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Molecular and pore-scale structure evolution in amorphous solid water
Get PDFThe pore structure of vapour deposited amorphous solid water (ASW) is of both fundamental interest and astrophysical importance, where the system's properties are believed to play a major role in processes such as star and planetary body formation. Here we report a comprehensive characterisation of D2O ASW in the temperature range of 20 to 180 K, using combined total and small-angle neutron scattering. Significant changes to the ice morphology are observed across the temperature range 100 to 150 K, whereby there is a significant loss of specific surface area and porosity; the transition of 3D to 2D dominated pore shapes and a general compaction of the ice. The initial structure of nanometer scale microporous islands with voids between them at low temperature evolves with annealing into compact islands with larger voids. Even past crystallisation, there is still porosity present until desorption due to persisting void volume
Inclusivity in the Music Classroom
No full textThe purpose of this chapter is to deepen understanding of inclusive approaches to music education and their impact on pedagogy and practice. The chapter explores how inclusivity enriches the learning experience for all young people by addressing diverse needs. It situates inclusive music education within broader educational policy and highlights the challenges and opportunities teachers may encounter when creating accessible and equitable musical experiences. Practical strategies for fostering inclusivity are discussed, including accommodating young people’s diverse musical backgrounds, being sensitive to structural inequalities, implementing differentiation, and using adaptive instruments and assistive technologies. The chapter also draws on relevant models and theories to support the development of inclusive pedagogical practices and offers guidance for working with young people who are disabled, neurodivergent, or have social, emotional, and mental health difficulties
Topic counts and quality in topic models for historic corpora
No full textTopic modelling methods enable the identification of potential topics within a corpus of historical texts, in particular they enable the identification of latent topics that are not described just by a single word. Like so many computational methods for the automatic processing of historical text corpora, they come with a number of parameters with which the method can be tuned and adapted. Each change in the settings of any of these parameters will generate a new set of topics that will differ in larger or smaller ways and which may be qualitatively better or worse. One of the main parameters for tuning topic models is setting the number of topics to be generated. In this paper we present an analysis of the impact of the number of topics on the quality of topic models for two historical text corpora. Two manual evaluation approaches are combined with an automated evaluation metric and based on the results we propose a formalised process for choosing the final set of parameters for a topic model. The process ensures the quality of the final model, while minimising the amount of manual evaluation work. The more structured process also allows for better documentation of the choices and in that way enables better reproducibility of any research using topic models
The global regulation of international nurse recruitment and migration: a historical-critical institutional ethics of care enquiry
No full textSince the Second World War, international nurse recruitment has become a high-level political matter in spheres of cross-border global governance. This paper traces the global politics-ethics nexus of this development through a focus on two multilateral agreements that regulate such recruitment: the International Labour Organization Nursing Personnel Recommendation (1977) and the World Health Organization Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel (2010). Innovating a global historical-critical institutional ethics of care enquiry to frame and structure the analysis, the paper argues that these global-level agreements have been consistently intentionally permissive of the international recruitment of nurses. International organisations and the international community of state and non-state stakeholders have facilitated these global nurse labour dynamics, not despite two major regulatory initiatives but through them. We find that both multilateral agreements mostly meet the standards of a global ethic of care, but do not do so as far as a critical ethic of care is concerned. The weak global institutional framework, the lack of strong connecting mechanisms in the Global Code to national spheres of governance and law, the absence of lateral links to international legal codes in the areas of social and labour policy, and the failure to address historical (including colonial) legacies underpinning the systematic depletion of national nursing workforces in poorer countries present significant challenges in realising the level of nursing workforce sustainability necessary to achieving the health and health-related SDGs
Explainable AI Approach to Compare Predictive Drivers of Student Success for Disabled and Non-Disabled Learners
No full textThe pursuit of equity in education, including on-line learning, demands tools that not only predict student outcomes but also explain the distinct factors driving success for different populations. This study employs an Explainable AI (XAI) framework to move beyond prediction and uncover the differential drivers of academic success. Using the Open University Learning Analytics Dataset (OULAD), we trained a Random Forest model and applied SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values for a comparative analysis. Our findings reveal several divergence between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. We demonstrate that XAI is critical for designing equitable support systems, enabling educators to tailor strategies that address the unique learning pathways and challenges faced by students with disabilities
Categorisation and Assimilation-Contrast Theory Explaining Loss of Trust after an Alleged Corporate Misconduct
No full textThere is a limited understanding of how information about a negative event is used by customers when deciding whether to continue to trust a company (a key aspect of reputation management) and how the same information can result in different choices by individuals. To meet this gap, the aim here is to test the predictions from categorisation theory and assimilation contrast theory and to add to our theoretical understanding of trust loss. A moderation model of survey data (n=410), a cluster analysis and a content analysis of explanations given are used to test hypotheses. The work demonstrates that a reaction to a potential trust violation involves two stages: a decision on responsibility, followed by an evaluation of the significance of the misconduct. If a trusted supplier is not held responsible, the typical customer will not re-categorise the supplier as not trusted. If they are held responsible, the typical customer may re-categorise the supplier as not trusted depending on how significant they believe the misconduct to be
Apprentice perspectives: difficult choices in work-based learning
No full textPurpose
This study examines the reasons apprentices give for withdrawing from their degree apprenticeships.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 apprentices from a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship programme. Thematic analysis was used to explore insights around reasons for withdrawal.
Findings
Apprentices noted an accumulation of factors leading to withdrawal rather than single overriding reasons. Although each experience was specific to individual circumstances, three clear themes came from the data: 1) the burden of work and administration; 2) change in job role; and 3) benefits they derived from their experiences as an apprentice despite needing to withdraw.
Originality/value
Although small-scale, this study offers novel ways to understand apprentice experiences around programme withdrawal. It deepens our understanding of the choices and challenges faced when making decisions about continuing or discontinuing an apprenticeship
A Rhetorical Political Analysis of Invective in Donald Trump's UN Address 2025
No full textThis paper seeks to test a theory of political invective through identifying its use within President Trump’s September 2025 speech to the UN General Assembly. Rhetorical Political Analysis is used to identify instances of Aristotle's three methods of persuasion: ethos, referencing good or poor character; pathos, emotional appeals; and logos, logical reasoning. Invective being defined as instances of appeals to pathos used to damage the ethos of political opponents, avoiding logos. Trumps UN speech is used as a high-profile rhetorical event, in a forum mostly expecting civility due to its being a diplomatic event. Providing a “hard case study” where we would not expect invective to be prevalent. Useful in testing the utility of the definition of invective and demonstrating how Trump’s use of it contributes to his unorthodox rhetorical style of literally saying things other politicians would find unsayable
Butterflies of curriculum realisation: Investigating early implementation of the Curriculum for Wales
No full textCurriculum reform provides a vital opportunity for nations to ensure learners are equipped to fully participate as citizens in the 21st century. This paper presents an understanding of educators’ response to curriculum reform, and some of its enablers and barriers. Discussions were conducted with a sample of school senior leaders and learners from Wales. Senior leaders contributed during the early implementation of the new curriculum, with further discussions approximately six months later. Using the ‘butterfly effect’ metaphor, the potential for positive curriculum change is explored. Findings showed that schools were trialling different approaches and increasingly focusing on collaborative activities. Key enablers included the passion, commitment and confidence of school leaders and teachers, cluster working, the provision of support materials and guidance and positive learner engagement. However, barriers included a lack of knowledge and confidence in a minority of aspects of the curriculum, including curriculum design, uncertainty about progression, assessment and future accountability, as yet unmet support needs, and insufficient time. It is concluded that a learning orientation and a social orientation to educators' early response exists. The learning orientation is important to ensure the kind of inquiry for sustained learning for ongoing implementation. Addressing limitations in knowledge and confidence in curriculum design will drive this further. For the social orientation, importance was given to collaboration; it is by interacting with others, particularly within non‐judgemental cluster working, that knowledge is strengthened, trust gained and implementation supported