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  • A Practical Guide to Embedding Commercial Awareness into your Curriculum

    Todd, Andrea; Conaghan, Elizabeth; University of Chester; University of Reading (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024-03-05)
    This chapter aims to equip lecturers with the tools they need to embed ‘commercial awareness’ in their teaching. The meaning of commercial awareness is explored and the arguments in favour of students developing this attribute are discussed. The chapter then introduces two examples from the law schools of UK universities where commercial awareness has been embedded. The first example concerns a very practical module which was specifically designed to ensure commercial awareness was at its core. The second example used student and employer partnerships to add commercial awareness to an established module which had a lot of ‘textbook’ learning but little real-world application. The examples provided offer lecturers with step-by-step toolkits to facilitate the creation of their own learning activities which embed commercial awareness. The positive impact of integrating commercial awareness is highlighted using feedback from students who have experienced these modules.
  • Law in Action

    Todd, Andrea; University of Chester (Advance HE, 2024-03-05)
    This case study considers the impact on student wellbeing of 'Law in Action', a Level 6 module co-constructed with students. The module aims to empower students to appreciate their transferable skills, understand how to articulate them to themselves and future employers, how to identify, and deal with, imposter syndrome, and to appreciate the importance of self-care and mental wellbeing within the legal profession.
  • From a blank piece of paper to a compelling employability narrative: student-designed authentic assessment for creating socially responsible, employable graduates

    Todd, Andrea; University of Chester (Advance HE, 2024-01-25)
    Against a backdrop of increasing focus on graduate employability and employment outcomes (Bathmaker 2021) and increasing investment in widening participation programmes (Hutchinson, Reader and Akhal, 2020), this case study considers how handing over the reins and taking a student-led approach to module development has enabled students to develop a compelling employability narrative (Tomlinson, 2017; Tomlinson and Anderson, 2021), to better understand social responsibility and confidently articulate their skills for work.
  • International Women's Day: Reflecting on the next 100 years

    Davies, Chantal; Lugg, Neha; University of Chester; Lewis Silkin (Law Society of England and Wales, 2024-03-08)
    In December, the Law Society’s Women Solicitors Network Committee hosted the newly named Carrie Morrison Lecture at the University of Chester Law School, bringing this annual lecture event focusing on gender equality within the legal sector to the regions for the first time. Building on our 100 Years of Women Solicitors celebrations in 2022, this was an opportunity to reflect on past achievements but more importantly to look forward to the next hundred years. A thought-provoking keynote was provided by Victoria Evans (Level Law) ably supported by a panel of sector representatives; Deyontae James (rradar Law) and Carla Bennett (UNISON).
  • Ape recognition of familiar human faces changed by time and COVID-19 face masks

    Murray, Lindsay; University of Chester
    Reports of primates being able to recognise familiar humans are rare in the literature and tend to be regarded as anecdotal. The COVID-19 pandemic created two unique conditions facilitating the observation of spontaneous face recognition in zoo apes: i) lengthy gaps in contact with human visitors due to lockdowns and zoo closures, and ii) the wearing of face masks obscuring at least half the face of familiar individuals. Here, I report on the historical context of the familiarity between a primatologist and individual apes of two species, how those apes consistently showed recognition of this particular human over a time span of up to thirty years, how facial recognition was extended to family members, and how recognition persisted even when a significant portion of the face was obscured by a mask. This constitutes, to my knowledge, the first documented cases of recognition of familiar human faces changed by time and COVID-19 face masks in two great ape species. Although based on just two individuals, the documentation of this ability is important because it arose in a more naturalistic and spontaneous context compared to typical face processing research in which primates are tested with experimental stimuli in a laboratory setting. Implications for face processing theory and applications for the therapeutic utility of faces are discussed. These observations provide insight into the evolutionary origins of face recognition and, sitting at the interface of science and society, are of interest to a wide audience.
  • Spatial analysis of urban agriculture in the utilization of open spaces in Nigeria

    Aduloju, Olalekan Tolulope B.; Akinbamijo, Olumuyiwa Bayo; Bako, Abdullateef Iyanda; Anofi, Abdulfatai Olanrewaju; Otokiti, Kolade Victor; University of Ilorin; University of Chester; Federal University of Technology, Akure; University of Groningen (Taylor & Francis, 2024-02-28)
    Growing food in upper- and lower-income countries commands different connotations and dimensions. Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly an essential urban fabric and a critical enabler of sustainable development goals (SDGs) 1 and 2. However, this study analyses the practice of UA in open spaces within the Ilorin metropolis. The study employed the use of primary and secondary data. Questionnaire administration, interview guide, digital cameras, UA survey form, and GPS all sufficed for the instrumentation of the study. The main findings showed that in Ilorin city, 14.34Ha (31.4 percent in the core) of land was dedicated to UA, which could at least help 1500 families escape poverty. Through Average Nearest Neighbour Analysis (ANNA), the spatial analysis revealed that UA sites were clustered and not randomly distributed. Secondly, this study affirmed through mean analysis that vegetables (3.09), maise (2.86), cassava (2.64), millet/sorghum (2.46), and yam (2.31) were the dominant food staples grown in Ilorin UA sites. Lastly, access to land, failed harvest due to pest/disease, price collapse, and adverse weather events were the leading challenges affecting the practice of UA in the Ilorin metropolis. The study then affirms the need for city-level integration of UA to recognise the rights of the urban poor and UA into the land-use plan within the Ilorin metropolis.
  • Young children’s conceptions of computing in an African setting

    Oyedoyin, Mayowa; Sanusi, Ismaila Temitayo; Ayanwale, Musa Adekunle; University of Chester; University of Eastern Finland; University of Johannesburg (Taylor & Francis, 2024-02-11)
  • A longitudinal study of an embodied-self-concept and its potential impact upon adjustment and acceptance in chronic non-specific lower back pain in female adults

    Reeves, Andrew; Mintz, Rita; Patel, Kim (University of Chester, 2023-07-18)
    Aim: Analgesia and surgical interventions have little impact in reducing the unpleasantness and intensity of chronic non-specific low(er) back pain (CLBP) and access to Pain Management Programmes is limited with inconsistent results. Individuals need to learn to live with their pain and this study explores how one's self-concept (in relationship with/to their body i.e., an embodied-self-concept) and pain might influence an individual’s perceived ability to accept/adjust to their CLBP and if this changes over time. Receiving support may influence adjustment/acceptance of CLBP, and this study seeks understanding of what those with CLBP want/need when their pain is self-managed outside of specialist pain services as these are currently unknown. Acceptance of CLBP is associated with improved life quality and a new dynamic model of change in CP which can accommodate the changing embodied-self and allow for movement between CP-acceptance/adjustment, non-acceptance/non-adjustment and anti-acceptance/non-adjustment over time is required to inform psychological practice. Methodology: A longitudinal multiple-case-series over 19 months using mixed-methods triangulation convergence/corroboration of three female participants explored the (potentially) changing embodied-self, from the pre-pain self to the present. Each meeting at approximately 9-monthly intervals consisted of semi-structured interviews and two measures: one explored CP-acceptance (Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire: CPAQ) the other, dissonance between self-aspects (Possible Selves Measure in Chronic Pain: PSM-CP). Findings: Changes in the embodied-self-concept and related behaviours (e.g., task-persistence) were motivated by participants’ self-concept goals in growthfull and not-for-growth directions, thus self-acceptance and CP-acceptance are inextricably linked. The participants’ painful body part was placed ‘outside’ of the self as a separate entity demanding care and attention. The participants were often fearful and experienced shame, blame and two experienced suicidal ideation. However, counselling was not advocated by GPs and was not a consideration by participants. Conclusion: Counsellors in private practice and primary care with the necessary skills and knowledge are well placed to work with CP. Cultural and societal shifts in a non-dualistic understanding of CP and its treatment/management may make counselling a more acceptable adjunct. A new model of change in CP has been developed highlighting the role of psychological agility, choice junctions and self-re-evaluation as key components to/in change in both growthfull and non-growthfull directions. The wholesale adoption of the Buddhist-informed definition of CP-acceptance has been challenged.
  • Exploring Footedness, Throwing Arm, and Handedness as Predictors of Eyedness Using Cluster Analysis and Machine Learning: Implications for the Origins of Behavioural Asymmetries

    Rodway, Paul; Rodway, Curtis; Schepman, Astrid; University of Chester (MDPI, 2024-02-02)
    Behavioural asymmetries displayed by individuals, such as hand preference and foot preference, tend to be lateralized in the same direction (left or right). This may be because their co-ordination conveys functional benefits for a variety of motor behaviours. To explore the potential functional relationship between key motor asymmetries, we examined whether footedness, handedness, or throwing arm was the strongest predictor of eyedness. Behavioural asymmetries were measured by self-report in 578 left-handed and 612 right-handed individuals. Cluster analysis of the asymmetries revealed four handedness groups: consistent right-handers, left-eyed right-handers, consistent left-handers, and inconsistent left-handers (who were left-handed but right-lateralized for footedness, throwing and eyedness). Supervised machine learning models showed the importance of footedness, in addition to handedness, in determining eyedness. In right-handers, handedness was the best predictor of eyedness, followed closely by footedness, and for left-handers it was footedness. Overall, predictors were more informative in predicting eyedness for individuals with consistent lateral preferences. Implications of the findings in relation to the origins and genetics of handedness and sports training are discussed. Findings are related to fighting theories of handedness and to bipedalism, which evolved after manual dexterity, and which may have led to some humans being right-lateralized for ballistic movements and left-lateralized for hand dexterity.
  • Reshaping the Ethical Framework: New Lenses for a Different Time?

    Morahan, Marita; Reeves, Andrew; British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy; University of Chester
    BACP's Ethical Framework is currently going through a process of development and re-structure. This article looks at the key factors informing the reshaping of this key document that informs practice for all 67,000 members of BACP. Specifically, it considers the importance of adopting a decolonizing approach to ethics, as well as embedding Relational Ethics into the new Framework. Some of the challenges of this are discussed and explored.
  • Discourses of Psychological Trauma

    Buxton, Christina; Kiyimba, Nikki; Shuttleworth, jo; Pathe, Emily; University of Chester; Bethlehem Institute, Tauranga, New Zealand; Manchester University; Glasgow Caledonian University (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022-07-01)
    Offers a critical perspective of the dominant discourses within the field of psychological trauma Provides a challenge to normative western constructs Unsettles assumptions about accepted notions of universality and the nature of trauma
  • Student-Parents' experiences of academic and non-academic support in UK Higher Education

    Todd, Andrea; University of Chester
    This report analyses the findings of a nationwide study of students who are also parents (student-parents). Carried out between May and August 2023, the study builds on previous small-scale research projects into the needs of student-parents1 and was undertaken in the context of: • the introduction of a new UCAS question inviting student-parents to self-identify when applying to university; and • the introduction of the Office for Students’ (OfS) Equality of Opportunity Register (EORR). This report explores participants’ experiences of pastoral and academic support at university. It exposes systemic failures in such support for student-parents across the sector which pose a significant risk to their retention, progression and success. Parental responsibility is not currently identified by OfS as a standalone characteristic likely to place students ‘at risk’ at university. However, the findings of this study reveal that student-parents are in fact vulnerable to five of the six ‘on course’ risks identified in the EORR. This three-part clickable report provides a compelling evidence base to support the inclusion of parental responsibility in the EORR list of student characteristics.
  • Media - Reflection on BBC's Uncanny

    Egeli, Cemil; University of Chester
    Prompted by the BBC Radio 4 podcast Uncanny's recent TV release, Cemil Egeli reflects on its relevance to supernatural phenomena in counselling.
  • Negotiating recovery following sudden bereavements: An autoethnographic approach to making sense of historical personal cumulative grief in the context of Covid-19

    Reeves, Andrew; West, William; Sweeney, Susan (University of Chester, 2023-09)
    We are all likely to experience bereavement during our lifetime. The impact of the loss is determined by many variables including age, intensity of relationship to the deceased, and social support systems. Traumatic sudden bereavement features additional causative factors of unfinished business, being unable to say goodbye, and sense of an incomplete life. The trauma of repeated sudden unexpected bereavement results in a potentially long-lasting disintegration of self that may lead to prolonged or complicated grief. The purpose of this qualitative study is to contribute to understanding of the lived experience of sudden bereavement and cumulative grief, what is meant by recovery and how it might manifest. It explores the impact of multiple losses, how sudden death can leave a traumatic imprint, and how each may be mitigated through life choices. This study aims to inform professionals and the bereaved in their understanding of sudden, unexpected bereavement in the context of widespread Covid-19 grief. An autoethnographical approach was used to explore the researcher’s lived experience as a young adult of sudden bereavement of three primary family members within a relatively short time span of seven years. All were traumatic losses, with one bereavement especially so. The resulting cumulative grief is investigated along with the researcher’s perception of progress and relapse in terms of recovery and sense-making of historical personal grief. The concept of posttraumatic recovery is explored in the context of the researcher’s personal experiences and linked to current sociological collective encounters with unprepared for, sudden death experienced by many during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data collection and analysis is a constantly changing interplay of interpretation and discovery. Continuous reflection of memories and emotional responses to the autoethnographic and personal journal writing, poems, and image-making provided data through which unexpected themes emerged, expanded, and evolved, leading to an increased level of sense-making that had been previously absent. This thesis adds to the limited extant literature on sibling and parental bereavement experienced by young adults aged 19-26 years, particularly that of multiple, sudden bereavement and cumulative grief. An individual’s experience of grief is profoundly personal and there is no definitive period of recovery that can be applied. The researcher’s isolating journey of historic traumatic bereavements is viewed within a culture where traumatic loss became an everyday occurrence during the Covid-19 pandemic. This proliferation changed the rhetoric from an individual to a shared experience, permitting the previously silenced to become heard, assisting readers to navigate their own experiences of grief, loss, and recovery through the lens of a more grief-informed society, and to inform professionals and affected others in their understanding and support of sudden ‘unprepared for’ bereavement during Covid related deaths and beyond.
  • Supporting people with social care needs on release from prison: A scoping review

    Tucker, Sue; Buck, Deborah; Roberts, Amy; Hargreaves, Claire; University of Manchester; University of Chester; Lancaster University (International Long Term Care Policy Network, 2024-02-13)
    Context: Social care need in prisons is increasing in many countries. However, the delivery of social care in prisons has been (at best) inconsistent and there has been no previous review to inform provision for people on release. Objective: To identify and synthesise what is known about the social care needs of people on release from prison and how best to meet these. Method: A scoping review encompassing systematic searches of 26 electronic databases (January 2010-July 2021) included a wide range of literature. No exclusions were made on the basis of study design, method or quality. Findings were organised according to their contribution to the research questions. Findings: Forty-six documents met the review criteria of which 27 were from the UK. Just two focused specifically on the topic of interest and most of the extracted material was descriptive in nature. Almost no information was found on the number of people released from prison in need of social care. However, the challenges of providing care for this group appeared well understood. Although there were many examples of good practice and widespread consensus about its enablers, outcome information was lacking. Limitations: In keeping with the nature of the review, the quality of the literature was not formally assessed. Implications: The review identified several promising initiatives ranging from prison buddy schemes to pre-release training in everyday living skills and personalised pathway documents. Conclusions: Policy makers and researchers must now shift their attention to the effectiveness of particular interventions in improving social care outcomes.
  • An exploration of the emotional support needs of grandparents whose grandchild has had a childhood cancer diagnosis

    Gubi, Peter; Hill, Lynda A. (University of Chester, 2023-09)
    Little research has been conducted relating to the psychological impact on grandparents of grandchildren with cancer despite evidence to suggest that this can be challenging (Wakefield et al., 2014). This research explores the lived experiences of grandparents whose grandchild has had a childhood cancer diagnosis, taking specific interest in narrative relating to symptoms of distress, coping mechanisms, perceived emotional support needs, potential barriers to support and signs of post-traumatic growth. The impact of COVID-19 is also examined. Twelve grandparents were interviewed using semi-structured questions. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, an approach that is understood via examination of meanings people impress upon their experience. Five Group Experiential Themes are presented: role; impact; coping strategies and support needs; barriers to emotional support and lastly, hope, followed by their respective Personal Experiential Themes. Grandparents, without question, resume their parental role as their adult children retreat towards their childhood ‘nest’ to be protected and cared for. They also change their ‘hat’ to that of ‘parent’ to siblings of their poorly grandchild. This becomes a dominant role, often without warning, impacting greatly on their normal routine. Their own suffering is intentionally suppressed to give full attention to their child and family. Grandparents struggle to articulate their own needs as they automatically place themselves second. However, when pushed, there is a sense of wishing to be acknowledged as taking an active, primary care-giving role within their family, together with permission to process their own emotions in a way that suits their needs. A grandchild’s childhood cancer diagnosis can lead to signs of traumatic stress for grandparents. Yet they suppress their emotional support needs as their ‘parental nest’ is temporarily filled again. It is suggested that cancer support services work with parents to ensure that grandparents are also included in support-offers as a matter of course.
  • Exploring local perspectives on flood risk: A participatory GIS approach for bridging the gap between modelled and perceived flood risk zones

    Bullen, James; Miles, Andrew; University of Chester; Transport for West Midlands (Elsevier, 2024-01-05)
    As cities continue to expand and climate change exacerbates flooding, development within flood risk zones becomes an increasingly pressing concern. Engineered solutions alone cannot fully address the risks to individuals and communities, especially when local officials and residents have conflicting understanding of the risk. Participatory GIS (PGIS) offers a unique opportunity to bridge this gap by engaging with communities to better understand their perceptions of flood risk. While PGIS has traditionally been used in developing nations as an alternative to numerical flood models, its potential for use in developed nations is largely unexplored. This paper presents a case study of survey-based PGIS conducted in Reading, a large town in Berkshire, UK. Findings suggest that local residents possess a surprisingly accurate understanding of flood risk zones, but discrepancies with modelled flood risk were also identified. These discrepancies may be due to issues with cartographic representation, but also raise concerns about the accuracy of numerical flood models. By examining local perceptions of flood risk, this study highlights the importance of considering community perspectives in flood risk management and offers valuable insights for practitioners seeking to bridge the gap between modelled and perceived flood risk zones.
  • Breaking the Boundaries Collective – A Manifesto for Relationship-based Practice

    Darley, Danica; Blundell, Peter; Cherry, Lisa; Wong, Jock; Wilson, Ann-Marie; Vaughan, Sarah; Vandenberghe, K.; Taylor, Bethan; Scott, K.; Ridgeway, T.; et al. (Taylor & Francis, 2024-02-23)
    We are a group of service users, professionals and services who began a project called Breaking the Boundaries Collective. This project advocates and campaigns for relationship-based practice (RBP). We offer resources and guidance for ways to achieve it. We encourage and foster discussions and debates on aspects of RBP that challenge hegemonic notions of professional boundaries.
  • An exploration of the ways in which person-centered counselors’ diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can challenge or support their practice

    Lewis, Megan; University of Chester (Taylor & Francis, 2023-12-22)
    Little or no research has been conducted to explore the experiences of counselors who have a diagnosis of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this research, therefore, was to explore and better understand the challenges and opportunities that a diagnosis of ADHD can present for these practitioners in order to inform counseling practice, supervision and training. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to obtain data from three participants, who were all person-centered counselors with ADHD. This data was then analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, which revealed five Group Experiential Themes (GETs). Each of these themes helped to illustrate both the challenges that participants faced as a result of their ADHD, such as inattention, impulsive disclosures, and emotional dysregulation, as well as the opportunities that it presented such as heightened curiosity and greater unconditional positive regard. This research addressed a gap within the literature and serves to enhance understanding of the ways in which a counselor’s diagnosis of ADHD can impact person-centered practice. It is hoped that this understanding can encourage greater support and acceptance of counselors with ADHD within the profession.
  • Local Voice Framework Co-production Definition and Principles

    White, Holly; Ross, Kim; University of Chester
    This is a report handout which include the principles and definition of co-production. This should be considered alongside the Local Voices Framework Research Report 1.

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