Search

This article outlines an exploratory study that investigated students' perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of lecture recordings delivered as part of an introductory chemistry program in the UK during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spring 2020. Three features of these lecture recordings are considered: 1) the production of a series of mini-lectures rather than 50 minute recordings; 2) the inclusion of quiz questions in the video timeline; and 3) the inclusion of a picture-in-picture talking head showing the instructor alongside a captured screen. Analysis of survey data indicates that a majority of students felt that each of these features had a positive impact on their learning and/or experience, with a significant number expressing a preference for the retention of online lectures after the resumption of on-campus teaching. Qualitative data provides valuable insight regarding the specific aspects of the recorded lectures that were perceived to enhance the student experience, supporting the design of future provision both during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The generalizability of the recommendations is also discussed, along with the limitations of the study.

Many instructors globally reported a lack of engagement in synchronous online sessions during the COVID-19 lockdowns. This article outlines the use of collaborative small group tasks mediated via breakout rooms in Teams during the 2020/21 academic year. The rationale for the activities, which are available for download, is described along with details of the evaluation of their impact. Key findings were that a majority of students reported enjoying the tasks and felt that they improved their learning during online sessions.

The increasing casualisation of academic labour over recent years has been noted across the global north. In the UK, this takes a number of forms, including fixed term, hourly paid and zero hours contracts. What tends to characterise them all, however, is a focus on the short-term. In this paper, we draw on a qualitative study with 20 UK-based academics on casualised contracts to consider the implications of the short-term nature of such employment for teaching and pedagogy. We come to this with a temporal perspective, in part in response to Felt's call for a chronopolitical analysis of the changing temporalities of academia. We discuss how short-term temporal logics marked by last-minute or 'just-in-time' modalities can be seen to impact negatively on teaching preparation and pedagogical relationships, raising questions about innovation and criticality, power and in/security, continuity and care.

We present the evaluation of the student response to a novel form of practical assessment: the Practical Skills Portfolio (PSP). The PSP is a concise record of a practical activity for the purposes of assessment, which prompts students to engage in reflective practice on laboratory skills, and provides opportunities for enhanced feedback delivered in a timely manner. Key goals of this new approach are to assist students in assimilating the practical skills they are developing during their studies and to support them in developing their ability to write the different components of a full laboratory report.

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused considerable challenges for the higher education sector, leaving many students and staff to experience a sense of liminality as they cope with these challenges. This article, written by three disabled academics based in the UK, reports how during the Coronavirus pandemic, compassion and compassionate spaces could be nurtured when students and staff took the opportunity to recognise their common existence. We share insights from focus groups held with seven disabled academics and learners on their encounters with the pandemic, such as managing the complexities of studying and working from home. We demonstrate that acknowledging and responding compassionately to feelings of vulnerability can offer a lifeline for individuals. Specifically, we propose the application of the social model of disability when seeking to embed compassion in the neoliberal academy. By so doing, the higher education sector can benefit in terms of navigating our extraordinary Coronavirus circumstances, and in building a future inclusive post-pandemic academy.

Background: Population-based data are presented on the nature of dying in intellectual disability services. Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted over 18 months with a sample of UK-based intellectual disability service providers that supported over 12,000. Core data were obtained for 222 deaths within this population. For 158 (71%) deaths, respondents returned a supplemented and modified version of VOICES-SF. Results: The observed death was 12.2 deaths per 1,000 people supported per year, but just over a third deaths had been deaths anticipated by care staff. Mortality patterns, place of usual care and availability of external support exerted considerable influence over outcomes at the end of life. Conclusion: Death is not a common event in intellectual disability services. A major disadvantage experienced by people with intellectual disabilities was that their deaths were relatively unanticipated. People with intellectual disabilities living in supported living settings, even when their dying was anticipated, experienced poorer outcomes.

Background: There is a need to better understand the experiences and support needs of paid and family carers of people with an intellectual disability and dementia, and the role of Intellectual Disability Dementia Care Pathways (IDDCPs). This study explored the experiences of carers, and IDDCPs and other support structures within those experiences. Methods: A constructivist grounded theory methodology was implemented. Data were obtained through 23 semi-structured interviews with two family carers, eight paid carers and eight healthcare professionals. Findings: The study's theory produced five interrelated categories: Impact of Dementia, Challenging the Diagnosis Process, Continuum of Support, Continuity and Continuum of Understanding. Conclusions: Findings have demonstrated the importance of planning and supporting carers' holistic needs; the role of an IDDCP in the post-diagnostic support (or lack of it) for carers; and the importance of a timely diagnosis of dementia. Recommendations for practice are offered.

This paper reports on research about the experiences of disabled staff members in UK universities, drawing on eleven semi-structured interviews with disabled staff in one university, alongside a group auto ethnography conducted by the first four authors, all of whom identified as disabled academics. Disability is generally considered to be predominantly an issue for students, both in practice and in the literature. By contrast, taking a social practice approach, we focused on the barriers faced by disabled employees, both overt and hidden. We found that disability was still viewed as a medical problem, and that disabled members of staff faced considerable extra labour in organising their own supports. We were often made to feel that we were unwanted and that we were 'misfits' in the institution. This paper contributes to theory by showing how social practices can become exclusionary, and how interconnections between practices matter. We discuss ways in which ableism, based on the ideal of 'individual' excellence, creates barriers for disabled staff. In the global context of Higher Education, the increasing marketization of universities in higher income countries creates a difficult climate for the values of inclusion.

In recent years the delivery of practical laboratories classes has been subjected to debate, with regards to pedagogical efficiency. Our aim was to develop a pre-laboratory online learning resource that enhances the preparedness and performance within laboratory classes. A study was conducted using second year Pharmacy students, in which the class was given access to an online learning resource that included visual information, quizzes, safety and theory and this was compared to the laboratory script as a preparative resource for the class. Less advice was requested by students and reduced error in practical skills was observed when the online learning resource was used by students, when compared to the laboratory script. Students felt they were able to use the apparatus without the requirement of support, and thus were more confident in the laboratory class. This online resource has the potential to overcome the pedagogical limitations associated with traditional delivery of laboratory classes.

This paper is based on findings from an email interview study with 20 academics (17 women, 3 men) in the UK on short-term, insecure or 'casualised' contracts. The paper focuses on their perceptions of the effect their contract status has on the lecturer/student relationship: particularly in regard to student perceptions of their legitimacy and status. Using a poststructuralist theoretical lens, we explore lecturers' concerns or anxieties as to whether they may be interpreted as less legitimate than permanent staff; and the emotional labour involved in the work done to 'cover' for the difficulties that a lecturer's contract status causes for the quality of their teaching content and organisation. We also explore the considerations of some participants to voluntarily 'disclose' their status to students and the possibilities of such acts as a form of resistance to dominant discourses of the legitimate academic.

Two UK programmes to place school teachers in a university setting are compared; the Excellence Fellowship Awards Pilot Scheme and the School Teacher Fellows Scheme. In this paper we compare the School Teacher Fellow Scheme supported by Bristol ChemLabS (Shallcross et al., 2013a, 2013b) and subsequently by the Royal Society of Chemistry with the Excellence Fellowship, focussing on the recruitment and support of fellows and their impact on transition from secondary to tertiary education, secondary school chemistry teaching, tertiary teaching of chemistry in general, and then more specific impacts on their own teaching and career. Examples of the work undertaken by the School Teacher Fellows are noted.

Bespoke podcasts and screencasts were introduced to initial teacher training students to offer flexible support for specific assignments and aspects of classroom practice. However, tutors were concerned that these resources offered prescriptive guidance rather than encouraging more critical engagement. Feedback on the resources, collected from students using a variety of data collection methods, is analysed and discussed with reference to the findings from relevant research to clarify whether student responses to the resources reflect tutor concerns. Some students valued the bespoke nature of the tutor-designed online resources; for some, engagement with the online resources led to further critical engagement with their learning. The need to collect more diverse student responses is discussed, with a practical suggestion for improving the reliability of the study's findings. The study is relevant to course designers interested in exploring strategies, in particular the use of technology, to deepen student engagement.

The global rise of 'neo-populism', culminating in the election of the populist Republican candidate Donald Trump to the US presidency, has been accompanied by a notable backlash and resistance to what has been categorised as governing/dominating 'elites', including HE academic institutions. Populist critiques centre on a perceived climate of censorship on campus in the name of 'political correctness'. In this paper I examine some of the arguments put forward by proponents and detractors in these debates, utlising some examples from empirical data from a study of online student newspaper posts in 2016 and 2017 from campuses in the US and the UK. In doing so I will be exploring the ways in which the debates are underpinned by distinct gendered, classed and 'raced' discourses that are linked not only to differing conceptions of 'truth' but also the nature and purpose of learning in the university itself.

Constructing a secure sense of a professional future has become increasingly difficult for early career researchers, whilst concerns about present and future job in/security have also been expressed in relation to already-established academics. In this paper, we draw on qualitative data from a U.K. study to explore everyday conceptualisations of the future for both 'early career' and 'late career' academics, in the context of increased fears and actualities of occupational precarity. We utilise theories of the social construction of time, as well as a conception of precarity and 'precarization' utilised by Butler (2009a, 2009b) and Lorey (2015), relating to 'politically induced' forms of insecurity that are a direct product of neoliberalism. The research reveals a variety of forms and levels of concern and anxiety by both groups for their own futures, and for the future of the academy as a whole.

This study aimed to evaluate the between-day reliability and usefulness of a fitness testing battery in a group of youth sport athletes. Fifty-nine youth sport athletes (age = 17.3 ± 0.7 years) undertook a fitness testing battery including the isometric mid-thigh pull, counter-movement jump, 5-40 m sprint splits, and the 5-0-5 change of direction test on two occasions separated by 7 days. Usefulness was assessed by comparing the reliability (typical error) to the smallest worthwhile change. The typical error was 5.5% for isometric mid-thigh pull and 3.8% for counter-movement jump. The typical error values were 2.7, 2.5, 2.2, 2.2, and 1.8% for the 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 m sprint splits, and 4.1% (left) and 5.4% (right) for the 5-0-5 tests. The smallest worthwhile change ranged from 1.1 to 6.1%. All tests were identified as having "good" or "acceptable" reliability. The isometric mid-thigh pull and counter-movement jump had "good" usefulness, all other tests had "marginal" usefulness.

This paper evaluates the development of a personalised learning approach within a professional distance learning course. The issues arising are of relevance to academics engaged in course development, with an emphasis on fostering independent learning. The course focuses on enabling student teachers to develop their generic skills, attributes and knowledge through reflective practice. The current course differs from the previous model through its emphasis on a question-led approach in which students are encouraged to identify and respond to their own learning needs in independent ways. Student evaluations and contributions at the course midpoint suggest that, while most are engaged with the notion of being an independent learner, some students are challenged by this expectation. This in turn raises questions about the concept of personalised learning.

This article is written by young people who attend an open-access youth project in the city centre of Hull. Although they describe themselves as "educational failures" (the "black holes"), they argue that they have a significant contribution to make to discussions about how to develop socially just education in schools. In the article, they share their personal stories about how they became disconnected from formal education and they identify critiques of the current system of schooling which, in their view, prioritises the "A-star" students. They also explain how their educational experiences have been turned around through their involvement with The Warren in Hull, an organisation which adopts an informal, person-centred pedagogy.

Across the vast majority of countries women are a significant minority in senior academic positions, and as of 2013 only 17% of vice chancellors (VCs) of UK universities and 12% of German Universities were women. This paper discusses findings from a study consisting of interviews with eight female VCs of British and German higher education institutions. The paper takes a feminist poststructuralist approach to look at the ways in which characteristics of "ideal" leaders in academia are discursively produced in a myriad of gendered ways, and looks at the influence of dominant academic cultures, status of institutions and national policy landscapes. From an analysis of the findings we argue that in addition to increasing the numerical proportion of women leaders in academia, work also crucially needs to be done to challenge academic cultural practices and dominant gendered conceptualisations of the "leader".

This article explores policy development for under-fives and its implementation in nursery schools in the first two decades of the twentieth century and draws parallels with current policy initiatives such as Sure Start and the "Troubled Families" programme. It interrogates how discourse on British racial health shaped policy and presents a fresh perspective which builds on existing accounts by examining contemporary rhetoric in the context of practice in two London nursery schools. Central to the debate was the effectiveness of existing provision in Public Elementary Schools on the bodies and minds of young children and the ability of working-class families, or more properly, mothers, to care for their children. Two central themes are identified, of transformation and regulation, and the article demonstrates how these were evident in the language used by nursery school teachers to describe their task, the practices they implemented and their conception of achievement. The article concludes that attempts by the nursery schools to transform lives through provision of education and welfare also served as a regulatory mechanism for both the children and their families and this has resonance with current initiatives which espouse rhetoric of social transformation but embody a regulatory purpose.

In this paper a framework is proposed for the formulation of a higher education institutional (HEI) strategy. This work provides a practical example, through a case study, to demonstrate how the proposed framework can be applied to the issue of formulation of HEI strategy. The proposed hybrid model is based on two operational research methodologies. These techniques help to formulate a strategic decision-making model which represents different factors and alternatives, assess their priorities, and provide a decision-making mechanism. In addition, our proposed approach incorporates derived global priorities of strategic options in order to optimise different types of resources. The proposed model is dynamic in that it adapts to changing economic and environmental conditions and hence has the capability to provide "what-if" analysis. The framework is applied in the context of strategic decision-making for a business school and involves key stakeholders who have responsibilities for strategic functions within the HEI and the school.

This paper explores the complex processes involved in the self-construction of academic identity in a UK School of Education. Building on seminal literature in this field and drawing on the research of four academics, it begins by discussing teacher educators' varying perceptions of the need to re-configure their identity to meet the expectations of a twenty-first-century higher education workforce. The article proposes the formation of this identity to be a dynamic, career-long process. Diverse scaffolds for the development process are proposed, including opportunities for new teacher educators to be apprenticed into an academic role, the centrality of communities of practice and the importance of the supported development of academic skills such as writing for publication.

Focusing mainly on the United Kingdom, this article reviews a decade of national and international policy and legal changes in relation to disabled children and their families. It discusses attempts to transform the ways that disabled children are perceived and the rights accorded to them. The UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons, specific UK policy initiatives and debates on universal and specialist provisions are outlined. Consideration is given to whether these initiatives have contributed to equality of opportunity for disabled children. The association between poverty, deprivation and child disability is identified as a major challenge for social policy.

Background: Mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cause a broad spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Anecdotal evidence suggests that voice and swallow problems are a common feature of these diseases. Aims: To characterize accurately the prevalence and severity of voice and swallow problems in a large cohort of patients with mitochondrial disease. Methods & Procedures: Patients with proven mitochondrial disease were sent validated questionnaires to assess both voice and swallow function. The presence of voice and swallow symptoms was correlated with other clinical features of mitochondrial disease in affected patients. Outcomes & Results: From the original 177 patients contacted, 98 swallowing status questionnaires and 96 Voice Handicap Index questionnaires were returned, response rates of 55% and 54%, respectively. Swallow: 48% of patients reported more difficulties with swallowing than control participants. Patients with single mtDNA deletions were most likely to report problems (65.2%), with patients with an m.8344A greater than G point mutation least likely (33.3%). All genotypes had a mean severity score in excess of the normal range, the highest mean score being found in the single large-scale mtDNA deletion group (10.12), the lowest in the m.3243A greater than G group (5.56) Voice; 48% of patients reported some difficulty with voice. Patients with single large-scale deletions showed the highest prevalence (65.2%), patients with the m.3243A greater than G mutation the lowest (33%). The most severe voice difficulties were reported by patients with an m.8344A greater than G point mutation. Patients with an m.3243A greater than G point mutation had the mildest and lowest incidence of voice problems. All genotypes scored outside of the normal range expected on the VHI overall ([greater than or equal]11.5 in control trials). Patients with an m.8344A greater than G point mutation reported a significantly higher degree of physical voice handicap than m.3243A greater than G patients (13.13 versus 4.40, p = 0.02). In patients with either single or multiple mtDNA deletions the likely pathophysiological mechanism is of proximal muscle weakness, whereas in patients with the m.8344A greater than G mutation cerebellar ataxia is the likely cause. Conclusions & Implications: Dysphagia and dysarthria have been identified as symptoms in previous research, however the prevalence and pathophysiology of these symptoms have not been explored. This paper indicates that voice and swallow problems are a common, though predominantly mild feature of mitochondrial disease and that there is a core group of pathophysiological symptoms linked to the presence of voice and swallowing problems. This paper recommends early referral to speech and language therapists to identify emerging dysphonia and dysphagia and to provide appropriate intervention. (Contains 3 tables.)

This article investigates interventions in the gutter play of British working class children in the first decade of the 20th century through their re-location within Free Kindergartens. In contemporary literature, the street child was viewed through a binary lens, as both "at risk" and "as risk", reflecting wider societal discourses in a period of rapidly developing social policy. The paper interrogates the motivations of free kindergarten activists from the standpoint of a range of theory and builds on recent papers discussing 21st century urban childhoods. The findings suggest both historical continuities and discontinuities in the theorisation of risk, which have implications for current social policy, urban design and early childhood education. The questions raised include issues of children's rights, citizenship, inclusion and cultural diversity.

In recent years educational policy on gender and achievement has concentrated on boys' underachievement, frequently comparing it with the academic success of girls. This has encouraged a perception of girls as the "winners" of the educational stakes and assumes that they no longer experience the kinds of gender inequalities identified in earlier studies. However, trying to balance academic achievement with being seen as a "proper girl" presents girls with difficult challenges, particularly in terms of being accepted and approved of by classmates and securing the attention of teachers. This paper explores the views of a group of high achieving 12- to 13-year-old girls who indicate that being regarded as "clever" continues to be negotiated within acceptable frameworks of femininity. (Contains 6 notes.)

The use of electronic voting systems (EVS) in teaching at all levels is increasing as the technology becomes cheaper and easier to use. Although many educators initially take a cynical view of the educational value of such technology, many of those who use EVS express a very positive view of their experiences. This article aims to share these experiences with a wider audience, with a view to encouraging even more widespread use of the technology. The use of EVS by teachers in schools as well as in university settings is considered. (Contains 2 figures and lists 5 sources and 2 web sites.)

Assessment for Learning (AfL) is an established learning and teaching strategy. The authors identify issues with the effectiveness of its application in the classroom. Having noted a theoretical shift from teacher-generated to pupil-generated success criteria, the authors were keen to explore how this could be realised in practice. They developed a model based on AfL principles, which they introduced to a class of Year 5 pupils. They found that, whilst pupils can identify their own success criteria, a number of issues need to be considered by the innovative teacher. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)

Social, or "generalized" trust is often characterised as the "attitudinal dimension" of social capital. It has been posited as key to a host of normatively desirable outcomes at the societal and individual levels. Yet the origins of individual variation in trust remain something of a mystery and continue to be a source of dissensus amongst researchers across and within academic disciplines. In this paper we use data from two British birth cohort studies to test the hypothesis that a propensity to express generalized trust varies systematically as a function of individual intelligence. Intelligence, we argue, fosters greater trust in one's fellow citizens because more intelligent individuals are more accurate in their assessments of the trustworthiness of others. This means that, over the life-course, their trust is less often betrayed and they are able to accrue the benefits of norms of reciprocity. Our results show that standard measures of intelligence administered when cohort members were aged 10 and 11 can explain variability in expressed trust in early middle age, net of a broad range of theoretically related covariates. (Contains 2 figures and 2 tables.)

This paper adopts a social constructionist position on assessment, specifically that it can never be free of the social conditions in which it is practiced. As such, we explore two aspects of classroom interactions which contribute to and shape the learning environments in which assessment takes place. By drawing on interviews carried out with 51 teachers and 307 Year 3 (7-8-year-old) pupils the paper demonstrates where and how beliefs and attitudes about gender influence what they perceived as "good" or "appropriate" working relationships. It also considers the ways in which teachers utilize perceptions of gender to plan the curriculum and manage their classrooms. Whilst the pupils believed their teachers treated them in a fair and just manner, three quarters of the teachers interviewed believed they did or should respond differently to pupils according to gender. We argue that the emphasis given to boys' underachievement has contributed to this scenario. (Contains 4 tables and 3 notes.)

Introduction: Home assessments are integral to the occupational therapy role, providing opportunities to personalise and integrate care. However, they are resource intensive and declining in number. A 3-month service development within one United Kingdom National Health Service acute hospital setting explored the concept of using digital technology to undertake remote home assessments. Methods: Four work streams explored the concept's feasibility and acceptability: real-world testing; user consultations; narrative case study collection; traditional visit resource use exploration. Project participants were occupational therapists and patient and public representatives recruited via snowball sampling or critical case sampling. Qualitative data were thematically analysed identifying key themes. Analysis of quantitative data provided descriptive statistics. Findings: The remote home visit concept was feasible within four specific contexts. Qualitative themes suggest acceptability depends on visitor safety, visitor training, visitor induction and standardisation of practice. Consultees perceived the approach to have potential for resource savings, personalisation and integration of care. Barriers to acceptance included data security, data governance, technology failure and threat to occupational therapists' role and skills. Conclusion: Applying digital technology to occupational therapy home assessment appears feasible and acceptable within a specific context. Further research is recommended to develop the technology, and test and investigate perceived benefits within wider contexts and stakeholder groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents studying in UK universities often face a disproportionate number of challenges compared to their non-parent contemporaries, and research indicates that they often see no real change to the amount of domestic work they have to perform in addition to their studies. For international student-parents such challenges are likely to be intensified by loss of access to extended family networks, as well as other cultural dynamics. However, despite growing numbers of international-student parents choosing the UK for university study, their experiences and the challenges they face remain largely unexplored. To begin the work of understanding and responding to the intersectional difficulties this group may face, three in-depth narrative interviews were conducted with international student-parents (two student-fathers and one student-mother) from the Arabian Gulf attending a UK university. The interviews were subsequently analysed from a temporal perspective in order to reveal the students' everyday routines and relationships to time that coloured their experiences. The authors argue that such steps are vital to offer more inclusive and equitable HE journeys that meet the needs of increasingly diverse learners and groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of normative and feedback (financial vs. environmental) information in guiding pro-environmental decision-making behaviour was explored in a 2 × 2 (plus control) choice experiment. Using the context of home heating, 599 non-student participants from the UK general public were asked to choose between a standard heating system (a gas boiler) and a relatively more-energy efficient option (a heat pump). In line with evidence for the energy efficiency gap for sustainable innovations, there was low uptake of the heat pump (32.5%) in the control condition where no frame information was provided. Yet, in both conditions where normative information was provided, respondents were significantly more likely (vs. control) to choose the heat pump (financial + norm OR 3.63; 95% CIs 2.13,6.19; environmental + norm OR 3.09; 95% CIs 1.67,4.79), advancing understanding of normative social influence in the context of pro-environmental purchase behaviour. When normative information was not provided, only financial (OR 2.82; 95% CIs 1.67,4.79) but not environmental (OR 1.33; 95% CIs 0.78,2.26), feedback was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of heat pump choice. The main effect of normative information was replicated for behavioural intentions (though only for homeowners), but there was no norm-feedback interaction (regardless of homeownership). The implications for researchers looking to promote 'green' choice in the context of new technology adoption are discussed. • Empirical exploration of alternate decision frames in promoting 'green' choice. • Focus on context of energy-efficient versus standard technology adoption in homes. • Normative info increased likelihood of 'choosing green'; overruling feedback type. • Financial feedback most effective in changing behaviour when no norm info is given. • Implications for behaviour change efforts in this context are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory birds are particularly susceptible to climate change and habitat loss due to their reliance on a global network of ecosystems, with waders and seabirds undergoing significant population decline. The Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but breeding populations in Great Britain and the island of Ireland have declined drastically, with the species on the brink of local extinction. We present a set of models of the distribution of Curlew sightings between November and February in the Great Britain and the island of Ireland over the period 2003 to 2019. Using a model selection process (cross-validated lasso regression), we reduce the fairly large set of CORINE satellite land cover classes to a much smaller set of explanatory variables which we combine with environmental variables and fit binomial Generalized Linear Models to Curlew observation records. This enables us to build up a detailed picture of where and when Curlew are sighted between November and February over the 17 years of the study. Reproducibly, from November to January between 2003 and 2019, the coastal land cover classes, Estuaries, Intertidal Flats, Salt Marshes and Port Areas, feature prominently in the sets of explanatory variables selected by the lasso regression. Moreover, this study represents the first regional scale analysis on the impact of landscape and climate features on wintering curlew distribution, identifying the importance of landscape factors that warrant further research, such as the importance of artificial structures and the importance of February within the migration of the Curlew. • Coastal habitats consistently important for wintering curlew distribution over time. • Wintering curlew use a wider variety of land covers in February (i.e., green areas near artificial structures and pastures). • Wintering curlew distribution negatively impacted by an increased number of frost days in a month. • Seasonal species distribution modelling identifies temporally explicit nuances in wintering Curlew distributions. • Lasso penalisation is a robust method for explanatory data reduction, applied here on CORINE land cover classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging recollections, perceptions and storied biographies of older lesbians and gay men and their experiences in rural Britain are presented in the article, alongside consideration of the multiple qualitative methodologies used in a unique multi-method participatory action research project. The project aimed to empower older lesbians and gay men in rural areas through a collaborative design and meaningful participation in the research process itself. Methods included the core Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method (BNIM) (JONES, 2001, 2004; WENGRAF, 2001) with its interpretation of data by panels of citizens. In addition, visual ethnographic site visits, a focus group and two days of theatrical improvisation of interview data to explore action within the texts were used. The project embraced the principles of a performative social science (GERGEN & JONES, 2008; JONES, 2006, 2012) in its dissemination plan. Four of the collected stories are elaborated on here. These and other stories, reports and observations contributed to the creation of the main output of the project-a short professionally made film (Rufus Stone). The film is used to encourage community dialogue and inform service providers, opening up new possibilities of connectivity, communication and common ground at both macro and micro levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Household waste prevention in England has been recognised in national strategy as a key component for future sustainable practice. To support the policy agenda, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in England has funded an extensive programme of fundamental research in the area. The specific research aim reported on here, in this Defra funded project, was to trial and assess methods for monitoring and evaluating approaches detailed in the National Resource and Waste Forum (NRWF)’s Household Waste Prevention Toolkit. The methods that formed the basis for the four research Objectives for the project were: using pilot and control areas (core Objective), tracking waste arisings, measuring specific activities and declared awareness and behaviour surveys. A primary objective of this research was to quantify the direct waste tonnage impacts of implementing a targeted household waste campaign in Dorset County, UK. A key performance indicator chosen for this assessment was the weight of waste collected at the kerbside from households. In an area where a waste prevention campaign is well planned and implemented then reductions in household waste arisings in pilot areas can be in the region of 2% per annum. This method for monitoring can be used, in the hands of an expert project team, to communicate to the public the direct benefits of waste prevention. It was found that there are a wide range of factors that need to be taken into account in the UK, and that these had hitherto been given little prominence, such as careful matching of pilot and control areas – this proved problematical in this research. However, a range of techniques used to support the methods, e.g. doorstepping surveys and focus groups could not show clear attributable waste prevention impacts but their findings could be used to direct new future messages to the public. The most successful and measurable campaign activities that were revealed by evaluation were: mail preference registrations, Home composting and doorstepping. An expert evaluation of all major methods found that no clear preference was revealed as to which were the most useful. None of the methods were judged very poor neither very good, all had major issues about their use. Tracking waste arisings and focus groups were assessed to be the best techniques in terms of input effort to output value. It is likely that waste prevention teams for household waste will need very careful training in the cost-effective use of the NRWF Toolkit before they are competent to apply it to a given place; the issues are more complex than were first thought. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is associated with a high mortality despite antimicrobial therapy, but may be preventable by pneumococcal vaccination. The extent of previous exposure to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccination prior to an episode of IPD in hospitalised adults in the United Kingdom is unclear. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in adults with IPD admitted to either of two teaching hospitals in Sheffield, United Kingdom during 1992-2000. Receipt of pneumococcal vaccination, risk factors for IPD, death and disability were determined. Results: The number of cases of IPD was 552 and 187/230 patient records from one site were reviewed. According to UK pneumococcal vaccination guidelines 59% of patients should have received the vaccine and 76% of patients if updated guidelines, which include age>65 years as an indication, are applied. In patients with known risk factors, excluding age, only 8% had been vaccinated. The mortality from IPD was 21% and an additional 6% suffered major complications. Conclusions: In patients hospitalised with IPD there is a high rate of pre-existing risk factors and a low rate of administration of pneumococcal vaccination. IPD incurs significant mortality, morbidity and economic cost and there is potential for reducing this by improved uptake of pneumococcal vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many UK local authorities, looking to meet their regulatory recycling targets, have opted for voluntary kerbside collection schemes for source segregated recyclables from households. The success of a recycling service is highly dependant on the number of people who participate in the service and the frequency of its use. High participation rates are therefore an essential component of any effective kerbside collection scheme. It is commonly accepted that recycling behaviour is strongly influenced and motivated by personal opinions as well as external issues such as access and convenience. This paper characterises the recycling attitudes within West Oxfordshire, UK, and compares them with the results from a previous study conducted during 2003 in Brixworth, in Daventry, UK. From 1st April 2004, West Oxfordshire District Council, expanded its kerbside collection scheme for dry recyclables, adding cardboard, batteries, aerosols and mixed plastics to the already collected recyclables (paper, glass, textiles and metals) and increasing the frequency from fortnightly to weekly In this study, the recycling attitudes and behaviour of a cross-sectional socio-economic sample from households from West Oxfordshire, is investigated. It is observed that the propensity to recycle varies between individuals and socio-economic areas, and that recycling is influenced by concern for future generations, the need to bury less waste in landfills, and the fact that recycling saves resources and protects the environment. The results from this study can be used to help inform local authorities who are considering the development of their recycling schemes and associated promotional campaigns based on an understanding of their socio-demographic profile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

New mandatory household recycling targets present a serious challenge to UK Local Authorities (LAs). The key to achieving these targets is participation by households in waste management and recycling schemes. However, for these schemes to be successful, they must be based on a thorough understanding of householder attitudes to recycling, and their perceptions of the barriers to recycling. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which provides a theoretical framework for systematically identifying the determinants of recycling behaviour, was used as the basis for a study of 191 participants in a local kerbside recycling scheme. The findings suggest that pro-recycling attitudes are the major contributor to recycling behaviour, and that these attitudes are influenced firstly, by having the appropriate opportunities, facilities and knowledge to recycle, and secondly by not being deterred by the issues of physically recycling (for example time, space and inconvenience). Previous recycling experience, and a concern for the community and the consequences of recycling are also significant predictors of recycling behaviour. The implications of the findings for the development and implementation of recycling schemes and for marketing and communication campaigns which advocate the use of these schemes are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to assess risks to the natural environment from microplastics, it is necessary to have reliable information on all potential inputs and discharges. This relies on stringent quality control measures to ensure accurate reporting. Here we focus on wastewater treatment works (WwTWs) and the complex sample matrices these provide. Composite samples of both influent and effluent were collected over a 24 h period on two separate occasions from eight different WwTWs across the UK. Sludge samples were taken on five occasions from five WwTWs. The WwTW treatments included activated sludge, trickling filter and biological aerated flooded filter with or without tertiary treatment. Using micro-FTIR analysis, microplastics ≥25 μm were identified and quantified. Procedural blanks were used to derive limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ). Where values were above the LOQ, microplastics in the influent ranged from 955 to 17,214 microplastic particles/L and in the effluent from 2 to 54 microplastic particles/L, giving an average removal rate of 99.8%. Microplastics could be quantified in sludge at concentrations of 301–10,380 microplastics/g dry weight, this analytical method therefore revealing higher concentrations than reported in previous studies. The most common polymers present overall were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). We also report on critical considerations for blank corrections and quality control measures to ensure reliable microplastic analysis across different sample types. Image 1 • Water treatment removed 99.8% microplastics from effluent, but largely to sludge. • Activated sludge plants with tertiary treatment showed high removal performance. • PP, PE and PET were abundant throughout influent, effluent and sludge. • Sludge concentrations were higher than previously reported. • Use of LOD and LOQ allowed more rigorous reporting and limited false positives. This study describes robust, time efficient methods, used here to analyse microplastics in complex matrices including wastewater influent, effluent and sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little terns in the UK have undergone a population decline of 37 % over the last three decades despite protection efforts at their breeding sites during this time. In 2014, a five-year Little Tern Recovery Project was launched in the UK through the European Union LIFE + funding stream, deploying a more coordinated, comprehensive and strategic programme of conservation measures at 29 breeding sites across England and Wales. We compared little tern productivity (fledging probability per egg) during the project with that experienced in the five years prior to the project and included data from both project sites and reference sites. We found a positive relationship between productivity and colony size as well as differences in productivity between 'northern' and 'southern' regions of the UK, with colonies in the northern region doing better. There was a positive effect on productivity associated with the project's enhanced measures, but this interacted negatively with colony size, such that increased productivity was only seen for colonies with ≤91 pairs (which comprised 90 % of our dataset). Although average modelled breeding success across all project sites during the project was low (0.37 chicks/pair), we found it was on average more than double (164 % increase) than it would have otherwise been in the absence of the enhanced management measures. For colonies with ≤91 pairs, the predicted increase was 208 %. However, for colonies >91 pairs, there was a predicted 20 % reduction in breeding success in the presence of enhanced management. This counter-intuitive result may be due to threats at larger sites already being managed as far as practicable prior to the project, and poor breeding success during the project being mainly due to stochastic, less manageable threats such as severe weather. In addition, fewer data were available to inform the model for larger colonies. Overall, we estimate that an additional 1,785 chicks fledged as a result of the project. Those that survive their first few years are expected to recruit back into the UK and Irish population, benefitting from the legacy of protection, habitat restoration and creation measures established as part of the project. However, a simple population model indicates that even if the elevated breeding success levels achieved by the project were maintained, the projected population decline between 2020–2050 would only be slowed by 30 %, so more needs to be done to achieve population stabilisation. However, the project's beneficial impact has bought valuable time that can be used to further develop and deploy innovative solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK Landfill Tax and the related Landfill Tax Credit Scheme have now been in operation since October 1996. There have been a number ofreviews to assess its operation and effectiveness that have led to some minor amendments. However, there continue to be concerns about operational weaknesses of the tax and the credit scheme. In particular,there is the risk that the tax may be evaded and there are fears that a lack of transparency and independence may undermine the fundamental principles of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. Following a recent report, the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has set up an inquiry. This paper looks at some of the specific concerns that have been raised and the implications for waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]