The case of teachers and neuroscience:how do teachers mediate information about the brain?

A number of researchers both in the U.K. and elsewhere have investigated what teachers know about the brain. However, much less is understood about how teachers acquire and make sense of this knowledge and how it subsequently manifests itself in their practice. This thesis proposes that such an understanding is currently a significant missing component in the interaction between teaching and neuroscience, or teachers and neuroscientists. This qualitative research presents an analysis of eight semi-structured interviews with five teachers who work in different contexts, as well as exploring data gathered via a survey of 102 teachers from schools across England and Wales. The research has explored a range of relevant literature, in relation to the brain, educational neuroscience and professional learning of teachers, as well as literature relating to the methodological paradigm and methods adopted for the research. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) has supported interpretation of the teachers’ experiences of the brain and educational neuroscience. In addition, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) has supported examination of the influence of the teachers’ working contexts. Data coding facilitated the framing of the codes within seven themes: (i) knowledge and sources, (ii) meaning making, (iii) external pressures and working contexts, (iv) environment and lifestyle, (v) medical and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), (vi) products and (vii) child development. These themes capture the teachers’ descriptions of how they experience information about the brain and educational neuroscience and ways in which they act upon this knowledge and experience. The themes provide a framework both for further investigation and as areas of experience through which to enhance teachers’ knowledge and use of information about the brain and educational neuroscience. What is revealed through the data of the nuances of teachers’ thinking about the brain has the potential to contribute to improved understanding between teachers and neuroscientists. This relationship needs to recognise the essential, active role of teachers in translating educational neuroscience research into classroom practice

Air entrainment in vertical dropshafts

This thesis describes an investigation into the phenomenon of air entrainment in vertical dropshafts conveying water from a high level to a lower level. The study initially commenced with hydraulic tests on scale models of a vortex-entry dropshaft arrangement. This subsequently expanded into a more detailed analysis of the mechanisms involved in the air entrainment, rejection and transport processes evident in the early stages of the work. An attempt has been made to define the criteria controlling these three modes of operation in air/ water systems. The physical process of initial entrapment by the plunging water film was researched extensively. The inability to accurately reproduce the bubble sizes in scale models conclusively shows that this aspect is fundamental to the understanding of the problem. A dimensional analysis of the parameters controlling the rate of entrainment in the system was undertaken in the investigations. A number of dimensionless groups were obtained to describe the relationships between the parameters involved in the process. This enables the rate of air entrainment to be predicted in any.system of dropshafts under certain flow and geometrical conditions. The downward passage of air bubbles in water (just one mode of operation in two-phase flow systems) was investigated to establish the air transport capabilities of various flows and hence the air rejection process. An empirical relationship was derived which describes the air void ratio at various discharges and hence enables many aspects of the transport of air bubbles to be studied. A series of values defining the limits of operation of the phases invovled in air entrainment were also identified, e.g. onset of air entrapment and air transpor

The case of teachers and neuroscience: how do teachers mediate information about the brain?

A number of researchers both in the U.K. and elsewhere have investigated what teachers know about the brain. However, much less is understood about how teachers acquire and make sense of this knowledge and how it subsequently manifests itself in their practice. This thesis proposes that such an understanding is currently a significant missing component in the interaction between teaching and neuroscience, or teachers and neuroscientists. This qualitative research presents an analysis of eight semi-structured interviews with five teachers who work in different contexts, as well as exploring data gathered via a survey of 102 teachers from schools across England and Wales. The research has explored a range of relevant literature, in relation to the brain, educational neuroscience and professional learning of teachers, as well as literature relating to the methodological paradigm and methods adopted for the research. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) has supported interpretation of the teachers’ experiences of the brain and educational neuroscience. In addition, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) has supported examination of the influence of the teachers’ working contexts. Data coding facilitated the framing of the codes within seven themes: (i) knowledge and sources, (ii) meaning making, (iii) external pressures and working contexts, (iv) environment and lifestyle, (v) medical and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), (vi) products and (vii) child development. These themes capture the teachers’ descriptions of how they experience information about the brain and educational neuroscience and ways in which they act upon this knowledge and experience. The themes provide a framework both for further investigation and as areas of experience through which to enhance teachers’ knowledge and use of information about the brain and educational neuroscience. What is revealed through the data of the nuances of teachers’ thinking about the brain has the potential to contribute to improved understanding between teachers and neuroscientists. This relationship needs to recognise the essential, active role of teachers in translating educational neuroscience research into classroom practice

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2–4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Being a school-based teacher educator: developing pedagogy and identity in facilitating work-based higher education in a professional field

Facilitating work-based learning in higher education involves the educator in developing both their pedagogy and their professional identity. A current policy drive in England is towards school-embedded teacher education programmes facilitated by school-based teacher educators. The promoted schemes involve postgraduate student teachers being formally based in schools for the duration of their programme. This work-based approach involves school-based teacher educators who teach school students regularly as well as having a considerable responsibility for teaching and coaching their student teachers. This is a significant change from previous partnership-based teacher education where university-based teacher educators collaborated with school-based ‘mentors’, experienced teachers, to provide taught sessions in the university plus work-based learning in school. Many of these postgraduate teacher education programmes include credit-bearing modules at Masters level and an award at postgraduate certificate level. After qualification some teachers use these credits to study part-time towards a full Masters award. This paper focuses on the workplace learning and developing identity of a school-based teacher educator who teaches music classes for school students, contributes to extracurricular music activities in the school, and educates ten secondary music specialist postgraduate student teachers completing a one-year postgraduate programme. The study uses a reflective diary kept by the school-based teacher educator for a full academic year combined with semi-structured interviews at intervals. The interview transcripts and selected segments of the reflective diary were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis. The findings of this small-scale study suggest that there is great potential in the schoolembedded approach to facilitate powerful classroom experiences for student teachers supported by coaching and opportunities for collaborative and reflective learning. However, for this integrated teacher education to be ‘higher education’ – rather than technical training – has important implications for the school as a workplace environment and for the professional knowing and identity of the school-based teacher educator. Learning to teach is complex, relational, and challenging and student teachers need space to be learners as well as teachers. Becoming an effective school-based teacher educator, facilitating work-based higher education, will be no less challenging

Why the brain matters: a teacher explores neuroscience

Educational neuroscience is one of the most hotly debated areas of research and is often misrepresented with grand claims for what it means for teaching and learning. Is each side of the brain responsible for different types of mental activity? Can listening to Mozart improve long-term brain function? Can neuroscience help with reading, or student motivation? In this book, teacher, education consultant and researcher Jon Tibke fact-checks prevailing 'neuromyths' by shining a light on what scientific research is truly relevant for the classroom and exploring the current limits of our understanding. Evidence-informed and complemented by thought-provoking practical tasks, this book will challenge readers to think critically about the human body's most complex organ

Climate Change: Our Adaptive Future in the Columbia and Mekong River Basins

No abstract available