Factors affecting job satisfaction and retention of medical laboratory professionals in seven countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Marinucci, Francesco; Majigo, Mtebe; Wattleworth, Matthew; Paterniti, Antonio Damiano; Hossain, Mian Bazle; Redfield, Robert

2013-08-17

Effective implementation and sustainability of quality laboratory programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa relies on the development of appropriate staff retention strategies. Assessing the factors responsible for job satisfaction and retention is key for tailoring specific interventions aiming at improving the overall impact of health programmes. A survey was developed to assess these factors among 224 laboratorians working in the laboratory programme the University of Maryland implemented in seven Sub-Saharan African countries. Lack of professional development was the major reason for leaving the previous job for 28% of interviewees who changed jobs in the past five years. Professional development/training opportunities was indicated by almost 90% (195/224) of total interviewees as the most important or a very important factor for satisfaction at their current job. Similarly, regular professional development/opportunities for training was the highest rated incentive to remain at their current job by 80% (179/224). Laboratory professionals employed in the private sector were more likely to change jobs than those working in the public sector (P = 0.002). The findings were used for developing specific strategies for human resources management, in particular targeting professional development, aiming at improving laboratory professionals within the University of Maryland laboratory programme and hence its long-term sustainability.

Benefits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programmes in Music for KS2 (Primary) Teachers through the Example of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) on Track Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varvarigou, Maria; Creech, Andrea; Hallam, Susan

2012-01-01

Between September 2008 and August 2010 24 KS2 classroom teachers were involved in a two-year programme of continuing professional development (CPD), delivered by the LSO in partnership with Local Authority Music Services. The teachers indicated that they embarked on the CPD programme looking forward to opportunities to share good practice, gain…

The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners: Support Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berghella, Tina; Molenaar, John; Wyse, Linda

2006-01-01

This support document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report, "The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners," [ED495200] and is an added resource for further information. The original report examines the extent and nature of professional development…

The Contribution of a Particular "Kids in Parks" Programme to the Professional Development of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, J. G.

2014-01-01

This article considers the possible contribution of the "kids in parks" programme offered at Golden Gate Highlands National Park to the professional development of teachers. Focus group interviews were held with teachers who participated in the programme, and an interview with open-ended questions was held with a learning facilitator…

The good CPD guide: A practical guide to managed continuing professional development in medicine Janet Grant The good CPD guide: A practical guide to managed continuing professional development in medicine Radcliffe Publishing 190pp £29.99 9781846195709 1846195705 [Formula: see text].

PubMed

2012-02-10

DURING HARD times, when education budgets decrease, the purpose of continuing professional development (CPD) programmes must be made clear to practitioners and services. Clarity is crucial in ensuring that CPD programmes receive adequate funding, and that enough time and professional effort are devoted to them.

A School-Based Professional Development Programme for Teachers of Mathematical Modelling in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Liang Soon; Ang, Keng Cheng

2016-01-01

A school-based professional development programme (SBPD) aimed at developing secondary school mathematics teachers' competencies to teach mathematical modelling in Singapore is presented and evaluated in this article. The SBPD is characterized by two key features--content elements to develop teachers' knowledge and skills, and transformative…

Effects of the professional identity development programme on the professional identity, job satisfaction and burnout levels of nurses: A pilot study.

PubMed

Sabancıogullari, Selma; Dogan, Selma

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Professional Identity Development Program on the professional identity, job satisfaction and burnout levels of registered nurses. This study was conducted as a quasi-experimental one with 63 nurses working in a university hospital. Data were gathered using the Personal Information Questionnaire, the Professional Self Concept Inventory, Minnesota Job Satisfaction Inventory and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The Professional Identity Development Program which consists of ten sessions was implemented to the study group once a week. The Program significantly improved the professional identity of the nurses in the study group compared to that of the control group. During the research period, burnout levels significantly decreased in the study group while those of the control group increased. The programme did not create any significant differences in the job satisfaction levels of the nurses. The programme had a positive impact on the professional identity of the nurses. It is recommended that the programme should be implemented in different hospitals with different samples of nurses, and that its effectiveness should be evaluated. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Challenging Teachers' Practice through Learning: Reflections on the Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education Programme of Research and Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Roseanna

2006-01-01

When teachers participate in professional development and learning opportunities it enables them to reconceptualise their assessment and teaching practices with the support of facilitators and researchers. National programmes of professional development and research, such as the three year Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education (EEPiSE)…

Constructing a Critical Professional Identity among Teacher Candidates during Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dvir, Nurit; Avissar, Ilana

2014-01-01

This article presents a case study of a service-learning programme designed to develop a critical professional identity among teacher candidates. The programme was held in a teacher education college in Israel over a four-year period, 2005-2008. The development of a critical professional identity is examined in relation to the post-structural…

Continuity, Support, Togetherness and Trust: Findings from an Evaluation of a University-Administered Early Professional Development Programme for Teachers in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntyre, Joanna; Hobson, Andrew J.; Mitchell, Nick

2009-01-01

This article discusses the evaluation of a unique university-based early professional development (EPD) programme in England that enabled newly and recently qualified teachers to have continued contact with their initial teacher preparation provider. The programme was designed to enhance the induction, EPD and retention of beginning teachers of…

Examining the Sustainability of Teacher Learning Following a Year-Long Science Professional Development Programme for Inservice Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drits-Esser, Dina; Gess-Newsome, Julie; Stark, Louisa A.

2017-01-01

This two-year, mixed-methods study explored teacher learning during a year-long professional development programme and during the year following the programme. The study examined patterns of change in primary school teachers' inquiry practices, inquiry beliefs and physical science content knowledge during both years as well as the effects of…

Contribution of a Professional Development Programme to the Quality and Retention of Teachers in an Urban Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaikhorst, Lisa; Beishuizen, Jos J.; Zijlstra, Bonne J. H.; Volman, Monique L. L.

2015-01-01

This study examined the effects of a professional development programme aimed at equipping teachers for the challenges of teaching in urban schools. The contribution of the programme to teacher quality and teacher retention was evaluated using a mixed research design in which both quantitative (N?=?133) and qualitative (N?=?42) approaches were…

The Impact of a Professional Development Programme on Primary Teachers' Classroom Practice and Pupils' Attitudes to Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Greg

2015-01-01

This study investigates the relationship, if any, between teacher participation in a targeted professional development programme and changes in participants' instructional practice and their pupils' attitudes to learning primary science. The programme took place over a 2-year period in 15 small rural schools in the West of Ireland. Data sources…

Research Capacity Strengthening in Low and Middle Income Countries - An Evaluation of the WHO/TDR Career Development Fellowship Programme.

PubMed

Käser, Michael; Maure, Christine; Halpaap, Beatrice M M; Vahedi, Mahnaz; Yamaka, Sara; Launois, Pascal; Casamitjana, Núria

2016-05-01

Between August 2012 and April 2013 the Career Development Fellowship programme of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (World Health Organization) underwent an external evaluation to assess its past performance and determine recommendations for future programme development and continuous performance improvement. The programme provides a year-long training experience for qualified researchers from low and middle income countries at pharmaceutical companies or product development partnerships. Independent evaluators from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health used a results-based methodology to review the programme. Data were gathered through document review, surveys, and interviews with a range of programme participants. The final evaluation report found the Career Development Fellowship to be relevant to organizers' and programme objectives, efficient in its operations, and effective in its training scheme, which was found to address needs and gaps for both fellows and their home institutions. Evaluators found that the programme has the potential for impact and sustainability beyond the programme period, especially with the successful reintegration of fellows into their home institutions, through which newly-developed skills can be shared at the institutional level. Recommendations included the development of a scheme to support the re-integration of fellows into their home institutions post-fellowship and to seek partnerships to facilitate the scaling-up of the programme. The impact of the Professional Membership Scheme, an online professional development tool launched through the programme, beyond the scope of the Career Development Fellowship programme itself to other applications, has been identified as a positive unintended outcome. The results of this evaluation may be of interest for other efforts in the field of research capacity strengthening in LMICs or, generally, to other professional development schemes of a similar structure.

Communication and Influencing for ED Professionals: A training programme developed in the emergency department for the emergency department.

PubMed

Rixon, Andrew; Rixon, Sascha; Addae-Bosomprah, Hansel; Ding, Mingshuang; Bell, Anthony

2016-08-01

The objective of the present study is to develop and pilot a communication and influencing skills training programme that meets ED health professionals' needs at an urban district hospital. Qualitative methods within a participatory action research framework were utilised. An interdisciplinary team guided the programme's design and development. A training needs analysis saw team meetings, interviews, focus groups and observations conducted across the ED. Thematic analysis of the data identified health professionals' communication and influencing challenges. The training needs analysis informed the training programme curriculum's development. The pilot programme involved an interdisciplinary group of seven health professionals across 5 × 2 h sessions over 3 months, followed by a post-training survey. Five themes of communication and influencing challenges were identified: participating in effective handovers, involving patients in bedside handovers, effectively communicating with interdepartmental colleagues, asking ED colleagues to do tasks and understanding ED colleagues' roles, expectations and assumptions. Based on these challenges, the formulated RESPECT model (which stands for Relationships, Expectations, Styles, Partnerships, Enquiry, Coaching and Teamwork) informed the training curriculum. The peer coaching model used in the training programme was highly regarded by participants. Communication and Influencing for ED Professionals™ (Babel Fish Group Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) addresses a gap for communication programmes developed in the ED for the ED. Future research will evaluate the programme's impact in this ED. © 2016 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Great Expectations: Teacher Learning in a National Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, Kathleen M.; Makopoulou, Kyriaki

2012-01-01

This paper reports findings from an evaluation of a national continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teachers in England. Data showed that the localised implementation, opportunities for interactive learning, and "collective participation" were positive factors. Research participants reported difficulties, however, in…

Traces of Discourses and Governmentality within the Content and Implementation of the Western Australian Fundamental Movement Skills Programme (STEPS Professional Development)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jefferson-Buchanan, Rachael

2016-01-01

Over the last 20 years or more, a plethora of movement programmes have been adopted within primary physical education in the UK and across Australia. One particular programme, Fundamental Movement Skills (STEPS Professional Development), became of interest to the researcher during her dual role as the UK Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS)…

Characteristics of a self-management support programme applicable in primary health care: a qualitative study of users' and health professionals' perceptions.

PubMed

Solberg, Hilde Strøm; Steinsbekk, Aslak; Solbjør, Marit; Granbo, Randi; Garåsen, Helge

2014-11-08

Development of more self-management support programmes in primary health care has been one option used to enhance positive outcomes in chronic disease management. At present, research results provide no consensus on what would be the best way to develop support programmes into new settings. The aim of the present study was therefore to explore users' and health professionals' perceptions of what would be the vital elements in a self - management support programme applicable in primary health care, how to account for them, and why. Four qualitative, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted in Central Norway. The informants possessed experience in development, provision, or participation in a self-management support programme. Data was analysed by the Systematic Text Condensation method. The results showed an overall positive expectation to the potential benefits of development of a self-management support programme in primary health care. Despite somewhat different arguments and perspectives, the users and the health professionals had a joint agreement on core characteristics; a self-management support programme in primary health care should therefore be generic, not disease specific, and delivered in a group- based format. A special focus should be on the everyday- life of the participants. The most challenging aspect was a present lack of competence and experience among health professionals to moderate self-management support programmes. The development and design of a relevant and applicable self-management support programme in primary health care should balance the interests of the users with the possibilities and constraints within each municipality. It would be vital to benefit from the closeness of the patients' every-day life situations. The user informants' perception of a self-management support programme as a supplement to regular medical treatment represented an expanded understanding of the self-management support concept. An exploring approach should be applied in the development of the health professionals' competence in practice. The effect of a self-management support programme based on the core characteristics found in this study needs to be evaluated.

Professional and Institutional Morality: Building Ethics Programmes on the Dual Loyalty of Academic Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nijhof, Andre; Wilderom, Celeste; Oost, Marlies

2012-01-01

Most professionals have the arduous task of managing their own dual loyalty: in one contextual relationship, they are members of a profession while simultaneously they are employed as members of a locally established organisation. This sense of a dual loyalty has to be taken into account when professional bureaucracies develop ethics programmes.…

The Impact of a Professional Development Programme on Primary Teachers' Classroom Practice and Pupils' Attitudes to Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Greg

2015-04-01

This study investigates the relationship, if any, between teacher participation in a targeted professional development programme and changes in participants' instructional practice and their pupils' attitudes to learning primary science. The programme took place over a 2-year period in 15 small rural schools in the West of Ireland. Data sources include teacher and pupil questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and informal classroom observations. The findings reveal that as a result of their involvement in the programme, (a) teachers' instructional practice in science lessons became more inquiry-based and they were engaging their pupils in substantially more hands-on activities in science lessons and (b) pupils developed more positive attitudes towards learning science. The findings from this study add to what is known about delivering effective professional development.

Establishing Criteria for Effective Professional Development and Use in Evaluating an Action Research Based Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piggot-Irvine, Eileen

2006-01-01

A dialectical, or mutually informing and influencing, relationship exists between research, programmes for development and improved teaching and learning. Among a raft of other attributes, current perceptions of effective professional development (summarised in the paper) point to deep, collaborative, active and ongoing features as important. Such…

Education for Disability Equality through Disabled People's Life Stories and Narratives: Working and Learning Together in a School-Based Professional Development Programme for Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chrysostomou, Marianna; Symeonidou, Simoni

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the findings of an action research project that took place in a primary school in Cyprus. A professional development programme was devised with contributions from teachers involved in the research. The programme was aimed at helping teachers to map the difficulties they encounter when working with their students on…

Perceived learned skills and professional development of graduates from a master in dental public health programme.

PubMed

Aslam, S; Delgado-Angulo, E K; Bernabé, E

2017-02-01

Assessing the impact of a training programme is important for quality assurance and further development. It also can helps with accountability and marketing purposes. This study evaluated the impact of King's College London (KCL) Master of Science programme in Dental Public Health in terms of graduates' perceived learned skills and professional development. An online questionnaire was sent to individuals who completed successfully the KCL Master of Science programme in Dental Public Health and had a valid email address. Participants provided information on demographic characteristics, perceived learned skills (intellectual, practical and generic) and professional development (type of organisation, position in the organisation and functions performed at work before and after the programme). Learned skills' scores were compared by demographic factors in multiple linear regression models, and the distribution of responses on career development was compared using nonparametric tests for paired groups. Although all scores on learned skills were on the favourable side of the Likert scale, graduates reported higher scores for practical skills, followed by intellectual and generic skills. No differences in scores were found by sex, age, nationality or time since graduation. In terms of career development, there were significantly higher proportions of graduates working in higher education institutions and taking leadership/managerial roles in organisations as well as greater number and variety of functions at work after than before the programme. This online survey shows that the programme has had a positive impact on graduates in terms of perceived learned skills and professional development. © 2015 The Authors. European Journal of Dental Education Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Reflective Professional Honours Programme of the Dutch Saxion Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Dijk, Trijntje

2012-01-01

The Reflective Professional Honours Programme of the Saxion Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands centers on a profile of what graduates of the program should have accomplished in addition to their regular bachelor's degree program. The development team for our programme first investigated what the profile should be, interviewing…

The Sustainability of a Teacher Professional Development Programme for Beginning Urban Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaikhorst, Lisa; Beishuizen, Jos J. J.; Zijlstra, Bonne J. H.; Volman, Monique L. L.

2017-01-01

This study investigated the long-term effects of a professional development intervention for beginning urban teachers and explored which characteristics and activities in school organisations contributed to the sustainability of these effects. A quasi-experimental study (n = 72) investigated whether the positive effects of the programme were…

Which Professionalizing Education Programmes for Which Sustainable Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolas, Alain; Radja, Katia; Schembri, Patrick

2008-01-01

This article is concerned with professional needs emerging from the French labour market and their implications in terms of university training. The authors carry out their analysis by looking at the implications for sustainable development. In particular, the paper emphasizes how educational programmes can be built to provide sustainable…

Looping up Professional Reflection in Honours Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Dijk, Trijntje

2012-01-01

Within the Saxion Universities in the Netherlands, a profile of the "Reflective Professional" comprises a number of competencies that the honours programmes are designed to develop and support. This article describes the process of developing these competencies. The process involves three loops of learning, characterized by three sets of…

[Sexual and reproductive health in Roma women: the family planning programme of Polígono Sur in Seville (Spain)].

PubMed

Escobar-Ballesta, Marta; García-Ramírez, Manuel; Albar-Marín, M ª Jesús; Paloma, Virginia

2018-04-05

To describe the challenges, resources and strategies of the staff of the family planning programme of the Polígono Sur Healthcare Centre in Seville (Spain) in their care of Roma women. This is a descriptive study in which in-depth interviews and discussion groups were held with all programme professionals, including a documentary review of the programme. The information was analyzed based on the Roma Health Integration Policy Index, a tool that evaluates the entitlement, accessibility, sensitivity and capacity for change of health programmes for the Roma population. The professionals encountered multiple challenges to implement the family planning programme with Roma women due to the characteristics of the users and the low sensitivity of the programme towards them. The absence of specific actions for Roma women within the family planning programme, agreed to by the healthcare district, obliges professionals to develop adaptations and strategies to ensure quality sexual and reproductive health services for their users. It is necessary to adapt sexual and reproductive health programmes targeted at Roma women by (a) detecting, evaluating, systematizing and disseminating good practices, (b) developing actions that address the multiple vulnerabilities of Roma women, (c) acknowledging professionals who advocate for the health of these women within their organizations, and (d) promoting reproductive justice as the goal of these programmes. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. All rights reserved.

What's in It for Me? An Analysis of the Need for Credit-Bearing Professional Development Modules on the Topic of e-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tlhoaele, M.; van Ryneveld, L.

2008-01-01

Worldwide, institutions offer various professional development programmes that empower lecturers (or "faculty", as they are called elsewhere) to use technology properly in the classrooms. Once lecturers have completed these development programmes, they are typically awarded a certificate that serves to indicate their successful…

Developing the Developers: Supporting and Researching the Learning of Professional Development Facilitators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Emily; Boylan, Mark

2018-01-01

Research on teacher professional development is extensive but there are fewer studies about the practitioners who facilitate professional development. Here we report on a pilot programme for professional development facilitators rooted in a cycle of action research. Informed by a categorisation of professional knowledge and skills of facilitators,…

[Adult learning, professional autonomy and individual commitment].

PubMed

Pardell-Alentá, H

The concept of 'andragogy' is the basis of the adult education which is different from pedagogy in several aspects, particularly in the autonomy of the adult learner in choosing the educational programmes and the methodologies and sites in where learning occurs. This happens very often in the worksite. The professionals have to learn permanently during their active lives in order to maintain their competence updated. In this sense, continuing education correlates with continuing professional development, which is an attempt to enlarge the traditional domains of continuing education. Continuing education must be clearly differentiated from formal education, which is a requirement for granting professional degrees or titles. Very often it arises from the changing health needs and for this reason is necessary to avoid the institutionalization of continuing education programmes. Professional associations should be actively involved in providing and accrediting continuing education-continuing professional development programmes, because this involvement is an essential component of the professionals' self-regulation in the context of the current medical professionalism ideology.

An exploratory international study into occupational therapy students' perceptions of professional identity.

PubMed

Ashby, Samantha E; Adler, Jessica; Herbert, Lisa

2016-08-01

The successful development and maintenance of professional identity is associated with professional development and retention in the health workforce. This paper explores students' perspectives on the ways pre-entry experiences and curricula content shape professional identity. An online cross-sectional survey was sent to students enrolled in the final year of entry-level programmes in five countries. Descriptive statistical analyses of data were completed. The results reflect the perceptions of 319 respondents from five countries. Respondents identified professional education (98%) and professional socialisation during placement (92%) as curricula components with the greatest influence on professional identity formation. Discipline-specific knowledge such as, occupation-focussed models and occupational science were ranked lower than these aspects of practice. The students' length of programme and level of entry-level programme did not impact on these results. When designing curricula educators need to be mindful that students perceive practice education and professional socialisation have the greatest affect on professional identity formation. The findings reinforce the need for curricula to provide students with a range of practice experiences, which allow the observation and application of occupation-based practices. It highlights a need for educators to provide university-based curricula activities, which better prepare students for a potential dissonance between explicit occupation-based curricula and observed practice education experiences. The study indicates the need for further research into the role curricula content, and in particular practice education, plays in the multidimensional formation of professional development within entry-level programmes. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Malaysian registered nurses' professional learning.

PubMed

Chiu, Lee H

2006-01-01

Findings of a study of the impact of professional learning on Malaysian registered nurses are reported. The offshore delivery post-registration nursing degree programme is a formal aspect of professional learning, which enables Malaysian registered nurses to upgrade their hospital-based training or diploma of nursing qualification to a degree. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected from twelve programme graduates, through individual and focus group interviews. The programme promoted their personal professional growth and enhanced their professional development. It increased self-confidence, knowledge, self-fulfillment, critical thinking ability, interpersonal skills, interest in research and research utilisation, and life-long learning. There was evidence of career mobility and a raised awareness of their professional role and responsibility.

Evaluation of an innovative nursing exchange programme: health counselling skills and cultural awareness.

PubMed

Lee, Regina L T; Pang, Samantha M C; Wong, Thomas K S; Chan, M F

2007-11-01

In 2006, a two-week summer exchange programme was conducted for nursing students from 15 institutes and/or universities, including places in Taiwan, Macau, Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. This paper evaluates a summer exchange programme focusing on nursing students' professional and personal development within the context of learning health counselling skills and studying cultural aspects of the host Region. The programme was evaluated using a mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative research design. Three dimensions include students' exchange perspective, professional development and personal development were evaluated at the end of the two-week programme. Data for this evaluation were derived from the results of questionnaires completed by the 64 nursing students enrolled in this programme, and from the analysis of five focus group interviews. Overall, students (98%) reported that they were very positive about their experiences during the programme, and felt they had gained a greater awareness of effective health counselling skills, of the latest developments in advanced nursing technology within the host School, and of cultural diversity in relation to their personal and professional development. Comparison of sub-total mean scores and standard deviations (mean+/-SD) of the three dimensions among students from Taiwan, Chinese mainland and Hong Kong/Macau, revealing significant differences in the exchange perspective (Taiwan: 18.6+/-1.4; Chinese mainland: 18.8+/-1.4; and Hong Kong/Macau: 16.5+/-1.1) professional development (Taiwan: 18.4+/-1.6; Chinese mainland: 18.2+/-1.5; and Hong Kong/Macau: 16.2+/-2.0) and personal development dimensions (Taiwan: 18.9+/-1.0; Chinese mainland: 18.6+/-1.4; and Hong Kong/Macau: 17.3+/-1.1) among these three places (p<0.001). For paired comparison (post-hoc test), the findings also show that the sub-total mean scores of the students from Taiwan and Chinese mainland were significantly higher than those of students from Hong Kong and Macau in the exchange perspective (Taiwan versus Hong Kong/Macau, p<0.001; Chinese mainland versus Hong Kong/Macau, p<0.001), professional development (Taiwan versus Hong Kong/Macau, p=0.001; Chinese mainland versus Hong Kong/Macau, p<0.001), and personal development (Taiwan versus Hong Kong/Macau, p<0.001; Chinese mainland versus Hong Kong/Macau, p=0.002). Although the findings cannot be generalized, the programme evaluation highlights the positive impact on one's exchange perspective and professional and personal development of a culturally integrated exchange programme for nursing students, with emphasis on skill practices and cultural diversity.

Professional development in statistics, technology, and cognitively demanding tasks: classroom implementation and obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Gregory D.; Bakr Khoshaim, Heba; Alsaeed, Maha; Nihan Er, S.

2012-03-01

Attending professional development programmes can support teachers in applying new strategies for teaching mathematics and statistics. This study investigated (a) the extent to which the participants in a professional development programme subsequently used the techniques they had learned when teaching mathematics and statistics and (b) the obstacles they encountered in enacting cognitively demanding instructional tasks in their classrooms. The programme created an intellectual learning community among the participants and helped them gain confidence as teachers of statistics, and the students of participating teachers became actively engaged in deep mathematical thinking. The participants indicated, however, that time, availability of resources and students' prior achievement critically affected the implementation of cognitively demanding instructional activities.

Early-Years Teachers' Professional Upgrading in Science: A Long-Term Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallery, Maria

2018-01-01

In this paper, we present a professional development/upgrading programme in science for early-years teachers and investigate its impact on the teachers' competencies in relation to their knowledge and teaching of science. The basic idea of the programme was to motivate the teachers by making them members of an action research group aimed at…

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.

Effects of a preceptorship programme on turnover rate, cost, quality and professional development.

PubMed

Lee, Tso-Ying; Tzeng, Wen-Chii; Lin, Chia-Huei; Yeh, Mei-Ling

2009-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to design a preceptorship programme and to evaluate its effects on turnover rate, turnover cost, quality of care and professional development. A high turnover rate of nurses is a common global problem. How to improve nurses' willingness to stay in their jobs and reduce the high turnover rate has become a focus. Well-designed preceptorship programmes could possibly decrease turnover rates and improve professional development. A quasi-experimental research design was used. First, a preceptorship programme was designed to establish the role and responsibilities of preceptors in instructing new nurses. Second, a quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the preceptorship programme. Data on new nurses' turnover rate, turnover cost, quality of nursing care, satisfaction of preceptor's teaching and preceptor's perception were measured. After conducting the preceptorship programme, the turnover rate was 46.5% less than the previous year. The turnover cost was decreased by US$186,102. Additionally, medication error rates made by new nurses dropped from 50-0% and incident rates of adverse events and falls decreased. All new nurses were satisfied with preceptor guidance. The preceptorship programme effectively lowered the turnover rate of new nurses, reduced turnover costs and enhanced the quality of nursing care, especially by reducing medication error incidents. Positive feedback about the programme was received from new nurses. Study findings may offer healthcare administrators another option for retaining new nurses, controlling costs, improving quality and fostering professional development. In addition, incentives and effective support from the organisation must be considered when preceptors perform preceptorship responsibilities.

Evaluating a Professional Development Programme for Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Science Subject

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Talitha C.; Coenders, Fer G. M.; Terlouw, Cees; Pieters, Jules

2013-01-01

This study aims to evaluate a professional development programme that prepares and assists teachers with the implementation of a multidisciplinary science module, basing the evaluation on "participants' reactions," the first level of Guskey's five-level model for evaluation (2002). Positive evaluations at the higher levels in Guskey's…

Monitoring and Stimulating Development of Integrated Professional Skills in University Study Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahlgren, Marie; Ahlberg, Anders

2013-01-01

In Swedish higher education, quality assurance mainly focuses on course module outcomes. With this in mind we developed a qualitative method to monitor and stimulate progression of learning in two modularized engineering study programmes. A set of core professional values and skills were triangulated through interviews with students, teachers,…

A Longitudinal Study of Teachers' Professional Development through an International Exchange

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purves, Ross; Jackson, Anita; Shaughnessy, Julie

2005-01-01

The Teachers' International Professional Development (TIPD) Programme was launched by the British Council in 2000 in response to a Government Green Paper on teacher training. This provides opportunities for teachers to participate in international study visits to gain first-hand experience of good practice. As part of this programme, eighteen…

Professional Development of School Leaders in Cyprus: Is It Working?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaelidou, Athena; Pashiardis, Petros

2009-01-01

School heads and assistant headteachers in Cyprus attend in-service training programmes as part of their professional development, after they are promoted to their new leadership post. A review of the literature highlights the significance of a needs analysis when designing and/or reforming in-service training programmes. Nevertheless, there seems…

Sustaining and Scaling up the Impact of Professional Development Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zehetmeier, Stefan

2015-01-01

This paper deals with a crucial topic: which factors influence the sustainability and scale-up of a professional development programme's impact? Theoretical models and empirical findings from impact research (e.g. Zehetmeier and Krainer, "ZDM Int J Math" 43(6/7):875-887, 2011) and innovation research (e.g. Cobb and Smith,…

The Impact of the "Getting Practical: Improving Practical Work in Science" Continuing Professional Development Programme on Teachers' Ideas and Practice in Science Practical Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2014-01-01

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…

Learner Orientation through Professional Development of Teachers? Empirical Results from Cascade Training in Anglophone Cameroon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Sarah

2014-01-01

This paper examines the effects of a professional development programme on the attitudes towards the teaching and learning of teachers in the Anglophone part of Cameroon. The development programme combines a multiplier system with school-based in-service training. The research compares the effects that the training had on the attitudes of three…

Evaluation of a Core Team Centred Professional Development Programme for Building a Whole-School Cooperative Problem Solving Approach to Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Andrew Jonathan; Wertheim, Eleanor H.; Freeman, Elizabeth; Trinder, Margot

2013-01-01

This study evaluated a professional learning approach using a core team (CT) model to assist primary (elementary) schools to develop whole-school collaborative conflict resolution processes. Thirteen schools were matched and randomly assigned to the enhancing relationships in school communities programme ("n"?=?10) or a non-programme…

Investigating the Differential Effectiveness of a Teacher Professional Development Programme for Rural and Urban Classrooms in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soebari, Titien; Aldridge, Jill M.

2016-01-01

This article reports on the differential effectiveness of a teacher professional development programme for teachers in urban and rural schools in Indonesia. The study employed an embedded mixed methods design that involved the concurrent collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative component involved a pre-post design in…

The Use of MOOCs in Transnational Higher Education for Accreditation of Prior Learning, Programme Delivery, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annabi, Carrie Amani; Wilkins, Stephen

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how, and the extent to which, massive open online courses (MOOCs) might be used in the accreditation of students' prior learning, in programme delivery at international branch campuses, and for lecturers' professional development (PD) in transnational higher education.…

The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners. An Adult Literacy National Project Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berghella, Tina; Molenaar, John; Wyse, Linda

2006-01-01

This report examines the extent and nature of professional development required to meet the current and future needs of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme practitioners. While the working environment for such practitioners is becoming more complex, with greater demands on them to have industry knowledge and project management…

Reflections on a Primary School Teacher Professional Development Programme on Learning English through Process Drama

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

To, Lai-wa Dora; Chan, Yuk-lan Phoebe; Lam, Yin Krissy; Tsang, Shuk-kuen Yvonne

2011-01-01

This article documents the authors' reflections on a teacher professional development programme conducted in 38 Hong Kong primary schools on the teaching of English through Process Drama. The authors draw upon the views of school principals, subject panel head teachers, English teachers, students and parents in focus group interviews to examine…

Enabling Connections in Postgraduate Supervision for an Applied eLearning Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donnelly, Roisin

2013-01-01

This article describes the practice of postgraduate supervision on a blended professional development programme for academics, and discusses how connectivism has been a useful lens to explore a complex form of instruction. By examining the processes by which supervisors and their students on a two-year part-time masters in Applied eLearning…

The Transfer of Content Knowledge in a Cascade Model of Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Fay; Brownhill, Simon; Wilson, Elaine

2017-01-01

A cascade model of professional development presents a particular risk that "knowledge" promoted in a programme will be diluted or distorted as it passes from originators of the programme to local trainers and then to the target teachers. Careful monitoring of trainers' and teachers' knowledge as it is transferred through the system is…

Structured patient education: the X-PERT Programme.

PubMed

Deakin, Trudi; Whitham, Claire

2009-09-01

The X-PERT Programme seeks to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence in diabetes treatment for health-care professionals and diabetes self-management. The programme trains health-care professionals to deliver the six-week structured patient education programme to people with diabetes. Over 850 health-care professionals have attended the X-PERT 'Train the Trainer' course and audit results document improved job satisfaction and competence in diabetes treatment and management. National audit statistics for X-PERT implementation to people with diabetes illustrate excellent attendance rates, improved diabetes control, reduced weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and waist circumference and more confidence in self-managing diabetes that has impacted positively on quality of life.

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/.

Supporting Police Community Support Officers to Become Effective School Link Officers: Key Stakeholder Perceptions of a Pilot Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Lorraine; Trotman, Dave

2017-01-01

This article presents the findings of a pilot professional development programme designed to support police community support officers (PCSOs) to become effective school link officers (SLOs) within urban secondary schools in the English West Midlands. Findings are presented via perceptions of key stakeholders: SLOs themselves; school-based mentors…

Participant-Directed Evaluation: Using Teachers' Own Inquiries to Evaluate Professional Development in Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ham, Vince

2010-01-01

Considering the high levels of time and money invested in teacher professional development programmes in information technologies over recent decades, questions arise as to how effective these programmes have been and by whose lights we are to judge. Based on a critical review of the evaluations of several of our own action-research-based…

Integrating ICT in Kenyan Secondary Schools: An Exploratory Case Study of a Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tondeur, Jo; Krug, Don; Bill, Mike; Smulders, Maaike; Zhu, Chang

2015-01-01

This study explores the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Kenyan secondary schools. Specifically, it is a case study of four schools with no previous access to ICT. The professional development programme from which data for this study were drawn was designed to support teachers learning to integrate ICT in the…

A Sense of Deja Vu across the Tasman? What Australians Might Learn from the New Zealand Experience with the Te Kotahitanga Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Openshaw, Roger

2007-01-01

Throughout Australasia, indigenous educational issues remain a subject of considerable debate. In New Zealand, Maori underachievement in education has long been a matter of widespread concern. Currently the most highly visible professional development programme now operating in New Zealand mainstream secondary schools, Te Kotahitanga claims to…

Changing Practice: An Evaluation of the Impact of a Nature of Science Inquiry-Based Professional Development Programme on Primary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Clíona; Smith, Greg; Varley, Janet; Razi, Özge

2015-01-01

This study investigates how a two-year continuing professional development (CPD) programme, with an emphasis on teaching about science through inquiry, impacted the experiences of, approaches to and attitudes towards teaching science of 17 primary teachers in Dublin. Data sources included interview, questionnaire and reflective journal strategies.…

How Do Teachers Make Sense of Peer Observation Professional Development in an Urban School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dos Santos, Luis Miguel

2017-01-01

The purpose of the research study is to explore how a peer observation training programme could be beneficial to the professional development of English teachers in an East Asian environment. The research objectives were to improve teaching practice, examine how teachers make sense of the peer observation programme after they have taken part in,…

Service Quality and Students' Satisfaction with the Professional Teacher Development Programmes by Distance Mode in a South African University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oduaran, A. B.

2011-01-01

This article reports on the relationship between seven factors that described dimensions of education service quality and overall service quality on one hand, and students' satisfaction with the professional teacher development programmes by distance mode in a South African University on the other. We sought to find out whether students enrolled…

A National Health Service Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme: a qualitative analysis of provision.

PubMed

O'Driscoll, Jamie M; Shave, Robert; Cushion, Christopher J

2007-10-01

This paper reports a study examining the effectiveness of a London National Health Service Trust Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme, from the perspectives of healthcare professionals and patients. Cardiovascular disease is the world's leading cause of death and disability. Substantial research has reported that, following a cardiac event, cardiac rehabilitation can promote recovery, improve exercise capacity and patient health, reduce various coronary artery disease risk factors and subsequently reduce hospitalization costs. Despite these findings and the introduction of the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, there is wide variation in the practice, management and organization of cardiac rehabilitation services. A purposeful sample of three postmyocardial infarction patients registered on the selected hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme, coupled with 11 healthcare professionals were selected. The patients acted as individual case studies. The authors followed all three patients through phase III of their cardiac rehabilitation programme. The research attempted to explore the roles and procedures of a London hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme through an interpretative framework involving qualitative research methods. Participant observation and in-depth semi-structured interviews were the instruments used to collect data. Whilst the healthcare professionals were enthusiastic about coronary heart disease prevention, the London NHS trust hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme had several barriers, which reduced the programme's success and prevented it from achieving National Service Framework targets. The barriers were complex and mainly included service-related factors, such as lack of professional training, weak communication between primary and secondary care and confused roles and identities. Although the study has immediate relevance for the local area, it highlighted issues of more general relevance to cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention programme development, such as communication and role and identity perceptions in a multi-professional working environment and the need to develop a formal training programme for cardiac rehabilitation healthcare professionals. The results of this study highlight the need for increased investment, improved planning and the introduction of a comprehensive training programme for healthcare practitioners in cardiac rehabilitation. Implementation of these actions may reduce many of the service limitations and barriers that currently surround cardiac rehabilitation programmes.

Challenges for academic accreditation: the UK experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shearman, Richard; Seddon, Deborah

2010-08-01

Several factors (government policy, demographic trends, employer pressure) are leading to new forms of degree programmes in UK universities. The government is strongly encouraging engagement between universities and employers. Work-based learning is increasingly found in first and second cycle programmes, along with modules designed by employers and increasing use of distance learning. Engineering faculties are playing a leading part in these developments, and the Engineering Council, the engineering professional bodies and some universities are collaborating to develop work-based learning programmes as a pathway to professional qualification. While potentially beneficial to the engineering profession, these developments pose a challenge to traditional approaches to programme accreditation. This paper explores how this system deals with these challenges and highlights the issues that will have to be addressed to ensure that the system can cope effectively with change, especially the development of individually tailored, work-based second cycle programmes, while maintaining appropriate standards and international confidence.

Evaluation of a nurse leadership development programme.

PubMed

West, Margaret; Smithgall, Lisa; Rosler, Greta; Winn, Erin

2016-03-01

The challenge for nursing leaders responsible for workforce planning is to predict the knowledge, skills and abilities required to lead future healthcare delivery systems effectively. Succession planning requires a constant, competitive pool of qualified nursing leader candidates, and retention of those interested in career growth. Formal nursing leadership education in the United States is available through graduate education and professional nursing organisation programmes, such as the Emerging Nurse Leader Institute of the American Organization of Nurse Executives. However, there is also a need for local development programmes tailored to the needs of individual organisations. Leaders at Geisinger Health System, one of the largest rural health systems in the US, identified the need for an internal professional development scheme for nurses. In 2013 the Nurses Emerging as Leaders programme was developed to prepare nurse leaders for effective leadership and successful role transition. This article describes the programme and an evaluation of its effectiveness.

Sustainable Development, Systems Thinking and Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Stephen

2008-01-01

This article explores the impact of the sustainable development (SD) agenda on the occupational and professional needs of those who have undergone educational and training programmes in the environmental field either at the undergraduate or the postgraduate level or through relevant professional institutions' continuing professional development…

A countrywide programme of continuing professional development in Argentina

PubMed Central

Lejarraga, H; Ageitos, M; Galli, A; Castro, C; Paediatrics, A. S.; Education, S. o.; SHRIBMAN, S

1998-01-01

The Argentinean Society of Paediatrics introduced in 1993 a continuing professional development (CPD) programme to raise standards of clinical practice. The aims of the project were to introduce a structured, distance learning programme accessible to all paediatricians in the country, but especially for those working far from centres of paediatric excellence. The programme is planned on an annual basis. It includes four activities: a written manual designed by a team of medical experts and educationalists comprising 12topics; field work for participants; annual meetings in several locations in the country for discussion of the subjects; and an evaluation based on centrally designed multiple choice questions distributed by mail. In spite of a registration fee of £90 a year, participation in the programme increased from 3357 in 1993 to 4126 in 1996, from a membership of 10 216 paediatricians in Argentina. The popularity of the programme may result from an appropriate interpretation of professional needs of paediatricians in Argentina, adequate organisational arrangements that reach all colleagues, including those working in remote areas, and a genuine motivation of paediatricians for participating in a learning process. 

 PMID:9713017

BookFun--"There's More to It than Reading a Book"--Implementing a Danish Early Literacy Programme That Supports Professionalism, Language Development and Social Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clasen, Line Engel; Jensen de López, Kristine

2017-01-01

Several early literacy programmes have documented their effectiveness in enhancing children's early literacy and language development. Despite recent interest in implementing evidence-based programmes, only a few studies have set out to capture the implementation process of early literacy programmes as seen from the programme users' perspectives.…

Flexible Programmes in Higher Professional Education: Expert Validation of a Flexible Educational Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schellekens, Ad; Paas, Fred; Verbraeck, Alexander; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

2010-01-01

In a preceding case study, a process-focused demand-driven approach for organising flexible educational programmes in higher professional education (HPE) was developed. Operations management and instructional design contributed to designing a flexible educational model by means of discrete-event simulation. Educational experts validated the model…

Marathon Running, Accreditation of Study Programmes and Professional Development in Consultancies: Are They All about the Same? A Cognitive Perspective on Transfer of Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruber, Hans

2013-01-01

Three challenges are presented which address problems of transfer of training: running marathon, accreditation of study programmes, professional development in consultancies. It is discussed in-how-far and why different approaches to transfer of training stress commonalities or differences between these challenges. The results are used to analyse…

Is Presence of Community of Practice Dimensions Sufficient for Community-Based Teacher Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murugaiah, Puvaneswary; Ming, Thang Siew; Azman, Hazita; Nambiar, Radha

2013-01-01

Professional development programmes that include teacher collaboration can help teachers meet their professional needs and control their professional lives. They can voice their needs and expectations to peers who share similar experiences. Moreover, teachers can discover new teaching roles and opportunities, develop new skills and find motivation…

Evaluation of an online master's programme in Somaliland. A phenomenographic study on the experience of professional and personal development among midwifery faculty.

PubMed

Erlandsson, Kerstin; Osman, Fatumo; Hatakka, Mathias; Egal, Jama Ali; Byrskog, Ulrika; Pedersen, Christina; Klingberg-Allvin, Marie

2017-07-01

To record the variation of perceptions of midwifery faculty in terms of the possibilities and challenges related to the completion of their first online master's level programme in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Somaliland. The informants included in this phenomenongraphical focus group study were those well-educated professional women and men who completed the master's program. The informant perceived that this first online master's level programme provided tools for independent use of the Internet and independent searching for evidence-based information, enhanced professional development, was challenge-driven and evoked curiosity, challenged professional development, enhanced personal development and challenged context-bound career paths. Online education makes it possible for well-educated professional women to continue higher education. It furthermore increased the informants' confidence in their use of Internet, software and databases and in the use of evidence in both their teaching and their clinical practice. Programmes such as the one described in this paper could counter the difficulties ensuring best practice by having a critical mass of midwives who will be able to continually gather contemporary midwifery evidence and use it to ensure best practice. An increase of online education is suggested in South-central Somalia and in similar settings globally. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A qualitative evaluation of the Scottish Staff and Associate Specialist Development Programme.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer; Burr, Jacqueline; Johnston, Peter

2016-05-01

The continued professional development of staff and associate specialist doctors in the UK was ill served prior to the introduction of the new staff and associate specialist doctor's contract in 2008. The aim of this study was to independently evaluate NHS Education for Scotland's approach to improving professional development for staff and associate specialist doctors, the staff and associate specialist Professional Development Fund. Semi-structured telephone interviews with key stakeholders, framed by a realistic approach to evaluate what works, for whom and in how and under what circumstances. An inductive and data-driven thematic analysis was carried out and then the realist framework was applied to the data. We interviewed 22 key stakeholders: staff and associate specialist doctors, staff and associate specialist educational advisors, programme architects and clinical directors, between end February and May 2014. The resultant data indicated five broad themes: organisational barriers to continued professional development for staff and associate specialist doctors, the purpose of funding, gains from funding, the need for better communication about the staff and associate specialist Programme Development Fund, and the interplay between individual and systems factors. The staff and associate specialist Programme Development Fund has changed the opportunities available to staff and associate specialist doctors in Scotland and, in that sense, has changed the context for this group - or at least those who have realised the opportunities. © The Author(s) 2016.

Mentoring for School Leadership in South Africa: Diversity, Dissimilarity and Disadvantage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moorosi, Pontso

2012-01-01

In South Africa, until recently, mentoring has not been formalized as part of school leadership induction programmes or of leadership professional development. However, the South African government identified mentoring as a distinctive aspect of its pilot leadership development programme for school principals. This programme signalled a shift from…

Community-Based Teacher Professional Development in Remote Areas in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harjanto, Ignatius; Lie, Anita; Wihardini, Diah; Pryor, Laura; Wilson, Mark

2018-01-01

The Indonesian government has been struggling to improve the quality of teachers in its public and private schools. Several programmes of teacher education and teacher certification have been designed to enhance teacher quality. However, the programmes do not yet develop effective teachers. Supporting the government programmes, the Tanoto…

Exploring the Development of Existing Sex Education Programmes for People with Intellectual Disabilities: An Intervention Mapping Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaafsma, Dilana; Stoffelen, Joke M. T.; Kok, Gerjo; Curfs, Leopold M. G.

2013-01-01

Background: People with intellectual disabilities face barriers that affect their sexual health. Sex education programmes have been developed by professionals working in the field of intellectual disabilities with the aim to overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was to explore the development of these programmes. Methods: Sex education…

The delivery of injury prevention exercise programmes in professional youth soccer: Comparison to the FIFA 11.

PubMed

O'Brien, James; Young, Warren; Finch, Caroline F

2017-01-01

Injury prevention exercise programmes for amateur soccer have gained considerable attention, but little is known about their relevance and adaptability to professional soccer settings. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the delivery and content of injury prevention exercise programmes used by professional youth soccer teams, compared to the industry standard injury prevention exercise programme for soccer, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association's FIFA 11+. The second aim was to document specific challenges to implementing injury prevention exercise programmes in this context. Prospective observational study. The participants were soccer coaches, fitness coaches and physiotherapists (n=18) from four teams in a professional youth soccer academy. Each team's chosen injury prevention exercise programmes were observed weekly across an entire soccer season (160 sessions). The delivery and content of the programmes were documented on a standardised worksheet and compared to the FIFA 11+. Specific implementation challenges were recorded. Fitness coaches were the primary deliverers of injury prevention exercise programmes, with support from physiotherapists. Multiple delivery formats and locations were employed, along with the extensive use of equipment. Across all injury prevention exercise programme sessions, a median of one FIFA 11+ exercise was performed in its original form and a further four in a modified form. Implementation challenges included poor staff communication, competing training priorities and heavy game schedules. Although the basic components of the FIFA 11+ hold relevance for professional youth male teams, the delivery and content of injury prevention exercise programmes require considerable tailoring for this context. Recognising this will inform the development of improved, context-specific injury prevention exercise programmes, along with corresponding strategies to enhance their implementation. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuing professional development crediting system for specialists in laboratory medicine within 28 EFLM national societies.

PubMed

Topic, Elizabeta; Beletic, Andjelo; Zima, Tomas

2013-01-01

Continuing professional development (CPD) with corresponding crediting system is recognized as essential for the laboratory medicine specialists to provide optimal service for the patients. Article presents results of the survey evaluating current CPD crediting practice among members of European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM). A questionnaire had been forwarded to presidents/national representatives of all EFLM members, with invitation to provide information about CPD programmes and crediting policies, as well as feedback on individual CPD categories, through scoring their relevance. Complete or partial answers were received from 28 of 38 members. In 23 countries, CPD programmes exist and earn credits, with 19 of them offering access to non-medical scientists. CPD activities are evaluated in all participating countries, regardless to the existence of an official CPD programme. Among participating members with mandatory specialists' licensing (22/28), CPD is a prerequisite for relicensing in 13 countries. Main categories recognized as CPD are: continuing education (24 countries), article/book (17/14 countries) authorship and distance learning (14 countries). The highest median score of relevance (20) is allocated to professional training, editor/authorship and official activities in professional organizations, with the first category showing the least variation among scores. Majority of EFLM members have developed CPD programmes, regularly evaluated and accompanied by crediting systems. Programmes differ in accessibility for non-medical scientists and impact on relicensing eligibility. Continuing education, authorship and e-learning are mainly recognized as CPD activities, although the professional training is appreciated as the most important individual CPD category.

Continuing professional development crediting system for specialists in laboratory medicine within 28 EFLM national societies

PubMed Central

Topic, Elizabeta; Beletic, Andjelo; Zima, Tomas

2013-01-01

Introduction: Continuing professional development (CPD) with corresponding crediting system is recognized as essential for the laboratory medicine specialists to provide optimal service for the patients. Article presents results of the survey evaluating current CPD crediting practice among members of European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM). Materials and methods: A questionnaire had been forwarded to presidents/national representatives of all EFLM members, with invitation to provide information about CPD programmes and crediting policies, as well as feedback on individual CPD categories, through scoring their relevance. Results: Complete or partial answers were received from 28 of 38 members. In 23 countries, CPD programmes exist and earn credits, with 19 of them offering access to non-medical scientists. CPD activities are evaluated in all participating countries, regardless to the existence of an official CPD programme. Among participating members with mandatory specialists’ licensing (22/28), CPD is a prerequisite for relicensing in 13 countries. Main categories recognized as CPD are: continuing education (24 countries), article/book (17/14 countries) authorship and distance learning (14 countries). The highest median score of relevance (20) is allocated to professional training, editor/authorship and official activities in professional organizations, with the first category showing the least variation among scores. Conclusions: Majority of EFLM members have developed CPD programmes, regularly evaluated and accompanied by crediting systems. Programmes differ in accessibility for non-medical scientists and impact on relicensing eligibility. Continuing education, authorship and e-learning are mainly recognized as CPD activities, although the professional training is appreciated as the most important individual CPD category. PMID:24266304

[Development of an evidence-based self-management programme for patients in the first year after renal transplantation with a focus on prevention of weight gain, physical exercise and drug adherence].

PubMed

Schmid-Mohler, Gabriela; Fehr, Thomas; Witschi, Patrick; Albiez, Thomas; Biotti, Beatrice; Spirig, Rebecca

2013-06-01

In the first year after kidney transplantation patients are challenged with incorporating new behaviour patterns into their daily lives. Due to the higher risk of cardiovascular disease amongst kidney transplant recipients, behaviours such as preventing undesired weight gain, exercising, avoiding smoking, and managing medications take on crucial importance. The aim of the project was to develop a programme based on prevailing evidence to promote self-management skills in this patient population. To this end a participatory action research approach was chosen. The programme was developed with inter-professional collaboration under the direction of an advanced practice nurse. As theoretical framework for the development of the intervention models of behaviour change and self-management were chosen. The content is based on current literature and includes the viewpoints of both patients and nursing experts. The programme consists of three elements: 1) Educational brochures developed through inter-professional collaboration and evaluated in a pilot survey. These brochures provide a framework for appointments with nursing professionals. 2) The appointments are a forum in which the patient can gain access to relevant information and can be supported in putting sustainable health-related behaviours into practice in daily life. 3) A peer programme that uses treatment plans to encourage patients deviating from preferred health-related behaviours to make changes in their behaviour. The programme evaluation started in May of 2012. Results of the pilot study are expected in 2014.

A certification/accreditation model for Haemophilia Centres in Italy

PubMed Central

Mannucci, Pier Mannuccio; Menichini, Ivana

2014-01-01

Background The Italian Association of Haemophilia Centres has developed a voluntary programme of professional accreditation of Haemophilia Centres, run by its members. Participation in the programme, which aims to foster staff involvement in clinical governance, includes both medical personnel and nurses. Materials and methods Accreditation is awarded provided the candidate Haemophilia Centre is able to adhere to a pre-established set of quality standards and meet a number of clinical and organisational requirements, previously defined on the basis of evidence-based medicine. Self-evaluation is the first step in the programme, followed by a site visit by a team of peer professionals experienced in quality auditing. Results The programme has so far involved 21 Italian Haemophilia Centres. The comparison between self- and peer-evaluation revealed less discrepancies for disease-related than for organisational requirements, the latter being met to a lesser degree by most Haemophilia Centres. Discussion This programme of professional accreditation developed by the Italian Association of Haemophilia Centres has the potential to describe, monitor and improve clinical and organisational performances in the management of patients with haemophilia and allied inherited coagulation disorders. It should also be seen as a contribution to the implementation of the strategy for improving professional governance in Haemophilia Centres. PMID:24922289

Professional Learning of Instructors in Vocational and Professional Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoekstra, Annemarieke; Kuntz, Jeff; Newton, Paul

2018-01-01

This article presents insights from a study into instructor professional learning in vocational and professional education (VPE) in Canada. While most studies on instructor learning focus on learning through formal professional development programmes, this study specifically focuses on professional learning as it happens in day-to-day practice.…

Cultivating a Community of Learners in a Distance Learning Postgraduate Course for Language Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konstantinidis, Angelos; Goria, Cecilia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this contribution is to share reflections and practices in cultivating a community of learners in the context of a professional development programme at Master's level for language teachers. The programme implements a highly participatory pedagogical model of online learning which combines the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model…

Multi-Level Linking of Teaching and Extra-Curricular Activity with Professional Planning Research: The Case of the Lincoln Planning Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rennie, Hamish G.

2010-01-01

The experience in developing a student-led academic journal, the Lincoln Planning Review, to provide experiential learning that links undergraduates in a small professional planning programme directly to research publication is described. A combination of circumstances, including an impending review of the programme by the external professional…

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

INTERACT: Building a Virtual Community of Practice to Enhance Teachers' Intercultural Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hajisoteriou, Christina; Karousiou, Christiana; Angelides, Panayiotis

2018-01-01

This project focuses on the design and implementation of an online professional development platform tailored to teachers' needs to improve and promote their intercultural knowledge. Drawing upon the framework of virtual communities of practice, the project escapes from traditional professional development programmes. Although a total of 103…

Teacher Professional Development: Who Is the Learner?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrie, Kirsten; McGee, Clive

2012-01-01

One of the challenges in in-service teacher education is how teachers can be given professional development (PD) that enables them to respond to national curriculum and policy change. In recent years primary teachers in New Zealand have been inundated with Ministry of Education-funded professional development programmes to help them implement a…

Fostering Connections between Graduate Students and Strengthening Professional Identity through Co-Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murdock, Jennifer L.; Stipanovic, Natalie; Lucas, Kyle

2013-01-01

For counsellors and counsellor educators, developing a sound sense of professional identity is a necessity in preserving and advancing the counselling field. In an effort to promote professional identity development in a group of counsellors in training, a co-mentoring programme was developed that paired master's level and doctoral level…

The impact of a faculty development programme for health professions educators in sub-Saharan Africa: an archival study.

PubMed

Frantz, José M; Bezuidenhout, Juanita; Burch, Vanessa C; Mthembu, Sindi; Rowe, Michael; Tan, Christina; Van Wyk, Jacqueline; Van Heerden, Ben

2015-03-03

In 2008 the sub-Saharan FAIMER Regional Institute launched a faculty development programme aimed at enhancing the academic and research capacity of health professions educators working in sub-Saharan Africa. This two-year programme, a combination of residential and distance learning activities, focuses on developing the leadership, project management and programme evaluation skills of participants as well as teaching the key principles of health professions education-curriculum design, teaching and learning and assessment. Participants also gain first-hand research experience by designing and conducting an education innovation project in their home institutions. This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of participants regarding the personal and professional impact of the SAFRI programme. A retrospective document review, which included data about fellows who completed the programme between 2008 and 2011, was performed. Data included fellows' descriptions of their expectations, reflections on achievements and information shared on an online discussion forum. Data were analysed using Kirkpatrick's evaluation framework. Participants (n=61) came from 10 African countries and included a wide range of health professions educators. Five key themes about the impact of the SAFRI programme were identified: (1) belonging to a community of practice, (2) personal development, (3) professional development, (4) capacity development, and (5) tools/strategies for project management and/or advancement. The SAFRI programme has a positive developmental impact on both participants and their respective institutions.

Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eley, Alison

2017-01-01

There are many professional development programmes on offer for primary science. The best of these involve teachers in developing practice over time, alongside engaging with theory. In this article, the author considers how working as part of a professional learning community can support a collaborative and evidence informed approach to improving…

Foreign Language Teachers' Professional Development through Peer Observation Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dos Santos, Luis Miguel

2016-01-01

The purpose of the research is to explore the development of peer-observation programme for the use of an extension language school in Hong Kong. The research objectives were to explore teachers' perceptions on a peer observation programme as a means to improve teaching practice, examine how teachers make sense of the peer observation programme…

`Risky fun' or `Authentic science'? How teachers' beliefs influence their practice during a professional development programme on outdoor learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glackin, Melissa

2016-02-01

Teaching outdoors has been established as an important pedagogical strategy; however, science classes rarely take place outside. Previous research has identified characteristics of teachers who have integrated out-of-classroom opportunities into their teaching repertoire; yet little is understood as to why teachers make these different pedagogical decisions. This paper explores the relationship between secondary science teachers' beliefs and their pedagogical practice during a two-year professional development programme associated with the 'Thinking Beyond the Classroom' project. Using data from lesson observations, interviews, session questionnaires and field notes, six teacher case studies were developed from participants completing the programme. Data analysis reveals that teachers who successfully taught outside generally held social constructivist beliefs about learning and valued 'authentic' science opportunities. Conversely, teachers who were less successful in teaching outside generally held traditional learning beliefs and simply valued the outdoors for the novelty and potential for fun. All the case study teachers were concerned about managing student learning outside, and for the majority, their concerns influenced their subsequent pedagogical practice. The findings are discussed in detail, as are the implications for pre-service and in-service professional development programmes related to outdoor science learning.

Effects of a 1 year development programme for recently graduated veterinary professionals on personal and job resources: a combined quantitative and qualitative approach.

PubMed

Mastenbroek, N J J M; van Beukelen, P; Demerouti, E; Scherpbier, A J J A; Jaarsma, A D C

2015-12-30

The early years in professional practice are for many veterinary and medical professionals a period of great challenges and consequently increased stress levels. Personal resources appear to have a positive impact on the course of this transition period. Personal resources are defined as developable systems of positive beliefs about one's self and the world that are generally linked to resilience. They are negatively related to burnout and positively and reciprocally to job resources, work engagement and job performance. With the aim of enhancing personal resources of recently graduated veterinarians, a 1 year multi-modular resources development programme was designed. This study was conducted to analyse: 1. if and how the development programme affected participants' personal resources, and 2. if and how personal resources affected participants' work characteristics and work engagement. Quantitative study: Twenty-five participants and ten non-participants completed an online survey covering personal resources, job resources and work engagement at the start and finish of the programme. Results showed a significant increase of personal resources in participants for self-reported ratings of proactive behaviour (Effect Size=-0.4), self-efficacy (Effect Size=-0.6) and reflective behaviour (Effect Size=-0.6). Results of the control group were not significant, although some moderate effect sizes were found. Qualitative study: Additionally 16 semi-structured interviews with participants of the programme were taken 6 months after finishing the programme. Analysis of the interviews revealed that participants also developed other important personal resources namely self-acceptance, self-esteem, awareness of own influence and responsibility. The reflection process, which took place in the course of the programme, seemed to be a necessary step for the development of the other personal resources. According to participants of the resources development programme, the increase in personal resources also gave rise to an increase in job resources. The multi-modular resources development programme seems to support development of participants' personal resources. Because personal resources are beneficial in improving well-being irrespective of where an individual starts working, it is important to give them explicit attention in educational settings.

People Passion Programme: Implementing an Innovative Workplace Learning Culture through Professional Development--The Case of KPMG Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phornprapha, Sarote

2015-01-01

With a vision that changes within the organisation could only happen through people, Chief Executive Officer Ms. Kaisri Nuengsigkapian led the creation of a successful workplace learning programme, People Passion within KPMG Thailand, which is part of a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. This article…

Leaders as Learners: Developing New Leadership Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aas, Marit

2017-01-01

Professional learning and development of school leaders are considered keys to educational change. However, a growing body of research has identified how difficult it is to design professional leadership programmes that make a difference in leaders' professional practice. Drawing on the framework of expansive learning and data from the six-year…

'I'm actually being the grown-up now': leadership, maturity and professional identity development.

PubMed

Miskelly, Philippa; Duncan, Lindsay

2014-01-01

This study reports on an evaluation of an in-house nursing and midwifery leadership programme within a New Zealand District Health Board aimed at improving leadership capacity within clinical environments. The programme associated with this study is based on Practice Development concepts which aim to improve patient care and service delivery as well as empower practitioners to foster and support a transformational culture. Mixed methods were used. Evidence indicated participants' self-confidence improved leading to a 'growing up'. This was demonstrated in a number of ways: taking more responsibility for individual clinical practice, undertaking quality and safety roles as well as postgraduate study. These findings can be constructed in terms of linking leadership training with the development of professional identity. This study provides evidence that in-house leadership programmes can provide front-line nurses and midwives with opportunities to enhance their professional identity and expand their skills in a variety of ways. Organisational investment in in-house programmes aimed at leadership skills have the potential to enhance patient care as well as improve the work environment for nurses and midwives. However, in-house programmes should be considered as augmenting rather than replacing tertiary education institutions' leadership courses and qualifications. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Professionals learning together with patients: An exploratory study of a collaborative learning Fellowship programme for healthcare improvement.

PubMed

Myron, Rowan; French, Catherine; Sullivan, Paul; Sathyamoorthy, Ganesh; Barlow, James; Pomeroy, Linda

2018-05-01

Improving the quality of healthcare involves collaboration between many different stakeholders. Collaborative learning theory suggests that teaching different professional groups alongside each other may enable them to develop skills in how to collaborate effectively, but there is little literature on how this works in practice. Further, though it is recognised that patients play a fundamental role in quality improvement, there are few examples of where they learn together with professionals. To contribute to addressing this gap, we review a collaborative fellowship in Northwest London, designed to build capacity to improve healthcare, which enabled patients and professionals to learn together. Using the lens of collaborative learning, we conducted an exploratory study of six cohorts of the year long programme (71 participants). Data were collected using open text responses from an online survey (n = 31) and semi-structured interviews (n = 34) and analysed using an inductive open coding approach. The collaborative design of the Fellowship, which included bringing multiple perspectives to discussions of real world problems, was valued by participants who reflected on the safe, egalitarian space created by the programme. Participants (healthcare professionals and patients) found this way of learning initially challenging yet ultimately productive. Despite the pedagogical and practical challenges of developing a collaborative programme, this study indicates that opening up previously restricted learning opportunities as widely as possible, to include patients and carers, is an effective mechanism to develop collaborative skills for quality improvement.

Professional Learning and Agency in an Identity Coaching Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vähäsantanen, Katja; Hökkä, Päivi; Paloniemi, Susanna; Herranen, Sanna; Eteläpelto, Anneli

2017-01-01

This article addresses the professional learning that occurred in an identity coaching programme. The arts-based programme aimed to enhance the participants' professional learning, notably through helping them to process their professional identities. Professional learning was seen as resourced by the participants' professional agency, and by the…

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.

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…

An Innovative Model of Professional Development to Enhance the Teaching and Learning of Primary Science in Irish Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Greg

2014-01-01

This study investigates the influence of a two-year professional development programme on primary teachers' attitudes towards primary science, their confidence and competence in teaching science, and pupils' attitudes towards school science. Unlike the traditional "one-size-fits all" model of professional development, the model developed…

Participatory Media for Teacher Professional Development: Toward a Self-Sustainable and Democratic Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Katrina; Miller, Richard; Jahng, Kyung Eun

2016-01-01

Financial and political pressures on the compulsory education teacher corps in the United States, as well as US higher education, demands a new approach to teacher professional development that shifts the focus away from repeated short-term university-based teacher professional development programmes and toward the nurturing of self-organized and…

Rethinking the Theory and Practice of Continuing Professional Development: Science Teachers' Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansour, Nasser; EL-Deghaidy, Heba; Alshamrani, Saeed; Aldahmash, Abdulwali

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate science teachers' views of continuing professional development (CPD) provision in Saudi Arabia and science teachers' perspectives of the CPD contextual issues that have an impact on putting the learning emerging from the CPD programmes into practice. The study used mixed methods (open-ended questionnaires and interviews) with Saudi Arabian science teachers framed by a socio-cultural perspective. This study argues that science teachers' voices concerning their professional development needs should be the key guide for their CPD. Our study shows the significance of engaging critically with science teachers' voices and views of their CPD programme. One of the unique findings of this study indicated CPD programmes should take place at school where teachers have the opportunity to collaborate with others in an authentic context and where they can participate in the content of the CPD that directly meets their needs within their work context. The study has shown that science teacher development can be effective and successful when science teachers are able to talk with each other as part of the learning activities of the CPD programmes about what they are doing in the classroom, and how they can implement the ideas of the CPD programmes into their classroom and school settings. This might shed light on why teachers were either able or unable to put some aspects of their CPD learning into practice.

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.

Exploring the development of existing sex education programmes for people with intellectual disabilities: an intervention mapping approach.

PubMed

Schaafsma, Dilana; Stoffelen, Joke M T; Kok, Gerjo; Curfs, Leopold M G

2013-03-01

People with intellectual disabilities face barriers that affect their sexual health. Sex education programmes have been developed by professionals working in the field of intellectual disabilities with the aim to overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was to explore the development of these programmes. Sex education programmes geared to people with intellectual disabilities were examined in the context of the Intervention Mapping protocol. Data were obtained via interviews with the programme developers. All programmes lack specific programme outcomes, do not have a theoretical basis, did not involve members of relevant groups in the development process and lack systematic evaluation. Based on our findings and the literature, we conclude that these programmes are unlikely to be effective. Future programmes should be developed using a more systematic and theory- and evidence-based approach. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An Evaluation of a Professional Learning Network for Computer Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutts, Quintin; Robertson, Judy; Donaldson, Peter; O'Donnell, Laurie

2017-01-01

This paper describes and evaluates aspects of a professional development programme for existing CS teachers in secondary schools (PLAN C) which was designed to support teachers at a time of substantial curricular change. The paper's particular focus is on the formation of a teacher professional development network across several hundred teachers…

New Academics, New Higher Education Contexts: A Critical Perspective on Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behari-Leak, Kasturi

2017-01-01

New academics entering higher education are especially vulnerable if teaching in a post-colonial classroom is not foregrounded as an explicit part of their professional induction. Drawing on a study of a professional development programme for induction to teaching, this paper explicates how six new academics confront specific challenges of…

Being normal, not vulnerable: case study of a 2-day residential programme for young adults with cancer.

PubMed

Martins, Ana; Taylor, Rachel M; Morgan, Sue; Fern, Lorna A

2017-07-13

To identify and describe the outcomes and facilitating processes of participation at 'Find Your Sense of Tumour' (FYSOT), a 2-day residential programme/conference for young people with cancer, from the perspective of professionals attending and patient representatives. Case study. Observation of the 'Find Your Sense of Tumour' over 18s residential programme and face-to-face interviews in hospital and phone interviews. Twenty-six participants - 19 professionals from hospitals across the UK who accompanied young people to FYSOT; 3 programme organisers; and 4 young people from the programme steering committee. Participant observation and semistructured interviews. This process evaluation of an educational, social and peer-to-peer support residential weekend for young people with cancer identified key outcomes for young people - positive attitudes (increased sociability, confidence), belonging (feeling accepted, understood), recreation (trying new activities, having fun) and increased knowledge (balance between educational talks and interactions with other young people); and three overarching facilitating processes - being with other young people, the professionals accompanying young people to the event for support and guidance, and the conference/intentional programming. Being in a safe, relaxed and fun environment with other young people facilitates the development of peer support networks and increases young people's confidence and knowledge. Although the focus of the residential programme is on young people, interviewees acknowledge the impact of attending on professionals' motivation, learning and changes in practice. This study has extended our understanding of the role of residential programmes by identifying outcomes and facilitating mechanisms. We have shown that residential programmes have an important role in providing participants with social, emotional and informational support, as well as play an important role in redefining normality. Longitudinal quantitative and qualitative research is needed to optimise outcomes and design and implement quality programmes that support young people's development. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Planning a graduate programme in public health nutrition for experienced nutrition professionals.

PubMed

Fox, Ann; Beyers, Joanne

2011-08-01

Public health renewal in Canada has highlighted the need for development and expansion of the public health nutrition workforce, particularly in northern and rural communities. The purpose of the present paper is to describe the planning of a more accessible graduate programme for experienced nutrition professionals. The planning effort was challenged by a short timeframe between programme approval and implementation and required intense collaboration with stakeholders and students. The programme planning model developed by The Health Communication Unit (THCU) at the Centre for Health Promotion was used to guide the process. This six-step model was familiar to key stakeholders and involved pre-planning, conducting a situational assessment, establishing goals and objectives, developing strategies and outcome indicators, and monitoring feedback. Resource constraints, short timelines and debates around distance education options presented challenges that were overcome by conducting a thorough needs assessment, creating an advisory committee, engaging key stakeholders in the planning process, and building on existing resources. Extensive involvement of the first cohort of students in ongoing planning and evaluation was particularly helpful in informing the evolution of the programme. The THCU planning model provided a useful framework for stakeholder collaboration and for planning and implementing the new graduate programme in public health nutrition. Preliminary data suggest that graduates are benefiting from their educational experiences through career enhancement opportunities. The evaluation strategies built into the programme design will be useful in informing ongoing programme development.

Developing a Virtual Engineering Management Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Bill; Kidd, Moray; Smith, Robin; Wearne, Stephen

2016-01-01

The paper reviews the lessons of planning and running an "Engineering Management" practitioner development programme in a partnership between BP and the University of Manchester. This distance-learning programme is for professional engineers in mid-career experienced in the engineering and support activities for delivering safe,…

Novice Teachers' Experiences of Induction in Selected Primary Schools in Namibia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dishena, Robert; Mokoena, Sello

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Many schools use induction programmes with the aim of contributing to novice teachers' well-being and professional development. However, the content of induction programmes varies across schools and countries. Given that existing studies do not conclusively establish the programme components with the greatest potential to affect…

Engaging with Leadership Development in Irish Academic Libraries: Some Reflections of the Future Leaders Programme (FLP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fallon, Helen; Maxwell, Jane; McCaffrey, Ciara; McMahon, Seamus

2011-01-01

Four librarians from Irish university libraries completed the U.K. Future Leaders Programme (FLP) in 2010. In this article they recount their experience and assess the effect of the programme on their professional practice and the value for their institutions. The programme is explored in the context of the Irish higher education environment,…

Exploring Tensions in Developing Assessment for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Mary; Jones, Jane

2009-01-01

This paper is based on a study of classroom practice of primary school teachers who were engaged in a programme of professional development to implement formative assessment in their classrooms. The programme sought to develop the skills and expertise of teachers to enable formative assessment to be used to support and improve the learning of…

An evaluation of a professional learning network for computer science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cutts, Quintin; Robertson, Judy; Donaldson, Peter; O'Donnell, Laurie

2017-01-01

This paper describes and evaluates aspects of a professional development programme for existing CS teachers in secondary schools (PLAN C) which was designed to support teachers at a time of substantial curricular change. The paper's particular focus is on the formation of a teacher professional development network across several hundred teachers and a wide geographical area. Evidence from a series of observations and teacher surveys over a two-year period is analysed with respect to the project's programme theory in order to illustrate not only whether it worked as intended, by why. Results indicate that the PLAN C design has been successful in increasing teachers' professional confidence and appears to have catalysed powerful change in attitudes to learning. Presentation of challenging pedagogical content knowledge and conceptual frameworks, high-quality teacher-led professional dialogue, along with the space for reflection and classroom trials, triggered examination of the teachers' own current practices.

"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…

Professional Development on an International Scale: Council of Europe--Pestalozzi Programme Virtual Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mompoint Gaillard, Pascale; Rajic, Višnja

2014-01-01

Communities of practice as organisations of learning have developed different forms as: task-based, practice-based or knowledge based communities (Barab et al., 2004). The paper presents a case study of a successful community of practice developed under the umbrella of Council of Europe Pestalozzi programme for teacher development. The programme…

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.

Working with soils: soil science continuing professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannam, Jacqueline; Thompson, Dick

2017-04-01

The British Society of Soil Science launched the Working with Soils professional competency programme in 2011. This was in response to concerns from practitioners and professionals of a significant skills gap in various sectors that require soil science skills. The programme includes one and two day courses that cover the qualifications, knowledge and skills required of a professional scientist or engineer conducting a range of contract work. All courses qualify for continuing professional development points with various professional practice schemes. Three courses cover the foundations of soil science namely; describing a soil profile, soil classification and understanding soil variability in the field and landscape. Other tailored courses relate to specific skills required from consultants particularly in the planning process where land is assessed for agricultural quality (agricultural land classification). New courses this year include soil handling and restoration that provides practitioners with knowledge of the appropriate management of large volumes of soil that are disturbed during development projects. The courses have so far successfully trained over 100 delegates ranging from PhD students, environmental consultants and government policy advisors.

Inter-professional work based learning within an MSc in Advanced Practice: lessons from one UK higher education programme.

PubMed

Gaskell, Lynne; Beaton, Susan

2010-09-01

This paper will describe the implementation of inter-professional work based education (IPE) in one postgraduate Advanced Practitioner programme in the UK. The concept of Advanced Practice has developed as a response of a number of drivers including change in junior doctor training; government policy and increasing demands on the central government funded UK health service (the NHS). The programme was commissioned by the then greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (now NHS North West) to meet service needs. The educational philosophy underpinning the MSc Advanced Practice (health and social care) provided by the University of Salford is IPE linked to work based learning. The process of work based learning (WBL) and inter-professional learning underpinning the programme will be discussed in relation to feedback from university staff, Advanced Practitioner (AP) students and employer feedback taken from programme and module evaluations. We argue that IPE at this level facilitates a greater understanding of the connectivity between professionals working in the health care system in the UK; a better understanding of the skills and knowledge base of colleagues; more inter-professional working and appropriate referrals in the work place. This has raised the profile of Advanced Practice (AP) in the region and ultimately resulted in better patient care with more effective and efficient use of resources (Acton Shapiro, 2006, 2008). (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Aspiring Principal Development Programme Evaluation in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piggot-Irvine, Eileen; Youngs, Howard

2011-01-01

Purpose: The New Zealand Ministry of Education has constructed a wide-ranging "Professional Development Plan" providing a four-stage national pathway for progression to principalship; the first stage has been the conduction of the National Aspiring Principals Pilot (NAPP) programme in five regional locations. The purpose of this paper is…

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…

Supporting Students' Assignment Writing: What Lecturers Do in a Master of Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yongyan; Hu, Guangwei

2018-01-01

Teachers' instructional practices surrounding written assignments have been little researched, despite writing remaining the primary means of assessment in higher education, including postgraduate professional development programmes. In this paper, we report a study that explored what a sample of lecturers in a Master of Education programme at an…

Facilitating Small-Scale Implementation of Inquiry-Based Teaching: Encounters and Experiences of Experimento Multipliers in One South African Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudu, Washington Takawira

2017-01-01

This paper explores the experiences of 37 physical science high school teachers who participated in a professional development (PD) programme coordinated by three Experimento multipliers. The Experimento programme is a Siemens Stiftung international educational programme aimed at providing didactic and methodological approaches to classroom…

Interrogating the Continuing Professional Development Policy Framework in Ethiopia: A Critical Discourse Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akalu, Girmaw Abebe

2016-01-01

The continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers has increasingly come to be considered an important component of teacher policy reforms throughout much of the world. As part of its comprehensive school improvement and teacher development programmes, Ethiopia has recently developed a national policy framework on CPD for teachers. Arguing…

Summary of Professional Activities, Center for Intelligence and Special Programs. 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

Interest History of Science American Society for Group on Information (U.K.) Non-Destructive Testing RetrievalCogtive Science Society American Society for...Apple Programmers and Information Systems Science Developers Association i 1990 Professional Summary of Societies Professional Activities History of Science Society

An interventional model to develop health professionals in West Africa.

PubMed

Sanou, Anselme Simeon; Awoyale, Florence Adeola; Diallo, Abdoulaye

2014-01-01

The health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers, specialized skills, and management skills. West African Health Organization (WAHO) recognizes the need within the West Africa sub-region for bilingual professionals who are skilled in public health, management, leadership, and information technology to build human capacity in public health and developed the Young Professionals Internship Program (YPIP). Our study explores the evolution of the programme. YPIP program has successfully carried out its original aims and objectives to equip young professionals with basic principles of public health, management, and leadership, acquire competence in a second official language (French, English, and Portuguese), information and communication technology. Contributing factors towards this successful evaluation included positive ratings and commentary from previous interns about the relevance, usefulness, and quality of the programme, encouraging feedback from WAHO management, trainers, administrators, and intern employers on the impact of the YPIP program on young professionals, supporting evidence that demonstrates increased knowledge in professional skills and language competency.

An interventional model to develop health professionals in West Africa

PubMed Central

Sanou, Anselme Simeon; Awoyale, Florence Adeola; Diallo, Abdoulaye

2014-01-01

The health sector is characterized by a human resource base lacking in numbers, specialized skills, and management skills. West African Health Organization (WAHO) recognizes the need within the West Africa sub-region for bilingual professionals who are skilled in public health, management, leadership, and information technology to build human capacity in public health and developed the Young Professionals Internship Program (YPIP). Our study explores the evolution of the programme. YPIP program has successfully carried out its original aims and objectives to equip young professionals with basic principles of public health, management, and leadership, acquire competence in a second official language (French, English, and Portuguese), information and communication technology. Contributing factors towards this successful evaluation included positive ratings and commentary from previous interns about the relevance, usefulness, and quality of the programme, encouraging feedback from WAHO management, trainers, administrators, and intern employers on the impact of the YPIP program on young professionals, supporting evidence that demonstrates increased knowledge in professional skills and language competency. PMID:25419290

An in-depth study of a teacher engaged in an innovative primary science trial professional development project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watters, James J.; Ginns, Ian S.

1997-03-01

The implementation of effective science programmes in primary schools is of continuing interest and concern for professional developers. As part of the Australian Academy of science's approach to creating an awareness of Primary Investigations, a project team trialed a series of satellite television broadcasts of lessons related to two units of the curriculum for Year 3 and 4 children in 48 participating schools. The professional development project entitled Simply Science, included a focused component for the respective classroom teachers, which was also conducted by satellite. This paper reports the involvement of a Year 4 teacher in the project and describes her professional growth. Already an experienced and confident teacher, no quantitative changes in science teaching self efficacy were detected. However, her pedagogical content knowledge and confidence to teach science in the concept areas of matter and energy were enhanced. Changes in the teacher's views about the co-operative learning strategies espoused by Primary Investigations were also evident. Implications for the design of professional development programmes for primary science teachers are discussed.

Transforming Professional Learning into Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Iclal; Yildirim, Ali

2016-01-01

In this qualitative case study, we explored how ten EFL teachers who attended an in-service staff development programme subsequently integrated professional learning into their classroom practice, and which staff development practices were effective in this process. We triangulated data from interviews, observations, and document analysis. The…

Teachers' Professional Development in Schools: Rhetoric versus Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gemeda, Fekede Tuli; Fiorucci, Massimiliano; Catarci, Marco

2014-01-01

Across the country of Ethiopia, a centrally planned and prescribed professional development programme was implemented in schools, with the intention of enhancing teachers' knowledge, skills and disposition, thereby improving student learning and achievement. This article explores and describes the lived experiences of teachers involved in…

Professional Learning: Lessons for Supervision from Doctoral Examining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisker, Gina; Kiley, Margaret

2014-01-01

Most research into research supervision practice focuses on functional, collegial or problematic power-related experiences. Work developing the supervisory role concentrates on new supervisors, and on taught development and support programmes. Most literature on academics' professional learning concentrates on learning to be a university teacher…

Developing Creative and Critical Thinking Abilities in Business Graduates: The Value of Experiential Learning Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannon, Stephen; McBride, Hugh; Burns, Barbara

2004-01-01

Educational programmes should promote an ethos of lifelong learning and develop in graduates the capacity for long-term personal and professional development through self-learning and reflection. A business degree programme should seek to produce graduates who are confident, creative thinkers with the capacity to solve problems, think creatively,…

Conversations about Research Supervision--Enabling and Accrediting a Community of Practice Model for Research Degree Supervisor Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Geof; Vaughan, Sian

2018-01-01

The authors' lived experience of devising a professional development programme for research supervisors and securing SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association) accreditation informs this paper. Our first purpose is to outline the programme and discuss its uniqueness in using a community of practice model in conjunction with practitioner…

Learning, assessment and professional identity development in public health training.

PubMed

Wood, Annette

2016-06-01

Professional identity formation is important for new recruits to training programmes. The integration of the accumulation of knowledge and assessment is a key aspect in its acquisition. This study assessed this interaction in Public Health Training in one English region. Semi-structured interviews were held with 15 registrars from the West Midlands Public Health Training Programme. Pre-interview questionnaires gathered background information. A thematic content analysis approach was taken. There was a lack of integration between academic and workplace learning, the professional examination process and professional identity development. Registrars considered sitting the examination and their workplace learning as two parallel processes. Passing the examination was considered a key part in the early development of a professional identity but this was replaced by the opinions of others by the third year of training. Having a Masters' in Public Health was less important but played a different role in their perceived acceptance by the wider Public Health workforce. The lack of integration between assessment and learning seemed to have a detrimental effect on professional identity development. A review of how these two aspects might combine in a more positive manner is needed.

The development and piloting of the REnal specific Advanced Communication Training (REACT) programme to improve Advance Care Planning for renal patients.

PubMed

Bristowe, Katherine; Shepherd, Kate; Bryan, Liz; Brown, Heather; Carey, Irene; Matthews, Beverley; O'Donoghue, Donal; Vinen, Katie; Murtagh, Fliss E M

2014-04-01

In recent years, the End-Stage Kidney Disease population has increased and is ever more frail, elderly and co-morbid. A care-focused approach needs to be incorporated alongside the disease focus, to identify those who are deteriorating and improve communication about preferences and future care. Yet many renal professionals feel unprepared for such discussions. To develop and pilot a REnal specific Advanced Communication Training (REACT) programme to address the needs of End-Stage Kidney Disease patients and renal professionals. Two-part study: (1) development of the REnal specific Advanced Communication Training programme informed by multi-professional focus group and patient survey and (2) piloting of the programme. The REnal specific Advanced Communication Training programme was piloted with 16 participants (9 renal nurses/health-care assistants and 7 renal consultants) in two UK teaching hospitals. The focus group identified the need for better information about end-of-life phase, improved awareness of patient perspectives, skills to manage challenging discussions, 'hands on' practice in a safe environment and follow-up to discuss experiences. The patient survey demonstrated a need to improve communication about concerns, treatment plans and decisions. The developed REnal specific Advanced Communication Training programme was acceptable and feasible and was associated with a non-significant increase in confidence in communicating about end-of-life issues (pre-training: 6.6/10, 95% confidence interval: 5.7-7.4; post-training: 6.9/10, 95% confidence interval: 6.1-7.7, unpaired t-test - p = 0.56), maintained at 3 months. There is a need to improve end-of-life care for End-Stage Kidney Disease patients, to enable them to make informed decisions about future care. Challenges include prioritising communication training among service providers.

Recommendations and Improvements for the Evaluation of Integrated Community-Wide Interventions Approaches.

PubMed

van Koperen, Tessa M; Renders, Carry M; Spierings, Eline J M; Hendriks, Anna-Marie; Westerman, Marjan J; Seidell, Jacob C; Schuit, Albertine J

2016-01-01

Background . Integrated community-wide intervention approaches (ICIAs) are implemented to prevent childhood obesity. Programme evaluation improves these ICIAs, but professionals involved often struggle with performance. Evaluation tools have been developed to support Dutch professionals involved in ICIAs. It is unclear how useful these tools are to intended users. We therefore researched the facilitators of and barriers to ICIA programme evaluation as perceived by professionals and their experiences of the evaluation tools. Methods . Focus groups and interviews with 33 public health professionals. Data were analysed using a thematic content approach. Findings . Evaluation is hampered by insufficient time, budget, and experience with ICIAs, lack of leadership, and limited advocacy for evaluation. Epidemiologists are regarded as responsible for evaluation but feel incompetent to perform evaluation or advocate its need in a political environment. Managers did not prioritise process evaluations, involvement of stakeholders, and capacity building. The evaluation tools are perceived as valuable but too comprehensive considering limited resources. Conclusion . Evaluating ICIAs is important but most professionals are unfamiliar with it and management does not prioritise process evaluation nor incentivize professionals to evaluate. To optimise programme evaluation, more resources and coaching are required to improve professionals' evaluation capabilities and specifically the use of evaluation.

Recommendations and Improvements for the Evaluation of Integrated Community-Wide Interventions Approaches

PubMed Central

Spierings, Eline J. M.; Westerman, Marjan J.; Seidell, Jacob C.; Schuit, Albertine J.

2016-01-01

Background. Integrated community-wide intervention approaches (ICIAs) are implemented to prevent childhood obesity. Programme evaluation improves these ICIAs, but professionals involved often struggle with performance. Evaluation tools have been developed to support Dutch professionals involved in ICIAs. It is unclear how useful these tools are to intended users. We therefore researched the facilitators of and barriers to ICIA programme evaluation as perceived by professionals and their experiences of the evaluation tools. Methods. Focus groups and interviews with 33 public health professionals. Data were analysed using a thematic content approach. Findings. Evaluation is hampered by insufficient time, budget, and experience with ICIAs, lack of leadership, and limited advocacy for evaluation. Epidemiologists are regarded as responsible for evaluation but feel incompetent to perform evaluation or advocate its need in a political environment. Managers did not prioritise process evaluations, involvement of stakeholders, and capacity building. The evaluation tools are perceived as valuable but too comprehensive considering limited resources. Conclusion. Evaluating ICIAs is important but most professionals are unfamiliar with it and management does not prioritise process evaluation nor incentivize professionals to evaluate. To optimise programme evaluation, more resources and coaching are required to improve professionals' evaluation capabilities and specifically the use of evaluation. PMID:28116149

Compulsory service programmes for recruiting health workers in remote and rural areas: do they work?

PubMed Central

Mullan, Fitzhugh; Payne, Perry W; Ross, Heather

2010-01-01

Abstract Compulsory service programmes have been used worldwide as a way to deploy and retain a professional health workforce within countries. Other names for these programmes include ”obligatory”, ”mandatory”, ”required” and ”requisite.” All these different programme names refer to a country’s law or policy that governs the mandatory deployment and retention of a heath worker in the underserved and/or rural areas of the country for a certain period of time. This study identified three different types of compulsory service programmes in 70 countries. These programmes are all governed by some type of regulation, ranging from a parliamentary law to a policy within the ministry of health. Depending on the country, doctors, nurses, midwives and all types of professional allied health workers are required to participate in the programme. Some of the compliance-enforcement measures include withholding full registration until obligations are completed, withholding degree and salary, or imposing large fines. This paper aims to explain these programmes more clearly, to identify countries that have or had such programmes, to develop a typology for the different kinds and to discuss the programmes in the light of important issues that are related to policy concepts and implementation. As governments consider the cost of investment in health professionals’ education, the loss of health professionals to emigration and the lack of health workers in many geographic areas, they are using compulsory service requirements as a way to deploy and retain the health workforce. PMID:20461136

Survey of continuing professional education within nursing homes.

PubMed

Aoki, Yumie; Davies, Sue

This article reports a survey of qualified nurses employed in nursing homes in a large city in the north of England. The aim of the study was to describe nurses' experiences and perceptions of continuing professional education (CPE), and their views on the development of their knowledge and skills through formal and informal education. Findings revealed that nurses in nursing homes perceived the value of educational programmes but had limited opportunities to attend formal education programmes. They faced a number of barriers and challenges in accessing formal education. Various informal ways of learning were used, including reading professional journals, watching videotapes and television programmes and accessing the Internet. However, respondents appeared not to use fully opportunities for sharing knowledge with colleagues. Although this study is based on a small sample, the findings support those of other studies in this field. Collectively, these studies suggest an urgent need to develop a range of approaches to CPE within care homes, both formal and informal, if the standards outlined within recent policy initiatives are to be achieved.

Towards a Typology of Improvisation as a Professional Teaching Skill: Implications for Pre-Service Teacher Education Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aadland, Helga; Espeland, Magne; Arnesen, Trond Egil

2017-01-01

In this article we discuss the concept of improvisation as a professional teaching skill. Our professional context is teacher education and our discussion is aimed at developing a categorized understanding, or rather a tentative typology, of what professional improvisation in teaching and teacher education might be. Undertaking such a bold…

What is best practice in sex and relationship education? A synthesis of evidence, including stakeholders’ views

PubMed Central

Pound, Pandora; Denford, Sarah; Shucksmith, Janet; Tanton, Clare; Johnson, Anne M; Owen, Jenny; Hutten, Rebecca; Mohan, Leanne; Bonell, Chris; Abraham, Charles; Campbell, Rona

2017-01-01

Objectives Sex and relationship education (SRE) is regarded as vital to improving young people’s sexual health, but a third of schools in England lacks good SRE and government guidance is outdated. We aimed to identify what makes SRE programmes effective, acceptable, sustainable and capable of faithful implementation. Design This is a synthesis of findings from five research packages that we conducted (practitioner interviews, case study investigation, National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, review of reviews and qualitative synthesis). We also gained feedback on our research from stakeholder consultations. Settings Primary research and stakeholder consultations were conducted in the UK. Secondary research draws on studies worldwide. Results Our findings indicate that school-based SRE and school-linked sexual health services can be effective at improving sexual health. We found professional consensus that good programmes start in primary school. Professionals and young people agreed that good programmes are age-appropriate, interactive and take place in a safe environment. Some young women reported preferring single-sex classes, but young men appeared to want mixed classes. Young people and professionals agreed that SRE should take a ‘life skills’ approach and not focus on abstinence. Young people advocated a ‘sex-positive’ approach but reported this was lacking. Young people and professionals agreed that SRE should discuss risks, but young people indicated that approaches to risk need revising. Professionals felt teachers should be involved in SRE delivery, but many young people reported disliking having their teachers deliver SRE and we found that key messages could become lost when interpreted by teachers. The divergence between young people and professionals was echoed by stakeholders. We developed criteria for best practice based on the evidence. Conclusions We identified key features of effective and acceptable SRE. Our best practice criteria can be used to evaluate existing programmes, contribute to the development of new programmes and inform consultations around statutory SRE. PMID:28669970

Evaluating the impact of scholarships.

PubMed

Baillie, Lesley; Taylor, Ruth; Giordano, Richard; Robb, Elizabeth; McPeake, Joanne

The Florence Nightingale Foundation offers scholarships in travel, research and leadership for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. An evaluation revealed scholars considered the programmes of great value, allowing them the opportunity to develop personally and professionally.

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 Reflection upon the "Getting Practical" Programme: Rethinking How We Teach Practical Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brennan, Nikki

2010-01-01

In this article, the author provides an overview of the "Getting Practical" training programme of professional development for all those involved with teaching practical science at primary, secondary, and post-16 levels. The programme is being led by the ASE, working with its co-ordinating partners: the Centre for Science Education,…

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…

An Intensive Programme on Education for Sustainable Development: The Participants' Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biasutti, Michele

2015-01-01

This paper presents the framework of an intensive programme (IP) organised by UNESCO and addressed to young graduate professionals to prepare them for a career in fields related to sustainability. The aims of the IP were to address participants' environmental awareness and to develop attitudes and skills related to environmental planning and…

The Impact of Action Learning: What Difference Are We Making in the World?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Arthur; Heneberry, Pamela

2013-01-01

Involvement in a number of action-learning programmes and associated development opportunities has led the Professional Development Centre Limited to question the relevance of a strict adherence to the "rules" of action learning as described by Reg Revans. A deliberate focus of one such programme to a financial services organisation…

Training Early Childhood Teachers for Sustainability: Towards a "Learning Experience of a Different Kind"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feriver, Sebnem; Teksöz, Gaye; Olgan, Refika; Reid, Alan

2016-01-01

In this study, we discuss findings from a small-scale project evaluating an in-service teacher training programme focused on "perspective transformation" in early childhood education and education for sustainability (EfS). A bespoke professional development programme was developed for Turkish early childhood teachers, based on a variety…

Teachers' Professional Learning Goals in Relation to Teaching Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louws, Monika L.; van Veen, Klaas; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Driel, Jan H.

2017-01-01

In this study, we explored the relationships between teachers' self-articulated professional learning goals and their teaching experience. Although those relationships seem self-evident, in programmes for teachers' professional development years of teaching experience are hardly taken into account. Sixteen teachers with varying years of experience…

Managing Risk in Complex Adult Professional Learning: The Facilitator's Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ince, Amanda

2017-01-01

This article reports on the recognition and management of risk within the context of an intensive literacy intervention professional development programme, designed to enable expert literacy teachers become teacher-educators. The article suggests a conceptual model for recognising risk within professional learning opportunities and skills for…

Professional Identity Development of Teacher Candidates Participating in an Informal Science Education Internship: A focus on drawings as evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, Phyllis; McGinnis, J. Randy; Hestness, Emily; Riedinger, Kelly; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Dai, Amy; Pease, Rebecca

2011-06-01

This study investigated the professional identity development of teacher candidates participating in an informal afterschool science internship in a formal science teacher preparation programme. We used a qualitative research methodology. Data were collected from the teacher candidates, their informal internship mentors, and the researchers. The data were analysed through an identity development theoretical framework, informed by participants' mental models of science teaching and learning. We learned that the experience in an afterschool informal internship encouraged the teacher candidates to see themselves, and to be seen by others, as enacting key recommendations by science education standards documents, including exhibiting: positive attitudes, sensitivity to diversity, and increasing confidence in facilitating hands-on science participation, inquiry, and collaborative work. Our study provided evidence that the infusion of an informal science education internship in a formal science teacher education programme influenced positively participants' professional identity development as science teachers.

The development of integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment in North Sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gultom, S.; Simanjorang, M. M.; Muchtar, Z.; Mansyur, A.

2018-03-01

Based on Act number 12 in year 2012 the function of higher education is related to individual, social community, knowledge and technology development. Hence, higher education providers need to think and develop policies in order to improve their service and fulfil the higher education function. As part of the effort to fulfil its function Universitas Negeri Medan (Unimed), which historically was a pre-service teacher training institute, should has a special interest on improving teachers’ professionalism. The Act number 14 in year 2005 described requirements for professional teacher, including academic qualification and set of competencies possessed by the teacher. The Act also guaranties teachers’ right to have opportunities for improving their competencies and academic qualification through training and other professionalism development programme. The question is how this guarantee can be implemented. In order to answer this question a developmental study has been done which aimed on developing an integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment. As the name implies, this integrated service centre system is expected to be a real manifestation of Unimed’s support towards the improvement of professional teachers quality, which in the end will boils down to the improvement of national education services quality. The result of this study is an integrated service centre system for professional teachers empowerment that fulfils the professionalism principles described in the Act number 14 in year 2005, which has been developed by considering problems faced by and also supports needed by teachers post certification programme.

Developing Critical Reflection in Professional Focused Doctorates: A Facilitator's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sambrook, Sally; Stewart, Jim

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the challenges and opportunities for expediting critical reflection in management education and development to highlight particularly how critical reflection has been facilitated within the context of a professionally focused doctoral programme. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on empirical research…

Bringing Headteachers' Voices to the Professional Development Debate: A Case Study from Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernández, María J.; Martínez, María A.

2016-01-01

This study seeks to broaden the existing knowledge about education and professional development in educational leadership by analysing the characteristics of "good" training programmes according to international theoretical frameworks and to educational leaders' views. To do so, 100 headteachers of infant, primary and secondary schools…

STEM Outreach Activities: An Approach to Teachers' Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslam, Farzana; Adefila, Arinola; Bagiya, Yamuna

2018-01-01

STEM outreach programmes in secondary schools are mediated by STEM teachers who are responsible for organising, implementing and evaluating the activities with a view to promoting STEM subjects. However, research investigating teachers' STEM roles and professional development through participation in outreach activities is limited. This paper…

Developing teachers' models for assessing students' competence in mathematical modelling through lesson study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydogan Yenmez, Arzu; Erbas, Ayhan Kursat; Cakiroglu, Erdinc; Alacaci, Cengiz; Cetinkaya, Bulent

2017-08-01

Applications and modelling have gained a prominent role in mathematics education reform documents and curricula. Thus, there is a growing need for studies focusing on the effective use of mathematical modelling in classrooms. Assessment is an integral part of using modelling activities in classrooms, since it allows teachers to identify and manage problems that arise in various stages of the modelling process. However, teachers' difficulties in assessing student modelling work are a challenge to be considered when implementing modelling in the classroom. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers' knowledge on generating assessment criteria for assessing student competence in mathematical modelling evolved through a professional development programme, which is based on a lesson study approach and modelling perspective. The data was collected with four teachers from two public high schools over a five-month period. The professional development programme included a cyclical process, with each cycle consisting of an introductory meeting, the implementation of a model-eliciting activity with students, and a follow-up meeting. The results showed that the professional development programme contributed to teachers' knowledge for generating assessment criteria on the products, and the observable actions that affect the modelling cycle.

Nursing philosophy: A review of current pre registration curricula in the UK.

PubMed

Mackintosh-Franklin, Carolyn

2016-02-01

Nursing in the UK has been subject to criticism for failing to provide care and compassion in practice, with a series of reports highlighting inadequacies in care. This scrutiny provides nursing with an ideal opportunity to evaluate the underpinning philosophy of nursing practice, and for nurse educators to use this philosophy as the basis for programmes which can inculcate neophyte student nurses with a fundamental understanding of the profession, whilst providing other health care professionals and service users with a clear representation of professional nursing practice. The key word philosophy was used in a systematic stepwise descriptive content analysis of the programme specifications of 33 current undergraduate programme documents, leading to an undergraduate award and professional registration as a nurse. The word philosophy featured minimally in programme specification documents, with 12 (36%) documents including it. Its use was superficial in 3 documents and focused on educational philosophy in a further 3 documents. 2 programme specifications identified their philosophy as the NMC (2010) standards for pre-registration nurse education. 2 programme specifications articulated a philosophy specific to that programme and HEI, focusing on caring, and 2 made reference to underpinning philosophies present in nursing literature; the Relationship Centred Care Approach, and The Humanising Care Philosophy. The philosophy of nursing practice is not clearly articulated in pre-registration curricula. This failure to identify the fundamental nature of nursing is detrimental to the development of the profession, and given this lack of direction it is not surprising that some commentators feel nursing has lost its way. Nurse educators must review their current curricula to ensure that there is clear articulation of nursing's professional philosophical stance, and use this as the framework for pre-registration curricula to support the development of neophyte nursing students towards a clear and focused understanding of what nursing practice is. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing a diabetes prevention education programme for community health-care workers in Thailand: formative findings.

PubMed

Sranacharoenpong, Kitti; Hanning, Rhona M

2011-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate barriers to and supports for implementing a diabetes prevention education programme for community health-care workers (CHCWs) in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. The study also aimed to get preliminary input into the design of a tailored diabetes prevention education programme for CHCWs. Thailand has faced under-nutrition and yet, paradoxically, the prevalence of diseases of over-nutrition, such as obesity and diabetes, has escalated. As access to diabetes prevention programme is limited in Thailand, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, it becomes critical to develop a health information delivery system that is relevant, cost-effective, and sustainable. Health-care professionals (n = 12) selected from health centres within one district participated in in-depth interviews. In addition, screened people at risk for diabetes participated in interviews (n = 8) and focus groups (n = 4 groups, 23 participants). Coded transcripts from audio-taped interviews or focus groups were analysed by hand and using NVivo software. Concept mapping illustrated the findings. Health-care professionals identified potential barriers to programme success as a motivation for regular participation, and lack of health policy support for programme sustainability. Health-care professionals identified opportunities to integrate health promotion and disease prevention into CHCWs' duties. Health-care professionals recommended small-group workshops, hands-on learning activities, case studies, and video presentations that bring knowledge to practice within their cultural context. CHCWs should receive a credit for continuing study. People at risk for diabetes lacked knowledge of nutrition, diabetes risk factors, and resources to access health information. They desired two-way communication with CHCWs. Formative research supports the need for an effective, sustainable programme to support knowledge translation to CHCWs and at-risk populations in the communities they serve. Ultimately, this should support chronic disease prevention in Thailand.

Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koper, Rob

In 2003 we started a new research programme at the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (CELSTEC) that was aiming to help people to further develop their professional competences by using the innovative powers of new media, mobile devices, and modern Internet services. The idea behind the programme was to contribute to one of the bigger challenges in our society: how to deal with the growing complexity, the growing quantity and the permanent changes in knowledge and technologies. For companies this question relates to the core of their business: how to become innovative and stay competitive. For the employees, the ‘professionals’, this question relates directly to their jobs: how to become and stay employable. In this book we will concentrate on the last group, the professionals and their question how to stay employable, how to keep up-to-date and how to develop professional competence during their careers. The professionals represent the human capital, the knowledge, the innovative power in our economy.

School health promotion--international perspectives and role of health care professionals.

PubMed

Prasla, Munira; Prasla, Shameer Ali

2011-01-01

Schools have great potential in health promotion; however, this is often neglected area and fewer efforts are done in exploring status of school health promotion in Pakistan. This paper attempts to outline brief historical background of school health promotion in Pakistan; presents critical review of some international school health promotion perspectives; and finally explore opportunities and role of healthcare professionals in Pakistan's context. A critical review of peer-reviewed literature divided into two broad themes of international perspectives on school health promotion, and role of healthcare professionals. Results are presented in cross-cutting themes and in narrative style. School health promotion is very diverse phenomenon, situated in respective cultural contexts. Programmes pesent a range of characteristics from focusing on integrated approach to health education to behavioural changes; and from involving youngsters to policy advocacy. Like the programmes, role of healthcare professionals is also varied and dynamic and without clearly defining their role, development of effective health promotion programmes is difficult. School health promotion could be facilitated by appropriate trainings for healthcare professionals and evidence-based policy changes.

Evaluating impact of a multi-dimensional education programme on perceived performance of primary care professionals in diabetes care.

PubMed

Parekh, Sanjoti; Bush, Robert; Cook, Susan; Grant, Phillipa

2015-11-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate an educational programme, 'Diabetes Connect: Connecting Professions', which was developed to enhance communication across primary care networks, to support best practice in clinical interventions and progress multidisciplinary team work to benefit patients in diabetes care. A total of 26 workshops were successfully delivered for 309 primary care professionals across the state of Queensland in Australia from November 2011. It consists of two separate, but complementary training elements: a series of online clinical education training modules and state-wide interprofessional learning workshops developed to enhance professional competencies. The evaluation design included completion of online surveys by the participants at two time points: first upon registering for the online modules or workshops; second, one week after attending a workshop. The survey included questions to evaluate the change in role performance measures. Overall, significant increases in participants' current knowledge, perceived ability to adopt this knowledge at work and willingness to change professional behaviour in the short term were observed. The study suggests that for maximum benefit both, workshop and online training, should be combined and made available widely. Future programmes should use a randomised trial design to test the delivery model.

Development and evaluation of a wheelchair service provision training of trainers programme

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background In many countries, availability of basic training and continued professional development programmes in wheelchair services is limited. Therefore, many health professionals lack access to formal training opportunities and new approaches to improve wheelchair service provision. To address this need, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the WHO Wheelchair Service Training of Trainers Programme (WSTPt), aiming to increase the number of trainers who are well prepared to deliver the WHO Wheelchair Service Training Packages. Despite these efforts, there was no recognised method to prepare trainers to facilitate these training programmes in a standardised manner. Objectives To understand if the WSTPt is an effective mechanism to train aspiring wheelchair service provision trainers. Method An action research study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach to data collection and analysis to integrate feedback from questionnaires and focus groups from three WHO WSTPt pilots. Results Trainees were satisfied with the WHO WSTPt and the iterative process appears to have helped to improve each subsequent pilot and the final training package. Conclusion The WHO WSTPt is an effective mechanism to train wheelchair service provision trainers. This programme has potential to increase the number of trainees and may increase the number of qualified service providers. PMID:28936423

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.

Peer mentoring: Enhancing the transition from student to professional.

PubMed

Fisher, Margaret; Stanyer, Rachel

2018-05-01

to share the experience of a model of peer mentoring in a pre-qualification midwifery programme DESIGN: description of the framework and benefits of the model SETTING: University and practice PARTICIPANTS: third year midwifery students INTERVENTIONS: practical activities meeting regulatory body requirements in a pre-qualification mentorship module MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: informal evaluations by students of key activities undertaken during peer mentoring demonstrated a range of positive outcomes. These included enhanced confidence, self-awareness, interpersonal and teaching skills, team-working and leadership - factors also associated with emotional intelligence. Students developed an appreciation of the accountability of the mentor including making practice assessment decisions. They stated that the learning achieved had aided their professional development and enhanced employability. this module equips students with skills for their future role in facilitating learners and contributes to development of a 'professional persona', enhancing their transition to qualified midwives. The Peer Mentoring Model would be easily adapted to other programmes and professional contexts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preceptors' perceptions of a preceptorship programme for newly qualified nurses.

PubMed

Muir, Jenny; Ooms, Ann; Tapping, Jen; Marks-Maran, Di; Phillips, Sonia; Burke, Linda

2013-06-01

A study was undertaken into preceptors' perceptions of a preceptorship programme for newly-qualified nurses. The preceptorship programme is designed to enable newly qualified nurses to make the transition from student to registered nurse. Preceptors undergo a training programme to take on the role of preceptor. To evaluate the preceptors' perception of the preceptorship programme. Mixed method evaluative research design was used. This study took place in one National Health Service Healthcare Trust in South West London, UK. Ninety preceptors were invited to participate in the study and the response rate was 44.4% (n=40). The study took place in 2011. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through questionnaires and one-to-one interviews with a convenience sample of preceptors. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, version 18; qualitative data were analysed using the Framework Method. From the quantitative data seven themes emerged. These were preceptors' perceptions of: the personal development of preceptees; the role development of preceptees; the communication skills development of preceptees; the clinical development of preceptees; the development of professional relationships by preceptees; value of the preceptorship programme to the organisation and value of being a preceptor in terms of their own professional development. Qualitative analysis confirmed many of the findings from the statistical analysis and was used to triangulate those findings. The preceptors largely viewed the preceptorship programme and their role within this programme positively. Although difficulties in making time to meet with preceptees was an issue, the preceptorship experience was perceived to have a positive impact on several aspects of preceptee development as well as on the organisation and on the preceptors' own development. The study is unique when mapped against other research studies because there is little in the literature about studies into preceptors' perceptions of preceptorship programmes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of complex adaptive systems metaphor to achieve professional and organizational change.

PubMed

Rowe, Ann; Hogarth, Annette

2005-08-01

This paper uses the experiences of a programme designed to bring about change in performance of public health nurses (health visitors and school nurses) in an inner city primary care trust, to explore the issues of professional and organizational change in health care organizations. The United Kingdom government has given increasing emphasis to programmes of modernization within the National Health Service. A central facet of this policy shift has been an expectation of behaviour and practice change by health care professionals. Change was brought about through use of a Complex Adaptive Systems approach. This enabled change to be seen as an inclusive, evolving and unpredictable process rather one which is linear and mechanistic. The paper examines in detail how the use of concepts and metaphors associated with Complex Adaptive Systems influenced the development of the programme, its implementation and outcomes. The programme resulted in extensive change in professional behaviour, service delivery and transformational change in the organizational structures and processes of the employing organization. This gave greater opportunities for experimentation and innovation, leading to new developments in service delivery, but also meant higher levels of uncertainty, responsibility, decision-making and risk management for practitioners. Using a Complex Adaptive Systems approach was helpful for developing alternative views of change and for understanding why and how some aspects of change were more successful than others. Its use encouraged the confrontation of some long-standing assumptions about change and service delivery patterns in the National Health Service, and the process exposed challenging tensions within the Service. The consequent destabilising of organizational and professional norms resulted in considerable emotional impacts for practitioners, an area which was found to be underplayed within the Complex Adaptive Systems literature. A Complex Adaptive Systems approach can support change, in particular a recognition and understanding of the emergence of unexpected structures, patterns and processes. The approach can support nurses to change their behaviour and innovate, but requires high levels of accountability, individual and professional creativity.

The value of mentorship in medical education.

PubMed

Dalgaty, Faith; Guthrie, Greg; Walker, Heather; Stirling, Kevin

2017-04-01

The transition from senior medical student to working safely and effectively as a new junior doctor is one of the biggest challenges that a new graduate will face. In 2014 the General Medical Council published The state of medical education and practice in the UK, reporting that some new doctors continue to struggle with increased responsibilities. We classify these instances as a 'performance gap', describing occasions in clinical practice where an individual exceeds their performance capacity. The Medical Mentorship Programme addressed identified performance gaps through a structured curriculum of simulation-based education and facilitated clinical practice. Programme content was based on the experiences of the authors and their peers in graduating from their undergraduate training programme and becoming junior doctors. A questionnaire was disseminated to junior doctors in their first clinical rotation. The questionnaire asked doctors to describe instances where they experienced a performance gap. These data informed the development of the Medical Mentorship Programme. The effect of this programme was then evaluated via focus group discussion. The Medical Mentorship Programme has been shown to be an effective conduit for supporting the transfer of learning needed to address performance gaps in students. The programme increased the confidence of students in preparation for clinical practice and allowed junior doctors to reflect on their professional development. The programme combined complementary teaching techniques - mentorship, simulation and direct clinical experience - to aid the professional development of both students and mentors. Some new doctors continue to struggle with increased responsibilities. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Ergonomic movement in dentistry].

PubMed

Bos-Huizer, J J A; Bolderman, F W

2014-02-01

'Ergonomic movement in dentistry' is a recently developed ergonomic programme for dental healthcare professionals which is intended to prevent work-related complaints and assist in recovering from them. The programme is recommended by disability insurers in cases of specific physical complaints, limitations or disability, as a consequence of which a dental healthcare professional is unable to carry out his or her work. In a four-day training programme, in one's own workplace, skills are taught in the areas of work organization, work attitude and movement. These skills are directly applied in the treatment ofpatients and, if necessary, further improved. In this way, one advances step by step to an ergonomic way of working. Evaluations have shown that the programme is advantageous for the attitude toward work, the workplace and the work organization as well as the reduction of disability.

Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of Professional Development on Learning and Teaching in a Developing Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohan, Parmeshwar Prasad; Lingam, Govinda Ishwar; Chand, Deepa Dewali

2017-01-01

This research examined teachers' perceptions of the impact of Professional Development (PD) programmes on learning and teaching in two Fijian secondary schools. Through a qualitative research design, data were gathered using document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 30 teachers from the two case study schools. The major findings to…

Professional Development and Learning by General Teachers Implementing Functional Behavioural Assessment in Thai Inclusive Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Opartkiattikul, Watinee; Arthur-Kelly, Michael; Dempsey, Ian

2016-01-01

Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) is identified as a research-based approach used in many Western schools to support student behaviour. This study aimed to assist Thai classroom teachers by providing a professional development and learning programme in FBA to develop an effective and efficient process to address behaviour problems and allow…

Implementing Teacher-Centred Online Teacher Professional Development (oTPD) Programme in Higher Education: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Moon-Heum; Rathbun, Gail

2013-01-01

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) is critical for educational improvement in higher education. However, one of the main concerns in TPD is that the traditional workshop format constrains active participation and the consequent creation of usable knowledge for teaching. In response to this challenge, we developed a series of teacher-centred…

The inclusion of LGBT+ health issues within undergraduate healthcare education and professional training programmes: A systematic review.

PubMed

McCann, Edward; Brown, Michael

2018-05-01

An inclusive health curriculum within undergraduate and continuing professional development programmes (CPD) should include issues related to people whom identify as LGBT+. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the education and training requirements of undergraduate students and health professionals regarding the inclusion of LGBT+ health issues. A systematic review of the available published empirical studies. A systematic literature search was undertaken of the following databases: CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and Sociological Abstracts. All papers reviewed were from the years 2007 to 2017 and written in English. Three research questions informing the literature review were: (i) What are the education and training requirements of undergraduate students and health professionals regarding the health needs of LGBT+ people? (ii) What are the approaches utilized in the education and training of undergraduate students and health professionals regarding the health needs of LGBT+ people? (iii) What are the best practice examples of the education and training of undergraduate students and health professionals? Following the application of definitive criteria, 22 papers were included in the review. Quality appraisal and data extraction was undertaken by the two authors. The 22 papers were reviewed in detail in the final data analysis and synthesis where four main themes were identified: (1) Cultural competence and inclusivity. (2) Existing knowledge of LGBT+ health-related issues. (3) Curriculum developments and outcomes. (4) Evidence of best practice in education delivery. The review highlights the importance of the inclusion of LGBT+ health-related issues within the health curriculum and continuing professional development programmes and the implications for education and training, clinical practice and research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Perception of healthcare professionals on the Breast Cancer Screening Programme in Barcelona].

PubMed

Serral, G; Puigpinós-Riera, R; Maydana, E; Pons-Vigués, M; Borrell, C

2013-01-01

A good communication plan is vital for optimal results in any screening programme. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, involvement and opinion of health professionals regarding the Breast Cancer Screening Programme in Barcelona in 2008. A cross-sectional study using an anonymous and self-administered questionnaire. The study population (N = 960) were health professionals from Primary Health-care (PH), Programs for Sexual and Reproductive Health (PSRH), and Community Pharmacies (CP). The dependent variables were: knowledge of the Programme, professional involvement and opinion of the Programme. The independent variables were: sex, age, qualifications, employment status, and health team. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed. Using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, an Odds Ratios (OR) were obtained along with the 95% confidence intervals (CI 95%). PSRH professionals know the target population better; 80.2% versus 26.1% PH, and 14.0% CP, respectively. Professional involvement was related to the health care team (ORCP/PH: 0.32, CI 95%: 0.22-0.43) being observed more in PH. The opinion on the Programme in reducing breast cancer mortality was similar in the three teams (61.6% PH, 59.3% PSRH, and 56.5% CP). Healthcare professionals are unaware of some aspects of Programme, such as age range or periodicity. There is great professional involvement and belief that the Programme has helped disseminate information and knowledge on the early detection of breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

School-Based Professional Development in a Developing Context: Lessons Learnt from a Case Study in Zambia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haßler, Björn; Hennessy, Sara; Cross, Andrew; Chileshe, Eness; Machiko, Brian

2015-01-01

This paper reports on the development and outcomes of the second phase of OER4Schools, a school-based professional development programme supporting interactive forms of subject teaching in conjunction with Open Educational Resources (OER) and technology in Zambian primary schools. We worked with partners to identify the needs of school-based…

Sex and Relationships Education in Schools--Evaluation of a Pilot Programme for the Certification of Community Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chalmers, Helen; Tyrer, Paul; Aggleton, Peter

2006-01-01

Objective: In support of the UK Government's teenage pregnancy and sexual health strategies, a certificated programme of professional development for school nurses and other community nurses was developed to provide support for personal, social and health education (PSHE) work, including sex and relationships education (SRE), for young people.…

Shaping (Reflexive) Professional Identities across an Undergraduate Degree Programme: A Longitudinal Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Mary; Carmichael, Mary-Ann

2016-01-01

In our complex and incongruous professional worlds, where there is no blueprint for dealing with unpredictable people and events, it is imperative that individuals develop reflexive approaches to professional identity building. Notwithstanding the importance of disciplinary knowledge and skills, higher education has a crucial role to play in…

Issues in and Challenges to Professionalism in Africa's Cultural Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nsamenang, A. Bame

2010-01-01

This article explores critical issues linked to early child development (ECD) professionalism in African childhood contexts in the light of rights-based consideration. Against the backdrop of acculturation being a reality in Africa, it accepts professionalism as a "good thing" for ECD programmes in Africa. The article sketches a portrait…

Rethinking Reflection: Using Online Reflective Learning in Professional Practice for Indigenous Health Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Miranda; Devonshire, Elizabeth

2004-01-01

This paper reports on an innovative use of online learning, within a distributed learning environment (DLE), to support students in an undergraduate programme in Indigenous health and community development to reflect on their experiences in professional placements. The professional practice curriculum at Yooroang Garang School of Indigenous Health…

A Programme for Future Audit Professionals: Using Action Research to Nurture Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Peursem, Karen; Samujh, R. Helen; Nath, Nirmala

2016-01-01

Professionals require decision-making skills as well as technical knowledge. One might assume that their university education prepares them for this role yet, and least for future audit professionals, traditional text--and lecture--methods dominate teaching practice. This Participation Action Research study develops with auditing students a…

Placement, support, and retention of health professionals: national, cross-sectional findings from medical and dental community service officers in South Africa.

PubMed

Hatcher, Abigail M; Onah, Michael; Kornik, Saul; Peacocke, Julia; Reid, Stephen

2014-02-26

In South Africa, community service following medical training serves as a mechanism for equitable distribution of health professionals and their professional development. Community service officers are required to contribute a year towards serving in a public health facility while receiving supervision and remuneration. Although the South African community service programme has been in effect since 1998, little is known about how placement and practical support occur, or how community service may impact future retention of health professionals. National, cross-sectional data were collected from community service officers who served during 2009 using a structured self-report questionnaire. A Supervision Satisfaction Scale (SSS) was created by summing scores of five questions rated on a three-point Likert scale (orientation, clinical advising, ongoing mentorship, accessibility of clinic leadership, and handling of community service officers' concerns). Research endpoints were guided by community service programmatic goals and analysed as dichotomous outcomes. Bivariate and multivariate logistical regressions were conducted using Stata 12. The sample population comprised 685 doctors and dentists (response rate 44%). Rural placement was more likely among unmarried, male, and black practitioners. Rates of self-reported professional development were high (470 out of 539 responses; 87%). Participants with higher scores on the SSS were more likely to report professional development. Although few participants planned to continue work in rural, underserved communities (n = 171 out of 657 responses, 25%), those serving in a rural facility during the community service year had higher intentions of continuing rural work. Those reporting professional development during the community service year were twice as likely to report intentions to remain in rural, underserved communities. Despite challenges in equitable distribution of practitioners, participant satisfaction with the compulsory community service programme appears to be high among those who responded to a 2009 questionnaire. These data offer a starting point for designing programmes and policies that better meet the health needs of the South African population through more appropriate human resource management. An emphasis on professional development and supervision is crucial if South Africa is to build practitioner skills, equitably distribute health professionals, and retain the medical workforce in rural, underserved areas.

Sustaining Excellence in Experienced Principals? Critique of a Professional Learning Community Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piggot-Irvine, Eileen

2006-01-01

Independent reviewer evaluations of the Ministry of Education (MoE) funded Principal Professional Learning Community (PPLC) programme for experienced principals in New Zealand (NZ) suggest a highly valued and strongly supportive programme. My own critique of the programme, against criteria for "strong" professional learning communities…

Professional Mentoring in Student Affairs: Evaluation of a Global Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seeto, Eva-Marie

2016-01-01

In January 2016, the International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS) offered a global professional mentoring programme that would link student affairs leaders internationally with new graduates and early career professionals in student services. Protégé participants were primarily new graduates of preparatory programmes in…

The Learning Effects of a Multidisciplinary Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Talitha Christine; Coenders, Fer G. M.; Pieters, Jules M.; Terlouw, Cees

2013-01-01

Professional development becomes relevant and effective when teachers are actively involved, collaborate, and when it is linked to teachers' daily school practice (Hunzicker in "Prof Dev Educ" 37:177-179, 2011). Preparation of teachers for a curriculum implementation such as the new subject Nature, Life, and Technology can be done…

Evidence-Based Professional Development of Science Teachers in Two Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Christine; Hofstein, Avi; Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Simon, Shirley

2008-01-01

The focus of this collaborative research project of King's College London, and the Weizmann Institute, Israel is on investigating the ways in which teachers can demonstrate accomplished teaching in a specific domain of science and on the teacher learning that is generated through continuing professional development (CPD) programmes that lead…

Instructional Improvement and Student Engagement in Post-Secondary Engineering Courses: The Complexity Underlying Small Effect Sizes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilpert, Jonathan C.; Husman, Jenefer

2017-01-01

The current study leveraged a professional development programme for engineering faculty at a large research university to examine the impact of instructional improvement on student engagement. Professors who participated in the professional development were observed three times and rated using an existing observation protocol. Students in courses…

Preservice Teachers' Inquiry in a Professional Development School Context: Implications for the Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mule, Lucy

2006-01-01

Professional development school (PDS) contexts are increasingly being viewed as powerful sites for the preparation of future teachers in the USA. One of their documented strengths is in the fostering of preservice teachers' inquiry within collaborative frameworks that result from the partnerships between university teacher education programmes and…

"There's Magic in the Web": e-Mentoring for Women's Career Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Headlam-Wells, Jenny; Gosland, Julian; Craig, Jane

2005-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to advance the argument for the transformative potential of e-mentoring for professional women. Design/methodology/approach: Existing mentoring and e-mentoring models are evaluated as the context for the development of an innovative e-mentoring programme for professional women in the UK (Empathy-Edge). The European…

Teachers Pursuing a Doctoral Degree: Motivations and Perceived Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kowalczuk-Waledziak, Marta; Lopes, Amélia; Menezes, Isabel; Tormenta, Nuna

2017-01-01

Background and purpose: In recent years, there has been a growth in international studies about the impact of different types of professional development programmes for teachers. However, few studies have directly addressed the role of higher research degrees, such as a doctorate, as a strategy for teachers' professional development, and even…

Evaluating Long-Term Complex Professional Development: Using a Variation of the Cohort Control Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sample Mcmeeking, Laura B.; Cobb, R. Brian; Basile, Carole

2010-01-01

This paper introduces a variation on the post-test only cohort control design and addresses questions concerning both the methodological credibility and the practical utility of employing this design variation in evaluations of large-scale complex professional development programmes in mathematics education. The original design and design…

Conflicting Road Maps: Cross-Cultural Professional Development for Egyptian Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammad, Waheed

2016-01-01

This article reports on findings from a qualitative research study on overseas teachers' continuing professional development (CPD). It seeks to explore the perceptions of a cohort of Egyptian teachers about their overseas training experience upon completion of a nine-month training programme in the UK. Data were mainly gathered through four…

Faculty development: a need in time for educators in healthcare.

PubMed

Abid, Kauser

2013-04-01

To appraise learning behaviour among participants of faculty development programme in a diverse group setting. The qualitative study was conducted at the Capacity Building Centre of the National Institute of Health and Social Sciences, Islamabad, in March-April 2010. From all the participants who planned to be healthcare educators, 27 were selected for the study. Methodology used was focus group. Coding for focus group interview was done as E1, E2, E3 and E4 for educators from basic sciences, clinical/pre-clinical discipline, nursing and midwifery, and social sciences and information technology profession respectively. For gap analysis, need assessment of focus groups was done with a pre-tested questionnaire. Change in attitude and behaviour as educators was observed in the experience phase during the three modules of the programme. A post-test questionnaire was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. The response rate of the participants was 100%. Gap analysis of focus groups came up with the same challenges that are faced by faculty: insufficient knowledge in the five domains of professional development. In institutional settings, no planned faculty development programmes were reported. By the end of the third module, the participants admitted their step-wise skill development and considered it to be a value addition in their professional career. Talent is not sparse in today's educators of health profession. But professional development to improve their skills is the need of the hour. Capacity-building at workplace is the best solution as it can be managed within the available timeframe and resources.

Proposing a Continuous Professional Development Model to Support and Enhance Professional Learning of Teachers in Special Schools in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kempen, M.; Steyn, G. M.

2016-01-01

A collaborative continuous professional (CPD) model was implemented and evaluated in six special schools in Gauteng, South Africa in order to support teachers in their professional capacity. The study which reports on a two year study aimed to establish the value of the CPD programme on teachers' learning, students' outcomes and whole school…

The accountability of clinical education: its definition and assessment.

PubMed

Murray, E; Gruppen, L; Catton, P; Hays, R; Woolliscroft, J O

2000-10-01

Medical education is not exempt from increasing societal expectations of accountability. Competition for financial resources requires medical educators to demonstrate cost-effective educational practice; health care practitioners, the products of medical education programmes, must meet increasing standards of professionalism; the culture of evidence-based medicine demands an evaluation of the effect educational programmes have on health care and service delivery. Educators cannot demonstrate that graduates possess the required attributes, or that their programmes have the desired impact on health care without appropriate assessment tools and measures of outcome. To determine to what extent currently available assessment approaches can measure potentially relevant medical education outcomes addressing practitioner performance, health care delivery and population health, in order to highlight areas in need of research and development. Illustrative publications about desirable professional behaviour were synthesized to obtain examples of required competencies and health outcomes. A MEDLINE search for available assessment tools and measures of health outcome was performed. There are extensive tools for assessing clinical skills and knowledge. Some work has been done on the use of professional judgement for assessing professional behaviours; scholarship; and multiprofessional team working; but much more is needed. Very little literature exists on assessing group attributes of professionals, such as clinical governance, evidence-based practice and workforce allocation, and even less on examining individual patient or population health indices. The challenge facing medical educators is to develop new tools, many of which will rely on professional judgement, for assessing these broader competencies and outcomes.

Being normal, not vulnerable: case study of a 2-day residential programme for young adults with cancer

PubMed Central

Martins, Ana; Taylor, Rachel M; Morgan, Sue; Fern, Lorna A

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify and describe the outcomes and facilitating processes of participation at ‘Find Your Sense of Tumour’ (FYSOT), a 2-day residential programme/conference for young people with cancer, from the perspective of professionals attending and patient representatives. Design Case study. Setting Observation of the ‘Find Your Sense of Tumour’ over 18s residential programme and face-to-face interviews in hospital and phone interviews. Participants Twenty-six participants — 19 professionals from hospitals across the UK who accompanied young people to FYSOT; 3 programme organisers; and 4 young people from the programme steering committee. Methods Participant observation and semistructured interviews. Results This process evaluation of an educational, social and peer-to-peer support residential weekend for young people with cancer identified key outcomes for young people — positive attitudes (increased sociability, confidence), belonging (feeling accepted, understood), recreation (trying new activities, having fun) and increased knowledge (balance between educational talks and interactions with other young people); and three overarching facilitating processes — being with other young people, the professionals accompanying young people to the event for support and guidance, and the conference/intentional programming. Being in a safe, relaxed and fun environment with other young people facilitates the development of peer support networks and increases young people’s confidence and knowledge. Although the focus of the residential programme is on young people, interviewees acknowledge the impact of attending on professionals’ motivation, learning and changes in practice. Conclusions This study has extended our understanding of the role of residential programmes by identifying outcomes and facilitating mechanisms. We have shown that residential programmes have an important role in providing participants with social, emotional and informational support, as well as play an important role in redefining normality. Longitudinal quantitative and qualitative research is needed to optimise outcomes and design and implement quality programmes that support young people’s development. PMID:28710210

Does gender matter? Differences between students at an interprofessional training ward.

PubMed

Lindh Falk, Annika; Hammar, Mats; Nyström, Sofia

2015-01-01

Studies on graduates' transitions from education into clinical work highlight inequalities concerning how women and men experience their professional learning and development. This study explores how female and male students from different programs within the health care education system (i.e. medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy programmes) experience an interprofessional training ward (IPTW) as a part of their professional identity formation. Students from the medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy programmes collaborate in teams during two weeks at one of three IPTWs at the medical school, Linköping University. They together take the responsibility for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of the patients, albeit with professional supervisors as support. During 2010 to 2011, 454 (93%) of the 488 students who practiced at the IPTWs answered a questionnaire on their experiences of the IPTW. The students stated that the IPTW had positively influenced their professional development. The female and male medical students were significantly less positive than other female and male students, respectively, concerning the value of IPTW. The male students from all programmes were slightly, but significantly, less positive than all the female students. These findings show that students "do gender" as an integral part of the educational practice. It is important to scrutinise the IPTW as an educational practice, influencing students' preparation for future work. Gender should be discussed not only during the IPTW rotation but also in general during the curriculum for all healthcare programmes.

"Trying to Get Our Message Across": Successes and Challenges in an Evidence-Based Professional Development Programme for Sport Coaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Mark A.; Armour, Kathleen M.; Cushion, Christopher J.

2018-01-01

This paper reports data from the evaluation of a coach education programme provided by a major national governing body of sport (NGB) in the UK. The programme was designed for youth sport coaches based on research evidence that suggests that CPD is most effective in supporting practitioner learning when it is interactive, collaborative and located…

Features of a Post-Identitarian Pedagogy (with Reference to Postgraduate Student Writing and the Continuing Professional Development of Teachers)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Done, Elizabeth; Knowler, Helen

2013-01-01

This article responds to Aitchson's observation that development of new pedagogic practices for teaching writing is inhibited by lack of research into how such pedagogies work in practice. The article refers to research into the introduction of a module, "Writing as Professional Development", on a part-time master's-level programme for…

Master's Program Module "Environmental Issues--Decision Making Experience" as Precondition for Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development for Professional Training of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinokurova, Natalia Fedorovna; Martilova, Natalia Viktorovna; Krivdina, Irina Yurievna; Badin, Mikhail Mikhailovich; Efimova, Olga Evgenyevna

2016-01-01

The article discusses current issues related to the implementation of the UNESCO roadmap implementing Global action programme on education for sustainable development. In the context of increasing the professional level of pedagogical workers is a priority area in the implementation of education for sustainable development. Therefore, we believe…

Evaluation of a nurse-led dementia education and knowledge translation programme in primary care: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wang, Yao; Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Ullah, Shahid; He, Guo-Ping; De Bellis, Anita

2017-02-01

The lack of dementia education programmes for health professionals in primary care is one of the major factors contributing to the unmet demand for dementia care services. To determine the effectiveness of a nurse-led dementia education and knowledge translation programme for health professionals in primary care; participants' satisfaction with the programme; and to understand participants' perceptions of and experiences in the programme. A cluster randomized controlled trial was used as the main methodology to evaluate health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and care approach. Focus groups were used at the end of the project to understand health professionals' perceptions of and experiences in the programme. Fourteen community health service centres in a province in China participated in the study. Seven centres were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group respectively and 85 health professionals in each group completed the programme. A train-the-trainer model was used to implement a dementia education and knowledge translation programme. Outcome variables were measured at baseline, on the completion of the programme and at 3-month follow-up. A mixed effect linear regression model was applied to compare the significant differences of outcome measures over time between the two groups. Focus groups were guided by four semi-structured questions and analysed using content analysis. Findings revealed significant effects of the education and knowledge translation programme on participants' knowledge, attitudes and a person-centred care approach. Focus groups confirmed that the programme had a positive impact on dementia care practice. A dementia education and knowledge translation programme for health professionals in primary care has positive effects on their knowledge, attitudes, care approach and care practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel Internet-based blended learning programme providing core competency in clinical research.

PubMed

Tsugihashi, Yukio; Kakudate, Naoki; Yokoyama, Yoko; Yamamoto, Yosuke; Mishina, Hiroki; Fukumori, Norio; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Takegami, Misa; Ohno, Shinya; Wakita, Takafumi; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Yamaguchi, Takuhiro; Fukuhara, Shunichi

2013-04-01

We developed a novel Internet-based blended learning programme that allows busy health care professionals to attain core competency in clinical research. This study details the educational strategies and learning outcomes of the programme. This study was conducted at Kyoto University and seven satellite campuses from September 2009 to March 2010. A total of 176 health care professionals who had never attempted to attain core competency in clinical research were enrolled. The participants were supplied with a novel programme comprising the following four strategies: online live lectures at seven satellite campuses, short examinations after each lecture, an Internet-based feedback system and an end-of-course examination. We assessed the proportion of attendance at the lectures as the main outcome. In addition, we evaluated interaction via the feedback system and scores for end-of-course examination. Of the 176 participants, 134 (76%) reported working more than 40 hours per week. The mean proportion of attendance over all 23 lectures was 82%. A total of 156 (89%) participants attended more than 60% of all lectures and were eligible for the end-of-course examination. A total of the participants accessed the feedback system 3564 times and asked 284 questions. No statistically significant differences were noted in the end-of-course scores among medical doctors, pharmacists, registered nurses and other occupations. We developed an Internet-based blended learning programme providing core competency in clinical research. Most busy health care professionals completed the programme successfully. In addition, the participants could attain the core competency effectively, regardless of their occupation. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Relationships between Students' Experiences of Learning in an Undergraduate Internship Programme and New Graduates' Experiences of Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthew, Susan M.; Taylor, Rosanne M.; Ellis, Robert A.

2012-01-01

Although educators believe that undergraduate internship programmes are a vital component of professional degrees, evidence of the relationship between students' experiences of learning during such programmes and the quality of new graduates' experiences of professional practice is limited. This research sought to investigate associations between…

Construction of Professional Knowledge of Teaching: Collaboration between Experienced Primary School Teachers and University Teachers through an Online Mentoring Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Graça Nicoletti Mizukami, Maria; Maria de Medeiros Rodrigues Reali, Aline; Maria Simões Tancredi, Regina

2015-01-01

This paper is related to an investigation carried out by researchers from a Brazilian public institution (Federal University of São Carlos) and experienced elementary school teachers. It adopts a research and intervention methodology developed in an online continuing teacher education programme, whose aims were the development of mentoring…

Tracing the Impact: A Case of a Professional Development Programme in Mathematical Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bansilal, S.; Goba, B.; Webb, L.; James, A.; Khuzwayo, H.

2012-01-01

The introduction of the subject Mathematical Literacy (ML) as part of the education reform process, led to the development of many large scale in-service programmes designed to train practising teachers to teach the new subject. The purpose of the study is to examine the challenges associated with providing in-service training for teachers of ML,…

The Development of Innovative Online Problem-Based Learning: A Leadership Course for Leaders in European Public Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Jong, Nynke; Könings, Karen D.; Czabanowska, Katarzyna

2014-01-01

The shift to a knowledge information society has given rise to a need for lifelong learning programmes. Such programmes are especially relevant for public health professionals, whose dynamic field of practice is subject to changes due to rapidly developing technologies, evolving expectations of the labour market and new health treats. Lifelong…

Leadership development: a collaborative approach to curriculum development and delivery.

PubMed

Munro, Kathleen M; Russell, Margot C

2007-07-01

The Leadership Programme in the National Health Service, Lanarkshire, Scotland began in 2002. The programme has been endorsed by the employer, accredited by a higher education institution and approved by the National Health Service Education Board in Scotland as a recognised continuing professional development programme. The success of the programme is due to the combined efforts of the teaching team from the Practice Development Centre, the different stakeholders within the health service in Lanarkshire and Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh. The focus of this article is the nature of the collaboration between the partners from the initial ideas to the initiation, validation and ongoing delivery of the programme. The article will provide an account of the criteria for partners and key features of the collaboration as well as quality assurance aspects. It will also draw upon the outcomes of the programme in terms of student views and achievement as well as the benefits to the partners.

Development of a Competency Mapping Tool for Undergraduate Professional Degree Programmes, Using Mechanical Engineering as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, David W.; Sheehan, Madoc; Birks, Melanie; Smithson, John

2018-01-01

Mapping the curriculum of a professional degree to the associated competency standard ensures graduates have the competence to perform as professionals. Existing approaches to competence mapping vary greatly in depth, complexity, and effectiveness, and a standardised approach remains elusive. This paper describes a new mapping software tool that…

Arts-based palliative care training, education and staff development: A scoping review.

PubMed

Turton, Benjamin Mark; Williams, Sion; Burton, Christopher R; Williams, Lynne

2018-02-01

The experience of art offers an emerging field in healthcare staff development, much of which is appropriate to the practice of palliative care. The workings of aesthetic learning interventions such as interactive theatre in relation to palliative and end-of-life care staff development programmes are widely uncharted. To investigate the use of aesthetic learning interventions used in palliative and end-of-life care staff development programmes. Scoping review. Published literature from 1997 to 2015, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, key journals and citation tracking. The review included 138 studies containing 60 types of art. Studies explored palliative care scenarios from a safe distance. Learning from art as experience involved the amalgamation of action, emotion and meaning. Art forms were used to transport healthcare professionals into an aesthetic learning experience that could be reflected in the lived experience of healthcare practice. The proposed learning included the development of practical and technical skills; empathy and compassion; awareness of self; awareness of others and the wider narrative of illness; and personal development. Aesthetic learning interventions might be helpful in the delivery of palliative care staff development programmes by offering another dimension to the learning experience. As researchers continue to find solutions to understanding the efficacy of such interventions, we argue that evaluating the contextual factors, including the interplay between the experience of the programme and its impact on the healthcare professional, will help identify how the programmes work and thus how they can contribute to improvements in palliative care.

Education for Professional Engineering Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bramhall, Mike D.; Short, Chris

2014-01-01

This paper reports on a funded collaborative large-scale curriculum innovation and enhancement project undertaken as part of a UK National Higher Education Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme. Its aim was to develop undergraduate curricula to teach appropriate skills for professional engineering practice more…

Early-Years Teachers' Professional Upgrading in Science: a Long-Term Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallery, Maria

2017-04-01

In this paper, we present a professional development/upgrading programme in science for early-years teachers and investigate its impact on the teachers' competencies in relation to their knowledge and teaching of science. The basic idea of the programme was to motivate the teachers by making them members of an action research group aimed at developing and implementing curriculum activities to which they would contribute and thus meaningfully engaging them in their own learning. The programme used a `collaborative partnership' model for the development of the activities. In this model, the collaborative notion is defined as an act of `shared creation': partners share a goal and members bring their expertise to the partnership. Within this context, the partners were a researcher in science education with a background in physics, who also served as a facilitator, and six in-service early-years teachers with a background in early-years pedagogy and developmental sciences, who had many years of experience (classroom experts). These teachers participated in the programme as co-designers, but were involved to a significantly lesser degree than the researcher. The programme procedures comprised group work and individual teachers' class work. Data sources included teachers' essays, field-notes, lesson recordings and group-work records. Data were qualitatively analysed. The main results indicate improvement of teachers' `transformed' knowledge of the subject matter, development/improvement of knowledge of instructional strategies, including factors related to quality of implementation of the activities, knowledge of the pupils and improvement of the teachers' efficacy.

Ways into Integrating Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boulter, Caroline

2005-01-01

The ideas in this article arose from the National Union of Teachers' professional development programme "Putting life into science -- primary science and citizenship" that the author ran with Will Ord from SAPERE. As with other NUT "Teacher 2Teacher" programmes, this course had two major inputs, in January and June, with the intervening time…

National-Scale Professional Development in Sweden: Theory, Policy, Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boesen, J.; Helenius, O.; Johansson, B.

2015-01-01

From 2012 to 2016 all teachers of mathematics, in primary through to upper secondary and adult education, in Sweden are to be given the opportunity of receiving state-coordinated professional development (PD), generally involving around one meeting per week for a year. We examine the ways in which this programme and its content are research-based…

Using Quality Rating Scales for Professional Development: Experiences from the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathers, Sandra; Linskey, Faye; Seddon, Judith; Sylva, Kathy

2007-01-01

The ECERS-R and ITERS-R are among two of the most widely used observational measures for describing the characteristics of early childhood education and care. This paper describes a professional development programme currently taking place in seven regions across England, designed to train local government staff in the application of the scales as…

Re-Thinking Professional Development and Accountability: Towards a More Educational Training Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmett, Yvonne

2015-01-01

In this article, I discuss the contribution of theoretical resources to the transformation in my thinking about professional development and accountability, within an action research self-study of practice as a civil servant, in the context of participation on the Doctor in Education (Leadership) programme at Dublin City University (DCU) in the…

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…

Exploring Factors That Influence the Effective Implementation of Professional Development Programmes on Invitational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steyn, G. M.

2005-01-01

Professional development (PD) has emerged over that last decade as a recognised area of study (Evans 2002). PD of teachers is seen as an essential ingredient for creating effective schools and raising students' performance (Rhodes & Houghton-Hill 2000; Wood & Millichamp 2000; Birman, Desimone, Porter & Garet 2000). Since teachers have the most…

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…

The Impact of a Professional Development Model on Middle School Science Teachers' Efficacy and Implementation of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotter, Christine; Smiley, Whitney; Thompson, Stephen; Dickenson, Tammiee

2016-01-01

This study investigated a professional development model designed to improve teachers' inquiry teaching efficacy as well as the quality of their inquiry instruction through engaging teachers in practice-teaching and reflection sessions. The programme began with a two-week summer Institute focused on both inquiry pedagogy and science content and…

Reflection on Teachers' Personal and Professional Growth through a Materials Development Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Núñez Pardo, Astrid; Téllez Téllez, María Fernanda

2016-01-01

This qualitative action research study explores the role of reflection on teachers' personal and professional growth through the methodology used in the Materials Development Seminar in the Master's Programme in Education with Emphasis on English Didactics at a private university in Colombia. The project was carried out with 31 English as a…

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…

Does Research Degree Supervisor Training Work? The Impact of a Professional Development Induction Workshop on Supervision Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCulloch, Alistair; Loeser, Cassandra

2016-01-01

Supervisor induction and continued professional development programmes constitute good practice and are enshrined in institutional policies and national codes of practice. However, there is little evidence about whether they have an impact on either supervisors' learning or day-to-day practice. Set in a discussion of previous literature, this…

Professional Identity Development of Teacher Candidates Participating in an Informal Science Education Internship: A Focus on Drawings as Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Phyllis; McGinnis, J. Randy; Hestness, Emily; Riedinger, Kelly; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Dai, Amy; Pease, Rebecca

2011-01-01

This study investigated the professional identity development of teacher candidates participating in an informal afterschool science internship in a formal science teacher preparation programme. We used a qualitative research methodology. Data were collected from the teacher candidates, their informal internship mentors, and the researchers. The…

The Effectiveness of a Guided Inquiry-Based, Teachers' Professional Development Programme on Saudi Students' Understanding of Density

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almuntasheri, S.; Gillies, R. M.; Wright, T.

2016-01-01

Despite a general consensus on the educational effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction, the enacted type of inquiry in science classrooms remains debatable in many countries including Saudi Arabia. This study compared guided-inquiry based teachers' professional development to teacher-directed approach in supporting Saudi students to understand…

The Impact of a Professional Development Programme on the Practices and Beliefs of Numeracy Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swan, Malcolm; Swain, Jon

2010-01-01

This article describes some outcomes of a nine-month design-based research study into the professional development of 24 numeracy teachers with post-16 learners. Teachers analysed research-based principles for teaching, and engaged in a design-research process by testing and refining teaching activities to embody these principles. Data from…

Where midwives are not yet recognised: a feasibility study of professional midwives in Nepal.

PubMed

Bogren, Malin Upper; van Teijlingen, Edwin; Berg, Marie

2013-10-01

the professional midwife is a key person for promoting maternal and family health. Not all countries have yet reached the professional standard for midwives set by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and Nepal is one of these countries. This study explores the feasibility to establish a professional midwifery cadre in Nepal that meets the global standards of competencies, and to define a strategy to reach this. a mixed-methods study comprised (1) policy-review (2) interviews and (3) observations. An assessment tool was designed for data collection and analysis using variables from three sources: ICM's Global Standards, the skilled birth attendant programme in Nepal, and JHPIEGO's site assessment tool for maternal health and new-born programmes. Data were collected in a desk review of education and policy documents, interviews with stakeholders, and site assessment of five higher education institutions and their hospital-based maternity departments. The analysis resulted in a recommended strategy. six levels of education of nurse staff providing midwifery care were identified; all regulated under the Nepal Nursing Council. No legislation was in place authorising midwifery as an autonomous profession. A post-basic midwifery programme on first cycle-bachelor level was under development. A well-organised midwifery association was established consisting of nurses providing maternal health care. Four university colleges offering higher education for nurses and clinicians had a capability to run a midwifery programme and the fifth had a genuine interest in starting a midwifery programme at bachelor level. The proposed strategy includes four strategic objectives and interventions in relation to four components identified by UNFPA: Legislation and regulation; Training and education; Deployment and utilisation; and Professional associations. the study has delivered a proposed strategy for the Government of Nepal for effective management of the midwifery workforce in order to enhance midwives' contribution in maternity care and thus promoting improved maternal and new-born health. The developed analytical framework could be used as an assessment tool also in other countries to establish professional midwifery cadres that meets the global standards of competencies. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What is best practice in sex and relationship education? A synthesis of evidence, including stakeholders' views.

PubMed

Pound, Pandora; Denford, Sarah; Shucksmith, Janet; Tanton, Clare; Johnson, Anne M; Owen, Jenny; Hutten, Rebecca; Mohan, Leanne; Bonell, Chris; Abraham, Charles; Campbell, Rona

2017-07-02

Sex and relationship education (SRE) is regarded as vital to improving young people's sexual health, but a third of schools in England lacks good SRE and government guidance is outdated. We aimed to identify what makes SRE programmes effective, acceptable, sustainable and capable of faithful implementation. This is a synthesis of findings from five research packages that we conducted (practitioner interviews, case study investigation, National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, review of reviews and qualitative synthesis). We also gained feedback on our research from stakeholder consultations. Primary research and stakeholder consultations were conducted in the UK. Secondary research draws on studies worldwide. Our findings indicate that school-based SRE and school-linked sexual health services can be effective at improving sexual health. We found professional consensus that good programmes start in primary school. Professionals and young people agreed that good programmes are age-appropriate, interactive and take place in a safe environment. Some young women reported preferring single-sex classes, but young men appeared to want mixed classes. Young people and professionals agreed that SRE should take a 'life skills' approach and not focus on abstinence. Young people advocated a 'sex-positive' approach but reported this was lacking. Young people and professionals agreed that SRE should discuss risks, but young people indicated that approaches to risk need revising. Professionals felt teachers should be involved in SRE delivery, but many young people reported disliking having their teachers deliver SRE and we found that key messages could become lost when interpreted by teachers. The divergence between young people and professionals was echoed by stakeholders. We developed criteria for best practice based on the evidence. We identified key features of effective and acceptable SRE. Our best practice criteria can be used to evaluate existing programmes, contribute to the development of new programmes and inform consultations around statutory SRE. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Creating global networks through an online engineering graduate programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, M. H.

2011-03-01

Internationally, the railway industry is facing a severe shortage of engineers with high-level, relevant, professional and technical knowledge and abilities, in particular amongst engineers involved in the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure. A unique graduate level programme has been created to meet that global need via a fully online, distance education format. The development and operation of this Master of Engineering degree is proposed as a model of the process needed for industry-relevance, flexible delivery, international networking and professional development required for a successful graduate engineering programme in the twenty-first century. In particular, this paper demonstrates how a mix of new and more familiar technologies are utilised through a variety of tasks to overcome the huge distances and multiple time zones that separate the participants across a growing number of countries, successfully achieving close and sustained interaction amongst the participants and railway experts.

Objective Structured Professional Assessments for Trainee Educational Psychologists: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunsmuir, Sandra; Atkinson, Cathy; Lang, Jane; Warhurst, Amy; Wright, Sarah

2017-01-01

Objective Structured Professional Assessments (OSPAs) were developed and evaluated at three universities in the United Kingdom, to supplement supervisor assessments of trainee educational psychologists' placement practice. Participating second year students on three educational psychology doctoral programmes (n = 31) and tutors (n = 12) were…

Attraction, recruitment and distribution of health professionals in rural and remote Australia: early results of the Rural Health Professionals Program.

PubMed

Morell, Anna L; Kiem, Sandra; Millsteed, Melanie A; Pollice, Almerinda

2014-03-06

Australians living in rural and remote communities experience relatively poor health status in comparison to the wider Australian population (Med J Aust 185:37-38, 2006). This can be attributed in part to issues of access to health services arising from difficulties in recruiting and retaining health professionals in these areas. The Rural Health Professionals Program is an initiative designed to increase the number of allied health and nursing professionals in rural and remote Australia by providing case managed recruitment and retention support services. This paper reports on early analysis of available programme data to build knowledge of factors related to the recruitment and distribution of health professionals in rural and remote Australia. Administrative programme data were collected monthly from 349 health professionals over the first 13 months of programme operation. These data were collated and quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Sixty-nine percent of recruits were women, and recruits had a mean age of 32.85 (SD = 10.92). Sixty percent of recruits were domestically trained, and the top two professions recruited were nurses (29%) and physiotherapists (21%). Eighty-seven percent were recruited to regional areas, with the remaining 13% recruited to remote areas. Among reasons for interest in the programme, financial support factors were most commonly cited by recruits (51%). Recruitment to a remote location was associated with being domestically trained, having previously lived in a rural or remote location, being a nurse (as opposed to an allied health professional) and older age. The findings provide early support for a case managed recruitment programme to improve distribution of health professionals, and some directions for future marketing and promotion of the programme. It is recommended that an outcome evaluation be conducted to determine the impact of the programme on recruitment and distribution outcomes. The findings herein begin to address gaps in the literature relating to the effectiveness of interventions to improve the distribution of health professionals. While this provides some preliminary indication that case managed recruitment and retention programmes have capacity to improve distribution, further research and evaluation is required to confirm the impact of the programme on retention.

Reflection a neglected art in health promotion.

PubMed

Fleming, Paul

2007-10-01

Evaluation and quality assurance have, over time, become the bedrock of health promotion practice in ensuring effectiveness and efficiency of programme planning and delivery. There has been less emphasis, however, on formal recognition of the contribution of the personal characteristics and perspectives of those who plan and deliver programmes and to the more subtle underlying effects of prevailing societal and professional norms. This paper seeks to highlight the neglect of formal reflection as a key professional skill in professional health promotion practice. It outlines key theories underpinning the development of the concepts of reflection and reflective practice. The role of reflection in critical health education as it contributes to critical consciousness raising is highlighted through its contribution to the empowerment of change agents in a societal change context. A conceptual typology of reflective practice is described which provides a flexible structure with which professionals can reflect on the role of self, the context and the process of health promotion programme planning. Its use is illustrated from the author's published work in health promotion which is related to prevention of workplace violence.

Creating meaningful business continuity management programme metrics.

PubMed

Strong, Brian

2010-11-01

The popular axiom, 'what gets measured gets done', is often applied in the quality management and continuous improvement disciplines. This truism is also useful to business continuity practitioners as they continually strive to prove the value of their organisation's investment in a business continuity management (BCM) programme. BCM practitioners must also remain relevant to their organisations as executives focus on the bottom line and maintaining stakeholder confidence. It seems that executives always find a way, whether in a hallway or elevator, to ask BCM professionals about the company's level of readiness. When asked, they must be ready with an informed response. The establishment of a process to measure business continuity programme performance and organisational readiness has emerged as a key component of US Department of Homeland Security 'Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness (PS-Prep) Program' standards where the overarching goal is to improve private sector preparedness for disasters and emergencies. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: to introduce continuity professionals to best practices that should be considered when developing a BCM metrics programme as well as providing a case study of how a large health insurance company researched, developed and implemented a process to measure BCM programme performance and company readiness.

Organization and startup of The Gambia's new community-based medical programme.

PubMed

Chávez, José A; Suárez, Lázaro V; Del Rosario, Odalis; Hechavarría, Suiberto; Quiñones, Judith

2012-01-01

The shortage of health professionals in developing countries and especially in their poorest regions imperils the vision of health for all. New training policies and strategies are needed urgently to address these shortages. The Gambia's new Community-Based Medical Programme is one such strategy. KEYWORDS Medical education, access to health care, healthcare disparities, health manpower, rural health, developing countries, The Gambia.

"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…

Teaching Motivations, Characteristics and Professional Growth: Results from the Great Expectations (GE) Programme in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Margareta Maria; Turner, Jeannine

2015-01-01

This present study sought to explore reasons given by K-12 teachers about their motivation to remain in teaching, their motivation for engaging in professional development, and characteristics of their teaching. Participants (N = 151) were public teachers of different grade levels from the USA enrolled in a one-week professional development…

Implementation of the DP-TRANSFERS project in Catalonia: A translational method to improve diabetes screening and prevention in primary care.

PubMed

Costa-Pinel, Bernardo; Mestre-Miravet, Santiago; Barrio-Torrell, Francisco; Cabré-Vila, Joan-Josep; Cos-Claramunt, Xavier; Aguilar-Sanz, Sofía; Solé-Brichs, Claustre; Castell-Abat, Conxa; Arija-Val, Victoria; Lindström, Jaana

2018-01-01

The DE-PLAN-CAT project (Diabetes in Europe-Prevention using lifestyle, physical activity and nutritional intervention-Catalonia) has shown that an intensive lifestyle intervention is feasible in the primary care setting and substantially reduces the incidence of diabetes among high-risk Mediterranean participants. The DP-TRANSFERS project (Diabetes Prevention-Transferring findings from European research to society) is a large-scale national programme aimed at implementing this intervention in primary care centres whenever feasible. A multidisciplinary committee first evaluated the programme in health professionals and then participants without diabetes aged 45-75 years identified as being at risk of developing diabetes: FINDRISC (Finnish Diabetes Risk Score)>11 and/or pre-diabetes diagnosis. Implementation was supported by a 4-channel transfer approach (institutional relationships, facilitator workshops, collaborative groupware, programme website) and built upon a 3-step (screening, intervention, follow-up) real-life strategy. The 2-year lifestyle intervention included a 9-hour basic module (6 sessions) and a subsequent 15-hour continuity module (10 sessions) delivered by trained primary healthcare professionals. A 3-level (centre, professionals and participants) descriptive analysis was conducted using cluster sampling to assess results and barriers identified one year after implementation. The programme was started in June-2016 and evaluated in July-2017. In all, 103 centres covering all the primary care services for 1.4 million inhabitants (27.9% of all centres in Catalonia) and 506 professionals agreed to develop the programme. At the end of the first year, 83 centres (80.6%) remained active and 305 professionals (60.3%) maintained regular web-based activities. Implementation was not feasible in 20 centres (19.4%), and 5 main barriers were prioritized: lack of healthcare manager commitment; discontinuity of the initial effort; substantial increase in staff workload; shift in professional status and lack of acceptance. Overall, 1819 people were screened and 1458 (80.1%) followed the lifestyle intervention, with 1190 (81.6% or 65.4% of those screened) participating in the basic module and 912 in the continuity module (62.5% or 50.1%, respectively). A large-scale lifestyle intervention in primary care can be properly implemented within a reasonably short time using existing public healthcare resources. Regrettably, one fifth of the centres and more than one third of the professionals showed substantial resistance to performing these additional activities.

The effectiveness of Internet-based e-learning on clinician behaviour and patient outcomes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Sinclair, Peter M; Kable, Ashley; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Booth, Debbie

2016-05-01

The contemporary health workforce has a professional responsibility to maintain competency in practice. However, some difficulties exist with access to ongoing professional development opportunities, particularly for staff in rural and remote areas and those not enrolled in a formal programme of study. E-learning is at the nexus of overcoming these challenges. The benefits of e-learning have been reported in terms of increased accessibility to education, improved self-efficacy, knowledge generation, cost effectiveness, learner flexibility and interactivity. What is less clear, is whether improved self-efficacy or knowledge gained through e-learning influences healthcare professional behaviour or skill development, whether these changes are sustained, and whether these changes improve patient outcomes. To identify, appraise and synthesise the best available evidence for the effectiveness of e-learning programmes on health care professional behaviour and patient outcomes. A systematic review of randomised controlled trials was conducted to assess the effectiveness of e-learning programmes on clinician behaviour and patient outcomes. Electronic databases including CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, Mosby's Index, Scopus and Cochrane - CENTRAL were searched in July 2014 and again in July 2015. Studies were reviewed and data extracted by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute standardised critical appraisal and data extraction instruments. Seven trials met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. Due to substantial instructional design, subject matter, study population, and methodological variation between the identified studies, statistical pooling was not possible and a meta-analysis could not be performed. Consequently, the findings of this systematic review are presented as a narrative review. The results suggest that e-learning was at least as effective as traditional learning approaches, and superior to no instruction at all in improving health care professional behaviour. There was variation in behavioural outcomes depending on the skill being taught, and the learning approach utilised. No papers were identified that reported the effectiveness of an e-learning programme on patient outcomes. This review found insufficient evidence regarding the effectiveness of e-learning on healthcare professional behaviour or patient outcomes, consequently further research in this area is warranted. Future randomised controlled trials should adhere to the CONSORT reporting guidelines in order to improve the quality of reporting, to allow evaluation of the effectiveness of e-learning programmes on healthcare professional behaviour and patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of the DP-TRANSFERS project in Catalonia: A translational method to improve diabetes screening and prevention in primary care

PubMed Central

Barrio-Torrell, Francisco; Cos-Claramunt, Xavier; Aguilar-Sanz, Sofía; Solé-Brichs, Claustre; Castell-Abat, Conxa; Arija-Val, Victoria; Lindström, Jaana

2018-01-01

Background The DE-PLAN-CAT project (Diabetes in Europe–Prevention using lifestyle, physical activity and nutritional intervention–Catalonia) has shown that an intensive lifestyle intervention is feasible in the primary care setting and substantially reduces the incidence of diabetes among high-risk Mediterranean participants. The DP-TRANSFERS project (Diabetes Prevention–Transferring findings from European research to society) is a large-scale national programme aimed at implementing this intervention in primary care centres whenever feasible. Methods A multidisciplinary committee first evaluated the programme in health professionals and then participants without diabetes aged 45–75 years identified as being at risk of developing diabetes: FINDRISC (Finnish Diabetes Risk Score)>11 and/or pre-diabetes diagnosis. Implementation was supported by a 4-channel transfer approach (institutional relationships, facilitator workshops, collaborative groupware, programme website) and built upon a 3-step (screening, intervention, follow-up) real-life strategy. The 2-year lifestyle intervention included a 9-hour basic module (6 sessions) and a subsequent 15-hour continuity module (10 sessions) delivered by trained primary healthcare professionals. A 3-level (centre, professionals and participants) descriptive analysis was conducted using cluster sampling to assess results and barriers identified one year after implementation. Results The programme was started in June-2016 and evaluated in July-2017. In all, 103 centres covering all the primary care services for 1.4 million inhabitants (27.9% of all centres in Catalonia) and 506 professionals agreed to develop the programme. At the end of the first year, 83 centres (80.6%) remained active and 305 professionals (60.3%) maintained regular web-based activities. Implementation was not feasible in 20 centres (19.4%), and 5 main barriers were prioritized: lack of healthcare manager commitment; discontinuity of the initial effort; substantial increase in staff workload; shift in professional status and lack of acceptance. Overall, 1819 people were screened and 1458 (80.1%) followed the lifestyle intervention, with 1190 (81.6% or 65.4% of those screened) participating in the basic module and 912 in the continuity module (62.5% or 50.1%, respectively). Conclusions A large-scale lifestyle intervention in primary care can be properly implemented within a reasonably short time using existing public healthcare resources. Regrettably, one fifth of the centres and more than one third of the professionals showed substantial resistance to performing these additional activities. PMID:29543842

An evaluation of a public health practitioner registration programme: lessons learned for workforce development.

PubMed

Rahman, Em; Wills, Jane

2014-09-01

This article explores the lessons learned for workforce development from an evaluation of a regional programme to support the assessment and registration of public health practitioners to the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) in England. A summative and process evaluation of the public health practitioner programme in Wessex was adopted. Data collection was by an online survey of 32 public health practitioners in the Wessex area and semi-structured interviews with 53 practitioners, programme support, employers and system leaders. All survey respondents perceived regulation of the public health workforce as very important or important. Managers and system leaders saw a register of those fit to practise and able to define themselves as a public health practitioner as a necessary assurance of quality for the public. Yet, because registration is voluntary for practitioners, less value was currently placed on this than on completing a master's qualification. The local programme supports practitioners in the compilation of a retrospective portfolio of evidence that demonstrates fitness to practise; practitioners and managers stated that this does not support current and future learning needs or the needs of those working at a senior level. One of the main purposes of statutory regulation of professionals is to protect the public by an assurance of fitness to practise where there is a potential for harm. The widening role for public health practitioners without any regulation means that there is the risk of inappropriate interventions or erroneous advice. Regulators, policy makers and system leaders need to consider how they can support the development of the public health workforce to gain professional recognition at all levels of public health, including practitioners alongside specialists, and support a professional career framework for the public health system. © Royal Society for Public Health 2014.

Using Student Perceptions of the Learning Environment to Evaluate the Effectiveness of a Teacher Professional Development Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soebari, Titien S.; Aldridge, Jill M.

2015-01-01

The focus of this article is two-fold. First, it describes a model that can be used to guide the evaluation of teacher professional development. The model combines important components of existing models and incorporates the use of students' perceptions for examining teacher change. Second, the article reports the evaluation of a teacher…

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…

Rethinking the Hermit Kingdom: US Social Studies Teachers' Cross-Cultural Professional Development in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Yoonjung; Shin, Eui-Kyung

2016-01-01

This study explores the experiences of 34 US social studies teachers who participated in a cross-cultural professional development in South Korea, and the impact of the programme on the participant teachers' perceptions and practices of global education. Drawing upon a postcolonial lens, this mixed-method study takes a critical look at (a) how…

Enabling the Journey from Experienced Practitioner to Para-Professional: Using Reflective Dialogue in Action Learning Triads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graves, Susan; Jones, Marion

2008-01-01

This article explores whether using reflective dialogue in action learning sets on a foundation degree (FD) in educational support can develop the capacity for reflective practice of the students. Developing a reflective stance in relation to professional practice is a central theme of the programme, which is reinforced by the work-based learning…

Teachers' Professional Development through University-School Partnerships: Theoretical Standpoints and Evidence from Two Pilot Studies in Chile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grau, Valeska; Calcagni, Elisa; Preiss, David D.; Ortiz, Dominga

2017-01-01

This paper presents a teacher professional development programme, based on a university-schools partnership and a collective reflection model, addressing the needs of in-service teacher education in Chile. First, the main challenges faced by both teachers and teacher education in Chile are summarised. Then, the foundations of this model are…

Developing inter-professional learning: tactics, teamwork and talk.

PubMed

Begley, Cecily M

2009-04-01

Teamwork and collaboration between all health professionals results in high quality clinical care, and increased job satisfaction for staff. Encouraging inter-professional learning (IPL) may be advantageous in developing more effective teams. There is little rigorous research in this area, but many small uncontrolled studies do demonstrate positive results. IPL involves structured learning opportunities that enhance problem-solving abilities and conflict resolution. It should be clearly differentiated from shared teaching (or multidisciplinary/multiprofessional learning), where common content is taught to many professions without any intention to develop interaction. To counteract the sometimes negative attitudes in both students and staff, educators need to commence IPL early in the programme, base it in both theoretical and clinical placements and ensure that it is valued and assessed. Difficulties with timetabling and accommodation need to be solved prior to commencement. A facilitator should be employed, and a team of committed lecturers developed, with an emphasis on teamwork and the discouragement of individualism. Opportunities for student interaction and ways of improving group dynamics within non-threatening learning environments should to be sought, and instances of conflict embraced and resolved. Future IPL programmes should be rigorously evaluated and may demonstrate enhanced inter-professional relationships and improved quality of patient/client care.

Expanding Opportunities to Learn to Support Inclusive Education through Drama-Enhanced Literacy Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilinc, Sultan; Farrand, Kathleen; Chapman, Kathryn; Kelley, Michael; Millinger, Jenny; Adams, Korbi

2017-01-01

This study examines how the Early Years Educators at Play (EYEPlay) professional development (PD) programme supported inclusive learning settings for all children, including English language learners and students with disabilities. The EYEPlay PD model is a year-long programme that integrates drama strategies into literacy practices within…

Interpretations of Mentoring during Early Childhood Education Mentor Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupila, Päivi; Ukkonen-Mikkola, Tuulikki; Rantala, Kyllikki

2017-01-01

This study examines how interpretations of mentoring by trainee mentors (TMs) changed over the course of a mentor training programme, and how this contributed to the TMs' professional development. The context of the study was a mentor training programme for preschool teachers who mentor early childhood teacher students during their practicums.…

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…

Researching, Teaching and Professional Development: How to Build Quality and Reflection into Our MPA-Programmes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Notten, Ton

2013-01-01

Continuing adult education requires continuous education of the educators themselves--a highly self-referential issue. This article focuses on educating a group of "urban educators" in the western part of the Netherlands who have been involved in broad urban educational programmes: school, parental education and participation, living…

Adapting an Outcome-Based Education Development Process to Meet Near Real-Time Challenges to Sustainable Agricultural Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halbleib, Mary L.; Jepson, Paul C.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper examines the benefits of using an outcome-based education (OBE) method within agricultural extension outreach programmes for professional and farmer audiences. Design/Methodology/Approach: The method is elaborated through two practical examples, which show that focused, short-duration programmes can produce meaningful skill…

Marketing University Programmes in China: Innovative Experience in Executive and Professional Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ning Rong; Crossley, Michael

2010-01-01

This article addresses the limited amount of research in the realm of programme marketing in the Chinese higher education sector. Original field research examines the emergence of marketing principles and strategies with specific reference to the experience of three higher education institutions in China. The development and promotion of executive…

Back to Basics: How Young Mothers Learn about Sex and Sexuality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudley, James; Crowder, Amanda; Montgomery, Tchernavia R.

2014-01-01

Adolescent pregnancy continues to be a major concern for policy-makers, programme developers, helping professionals and society generally in the USA, especially in light of the US federal government's legislative emphasis on abstinence-only sex education until recently. Studies have found that abstinence-only programmes do not succeed in…

Effective Teacher? Student Self-Evaluation of Development and Progress on a Teacher Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gossman, Peter; Horder, Sue

2016-01-01

This article examines 28 teachers' views about their teacher education requirements. The participants were enrolled on a one-year full-time pre-service teacher education programme with a focus on post-compulsory education and training. The study examines how student teachers' self-evaluations against aspects of teaching professional practice…

The Contribution of Professional Accreditation to Quality Assurance in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Paor, Cathal

2016-01-01

This article examines the extent to which the professional accreditation of professional higher education programmes can complement other quality assurance endeavours being carried out. An analysis of a sample of professional accreditation reports for pharmacy education programmes in Ireland provides insight into the priorities of the regulatory…

Portfolios and ICT as Means of Professional Learning in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauge, Trond Eiliv

2006-01-01

Teaching portfolios supported by new learning technologies have increased in importance in Norwegian schools and teacher education. However, the learning potentials of integrated e-portfolios have still to be researched and further developed. This article focuses on professional learning in a teacher education programme reorganised by use of…

Meat Training Council Aims to Make Willing Workers into Professional Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollitt, David

2002-01-01

Details the UK Meat Training Council's management development programme, aimed at increasing the levels of professionalism in the meat and poultry industry and making it more attractive to young people as a long-term career. Describes the course contents and assessment methods, and contains interviews with course participants.

Material Matters for Learning in Virtual Networks: A Case Study of a Professional Learning Programme Hosted in a Google+ Online Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackland, Aileen; Swinney, Ann

2015-01-01

In this paper, we draw on Actor-Network Theories (ANT) to explore how material components functioned to create gateways and barriers to a virtual learning network in the context of a professional development module in higher education. Students were practitioners engaged in family learning in different professional roles and contexts. The data…

Clinical audit in the final year of undergraduate medical education: towards better care of future generations.

PubMed

Mak, Donna B; Miflin, Barbara

2012-01-01

In Australia, in an environment undergoing rapidly changing requirements for health services, there is an urgent need for future practitioners to be knowledgeable, skilful and self-motivated in ensuring the quality and safety of their practice. Postgraduate medical education and vocational programs have responded by incorporating training in quality improvement into continuing professional development requirements, but undergraduate medical education has been slower to respond. This article describes the clinical audit programme undertaken by all students in the final year of the medical course at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia, and examines the educational worth of this approach. Data were obtained from curricular documents, including the clinical audit handbook, and from evaluation questionnaires administered to students and supervisors. The clinical audit programme is based on sound educational principles, including situated and participatory learning and reflective practice. It has demonstrated multi-dimensional benefits for students in terms of learning the complexities of conducting an effective audit in professional practice, and for health services in terms of facilitating quality improvement. Although this programme was developed in a medical course, the concept is readily transferable to a variety of other health professional curricula in which students undertake clinical placements.

Professional development for design-based learning in engineering education: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez Puente, Sonia M.; van Eijck, Michiel; Jochems, Wim

2015-01-01

Design-based learning (DBL) is an educational approach in which students gather and apply theoretical knowledge to solve design problems. In this study, we examined how critical DBL dimensions (project characteristics, design elements, the teacher's role, assessment, and social context) are applied by teachers in the redesign of DBL projects. We conducted an intervention for the professional development of the DBL teachers in the Mechanical Engineering and the Electrical Engineering departments. We used the Experiential Learning Cycle as an educational model for the professionalisation programme. The findings show that the programme encouraged teachers to apply the DBL theoretical framework. However, there are some limitations with regard to specific project characteristics. Further research into supporting teachers to develop open-ended and multidisciplinary activities in the projects that support learning is recommended.

International variation in programmes for assessment of children's neurodevelopment in the community: Understanding disparate approaches to evaluation of motor, social, emotional, behavioural and cognitive function.

PubMed

Wilson, Philip; Wood, Rachael; Lykke, Kirsten; Hauskov Graungaard, Anette; Ertmann, Ruth Kirk; Andersen, Merethe Kirstine; Haavet, Ole Rikard; Lagerløv, Per; Abildsnes, Eirik; Dahli, Mina P; Mäkelä, Marjukka; Varinen, Aleksi; Hietanen, Merja

2018-05-01

Few areas of medicine demonstrate such international divergence as child development screening and surveillance. Many countries have nationally mandated surveillance policies, but the content of programmes and mechanisms for delivery vary enormously. The cost of programmes is substantial but no economic evaluations have been carried out. We have critically examined the history, underlying philosophy, content and delivery of programmes for child development assessment in five countries with comprehensive publicly funded health services (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Scotland and Sweden). The specific focus of this article is on motor, social, emotional, behavioural and global cognitive functioning including language. Variations in developmental surveillance programmes are substantially explained by historical factors and gradual evolution although Scotland has undergone radical changes in approach. No elements of universal developmental assessment programmes meet World Health Organization screening criteria, although some assessments are configured as screening activities. The roles of doctors and nurses vary greatly by country as do the timing, content and likely costs of programmes. Inter-professional communication presents challenges to all the studied health services. No programme has evidence for improved health outcomes or cost effectiveness. Developmental surveillance programmes vary greatly and their structure appears to be driven by historical factors as much as by evidence. Consensus should be reached about which surveillance activities constitute screening, and the predictive validity of these components needs to be established and judged against World Health Organization screening criteria. Costs and consequences of specific programmes should be assessed, and the issue of inter-professional communication about children at remediable developmental risk should be prioritised.

A novel mentorship programme for residents integrating academic development, clinical teaching and graduate medical education assessment.

PubMed

Bhatia, Kriti; Takayesu, James Kimo; Nadel, Eric S

2016-02-01

Mentorship fosters career development and growth. During residency training, mentorship should support clinical development along with intellectual and academic interests. Reported resident mentoring programmes do not typically include clinical components. We designed a programme that combines academic development with clinical feedback and assessment in a four-year emergency medicine residency programme. Incoming interns were assigned an advisor. At the conclusion of the intern year, residents actively participated in selecting a mentor for the duration of residency. The programme consisted of quarterly meetings, direct clinical observation and specific competency assessment, assistance with lecture preparation, real-time feedback on presentations, simulation coaching sessions, and discussions related to career development. Faculty participation was recognized as a valuable component of the annual review process. Residents were surveyed about the overall programme and individual components. Over 88 % of the respondents said that the programme was valuable and should be continued. Senior residents most valued the quarterly meetings and presentation help and feedback. Junior residents strongly valued the clinical observation and simulation sessions. A comprehensive mentorship programme integrating clinical, professional and academic development provides residents individualized feedback and coaching and is valued by trainees. Individualized assessment of clinical competencies can be conducted through such a programme.

Growing leaders in a professional membership organization.

PubMed

Shekleton, Maureen E; Preston, John C; Good, Laura E

2010-09-01

This study describes the background, development and delivery of an innovative approach to prepare elected state association leaders for their new leadership roles in their respective state organizations. State-based professional associations face unprecedented threats to scope of practice in the current volatile healthcare environment. In 2009 the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) began offering a Leadership Development 'Boot Camp' for all nurse anesthetist state association presidents-elect designed with the intent of providing the participants with information, resources and tools they need in their new role. An organizational assessment examined the philosophy of and need for leadership development across the entire organizational structure. Recommendations from the assessment included the need for intensive leadership development at the state level. A 3-day intensive workshop was designed and implemented. Adult learning theory was used for its development. The success of this programme has lead to its implementation as part of leadership development of the AANA. Nurse managers and elected volunteer leaders in state-based professional associations face similar challenges requiring sound leadership ability. Principles applied to the development of the AANA programme can be applied to leadership development for new nurse managers. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Toward "Hybridised" Faculty Development for the Twenty-First Century: Blending Online Communities of Practice and Face-to-Face Meetings in Instructional and Professional Support Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Catherine F.

2010-01-01

This manuscript begins with a synthesis of research on communities, communities of practice (CoPs), and the potential for their development in online forums, while specifically discussing the value of virtual CoPs for educational professionals in higher education. Working within constructivist and sociocultural frameworks, this manuscript…

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.

The Effects of Cluster-Based Mentoring Programme on Classroom Teaching Practices: Lessons from Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizvi, Meher; Nagy, Philip

2016-01-01

This paper presents and evaluates a teacher training approach called the cluster-based mentoring programme (CBMP) for the professional development of government primary school teachers in Pakistan. The study sought to find differences in the teaching practices between districts where the CBMP was used (intervention) and control districts where it…

Design of a Model for a Professional Development Programme for a Multidisciplinary Science Subject in the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Talitha C.; Coenders, Fer G. M.; Terlouw, Cees; Pieters, Jules M.

2012-01-01

Schools are increasingly integrating multidisciplinary education into their programmes. The Minister of Education, Culture and Science has introduced a new, integrated science subject in secondary education in the Netherlands, called Nature, Life and Technology (NLT). This research note describes the design of a generic model for a professional…

Towards Accomplished Practice in Learning Skills for Science (LSS): The Synergy between Design and Evaluation Methodology in a Reflective CPD Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherz, Zahava; Bialer, Liora; Eylon, Bat-Sheva

2011-01-01

This study was carried out in the framework of continuous professional development (CPD) programmes following a CPD model aimed at promoting "accomplished practice" involving: pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and scholarship of teaching. Teachers were asked to bring evidence about their practice.…

Why a carefully designed, nurse-led intervention failed to meet expectations: the case of the Care Programme for Palliative Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Vahedi Nikbakht-Van de Sande, C V M; Braat, C; Visser, A Ph; Delnoij, D M J; van Staa, A L

2014-04-01

Implement and evaluate the Care Programme for Palliative Radiotherapy (CPPR) in the Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Radiotherapy, Erasmus MC-Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Participatory Action Research (PAR). Qualitative descriptive design: participatory observations, semi-structured interviews with patients and professionals and focus groups with professionals; content analysis of documents. Patients with impending paraplegia due to metastatic spinal cord compression, nurse practitioners (NPs), nurse manager, staff and ward nurses, radiographers, radiotherapists and medical doctors. After a shift from inpatient to outpatient radiotherapy treatment, patients and healthcare professionals perceived shortcomings in the oncological chain care. The CPPR was developed in a participative way giving a key role to the NP. Evaluation after implementation of the programme showed that patients and professionals were predominantly positive about its effects. However, implementation was not sustained due to lack of institutional and managerial support. The technological innovation far preceded the organisational changes needed to provide innovative, patient-centred care. Implementing this programme with a central role for the NP was seen as the solution to the problems identified. However, in spite of the systematic approach using PAR, the programme was not successful in bringing about sustained improvements. NPs fulfil a valuable role in the care and support of patients with palliative care needs but need institutional support. More attention should have paid to the organisational context. Involve all relevant actors; use a participatory approach to enhance commitment; ensure the support of management during the whole project. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing the role of the healthcare assistant.

PubMed

Hancock, H; Campbell, S

Two studies are described in this article. The first evaluated the preparedness of healthcare assistants (HCAs) to develop a new role and attend an HCA development programme. The second examined the impact of one NHS trust's HCA development programme on the role of the HCA, on other members of the multidisciplinary team and on patients. The research methodology was qualitative and inductive, using a naturalistic approach in both studies, and a 360 degree model of assessment and feedback in study two. For both studies, the data were analysed following the principles of thematic analysis. Findings Eight out of 12 HCAs in study one were prepared to attend the programme and to develop their role. Study two indicated a positive but restricted impact of the HCA development programme on the HCAs' role, that of other healthcare professionals and on patient care. The findings have implications for role development in the NHS and for the development of programmes that aim to address these changes. The HCA development programme has been reviewed and extended, and strategies to promote and support role development in the clinical setting have been introduced in the trust where the research was conducted.

An evaluation of a leadership development coaching and mentoring programme.

PubMed

Le Comte, Lyndsay; McClelland, Beverley

2017-07-03

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to determine the value and impact of the Leadership Development - Coaching and Mentoring Programme at Counties Manukau Health and understand how the skills gained are applied. Design/methodology/approach Mixed-methods approach including surveys of programme participants and senior staff and semi-structured interviews with programme participants. Findings The survey response rate was 24.4 per cent for programme participants and 30 per cent for senior staff. Eight programme participants participated in semi-structured interviews. Of the 70 programme participants, 69 utilised their learning from the programme; 45 of 70 changed their approach to managing staff; and 40 of 68 programme participants reported that meeting with peers for triad group coaching was the most challenging aspect of the programme. Key themes identified through interviews included: working with others; not owning others' problems; professional support and development; coaching and mentoring; future participants. Practical implications The majority of participants changed their leadership behaviours as a result of the programme, which has resulted in improved communication, a more supportive culture and distributed leadership. These changes contribute to better patient care. Originality value There is a paucity of evidence in the literature about the impact of coaching and mentoring programme on leadership development and how the skills gained in such programmes are applied in practice in a healthcare context. This evaluation helps to address that gap.

An investigation of the ways in which public health nutrition policy and practices can address climate change.

PubMed

Sulda, Heidi; Coveney, John; Bentley, Michael

2010-03-01

To develop a framework to guide action in the public health nutrition workforce to develop policies and practices addressing factors contributing to climate change. Action/consultative research. Interviews - South Australia, questionnaire - Australia. Interviews - key informants (n 6) were from various government, academic and non-government positions, invited through email. Questionnaire - participants were members of the public health nutrition workforce (n 186), recruited to the study through emails from public health nutrition contacts for each State in Australia (with the exception of South Australia). Support by participants for climate change as a valid role for dietitians and nutritionists was high (78 %). However, climate change was ranked low against other public health nutrition priorities. Support of participants to conduct programmes to address climate change from professional and work organisations was low. The final framework developed included elements of advocacy/lobbying, policy, professional recognition/support, organisational support, knowledge/skills, partnerships and programmes. This research demonstrates a need for public health nutrition to address climate change, which requires support by organisations, policy, improved knowledge and increased professional development opportunities.

A qualitative evaluation of a Local Professional Network programme "Baby Teeth DO Matter".

PubMed

Brocklehurst, P; Bridgman, C; Davies, G

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to use a qualitative approach to examine the perceptions of dentists who led a health promotion programme entitled "Baby Teeth DO Matter". Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a variety of participants in a health promotional programme facilitated by a shadow Local Professional Network. These were then recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were line numbered and subjected to thematic analysis to develop a coding frame. Overarching themes were developed from the coded transcripts by organising them into clusters based on the similarity of their meaning and checked against the coded extracts and the raw data. General Dental Practice. General Dental Practitioners. A Greater Manchester-wide prevention programme entitled "Baby teeth DO Matter". To determine the perceptions of involved clinicians and whether "clinically owned and clinically led" services add value. Eight codes were generated: "Success of the project", "Down-stream to up-stream", "Importance of clinically led and clinically owned", "Keeping the approach simple", "Importance of networking", "Importance of Dental Public Health", "Importance of task and finish" and "Threats to the future of the Local Professional Network". These were organised into three over-arching themes. "Clinically Led and Clinically Owned" projects appear to empower local practitioners and add value. They encourage community-facing practitioners, build capacity and develop personal skills;--all in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Ottawa Charter. Distributed leadership was seen to be effective and Dental Public Health input, "Task and Finishing", resources and clarity of communication were all considered to be of critical importance.

Impact of a narrative medicine programme on healthcare providers' empathy scores over time.

PubMed

Chen, Po-Jui; Huang, Chien-Da; Yeh, San-Jou

2017-07-05

The cultivation of empathy for healthcare providers is an important issue in medical education. Narrative medicine (NM) has been shown to foster empathy. To our knowledge, there has been no research that examines whether a NM programme affects multi-professional healthcare providers' empathy. Our study aims to fill this gap by investigating whether a NM programme effects multi-professional healthcare providers' empathy. A pre-post questionnaire method was used.142 participants (n = 122 females) who attended the NM programme were divided into single (n = 58) and team groups (n = 84) on the basis of inter-professional education during a period of 2 months. Perceptions of the NM programme were collected using our developed questionnaire. Empathy levels were measured using the Chinese version of Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Healthcare Providers Version (JSE-HP) - at three time points: prior to (Time 1), immediately after (T2), and 1.5 years (T3) after the programme. Participants' perceptions about the NM programme (n = 116; n = 96 females) suggested an in enhancement of empathy (90.5%). Empathy scores via the JSE-HP increased after the NM programme (T1 mean 111.05, T2 mean 116.19) and were sustainable for 1.5 years (T3 mean 116.04) for all participants (F(2297) = 3.74, p < .025). A main effect of gender on empathy scores was found (F(1298) = 5.33, p < .022). No significant effect of gender over time was found but there was a trend that showed females increasing empathy scores at T2, sustaining at T3, but males demonstrating a slow rise in empathy scores over time. NM programme as an educational tool for empathy is feasible. However, further research is needed to examine gender difference as it might be that males and females respond differently to a NM programme intervention.

A Model Curriculum for the Education and Training of Archivists in Automation: A RAMP Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fishbein, M. H.

This RAMP (Records and Archives Management Programme) study is intended for people involved in planning and conducting archival and records management training; for individual archivists and records managers interested in professional development through continuing education programs; and for all information professionals interested in learning of…

Professional Teaching Standards: A Comparative Analysis of Their History, Implementation and Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Call, Kairen

2018-01-01

Since the publication of results from the first iteration of testing within the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the ensuing media consternation and political rhetoric about teacher quality in education systems around the world, professional standards for teachers have been considered, developed and implemented globally in…

Two Related Approaches to Teacher Professional Learning in the Asia Pacific Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Allan

2007-01-01

This paper examines the similarities and differences between two successful programmes of teacher professional learning. Firstly, Lesson Study developed in Japan over 40 years ago. It examines practice either through direct observation or through classroom artefacts and case studies. It assumes that teacher learning will be more meaningful and…

Learning in Cyberspace: An Ethnographic Perspective on the Scottish "Chartered Teacher" Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holligan, Chris

2006-01-01

Although a substantial literature is devoted to the professional development of teachers, emerging dimensions located around e-facilitation techniques have yet to be documented and their implications understood. This paper is based around a case study of a professional group of highly experienced teachers from the state sector who were undertaking…

Reasons for Aggressive Classroom Management and Directions for Change through Teachers' Professional Development Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romi, Shlomo; Salkovsky, Merav; Lewis, Ramon

2016-01-01

This investigation was designed to determine whether there are significant relationships between the reasons teachers provide for aggressive classroom management techniques and the type of professional education created to help them reduce their reliance on such techniques. The study reports data from a survey of 192 Australian teachers showing…

Fostering Critical Teacher Agency: The Impact of a Science Capital Pedagogical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Heather; Nomikou, Effrosyni

2018-01-01

Teacher agency is considered key in shaping teachers' professional identities and decision-making capabilities. We suggest that the concept of agency also constitutes a useful tool for evaluating the successful implementation of new teaching approaches. In this paper we discuss findings from a teacher professional development programme aimed at…

Partnering with parents in interprofessional leadership graduate education to promote family-professional partnerships.

PubMed

Margolis, Lewis H; Fahje Steber, Kathryn; Rosenberg, Angela; Palmer, Ann; Rounds, Kathleen; Wells, Marlyn

2017-07-01

Evidence supports the benefits to families of relationships with professionals that build on the concept of partnership, but there are few studies in the literature of strategies involving joint education for parents and professionals to enhance the capacity of parents of children with special healthcare needs to be effective interprofessional partners. Since 2007, parents of children with special healthcare needs have participated alongside graduate students from five different profession-based training programmes in a structured interprofessional leadership programme. The aims of this summative evaluation study were to elicit the influences of this training model on parents' capacity to partner with both health professionals and other parents and explore features of the training that facilitated these partnership skills. Using qualitative analysis, a semi-structured interview, guided by sensitising concepts informing leadership development, was conducted with 17 of the 23 parents who participated in the training. Transcriptions of the interviews were used for creating codes and categories for analysis. Parents described how the programme enhanced abilities to see other points of view, skills in communicating across professions, skills in conflict management, and feelings of confidence and equality with providers that influenced their relationships with their own providers and their capacity to assist other parents in addressing challenges in the care of their children. Parents reported that building concrete skills, organised opportunities to hear other viewpoints, structured time for learning and self-reflection, and learning in the context of a trusting relationship facilitated the development of partnership skills. These findings suggest that the leaders of interprofessional training programmes should involve parents and graduate students as equal partners to enhance partnership skills.

Audiology in Latin America: hearing impairment, resources and services.

PubMed

Madriz, J J

2001-01-01

Evidence is presented about the limitation of information available on prevalence/incidence of deafness and hearing impairment in the developing world; particularly in Latin America. Two questionnaires on audiological resources and services were mailed to Latin American and Caribbean countries in general and to Central American nations in particular. The information returned by Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Belize, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and Uruguay was analysed. Data was gathered about epidemiological studies on hearing impairment, about specific programmes, such as early identification of hearing impairment, national registers on deafness and programmes on hearing screening. Training programmes and availability of professionals in the field of hearing and deafness is also shown. Hearing services, hearing aids provision, hearing testing equipment, professional organization and legislation in audiology is also documented. It is our conclusion that hearing impairment is a low priority for health systems in the developing world, technology continues to be excessively costly and material and human resources are limited, and services are poor and restricted.

Improving patient safety in Libya: insights from a British health system perspective.

PubMed

Elmontsri, Mustafa; Almashrafi, Ahmed; Dubois, Elizabeth; Banarsee, Ricky; Majeed, Azeem

2018-04-16

Purpose Patient safety programmes aim to make healthcare safe for both patients and health professionals. The purpose of this paper is to explore the UK's patient safety improvement programmes over the past 15 years and explore what lessons can be learnt to improve Libyan healthcare patient safety. Design/methodology/approach Publications focusing on UK patient safety were searched in academic databases and content analysed. Findings Several initiatives have been undertaken over the past 15 years to improve British healthcare patient safety. Many stakeholders are involved, including regulatory and professional bodies, educational providers and non-governmental organisations. Lessons can be learnt from the British journey. Practical implications Developing a national patient safety strategy for Libya, which reflects context and needs is paramount. Above all, Libyan patient safety programmes should reference internationally approved guidelines, evidence, policy and learning from Britain's unique experience. Originality/value This review examines patient safety improvement strategies adopted in Britain to help developing country managers to progress local strategies based on lessons learnt from Britain's unique experience.

Football Fans in Training: the development and optimization of an intervention delivered through professional sports clubs to help men lose weight, become more active and adopt healthier eating habits

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The prevalence of obesity in men is rising, but they are less likely than women to engage in existing weight management programmes. The potential of professional sports club settings to engage men in health promotion activities is being increasingly recognised. This paper describes the development and optimization of the Football Fans in Training (FFIT) programme, which aims to help overweight men (many of them football supporters) lose weight through becoming more active and adopting healthier eating habits. Methods The MRC Framework for the design and evaluation of complex interventions was used to guide programme development in two phases. In Phase 1, a multidisciplinary working group developed the pilot programme (p-FFIT) and used a scoping review to summarize previous research and identify the target population. Phase 2 involved a process evaluation of p-FFIT in 11 Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs. Participant and coach feedback, focus group discussions and interviews explored the utility/acceptability of programme components and suggestions for changes. Programme session observations identified examples of good practice and problems/issues with delivery. Together, these findings informed redevelopment of the optimized programme (FFIT), whose components were mapped onto specific behaviour change techniques using an evidence-based taxonomy. Results p-FFIT comprised 12, weekly, gender-sensitised, group-based weight management classroom and ‘pitch-side’ physical activity sessions. These in-stadia sessions were complemented by an incremental, pedometer-based walking programme. p-FFIT was targeted at men aged 35-65 years with body mass index ≥ 27 kg/m2. Phase 2 demonstrated that participants in p-FFIT were enthusiastic about both the classroom and physical activity components, and valued the camaraderie and peer-support offered by the programme. Coaches appreciated the simplicity of the key healthy eating and physical activity messages. Suggestions for improvements that were incorporated into the optimized FFIT programme included: more varied in-stadia physical activity with football-related components; post-programme weight management support (emails and a reunion session); and additional training for coaches in SMART goal setting and the pedometer-based walking programme. Conclusions The Football Fans in Training programme is highly acceptable to participants and SPL coaches, and is appropriate for evaluation in a randomised controlled trial. PMID:23496915

Occupational safety and health education under the lifelong learning framework in Serbia.

PubMed

Macuzic, Ivan; Giagloglou, Eva; Djapan, Marko; Todorovic, Petar; Jeremic, Branislav

2016-12-01

Serbia is aligning with European Union requirements and the occupational safety and health (OSH) administration is one of the most representative sectors of this alignment. Many efforts were made in this field, by introducing new laws and regulations, but it turned out to be insufficient. OSH professionals need to renovate and strengthen their knowledge in accordance with continuous, updated and improved OSH standards and regulation. Lifelong learning (LLL) programmes can contribute to forming professionals who are always up to date. This paper presents an implemented LLL programme, over the duration of two academic years, dedicated to OSH professionals, and investigates whether this programme will be helpful and accepted by professionals. The results from the study show that the given LLL programme had indeed a positive influence on the professional careers of the participants and that the LLL presents the future trend in OSH education.

German MedicalTeachingNetwork (MDN) implementing national standards for teacher training.

PubMed

Lammerding-Koeppel, M; Ebert, T; Goerlitz, A; Karsten, G; Nounla, C; Schmidt, S; Stosch, C; Dieter, P

2016-01-01

An increasing demand for proof of professionalism in higher education strives for quality assurance (QA) and improvement in medical education. A wide range of teacher trainings is available to medical staff in Germany. Cross-institutional approval of individual certificates is usually a difficult and time consuming task for institutions. In case of non-acceptance it may hinder medical teachers in their professional mobility. The faculties of medicine aimed to develop a comprehensive national framework, to promote standards for formal faculty development programmes across institutions and to foster professionalization of medical teaching. Addressing the above challenges in a joint approach, the faculties set up the national MedicalTeacherNetwork (MDN). Great importance is attributed to work out nationally concerted standards for faculty development and an agreed-upon quality control process across Germany. Medical teachers benefit from these advantages due to portability of faculty development credentials from one faculty of medicine to another within the MDN system. The report outlines the process of setting up the MDN and the national faculty development programme in Germany. Success factors, strengths and limitations are discussed from an institutional, individual and general perspective. Faculties engaged in similar developments might be encouraged to transfer the MDN concept to their countries.

Evaluating nurse prescribers' education and continuing professional development for independent prescribing practice: findings from a national survey in England.

PubMed

Latter, Sue; Maben, Jill; Myall, Michelle; Young, Amanda

2007-10-01

The number of nurses able to independently prescribe medicines in England has risen steadily in recent years. To evaluate the adequacy of nurses' educational preparation for independent prescribing and to describe nurses' experiences of their continuing professional development as prescribers in practice. Postal questionnaire survey. Random sample of 246 nurses registered as nurse independent prescribers with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The majority of nurses considered that the initial taught course element of their education programme met their needs, either to some extent (61% 151/246), or completely (22% 54/246). Most nurses (77% 190/246) received the specified 12 days support from their supervising medical practitioner and most were satisfied and positive about this experience. Nearly all of the nurses (>95%) reported that they were able to maintain a range of specified prescribing competencies in practice. Two thirds (62% 152/246) of the sample reported that they were receiving support/supervision for prescribing. Ninety five per cent (233/246) of the sample also reported that they engaged in self-directed informal continuing professional development, but only half of the sample had experience of formally provided professional development opportunities. Approximately half (52% 127/246) of the sample identified needs for continuing professional development. This first national survey of the education and professional development experiences of nurse independent prescribers in England provides evidence which highlights areas in which national policy is working well, and also points up issues which may need addressing as the roll out of nurse prescribing continues. The study also highlights characteristics and issues that health care policy makers and nurse educationalists internationally may wish to consider in developing and refining their own nurse prescriber education programmes.

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.

How Can Helpful Policy plus Helpful Professionals Produce System Failure? Exploring Development Interventions with Active Local Professionals and Active Young People with Life-Limiting Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Sheila; Rodrigues, Jeff

2015-01-01

The paper reflects on the implications of selecting local multifunctional networks as a principal method of achieving improvement in the transition experience of young people with life-limiting conditions, given the range of blocking factors identified. It summarises a programme of work that aimed to tackle these blocks through developing local…

A Delphi study to determine the European core curriculum for Master programmes in genetic counselling.

PubMed

Skirton, Heather; Barnoy, Sivia; Ingvoldstad, Charlotta; van Kessel, Ingrid; Patch, Christine; O'Connor, Anita; Serra-Juhe, Clara; Stayner, Barbara; Voelckel, Marie-Antoinette

2013-10-01

Genetic counsellors have been working in some European countries for at least 30 years. Although there are great disparities between the numbers, education, practice and acceptance of these professionals across Europe, it is evident that genetic counsellors and genetic nurses in Europe are working autonomously within teams to deliver patient care. The aim of this study was to use the Delphi research method to develop a core curriculum to guide the educational preparation of these professionals in Europe. The Delphi method enables the researcher to utilise the views and opinions of a group of recognised experts in the field of study; this study consisted of four phases. Phases 1 and 4 consisted of expert workshops, whereas data were collected in phases 2 and 3 (n=35) via online surveys. All participants in the study were considered experts in the field of genetic counselling. The topics considered essential for genetic counsellor training have been organised under the following headings: (1) counselling; (2) psychological issues; (3) medical genetics; (4) human genetics; (5) ethics, law and sociology; (6) professional practice; and (7) education and research. Each topic includes the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to enable genetic counsellors to develop competence. In addition, it was considered by the experts that clinical practice should comprise 50% of the educational programme. The core Master programme curriculum will enable current courses to be assessed and inform the design of future educational programmes for European genetic counsellors.

Professionalism in Career Guidance and Counselling--How Professional Do Trainee Career Practitioners Feel at the End of a Postgraduate Programme of Study?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, Graham; Moffett, Janet

2016-01-01

This paper explores the extent to which students on a vocational postgraduate programme identify with characteristics and competences that define a professional career guidance and counselling practitioner. Literature suggests professionalism in careers work is characterised by a focus on the needs of the client with the practitioner in a…

May I see your ID, please? An explorative study of the professional identity of undergraduate medical education leaders.

PubMed

Sundberg, Kristina; Josephson, Anna; Reeves, Scott; Nordquist, Jonas

2017-02-01

The mission of undergraduate medical education leaders is to strive towards the enhancement of quality of medical education and health care. The aim of this qualitative study is, with the help of critical perspectives, to contribute to the research area of undergraduate medical education leaders and their identity formation; how can the identity of undergraduate medical education leaders be defined and further explored from a power perspective? In this explorative study, 14 educational leaders at a medical programme in Scandinavia were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed through Moustakas' structured, phenomenological analysis approach and then pattern matched with Gee's power-based identity model. Educational leaders identify themselves more as mediators than leaders and do not feel to any larger extent that their professional identity is authorised by the university. These factors potentially create difficulties when trying to communicate with medical teachers, often also with a weaker sense of professional identity, about medical education. The perceptions of the professional identity of undergraduate medical education leaders provide us with important notions on the complexities on executing their important mission to develop medical education: their perceptions of ambiguity towards the process of trying to lead teachers toward educational development and a perceived lack of authorisation of their work from the university level. These are important flaws to observe and correct when improving the context in which undergraduate medical education leaders are trying to develop and improve undergraduate medical programmes. A practical outcome of the results of this study is the facilitation of design of faculty development programmes for educational leaders in undergraduate medial education.

Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program: its contribution in view of WHO recommendations for provision of doctors.

PubMed

Carvalho, Viviane Karoline da Silva; Marques, Carla Pintas; Silva, Everton Nunes da

2016-09-01

In order to examine whether Brazil's Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Programme (PMM) reflected World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for improved attraction, retention and recruitment of health workers in remote and rural areas, this descriptive, qualitative study drew on document analysis in order to compare the WHO recommendations published in 2010 with Brazil's Law No. 12,871/13, which instituted the PMM. Of the 16 WHO recommendations systematised here, the PMM met 37.5%. Recommendations not incorporated into the PMM include career development programmes and public recognition strategies. Although reflecting WHO recommendations and already in place elsewhere in the SUS prior to announcement of the PMM, the National Retention Grant Programme and multi-professional teams (as in the Family Health Strategy) were not implemented by the PMM. The programme contains innovative components such as a new curriculum for medical schools and compulsory medical service. On the other hand, the PMM could have invested more in personal and professional support.

Working Together Online to Enhance Learner Autonomy: Analysis of Learners' Perceptions of Their Online Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eneau, Jerome; Develotte, Christine

2012-01-01

This study concerns the development of autonomy in adult learners working on an online learning platform as part of a professional master's degree programme in "French as a Foreign Language". Our goal was to identify the influence of reflective and collaborative dimensions on the construction of autonomy for online learners in this programme. The…

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…

A Structured Writing Programme for Staff: Facilitating Knowledge, Skills, Confidence and Publishing Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devlin, Marcia; Radloff, Alex

2014-01-01

The growing interest in the higher education sector in publishing pedagogical research has led to a focus on professional development for staff who wish to engage in this endeavour. This paper describes and evaluates a specific programme designed to help university staff to prepare and submit a high-quality paper to a peer-reviewed journal.…

Perceptions and attitudes toward SLMTA amongst laboratory and hospital professionals in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Lulie, Adino D; Hiwotu, Tilahun M; Mulugeta, Achamyeleh; Kebede, Adisu; Asrat, Habtamu; Abebe, Abnet; Yenealem, Dereje; Abose, Ebise; Kassa, Wondwossen; Kebede, Amha; Linde, Mary K; Ayana, Gonfa

2014-01-01

Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) is a competency-based management training programme. Assessing health professionals' views of SLMTA provides feedback to inform program planning, implementation and evaluation of SLMTA's training, communication and mentorship components. To assess laboratory professionals' and hospital chief executive officers' (CEOs) perceptions and attitudes toward the SLMTA programme in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in March 2013 using a structured questionnaire to collect qualitative data from 72 laboratory professionals and hospital CEOs from 17 health facilities, representing all regions and two city administrations in Ethiopia. Focus groups were conducted with laboratory professionals and hospital administration to gain insight into the strengths and challenges of the SLMTA programme so as to guide future planning and implementation. Ethiopian laboratory professionals at all levels had a supportive attitude toward the SLMTA programme. They believed that SLMTA substantially improved laboratory services and acted as a catalyst for total healthcare reform and improvement. They also noted that the SLMTA programme achieved marked progress in laboratory supply chain, sample referral, instrument maintenance and data management systems. In contrast, nearly half of the participating hospital CEOs, especially those associated with low-scoring laboratories, were sceptical about the SLMTA programme, believing that the benefits of SLMTA were outweighed by the level of human resources and time commitment required. They also voiced concerns about the cost and sustainability of SLMTA. This study highlights the need for stronger engagement and advocacy with hospital administration and the importance of addressing concerns about the cost and sustainability of the SLMTA programme.

Experience of a faculty development workshop in mentoring at an Indian medical college.

PubMed

Varma, Jagdish R; Prabhakaran, Anusha; Singh, Suman; Singh, Praveen; Ganjiwale, Jaishree; Pandya, Himanshu

2016-01-01

Our medical college is running a mentoring programme for undergraduate medical students since 2009. The academic leadership of the college identified the need to change the focus of the programme from mere problem- solving to professional and personal development of mentees. A core group of faculty designed and implemented a workshop on mentoring for 28 mentors. The workshop included reflections on the participants' previous experiences about mentoring, discussion on perceptions of mentees about the existing mentoring programme, self-analysis of mentoring skills, overview of the Surrendering, Accepting, Gifting and Extending (SAGE) model and demonstration of effective mentoring skills using role plays and a film. We collected written anonymous feedback from participants at the end of the workshop to elicit their responses regarding various aspects of the programme, change in their views about mentoring and suggestions for future workshops. A majority of the participants (17, 60.7%) said that role plays and reflection on role plays were the most valuable part of workshop as they provided clarity on the concepts about mentoring. The most frequently identified take-home messages were: building trust with the mentee (7, 25%), balance in life and approach towards the mentee (6, 21.4%), and understanding that mentoring is a process geared towards personal and professional development of the mentee (6, 21.4%). The participants' reaction to the workshop was positive. The responses of participants suggested that the workshop was successful in changing their views regarding the purpose of the mentoring programme.

Gaps and gains from engaging districts stakeholders for community-based health professions education in Uganda: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Okello, Elialilia S; Nankumbi, Joyce; Ruzaaza, Gad Ndaruhutse; Bakengesa, Evelyn; Gumikiriza, Joy; Arubaku, Wilfred; Acio, Christine; Samantha, Mary; Matte, Michael

2015-12-01

Community-based education research and service (COBERS) is a brand of community-based education that has been adopted by the Medical Education and Service for All Ugandans consortium. The COBERS programme is aimed at equipping students in health professional education with the knowledge, attitudes and skills required to provide appropriate health care services. For sustainability purposes, the health professional training institutions have made efforts to involve various stakeholders in the implementation of the programme. However, the actual engagement process and outcome of such efforts have not been documented. This paper documents gaps and gains made in engaging district stakeholders for community-based education. Key informant interviews, focus group discussions and document review were used to collect data. Atlas.ti, computer software for qualitative data was used to aid analysis. The analysis revealed that the adopted engagement model has registered some gains including increased awareness among district leaders about potential opportunities offered by COBERS such as boosting of human resources at health facilities, opportunities for professional development for health care workers at health facilities, and establishment of linkages between prospective employees and employers. However, the engagement model left some gaps in terms of knowledge, awareness and ownership of the programme among some sections of stakeholders. The apparent information gap about the programme among district stakeholders, especially the political leadership, may hinder concerted partnership. The findings highlight the need for health professional education institutions to broaden the scope of actively engaged stakeholders with the district level.

Online learning for professional development.

PubMed

Purkis, Nick; Gabb, Carol A

This article addresses how nurses in the UK can use online learning to meet the changing requirements of continuing professional development. Recent changes in post-registration nurse education are due to two main reasons: financial cutbacks and reduced use of agency staff make it difficult for nurse managers to release nurses for study time away from the ward; and healthcare becoming increasingly diverse and complex, so pre-registration education has changed. Since September 2013, only degree-level pre-registration nursing programmes have been available in the UK. Degree-level education is intended to sharpen critical thinking skills to improve future healthcare but it may also disadvantage nurses without degrees. One response to these challenges is to provide online learning, such as online personal learning programmes. portfolios (e-portfolios) or other onlinen

Systematic review of knowledge, confidence and education in nutritional genomics for students and professionals in nutrition and dietetics.

PubMed

Wright, O R L

2014-06-01

This review examines knowledge and confidence of nutrition and dietetics professionals in nutritional genomics and evaluates the teaching strategies in this field within nutrition and dietetics university programmes and professional development courses internationally. A systematic search of 10 literature databases was conducted from January 2000 to December 2012 to identify original research. Any studies of either nutrition and/or dietetics students or dietitians/nutritionists investigating current levels of knowledge or confidence in nutritional genomics, or strategies to improve learning and/or confidence in this area, were eligible. Eighteen articles (15 separate studies) met the inclusion criteria. Three articles were assessed as negative, eight as neutral and seven as positive according to the American Dietetics Association Quality Criteria Checklist. The overall ranking of evidence was low. Dietitians have low involvement, knowledge and confidence in nutritional genomics, and evidence for educational strategies is limited and methodologically weak. There is a need to develop training pathways and material to up-skill nutrition and/or dietetics students and nutrition and/or dietetics professionals in nutritional genomics through multidisciplinary collaboration with content area experts. There is a paucity of high quality evidence on optimum teaching strategies; however, methods promoting repetitive exposure to nutritional genomics material, problem-solving, collaborative and case-based learning are most promising for university and professional development programmes. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Declarative knowledge and professional vision in teacher education: effect of courses in teaching and learning.

PubMed

Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D; Seidel, Tina

2013-09-01

Teachers' professional vision includes the ability to apply general pedagogical knowledge about components of effective teaching and learning to reason about significant features of classroom practice. It requires teachers to (a) describe, (b) explain, and (c) predict classroom situations. Although the acquisition of underling knowledge can be considered as a key element of university-based teacher education programmes, to date, there has been little empirical research on teacher candidates' development of professional vision. This study aims to improve understanding of how different university-based courses in teaching and learning impact the development of professional vision. Participants were teacher candidates (N= 53) attending the same teacher education programme at a German university. They were enrolled in one of three different compulsory courses in teaching and learning, lasting one semester. In a pre-test-post-test design, participants' declarative knowledge about teaching and learning was measured with a test, professional vision with the online tool Observer. Analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. Teacher candidates in all three courses showed significant gains both in declarative knowledge and professional vision. Patterns of results differed depending on the course attended. A video-based course with a focus on effective teaching resulted in highest gains in prediction of the consequences of observed events for student learning processes, which is the highest level of knowledge transfer. The development of professional vision is a strongly knowledge-guided process. In line with their content and aims, university-based courses can enhance teaching-relevant knowledge for teacher candidates. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Advancing the "One Health" Workforce by Integrating Ecosystem Health Practice into Veterinary Medical Education: The Envirovet Summer Institute

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwind, Jessica S.; Gilardi, Kirsten V. K.; Beasley, Val R.; Mazet, Jonna A. K.; Smith, Woutrina A.

2016-01-01

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess whether the Envirovet programme served to increase the number of practising ecosystem health professionals, as well as to measure the lasting professional and personal impact of the programme on participants. Design: Impact programme evaluation. Setting: An emerging strategy among global…

Distributed Leadership and Research Degree Administration: Understanding the Role of a Good Programme Administrator for Professional Doctorate Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkes, Denise; Johansson, Carol; McSweeney, Catherine

2017-01-01

Studies of the interaction between professional and academic staff in leadership in higher education institutions have focused on distributed leadership. Whilst such studies have considered the leadership of the whole university, aspects of this model also apply to the relationship between programme leaders and administrators. This paper aims to…

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.