Virtual learning environments – help or hindrance for the ‘disengaged’ student?

The introduction of virtual learning environments (VLEs) has been regarded by some as a panacea for many of the problems in today’s mass numbers modular higher education system. This paper demonstrates that VLEs can help or hinder student engagement and performance, and that they should be adapted to the different types of learner. A project is described that aimed to investigate whether the introduction of a VLE can assist ‘disengaged’ students, drawing on click count tracking data and student performance. The project took place in the context of two very large undergraduate modules (850 and 567 students) in a Business School of a new university in the UK. In an adaptation of a model of learner engagement in Web-enhanced environments, four distinct learner types have emerged: model, traditionalist, geek and disengaged. There was evidence that use of the VLE exacerbated, rather than moderated, the differences between these learner types

Building leaders for the UN Ocean Science Decade : a guide to supporting early career women researchers within academic marine research institutions

Diverse and inclusive marine research is paramount to addressing ocean sustainability challenges in the 21st century, as envisioned by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Despite increasing efforts to diversify ocean science, women continue to face barriers at various stages of their career, which inhibits their progression to leadership within academic institutions. In this perspective, we draw on the collective experiences of thirty-four global women leaders, bolstered by a narrative review, to identify practical strategies and actions that will help empower early career women researchers to become the leaders of tomorrow. We propose five strategies: (i) create a more inclusive culture, (ii) ensure early and equitable career development opportunities for women ECRs, (iii) ensure equitable access to funding for women ECRs, (iv) offer mentoring opportunities and, (v) create flexible, family-friendly environments. Transformational, meaningful, and lasting change will only be achieved through commitment and collaborative action across various scales and by multiple stakeholders.Peer reviewe

Sport and transgender people: a systematic review of the literature relating to sport participation and competitive sport policies

Background Whether transgender people should be able to compete in sport in accordance with their gender identity is a widely contested question within the literature and among sport organisations, fellow competitors and spectators. Owing to concerns surrounding transgender people (especially transgender female individuals) having an athletic advantage, several sport organisations place restrictions on transgender competitors (e.g. must have undergone gender-confirming surgery). In addition, some transgender people who engage in sport, both competitively and for leisure, report discrimination and victimisation. Objective To the authors’ knowledge, there has been no systematic review of the literature pertaining to sport participation or competitive sport policies in transgender people. Therefore, this review aimed to address this gap in the literature. Method Eight research articles and 31 sport policies were reviewed. Results In relation to sport-related physical activity, this review found the lack of inclusive and comfortable environments to be the primary barrier to participation for transgender people. This review also found transgender people had a mostly negative experience in competitive sports because of the restrictions the sport’s policy placed on them. The majority of transgender competitive sport policies that were reviewed were not evidence based. Conclusion Currently, there is no direct or consistent research suggesting transgender female individuals (or male individuals) have an athletic advantage at any stage of their transition (e.g. cross-sex hormones, gender-confirming surgery) and, therefore, competitive sport policies that place restrictions on transgender people need to be considered and potentially revised

International genome-wide meta-analysis identifies new primary biliary cirrhosis risk loci and targetable pathogenic pathways.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a classical autoimmune liver disease for which effective immunomodulatory therapy is lacking. Here we perform meta-analyses of discovery data sets from genome-wide association studies of European subjects (n=2,764 cases and 10,475 controls) followed by validation genotyping in an independent cohort (n=3,716 cases and 4,261 controls). We discover and validate six previously unknown risk loci for PBC (Pcombined<5 × 10(-8)) and used pathway analysis to identify JAK-STAT/IL12/IL27 signalling and cytokine-cytokine pathways, for which relevant therapies exist

The Charles Archive: A project to digitally preserve and make publicly accessible the practice archive of F W B and Mary Charles Chartered Architects

F.W.B. 'Freddie' Charles (1912-2002) was an architect and nationally recognised expert on the conservation and repair of timber-framed buildings. Freddie and his wife, architect Mary Charles (nee Logan) (1924-2005) set up in practice in 1962 and were amongst the first to face the challenges associated with timber-frame conservation. They were involved with the restoration of many important timber-framed buildings during their career including over 250 buildings in Worcestershire, many of them of national importance. The practice also worked in a number of other counties including Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire (including Coventry) and Birmingham. Freddie died in 2002 and prior to his death the practice archive was deposited with the then Worcestershire Record Office and a number of other archive services geographically relevant to the locations where the practice had worked. In 2017 Historic England agreed to fund a project to make the practice archive of F.W.B and Mary Charles more accessible. Project aims included electronically cataloguing the archive, which had previously only been catalogue' on paper, and creating a digital archive of important material, to be made publically available. The Charles Archive digital archive includes an extensive collection of high resolution photographs, slides, plans and drawings, relating to buildings across Worcestershire, held within the practice archive of F.W.B. 'Freddie' Charles (1912-2002) and Mary Charles (nee Logan) (1924-2005). The original archive is under the care of the Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, a service of Worcestershire County Council. The Charles practice also worked in a number of other counties including Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire (including Coventry) and Birmingham and as such a number of other archive services, geographically relevant to the locations where the practice worked, care for original archive material. The Charles Archive digital archive includes material related to buildings across Worcestershire, including its historic towns and Worcester City. Many of these buildings are nationally protected and registered on Historic England's National Heritage List for England (NHLE). Examples include the Grade I listed Tithe Barn at Bredon (List Entry Number 1319631), the Grade I listed Cruck Barn at Leigh Court (List Entry Number 1349245) and the Grade I listed Tithe Barn at Middle Littleton (List Entry Number 1350092). Others, while not nationally protected, are recognised as locally significant buildings on the Worcestershire County Council Historic Environment Record and Worcester City Historic Environment Record

A realist evaluation of loneliness interventions for older people

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