic review of contemporary literature and sector-specific case studies highlights mechanisms linking ethical practices to improved mental health outcomes, reduced burnout, and enhanced well-being. The discussion includes a critical analysis of positive and negative organizational examples to illustrate how ethical climates are cultivated or compromised across industries. Practical strategies for implementing and sustaining ethical climates, including leadership training, ethical decision-making frameworks, and adaptive policy development, are presented. The implications for organizational outcomes, such as increased employee engagement, reduced turnover, and enhanced reputation, are also explored
Generative AI in construction risk management: a bibliometric analysis of the associated benefits and risks
Get PDFPurpose – The construction industry is under increasing pressure to improve risk management due to the complexity and uncertainty inherent in its projects. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has emerged as a promising tool to address these challenges; however, there remains a limited understanding of its benefits and risks in construction risk management (CRM). This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of current research on GenAI in CRM, exploring publication trends, citations, keywords, intellectual linkages, key contributors and methodologies. Design/methodology/approach – A review of Scopus publications from 2014 to 2024 identifies key categories of GenAI’s benefits and risks for CRM. Using VOSViewer, visual maps illustrate research trends, collaboration networks and citation patterns. Findings – The findings reveal a notable increase in research interest in GenAI for CRM, with benefits classified into technical, operational, technological and integration categories. Risks are grouped into nine areas, including social, security, data and performance. Research limitations/implications – Despite its comprehensive scope, this research focuses exclusively on peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024, potentially excluding relevant studies from outside this period or non-peer-reviewed sources. Additionally, the bibliometric analysis relied on a specific set of keywords, which may have excluded studies using alternative terminology for GenAI or categorised under related fields. Practical implications – The categorisation of GenAI risks in CRM provides a foundation for critical risk management processes, such as risk analysis, evaluation and response planning. Additionally, understanding the identified benefits, such as improved risk prediction, alongside associated risks, such as ethical and data security issues, enables practitioners to balance innovation with caution, ensuring effective and responsible adoption of GenAI technologies. Originality/value – This research offers a novel bibliometric analysis of the benefits and risks of GenAI in CRM, providing a comprehensive understanding of the field’s evolution and global research landscape. Through the categorisation of the benefits and risks of GenAI in CRM, the study lays the groundwork for developing comprehensive risk management models. Additionally, it identifies key methodologies and research trends, enabling academics and practitioners to refine approaches and bridge research gaps. This work not only enhances theoretical insights but also provides actionable strategies for integrating GenAI into CRM practices effectively and responsibly
Smart emergency care: a narrative review of predictive machine learning models.
Get PDFBackground and objectiveThe Emergency Department (ED) is a critical, high-stakes environment where timely and accurate assessments of patient outcomes are essential for ensuring optimal care and effective resource management. This narrative review aimed to synthesise current evidence on machine learning (ML)-based predictive models used in the ED to forecast patient outcomes such as mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and discharge probability, whilst identifying key limitations and future research directions.MethodsThis narrative review synthesises recent advancements in ML-based predictive models for ED outcomes published between January 2015 and December 2024. It explores the integration of real-time and historical clinical data, focusing on key ML techniques such as regression models, decision trees, neural networks, and ensemble methods. The review also evaluates data sources, model evaluation metrics, and addresses challenges including data quality, interpretability, and ethical considerations. A comprehensive search of four major databases yielded 156 initial results, with 45 studies ultimately included after systematic screening.Key content and findingsML models demonstrate significant promise in processing complex, non-linear data for ED outcome prediction with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) values typically ranging from 0.75-0.95 across different outcomes. Techniques like ensemble methods and neural networks offer strong performance, while personalized prediction models and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) enhance precision and interpretability. However, current approaches face substantial limitations including data heterogeneity, poor model generalisability across institutions, and lack of real-world implementation studies. Emerging integration of telemedicine further broadens the applicability of predictive modeling in the ED.ConclusionsML is reshaping predictive modeling in the ED, offering timely, data-driven support for clinical decision-making. Despite challenges, advancements in personalized and explainable models hold the potential to increase trust and usability in clinical workflows. Critical gaps remain in addressing data quality issues, standardising evaluation metrics, and conducting multi-centre validation studies