Using Cultural Capital as a Resource for Negotiating Participation in a Teacher Community of Practice: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maistry, Suriamurthee

2010-01-01

Continuing professional development (CPD) initiatives for teachers in South Africa take on various forms, ranging from formalised, structured, credit-bearing certification programmes to informal, relatively unstructured, situated learning programmes. While many formal programmes can claim success by measuring throughput rates, there is still much…

We Are the Game Changers: An Open Gaming Literacy Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnab, Sylvester; Morini, Luca; Green, Kate; Masters, Alex; Bellamy-Woods, Tyrone

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the first iteration of Game Changers Programme hosted by Coventry University's Disruptive Media Learning Lab (DMLL), an open game design initiative. The Programme had the goal of facilitating new models of teaching and learning, new practices in cross-faculty learning/ collaboration to make game design and development more…

Mentees' Views of a Structured Mentoring Programme at Unisa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulze, S.

2010-01-01

The Management of one college at Unisa initiated a structured mentoring programme to develop researchers, among others. This article reports the views of 43 mentees of the programme one year after implementation. The research design was a survey. The items in a questionnaire were influenced by the self-efficacy theory and the constructivist views…

Leadership Learning: A Development Initiative for Experienced New Zealand Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardno, Carol; Fitzgerald, Tanya

2005-01-01

Purpose: During the 2000-2004 period, one New Zealand tertiary institution provided a management development programme for experienced secondary school principals. Aims to determine the extent to which the learning had been sustained beyond the formal programme. Design/methodology/approach: A postal questionnaire was administered to 80…

Nutrition advocacy and national development: the PROFILES programme and its application.

PubMed Central

Burkhalter, B. R.; Abel, E.; Aguayo, V.; Diene, S. M.; Parlato, M. B.; Ross, J. S.

1999-01-01

Investment in nutritional programmes can contribute to economic growth and is cost-effective in improving child survival and development. In order to communicate this to decision-makers, the PROFILES nutrition advocacy and policy development programme was applied in certain developing countries. Effective advocacy is necessary to generate financial and political support for scaling up from small pilot projects and maintaining successful national programmes. The programme uses scientific knowledge to estimate development indicators such as mortality, morbidity, fertility, school performance and labour productivity from the size and nutritional condition of populations. Changes in nutritional condition are estimated from the costs, coverage and effectiveness of proposed programmes. In Bangladesh this approach helped to gain approval and funding for a major nutrition programme. PROFILES helped to promote the nutrition component of an early childhood development programme in the Philippines, and to make nutrition a top priority in Ghana's new national child survival strategy. The application of PROFILES in these and other countries has been supported by the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Micronutrient Initiative and other bodies. PMID:10361758

Addressing Diversity and Inclusion in the Early Years in Conflict-Affected Societies: A Case Study of the Media Initiative for Children--Northern Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connolly, Paul; Fitzpatrick, Siobhan; Gallagher, Tony; Harris, Paul

2006-01-01

This article reports on the development and systematic evaluation of an innovative early years programme aimed at encouraging young children to respect differences within a deeply divided society that is emerging out of a prolonged period of violent conflict. The programme, the Media Initiative for Children--Northern Ireland, has been the product…

Coping Successfully with Dyslexia: An Initial Study of an Inclusive School-Based Resilience Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firth, Nola; Frydenberg, Erica; Steeg, Charlotte; Bond, Lyndal

2013-01-01

A dyslexia coping programme entitled "Success and Dyslexia" was implemented in two primary schools within a whole-class coping programme and whole-school dyslexia professional development context. One hundred and two year 6 students, 23 of whom had dyslexia, undertook surveys pretest, post-test and at 1-year follow-up. Effectiveness of…

Using Quality Enhancement Processes to Achieve Sustainable Development and Support for Sessional Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lekkas, D.; Winning, T. A.

2017-01-01

Consistent with quality enhancement, we report on how we used a continuous improvement cycle to formalise and embed an academic development and support programme for our School's sessional staff. Key factors in establishing and maintaining the programme included: local change agents supported initially by institutional project funding; School…

Quality of care in patients with psoriasis: an initial clinical study of an international disease management programme.

PubMed

de Korte, J; Van Onselen, J; Kownacki, S; Sprangers, M A G; Bos, J D

2005-01-01

Patients with psoriasis have to cope with their disease for many years or even throughout their entire life. To provide optimal care, a disease management programme was developed. This programme consisted of disease education, disease management training, and psychological support, together with topical treatment. To test a disease management programme in dermatological practice, to assess patients' satisfaction with this programme, and adherence to topical treatment. Additionally, disease severity and quality of life were assessed. An initial clinical investigation was conducted in 10 European treatment centres. A total of 330 patients were included. Patient satisfaction, adherence, disease severity and quality of life were measured with study-specific and standardized self-report questionnaires. Patients reported a high degree of satisfaction with the programme, and a high degree of adherence to topical treatment. Disease severity and quality of life significantly improved. The programme was well received by the participating professionals. The disease management programme was found to be a useful tool in the management of psoriasis, providing patients with relief from the burden of psoriasis in everyday life. A full-scale evaluation is recommended.

Improving quality of care for depression: the German Action Programme for the implementation of evidence-based guidelines.

PubMed

Härter, Martin; Bermejo, Isaac; Ollenschläger, Günter; Schneider, Frank; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Hegerl, Ulrich; Niebling, Wilhelm; Berger, Mathias

2006-04-01

Depressive disorders are of great medical and political significance. The potential inherent in achieving better guideline orientation and a better collaboration between different types of care is clear. Throughout the 1990s, educational initiatives were started for implementing guidelines. Evidence-based guidelines on depression have been formulated in many countries. This article presents an action programme for structural, educational, and research-related measures to implement evidence-based care of depressive disorders in the German health system. The starting points of the programme are the 'Guidelines Critical Appraisal Reports' of the 'Guideline Clearing House' and measures from the 'Competence Network on Depression and Suicidality' (CNDS) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The article gives an overview of the steps achieved as recommended by the Guidelines Critical Appraisal Reports and the ongoing transfer process into the German health care system. The action programme shows that comprehensive interventions to develop and introduce evidence-based guidelines for depression can achieve benefits in the care of depression, e.g. in recognition, management, and clinical outcome. It was possible to implement the German Action Programme in selected care settings, and initial evaluation results suggest some improvements. The action programme provides preliminary work, materials, and results for developing a future 'Disease Management Programme' (DMP) for depression.

Improving Practices in Early Childhood Classrooms in Pakistan: Issues and Challenges from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juma, Audrey

2004-01-01

This article focuses on an early childhood programme that has been initiated by the Institute for Educational Development at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. The programme is a Certificate in Education and involves training teachers so as to enable them to understand early childhood education and development, and to become effective…

How long does it take to become fit?

PubMed Central

Pearn, J

1980-01-01

To become fit an individual must generate optimal muscle strength and must develop cardiopulmonary reserve, or stamina. Physical fitness programmes require motivation, a graded series of appropriately designed exercises, and scientific surveillance. Motivation and efficiency in fitness programmes depends on early positive feedback to participants, confirming that stamina and strength are developing. A practical field experiment was performed to determine the minimum time that healthy young adults require to reach an initial plateau in objective measures of fitness. Fifty male university undergraduates were studied during an annual volunteer military training camp. Thirty had volunteered to take part in the fitness programme; the remaining 20 had initially rejected the offer but underwent the programme as part of their military training and acted as unmotivated controls. All the subjects became fit within 14 days of starting training, with objective improvement in both absolute strength and pulse recovery times. Non-motivated individuals, training with motivated individuals for 20 minutes each day, can therefore achieve levels of fitness indistinguishable from those of healthy highly motivated subjects. Fitness programmes must be carefully supervised, however, with medical examinations for those about to undergo vigorous exercise. PMID:7437862

Effective screening programmes for cervical cancer in low- and middle-income developing countries.

PubMed

Sankaranarayanan, R; Budukh, A M; Rajkumar, R

2001-01-01

Cervical cancer is an important public health problem among adult women in developing countries in South and Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and south and south-east Asia. Frequently repeated cytology screening programmes--either organized or opportunistic--have led to a large decline in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in developed countries. In contrast, cervical cancer remains largely uncontrolled in high-risk developing countries because of ineffective or no screening. This article briefly reviews the experience from existing screening and research initiatives in developing countries. Substantial costs are involved in providing the infrastructure, manpower, consumables, follow-up and surveillance for both organized and opportunistic screening programmes for cervical cancer. Owing to their limited health care resources, developing countries cannot afford the models of frequently repeated screening of women over a wide age range that are used in developed countries. Many low-income developing countries, including most in sub-Saharan Africa, have neither the resources nor the capacity for their health services to organize and sustain any kind of screening programme. Middle-income developing countries, which currently provide inefficient screening, should reorganize their programmes in the light of experiences from other countries and lessons from their past failures. Middle-income countries intending to organize a new screening programme should start first in a limited geographical area, before considering any expansion. It is also more realistic and effective to target the screening on high-risk women once or twice in their lifetime using a highly sensitive test, with an emphasis on high coverage (>80%) of the targeted population. Efforts to organize an effective screening programme in these developing countries will have to find adequate financial resources, develop the infrastructure, train the needed manpower, and elaborate surveillance mechanisms for screening, investigating, treating, and following up the targeted women. The findings from the large body of research on various screening approaches carried out in developing countries and from the available managerial guidelines should be taken into account when reorganizing existing programmes and when considering new screening initiatives.

Effective screening programmes for cervical cancer in low- and middle-income developing countries.

PubMed Central

Sankaranarayanan, R.; Budukh, A. M.; Rajkumar, R.

2001-01-01

Cervical cancer is an important public health problem among adult women in developing countries in South and Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and south and south-east Asia. Frequently repeated cytology screening programmes--either organized or opportunistic--have led to a large decline in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in developed countries. In contrast, cervical cancer remains largely uncontrolled in high-risk developing countries because of ineffective or no screening. This article briefly reviews the experience from existing screening and research initiatives in developing countries. Substantial costs are involved in providing the infrastructure, manpower, consumables, follow-up and surveillance for both organized and opportunistic screening programmes for cervical cancer. Owing to their limited health care resources, developing countries cannot afford the models of frequently repeated screening of women over a wide age range that are used in developed countries. Many low-income developing countries, including most in sub-Saharan Africa, have neither the resources nor the capacity for their health services to organize and sustain any kind of screening programme. Middle-income developing countries, which currently provide inefficient screening, should reorganize their programmes in the light of experiences from other countries and lessons from their past failures. Middle-income countries intending to organize a new screening programme should start first in a limited geographical area, before considering any expansion. It is also more realistic and effective to target the screening on high-risk women once or twice in their lifetime using a highly sensitive test, with an emphasis on high coverage (>80%) of the targeted population. Efforts to organize an effective screening programme in these developing countries will have to find adequate financial resources, develop the infrastructure, train the needed manpower, and elaborate surveillance mechanisms for screening, investigating, treating, and following up the targeted women. The findings from the large body of research on various screening approaches carried out in developing countries and from the available managerial guidelines should be taken into account when reorganizing existing programmes and when considering new screening initiatives. PMID:11693978

Cost effectiveness of the Oregon quitline "free patch initiative".

PubMed

Fellows, Jeffrey L; Bush, Terry; McAfee, Tim; Dickerson, John

2007-12-01

We estimated the cost effectiveness of the Oregon tobacco quitline's "free patch initiative" compared to the pre-initiative programme. Using quitline utilisation and cost data from the state, intervention providers and patients, we estimated annual programme use and costs for media promotions and intervention services. We also estimated annual quitline registration calls and the number of quitters and life years saved for the pre-initiative and free patch initiative programmes. Service utilisation and 30-day abstinence at six months were obtained from 959 quitline callers. We compared the cost effectiveness of the free patch initiative (media and intervention costs) to the pre-initiative service offered to insured and uninsured callers. We conducted sensitivity analyses on key programme costs and outcomes by estimating a best case and worst case scenario for each intervention strategy. Compared to the pre-intervention programme, the free patch initiative doubled registered calls, increased quitting fourfold and reduced total costs per quit by $2688. We estimated annual paid media costs were $215 per registered tobacco user for the pre-initiative programme and less than $4 per caller during the free patch initiative. Compared to the pre-initiative programme, incremental quitline promotion and intervention costs for the free patch initiative were $86 (range $22-$353) per life year saved. Compared to the pre-initiative programme, the free patch initiative was a highly cost effective strategy for increasing quitting in the population.

Service impact of a national clinical leadership development programme: findings from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Fealy, Gerard M; McNamara, Martin S; Casey, Mary; O'Connor, Tom; Patton, Declan; Doyle, Louise; Quinlan, Christina

2015-04-01

The study reported here was part of a larger study, which evaluated a national clinical leadership development programme with reference to resources, participant experiences, participant outcomes and service impact. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the programme's service impact. Clinical leadership development develops competencies that are expressed in context. The outcomes of clinical leadership development occur at individual, departmental and organisational levels. The methods used to evaluate the service impact were focus groups, group interviews and individual interviews. Seventy participants provided data in 18 separate qualitative data collection events. The data contained numerous accounts of service development activities, initiated by programme participants, which improved service and/or improved the culture of the work setting. Clinical leadership development programmes that incorporate a deliberate service impact element can result in identifiable positive service outcomes. The nuanced relationship between leader development and service development warrants further investigation. This study demonstrates that clinical leadership development can impact on service in distinct and identifiable ways. Clinical leadership development programmes should focus on the setting in which the leadership competencies will be demonstrated. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What Counts is not Falling … but Landing1

PubMed Central

BROUSSELLE, ASTRID

2012-01-01

Implementation evaluations, also called process evaluations, involve studying the development of programmes, and identifying and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Undertaking an implementation evaluation offers insights into evaluation objectives, but does not help the researcher develop a research strategy. During the implementation analysis of the UNAIDS drug access initiative in Chile, the strategic analysis model developed by Crozier and Friedberg was used. However, a major incompatibility was noted between the procedure put forward by Crozier and Friedberg and the specific characteristics of the programme being evaluated. In this article, an adapted strategic analysis model for programme evaluation is proposed. PMID:23526306

Farmers Functional Literacy Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, New Delhi (India).

The Farmers Training and Functional Literacy Programme, initiated by the government of India in 1968, was an effort to translate into practice the concept of linking education (not only vocational training) to development, particularly for increasing production. The project, a joint enterprise of three government ministries, provides participating…

Corporate initiatives in ergonomics--an introduction.

PubMed

Hägg, Göran M

2003-01-01

Examples in the literature of corporate initiatives in ergonomics are reviewed. Different types of programmes are identified with ambitions ranging from time-limited interventions to continuous processes. Common elements are health surveillance, workstation design and choice of tools, product design, quality aspects, participative aspects and education, training and information. The implementation of ergonomics programmes varies substantially depending on the type of company, and company policies and organisation. Some of the most developed ergonomics programmes originate from the automobile industry. Other businesses with many established programmes are the electronics industry, the food industry and the office environment. A participative approach, as well as ergonomics expertise, are crucial ingredients for a successful programme. The scientific evaluation of ergonomics programmes, especially in economical terms, is in too many cases insufficient or missing. Furthermore, links to company core values such as quality improvement are often lacking. Programmes in ergonomics are still often seen as solely a matter of health and safety. Only a few companies have reached the state where ergonomics constitutes an integrated part of the overall strategy of the enterprise.

Professional development of Russian HEIs' management and faculty in CDIO standards application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuchalin, Alexander; Malmqvist, Johan; Tayurskaya, Marina

2016-07-01

The paper presents the approach to complex training of managers and faculty staff for system modernisation of Russian engineering education. As a methodological basis of design and implementation of the faculty development programme, the CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) Approach was chosen due to compliance of its concept to the purposes and tasks of engineering education development in Russia. The authors describe the structure, the content and implementation technology of the programme designed by Tomsk Polytechnic University and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology with the assistance of Chalmers University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology and other members of the CDIO Initiative. The programme evaluation based on the questionnaire results showed that the programme content is relevant, has high practical value and high level of novelty for all categories of participants. Therefore, the CDIO approach was recommended for implementation to improve various elements of the engineering programme such as learning outcomes, content and structure, teaching, learning and assessment methods. Besides, the feedback results obtained through programme participants' survey contribute to identification of problems preventing development of engineering education in Russia and thus serve as milestones for further development of the programme.

Pharmacologically directed strategies in academic anticancer drug discovery based on the European NCI compounds initiative.

PubMed

Hendriks, Hans R; Govaerts, Anne-Sophie; Fichtner, Iduna; Burtles, Sally; Westwell, Andrew D; Peters, Godefridus J

2017-07-11

The European NCI compounds programme, a joint initiative of the EORTC Research Branch, Cancer Research Campaign and the US National Cancer Institute, was initiated in 1993. The objective was to help the NCI in reducing the backlog of in vivo testing of potential anticancer compounds, synthesised in Europe that emerged from the NCI in vitro 60-cell screen. Over a period of more than twenty years the EORTC-Cancer Research Campaign panel reviewed ∼2000 compounds of which 95 were selected for further evaluation. Selected compounds were stepwise developed with clear go/no go decision points using a pharmacologically directed programme. This approach eliminated quickly compounds with unsuitable pharmacological properties. A few compounds went into Phase I clinical evaluation. The lessons learned and many of the principles outlined in the paper can easily be applied to current and future drug discovery and development programmes. Changes in the review panel, restrictions regarding numbers and types of compounds tested in the NCI in vitro screen and the appearance of targeted agents led to the discontinuation of the European NCI programme in 2017 and its transformation into an academic platform of excellence for anticancer drug discovery and development within the EORTC-PAMM group. This group remains open for advice and collaboration with interested parties in the field of cancer pharmacology.

"Short Courses Shouldn't Be Short-Lived!" Enhancing Longer-Term Impact of Short English as a Foreign Language INSET Initiatives in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Chunmei; He, Chuanjun

2015-01-01

Short in-service teacher development (INSET) programmes have been globally used as a form of teacher development, but their impact has been under question. This study sought to examine teacher participants' perceptions of short INSET programmes to come up with better solutions to enhancing their effect on teachers' professional learning. A…

Promoting Sustainability Values within Career-Oriented Degree Programmes: A Case Study Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Paul E.; Murray, Sheran A.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to analyse an initiative to provide learners on "career-based" programmes with opportunities to reflect upon their values within the context of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: An international literature review relating values and behaviour to the sustainability agenda led to the development of…

Leading through Partnership: Enhancing the Teach First Leadership Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blandford, Sonia

2014-01-01

Teach First works in partnership with government, business organisations, higher education institutions (providers of Initial Teacher Training, ITT) and schools to offer a two-year integrated Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) Leadership Development Programme; the first cohort of students were accepted in 2003. Its delivery of an integrated…

What Counts is not Falling … but Landing: Strategic Analysis: An Adapted Model for Implementation Evaluation.

PubMed

Brousselle, Astrid

2004-04-01

Implementation evaluations, also called process evaluations, involve studying the development of programmes, and identifying and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Undertaking an implementation evaluation offers insights into evaluation objectives, but does not help the researcher develop a research strategy. During the implementation analysis of the UNAIDS drug access initiative in Chile, the strategic analysis model developed by Crozier and Friedberg was used. However, a major incompatibility was noted between the procedure put forward by Crozier and Friedberg and the specific characteristics of the programme being evaluated. In this article, an adapted strategic analysis model for programme evaluation is proposed.

Progress in centralised ethics review processes: Implications for multi-site health evaluations.

PubMed

Prosser, Brenton; Davey, Rachel; Gibson, Diane

2015-04-01

Increasingly, public sector programmes respond to complex social problems that intersect specific fields and individual disciplines. Such responses result in multi-site initiatives that can span nations, jurisdictions, sectors and organisations. The rigorous evaluation of public sector programmes is now a baseline expectation. For evaluations of large and complex multi-site programme initiatives, the processes of ethics review can present a significant challenge. However in recent years, there have been new developments in centralised ethics review processes in many nations. This paper provides the case study of an evaluation of a national, inter-jurisdictional, cross-sector, aged care health initiative and its encounters with Australian centralised ethics review processes. Specifically, the paper considers progress against the key themes of a previous five-year, five nation study (Fitzgerald and Phillips, 2006), which found that centralised ethics review processes would save time, money and effort, as well as contribute to more equitable workloads for researchers and evaluators. The paper concludes with insights for those charged with refining centralised ethics review processes, as well as recommendations for future evaluators of complex multi-site programme initiatives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges in designing an All-Wales professional development programme to empower ward sisters and charge nurses.

PubMed

Jasper, Melanie A; Grundy, Lynne; Curry, Esther; Jones, Lynne

2010-09-01

To discuss the challenges of designing a professional development programme for ward managers working in in-patient facilities in Wales. In 2008, the Minister of Health launched the Free to Lead, Free to Care initiative to empower ward managers. One work-stream involved the creation of a universal professional development programme to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to function effectively in their roles in the newly restructured NHS in Wales. A collaborative, staged approach, involving multiple stakeholders, resulted in the design of a programme founded in principles of action and work-based learning tailored to the needs of the individual in attaining accredited competencies. Achieving buy-in and ownership from stakeholders are essential to ensure standardization and consistency of implementation of a universal programme. Shared responsibility and acceptance of key principles underpinning an individualized, work-based programme are fundamental to ensuring equity of outcome achievement. IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT: Managerially facilitated cultural change is needed to embed individual work-based professional development programmes in the clinical environment, with practitioners supported through a variety of learning strategies appropriate to their learning needs. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Building capacity to develop an African teaching platform on health workforce development: a collaborative initiative of universities from four sub Saharan countries.

PubMed

Amde, Woldekidan Kifle; Sanders, David; Lehmann, Uta

2014-05-30

Health systems in many low-income countries remain fragile, and the record of human resource planning and management in Ministries of Health very uneven. Public health training institutions face the dual challenge of building human resources capacity in ministries and health services while alleviating and improving their own capacity constraints. This paper reports on an initiative aimed at addressing this dual challenge through the development and implementation of a joint Masters in Public Health (MPH) programme with a focus on health workforce development by four academic institutions from East and Southern Africa and the building of a joint teaching platform. Data were obtained through interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, direct and participant observations, and reviews of publications and project documents. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The institutions developed and collaboratively implemented a 'Masters Degree programme with a focus on health workforce development'. It was geared towards strengthening the leadership capacity of Health ministries to develop expertise in health human resources (HRH) planning and management, and simultaneously build capacity of faculty in curriculum development and innovative educational practices to teach health workforce development. The initiative was configured to facilitate sharing of experience and resources. The implementation of this initiative has been complex, straddling multiple and changing contexts, actors and agendas. Some of these are common to postgraduate programmes with working learners, while others are unique to this particular partnership, such as weak institutional capacity to champion and embed new programmes and approaches to teaching. The partnership, despite significant inherent challenges, has potential for providing real opportunities for building the field and community of practice, and strengthening the staff and organizational capacity of participant institutions. Key learning points of the paper are:• the need for long-term strategies and engagement;• the need for more investment and attention to developing the capacity of academic institutions;• the need to invest specifically in educational/teaching expertise for innovative approaches to teaching and capacity development more broadly; and• the importance of increasing access and support for students who are working adults in public health institutions throughout Africa.

Learning through Cases: Adopting a Nested Approach to Case-Study Work in the Gold Fields Participatory Course Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotz-Sisitka, Heila; Raven, Glenda

2004-01-01

This paper argues that there is a need, in southern Africa, to develop in-depth understanding in educational reform initiatives. Through ongoing reflexive development of a professional development programme in environmental education, we have found that case-study methodology, which emphasizes context-dependent knowledge, is significant for…

The management of cardiovascular disease in the Netherlands: analysis of different programmes

PubMed Central

Cramm, Jane M.; Tsiachristas, Apostolos; Walters, Bethany H.; Adams, Samantha A.; Bal, Roland; Huijsman, Robbert; Rutten-Van Mölken, Maureen P.M.H.; Nieboer, Anna P.

2013-01-01

Background Disease management programmes are increasingly used to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of chronic care delivery. But, disease management programme development and implementation is a complex undertaking that requires effective decision-making. Choices made in the earliest phases of programme development are crucial, as they ultimately impact costs, outcomes and sustainability. Methods To increase our understanding of the choices that primary healthcare practices face when implementing such programmes and to stimulate successful implementation and sustainability, we compared the early implementation of eight cardiovascular disease management programmes initiated and managed by healthcare practices in various regions of the Netherlands. Using a mixed-methods design, we identified differences in and challenges to programme implementation in terms of context, patient characteristics, disease management level, healthcare utilisation costs, development costs and health-related quality of life. Results Shifting to a multidisciplinary, patient-centred care pathway approach to disease management is demanding for organisations, professionals and patients, and is especially vulnerable when sustainable change is the goal. Funding is an important barrier to sustainable implementation of cardiovascular disease management programmes, although development costs of the individual programmes varied considerably in relation to the length of the development period. The large number of professionals involved in combination with duration of programme development was the largest cost drivers. While Information and Communication Technology systems to support the new care pathways did not directly contribute to higher costs, delays in implementation indirectly did. Conclusions Developing and implementing cardiovascular disease management programmes is time-consuming and challenging. Multidisciplinary, patient-centred care demands multifaceted changes in routine care. As care pathways become more complex, they also become more expensive. Better preparedness and training can prevent unnecessary delays during the implementation period and are crucial to reducing costs. PMID:24167456

The management of cardiovascular disease in the Netherlands: analysis of different programmes.

PubMed

Cramm, Jane M; Tsiachristas, Apostolos; Walters, Bethany H; Adams, Samantha A; Bal, Roland; Huijsman, Robbert; Rutten-Van Mölken, Maureen P M H; Nieboer, Anna P

2013-01-01

Disease management programmes are increasingly used to improve the efficacy and effectiveness of chronic care delivery. But, disease management programme development and implementation is a complex undertaking that requires effective decision-making. Choices made in the earliest phases of programme development are crucial, as they ultimately impact costs, outcomes and sustainability. To increase our understanding of the choices that primary healthcare practices face when implementing such programmes and to stimulate successful implementation and sustainability, we compared the early implementation of eight cardiovascular disease management programmes initiated and managed by healthcare practices in various regions of the Netherlands. Using a mixed-methods design, we identified differences in and challenges to programme implementation in terms of context, patient characteristics, disease management level, healthcare utilisation costs, development costs and health-related quality of life. Shifting to a multidisciplinary, patient-centred care pathway approach to disease management is demanding for organisations, professionals and patients, and is especially vulnerable when sustainable change is the goal. Funding is an important barrier to sustainable implementation of cardiovascular disease management programmes, although development costs of the individual programmes varied considerably in relation to the length of the development period. The large number of professionals involved in combination with duration of programme development was the largest cost drivers. While Information and Communication Technology systems to support the new care pathways did not directly contribute to higher costs, delays in implementation indirectly did. Developing and implementing cardiovascular disease management programmes is time-consuming and challenging. Multidisciplinary, patient-centred care demands multifaceted changes in routine care. As care pathways become more complex, they also become more expensive. Better preparedness and training can prevent unnecessary delays during the implementation period and are crucial to reducing costs.

Factors influencing participation in cardiac rehabilitation programmes after referral and initial attendance: qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis.

PubMed

Clark, Alexander M; King-Shier, Kathryn M; Spaling, Melisa A; Duncan, Amanda S; Stone, James A; Jaglal, Susan B; Thompson, David R; Angus, Jan E

2013-10-01

Greater participation in cardiac rehabilitation improves morbidity and mortality in people with coronary heart disease, but little is understood of patients' decisions to participate. To develop interventions aimed at increasing completion of programmes, we conducted a qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis to explore the complex factors and processes influencing participation in cardiac rehabilitation programmes after referral and initial access. To be included in the review, studies had to contain a qualitative research component, population specific data on programme participation in adults >18 years, and be published ≥1995 as full articles or theses. Ten databases were searched (31 October 2011) using 100+ search terms. Of 2264 citations identified, 62 studies were included involving: 1646 patients (57% female; mean age 64.2), 143 caregivers, and 79 professionals. Patients' participation was most strongly influenced by perceptions of the nature, suitability and scheduling of programmes, social comparisons made possible by programmes, and the degree to which programmes, providers, and programme users met expectations. Women's experiences of these factors rendered them less likely to complete. Comparatively, perceptions of programme benefits had little influence on participation. Factors reducing participation in programmes are varied but amenable to intervention. Participation should be viewed as a 'consumer behaviour' and interventions should mobilize family support, promote 'patient friendly' scheduling, and actively harness the social, identity-related, and experiential aspects of participation.

From Initial Teacher Education through Induction and Beyond: A Longitudinal Study of Primary Teacher Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ní Chróinín, Déirdre; O'Sullivan, Mary

2014-01-01

A better understanding of the relationship between beginning teachers' beliefs and the pedagogies of teacher education (TE) programmes that support their learning across time can enhance TE programme effectiveness. This 6-year longitudinal study examined the development and change of beginning primary classroom teachers' (n = 6) beliefs about…

Can a Competence or Standards Model Facilitate an Inclusive Approach to Teacher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Anne

2009-01-01

The paper seeks to determine whether programmes of initial teacher education (ITE) can contribute to the development of beginning teachers' inclusive attitudes, values and practices. The majority of ITE programmes are based on government prescribed competence or standards frameworks, which are underpinned by Codes of Professional Values. It is…

Alternative Placements in Initial Teacher Education: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdy, Noel; Gibson, Ken

2008-01-01

The paper evaluates a programme of short alternative placements for final-year B.Ed. students in Northern Ireland, which aims to broaden student teachers' experience and develop their transferable skills. The alternative placement programme is set first in an international context of evolving pre-service field placements and then set in a local…

ESL Student Teachers' Perceptions of a Short-Term Overseas Immersion Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jackie F. K.

2009-01-01

In recent years there has been an increasing demand for teachers to develop the international knowledge and skills necessary to help promote their students' global perspectives. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has seized the initiative to provide mandatory overseas immersion programmes for pre-service English teachers to…

Peer Facilitated Writing Groups: A Programmatic Approach to Doctoral Student Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Vijay; Aitchison, Claire

2018-01-01

Very few empirical studies have investigated programmes in which doctoral students act as peer facilitators in faculty writing groups. We report on the development of a centrally delivered doctoral student writing programme in which twenty student participants were mentored and provided with the resources to initiate their own faculty-based…

Gender equity programmes in academic medicine: a realist evaluation approach to Athena SWAN processes

PubMed Central

Caffrey, Louise; Mattingley, Helena; Williamson, Catherine; McKevitt, Christopher

2016-01-01

Objectives Gender inequity has persisted in academic medicine. Yet equity is vital for countries to achieve their full potential in terms of translational research and patient benefit. This study sought to understand how the gender equity programme, Athena SWAN, can be enabled and constrained by interactions between the programme and the context it is implemented into, and whether these interactions might produce unintended consequences. Design Multimethod qualitative case studies using a realist evaluation approach. Setting 5 departments from a university medical school hosting a Translational Research Organisation. Participants 25 hours of observations of gender equality committee meetings, 16 in-depth interviews with Heads of Departments, Committee Leads and key personnel involved in the initiative. 4 focus groups with 15 postdoctoral researchers, lecturers and senior lecturers. Results The implementation of Athena SWAN principles was reported to have created social space to address gender inequity and to have highlighted problematic practices to staff. However, a number of factors reduced the programme's potential to impact gender inequity. Gender inequity was reproduced in the programme's enactment as female staff was undertaking a disproportionate amount of Athena SWAN work, with potential negative impacts on individual women's career progression. Early career researchers experienced problems accessing Athena SWAN initiatives. Furthermore, the impact of the programme was perceived to be undermined by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms, which are beyond the programme's remit. Conclusions Gender equity programmes have the potential to address inequity. However, paradoxically, they can also unintentionally reproduce and reinforce gender inequity through their enactment. Potential programme impacts may be undermined by barriers to staff availing of career development and training initiatives, and by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms. PMID:27609850

HTA programme response to the challenges of dealing with orphan medicinal products: Process evaluation in selected European countries.

PubMed

Nicod, Elena; Annemans, Lieven; Bucsics, Anna; Lee, Anne; Upadhyaya, Sheela; Facey, Karen

2017-03-28

Challenges commonly encountered in HTA of orphan medicinal products (OMPs) were identified in Advance-HTA. Since then, new initiatives have been developed to specifically address issues related to HTA of OMPs. This study aimed to understand why these new HTA initiatives in England, Scotland and at European-level were established and whether they resolve the challenges of OMPs. The work of Advance-HTA was updated with a literature review and a conceptual framework of clinical, regulatory and economic challenges for OMPs was developed. The new HTA programmes were critiqued against the conceptual framework and outstanding challenges identified. The new programmes in England and Scotland recognise the challenges identified in demonstrating the value of ultra-OMPs (and OMPs) and that they require a different process to standard HTA approaches. Wider considerations of disease and treatment experiences from a multi-stakeholder standpoint are needed, combined with other measures to deal with uncertainty (e.g. managed entry agreements). While approaches to assessing this new view of value of OMPs, extending beyond cost/QALY frameworks, differ, their criteria are similar. These are complemented by a European initiative that fosters multi-stakeholder dialogue and consensus about value determinants throughout the life-cycle of an OMP. New HTA programmes specific to OMPs have been developed but questions remain about whether they sufficiently capture value and manage uncertainty in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainable practice change: Professionals' experiences with a multisectoral child health promotion programme in Sweden

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background New methods for prevention and health promotion and are constantly evolving; however, positive outcomes will only emerge if these methods are fully adopted and sustainable in practice. To date, limited attention has been given to sustainability of health promotion efforts. This study aimed to explore facilitators, barriers, and requirements for sustainability as experienced by professionals two years after finalizing the development and implementation of a multisectoral child health promotion programme in Sweden (the Salut programme). Initiated in 2005, the programme uses a 'Salutogenesis' approach to support health-promoting activities in health care, social services, and schools. Methods All professionals involved in the Salut Programme's pilot areas were interviewed between May and September 2009, approximately two years after the intervention package was established and implemented. Participants (n = 23) were midwives, child health nurses, dental hygienists/dental nurses, and pre-school teachers. Transcribed data underwent qualitative content analysis to illuminate perceived facilitators, barriers, and requirements for programme sustainability. Results The programme was described as sustainable at most sites, except in child health care. The perception of facilitators, barriers, and requirements were largely shared across sectors. Facilitators included being actively involved in intervention development and small-scale testing, personal values corresponding to programme intentions, regular meetings, working close with collaborators, using manuals and a clear programme branding. Existing or potential barriers included insufficient managerial involvement and support and perceived constraints regarding time and resources. In dental health care, barriers also included conflicting incentives for performance. Many facilitators and barriers identified by participants also reflected their perceptions of more general and forthcoming requirements for programme sustainability. Conclusions These results contribute to the knowledge of processes involved in achieving sustainability in health promotion initiatives. Facilitating factors include involving front-line professionals in intervention development and using small scale testing; however, the success of a programme requires paying attention to the role of managerial support and an overall supportive system. In summary, these results emphasise the importance for both practitioners and researchers to pay attention to parallel processes at different levels in multidisciplinary improvement efforts intended to ensure sustainable practice change. PMID:21426583

The development of a 'best practice' service for women in a medium-secure psychiatric setting: treatment components and evaluation.

PubMed

Long, Clive G; Fulton, Barbara; Hollin, Clive R

2008-01-01

The inadequacy of inpatient facilities for women with severe psychiatric and co-morbid difficulties has been repeatedly documented. The establishment of effective therapeutic programmes for women in medium psychiatric facilities is also in their infancy, and little research has been undertaken. This article describes the development of a 'best practice' psychological treatment programme for women with a dual diagnosis. Emphasis is placed on the need to develop further intensive gender-specific services using an established model for effective therapeutic service development. In addition to a detailed description of the group therapy programme, staff training initiatives, methods for ensuring treatment integrity and a methodology for service evaluation is given. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Home-based smoking prevention program Smoke-free Kids on smoking-related cognitions: Secondary outcomes from a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hiemstra, Marieke; Engels, Rutger C M E; van Schayck, Onno C P; Otten, Roy

2016-01-01

The home-based smoking prevention programme 'Smoke-free Kids' did not have an effect on primary outcome smoking initiation. A possible explanation may be that the programme has a delayed effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on the development of important precursors of smoking: smoking-related cognitions. We used a cluster randomised controlled trial in 9- to 11-year-old children and their mothers. The intervention condition received five activity modules, including a communication sheet for mothers, by mail at four-week intervals. The control condition received a fact-based programme. Secondary outcomes were attitudes, self-efficacy and social norms. Latent growth curves analyses were used to calculate the development of cognitions over time. Subsequently, path modelling was used to estimate the programme effects on the initial level and growth of each cognition. Analyses were performed on 1398 never-smoking children at baseline. Results showed that for children in the intervention condition, perceived maternal norms increased less strongly as compared to the control condition (β = -.10, p = .03). No effects were found for the other cognitions. Based on the limited effects, we do not assume that the programme will have a delayed effect on smoking behaviour later during adolescence.

Managing the initiation and early implementation of health promotion interventions: a study of a parental support programme in primary care.

PubMed

Westerlund, Anna; Garvare, Rickard; Nyström, Monica E; Eurenius, Eva; Lindkvist, Marie; Ivarsson, Anneli

2017-03-01

Mental health problems are increasing among children and adolescents worldwide, and parental support programmes have been suggested as one preventive intervention. However, the actual impact and low rates of adoption and sustainability of prevention programmes have proven to be a concern, and thus, further studies on their implementation are needed. This study focused on the initial implementation of the International Child Development Programme (ICDP) in primary care. The aim was to investigate the involved actors' views on factors likely to affect implementation and the strategies used to manage them. A case study design with a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative data from questionnaires and interviews was used. Eighty-two professionals at different positions in the involved organisations participated. Directed content analysis was used for analyses, focusing on perceived levels of importance and the manifestation of implementation factors. Interviews and questionnaires provided descriptions of factors influencing the initial ICDP implementation. Uncertainty on how to manage important factors and vague change strategies was reported. Discrepancies in the perceived levels of importance versus manifestation were found regarding several factors, including hands-on support, time and resources, communication and information, a comprehensive plan of action, follow-ups, and external and internal collaborations. Manifested factors were a need for change, motivation and the ICDP's compatibility with existing norms, values and practices. Implementing a parental support programme in a complex setting will benefit from being preceded by a thorough examination of the intervention and the target context and the development of clear implementation strategies based on the results of that examination. This study provides insights into how and by whom knowledge on implementation is applied during the launch of a health promotion programme, and these insights might help increase the rate of adoption and the use of such programmes and thereby increase their effectiveness. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Me and My Body (MAMBO): An Interactive Science Education Programme for Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scalzo, Clare; Killard, Fiona; MacCormac, Aoife; Fryar, James; O' Brien, Emma; O'Kennedy, Richard

2008-01-01

This paper describes a novel science education initiative developed for 8-to 12-year-old children by the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute at Dublin City University, Ireland. "Me and My Body" (MAMBO) is an interactive, multi-faceted programme that enables children to explore and understand the dynamic physiological parameters of the human…

E-Reflections: Comparative Exploration of the Role of e-learning in Training Higher Education Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchill, Tony

2005-01-01

This paper provides an initial evaluation of data gathered by running versions of a five-week online programme called "e-Reflections". This includes comparisons with a course specifically for academics from (or working in) the Gulf and the wider Middle East Region. "e-Reflections" is an online programme developed at University…

"Modeling" Youth Work: Logic Models, Neoliberalism, and Community Praxis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Sara

2016-01-01

This paper examines the use of logic models in the development of community initiatives within the AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps is the civilian national service programme in the U.S., operating as a grants programme to local governments and not-for-profit organisations and providing low-cost labour to address pressing issues of social…

Distance learning: the future of continuing professional development.

PubMed

Southernwood, Julie

2008-10-01

The recent development of a market economy in higher education has resulted in the need to tailor the product to the customers, namely students, employers and commissioning bodies. Distance learning is an opportunity for nurse educators and institutions to address marketing initiatives and develop a learning environment in order to enhance continuing professional development. It provides options for lifelong learning for healthcare professionals--including those working in community settings--that is effective and cost efficient. Development of continuing professional development programmes can contribute to widening the participation of community practitioners in lifelong learning, practice and role development. This paper considers the opportunities that web-based and online education programmes can provide community practitioners to promote professional skills while maintaining a work-life balance, and the role of the lecturer in successfully supporting professionals on web-based learning programmes.

A grounded theory model for reducing stigma in health professionals in Canada.

PubMed

Knaak, S; Patten, S

2016-08-01

The Mental Health Commission of Canada was formed as a national catalyst for improving the mental health system. One of its initiatives is Opening Minds (OM), whose mandate is to reduce mental health-related stigma. This article reports findings from a qualitative study on antistigma interventions for healthcare providers, which includes a process model articulating key stages and strategies for implementing successful antistigma programmes. The study employed a grounded theory methodology. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with programme stakeholders, direct observation of programmes, a review of programme documents, and qualitative feedback from programme participants. Analysis proceeded via the constant comparison method. A model was generated to visually present key findings. Twenty-three in-depth interviews were conducted representing 18 different programmes. Eight programmes were observed directly, 48 programme documents were reviewed, and data from 1812 programme participants were reviewed. The analysis led to a four-stage process model for implementing successful antistigma programmes targeting healthcare providers, informed by the basic social process 'targeting the roots of healthcare provider stigma'. The process model developed through this research may function as a tool to help guide the development and implementation of antistigma programmes in healthcare contexts. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using Academic Literacies and Genre-Based Models for Academic Writing Instruction: A "Literacy" Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingate, Ursula

2012-01-01

Three writing development initiatives carried out at King's College London UK are discussed in this article to illustrate the need to draw on different theoretical models to create effective methods of teaching academic writing. The sequence of initiatives resembles a journey: the destination is to develop academic writing programmes suitable for…

Using Activity Theory to Evaluate a Professional Learning and Development Initiative in the Use of Narrative Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Roseanna; Mentis, Mandia; O'Neill, John

2013-01-01

Analysis of the impact of professional learning and development (PLD) programmes for educators is complex. This article presents an analysis of a PLD initiative in which classroom teachers learned to use narrative assessment for students with "high" and "very high" learning needs. Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory…

Barriers and facilitators to initial and continued attendance at community‐based lifestyle programmes among families of overweight and obese children: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Davoren, M. P.; Harrington, J. M.; Shiely, F.; Perry, I. J.; McHugh, S. M.

2016-01-01

Summary The success of childhood weight management programmes relies on family engagement. While attendance offers many benefits including the support to make positive lifestyle changes, the majority of families referred to treatment decline. Moreover, for those who do attend, benefits are often compromised by high programme attrition. This systematic review investigated factors influencing attendance at community‐based lifestyle programmes among families of overweight or obese children. A narrative synthesis approach was used to allow for the inclusion of quantitative, qualitative and mixed‐method study designs. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Results suggest that parents provided the impetus for programme initiation, and this was driven largely by a concern for their child's psychological health and wellbeing. More often than not, children went along without any real reason or interest in attending. Over the course of the programme, however, children's positive social experiences such as having fun and making friends fostered the desire to continue. The stigma surrounding excess weight and the denial of the issue amongst some parents presented barriers to enrolment and warrant further study. This study provides practical recommendations to guide future policy makers, programme delivery teams and researchers in developing strategies to boost recruitment and minimise attrition. PMID:27862851

[Workplace health promotion through human resources development part II: practical transfer of qualification programme for prevention of psychic stresses].

PubMed

Gregersen, S; Zimber, A; Kuhnert, S; Nienhaus, A

2010-04-01

This article is a follow-on from the first article on the development and evaluation of an intervention programme aiming to teach the staff of care facilities how to better deal with the mental strain they are exposed to. After a brief review of the programme's goal of 'increasing in-house health through staff development' and of the pilot study, this report initially shows how the findings from the pilot phase have been integrated into the original programme and what modifications have been carried out. For example, elements that proved to be successful such as the setting up of a 'steering circle' have been kept and, in addition, solutions for acknowledged weak points such as the insufficient transfer of the acquired knowledge to everyday work situations have been developed. In order to adequately support health care facilities during the implementation of the programme, additional courses to train multipliers who are to offer the necessary assistance, were carried out. The article also covers the evaluation of the quality of the development programme and of the accompanying implementation of the programme by the multipliers. At the end, a practical example is used to illustrate the issue and to demonstrate what actual shape the implementation at the different facilities can take. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.

The Innovative Medicines Initiative's New Drugs for Bad Bugs programme: European public-private partnerships for the development of new strategies to tackle antibiotic resistance.

PubMed

Kostyanev, T; Bonten, M J M; O'Brien, S; Steel, H; Ross, S; François, B; Tacconelli, E; Winterhalter, M; Stavenger, R A; Karlén, A; Harbarth, S; Hackett, J; Jafri, H S; Vuong, C; MacGowan, A; Witschi, A; Angyalosi, G; Elborn, J S; deWinter, R; Goossens, H

2016-02-01

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a global public health threat. Despite the emergence of highly resistant organisms and the huge medical need for new drugs, the development of antibacterials has slowed to an unacceptable level worldwide. Numerous government and non-government agencies have called for public-private partnerships and innovative funding mechanisms to address this problem. To respond to this public health crisis, the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking programme has invested more than €660 million, with a goal of matched contributions from the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, in the development of new antibacterial strategies. The New Drugs for Bad Bugs (ND4BB) programme, an Innovative Medicines Initiative, has the ultimate goal to boost the fight against ABR at every level from basic science and drug discovery, through clinical development to new business models and responsible use of antibiotics. Seven projects have been launched within the ND4BB programme to achieve this goal. Four of them will include clinical trials of new anti-infective compounds, as well as epidemiological studies on an unprecedented scale, which will increase our knowledge of ABR and specific pathogens, and improve the designs of the clinical trials with new investigational drugs. The need for rapid concerted action has driven the funding of seven topics, each of which should add significantly to progress in the fight against ABR. ND4BB unites expertise and provides a platform where the commitment and resources required by all parties are streamlined into a joint public-private partnership initiative of unprecedented scale. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Developing a framework for a novel multi-disciplinary, multi-agency intervention(s), to improve medication management in community-dwelling older people on complex medication regimens (MEMORABLE)--a realist synthesis.

PubMed

Maidment, Ian; Booth, Andrew; Mullan, Judy; McKeown, Jane; Bailey, Sylvia; Wong, Geoffrey

2017-07-03

Medication-related adverse events have been estimated to be responsible for 5700 deaths and cost the UK £750 million annually. This burden falls disproportionately on older people. Outcomes from interventions to optimise medication management are caused by multiple context-sensitive mechanisms. The MEdication Management in Older people: REalist Approaches BAsed on Literature and Evaluation (MEMORABLE) project uses realist synthesis to understand how, why, for whom and in what context interventions, to improve medication management in older people on complex medication regimes residing in the community, work. This realist synthesis uses secondary data and primary data from interviews to develop the programme theory. A realist logic of analysis will synthesise data both within and across the two data sources to inform the design of a complex intervention(s) to help improve medication management in older people. 1. Literature review The review (using realist synthesis) contains five stages to develop an initial programme theory to understand why processes are more or less successful and under which situations: focussing of the research question; developing the initial programme theory; developing the search strategy; selection and appraisal based on relevance and rigour; and data analysis/synthesis to develop and refine the programme theory and context, intervention and mechanism configurations. 2. Realist interviews Realist interviews will explore and refine our understanding of the programme theory developed from the realist synthesis. Up to 30 older people and their informal carers (15 older people with multi-morbidity, 10 informal carers and 5 older people with dementia), and 20 care staff will be interviewed. 3. Developing framework for the intervention(s) Data from the realist synthesis and interviews will be used to refine the programme theory for the intervention(s) to identify: the mechanisms that need to be 'triggered', and the contexts related to these mechanisms. Intervention strategies that change the contexts so the mechanisms are triggered to produce desired outcomes will be developed. Feedback on these strategies will be obtained. This realist synthesis aims to develop a framework (underpinned by our programme theory) for a novel multi-disciplinary, multi-agency intervention(s), to improve medication management in community-dwelling older people on complex medication regimens. PROSPERO CRD42016043506.

Normal development of the tomato clownfish Amphiprion frenatus: live imaging and in situ hybridization analyses of mesodermal and neurectodermal development.

PubMed

Ghosh, J; Wilson, R W; Kudoh, T

2009-12-01

The normal embryonic development of the tomato clownfish Amphiprion frenatus was analysed using live imaging and by in situ hybridization for detection of mesodermal and neurectodermal development. Both morphology of live embryos and tissue-specific staining revealed significant differences in the gross developmental programme of A. frenatus compared with better-known teleost fish models, in particular, initiation of somitogenesis before complete epiboly, initiation of narrowing of the neurectoderm (neurulation) before somitogenesis, relatively early pigmentation of melanophores at the 10-15 somite stage and a distinctive pattern of melanophore distribution. These results suggest evolutionary adaptability of the teleost developmental programme. The ease of obtaining eggs, in vitro culture of the embryo, in situ staining analyses and these reported characteristics make A. frenatus a potentially important model marine fish species for studying embryonic development, physiology, ecology and evolution.

Engaging Parents in Parentline Plus' Time to Talk Community Programme as Part of England's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy: Lessons for Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Mairi Ann; Davis, Liz; Lindsay, Geoff; Davis, Hilton

2012-01-01

Based on 65 interviews with professionals and parents conducted during 2007-2008, this 16-month, mainly qualitative evaluation of Parentline Plus' Time to Talk Community Programme (a preventative initiative within England's teenage pregnancy strategy) found that a community development approach and an ethos of partnership with parents and…

Results from the UK 3rd generation programme: Albion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEwen, R. K.; Axcell, C.; Knowles, P.; Hoade, K. P.; Wilson, M.; Dennis, P. N. J.; Backhouse, P.; Gordon, N. T.

2008-10-01

Following the development of 1st Generation systems in the 1970s, thermal imaging has been in service with the UK armed forces for over 25 years and has proven itself to be a battle winning technology. More recently the wider accessibility to similar technologies within opposing forces has reduced the military advantage provided by these 1st Generation systems and a clear requirement has been identified by the UK MOD for thermal imaging sensors providing increased detection, recognition and identification (DRI) ranges together with a simplified logistical deployment burden and reduced through-life costs. In late 2005, the UK MOD initiated a programme known as "Albion" to develop high performance 3rd Generation single waveband infrared detectors to meet this requirement. At the same time, under a separate programme supporting higher risk technology, a dual waveband infrared detector was also developed. The development phase of the Albion programme has now been completed and prototype detectors are now available and have been integrated into demonstration thermal imaging cameras. The Albion programme has now progressed into the second phase, incorporating both single and dual waveband devices, focussing on low rate initial production (LRIP) and qualification of the devices for military applications. All of the detectors have been fabricated using cadmium mercury telluride material (CMT), grown by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on low cost, gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates and bump bonded to the silicon read out circuit (ROIC). This paper discusses the design features of the 3rd Generation detectors developed in the UK together with the results obtained from the prototype devices both in the laboratory and when integrated into field deployable thermal imaging cameras.

Evolution of HIV and AIDS Programmes in an African Institution of Higher Learning: The Case of the Copperbelt University in Zambia

PubMed Central

Sanjobo, Nawa; Lukwesa, Matilda; Kaziya, Charity; Tepa, Cornwell; Puta, Bernard

2016-01-01

Background: Universities present the foundation for socio-economic and political development. Without structures and processes to fight HIV, there is no prospect of enhancing treatment, prevention, care and support services. Copperbelt University HIV and AIDS response was initiated in 2003 with the aim of building capacity of students and employees in HIV and AIDS. Objectives: The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate how the CBU HIV response has evolved over time and provide a timeline of important milestones in the development process. Method: Peer educators and counsellors conduct sensitization campaigns through one on one discussion, workshops, and drama performances, distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials. Results: HIV Programme has been set up with players from policy, programme and community levels. Strategic processes, collaborations, funding, medical insurance schemes, prevention, treatment, care and support services, training of peer educators and counsellors have been established. Conclusion: Copperbelt University HIV initiative has demonstrated potential to reduce new infections in the university, and is currently expanding her programme to encompass wellness and also spearhead the integration of HIV in the university curriculum. PMID:27347269

A national public health programme on gambling policy development in New Zealand: insights from a process evaluation.

PubMed

Kolandai-Matchett, Komathi; Landon, Jason; Bellringer, Maria; Abbott, Max

2018-03-06

In New Zealand, a public health programme on gambling policy development is part of a national gambling harm reduction and prevention strategy mandated by the Gambling Act 2003. Funded by the Ministry of Health, the programme directs workplace/organisational gambling policies, non-gambling fundraising policies, and local council policies on electronic gaming machines (EGMs). We carried out a process evaluation of this programme to identify practical information (e.g. advocacy approaches; challenges and ameliorating strategies) that can be used by programme planners and implementers to reinforce programme effectiveness and serve to guide similar policy-focused public health initiatives elsewhere. Evaluation criteria, based on the programme's official service specifications, guided our evaluation questions, analysis and reporting. To identify informative aspects of programme delivery, we thematically analysed over 100 six-monthly implementer progress reports (representing 3 years of programme delivery) and transcript of a focus group with public health staff. Identified output-related themes included purposeful awareness raising to build understanding about gambling harms and the need for harm-reduction policies and stakeholder relationship development. Outcome-related themes included enhanced community awareness about gambling harms, community involvement in policy development, some workplace/organisational policy development, and some influences on council EGM policies. Non-gambling fundraising policy development was not common. The programme offers an unprecedented gambling harm reduction approach. Although complex (due to its three distinct policy focus areas targeting different sectors) and challenging (due to the extensive time and resources needed to develop relationships and overcome counteractive views), the programme resulted in some policy development. Encouraging workplace/organisational policy development requires increased awareness of costs to employers and society and appreciation of policy value. Although encouraging non-gambling fundraising policies will likely remain challenging, public debate on ethical aspects could stimulate policy consideration. Influencing council EGM policy decisions will remain important for minimising EGM accessibility among vulnerable communities. Public involvement in EGM policy decisions has strong implications for policy effectiveness. Given the expanding range of gambling activities (including online gambling) presently accessible to communities worldwide, both organisational and public policies (as advocated through the programme) are needed to minimise gambling harms.

The personal value of being part of a Tropical Health Education Trust (THET) links programme to develop a palliative care degree programme in Sub Saharan Africa: a descriptive study of the views of volunteer UK health care professionals.

PubMed

Jack, B A; Kirton, J A; Downing, J; Frame, K

2015-12-14

There is a global need to expand palliative care services to reach the increasing number requiring end of life care. In developing countries where the incidences of cancer are rising there is an urgent need to develop the palliative care workforce. This paper reports on a UK Department for international development (DFID) initiative funded through the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET) where palliative care staff, both clinical and academic, volunteered to help to develop, support and deliver a degree in palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of the study was to explore the personal impact on the health care professionals of being part of this initiative. An evaluation approach using a confidential electronic survey containing quantitative and qualitative questions was distributed to all 17 volunteers on the programme, three months after completion of the first cohort. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content thematic analysis. Ethical review deemed the study to be service evaluation. 82 % (14) responded and several themes emerged from the data including the positive impact on teaching and educational skills; clinical practice and finally personal development. Using a score of 1-10 (1-no impact, 10 maximum impact) 'Lifestyle choices - life work balance' (rating 7.83) had the most impact. This approach to supporting the development of palliative care in Sub-Saharan Africa through skill sharing in supporting the delivery of a degree programme in palliative care was successful in terms of delivery of the degree programme, material development and mentorship of local staff. Additionally, this study shows it provided a range of positive impacts on the volunteer health care professionals from the UK. Professional impacts including increased management skills, and being better prepared to undertake a senior role. However it is the personal impact including lifestyle choices which the volunteers reported as the highest impact. Interestingly, several of the faculty have joined other volunteer programmes to continue to support the international development of palliative care.

Education and Training for Entrepreneurs: A Consideration of Initiatives in Ireland and the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Faoite, Diarmuid; Henry, Colette; Johnston, Kate; van der Sijde, Peter

2003-01-01

A growing body of academic research has examined the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training and support initiatives, with recent studies focusing on the provision of training and other skills development opportunities. An important theme that has emerged from this work is the failure of many programmes and initiatives to take on board the…

Learning from recovery after Hurricane Mitch.

PubMed

Christoplos, Ian; Rodríguez, Tomás; Schipper, E Lisa F; Narvaez, Eddy Alberto; Bayres Mejia, Karla Maria; Buitrago, Rolando; Gómez, Ligia; Pérez, Francisco J

2010-04-01

This paper reviews how Nicaragua has recovered from Hurricane Mitch of October 1998. In particular, it examines how the assumptions and claims that were made during initial recovery planning have proven relevant in light of subsequent development. One must consider the response to Hurricane Mitch from the perspective of the broader trends that have driven recovery, including household, community and government initiatives and the wider economic context. Recovery efforts have not 'transformed' Nicaragua. In fact, market upheavals and livelihood changes in rural areas have had a more profound impact on poverty profiles than recovery programmes. Social protection programmes have been piloted, but patron-client ties and relations with aid providers are still more reliable sources of support in a time of crisis. Risk reduction has become more deeply integrated into the rural development discourse than was the case before the disaster, but risk reduction initiatives continue to place undue emphasis on hazard response rather than addressing vulnerability.

PATHway: Decision Support in Exercise Programmes for Cardiac Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Filos, Dimitris; Triantafyllidis, Andreas; Chouvarda, Ioanna; Buys, Roselien; Cornelissen, Véronique; Budts, Werner; Walsh, Deirdre; Woods, Catherine; Moran, Kieran; Maglaveras, Nicos

2016-01-01

Rehabilitation is important for patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) to improve health outcomes and quality of life. However, adherence to current exercise programmes in cardiac rehabilitation is limited. We present the design and development of a Decision Support System (DSS) for telerehabilitation, aiming to enhance exercise programmes for CVD patients through ensuring their safety, personalising the programme according to their needs and performance, and motivating them toward meeting their physical activity goals. The DSS processes data originated from a Microsoft Kinect camera, a blood pressure monitor, a heart rate sensor and questionnaires, in order to generate a highly individualised exercise programme and improve patient adherence. Initial results within the EU-funded PATHway project show the potential of our approach.

Designing for Learner Success (D4LS) at Otago Polytechnic: From an E-learning Designer's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gedera, Dilani S. P.

2016-01-01

Otago Polytechnic (OP) is currently redesigning and redeveloping its programmes and courses under an institution-wide initiative called Designing for Learner Success (D4LS). This initiative has several phases--design, development, delivery, and evaluation. This article focuses on the processes and considerations in the development phase of D4LS,…

Building capacity to develop an African teaching platform on health workforce development: a collaborative initiative of universities from four sub Saharan countries

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Health systems in many low-income countries remain fragile, and the record of human resource planning and management in Ministries of Health very uneven. Public health training institutions face the dual challenge of building human resources capacity in ministries and health services while alleviating and improving their own capacity constraints. This paper reports on an initiative aimed at addressing this dual challenge through the development and implementation of a joint Masters in Public Health (MPH) programme with a focus on health workforce development by four academic institutions from East and Southern Africa and the building of a joint teaching platform. Methods Data were obtained through interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, direct and participant observations, and reviews of publications and project documents. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Case description The institutions developed and collaboratively implemented a ‘Masters Degree programme with a focus on health workforce development’. It was geared towards strengthening the leadership capacity of Health ministries to develop expertise in health human resources (HRH) planning and management, and simultaneously build capacity of faculty in curriculum development and innovative educational practices to teach health workforce development. The initiative was configured to facilitate sharing of experience and resources. Discussion The implementation of this initiative has been complex, straddling multiple and changing contexts, actors and agendas. Some of these are common to postgraduate programmes with working learners, while others are unique to this particular partnership, such as weak institutional capacity to champion and embed new programmes and approaches to teaching. Conclusions The partnership, despite significant inherent challenges, has potential for providing real opportunities for building the field and community of practice, and strengthening the staff and organizational capacity of participant institutions. Key learning points of the paper are: • the need for long-term strategies and engagement; • the need for more investment and attention to developing the capacity of academic institutions; • the need to invest specifically in educational/teaching expertise for innovative approaches to teaching and capacity development more broadly; and • the importance of increasing access and support for students who are working adults in public health institutions throughout Africa. PMID:24886267

Gender equity programmes in academic medicine: a realist evaluation approach to Athena SWAN processes.

PubMed

Caffrey, Louise; Wyatt, David; Fudge, Nina; Mattingley, Helena; Williamson, Catherine; McKevitt, Christopher

2016-09-08

Gender inequity has persisted in academic medicine. Yet equity is vital for countries to achieve their full potential in terms of translational research and patient benefit. This study sought to understand how the gender equity programme, Athena SWAN, can be enabled and constrained by interactions between the programme and the context it is implemented into, and whether these interactions might produce unintended consequences. Multimethod qualitative case studies using a realist evaluation approach. 5 departments from a university medical school hosting a Translational Research Organisation. 25 hours of observations of gender equality committee meetings, 16 in-depth interviews with Heads of Departments, Committee Leads and key personnel involved in the initiative. 4 focus groups with 15 postdoctoral researchers, lecturers and senior lecturers. The implementation of Athena SWAN principles was reported to have created social space to address gender inequity and to have highlighted problematic practices to staff. However, a number of factors reduced the programme's potential to impact gender inequity. Gender inequity was reproduced in the programme's enactment as female staff was undertaking a disproportionate amount of Athena SWAN work, with potential negative impacts on individual women's career progression. Early career researchers experienced problems accessing Athena SWAN initiatives. Furthermore, the impact of the programme was perceived to be undermined by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms, which are beyond the programme's remit. Gender equity programmes have the potential to address inequity. However, paradoxically, they can also unintentionally reproduce and reinforce gender inequity through their enactment. Potential programme impacts may be undermined by barriers to staff availing of career development and training initiatives, and by wider institutional practices, national policies and societal norms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Parenting for Autism, Language, And Communication Evaluation Study (PALACES): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Williams, Margiad Elen; Hastings, Richard; Charles, Joanna Mary; Evans, Sue; Hutchings, Judy

2017-02-16

Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) often have associated behavioural difficulties that can present a challenge for parents and parenting. There are several effective social learning theory-based parenting programmes for dealing with behavioural difficulties, including the Incredible Years (IY) parent programmes. However, these programmes typically do not specifically target parents of children with ASD. Recently, a new addition to the IY suite of programmes known as the IY Autistic Spectrum and Language Delays (IY-ASLD) parent programme was developed. The main aims of the present study are to examine the feasibility of delivering this programme within child health services and to provide initial evidence for effectiveness and economic costs. The Parenting for Autism, Language, And Communication Evaluation Study (PALACES) trial is a pragmatic, multicentre, pilot randomised controlled trial comparing the IY-ASLD programme with a wait-list control condition. 72 parents of children with ASD (aged 3-8 years) will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or control condition. Data will be collected prior to randomisation and 6 months postrandomisation for all families. Families in the intervention condition only will also be followed up at 12 and 18 months postrandomisation. This study will provide initial evidence of effectiveness for the newly developed IY-ASLD parenting programme. It will also add to the limited economic evidence for an intervention targeting parents of children with ASD and provide longer term data, an important component for evaluations of parenting programmes. Approval for the study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee at the School of Psychology, Bangor University (reference number: 2016-15768) and the North Wales Research Ethics Committee, UK (reference number: 16/WA/0224). The findings will be disseminated through research conferences and peer-reviewed journals. ISRCTN57070414; Pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Parenting for Autism, Language, And Communication Evaluation Study (PALACES): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Williams, Margiad Elen; Hastings, Richard; Charles, Joanna Mary; Evans, Sue; Hutchings, Judy

2017-01-01

Introduction Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) often have associated behavioural difficulties that can present a challenge for parents and parenting. There are several effective social learning theory-based parenting programmes for dealing with behavioural difficulties, including the Incredible Years (IY) parent programmes. However, these programmes typically do not specifically target parents of children with ASD. Recently, a new addition to the IY suite of programmes known as the IY Autistic Spectrum and Language Delays (IY-ASLD) parent programme was developed. The main aims of the present study are to examine the feasibility of delivering this programme within child health services and to provide initial evidence for effectiveness and economic costs. Methods and analysis The Parenting for Autism, Language, And Communication Evaluation Study (PALACES) trial is a pragmatic, multicentre, pilot randomised controlled trial comparing the IY-ASLD programme with a wait-list control condition. 72 parents of children with ASD (aged 3–8 years) will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or control condition. Data will be collected prior to randomisation and 6 months postrandomisation for all families. Families in the intervention condition only will also be followed up at 12 and 18 months postrandomisation. This study will provide initial evidence of effectiveness for the newly developed IY-ASLD parenting programme. It will also add to the limited economic evidence for an intervention targeting parents of children with ASD and provide longer term data, an important component for evaluations of parenting programmes. Ethics and dissemination Approval for the study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee at the School of Psychology, Bangor University (reference number: 2016–15768) and the North Wales Research Ethics Committee, UK (reference number: 16/WA/0224). The findings will be disseminated through research conferences and peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number ISRCTN57070414; Pre-results. PMID:28209607

The Impact of Programme Accreditation on Portuguese Higher Education Provision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sin, Cristina; Tavares, Orlanda; Amaral, Alberto

2017-01-01

The paper analyses the impact of programme accreditation in Portugal further to the operations of the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education, which were initiated in 2009. Tracking the evolution of study programmes, the paper found that, out of the initial 5262 programmes on offer in 2009/2010, 40% have been either…

Effects of greening and community reuse of vacant lots on crime

Treesearch

M. Kondo; B. Hohl; S. Han; C. Branas

2016-01-01

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation initiated a ‘Lots of Green’ programme to reuse vacant land in 2010. We performed a difference-in-differences analysis of the effects of this programme on crime in and around newly treated lots, in comparison to crimes in and around randomly selected and matched, untreated vacant lot controls. The effects of two types...

Rebuilding research capacity in fragile states: the case of a Somali–Swedish global health initiative

PubMed Central

Dalmar, Abdirisak Ahmed; Hussein, Abdullahi Sheik; Walhad, Said Ahmed; Ibrahim, Abdirashid Omer; Abdi, Abshir Ali; Ali, Mohamed Khalid; Ereg, Derie Ismail; Egal, Khadra Ali; Shirwa, Abdulkadir Mohamed; Aden, Mohamed Hussain; Yusuf, Marian Warsame; Abdi, Yakoub Aden; Freij, Lennart; Johansson, Annika; Mohamud, Khalif Bile; Abdulkadir, Yusuf; Emmelin, Maria; Eriksen, Jaran; Erlandsson, Kerstin; Gustafsson, Lars L; Ivarsson, Anneli; Klingberg-Allvin, Marie; Kinsman, John; Källestål, Carina; Målqvist, Mats; Osman, Fatumo; Persson, Lars-Åke; Sahlén, Klas-Göran; Wall, Stig

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT This paper presents an initiative to revive the previous Somali–Swedish Research Cooperation, which started in 1981 and was cut short by the civil war in Somalia. A programme focusing on research capacity building in the health sector is currently underway through the work of an alliance of three partner groups: six new Somali universities, five Swedish universities, and Somali diaspora professionals. Somali ownership is key to the sustainability of the programme, as is close collaboration with Somali health ministries. The programme aims to develop a model for working collaboratively across regions and cultural barriers within fragile states, with the goal of creating hope and energy. It is based on the conviction that health research has a key role in rebuilding national health services and trusted institutions. PMID:28799463

An educational international partnership responding to local needs: process evaluation of the Brazil FAIMER Regional Institute.

PubMed

Amaral, E; Campos, H H; Friedman, S; Morahan, P S; Araujo, M N T; Carvalho, P M; Bollela, V; Ribeiro, M G F; Mennin, S; Haddad, A E; Campos, F

2012-11-01

The Brazilian public health system requires competent professionals sensitive to the needs of the population. The Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) provides a two-year faculty development programme for health professions educators, aiming to build leadership in education to improve health. A partnership with governmental initiatives and FAIMER was established for meeting these needs. This paper describes the initial process evaluation results of the Brazilian FAIMER Institute Fellowship (FAIMER BR). Data were analysed for the classes 2007-2010 regarding: application processes; innovation project themes; retrospective post-pre self-ratings of knowledge acquisition; and professional development portfolios. Seventeen of 26 Brazilian states were represented among 98 Fellows, predominantly from public medical schools (75.5%) and schools awarded Ministry of Health grants to align education with public health services (89.8%). One-third (n = 32) of Fellows' innovation projects were related to these grants. Significant increases occurred in all topic subscales on self-report of knowledge acquisition (effect sizes, 1.21-2.77). In the follow up questionnaire, 63% of Fellows reported that their projects were incorporated into the curriculum or institutional policies. The majority reported that the programme deepened their knowledge (98%), provided new ideas about medical education (90%) and provided skills for conflict management (63%). One-half of the Fellows reported sustained benefits from the programme listserv and other communications, including breadth of expertise, establishment of research collaboration and receiving emotional support. Contributors to initial programme success included alignment of curriculum with governmental initiatives, curriculum design merging educational technology, leadership and management skills and central role of an innovation educational project responding to local needs.

Barriers and facilitators to initial and continued attendance at community-based lifestyle programmes among families of overweight and obese children: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kelleher, E; Davoren, M P; Harrington, J M; Shiely, F; Perry, I J; McHugh, S M

2017-02-01

The success of childhood weight management programmes relies on family engagement. While attendance offers many benefits including the support to make positive lifestyle changes, the majority of families referred to treatment decline. Moreover, for those who do attend, benefits are often compromised by high programme attrition. This systematic review investigated factors influencing attendance at community-based lifestyle programmes among families of overweight or obese children. A narrative synthesis approach was used to allow for the inclusion of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method study designs. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Results suggest that parents provided the impetus for programme initiation, and this was driven largely by a concern for their child's psychological health and wellbeing. More often than not, children went along without any real reason or interest in attending. Over the course of the programme, however, children's positive social experiences such as having fun and making friends fostered the desire to continue. The stigma surrounding excess weight and the denial of the issue amongst some parents presented barriers to enrolment and warrant further study. This study provides practical recommendations to guide future policy makers, programme delivery teams and researchers in developing strategies to boost recruitment and minimise attrition. © 2016 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.

Shifts in global immunisation goals (1984-2004): unfinished agendas and mixed results.

PubMed

Hardon, Anita; Blume, Stuart

2005-01-01

The turn of the millennium has been marked by a large-scale mobilisation of resources for immunisation programmes in developing countries. The resources have been generated by public and private sector parties collaborating in the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). GAVI was formed in response to deteriorating immunisation coverage rates occurring in the late 1990s. GAVI is the latest in a line of vaccine initiatives, which have operated over the past 20 years. This article reviews the five most important global immunisation initiatives that have taken place over those past 20 years. It analyses their origins, shifts in global immunisation goals, identifies key actors, assesses the initiatives' capacity to mobilise resources and increase immunisation coverage, and points to possible unintended effects of the initiatives. The study argues that shifts in global immunisation goals lead to fragmentation in the implementation of vaccine programmes at the local level in developing countries. It also suggests that global actors involved in the formulation of these initiatives appear to miss opportunities to build on past experiences and fail to learn from previous mistakes. This raises questions about the initiatives' sustainability and relevance to the overall objective of preventing vaccine-preventable deaths.

Using the "Knowledge Quartet" to Quantify Mathematical Knowledge in Teaching: The Development of a Protocol for Initial Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weston, Tracy L.

2013-01-01

This study examined trainee teachers' mathematical knowledge in teaching (MKiT) over their final year in a US Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme. This paper reports on an exploratory methodological approach taken to use the "Knowledge Quartet" to quantify MKiT through the development of a new protocol to code trainees' teaching of…

Cardiac rehabilitation and the therapeutic environment: the importance of physical, social, and symbolic safety for programme participation among women.

PubMed

Sutton, Erica J; Rolfe, Danielle E; Landry, Mireille; Sternberg, Leonard; Price, Jennifer A D

2012-08-01

To report an exploration of the multidimensionality of safety in cardiac rehabilitation programmes as perceived by women who were enrolled in the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative in Toronto, Canada. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women. Although cardiac rehabilitation is clinically effective, significantly fewer women than men participate in available programmes. The literature identifies factors affecting women's cardiac rehabilitation participation, and provides possible explanations for this gender disparity. Although safety is mentioned among the barriers to women's cardiac rehabilitation participation, the extent to which safety contributes to programme participation, completion, and maintenance remains under-explored in the cardiac rehabilitation literature. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to examine the role safety and place play for women engaged in cardiac prevention and rehabilitation at the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative. Methods.  From 2005-2006, 14 participants engaged in semi-structured, qualitative interviews lasting 30-90 minutes. Discussions addressed women's experiences at the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were developed: 'Safety', which was sub-categorized according to physical, social, and symbolic interpretations of safety, 'searching for a sense of place', and 'confidence and empowerment'. Feeling physically, socially, and symbolically safe in one's cardiac rehabilitation environment may contribute to programme adherence and exercise maintenance for women. Focusing on comprehensive notions of safety in future cardiac rehabilitation research could offer insight into why many women do not maintain an exercise regimen in currently structured cardiac rehabilitation and community programmes. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

New perspectives on counselling in audiological habilitation/rehabilitation.

PubMed

Borg, Erik; Borg, Birgitta

2015-01-01

To develop and apply a pedagogical method focusing on Empowerment, Empathy, Competence, and Counselling: the EC programme, and to present an initial evaluation. The EC programme was gradually developed within a study circle framework and in dialogue with study circle leaders and participants (clients) with hearing impairment (HI). An evaluation was carried out with the study circle leaders. Seventeen upper secondary school students with HI took part in the development of the programme. Eighteen study circle leaders responded to a questionnaire. The EC programme developed consisted of films, CD, and DVD productions to increase insight into one's own hearing ability, to demonstrate for others what HI means, strategies to evaluate situations, and help to act constructively in social situations. The study circle leaders found most of the course material appropriate and easy to use, as a whole or in parts. The leaders' evaluations indicated that the clients had increased their knowledge about how the HI affected themselves and others. The clients had improved their self-confidence and their empathic view of others. The EC programme can be used in its entirety or in part. Participation may lead to increased empowerment, empathy, competence and counselling ability.

Developing asynchronous online interprofessional education.

PubMed

Sanborn, Heidi

2016-09-01

For many health programmes, developing interprofessional education (IPE) has been a challenge. Evidence on the best method for design and implementation of IPE has been slow to emerge, with little research on how to best incorporate IPE in the asynchronous online learning environment. This leaves online programmes with no clear guidance when embarking upon an initiative to integrate IPE into the curriculum. One tool that can be effective at guiding the incorporation of IPE across all learning platforms is the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies. A project was designed to integrate the nationally defined IPEC competencies throughout an asynchronous, online baccalaureate nursing completion programme. A programme-wide review led to targeted revision of course and unit-level objectives, learning experiences, and assessments based on the IPEC framework. As a result of this effort, the programme curriculum now provides interprofessional learning activities across all courses. This report provides a method for using the IPEC competencies to incorporate IPE within various asynchronous learning assessments, assuring students learn about, with, and from other professions.

Family health nursing: the education programme for the WHO Europe Scottish Pilot.

PubMed

Murray, Ian

2004-06-01

This article outlines the development of the family health nurse (FNH) programme, which was delivered by the University of Stirling in the highlands and islands of Scotland as part of a World Health Organization European pilot project. An outline of the structure of the programme and its key features is described. The concept of the FHN emerged from the WHO's initiative to develop a practitioner who has the family as the organizing focus of their practice (WHO, 2000). An insight is provided into the experience of the first students to undergo this programme, along with a brief summary of the main findings of the external evaluation of both the education programme and the implementation of the role in the remote and rural communities of the highlands and islands of Scotland. Suggestions are made that will hopefully influence the second phase of this project that the Scottish Executive are supporting in an urban setting, which is due to begin in September 2004.

The ESA contribution to the European Satellite Navigation Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, R.; Lo Galbo, P.; de Mateo, M. L.; Steciw, A.; Ashford, E.

1996-02-01

This paper describes the ESA ARTES-9 programme on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). This programme will be the ESA contribution to the wider European Satellite Navigation Programme which is to be implemented as a joint effort of the European Union, Eurocontrol and ESA with the support of other European bodies such as telecommunication operators, national civil aviation authorities, national space agencies, industry, universities and R&D institutes in general. In fact, in view of the geographical area concerned, the large number of parties interested, the experience required and the global nature of GNSS, the proposed initiative can only be successful if based on a strong cooperation at a European and international scale. The ESA ARTES-9 programme will consist on one side, of the design, development and validation of the European complement to the GPS and GLONASS systems (GNSS1), and on the other side of the study, design and pre-development of the European contribution to follow-on systems: GNSS2.

Translating childhood tuberculosis case management research into operational policies.

PubMed

Safdar, N; Hinderaker, S G; Baloch, N A; Enarson, D A; Khan, M A; Morkve, O

2011-08-01

The control of childhood tuberculosis (TB) has been of low priority in TB programmes in high-burden settings. The objective of this paper was to describe the development and testing of tools for the management of childhood TB. The Pakistan National TB Control Programme embarked on a number of activities, including the establishment of policy guidelines for the management of childhood TB and later a guidance document, 'Case Management Desk Guide and Structured Monitoring', to demonstrate the implementation of childhood TB interventions in a programme context. Initial results showed improved case finding and treatment outcome in implementation sites compared with control districts. However, further programme attention is required to improve quality.

Training for Community Development Personnel in India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makhija, H. R.

The book traces the development of training schemes in India for community development workers. It is divided into four parts which deal with: origin and growth of the Community Development Training Programme; problems encountered and the process of solutions through trial and error; major reorganization of the initial program and the research…

Rural-origin health professional students’ perceptions of a support programme offered by Umthombo Youth Development Foundation

PubMed Central

Gumede, Dumisani M.; Campbell, Laura M.; MacGregor, Richard G.

2017-01-01

Background Staffing of rural healthcare facilities is a challenge, with literature supporting the selection and training of rural-origin students. The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) scholarship scheme supports rural students to train as healthcare professionals and offers a unique support programme. This programme has not been evaluated, and this study sought UYDF-supported students’ perceptions of the programme. Aim The aim of the study was to assess students’ perceptions of the UYDF support programme. Methods This was an observational descriptive study. Participants were students supported by UYDF and data were collected by a questionnaire with a Likert scale to assess perceptions of various aspects of the support programme. Results Students’ perceptions about the UYDF support programme were generally positive, with initial orientation and information sharing perceived as useful. Some respondents did not perceive value in holding discussions around English proficiency. The support required appeared to diminish with increasing years of study. Conclusion A comprehensive, proactive compulsory support system that provides both academic and social support was perceived as useful by the UYDF students. Further research is required around aspects such as encouraging English proficiency. In future, the support programme could prioritise students in the early years of their study. PMID:28828873

A systematic review of education programmes to prevent concussion in rugby union.

PubMed

Fraas, Michael R; Burchiel, Jessica

2016-11-01

There is a high incidence of concussion sustained by athletes participating in rugby union, many of which go unreported. A lack of sufficient knowledge about concussion injuries may explain athletes' failure to report. Several rugby union-playing countries have developed injury education and prevention programmes to address this issue. The aim of the current review was to systematically assess the content and level of evidence on concussion education/prevention programmes in rugby union and to make recommendations for the quality, strength, and consistency of this evidence. We searched PubMed, PsycInfo, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscuss, Webofscience, and conducted a manual search for articles. Ten articles were included for review. Of these, six focused on the BokSmart injury prevention programme in South Africa, two focused on the RugbySmart injury prevention programme in New Zealand, one was an analysis of prevention programmes, and one was a systematic review of rugby injury prevention strategies. Despite the initiative to develop concussion education and prevention programmes, there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of such programmes. There is evidence to support education of coaches and referees. In addition, there is scant evidence to suggest that education and rule changes may have the benefit of changing athlete behaviours resulting in a reduction in catastrophic injury.

Bioinformatics education in India.

PubMed

Kulkarni-Kale, Urmila; Sawant, Sangeeta; Chavan, Vishwas

2010-11-01

An account of bioinformatics education in India is presented along with future prospects. Establishment of BTIS network by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India in the 1980s had been a systematic effort in the development of bioinformatics infrastructure in India to provide services to scientific community. Advances in the field of bioinformatics underpinned the need for well-trained professionals with skills in information technology and biotechnology. As a result, programmes for capacity building in terms of human resource development were initiated. Educational programmes gradually evolved from the organisation of short-term workshops to the institution of formal diploma/degree programmes. A case study of the Master's degree course offered at the Bioinformatics Centre, University of Pune is discussed. Currently, many universities and institutes are offering bioinformatics courses at different levels with variations in the course contents and degree of detailing. BioInformatics National Certification (BINC) examination initiated in 2005 by DBT provides a common yardstick to assess the knowledge and skill sets of students passing out of various institutions. The potential for broadening the scope of bioinformatics to transform it into a data intensive discovery discipline is discussed. This necessitates introduction of amendments in the existing curricula to accommodate the upcoming developments.

Disease eradication and health systems development.

PubMed Central

Melgaard, B.; Creese, A.; Aylward, B.; Olivé, J. M.; Maher, C.; Okwo-Bele, J. M.; Lee, J. W.

1998-01-01

This article provides a framework for the design of future eradication programmes so that the greatest benefit accrues to health systems development from the implementation of such programmes. The framework focuses on weak and fragile health systems and assumes that eradication leads to the cessation of the intervention required to eradicate the disease. Five major components of health systems are identified and key elements which are of particular relevance to eradication initiatives are defined. The dearth of documentation which can provide "lessons learned" in this area is illustrated with a brief review of the literature. Opportunities and threats, which can be addressed during the design of eradication programmes, are described and a number of recommendations are outlined. It is emphasized that this framework pertains to eradication programmes but may be useful in attempts to coordinate vertical and horizontal disease control activities for maximum mutual benefits. PMID:10063670

"The Best PLD I've Ever Had": Reconceptualising Professional Learning and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Hazel

2017-01-01

This article shares the journeys of two New Zealand secondary school educators participating in the Virtual Professional Learning and Development programme, who developed sufficient confidence to undertake a Developing Virtual Mentor role in the initiative. Qualitative and quantitative data were developed into stories of change and illustrate the…

Distributed Simulation as a modelling tool for the development of a simulation-based training programme for cardiovascular specialties.

PubMed

Kelay, Tanika; Chan, Kah Leong; Ako, Emmanuel; Yasin, Mohammad; Costopoulos, Charis; Gold, Matthew; Kneebone, Roger K; Malik, Iqbal S; Bello, Fernando

2017-01-01

Distributed Simulation is the concept of portable, high-fidelity immersive simulation. Here, it is used for the development of a simulation-based training programme for cardiovascular specialities. We present an evidence base for how accessible, portable and self-contained simulated environments can be effectively utilised for the modelling, development and testing of a complex training framework and assessment methodology. Iterative user feedback through mixed-methods evaluation techniques resulted in the implementation of the training programme. Four phases were involved in the development of our immersive simulation-based training programme: ( 1) initial conceptual stage for mapping structural criteria and parameters of the simulation training framework and scenario development ( n  = 16), (2) training facility design using Distributed Simulation , (3) test cases with clinicians ( n  = 8) and collaborative design, where evaluation and user feedback involved a mixed-methods approach featuring (a) quantitative surveys to evaluate the realism and perceived educational relevance of the simulation format and framework for training and (b) qualitative semi-structured interviews to capture detailed feedback including changes and scope for development. Refinements were made iteratively to the simulation framework based on user feedback, resulting in (4) transition towards implementation of the simulation training framework, involving consistent quantitative evaluation techniques for clinicians ( n  = 62). For comparative purposes, clinicians' initial quantitative mean evaluation scores for realism of the simulation training framework, realism of the training facility and relevance for training ( n  = 8) are presented longitudinally, alongside feedback throughout the development stages from concept to delivery, including the implementation stage ( n  = 62). Initially, mean evaluation scores fluctuated from low to average, rising incrementally. This corresponded with the qualitative component, which augmented the quantitative findings; trainees' user feedback was used to perform iterative refinements to the simulation design and components (collaborative design), resulting in higher mean evaluation scores leading up to the implementation phase. Through application of innovative Distributed Simulation techniques, collaborative design, and consistent evaluation techniques from conceptual, development, and implementation stages, fully immersive simulation techniques for cardiovascular specialities are achievable and have the potential to be implemented more broadly.

Barriers encountered using skill-mix to deliver caries prevention in dental practices.

PubMed

Hatim, Eman; Kendall, Nick

2012-04-01

This opinion paper provides an analysis of the barriers and successes experienced when developing and implementing a pilot scheme to deliver caries prevention using skill-mix in the National Health Service (NHS) General Dental Services. A training programme was initiated to develop the skills of extended duties dental nurses to deliver fluoride varnish to patients in selected dental practices in Croydon, London, UK. In the light of the evaluation of this programme, a recommendation is made that similar preventive schemes should be delivered in the future within the NHS dental contract.

A practical framework for evaluating a culturally tailored adolescent substance abuse treatment programme in Molokai, Hawaii.

PubMed

Withy, Kelley M; Lee, Wayde; Renger, Ralph F

2007-11-01

Successful substance abuse treatment requires many changes in behavior, attitude and skills. Culturally tailored approaches to substance abuse treatment have shown initial success, but are not yet accepted as best practice models. In order to document programme effectiveness of a new culturally tailored substance abuse treatment programme on the rural island of Molokai, Hawaii, the authors worked to develop a multi-level evaluation plan to measure behavior changes occurring after participation in activities targeting identified causes of substance abuse in the population of interest. The authors compiled interview results to develop a map of identified causes of substance abuse in the community studied. Strategic planning then identified the specific activities aimed at impacting identified root causes. A literature review was performed to document the effectiveness of such activities. An evaluation plan was developed to measure programme impact on antecedent conditions contributing to substance use in this community. Prioritized causes of substance abuse in the target group included low self esteem, lack of self identity and life plan, and limited communication and conflict resolution skills. Activities targeting these conditions included cultural activities, group counseling, and individual counseling. Literature to support the benefit of addressing these factors was uncovered, and evaluation methodology was developed to measure changes in behaviors, attitudes, and practices, as a measure of programme success. While programme evaluation data is still being collected, the authors have demonstrated a sound foundation for programme activities, and designed methodology for collecting meaningful data to measure programme effectiveness at changing important root causes of substance abuse in a rural Native Hawaiian community.

Maintaining professional resilience through group restorative supervision.

PubMed

Wallbank, Sonya

2013-08-01

Restorative clinical supervision has been delivered to over 2,500 professionals and has shown to be highly effective in reducing burnout, stress and increasing compassion satisfaction. Demand for the programme has shown that a sustainable model of implementation is needed for organisations who may not be able to invest in continued individual sessions. Following the initial six sessions, group restorative supervision has been developed and this paper reports on the programme's success in maintaining and continuing to improve compassion satisfaction, stress and burnout through the process of restorative group supervision. This means that organisations can continue to maintain the programme once the initial training has been completed and have confidence within the restorative group supervision to support professionals in managing the emotional demands of their role. The restorative groups have also had inadvertent positive benefits in workplace functioning. The paper outlines how professionals have been able to use this learning to support them in being more effective.

SEE-GRID eInfrastructure for Regional eScience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prnjat, Ognjen; Balaz, Antun; Vudragovic, Dusan; Liabotis, Ioannis; Sener, Cevat; Marovic, Branko; Kozlovszky, Miklos; Neagu, Gabriel

In the past 6 years, a number of targeted initiatives, funded by the European Commission via its information society and RTD programmes and Greek infrastructure development actions, have articulated a successful regional development actions in South East Europe that can be used as a role model for other international developments. The SEEREN (South-East European Research and Education Networking initiative) project, through its two phases, established the SEE segment of the pan-European G ´EANT network and successfully connected the research and scientific communities in the region. Currently, the SEE-LIGHT project is working towards establishing a dark-fiber backbone that will interconnect most national Research and Education networks in the region. On the distributed computing and storage provisioning i.e. Grid plane, the SEE-GRID (South-East European GRID e-Infrastructure Development) project, similarly through its two phases, has established a strong human network in the area of scientific computing and has set up a powerful regional Grid infrastructure, and attracted a number of applications from different fields from countries throughout the South-East Europe. The current SEEGRID-SCI project, ending in April 2010, empowers the regional user communities from fields of meteorology, seismology and environmental protection in common use and sharing of the regional e-Infrastructure. Current technical initiatives in formulation are focusing on a set of coordinated actions in the area of HPC and application fields making use of HPC initiatives. Finally, the current SEERA-EI project brings together policy makers - programme managers from 10 countries in the region. The project aims to establish a communication platform between programme managers, pave the way towards common e-Infrastructure strategy and vision, and implement concrete actions for common funding of electronic infrastructures on the regional level. The regional vision on establishing an e-Infrastructure compatible with European developments, and empowering the scientists in the region in equal participation in the use of pan- European infrastructures, is materializing through the above initiatives. This model has a number of concrete operational and organizational guidelines which can be adapted to help e-Infrastructure developments in other world regions. In this paper we review the most important developments and contributions by the SEEGRID- SCI project.

40+ Years of Instrumentation for the La Silla Paranal Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Odorico, S.

2018-03-01

As ESO Period 100 comes to a close, I look back at the development of ESO's instrumentation programme over more than 40 years. Instrumentation and detector activities were initially started by a small group of designers, engineers, technicians and astronomers while ESO was still at CERN in Geneva in the late 1970s. They have since led to the development of a successful suite of optical and infrared instruments for the La Silla Paranal Observatory, as testified by the continuous growth in the number of proposals for observing time and in the publications based on data from ESO telescopes. The instrumentation programme evolved significantly with the VLT and most instruments were developed by national institutes in close cooperation with ESO. This policy was a cornerstone of the VLT programme from the beginning and a key to its success.

Open Learning within Growing Businesses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klofsten, Magnus; Jones-Evans, Dylan

2013-01-01

Purpose: Understanding the factors behind successful enterprise policy interventions are critical in ensuring effective programme development. The aim of this paper is to analyse an academic-industry initiative in Sweden developed to support knowledge-intensive businesses in expanding their operations. Design/methodology/approach: This paper…

Training of interventional cardiologists in radiation protection--the IAEA's initiatives.

PubMed

Rehani, Madan M

2007-01-08

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has initiated a major international initiative to train interventional cardiologists in radiation protection as a part of its International Action Plan on the radiological protection of patients. A simple programme of two days' training has been developed, covering possible and observed radiation effects among patients and staff, international standards, dose management techniques, examples of good and bad practice and examples indicating prevention of possible injuries as a result of good practice of radiation protection. The training material is freely available on CD from the IAEA. The IAEA has conducted two events in 2004 and 2005 and number of events are planned in 2006. The survey conducted among the cardiologists participating in these programmes indicates that over 80% of them were attending such a structured programme on radiation protection for the first time. As the magnitude of X-ray usage in cardiology grows to match that in interventional radiology, the standards of training on radiation effects, radiation physics and radiation protection in interventional cardiology should also match those in interventional radiology.

Towards a Pre-Service Technology Teacher Education Resource for New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forret, Michael; Fox-Turnbull, Wendy; Granshaw, Bruce; Harwood, Cliff; Miller, Angela; O'Sullivan, Gary; Patterson, Moira

2013-01-01

The Pre-service Technology Teacher Education Resource (PTTER) was developed as a cross-institutional resource to support the development of initial technology teacher education programmes in New Zealand. The PTTER was developed through collaboration involving representatives from each of the six New Zealand university teacher education providers,…

The Collaborative Development of Teacher Training Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stillwell, Christopher

2009-01-01

This paper describes "mentor development", a means of collaborative professional development through peer observation that was initiated by the author with 18 peers, all native English speaker EFL teachers at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, Japan. It shows how such a programme allows teachers to learn from one another…

Higher Education at a Distance and National Development: Reflections on the Indian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panda, Santosh

2005-01-01

Following initial scepticism, the growth and developments within distance education in India have been tremendous. This paper records those developments in one of the largest distance education systems in the world with regard to its contribution to national development. The paper also examines curricular programmes, access and equity, media and…

Health governance by collaboration: a case study on an area-based programme to tackle health inequalities in the Dutch city of the Hague.

PubMed

Plochg, Thomas; Schmidt, Melanie; Klazinga, Niek S; Stronks, Karien

2013-12-01

Area-based programmes are seen as a promising strategy for tackling health inequalities. In these programmes, local authorities and other local actors collaborate to employ health promoting interventions and policies. Little is known about the underlying processes of collaborative governance. To unravel this black box, we explored how the authority of The Hague, The Netherlands, developed a programme tackling health inequalities drawing on a collaborative mode of governance. Case study drawing on qualitative semi-structured interviews and document review. Data were inductively analysed against the concept of collaborative governance. The authority's ambition was to co-produce a programme on tackling health inequalities with local actors. Three stages could be distinguished in the governing process: (i) formulating policy objectives, (ii) translating policy objectives into interventions and (iii) executing health interventions. In the stage of formulating policy objectives, the collaboration led to a reframing of the initial objectives. Furthermore, the translation of the policy objectives into health interventions was rather pragmatic and loosely based on health needs and/or evidence. As a result, the concrete actions that ensued from the programme did not necessarily reflect the initial objectives. In a local system of health governance by collaboration, factors other than the stated policy objectives played a role, eventually undermining the effectiveness of the programme in reducing health inequalities. To be effective, the processes of collaborative governance underlying area-based programmes require the attention of the local authority, including the building and governing of networks, a competent public health workforce and supportive infrastructures.

The Emerging Professional: An Investigation into Teacher Education Students' Developing Conceptions of the Relationship between Theory and Classroom Practice before, during and after a Postgraduate Teaching Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Rupert

2012-01-01

The role of theory in educational practice has long been seen as problematic (Pring 2004) and within initial teacher education (ITE) specifically, various models linking the two have been proposed (Korthagen 2010). In England, ITE is currently in a state of flux, with the majority of university-based postgraduate programmes operating partly at…

Setting up pre-admission visits for children undergoing day surgery: a practice development initiative.

PubMed

O'Shea, Maria; Cummins, Ann; Kelleher, Ann

2010-06-01

The hospital experience can bring about a range of negative emotions for children. The literature clearly states that children who are prepared for surgery recover faster and have fewer negative effects. Pre-admission programmes seek to prepare children (and their parents) for surgery. This paper describes in detail how a pre-admission programme was established for children and their families who were scheduled for day case surgery.

A leadership programme for critical care.

PubMed

Crofts, Linda

2006-08-01

This paper describes the genesis, design and implementation of a leadership programme for critical care. This was an initiative funded by the National Health Service (NHS) Nursing Leadership Project and had at the core of its design flexibility to meet the needs of the individual hospitals, which took part in it. Participation was from the multi-disciplinary critical care team. Six NHS hospitals took part in the programme which was of 20 days duration and took place on hospital sites. The programme used the leadership model of as its template and had a number of distinct components; a baseline assessment, personal development, principles of leadership and critical case reviews. The programme was underpinned by three themes; working effectively in multi-professional teams to provide patient focussed care, managing change through effective leadership and developing the virtual critical care service. Each group set objectives pertinent to their own organisation's needs. The programme was evaluated by a self-reporting questionnaire; group feedback and feedback from stakeholders. Programme evaluation was positive from all the hospitals but it was clear that the impact of the programme varied considerably between the groups who took part. It was noted that there was some correlation between the success of the programme and organisational 'buy in' as well as the organisational culture within which the participants operated. A key feature of the programme success was the critical case reviews, which were considered to be a powerful learning tool and medium for group learning and change management.

Improving the peer review skills of young rheumatologists and researchers in rheumatology: the EMEUNET Peer Review Mentoring Program.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Carrio, Javier; Putrik, Polina; Sepriano, Alexandre; Moltó, Anna; Nikiphorou, Elena; Gossec, Laure; Kvien, Tore K; Ramiro, Sofia

2018-01-01

Although peer review plays a central role in the maintenance of high standards in scientific research, training of reviewing skills is not included in the common education programmes. The Emerging EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) Network (EMEUNET) developed a programme to address this unmet need. The EMEUNET Peer Review Mentoring Program for Rheumatology Journals promotes a systematic training of reviewing skills by engaging mentees in a 'real world' peer review experience supervised by experienced mentors with support from rheumatology journals. This viewpoint provides an overview of this initiative and its outcomes, and discusses its potential limitations. Over 4 years, 18 mentors and 86 mentees have participated. Among the 33 participants who have completed the programme, 13 (39.3%) have become independent reviewers for Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases after the training. This programme has been recently evaluated by a survey and qualitative interviews, revealing a high interest in this initiative. The main strengths (involvement of a top journal and learning opportunities) and weaknesses of the programme (limited number of places and insufficient dissemination) were identified. Overall, this programme represents an innovative and successful approach to peer review training. Continuous evaluation and improvement are key to its functioning. The EMEUNET Peer Review Mentoring Program may be used as a reference for peer review training in areas outside rheumatology.

Recognising and developing students as teachers: Introduction of a novel Undergraduate Certificate in Veterinary Medical Education.

PubMed

Hudson, Neil; Stansbie, Nigel; Rhind, Susan; Brown, Gillian; Handel, Ian; Mellanby, Richard; Bell, Catriona

2016-01-01

A key responsibility of healthcare professionals is the education of clients/patients, colleagues and students undertaking placements. Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has been incorporated in our veterinary medicine programme for a number of years. The aim of this project was to develop a mechanism to formally recognise the important role that students play in the School's teaching and learning processes and foster students as partners in education through the development of a novel Undergraduate Certificate in Veterinary Medical Education (UCVME). Students and veterinarians were surveyed in order to inform the design of the programme. The programme is modular and aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). Students enrol in their third year, undertaking core and elective components, with completion over the final three years of the degree. The UCVME has been positively received, with 30 of 160 third year students enrolling in the programme's first year. Activities receiving credit and designed in partnership between staff and students have included: PAL sessions, widening participation school educational workshops and client education events. This initiative has created numerous student-driven educational opportunities. It is hoped that this programme will facilitate the educational training of students and enhance employability and career satisfaction.

New developments in Indian space policies and programmes—The next five years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridhara Murthi, K. R.; Bhaskaranarayana, A.; Madhusudana, H. N.

2010-02-01

Over past four decades Indian space programme has systematically acquired capabilities in space technologies and implemented its programmes with a high level of focus on societal applications. It is developed into a multi-dimensional programme where its strategy is directed towards diverse stake holders and actors such as government, users and beneficiaries including general public, industrial suppliers as well as customers, academia and other space agencies/international organisations. Over the next five years, the Indian space programme has charted an ambitious set of policies and programmes that aim to enhance impacts on society. The major task is to enlarge and diversify the services delivered to a large section of population affected by income, connectivity and digital divides. While efficacy of application of space based systems have been proven in several fields such as tele-education, water resources management, improving productivity of land and out reaching quality health services and others, the crux of the problem is to evolve sustainable and scalable delivery mechanisms on a very large scale and extending over large geographical areas. Essentially the problem shifts from being predominately a technology problem to one of a composite of economic, cultural and social problems. Tackling such problems would need renewal of policies relating to commercial as well as public service systems. Major programmatic initiatives are planned in the next five years involving new and upgraded technologies to expand services from space to fill the gaps and to improve economic efficiency. Thrust is also given to science and exploration mission beyond Chandrayaan-1 and some initial steps for the participation in human space flight. This paper discusses the policy and strategy perspectives of the programmes planned by Indian Space Research Organisation over next five years.

Towards sustainable transport in the CEI countries

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-05-01

The pilot study "Environmentally Sustainable Transport in the CEI Transition Countries" was initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Republic of Austria (Fe...

Participatory methods for Inuit public health promotion and programme evaluation in Nunatsiavut, Canada.

PubMed

Saini, Manpreet

2017-01-01

Engaging stakeholders is crucial for health promotion and programme evaluations; understanding how to best engage stakeholders is less clear, especially within Indigenous communities. The objectives of this thesis research were to use participatory methods to: (1) co-develop and evaluate a whiteboard video for use as a public health promotion tool in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, and (2) develop and validate a framework for participatory evaluation of Inuit public health initiatives in Nunatsiavut, Labrador. Data collection tools included interactive workshops, community events, interviews, focus-group discussions and surveys. Results indicated the whiteboard video was an engaging and suitable medium for sharing public health messaging due to its contextually relevant elements. Participants identified 4 foundational evaluation framework components necessary to conduct appropriate evaluations, including: (1) community engagement, (2) collaborative evaluation development, (3) tailored evaluation data collection and (4) evaluation scope. This research illustrates stakeholder participation is critical to develop and evaluate contextually relevant public health initiatives in Nunatsiavut, Labrador and should be considered in other Indigenous communities.

Optics outreach in Irish context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McHugh, Emer; Smith, Arlene

2009-06-01

The Applied Optics Group, National University of Ireland Galway is a research centre involved in programmes that cover a wide variety of topics in applied optics and imaging science, including smart optics, adaptive optics, optical scattering and propagation, and engineering optics. The Group have also developed significant outreach programmes both in Primary and Post-Primary schools. It is recognised that there is a need for innovation in Science Education in Ireland and we are committed to working extensively with schools. The main aim of these outreach programmes is to increase awareness and interest in science with students and enhance the communication skills of the researchers working in the Group. The education outreach team works closely with the relevant teachers in both Primary and Post-Primary schools to design and develop learning initiatives to match the needs of the target group of students. The learning programmes are usually delivered in the participating schools during normal class time by a team of Applied Optics specialists. We are involved in running these programmes in both Primary and Post-Primary schools where the programmes are tailored to the curriculum and concentrating on optics and light. The students may also visit the Groups research centre where presentations and laboratory tours are arranged.

Investigating the Baseline Skills of Research Students Using a Competency-Based Self-Assessment Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromley, Anthony P.; Boran, James R.; Myddelton, William A.

2007-01-01

Recent government-led initiatives are changing the nature of the UK PhD to support the greater development of transferable skills. There are similar initiatives internationally. A key requirement and challenge is to effectively assess the "baseline" skills of a cohort on entry to a research programme and then monitor their progress in…

Engaging or Training Sessional Staff: Evidence from an Australian Case of Enhanced Engagement and Motivation in Teaching Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byers, Philippa; Tni, Massimiliano

2014-01-01

This paper examines the effectiveness of a programme of weekly meetings between sessional staff and the unit coordinator of a large first-year class at an Australian university. Interviews with sessional staff indicate that, in addition to training and targeted professional development initiatives, management initiatives that promote engagement…

Developing Tomorrow's Talent: The Case of an Undergraduate Mentoring Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gannon, Judie M.; Maher, Angela

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of an alumni and employer engagement mentoring initiative in a hospitality and tourism school within a UK university. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses the survey method and interviews to provide qualitative and quantitative data on the participants' reactions to the initiative.…

Leadership development and HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Szekeres, Greg; Coates, Thomas J.; Ehrhardt, Anke A.

2010-01-01

Leadership development among all sectors addressing HIV/AIDS has come to be recognized as a critically important endeavor as the HIV pandemic moves into its fourth decade. Globally, there is a tremendous need for well-trained leaders in healthcare, research, policy, programme management, activism and advocacy, especially in countries and settings with high HIV prevalence and limited human resource capacity. This article examines the growing need for HIV/AIDS leadership development, and describes and assesses a number of current initiatives that focus on leadership development in a variety of populations and settings. A series of recommendations are provided to expand the scope and impact of leadership development activities; recommendations are primarily targeted towards foundations and other funders and leadership development programme managers. PMID:18641465

Women's participation in rural credit programmes in Bangladesh and their demand for formal health care: is there a positive impact?

PubMed

Nanda, P

1999-08-01

Within the overall aim of poverty alleviation, development efforts have included credit and self-employment programmes. In Bangladesh, the major beneficiaries of such group-based credit programmes are rural women who use the loans to initiate small informal income-generating activities. This paper explores the benefits of women's participation in credit programmes on their own health seeking. Using data from a sample of 1798 households from rural Bangladesh, conducted in 1991-1992 through repeated random sampling of 87 districts covered by Grameen Bank, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) and Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB), this paper addresses the question: does women's participation in credit programmes significantly affect their use of formal health care? A non-unitary household preference model is suggested to test the hypothesis that women's empowerment through participation in these programmes results in greater control of resources for their own demand for formal health care. The analysis controls for endogeneity due to self-selection and other unobserved village level factors through the use of a weighted two stage instrumental variable approach with village level fixed effects. The findings indicate a positive impact of women's participation in credit programmes on their demand for formal health care. The policy simulations on the results of this study highlight the importance of credit programmes as a health intervention in addition to being a mechanism for women's economic empowerment.

Cancer and the family: assessment, communication and brief interventions-the development of an educational programme for healthcare professionals when a parent has cancer.

PubMed

Grant, Lucy; Sangha, Amrit; Lister, Sara; Wiseman, Theresa

2016-12-01

This study developed and piloted an educational intervention to support healthcare professionals (HCPs) to provide supportive care for families when a parent has cancer. Programme development followed the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, beginning with examination of theory and research, and consultation with experts. The programme content incorporated attachment theory, child development and family systems theory. It was piloted thrice with HCPs from a cancer centre. The evaluation involved a questionnaire, comprising open-ended questions, completed before and after the programme. Data from the questionnaire were analysed using framework analysis. 31 HCPs from varying disciplines participated. The programme was evaluated positively by participants. Before the programme, participants had significant concerns about their professional competence, which included: managing their own emotions; a perceived sensitivity around raising child and family matters with patients and a lack of specialist experience, skills and knowledge. After completing the programme, participants reported greater understanding and knowledge, increased confidence to approach patients about family matters, greater skill to initiate conversations and explore family concerns and guiding parent-child communication according to the child's level of understanding, and an increased engagement and resilience for caring for parents with cancer. Supporting HCPs to provide family-centred care is likely to reduce psychological difficulties in families where a parent has cancer. Further work is planned to disseminate the programme, evaluate the transfer of skills into practice, assess how HCPs manage the emotional demands of providing supportive care over time, and consider on-going professional support for HCPs. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Intergenerational Programmes: Public Policy and Research Implications--An International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatton-Yeo, Alan, Ed.; Ohsako, Toshio, Ed.

This document consists of 12 papers that, together, summarize the key issues underpinning future research and policy development related to intergenerational programs (IPs). "Introduction" (Alan Hatton-Yeo) discusses the project out of which the papers developed. "A General Assessment of IP Initiatives in the Countries…

Intercultural Training and Development at Hildesheim University, Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosse, Elke

2009-01-01

Until recently, the few attempts to develop intercultural competence in German higher education institutions were limited to the initiative of individuals and were mostly targeted at selected groups, e.g. students participating in international master's programmes. Only recently have German universities started to acknowledge the fact that…

A European Master's Programme in Public Health Nutrition.

PubMed

Yngve, A; Warm, D; Landman, J; Sjöström, M

2001-12-01

Effective population-based strategies require people trained and competent in the discipline of Public Health Nutrition. Since 1997, a European Master's Programme in Public Health Nutrition has been undergoing planning and implementation, by establishing initial quality assurance systems with the aid of funding from the European Commission (DG SANCO/F3). Partners from 17 European countries have been involved in the process. A European Network of Public Health Nutrition has been developed and accredited by the European Commission.

Understanding similarities in the local implementation of a healthy environment programme: insights from policy studies.

PubMed

Clavier, Carole; Gendron, Sylvie; Lamontagne, Lise; Potvin, Louise

2012-07-01

This paper reports findings from an evaluation of the local implementation of a procedural public health programme whose objective is to create healthy environments (HE) for vulnerable families in the province of Quebec (Canada) through the funding of local projects. Considering the potential issue of programme-context interaction, our research question was the following: Does the procedural nature of this HE programme result in variation between local cases in terms of the types of projects and collaborations it subsidizes? Given that the creation of healthy environments requires intersectoral health action to address social determinants of health, the data were analysed with respect to intersectorality and cooperation. Results of this qualitative multiple case study (n = 8), for the period 2004-2009, show that the majority of subsidized projects were in the health and social services sector and focused on parenting, parent-child attachment, nutrition and the social networks of families. Only a few initiatives reached beyond the health and social services sector to address social health determinants such as education, housing and transportation. Membership and mandates of the local groups responsible for programme implementation also showed little intersectorality. The limited variation between these eight cases can be attributed to the configuration of the local networks, as well as to specific issues in urban and rural areas. To explain the overall similarity of results across cases, we turned to the literature on policy instruments which suggests that particular characteristics of a programme may produce effects that are independent of its intended objective. In our study, several programme mechanisms, such as those framing the definition of «healthy environment» and budget management rules, could have encouraged the local development of initiatives that focus on individual skills related to parenting and attachment rather than the development of intersectoral health action to address social determinants of health. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reference Specifications for SAVOIR Avionics Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hult, Torbjorn; Lindskog, Martin; Roques, Remi; Planche, Luc; Brunjes, Bernhard; Dellandrea, Brice; Terraillon, Jean-Loup

2012-08-01

Space industry and Agencies have been recognizing already for quite some time the need to raise the level of standardisation in the spacecraft avionics systems in order to increase efficiency and reduce development cost and schedule. This also includes the aspect of increasing competition in global space business, which is a challenge that European space companies are facing at all stages of involvement in the international markets.A number of initiatives towards this vision are driven both by the industry and ESA’s R&D programmes. However, today an intensified coordination of these activities is required in order to achieve the necessary synergy and to ensure they converge towards the shared vision. It has been proposed to federate these initiatives under the common Space Avionics Open Interface Architecture (SAVOIR) initiative. Within this initiative, the approach based on reference architectures and building blocks plays a key role.Following the principles outlined above, the overall goal of the SAVOIR is to establish a streamlined onboard architecture in order to standardize the development of avionics systems for space programmes. This reflects the need to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the development process as well as account the trend towards more functionality implemented by the onboard building blocks, i.e. HW and SW components, and more complexity for the overall space mission objectives.

International institutions, global health initiatives and the challenge of sustainability: lessons from the Brazilian AIDS programme.

PubMed

Le Loup, G; Fleury, S; Camargo, K; Larouzé, B

2010-01-01

The sustainability of successful public health programmes remains a challenge in low and middle income settings. These programmes are often subjected to mobilization-demobilization cycle. Indeed, political and organizational factors are of major importance to ensure this sustainability. The cooperation between the World Bank and the Brazilian AIDS programme highlights the role of international institutions and global health initiatives (GHI), not only to scale up programmes but also to guarantee their stability and sustainability, at a time when advocacy is diminishing and vertical programmes are integrated within health systems. This role is critical at the local level, particularly when economic crisis may hamper the future of public health programmes. Political and organizational evolution should be monitored and warnings should trigger interventions of GHI before the decline of these programmes.

Eradication: lessons from the past.

PubMed Central

Henderson, D. A.

1998-01-01

The declaration in 1980 that smallpox had been eradicated reawakened interest in disease eradication as a public health strategy. The smallpox programme's success derived, in part, from lessons learned from the preceding costly failure of the malaria eradication campaign. In turn, the smallpox programme offered important lessons with respect to other prospective disease control programmes, and these have been effectively applied in the two current global eradication initiatives, those against poliomyelitis and dracunculiasis. Taking this theme a step further, there are those who would now focus on the development of an inventory of diseases which might, one by one, be targeted either for eradication or elimination. This approach, while interesting, fails to recognize many of the important lessons learned and their broad implications for contemporary disease control programmes worldwide. PMID:10063668

Economic development and conservation of biological and cultural diversity in Yunnan Province, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stendell, R.C.; Johnson, Richard L.; Mosesso, J.P.; Zhang, X.

2001-01-01

Chinese and American scientists are co-operating to develop concepts, strategies, agreements, and proposals in support of an economic development and sustainable ecosystems project in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. Yunnan's Provincial Government has initiated a major programme to develop and further utilise its biological resources to help improve economic conditions for its citizens. They are co-operating with the US Geological Survey (USGS) on evaluation and management of biological resources so economic development will be compatible with sustainable ecological systems. Scientists from the USGS and co-operating universities will provide expertise on synthesising biological data, conducting a Gap Analysis for the Province, evaluating innovative economic opportunities, and designing an effective education, training, and outreach programme.

"Stay away from them until you're old enough to make a decision": tobacco company testimony about youth smoking initiation.

PubMed

Wakefield, Melanie; McLeod, Kim; Perry, Cheryl L

2006-12-01

To determine common themes used by US tobacco industry witnesses pertaining to youth smoking initiation during litigation in the United States. Qualitative thematic analysis of transcripts from 29 tobacco litigation cases dating from 1992 to 2002. Youth smoking is portrayed by the tobacco industry as a source of great concern to them. Youth smoking prevention programmes developed by US tobacco companies are supposedly intended to delay decision-making about smoking until age 18, when individuals are then seen to be of an age where they are able to "choose to smoke". Tobacco industry media campaigns, youth access, community and school-based programmes are predicated on peer influence, parental factors, and commercial access being the primary influences on youth smoking uptake, rather than tobacco marketing, inaccurate risk appraisal, price and other factors known to influence youth smoking. Despite substantial financial investment in tobacco industry programmes, their witnesses were able to describe only weak evaluation methods, being preoccupied with measures of message comprehension, programme reach and uptake, and the associated costs of their efforts, rather than any evaluation designed to assess effects on youth smoking behaviour. Stated concerns about youth smoking and youth smoking prevention programmes are put forward in litigation as evidence that the tobacco industry is "serious" about tackling youth smoking, and serve as a primary strategy to improve the tobacco industry's public image. The tobacco industry's evaluation of the effectiveness of their youth smoking prevention programmes is demonstrably insufficient under current public health evaluation standards. Public health and welfare agencies should avoid engagement with tobacco industry-sponsored programmes.

Bulgarian experience in the establishment of reference dose levels and implementation of a quality control system in diagnostic radiology.

PubMed

Vassileva, J; Dimov, A; Slavchev, A; Karadjov, A

2005-01-01

Results from a Bulgarian patient dose survey in diagnostic radiology are presented. Reference levels for entrance surface dose (ESD) were 0.9 mGy for chest radiography (PA), 30 mGy for lumbar spine (Lat), 10 mGy for pelvis, 5 mGy for skull (AP), 3 mGy for skull (Lat) and 13 mGy for mammography. Quality control (QC) programmes were proposed for various areas of diagnostic radiology. Film processing QC warranted special attention. Proposed QC programmes included parameters to be tested, level of expertise needed and two action levels: remedial and suspension. Programmes were tested under clinical conditions to assess initial results and draw conclusions for further QC system development. On the basis of international experience, measurement protocols were developed for all parameters tested. QC equipment was provided as part of the PHARE project. A future problem for QC programme implementation may be the small number of medical physics experts in diagnostic radiology.

Teachers as Therapeutic Agents: Perceptions of a School-Based Mental Health Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindo, Natalya A.; Taylor, Dalena Dillman; Meany-Walen, Kristin K.; Purswell, Katherine; Jayne, Kimberly; Gonzales, Terri; Jones, Leslie

2014-01-01

Teacher-child relationship building (TCRB) is a play-based professional development programme adapted from kinder training and filial therapy. Intended for early education teachers and students, TCRB is designed to strengthen the teacher-child relationship, improve student behaviour, enhance academic involvement and develop teachers' classroom…

Exploring the Nature and Implications of Student Teacher Engagement with Development Education Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baily, Fiona; O'Flaherty, Joanne; Hogan, Deirdre

2017-01-01

In this article, the authors outline and discuss the findings of a research study, which explored student teacher engagement with development education (DE) interventions implemented within Professional Master of Education (PME) programmes across eight Irish Higher Education Institutions. Interpretivist methods were employed incorporating…

Living in the country and studying in the city. The art of passing exams and remaining sane.

PubMed

Grant, Cameron C; Pinnock, Ralph; Asher, M Innes; Sullivan, Michael James

2008-10-01

Doctors working in smaller centres have fewer resources available to help them pass the specialist examination components of their training. To describe the delivery of a teaching programme that helps paediatricians in training in both peripheral and regional centres in New Zealand (NZ) to successfully prepare for their specialist written examinations. The teaching programme was initially developed for paediatricians in training in Auckland and then developed into a national teaching resource. Real-time visual and auditory communication among the various teaching sites was established by the NZ Telepaediatric Service. The sessions were also available for subsequent review, initially as a DVD recording or via a Telepaediatric service videoconferencing unit and, since 2007, as a webcast. In association with the development of this teaching programme, the percentage pass rate for the paediatric specialist examinations has increased significantly for those exam candidates that access the teaching sessions remotely from other NZ centres (60% vs. 82%, chi(1)(2) = 4.28, P = 0.04). Between 80 and 90% of NZ candidates now pass the examination. In comparison, the pass rate for Australian candidates sitting the identical examination remains between 60 and 70%. Telepaediatrics has enabled interactive sessions to be conducted with students in peripheral and the other regional centres as well as those attending in person in Auckland. Its development has enabled examination pass rates in smaller centres to increase.

Transfer of radiation technology to developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markovic, Vitomir; Ridwan, Mohammad

1993-10-01

Transfer of technology is a complex process with many facets, options and constraints. While the concept is an important step in bringing industrialization process to agricultural based countries, it is clear, however, that a country will only benefit from a new technology if it addresses a real need, and if it can be absorbed and adapted to suit the existing cultural and technological base. International Atomic Energy Agency, as UN body, has a mandate to promote nuclear applicationsand assist Member States in transfer of technology for peaceful applications. This mandate has been pursued by many different mechanisms developed in the past years: technical assistance, coordinated research programmes, scientific and technical meetings, publications, etc. In all these activities the Agency is the organizer and initiator, but main contributions come from expert services from developed countries and, increasingly, from developing countries themselves. The technical cooperation among developing coutries more and more becomes part of different programmes. In particular, regional cooperation has been demonstrated as an effective instrument for transfer of technology from developed and among developing countries. Some examples of actual programmes are given.

The implementation of the Strategy Europe 2020 objectives in European Union countries: the concept analysis and statistical evaluation.

PubMed

Stec, Małgorzata; Grzebyk, Mariola

2018-01-01

The European Union (EU), striving to create economic dominance on the global market, has prepared a comprehensive development programme, which initially was the Lisbon Strategy and then the Strategy Europe 2020. The attainment of the strategic goals included in the prospective development programmes shall transform the EU into the most competitive economy in the world based on knowledge. This paper presents a statistical evaluation of progress being made by EU member states in meeting Europe 2020. For the basis of the assessment, the authors proposed a general synthetic measure in dynamic terms, which allows to objectively compare EU member states by 10 major statistical indicators. The results indicate that most of EU countries show average progress in realisation of Europe's development programme which may suggest that the goals may not be achieved in the prescribed time. It is particularly important to monitor the implementation of Europe 2020 to arrive at the right decisions which will guarantee the accomplishment of the EU's development strategy.

Improving the Standards-Based Management-Recognition initiative to provide high-quality, equitable maternal health services in Malawi: an implementation research protocol.

PubMed

Mumtaz, Zubia; Salway, Sarah; Nyagero, Josephat; Osur, Joachim; Chirwa, Ellen; Kachale, Fannie; Saunders, Duncan

2016-01-01

The Government of Malawi is seeking evidence to improve implementation of its flagship quality of care improvement initiative-the Standards Based Management-Recognition for Reproductive Health (SBM-R(RH)). This implementation study will assess the quality of maternal healthcare in facilities where the SBM-R(RH) initiative has been employed, identify factors that support or undermine effectiveness of the initiative and develop strategies to further enhance its operation. Data will be collected in 4 interlinked modules using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Module 1 will develop the programme theory underlying the SBM-R(RH) initiative, using document review and in-depth interviews with policymakers and programme managers. Module 2 will quantitatively assess the quality and equity of maternal healthcare provided in facilities where the SBM-R(RH) initiative has been implemented, using the Malawi Integrated Performance Standards for Reproductive Health. Module 3 will conduct an organisational ethnography to explore the structures and processes through which SBM-R(RH) is currently operationalised. Barriers and facilitators will be identified. Module 4 will involve coordinated co-production of knowledge by researchers, policymakers and the public, to identify and test strategies to improve implementation of the initiative. The research outcomes will provide empirical evidence of strategies that will enhance the facilitators and address the barriers to effective implementation of the initiative. It will also contribute to the theoretical advances in the emerging science of implementation research.

Governing Teachers by Professional Development: State Programmes for Continuing Professional Development in Sweden since 1991

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsten, Nils; Wermke, Wieland

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article was to analyse how teachers' continuing professional development (CPD) contributes to the government of the teaching profession. This is done by examining the CPD initiatives organized by two Swedish national educational agencies since 1991 involving the school subjects of Swedish (standard language education) and…

Effects of an Intervention Programme with Teachers on the Development of Positive Behaviours in Spanish Physical Education Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García-Calvo, Tomás; Sánchez-Oliva, David; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Amado, Diana; Pulido, Juan José

2016-01-01

Background: The physical education (PE) context has been emphasised as an ideal environment for developing positive behaviours among students. Under the Positive Youth Development paradigm, various initiatives have been conducted with the aim of promoting personal and social responsibility among adolescents. Self-Determination Theory has been…

Outreach Programmes for Education and Training: Contributions from the International Cartographic Association

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartwright, W. E.; Fairbairn, D.

2012-07-01

Organisations like the International Cartographic Association champion programmes that develop and deliver education and training to cartographers and geospatial scientists, globally. This can be in the form of traditional university and training college programmes, short courses for professional and technical members of mapping agencies and as outreach initiatives to transfer knowledge about the discipline and its contemporary practices. Through its international community, the ICA undertakes the transfer of knowledge about cartography and GI Science by publishing books and special editions of journals and running workshops. Colleagues from the ICA community conduct these workshops on a volunteer basis, generally with the support of the national member organisation of ICA or the national mapping body. For example, the ICA promotes the generation of extensive publications, generally through its Commissions and Working Groups. The publications include books, journals and the ICA Newsletter. Outreach activities are especially pertinent to up skill colleagues from developing countries. Specialist programmes can be offered for professional and 'everyday' map users (from adults to children). The ICA can assist with its current programmes, designed to embrace professional and non-professional cartographers alike. This paper will address how education and outreach programmes can be supported by international associations, by offering programmes independently, or in partnership with sister associations and national and regional organisations and societies. As well, the paper will address the need to deliver education and outreach programmes not to just the professional international community, but also to map users and citizen map publishers.

Question 1 tobacco education expenditures in Massachusetts, USA.

PubMed

Begay, M E; Glantz, S A

1997-01-01

In 1992, voters in Massachusetts (United States) approved Question 1, a state ballot initiative, which raised the state excise tax to provide funds for tobacco education. To examine Question 1 expenditures for tobacco-specific programmes in the 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 fiscal years. This study examined trends in Question 1 expenditures. Data were collected from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for the 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 fiscal years. The amount of spending on tobacco-specific programmes. Excluding the 1994 fiscal year because the state allocated 18 months of new revenues, from the 1995 fiscal year to the projected 1997 fiscal year, the state will have spent 22% of Question 1 funds for tobacco-specific programmes. Question 1 expenditures for tobacco-specific programmes have declined by 15%, whereas Question 1 expenditures for the other programmes decreased only 0.4%. The legislature has established a trend that has produced real reductions in Question 1 funding for tobacco education, which appears contrary to the mandate of the voters when they enacted Question 1 in 1992. These reductions undermine the effectiveness of tobacco-specific programmes that are an integral part of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Programme. These results also highlight the fact that the initial compromises made after initiatives such as Question 1 are adopted have important long-term consequences for funding of tobacco control initiatives.

Teaching advanced science concepts through Freshman Research Immersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahila, M. J.; Amey-Proper, J.; Jones, W. E.; Stamp, N.; Piper, L. F. J.

2017-03-01

We have developed a new introductory physics/chemistry programme that teaches advanced science topics and practical laboratory skills to freshmen undergraduate students through the use of student-led, bona fide research activities. While many recent attempts to improve college-level physics education have focused on integrating interactive demonstrations and activities into traditional passive lectures, we have taken the idea of active-learning several steps further. Working in conjunction with several research faculty at Binghamton University, we have created a programme that puts undergraduate students on an accelerated path towards working in real research laboratories performing publishable research. Herein, we describe in detail the programme goals, structure, and educational content, and report on our promising initial student outcomes.

The Active plus protocol: systematic development of two theory- and evidence-based tailored physical activity interventions for the over-fifties.

PubMed

van Stralen, Maartje M; Kok, Gerjo; de Vries, Hein; Mudde, Aart N; Bolman, Catherine; Lechner, Lilian

2008-12-04

Limited data are available on the development, implementation and evaluation processes of physical activity promotion programmes among older adults. More integrative insights into interventions describing the planned systematic development, implementation and evaluation are needed. The purpose of this study is to give an integrative insight into the development of the Active plus programme applying the six-step Intervention Mapping protocol. The Active plus programme consisted of two theory- and evidence-based tailored physical activity promotion interventions, both comprising three tailored letters delivered over four months and aimed at raising awareness of insufficient physical activity, and stimulating physical activity initiation and maintenance among the over-fifties. The first intervention, the basic tailored intervention, provided tailored letters that intervened on the psychosocial determinants of physical activity. The second intervention, the intervention plus, provided the same tailored information but additionally provided tailored information about physical activity opportunities in the specific environment in which the older adults lived. This environment-based component also provided access to a forum and e-buddy system on a website. A plan for implementation and evaluation is also described. The planned development of the Active plus programme resulted in two theory- and evidence-based tailored physical activity interventions targeted at the over-fifties. Dutch Trial Register NTR 920.

Adapting the World Federation for Medical Education standards for use in a self-audit of an eye care training programme.

PubMed

Tousignant, B; Du Toit, R

2011-12-01

In 2006, a Postgraduate Diploma in Eye Care (PGDEC) for mid-level health personnel was initiated in Papua New Guinea, in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand, the local government and Divine Word University. In the absence of national accreditation and with limited resources, an interim evaluation was needed. We adapted the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) standards to use in a self-audit to evaluate nine areas and 38 subareas of programme structure, processes and implementation. We developed a rating system: each area and subarea was scored for partial or complete attainment of basic or quality development levels. Ratings were referenced with supporting documents. Data were gathered internally, through document census and meetings between stakeholders. A qualitative and quantitative portrait emerged: all nine programme areas completely attained at least basic level and two completely attained the quality development level. Twenty-six (68%) subareas completely attained the quality development level. Key successes included the administration of the PGDEC, synergies between the partnership's stakeholders and its relationship with the public health system. This self-audit adapted from WFME standards provided a simple, yet systematic and largely objective evaluation. It proved beneficial to further develop the programme, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.

The Sexuality Education Initiative: a programme involving teenagers, schools, parents and sexual health services in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

PubMed

Marques, Magaly; Ressa, Nicole

2013-05-01

In response to abstinence-only programmes in the United States that promote myths and misconceptions about sexuality and sexual behaviour, the comprehensive sexuality education community has been sidetracked from improving the sexuality education available in US schools for almost two decades now. Much work is still needed to move beyond fear-based approaches and the one-way communication of information that many programmes still use. Starting in 2008 Planned Parenthood Los Angeles developed and launched a teen-centred sexuality education programme based on critical thinking, human rights, gender equality, and access to health care that is founded on a theory of change that recognises the complex relationship between the individual and broader environment of cultural norms, socio-economic inequalities, health disparities, legal and institutional factors. The Sexuality Education Initiative is comprised of a 12-session classroom sexuality education curriculum for ninth grade students; workshops for parents; a peer advocacy training programme; and access to sexual health services. This paper describes that experience and presents the rights-based framework that was used, which seeks to improve the learning experience of students, strengthen the capacity of schools, teachers and parents to help teenagers manage their sexuality effectively and understand that they have the right to health care, education, protection, dignity and privacy. Copyright © 2013 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and initial testing of functional task exercise on older adults with cognitive impairment at risk of Alzheimer's disease--FcTSim programme--a feasibility study.

PubMed

Law, Lawla L F; Barnett, Fiona; Yau, Matthew K; Gray, Marion A

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the development of a new functional task-based exercise programme and initially test its feasibility as well as effectiveness for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study used a single-group repeated-measures design. A total of 11 patients (mean age 71.8 years) were recruited to participate in a structured functional task exercise programme for 10 weeks. All outcome measures were undertaken at baseline, post-intervention and post-3-month follow-up using the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Chinese Version Verbal Learning Test (CVVLT), Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (Lawton IADL) and Problems in Everyday Living test (PEDL). Data were analysed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance. Cohen's d effect size was used to assess the practical significant effects. The participants showed significant improvement in NCSE composite score, VFT, CVVLT total free recall, CVVLT 10-minute delayed free recall, Lawton IADL and PEDL. Results of this study demonstrate that the newly designed functional task exercise programme, which uses simulated tasks, is feasible and beneficial to cognitive functions and functional status of older persons with MCI. The findings of the current study further reinforce occupational therapy practitioners' understanding that "occupation" is a "means" and an "end". Further study with a larger population is needed to draw more definitive conclusions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Longitudinal analysis on the development of hospital quality management systems in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Dückers, Michel; Makai, Peter; Vos, Leti; Groenewegen, Peter; Wagner, Cordula

2009-10-01

Many changes have been initiated in the Dutch hospital sector to optimize health-care delivery: national agenda-setting, increased competition and transparency, a new system of hospital reimbursement based on diagnosis-treatment combinations, intensified monitoring of quality and a multi-layered organizational development programme based on quality improvement collaboratives. The objective is to answer the question as to whether these changes were accompanied by a further development of hospital quality management systems and to what extent did the development within the multi-layered programme hospitals differ from that in other hospitals. Longitudinal data were collected in 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2007 using a validated questionnaire. Descriptive analyses and multi-level modelling were applied to test whether: (1) quality management system development stages in hospitals differ over time, (2) development stages and trends differ between hospitals participating or not participating in the multi-layered programme and (3) hospital size has an effect on development stage. Dutch hospital sector between 1995 and 2007. Hospital organizations. Changes through time. Quality management system development stage. Since 1995, hospital quality management systems have reached higher development levels. Programme participants have developed their quality management system more rapidly than have non-participants. However, this effect is confounded by hospital size. Study results suggest that the combination of policy measures at macro level was accompanied by an increase in hospital size and the further development of quality management systems. Hospitals are entering the stage of systematic quality improvement.

How have Global Health Initiatives impacted on health equity?

PubMed

Hanefeld, Johanna

2008-01-01

This review examines the impact of Global Health Initiatives (GHIs) on health equity, focusing on low- and middle-income countries. It is a summary of a literature review commissioned by the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. GHIs have emerged during the past decade as a mechanism in development assistance for health. The review focuses on three GHIs, the US President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the World Bank's Multi-country AIDS Programme (MAP) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. All three have leveraged significant amounts of funding for their focal diseases - together these three GHIs provide an estimated two-thirds of external resources going to HIV/AIDS. This paper examines their impact on gender equity. An analysis of these Initiatives finds that they have a significant impact on health equity, including gender equity, through their processes of programme formulation and implementation, and through the activities they fund and implement, including through their impact on health systems and human resources. However, GHIs have so far paid insufficient attention to health inequities. While increasingly acknowledging equity, including gender equity, as a concern, Initiatives have so far failed to adequately translate this into programmes that address drivers of health inequity, including gender inequities. The review highlights the comparative advantage of individual GHIs, which point to an increased need for, and continued difficulties in, harmonisation of activities at country level. On the basis of this comparative analysis, key recommendations are made. They include a call for equity-sensitive targets, the collection of gender-disaggregated data, the use of policy-making processes for empowerment, programmes that explicitly address causes of health inequity and impact assessments of interventions' effect on social inequities.

Making Sense of Education "Responsibly": Findings from a Study of Student Teachers' Understanding(s) of Education, Sustainable Development and Education for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikel, Jutta

2007-01-01

This article discusses findings from a tri-country study of student teachers' understandings of the purposes of education, their conceptions of sustainable development and the task of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). At its heart are case studies of 30 student teachers from Initial Teacher Education Programmes in England, Denmark and…

Sustaining and Scaling Up Pedagogic Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Grounded Insights for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassler, Bjoern; Hennessy, Sara; Hofmann, Riikka

2018-01-01

Developing sustainable and scalable educational initiatives is a key challenge in low-income countries where donor-funded short-term projects are limited by both contextual factors and programme design. In this commentary we examine some of the issues related to in-service teacher development in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, grounded…

Improving the performance of community health workers in humanitarian emergencies: a realist evaluation protocol for the PIECES programme

PubMed Central

Gilmore, Brynne; Adams, Ben Jack; Bartoloni, Alex; Alhaydar, Bana; McAuliffe, Eilish; Raven, Joanna; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Vallières, Frédérique

2016-01-01

Introduction Understanding what enhances the motivation and performance of community health workers (CHWs) in humanitarian emergencies represents a key research gap within the field of human resources for health. This paper presents the research protocol for the Performance ImprovEment of CHWs in Emergency Settings (PIECES) research programme. Enhancing Learning and Research in Humanitarian Action (ELRHA) funded the development of this protocol as part of their Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) call (No.19839). PIECES aims to understand what factors improve the performance of CHWs in level III humanitarian emergencies. Methods and analysis The suggested protocol uses a realist evaluation with multiple cases across the 3 country sites: Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon. Working with International Medical Corps (IMC), an initial programme theory was elicited through literature and document reviews, semistructured interviews and focus groups with IMC programme managers and CHWs. Based on this initial theory, this protocol proposes a combination of semistructured interviews, life histories and critical incident narratives, surveys and latent variable modelling of key constructs to explain how contextual factors work to trigger mechanisms for specific outcomes relating to IMC's 300+ CHWs' performance. Participants will also include programme staff, CHWs and programme beneficiaries. Realist approaches will be used to better understand ‘what works, for whom and under what conditions’ for improving CHW performance within humanitarian contexts. Ethics and dissemination Trinity College Dublin's Health Policy and Management/Centre for Global Health Research Ethics Committee gave ethical approval for the protocol development phase. For the full research project, additional ethical approval will be sought from: Université St. Joseph (Lebanon), the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health in Baghdad (Iraq) and the Middle East Technical University (Turkey). Dissemination activities will involve a mixture of research feedback, policy briefs, guidelines and recommendations, as well as open source academic articles. PMID:27531730

Understanding the motivation and performance of community health volunteers involved in the delivery of health programmes in Kampala, Uganda: a realist evaluation protocol

PubMed Central

Vareilles, Gaëlle; Pommier, Jeanine; Kane, Sumit; Pictet, Gabriel; Marchal, Bruno

2015-01-01

Introduction The recruitment of community health volunteers to support the delivery of health programmes is a well-established approach in many countries, particularly where health services are not readily available. However, studies on management of volunteers are scarce and current research on human resource management of volunteers faces methodological challenges. This paper presents the protocol of a realist evaluation that aims at identifying the factors influencing the performance of community health volunteers involved in the delivery of a Red Cross immunisation programme in Kampala (Uganda) with a specific focus on motivation. Methods and analysis The realist evaluation cycle structures the protocol. To develop the theoretical basis for the evaluation, the authors conducted interviews and reviewed the literature on community health volunteers’ performance, management and organisational behaviour. This led to the formulation of the initial programme theory, which links the intervention inputs (capacity-building strategies) to the expected outcomes (positive work behaviour) with mechanisms that point in the direction of drivers of motivation. The contextual elements include components such as organisational culture, resource availability, etc. A case study design will be adopted. We define a case as a Red Cross branch, run by a programme manager, and will select two cases at the district level in Kampala. Mixed methods will be used in data collection, including individual interviews of volunteers, participant observation and document review. The thematic analysis will be based on the initial programme theory and will seek for context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Findings from the two cases will be compared. Discussion We discuss the scope for applying realist evaluation and the methodological challenges we encountered in developing this protocol. Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the Ethical Committee at Rennes University Hospital, France. Results will be published in scientific journals, and communicated to respondents and relevant institutions. PMID:25631314

Improving the performance of community health workers in humanitarian emergencies: a realist evaluation protocol for the PIECES programme.

PubMed

Gilmore, Brynne; Adams, Ben Jack; Bartoloni, Alex; Alhaydar, Bana; McAuliffe, Eilish; Raven, Joanna; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Vallières, Frédérique

2016-08-16

Understanding what enhances the motivation and performance of community health workers (CHWs) in humanitarian emergencies represents a key research gap within the field of human resources for health. This paper presents the research protocol for the Performance ImprovEment of CHWs in Emergency Settings (PIECES) research programme. Enhancing Learning and Research in Humanitarian Action (ELRHA) funded the development of this protocol as part of their Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) call (No.19839). PIECES aims to understand what factors improve the performance of CHWs in level III humanitarian emergencies. The suggested protocol uses a realist evaluation with multiple cases across the 3 country sites: Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon. Working with International Medical Corps (IMC), an initial programme theory was elicited through literature and document reviews, semistructured interviews and focus groups with IMC programme managers and CHWs. Based on this initial theory, this protocol proposes a combination of semistructured interviews, life histories and critical incident narratives, surveys and latent variable modelling of key constructs to explain how contextual factors work to trigger mechanisms for specific outcomes relating to IMC's 300+ CHWs' performance. Participants will also include programme staff, CHWs and programme beneficiaries. Realist approaches will be used to better understand 'what works, for whom and under what conditions' for improving CHW performance within humanitarian contexts. Trinity College Dublin's Health Policy and Management/Centre for Global Health Research Ethics Committee gave ethical approval for the protocol development phase. For the full research project, additional ethical approval will be sought from: Université St. Joseph (Lebanon), the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health in Baghdad (Iraq) and the Middle East Technical University (Turkey). Dissemination activities will involve a mixture of research feedback, policy briefs, guidelines and recommendations, as well as open source academic articles. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Rationale and development of an on-line quality assurance programme for colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening setting in Italy.

PubMed

Bucchi, Lauro; Cristiani, Paolo; Costa, Silvano; Schincaglia, Patrizia; Garutti, Paola; Sassoli de Bianchi, Priscilla; Naldoni, Carlo; Olea, Oswaldo; Sideri, Mario

2013-06-28

Colposcopy, the key step in the management of women with abnormal Pap smear results, is a visual technique prone to observer variation, which implies the need for prolonged apprenticeship, continuous training, and quality assurance (QA) measures. Colposcopy QA programmes vary in level of responsibility of organizing subjects, geographic coverage, scope, model, and type of actions. The programmes addressing the clinical standards of colposcopy (quality of examination and appropriateness of clinical decisions) are more limited in space and less sustainable over time than those focused on the provision of the service (resources, accessibility, etc.). This article reports on the protocol of a QA programme targeting the clinical quality of colposcopy in a population-based cervical screening service in an administrative region of northern Italy. After a situation analysis of local colposcopy audit practices and previous QA initiatives, a permanent web-based QA programme was developed. The design places more emphasis on providing education and feedback to participants than on testing them. The technical core is a log-in web application accessible on the website of the regional Administration. The primary objectives are to provide (1) a practical opportunity for retraining of screening colposcopists, and (2) a platform for them to interact with colposcopists from other settings and regions through exchange and discussion of digital colposcopic images. The retraining function is based on repeated QA sessions in which the registered colposcopists log-in, classify a posted set of colpophotographs, and receive on line a set of personal feedback data. Each session ends with a plenary seminar featuring the presentation of overall results and an interactive review of the test set of colpophotographs. This is meant to be a forum for an open exchange of views that may lead to more knowledge and more diagnostic homogeneity. The protocol includes the criteria for selection of colpophotographs and the rationale for colposcopic gold standards. This programme is an ongoing initiative open to further developments, in particular in the area of basic training. It uses the infrastructure of the internet to give a novel solution to technical problems affecting colposcopy QA in population-based screening services.

The Australian tar derby: the origins and fate of a low tar harm reduction programme

PubMed Central

King, W; Carter, S; Borland, R; Chapman, S; Gray, N

2003-01-01

Objective: To document the development of the low tar harm reduction programme in Australia, including tobacco industry responses. Data sources: Tobacco industry documents, retail tobacco journals, newspapers, medical journals, and Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (ACCV) newsletters and archival records. Study selection: Documents on the strategies and knowledge bases of the ACCV, other Australian health authorities, and the tobacco industry. Results: The ACCV built a durable system for measuring and publicising the tar and nicotine yields of Australian cigarettes and influencing their development. The tobacco industry initially sought to block the development of this system but later appeared to cooperate with it, as is evidenced by the current market dominance of low tar brands. However, behind the scenes, the industry used its substantial knowledge advantage regarding compensatory smoking and its ability to re-engineer cigarettes to gain effective control of the system and subvert the ACCV's objectives. Conclusions: Replacement of the low tar programme with new means of minimising the harms from cigarette smoking should be a policy priority for the Australian government. This will require regulation, rather than further voluntary agreements, and stringent monitoring of successor programmes will be necessary. PMID:14645950

Corporate ergonomics programme at Ford Motor Company.

PubMed

Joseph, Bradley S

2003-01-01

The use of ergonomic principles in automobile assembly and manufacturing operations has become an important part of a comprehensive health and safety process as well as an integral part of the engineering systems. Ford Motor Company has developed an ergonomics process to manage issues related to injury and illness (e.g., musculoskeletal diseases) and to ensure the appropriate use of human resources on the plant floor. The ergonomics programme uses joint labour and management teams to identify and evaluate jobs and develop and implement solutions. This paper summarises the efforts of the Ford Motor Company in implementing and maintaining the programme. Key strategies are outlined that provide important links to internal organisational units that are critical to fully utilise the ergonomics process. In addition, the paper outlines differences between proactive and reactive efforts and shows the importance of using the information generated by the initiatives for process improvement.

Effect of a multi-dimensional intervention programme on the motivation of physical education students.

PubMed

Amado, Diana; Del Villar, Fernando; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Sánchez-Oliva, David; Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; García-Calvo, Tomás

2014-01-01

This research study purports to verify the effect produced on the motivation of physical education students of a multi-dimensional programme in dance teaching sessions. This programme incorporates the application of teaching skills directed towards supporting the needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. A quasi-experimental design was carried out with two natural groups of 4(th) year Secondary Education students--control and experimental -, delivering 12 dance teaching sessions. A prior training programme was carried out with the teacher in the experimental group to support these needs. An initial and final measurement was taken in both groups and the results revealed that the students from the experimental group showed an increase of the perception of autonomy and, in general, of the level of self-determination towards the curricular content of corporal expression focused on dance in physical education. To this end, we highlight the programme's usefulness in increasing the students' motivation towards this content, which is so complicated for teachers of this area to develop.

The impact of a unique knowledge translation programme implemented in a large multisite paediatric hospital.

PubMed

Christensen, Catie; Wessells, David; Byars, Michelle; Marrie, James; Coffman, Shaun; Gates, Erin; Selhorst, Mitch

2017-04-01

Physical therapists (PTs) display positive attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP), and implementing it can improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. However, barriers can lead to inconsistent use of EBP. The objectives of this manuscript are to (i) describe the initiation and revisions to a knowledge translation (KT) programme, (ii) assess staff participation in KT, and (iii) evaluate availability, internal use and external dissemination of evidence-based recommendations and research. The KT programme was implemented in a large paediatric hospital employing 66 PTs who provide services in the inpatient, outpatient developmental and sports and orthopaedics settings in 15 locations. The KT programme was initiated 9 years ago but underwent improvements over the past 3 years. Five key revisions included the subdivision of the EBP and Research Coordinator positions by area of practice, increasing the structure of the KT programme, implementing strategies to encourage use of local recommendations, obtaining leadership support to emphasize KT and providing staff education. With the revisions, staff participation in local recommendation development increased from 16.3-68.2%. Research involvement increased from 4.1-50%. The number of local recommendations increased from 1 to 9, and an overall compliance rate of 79% was achieved for the recommendations presented in an algorithm format. External dissemination increased from 1 to 44 for presentations and 0 to 7 for publications. Revisions to a KT programme improved PT engagement in KT activities, increased the availability of local recommendations, encouraged use of EBP and increased external dissemination of information. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pilot evaluation of an adolescent risk and injury prevention programme incorporating curriculum and school connectedness components.

PubMed

Chapman, R L; Buckley, L; Sheehan, M; Shochet, I M

2013-08-01

School connectedness is an important protective factor for adolescent risk-taking behaviour. This study examined a pilot version of the Skills for Preventing Injury in Youth (SPIY) programme, combining teacher professional development (PD) for increasing school connectedness (connectedness component) with a risk and injury prevention curriculum for early adolescents (curriculum component). A process evaluation was conducted on the connectedness component, involving assessments of programme reach, participant receptiveness and initial use, and a preliminary impact evaluation was conducted on the combined connectedness and curriculum programme. The connectedness component was well received by teacher participants, who saw benefits for both themselves and their students. Classroom observation also showed that teachers who received PD made use of the programme strategies. Grade 8 students who participated in the SPIY programme were less likely to report violent behaviour at 6-month follow-up than were control students, and trends also suggested reduced transport injuries. The results of this research support the use of the combined SPIY connectedness and curriculum components in a large-scale effectiveness trial to assess the impact of the programme on students' connectedness, risk-taking and associated injuries.

International standards for programmes of training in intensive care medicine in Europe.

PubMed

2011-03-01

To develop internationally harmonised standards for programmes of training in intensive care medicine (ICM). Standards were developed by using consensus techniques. A nine-member nominal group of European intensive care experts developed a preliminary set of standards. These were revised and refined through a modified Delphi process involving 28 European national coordinators representing national training organisations using a combination of moderated discussion meetings, email, and a Web-based tool for determining the level of agreement with each proposed standard, and whether the standard could be achieved in the respondent's country. The nominal group developed an initial set of 52 possible standards which underwent four iterations to achieve maximal consensus. All national coordinators approved a final set of 29 standards in four domains: training centres, training programmes, selection of trainees, and trainers' profiles. Only three standards were considered immediately achievable by all countries, demonstrating a willingness to aspire to quality rather than merely setting a minimum level. Nine proposed standards which did not achieve full consensus were identified as potential candidates for future review. This preliminary set of clearly defined and agreed standards provides a transparent framework for assuring the quality of training programmes, and a foundation for international harmonisation and quality improvement of training in ICM.

Global health diplomacy in Iraq: international relations outcomes of multilateral tuberculosis programmes.

PubMed

Kevany, Sebastian; Jaf, Payman; Workneh, Nibretie Gobezie; Abu Dalod, Mohammad; Tabena, Mohammed; Rashid, Sara; Al Hilfi, Thamer Kadum Yousif

2014-01-01

International development programmes, including global health interventions, have the capacity to make important implicit and explicit benefits to diplomatic and international relations outcomes. Conversely, in the absence of awareness of these implications, such programmes may generate associated threats. Due to heightened international tensions in conflict and post-conflict settings, greater attention to diplomatic outcomes may therefore be necessary. We examine related 'collateral' effects of Global Fund-supported tuberculosis programmes in Iraq. During site visits to Iraq conducted during 2012 and 2013 on behalf of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, on-site service delivery evaluations, unstructured interviews with clinical and operational staff, and programme documentary review of Global Fund-supported tuberculosis treatment and care programmes were conducted. During this process, a range of possible external or collateral international relations and diplomatic effects of global health programmes were assessed according to predetermined criteria. A range of positive diplomatic and international relations effects of Global Fund-supported programmes were observed in the Iraq setting. These included (1) geo-strategic accessibility and coverage; (2) provisions for programme sustainability and alignment; (3) contributions to nation-building and peace-keeping initiatives; (4) consistent observation of social, cultural and religious norms in intervention selection; and (5) selection of the most effective and cost-effective tuberculosis treatment and care interventions. Investments in global health programmes have valuable diplomatic, as well as health-related, outcomes, associated with their potential to prevent, mitigate or reverse international tension and hostility in conflict and post-conflict settings, provided that they adhere to appropriate criteria. The associated international presence in such regions may also contribute to peace-keeping efforts. Global health programmes may frequently produce a wider range of 'collateral benefits' that conventional monitoring and evaluation systems should be expanded to assess, in keeping with contemporary efforts to leverage development programmes from a 'global health diplomacy' perspective.

Protecting drinking water: water quality testing and PHAST in South Africa.

PubMed

Breslin, E D

2000-01-01

The paper presents an innovative field-based programme that uses a simple total coliform test and the approach of PHAST (Participatory Hygiene And Sanitation Transformation) to help communities exploring possible water quality problems and actions that can be taken to address them. The Mvula Trust, a South African water and environmental sanitation NGO, has developed the programme. It is currently being tested throughout South Africa. The paper provides two case studies on its implementation in the field, and suggests ways in which the initiative can be improved in the future.

Progress towards early detection services for infants with hearing loss in developing countries

PubMed Central

Olusanya, Bolajoko O; Swanepoel, De Wet; Chapchap, Mônica J; Castillo, Salvador; Habib, Hamed; Mukari, Siti Z; Martinez, Norberto V; Lin, Hung-Ching; McPherson, Bradley

2007-01-01

Background Early detection of infants with permanent hearing loss through infant hearing screening is recognised and routinely offered as a vital component of early childhood care in developed countries. This article investigates the initiatives and progress towards early detection of infants with hearing loss in developing countries against the backdrop of the dearth of epidemiological data from this region. Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive study based on responses to a structured questionnaire eliciting information on the nature and scope of early hearing detection services; strategies for financing services; parental and professional attitudes towards screening; and the performance of screening programmes. Responses were complemented with relevant data from the internet and PubMed/Medline. Results Pilot projects using objective screening tests are on-going in a growing number of countries. Screening services are provided at public/private hospitals and/or community health centres and at no charge only in a few countries. Attitudes amongst parents and health care workers are typically positive towards such programmes. Screening efficiency, as measured by referral rate at discharge, was generally found to be lower than desired but several programmes achieved other international benchmarks. Coverage is generally above 90% but poor follow-up rates remain a challenge in some countries. The mean age of diagnosis is usually less than six months, even for community-based programmes. Conclusion Lack of adequate resources by many governments may limit rapid nationwide introduction of services for early hearing detection and intervention, but may not deter such services altogether. Parents may be required to pay for services in some settings in line with the existing practice where healthcare services are predominantly financed by out-of-pocket spending rather than public funding. However, governments and their international development partners need to complement current voluntary initiatives through systematic scaling-up of public awareness and requisite manpower development towards sustainable service capacities at all levels of healthcare delivery. PMID:17266763

What supervisors and universities can do to enhance doctoral student experience (and how they can help themselves).

PubMed

Duke, Dawn C; Denicolo, Pam M

2017-05-01

Over the past two decades, there has been a flurry of government papers and policy reports worldwide calling for increased number and diversity of doctoral researchers and a broadening of the curriculum to meet the developing needs of respective national 'knowledge-driven' economies. This has been followed by position papers and best practice examples of employability skills development in boundary-crossing doctoral programmes, especially in response to these initiatives. However, there is a disassociation between this ample literature expounding the new doctorate with its broader remit, inclusivity and production of 'industry-ready' graduates and the comparatively sparse literature on the doctoral candidates' experiences of their programmes and career readiness. Within this review, we briefly outline international government initiatives and examples of the responses by Life Science and Biomedical doctoral programmes to address these various challenges. Furthermore, we explore the recent literature on the lived experience of doctoral researchers by examining their perception of the recent changes to the research context to make recommendations for universities and supervisors on how to better support an ever more diverse doctoral population for a wide range of career opportunities. Examples of how doctoral researchers themselves can make the best of currently available opportunities are also provided. © FEMS 2017.

What supervisors and universities can do to enhance doctoral student experience (and how they can help themselves)

PubMed Central

Denicolo, Pam M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Over the past two decades, there has been a flurry of government papers and policy reports worldwide calling for increased number and diversity of doctoral researchers and a broadening of the curriculum to meet the developing needs of respective national ‘knowledge-driven’ economies. This has been followed by position papers and best practice examples of employability skills development in boundary-crossing doctoral programmes, especially in response to these initiatives. However, there is a disassociation between this ample literature expounding the new doctorate with its broader remit, inclusivity and production of ‘industry-ready’ graduates and the comparatively sparse literature on the doctoral candidates’ experiences of their programmes and career readiness. Within this review, we briefly outline international government initiatives and examples of the responses by Life Science and Biomedical doctoral programmes to address these various challenges. Furthermore, we explore the recent literature on the lived experience of doctoral researchers by examining their perception of the recent changes to the research context to make recommendations for universities and supervisors on how to better support an ever more diverse doctoral population for a wide range of career opportunities. Examples of how doctoral researchers themselves can make the best of currently available opportunities are also provided. PMID:28472431

Online patient safety education programme for junior doctors: is it worthwhile?

PubMed

McCarthy, S E; O'Boyle, C A; O'Shaughnessy, A; Walsh, G

2016-02-01

Increasing demand exists for blended approaches to the development of professionalism. Trainees of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland participated in an online patient safety programme. Study aims were: (1) to determine whether the programme improved junior doctors' knowledge, attitudes and skills relating to error reporting, open communication and care for the second victim and (2) to establish whether the methodology facilitated participants' learning. 208 junior doctors who completed the programme completed a pre-online questionnaire. Measures were "patient safety knowledge and attitudes", "medical safety climate" and "experience of learning". Sixty-two completed the post-questionnaire, representing a 30 % matched response rate. Participating in the programme resulted in immediate (p < 0.01) improvement in skills such as knowing when and how to complete incident forms and disclosing errors to patients, in self-rated knowledge (p < 0.01) and attitudes towards error reporting (p < 0.01). Sixty-three per cent disagreed that doctors routinely report medical errors and 42 % disagreed that doctors routinely share information about medical errors and what caused them. Participants rated interactive features as the most positive elements of the programme. An online training programme on medical error improved self-rated knowledge, attitudes and skills in junior doctors and was deemed an effective learning tool. Perceptions of work issues such as a poor culture of error reporting among doctors may prevent improved attitudes being realised in practice. Online patient safety education has a role in practice-based initiatives aimed at developing professionalism and improving safety.

Roles of laboratories and laboratory systems in effective tuberculosis programmes.

PubMed

Ridderhof, John C; van Deun, Armand; Kam, Kai Man; Narayanan, P R; Aziz, Mohamed Abdul

2007-05-01

Laboratories and laboratory networks are a fundamental component of tuberculosis (TB) control, providing testing for diagnosis, surveillance and treatment monitoring at every level of the health-care system. New initiatives and resources to strengthen laboratory capacity and implement rapid and new diagnostic tests for TB will require recognition that laboratories are systems that require quality standards, appropriate human resources, and attention to safety in addition to supplies and equipment. To prepare the laboratory networks for new diagnostics and expanded capacity, we need to focus efforts on strengthening quality management systems (QMS) through additional resources for external quality assessment programmes for microscopy, culture, drug susceptibility testing (DST) and molecular diagnostics. QMS should also promote development of accreditation programmes to ensure adherence to standards to improve both the quality and credibility of the laboratory system within TB programmes. Corresponding attention must be given to addressing human resources at every level of the laboratory, with special consideration being given to new programmes for laboratory management and leadership skills. Strengthening laboratory networks will also involve setting up partnerships between TB programmes and those seeking to control other diseases in order to pool resources and to promote advocacy for quality standards, to develop strategies to integrate laboratories functions and to extend control programme activities to the private sector. Improving the laboratory system will assure that increased resources, in the form of supplies, equipment and facilities, will be invested in networks that are capable of providing effective testing to meet the goals of the Global Plan to Stop TB.

Identification and assessment of intimate partner violence in nurse home visitation.

PubMed

Jack, Susan M; Ford-Gilboe, Marilyn; Davidov, Danielle; MacMillan, Harriet L

2017-08-01

To develop strategies for the identification and assessment of intimate partner violence in a nurse home visitation programme. Nurse home visitation programmes have been identified as an intervention for preventing child abuse and neglect. Recently, there is an increased focus on the role these programmes have in addressing intimate partner violence. Given the unique context of the home environment, strategies for assessments are required that maintain the therapeutic alliance and minimise client attrition. A qualitative case study. A total of four Nurse-Family Partnership agencies were engaged in this study. Purposeful samples of nurses (n = 32), pregnant or parenting mothers who had self-disclosed experiences of abuse (n = 26) and supervisors (n = 5) participated in this study. A total of 10 focus groups were completed with nurses: 42 interviews with clients and 10 interviews with supervisors. The principles of conventional content analysis guided data analysis. Data were categorised using the practice-problem-needs analysis model for integrating qualitative findings in the development of nursing interventions. Multiple opportunities to ask about intimate partner violence are valued. The use of structured screening tools at enrolment does not promote disclosure or in-depth exploration of women's experiences of abuse. Women are more likely to discuss experiences of violence when nurses initiate nonstructured discussions focused on parenting, safety or healthy relationships. Nurses require knowledge and skills to initiate indicator-based assessments when exposure to abuse is suspected as well as strategies for responding to client-initiated disclosures. A tailored approach to intimate partner violence assessment in home visiting is required. Multiple opportunities for exploring women's experiences of violence are required. A clinical pathway outlining a three-pronged approach to identification and assessment was developed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rethinking Networks in Education: Case Studies of Organisational Development Networks in Neoliberal Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Andrew

2013-01-01

In 2002 the National College for School Leadership in England launched what they claimed to be the biggest school networking initiative of its kind. The networks which were members of this programme involved schools working together to achieve shared priorities and can be viewed as examples of organisational development networks. These networks,…

Enhancing Primary Science Teaching: Interconnections of Content, Policy and Practice in a New Zealand Professional Learning and Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sexton, Steven S.

2018-01-01

This paper reports on an ongoing professional learning and development (PLD) initiative in New Zealand. The Academy is designed to provide primary and intermediate classroom teachers with the knowledge, materials and support needed for effective delivery of "The New Zealand Curriculum's" science subject area. Specifically, this paper…

Teacher Capabilities in a Multicultural Educational Environment: An Analysis of the Impact of a Professional Development Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauridsen, Karen M.; Lauridsen, Ole

2018-01-01

With more programmes being taught through English in non-Anglophone contexts, higher education lecturers are faced with new challenges. This article briefly presents a professional development initiative carried out at departmental level as an intervention for all English Medium Instruction lecturers. In order to assess the effect of such an…

Mentoring for Experienced School Principals: Professional Learning in a Safe Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Alison A.

2007-01-01

Mentoring has become increasingly popular during recent years and particularly so in the provision of leadership development, including the mentoring of school principals. In New Zealand, many of these mentoring programmes are developed and funded by central government and are mostly designed to meet the needs of those in their initial years of…

Integrating Assessment Matrices in Feedback Loops to Promote Research Skill Development in Postgraduate Research Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venning, Jackie; Buisman-Pijlman, Femke

2013-01-01

Assessment tasks can focus student efforts in what they choose to study. This paper describes the development and initial application of an assessment matrix to support student learning in postgraduate research studies at the University of Adelaide. Students and supervisors in the multi-disciplinary Master programmes also benefit from the clear…

The current situation in education and training of health-care professionals across Africa to optimise the delivery of palliative care for cancer patients

PubMed Central

Rawlinson, FM; Gwyther, L; Kiyange, F; Luyirika, E; Meiring, M; Downing, J

2014-01-01

The need for palliative care education remains vital to contribute to the quality of life of patients, both adults and children, with cancer in Africa. The number of patients with cancer continues to rise, and with them the burden of palliative care needs. Palliative care has been present in Africa for nearly four decades, and a number of services are developing in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, the needs of cancer patients remain a challenge. Education and training initiatives have developed throughout this time, using a combination of educational methods, including, more recently, e-learning initiatives. The role of international and national organisations in supporting education has been pivotal in developing models of education and training that are robust, sustainable, and affordable. Developing a material for education and professional development needs to continue in close collaboration with that already in production in order to optimise available resources. Seeking ways to evaluate programmes in terms of their impact on patient care remains an important part of programme delivery. This article reviews the current situation. PMID:25624873

Parent education interventions designed to support the transition to parenthood: A realist review.

PubMed

Gilmer, Cyndi; Buchan, Judy L; Letourneau, Nicole; Bennett, Claudine T; Shanker, Stuart G; Fenwick, Anne; Smith-Chant, Brenda

2016-07-01

Public health nurses use parent education programmes to support individuals' transition to parenthood. A wide array of these programmes exists; however, the approach must be accommodated by resources available in a publicly funded system. For example, some new-parent education approaches use 1:1 home visiting (with a nurse or trained lay-home visitor) but the costs of this intensive approach can be prohibitive. Because of this limitation there is an interest in identifying effective and efficient new parent educational approaches that can realistically be provided at a universal level. Unfortunately, there is a lack of high-quality evaluation identifying programmes or educational processes that meet these criteria. To identify potentially effective new-parenting education interventions that could be implemented at a population level during the transition to parenthood period. Realist synthesis. Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, grey literature. A realist review method generated a total of 72 papers that were used to inform the results. A three-pronged approach was used incorporating an initial search (6), a database search using applicable keywords and MeSH headings (58), and review of literature identified by advisory group (8 grey literature). An 'implementation chain' was developed to outline the overall logic and process behind parent education interventions and to guide the analysis. Seventy-two papers informed this review: 13 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, 34 intervention studies, 9 opinion papers, 8 programme reviews, and 8 grey literature reports. There was no compelling evidence to suggest that a single educational programme or delivery format was effective at a universal level. Some inherent issues were identified. For example, adult learning principles were overlooked and theories of parent-child interaction were not in evidence. No direct links between universal new-parent education programmes and child development outcomes were established. Programme reach and attrition were key challenges. Programme evaluation criteria were inconsistent, with an over-reliance on parent satisfaction or self-reported intention to change behaviour. There was evidence that effective facilitators helped increase parents' perceived satisfaction with programmes. It is unlikely that a single standardized format or programme will meet all the specific learning needs of parents. Multiple approaches that will allow people to access information or education at a time and in a format that suits them may be of value. The importance of the transition to parenthood and its impact on parent and child wellbeing warrant careful consideration of current programming and careful evaluation of future initiatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the implementation of a national clinical programme for diabetes to standardise and improve services: a realist evaluation protocol.

PubMed

McHugh, S; Tracey, M L; Riordan, F; O'Neill, K; Mays, N; Kearney, P M

2016-07-28

Over the last three decades in response to the growing burden of diabetes, countries worldwide have developed national and regional multifaceted programmes to improve the monitoring and management of diabetes and to enhance the coordination of care within and across settings. In Ireland in 2010, against a backdrop of limited dedicated strategic planning and engrained variation in the type and level of diabetes care, a national programme was established to standardise and improve care for people with diabetes in Ireland, known as the National Diabetes Programme (NDP). The NDP comprises a range of organisational and service delivery changes to support evidence-based practices and policies. This realist evaluation protocol sets out the approach that will be used to identify and explain which aspects of the programme are working, for whom and in what circumstances to produce the outcomes intended. This mixed method realist evaluation will develop theories about the relationship between the context, mechanisms and outcomes of the diabetes programme. In stage 1, to identify the official programme theories, documentary analysis and qualitative interviews were conducted with national stakeholders involved in the design, development and management of the programme. In stage 2, as part of a multiple case study design with one case per administrative region in the health system, qualitative interviews are being conducted with frontline staff and service users to explore their responses to, and reasoning about, the programme's resources (mechanisms). Finally, administrative data will be used to examine intermediate implementation outcomes such as service uptake, acceptability, and fidelity to models of care. This evaluation is using the principles of realist evaluation to examine the implementation of a national programme to standardise and improve services for people with diabetes in Ireland. The concurrence of implementation and evaluation has enabled us to produce formative feedback for the NDP while also supporting the refinement and revision of initial theories about how the programme is being implemented in the dynamic and unstable context of the Irish healthcare system.

Ongoing Initiatives to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Medicine Use within the Public Healthcare System in South Africa; A Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Meyer, Johanna C.; Schellack, Natalie; Stokes, Jacobus; Lancaster, Ruth; Zeeman, Helecine; Defty, Douglas; Godman, Brian; Steel, Gavin

2017-01-01

Introduction: South Africa has an appreciable burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as high maternal, neonatal, and child morbidity. In recent years there have been significant strides with improving the public health system, and addressing current inequalities, with the right to health a constitutional provision in South Africa. Initiatives include the introduction of National Health Insurance, programmes to enhance access to medicines for patients with chronic diseases, as well as activities to improve care in hospitals, including improving pharmacovigilance. Consequently, the objective of this paper is to review ongoing initiatives within the public healthcare sector in South Africa and their influence to provide future direction. Method: Principally a structured review of current and planned activities. Results: There have been a number of major activities and initiatives surrounding the availability and access to medicines in the public system in recent years in South Africa. This includes a National Surveillance Centre and an innovative early warning system for the supply of medicines as well as the development of a National Health Care Pricing Authority and initiatives to improve contracting. There have also been developments to improve the supply chain including instigating Medicine Procurement Units in the provinces and enhancing forecasting capabilities. Access to medicines is improving though the instigation of stable chronic disease management initiatives to increase the number of external pick-up points for medicines. There are also ongoing programmes to enhance adherence to medicines as well as enhance adherence to the Standard Treatment Guidelines and the Essential Medicines List with their increasing availability. In addition, there is a movement to enhance the role of health technology assessment in future decision making. Hospital initiatives include increased focus on reducing antimicrobial resistance through instigating stewardship programmes as well as improving adverse drug reaction reporting and associated activities. Conclusion: Overall, there are an appreciable number of ongoing activities within the public healthcare system in South Africa attempting to ensure and sustain universal healthcare. It is too early to assess their impact, which will be the subject of future research. PMID:29163151

Ongoing Initiatives to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Medicine Use within the Public Healthcare System in South Africa; A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Meyer, Johanna C; Schellack, Natalie; Stokes, Jacobus; Lancaster, Ruth; Zeeman, Helecine; Defty, Douglas; Godman, Brian; Steel, Gavin

2017-01-01

Introduction: South Africa has an appreciable burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as high maternal, neonatal, and child morbidity. In recent years there have been significant strides with improving the public health system, and addressing current inequalities, with the right to health a constitutional provision in South Africa. Initiatives include the introduction of National Health Insurance, programmes to enhance access to medicines for patients with chronic diseases, as well as activities to improve care in hospitals, including improving pharmacovigilance. Consequently, the objective of this paper is to review ongoing initiatives within the public healthcare sector in South Africa and their influence to provide future direction. Method: Principally a structured review of current and planned activities. Results: There have been a number of major activities and initiatives surrounding the availability and access to medicines in the public system in recent years in South Africa. This includes a National Surveillance Centre and an innovative early warning system for the supply of medicines as well as the development of a National Health Care Pricing Authority and initiatives to improve contracting. There have also been developments to improve the supply chain including instigating Medicine Procurement Units in the provinces and enhancing forecasting capabilities. Access to medicines is improving though the instigation of stable chronic disease management initiatives to increase the number of external pick-up points for medicines. There are also ongoing programmes to enhance adherence to medicines as well as enhance adherence to the Standard Treatment Guidelines and the Essential Medicines List with their increasing availability. In addition, there is a movement to enhance the role of health technology assessment in future decision making. Hospital initiatives include increased focus on reducing antimicrobial resistance through instigating stewardship programmes as well as improving adverse drug reaction reporting and associated activities. Conclusion: Overall, there are an appreciable number of ongoing activities within the public healthcare system in South Africa attempting to ensure and sustain universal healthcare. It is too early to assess their impact, which will be the subject of future research.

Embracing Inclusive Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Anne

2007-01-01

This paper examines the extent to which initial teacher education (ITE) programmes contribute to the development of inclusive attitudes, values and practices. Inclusive education is the entitlement of all children and young people to quality education, irrespective of their differences or dispositions. It is about embracing educational values of…

Giraffe, a Computer Assisted Instruction Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boekhorst, Albert K.; Groot, Tineke

In 1989 a two year collaborative project, CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction) & Humanities, was initiated between the Faculty of Arts and IBM Netherlands during which General Information Retrieval All Faculties For Bibliographic Education (GIRAFFE), a program for the retrieval of information on general bibliographies, was developed. The…

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004-2012.

PubMed

Hamel, Donald J; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J

From 2004-2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings.

Developing a customised approach for strengthening tuberculosis laboratory quality management systems toward accreditation

PubMed Central

Trollip, Andre; Erni, Donatelle; Kao, Kekeletso

2017-01-01

Background Quality-assured tuberculosis laboratory services are critical to achieve global and national goals for tuberculosis prevention and care. Implementation of a quality management system (QMS) in laboratories leads to improved quality of diagnostic tests and better patient care. The Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has led to measurable improvements in the QMS of clinical laboratories. However, progress in tuberculosis laboratories has been slower, which may be attributed to the need for a structured tuberculosis-specific approach to implementing QMS. We describe the development and early implementation of the Strengthening Tuberculosis Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (TB SLMTA) programme. Development The TB SLMTA curriculum was developed by customizing the SLMTA curriculum to include specific tools, job aids and supplementary materials specific to the tuberculosis laboratory. The TB SLMTA Harmonized Checklist was developed from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation checklist, and incorporated tuberculosis-specific requirements from the Global Laboratory Initiative Stepwise Process Towards Tuberculosis Laboratory Accreditation online tool. Implementation Four regional training-of-trainers workshops have been conducted since 2013. The TB SLMTA programme has been rolled out in 37 tuberculosis laboratories in 10 countries using the Workshop approach in 32 laboratories in five countries and the Facility-based approach in five tuberculosis laboratories in five countries. Conclusion Lessons learnt from early implementation of TB SLMTA suggest that a structured training and mentoring programme can build a foundation towards further quality improvement in tuberculosis laboratories. Structured mentoring, and institutionalisation of QMS into country programmes, is needed to support tuberculosis laboratories to achieve accreditation. PMID:28879165

Faculty professional development in emergent pedagogies for instructional innovation in dental education.

PubMed

Zheng, M; Bender, D; Nadershahi, N

2017-05-01

Innovative pedagogies have significantly impacted health professions' education, dental education included. In this context, faculty, defined in this study as instructor in higher education, has been increasingly required to hone their instructional skills. The purpose of this exploratory study was to share the design, implementation and preliminary outcomes of two programmes to enhance dental faculty's instructional skills, the Teaching and Learning Seminar Series and the Course Director Orientation. Data sources included faculty and student surveys developed and administered by the researchers; data extracted from the learning management system; reports from the learning analytics tool; and classroom observations. Participants' satisfaction, self-reported learning, instructional behavioural change, and impact on student learning behaviours and institutional practice were assessed borrowing from Kirkpatrick's 4-level model of evaluation of professional development effectiveness. Initial findings showed that faculty in both programmes reported positive learning experiences. Participants reported that the programmes motivated them to improve instructional practice and improved their knowledge of instructional innovation. Some faculty reported implementation of new instructional strategies and tools, which helped create an active and interactive learning environment that was welcomed by their students. The study contributes to literature and best practice in health sciences faculty development in pedagogy and may guide other dental schools in designing professional development programmes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Scientometric Evaluation of the Chagas Disease Implementation Research Programme of the PAHO and TDR

PubMed Central

Carbajal-de-la-Fuente, Ana Laura; Yadón, Zaida E.

2013-01-01

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) is an independent global programme of scientific collaboration cosponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Program, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization. TDR's strategy is based on stewardship for research on infectious diseases of poverty, empowerment of endemic countries, research on neglected priority needs, and the promotion of scientific collaboration influencing global efforts to combat major tropical diseases. In 2001, in view of the achievements obtained in the reduction of transmission of Chagas disease through the Southern Cone Initiative and the improvement in Chagas disease control activities in some countries of the Andean and the Central American Initiatives, TDR transferred the Chagas Disease Implementation Research Programme (CIRP) to the Communicable Diseases Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (CD/PAHO). This paper presents a scientometric evaluation of the 73 projects from 18 Latin American and European countries that were granted by CIRP/PAHO/TDR between 1997 and 2007. We analyzed all final reports of the funded projects and scientific publications, technical reports, and human resource training activities derived from them. Results about the number of projects funded, countries and institutions involved, gender analysis, number of published papers in indexed scientific journals, main topics funded, patents inscribed, and triatomine species studied are presented and discussed. The results indicate that CIRP/PAHO/TDR initiative has contributed significantly, over the 1997–2007 period, to Chagas disease knowledge as well as to the individual and institutional-building capacity. PMID:24244761

Alphabétisation à travers l'Initiative LIFE et le suivi de CONFINTEA VI au Maghreb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissami, Mohamed Abdellatif

2011-08-01

Literacy education through the LIFE Initiative and follow-up of CONFINTEA VI in the Maghreb - Illiteracy is seriously compromising the economic and social development of the Maghreb countries. In Morocco and Mauritania, for instance, national strategies and literacy programmes have been implemented. These efforts ought to be assessed so that lessons can be learned from them and the contribution of the national and international initiatives implemented in recent years can be evaluated. The Sixth International Conference on Adult Education provided an opportunity to launch a Maghreb-wide literacy cooperation process. Drawing on the experience of two high-priority countries (Morocco and Mauritania), the countries of the Maghreb created a mechanism for ongoing exchange within the framework of the Forum on Literacy for the Maghreb Region. The second meeting of this Forum, which was held in May 2010 in Nouakchott, was devoted to monitoring the implementation of the Belém Framework for Action and resulted in the creation of a joint cooperation programme in this domain.

The Catalonian Expert Patient Programme for Chagas Disease: An Approach to Comprehensive Care Involving Affected Individuals.

PubMed

Claveria Guiu, Isabel; Caro Mendivelso, Johanna; Ouaarab Essadek, Hakima; González Mestre, Maria Asunción; Albajar-Viñas, Pedro; Gómez I Prat, Jordi

2017-02-01

The Catalonian Expert Patient Programme on Chagas disease is a initiative, which is part of the Chronic Disease Programme. It aims to boost responsibility of patients for their own health and to promote self-care. The programme is based on nine sessions conducted by an expert patient. Evaluation was focusing in: habits and lifestyle/self-care, knowledge of disease, perception of health, self-esteem, participant satisfaction, and compliance with medical follow-up visits. Eighteen participants initiated the programme and 15 completed it. The participants were Bolivians. The 66.7 % of them had been diagnosed with chagas disease in Spain. The 100 % mentioned that they would participate in this activity again and would recommend it to family and friends. The knowledge about disease improve after sessions. The method used in the programme could serve as a key strategy in the field of comprehensive care for individuals with this disease.

Large-scale road safety programmes in low- and middle-income countries: an opportunity to generate evidence.

PubMed

Hyder, Adnan A; Allen, Katharine A; Peters, David H; Chandran, Aruna; Bishai, David

2013-01-01

The growing burden of road traffic injuries, which kill over 1.2 million people yearly, falls mostly on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this, evidence generation on the effectiveness of road safety interventions in LMIC settings remains scarce. This paper explores a scientific approach for evaluating road safety programmes in LMICs and introduces such a road safety multi-country initiative, the Road Safety in 10 Countries Project (RS-10). By building on existing evaluation frameworks, we develop a scientific approach for evaluating large-scale road safety programmes in LMIC settings. This also draws on '13 lessons' of large-scale programme evaluation: defining the evaluation scope; selecting study sites; maintaining objectivity; developing an impact model; utilising multiple data sources; using multiple analytic techniques; maximising external validity; ensuring an appropriate time frame; the importance of flexibility and a stepwise approach; continuous monitoring; providing feedback to implementers, policy-makers; promoting the uptake of evaluation results; and understanding evaluation costs. The use of relatively new approaches for evaluation of real-world programmes allows for the production of relevant knowledge. The RS-10 project affords an important opportunity to scientifically test these approaches for a real-world, large-scale road safety evaluation and generate new knowledge for the field of road safety.

Effectiveness of telerehabilitation programme following surgery in shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS): study protocol for a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.

PubMed

Pastora-Bernal, Jose-Manuel; Martín-Valero, Rocío; Barón-López, Francisco Javier; García-Gómez, Oscar

2017-02-23

Shoulder pain is common in society, with high prevalence in the general population. Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is the most frequent cause. Patients suffer pain, muscle weakness and loss of movement in the affected joint. Initial treatment is predominantly conservative. The surgical option has high success rates and is often used when conservative strategy fails. Traditional physiotherapy and post-operative exercises are needed for the recovery of joint range, muscle strength, stability and functionality. Telerehabilitation programmes have shown positive results in some orthopaedic conditions after surgery. Customized telerehabilitation intervention programmes should be developed to recover shoulder function after SIS surgery. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a telerehabilitation intervention compared with usual care in patients after subacromial decompression surgery. We will compare an intervention group receiving videoconferences and a telerehabilitation programme to a control group receiving traditional physiotherapy intervention in a single-blind, randomized controlled non-inferiority trial study design. Through this study, we will further develop our preliminary data set and practical experience with the telerehabilitation programmes to evaluate their effectiveness and compare this with traditional intervention. We will also explore patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness. Patient enrolment is ongoing. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02909920 . 14 September 2016.

Coffee, Cake & Culture: Evaluation of an art for health programme for older people in the community.

PubMed

Roe, Brenda; McCormick, Sheila; Lucas, Terri; Gallagher, Wendy; Winn, Andrea; Elkin, Sophie

2016-07-01

Arts for health initiatives and networks are being developed in a number of countries and an international literature is emerging on the evidence of their benefits to people's health, wellbeing and quality of life. Engagement in cultural and creative arts by older people can increase their morale and self-confidence and provides opportunities for social connection. Museums and galleries are increasingly required to justify their expenditure, reach and impact and some are working in partnership with local councils, hospitals, schools and communities to improve access to their collections. There is a body of literature emerging that describes such initiatives but empirical evidence of their benefits is less developed. This article reports an evaluation of an art for health initiative - Coffee, Cake & Culture organised and delivered by Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum in 2012 for older people living in a care home and a supported living facility. The study has identified the benefits and impacts of the arts for health programme and its feasibility for older people, with or without diagnosed memory loss - dementia, living in a care home or supported living facility and their care staff. The findings demonstrate there were benefits to the older people and their care staff in terms of wellbeing, social engagement, learning, social inclusion and creativity. These benefits were immediate and continued in the short term on their return home. The majority of older people and care staff had not previously been to the art gallery or museum and the programme encouraged creative arts and cultural appreciation which promoted social inclusion, wellbeing and quality of life. The programme is feasible and important lessons were identified for future planning. Further research involving partnerships of researchers, arts for health curators, artists, care staff, older people and their families is warranted. © The Author(s) 2014.

A nationwide, resident-led teaching programme for medical students in Singapore: SingHealth Student Internship Programme Bootcamp.

PubMed

Ting, Daniel Sw; Lee, Jill Cs; Loo, Benny Kg; Baisa, Katherine; Koo, Wen Hsin; Cook, Sandy; Lim, Boon Leng

2016-05-01

This study aimed to describe the planning, development and evaluation of the success of the first nationwide, resident-led, large-group teaching programme for medical students - the Singapore Health Services Student Internship Programme (SIP) Bootcamp. This was an initial feasibility study evaluating a half-day teaching boot camp initiated, developed and conducted by the resident educators. A three-month preparation period was required to set up an education subcommittee, liaise with medical student leaders, recruit resident educators, meet all the stakeholders and conduct the boot camp. During the SIP Bootcamp, resident educators conducted clinical case presentations using a question-and-answer format. Audience participation was strongly encouraged. A 15-item questionnaire was distributed to assess the participants' learning experience and the resident educators' teaching performance using a five-point Likert scale. Overall, 94.8% (n = 110) of the 116 respondents agreed that the teaching sessions were of high quality and content was relevant to their training. The resident educators appeared well-informed (96.6%, n = 112) and enthusiastic about their respective topics (98.3%, n = 114). However, a few students (9.5%, n = 11) felt that the audio-visual aids and handouts could be improved to better aid their learning process. This teaching boot camp for medical students was the first of its kind in Singapore and feedback from medical students showed that it was well-received. Further research using different teaching methods, including small-group discussions and surgical practical sessions by resident educators from different specialties, would be of great value to students. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.

A nationwide, resident-led teaching programme for medical students in Singapore: SingHealth Student Internship Programme Bootcamp

PubMed Central

Ting, Daniel SW; Lee, Jill CS; Loo, Benny KG; Baisa, Katherine; Koo, Wen Hsin; Cook, Sandy; Lim, Boon Leng

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to describe the planning, development and evaluation of the success of the first nationwide, resident-led, large-group teaching programme for medical students – the Singapore Health Services Student Internship Programme (SIP) Bootcamp. METHODS This was an initial feasibility study evaluating a half-day teaching boot camp initiated, developed and conducted by the resident educators. A three-month preparation period was required to set up an education subcommittee, liaise with medical student leaders, recruit resident educators, meet all the stakeholders and conduct the boot camp. During the SIP Bootcamp, resident educators conducted clinical case presentations using a question-and-answer format. Audience participation was strongly encouraged. A 15-item questionnaire was distributed to assess the participants’ learning experience and the resident educators’ teaching performance using a five-point Likert scale. RESULTS Overall, 94.8% (n = 110) of the 116 respondents agreed that the teaching sessions were of high quality and content was relevant to their training. The resident educators appeared well-informed (96.6%, n = 112) and enthusiastic about their respective topics (98.3%, n = 114). However, a few students (9.5%, n = 11) felt that the audio-visual aids and handouts could be improved to better aid their learning process. CONCLUSION This teaching boot camp for medical students was the first of its kind in Singapore and feedback from medical students showed that it was well-received. Further research using different teaching methods, including small-group discussions and surgical practical sessions by resident educators from different specialties, would be of great value to students. PMID:27211310

ESF EUROCORES Programmes In Geosciences And Environmental Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I. G.

2007-12-01

In close cooperation with its Member Organisations, the European Science Foundation (ESF) has launched since late 2003 a series of European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Programmes. Their aim is to enable researchers in different European countries to develop cooperation and scientific synergy in areas where European scale and scope are required in a global context. The EUROCORES Scheme provides an open, flexible and transparent framework that allows national science funding and science performing agencies to join forces to support excellent European-led research, following a selection among many science-driven suggestions for new Programmes themes submitted by the scientific community. The EUROCORES instrument represents the first large scale attempt of national research (funding) agencies to act together against fragmentation, asynchronicity and duplication of research (funding) within Europe. There are presently 7 EUROCORES Programmes specifically dealing with cutting edge science in the fields of Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences. The EUROCORES Programmes consist of a number of international, multidisciplinary collaborative research projects running for 3-4 years, selected through independent peer review. Under the overall responsibility of the participating funding agencies, those projects are coordinated and networked together through the scientific guidance of a Scientific Committee, with the support of a Programme Coordinator, responsible at ESF for providing planning, logistics, and the integration and dissemination of science. Strong links are aimed for with other major international programmes and initiatives worldwide. In this framework, linkage to IYPE would be of major interest for the scientific communities involved. Each Programme mobilises 5 to 13 million Euros in direct science funding from 9 to 27 national agencies from 8 to 20 countries. Additional funding for coordination, networking and dissemination is allocated by the ESF through these distinctive research initiatives, to build on the national research efforts and contribute to the capacity building, in relation with typically about 15-20 post-doc positions and/or PhD studentships supported nationally within each Programme. Typical networking activities are topical workshops, open sessions in a larger conference, Programme conference, (summer / winter) schools, exchange visits across projects or programmes. Overall, EUROCORES Programmes are supported by more than 60 national agencies from 30 countries and by the European Science Foundation (ESF) with support by the European Commission, DG Research (Sixth Framework Programme, contract ERAS-CT-2003-980409). In the framework of AGU, a series of present EUROCORES Programmes in the field of Geosciences and Environmental Sciences are presented (e.g., EuroDIVERSITY, EuroDEEP, EUROMARGINS, EuroCLIMATE, and EuroMinScI).

Recommendations to Support Computational Thinking in the Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estapa, Anne; Hutchison, Amy; Nadolny, Larysa

2018-01-01

Computational thinking is an important and necessary way of thinking for computer programmers and other professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research on emerging practices around computational thinking that is developed through coding initiatives in schools reports that elementary children typically learn how…

Factors That Advance and Restrict Programme Change and Professional Development in Dental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S.; Roberts, Kellie W.; Zafar, Mueen A.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a professional development initiative using organisational change research studies to frame the inquiry. Two faculty groups and two student groups participated in a total of four focus group interviews to ascertain their perceptions of a new model of pre-clinical dental education. Using a…

The Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program of the American University of Beirut: An ESD Initiative in the Arab World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zurayk, Rami; El-Fadel, Mutasem; Nuwayhid, Iman

2010-01-01

The American University of Beirut's Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program was launched in 1997 as a means of addressing salient issues on the environment and development in Lebanon and the Arab World using an interdisciplinary approach. The programme adopts a student-centred learning approach and aims to develop critical and systems…

Developing Empathetic Skills among Teachers and Learners in High Schools in Tshwane: An Inter-Generational Approach Involving People with Dementia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alant, Erna; Geyer, Stephan; Verde, Michael

2015-01-01

This article describes the implementation and outcomes of an experiential learning approach to facilitate the development of empathetic skills among teachers and learners at two high schools in Tshwane, South Africa. An inter-generational training programme, the Memory Bridge Initiative (MBI), aimed at exposing participants to interactions with…

Birth kits for safe motherhood in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Nessa, S; Arco, E S; Kabir, I A

1992-01-01

Tetanus infection remains the leading cause of high neonatal mortality in Bangladesh. Birth kits which instruct and assist in a clean, safe birth are seen as a key measure in reducing the high incidence of neonatal deaths. A multisectoral programme has developed a simple kit and tested its potential for distribution to pregnant women. Initial results are positive and development is continuing.

Formative Assessment in Teacher Education: The Development of a Diagnostic Language Test for Trainee Teachers of German

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Brian J.

2008-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of a diagnostic test of German and its integration in a programme of formative assessment during a one-year initial teacher-training course. The test focuses on linguistic aspects that cause difficulty for trainee teachers of German as a foreign language and assesses implicit and explicit…

Promoting the Development of a Supportive Learning Environment through Action Research from the "Middle Out"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, David; May, Steve; Marks-Maran, Diane

2008-01-01

This paper reports on a case study of a supportive learning environment initiative (SLEI) for students on health and social care undergraduate programmes in one English university. It involved the development of small scale support projects that are firmly grounded in the outcomes of prior research as well as the ongoing experience of students and…

Smoke and mirrors: how Massachusetts diverted millions in tobacco tax revenues.

PubMed

Ritch, Wendy A; Begay, Michael E

2002-07-01

This study examines the politics of appropriating Question 1 tobacco tax revenues in the first budget year after Massachusetts voters passed the ballot initiative in 1992. The initiative increased the tobacco tax on cigarettes by 25 cents per pack and on smokeless tobacco by 25% of the wholesale price. Data were collected from newspapers, letters, memoranda, budgets, press releases, legislative floor debates, government documents, legislative journals, personal interviews, and tobacco industry documents that were downloaded from the Tobacco Archives internet site. During the first budget year, programmes mentioned by the initiative that were not exclusively tobacco related accounted for 27% of total Question 1 expenditures, while 50% of the revenues were allocated for programmes that were neither mentioned by the initiative nor provided any tobacco education, prevention, and cessation services. Only 23% of Question 1 funds were appropriated for programmes that provided exclusively tobacco education, prevention, and cessation services. Question 1 revenues were also used to supplant funding for pre-existing programmes, which was explicitly prohibited by the initiative. The first budget year became the template for Question 1 appropriations in subsequent fiscal years. Politics did not end after voters passed Question 1. Public health advocates lacked a strategy and budget plan to influence the appropriation of Question 1 funds after the passage of this ballot initiative.

Smoke and mirrors: how Massachusetts diverted millions in tobacco tax revenues.

PubMed

Ritch, W A; Begay, M E

2001-12-01

This study examines the politics of appropriating Question 1 tobacco tax revenues in the first budget year after Massachusetts voters passed the ballot initiative in 1992. The initiative increased the tobacco tax on cigarettes by 25 cents per pack and on smokeless tobacco by 25% of the wholesale price. Data were collected from newspapers, letters, memoranda, budgets, press releases, legislative floor debates, government documents, legislative journals, personal interviews, and tobacco industry documents that were downloaded from the Tobacco Archives internet site. During the first budget year, programmes mentioned by the initiative that were not exclusively tobacco related accounted for 27% of total Question 1 expenditures, while 50% of the revenues were allocated for programmes that were neither mentioned by the initiative nor provided any tobacco education, prevention, and cessation services. Only 23% of Question 1 funds were appropriated for programmes that provided exclusively tobacco education, prevention, and cessation services. Question 1 revenues were also used to supplant funding for pre-existing programmes, which was explicitly prohibited by the initiative. The first budget year became the template for Question 1 appropriations in subsequent fiscal years. Politics did not end after voters passed Question 1. Public health advocates lacked a strategy and budget plan to influence the appropriation of Question 1 funds after the passage of this ballot initiative.

The impact of the `Getting Practical: Improving Practical Work in Science' continuing professional development programme on teachers' ideas and practice in science practical work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrahams, Ian; Reiss, Michael J.; Sharpe, Rachael

2014-09-01

Background:Despite the widespread use of practical work in school it has been recognised that more needs to be done to improve its effectiveness in developing conceptual understanding. The 'Getting Practical' CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme was designed to contribute towards an improvement in the effectiveness of practical work through initiating changes in teachers' predominantly 'hands-on' approach to practical work to one which manifests a more equitable balance between 'hands-on' and 'minds-on'. Purpose:To evaluate the impact of the Getting Practical: Improving Practical Work in Science CPD programme on teachers' ideas and practice in science practical work in primary and secondary schools in England. Programme description:The CPD programme was designed to improve the effectiveness of science practical work in developing conceptual understanding in primary and secondary schools in England. Sample:Ten teachers of primary science and 20 secondary science teachers. Design and methods:The study employed a condensed fieldwork strategy with data collected using interviews, observational field notes and pre- and post-CPD training observations in practical lessons within 30 schools. Results:Whilst the CPD programme was effective in getting teachers to reflect on the ideas associated with the Getting Practical programme, it was much less effective in bringing about changes in actual teaching practice.