Latest news with #UniversityofLincoln
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Tortoises have feelings too: Study shows they experience long-term moods like humans
A recent study from the University of Lincoln has revealed that tortoises may possess emotional depth previously thought to be unique to mammals and birds. Specifically, red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) were found to experience long-term mood states—suggesting they are capable of optimism, anxiety, and even emotional resilience. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions that reptiles are driven purely by instinct, devoid of subjective feelings. By using cognitive bias tests originally designed for humans, researchers observed that tortoises living in enriched environments demonstrated more optimistic behaviors. These findings not only shed new light on reptile cognition but could also revolutionize the way reptiles are treated in homes, zoos, and wildlife reserves. Testing tortoise feelings through cognitive bias To assess emotional states in tortoises, researchers used cognitive bias tests—a method widely applied to study moods in mammals and birds. The idea is simple: animals in positive emotional states are more likely to interpret ambiguous cues optimistically, while those in negative moods lean toward pessimism. Fifteen red-footed tortoises were trained to associate certain locations with rewards and then tested with neutral or ambiguous cues. Those in enriched enclosures (with natural elements, stimulation, and space) showed more optimistic responses, suggesting a positive underlying mood. In a second phase of the study, researchers exposed the tortoises to mildly stressful situations, such as unfamiliar environments or objects. Tortoises that had responded optimistically in the earlier tests were also less anxious in these settings. This behavioral consistency provides strong evidence that tortoises experience internal emotional states that influence their actions—a key marker of sentience. Why it matters for animal welfare These findings could have serious implications for how reptiles are housed and cared for. In the UK, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 recognizes the capacity of animals to feel—but reptiles are often excluded from conversations around emotional wellbeing. Professor Anna Wilkinson, a leading expert in animal cognition , emphasized the importance of studying reptiles' affective states as their popularity as pets increases. The research supports a more compassionate approach to reptile care, urging policy-makers and pet owners alike to consider the mental wellbeing of these animals. Rewriting the narrative on reptile intelligence Reptiles have long been perceived as emotionless creatures acting purely on instinct. However, recent studies—including this one—are rapidly shifting that narrative. The presence of enduring mood states in tortoises not only expands our understanding of reptile behavior but also raises questions about the emotional lives of other 'cold-blooded' species. If tortoises can feel and process emotions, it suggests that affective states may have evolved much earlier in the animal kingdom than previously assumed.
The Citizen
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Game On for Learning: NWU launches Arcademia in South Africa
In an exciting move that promises to reshape how we think about education, the North-West University (NWU) has joined hands with the University of Lincoln in the UK to bring Arcademia, a dynamic, game-based learning initiative, to South Africa. This collaboration stems from a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two institutions in November 2023. At the heart of this partnership lies a shared belief: that learning can be innovative, hands-on and even … fun. Born at the University of Lincoln in 2018 as the Research Arcade, Arcademia began as a simple idea to let students create digital games and share them with others. But it quickly became something more. Today, it is a fully fledged platform where students and staff co-design original games, showcased on custom-built arcade machines across the Lincoln campus. 'By 2025, Arcademia has evolved into a vibrant digital ecosystem with multiple arcade cabinets, a desktop launcher and a growing library of student-made games built on platforms ranging from WebGL to native desktop frameworks. It is playful, yes – but it is also powerful. A tool for engagement, creativity, and real-world learning,' says Dr Lance Bunt, senior lecturer in the School of Computer Science and Information Systems at the Vanderbijlpark Campus. Now, the NWU is gearing up to bring Arcademia to life on South African soil. Plans are in motion to install arcade cabinets across all three NWU campuses, creating exciting new spaces where students can learn, interact and experiment across disciplines. Professor Estelle Taylor, director of the School of Computer Science and Information Systems (SCSIS) explains, 'Arcademia at the NWU is about more than just games. It is about access, opportunity and using technology to break down barriers. Inspired by the success of a similar initiative in Lincoln, the NWU aims to use these installations to foster local game development, host game jams, and create opportunities for underprivileged young people to engage with digital technologies in a fun and meaningful way.' At its core, this collaboration is a celebration of what happens when education, creativity, and technology come together. Arcademia is not just a project – it is a shared commitment between the NWU and the University of Lincoln to rethink what learning can be. 'It also aligns perfectly with the NWU's broader goals of promoting student mobility, academic exchange and innovation in sustainable, tech-driven education,' says Dr William van Blerk, senior lecturer and subject chair at the School of Computer Science and Information Systems on the Vanderbijlpark Campus. Through Arcademia, the two institutions are quite literally building a bridge – between campuses, countries, and communities. As the NWU prepares to launch its first Arcademia cabinets, excitement is building. Students and staff alike are looking forward to a new kind of learning space – one where curiosity, collaboration and creativity take centre stage. With this partnership, the NWU and the University of Lincoln are not just reimagining education. They are making it more inclusive, more engaging, and a whole lot more interactive. This initiative would not have been possible without the support of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG) funded International Hybrid Teaching Mobility project, which is dedicated to provide a platform for academics as university teachers to create international teaching partnerships for teaching development. Dr Marieta Jansen van Vuuren, Project Leader for the International Hybrid Teaching Mobility collaborations, explains: 'The CTL supports and facilitates internationalisation activities through a professional development strategy with a focus on internationalisation that can create global opportunities to develop a future-ready university teacher who can guide and facilitate learning to prepare future-ready graduates. Collaborations such as Arcademia create an atmosphere of intellectual excitement, through the promotion of scholarly work on teaching and learning to capture and foster reflective practice and innovation that shapes global awareness and intercultural collaboration for both university teachers and students alike.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
RTÉ News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
How coaches can create great environments for young Gaelic games' players
Analysis: Coaches can use psychological principles to enhance the playing experience and development of young players By Patricia Jackman, University of Lincoln; Ciarán J. Kearney, St Mary's University College Belfast; Matthew Bird, University of Lincoln and Jack Cooney, DCU With the days lengthening and the start of the season drawing ever nearer, underage coaches in Gaelic games across the country will be planning for the year ahead. Since the launch of the Gaelic Games Sport Science Framework, coaches are being increasingly encouraged to integrate psychological principles into their sessions and coaching practices. There is now growing interest within Gaelic games in psychology, both in research and in practice: over 25% of 10,000 coaches surveyed showed an interest in learning more about psychology. So, where should they start? Based on research and policy in Gaelic games, a series of principles and practical strategies were recently proposed to help coaches of young players in Gaelic games to create playing environment that enhance the long-term participation, personal development, and wellbeing of players they work with. The principles were captured with the phrase, SÍOL na nÓige. The word "síol" translates to "seed" in the Irish language. Just as a seed needs the right conditions to thrive and grow into a strong and healthy plant, the proposed principles can serve as conditions that facilitate the growth of young Gaelic games players. Promote holistic development The positive consequences of sport can extend beyond helping young people to become better athletes. Coaches and clubs that take a holistic approach to developing players, one that values the person and not just the player, can have a positive and profound impact on all aspects of the lives of young people. Central to this is the adoption of a philosophy to coaching that emphasises the importance of: Focussing on long-term development; Nurturing supportive relationships with coaches and opportunities to develop friendships among teammates; and Supporting for the development of psychological and social skills. Create a learning environment to facilitate human development When properly structured, Gaelic games can be much more than a context for learning sporting skills. It can also be a place where young people can learn essential life skills such as communication, respect, inclusiveness, community and teamwork. Incorporating the development of young people as a pillar of one's coaching philosophy is an excellent starting point to creating a learning environment that facilitates human development. From RTÉ Radio 1's News at One, how athletes like Kellie Harrington inspire kids to play sports Specific actions coaches can take to develop life skills include: Identifying and defining life skills and values to be learned; Connecting with each player regularly and helping them identify similarities between sport and life; Share stories of role models using skills learned in sport in life; and Leverage "teachable moments", where players can be educated about skills used in sport that could transfer into other areas of their lives. Develop coach-player relationships Relationships are the active ingredient of great coaching. Without strong coach-player relationships, a coach's effectiveness will be inhibited. In contrast, when strong relationships with players are formed, coaches can more effectively communicate and more easily develop players' psychosocial skills. Nurturing strong coach-player relationships and communicating effectively in team sports is not easy; it needs a conscious and deliberate effort. From Supporting Champions, psychologist Prof Sophia Jowett on the coach-athlete relationship Coaches can build stronger relationship by focusing on the development of three important qualities in the coach-athlete relationship: Closeness (respectful, trusting, caring); Commitment (loyalty and commitment); and Complementarity (responsive, adaptable, and understanding of needs). Optimise the motivational climate Coaches and other social agents, such as club members, parents/guardians, teachers and teammates, are central to creating environments that nurture the motivation of players. Psychology can help coaches to explore and understand individual differences in motivation and how these can interact within a sporting environment. From Australian Sports Commission, Dr Will Vickery and Pr Richard Keegan on how the Self-Determination Theory can be used to create positive environments for coaches, officials & players Coaching environments that optimise motivation emphasise self-determined motivation, where players play because they "want to" rather than feeling under pressure to play because they "have to", and mastery, where focus is placed on self-improvement, skill mastery, and exerting maximal effort rather than winning. Coaches can promote more self-determined motivation and mastery by considering how they: Structure training sessions; Facilitate goal setting among players; Provide instructions and feedback to players. Build togetherness and belonging Belonging is a fundamental human need and a core value of Gaelic games. Players who feel they belong and are strongly connected to teammates will exert more effort, encourage teammates more, have greater belief, and are less likely to drop out. Strategies that emphasise the importance and feelings of group membership can be employed to help create a sense of shared identity, including: Teambuilding activities, enabling players to bond socially; Developing a team "trademark" and identifying values and behaviours that represent this; Emphasising and encouraging a collective sense of "we" and "us"; and Keeping an eye on how players interact with each other and addressing any signs of cliques, exclusion, isolation, or bullying promptly and fairly. From Ulster GAA, Tony Scullion with Diarmaid McNulty (Tyrone), Luke Barrett (Donegal) and Martin Boyle (Derry) on the best practice coaching and management of under-age players Put the emphasis on fun and enjoyment When over 5,000 young players were recently asked why they played Gaelic games, two of the top-three reasons were fun and enjoyment. It follows that team environments where enjoyment and fun are at the core have most appeal and developmental benefits for youth athletes. This should not be construed or portrayed as being at odds with a competitive spirit. Instead, coaches are encouraged to promote the process of competing (e.g., challenging oneself, learning new skills, becoming better) rather than reducing competition to outcome measures, like results and silverware. Coaches can promote fun and enjoyment by: Creating environments that deemphasize the importance of winning; Focussing on enjoyment and skill development when communicating with players; Ensuring equal participation for all; and Emphasising the collective spirit and social dynamic of youth team sport. The six principles here offer coaches a framework for integrating psychology into the Gaelic games playing environment. Adopting these principles does not need to take place "in one go" and should not increase the time commitment of coaching. Rather, the integration of these principles should help to improve the quality of the playing environments and interactions coaches already engage in, which will ultimately benefit the long-term participation, personal development and wellbeing of players they work with. You can read the full journal article on which this piece is based here. It provides a comprehensive overview of the proposed principles for psychologically-informed coaching of young players in Gaelic games. Dr Patricia Jackman is Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Lincoln, a specialist in Applied Sport Psychology and a former senior inter-county camogie player. Dr Ciarán J. Kearney is Senior Lecturer in Human Development Science at St Mary's University College Belfast and a Chartered Sport Psychologist who consulted with Team Ireland for Paris 2024. Dr Matthew Bird is Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Lincoln. Jack Cooney, is GAA National Player Development Lead, part of GAA National Coaching and Games Department, and a PhD student at DCU.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University staff vote to strike over redundancies
Staff at the University of Lincoln have voted in favour of strike action over plans to shed nearly 300 jobs. The University and College Union (UCU), which has been calling for compulsory redundancies to be ruled out, said 86% of its members who voted had backed a walkout. The dispute is over the university's proposals to cut up to 285 staff with cuts falling across a number of areas, including the Lincoln International Business School and the history department among others. In a statement, the University of Lincoln said: "We have plans in place to minimise any disruption to teaching or the student experience if industrial action goes ahead." The union acknowledged there were challenges across the educational sector but said the crisis had been handled "especially poorly" at the University of Lincoln. It said the crisis had been made worse by careless spending decisions and a management team operating with little input from academic staff, or accountability for their mistakes. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Yearly cuts had damaged staff morale and management must begin listening to their concerns. "If the vice-chancellor continues to refuse to change direction and rule out compulsory redundancies then we will be forced to strike." A University of Lincoln spokesperson said its priority was to "put students first" and it had a "clear vision and plan" amid the financial pressures facing UK universities. "We remain committed to meaningful dialogue with trades unions as we reshape the university, in line with our refreshed strategy, to meet the needs of the students, communities and businesses we serve." They said the university expected to "achieve a breakeven position due to careful management of finances over the past two years". Last month, a vote of no confidence was passed in the senior leadership team in response to "the direction the university is going in and the decisions that have been made". Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. No-confidence vote in university bosses is passed Uni could shed 285 jobs in 'worst case scenario' University of Lincoln University and College Union
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University staff vote to strike over redundancies
Staff at the University of Lincoln have voted in favour of strike action over plans to shed nearly 300 jobs. The University and College Union (UCU), which has been calling for compulsory redundancies to be ruled out, said 86% of its members who voted had backed a walkout. The dispute is over the university's proposals to cut up to 285 staff with cuts falling across a number of areas, including the Lincoln International Business School and the history department among others. In a statement, the University of Lincoln said: "We have plans in place to minimise any disruption to teaching or the student experience if industrial action goes ahead." The union acknowledged there were challenges across the educational sector but said the crisis had been handled "especially poorly" at the University of Lincoln. It said the crisis had been made worse by careless spending decisions and a management team operating with little input from academic staff, or accountability for their mistakes. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Yearly cuts had damaged staff morale and management must begin listening to their concerns. "If the vice-chancellor continues to refuse to change direction and rule out compulsory redundancies then we will be forced to strike." A University of Lincoln spokesperson said its priority was to "put students first" and it had a "clear vision and plan" amid the financial pressures facing UK universities. "We remain committed to meaningful dialogue with trades unions as we reshape the university, in line with our refreshed strategy, to meet the needs of the students, communities and businesses we serve." They said the university expected to "achieve a breakeven position due to careful management of finances over the past two years". Last month, a vote of no confidence was passed in the senior leadership team in response to "the direction the university is going in and the decisions that have been made". Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. No-confidence vote in university bosses is passed Uni could shed 285 jobs in 'worst case scenario' University of Lincoln University and College Union
