Ecosystem-based Indicators for Monitoring the Status of Rivers in Ghana

The ecosystem approach is a widely accepted framework for natural resource management and has been adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as the primary framework for action under the convention. The ecosystem approach, as defined by the CBD, is underpinned by a set of twelve principles and points of operational guidance that are intended to aid the implementation of the approach. However, these are overarching principles and implementing an ecosystem approach in practice requires practical tools for local managers and policy makers that embody the principles but are appropriate for the challenges faced at a local level. Here, we present a set of indicators, and a toolkit to aid their application, that are intended to support the implementation of the ecosystem approach in the management of riverine ecosystems in Ghana. The application of the indicators is illustrated using data gathered for the Densu, Ayensu and Birim catchments

A review of techniques for monitoring the success of peatland restoration

An important element of all peatland restorationprojects is a programme of monitoring to checkresults and progress. Several peat projectworkshops identified a demand for technicalguidance on monitoring techniques. So NaturalEngland commissioned this study to: -Review the range of peatland restorationmonitoring techniques available. -Identify those that were consistent, informativeand easily applicable for peatland restorationprojects at a range of scales and budgets.Tables to identify appropriate monitoringtechniques for specific projects are published inthe Technical Information Note TIN097 -Guidelines for monitoring peatland restoration.Further information on these techniques isprovided in this report.The findings of this study have been used to: -Inform the JNCC project to design a researchprogramme on UK Peatland Green House Gasand Carbon Flux. -Develop thinking on monitoring peatlands inthe IUCN UK Peatland Programme. -Inform hydrological monitoring programmes forthe Dartmoor and Exmoor Mires Project.These findings are being disseminated to: -Encourage the use of balanced and consistentapproaches to peatland restoration monitoring. -Develop consistency in monitoring approachesso as to enable possible future collation ofpeatland monitoring data as a single databaseresource.A single database resource of peatlandrestoration would enable more robust analysesof monitoring data to support the developmentand implementation of future support andmanagement techniques for peatlandrestoration

STS in management education: connecting theory and practice

This paper explores the value of science and technology studies (STS) to management education. The work draws on an ethnographic study of second year management undergraduates studying decision making. The nature and delivery of the decision making module is outlined and the value of STS is demonstrated in terms of both teaching method and module content. Three particular STS contributions are identified and described: the social construction of technological systems; actor network theory; and ontological politics. Affordances and sensibilities are identified for each contribution and a discussion is developed that illustrates how these versions of STS are put to use in management education. It is concluded that STS has a pivotal role to play in critical management (education) and in the process offers opportunities for new forms of managin

Leveling the Playing Field: Supporting Neurodiversity via Virtual Realities

Neurodiversity is a term that encapsulates the diverse expression of human neurology. By thinking in broad terms about neurological development, we can become focused on delivering a diverse set of design features to meet the needs of the human condition. In this work, we move toward developing virtual environments that support variations in sensory processing. If we understand that people have differences in sensory perception that result in their own unique sensory traits, many of which are clustered by diagnostic labels such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Rett syndrome, dyslexia, and so on, then we can leverage that knowledge to create new input modalities for accessible and assistive technologies. In an effort to translate differences in sensory perception into new variations of input modalities, we focus this work on ASD. ASD has been characterized by a complex sensory signature that can impact social, cognitive, and communication skills. By providing assistance for these diverse sensory perceptual abilities, we create an opportunity to improve the interactions people have with technology and the world. In this paper, we describe, through a variety of examples, the ways to address sensory differences to support neurologically diverse individuals by leveraging advances in virtual reality

Paper Prototyping Comfortable VR Play for Diverse Sensory Needs

We co-designed paper prototype dashboards for virtual environments for three children with diverse sensory needs. Our goal was to determine individual interaction styles in order to enable comfortable and inclusive play. As a first step towards an inclusive virtual world, we began with designing for three sensory-diverse children who have labels of neurotypical, ADHD, and autism respectively. We focused on their leisure interests and their individual sensory profiles. We present the results of co-design with family members and paper prototyping sessions conducted by family members with the children. The results contribute preliminary empirical findings for accommodating different levels of engagement and empowering users to adjust environmental thresholds through interaction design

A Virtual Reality System for Practicing Conversation Skills for Children with Autism

We describe a virtual reality environment, Bob’s Fish Shop, which provides a system where users diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can practice social interactions in a safe and controlled environment. A case study is presented which suggests such an environment can provide the opportunity for users to build the skills necessary to carry out a conversation without the fear of negative social consequences present in the physical world. Through the repetition and analysis of these virtual interactions, users can improve social and conversational understanding

Developing Employment Environments Where Individuals with ASD Thrive: Using Machine Learning to Explore Employer Policies and Practices

An online survey instrument was developed to assess employers’ perspectives on hiring job candidates with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The investigators used K-means clustering to categorize companies in clusters based on their hiring practices related to individuals with ASD. This methodology allowed the investigators to assess and compare the various factors of businesses that successfully hire employees with ASD versus those that do not. The cluster analysis indicated that company structures, policies and practices, and perceptions, as well as the needs of employers and employees, were important in determining who would successfully hire individuals with ASD. Key areas that require focused policies and practices include recruitment and hiring, training, accessibility and accommodations, and retention and advancement

Tool kits for the Sustainable Management of Ghana’s Riverine Biodiversity: an Overveiw

The Darwin Initiative funded project Tool kits for the Sustainable Management of Ghana’s Riverine Biodiversity was a collaboration between the Centre for African Wetlands at the University of Ghana, various units of the University of Ghana and the Ghana Wildlife Society. The project also involved collaborators from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin. The project aimed to address the impediments that remain for Ghana (and its neighbouring countries) in applying the Ecosystem Approach (EA) to riverine wetland management and the delivery of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). Priority needs were identified as taxonomic capacity building, a contemporary assessment of the status of aquatic biodiversity in Ghana, the development of practical management tools for rivers and increased engagement of stakeholders in decision-making together with an enhanced environmental awareness throughout Ghanaian society. These were addressed in this project by regional and local staff training, reporting on the current status of aquatic communities, the production of educational and taxonomic resources for a range of users, the development of a set of nested indicators of ecosystem health adapted for use at various levels, and the production of a policy document outlining the means of applying the EA in the management of Ghana’s rivers

Existential Communication and Leadership

The aim of this article is to introduce and explain a number of important existentialist philosophers and concepts that we believe can contribute to a critical approach to leadership theory. Emphasis is placed on understanding the nature of communication from an existentialist perspective and so Jaspers' conceptualization of existential communication is introduced along with important related concepts that may be regarded as important facets of leader communication including Being-in-the-world, the Other, intersubjectivity, dialogue and indirect communication. Particular attention is paid to Buber's ideas on communication as relationship and dialogue. Throughout, reference is made to contemporary, and what is often regarded as orthodox, thinking regarding the centrality of communication to leadership practice as a means by which to highlight the salience of an existentialist analysis