Universities In England Research Articles

Bystander responses to cyberbullying: The role of perceived severity, publicity, anonymity, type of cyberbullying, and victim response

Cyberbullying often occurs in group-based situations; therefore, how young people respond when they witness cyberbullying is important in the process of combating the issue. This study examined how young people perceive the severity of cyberbullying incidents and how they respond as a bystander according to different factors associated with cyberbullying (i.e., publicity, anonymity, type, and victim response). The final sample was 990 (545 female, 403 male, 42 non-disclosed) students aged between 11 and 20 years (Mage = 13.16, SDage = 2.14) from two schools and one college in England. Participants responded to 24 hypothetical vignettes which were manipulated to measure publicity, anonymity, type of cyberbullying, and victim response. Participants responded to items assessing a. perceived severity, and b. bystander responses. The bystander responses examined were: ignore the incident, encourage the bully, seek adult help, seek friend help, provide emotional support to the victim, and challenge the bully. Perceived severity was higher in public scenarios, when the bully was anonymous, and when the victim was upset. Victim response was the most influential factor across all response strategies on how young people react to cyberbullying, followed by the publicity of the incident, the anonymity of the bully, and to a limited extent, the type of cyberbullying. The results suggest that bystanders do respond differently to cyberbullying according to the publicity, anonymity, type of cyberbullying, and victim response.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Indigenous and Afrodescendant Movements and Organizations in Latin America: Negotiating, Resisting, Performing and Re-purposing Dominant Categories

In 2018 the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy in Geneva organized together with Europaeum and Alternautas, the workshop on “Democracy, Indigenous Rights and Ethno-Racial Mobilization: Latin America in Comparative Perspective.” This workshop was part of the “Geneva Democracy Week” organized by the Geneva Chancellery of State to promote dialogue between political institutions, civil society, students and citizens, with a view to strengthening their participation in democratic processes. Our focus on Indigenous and Afrodescendant movements was intended to illuminate the ongoing contributions these populations have made to expanding and redefining democracy. Latin America has been the site of inspiring activism over the last decades, as formerly subaltern populations have challenged the ongoing legacies of colonialism and claimed citizenship rights. We received paper proposals from students of different European universities in Switzerland, England, Germany and Luxemburg and selected nine papers to be discussed at the workshop on the 6th of October at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. The papers received feedback from the workshop conveners, Graziella Moraes, Filipe Calvão and Diego Silva from the Graduate Institute in Geneva, as well as from our special guests Nancy Postero, professor UC San Diego, Ethel Branch, former Attorney General of the Navajo Nation and Karen Ramirez Bóscan, founder of Wayunkerra Indigenous Women’s Initiative in Guajira Colombia, as well as anonymous peer review. Thus, the articles in this special issue of Alternautas are the product of a rich international conversation.

Perceptions of Physical Therapy Students on their Psychomotor Examinations: a Qualitative Study.

Practical examinations are necessary to demonstrate learning in the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Student perceptions of the organization and execution of practical examinations are an important consideration in the development of practical examinations. Multiple other health professions have investigated students' perceptions of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE). There is little in the physical therapy literature with respect to student perception regarding proctor presence during practical examinations or OSCEs. The participants were members of the classes of 2019-2021 in a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at a New England University. A qualitative thematic approach was applied to de-identified transcripts of student focus group interviews. Independently coded themes were identified, discussed, and refined iteratively. Four themes emerged with multiple subthemes: impact of proctor being present; realistic, patient-focused experience; preparation for the practical; and stress. Students valued preparation that included clear expectations, utilization of formative assessments, and peer feedback prior to the practical. They also noted that a distractive-free testing space, having no proctor present in the room, recording the practical, and the format of OSCE's decreased stress and improved performance. These findings add to the body of knowledge in physical therapy and provide guidance to faculty as they plan and organize practical examinations.

Clear and Present Dangers: The Multiple Health Hazards of Volcanic Eruptions.

Clear and Present Dangers: The Multiple Health Hazards of Volcanic Eruptions.

Determining the Prevalence and Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Prisons in England: Protocol for a Repeated Panel Survey and Enhanced Outbreak Study.

BackgroundThere are over 80,000 people imprisoned in England and Wales in 117 prisons. The management of the COVID-19 pandemic presents particular challenges in this setting where confined, crowded, and poorly ventilated conditions facilitate the rapid spread of infectious diseases.ObjectiveThe COVID-19 in Prison Study aims to examine the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in prisons in England in order to inform public health policy and practice during the pandemic and recovery. The primary objective is to estimate the proportion of positive tests of SARS-CoV-2 infection among residents and staff within selected prisons. The secondary objectives include estimating the incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection and examining how the proportion of positive tests and the incidence rate vary among individual, institutional, and system level factors.MethodsPhase 1 comprises a repeated panel survey of prison residents and staff in a representative sample of 28 prisons across England. All residents and staff in the study prisons are eligible for inclusion. Participants will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 using a nasopharyngeal swab twice (6 weeks apart). Staff will also be tested for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Phase 2 focuses on SARS-CoV-2 infection in prisons with recognized COVID-19 outbreaks. Any prison in England will be eligible to participate if an outbreak is declared. In 3 outbreak prisons, all participating staff and residents will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 antigens at the following 3 timepoints: as soon as possible after the outbreak is declared (day 0), 7 days later (day 7), and at day 28. They will be swabbed twice (a nasal swab for lateral flow device testing and a nasopharyngeal swab for polymerase chain reaction testing). Testing will be done by external contractors. Data will also be collected on individual, prison level, and community factors. Data will be stored and handled at the University of Southampton and Public Health England. Summary statistics will summarize the prison and participant characteristics. For the primary objective, simple proportions of individuals testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and incidence rates will be calculated. Linear regression will examine the individual, institutional, system, and community factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection within prisons.ResultsThe UK Government’s Department for Health and Social Care funds the study. Data collection started on July 20, 2020, and will end on May 31, 2021. As of May 2021, we had enrolled 4192 staff members and 6496 imprisoned people in the study. Data analysis has started, and we expect to publish the initial findings in summer/autumn 2021. The main ethical consideration is the inclusion of prisoners, who are vulnerable participants.ConclusionsThis study will provide unique data to inform the public health management of SARS-CoV-2 in prisons. Its findings will be of relevance to health policy makers and practitioners working in prisons.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/30749

Academic staff governors’ power and professional status in the governance of further education colleges in England

ABSTRACT At a time of the British government’s heightened interest in Further Education (FE) college governance, this paper explores Academic Staff Governor (ASG)’s professional and power status at three colleges in England. The study draws upon relevant literature to identify concepts related to ASGs’ power and professional status in governance. An interpretivist stance is used to collect predominantly qualitative data through a combined methods approach. During fieldwork, evidence from semi-structured interviews; questionnaire responses, observations of governance meetings and governance documents was analysed. Findings suggest that ASGs’ insiderness; relationships, professional status and the decision-making circumstances may limit their influence in the governance of the colleges, with implications for governance quality. From the exploration, ‘The Restricted Professional Model’ has been developed to highlight the restricted nature of the ASG role with implications for good governance. For governors, organisations and policymakers, the research recommends avoiding low-power and low-status governance roles; taking action to develop ASGs’ professionality as educators; removing structural and power barriers and allowing more opportunities for ASGs to contribute to governance. Finally, future research is identified including research to establish ASGs’ professional profiles in FE and the wider impact educators’ professionality has on governance in a variety of educational institutions.

The bachelor’s degree in college systems: history, evidence and argument from England

Across major anglophone college systems, institutions in various jurisdictions have gained the authority to award the bachelor’s degree. That prospect has come late to further education colleges in England. With its long history of teaching for the bachelor’s degree, the English road to awarding powers has features in common with and different from those in North America and Australia. In the modern-day literature on college higher education in England, little attention has been given to the bachelor’s degree in its own right. Accordingly, a summary history and a digest of quantitative and qualitative evidence are assembled. Domestic debates are reviewed. Issues for policy and research are signalled. In this way, a platform is provided by which to better connect with international debates and comparisons.

Closing the Gap between Vocational and General Education? Evidence from University Technical Colleges in England

Closing the Gap between Vocational and General Education? Evidence from University Technical Colleges in England

Correct interpretation of actinomycete imagery using scanning electron microscopy

Antibiotic discovery was one of the most significant advances in therapeutic medicine following the advances in fermentation technology owing to Howard Florey and his associates. The ‘Golden era’ of antibiotics following the first discoveries in the laboratory of Waksman and his colleagues from a group of microorganisms known as actinomycetes lasted for 34 years (1940–1974). These fascinating microorganisms especially the members of the genus Streptomyces gave us the majority of the known antibiotics we use today, like streptomycin, kanamycin, neomycin, gentamicin, vancomycin and many more. To be able to produce these antibiotics in large-scale, the producer actinomycetes had to be selectively isolated. This resulted in a collaboration of over 40 laboratories from 18 different countries called ‘The International Streptomyces Project (ISP)’. The isolates generated in this project were studied in-depth including their morphologies together with their bioactivity. One of the components of these investigation was the correct interpretation of actinomycete morphology including the use of scanning electron microscopy. At the end of the first European Actinomycete Conference in Bradford University in England (1984), I had the opportunity to be trained by late Professor Cross on actinomycete growth morphologies. Thirty-eight years later when I witness the frequent difficulties students encounter in the interpretation of the actinomycete SEM images, I decided to write this paper and pass the skills given to me by late Professor Cross to the younger generation.

Notes on Contributors

Notes on Contributors

A liberal voice and a Fabian: Alfred Cobban

This article discusses Alfred Cobban’s liberal beliefs. It also reveals for the first time that he was a Fabian socialist. Cobban was Professor of French History at University College, London, from 1953 to his death in 1968. Cobban was outstanding both for his scholarship, his numerous publications on modern French history and his supervision of an impressive number of doctoral students, particularly women, who went on both to publish and to become professors in universities in Britain and in Canada. Cobban’s outstanding books on Rousseau, on the Enlightenment, in particular on the French Revolution, and also well-known studies of contemporary politics, display his liberalism, his belief in individual freedom, democracy and change through gradual reform. Cobban joined the Fabian socialists when he was an undergraduate. Fabians were hostile to change through revolution, had no time for Marxism and argued that a socialist society would emerge through parliamentary reform. Such views correspond to Cobban’s ideas on 1789, in which he was in profound disagreement with leading French revolutionary historians such as Professor Ernest Labrousse. French liberal historians including Professor François Furet and Professor Leroy-Ladurie shared Cobban’s views that 1789 was primarily a political revolution.

Middle-Class “Chavs” From Working-Class Areas? Habitus, the Attainment Gap, and the Commodification of Higher Education Among Communication Students in England

The purpose of the article is to compare and contrast higher education and research among public relations and journalism students of middle-class and working-class origin. The paper applied Bourdieu’s theory of habitus to analyze prejudices against the working class, explores whether working-class students express an anti-education view, and whether the appreciation of education (and research in particular) is a predominantly middle-class attitude. Focus groups and an online questionnaire were used to obtain views of students at a university in Northern England. Triple coding (open, axial, selective) was used and the data was then analyzed and presented using thematic analysis. Findings show that early socialization about education as well as students’ type of neighborhoods (habitus) influence studies’ views of higher education and research in particular. While the findings show some similarity with views in the literature of the middle-class being more inclined to value education, these findings show that this is true only for those who grow up in middle class areas whereas middle-class students who grew up in working-class areas show working-class attitudes toward education. Equally, working-class students who grew up in middle-class areas show what is usually perceived as a middle-class view of education. Both groups of students show a tendency toward embracing a consumerist view of higher education.

End of Life Virtual Reality Training: Medical Student Increased Empathic Ability

Introduction: It is unclear if medical student empathy declines by third year of clinical rotation trainings. Desensitization throughout the first two years may lead to decreases in empathy as a coping mechanism to avoid burnout in the clinical years. This study determined if self-assessed empathy increased after conducting an Embodied Labs, Inc. end of life virtual reality (VR) experience. Methods: Mixed methods, quantitative/qualitative, research were applied for University of New England (UNE) College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) 2nd year medical students (N=174). They completed the 3-part 30 minute Clay Lab VR experience. UNE IRB approved pre/post-tests focused on empathy. Data were collected using RedCap. Closed questions were analyzed applying frequency analysis and paired-sample t-test through excel. Open-ended questions were analyzed through N-VIVO 12+. Results: The data included pre/post-tests from 146 students volunteers. Results indicated statistical significance (P=.01) in all closed questions except for question 7 (What is your view of conducting a full code on a patient with a DNR? (P=.14). The greatest difference seen between pre (23.97% agree or strongly agree) and post-test (64.38% agree or strongly agree) data was for question 3 (I gained knowledge about what hospice is by embodying Clay in this virtual reality lab); P= .00. Three qualitative themes included: Impact, Empathy, EOL Knowledge. Conclusion: This VR Lab experience increased self-assessed empathy at the time of Clay Lab completion; however, enduring empathy and learning about hospice/EOL has not been measured. Further research is suggested to determine the longitudinal impact of virtual reality education.

Medical/Pharmacy Students Interprofessional Older Adult Medication Interactions/Contraindications Project

The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM) Geriatrics Education Mentors [GEM] program, established in 2014, pairs UNECOM students with older community living adults. GEM assignments focus on health review, medical humanities, and geriatrics training. Each year approximately 90 older adults participate in GEMs. In 2019, the GEM program was expanded with Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant funding to: include first year medical students, include 2 additional assignments (4 assignments over 10 months to 6 assignments over 18 months), and to create interprofessional student collaboration. In the new GEM Assignment 4: Medication Interactions/Contraindications, UNECOM students with their GEM compiled details on the GEM’s medication list (prescriptions, herbal, OTC); one of 4 Ms of Age Friendly Health Care. UNECOM students (84 pairs) were then assigned to UNE School of Pharmacy (SOP) students (42 SOP students had 2 UNECOM pairs) to conduct a “Lexicomp” (App) medication interactions and Beers Criteria review. UNECOM students documented findings with the SOP student partner; discussed the processes of review with their GEM and the resultant findings; documented the GEM’s questions and how the UNECOM student answered those questions; and discussed next steps for the GEM regarding options for different medications - especially follow up with their prescribing physician(s) for any noted interactions/contraindications. For GEMs with few medications, a mock medication list was assigned to ensure student experiences with medication reviews and GEM discussion. Although time intensive preparation is required, UNECOM & SOP students attained significant learning as did the GEM mentors.

Gender stereotyping in student perceptions of teaching excellence: applying the shifting standards theory

ABSTRACT Existing characterisations of student conceptions of teaching excellence (TE) implicitly position it as an objective construct. This study investigated gendered differences in student-submitted nominations (n = 418) for an excellence award in a mid-sized university in England. Biernat’s shifting standards theory, which proposes that evaluative standards can shift due to stereotyping effects, was used to interpret the findings. Chi-square tests revealed significant effects of gender on the distribution and thematic content of nominations. Results suggested that students were more likely to nominate teachers of the same gender, but also that male students were disproportionately less likely to nominate a female teacher. Student conceptions of TE generally conformed to gender biases, particularly for male students. These findings indicate that students’ perceptions of high quality teaching are inextricable from sociocultural influence. Future research can continue to engage with the shifting standards theory to investigate the influence of gender and student perceptions of high quality teaching.

White supremacy in postgraduate education at elite universities in England: the role of the gatekeepers

ABSTRACT Home BAME students are under-represented on postgraduate courses in England, especially at elite universities, however, there has been little research on why this should be. This research starts to fill this gap, arguing that gatekeepers to postgraduate courses at some of the most elite universities contribute to maintaining white supremacy. Innovatively combining Critical Race Theory with Bourdieu’s tools, the study found that at these institutions, white supremacy is upheld firstly by an operationalising of discourses of meritocracy; secondly by non-transparent recruitment to programmes from UG courses which are mainly white; and thirdly by the gatekeepers interpreting the low numbers of BAME students either as ‘unconscious bias’, which in their view cannot be helped, or a result of individual or cultural deficit on the part of the students themselves. All of this, we argue, allows gatekeepers to excuse their own role and that of the institution in maintaining white supremacy.

Exclusion by design: uncovering systems of segregation and ‘ghettoization’ of so-called NEET and ‘disengaged’ youth on an employability course in a further education (FE) college

ABSTRACT At first glance, the physical design of a setting ostensibly seems routine and neutral. However, it tends to powerfully govern who goes where and who can access certain places. Much of the literature on exclusion within education settings often overlook this significance. This paper therefore seeks to rectify this by examining exclusion by design and allocation of physical space at The Site, a fictional name used for the large general further education (FE) college in England’s East Region. Adopting a case study approach over two academic years (2013–2015), qualitative research was undertaken with seven tutors and twenty-six so-called NEET and disengaged youth. Drawing on Wacquant’s theoretical concept of the ghetto, my key findings demonstrated territorial exclusion by design: this employability course was delivered in Q-Block, a temporary prefabricated building positioned out of sight and primarily used to deliver programmes for disabled, mature and disengaged youth on the fringes of education. This article concludes that, whilst existing research on policy and outcomes is useful in understanding the negative educational outcomes of stigmatised youth, a sharper focus is needed on wider social processes and exclusionary continuities in seeking to elucidate how governance processes contribute to their social and spatial marginalisation in education.

Alexithymia and Empathy in a Non-Clinical Population: How do they Correlate?

Alexithymia and empathy are functional concepts surrounding human emotions.This study aimed to estimate the association between alexithymia and empathy within a neurotypical population. The study was a cross sectional survey conducted within a non-clinical population of medical students at a University in England using voluntary sampling to complete the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), Basic Empathy Scale (BES), General Health Questionnaire- 12. Alexithymia and empathy scores did not show a statistically significant correlation. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between total alexithymia and cognitive empathy scores (correlation co-efficient was -0.184, p value was 0.013). Men and women differed significantly on empathy scores with women showing significantly higher empathy. The relationship between the understanding of one’s own emotions and the interpretation of others’ emotions are different functions with a more complex interaction than a simple linear correlation. Future research should focus on further exploring the differences between cognitive and affective empathy.

‘Where are all the men?’ working-class male students and care-based degrees

ABSTRACT This article draws on data from a small qualitative study of men on care-based degree pathways in one university in England. There is little research that specifically considers the experiences of working-class men on these courses. The article explores aspects of men’s experiences and responses to so-called ‘active learning’. It considers knowledge in care-pathway pedagogy and how students on these programmes are enabled to draw on both disciplinary and practice-knowledge. The article argues that active learning must go beyond a dominant preoccupation with self-development to initiate students into disciplinary knowledge appropriately recontextualised for their practice careers. Classed and gendered classrooms are an example of where this might occur. Implications for access and participation and for teaching and learning on care pathways are identified.

Exploring the relationship between the characteristics of English schools and the progression rates of their pupils to degree-level study

ABSTRACT This article explores the extent to which three different school or college characteristics are related to school or college-level progression rates to higher education. Using data from publicly available datasets concerning state schools and colleges in England, linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the extent to which progression rates to higher education are related to the proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils within schools, the proportion of pupils in schools who reside in “low participation neighbourhoods” and the effectiveness of schools as determined through Ofsted inspections. Schools with a higher proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils tend to send fewer pupils to university though once school-level attainment is controlled for this trend reverses. However, schools with higher proportions of pupils in low participation neighbourhoods and those with lower Ofsted ratings tend to send fewer pupils to university both before and after school-level attainment is controlled for. The findings are interpreted within the context of a widening participation agenda and suggestions are made for how providers of widening participation outreach activities may most effectively target school-level interventions designed to increase higher education participation, especially those which do not have the effect of raising pupil attainment.