50716 research outputs found
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Good mental health for people with intellectual disabilities:a participatory focus group study
No full textBackground: Mental health is a fundamental component of overall health. However, it remains unclear whether commonly accepted definitions of good mental health, like the WHO´s, are applicable to people with intellectual disabilities (ID). While there are studies with experts in the field of mental health and ID investigating this issue, the perspectives of people with ID themselves have yet to be adequately represented in this discourse. Aim: We aimed to identify key factors contributing to good mental health in people with ID, based on the perspectives of people with ID as experts on their own account. Methods: Five focus groups with people with ID (N = 20) from different living and working settings were conducted. The data was analyzed and synthesized using reflexive thematic analysis. Following a participatory research approach, people with ID acted as co-researchers throughout the research process, including data analysis. Results: We found six themes constituting good mental health in people with ID: (1) physical health, (2) working and living environment, (3) social contacts, (4) appropriate support, (5) competencies, and (6) psychosocial functioning. Psychosocial functioning included five sub-themes: (6a) emotions, (6b) self-determination and self-concept, (6c) doing something meaningful, (6d) responding well in social situations, and (6e) having energy and being able to relax. Conclusions: The findings widely align with the factors outlined in the WHO definition of good mental health. While working productively as well as contributing to the community were not discussed, the relevance of social contacts and individualized support was emphasized. Additionally, this study underscores the added value of considering the unique perspectives of people with ID as experts on their own account and as co-researchers in participatory research settings.</p
Law, the Sharing Economy, and Platform Technology Businesses
No full textIn this innovative book, Juan Diaz-Granados and Benedict Sheehy offer a meticulous examination of the legal foundations, structures and challenges, as well as potential solutions for the legal and regulatory issues posed by the rise of platform-based businesses. With examples drawn from the Sharing Economy, such as Uber and Airbnb, Diaz-Granados and Sheehy demonstrate how law facilitates and constrains the operation of these companies as they deliver convenient goods and services. They offer fresh insights into how and why these platforms disrupt existing legal norms, economic markets and social practices.</p
Characterising acute and chronic care needs:insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
No full textChronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care addresses short-term conditions. Chronic conditions increasingly strain health systems, which are often unprepared for these demands. This study examines the burden of conditions requiring acute versus chronic care, including sequelae. Conditions and sequelae from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019 were classified into acute or chronic care categories. Data were analysed by age, sex, and socio-demographic index, presenting total numbers and contributions to burden metrics such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Years Lived with Disability (YLD), and Years of Life Lost (YLL). Approximately 68% of DALYs were attributed to chronic care, while 27% were due to acute care. Chronic care needs increased with age, representing 86% of YLDs and 71% of YLLs, and accounting for 93% of YLDs from sequelae. These findings highlight that chronic care needs far exceed acute care needs globally, necessitating health systems to adapt accordingly.</p
Criticisms against Spotify keep mounting. Luckily there are alternatives
No full textSpotify has been subject to various lingering critiques. These range from criticism of its payment model, to the presence of “fake artists”, the Joe Rogan boycott saga, and controversies around AI-made music.More recently, cofounder and chief executive Daniel Ek has come under fire for investing €600 million (more than A$1 billion) in the military AI company Helsing. The news prompted several artists to remove their music from the platform, including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof, Wu Lyf and, as of last week, Massive Attack
David Beetham’s Democratic Theory
No full textAcross more than forty years of publications, from his 1974 book 'Max Weber and the Theory of Modern Politics' (Beetham 1974) to his 2018 essay on democracy and social justice (Beetham 2018), David Beetham made several essential contributions to a wider understanding of democracy. This chapter discusses three of them
Elevating Student Engagement through Real-Time Data Collection, Hands-On Activities, and Self-Directed Learning.
Get PDFFocus: This study aims to investigate the impact of supportive practices, such as real-time data collection and interactive activities, on enhancing student engagement during drop-in sessions. A blended learning model with pre-recorded lecture segments promotes active participation and self-directed learning (Khan et al., 2022), aligning with contemporary educational trends.Background/context: Recent literature highlights the importance of flexible learning in higher education, showing that active learning and student autonomy boost academic performance and engagement (Tsai et al., 2023). Research confirms that empowering students to control their learning increases motivation and improves both cognitive outcomes (e.g., learning and knowledge retention) and behavioural outcomes (e.g., engagement and participation) (Ryan and Vansteenkiste, 2023).Description: This investigation focuses on a statistics unit at the university of XX where students are grouped into on-campus, online, or self-paced categories based on participation in drop-in sessions. Weekly engagement data were collected via online forms and real-time polls to assess trends and their impact on academic performance. This data-driven approach evaluates how supportive practices enhance student engagement during drop-in sessions, providing insights into the effectiveness of various engagement strategies in enhancing learning outcomes. Method: Quantitative data on attendance and engagement were gathered weekly, along with qualitative feedback from open-ended surveys. Statistical analyses will examine the relationships between participation formats and academic outcomes and explore whether effective feedback practices enhance student experiences. Evidence: Preliminary findings from the analysis phase are expected to be presented at the HERDSA conference. These results aim to explore patterns between student engagement and academic performance, contributing valuable insights to the field.Contribution: This study contributes to theoretical understanding of student engagement by proposing a flexible, data-driven model that encourages participation without mandating attendance. By analysing the connection between real-time engagement and academic performance, it provides practical insights for designing enriching and autonomous learning environments in higher education.Engagement: The presentation will feature dynamic visuals illustrating student engagement trend and conclude with the question: "How do you adapt your teaching practices to promote autonomous learning?"<br/
Empowering Student Learning and Navigation of Learning Platform Using User-Friendly Video Tools.
No full textFocus: This study explores the integration of interactive video tools in higher education to enhance students' navigation of learning platforms and boost their academic performance. It analyses student feedback on the use of video tools in academic settings and provides actionable recommendations for video tools implementation.Background/context: Recent literature highlights the growing trend of video-based learning (VBL) in education, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic (Pal and Patra, 2021; Chan et al., 2022). While VBL offers benefits like accessibility and flexibility, challenges in interactivity and personalisation persist (Fiorella and Mayer, 2018). Social media, a popular platform for video sharing, holds untapped potential to enhance VBL’s effectiveness but remains underutilised as an educational tool (Literat 2021).Description: This study identified gaps in Learning Management System (LMS), highlighted essential features of VBL that enhance students' learning, and explored the potential for integrating social media into LMS.Method: An online survey was conducted, consisting of quantitative and open-text questions, with a focus on students' experiences with video tools, challenges in navigating LMS and their perceptions of interactive educational videos integrated with their favourite social media platforms. A mixed-method approach was employed for analysis.Evidence: The results revealed that students valued a multi-modal approach to learning and believed interactive video tools would improve their academic performance. The findings offer tailored recommendations for the design of interactive video tools and strategies for integrating social media into the LMS.Contribution: This research proposes several strategies to improve the LMS and leverages the integration of video tools and social media to enhance student navigation in the LMS and performance in academic settings.Engagement: The presentation will prompt reflection with the question: "In the current digital learning environment, how can video tools be effectively integrated into students' learning without compromising traditional educational practices?
Bus Stop Social Justice
No full textThe Bus Stop Social Justice Activity enhances students’ critical reflection on social justice. While integrated into first year Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Masters Social Work (Qualifying) MSWQ programs, this activity suits human services teaching programs more broadly. Utilising social justice-oriented music, students identify and reflect on stories of injustice in diverse groups. Delivered face-to-face or online to classes of up to 16, the activity promotes understanding of social justice activism through sensory, embodied and academic perspectives, fostering critical reflection, questioning and discussion. It accommodates diverse learning styles through listening, reading, writing and group discussions
Trolling for Terrorism:Searching for Signals and Noise in Internet Research Agency Messaging
Get PDFMessaging by Russia’s Internet Research Agency (IRA) leveraged U.S. social media platforms, influence networks, and events to produce short- and long-term influence goals. During the 2016 U.S. election campaign, the IRA appears to have been aware of a terrorist attack before it occurred and sought to shape reactions. Data from a public archive of Twitter (X) posts attributed to the IRA show that, prior to the attack, the IRA increased the salience of their messaging connecting Muslims to terrorism and Democrats to weak records on terrorism and immigration from Muslim areas. To increase the reach of this operation, the IRA retweeted a set of accounts voicing these views, day after day, to increase the visibility of those accounts and shape the flow of messaging on the platform. The operation led to higher engagement with their tweets about terrorism after the attacks.</p