Teaching Biblical Narrative: A summary of the main findings of the Biblos Project, 1996-2004

publication-status: PublishedBiblos was a research project into teaching biblical narrative. It was based at the School of Education and Lifelong Learning (SELL) at the University of Exeter and led by Professor Terence Copley ([email protected]). Biblos was founded in 1996 with the aim of investigating how the Bible is, and should be, taught in Religious Education (RE) in England and Wales. It represented a working partnership between the RE team at Exeter and Bible Society. It has worked in New Zealand to compare findings in another English-speaking country. This report attempts to assimilate the key findings and research outcomes of the three UK phases of the Biblos Project by looking at the first two phases from the perspective of the third.The Bible Societ

A poststructural rethinking of the ethics of technology in relation to the provision of palliative home care by district nurses

Technology and its interfaces with nursing care, patients and carers, and the home are many and varied. To date, healthcare services research has generally focussed on pragmatic issues such access to and the optimization of technology, while philosophical inquiry has tended to focus on the ethics of how technology makes the home more hospital like. However, the ethical implications of the ways in which technology shapes the subjectivities of patients and carers have not been explored. In order to explore this, poststructural theory, in particular the work of Butler, Foucault, and Deleuze, is used to theorize the relationship between subjectivity and materiality as ethically mandated on producing rather than precluding the development of subjectivities in novel ways. This theoretical understanding is then utilized through a process of ‘plugged in’ as described by Jackson and Massie that aims to link empirical data, research, and philosophical inquiry. Through this process, it is suggested that power, which the empirical data demonstrate, is frequently exercised through medical discourses and restricts patients' and carers' ability to shape the material environment of the home as a place to live and be cared for in palliative stages of illness. Alternative discourses are suggested both from the empirical data as well as other research, which may offer patients and carers the possibility of reclaiming power over the home and their subjectivities. Finally, the dichotomy between the home and hospital, mediated via technology, is posited as being problematic. It is argued the dichotomy is false and should be moved away from in order to allow an ethical embrace of technology in palliative car

Quality care as ethical care:a poststructural analysis of palliative and supportive district nursing care

Quality of care is a prominent discourse in modern health-care and has previously been conceptualised in terms of ethics. In addition, the role of knowledge has been suggested as being particularly influential with regard to the nurse–patient–carer relationship. However, to date, no analyses have examined how knowledge (as an ethical concept) impinges on quality of care. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 patients with palliative and supportive care needs receiving district nursing care and thirteen of their lay carers. Poststructural discourse analysis techniques were utilised to take an ethical perspective on the current way in which quality of care is assessed and produced in health-care. It is argued that if quality of care is to be achieved, patients and carers need to be able to redistribute and redevelop the knowledge of their services in a collaborative way that goes beyond the current ways of working. Theoretical works and extant research are then used to produce tentative suggestions about how this may be achieved

Defining a new role: the embedded research information manager

This was a pathfinder that defined the need, explored the benefits and risks, and evaluated the approaches for establishing a dedicated information specialist within a multidisciplinary research environment. The project operated at two levels. Firstly, it established a pragmatic methodology for defining and embedding a new role – Research Information (RI) Manager – that can be evaluated and refined for wider use through JISC infoNet and UKOLN involvement. Secondly, it defined the role skill set required to enhance the management of research information and data within the Accessibility Research Group (ARG), established by Prof Nick Tyler at University College London (UCL). The ARG provides a rich information management challenge with research activities fusing elements of engineering, architecture, design, bioscience, public health, and environmental sciences to identify ways to improve transport access for all. The British Library (BL) was ideally placed as a partner on this project as it had been developing the concept of the RI manager in consultation with a number of research organisations, including UCL. The pathfinder comprised three phases. Phase 1 to capture and evaluate ARG information/data needs and practices throughout the research lifecycle via a series of in-depth structured interviews and focus groups. Key institutional stakeholders such as research managers, administrators, ICT service providers, repository administration and library support were also included. Based on Phase 1 analysis, Phase 2 used desk and web research to identify existing models of good practice that mapped to the context-specific information requirements of the ARG. This phase alsod involve study visits and telephone interviews. Phase 3 delivered a report that evaluatesdthe approaches taken, recommended the requirements for successful establishment of the role within the ARG and set out the key findings for the broader HE research community. The ARG intend to use the outcomes of this pathfinder to inform successful implementation of the role as a pilot in the first instance, including; recruitment, training and evaluation of success

A Systematic Review of Arts-Based Interventions Delivered to Children and Young People in Nature or Outdoor Spaces: Impact on Nature Connectedness, Health and Wellbeing

Background: The time that children and young people spend in nature and outdoor spaces has decreased significantly over the past 30 years. This was exacerbated with a further 60% decline post-COVID-19. Research demonstrating that natural environments have a positive impact on health and wellbeing has led to prescription of nature-based health interventions and green prescribing, although evidence for its use is predominantly limited to adults. Growing evidence also shows the impact of arts on all aspects of health and wellbeing. However, what has received scant attention in literature is the interconnection between the two: arts and nature. Aims: This review synthesizes the literature surrounding the interconnectedness between arts and nature, and their impact on the health and wellbeing of children and young people. Methods: Eight major electronic databases were systematically searched, while hand-searching included 20 journals, six books, and contact with experts. The review was conducted using the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews, PRISMA guidelines and TIDieR template. All stages were conducted independently by two researchers and the protocol was published on PROSPERO (Registration no.: CRD42021286574). Results: Although 9,314 records were identified, only 11 records were included as most studies focused either on arts or nature, but not both. Studies were conducted in United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Australia, and Hong Kong, in a range of spaces such as forests, woodlands, beaches, parks, fields, gardens, and school playgrounds. The review encompasses data from 602 participants in total. Discussion: Arts-in-nature offered an inclusive medium to engage all children and young people, especially those who might otherwise remain disinterested about environmental issues and disengaged with educational programs. Further, arts-in-nature provided stimuli to increase nature connectivity, understand environmental issues and explore ways to prevent environmental disasters. This led to higher environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviors, and potential decrease in eco-anxiety. Conclusion: Although the quality of qualitative studies was high, the quality of quantitative studies was low or unclear, thus quantitative evidence is still at its infancy. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed, such as methods and activities to strengthen future interventions. Scaling-up existing interventions may lead to wider recognition and inclusion of arts-in-nature in future health guidelines, including green prescribing

Biblos in New Zealand

publication-status: PublishedWhen we completed Phase Three of the Biblos Project we had clearly established that how young people perceive biblical narrative relates to their cultural situation: home and family; faith community (if any); school curriculum – whether it includes or excludes biblical narrative and how such narrative is presented. How young people view biblical narrative relates potentially even to national or international trends such as secularisation. After eight years of UK-based research it was therefore very desirable to explore in as similar a way as possible the situation of young people and biblical narrative in a different, but still English-speaking, culture. We chose New Zealand as our first international comparison. Culture and language differences between the UK and New Zealand mean that some comparisons cannot be made – but others can. This report carries the results of that investigation. We believe it will be of use both to researchers and faith communities in New Zealand and also in the UK as we seek to explore how, in a shrinking world, young people experience and perceive these archetypal narratives which themselves emanate from another culture and another world.The Hockerill Educational Foundatio

Correlates of Physical Activity in a Cypriot Sample of Sixth-Grade Children

This study examined the association between self-reported physical activity and a number of potential correlates in a sample of 256 Grade 6 children. Physical activity was assessed in both summer and winter, and children and parents completed questionnaires assessing potential correlates of physical activity. Analyses revealed that gender, time spent playing outside, self-efficacy in overcoming barriers, and number of items of exercise equipment at home were variables associated with physical activity in both seasons. School location was a variable associated with physical activity only in the summer, whereas private-lesson attendance, sports-club attendance, and best friend's physical activity were variables associated with physical activity only in winter. Variance explained in physical activity were 42% and 51% in winter and summer, respectively

On the Side of the Angels, the Third Report of the Biblos Project

publication-status: PublishedIn the third phase of the Biblos project we wanted to get closer to the problems of the Bible in our culture. How can we be sure what young people think about it? Here we used questionnaires and interviews with students in Year 6 (chronological ages 10 and 11), Year 9 (ages 13, 14) and Year 12 (Lower Sixth, 16, 17). Are their attitudes uniformly negative, or have we come to assume that without good reason? How far do attitudes vary with age? Or gender? Or religious affiliation (or lack of it)? Where have these attitudes come from? We wanted to ensure that from a statistical and methodological point of view, the research was reliable. Our sample closely reflected the 2001 national census categories of religious adherence. Some conclusions from this phase of the work are surprising. Others are not. They are presented in detail in the report that follows. But our findings represent a wake-up call to Religious Education, to the faith communities that deal with the Bible and to the Bible Society itself in seeking to present biblical narrative effectively to young people.The Bible Societ

An extension to the 3rd report of the Biblos Project

publication-status: Publishe

The Second Report of the Research Project ‘Teaching about Jesus in RE’

publication-status: PublishedThe principal intention of the current project was to build on the findings of our earlier work which established both that children had adequate knowledge about the figure of Jesus, but also that they faced significant problems in relation to their understanding of Christian beliefs concerning incarnation, resurrection and salvation (Copley & Walshe, 2002). This was to be achieved mainly through the development of Key stage 3 curriculum materials designed to support learning and understanding, particularly in those areas identified as problematic by the earlier study. There was, however, a gap in what we knew. We based our theoretical framework for the curriculum materials on what we had discovered from extensive data collected from Key Stage 3 children. But the starting point for all secondary education is the primary school. We wished to complete our evidence base of children’s knowledge and understanding by conducting a parallel study to that undertaken previously at Key Stage 3, but this time amongst Key Stage 2 children