Exploring the Role of Twitter as a Public Sphere that Facilitates Civil Discourse

Recognising the polarising nature of discourse today, this research analyses online discussion platforms and their potential as modern public spheres. It is particularly concerned with the importance of civility as an aspect of conversation, and whether the online environment aids in civil discourse. Twitter has been chosen as the online platform that is the focus of this study. This is to allow for a more in-depth exploration of a public sphere that exists online. Key themes that distinguish Twitter from public spheres that exist offline are discussed. These include: anonymity, public shaming, social control, and distortions. This research relies on previous academic literature to help inform its conclusions. In conjunction with this, an analysis of articles that outline significant events that happened on the site, and the tweets that appeared as a result, is undertaken. The research findings help to facilitate a more informed discussion about ideas surrounding the public sphere, and from this conclusions are drawn. In regards to each of the individual themes, the study finds that there is a struggle between discourse that is serious and dramatic on Twitter. It suggests that the overshadowing effect that the entertainment aspect of the platform has, weakens the potential for civil discourse. Ultimately, this research concludes that Twitter is not suitable as a public sphere for civil discourse because users seem to prefer it more as a space for entertainment, rather than productive debate

An Introduction to Local and Global Health Behaviors Using a Collaborative Online International Learning Exchange

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), uses technology to facilitate the engagement of students from different countries in collaborative coursework and sharing of cultural perspectives. The existing literature concerning COIL exchanges points to the need to further explore student satisfaction and engagement with such exchange projects, and whether course learning outcomes are being achieved. This practice paper describes a COIL exchange between students of health psychology at Mary Immaculate College, Ireland, and Sacred Heart University, in the United States. During this 10-week project students were required to engage in synchronous and asynchronous activities. Following the completion of the COIL project, students were given a questionnaire to assess their course satisfaction and whether learning outcomes were achieved. Findings indicate that students were satisfied with the exchange and learning outcomes were met. Overall, COIL may serve as another teaching approach to help students learn course specific material, understand multicultural viewpoints, and enhance their professional skill set

Can my use of Guided Inquiry Based Science Education enhance my pupils learning of and attitude towards Science?

The main purpose of this self-study research was to enhance my practice in the area of Science Education, enabling me to live closer to my educational values of inclusion and autonomy. I aimed to improve the children’s learning of scientific concepts while fostering positive attitudes towards Science using a child-centred inquiry approach to teaching and learning. Applying a self-study action research paradigm allowed me to gain a deeper insight into my practice by reflecting critically through multiple lenses (Brookfield, 1995). My reflective journal, children’s questionnaires, children’s interviews, worksheets (to assess learning) and conversations with critical friends provided data sources from a variety of perspectives. These were analysed and reflected on to offer rigour and validity to the research. I carried out two cycles of research. Examining my own practice in Cycle 1 (reconnaissance) and introducing an Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) approach in Cycle 2. This inquiry approach was hands-on and minds-on, encouraging the children to think critically, work collaboratively and develop their scientific skills. I have shown that children’s interest in and enjoyment of Science increased when engaging with an inquiry approach to teaching and learning, their academic attainment in Science increased with many becoming more articulate in expressing their ideas. Furthermore, IBSE allowed me to embed my values into my practice and reembrace a constructivist mind-set

Planning, implementing and governing systems-based co-creation: the DISCOVER framework

Background: Increasingly, public health faces challenges requiring complex, multifaceted and multi-sectoral responses. This calls for systems-based approaches that facilitate the kind of collective and collaborative thinking and working required to address complexity. While the literature on systems thinking, system dynamics and the associated methodologies is extensive, there remains little clear guidance on how to plan, govern and implement participatory systems approaches within a co-creation process. Methods: We used a three-step process to develop DISCOVER, a framework for implementing, and governing systems-based co-creation: Stage 1: We conducted a literature analysis of key texts to identify well-documented methods and phases for co-creation using a systems approach, as well as areas where gaps existed.Stage 2: We looked for the most appropriate methods and approaches to fill the gaps in the knowledge production chain.Stage 3: We developed the framework, identifying how the different tools and approaches fit together end-to-end, from sampling and recruiting participants all the way through to responding with an action plan. Results: We devised DISCOVER to help guide researchers and stakeholders to collectively respond to complex social, health and wider problems. DISCOVER is a strategic research planning and governance framework that provides an actionable, systematic way to conceptualise complex problems and move from evidence to action, using systems approaches and co-creation. In this article, we introduce the eight-step framework and provide an illustrative case study showcasing its potential. The framework integrates complementary approaches and methods from social network analysis, systems thinking and co-creation literature. The eight steps are followed sequentially but can overlap. Conclusions: DISCOVER increases rigour and transparency in system approaches to tackling complex issues going from planning to action. It is being piloted in environmental health research but may be suitable to address other complex challenges and could be incorporated into research proposals and protocols for future projects.</p

Urban blue spaces as therapeutic landscapes: “a slice of nature in the city”

Urban blue spaces are defined as all natural and manmade surface water in urban environments. This paper draws on how the concepts of experienced, symbolic, social, and activity space combine to position urban blue spaces as therapeutic landscapes. We conducted 203 intercept interviews between 12 October 2019 and 10 November 2019. Although safety concerns had health-limiting impacts, interacting with the Glasgow Canal and surrounding landscape was predominantly perceived as health-enhancing. Our findings build on current evidence, which has suggested that urban blue spaces, particularly canals, may foster therapeutic properties, contributing to healthier city environments. Further research is required to understand better the interconnectedness of urban blue spaces and health and how such spaces can be best developed and managed to improve the health outcomes of local populations

Does living near blue space modify the effect of socioeconomic deprivation on mental health in urban areas: a population-based retrospective study

Background: The incidence of mental health disorders in urban areas is increasing and there is a growing interest in using urban blue spaces as nature-based therapy to prevent and manage mental health. However, there is a dearth of longitudinal evidence of the mechanisms and effect of blue spaces on clinical markers of mental health to support and inform such interventions. Restoration of the north Glasgow branch of the Forth and Clyde canal began in 2000 as part of Glasgow's Smart Canal project, which is the largest programme of canal regeneration in the UK. The canal was completely closed and left to dereliction for more than 40 years and the first canal lock reopened as a space for recreation in 2006. Situated within the most deprived neighbourhoods in Europe and characterised by a clustering of environmental and socioeconomic deprivation, physical and mental health challenges, substantial health disparities, and climate change vulnerabilities, this is a unique natural experiment that was primarily developed to increase the communities' resilience to climate change. Methods: To investigate the mental health cobenefits deriving from the canal regeneration project, we conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study and explored whether living near blue space modified the negative effect of socioeconomic deprivation on the mental health of the population of north Glasgow, Scotland, using routinely collected NHS data, over a 10-year period (2009-18). We developed two Cox proportional hazards models; a base model estimating the effect of socioeconomic deprivation on mental health and a second identical model with an additional variable of distance to blue space. We then investigated the modifying effect of living near blue space by comparing the effects between the two models. Findings: Our findings indicate that living near blue space modified the risk of mental health disorders deriving from socioeconomic deprivation by 6% (hazard ratio [HR] 2·48, 95% CI 2·39-2·57) for those living in the most deprived tertile, and 4% (1·66, 1·60-1·72) for those in the medium-deprivation tertile. Interpretation: The findings of this study support the notion that living near blue space could play an important role in reducing the burden of mental health inequalities in urban populations. Funding: The Data Lab (to SC)

Mechanisms of impact of blue spaces on human health: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Blue spaces have been found to have significant salutogenic effects. However, little is known about the mechanisms and pathways that link blue spaces and health. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to summarise the evidence and quantify the effect of blue spaces on four hypothesised mediating pathways: physical activity, restoration, social interaction and environmental factors. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a literature search was conducted using six databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EBSCOHOST/CINAHL). Fifty studies were included in our systematic review. The overall quality of the included articles, evaluated with the Qualsyst tool, was judged to be very good, as no mediating pathway had an average article quality lower than 70%. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted for physical activity, restoration and social interaction. Living closer to blue space was associated with statistically significantly higher physical activity levels (Cohen's d = 0.122, 95% CI: 0.065, 0.179). Shorter distance to blue space was not associated with restoration (Cohen's d = 0.123, 95% CI: -0.037, 0.284) or social interaction (Cohen's d = -0.214, 95% CI: -0.55, 0.122). Larger amounts of blue space within a geographical area were significantly associated with higher physical activity levels (Cohen's d = 0.144, 95% CI: 0.024, 0.264) and higher levels of restoration (Cohen's d = 0.339, 95% CI: 0.072, 0.606). Being in more contact with blue space was significantly associated with higher levels of restoration (Cohen's d = 0.191, 95% CI: 0.084, 0.298). There is also evidence that blue spaces improve environmental factors, but more studies are necessary for meta-analyses to be conducted. Evidence is conflicting on the mediating effects of social interaction and further research is required on this hypothesised pathway. Blue spaces may offer part of a solution to public health concerns faced by growing global urban populations

Education Policy is Health Policy

Capstone presentation for the University of Richmond SSIR (Sophomore Scholars in Residence) Program.https://scholarship.richmond.edu/ssir-presentations-2017/1000/thumbnail.jp

Rotational-pulse actuated dissolvable-film valves for automated purification of total RNA from E. Coli

In this work we report for the first time on a repertoire of valving technologies which are combined to enable automated purification of total RNA from cell homogenate. Process control is implemented us-ing rotational-pulse actuated dissolvable-film (DF) valves; where the order of valve actuation is deter-mined by the disc architecture while the timing of valve actuation is governed by pulses in the spin rate. Selective liquid routing is enabled by combining a heavy, inert and immiscible liquid plug with a DF. The combination of these technologies enables bead-based extraction of amplifiable RNA, with a yield comparable to gold-standard bench-top protocols