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Resetting
No full text'Resetting' is a speculative poem by A J Dalton which appeared in the Nov 2023 issue (issue 4, vol 34) of Mobius: The Journal of Social Change. The poem considers our ability to resurrect the past genetically
Interactive multimodal learning: towards using pedagogical agents for inclusive education
Get PDFA pedagogical agent is an animated interface in an interactive online learning environment. Its role involves guiding users through instructions and participating in direct discussions. Numerous research studies underline the advantages of pedagogical agents in delivering instruction, tailoring learning experiences, and promoting inclusivity. The authors utilize machine learning techniques to develop an interactive multimodal application (combining visuals and audio) designed as a pedagogical agent. This application is intended to assist in teaching primary school students (aged 6 to 8) the recognition of colors and letters. Additionally, it incorporates voice interaction to assess their learning progress. The overarching objective of this pedagogical agent is to seamlessly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings, thereby amplifying student engagement and motivation during the learning process. This paper will explore the journey of creating a machine learning- based application and its potential utility in supporting educators. Furthermore, the authors will investigate potential augmentations that could render the application more adept at aiding students with dyslexia. The paper will emphasize the significance of human- computer interaction (HCI), as it significantly shapes pedagogical agents' design and operational aspects
Creating culturally competent LGBT+ inclusive care by transforming social work education and training
No full textIntroduction
Discrimination and lack of awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender + (LGBT+) people in health and social care, continue to exist across the globe. This indicates the need to ensure that health and social care professional education must include exploration of LGBT+ issues, in order to enable professionals to provide culturally competent and compassionate care which is free from prejudice to this population.
Methodology IENE 9, an Erasmus+ funded project, adopted a mixed-method and innovative approach for gathering and developing teaching tools and resources for a more culturally competent and compassionate LGBT+ education in health and social care which was delivered by a MOOC.
Results
There seems to be a lack of covering in LGBT+ health needs in the health and social care curriculum across Europe. The IENE 9 project attempted to address this gap by delivering a MOOC to 875 people across the globe.
Discussion
Specific training on LGBT+ issues results in better knowledge and skills of the health and social care workforce, which helps to reduce inequalities and communication between providers and LGBT+ people, as well as diminishing the feelings of stigma and discrimination experienced by LGBT+ people.
New times require new ways of thinking. Culturally competent LGBT+ education for social work students should no longer be an option but an integral part of the curriculum. A MOOC is an innovative way to address the current gap between education and practice
Developing psychological capital to support journalists’ well-being
Get PDFThe issue that this chapter deals with stems from journalism being a high emotional labour job with multiple stressors faced in everyday work. These include, but are not limited to, work conditions such as long and irregular work hours, constant digital connectedness, pressure of meeting deadlines, dealing with abusive audiences, covering trauma and conflict, and so on. Facing these everyday stressors has been found to led to stress, burnout, decreased job satisfaction and performance, and concerning levels of journalists considering a change of profession. Accordingly, this chapter focuses on happiness as subjective well-being, exploring ways in which journalists’ well-being can be supported with development of personal resources in the form of psychological capital (PsyCap), including resilience, efficacy, optimism, and hope
Physiology, assessment and care of the newborn
No full textThis is an important chapter which leads on the newborn infant, their development and normal physiology, and how this knowledge and information informs the skills that the midwife needs to examine the newborn, plan their care in partnership with the mother and family, and support the physical, social and psychological well-being of the baby within the family
Beloved in London, ignored in New York: Starlight Express and We Will Rock You
No full textSince the 1970s and the rise of the so-called megamusical, it has often been assumed that the British and American audiences form a single market, with shows that triumph in the West End inevitably doing the same on Broadway. However, it isn’t always that simple. This chapter examines two shows, both long-runners in the West End, that failed to reproduce their success in the United States: Starlight Express (1984) ran two seasons, as opposed to its eighteen in London, while We Will Rock You (2002) became the most successful British musical not to open on Broadway since Salad Days (1954). This chapter examines the differing transatlantic fates of these two shows and looks at what this tells us about national attitudes to rock music, spectacle, and to the musical theatre itself
You have declared a climate emergency…now what? Exploring climate action, energy planning and participatory place branding in Canada
Get PDFThe negative impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly clear and cities around the world are a driving force behind these problems, accounting for over 70% of all greenhouse gas emissions. In recognition of the need to act quickly, over 2300 jurisdictions, including 653 in Canada, have recently made climate emergency declarations (CEDs). Yet because most of these CEDs have only been made over the past few years, very little research has been completed focused on what cities are doing after making these decisions. Informed by a literature review on CEDs, urban governance, citizen engagement, communication and place branding strategies, we seek to advance understanding in this important area. To do so, we present a study that centered around two Decision Theatre workshops conducted with climate, energy and communication professionals (n=12) working for or with local governments in four Canadian cities that have declared CEDs. Workshops were transcribed and analyzed via thematic analysis to identify and understand a series of solutions and challenges facing cities. The top solutions recorded were creating targets/action plans, the importance of collaboration, and sharing information with communities. The top two challenges identified were the diversity of city staff and getting the message out. The study closes with a discussion of the broader implications of this work, including recommendations for cities and calls for future research in this critical area
The relationship of lower-body, multijoint, isometric and dynamic neuromuscular assessment variables with snatch, and clean and jerk performance in competitive weightlifters: a meta-analysis
Get PDFThe purpose of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the literature and provide a robust estimate of the correlations between lower-body, multijoint, isometric and dynamic neuromuscular assessment variables and snatch (SN) and clean and jerk (C&J) performance in competitive weightlifters. A comprehensive search through 3 electronic databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) returned 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed on Pearson's correlations between SN and C&J performance and 15 variables from 5 neuromuscular assessments—countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), back squat (BS), and front squat (FS) one repetition maximum (1RM). The FS and BS 1RM exhibited nearly perfect correlations (r = 0.93 to 0.94), whereas the IMTP peak force exhibited very large correlations (r = 0.83 to 0.85). The IMTP force at 250 ms exhibited very large correlations (r = 0.77 to 0.78), and the CMJ and SJ peak power exhibited very large to nearly perfect correlations (r = 0.88 to 0.92). These findings illustrate the importance of lower-body maximal and time-limited force-producing capabilities in weightlifters. Moreover, each assessment offers at least one variable that exhibits a correlation of >0.70. Therefore, these assessments may be used to gauge weightlifting performance potential
Mobilization of lay persons for Christian mission: a case study of selected Pentecostal churches in southwest Nigeria
Get PDFThe thesis is a descriptive narrative showing how the clergy and lay persons transmit and proclaim the gospel in specific and diverse ways using a multi-faceted strategy and a polycentric mission model. It looks at the origins and contours of lay and clergy understanding of mission and how it spread from the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Ecumenical, and Evangelical to Pentecostal-charismatic Christianity. The thesis is a case study approach that provides a broader understanding of lay ministry and clergy involvement in mission within the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and the Deeper Life Bible Church (DLBC) in Southwest Nigeria. The strength of the thesis lies in the large amount of data which has been collected and carefully analysed and by the immersion of the author in some of the activities of the two denominations which form the case studies. It uses thematic analysis as an empirical study. The thesis presents the role of lay persons as important to missiological conceptualization in the research, which offers new perspectives into centrifugal Pentecostal mission. It conceptualises lay and clergy missional practice from several dimensions, including mission as God's command, lay participation in God's redemptive work, Christ's command in the Great Commission, holistic mission, the spread of Christianity, mission and ordination, and the Holy Spirit missionary impulse. Further, the thesis explores mission mobilisation as the process which eliminates the 'reserved mentality' orientation in missional practice as imperative. It seeks to envision and educate God's people about his strategic plans. It explores mission in its fluidity as the lifeblood of these Pentecostal denominations. The thesis distinguishes theology as Spirit engagement rather than intellectual engagement through lay Pentecostal mission articulation from two panoplies, Christocentric and pneumatocentric; sodality and modality orientations. The shaping and understanding of mission theology underpinning their activities and praxis recognize lay persons' uniqueness and strategic position for advancing God's mission in Southwest Nigeria. There are diversities, dissimilarities and unity in their missional ecclesiology. It is unusual to see a study of Pentecostal missions in a similar context with dissimilarities in practice because of the amorphous character of Pentecostalism
How professional, popular musicians understand their musicking in relation to mental health: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
No full textInterest surrounding musicians and mental health has burgeoned in both the popular media and academia. Although research has predominantly focused on classical musicians, there has been a slow move towards the phenomenological understanding of popular musicians in the context of their working environments. This study expands the occupational perspective and incorporates a broader overview that is accommodated through Small’s concept of musicking (1998), including the nuanced experiences of both personal and professional music engagement in relation to mental health. The experiences of seven popular musicians were explored using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, which resulted in four Group Experiential Themes (GETs). The themes consisted of: active use of the musicking relationship as a consistent emotional resource; turmoil of grappling with the shifting selves within musicking; challenge of being ‘me’ against the perceptions of others; good feelings of bringing people together. The study illustrated how the musicians actively relied on their musicking relationship as a consistent source of emotional support, while at the same time experiencing it as a contradictory, fluctuating environment in terms of its impact on self-worth. The musicians also experienced frustrations of objectification, invisibility and compromise, with musicking affording the special relationships of inclusion and the opportunity to give back within communities. By integrating trans-disciplinary and phenomenological insights, the findings develop existing siloed research between musicians, their personal musicking and their professional contexts