SACM - United Kingdom
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9667
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Item Restricted Genericity acquisition by Arabic-speaking learners of English: an intervention study(University of Southampton, 2025) Jallalah, Manal; Slabakova, Roumyana; Hicks, GlynGenericity, a universal semantic property, encodes complex form-meaning mappings. Learning genericity in a second language (L2) is challenging due to the nature of mapping the semantic meanings and their morphophonological expression, as well as the learner's native language (L1) and the L1-L2 crosslinguistic differences. The literature suggests that Generative Second Language Acquisition findings can be beneficial for the L2 classroom and, therefore, call for bridging the gap between GenSLA and L2 instruction by applying SLA findings in the L2 classroom (Slabakova, 2019; Whong et al., 2014; Marsden, 2018; Ionin & Montrul, 2023). This thesis seeks to contribute to bridging this gap by investigating the effect of addressing the learnability concerns predicted by acquisition research through instruction on the acquisition of genericity by Arabic–speaking learners of English in a classroom context, within the framework of the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (FRH) (Lardiere, 2009) and Slabakova's (2009) cline of difficulty and Bottleneck Hypothesis. To this end, it conducts a cross-linguistic analysis of how genericity works in English and Modern Standard Arabic in preparation for predicting the difficulty that Arabic-speaking learners of English may face. Then, it tests how teaching intervention informed by SLA findings can affect learning generic form-meaning mappings in characterising and kind generic meanings. This thesis predicts that mapping indefinite singulars and bare plurals onto characterising generics is challenging and that L2 learners will use the L1 form-meaning mappings with this meaning. Also, it predicts that the participants may face similar challenges in mapping bare plurals onto kind generic meanings. Mapping definite singulars onto kind generics is predicted to be less challenging in light of the similarity between the L2 learners’ L1 and L2 in this condition. Finally, instruction is predicted to support the L2 learners’ acquisition of generic form-meaning mappings. This thesis follows an intervention study design to test these predictions with a pretest, intervention, post-test and delayed post-test. The study included two groups of low-intermediate L2 learners divided into experimental and comparison groups (total n = 64), and a native control group who provided a baseline (n = 20). The experimental group received instruction on genericity for eight weeks. The study tasks included a written elicited production task, an acceptability judgement task with contexts, and a forced-choice task. The pre-test results revealed that Arabic–speaking learners find the generic form-meaning mappings challenging even when mapping definite singulars to kind generic meaning where the L1 and L2 are similar. The immediate post-test results revealed a significant improvement in the experimental group’s mappings of bare plurals to both generic meanings and mapping definite singulars onto kind generic meaning. However, even after instruction, mapping indefinite singulars to characterising generics remained challenging for the experimental group. The comparison group did not show improvement in all conditions in the post-test. The experimental group maintained the improvement in mapping bare plural to kind generic meaning in the three tasks after being tested twelve weeks later. This study suggests that explicit instruction that considers the reassembly requirement in a learning context in depth and maximises the L2 learners’ engagement with input through practice might positively impact feature reassembly in L2 learning. The results support FRH and BH and highlight the benefit of using SLA findings in operationalising instruction to support L2 acquisition in the L2 classroom-based acquisition context.15 0Item Restricted Wayfinding in Heritage Sites: Custom House ‘‘Vibrant Culture Hub’’ as case study(University of Edinburgh, 2025) Bahuwayrith, Slma; Hollis, EdwardThis research aims to enhance visitor interaction and experience within heritage sites by blending innovative design solutions, technology, and cultural narratives. Using the Vibrant Culture Hub as a case study, the project redefines how heritage sites can be navigated and appreciated in the modern world. While the transformation of Custom House into the Vibrant Culture Hub has addressed some wayfinding challenges, additional aspects remain to be explored. This research will examine how graphics, signage, and digital enhancements can be integrated into historic settings without detracting from their architectural and cultural essence. Furthermore, the research will explore how these wayfinding elements can express the site’s cultural narratives, enriching the visitor’s journey. Inclusivity and accessibility will be central to the solutions, ensuring they cater to all user groups. Insights from the Reading, Adapting, and Connecting Interiors courses will inform this investigation, enhancing its depth and relevance.21 0Item Restricted Web-Based Intervention to Help Nurses to Manage Work-Related Stress in Saudi Arabia: A Feasibility Study(University of Nottingham, 2024-10) Allehyani, Yasser; Blake, HollyBackground: The prevalence of work-related stress (WRS) among healthcare employees globally is higher than that of other professions, with nurses reporting the highest rates. WRS results in functional limitations and decreased productivity at work, and high rates of presenteeism, sickness, absenteeism, and turnover, incurring massive costs for health systems. WRS poses a severe occupational risk for healthcare personnel that can negatively impact their health and the wider economy, but despite well-known prevalence in Saudi Arabia, little is known about particular local issues in this national context. Aims and objectives: This study aims to utilise a novel web-based intervention for work-related stress (WBI-WRS) to support behavioural self-management for nurses with WRS. This digital technology-based intervention can potentially meaningfully affect outcomes such as stress, mental well-being, turnover intentions, and presenteeism. These intervention techniques can improve the general standard of patient care inside healthcare organisations by favourably affecting nurses impacted by WRS. Method: The participants were chosen from a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. Convergent parallel mixed methods research with a feasibility study design was used. This was achieved by testing several variables, including the rate of participant attrition. participant recruitment, participant engagement with the intervention, the appropriateness of the outcome measures, and their experiences with the intervention’s various components. Secondary outcomes of this exploratory study included pre-post measurements of perceived stress, mental well-being, turnover intention, and presenteeism. Quantitative data were collected from a single group before and after the intervention to evaluate primary and secondary outcomes at baseline and six weeks after the WBI-WRS. Semi-structured interviews with 17 nurses were used to gather qualitative insights. Findings: From 81 initial recruits, sixty-eight nurses participated in the quantitative intervention feasibility study and completed three monthly follow-ups to evaluate the research design. It was determined that the research procedure and quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis were practical. The intervention showed an attrition rate of 28% (n=19 drop-outs). Based on their experiences with the intervention, all nurses who completed the intervention expressed satisfaction with its impacts; the feasibility of outcome measures was the sole criterion that needed any degree of adjustment. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 17 nurses (11 female and 6 male, aged between 18 and 55 years old) revealed five thematic topics from interviews concerning their perceptions of the WBI-WRS usability and prospective utility, participation in the toolkit, the impact of the toolkit, and their general attitude towards it: (1) Overview of Work-Related Stress; (2) WBI-WRS Toolkit Features; (3) Experiences with WBI-WRS Toolkit; (4) WBI-WRS Toolkit Impact; and (5) Improving the Toolkit. These topics gave insights into the characteristics required for nurses to use the WBIWRS successfully. As nurses demonstrated improvement in their secondary outcome measures following the WBI-WRS, the quantitative results supported the feasibility of the primary outcomes. Implications: A feasibility trial has been conducted to assess the WBI-WRS Toolkit. The study showed that the toolkit is accessible, acceptable to, and appropriate for nurses practising in Saudi Arabia. The efficacy and long-term usefulness of the WBI-WRS for nurses and other healthcare professionals in the Saudi context now need to be tested in a definitive trial.14 0Item Restricted The prevalence, related factors, and burnout levels among primary health care nurses in elderly care settings(2022-09-30) Alshahrani, Nouf; Roberts, Sara LisabethBackground: Primary healthcare nursing denotes the valuable healthcare component services delivered to varied patient groups. Burnout is a persistent challenge for the healthcare professionals assigned primary roles in different settings. The burnout emerges in the execution of geriatric care in primary care settings. Aim: To establish the prevalence, varied factors related, and burnout levels in PHC nurses Methodology: A systematic review was conducted. A search was conducted on PubMed, MEDLINE Complete, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect. PRISMA Flow Chart guided the screening and selection of studies against predetermined eligibility criteria. ROBINS-I Tool facilitated the quality assessment of the studies and data extraction done in a matrix. A synthesis of the studies generated the key themes of the systematic review Results: The search generated 757 studies. The principal themes from the ten included studies were prevalence of burnout in PHC nurses offering geriatric care, factors, and levels of burnout in PHC nurses delivering geriatric care. The risk factors from the studies were with patient overcapacity, limited opportunities for professional advancement, and poor team staffing. The risk of acquiring infections, role ambiguity, excessive workload, economic insufficiency, and stigmatizing attitudes exposed primary care nurses in geriatric care to burnout. Conclusions: The systematic review reveals increased risk of burnout among primary care nurses in geriatric care. The high incidence of burnout complicates the geriatric care process for the primary care nurses. Future studies could identify the factors leading to burnout in geriatric care nurses in primary care centres to generate a viewpoint on the problem outside hospitals.25 0