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The exploration of themes and emotions in dreams in an ongoing war period
No full textDue to being a witness or a victim of the traumatic events such as the current war in Ukraine, dreaming experience offers a window into the emotional state of individuals, providing valuable insights into processes such as dealing with trauma. This study aimed to replicate and extend the findings of Kaźmierczak et al. (2024) by exploring the emotional and thematic content of dreams among Ukrainian individuals living in a warzone, with a focus on the role of anxiety and depression. The study involved 43 participants who since the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war in February 2022 had resided in Ukraine. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) that was adapted for the language difference, as well as provided detailed descriptions of their recent dreams. Emotional content was analyzed using Ekman’s (1990) coding system, and thematic analysis was conducted to identify recurring dream themes.
The results revealed that sadness, fear, and anger were the most prevalent emotions in participants’ dreams, with sadness being the most prevalent one. Participants with higher levels of anxiety and depression reported significantly greater sadness and lower positive affect in their dreams compared to those with lower anxiety and depression levels. Thematic analysis identified “War” as the most prominent theme, with subthemes such as “Active Combat” and “Bombings” being particularly prevalent. Notably, individuals with higher anxiety levels reported more war-related themes and less surprise in their dreams, suggesting a tendency toward worst-case scenario expectations.
These findings align with the findings of Kaźmierczak et al. (2024) in most of the findings, however one of the most prominent emotions in this study was revealed to be anger, while in the original study it was surprise. This could be explained by the fact that due to study being 3 years after the beginning of war, people who receive more direct exposure to it, tend to experience aggression from the constant losses, as well as the war not ending, and according to the continuity hypothesis, these emotions transferred into their dreams as anger. The results provide support not only for the replicated study, but for previous theories on dreams function. As well as shedding light on profound psychological impact of war on dreaming and provide insights into the emotional and thematic patterns of dreams in war-affected populations
Teachers' Academic Expectations of British-Chinese Pupils in Primary Schools
Get PDFThere is a limited research to date that looks into primary school teachers' academic expectations and teaching of British-Chinese pupils. 65,000 British-Chinese pupils, make up approximately 0.8% of the school population in England. My empirical research examined what primary teachers’ academic expectations were of British-Chinese pupils and how these expectations affected the teachers’ teaching of this group of pupils. A multi-method approach was taken using teacher questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires consisted of vignettes of fictional British-Chinese and White-British pupils at the average and above-average Key Stage One (KS1) academic levels based on the Teacher Assessment Frameworks (TAF). A total of 135 teacher questionnaires and 6 teacher interviews were completed. Teacher ethnicity demographics were also collected. The results showed that there was a lower expectation of British-Chinese pupils at the average academic levels. Teacher allowances for English as an Additional Language (EAL) was found to be a dominant factor and parental involvement and cultural factors were also involved. At the above-average academic levels, British-Chinese pupils were rated similarly to their White-British counterparts. Furthermore, at this higher academic level, teacher ethnicity was shown to create an unconscious bias, whereby higher academic expectations of pupils were held by teachers of matching ethnic characteristics. Recommendations from my research include providing discussion and educational opportunities for primary school teachers around British-Chinese and other ethnic pupil groups. This can help to address pupil stereotypes, whilst considering the individual learner. There remains considerable gaps and opportunities for future research in this topic area
Work-based Assignment Project Outline
No full textThis proforma is intended to help you and your line manager agree the focus of your project and for this to then be shared with your academic adviser ensuring all the assessment criteria will be satisfied
Retrofitting Processes in Oxford City Council's Social Housing- Currently Fit for Purpose
No full textThis dissertation explores whether Oxford City Council’s retrofit processes for its social housing are currently fit for purpose. The study looks at how retrofit policies and practices respond to two key challenges: reducing winter fuel poverty and mitigating the growing risk of summer overheating. These issues are considered not only in terms of energy performance and carbon reduction, but also occupier comfort, their trust in the building technologies and management systems, and well-being.
Although possibly not typical of other Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), Oxford City Council housing was chosen as a single case study due to time and resource limitations, and the research applies a systematic meta-analysis approach. Whilst some new data was collected, this study primarily utilises multiple existing public domain sources, including policy documents, performance records, tenant satisfaction surveys, complaints reports, and rulings from the Housing Ombudsman. This triangulation helps build a fuller picture of retrofit delivery, going beyond technical outcomes to include managerial processes and tenant perspectives.
The findings show that Oxford City Council has clear climate change mitigation ambitions and has made progress, especially in securing additional funding and improving EPC ratings. However, three interconnected performance gaps remain: a technical gap (retrofits improving efficiency but sometimes creating issues like damp or overheating), a managerial gap (weaknesses in procurement and complaint handling), and a participatory gap (limited tenant involvement and trust). These gaps often reinforce one another, leading to frustration for tenants and undermining the Council’s wider goals.
The dissertation contributes to the subject’s theoretical framework by extending the “building performance gap” concept into a broader socio-technical context, and to professional practice by offering recommendations such as integrating cooling into retrofit standards, reforming procurement, and embedding tenant co-design. Overall, the study argues that achieving successful retrofit in social housing requires more than technical fixes: it depends on governance reform, genuine participation, and a year-round focus on comfort as well as carbon reduction
Raising Awareness on Neurodivergent Workers in the French Workplace: An Intersectional Approach for HR Professionals
No full textThis research investigates the lived experiences of neurodivergent workers in the French workplace, where neurodiversity remains under-addressed, particularly from a Human Resources (HR) perspective. Ignored by the institutional systems, neurodivergent individuals are marginalised, face discrimination and work in incompatible environments. The aim is to raise awareness of these issues and highlight their situation through an intersectional lens. This research contributes to the limited body of work on neurodivergence in French HR contexts by applying an intersectional lens and neuroinclusive methodology. A qualitative method was used to gain a thorough understanding of neurodivergent individuals’ experiences. Neuroinclusive practices were integrated to ensure participants’ safety, particularly during semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that HR practices and procedures largely overlook neurodivergent individuals, embedding discrimination within the workplace and reinforcing hierarchical norms. In response, neurodivergent workers adopt masking strategies to be included. They take on the burden of disclosure and self-accommodation, which significantly impacts their wellbeing. Yet, neurodivergent individuals are aware of the value their differences could bring to their work if given the space to express them. Recommendations are addressed to HR professionals and line managers to elevate the consideration of neurodivergent workers. The research adopts a social model viewpoint, not asking neurodivergent individuals to change, but rather encouraging collective thinking and evolving norms. Organisations should, first and foremost, implement training for their HR professionals and their line managers on neurodiversity, its implications and inclusive leadership. Inclusive practices can then be developed in alignment with this training. Future research should further explore the intersectional approach taken here, as well as examine the lived experiences of neurodivergent workers with dual neurodivergence to more thoroughly understand workplace implications
Older adults’ double-step reaching is associated with motor imagery : a mouse-tracking task
Get PDFAge-related declines in motor control are well-documented. However, mixed findings are reported on the age-related changes in the ability to rapidly adjust ongoing movements in response to target perturbations. When age-related differences are observed, they are often attributed to a general age-related slowing rather than a specific decline in online correction. The lack of age-related differences is often speculated to result from compensatory strategies or preserved neurocomputational processes for online correction in older adults. This study aimed to (1) investigate whether there are age-related changes specific to online motor control and (2) explore the association between online motor control and motor imagery ability in older adults, as both processes rely on forward modelling to predict movement outcomes. Fifty-six young and 29 older participants completed a computer-based double-step reaching task. We found that older adults exhibited longer correction latencies, more rigid corrective movements, and reduced endpoint accuracy compared to younger adults.
Notably, the prolonged correction times could not be fully explained by general age-related slowing in information processing. While older adults could use a speed-accuracy trade-off to enhance single-step reaching accuracy, this strategy was insufficient for double-step reaching, indicating age-related challenges in online motor correction. Moreover, older adults’ online correction and double-step reaching accuracy were linked to their motor imagery ability, suggesting a reliance on forward modelling
Getting money in the country: Is there a liability of rurality facing SMEs?
Get PDFThis paper examines the loan interest rates offered in rural versus urban locations to test whether a “liability of rurality” confronts rural SMEs. Using a fine grained rural-urban spatial classification system we test whether small firms located across the NUTS 3 areas of England face a rural interest rate “price penalty”. On average rural SMEs take out smaller loans and are less inclined to offer collateral than urban counterparts. Counterintuitively, our key finding is that rural firms benefit from lower average loan interest rates. Regional development funds need to extend their spatial horizons to address their lack of rural outreach
Lean, green & sustainability 4.0 : a aystematic literature review
No full textThis purpose of the study is to conduct a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis to explore the integration of Lean–Green–Sustainability (LGS) with Industry 4.0 technologies for holistic organizational development. Following PRISMA guidelines, the study critically examines the evolving research, identifying an increasing convergence of Lean and Green principles with Sustainability, though systematic investigations into LGS and LGS 4.0 remain limited. The study finds that the field is growing, with significant research emerging from India, Brazil, and the United States. A conceptual framework is developed to guide organizations in the successful implementation of LGS 4.0, emphasizing its role in enhancing operational efficiency, economic and environmental impact reduction, and social and governance sustainability. This study contributes by synthesizing the current state of LGS research and setting the agenda for future studies. It also provides practical insights for organizations seeking to integrate LGS 4.0 principles. As one of the first and most comprehensive studies on the synergistic and complementary nature of LG, LGS, and LGS 4.0, it offers valuable theoretical and managerial implications for sustainability-driven digital transformation
