Phenomenology and phenomenography in virtual worlds: an example from archaeology

This chapter discusses a project to construct a simulation of Avebury Henge, a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age monument in the SW of the U.K., in a 3D, virtual world environment, and to use phenomenological and phenomenographic methods for its evaluation. We explore notions of place and digital being in virtual worlds, and the potential of these methods in understanding virtual worlds and their applicability to evaluations of virtual archaeology. The phenomenological approach to archaeology tends to stress the importance of the archaeologists’ senses, working through their physical presence in a landscape to enable an appreciation of the materiality, or physicality, of an environment. In this study, phenomenology was applied to the experience of a virtual environment where sight and hearing senses are restricted, and the senses of smell and touch are deprived altogether. So, the immersion of all the body’s senses in a landscape, to the exclusion of all other experiences, cannot be achieved. We argue that the phenomenological narrative describing one author’s experiences in Virtual Avebury (VA) has demonstrated that experiencing a landscape from an archaeological point of view can be achieved in a virtual environment, but that the nature of the experience is different to that in the physical world. The ability to experiment with designing landscapes, to change environmental aspects in simulations of places that could not otherwise be experienced, and to meet with others in those places to discuss, explore and experience them together, has the potential to offer a new practice of phenomenology in archaeology, and in virtual worlds research. The phenomenographic method used to explore the range of experiences of members of a small evaluation group found that five categories of experience emerged. These were sense of place in VA, recall of VA at Avebury, sense of place in Avebury, effects of sounds and soundscapes and a sense of Avebury’s original purpose. Based upon these findings, we make recommendations for wider research in phenomenological methods of enquiry in virtual worlds

Review of Savin-Baden M. (2015). Rethinking Learning in an Age of Digital Fluency: Is being digitally tethered a new learning nexus? Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. 168 Pp. ISBN: 9780415738187

Being connected through online and digital technologies has become increasingly commonplace over the past 20 years, but our understanding of the effect this has on where and how people learn has tended to be patchy at best. In Rethinking Learning in an Age of Digital Fluency: Is being digitally tethered a new learning nexus? Maggi Savin-Baden examines the impact of increasing digital connectedness and how this connectivity might affect the culture of learning now, and in the future. I welcome this book as a fascinating and thought-provoking discussion that pulls together a wide range of research and experiences, and does not avoid controversy where it is found

"I can decide to use the property I have to make money": HIV vulnerability of bar workers and bar patrons in Kumasi, Ghana

This study was implemented by Boston University in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 2010. The content and views expressed here are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of USAID or the U.S. Government.This report provides the findings from a qualitative study exploring the social, economic and behavioral vulnerability to HIV of women working in bars and restaurants in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city. This research was conducted by a collaborative team comprised of researchers from Boston University’s Center for Global and Health and Development (CGHD) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Medical Sciences. It is one of nine studies under the Operations Research on Key Populations project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The study was designed and carried out in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC). Reducing vulnerability to HIV infection among key populations in Ghana is a major goal for the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) and the GAC. While a number of studies have explored HIV risk behaviours among self-identified female sex workers and their partners in Ghana, little is known about the vulnerability of women working in small bars and restaurants who may be involved in transactional sex. Further, we have little information about how best to reach this population with services that will enable them and their clientele to protect themselves from HIV and reduce other vulnerabilities related to their health and well-being. To address this gap, this study aimed to explore behavioural, social, and economic factors that contribute to HIV vulnerability; types and extent of transactional sex; the relationship between alcohol/drug use, unsafe sex and transactional sex; and the health and social service needs of this population. The study findings are meant to inform the development and implementation of HIV prevention programs for bar workers and bar patrons.Support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 201

How effective are psychosocial interventions at improving body image and reducing disordered eating in adult men? A systematic review

Disordered eating and body image concerns significantly impact a growing number of men. This systematic review assessed the evidence of the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to improve body image and eating pathology in men. Searches were conducted in December 2022 in 13 databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, AMED, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, EMBASE, ASSIA, British Nursing Index, Wiley and OpenGrey). Studies that quantitatively evaluated psychosocial interventions and reported pre-post body image or disordered eating outcomes in men aged 18 years and over were eligible. Articles including boys, uncontrolled designs, or not in English were excluded. Findings were narratively synthesised and presented according to intervention approach. Quality was assessed using EPHPP. Eight studies including six RCTs were reviewed. Five were assessed as being moderate quality and three as weak. Evidence from moderate quality studies suggested that dissonance-based interventions showed promising improvements in body image and disordered eating for up to six months post-intervention in men with and without body dissatisfaction. Evidence for media literacy and psychoeducational interventions was limited. Findings were limited by heterogeneity in outcome measures and homogeneity of participants preventing generalisability. Robust research with longer follow-ups is needed to confirm effectiveness. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Virtual health education: Scaling practice to transform student learning: Using virtual reality learning environments in healthcare education to bridge the theory/practice gap and improve patient safety.

The advancements in and affordability of technologies offer increasing opportunities to modernise healthcare education into packages developed to meet the expectations and requirements of the digital generation. Purposefully designed and tested Virtual Reality Learning Environments (VRLE) can offer healthcare students the means to access and revisit learning materials in ways that enhance education and meet a range of needs; including those with specific learning differences and those who have traditionally been disenfranchised. Furthermore, this will make healthcare education much more readily available to those who have been previously marginalised by distance. This paper argues that Virtual Reality (VR) has the unique potential to transform healthcare education and suggests that more providers should consider collaborating with developers and investing in the technology

Effect of MRI on preterm infants and their families: a randomised trial with nested diagnostic and economic evaluation.

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that routine MRI would improve the care and well-being of preterm infants and their families. DESIGN: Parallel-group randomised trial (1.1 allocation; intention-to-treat) with nested diagnostic and cost evaluations (EudraCT 2009-011602-42). SETTING: Participants from 14 London hospitals, imaged at a single centre. PATIENTS: 511 infants born before 33 weeks gestation underwent both MRI and ultrasound around term. 255 were randomly allocated (siblings together) to receive only MRI results and 255 only ultrasound from a paediatrician unaware of unallocated results; one withdrew before allocation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal anxiety, measured by the State-Trait Anxiety inventory (STAI) assessed in 206/214 mothers receiving MRI and 217/220 receiving ultrasound. Secondary outcomes included: prediction of neurodevelopment, health-related costs and quality of life. RESULTS: After MRI, STAI fell from 36.81 (95% CI 35.18 to 38.44) to 32.77 (95% CI 31.54 to 34.01), 31.87 (95% CI 30.63 to 33.12) and 31.82 (95% CI 30.65 to 33.00) at 14 days, 12 and 20 months, respectively. STAI fell less after ultrasound: from 37.59 (95% CI 36.00 to 39.18) to 33.97 (95% CI 32.78 to 35.17), 33.43 (95% CI 32.22 to 34.63) and 33.63 (95% CI 32.49 to 34.77), p=0.02. There were no differences in health-related quality of life. MRI predicted moderate or severe functional motor impairment at 20 months slightly better than ultrasound (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (CI) 0.74; 0.66 to 0.83 vs 0.64; 0.56 to 0.72, p=0.01) but cost £315 (CI £295-£336) more per infant. CONCLUSIONS: MRI increased costs and provided only modest benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01049594 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01049594.EudraCT: EudraCT: 2009-011602-42 (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/)

The role of the prostate cancer gene 3 urine test in addition to serum prostate-specific antigen level in prostate cancer screening among breast cancer, early-onset gene mutation carriers

Objective: To evaluate the additive value of the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) urine test to serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer (PC) screening among breast cancer, early-onset gene (BRCA) mutation carriers. This study was performed among the Dutch participants of IMPACT, a large international study on the effectiveness of PSA screening among BRCA mutation carriers. Materials and methods: Urinary PCA3 was measured in 191 BRCA1 mutation carriers, 75 BRCA2 mutation carriers, and 308 noncarriers. The physicians and participants were blinded for the results. Serum PSA level≥3.0. ng/ml was used to indicate prostate biopsies. PCA3 was evaluated (1) as an independent indicator for prostate biopsies and (2) as an indicator for prostate biopsies among men with an elevated

State of design report

In 2019 the UK Design Council declared “Whatever the question, design has an answer.” While not quite so bold the British designer Jay Osgerby maintains that “Design is the Answer to a Very Difficult Question.” Both valiant statements play on Cedric Price’s massively exploited conundrum “Technology is the answer, but what was the question?” A superficial trawl of the web reveals – “Big Data Is the Answer … But What Is the Question?” – “Design Thinking Is Not The Answer - Especially If You Don’t Know The Question” – “Universal Design – The Answer to Everything?” – “If Design-Based Research is the Answer, What is the Question?” And the web also exposes curiously aligned beliefs that “Love or war or music or summer or Jesus or art or wool (or countless other subjects) is the answer.” Perhaps Price was already playing with Shakespeare’s mission for Hamlet “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” It seems that the answers already surround us. It’s the question we don’t know. But its vitally important to place before this catechism the simple fact is that each designer creates their precursors. Their work modifies our conception of the past, as it will modify the future. Price asked what WAS the question and everyone after him writes what IS the question as if there is no conception of the past. WAS used to be the totally artificial world; a future responsible. Whereas IS is now the totally financial world; a future already mortgaged. In which case we can only ask - was the past simple, is the present perfect and will the future be affordable? In 1990 Donella H. Meadows’ wrote the “State of the Village Report”, which presented a framework for understanding the world as a combination of physical, economic, and social relationships by imagining the world was a village of 1000 people. Scaling down the numbers was a very palpable way to change mindsets and help build awareness about what an individual could do to help manage the complex environmental, social and economic systems of which we are all a part