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Blogging as a form of creative authentic assessment for inclusive education
Get PDFWhilst some disciplines in HE encourage creative practices and expression in their assessments, they are less common in others, leading to a disparity in creative skillsets which are beneficial for multiple cognitive activities, such as critical thinking and leadership skills (Karunarathne & Calma, 2023). Educators may also fear that implementing an assessment which has more flexibility and opportunity for students to express themselves in a format which benefits their learning, would be harder to grade in an equitable way. Therefore, creative assessments sometimes pose a risk to educators which could lead to perceived failure and lack of self-efficacy (Creely et al., 2022). Students in turn might feel anxious with different options for assessment and looser ways of presenting knowledge without a more structured and scaffolded approach. However, the implementation of creative, sustainable assessments can be integral in the learning journeys of students to think differently, which can create space for innovation and development of critical thinking skills for employability. This paper explores the use of blog writing as a sustainable creative option in assessing student knowledge and development of reflective practice. It will comment on the prevalence and affectivity of blog writing in the development of IT-based technical skills and in the promotion of original development of ideas, reducing the potential misuse of AI in facilitating learning. It will also comment on the need for sustainable assessments and joy of learning to enhance student engagement and performance
PIM Backup Designated Router Procedure draft-ietf-pim-bdr-03
Get PDFOn a multi-access network, one of the PIM routers is elected as a Designated Router (DR). On the last hop LAN, the PIM DR is responsible for tracking local multicast listeners and forwarding traffic to these listeners if the group is operating in PIM-SM. In this document, we propose mechanisms to minimize traffic losses during DR re-election. This document introduces the concept of a Backup Designated Router on a shared LAN and a procedure to perform Delayed DR election. A backup DR on LAN would be useful for faster convergence, whereas a Delayed DR election would be useful for minimizing traffic losses when new routers join a LAN
Scotland, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and repurposing of mental health and capacity law
Get PDFThe Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) requires a reconceptualised approach to rights enjoyment by persons with mental disabilities promoting equality through support, institutional and environmental adjustments, and envisaging ‘protection’ in terms of all rights enablement and not rights restriction. Mental health and capacity law has tended to focus exclusively on authorizing and regulating non-consensual interventions, contrary to the CRPD message. Scotland’s current mental health and capacity law is no different. The terms of reference of the 2019–22 independent review of this law included making recommendations on CRPD realization. The resultant recommendations sought to strengthen the voice of persons with mental disabilities, reduce psychiatric coercion, and secure the enjoyment of all rights whilst providing an aspirational but workable basis for achieving CRPD alignment. It proposed a new model for mental health and capacity law, centred on reconceptualising mental health and capacity law to take account of realization of all categories of human rights, equality in the enjoyment of such rights, and reduction of non-consensual measures. This article will consider the practical and conceptual CRPD implementation challenges faced by Scotland and other countries, and the Review’s recommendations, seeking to address them in their wider context
Frailty and Heart Failure: Clinical Insights, Patient Outcomes and Future Directions
Get PDFFrailty is common among heart failure (HF) patients and linked to increased risk of adverse outcomes. Contributing factors include inflammation, sarcopenia and neurohormonal issues which diminish physiological reserves and accelerate the decline of health. Managing frailty in HF requires a multidisciplinary approach to address physical, nutritional and pharmacological needs. Structured exercise and dietary support can improve physical function, while careful medication management, especially with polypharmacy, reduces frailty-related risks. Telemedicine and wearable tech facilitate continuous monitoring and timely intervention, especially for those in remote areas. Future research should develop standardised frailty assessment tools specific to HF, enhancing risk stratification and personalised care. Studies on underlying mechanisms, such as inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, could lead to new therapies. Addressing socioeconomic factors can also improve care equity. This review summarises the mechanisms, clinical characteristics and impact of frailty on HF, highlighting challenges in treatment and opportunities for improving patient outcomes
Citizen science enabled planning for species conservation in urban landscapes: the case of Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica in southern China
Get PDFContext: Urbanization has detrimental effects on biodiversity, yet how species respond to urban planning zoning outcomes and environmental changes at different spatial scales when selecting urban breeding habitats remains understudied. Mitigating such impacts on wildlife is instrumental to create biodiversity-friendly cities while accommodating urban development. Objectives: We used Barn Swallow nesting site data (2017–2023) collected from a citizen science program to help identify the most influential factors affecting the presence of Barn Swallow nests at site and landscape scales. Methods: We analyzed the relationship between Barn Swallow nest site selection in urbanized areas of southern China and land use data, including built-up percentages, cropland and waterbodies, as well as environmental factors such as heat-island effect (land surface temperature), noise pollution (road density and road simplicity), artificial light at night (ALAN) and nesting building attributes (year constructed, height and surroundings). Results: Our findings revealed a positive association between Barn Swallow nest abundance and several anthropogenic factors, including land surface temperature at the site scale, and ALAN and road simplicity at the landscape scale. Our findings indicated the building year also had a negative impact on the Barn Swallow nests. Conclusions: These results suggest that urban design and revitalization efforts can consider mitigating negative effects by implementing measures to regulate noise pollution and nighttime lighting schemes. Furthermore, urban planning could carefully consider the requirements for biodiversity-friendly architectural elements in new constructions and rezoning process of existing urban districts, such as old residential neighborhoods and urban fringes, to minimize impacts on declining nesting sites in urban areas
Inequalities of provision of nationally funded clinical academic training awards for healthcare professionals: quantitative comparisons across the four nations of the UK
Get PDFBackground:There is a common perception that investment in clinical academic training awards for healthcare professions (not medicine and dentistry) in England outweighs that in the devolved nations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) of the United Kingdom.Aims:We aimed to evaluate this perception by gathering data on the number of such awards made and the level of associated expenditure by each of the nations during 2017–2022.Methods:Freedom of Information requests were sent to government agencies that provide nationally funded clinical academic training awards in each UK nation. Data on the number of awards provided, the whole time equivalent salaries and durations applicable and the expenditures entailed in the period 2017–2022 were broken down into six levels of training, from internship through to post-doctoral. Standardised per capita comparisons were made between nations.Results:Large differences were found between nations. Only England provided awards in all categories. Wales made the most awards per capita. Scotland invested less than a sixth of that spent by England per capita and under half of that spent by Wales or Northern Ireland.Conclusions:Strategic approaches focusing on opportunities across the whole career pathway, particularly in the devolved nations, are recommended to achieve cross-national parity
The impact of the digital economy on rural industrial revitalization
No full textThe digital economy significantly influences the development of rural industries in China, playing a vital role in the country's economic and social progress. This study analyzes panel data from 30 Chinese provinces (2011–2021) to explore the digital economy's impact on rural industrial revitalization from a sustainable development perspective. This study finds that the digital economy positively affects rural industrial revitalization, with scientific and technological innovation acting as a positive intermediary. In addition, the impact varies regionally, following a "central > west > east" pattern, with differing effects based on rural employment levels. Furthermore, as scientific and technological innovation capabilities increase, the digital economy's influence on rural industries grows stronger. The digital economy exerts a spatial spillover effect, benefiting local rural industries but negatively impacting neighboring regions' rural industry development. These findings highlight the critical role of the digital economy in the sustainable development and revitalization of rural industries in China
Particle algorithms for animal movement modelling in receiver arrays
Get PDFParticle filters and smoothers are sequential Monte Carlo algorithms used to fit non‐linear, non‐Gaussian state‐space models. These algorithms are well placed to fit process‐oriented models to animal‐tracking data, especially in receiver arrays, but to date they have received limited attention in the ecological literature. We introduce a Bayesian filtering–smoothing algorithm that reconstructs individual movements and patterns of space use from animal‐tracking data, with a focus on passive acoustic telemetry systems. Within a sound probabilistic framework, the methodology integrates the movement process and the observation processes of disparate datasets, while correctly representing uncertainty. In a simulation‐based analysis, we compare the performance of our algorithm to the prevailing heuristic methods used to study movements and space use in passive acoustic telemetry systems and analyse algorithm sensitivity. We find the particle smoothing methodology outperforms heuristic methods across the board. Particle‐based maps represent simulated movements more accurately, even in dense receiver arrays, and are better suited to analyses of home ranges, residency and habitat preferences. This study sets a new state‐of‐the‐art for movement modelling in receiver arrays. Particle algorithms provide a robust, flexible and intuitive modelling framework with potential applications in many ecological settings
‘Sign and move on’: Interpreter awareness of legal and ethical informed consent in maternity care
Get PDFThis article explores informed consent in maternity care in multilingual and multicultural contexts. Based on findings from a Royal Society of Edinburgh funded research project carried out in 2022 in Scotland, the article examines why consent is particularly crucial in maternity care, how it is usually obtained in the case of parents with limited English proficiency, and which barriers may stand in the way of truly informed consent. By focusing on the prevalent conception of informed consent as a legal requirement vis-à-vis its wider ethical implications, the objective of the article is to understand how the professional relationships between service providers, users, and interpreters may be enhanced through a discussion of the fiduciary aspect of interpreting and of advocacy for best possible outcomes
Trade unions in extreme environments: A case study of organising for industrial action during the Covid-19 pandemic
Get PDFThe Trade Union Act (2016) demands unions develop new organising tactics. The Covid-19 pandemic made such organising all the more difficult. The paper represents a case study of the development of a prototype organising model for extreme environments.It is a case study of a medium-sized branch of the University and College Union (UCU) organising to resist redundancies in an extreme environment. The study involved interviews with senior members of the Branch organising team, alongside a short survey of members convinced to vote in a ballot for industrial action.Findings reveal tactics most influential in a successful strategy to win a statutory ballot when faced with an extreme environment.The research is based on a modest dataset and unique extreme circumstances.A key strength is practical implications for union organising tactics and strategy when facing extreme environments. The findings have the potential to be shared across branches, as well as scaled up for larger bargaining units.The organising model developed has the potential to influence contemporary union organising tactics and strategy, thus providing protection to working people, in increasingly extreme and restrictive environments.Despite a recent surge of UK unions balloting members for industrial action, there is a dearth of research considering organising tactics and strategy under challenging legal and wider extreme circumstances. A key contribution is an empirical/practical account of a successful trade union campaign during extreme circumstances
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