Object-based learning in higher education: The pedagogical power of museums

Following a special conference focused on object-based learning in higher education at University College London (UCL), this paper provides the overview for a series of subsequent papers which explore the value of object-based learning, including the pedagogical framework for museum learning in the university classroom and practice led examples from a range of disciplines. Object-based learning in higher education draws on many of the learning strategies already known to inform students, including active learning and experiential learning; this collection of papers draws together examples of object-based learning pioneered at UCL and seeks to encourage enhanced use of university collections in new, pedagogically powerful, modes

Estimating the phylogeny and divergence times of primates using a supermatrix approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The primates are among the most broadly studied mammalian orders, with the published literature containing extensive analyses of their behavior, physiology, genetics and ecology. The importance of this group in medical and biological research is well appreciated, and explains the numerous molecular phylogenies that have been proposed for most primate families and genera. Composite estimates for the entire order have been infrequently attempted, with the last phylogenetic reconstruction spanning the full range of primate evolutionary relationships having been conducted over a decade ago.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To estimate the structure and tempo of primate evolutionary history, we employed Bayesian phylogenetic methods to analyze data supermatrices comprising 7 mitochondrial genes (6,138 nucleotides) from 219 species across 67 genera and 3 nuclear genes (2,157 nucleotides) from 26 genera. Many taxa were only partially represented, with an average of 3.95 and 5.43 mitochondrial genes per species and per genus, respectively, and 2.23 nuclear genes per genus. Our analyses of mitochondrial DNA place Tarsiiformes as the sister group of Strepsirrhini. Within Haplorrhini, we find support for the primary divergence of Pitheciidae in Platyrrhini, and our results suggest a sister grouping of African and non-African colobines within Colobinae and of Cercopithecini and Papionini within Cercopthecinae. Date estimates for nodes within each family and genus are presented, with estimates for key splits including: Strepsirrhini-Haplorrhini 64 million years ago (MYA), Lemuriformes-Lorisiformes 52 MYA, Platyrrhini-Catarrhini 43 MYA and Cercopithecoidea-Hominoidea 29 MYA.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We present an up-to-date, comprehensive estimate of the structure and tempo of primate evolutionary history. Although considerable gaps remain in our knowledge of the primate phylogeny, increased data sampling, particularly from nuclear loci, will be able to provide further resolution.</p

Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles

This article reports outcomes from a 15-month (2018-19) study led by UCL on behalf of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance in partnership with three London museums of differing sizes with natural or local history collections. The study aimed to address mental health inequalities by diversifying volunteer populations through reforming recruitment procedures to overcome perceived barriers, and enriching training programmes to improve wellbeing. A mixed methods approach was used to assess wellbeing and mechanisms by which key benefits were derived, such as social interaction and forming connections. The article considers how increasing the diversity of volunteer training in museums can improve wellbeing, widen access and promote social inclusion. Policy and practice implications are discussed in relation to embedding wellbeing training strategies into heritage organizations

The role of museums, collections, and objects in supporting higher education student mental well-being and quality of learning

This chapter focuses on the potential role of museums and cultural collections in facilitating student well-being. In order to investigate the potential relationship between object engagement and student well-being, several groups of students undertaking modules that involved engaging with museum objects were asked to participate in an anonymous online survey. The UCL students who participated in the survey seemed to recognise the need to cope more effectively with stress manifested in the fact that over three-quarters of respondents thought that well-being activities should be incorporated into taught modules, with 30% of them proposing extra curricula relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Workshops and visits also enhance student engagement and interest, though to a slightly lesser extent than that of well-being. The fact that object-based learning activities, especially when performed outside the regular classroom environment, such as in a museum or collection space, appear to meet the expressed needs of the students is encouraging

The Impact of Culture-, Health- and Nature-Based Engagement on Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Public Health Restrictions on Wellbeing, Social Connectedness and Loneliness during COVID-19: Quantitative Evidence from a Smaller- and Larger-Scale UK Survey

Numerous UK surveys conducted during COVID-19 examined the pandemic’s detrimental effects on health, and the consequences of lockdown and other public health restrictions on mental health. Some surveys considered specific populations and social inequities exacerbated during COVID-19. Fewer surveys examined the ways in which the adverse effects of public health restrictions, such as lockdown, shielding and social distancing, might be alleviated. Drawing upon self-determination theory, the purpose of the current study was to assess whether culture-, health- and nature-based engagement would mitigate the effects of these restrictions on psychological wellbeing, social connectedness and loneliness. Quantitative data from a smaller-scale survey (n = 312) and a subset of questions embedded in a larger-scale survey (n = 3647) were analyzed using univariate and multivariate methods. Frequency of engagement, whether participation was online or offline and with or without other people, and the extent to which type of participation was associated with psychological wellbeing, social connectedness and loneliness were examined. Sports and fitness, gardening and reading occurred frequently in both surveys. For the smaller-scale survey, increases in connectedness and frequency of participation and decreases in loneliness were significantly associated with improved wellbeing, whereas the type of participation and age range were not significant predictors. Outcomes from the smaller-scale survey approximated the larger-scale survey for measures of loneliness, type and frequency of participation and proportion of respondents in each age range. As the frequency of participation was a significant predictor of wellbeing, but the type of participation was not significant, the findings implied that any type of participation in a sufficient quantity would be likely to boost wellbeing

Assessing the impact of artistic and cultural activities on the health and well-being of forcibly displaced people using participatory action research

Objective Drawing on a growing body of research suggesting that taking part in artistic and cultural activities benefits health and well-being, the objective was to develop a participatory action research (PAR) method for assessing the impact of arts interventions on forcibly displaced people, and identify themes concerning perceived benefits of such programmes. Design A collaborative study following PAR principles of observation, focus groups and in-depth semistructured interviews. Setting London-based charity working with asylum seekers and refugees. Participants An opportunity sample (n=31; 6 males) participated in focus groups comprising refugees/asylum seekers (n=12; 2 males), volunteers (n=4; 1 males) and charity staff (n=15; 3 males). A subset of these (n=17; 3 males) participated in interviews comprising refugees/asylum seekers (n=7; 1 males), volunteers (n=7; 1 males) and charity staff (n=3; 1 males). Results Focus group findings showed that participants articulated the impact of creative activities around three main themes: skills, social engagement and personalemotions that were explored during in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis of interviews was conducted in NVivo 11 and findings showed that artistic and cultural activities impacted positively by helping participants find a voice, create support networks and learn practical skills useful in the labour market. Conclusions The study expanded on arts and well-being research by exploring effects of cultural and creative activities on the psychosocial well-being of refugees and asylum seekers. By focusing on the relationship between arts, well-being and forced displacement, the study was instrumental in actively trying to change the narrative surrounding refugees and asylum seekers, often depicted in negative terms in the public sphere

Lay health worker led intervention for depressive and anxiety disorders in India: impact on clinical and disability outcomes over 12 months.

BACKGROUND: Depressive and anxiety disorders (common mental disorders) are the most common psychiatric condition encountered in primary healthcare. AIMS: To test the effectiveness of an intervention led by lay health counsellors in primary care settings (the MANAS intervention) to improve the outcomes of people with common mental disorders. METHOD: Twenty-four primary care facilities (12 public, 12 private) in Goa (India) were randomised to provide either collaborative stepped care or enhanced usual care to adults who screened positive for common mental disorders. Participants were assessed at 2, 6 and 12 months for presence of ICD-10 common mental disorders, the severity of symptoms of depression and anxiety, suicidal behaviour and disability levels. All analyses were intention to treat and carried out separately for private and public facilities and adjusted for the design. The trial has been registered with clinical trials.gov (NCT00446407). RESULTS: A total of 2796 participants were recruited. In public facilities, the intervention was consistently associated with strong beneficial effects over the 12 months on all outcomes. There was a 30% decrease in the prevalence of common mental disorders among those with baseline ICD-10 diagnoses (risk ratio (RR) = 0.70, 95% CI 0.53-0.92); and a similar effect among the subgroup of participants with depression (RR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.98). Suicide attempts/plans showed a 36% reduction over 12 months (RR=0.64, 95% CI0.42–0.98) among baseline ICD-10 cases. Strong effects were observed on days out of work and psychological morbidity, and modest effects on overall disability [corrected]. In contrast, there was little evidence of impact of the intervention on any outcome among participants attending private facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Trained lay counsellors working within a collaborative-care model can reduce prevalence of common mental disorders, suicidal behaviour, psychological morbidity and disability days among those attending public primary care facilities

VALIDATE:Exploiting the synergy between complex intracellular pathogens to expedite vaccine research and development for tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, melioidosis and leprosy

For several complex intracellular pathogens, we have an urgent need for effective vaccines and yet there are common barriers to vaccine development. These diseases, including tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, leprosy and melioidosis, cause a huge burden of disease and disproportionately affect low and middle income countries. They are therefore often neglected due to the marginalisation of affected populations and the poor predicted commercial return on investment. Barriers to vaccine development include an incomplete understanding of protective immunity and translation from the bench into clinical vaccine trials. The current linear approach to vaccine research and development for these pathogens, which involves basic research, vaccine design, and vaccine evaluation in preclinical challenge models and clinical trials, is inefficient for these complex intracellular pathogens. We have established a Global Challenges Research Fund Network for VAccine deveLopment for complex Intracellular neglecteD pAThogEns, “VALIDATE”, where we aim to adopt a more flexible, integrated cross-pathogen approach to accelerate vaccine research and clinical development for these four pathogens, by cross-pathogen analyses, cross-discipline collaborations, and repeated integration of data from human and animal studies. This network provides a unique opportunity to bring together individuals working on four exemplar complex intracellular neglected pathogens (M.tb, Leishmania spp., B. pseudomallei and M.leprae), which share a common lifestyle as pathogens of macrophages, induce similar end-stage pathologies and alter host immune and metabolic responses. The horizontal collaborations established throughout this network, together with the provision of a protected environment for early data sharing, will exploit these biological synergies. By interrogating mechanisms that lead from infection to disease, we will be able to develop common vaccine development strategies for these and other complex intracellular pathogens. Keyword

Object-based learning and research-based education:Case studies from the UCL curricula

157 Chapter 11 Object-based learning and research-based education: Case studies from the UCL curricula Thomas Kador, Leonie Hannan, Julianne Nyhan, Melissa Terras, Helen J. Chatterjee and Mark Carnall The general broadening in recent years of what counts as legitimate learning has included an interest in objects, including those from curated collections such as artefacts, natural history specimens and archival items, which may have complex cultural or scientific meaning in their own right. A more sophisticated interaction with objects has been a particular focus for some time and meshes well with newer initiatives and strategies. Indeed, it was a forerunner of bringing research-based education into university curricula. These case studies describe how students could be part of genuine research projects while drawing on traditionally neglected aspects of learning such as touch and direct experience. It is no artificial exercise: Kador and his colleagues record that students have at times corrected mistakes in cataloguing, as well as reconsidering the ethics of objects often taken without permission as colonial curiosities. Francis Galton and his colleague Flinders Petrie must be reckoned with again, given the provenance of many of the objects available to UCL students on site. They are also concerned with the opposite direction: creating virtual versions of objects gives students the chance not just to learn, but to ‘produce’, by creating exhibitio