Suchergebnisse

The role of the primary school headteacher has evolved and current changes to the leadership landscape are influential in shaping this further, altering expectations of what it means to be an effective headteacher. This now includes being an effective system leader. This thesis explores the leadership qualities and practices needed by a primary headteacher to be an effective system leader. The study is carried out in seven large rural local authorities in England. It is a qualitative research study based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 headteachers who are system leaders in the primary phase. Their specific roles are either as a national leader of education (NLE) and director of a teaching school alliance (TSA) or an executive headteacher. Effective school leadership is defined with reference to research related to the concept of learning-centred leadership. The leadership qualities and practices identified here are considered alongside emerging research into system leadership and form the background to this research. The responses from the telephone semi-structured interviews with the headteachers are submitted to thematic analysis which leads to the development of two models. One represents the connections between five leadership qualities following theme mapping and the other provides a framework for 12 leadership practices derived from network analysis. Although these are considered separately, the analysis of the findings draws links between the two models when appropriate. The findings reveal leadership practices that the primary headteachers employ specifically as part of their role as a system leader such as building 'home' school capacity, coaching and mentoring staff into leadership roles and establishing systems and structures in other schools. Recommendations relate to government policy on aspects of system leadership and the professional development of headteachers as system leaders in the primary phase that will support their development practically, intellectually and personally.

Abstract The aim of this article is to examine and compare how the repression of homosexuals and intellectuals is portrayed in two recent Cuban fictional narratives: the film, Fresa y chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate) (Gutierrez Alea et al., 1993) and the detective novel, Mascaras (Masks) (Padura Fuentes Mascaras, Tusquets, Barcelona, 1997). It discusses how these narratives document the history of both these phenomena and evaluates how they might contribute to a better understanding of the process of fundamental social and cultural transformation which the Revolution is experiencing following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Local government in New South Wales (NSW) is responsible for the delivery of a variety of projects, each with variable success measures. Due to the variation in success indicators, measurement of project management maturity (process and procedures) was sought. An industry specific project management maturity model was used to assess maturity levels. Using a mixed-methods approach, the project management maturity levels of NSW local government were determined. Correlation analysis was used to determine that maturity and organizational revenue are related.

Green infrastructure (GI) includes an array of products, technologies, and practices that use natural systems—or designed systems that mimic natural processes—to enhance environmental sustainability and human quality of life. GI is the ultimate source of the ecosystem services which the biotic environment provides to humanity. The maintenance and enhancement of GI to optimise the supply of ecosystem services thus requires conscious planning. The objective of this thematic issue is to publish a cross-section of quality research which addresses how urban planning can contribute to the conservation, management, enhancement, and creation of GI in the city. The terms of reference include the technical, economic, social, and political dimensions of the planning/GI nexus. Here we offer a brief overview of the articles published in this collection, and consider where policy, planning, and design relating to urban GI may be heading in the future.

This is the final version. Available on open access from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record ; Disruptions in the ordinary sense of selfhood underpin both pathological and "enlightened" states of consciousness. People suffering from depersonalization can experience the loss of a sense of self as devastating, often accompanied by intense feelings of alienation, fear, and hopelessness. However, for meditative contemplatives from various traditions, "selfless" experiences are highly sought after, being associated with enduring peace and joy. Little is understood about how these contrasting dysphoric and euphoric experiences should be conceptualized. In this paper, we propose a unified account of these selfless experiences within the active inference framework. Building on our recent active inference research, we propose an account of the experiences of selfhood as emerging from a temporally deep generative model. We go on to develop a view of the self as playing a central role in structuring ordinary experience by "tuning" agents to the counterfactually rich possibilities for action. Finally, we explore how depersonalization may result from an inferred loss of allostatic control and contrast this phenomenology with selfless experiences reported by meditation practitioners. We will show how, by beginning with a conception of self-modeling within an active inference framework, we have available to us a new way of conceptualizing the striking experiential similarities and important differences between these selfless experiences within a unifying theoretical framework. We will explore the implications for understanding and treating dissociative disorders, as well as elucidate both the therapeutic potential, and possible dangers, of meditation. ; European Union Horizon 2020

Background: There is a broad recognition that journalism is facing difficult times in Canada and internationally. Analysis: This article reviews the literature on the state of journalism and then focuses on one element of the perceived crisis of journalism in the Canadian context: claims that the number of employed journalists has fallen sharply in recent years. Using data from Statistics Canada and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the authors find that, unlike the United States, the number of journalists employed in Canada has risen slightly in absolute terms over the past two decades. Conclusions and implications: These findings have important implications for how researchers, politicians and the public think about the state of journalism in Canada and what types of policy prescriptions might be more or less appropriate to deal with the real but not necessarily calamitous changes that are taking place.

Legislation that applies to routine construction provides for the safe development of infrastructure, capital improvements and land use, ensuring preservation and environmental protection, however there is often little provision in legislation to facilitate reconstruction projects. Much existing legislation was not drafted to cope with an emergency situation and was not developed to operate under the conditions that will inevitably prevail in the aftermath of a severe disaster. If well articulated and implemented, the regulations should not only provide an effective means of reducing and containing vulnerabilities disaster mitigation), but also a means of facilitating reconstruction projects. The purpose of this work is to examine how reconstruction differs from routine construction, focussing on the interrelated reconstruction challenges of allocation of responsibility for coordination, scarcity of resources and the application of legislation and regulations that were written for routine construction rather than post-disaster reconstruction. Case studies of reconstruction following recent small scale disasters in New Zealand are presented to support the points raised. Extrapolation of the main issues to larger scale disasters identifies some significant challenges which, if not addressed in advance, are likely to hinder the reconstruction process. The paper concludes that whilst routine construction processes have proved adequate for small-scale disasters, the greater degree of coordination required for programmes of reconstruction following a larger disaster has not been adequately addressed in policy and legislation.

New Zealand has extensive infrastructure networks and localised, dense urban populations that make it vulnerable to natural disasters. When they occur, the effects can be devastating on the natural and built environment. Organisations therefore need to be well prepared, rather than rely on a reactive recovery process after an event. As one aspect of a major programme of research in New Zealand, the authors address the recovery issue in terms of how the local legislative and regulatory frameworks either facilitate or hinder reconstruction projects and programmes. If well articulated and implemented, the regulations should not only provide an effective means of reducing and containing vulnerabilities (disaster mitigation), but also a means of facilitating reconstruction projects. This paper highlights the interrelated reconstruction challenges of allocation of responsibility for coordination, scarcity of resources and the application of legislation and regulations that were written for routine construction rather than post-disaster reconstruction. Examples of reconstruction following recent small scale disasters in New Zealand are presented to support the points raised. The paper concludes that whilst routine construction processes have proved adequate for small-scale disasters, the greater degree of coordination required for programmes of reconstruction following a larger disaster has not been adequately addressed in policy and legislation.

The aim of this report is to provide the evidence base for embedding urban ecology into laws, policies, strategic investment decisions and actions that inform and have a positive impact on the three major cities in NSW. The report draws on academic, peer-reviewed literature and 'grey' literature such as reports, conference presentations, newspaper articles and government laws, policies and reports. Three thematic areas of literature are examined: Urban biodiversity and ecology Policy and legislative frameworks Built environment and urban landscape design.Case studies are presented to demonstrate best practices in applying urban ecological thinking, both within Australia and internationally. In parallel with the literature review, workshops with industry, government and community groups helped in identifying how these groups define and implement urban ecology projects and what they consider to be the barriers to and opportunities for embedding urban ecology into decision-making and practice within and between our cities.This report informs the Blueprint for Living Cities: policy to practice, a document designed to demonstrate to the NSW Environmental Trust, state government departments and agencies, local governments, industry and the community how to change from a business-as-usual approach to realistic, ecologically based city planning and practice. It positions urban ecology as a foundation for the identity and betterment of NSW cities.