生死相拥5000年

[1](路透社)意大利瓦尔达罗电——意大利将不会分离它石器时代的“情侣”。[2]科学家说他们决定把这对相拥5000年之久的情侣遗体整体移动并保存,作为献给全国的情人节礼物,在他们永远拥抱的姿势中,他们的胳膊仍然相互缠绕在一起。     

The role of special schools for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties: is segregation always best?

The education of young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties continues to raise challenges and controversies. In this article, Ben Simmons, an ESRC funded PhD student and research assistant, and Phil Bayliss, programme director for the masters degree in special education and disability, both based in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Exeter, describe their research into provision for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties in a special school in the south west of England. Their work, based in an interpretivist, qualitative approach, set out to illuminate issues relating to the inclusion of pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. The findings presented here suggest that the school, in spite of its strong reputation, struggled significantly to provide appropriate learning experiences for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Ben Simmons and Phil Bayliss discuss the need for improved staff development opportunities focused on enhancing current levels of knowledge and skills. They conclude by calling for a reappraisal of the established view that special schools necessarily provide the best learning environment for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties.     

Introducing novel approaches for examining the variability of individuals’ physical activity

Tudor-Locke and colleagues previously assessed steps/day for 1 year. The aim of this study was to use this data set to introduce a novel approach for the investigation of whether individual’s physical activity exhibits periodicity fluctuating round a mean and, if so, the degree of fluctuation and whether the mean changes over time. Twenty-three participants wore a pedometer for 365 days, recorded steps/day and whether the day was a workday. Fourier transform of each participant’s daily steps data showed the physical activity had a periodicity of 7 days in half of the participants, matching the periodicity of the workday pattern. Activity level remained stable in half of the participants, decreased in ten participants and increased in two. In conclusion, the 7-day periodicity of activity in half of the participants and correspondence with the workday pattern suggest a social or environmental influence. The novel analytical approach introduced herein allows the determination of the periodicity of activity, the degree of variability in activity that is tolerated during day-to-day life and whether the activity level is stable. Results from the use of these methodologies in larger data sets may enable a more focused approach to the design of interventions that aim to increase activity.     

Self-efficacy and vicarious learning in doctoral studies at a distance

Even though there are increasing numbers of PhD students in the distance mode, our current understanding of PhD candidature at a distance is limited and incomplete. On the one end of the spectrum are accounts of unhappy and isolated doctoral students who are separated from communities of practice. At the same time, literature offers accounts of PhD students at a distance who view themselves as agential and autonomous and are happy not to get sidetracked by others. In this reflection we ask what distinguishes the conventional PhD student from one who is studying at a distance, and invite more research on self-efficacy and vicarious learning of PhD students at a distance.     

On-demand publishing in the Humanities: project

This article describes the ‘On-Demand Publishing in the Humanities’ project, funded by JISC as part of the eLib programme, at Liverpool John Moores University. The principal aims of the project were to develop a ‘cheap and cheerful’ model for networking electronic texts, to develop a model agreement for the networking of copyright texts for use with publishers, and to shed light on the problems and benefits of on-demand publishing for all the stakeholders involved. The article sets out the project methods, describes the extent to which the aims of the project have been fulfilled, analyses the reactions of end-users to the materials, and attempts an assessment of the current viability of on-demand publishing as a means of supplying copyright texts to students.     

Virtual action learning: a pilot in building leadership capacity

This account of practice encompasses a pilot virtual action learning programme with a small group of learners. This was an 18-month extension to the one-week Leadership Open Programme that the participants had previously completed at the Business School. It includes insights from an evaluation study completed in early 2016. It considers in particular the following issues: the structuring of a virtual event; the significance of maintaining continuity of learning; the need for commonality of reference points about leadership in order to enhance it; the selection of problems by participants; whether leadership development itself is a ‘wicked problem’ and the role and skills required of the tutor to add value to the learning experience. Amongst other benefits, the participants found the chance to build relationships broke down the loneliness of leadership and greatly enhanced their learning. These issues will be explored further in a review planned for early 2017.     

Tapping the educational potential of Facebook: Guidelines for use in higher education

Facebook is a frequently used Computer Mediated Environment (CME) for students and others to build social connections, with identities and deposited self-expression. Its widespread use makes it appropriate for consideration as an educational tool; though one that does not yet have clear guidelines for use. Whether a social networking site can be used for educational objectives remains largely unexplored as a research question. This paper discusses a study conducted at the University of Auckland and at Manchester Metropolitan University on how their students use Facebook, and its impact on their social and academic lives. Using theories of social capital and knowledge management, we explore some potential educational uses of Facebook. Guidelines are included for the educational use of Facebook by tutors in a university environment. These include both positive recommendations and activities and approaches to avoid; and include educational, administrative and legal issues.     

Contexts and Innovation: a case study of the use of CPVE with A‐level students

Within the post‐16 scene in England, curriculum innovation is currently endemic. Such change is often viewed as taking place in two separate contexts, the practical context of the classroom, and the theoretical, debating context of staffroom and LEA. Both contexts are explored through one case study of a teacher‐led innovation, attempting to use part‐time CPVE with A‐level students. It is shown that the contexts are not separate, but closely linked, in an organic and dialectical way. In the instance reported, the dysfunctional nature of these inter‐relationships was a major point of weakness in the innovation. The paper concludes that previous notions in the literature about the separation of the two contexts are over‐simplified, and that both innovators and researchers should show greater awareness of these interrelationships in future.