Enhancing Research Impact in Heritage Conservation

This paper examines how research impact is defined, measured, and generated – with a view to understanding how it can be enhanced within heritage conservation. It examines what is meant by ‘impact’ and how it can be promoted within heritage science through effective inter-disciplinary collaboration. Following a general examination of the current discourse concerning research impact, the study examined: (i) active research networks within heritage science; (ii) research planning and evaluation practices within heritage science; and (iii) the experiences of users (i.e. conservators and other heritage professionals) within research collaborations. Terminologies surrounding the notion of impact and the various phases of the research process were reviewed – from the initial identification of a knowledge gap to the eventual application of new findings in practice. Next, the reach and diversity of research collaborations (as identified through publication co-authorship) were studied to characterise the inter-disciplinary nature of heritage science and its connectedness to users. Findings showed substantial growth in international research collaborations over recent years, predominantly involving academic- and research-oriented institutions – although the engagement of heritage institutions has proportionally decreased. In addition, a worldwide survey of institutional planning and evaluation practices revealed a general reliance on processes driven by the interests of researchers – the systematic consideration of stakeholder opinion and evaluation of research outcomes being less common. Finally, a series of semi-structured interviews with senior heritage professionals explored their experience of collaborative research. The results identified key areas where strategic support is needed to promote user participation and enhance impact. These include training for research readiness, engagement, and impact for both researchers and users; better methods for needs and outcome assessment; affordable open access options and greater diversity of knowledge exchange opportunities. Finally, the need for ethical guidelines for responsible research, and greater emphasis on non-academic impact within research rating systems are discussed.     

Policy,curriculum and the struggle for change in Cyprus: the case of the European dimension in education

This article explores the possibilities of shifting ethnocentric bias in curricula and pupils’ constructions of national and European identities using the concept of ‘Europe’ as a tool. The European dimension was conceptualized as a subtle approach, within the deeply divided society of Cyprus, to alleviate the ethnocentrism of history and geography curricula and to shift pupils’ extreme views. The study showed that there were slight yet important shifts which point towards the potential of education in providing children with a wider range of ‘tools’ with which to construct their identities. It is argued that in a context where ‘Europe’ is a ‘normativity’ and the ‘Other = Turk’ is polarized, the European dimension might be useful to hybridize a European identity so as to include the ‘Others’.     

Quadriceps muscle blood flow and oxygen availability during repetitive bouts of isometric exercise in simulated sailing

In this study, we wished to determine whether the observed reduction in quadriceps muscle oxygen availability, reported during repetitive bouts of isometric exercise in simulated sailing efforts (i.e. hiking), is because of restricted muscle blood flow. Six national-squad Laser sailors initially performed three successive 3-min hiking bouts followed by three successive 3-min cycling tests sustained at constant intensities reproducing the cardiac output recorded during each of the three hiking bouts. The blood flow index (BFI) was determined from assessment of the vastus lateralis using near-infrared spectroscopy in association with the light-absorbing tracer indocyanine green dye, while cardiac output was determined from impedance cardiography. At equivalent cardiac outputs (ranging from 10.3±0.5 to 14.8±0.86 L · min(-1)), the increase from baseline in vastus lateralis BFI across the three hiking bouts (from 1.1±0.2 to 3.1±0.6 nM · s(-1)) was lower (P = 0.036) than that seen during the three cycling bouts (from 1.1±0.2 to 7.2±1.4 nM · s(-1)) (Cohen's d: 3.80 nM · s(-1)), whereas the increase from baseline in deoxygenated haemoglobin (by ～17.0±2.9 μM) (an index of tissue oxygen extraction) was greater (P = 0.006) during hiking than cycling (by ～5.3±2.7 μM) (Cohen's d: 4.17 μM). The results suggest that reduced vastus lateralis muscle oxygen availability during hiking arises from restricted muscle blood flow in the isometrically acting quadriceps muscles.     

Critical Literacy needs teachers as transformative leaders. Reflections on teacher training for the introduction of the (new) Modern Greek language curriculum in Cyprus

The new Curricula of Cyprus aspire to deliver a new ethos in teaching and learning that promotes the notion of ‘the humane and democratic school' and emphasises the right of every child to succeed. In this context, the new Modern Greek language curriculum in Cyprus has been moulded upon the notion of Critical Literacy (CL). CL is neither an instructional strategy nor a lesson plan. It is a philosophical belief committed to a different worldview. As such, CL requires people's acceptance. Not just students but also teachers must first learn, understand and embrace the notion before applying its principles to their practice. This can only be done through a process of transformative leadership enabling teachers to become transformative leaders themselves. Has this axiom been taken into consideration in the case of Cyprus? Do teachers in Cyprus learn about CL in a process of transformative leadership? This article will attempt to answer these questions utilising the testimonies of Sandra, a primary school teacher who attended the seminars and workshops organised for training teachers to use the new language curriculum.     

Psycho-social characteristics of children and adolescents with siblings on the autistic spectrum

This study investigates the psycho-social characteristics of typically developing children who have siblings with autism and their sibling relationship. Children’s adjustment at school, their self-esteem and social relations, as well as their friends’ attitudes towards their autistic siblings were examined. Participants were 22 siblings of children with autism, aged 8–18?years, 22 mothers and 22 fathers. Parents provided demographic information, and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Sibling Inventory of Behaviour. Data from siblings of children with autism were based on a semi-structured interview, the Self-Perception Profile for Children and Adolescents and the Siblings Problems Questionnaire. Only few typically developing siblings of children with autism exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties. The majority of them have a good relationship with their autistic brother or sister, although they mentioned changes in their daily routines. They also seem not to be satisfied in terms of peer acceptance skills and friendships. In addition, the results of the present study provide evidence for positive parental views on their typically developing children’s emotional and behavioural adjustment. These findings are important and need to be taken into account in order to assess functioning of all family members in families with autism spectrum children.     

Can autonomy be imposed? Examining teacher (re)positioning during the ongoing curriculum change in Cyprus

For the past few years, the Republic of Cyprus has been pursuing a major educational reform across all levels of mandatory education, focusing especially on curriculum change, for the implementation of which in-service teachers have undergone a series of professional development seminars. Individual and focus group interviews with in-service elementary teachers, regarding their sense of professionalism within this curriculum change process, revealed that teachers positioned themselves largely onto different points on a continuum. These are conceptualized as positions veering between teachers’ sense of minimum and maximum autonomy over their participation in the development and introduction of the new official curriculum. Framed by a traditionally centralized context, these positions were discursively negotiated in contradictory ways which allowed multiple positionings by each teacher. The paper concludes with the implications of these findings for understanding teacher professionalism and positioning, as well as for considering how this might relate to curriculum change and implementation processes.     

The effectiveness of structured co-operative teaching and learning in Greek primary school classrooms

This study focuses upon the effectiveness of structured co-operative group work on primary school students, aged between 8.5 and 9.5 years old, regarding their content knowledge, attitudes towards co-operative group work, experiential learning and open-ended curriculum as well as students' social and learning behaviour during co-operative group work. A cross-curricular educational programme was implemented within the curriculum area of environmental studies entitled ‘traffic education'. The methodology applied in this study was the experimental and the case study research designs. The findings of the present study support the view that pupils can gain benefits through structured group work co-operation in obtaining content knowledge and group work skills, as well as in developing positive attitudes towards group work, experiential learning, open-ended curriculum and the co-operation with their peers with learning difficulties (LDs). Changes in the relationships with the peers were not affected after the implementation of the educational programme.     

Teachers’ professional development for differentiated instruction in mixed-ability classrooms: investigating the impact of a development program on teachers’ professional learning and on students’ achievement

The present article reports the results of a study performed to investigate and examine the characteristics of a teachers’ professional development program (Teachers’ Professional Development Program for Differentiated Instruction [PDD]) specially designed to support teachers in the design and application of differentiated instruction. Considering the characteristics of high-quality professional development programs (i.e. active learning, collective participation, closely related to the curriculum and the existing teaching realities, sufficient duration and continuance), the PDD aimed to facilitate change in both attitudes and practices of the participants. The study provides evidence of the success of the program, both in terms of teacher professional development and student achievement, and discusses the elements that made this program successful.