Developing inclusive later life learning environments: insights from intersectional analysis of ageing and lesbian, gay, transgendered and bisexual identities

To date there has been minimal empirical inquiry on what may constitute inclusive learning environments for older (50+ years) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) adults. This paper draws upon a recent life-histories study with older LGBT adults in Scotland to consider how such environments can be developed. To do so, intersectional analysis is applied to interrogate how participants' lived realities and sense of self are enabled and constrained by the interactions between their diverse ageing, LGBT and other identities in the particular contexts of later life, post work. The paper argues that by adopting this approach to intersectional analysis, critical educational gerontology (CEG) is equipped to more effectively realise inclusive, meaningful and potentially empowering learning environments for older LGBT adults. These will be more attuned to their later life realities, enabling them to reflect on the changing significance of being LGBT as they age, while allowing potential for personal growth and renewed sense of self

Inchcolm project

Inchcolm Project is part of an interdisciplinary research project which develops new ways of designing for the moving body across media, by combining aesthetics and design methods from contemporary performance practice and video games. As such, it brought a video game (Dear Esther, The Chinese Room, 2012) to life on a Scottish island (Inchcolm island in the Firth of Forth). During the two hour experience on Inchcolm the audience/players wander freely on the island encountering geo-tagged audio, live music, performers and installation spaces evocative of the game world, a playthrough of the game projected in the 12th century Inchcolm abbey, and an orchestral performance of the video game’s soundtrack (composed by Jessica Curry, arranged by Luci Holland and David Jamieson, performed by Mantra Collective)

Multicultural Curriculum in Rural Early Childhood Programs

This study investigated the use of multicultural curricula in early childhood programs (licensed and licensed-exempt) in rural communities in Wyoming. In previous studies, little attention has focused on the nature of multicultural education in rural schools. This study specifically explored the ways in which existing instructional strategies and curricula were utilized to address the diverse learning needs of young children, and the ways in which culture and race are embraced and celebrated in early childhood programs in rural communities. Data showed a positive correlation (r= .45 p = \u3c .01) between national accreditation of early childhood programs and the availability and use of multicultural curricula

How to encourage empathy from birth: neurological roots and the importance of responsive practice

Studies in social neuroscience and brain imaging that have investigated the neural basis of human empathy reveal that the development of empathy is rooted in early infancy, well before the emergence of verbal abilities and more complex capacities in in social understanding (Tousignant, Eugène & Jackson, 2017). The key focus of this article is to demonstrate how experiences and interactions in the earliest months of life impact on neural circuits, overall brain development and, in particular, the development of empathy and altruist motivation in children from birth. Guidance on supporting empathy in early childhood education and care practice through responsive reciprocal relationships is also offered

Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of Literature

Commissioned by the Heinz Endowments, this paper reviews the literature on "culturally responsive pedagogy" and the arts. Academic success among African Americans is correlated with education that incorporates racial identity and socialization and a focus on resiliency and culturally relevant concepts. The arts are an ideal venue for such educational programs

Interacting Unities: An Agent-Based System

Recently architects have been inspired by Thompsonis Cartesian deformations and Waddingtonis flexible topological surface to work within a dynamic field characterized by forces. In this more active space of interactions, movement is the medium through which form evolves. This paper explores the interaction between pedestrians and their environment by regarding it as a process occurring between the two. It is hypothesized that the recurrent interaction between pedestrians and environment can lead to a structural coupling between those elements. Every time a change occurs in each one of them, as an expression of its own structural dynamics, it triggers changes to the other one. An agent-based system has been developed in order to explore that interaction, where the two interacting elements, agents (pedestrians) and environment, are autonomous units with a set of internal rules. The result is a landscape where each agent locally modifies its environment that in turn affects its movement, while the other agents respond to the new environment at a later time, indicating that the phenomenon of stigmergy is possible to take place among interactions with human analogy. It is found that it is the environmentis internal rules that determine the nature and extent of change

Community Philanthropy: How the Delta Region Revives, Embraces, and Promotes the Spirit of Giving

· Community philanthropy is the giving of time, talent, and treasure that when invested locally is characteristic of positive change and lasting development. · This article reports on a survey of 31 small Arkansas communities of 5,000 to 15,000 in population using open-ended descriptive questions. Responses were compared across communities to assess variation in giving/fundraising, civic engagement, and leadership. · Data confirm that giving/fundraising was substantial, particularly in communities with populations of 8,000 or less. · Findings show that people are giving not only their money, but also their services, time, and skills – especially in times of emergency response. Giving was not restricted to the wealthy but included various levels of generosity. · The same leaders engage repeatedly, resulting in leadership fatigue. · Community philanthropy is a viable innovation and, by growing the public will and momentum for its use, it could turn communities into healthy, equitable places where vulnerable families can succeed

Attachment Relationships: Quality of Care for Young Children

A review of attachment research findings and their implications for early childhood policies. Includes contributions from key researchers in the field

Photo-responsive graphene and carbon nanotubes to control and tackle biological systems

Photo-responsive multifunctional nanomaterials are receiving considerable attention for biological applications because of their unique properties. The functionalization of the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, among other carbon based nanomaterials, with molecular switches that exhibit reversible transformations between two or more isomers in response to different kind of external stimuli, such as electromagnetic radiation, temperature and pH, has allowed the control of the optical and electrical properties of the nanomaterial. Light-controlled molecular switches, such as azobenzene and spiropyran, have attracted a lot of attention for nanomaterial's functionalization because of the remote modulation of their physicochemical properties using light stimulus. The enhanced properties of the hybrid materials obtained from the coupling of carbon based nanomaterials with light-responsive switches has enabled the fabrication of smart devices for various biological applications, including drug delivery, bioimaging and nanobiosensors. In this review, we highlight the properties of photo-responsive carbon nanomaterials obtained by the conjugation of CNTs and graphene with azobenzenes and spiropyrans molecules to investigate biological systems, devising possible future directions in the field