The emotionally intelligent virtual learning environment: how it may be constructed from the perspective of secondary education

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Education and awarded by Brunel University.This research study, undertaken in an all girls‘ secondary school in London, brings to light different approaches by which a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) may be adopted in order to support the development of students‘ Emotional Intelligence. It examined the views and experiences of 35 teachers (10 of whom were key informants); 5 teaching assistants; 150 students and 2 VLE Content Developers. Drawing upon data obtained from questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions, findings of the study indicate that the strategic adoption of VLE tools for use in discussion forums, homework support and feedback, amongst others, can help in boosting secondary school students‘ self-confidence, self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy and motivation to use VLE resources. Furthermore, the argument is made, that developing students‘ Emotional Intelligence through the use of online learning tools can lead to the attainment of emotionally intelligent face-to-face classroom environments and hence positive learning outcomes. Based on a process of inductive reasoning, a framework for supporting teachers in developing their students‘ Emotional Intelligence through VLEs is subsequently proposed and its enablers as well as inhibitors discussed. Finally, whilst emphasising that the use of VLEs to promote Emotional Intelligence is eminently generalisable, the limitations of case study research studies such as this one are acknowledged. Hence, it is recommended that future research in this area is undertaken in different contexts so that a more holistic picture is obtained

Social Learning as a Vehicle for Complementary Strategies in Forest Resource Management

Cooking is a daily activity often based on energy to satisfy individuals' nutritional requirements. Wood fuels are the main source of fuel in rural areas of Africa with detrimental health, environmental and livelihood effects. The study investigates how heavy dependence on wood fuels and the resultant degradation of scarce forest resources can be addressed employing social learning coupled complementary strategies. The qualitative method was used carry out the research in the West Gonja District of Ghana. The case study approach was complemented with Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) techniques to gather data from key informants, households and focus group discussions. The use of wood fuels is having a negative impact on critical rural resources such as forest ecosystem services which underpin land-based livelihoods of the study area. The continuous knowledge co-production and utilization within the context of social learning is vital for enhancing adaptive capacity of vulnerable livelihoods especially those reliant on forest resources. Moreover it is crucial to integrate complementary knowledge systems as per social learning and harness appropriate technology when introducing interventions that enable communities to shift to alternative fuel sources. This helps to reduce pressure on communal forest resources and enhance forest conservation with spin-offs for sustainable development

Political Ecology and Differential Vulnerabilities to Droughts among Livestock Farmers in South Africa: A Case Study of Mpakeni Community

Most of South Africa’s black rural population reside in the former homelands or Bantustans, commonly referred to as communal areas by the post-apartheid government (Clark and Luwaya 2017). Amongst a variety of livelihood activities that black rural households engage in, livestock production offers multiple-use value, although its contribution to local livelihood is sometimes underestimated (C. M. Shackleton et al. 2005). Some of the objectives that livestock production in black rural areas seeks to achieve include ‘bride price payment, ritual and ceremonial slaughter, meat, milk, occasional cash sales and savings, as well as providing draught power and manure as inputs to crop production’ (Cousins 2018: 373). Indeed, C. M. Shackleton et al. (2005) and Twine (2013) found livestock production to be an essential asset that enables black rural households to spread livelihood risks and build resilience. Given its wide range of benefits, it is unsurprising to note that about 1.11 million black households were involved in livestock production in either subsistence or market-oriented farming between 2009 and 2015 (Cousins 2018). The enormous contributions livestock production makes to rural livelihood in communal areas are perhaps why it is deemed a vehicle that can reduce the high poverty and inequality levels through the injection of effective policies (Hall and Cousins 2013)

Policy brief, number 16, 2017

The last few years have seen one of the most severe droughts in recent times in the southern African region, and news headlines are increasingly full of warnings about heavy storms, fires and floods. There is no doubt that extreme hydro-meteorological events, and their multiple and potentially disastrous impacts, are at the forefront of the public consciousness at the present time and are one of the key concerns regarding the impacts of climate change in the region. While the links between extreme climate events, disaster risk reduction (DRR - see Box 1) and climate change adaptation (CCA - see Box 2) are recognised in the South African Climate Change White Paper, this is not the case for the whole region. Furthermore, even if there is national recognition of the need to synergise these two spheres of endeavour, this does not always trickle down to effective policy, planning and implementation at the local level

Communities at the Centre of River Basin Management for Sustainable Development in Northwest Cameroon

Access to a reliable water resource can be a key driver for socio-economic development. Both physical and economic water scarcities are negatively affecting the economies of sub-Saharan African countries, particularly rural communities with the latter considered a crucial challenge. This paper examines the role of local resource users in river basin management for sustainable development in Northwest Cameroon. Using secondary data and empirical evidence collected from three rural districts (Mbengwi, Njinikom, and Ndu) in Northwest Cameroon, it is argued that the involvement and engagement of local resource users and community-based organisations in decision-making processes in river basin management can contribute to sustainable water supplies and enhance sustainable development. In the context of rural communities in the Northwestern part of Cameroon where water supply is mostly through gravity-led techniques, river basins are the main sources of community water supply. It is, therefore, argued in this paper that sustainable development will be possible through a polycentric water governance approach. Thus, clarifying issues of participation, integration, and jurisdiction between the stakeholders (central and local governments and community groups) is crucial for sustainable outcomes. Until the full participation and engagement of local groups and resource users in decision-making processes are achieved, uncertainty will dominate river basin management in Northwest Cameroon

Asset vulnerability analytical framework and systems thinking as a twin methodology for highlighting factors that undermine efficient food production

Food production in developing countries has been highly susceptible to both climatic and non-climatic stressors. To identify the factors that prevent the rural poor from producing food efficiently, various participatory methodologies have been utilised. However, most methodologies have implicitly illustrated how vulnerable the livelihood activities of the poor are from an asset-based perspective. As assets give people the capability to thrive, we make a case for the asset vulnerability analytical framework (AVAF) and systems thinking (ST) as an integrated methodological framework. Data for this study were obtained from the rural Delta State of Nigeria through the principles and traditions of participatory research, which include Venn (or institutional) diagrams, transect walks, brainstorming, community risk mapping and historical timelines. Findings indicate that the AVAF, on the one hand, will make it relatively easier for development practitioners to effectively identify the factors that undermine the poor’s ability to maximise their livelihood assets during food production. The ST, on the other hand, will enable development practitioners to visualise the long-term consequences of the continued inability of the poor to maximise their livelihood assets. This article argues that the utilisation of both AVAF and ST will simplify the complex challenges of decision-making. This, in turn, will facilitate the implementation of appropriate policy interventions to protect the crucial assets necessary for the rural poor to produce their food efficiently and sustainably

Climate change and extremes: implications on city livability and associated health risks across the globe

Purpose: As global warming intensifies, climatic conditions are changing dramatically, potentially affecting specific businesses and cities’ livability. The temperature increase in cities significantly affects urban residents whose percentage is to reach about 70% by 2050. This paper aimed at highlighting the climate change risks in cities, particularly focusing on the threats to people’s health due to a continuous temperature increase. Design/methodology/approach: This study was conducted in three main steps. First, the literature review on the effects of climate change, particularly on the continuous temperature rise in cities, was conducted based on the publications retrieved from PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Research Gate. Second, the survey was conducted for the sample cities for one month. Third, the questionnaire was used to assess possible climate change threats to the livability of cities. Findings: The findings showed that urban areas are usually warmer than the surrounding rural areas, mainly due to the urban heat island effect, causing more hot days in metropolitan areas compared to rural areas. This paper outlines some mitigation and adaptation measures, which can be implemented to improve the livability in cities, their sustainability and the well-being of their populations. Originality/value: This study reports on the climate change impacts on the health and livability of 15 cities, in industrialized and developing countries. It examines the average and maximum temperature and relative humidity of each city and its correlation with their livability. It was complemented by a survey focused on 109 cities from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania