Credible Leadership: Exploring Differences in Perception of the Credibility of the Senior Student Affairs Officer among CIC College Presidents and Their Senior Leadership Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Wendy A.

2014-01-01

Modern higher education institutions face tremendous challenges, including dwindling financial resources, waning public support, demands for greater accountability, and daunting student needs and expectations. Campus presidents simply cannot face these challenges as isolated or solitary leaders. High functioning, inclusive, collaborative, and…

USGS Science: Addressing Our Nation's Challenges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Tania M.

2009-01-01

With 6.6 billion people already living on Earth, and that number increasing every day, human influence on our planet is ever more apparent. Changes to the natural world combined with increasing human demands threaten our health and safety, our national security, our economy, and our quality of life. As a planet and a Nation, we face unprecedented challenges: loss of critical and unique ecosystems, the effects of climate change, increasing demand for limited energy and mineral resources, increasing vulnerability to natural hazards, the effects of emerging diseases on wildlife and human health, and growing needs for clean water. The time to respond to these challenges is now, but policymakers and decisionmakers face difficult choices. With competing priorities to balance, and potentially serious - perhaps irreversible - consequences at stake, our leaders need reliable scientific information to guide their decisions. As the Nation's earth and natural science agency, the USGS monitors and conducts scientific research on natural hazards and resources and how these elements and human activities influence our environment. Because the challenges we face are complex, the science needed to better understand and deal with these challenges must reflect the complex interplay among natural and human systems. With world-class expertise in biology, geology, geography, hydrology, geospatial information, and remote sensing, the USGS is uniquely capable of conducting the comprehensive scientific research needed to better understand the interdependent interactions of Earth's systems. Every day, the USGS helps decisionmakers to minimize loss of life and property, manage our natural resources, and protect and enhance our quality of life. This brochure provides examples of the challenges we face and how USGS science helps decisionmakers to address these challenges.

Bridging the gap between landscape ecologyand natural resource management

Treesearch

Monica G. Turner; Thomas R. Crow; Jianguo Liu; Dale Rabe; Charles F. Rabeni; Patricia A. Soranno; William W. Taylor; Kristiina A. Vogt; John A. Wiens

2002-01-01

The challenges facing natural resource managers occur over entire landscapes and involve landscape components at many scales. Many resource managers are shifting their approach from managing resources such as fish, wildlife, and water separately to managing for the integrity of entire ecosystems (Christensen et al., 1996). Indeed, nearly all resource...

Education and Training--Research and Development: Report of Futuring Group 1

Treesearch

1987-01-01

Public agencies involved in natural resource management and fire protection will face many challenges over the next few decades, including decreasing real budgets, lower staffing levels, increasing responsibilities, expanding technologies and a more sophisticated and demanding public. In addressing these challenges, resource managers must be prepared to enter a new...

Human Resource Development in Mauritius: Context, Challenges and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garavan, Thomas N.; Neeliah, Harris; Auckloo, Raj; Ragaven, Raj

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore human resource development (HRD) in Mauritius and the challenges and opportunities faced by organisations in different sectors in adopting HRD practices. Findings: This special issue presents four papers that explore dimensions of HRD in public sector, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and…

Groundwater and human development: challenges and opportunities in livelihoods and environment.

PubMed

Shah, T

2005-01-01

At less than 1000 km3/year, the world's annual use of groundwater is 1.5% of renewable water resource but contributes a lion's share of water-induced human welfare. Global groundwater use however has increased manifold in the past 50 years; and the human race has never had to manage groundwater use on such a large scale. Sustaining the massive welfare gains groundwater development has created without ruining the resource is a key water challenge facing the world today. In exploring this challenge, we have focused a good deal on conditions of resource occurrence but less so on resource use. I offer a typology of five groundwater demand systems as Groundwater Socio-ecologies (GwSE), each embodying a unique pattern of interactions between socio-economic and ecological variables, and each facing a distinct groundwater governance challenge. During the past century, a growing corpus of experiential knowledge has accumulated in the industrialized world on managing groundwater in various uses and contexts. A daunting global groundwater issue today is to apply this knowledge intelligently to by far the more formidable challenge that has arisen in developing regions of Asia and Africa, where groundwater irrigation has evolved into a colossal anarchy supporting billions of livelihoods but threatening the resource itself.

The Impact of Basic Skills on Human Resource Management in the Retailing Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCord, Alice Bird

A recent survey of retailing firms, ranging from single stores to nationwide chains, showed that the most significant human resources challenge facing these organizations is how to attract and retain qualified employees. Faced with the many changes in the retailing industry and in the composition of the work force that have taken place over the…

Challenges and opportunities for minority owned trucking firms under affirmative actions : a case study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

Despite the steady growth and the introduction of "set-aside" programs/Affirmative Actions, minority owned firms often faced stiff business challenges. These challenges include a lack of business networking opportunities, limited financial resources,...

Cultural competence: assessment and education resources for home care and hospice clinicians.

PubMed

Hines, Deborah

2014-05-01

Home healthcare and hospice clinicians face many challenges in the complex healthcare system caring for patients and their families in the home environment. One of those challenges is providing culturally competent care for an increasingly diverse population. This article will highlight free, easily accessible, online resources to assist clinicians and organizations to assess organizational and individual cultural competence and provide many resources for cultural competency education programs.

Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges and Research Resources.

PubMed

Dwyer, Johanna T; Coates, Paul M; Smith, Michael J

2018-01-04

Many of the scientific and regulatory challenges that exist in research on the safety, quality and efficacy of dietary supplements are common to all countries as the marketplace for them becomes increasingly global. This article summarizes some of the challenges in supplement science and provides a case study of research at the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, USA, along with some resources it has developed that are available to all scientists. It includes examples of some of the regulatory challenges faced and some resources for those who wish to learn more about them.

Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges and Research Resources

PubMed Central

Dwyer, Johanna T.; Coates, Paul M.; Smith, Michael J.

2018-01-01

Many of the scientific and regulatory challenges that exist in research on the safety, quality and efficacy of dietary supplements are common to all countries as the marketplace for them becomes increasingly global. This article summarizes some of the challenges in supplement science and provides a case study of research at the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, USA, along with some resources it has developed that are available to all scientists. It includes examples of some of the regulatory challenges faced and some resources for those who wish to learn more about them. PMID:29300341

Examination of Resource Allocation in Education: Connecting Spending to Student Performance. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Diane; Rudo, Zena H.; Schneider, Cynthia L.; Smith-Hansen, Lotte

This document reports on a study on the relationship between resources and student performance. The study examined district-level patterns of resource allocation, district and school resource practices implemented to improve student performance, and barriers and challenges to efficient resource allocation faced by districts and schools. The study…

Challenges in international medicine: ethical dilemmas, unanticipated consequences, and accepting limitations.

PubMed

Iserson, Kenneth V; Biros, Michelle H; James Holliman, C

2012-06-01

While personal and organizational challenges occur in every area of health care, practitioners of international medicine face unique problems and dilemmas that are rarely discussed in training programs. Health professions schools, residency and fellowship programs, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and government programs have a responsibility to make those new to international medicine aware of the special circumstances that they may face and to provide methods for understanding and dealing with these circumstances. Standard "domestic" approaches to such challenges may not work in international medicine, even though these challenges may appear to be similar to those faced in other clinical settings. How should organizations ensure that well-meaning health intervention efforts do not cause adverse unintended sequelae? How should an individual balance respect for cultural uniqueness and local mores that may profoundly differ from his or her own beliefs, with the need to remain a moral agent true to one's self? When is acceptance the appropriate response to situations in which limitations of resources seem to preclude any good solution? Using a case-based approach, the authors discuss issues related to the four major international medicine domains: clinical practice (postdisaster response, resource limitations, standards of care), medical systems and systems development (prehospital care, wartime casualties, sustainable change, cultural awareness), teaching (instruction and local resources, professional preparation), and research (questionable funded studies, clinical trials, observational studies). It is hoped that this overview may help prepare those involved with international medicine for the challenges and dilemmas they may face and help frame their responses to these situations. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Listening to Teacher Lore: The Challenges and Resources of Korean Heritage Language Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Soyong; Bang, Yoo-Seon

2011-01-01

In this paper, we present a study on the experiences of four Korean heritage language teachers in the United States, specifically the challenges they face and the resources they draw upon for their teaching. We situate our work within the conceptual framework of teacher lore (Ayers & Schubert, 1994) that accentuates the importance of putting…

NASA Center for Computational Sciences: History and Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

The Nasa Center for Computational Sciences (NCCS) has been a leading capacity computing facility, providing a production environment and support resources to address the challenges facing the Earth and space sciences research community.

You Have "How Many" Spreadsheets? Rethinking Electronic Resource Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rux, Erika; Borchert, Theresa

2010-01-01

As libraries face a veritable explosion of electronic resources and as the interconnectedness of print and online resources becomes increasingly complicated, many librarians are challenged to find efficient and cost-friendly ways to manage these resources. In this article, the authors describe how a team of people from various library departments…

USDA's national institute of food and agriculture (NIFA): engaging knowledge and technology, incentives and policies to promote appropriate decision making in the management of water and watersheds

Treesearch

James Dobrowolski

2016-01-01

Agriculture, across the value chain, is the greatest consumptive user of water resources in the United States and around the world. Perhaps the greatest challenge facing agricultural producers will be increased agricultural production to meet rising demand in the face of limited water resources.

Survival Skills for the Principalship: A Treasure Chest of Time-Savers, Short-Cuts, and Strategies to Help You Keep a Balance in Your Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaydes, John

2004-01-01

Today's principals face unique challenges--demands of time, knowledge, and organization which take their toll on even the most flexible leader. This compilation of resources offers practical, ready-to-use solutions to the issues and dilemmas facing principals every day. These valuable resources can be consulted for years to come as a long-term…

Faculty Challenges across Rank in Liberal Arts Colleges: A Human Resources Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Vicki L.; Pifer, Meghan J.; Lunsford, Laura G.

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the challenges faced by faculty members in a consortium of 13 Liberal Arts Colleges (LACs). We present findings, by academic rank, from a mixed-methods study of faculty development needs and experiences within the consortium. Relying on human resource principles, we advocate a greater focus on the development of the person,…

DOT's budget : management and performance issues facing the department in fiscal year 1999

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-02-12

This testimony discusses key resource management issues and performance challenges facing the Department of Transportation in 1999 and beyond. 1. There is a need for increased management attention to highway, transit, and rail programs - which accoun...

Challenges facing translational research organizations in China: a qualitative multiple case study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Translational medicine is attracting much attention worldwide and many translational research organizations (TROs) have been established. In China, translational medicine has developed rapidly, but faces many challenges. This study was aimed at exploring these challenges faced by emerging TROs in China. Method A qualitative, multiple case study approach was used to assess the challenges faced by TROs in China. Data were collected between May and August 2012. Results Eight cases were identified. Overall, four themes that characterized TROs in China emerged from analyses: 1. objectives, organizer, and funding resources, 2. participating partners and research teams, 3. management, and 4. achievements. All TROs had objectives related to translating basic discovery to clinic treatment and cultivating translational researchers. In terms of organizer and funding resources, 7 out of 8 TROs were launched only by universities and/or hospitals, and funded mostly through research grants. As for participating partners and multidisciplinary research teams, all but one of the TROs only involved biomedical research institutions who were interested in translational research, and characterized as clinical research centers; 7 out of 8 TROs involved only researchers from biomedicine and clinical disciplines and none involved disciplines related to education, ethnicity, and sociology, or engaged the community. Current management of the TROs were generally nested within the traditional research management paradigms, and failed to adapt to the tenets of translational research. Half of the TROs were at developmental stages defined as infrastructure construction and recruitment of translational researchers. Conclusions TROs in China face the challenge of attracting sustainable funding sources, widening multidisciplinary cooperation, cultivating multi-disciplinary translational researchers and adapting current research management to translational research. Greater emphasis should be placed on increasing multidisciplinary cooperation, and innovating in education programs to cultivate of translational researchers. Efforts should be made to reform research management in TROs, and establish sustainable funding resources. PMID:24119837

DOT's Budget: Safety, Management, and Other Issues Facing the Department in Fiscal Year 1998 and Beyond

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-03-06

This testimony discusses key resource management issues and performance challenges facing the Department of Transportation in 1998 and beyond. 1. Increased safety and security concerns prompted by accidents and maintenance issues. 2. Important manage...

Competencies in the Heartland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cejda, Brent

2012-01-01

Although many of the issues facing community colleges are similar, rural community colleges face additional leadership challenges due to limited resources, geographic isolation, and static economies. This chapter focuses on the impact of location on the interpretation and development of the leadership competencies. The chapter concludes with…

Leaf Angle, Light Interception, and Water Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Alan K.; Smith, Dixie L.

1997-01-01

Presents an exercise that demonstrates how plants cope with multiple resource limitations in the field. Stimulates students to think about interactions among multiple limited resources and the challenges plants as immobile organisms face when characteristics that increase the capture of one resource negatively impact the availability of another.…

Challenges for nursing education in Angola: the perception of nurse leaders affiliated with professional education institutions

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Angola is one of the African countries with the highest morbidity and mortality rates and a devastating lack of human resources for health, including nursing. The World Health Organization stimulates and takes technical cooperation initiatives for human resource education and training in health and education, with a view to the development of countries in the region. The aim in this study was to identify how nurses affiliated with nursing education institutions perceive the challenges nursing education is facing in Angola. Methods After consulting the National Directory of Human Resources in Angola, the nurse leaders affiliated with professional nursing education institutions in Angola were invited to participate in the study by email. Data were collected in February 2009 through the focus group technique. The group of participants was focused on the central question: what are the challenges faced for nursing education in your country? To register and understand the information, besides the use of a recorder, the reporters elaborated an interpretative report. Data were coded using content analysis. Results Fourteen nurses participated in the meeting, most of whom were affiliated with technical nursing education institutions. It was verified that the nurse leaders at technical and higher nursing education institutions in Angola face many challenges, mainly related to the lack of infrastructure, absence of trained human resources, bureaucratic problems to regularize the schools and lack of material resources. On the opposite, the solutions they present are predominantly centered on the valuation of nursing professionals, which implies cultural and attitude changes. Conclusions Public health education policies need to be established in Angola, including action guidelines that permit effective nursing activities. Professional education institutions need further regularizations and nurses need to be acknowledged as key elements for the qualitative enhancement of health services in the country. PMID:23866740

Challenges for nursing education in Angola: the perception of nurse leaders affiliated with professional education institutions.

PubMed

Marchi-Alves, Leila Maria; Ventura, Carla A Arena; Trevizan, Maria Auxiliadora; Mazzo, Alessandra; de Godoy, Simone; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa

2013-07-17

Angola is one of the African countries with the highest morbidity and mortality rates and a devastating lack of human resources for health, including nursing. The World Health Organization stimulates and takes technical cooperation initiatives for human resource education and training in health and education, with a view to the development of countries in the region. The aim in this study was to identify how nurses affiliated with nursing education institutions perceive the challenges nursing education is facing in Angola. After consulting the National Directory of Human Resources in Angola, the nurse leaders affiliated with professional nursing education institutions in Angola were invited to participate in the study by email. Data were collected in February 2009 through the focus group technique. The group of participants was focused on the central question: what are the challenges faced for nursing education in your country? To register and understand the information, besides the use of a recorder, the reporters elaborated an interpretative report. Data were coded using content analysis. Fourteen nurses participated in the meeting, most of whom were affiliated with technical nursing education institutions. It was verified that the nurse leaders at technical and higher nursing education institutions in Angola face many challenges, mainly related to the lack of infrastructure, absence of trained human resources,bureaucratic problems to regularize the schools and lack of material resources. On the opposite, the solutions they present are predominantly centered on the valuation of nursing professionals, which implies cultural and attitude changes. Public health education policies need to be established in Angola, including action guidelines that permit effective nursing activities. Professional education institutions need further regularizations and nurses need to be acknowledged as key elements for the qualitative enhancement of health services in the country.

Quality of Teaching and Learning in Resource Quandary: The Case of a University in Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chidindi, Joseph

2012-01-01

Zimbabwe faced severe economic challenges that impacted on resource accumulation leading to a decline of quality of teaching and learning in a selected university in Zimbabwe yet the Resource Dependence Theory advocates that organizations are dependent on the environment for resources for survival and achievement of their set objectives. The study…

Transforming round pegs to fill square holes:Facing the challenge of forest inventories as tools of environmental policy for the 21st century

Treesearch

Victor A. Rudis

1993-01-01

Todays forest inventory specialist is challenged to combine inventories and analysis of timber with range recreation, soil, water, and wildlife resources, related human uses, and social and economic concerns.Lessons learned in adapting timber-oriented forest inventories toward holistic forest resources assessment are provided.Discussed are ways to maintain dialogue...

Strategies for Increasing Academic Achievement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensign, Julene; Woods, Amelia Mays

2014-01-01

Higher education today faces unique challenges. Decreasing student engagement, increasing diversity, and limited resources all contribute to the issues being faced by students, educators, and administrators alike. The unique characteristics and expectations that students bring to their professional programs require new methods of addressing…

Regional Geograhpic Network Partnerships Supporting Sustainable Landscapes - An Example: The North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative

EPA Science Inventory

Natural resource management agencies, conservation organizations and other stakeholders are facing increasingly complex environmental challenges that require coordinated management actions at regional and landscape levels. To address these challenges, integrated multi-disciplina...

Energy sustainability: consumption, efficiency, and environmental impact

EPA Science Inventory

One of the critical challenges in achieving sustainability is finding a way to meet the energy consumption needs of a growing population in the face of increasing economic prosperity and finite resources. According to ecological footprint computations, the global resource consump...

Measure Today, Here Tomorrow: Exploring IR's Role in Producing Indicators that Will Help Assure Sustainable Institutions and a Sustainable Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litten, Larry; Newport, David

2004-01-01

Colleges and universities face a variety of challenges that come from our use of natural resources (e.g., energy, waste production)--the sustainability challenge--and maintaining trust among stakeholders--the accountability challenge. Corporations are adopting standardized reporting to address these challenges. We submit that Institutional…

Translating an academic module into an online resource.

PubMed

Howatson-Jones, I L

Blended learning, which combines face-to-face sessions with online work, is used to provide flexible learning and courses for students who are geographically dispersed. Canterbury Christ Church University recognised the importance of developing an academic module for dispensing opticians across the UK and the requirement to address the needs of an increasingly diverse population of students. Following interest in the module from the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, a decision was made to reformat the module into an online resource. This article describes some of the pedagogical processes involved in developing the online resource. Quantitative and qualitative data are analysed to identify challenges and successes. The importance of developing an educational biography to achieve depth of understanding and thought is acknowledged. The article concludes that some face-to-face interaction is still necessary, not least for helping to reduce students' anxiety.

Challenges to managing natural resource information

Treesearch

William L. Halvorson

2005-01-01

One of the most important issues facing resource managers today is that of information. In order to handle the numerous and diverse requirements for information, landscape-scale information management systems are needed that allow individual land management units to view their resource information in a regional context. The characteristics of such a system are: (1) the...

Engaged Learning through Online Collaborative Public Relations Projects across Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smallwood, Amber M. K.; Brunner, Brigitta R.

2017-01-01

Online learning is complementing and even replacing traditional face-to-face educational models at colleges and universities across the world. Distance education offers pedagogical and resource advantages--flexibility, greater access to education, and increased university revenues. Distance education also presents challenges such as learning to…

Challenge theme 2: assuring water availability and quality in the 21st century: Chapter 4 in United States-Mexican Borderlands: Facing tomorrow's challenges through USGS science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Callegary, James; Langeman, Jeff; Leenhouts, Jim; Martin, Peter

2013-01-01

Along the United States–Mexican border, the health of communities, economies, and ecosystems is inextricably intertwined with the availability and quality of water, but effective water management in the Borderlands is complicated. Water users compete for resources, and their needs are increasing. Managers are faced with issues such as finding a balance between agriculture and rapidly growing cities or maintaining public supplies while ensuring sufficient resources for aquatic ecosystems. In addition to human factors, the dry climate of the Borderlands, as compared to more temperate regions, also increases the challenge of balancing water supplies between humans and ecosystems. Warmer, drier, and more variable conditions across the southwestern United States—the projected results of climate change (Seager and others, 2007)—would further stress water supplies.

Adaptive Management for a Turbulent Future

EPA Science Inventory

The challenges that face humanity today differ from the past because as the scale of human influence has increased, our biggest challenges have become global in nature, and formerly local problems that could be addressed by shifting populations or switching resources, now aggrega...

Unite and Conquer: A Collaborative Approach to Faculty Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paradis, Thomas W.; Smalldon, Kathleen L.

2007-01-01

Creating opportunities to share student learning and assessment resources with faculty face- to-face can be a daunting challenge. At Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Arizona, leaders representing six different service units and committees have developed a collaborative approach of "unite and conquer," in which the human,…

Environmental and Developmental Risks and Stressors Impacting a 2050 Vision

EPA Science Inventory

A vision of what our water resources and environment may look like in the year 2050 must consider the increasing risks and stressors facing our planet. Recent papers, reports and books are used as the source and basis for identifying the range of future challenges facing the worl...

Bee cups: Single-use cages for honey bee experiments

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Honey bees face challenges ranging from poor nutrition to exposure to parasites, pathogens, and environmental chemicals. These challenges drain colony resources and have been tied to both subtle and extreme colony declines, including the enigmatic Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Understanding how ...

Managing the Challenges of Leadership in ERP Implementations: An Exploratory Study of the Leadership Challenges Encountered by Project Managers Involved in ERP Implementation Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanjagi, James K.

2013-01-01

Increasingly, organizations are conducting more Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects in order to promote organizational efficiencies. Meanwhile, minimal research has been conducted on the leadership challenges faced by project managers during the ERP project implementations and how these challenges are managed. The existing project…

Strategizing for the Future: Evolving Cultural Resource Centers in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shek, Yen Ling

2013-01-01

Cultural resource centers have been an ongoing and integral component to creating a more welcoming campus climate for Students of Color since its establishment in the 1960s. While the racial dynamics may have changed, many of the challenges Students of Color faced on predominantly White campuses have not. Interestingly, cultural resource centers…

Moving toward the Market and Away from Public Service? Effects of Resource Dependency and Academic Capitalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaeger, Audrey J.; Thronton, Courtney H.

2005-01-01

Research-extensive land-grant institutions face the unique challenge of asking faculty to fulfill a historic mission of public service in a time of scarce resources. This article discusses the parallel between the effects of resource dependency and academic capitalism on the research enterprise and on public service endeavors through the…

Adaptive Management: From More Talk to Real Action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Byron K.; Brown, Eleanor D.

2014-02-01

The challenges currently facing resource managers are large-scale and complex, and demand new approaches to balance development and conservation goals. One approach that shows considerable promise for addressing these challenges is adaptive management, which by now is broadly seen as a natural, intuitive, and potentially effective way to address decision-making in the face of uncertainties. Yet the concept of adaptive management continues to evolve, and its record of success remains limited. In this article, we present an operational framework for adaptive decision-making, and describe the challenges and opportunities in applying it to real-world problems. We discuss the key elements required for adaptive decision-making, and their integration into an iterative process that highlights and distinguishes technical and social learning. We illustrate the elements and processes of the framework with some successful on-the-ground examples of natural resource management. Finally, we address some of the difficulties in applying learning-based management, and finish with a discussion of future directions and strategic challenges.

The Role of School Nurses, Challenges, and Reactions to Delegation Legislation: A Qualitative Approach.

PubMed

Lineberry, Michelle; Whitney, Elizabeth; Noland, Melody

2018-06-01

Passage of new laws, national standards regarding delegation, and the recommendation for at least one full-time nurse in every school have provided more visibility to the role of school nurses. Recent legislative amendments in Kentucky presented an opportunity to examine how the role of the school nurse is changing. Aims were to describe the (1) role of school nurses in Kentucky, (2) impact of school nurses, (3) challenges faced by school nurses, and (4) impact of budget cuts and legislation. Three focus groups were conducted. School nurses faced challenges of limited time and resources, communication barriers, and multiple documentation requirements. Nurses' greatest impacts were their availability, recognition of psychosocial problems and health concerns, and connection with resources. Nurses had not yet encountered many changes due to new legislation that expanded delegation of diabetes-related tasks to unlicensed school personnel, but some had concerns about possible negative effects while others expressed support.

Employee vs independent contractor.

PubMed

Kolender, Ellen

2012-01-01

Finding qualified personnel for the cancer registry department has become increasingly difficult, as experienced abstractors retire and cancer diagnoses increase. Faced with hiring challenges, managers turn to teleworkers to fill positions and accomplish work in a timely manner. Suddenly, the hospital hires new legal staff and all telework agreements are disrupted. The question arises: Are teleworkers employees or independent contractors? Creating telework positions requires approval from the legal department and human resources. Caught off-guard in the last quarter of the year, I found myself again faced with hiring challenges.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducing nonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Issues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previously developed urban environments. A diverse assortment of resource management tools, or

Managing human resources for successful strategy execution.

PubMed

Arnold, Edwin

2010-01-01

Managers face difficult challenges when they implement organizational strategies to achieve important goals. Execution of strategy has become more dependent upon the effective management of human resources. This article suggests how people can be managed more effectively to facilitate the execution of strategies and improve organizational performance.

Post-Recession Housing Crisis on Staten Island

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo Re, Mary L.

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the experience of Staten Island's diverse urban communities with limited financial resources regarding access to affordable housing after the 2008 economic downturn. It details a successful partnership in researching the challenges faced in these communities and offers recommendations for the targeting of resources to…

Getting People Involved: The Benefit of Intellectual Capital Management for Addressing HR Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pook, Katja

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the benefits of intellectual capital assessment for facing current challenges of human resources work and organizational development. Design/methodology/approach: The paper takes findings of studies on challenges in HR work and maps them with features of intellectual capital assessment methods. It is thus a…

The Next 25 Years: Crises and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amara, Roy

Within the next 25 years each major world problem will continue to grow and challenge the finest minds for equitable solutions. Yet the core world issue, from which most other problems stem, is the maintenance of an equitable and dynamic equilibrium between world populations and world resources. We are faced with a set of challenges stemming from…

Taking Your Course Online: An Interdisciplinary Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrens, Kathleen M., Ed.; Amador, Jose A., Ed.

2012-01-01

This book focuses on online pedagogy and the challenges and opportunities incumbent in the transformation of a face-to-face college course. It is intended as a resource and support for new online teachers--a source of ideas and strategies from a variety of disciplinary perspectives as well as pedagogical perspectives--and for those experienced in…

Challenging Hegemonies in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godwin-Jones, Robert

2012-01-01

In Western countries today, instructed language learning in higher education normally includes use of the Web: as a resource in face-to-face classes, as an equal partner in instructional delivery in hybrid courses, or as the primary teaching and learning environment in distance learning. Most often today this is enabled through use of a learning…

Economic Development: A Community College Faces the Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowley, Jackie; Boatright, Joyce

1988-01-01

Faced with a changing economy, the Houston Community College System (Texas) set goals and objectives to pull together its resources in response to the crisis in the Houston area. This article describes successful strategies and approaches used to network, market, and develop company partnerships and training activities to meet local needs. (Author)

Cross-cultural healthcare challenges: an insight into small American community hospitals.

PubMed

Kothari, M P; Kothari, V

1997-01-01

The healthcare industry in the United States is faced with many strategic challenges, because of the nation's growing culturally diverse population. Growing cultural diversity now calls for better trained medical staff that is capable of handling language, religious and cultural differences. In the rural communities, where cultural diversity is rapidly becoming a demographic fact, small hospitals with limited resources are especially confronted with medical challenges for which they seem to be least prepared. Based on an exploratory research that includes a study of small town hospitals, this paper provides insights into cross-cultural problems facing healthcare professionals in small communities. The paper highlights also the ways in which hospitals are responding to such challenges.

Human Needs and Nature's Balance: Population, Resources, and the Environment. A Population Learning Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crews, Kimberly A.

One of the challenges that face humanity is how to manage resource and environmental endowments in a way that will guarantee continued survival and ensure the well-being of future generations. Those resources most important to human survival are food, water, and energy. When the population of the world reached 5 billion in 1987, approximately 87…

The Pacific Northwest Research Station biodiversity initiative: collaborating for biodiversity management.

Treesearch

Peter Nelson; Rachel White; Randy Molina

2006-01-01

The Pacific Northwest Research Station launched a biodiversity initiative to assist natural resource professionals in integrating complex biodiversity concepts into natural resource management processes. We canvassed clients from various affiliations to determine the main challenges they face in biodiversity management, to define their information needs, and to...

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS: PROCEEDINGS, CHICAGO, IL, FEBRUARY 9-12, 1998

EPA Science Inventory

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducing nonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Issues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previo...

CD ROM: NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RETROFIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS: PROCEEDINGS, CHICAGO, IL, FEBRUARY 9-12, 1998

EPA Science Inventory

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducingnonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Isssues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previou...

Determining the economic liability of implementing irrigation on small-scale farming systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Small, limited resource farmers are often the primary providers of fresh foods for rural communities. However, they face often insurmountable economic challenges to staying in business. The small and limited resource farmer has declined at an alarming rate. The reasons for the decline or disappearan...

Sustaining a Vision of Rigor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Ronald; Blackburn, Barbara R.

2010-01-01

Even with the best planning and supportive implementation, one's school will experience challenges to achieving its vision of increased rigor. One of today's most serious issues is how schools can improve when resources are stagnant or even declining. Virtually every school faces dwindling resources and is caught between the expectation that…

Important Hawaiian tree species in need of genetic conservation

Treesearch

Robert D. Hauff

2017-01-01

Resource managers in Hawaii face unique forest conservation challenges. Invasive species continue to inundate the remote island archipelago, directly threatening its forest resources. Hawaii has the largest number (> 400) of endangered plants in the United States, and managers use genetic approaches to preserve these small populations which are often island...

Community Stories and Institutional Stewardship: Digital Curation's Dual Roles of Story Creation and Resource Preservation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunda, Sue; Anderson-Wilk, Mark

2011-01-01

Our institutions of record are facing a new digital knowledge management challenge: stakeholder communities are now expecting customized Web interfaces to institutional knowledge repositories, online environments where community members can contribute content and see themselves represented, as well as access archived resources. Digital curation…

Knowledge Management, Human Resource Management, and Higher Education: A Theoretical Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Peggy D.; Brewer, Kristen L.

2010-01-01

Much has been written on the importance of knowledge management, the challenges facing organizations, and the important human resource management activities involved in assuring the acquisition and transfer of knowledge. Higher business education plays an important role in preparing students to assume the knowledge management and human resource…

Procurement tool kit.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-30

Todays 9-1-1 emergency communications professionals face challenges on multiple frontsa : fundamental lack of resources, aging equipment operating past its intended lifecycle, emerging : consumer technology that has outpaced public safety answe...

A Promising Approach to Addressing America's Biggest Challenges. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul; Seldon, Willa

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges--a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy--that require powerful solutions. In a climate of increasingly constrained resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant,…

Guiding Principles to Impact an Institution-Wide Assessment Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinerichs, Scott; Bernotsky, R. Lorraine; Danner, Loretta Rieser

2015-01-01

Institutions of higher education are faced with challenges when implementing an assessment initiative. These challenges include constraints on time and resources, the demands of specialized accreditation, and faculty motivation to comply. In addition, the communication of the expectations around assessment must be clear to all constituents in…

Employee Engagement and Turnover Intent: An Analysis of the Thai Public Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanthasith, Sitthichai

2016-01-01

Organizations these days are facing a number of challenges that affect their performance and productivity. As workplaces become more challenging to employees, employee engagement and turnover become critical concerns for management. Drawing on insights from the Job Demand-Resource model, this study explores the relationships between key…

Implications of Designing Instructional Video Using Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibrahim, Mohamed

2012-01-01

During the last decade, cognitive researchers identified three major challenges facing the use of multimedia materials in instruction. The first challenge is the inclusion of extraneous content that competes with the essential information for limited cognitive resources. Researchers found that including extraneous material in multimedia materials…

Meeting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Challenges: What Role Can Technology Play?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grainger, Stephen

2013-01-01

Facing a collection of challenges, how can the Shanghai cooperation organisation (SCO) use technology to help improve cohesion, cope with enlargement, manage relations better with external parties, develop resources, advance economic cooperation between members, improve their speed of decision making and upgrade their quality of decision…

Strategic human resource management: redefining the role of the manager and worker.

PubMed

Cameron, M; Snyder, J R

1999-01-01

Health-care managers have long been sensitive to the importance of physical resources (technology, space) and financial resources to the success of service delivery. During the last several decades, the value and potential for development of a third element, the human resource has gained new recognition. The importance of viewing personnel as an expandable resource, addressed in an organization's strategic plan, is crucial to meet challenges faced in a rapidly changing health-care environment.

Integrating resource, social, and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decision-making

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newman, P.; Marion, J.; Cahill, K.

2001-01-01

In park and wilderness management, integrating social and resource indicators is essential to meet park mandates that require the protection of both experiential and resource conditions. This paper will address the challenges we face in integrating social and resource data and outline a study in progress in Yosemite National Park. This study will develop and apply a management model that integrates resource, social and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decisionmaking.

Implementing Mobile Phone Solutions for Health in Resource Constrained Areas: Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manda, Tiwonge Davis; Herstad, Jo

This paper presents results from a study on mobile phone use to connect two rural hospitals in Malawi with community health workers (CHWs), the hospitals work with. Mobile phone use at the hospitals has helped reduce the need for face-to-face communication to permit patient information exchange, meetings and appointments scheduling, as well as work coordination. On the other hand mobile phone use has proved paradoxical as it has introduced users to challenges, like recharging of phone batteries, they did not anticipate. The paper highlights use context-centric and solution based opportunities and challenges associated with mobile phone use in rural settings.

Maintaining and restoring sustainable ecosystems in southern Nevada [Chapter 7] (Executive Summary)

Treesearch

Jeanne C. Chambers; Burton K. Pendleton; Donald W. Sada; Steven M. Ostoja; Matthew L. Brooks

2013-01-01

Resource managers in southern Nevada are faced with the challenge of determining appropriate goals and objectives and developing viable approaches for maintaining and restoring sustainable ecosystems in the face of rapid socio-ecological and environmental change. Many of southern Nevada’s ecosystems are being subjected to anthropogenic stressors that span global,...

Strategies for Accommodating Extension Clients Who Face Language, Vision, or Hearing Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angima, Sam; Etuk, Lena; Maddy, Deborah

2016-01-01

Extension services nationwide seek to equalize access to university resources for all learners. In this article, we focus on accommodation as a tool of our trade. We discuss findings and implications from a study that documented approaches used by one state's Extension professionals to accommodate clients who face language, vision, or hearing…

Optimizing Burn Treatment in Developing Low-and Middle-Income Countries with Limited Health Care Resources (Part 2)

PubMed Central

Atiyeh, B.; Masellis, A.; Conte, C.

2009-01-01

Summary The present review of the literature aims at analysing the challenges facing burn management in low- and middleincome countries (LMICs) and exploring probable modalities to optimize burn management in these countries. In Part 1, the epidemiology of burn injuries and the formidable challenges for proper management due to limited resources and inaccessibility to sophisticated skills and technologies in LMICs were presented. Part II will discuss the actual state of burn injuries management in LMICs. PMID:21991180

Analyzing Differences Between Public and Private Sector Information Resource Management: Chief Information Officer Challenges and Critical Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

Private sector organizations have a valuable knowledge base from their CIO office implementation efforts and subsequent operations. This private sector knowledge could offer public sector CIOs invaluable insight into successful information resource management practices. However, public and private managers must take great care in deciphering which IRM prescriptions are relevant to their organizational situation. The goal of this research is to discover if public and private sector CIOs are faced with the same challenges and view

Sustainability and productivity of southern pine ecosystems

Treesearch

Jim Barnett; Rod Busby; Floyd Bridgwater; Don English; Jim Hanula; Nancy Herbert; Kurt Johnsen; Brad Kard; Kier Klepzig; Charlie McMahon; Jeff Prestemon; Tim Rials; Bob Rummer; Mike Shelton; Ron Thill; Tom Waldrop; Joan Walker; Nancy Walters

2000-01-01

Scientist at the Southern Research Station (SRS) have developed a means to address critical forest resource needs in the 21st century. Throughout the South, we are working with public and private land owners to face unprecedented natural resource challenges (United States Department of Agriculture, forest Service 1997). By providing access to research results and...

A Balancing Act: School Budgeting and Resource Allocation on a New Dual Language Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, David S.; Izquierdo, Elena; DeMatthews, David E.

2016-01-01

Dual language instructional models have great potential to create inclusive learning environments for traditional under-served students and boost student outcomes. However, principals face many barriers to implementation. One of the key challenges is aligning resources to ensure that the school has (a) an appropriate number of certificated…

Conservative Force or Contradictory Resource? Education and Affirmative Action in Jharkhand, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higham, Rob; Shah, Alpa

2013-01-01

This article explores the combination of education and affirmative action in challenging historic inequalities faced by adivasis, or indigenous peoples, living in a remote region of Eastern India. We show how the combined effects of education and affirmative action can act as a "contradictory resource". On the one hand, policies of…

The College Does It Better. A Resource for Colleges of Further Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Further Education Unit, London (England).

This resource contains checklists, worksheets, and examples to encourage staff to share their views and to precipitate action. It assumes an open system of college management with a desire to be efficiently and effectively responsive to local needs. Section I describes briefly some challenges the further education system faces. Section II…

Implementing Human Resources Management (HRM) within Dutch VET Institutions: Examining the Fostering and Hindering Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runhaar, Piety; Sanders, Karin

2013-01-01

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Institutions face serious challenges, like the implementation of competence-based education and upcoming teacher shortages, which urge them to implement Human Resources Management policy and practices (HRM). The implementation of HRM, however, often stagnates. This paper describes a qualitative study--in…

Decision Making Under Uncertainty and Complexity: A Model-Based Scenario Approach to Supporting Integrated Water Resources Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Gupta, H.; Wagener, T.; Stewart, S.; Mahmoud, M.; Hartmann, H.; Springer, E.

2007-12-01

Some of the most challenging issues facing contemporary water resources management are those typified by complex coupled human-environmental systems with poorly characterized uncertainties. In other words, major decisions regarding water resources have to be made in the face of substantial uncertainty and complexity. It has been suggested that integrated models can be used to coherently assemble information from a broad set of domains, and can therefore serve as an effective means for tackling the complexity of environmental systems. Further, well-conceived scenarios can effectively inform decision making, particularly when high complexity and poorly characterized uncertainties make the problem intractable via traditional uncertainty analysis methods. This presentation discusses the integrated modeling framework adopted by SAHRA, an NSF Science & Technology Center, to investigate stakeholder-driven water sustainability issues within the semi-arid southwestern US. The multi-disciplinary, multi-resolution modeling framework incorporates a formal scenario approach to analyze the impacts of plausible (albeit uncertain) alternative futures to support adaptive management of water resources systems. Some of the major challenges involved in, and lessons learned from, this effort will be discussed.

Examining the Challenging Hindrances facing in the Construction Projects: South India’s Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanyam, K.; Haridharan, M. K.

2017-07-01

Developing countries like India require a huge infrastructure to facilitate needs of the people. Construction industry provides several opportunities to the individuals. Construction manager work is to supervise and organize the construction activities in construction projects. Now a day construction manager facing challenges. This paper aimed to study the challenges facing by the construction manager in the perception of construction professionals. 39 variables were taken from the literature review which found to be severe impact on construction managers’ performance. Construction manager, project manager and site engineers are the respondents for this survey. Using SPSS, regression analysis was done and recognized significant challenges. These challenges were classified into 5 domains. In management challenges, resource availability and allocation, risks and uncertainties existing in the project onsite, top management support and cost constraints are the most significant variables. In skills requirement of a construction manager challenges, technical skills required to learn and adapt new technology in the project, decision making and planning according to the situation in site are the most significant variables. In performance challenges, implementation of tasks according to the plan is the important variable whereas in onsite challenges, manage project risks, develop project policies and procedures are the most important.

Fertilizer use and wheat yield in Central and Eastern European countries from 1986 to 2005 and its implication for developing sustainable fertilizer management practices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Central-Eastern European countries (CEE) face economic and political challenges that have implications for agricultural production. The challenge for agriculturalists is to increase agricultural production after years of misguided policies and resource constraints (primarily nutrients). We tested th...

Concussion Law Compliance: The Allocation of Time, Resources, and Money in a Rural Western State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faure, Caroline; Moffit, Dani M.; Schiess, Kurt

2015-01-01

Secondary schools across the United States that sponsor extracurricular athletic programs are challenged to comply with recent laws that require concussion education and appropriate concussion management. This study examined one rural state's efforts by illustrating both the successes and challenges that secondary schools faced. The findings…

Creating Access to Opportunities for Youth in Transition from Foster Care. An AYPF Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russ, Erin; Fryar, Garet

2014-01-01

What happens to youth in foster care when they turn 18? Many face unprecedented challenges like homelessness, lack of financial resources, difficulty accessing educational opportunities, and unemployment. In this issue brief, The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) document these challenges and opportunities in three distinct yet overlapping areas…

Ask the Cognitive Scientist: Why Does Family Wealth Affect Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willingham, Daniel T.

2012-01-01

Disadvantaged children face a host of challenges to academic success. These challenges fall into two broad categories. First, as one might expect, wealthier parents have the resources to provide more and better learning opportunities for their children. Second, children from poorer homes are subject to chronic stress, which research from the last…

High Performance Team: Building a Business Program with Part- and Full-Time Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, F. K.

2010-01-01

Business programs at colleges and universities presently face wide-ranging challenges in delivering quality education. As more and more business programs find it necessary to conserve or redirect resources, successfully leading through change becomes paramount for departments and their faculty teams. This challenge is compounded by a growing…

High School Leadership: The Challenge of Managing Resources and Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsaaty, Falih M.; Morris, Archie, III

2015-01-01

High schools play a vital role in achieving and reflecting American ideals and culture. They provide the foundation for the country's economic, social, and political systems as well as the impetus for its scientific progress and technological superiority. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges facing high schools' leadership in…

Building an Agricultural Extension Services System Supported by ICTs in Tanzania: Progress Made, Challenges Remain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanga, C.; Kalungwizi, V. J.; Msuya, C. P.

2013-01-01

The conventional agricultural extension service in Tanzania is mainly provided by extension officers visiting farmers to provide agricultural advisory service. This system of extension service provision faces a number of challenges including the few number of extension officers and limited resources. This article assesses the effectiveness of an…

The intricate relationship between a medical school and a teaching hospital: A case study in Uganda.

PubMed

Mubuuke, Aloysius Gonzaga; Businge, Francis; Mukule, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

The relationship between medical schools and teaching hospitals is full of opportunities but also challenges even though they have complementary goals that could enhance each other. Although medical schools and teaching hospitals may face some similar challenges around the world, there could be context-specific observations that differ in resource-rich versus resource-limited settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that are perceived to have influenced the relationship between a medical school and a teaching hospital in Uganda, a resource-limited setting. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study in which key informant individual interviews were conducted with senior administrators and senior staff members of the Mulago Hospital and Makerere University Medical School. The interviews explored factors perceived to have favoured the working relationship between the two institutions, challenges faced and likely future opportunities. Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated. Thematic analysis was used with the qualitative data. Respondents reported a strained relationship between the two institutions, with unfavourable factors far outweighing the favourable factors influencing the relationship. Key negative reported factors included having different administrative set-ups, limited opportunities to share funds and to forge research collaborations, unexploited potential of sharing human resources to address staff shortages, as well as a lack of a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions. This study identifies barriers in the existing relationship between a teaching hospital and medical college in a resource-poor country. It proposes a collaborative model, rather than competitive model, for the two institutions that may work in both resource-limited and resource-rich settings.

Challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia.

PubMed

Taderera, Clever; Hall, Herna

2017-01-01

Parenting children with learning disabilities requires a high level of knowledge and access to resources, information and services. In developing countries, however, these resources and services are not always available. Parents in Namibia, a developing country, therefore face challenges addressing children's learning and other developmental disabilities, including challenges related to preventative and supportive interventions. This research focuses on challenges faced by parents as they parent children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight parents regarding the challenges they face in parenting their children with learning disabilities. Thematic analysis enabled the researchers to identify, analyse and report on themes that emerged from the qualitative interview data. Analysis of the interviews indicated that some participants had only a vague understanding of learning disabilities, as they did not have access to essential knowledge about this phenomenon. They also lacked an awareness of the availability of programmes, services and policies meant to benefit their children with learning disabilities. Participants voiced that they, their children with learning disabilities and community members have stereotypes and prejudices regarding learning disabilities. In this study, most of the children with learning disabilities were raised by single, unemployed parents who seemed to have access to less support from external sources than married couples parenting children with learning disabilities. These single parents are usually not married and because of lack of financial support from the other parent, the majority of them indicated that they struggle to meet the financial and material needs of their children. The researchers concluded that the participants in this study experience a range of challenges in parenting their children with learning disabilities. The main challenges emanate from financial instability, as well as lack of knowledge regarding services and programmes for children with learning disabilities. This lack of knowledge on the part of participants could indicate poor policy education by policy implementers at grass-roots level.

Challenges faced by parents of children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia

PubMed Central

Taderera, Clever

2017-01-01

Background Parenting children with learning disabilities requires a high level of knowledge and access to resources, information and services. In developing countries, however, these resources and services are not always available. Parents in Namibia, a developing country, therefore face challenges addressing children’s learning and other developmental disabilities, including challenges related to preventative and supportive interventions. Objective This research focuses on challenges faced by parents as they parent children with learning disabilities in Opuwo, Namibia. Method In-depth interviews were conducted with eight parents regarding the challenges they face in parenting their children with learning disabilities. Thematic analysis enabled the researchers to identify, analyse and report on themes that emerged from the qualitative interview data. Results Analysis of the interviews indicated that some participants had only a vague understanding of learning disabilities, as they did not have access to essential knowledge about this phenomenon. They also lacked an awareness of the availability of programmes, services and policies meant to benefit their children with learning disabilities. Participants voiced that they, their children with learning disabilities and community members have stereotypes and prejudices regarding learning disabilities. In this study, most of the children with learning disabilities were raised by single, unemployed parents who seemed to have access to less support from external sources than married couples parenting children with learning disabilities. These single parents are usually not married and because of lack of financial support from the other parent, the majority of them indicated that they struggle to meet the financial and material needs of their children. Conclusion The researchers concluded that the participants in this study experience a range of challenges in parenting their children with learning disabilities. The main challenges emanate from financial instability, as well as lack of knowledge regarding services and programmes for children with learning disabilities. This lack of knowledge on the part of participants could indicate poor policy education by policy implementers at grass-roots level. PMID:28951851

Health and Safety in the Early Childhood Classroom: Guidelines for Curriculum Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bales, Diane; Wallinga, Charlotte; Coleman, Mick

2006-01-01

Early childhood teachers have a variety of health and safety resources to draw upon, including information about and educational programs dealing with such issues as fire safety, obesity, and dental hygiene. However, teachers may face a number of challenges when attempting to incorporate health and safety resources into the curriculum. In some…

Leveraging Technology for Success in a Challenging Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breeding, Marshall

2010-01-01

The global economic crisis of the past 2 years has brought harsh circumstances to most libraries, calling into question many of the ways that librarians allocate resources. Lean budgets force libraries to devise strategies that make the very most of the resources available. Many libraries face the reality of doing more with less, often much less.…

Business Schools and Resources Constraints: A Task for Deans or Magicians?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Alessio, Fernando A.; Avolio, Beatrice

2011-01-01

One of the major challenges that face the deans of many business schools is obtaining funding for their academic operations and research to sustain world-class educational quality. Business schools raise resources in their own way, but ways of financing strongly vary when comparing educational institutions among world regions. The purpose of this…

Pedagogical Mentorship as an In-Service Training Resource: Perspectives from Teachers in Guatemalan Rural and Indigenous Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Garza, Katy

2016-01-01

This study analyzed challenges faced by teachers in rural and Indigenous schools, and the impact of pedagogical mentorship in contributing towards more culturally and linguistically relevant education. Using a case from Guatemala, this article explored pedagogical mentorship as an in-service teacher training resource for multi-lingual and…

2006 Mississippi Curriculum Framework: Secondary Agricultural and Natural Resources Technology. (Program CIP: 01.0003 - Agricultural and Natural Resources)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Aaron; Chaney, David; Cole, Ted; Sumrall, Billy; White, Andy

2006-01-01

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

Open Educational Resources and Student Course Outcomes: A Multilevel Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winitzky-Stephens, Jessie; Pickavance, Jason

2017-01-01

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is Utah's largest open enrollment college, and as an institution, is concerned about the expense associated with attaining a degree. All students face challenges in paying for their education, but SLCC students tend to have fewer resources to dedicate to school than students at other institutions in the state.…

Managing Resource Dependence Difficulties in African Higher Education: The Case of Multiple Exchange Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wangenge-Ouma, Gerald

2011-01-01

The paper has a twofold structure and focus. The first part is an examination of the funding challenges facing African universities resulting mainly from public finance difficulties, and the second part is a case study of how some Kenyan and South African public universities have attempted to mitigate resource dependence difficulties through…

Utilizing Immersive Visualization Systems: How to Dynamically Revolutionize Site-based Professional Development Experiences within Human Resources Management?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craft, Kirby A.

2009-01-01

How can we train today's workforce with innovative technologies when families are surrounded by state-of-the-art video games and high-definition televisions? Human resource managers and administrators are faced with difficult challenges to prepare beneficial and relevant professional development exercises that engage the minds of their employees.…

Face identification with frequency domain matched filtering in mobile environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dong-Su; Woo, Yong-Hyun; Yeom, Seokwon; Kim, Shin-Hwan

2012-06-01

Face identification at a distance is very challenging since captured images are often degraded by blur and noise. Furthermore, the computational resources and memory are often limited in the mobile environments. Thus, it is very challenging to develop a real-time face identification system on the mobile device. This paper discusses face identification based on frequency domain matched filtering in the mobile environments. Face identification is performed by the linear or phase-only matched filter and sequential verification stages. The candidate window regions are decided by the major peaks of the linear or phase-only matched filtering outputs. The sequential stages comprise a skin-color test and an edge mask filtering test, which verify color and shape information of the candidate regions in order to remove false alarms. All algorithms are built on the mobile device using Android platform. The preliminary results show that face identification of East Asian people can be performed successfully in the mobile environments.

Adolescents in Wartime U.S. Military Families: A Developmental Perspective on Challenges and Resources

PubMed Central

Milburn, Norweeta G.; Lightfoot, Marguerita

2013-01-01

Adolescents in wartime U.S. military families are a unique group of young people who are experiencing the usual milestones of adolescent development, including establishing their identities and becoming autonomous, while they face the challenges of military life such as multiple frequent moves, relocation and parent deployment to combat settings. This paper reviews research on adolescents in wartime U.S. military families, within the context of adolescent development, to identify their behavioral, emotional and academic risk status, and challenges and resources. Recommendations for future research and interventions to foster the healthy development of these adolescents are also provided. PMID:23780722

Industrial Development and Challenges of Water Pollution in Coastal Areas: The Case of Surat, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansal, Neeru

2018-03-01

Industrialisation plays an important role in the economic development of a country, however, pollution is the inevitable price paid for this development. Surat, a major industrial hub in western India, is located on the bank of the river Tapi and extends up to the Arabian Sea. The city is characterised by the presence of a number of creeks (known as ‘khadis’ in local language). This paper focusses on the industrial development in Surat and the challenges faced by the city due to water pollution. A constant deterioration in the quality of surface water resources has been observed due to discharge of treated or partially treated effluents from the industries. The problem of water pollution becomes critical due to increase in frequency of flooding, risks faced by the city due to climate change and the ineffective environmental governance. The paper provides insights into the challenges faced by the city and the learnings can lead to adoption of policy initiatives and other measures which can effectively address these challenges.

Challenges Facing Healthwatch, a New Consumer Champion in England.

PubMed

Carter, Pam; Martin, Graham

2016-01-21

This article engages with debates about the conceptualisation and practical challenges of patient and public involvement (PPI) in health and social care services. Policy in this area in England has shifted numerous times but increasingly a consumerist discourse seems to override more democratic ideas concerning the relationship between citizens and public services. Recent policy change in England has seen the creation of new consumer champion bodies in the form of local Healthwatch. The article describes these new organisational structures for PPI and shows how those who seek to influence planning and delivery of services or comment or complain about aspects of their care face considerable complexity. This is due, in part, to the ambiguous remit set out for newly instigated Healthwatch organisations by government. Drawing on governance theory, we show that it can also be understood as a function of an increasingly polycentric governance arena. Challenges that flow from this include problems of specifying jurisdictional responsibility, accountability, and legitimacy. We review Healthwatch progress to date, then we set out four challenges facing local Healthwatch organisations before discussing the implications of these for patients and the public. The first challenge relates to non-coterminous boundaries and jurisdictional integrity. Secondly, establishing the unique features of Healthwatch is problematic in the crowded PPI arena. The third challenge arises from limited resources as well as the fact that resources flow to Healthwatch from the local authorities that Healthwatch are expected to hold to account. The fourth challenge we identify is how local Healthwatch organisations negotiate the complexity of being a partner to statutory and other organisations, while at the same time being expected to champion local people's views. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

A Global Environmental Agenda for the United States: Issues for the New U.S. Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Donald; Sant, Roger W.

2000-01-01

The new presidential administration faces an array of urgent challenges. Complex public policy choices are necessary to address the near-term challenges of climate change and resource degradation which will help the United States deal with the chronic problems of global inequity and human deprivation. Outlines the environmental problems…

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; social issues fact sheet 11: Challenges to collaboration

Treesearch

Christine Esposito

2006-01-01

Bringing the right people into a collaborative process can be difficult. Potential collaborators must all feel they have something to gain to justify investing resources, sharing knowledge, and perhaps compromising on goals and actions. This fact sheet discusses some of the common challenges that individuals, communities, and institutions face in collaboration.

Integrating resource, social and managerial indicators of quality into carrying capacity decision making

Treesearch

Peter Newman; Robert Manning; Bill Valliere

2002-01-01

As use in national parks and related areas continues to rise and visitors and types of activities continue to diversify, we are challenged to balance use and preservation in parks, wilderness and related areas. Faced with these challenges, integrative approaches to defining, monitoring and managing ecological, social and managerial setting attributes is crucial. This...

Capacity Building: Reshaping Urban Community College Resources in Response to Emerging Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lassiter, Wright L., Jr.

2013-01-01

Urban community colleges face a myriad of convergent challenges, including the loss of state funding and local property tax support, increased demands for better performance and greater accountability, and record-high enrollment by the most underprepared students in higher education. Sometimes to make sense of it all, it helps to think of an onion.

Interactive Learning with Java Applets: Using Interactive, Web-Based Java Applets to Present Science in a Concrete, Meaningful Manner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corder, Greg

2005-01-01

Science teachers face challenges that affect the quality of instruction. Tight budgets, limited resources, school schedules, and other obstacles limit students' opportunities to experience science that is visual and interactive. Incorporating web-based Java applets into science instruction offers a practical solution to these challenges. The…

A Guide to the Management of Curriculum Materials Centers for the 21st Century: The Promise and the Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Jo Ann, Ed.

Curriculum Materials Centers (CMCs), resource centers that support teacher education programs, are facing many challenges, including maintaining funding, meeting increased expectations, and coping with changes in technology. This volume covers a wide range of management issues from the perspective of 18 librarians, including practical advice on…

The Lisbon Strategy Challenges to the Czech Republic Human Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaderabkova, Anna

2005-01-01

When achieving long-term sustainable growth, the key role is assigned to knowledge-based competitiveness. The new EU Member States therefore face a double challenge on the Lisbon road. On the one hand, higher expenditure is required to improve the quality of research and education input and infrastructure, and on the other, innovation system…

Closing the Gap: Supporting Patients’ Transition to Self-Management after Hospitalization

PubMed Central

Pollack, Ari H; Backonja, Uba; Miller, Andrew D.; Mishra, Sonali R.; Khelifi, Maher; Kendall, Logan; Pratt, Wanda

2016-01-01

Patients going home after a hospitalization face many challenges. This transition period exposes patients to unnecessary risks related to inadequate preparation prior to leaving the hospital, potentially leading to errors and patient harm. Although patients engaging in self-management have better health outcomes and increased self-efficacy, little is known about the processes in place to support and develop these skills for patients leaving the hospital. Through qualitative interviews and observations of 28 patients during and after their hospitalizations, we explore the challenges they face transitioning from hospital care to self-management. We identify three key elements in this process: knowledge, resources, and self-efficacy. We describe how both system and individual factors contribute to breakdowns leading to ineffective patient management. This work expands our understanding of the unique challenges faced by patients during this difficult transition and uncovers important design opportunities for supporting crucial yet unmet patient needs. PMID:27500285

Leveraging the national cyberinfrastructure for biomedical research.

PubMed

LeDuc, Richard; Vaughn, Matthew; Fonner, John M; Sullivan, Michael; Williams, James G; Blood, Philip D; Taylor, James; Barnett, William

2014-01-01

In the USA, the national cyberinfrastructure refers to a system of research supercomputer and other IT facilities and the high speed networks that connect them. These resources have been heavily leveraged by scientists in disciplines such as high energy physics, astronomy, and climatology, but until recently they have been little used by biomedical researchers. We suggest that many of the 'Big Data' challenges facing the medical informatics community can be efficiently handled using national-scale cyberinfrastructure. Resources such as the Extreme Science and Discovery Environment, the Open Science Grid, and Internet2 provide economical and proven infrastructures for Big Data challenges, but these resources can be difficult to approach. Specialized web portals, support centers, and virtual organizations can be constructed on these resources to meet defined computational challenges, specifically for genomics. We provide examples of how this has been done in basic biology as an illustration for the biomedical informatics community.

Leveraging the national cyberinfrastructure for biomedical research

PubMed Central

LeDuc, Richard; Vaughn, Matthew; Fonner, John M; Sullivan, Michael; Williams, James G; Blood, Philip D; Taylor, James; Barnett, William

2014-01-01

In the USA, the national cyberinfrastructure refers to a system of research supercomputer and other IT facilities and the high speed networks that connect them. These resources have been heavily leveraged by scientists in disciplines such as high energy physics, astronomy, and climatology, but until recently they have been little used by biomedical researchers. We suggest that many of the ‘Big Data’ challenges facing the medical informatics community can be efficiently handled using national-scale cyberinfrastructure. Resources such as the Extreme Science and Discovery Environment, the Open Science Grid, and Internet2 provide economical and proven infrastructures for Big Data challenges, but these resources can be difficult to approach. Specialized web portals, support centers, and virtual organizations can be constructed on these resources to meet defined computational challenges, specifically for genomics. We provide examples of how this has been done in basic biology as an illustration for the biomedical informatics community. PMID:23964072

Cross-scale phenological data integration to benefit resource management and monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richardson, Andrew D.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Morisette, Jeffrey T.

2017-01-01

Climate change is presenting new challenges for natural resource managers charged with maintaining sustainable ecosystems and landscapes. Phenology, a branch of science dealing with seasonal natural phenomena (bird migration or plant flowering in response to weather changes, for example), bridges the gap between the biosphere and the climate system. Phenological processes operate across scales that span orders of magnitude—from leaf to globe and from days to seasons—making phenology ideally suited to multiscale, multiplatform data integration and delivery of information at spatial and temporal scales suitable to inform resource management decisions.A workshop report: Workshop held June 2016 to investigate opportunities and challenges facing multi-scale, multi-platform integration of phenological data to support natural resource management decision-making.

Caring for children with colorectal disease in the context of limited resources.

PubMed

Poenaru, Dan; Borgstein, Eric; Numanoglu, Alp; Azzie, Georges

2010-05-01

The management of patients with colorectal disease in the pediatric population is challenging. Such management is all the more challenging when facing the constraints imposed by an environment with limited clinical resources. Three types of colorectal problems are highlighted in this article: anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung's disease, and acquired rectovaginal fistula in the human immunodeficiency virus-positive population. Through the use of illustrative cases, the authors discuss the pitfalls and challenges encountered in the diagnosis, treatment, and appropriate disposition of these patients. The bulk of the experience used to write this article was acquired in low- and middle-income countries in Africa. The authors hope that the lessons learned will help others manage such patients in the context of limited resources, but recognize that challenges will vary from place to place. There is no substitute for local, contextual expertise. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The How Project: understanding contextual challenges to global surgical care provision in low-resource settings.

PubMed

Raykar, Nakul P; Yorlets, Rachel R; Liu, Charles; Goldman, Roberta; Greenberg, Sarah L M; Kotagal, Meera; Farmer, Paul E; Meara, John G; Roy, Nobhojit; Gillies, Rowan D

2016-01-01

5 billion people around the world do not have access to safe, affordable, timely surgical care. This series of qualitative interviews was launched by The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) with the aim of understanding the contextual challenges-the specific circumstances-faced by surgical care providers in low-resource settings who care for impoverished patients, and how those providers overcome these challenges. From January 2014 to February 2015, 20 LCoGS collaborators conducted semistructured interviews with 148 surgical providers in low-resource settings in 21 countries. Stratified purposive sampling was used to include both rural and urban providers, and reputational case selection identified individuals. Interviewers were trained with an implementation manual. Following immersion into de-identified texts from completed interviews, topical coding and further analysis of coded texts was completed by an independent analyst with periodic validation from a second analyst. Providers described substantial financial, geographic and cultural barriers to patient access. Rural surgical teams reported a lack of a trained workforce and insufficient infrastructure, equipment, supplies and banked blood. Urban providers face overcrowding, exacerbated by minimal clinical and administrative support, and limited interhospital care coordination. Many providers across contexts identified national health policies that do not reflect the realities of resource-poor settings. Some findings were region-specific, such as weak patient-provider relationships and unreliable supply chains. In all settings, surgical teams have created workarounds to deliver care despite the challenges. While some differences exist between countries, the barriers to safe surgery and anaesthesia are overall consistent and resource-dependent. Efforts to advance and expand global surgery must address these commonalities, while local policymakers can tailor responses to key contextual differences.

Two Giants: China and India. Teacher's Guide to World Resources Comprehensive Coursework on the Global Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Sarah A.

This teacher's guide presents teaching suggestions and presentation materials about the challenges faced by China and India as they work to sustain their population and ways of life without exhausting the environmental resources each has. The materials may be used as a unit on either nation or integrated into existing units of study. Student…

Challenges Facing the Shift from the Conventional to Problem-Based Learning Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AlBuali, Waleed H.; Khan, Abdul Sattar

2018-01-01

Tremendous changes have taken place in medical curricula in the last two decades; these changes have arguably created some imbalances in the quality of medical graduates around the globe, which may be partly due to the number of resources often demanded by the design of the newer curricula. Therefore, resource-poor countries are often unable to…

Play as a Resource for Children Facing Adversity: An Exploration of Indicative Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fearn, Maggie; Howard, Justine

2012-01-01

In this paper, we suggest that the ability and opportunity to play affords children a natural resource to meet intellectual and emotional challenge. Analysis of case studies focusing on interventions with children caught in the bombing of Beirut, children abandoned to the state system in Romania, and the street children in Rio de Janeiro and Cali…

Nursing care of AIDS patients in Uganda.

PubMed

Fournier, Bonnie; Kipp, Walter; Mill, Judy; Walusimbi, Mariam

2007-07-01

This article reports the findings from a participatory action research study concerning the experience of Ugandan nurses caring for individuals with HIV illness. Six key informants from government and non-governmental organizations were interviewed using a semistructured format. Six nurses from a large national referral hospital in Kampala, Uganda, participated in 10 focus group meetings during a period of 11 months. In-depth interviews, focus groups, and photovoice were used to collect the data. Findings indicate that nurses faced many challenges in their daily care, including poverty, insufficient resources, fear of contagion, and lack of ongoing education. Nurses experienced moral distress due to the many challenges they faced during the care of their patients. Moral distress may lead nurses to quit their jobs, which would exacerbate the acute shortage of nurses in Uganda. This study provides important knowledge for guiding clinical practice and nursing education in resource-constrained countries like Uganda.

Challenges for fuel cells as stationary power resource in the evolving energy enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastler, Dan

The primary market challenges for fuel cells as stationary power resources in evolving energy markets are reviewed. Fuel cell power systems have significant barriers to overcome in their anticipated role as decentralized energy power systems. Market segments for fuel cells include combined heat and power; low-cost energy, premium power; peak shaving; and load management and grid support. Understanding the role and fit of fuel cell systems in evolving energy markets and the highest value applications are a major challenge for developers and government funding organizations. The most likely adopters of fuel cell systems and the challenges facing each adopter in the target market segment are reviewed. Adopters include generation companies, utility distribution companies, retail energy service providers and end-users. Key challenges include: overcoming technology risk; achieving retail competitiveness; understanding high value markets and end-user needs; distribution and service channels; regulatory policy issues; and the integration of these decentralized resources within the electrical distribution system.

Crossing Scales and Disciplines to Understand Challenges for Climate Change Adaptation and Water Resources Management in Chile and Californi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vicuna, S.; Melo, O.; Meza, F. J.; Medellin-Azuara, J.; Herman, J. D.; Sandoval Solis, S.

2017-12-01

California and Chile share similarities in terms of climate, ecosystems, topography and water use. In both regions, the hydro-climatologic system is characterized by a typical Mediterranean climate, rainy winters and dry summers, highly variable annual precipitation, and snowmelt-dependent water supply systems. Water use in both regions has also key similarities, with the highest share devoted to high-value irrigated crops, followed by urban water use and a significant hydropower-driven power supply system. Snowmelt-driven basins in semiarid regions are highly sensitive to climate change for two reasons, temperature effects on snowmelt timing and water resources scarcity in these regions subject to ever-increasing demands. Research in both regions also coincide in terms of the potential climate change impacts. Expected impacts on California and Chile water resources have been well-documented in terms of changes in water supply and water demand, though significant uncertainties remain. Both regions have recently experienced prolonged droughts, providing an opportunity to understand the future challenges and potential adaptive responses under climate change. This study connects researchers from Chile and California with the goal of understanding the problem of how to adapt to climate change impacts on water resources and agriculture at the various spatial and temporal scales. The project takes advantage of the complementary contexts between Chile and California in terms of similar climate and hydrologic conditions, water management institutions, patterns of water consumption and, importantly, a similar challenge facing recent drought scenarios to understand the challenges faced by a changing climate.

Complex challenges of maintaining whitebark pine in Greater Yellowstone under climate change: A call for innovative research, management, and policy approaches

Treesearch

Andrew Hansen; Kathryn Ireland; Kristin Legg; Robert Keane; Edward Barge; Martha Jenkins; Michiel Pillet

2016-01-01

Climate suitability is projected to decline for many subalpine species, raising questions about managing species under a deteriorating climate. Whitebark pine (WBP) (Pinus albicaulis) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) crystalizes the challenges that natural resource managers of many high mountain ecosystems will likely face in the coming decades. We...

Testing the Waters: Exploring the Teaching of Genres in a Cape Flats Primary School in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerfoot, Caroline; Van Heerden, Michelle

2015-01-01

Twenty years after democracy, the legacy of apartheid and hitherto unmet challenges of resourcing and teacher development are reflected in a severely inequitable and underperforming education system. This paper focuses on second language writing in the middle years of schooling when 80% of learners face a double challenge: to move from…

Middle School General Education Teachers Attitudes toward Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the General Education Classroom: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffery-Turner, Patricia

2017-01-01

The problem is that many general education teacher's face challenges with including students with ASD in general education classrooms due to the lack of training, resources, and support. These impotent outcomes have not been well document in the research-based literature. General education teacher's challenges of providing research based evidence…

Leading Change for the Implementation of Common Core State Standards in Rural School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Paul; Wise, Donald

2015-01-01

Rural school districts across the nation, with their limited resources, face daunting challenges posed by the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. This article presents a recent study of 13 rural school districts in the Central Valley of California and how these districts are responding to those challenges. A total of 352 teachers…

Standard Setting in a Small Scale OSCE: A Comparison of the Modified Borderline-Group Method and the Borderline Regression Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Timothy J.; Humphrey-Murto, Susan M.; Norman, Geoffrey R.

2006-01-01

When setting standards, administrators of small-scale OSCEs often face several challenges, including a lack of resources, a lack of available expertise in statistics, and difficulty in recruiting judges. The Modified Borderline-Group Method is a standard setting procedure that compensates for these challenges by using physician examiners and is…

The Perceived Value and Efficacy of Traditional Face-to-Face versus Hybrid Methods of Clinical Instruction among Physical Therapy Educators and Students in Doctoral Level Programs: A Qualitative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eddow, Christine

2017-01-01

Physical therapy is a branch of healthcare that has advanced from an ancillary support role to an autonomous doctoral level profession in only two decades. Enrollment in physical therapy programs is increasing while resources and program length remain limited, leaving academic leaders challenged to identify instructional methods to manage…

Water management: Current and future challenges and research directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cosgrove, William J.; Loucks, Daniel P.

2015-06-01

Water distinguishes our planet compared to all the others we know about. While the global supply of available freshwater is more than adequate to meet all current and foreseeable water demands, its spatial and temporal distributions are not. There are many regions where our freshwater resources are inadequate to meet domestic, economic development and environmental needs. In such regions, the lack of adequate clean water to meet human drinking water and sanitation needs is indeed a constraint on human health and productivity and hence on economic development as well as on the maintenance of a clean environment and healthy ecosystems. All of us involved in research must find ways to remove these constraints. We face multiple challenges in doing that, especially given a changing and uncertain future climate, and a rapidly growing population that is driving increased social and economic development, globalization, and urbanization. How best to meet these challenges requires research in all aspects of water management. Since 1965, the journal Water Resources Research has played an important role in reporting and disseminating current research related to managing the quantity and quality and cost of this resource. This paper identifies the issues facing water managers today and future research needed to better inform those who strive to create a more sustainable and desirable future.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Provision of Surgical Care in Vanuatu: A Mixed Methods Analysis.

PubMed

Young, S; Perry, W R G; Leodoro, B; Nosa, V; Bissett, I; Windsor, J A; Dare, A J

2016-08-01

The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu faces a number of challenges in delivering surgical care to its population. We aimed to understand and document the barriers, opportunities and required actions to improve surgical care in the country using a mixed methods analysis which incorporated the perspectives of local health stakeholders. A baseline quantitative assessment of surgical capacity in Vanuatu was carried out using the WHO situational analysis tool. Twenty semi-structured interviews were then conducted on the two main islands (Efate and Espiritu Santo) with surgeons, allied health staff, health managers, policy-makers and other key stakeholders, using a grounded theory qualitative case study methodology. Initial informants were identified by purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was reached. Interviews were open and axially coded with subsequent thematic analysis. Vanuatu faces deficits in surgical infrastructure, equipment and human resources, especially in the rural provinces. Geographic isolation, poverty and culture-including the use of traditional medicine and low health literacy-all act as barriers to patients accessing timely surgical care. Issues with governance, human resourcing and perioperative care were commonly identified by stakeholders as key challenges facing surgical services. Increasing outreach clinics, developing efficient referral systems, building provincial surgical capacity and undertaking locally led research were identified as key actions that can improve surgical care. Documenting locally identified challenges and opportunities for surgical care in Vanuatu is an important first step towards developing formal strategies for improving surgical services at the country level.

Enhancing watershed research capacity: the role of data management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water resources are under growing pressure globally, and in the face of projected climate change, changes in precipitation frequency and intensity; evapotranspiration, runoff, and snowmelt pose severe societal challenges. Interdisciplinary environmental research across natural and social sciences to...

Data management to enhance long-term watershed research capacity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water resources are under growing pressure globally, and in the face of projected climate change, uncertainty about precipitation frequency and intensity; evapotranspiration, runoff, and snowmelt poses severe societal challenges. Interdisciplinary environmental research across natural and social sc...

Getting educated: e-learning resources in the design and execution of surgical trials.

PubMed

Bains, Simrit

2009-01-01

An evidence-based approach to research, which includes important aspects such as critical appraisal, is essential for the effective conduct of clinical trials. Researchers who are interested in educating themselves about its principles in order to incorporate them into their trials face challenges when attempting to acquire this information from traditional learning sources. E-learning resources offer an intriguing possibility of overcoming the challenges posed by traditional learning, and show promise as a way to expand accessibility to quality education about evidence-based principles. An assessment of existing e-learning resources reveals positive educational avenues for researchers, although significant flaws exist. The Global EducatorTM by Global Research Solutions addresses many of these flaws and is an e-learning resource that combines convenience with comprehensiveness.

Pediatric Oncology Branch - Psychosocial Support and Research Program-Educational Materials | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Educational Resources The Pediatric Oncology Branch has produced a number of educational and therapeutic materials to help the children we serve learn about their condition and cope with the challenges they might face as a result of their illness. If you are interested in any of these resources, contact Lori Wiener, Ph.D., at wienerl@mail.nih.gov.

Managing recreation on mountain summits in the northern forest region of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont

Treesearch

Kelly Goonan; Robert Manning; Carena J. van Riper; Christopher Monz

2010-01-01

Land managers in the Northern Forest region of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont face the challenge of providing high-quality recreation opportunities and experiences while also protecting fragile summit resources. The goals of this study were to identify indicators and standards of quality for visitor experiences and summit resources for three mountains with...

Canute Rules the Waves?: Hope for E-Library Tools Facing the Challenge of the "Google Generation"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myhill, Martin

2007-01-01

Purpose: To consider the findings of a recent e-resources survey at the University of Exeter Library in the context of the dominance of web search engines in academia, balanced by the development of e-library tools such as the library OPAC, OpenURL resolvers, metasearch engines, LDAP and proxy servers, and electronic resource management modules.…

Insights from Parents about Caring for a Child with Birth Defects

PubMed Central

Lemacks, Jodi; Fowles, Kristin; Mateus, Amanda; Thomas, Kayte

2013-01-01

Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies. Having a child with a birth defect impacts the whole family. Parents of children who have birth defects face unique challenges and desire to make life better for their kids. They also want to help to prevent birth defects in the future. Some of the challenges parents face involve communication with healthcare professionals, quality of life issues, creating awareness and advocating for research and funding, finding resources and support, and helping teens transition to appropriate, specialized adult care. This paper addresses these issues and their sub-issues, provides examples, and makes suggestions for improvement and research. PMID:23965922

Challenges Facing 3-D Audio Display Design for Multimedia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

The challenges facing successful multimedia presentation depend largely on the expectations of the designer and end user for a given application. Perceptual limitations in distance, elevation and azimuth sound source simulation differ significantly between headphone and cross-talk cancellation loudspeaker listening and therefore must be considered. Simulation of an environmental context is desirable but the quality depends on processing resources and lack of interaction with the host acoustical environment. While techniques such as data reduction of head-related transfer functions have been used widely to improve simulation fidelity, another approach involves determining thresholds for environmental acoustic events. Psychoacoustic studies relevant to this approach are reviewed in consideration of multimedia applications

Information technology and behavioral medicine: impact on autism treatment & research.

PubMed

Oberleitner, Ron; Laxminarayan, Swamy

2004-01-01

Families, clinicians and researchers involved with varying neurological disorders face amazing challenges to understand, treat, and assist the people they are serving. Autism brings unique challenges and serves as an important model for the application of important concepts in information technology and telemedicine. The rising incidence of autism with limited professional resources has led to more consideration for using information technology and related specialties to link families and professionals, and to implement strategies which implement information technology to improve the outcomes for individuals with autism and their families. These are reviewed in context of the unique health, education, and the research issues facing those dealing with autism.

Implementation of genomics research in Africa: challenges and recommendations

PubMed Central

Adebamowo, Sally N.; Francis, Veronica; Tambo, Ernest; Diallo, Seybou H.; Landouré, Guida; Nembaware, Victoria; Dareng, Eileen; Muhamed, Babu; Odutola, Michael; Akeredolu, Teniola; Nerima, Barbara; Ozumba, Petronilla J.; Mbhele, Slee; Ghanash, Anita; Wachinou, Ablo P.; Ngomi, Nicholas

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: There is exponential growth in the interest and implementation of genomics research in Africa. This growth has been facilitated by the Human Hereditary and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative, which aims to promote a contemporary research approach to the study of genomics and environmental determinants of common diseases in African populations. Objective: The purpose of this article is to describe important challenges affecting genomics research implementation in Africa. Methods: The observations, challenges and recommendations presented in this article were obtained through discussions by African scientists at teleconferences and face-to-face meetings, seminars at consortium conferences and in-depth individual discussions. Results: Challenges affecting genomics research implementation in Africa, which are related to limited resources include ill-equipped facilities, poor accessibility to research centers, lack of expertise and an enabling environment for research activities in local hospitals. Challenges related to the research study include delayed funding, extensive procedures and interventions requiring multiple visits, delays setting up research teams and insufficient staff training, language barriers and an underappreciation of cultural norms. While many African countries are struggling to initiate genomics projects, others have set up genomics research facilities that meet international standards. Conclusions: The lessons learned in implementing successful genomics projects in Africa are recommended as strategies to overcome these challenges. These recommendations may guide the development and application of new research programs in low-resource settings. PMID:29336236

Implementation of genomics research in Africa: challenges and recommendations.

PubMed

Adebamowo, Sally N; Francis, Veronica; Tambo, Ernest; Diallo, Seybou H; Landouré, Guida; Nembaware, Victoria; Dareng, Eileen; Muhamed, Babu; Odutola, Michael; Akeredolu, Teniola; Nerima, Barbara; Ozumba, Petronilla J; Mbhele, Slee; Ghanash, Anita; Wachinou, Ablo P; Ngomi, Nicholas

2018-01-01

There is exponential growth in the interest and implementation of genomics research in Africa. This growth has been facilitated by the Human Hereditary and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative, which aims to promote a contemporary research approach to the study of genomics and environmental determinants of common diseases in African populations. The purpose of this article is to describe important challenges affecting genomics research implementation in Africa. The observations, challenges and recommendations presented in this article were obtained through discussions by African scientists at teleconferences and face-to-face meetings, seminars at consortium conferences and in-depth individual discussions. Challenges affecting genomics research implementation in Africa, which are related to limited resources include ill-equipped facilities, poor accessibility to research centers, lack of expertise and an enabling environment for research activities in local hospitals. Challenges related to the research study include delayed funding, extensive procedures and interventions requiring multiple visits, delays setting up research teams and insufficient staff training, language barriers and an underappreciation of cultural norms. While many African countries are struggling to initiate genomics projects, others have set up genomics research facilities that meet international standards. The lessons learned in implementing successful genomics projects in Africa are recommended as strategies to overcome these challenges. These recommendations may guide the development and application of new research programs in low-resource settings.

Using a Conflict Conceptual Framework to Describe Challenges to Coordinated Patient Care from the Physicians’ and Pharmacists’ Perspective

PubMed Central

Maxwell, Leigh; Odukoya, Olufunmilola K.; Stone, Jamie A.; Chui, Michelle A.

2014-01-01

Background In an effort to increase cost-effectiveness of health care and reduce overall costs, patient-centered medical homes have been proposed to spur fundamental changes in the way primary care is delivered. One of the chief principles that describe a patient-centered medical home is that care is organized across all elements of the broader health care system, including community pharmacies. Objectives To identify and describe challenges to a physician-pharmacist approach to coordinating patient care. Methods A descriptive, exploratory, non-experimental study was conducted in Wisconsin (U.S. State) from June–December, 2011. Data were collected through two rounds of face-to-face interviews with physicians and community pharmacists. The first round involved one-on-one interviews with pharmacists and physicians. The second round brought pharmacist-physician dyads together in an open-ended interview exploring issues raised in the first round. Content analysis was guided by a conflict management conceptual framework using NVivo 10 qualitative software. Results A total of four major themes emerged from the conflict analysis of interviews that illustrate challenges to coordinated patient care: Scarce resources, technology design and usability, insurance constraints, and laws and policy governing patient care. The study findings indicate that both groups of healthcare professionals work within an environment of conflict and have to negotiate the challenges and strains that exist in the current healthcare system. Their need to work together, or interdependence, is primarily challenged by scarce resources and external interference. Conclusions Bringing physicians and pharmacists together for a face-to-face interaction successfully stimulated conversation about opportunities in which each profession could help the other to provide optimal care for their patients. This interaction appeared to dispel assumptions and build trust. Results of this project may provide pharmacists with the confidence to reach out to their physician colleagues to improve efficiencies and overall patient care. PMID:24440119

HANDBOOK: RECYCLING AND REUSE OF MATERIAL FOUND ON SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

This document provides assistance in identifying potential recycling technologies for a wide variety of contaminants and matrices. Personnel at Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action sites face the challenge of selecting remedial options for...

HRD in Difficult Times. Symposium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2002

This document contains three papers on challenges facing human resource development today. "In Difficult Times: Influences of Attitudes and Expectations Towards Training and Redeployment Opportunities in a Hospital Retraction Programme" (Sandra Watson, Jeff Hyman) presents reasons behind the low uptake of training and redeployment…

Challenges in tackling tuberculosis on the Thai-Myanmar border: findings from a qualitative study with health professionals.

PubMed

Kaji, Aiko; Thi, Sein Sein; Smith, Terrence; Charunwatthana, Prakaykaew; Nosten, Francois H

2015-10-09

Myanmar and Thailand belong to the top 22 high burden countries for tuberculosis (TB). Health care organizations play an essential role in addressing TB control in the two bridging border jurisdictions, Tak province, Thailand and Myawaddy district, Kayin state, Myanmar. However, health professionals face difficulties in TB control effort due to the nature of fluid population movements, resource constraints and ambiguous mechanisms to implement collaboration along the border. The purpose of this study is to identify the challenges to TB control among Myanmar migrants faced by stakeholders, focusing on the area of collaboration and interaction along the border. The study conducted in-depth interviews with health policy makers and health care providers responsible for developing and implementing policies and TB programs in Tak province, Thailand and Myawaddy district, Kayin state, Myanmar. The participants included members of government organizations, United Nations agencies, community based organizations, and international NGO. One or two key stakeholders from each organization were approached to participate in the study. We gathered baseline information to identify TB policies and programs available on websites, brochures, and publications. Observations including field notes were made on site. The data transcriptions were coded for qualitative data analysis. Coding also developed categories that led to key themes. A total of 31 respondents (18 in Thailand and 13 in Myanmar) participated in the study. The main theme reported by participants was challenges in limited corroboration and coordination among stakeholders. Unstructured information sharing and lack of communication hindered the stakeholders from engaging in TB control. The respondents stressed that referral mechanisms across the border need to be strengthened. Other challenges were associated with increasing loss to follow up and subsequent MDR cases, constraints of service delivery, shortage of human resources, limited staff capacities within organizations and poor socioeconomic status of patients. Health professionals face many challenges in effectively addressing TB control. Addressing the insufficient coordination and collaboration by strengthening bi-national collaborative mechanisms among health care organizations is an essential step in reducing the burden of disease. Additional support and resources from governmental and non-governmental agencies will be required to address the challenges.

Challenges for data storage in medical imaging research.

PubMed

Langer, Steve G

2011-04-01

Researchers in medical imaging have multiple challenges for storing, indexing, maintaining viability, and sharing their data. Addressing all these concerns requires a constellation of tools, but not all of them need to be local to the site. In particular, the data storage challenges faced by researchers can begin to require professional information technology skills. With limited human resources and funds, the medical imaging researcher may be better served with an outsourcing strategy for some management aspects. This paper outlines an approach to manage the main objectives faced by medical imaging scientists whose work includes processing and data mining on non-standard file formats, and relating those files to the their DICOM standard descendents. The capacity of the approach scales as the researcher's need grows by leveraging the on-demand provisioning ability of cloud computing.

DOI Climate Science Centers--Regional science to address management priorities

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Malley, Robin

2012-01-01

Our Nation's lands, waters, and ecosystems and the living and cultural resources they contain face myriad challenges from invasive species, the effects of changing land and water use, habitat fragmentation and degradation, and other influences. These challenges are compounded by increasing influences from a changing climate—higher temperatures, increasing droughts, floods, and wildfires, and overall increasing variability in weather and climate. The Department of the Interior (DOI) has established eight regional Climate Science Centers (CSC) (fig. 1) that will provide scientific information and tools to natural and cultural resource managers as they plan for conserving these resources in a changing world. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) is managing the CSCs on behalf of the DOI.

Data management to enhance long-term watershed research capacity: context and STWEARDS case study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water resources are under growing pressure globally, and in the face of projected climate change, uncertainty about precipitation frequency and intensity; evapotranspiration, runoff, and snowmelt poses severe societal challenges. Interdisciplinary environmental research across natural and social sc...

Temporal and Dose-response Pathway Analysis for Predicting Chronic Chemical Toxicity

EPA Science Inventory

Current challenges facing chemical risk assessment are the time and resources required to meet the data standards necessary for a published assessment and the incorporation of modern biological information. The integration of toxicogenomics into the risk assessment paradigm may ...

Potential alternative fuel sources for agricultural crops and plant components

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The changing landscape of agricultural production is placing unprecedented demands on farmers as they face increasing global competition and greater natural resource conservation challenges. However, shrinking profit margins due to increasing input costs, particularly of fuel and fertilizer, can res...

Education and Telecommunications: Partners in Progress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchen, Will

America's rural communities are facing increasing challenges to the provision of equitable services and economic stability. Two major rural concerns are the lack of educational opportunities and resources and potentially inadequate telecommunications infrastructures for economic development. In order to attain economic and educational parity with…

Rehabilitation of cheatgrass-infested rangelands: applications and practices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The challenges that land owners and resource managers face when trying to attempt applications and practices when attempting to rehabilitate rangelands infested with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) are over-whelming. Simply purchasing seed and spreading it throughout the rangelands is doomed for failu...

Ecological and genetic systems underlying sustainable horticulture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agriculture in the 21st century will face unprecedented challenges due to rising energy costs, global climate change, and increasingly scarce production resources. It will become imperative for producers to adopt sustainable systems that rely on natural system processes and use inputs as efficientl...

A study of a museum-school partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojton, Mary Ann

Partnerships between museums and schools never have been more important than they are today. Schools, especially urban schools, are facing challenges, including low student achievement and difficulty obtaining funding. Partners can help schools overcome these challenges by sharing educational and financial resources. Nearly 11,000 American museums spend more than $1 billion annually to provide over 18 million instructional hours for k-12 educational programs such as professional development for teachers, guided field trips, and staff visits to schools. Museums would seem like natural partners for challenged urban schools. Yet museums and schools struggle to establish and maintain effective partnerships. This study examined a partnership between a science center and an urban elementary school to provide additional knowledge and resources for those in the field to overcome these challenges in order to create relationships that help students. Using qualitative methods with interpretive descriptive purposes (Erickson, 1986; Glesne, 1999; Lincoln & Guba, 2000), the research design is based on several methods of data collection, including face-to-face, semi-structured interviews; observations; written text; and field notes. Participants in this study included students, parents, teachers, school administrators and museum educators. In addition, adult representatives of community organizations were interviewed to determine the impact of the partnership on the community. The study found that an effective partnership will have four basic elements: mutual goals, communication plan, key leader support, planning and research, and four interpersonal elements: personal responsibility, honesty, communication at the intimate level, and trust. Partners may have difficulty developing these to their fullest extent due to time limitations. No partnership is perfect. By creating strong interpersonal relationships, partners can mitigate challenges caused by limited basic elements and increase the likelihood that their partnership will be effective.

Supporting research sites in resource-limited settings: Challenges in implementing IT infrastructure

PubMed Central

Whalen, Christopher; Donnell, Deborah; Tartakovsky, Michael

2014-01-01

As Information and Communication Technology infrastructure becomes more reliable, new methods of Electronic Data Capture (EDC), datamarts/Data warehouses, and mobile computing provide platforms for rapid coordination of international research projects and multisite studies. However, despite the increasing availability of internet connectivity and communication systems in remote regions of the world, there are still significant obstacles. Sites with poor infrastructure face serious challenges participating in modern clinical and basic research, particularly that relying on EDC and internet communication technologies. This report discusses our experiences in supporting research in resource-limited settings (RLS). We describe examples of the practical and ethical/regulatory challenges raised by use of these newer technologies for data collection in multisite clinical studies. PMID:24321986

Supporting research sites in resource-limited settings: challenges in implementing information technology infrastructure.

PubMed

Whalen, Christopher J; Donnell, Deborah; Tartakovsky, Michael

2014-01-01

As information and communication technology infrastructure becomes more reliable, new methods of electronic data capture, data marts/data warehouses, and mobile computing provide platforms for rapid coordination of international research projects and multisite studies. However, despite the increasing availability of Internet connectivity and communication systems in remote regions of the world, there are still significant obstacles. Sites with poor infrastructure face serious challenges participating in modern clinical and basic research, particularly that relying on electronic data capture and Internet communication technologies. This report discusses our experiences in supporting research in resource-limited settings. We describe examples of the practical and ethical/regulatory challenges raised by the use of these newer technologies for data collection in multisite clinical studies.

Reproductive health financing in Kenya: an analysis of national commitments, donor assistance, and the resources tracking process.

PubMed

Sidze, Estelle M; Pradhan, Jalandhar; Beekink, Erik; Maina, Thomas M; Maina, Beatrice W

2013-11-01

Understanding the flow of resources at the country level to reproductive health is essential for effective financing of this key component of health. This paper gives a comprehensive picture of the allocation of resources for reproductive health in Kenya and the challenges faced in the resource-tracking process. Data are drawn from Kenyan budget estimates, reproductive health accounts, and the Resource Flows Project database and compare budgets and spending in 2005-06 with 2009-10. Despite policies and programmes in place since 1994, services for family planning, maternity care and infant and child health face serious challenges. As regards health financing, the government spends less than the average in sub-Saharan Africa, while donor assistance and out-of-pocket expenditure for health are high. Donor assistance to Kenya has increased over the years, but the percentage of funds devoted to reproductive health is lower than it was in 2005. We recommend an increase in the budget and spending for reproductive health in order to achieve MDG targets on maternal mortality and universal access to reproductive health in Kenya. Safety nets for the poor are also needed to reduce the burden of spending by households. Lastly, we recommend the generation of more comprehensive reproductive health accounts on a regular basis. Copyright © 2013 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Schools of public health in low and middle-income countries: an imperative investment for improving the health of populations?

PubMed

Rabbani, Fauziah; Shipton, Leah; White, Franklin; Nuwayhid, Iman; London, Leslie; Ghaffar, Abdul; Ha, Bui Thi Thu; Tomson, Göran; Rimal, Rajiv; Islam, Anwar; Takian, Amirhossein; Wong, Samuel; Zaidi, Shehla; Khan, Kausar; Karmaliani, Rozina; Abbasi, Imran Naeem; Abbas, Farhat

2016-09-07

Public health has multicultural origins. By the close of the nineteenth century, Schools of Public Health (SPHs) began to emerge in western countries in response to major contemporary public health challenges. The Flexner Report (1910) emphasized the centrality of preventive medicine, sanitation, and public health measures in health professional education. The Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care (PHC) in 1978 was a critical milestone, especially for low and middle-income countries (LMICs), conceptualizing a close working relationship between PHC and public health measures. The Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2005-2008) strengthened the case for SPHs in LMICs as key stakeholders in efforts to reduce global health inequities. This scoping review groups text into public health challenges faced by LMICs and the role of SPHs in addressing these challenges. The challenges faced by LMICs include rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, unfair terms of global trade, limited capacity for equitable growth, mass displacements associated with conflicts and natural disasters, and universal health coverage. Poor governance and externally imposed donor policies and agendas, further strain the fragile health systems of LMICs faced with epidemiological transition. Moreover barriers to education and research imposed by limited resources, political and economic instability, and unbalanced partnerships additionally aggravate the crisis. To address these contextual challenges effectively, SPHs are offering broad based health professional education, conducting multidisciplinary population based research and fostering collaborative partnerships. SPHs are also looked upon as the key drivers to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). SPHs in LMICs can contribute to overcoming several public health challenges being faced by LMICs, including achieving SDGs. Most importantly they can develop cadres of competent and well-motivated public health professionals: educators, practitioners and researchers who ask questions that address fundamental health determinants, seek solutions as agents of change within their mandates, provide specific services and serve as advocates for multilevel partnerships. Funding support, human resources, and agency are unfortunately often limited or curtailed in LMICs, and this requires constructive collaboration between LMICs and counterpart institutions from high income countries.

Globalization, China's Drive for World-Class Universities (211 Project) and the Challenges of Ethnic Minority Higher Education: The Case of Yanbian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Sheena

2010-01-01

This case study of Yanbian University, a Korean minority university in China, examines the challenges faced, strategies employed, and resources mobilized by a minority university in its attempt to become a world-class university. Specifically, this case study focuses on how the University is attempting to reach its goals within the context of the…

Top 10 Ways To Improve Public Schools. Innovative Solutions To Help Address the Issues and Challenges Facing Most Public School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts, Austin.

This report offers the top 10 challenges identified by public schools and the ways that the Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) suggests that these issues be addressed. The TSPR ensures that scarce education resources are spent in the classroom. For a TSPR review, the TSPR team is invited in for months of detailed study, during which it asks…

Avoiding Road-Kill on the Information Highway.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Stephen

1994-01-01

Describes the available computer network resources and some of the relevant terms, practices, and notions that are quickly evolving with the growth of the so-called information superhighway. Covers the historical trends and considers future challenges to be faced in view of changing technologies. (HB)

General Education Teachers' Differentiated Instruction in Elementary Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deason, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Inclusion teachers at the elementary level face challenges in differentiating instruction for all students. Despite inclusion teachers' willingness to use differentiated instruction (DI), many teachers struggle implementing DI because of teachers' understanding of DI, insufficient time for planning, and insufficient training and resources. The…

BlueSky Cloud Framework: An E-Learning Framework Embracing Cloud Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Bo; Zheng, Qinghua; Qiao, Mu; Shu, Jian; Yang, Jie

Currently, E-Learning has grown into a widely accepted way of learning. With the huge growth of users, services, education contents and resources, E-Learning systems are facing challenges of optimizing resource allocations, dealing with dynamic concurrency demands, handling rapid storage growth requirements and cost controlling. In this paper, an E-Learning framework based on cloud computing is presented, namely BlueSky cloud framework. Particularly, the architecture and core components of BlueSky cloud framework are introduced. In BlueSky cloud framework, physical machines are virtualized, and allocated on demand for E-Learning systems. Moreover, BlueSky cloud framework combines with traditional middleware functions (such as load balancing and data caching) to serve for E-Learning systems as a general architecture. It delivers reliable, scalable and cost-efficient services to E-Learning systems, and E-Learning organizations can establish systems through these services in a simple way. BlueSky cloud framework solves the challenges faced by E-Learning, and improves the performance, availability and scalability of E-Learning systems.

The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM): A Home Care Case-Mix Model for Children Facing Special Health Care Challenges.

PubMed

Phillips, Charles D

2015-01-01

Case-mix classification and payment systems help assure that persons with similar needs receive similar amounts of care resources, which is a major equity concern for consumers, providers, and programs. Although health service programs for adults regularly use case-mix payment systems, programs providing health services to children and youth rarely use such models. This research utilized Medicaid home care expenditures and assessment data on 2,578 children receiving home care in one large state in the USA. Using classification and regression tree analyses, a case-mix model for long-term pediatric home care was developed. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM) grouped children and youth in the study sample into 24 groups, explaining 41% of the variance in annual home care expenditures. The P/ECM creates the possibility of a more equitable, and potentially more effective, allocation of home care resources among children and youth facing serious health care challenges.

The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM): A Home Care Case-Mix Model for Children Facing Special Health Care Challenges

PubMed Central

Phillips, Charles D.

2015-01-01

Case-mix classification and payment systems help assure that persons with similar needs receive similar amounts of care resources, which is a major equity concern for consumers, providers, and programs. Although health service programs for adults regularly use case-mix payment systems, programs providing health services to children and youth rarely use such models. This research utilized Medicaid home care expenditures and assessment data on 2,578 children receiving home care in one large state in the USA. Using classification and regression tree analyses, a case-mix model for long-term pediatric home care was developed. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM) grouped children and youth in the study sample into 24 groups, explaining 41% of the variance in annual home care expenditures. The P/ECM creates the possibility of a more equitable, and potentially more effective, allocation of home care resources among children and youth facing serious health care challenges. PMID:26740744

Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing Tomorrow's Challenges Along the U.S.-Mexico Border - Monitoring, Modeling, and Forecasting Change Within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary Watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norman, Laura M.; Hirsch, Derrick D.; Ward, A. Wesley

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS Competition for water resources, habitats, and urban areas in the Borderlands has become an international concern. In the United States, Department of Interior Bureaus, Native American Tribes, and other State and Federal partners rely on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide unbiased science and leadership in the Borderlands region. Consequently, the USGS hosted a workshop, ?Facing Tomorrow?s Challenges along the U.S.-Mexico Border,? on March 20?22, 2007, in Tucson, Ariz., focused specifically on monitoring, modeling, and forecasting change within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary Watersheds

Risk in the Clouds?: Security Issues Facing Government Use of Cloud Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyld, David C.

Cloud computing is poised to become one of the most important and fundamental shifts in how computing is consumed and used. Forecasts show that government will play a lead role in adopting cloud computing - for data storage, applications, and processing power, as IT executives seek to maximize their returns on limited procurement budgets in these challenging economic times. After an overview of the cloud computing concept, this article explores the security issues facing public sector use of cloud computing and looks to the risk and benefits of shifting to cloud-based models. It concludes with an analysis of the challenges that lie ahead for government use of cloud resources.

Optimizing Burn Treatment in Developing Low-and Middle-Income Countries with Limited Health Care Resources (Part 3)

PubMed Central

Atiyeh, B.; Masellis, A.; Conte, F.

2010-01-01

Summary The present review of the literature aims at analysing the challenges facing burn management in low- and middleincome countries and exploring probable modalities to optimize burn management in these countries. In Part I, epidemiology of burns injuries and the formidable challenges for proper management due to limited resources and inaccessibility to sophisticated skills and technologies in low- and middle income countries (LMICs) were presented. Part II discussed the actual state of burn injuries management in LMICs. In Part III of this review strategies for proper prevention and burn care in LMICs will be presented. PMID:21991190

The How Project: understanding contextual challenges to global surgical care provision in low-resource settings

PubMed Central

Raykar, Nakul P; Yorlets, Rachel R; Liu, Charles; Goldman, Roberta; Greenberg, Sarah L M; Kotagal, Meera; Farmer, Paul E; Meara, John G; Roy, Nobhojit; Gillies, Rowan D

2016-01-01

Introduction 5 billion people around the world do not have access to safe, affordable, timely surgical care. This series of qualitative interviews was launched by The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) with the aim of understanding the contextual challenges—the specific circumstances—faced by surgical care providers in low-resource settings who care for impoverished patients, and how those providers overcome these challenges. Methods From January 2014 to February 2015, 20 LCoGS collaborators conducted semistructured interviews with 148 surgical providers in low-resource settings in 21 countries. Stratified purposive sampling was used to include both rural and urban providers, and reputational case selection identified individuals. Interviewers were trained with an implementation manual. Following immersion into de-identified texts from completed interviews, topical coding and further analysis of coded texts was completed by an independent analyst with periodic validation from a second analyst. Results Providers described substantial financial, geographic and cultural barriers to patient access. Rural surgical teams reported a lack of a trained workforce and insufficient infrastructure, equipment, supplies and banked blood. Urban providers face overcrowding, exacerbated by minimal clinical and administrative support, and limited interhospital care coordination. Many providers across contexts identified national health policies that do not reflect the realities of resource-poor settings. Some findings were region-specific, such as weak patient–provider relationships and unreliable supply chains. In all settings, surgical teams have created workarounds to deliver care despite the challenges. Discussion While some differences exist between countries, the barriers to safe surgery and anaesthesia are overall consistent and resource-dependent. Efforts to advance and expand global surgery must address these commonalities, while local policymakers can tailor responses to key contextual differences. PMID:28588976

Comprehensive Study on Small and Low Cost Satellite Technology for Earth Observation with Case Study for Indonesia: Projection for 2002-2022

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djojodihardjo, Harijono

and economic progress, while facing global competitiveness locally as opportunities and challenges. Of particular importance is the utilization and development of earth observation capabilities for environmental natural resources imperatives to this end is quite significant. On one hand there may appear challenges to achieve unique and high quality requirements on many of the elements of social and economic progress, i.e. natural resources, human resources, market opportunities and geographical advantage; on the other hand one may face constraints in the financial system, cultural inertia and paradigm, and the need to carry forward large momentum that may pull back technological and economic progress that may be characterized by a "roller coaster" dynamics. Satellite Technology for Earth Observation, its Utilization and Development is carried out with Indonesian Development Interest in mind. Space System Services and Players are identified. Mission objectives associated with Urban and Rural Areas as well as Satellite-Based Multimedia Technology Applications For Promoting Rural Development will be identified. System design analysis and synthesis will be elaborated and some alternatives will be presented following a unified system outlook. Ground Segment and Space Segment Architecture will be elaborated by carrying out Architecture Optimization.

Earth BioGenome Project: Sequencing life for the future of life.

PubMed

Lewin, Harris A; Robinson, Gene E; Kress, W John; Baker, William J; Coddington, Jonathan; Crandall, Keith A; Durbin, Richard; Edwards, Scott V; Forest, Félix; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Goldstein, Melissa M; Grigoriev, Igor V; Hackett, Kevin J; Haussler, David; Jarvis, Erich D; Johnson, Warren E; Patrinos, Aristides; Richards, Stephen; Castilla-Rubio, Juan Carlos; van Sluys, Marie-Anne; Soltis, Pamela S; Xu, Xun; Yang, Huanming; Zhang, Guojie

2018-04-24

Increasing our understanding of Earth's biodiversity and responsibly stewarding its resources are among the most crucial scientific and social challenges of the new millennium. These challenges require fundamental new knowledge of the organization, evolution, functions, and interactions among millions of the planet's organisms. Herein, we present a perspective on the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), a moonshot for biology that aims to sequence, catalog, and characterize the genomes of all of Earth's eukaryotic biodiversity over a period of 10 years. The outcomes of the EBP will inform a broad range of major issues facing humanity, such as the impact of climate change on biodiversity, the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems, and the preservation and enhancement of ecosystem services. We describe hurdles that the project faces, including data-sharing policies that ensure a permanent, freely available resource for future scientific discovery while respecting access and benefit sharing guidelines of the Nagoya Protocol. We also describe scientific and organizational challenges in executing such an ambitious project, and the structure proposed to achieve the project's goals. The far-reaching potential benefits of creating an open digital repository of genomic information for life on Earth can be realized only by a coordinated international effort.

Preparing future fisheries professionals to make good decisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colvin, Michael E.; Peterson, James T.

2017-01-01

Future fisheries professionals will face decision-making challenges in an increasingly complex field of fisheries management. Though fisheries students are well trained in the use of the scientific method to understand the natural world, they are rarely exposed to structured decision making (SDM) as part of an undergraduate or graduate education. Specifically, SDM encourages users (e.g., students, managers) to think critically and communicate the problem and then identify specific, measurable objectives as they relate to the problem. Next, users must think critically and creatively about management alternatives that can be used to meet the objectives—there must be more than one alternative or there is no decision to be made. Lastly, the management alternatives are evaluated with regard to how likely they are to succeed in terms of multiple, possibly completing, objectives, such as how stakeholder groups value outcomes of management actions versus monetary cost. We believe that exposure to SDM and its elements is an important part of preparing future fisheries professional to meet the challenges they may face. These challenges include reduced budgets, the growth of potentially competing natural resource interest groups, and stakeholder desire to be involved in management decisions affecting public trust resources, just to name a few.

Summer programming in rural communities: unique challenges.

PubMed

Phillips, Ruthellen; Harper, Stacey; Gamble, Susan

2007-01-01

During the past several decades, child poverty rates have been higher in rural than in urban areas, and now 2.5 million children live in deep poverty in rural America. Studies indicate that poor children are most affected by the typical "summer slide." Summer programming has the ability to address the issues of academic loss, nutritional loss, and the lack of safe and constructive enrichment activities. However, poor rural communities face three major challenges in implementing summer programming: community resources, human capital, and accessibility. The success of Energy Express, a statewide award-winning six-week summer reading and nutrition program in West Virginia, documents strategies for overcoming the challenges faced by poor, rural communities in providing summer programs. Energy Express (1) uses community collaboration to augment resources and develop community ownership, (2) builds human capital and reverses the acknowledged brain drain by engaging college students and community volunteers in meaningful service, and (3) increases accessibility through creative transportation strategies. West Virginia University Extension Service, the outreach arm of the land-grant institution, partners with AmeriCorps, a national service program, and various state and local agencies and organizations to implement a program that produces robust results.

African American College Students, the Black Church, and Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avent Harris, Janeé R.; Wong, Christine D.

2018-01-01

African American undergraduate students face numerous challenges during college; however, they are less likely to seek help from college counseling services. Often, African Americans seek support from spiritual resources. In the current phenomenological study, participants shared in a focus group interview. Overall, participants seemed to value…

Building Human Resources for Rural Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, E. J.; And Others

The institutions and practices of agricultural extension in Australia are changing to meet the changing needs of rural people and communities. Issues and challenges facing rural people include the declining relative economic importance of agriculture; the declining agricultural workforce; and the shift in agriculture from a purely production…

Why Model Recreation Use?

Treesearch

David N. Cole; Kerri Cahill; Marilyn Hof

2005-01-01

As the demographics of public land recreational visitors change, planners and managers of public lands face the challenge of protecting resources while providing high quality visitor experiences. Because our political environment demands ever more reliance on scientific data and transparent decisionmaking, planners and managers need better tools to help them understand...

Sweating the Assets for Smarter IT Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Workman, Sue B.

2009-01-01

Higher education today is facing its own financial challenge. Conditions are grim nationwide. The fiscal climate exacerbates the pressure on colleges and universities to provide more resources and services--with less funding. For information technology (IT) professionals, the economic downturn presents an opportunity to stop, reprioritize, and…

The pebbles that started the tea and ohelo berry projects in Hawaii

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hawaii farmers face many challenges in production including high cost of operation, limitation of affordable land, infra-structure, energy and human resources. After World War II, success in agricultural research into new crops contributed to the economic development and stability in Hawaii. Some...

Innovation through Collaboration: New Pathways to Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forcier, Mary Frances

2011-01-01

The challenges facing American higher education today require transformative action. Amid a global economic crisis that has greatly diminished resources available to colleges and universities, the demands from legislators and the public to improve affordability, increase completion rates, and become more accountable grow more insistent each day.…

Fire and birds in maritime Pacific Northwest

Treesearch

Mark H. Huff; Nathaniel E. Seavy; John D. Alexander; C. John Ralph

2005-01-01

Resource managers face the challenge of understanding how numerous factors, including fire and fire suppression, influence habitat composition and animal communities. We summarize information on fire effects on major vegetation types and bird/fire relations within the maritime Pacific Northwest, and pose management related questions and research considerations....

Building Staff Capacity to Evaluate in Museum Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubarek, Joy

2015-01-01

For years, museums of all varieties, including art museums, science centers, history museums, zoos, and aquariums, have conducted education evaluation. However, museums are all too often faced with the challenge of allocating staff time, expertise, and other resources toward conducting evaluation, particularly evaluation that moves beyond program…

When health systems are barriers to health care: challenges faced by uninsured Mexican kidney patients.

PubMed

Kierans, Ciara; Padilla-Altamira, Cesar; Garcia-Garcia, Guillermo; Ibarra-Hernandez, Margarita; Mercado, Francisco J

2013-01-01

Chronic Kidney Disease disproportionately affects the poor in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Mexico exemplifies the difficulties faced in supporting Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) and providing equitable patient care, despite recent attempts at health reform. The objective of this study is to document the challenges faced by uninsured, poor Mexican families when attempting to access RRT. The article takes an ethnographic approach, using interviewing and observation to generate detailed accounts of the problems that accompany attempts to secure care. The study, based in the state of Jalisco, comprised interviews with patients, their caregivers, health and social care professionals, among others. Observations were carried out in both clinical and social settings. In the absence of organised health information and stable pathways to renal care, patients and their families work extraordinarily hard and at great expense to secure care in a mixed public-private healthcare system. As part of this work, they must navigate challenging health and social care environments, negotiate treatments and costs, resource and finance healthcare and manage a wide range of formal and informal health information. Examining commonalities across pathways to adequate healthcare reveals major failings in the Mexican system. These systemic problems serve to reproduce and deepen health inequalities. A system, in which the costs of renal care are disproportionately borne by those who can least afford them, faces major difficulties around the sustainability and resourcing of RRTs. Attempts to increase access to renal therapies, therefore, need to take into account the complex social and economic demands this places on those who need access most. This paper further shows that ethnographic studies of the concrete ways in which healthcare is accessed in practice provide important insights into the plight of CKD patients and so constitute an important source of evidence in that effort.

Klamath Basin: A Watershed Approach to Support Habitat Restoration, Species Recovery, and Water Resource Planning

USGS Publications Warehouse

VanderKooi, S.P.; Thorsteinson, L.

2007-01-01

Water allocation among human and natural resource uses in the American West is challenging. Western rivers have been largely managed for hydropower, irrigation, drinking water, and navigation. Today land and water use practices have gained importance, particularly as aging dams are faced with re-licensing requirements and provisions of the Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts. Rising demand for scarce water heightens the need for scientific research to predict consequences of management actions on habitats, human resource use, and fish and wildlife. Climate change, introduction of invasive species, or restoration of fish passage can have large, landscape-scaled consequences - research must expand to encompass the appropriate scale and by applying multiple scientific disciplines to complex ecosystem challenges improve the adaptive management framework for decision-making.

Care interrupted: Poverty, in-migration, and primary care in rural resource towns.

PubMed

Rice, Kathleen; Webster, Fiona

2017-10-01

Internationally, rural people have poorer health outcomes relative to their urban counterparts, and primary care providers face particular challenges in rural and remote regions. Drawing on ethnographic fieldnotes and 14 open-ended qualitative interviews with care providers and chronic pain patients in two remote resource communities in Northern Ontario, Canada, this article examines the challenges involved in providing and receiving primary care for complex chronic conditions in these communities. Both towns struggle with high unemployment in the aftermath of industry closure, and are characterized by an abundance of affordable housing. Many of the challenges that care providers face and that patients experience are well-documented in Canadian and international literature on rural and remote health, and health care in resource towns (e.g. lack of specialized care, difficulty with recruitment and retention of care providers, heavy workload for existing care providers). However, our study also documents the recent in-migration of low-income, largely working-age people with complex chronic conditions who are drawn to the region by the low cost of housing. We discuss the ways in which the needs of these in-migrants compound existing challenges to rural primary care provision. To our knowledge, our study is the first to document both this migration trend, and the implications of this for primary care. In the interest of patient health and care provider well-being, existing health and social services will likely need to be expanded to meet the needs of these in-migrants. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges to using a business case for addressing health disparities.

PubMed

Lurie, Nicole; Somers, Stephen A; Fremont, Allen; Angeles, January; Murphy, Erin K; Hamblin, Allison

2008-01-01

The authors consider the challenges to quantifying both the business case and the social case for addressing disparities, which is central to achieving equity in the U.S. health care system. They describe the practical and methodological challenges faced by health plans exploring the business and social cases for undertaking disparity-reducing interventions. Despite these challenges, sound business and quality improvement principles can guide health care organizations seeking to reduce disparities. Place-based interventions may help focus resources and engage health care and community partners who can share in the costs of-and gains from-such efforts.

Department of Education: Challenges in Promoting Access and Excellence in Education. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchette, Cornelia M.

This document contains the testimony given by Cornelia M. Blanchette, associate director of education and employment issues in the Health, Education, and Human Services Division of the U.S. Department of Education. The document discusses challenges that the Department of Education faces in carrying out its mission in a cost-efficient and effective…

Laboratory challenges in the scaling up of HIV, TB, and malaria programs: The interaction of health and laboratory systems, clinical research, and service delivery.

PubMed

Birx, Deborah; de Souza, Mark; Nkengasong, John N

2009-06-01

Strengthening national health laboratory systems in resource-poor countries is critical to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Despite strong commitment from the international community to fight major infectious diseases, weak laboratory infrastructure remains a huge rate-limiting step. Some major challenges facing laboratory systems in resource-poor settings include dilapidated infrastructure; lack of human capacity, laboratory policies, and strategic plans; and limited synergies between clinical and research laboratories. Together, these factors compromise the quality of test results and impact patient management. With increased funding, the target of laboratory strengthening efforts in resource-poor countries should be the integrating of laboratory services across major diseases to leverage resources with respect to physical infrastructure; types of assays; supply chain management of reagents and equipment; and maintenance of equipment.

Progress and challenges to the global waste management system.

PubMed

Singh, Jagdeep; Laurenti, Rafael; Sinha, Rajib; Frostell, Björn

2014-09-01

Rapid economic growth, urbanization and increasing population have caused (materially intensive) resource consumption to increase, and consequently the release of large amounts of waste to the environment. From a global perspective, current waste and resource management lacks a holistic approach covering the whole chain of product design, raw material extraction, production, consumption, recycling and waste management. In this article, progress and different sustainability challenges facing the global waste management system are presented and discussed. The study leads to the conclusion that the current, rather isolated efforts, in different systems for waste management, waste reduction and resource management are indeed not sufficient in a long term sustainability perspective. In the future, to manage resources and wastes sustainably, waste management requires a more systems-oriented approach that addresses the root causes for the problems. A specific issue to address is the development of improved feedback information (statistics) on how waste generation is linked to consumption. © The Author(s) 2014.

Reviewing the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006: What do we know about its challenges and potential impact on innovation?

PubMed

Bröring, Stefanie; Khedkar, Sukhada; Ciliberti, Stefano

2017-02-01

Health claims potentially represent an opportunity for firms to engage in product differentiation and thereby induce investment into R&D and innovation in the food sector. The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 (NHCR) aims at protecting and promoting innovation as one of its objectives. However, existing studies indicate that this regulation may create several challenges for innovation in the food sector. To this end, we review the challenges related to the NHCR (Article 13.1) and its impact on innovation. Extant literature suggests that companies face challenges related to changing list of ingredients, missing transparency, wording of claims, limited financial resources, limited R&D resources, switching product categories and abandoning the functional foods sector. Moreover, current studies imply that so far the NHCR (in specific Article 13.1) does not seem to encourage innovation in the EU food sector.

Outside track advances. Think smaller and rural hospitals are hopelessly behind in satisfying the meaningful-use criteria under ARRA-HITECH? Don't be so sure.

PubMed

Hagland, Mark

2010-04-01

Smaller and rural hospitals face particular challenges in terms of matching the needed financial and human resources to the task of achieving meaningful use. Nonetheless, some smaller and rural hospitals have made surprising progress towards meeting the 2011 meaningful use criteria. Data reporting requirements under meaningful use will be particularly challenging for this type of hospital; engaging clinicians, especially physicians, in coming together to meet the challenges early on, will be critical to success.

Strategies and Resources for Enhancing the Achievement of Mobile Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titus, Dale N.

2007-01-01

Because studies reveal a relationship between high student mobility and low academic achievement, school administrators are faced with the challenge of raising academic achievement in an era of increased student mobility. Wide variations in state requirements create additional difficulties for mobile students, who tend to be disadvantaged in other…

The Sociocultural Context of English Language Teaching in the Gulf.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Syed, Zafar

2003-01-01

Discusses the challenges faced by English-as-a-Foreign-Language teachers in the Arabian Gulf. Seeks to identify structural and contextual issues that have contributed to the present state of language education there. Focuses on four central contributing aspects; contextual framework, human resource development, systems and standards, and research…

Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes of a Yoga and Mindfulness Intervention for School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ancona, Matthew R.; Mendelson, Tamar

2014-01-01

Many public school teachers face formidable challenges, including overcrowded classrooms, limited administrative resources, and high numbers of students with behavioral and emotional problems. Mindfulness-based strategies are a potentially promising means of reducing teachers' stress and enhancing their ability to handle job demands effectively.…

Spiritual Experiences of Gay Men and Lesbians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barret, Robert; Barzan, Robert

1996-01-01

Provides an introductory background to the religious and spiritual experiences of gay men and lesbians. Offers an explication of the challenges facing gay persons, outlines a model to be used in counseling sessions, and gives a list of resources for further information. Argues that counselors frequently misunderstand the religious life of this…

Pharmacist Staffing, Technology Use, and Implementation of Medication Safety Practices in Rural Hospitals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casey, Michelle M.; Moscovice, Ira S.; Davidson, Gestur

2006-01-01

Context: Medication safety is clearly an important quality issue for rural hospitals. However, rural hospitals face special challenges implementing medication safety practices in terms of their staffing and financial and technical resources. Purpose: This study assessed the capacity of small rural hospitals to implement medication safety…

SMART GROWTH LAND USE PLANNING FOR A COMMUNITY AT THE RURAL URBAN INTERFACE UTILIZING STRUCTURED PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A. Simpson County, KY is facing suburban growth pressure like many communities across the country at the rural urban interface. This presents opportunities and challenges to maintain community identity, build economic diversity, protect environmental resources, and imp...

Case Study: Chicago. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seldon, Willa; Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges that require powerful solutions: a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy. In an era of limited resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant community-wide progress by…

Case Study: Philadelphia. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seldon, Willa; Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges that require powerful solutions: a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy. In an era of limited resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant community-wide progress by…

Case Study: Cincinnati, Covington, and Newport. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seldon, Willa; Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges that require powerful solutions: a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy. In an era of limited resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant community-wide progress by…

Case Study: Nashville. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seldon, Willa; Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges that require powerful solutions: a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy. In an era of limited resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant community-wide progress by…

Understanding Effective Program Improvement Schools through a Distributed Leadership Task Context Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gipson, Frances Marie

2012-01-01

Federal, state, and local agencies face challenges organizing resources that create the conditions necessary to create, sustain, and replicate effective high performing schools. Knowing that leadership does impact achievement outcomes and that school districts tackle growing numbers of sanctioned Program Improvement schools, a distributed…

Contemporary Research Discourse and Issues on Big Data in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Ben

2017-01-01

The increasing availability of digital data in higher education provides an extraordinary resource for researchers to undertake educational research, targeted at understanding challenges facing the sector. Big data can stimulate new ways to transform processes relating to learning and teaching, and helps identify useful data, sources of evidence…

Case Study: Parramore. Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seldon, Willa; Jolin, Michele; Schmitz, Paul

2012-01-01

Communities face powerful challenges that require powerful solutions: a high-school dropout epidemic, youth unemployment, teen pregnancy. In an era of limited resources, those solutions must help communities to achieve more with less. A new kind of community collaborative--an approach that aspires to significant community-wide progress by…

Future Directions: Conclusion and Sources for Further Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Patrice A.; Nichols, Scott G.

1980-01-01

The challenges and concerns facing annual fund directors in coming years and resources for further information are offered. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), which sponsors conferences and workshops and publishes materials related to annual giving, is cited as a good source for information. (MLW)

Poverty and Rural Schools. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Howard

2009-01-01

Impoverished populations and schools in rural areas face special challenges that are different from other settings. Among these are the distances from social services, the sparse availability of assistance programs, and the shortage of resources to support educational programs and student learning. Rural schools, do, however, have assets that can…

The Really Useful Elementary Science Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Jeffrey W.

2010-01-01

Amongst the challenges that elementary teachers may often face as they introduce their students to science is the need to maintain a solid understanding of the many scientific concepts and details themselves. This indispensible resource, intended for pre- and in-service elementary school teachers, provides concise and comprehensible explanation of…

A Review of Applicability and Effectiveness of Low Impact Development/Green Infrastructure Practices in Arid/Semi-Arid United States

EPA Science Inventory

Southwestern/Western United States is among the fastest growing urbanized area and faces multiple water resource challenges. Low Impact Development (LID) /Green Infrastructure (GI) practices are increasingly popular technologies for managing stormwater; however, LID is often not ...

Significance of Educational and Vocational Counselling in Low-Skilled People's Narratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minta, Joanna; Kargul, Józef

2016-01-01

In the contemporary world, many people find themselves confused and challenged by unpredictability of life paths, labour market instability and necessary revisions to vocational careers. They may be helped by professional support institutions. For some people, seeking professional help when facing a predicament is evidence of resourcefulness.…

Technology and Aging in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Office of Technology Assessment.

Rapid technological change in American society has been accompanied by accelerating growth of the population over 65. This report discusses the new challenges that will face the public and private sectors in both responding to the needs and making use of the resources of older Americans. The report discusses five chronic conditions that severely…

Revenue Forecasting to Integrate CCC Planning and Resource Allocation for Transformative Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovey, Ann

2012-01-01

In recent years the majority of California community colleges evaluated for re-accreditation received sanctions requiring documented improvement in the integration of college planning and budgeting processes. This study explores the challenges colleges face and the best practices utilized by successful colleges in implementing integrated…

Romanian Scholarly Productivity: Recent History and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ives, Bob; Badescu, Gabriel

2015-01-01

Romanian scholars, and others, have decried the quality and quantity of scholarly productivity from Romania. However, Romanian scholars face challenges of both tradition and resources as they try to westernize their higher education system. We analyzed data from two sources to compare Romanian scholarly productivity to that of other countries from…

Collection Development in Public Health: A Guide to Selection Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallis, Lisa C.

2004-01-01

Public health librarians face many challenges in collection development because the field is multidisciplinary, the collection's users have varied needs, and many of the essential resources are grey literature materials. Further, little has been published about public health selection tools. However, librarians responsible for these areas have a…

Understanding Evolution: An Evolution Website for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scotchmoor, Judy; Janulaw, Al

2005-01-01

While many states are facing challenges to the teaching of evolution in their science classrooms, the University of California Museum of Paleontology, working with the National Center for Science Education, has developed a useful web-based resource for science teachers of all grade- and experience-levels. Understanding Evolution (UE) was developed…

The Future Economic Challenges for the Liberal Arts College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPherson, Michael S.; Schapiro, Morton Owen

1999-01-01

Liberal arts colleges face a public skeptical about rising college costs, and pricing policies that seem unfairly "redistributive;" an education economy in which new information technologies are transforming how and why people need schooling; and a competitive environment that favors resource-wasting maneuvers to gain tactical advantage, rather…

Evaluation of Virtual Objects: Contributions for the Learning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieira, Eleonora Milano Falcão; de Moraes, Marialice; Rossato, Jaqueline

2016-01-01

The constant technological development in education, and the potentiality of the resources offered by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), are challenges faced by teaching institutions in Brazil, especially by those institutions, which by the very nature of their services intend to provide distance education courses. In such a scene,…

Keys to success for data-driven decision making: Lessons from participatory monitoring and collaborative adaptive management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent years have witnessed a call for evidence-based decisions in conservation and natural resource management, including data-driven decision-making. Adaptive management (AM) is one prevalent model for integrating scientific data into decision-making, yet AM has faced numerous challenges and limit...

Agnosis in the University Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whelan, Andrew

2016-01-01

One significant, tangible and interesting challenge for the privatised university is its impedance of particular forms of effective engagement and action in teaching and research, notably with respect to inequities in the broader social context, and the position of the university within that context. In the face of significant resource constraints…

Elementary Administrators' Mathematics Supervision and Self-Efficacy Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Kelly M. Gomez

2017-01-01

Mathematics curriculum reform is changing the content and resources in today's elementary classrooms as well as the culture of mathematics teaching and learning. Administrators face the challenge of leading large-scale curricular change efforts with limited prior knowledge or experiences with reform curricula structures. Administrators, as the…

COMPARISON OF NEUROSCREEN-1 AND CEREBELLAR GRANULE CELL CULTURES FOR EVALUATING NEURITE OUTGROWTH USING THE ARRAYSCAN HIGH CONTENT ANALYSIS SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

A major challenge facing the Environmental Protection Agency is the development of high-throughput screening assays amendable to resource-efficient developmental neurotoxicity for chemical screening and toxicity prioritization. One approach uses in vitro, cell-based assays which...

Crossing scales and disciplines to achieve forest sustainability

Treesearch

Michael J. Papaik; Brian Sturtevant; Christian Messier

2008-01-01

Forest land managers are faced with unprecedented global pressures to produce resources for human consumption (e.g., Liu and Diamond 2005), while still maintaining essential ecosystem services benefiting society at multiple spatial scales (Costanza et al. 1997). These global pressures alone present daunting challenges to sustainable forest management (SFM) worldwide (...

Trees in the small city retail business district: comparing resident and visitor perceptions

Treesearch

Kathleen L. Wolf

2005-01-01

Many small cities and towns are located near resource lands, and their central business districts serve both residents and visitors. Such quasi-rural retail centers face competitive challenges from regional shopping malls, online purchasing, and big box discount retailers. District merchants must strategically enhance their market...

Another Brick in the Wall? Increased Challenges Face the Physical Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadamus, James A.

2014-01-01

Presidents, trustees, and senior administrators at New England colleges and universities all feel the pressures: keep tuition down, be competitive academically, and make sure the physical campus draws talent from a shrinking pool of traditional high school graduates and new nontraditional students. Given resource limitations, something's got to…

OER "Produsage" as a Model to Support Language Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKinnon, Teresa; Pasfield-Neofitou, Sarah

2016-01-01

Language education faculty face myriad challenges in finding teaching resources that are suitable, of high quality, and allow for the modifications needed to meet the requirements of their course contexts and their learners. The article elaborates the grassroots model of "produsage" (a portmanteau of "production" and…

The Changing Roles Professional Development Program

Treesearch

A. Hermansen-Baez; N. Wulff

2010-01-01

As populations and urbanization expand in the Southern United States, human influences on forests and other natural areas are increasing. As a result, natural resource professionals are faced with complex challenges, such as managing smaller forest parcels for multiple benefits, and wildfire prevention and management in the wildland-urban interface (areas where urban...

Building Evidence for Music Education Advocacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shorner-Johnson, Kevin

2013-01-01

The economic challenges facing public schools and music education are immense. In this context, music teachers and supporters will need to engage in persuasive advocacy to protect resource allocations to music programs. It is worthwhile to consider the model of music education advocacy that allowed music to be adopted into the Boston Public…

The Virtual Professor: A New Model in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valentine, Randall; Bennett, Robert

2013-01-01

Traditional colleges and universities face a unique challenge of increasing the scope of educational operations to accommodate the growing demand for online education. While online enrollments in higher education have grown at a rapid pace, faculty resources have remained stagnant at many institutions due to budget constraints and a sluggish…

Challenges Facing Adoption of Information Communication Technology in African Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murgor, Titus Kiptoo

2015-01-01

A significant number of the universities and higher educational institutions have adopted the latest technology and implemented it productively, for the development of skilled human resource in respective area of specialization, as part of their responsibility. Information and communication Technology (ICT) has grown tremendously around the globe…

Strategy of Career Interventions for Battered Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Joshua C.

2011-01-01

Female victims of domestic violence--also referred to as "battered women"--face serious career development challenges that necessitate the intervention and aid of human resource development (HRD) practice.The purpose of this article is to identify critical factors having an impact on the career development (CD) of battered women and to offer…

E-hancing the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Managerial Accounting Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zabriskie, Fern H.; McNabb, David E.

2007-01-01

Professional education, including managerial accounting education, at independent colleges and universities faces two challenges: (a) meeting shifting demand with static or declining resources and (b) ensuring that graduates gain the technological knowledge and skills that they need to succeed in their future careers. For many schools, the…

Current Technology Trends and Issues among Health and Physical Education Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krause, Jennifer M.; Franks, Hillary; Lynch, Brandy

2017-01-01

Health and physical education professionals who implement technology appropriately can contribute to helping students become physically educated individuals (NASPE, 2009). It is imperative that professionals be knowledgeable and resourceful in how to integrate technology effectively, but it is unclear what current challenges professionals face in…

Brand: Identity, Image, and Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danker, Stephanie Harvey

2014-01-01

Adolescents face complex dilemmas such as challenging issues of identity and self-concept, and struggles with building and maintaining relationships. These issues must be embraced in the art classroom. This Instructional Resource will focus on the concept of brand--connecting visual art, marketing, and psychology--and center on ideas found in the…

Conservation of resources theory and research use in health systems.

PubMed

Alvaro, Celeste; Lyons, Renée F; Warner, Grace; Hobfoll, Stevan E; Martens, Patricia J; Labonté, Ronald; Brown, Richard E

2010-10-20

Health systems face challenges in using research evidence to improve policy and practice. These challenges are particularly evident in small and poorly resourced health systems, which are often in locations (in Canada and globally) with poorer health status. Although organizational resources have been acknowledged as important in understanding research use resource theories have not been a focus of knowledge translation (KT) research. What resources, broadly defined, are required for KT and how does their presence or absence influence research use?In this paper, we consider conservation of resources (COR) theory as a theoretical basis for understanding the capacity to use research evidence in health systems. Three components of COR theory are examined in the context of KT. First, resources are required for research uptake. Second, threat of resource loss fosters resistance to research use. Third, resources can be optimized, even in resource-challenged environments, to build capacity for KT. A scan of the KT literature examined organizational resources needed for research use. A multiple case study approach examined the three components of COR theory outlined above. The multiple case study consisted of a document review and key informant interviews with research team members, including government decision-makers and health practitioners through a retrospective analysis of four previously conducted applied health research studies in a resource-challenged region. The literature scan identified organizational resources that influence research use. The multiple case study supported these findings, contributed to the development of a taxonomy of organizational resources, and revealed how fears concerning resource loss can affect research use. Some resources were found to compensate for other resource deficits. Resource needs differed at various stages in the research use process. COR theory contributes to understanding the role of resources in research use, resistance to research use, and potential strategies to enhance research use. Resources (and a lack of them) may account for the observed disparities in research uptake across health systems. This paper offers a theoretical foundation to guide further examination of the COR-KT ideas and necessary supports for research use in resource-challenged environments.

Conservation of resources theory and research use in health systems

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Health systems face challenges in using research evidence to improve policy and practice. These challenges are particularly evident in small and poorly resourced health systems, which are often in locations (in Canada and globally) with poorer health status. Although organizational resources have been acknowledged as important in understanding research use resource theories have not been a focus of knowledge translation (KT) research. What resources, broadly defined, are required for KT and how does their presence or absence influence research use? In this paper, we consider conservation of resources (COR) theory as a theoretical basis for understanding the capacity to use research evidence in health systems. Three components of COR theory are examined in the context of KT. First, resources are required for research uptake. Second, threat of resource loss fosters resistance to research use. Third, resources can be optimized, even in resource-challenged environments, to build capacity for KT. Methods A scan of the KT literature examined organizational resources needed for research use. A multiple case study approach examined the three components of COR theory outlined above. The multiple case study consisted of a document review and key informant interviews with research team members, including government decision-makers and health practitioners through a retrospective analysis of four previously conducted applied health research studies in a resource-challenged region. Results The literature scan identified organizational resources that influence research use. The multiple case study supported these findings, contributed to the development of a taxonomy of organizational resources, and revealed how fears concerning resource loss can affect research use. Some resources were found to compensate for other resource deficits. Resource needs differed at various stages in the research use process. Conclusions COR theory contributes to understanding the role of resources in research use, resistance to research use, and potential strategies to enhance research use. Resources (and a lack of them) may account for the observed disparities in research uptake across health systems. This paper offers a theoretical foundation to guide further examination of the COR-KT ideas and necessary supports for research use in resource-challenged environments. PMID:20961445

Energy, ecology and the distribution of microbial life.

PubMed

Macalady, Jennifer L; Hamilton, Trinity L; Grettenberger, Christen L; Jones, Daniel S; Tsao, Leah E; Burgos, William D

2013-07-19

Mechanisms that govern the coexistence of multiple biological species have been studied intensively by ecologists since the turn of the nineteenth century. Microbial ecologists in the meantime have faced many fundamental challenges, such as the lack of an ecologically coherent species definition, lack of adequate methods for evaluating population sizes and community composition in nature, and enormous taxonomic and functional diversity. The accessibility of powerful, culture-independent molecular microbiology methods offers an opportunity to close the gap between microbial science and the main stream of ecological theory, with the promise of new insights and tools needed to meet the grand challenges humans face as planetary engineers and galactic explorers. We focus specifically on resources related to energy metabolism because of their direct links to elemental cycling in the Earth's history, engineering applications and astrobiology. To what extent does the availability of energy resources structure microbial communities in nature? Our recent work on sulfur- and iron-oxidizing autotrophs suggests that apparently subtle variations in the concentration ratios of external electron donors and acceptors select for different microbial populations. We show that quantitative knowledge of microbial energy niches (population-specific patterns of energy resource use) can be used to predict variations in the abundance of specific taxa in microbial communities. Furthermore, we propose that resource ratio theory applied to micro-organisms will provide a useful framework for identifying how environmental communities are organized in space and time.

Energy, ecology and the distribution of microbial life

PubMed Central

Macalady, Jennifer L.; Hamilton, Trinity L.; Grettenberger, Christen L.; Jones, Daniel S.; Tsao, Leah E.; Burgos, William D.

2013-01-01

Mechanisms that govern the coexistence of multiple biological species have been studied intensively by ecologists since the turn of the nineteenth century. Microbial ecologists in the meantime have faced many fundamental challenges, such as the lack of an ecologically coherent species definition, lack of adequate methods for evaluating population sizes and community composition in nature, and enormous taxonomic and functional diversity. The accessibility of powerful, culture-independent molecular microbiology methods offers an opportunity to close the gap between microbial science and the main stream of ecological theory, with the promise of new insights and tools needed to meet the grand challenges humans face as planetary engineers and galactic explorers. We focus specifically on resources related to energy metabolism because of their direct links to elemental cycling in the Earth's history, engineering applications and astrobiology. To what extent does the availability of energy resources structure microbial communities in nature? Our recent work on sulfur- and iron-oxidizing autotrophs suggests that apparently subtle variations in the concentration ratios of external electron donors and acceptors select for different microbial populations. We show that quantitative knowledge of microbial energy niches (population-specific patterns of energy resource use) can be used to predict variations in the abundance of specific taxa in microbial communities. Furthermore, we propose that resource ratio theory applied to micro-organisms will provide a useful framework for identifying how environmental communities are organized in space and time. PMID:23754819

FY 2002 Report on Software Visualization Techniques for IV and V

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fotta, Michael E.

2002-01-01

One of the major challenges software engineers often face in performing IV&V is developing an understanding of a system created by a development team they have not been part of. As budgets shrink and software increases in complexity, this challenge will become even greater as these software engineers face increased time and resource constraints. This research will determine which current aspects of providing this understanding (e.g., code inspections, use of control graphs, use of adjacency matrices, requirements traceability) are critical to the performing IV&V and amenable to visualization techniques. We will then develop state-of-the-art software visualization techniques to facilitate the use of these aspects to understand software and perform IV&V.

Mainstreaming Climate Change: Recent and Ongoing Efforts to Understand, Improve, and Expand Consideration of Climate Change in Federal Water Resources Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, I. M.; McGuire, M.; Broman, D.; Gangopadhyay, S.

2017-12-01

The Bureau of Reclamation is a Federal agency tasked with developing and managing water supply and hydropower projects in the Western U.S. Climate and hydrologic variability and change significantly impact management actions and outcomes across Reclamation's programs and initiatives, including water resource planning and operations, infrastructure design and maintenance, hydropower generation, and ecosystem restoration, among others. Planning, design, and implementation of these programs therefore requires consideration of future climate and hydrologic conditions will impact program objectives. Over the past decade, Reclamation and other Federal agencies have adopted new guidelines, directives, and mandates that require consideration of climate change in water resources planning and decision making. Meanwhile, the scientific community has developed a large number of climate projections, along with an array of models, methods, and tools to facilitate consideration of climate projections in planning and decision making. However, water resources engineers, planners, and decision makers continue to face challenges regarding how best to use the available data and tools to support major decisions, including decisions regarding infrastructure investments and long-term operating criteria. This presentation will discuss recent and ongoing research towards understanding, improving, and expanding consideration of climate projections and related uncertainties in Federal water resources planning and decision making. These research efforts address a variety of challenges, including: How to choose between available climate projection datasets and related methods, models, and tools—many of which are considered experimental or research tools? How to select an appropriate decision framework when design or operating alternatives may differ between climate scenarios? How to effectively communicate results of a climate impacts analysis to decision makers? And, how to improve robustness and resilience of water resources systems in the face of significant uncertainty? Discussion will focus on the intersection between technical challenges and decision making paradigms and the need for improved scientist-decision maker engagement through the lens of this Federal water management agency.

Opportunities and challenges of cloud computing to improve health care services.

PubMed

Kuo, Alex Mu-Hsing

2011-09-21

Cloud computing is a new way of delivering computing resources and services. Many managers and experts believe that it can improve health care services, benefit health care research, and change the face of health information technology. However, as with any innovation, cloud computing should be rigorously evaluated before its widespread adoption. This paper discusses the concept and its current place in health care, and uses 4 aspects (management, technology, security, and legal) to evaluate the opportunities and challenges of this computing model. Strategic planning that could be used by a health organization to determine its direction, strategy, and resource allocation when it has decided to migrate from traditional to cloud-based health services is also discussed.

[Primary health care: challenges for implementation in Latin America].

PubMed

Giraldo Osorio, Alexandra; Vélez Álvarez, Consuelo

2013-01-01

A development process, marked by the re-appearance of the primary health care as the core of health systems, has emerged in Latin America. Governments have made a commitment to renew this strategy as the basis of their health systems. However, these health systems are mainly faced with re-introducing equity values, and there are common challenges such as providing the health systems with trained human resources in sufficient numbers, overcoming the fragmentation/segmentation of the systems, ensuring financial sustainability, improving governance, quality of care and information systems, expanding coverage, preparing to face the consequences of an aging population, the changing epidemiological profile, and increase in the response capacity of the public health system. This article is intended to provide a comprehensive view of the progress and challenges of the inclusion of primary care health systems in Latin American countries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Challenges to the New Republic: Prelude to the War of 1812. Public Policy Debate in the Classroom. Choices for the 21st Century Education Project. [Student Guidebook and] Teacher's Resource Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kampmeier, Scott

This 4-day curriculum unit explores U.S. foreign policy between 1787 and 1812. During this time the United States faced a series of foreign policy challenges that threatened its survival as an independent, constitutional republic. Between 1793 and 1815, a nearly continuous series of wars pitting the French against the British engulfed the European…

Sustainable Development and Energy Geotechnology Potential Roles for Geotechnical Engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

FragaszyProgram Dire, Dr. R. J.; Santamarina, Carlos; Espinoza, N.

2011-01-01

The world is facing unprecedented challenges related to energy resources, global climate change, material use, and waste generation. Failure to address these challenges will inhibit the growth of the developing world and will negatively impact the standard of living and security of future generations in all nations. The solutions to these challenges will require multidisciplinary research across the social and physical sciences and engineering. Although perhaps not always recognized, geotechnical engineering expertise is critical to the solution of many energy and sustainability-related problems. Hence, geotechnical engineers and academicians have opportunity and responsibility to contribute to the solution of these worldwidemore » problems. Research will need to be extended to non-standard issues such as thermal properties of soils; sediment and rock response to extreme conditions and at very long time scales; coupled hydro-chemo-thermo-bio-mechanical processes; positive feedback systems; the development of discontinuities; biological modification of soil properties; spatial variability; and emergent phenomena. Clearly, the challenges facing geotechnical engineering in the future will require a much broader knowledge base than our traditional educational programs provide. The geotechnical engineering curricula, from undergraduate education through continuing professional education, must address the changing needs of a profession that will increasingly be engaged in alternative/renewable energy production; energy efficiency; sustainable design, enhanced and more efficient use of natural resources, waste management, and underground utilization.« less

Health care in China: improvement, challenges, and reform.

PubMed

Wang, Chen; Rao, Keqin; Wu, Sinan; Liu, Qian

2013-02-01

Over the past 2 decades, significant progress has been made in improving the health-care system and people's health conditions in China. Following rapid economic growth and social development, China's health-care system is facing new challenges, such as increased health-care demands and expenditure, inefficient use of health-care resources, unsatisfying implementation of disease management guidelines, and inadequate health-care insurance. Facing these challenges, the Chinese government carried out a national health-care reform in 2009. A series of policies were developed and implemented to improve the health-care insurance system, the medical care system, the public health service system, the pharmaceutical supply system, and the health-care institution management system in China. Although these measures have shown promising results, further efforts are needed to achieve the ultimate goal of providing affordable and high-quality care for both urban and rural residents in China. This article not only covers the improvement, challenges, and reform of health care in general in China, but also highlights the status of respiratory medicine-related issues.

Ethics issues for HIV/AIDS researchers in international settings - perspectives from the Canadian experience.

PubMed

Gahagan, Jacqueline; Sweeney, Ellen; Worthington, Catherine; Perry, Darryl; Satzinger, Franziska; Rogers, Erin

2008-11-01

In recognition of the level of international HIV/AIDS research being conducted by Canadians, the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), along with its partners, has developed a resource document to assist researchers in identifying and preparing for the unique ethics issues and challenges that may arise during international HIV/AIDS research. Between 2004 and 2007, face-to-face consultations were undertaken with community and government stakeholders, and interviews were conducted with eight prominent HIV/AIDS researchers with international experience to identify key research ethics challenges and structural, cultural, political, social, and economic factors that may impact HIV/AIDS research ethics in resource-limited settings. These challenges and factors served as the basis for the hypothetical ethics issues case scenarios developed for each of the four research tracks. Ethics issues were identified at every stage of the research process. Key contextual issues included: (1) stigma and culturally-embedded conceptualizations of HIV; (2) local and global politics and economics; (3) gender inequities, power dynamics, and sexual roles; and (4) allocation and availability of resources for research and health services. The final document resulting from the consultation process provides a framework for open dialogue on the complex and interconnected ethics issues researchers may experience in the field of international HIV/AIDS research, and contributes to the HIV/AIDS research field by reinforcing the need for high quality and ethically sound research. This document can be found at http://ethics.cahr-acrv.ca/.

Developing and sustaining human resources in the health supply chain in Ethiopia: barriers and enablers.

PubMed

Kälvemark Sporrong, Sofia; Traulsen, Janine M; Damene Kabtimer, Woynabeba; Mekasha Habtegiorgis, Bitsatab; Teshome Gebregeorgise, Dawit; Essah, Nana Am; Khan, Sara A; Brown, Andrew N

2016-01-01

The health supply chain is often the weakest link in achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals and universal health coverage, requiring trained professionals who are often unavailable. In Ethiopia there have been recent developments in the area of health supply chain management. The aim of this study was to explore the current status of the development of human resources in health supply chain management in Ethiopia and to identify important factors affecting this development. A series of face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders was carried out in 2014. The interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview guide comprised 51 questions. A qualitative analysis of transcripts was made. A total of 25 interviews were conducted. Three themes were identified: General changes: recognition, commitment and resources, Education and training, and Barriers and enablers. Results confirm the development of human resources in health supply chain management in many areas. However, several problems were identified including lack of coordination, partly due to the large number of stakeholders; reported high staff mobility; and a lack of overall strategy regarding the job/career structures necessary for maintaining human resources. Rural areas have a particular set of problems, including in transportation of goods and personnel, attracting and keeping personnel, and in communication and access to information. Ethiopia is on the way to developing a nationwide viable system for health supply chain management. However, there are still challenges. Short-term challenges include the importance of highlighting strategies and programs for human resources in health supply chain management. In the long term, commitments to financial support must be obtained. A strategy is needed for the further development and sustainability of human resources in the health supply chain in Ethiopia.

The production of audiovisual teaching tools in minimally invasive surgery.

PubMed

Tolerton, Sarah K; Hugh, Thomas J; Cosman, Peter H

2012-01-01

Audiovisual learning resources have become valuable adjuncts to formal teaching in surgical training. This report discusses the process and challenges of preparing an audiovisual teaching tool for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The relative value in surgical education and training, for both the creator and viewer are addressed. This audiovisual teaching resource was prepared as part of the Master of Surgery program at the University of Sydney, Australia. The different methods of video production used to create operative teaching tools are discussed. Collating and editing material for an audiovisual teaching resource can be a time-consuming and technically challenging process. However, quality learning resources can now be produced even with limited prior video editing experience. With minimal cost and suitable guidance to ensure clinically relevant content, most surgeons should be able to produce short, high-quality education videos of both open and minimally invasive surgery. Despite the challenges faced during production of audiovisual teaching tools, these resources are now relatively easy to produce using readily available software. These resources are particularly attractive to surgical trainees when real time operative footage is used. They serve as valuable adjuncts to formal teaching, particularly in the setting of minimally invasive surgery. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

More ethical and more efficient clinical research: multiplex trial design.

PubMed

Keus, Frederik; van der Horst, Iwan C C; Nijsten, Maarten W

2014-08-14

Today's clinical research faces challenges such as a lack of clinical equipoise between treatment arms, reluctance in randomizing for multiple treatments simultaneously, inability to address interactions and increasingly restricted resources. Furthermore, many trials are biased by extensive exclusion criteria, relatively small sample size and less appropriate outcome measures. We propose a 'Multiplex' trial design that preserves clinical equipoise with a continuous and factorial trial design that will also result in more efficient use of resources. This multiplex design accommodates subtrials with appropriate choice of treatment arms within each subtrial. Clinical equipoise should increase consent rates while the factorial design is the best way to identify interactions. The multiplex design may evolve naturally from today's research limitations and challenges, while principal objections seem absent. However this new design poses important infrastructural, organisational and psychological challenges that need in depth consideration.

"It's a small price to pay for life": faecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening for colorectal cancer, perceived barriers and facilitators.

PubMed

Reeder, Anthony I

2011-03-25

To clarify perceptions influencing FOBT screening participation among the NZ European target population. Participants (30 female, 20 male; 50-71 years) recruited through urban (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) GP surgeries for in-depth, face-to-face interviews (digitally recorded and professionally transcribed verbatim). A pragmatic approach focused on aggregating transcript content. Participants believed early CRC lacked distinguishing signs and symptoms, but was treatable and suitable for screening, although slow development may undermine any sense of urgency. FOBT inaccuracies caused concern, particularly false negatives, but ongoing testing could reduce anxiety. Specimen collection was awkward, challenged social norms and individual squeamishness, but provided peace of mind, was painless, simple and private without high cost technological or professional involvement. Lacking preventive attitudes and experience of health responsibilities and screening, men were less likely to participate than women. CRC lacked public profile, highlighting government responsibility, before programme implementation, to resource high-profile education, largely through TV. General practitioner support and promotion was seen as critical. Inadequate health system capacity and resourcing was problematic. Despite challenging barriers, participants identified opportunities to increase FOBT screening participation, especially promotion to raise CRC profile, overcome perceived normative barriers and build self-efficacy. Adequate resourcing is essential to support appropriate promotion and timely programme delivery.

Higher Education in Ontario: The Face of Leadership. Annual Review, 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

This annual report reviews leadership and service activities provided by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) to its 20 member institutions. Messages from the COU's Chairman and President comment on the challenges presented by Ontario's Social Contract Act and by the Resource Allocation Review conducted by the Ontario Council on University…

Libraries in the Global, National, and Local Networked Information Infrastructure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Charles R.

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities facing libraries as they evolve into the electronic networked environment, and looks at options for libraries in the year 2000 and beyond. The internationally networked environment has fundamentally changed the way in which people acquire and use information resources and services. The paper…

Managing Our Environment, A Report on Ways Agricultural Research Fights Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

A report on the ways agricultural research attempts to fight pollution is presented in this series of articles covering some of the major challenges facing scientists and regulatory officials working in agricultural research. Improved resource management is stressed with the use of advanced technologies as the avenue to solving environmental…

Using Critical Thinking Styles of Opinion Leaders to Drive Extension Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putnam, Brianne B.; Lamm, Alexa J.; Lundy, Lisa K.

2017-01-01

In order to address the complex challenges facing the agricultural and natural resource industry, extension educators must collaborate with opinion leaders. Extension educators can use the assistance of opinion leaders in program design and implementation in order to best meet the needs of stakeholders and the public. Collaboration between…

Facilitating Academic and Mental Health Resilience in Students with a Learning Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piers, Lisa; Duquette, Cheryll A.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored the educational journeys of five postsecondary students with learning disabilities (LD) from the perspective of the students and their families. Using a resilience lens, it examined the challenges that they faced and the capacities and resources that facilitated their resilience and helped them achieve their current…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Improving Operations through an Enterprise Resource Planning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardee, Teresa

2012-01-01

There are a variety of challenges facing colleges and universities today. With shrinking public funding, many colleges and universities must rethink their operations to ensure that they are operating efficiently. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have an even more daunting task in a downturned economy because they are often…

Information Technology and the Baldrige Quality Award: The Role and Impact of Information, Systems, and Service Quality at a Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noble Burak, Deborah

2010-01-01

Educational institutions, especially community colleges, are facing challenges to provide accessible, affordable, and quality learning opportunities to a growing number of both traditional and nontraditional students. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems facilitate institutional operations and provide an integrated platform for information…

Improving Teachers' Teaching with Communication Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Li-Ling

2012-01-01

With the growing needs to address the challenges that new teachers face and the popularity of social networking technology, this study explores how to increase the effectives of teaching through the use of such technology, and how the technology may serve to promote collaboration and open new resources of support in public education. In this…

Transformative Learning and First-Time Managers: How Can HRD Practitioners Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Nella A.; Rocco, Tonette S.

2008-01-01

The transition to management is one of the most difficult challenges first-time managers face--almost half fail. First-time managers may experience disorienting dilemmas that trigger transformative learning. HRD (human resource development) practitioners can assist in reducing the failure rate of first-time managers when they better understand the…

SMEs and their E-Commerce: Implications for Training in Wellington, New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beal, Tim; Abdullah, Moha Asri

2005-01-01

One of the greatest challenges facing traditional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the world is that posed by the Internet. While the Internet offers great potential to SMEs, from improving and cheapening production processes through to reaching global customers, it also poses great problems. SMEs' resources, human and…

e-Mentoring Possibilities for Online Doctoral Students: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Columbaro, Norina L.

2009-01-01

A growing number of adult learners invest time, energy, and financial resources in completing online doctoral degrees. Several factors, other than the program itself, influence a person's decision to pursue a degree online. Many choose online learning because they are faced with challenges often typical for adult learners that prohibit them from…

Snacks in the Stacks: Teaching Youth Nutrition in a Public Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Concannon, Mary; Rafferty, Elizabeth; Swanson-Farmarco, Cynthia

2011-01-01

Teens in limited-resource communities face challenges to healthy eating. Many youths lack food preparation skills and have limited access to ingredients needed to prepare healthy foods at home. University of Maryland Extension offered healthy food preparation lessons to teen participants of a popular weekly electronic gaming program in a Baltimore…

Finding Your Leadership Focus: What Matters Most for Student Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeves, Douglas B.

2010-01-01

In his new book, author and international keynoter Douglas Reeves addresses a major challenge faced by today's school leaders: an ever-growing load of programs and initiatives. Reeves contends that program overload not only taxes leadership resources, but actually hurts rather than improves student performance. Drawing on recent research findings,…

Marketing Plan 1983-1984. Northern Virginia Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelmi, Charlotte; And Others

A 1983-84 marketing plan is presented for Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), which is designed to maximize the effective use of shrinking resources to meet the needs of the college's clientele. After introductory material discusses the problems and challenges facing NVCC and the role of marketing in understanding the environment in which…

Gaining Empowerment Allows Results [G.E.A.R.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reclaiming Children and Youth, 2011

2011-01-01

Gaining Empowerment Allows Results (G.E.A.R.) is a parent-run organization for families facing challenges due to children with emotional and behavioral health concerns. These parents are able to network with other families and learn about resources for their family. A wide range of services include telephone support, monthly family support groups,…

Should Nature Go on the Credit Card? Putting an Economic Value on Natural Resources

EPA Science Inventory

Over time, we are likely to face increasing challenges in making decisions to sustain and restore our waters and coasts, as pressures increase due to sea level rise and an increasing population, among other changes. Every action costs money, and most choices require giving up som...

Reluctantly Recognizing Resistance: An Analysis of Representations of Critical Literacy in "English Journal"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrone, Robert; Bullard, Lisa

2012-01-01

In addition to the successes the author (Robert) experienced as a high school English teacher, he faced many challenges and frustrations, including student motivation and attendance, "helicopter parents," finding time and energy to grade papers, and limited resources. However, as an educator committed to teaching English to help students develop…

Rural Community College Student Perceptions of Barriers to College Enrollment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Shanda; Miller, Michael T.; Morris, Adam A.

2016-01-01

Rural community college students face unique difficulties in higher education for many reasons, including the resources they typically have access to, their collective histories, and in many cases, the preparation they received in high school. These challenges might be low-performing secondary schools, a lack of tradition and precedence in…

Administering Adult Literacy Programs: The Role of Strategic Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Steve Olu

In an era of rising public criticism of education and decreasing resources, strategic planning can be a major tool for educational administrators who wish to respond to the increasing challenges their adult literacy programs face. Strategic planning can be defined as a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and…

Open Educational Resources in the Commonwealth 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phalachandra, B.; Abeywardena, Ishan

2016-01-01

This study was conducted as part of the OER for Skills Development project of COL, supported by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The objective of the study was to collect baseline data from Commonwealth institutions with respect to the development, use and reuse of OER; the availability of support; and challenges faced in fostering the…

The Rewards of Teaching Music in Urban Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernard, Rhoda

2010-01-01

A great deal has been written about the challenges facing music educators who work in urban settings. The scarcity of instruments, textbooks, and other resources; a lack of parental and administrative support; and difficulties with classroom management are just a few of the issues that confront music teachers who work in urban communities.…

[Adaptation strategies faced with chronic pain].

PubMed

Bioy, Antoine

2017-05-01

Chronic pain constitutes a challenge for patients. It makes them uneasy with regard to their personality, their corporality and their life balance, and leaves long-lasting effects on their experience as a patient. The development of adaptation strategies and resources to deal with chronic pain is therefore essential. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports on Middle School Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Chad Allen

2014-01-01

Today's teachers face more frequent and more severe challenges than perhaps any generation of teachers that have come before them. Administrators attempt to support teaching in an environment of ever-increasing accountability and dwindling financial resources with new and innovative strategies. One such strategy employed by modern educators has…

Navigating the Parallel Universe: Education for Collection Management in the Electronic Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blake, Virgil L. P.; Surprenant, Thomas T.

2000-01-01

Focuses on the selection and decision-making aspects of the Edelmen model of collection development. Reviews challenges facing library/information studies education and the place of collection development within that context. Considers implications for the library/information center of the rise of a new class of resources. Suggests that a more…

Conflicting Pressures That Impinge Upon the Operational Effectiveness of Institutional Researchers: Challenges to the Practitioner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gubasta, Joseph L.

The numerous issues and problems facing college and university decisionmakers and the ever increasing information needs of external agency representatives place conflicting pressures on institutional research personnel, forcing them to make difficult decisions regarding the allocation of their resources. Outlined are several such pressures. It is…

Resourcing Change in Small Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Michelle; White, Simone

2011-01-01

The theme of this article is the challenge that school leaders face in creating the conditions for learning in small schools. We draw on the concepts of "social capital" and "social entrepreneurship" to identify tensions and possibilities for school leaders in a case study of a small rural school as they seek to find resources…

Relationship Building One Step at a Time: Case Studies of Successful Faculty-Librarian Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Díaz, José O.; Mandernach, Meris A.

2017-01-01

Building strong relationships between academic librarians and teaching faculty is paramount for promoting services and resources. While librarians face challenges ranging from new technologies to heightened expectations and fiscal difficulties, the key work remains in solid relationship building. Drawing on the experience of a group of subject…

Joint Schemes for Physical Layer Security and Error Correction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamo, Oluwayomi

2011-01-01

The major challenges facing resource constraint wireless devices are error resilience, security and speed. Three joint schemes are presented in this research which could be broadly divided into error correction based and cipher based. The error correction based ciphers take advantage of the properties of LDPC codes and Nordstrom Robinson code. A…

Books, Bytes, Buildings, and Bodies: Public Libraries in the 21st Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hage, Christine Lind

1999-01-01

Considers the changing roles of public libraries and challenges facing them in the future. Topics include core skills needed by library professionals, print and nonprint materials, the inclusion of new formats, blending traditional and electronic library resources, the expanded roles and responsibilities of librarians, meeting user needs, and…

Beyond the Four Walls: Examining the Use of Authentic Learning Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jagielski, Donna Marie

2016-01-01

While attempting to provide real world experiences in STEM, educators face numerous challenges including adhering to curriculum requirements and working with potentially limited resources. The purpose of this action research study was to examine how the addition of authentic learning modules to the existing University of Arizona Middle School…

Making Physics Fun: Key Concepts, Classroom Activities, and Everyday Examples, Grades K-8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prigo, Robert

2007-01-01

Teaching physical science in the elementary and middle grades can be challenging for busy teachers faced with growing science demands and limited classroom resources. Robert Prigo provides fun and engaging activities using safe, available materials that educators can easily incorporate into lesson plans. Extensive examples, sample inquiry…

Configuring School Image Assets of Colleges in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chia Kun; Chen, Hsin Chu

2018-01-01

Higher education in Taiwan faces various challenges, such as the low-birth rate, blurred positioning, and lack of marketing concepts. In order to sustain, more effect strategies and actions resource should be implemented to enhance service of the colleges and universities. Therefore, image asset management becomes a critical start. This study aims…

Galvanizing Local Resources: A Strategy for Sustainable Development in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Eun Ji

2014-01-01

China has been undergoing a rapid development over the past decades, and rural areas are facing a number of challenges in the process of the change. The "New Channel" project, initiated to promote sustainable development and protect natural and cultural heritage in Tongdao county in China from a rapid urbanization and economic…

Burned saguaro: Will they live or die?

Treesearch

Marcia G. Narog; Bonni M. Corcoran; Ruth C. Wilson

2013-01-01

Thousands of acres of giant saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) habitat in the Sonoran Desert have been scorched by fire in recent decades. Resource managers struggle to maintain scenic landscapes featuring majestic saguaro faced with the challenges of fire, non-native species invasion, and recreational needs of millions of annual visitors. Successfully managing this iconic...

Undergraduate Research and Service-Learning Programs in a Kinesiology Program at a Teaching University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O, Jenny; Sherwood, Jennifer J.; Yingling, Vanessa R.

2017-01-01

High-impact practices foster student success, but faculty faced with heavy teaching loads and lack of resources and infrastructure are challenged to implement such practices. Kinesiology faculty at California State University, East Bay collaborated to implement two student programs: Kinesiology Research Group and Get Fit! Stay Fit! The Kinesiology…

Faculty Morale--Enhancing It in Spite of Diminishing Resources and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halford, Andrew

Faced with budget cuts, demands for accountability by state legislatures and higher education councils, and a history of autocratic governance, the faculty morale at Paducah Community College, in Kentucky, reached its lowest point in 1990. A new president arrived, however, who had recently completed research on governance styles in higher…

Development of an Industry Training Strategy for the Abattoir Industry in New South Wales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Andrew; Speers, Geoff

The abattoir (meat processing) industry is facing a number of challenges in Australia, including introduction of technology, safety standards, restructuring, and development and implementation of an effective training culture. The training strategy will effectively target existing training resources for the industry and upskill employees in a…

Sustainability and the University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clough, G. Wayne; Chameau, Jean-Lou; Carmichael, Carol

2006-01-01

In this article, the authors state that one of the major challenges facing the human race is charting a course for the future that allows economic growth while protecting the fragile planet. The authors discuss the role that higher education must play to help create a vibrant economy and high quality of life, while sustaining natural resources.…

New England's Vital Resource: The Labor Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoy, John C., Ed.; Bernstein, Melvin H., Ed.

A collection of analyses and projections is presented that explores the challenges posed by a rapidly evolving economy and the critical issue of manpower policy facing New England and the nation. New England was able to move from traditional industry to high technology because its colleges and universities supplied basic research and trained…

Promoting Academic, Business, and Community Partnerships in Rural Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morelli, Peg

Rural community colleges are faced with issues similar to their urban counterparts, but many challenges for rural schools are further exacerbated by limited resources, geographic isolation, and a static economy. This paper argues that the difference between success and failure can be the ability to create strong partnerships. Of the 15 colleges in…

Rivers Run Through It: Discovering the Interior Columbia River Basin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Shelley; Wojtanik, Brenda Lincoln; Rieben, Elizabeth

1998-01-01

Explores the Columbia River Basin, its ecosystems, and challenges faced by natural resource managers. By studying the basin's complexity, students can learn about common scientific concepts such as the power of water and effects of rain shadows. Students can also explore social-scientific issues such as conflicts between protecting salmon runs and…

Reflections on WILD9

Treesearch

David J. Parsons

2010-01-01

The 9th World Wilderness Congress (WILD9), held November 6-13 in Merida, Mexico, provided a vivid reminder of the magnitude of the challenges - both environmental and human - facing advocates for the protection of wilderness resources and values. From a U.S. government scientist's perspective, it was also a reminder of the differences in wilderness focused...

Long-term influence of alternative forest management treatments on total ecosystem and wood product carbon storage

Treesearch

Joshua J. Puhlick; Aaron R. Weiskittel; Ivan J. Fernandez; Shawn Fraver; Laura S. Kenefic; Robert S. Seymour; Randall K. Kolka; Lindsey E. Rustad; John C. Brissette

2016-01-01

Developing strategies for reducing atmospheric CO2 is one of the foremost challenges facing natural resource professionals today. The goal of this study was to evaluate total ecosystem and harvested wood product carbon (C) stocks among alternative forest management treatments (selection cutting, shelterwood cutting, commercial clearcutting, and...

Ten Top Films for Teaching about China Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tanya

2010-01-01

As it becomes increasingly essential to include China in the social studies curriculum, teachers are faced with the challenges of finding appropriate, high-quality resources, and, more fundamentally, of engaging students with a culture and a place far removed from their own. Film and video can address both issues, and there is a wealth of…

Postbaccalaureate Futures: New Markets, Resources, Credentials. American Council on Education/Oryx Press Series on Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohl, Kay J., Ed.; LaPidus, Jules B., Ed.

The 15 papers in this book consider the issues, opportunities, and challenges facing higher education with regard to postbaccalaureate education, focusing particularly on how to ensure a productive, competitive workforce in today's global-based economy. Titles in Part 1, "Emerging Markets for Postbaccalaureate Education," are: (1)…

Higher Education as a Change Agent for Sustainability in Different Cultures and Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Jennie C.; Hernandez, Maria E.; Roman, Mikael; Graham, Amanda C.; Scholz, Roland W.

2008-01-01

Purpose :The goal of this paper is to enhance consideration for the potential for institutions of higher education throughout the world, in different cultures and contexts, to be change agents for sustainability. As society faces unprecedented and increasingly urgent challenges associated with accelerating environmental change, resource scarcity,…

Risk Management: Earning Recognition with an Automated Safety Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lansberry, Linden; Strasburger, Tom

2012-01-01

Risk management is a huge task that requires diligent oversight to avoid penalties, fines, or lawsuits. Add in the burden of limited resources that schools face today, and the challenge of meeting the required training, reporting, compliance, and other administrative issues associated with a safety program is almost insurmountable. Despite an…

Environmental safety & health requirements for a federal facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, G.; Wong, J.

1995-09-01

I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the challenges that face an environmental, safety, and health (ES&H) manager at a federal facility situated in California. The challenges are, in many aspects, similar to those facing ES&H professionals all over this country: dwindling resources and increasing regulatory demands. The Laboratory (LLNL) is under closer scrutiny than other R&D facilities located in California because some of its research activities involve nuclear weapon design. Today I would like to talk about two actions we, the ES&H management at LLNL, have taken to decrease the impact of dwindling resources and increasing regulatorymore » demands: (1) Institution of a performance-based contract, which the University of California negotiated with the Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce the impact of special mandates required of federal facilities. Under this contract, ES&H performance is measured by results rather than by process; (2) Redesign of the LLNL Hazards Control Department to a flat organization that incorporates employee empowerment and Self-Managed Work Teams (SMWTs).« less

Commercial influence and global nongovernmental public action in health and pharmaceutical policies.

PubMed

Koivusalo, Meri; Mackintosh, Maureen

2011-01-01

Nongovernmental public action has been effective in influencing global agenda-setting in health and pharmaceutical policies, yet its record in influencing solutions to the problems identified has been notably more limited. While trade policies have been particularly resistant to change, more substantial changes are observable in global health policies and global health governance. However, some of the directions of change may not be conducive to the democratic accountability of global health governance, to the wise use of public resources, to health systems development, or to longer-term access to health care within developing countries. The authors argue that observed changes in global health policies can be understood as accommodating to corporate concerns and priorities. Furthermore, the changing global context and the commercialization of global public action itself pose sharp challenges to the exercise of influence by global nongovernmental public actors. Nongovernmental organizations not only face a major challenge in terms of the imbalance in power and resources between themselves and corporate interest groups when seeking to influence policymaking; they also face the problem of corporate influence on public action itself.

Challenge theme 5: Current and future needs of energy and mineral resources in the Borderlands and the effects of their development: Chapter 7 in United States-Mexican Borderlands: Facing tomorrow's challenges through USGS science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Updike, Randall G.; Ellis, Eugene G.; Page, William R.; Parker, Melanie J.; Hestbeck, Jay B.; Horak, William F.

2013-01-01

Exploration and extraction activities related to energy and mineral resources in the Borderlands—such as coal-fired power plants, offshore drilling, and mining—can create issues that have potentially major economic and environmental implications. Resource assessments and development projects, environmental studies, and other related evaluations help to understand some of these issues, such as power plant emissions and the erosion/denudation of abandoned mine lands. Information from predictive modeling, monitoring, and environmental assessments are necessary to understand the full effects of energy and mineral exploration, development, and utilization. The exploitation of these resources can negatively affect human health and the environment, its natural resources, and its ecological services (air, water, soil, recreation, wildlife, etc.). This chapter describes the major energy and mineral issues of the Borderlands and how geologic frameworks, integrated interdisciplinary (geobiologic) investigations, and other related studies can address the anticipated increases in demands on natural resources in the region.

Radio Continuum Surveys with Square Kilometre Array Pathfinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norris, Ray P.; Afonso, J.; Bacon, D.; Beck, Rainer; Bell, Martin; Beswick, R. J.; Best, Philip; Bhatnagar, Sanjay; Bonafede, Annalisa; Brunetti, Gianfranco; Budavári, Tamás; Cassano, Rossella; Condon, J. J.; Cress, Catherine; Dabbech, Arwa; Feain, I.; Fender, Rob; Ferrari, Chiara; Gaensler, B. M.; Giovannini, G.; Haverkorn, Marijke; Heald, George; Van der Heyden, Kurt; Hopkins, A. M.; Jarvis, M.; Johnston-Hollitt, Melanie; Kothes, Roland; Van Langevelde, Huib; Lazio, Joseph; Mao, Minnie Y.; Martínez-Sansigre, Alejo; Mary, David; Mcalpine, Kim; Middelberg, E.; Murphy, Eric; Padovani, P.; Paragi, Zsolt; Prandoni, I.; Raccanelli, A.; Rigby, Emma; Roseboom, I. G.; Röttgering, H.; Sabater, Jose; Salvato, Mara; Scaife, Anna M. M.; Schilizzi, Richard; Seymour, N.; Smith, Dan J. B.; Umana, Grazia; Zhao, G.-B.; Zinn, Peter-Christian

2013-03-01

In the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, several next-generation radio telescopes and upgrades are already being built around the world. These include APERTIF (The Netherlands), ASKAP (Australia), e-MERLIN (UK), VLA (USA), e-EVN (based in Europe), LOFAR (The Netherlands), MeerKAT (South Africa), and the Murchison Widefield Array. Each of these new instruments has different strengths, and coordination of surveys between them can help maximise the science from each of them. A radio continuum survey is being planned on each of them with the primary science objective of understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, and the cosmological parameters and large-scale structures which drive it. In pursuit of this objective, the different teams are developing a variety of new techniques, and refining existing ones. To achieve these exciting scientific goals, many technical challenges must be addressed by the survey instruments. Given the limited resources of the global radio-astronomical community, it is essential that we pool our skills and knowledge. We do not have sufficient resources to enjoy the luxury of re-inventing wheels. We face significant challenges in calibration, imaging, source extraction and measurement, classification and cross-identification, redshift determination, stacking, and data-intensive research. As these instruments extend the observational parameters, we will face further unexpected challenges in calibration, imaging, and interpretation. If we are to realise the full scientific potential of these expensive instruments, it is essential that we devote enough resources and careful study to understanding the instrumental effects and how they will affect the data. We have established an SKA Radio Continuum Survey working group, whose prime role is to maximise science from these instruments by ensuring we share resources and expertise across the projects. Here we describe these projects, their science goals, and the technical challenges which are being addressed to maximise the science return.

Challenges and opportunities for ELSI early career researchers.

PubMed

Bell, Jessica; Ancillotti, Mirko; Coathup, Victoria; Coy, Sarah; Rigter, Tessel; Tatum, Travis; Grewal, Jasjote; Akcesme, Faruk Berat; Brkić, Jovana; Causevic-Ramosevac, Anida; Milovanovic, Goran; Nobile, Marianna; Pavlidis, Cristiana; Finlay, Teresa; Kaye, Jane

2016-07-08

Over the past 25 years, there has been growing recognition of the importance of studying the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) of genetic and genomic research. A large investment into ELSI research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Genomic Project budget in 1990 stimulated the growth of this emerging field; ELSI research has continued to develop and is starting to emerge as a field in its own right. The evolving subject matter of ELSI research continues to raise new research questions as well as prompt re-evaluation of earlier work and a growing number of scholars working in this area now identify themselves as ELSI scholars rather than with a particular discipline. Due to the international and interdisciplinary nature of ELSI research, scholars can often find themselves isolated from disciplinary or regionally situated support structures. We conducted a workshop with Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in Oxford, UK, and this paper discusses some of the particular challenges that were highlighted. While ELSI ECRs may face many of the universal challenges faced by ECRs, we argue that a number of challenges are either unique or exacerbated in the case of ELSI ECRs and discuss some of the reasons as to why this may be the case. We identify some of the most pressing issues for ELSI ECRs as: interdisciplinary angst and expertise, isolation from traditional support structures, limited resources and funding opportunities, and uncertainty regarding how research contributions will be measured. We discuss the potential opportunity to use web 2.0 technologies to transform academic support structures and address some of the challenges faced by ELSI ECRs, by helping to facilitate mentoring and support, access to resources and new accreditation metrics. As our field develops it is crucial for the ELSI community to continue looking forward to identify how emerging digital solutions can be used to facilitate the international and interdisciplinary research we perform, and to offer support for those embarking on, progressing through, and transitioning into an ELSI research career.

Determining the efficacy of national strategies aimed at addressing the challenges facing health personnel working in rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Shortages of Human Resources for Health (HRH) in rural areas are often driven by poor working and living conditions, inadequate salaries and benefits, lack of training and career development opportunities amongst others. The South African government has adopted a human resource strategy for the health sector in 2011 aimed at addressing these challenges. Aim This study reviews the challenges faced by health personnel against government strategies aimed at attracting and retaining health personnel in these underserved areas. Setting The study was conducted in six primary health care service sites in the Hlabisa sub-district of Umkhanyakude, located in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods The study population comprised 25 health workers including 11 professional nurses, 4 staff nurses and 10 doctors (4 medical doctors, 3 foreign medical doctors and 3 doctors undertaking community service). Qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Government initiatives including the rural allowance, deployment of foreign medical doctors and the presence of health personnel undertaking their community service in rural areas are positively viewed by health personnel working in rural health facilities. However, poor living and working conditions, together with inadequate personal development opportunities, remain unresolved challenges. It is these challenges that will continue to dissuade experienced health personnel from remaining in these underserved areas. Conclusion South Africa’s HRH strategy for the Health Sector 2012/13–2015/16 had highlighted the key challenges raised by respondents and identified strategies aimed at addressing these challenges. Implementation of these strategies is key to improving both living and working conditions, and providing health personnel with opportunities for further development will require inter-ministerial collaboration if the HRH 2030 objectives are to be realised. PMID:28828878

Determining the efficacy of national strategies aimed at addressing the challenges facing health personnel working in rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Mburu, Grace; George, Gavin

2017-07-31

Shortages of Human Resources for Health (HRH) in rural areas are often driven by poor working and living conditions, inadequate salaries and benefits, lack of training and career development opportunities amongst others. The South African government has adopted a human resource strategy for the health sector in 2011 aimed at addressing these challenges. This study reviews the challenges faced by health personnel against government strategies aimed at attracting and retaining health personnel in these underserved areas. The study was conducted in six primary health care service sites in the Hlabisa sub-district of Umkhanyakude, located in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study population comprised 25 health workers including 11 professional nurses, 4 staff nurses and 10 doctors (4 medical doctors, 3 foreign medical doctors and 3 doctors undertaking community service). Qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Government initiatives including the rural allowance, deployment of foreign medical doctors and the presence of health personnel undertaking their community service in rural areas are positively viewed by health personnel working in rural health facilities. However, poor living and working conditions, together with inadequate personal development opportunities, remain unresolved challenges. It is these challenges that will continue to dissuade experienced health personnel from remaining in these underserved areas. South Africa's HRH strategy for the Health Sector 2012/13-2015/16 had highlighted the key challenges raised by respondents and identified strategies aimed at addressing these challenges. Implementation of these strategies is key to improving both living and working conditions, and providing health personnel with opportunities for further development will require inter-ministerial collaboration if the HRH 2030 objectives are to be realised.

Challenges in day-to-day midwifery practice; a qualitative study from a regional referral hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Bremnes, Hanna Strømholt; Wiig, Åsil Kjøl; Abeid, Muzdalifat; Darj, Elisabeth

2018-01-01

Maternal and infant mortality rates in Tanzania have decreased over the past decades, but remain high. One of the challenges the country faces, is the lack of skilled health care workers. High fertility rates make midwives and their patients particularly susceptible to stress as a result of understaffing. This paper explores the challenges midwives face in their day-to-day practice at a regional referral hospital in Tanzania, and investigates which measures the midwives themselves find necessary to implement to improve their situation. A qualitative study design with focus group discussions (FGDs) was employed to explore which challenges the midwives experienced. Each focus group consisted of five to six midwives. A FGD topic guide covering challenges, consequences, motivation, ideal situation and possible solutions was used. These data were analyzed using Systematic Text Condensation. A total of 28 Midwives, six men and 22 women, participated in five FGDs. Four categories emerged from the collected material: Feelings of demoralization, shortage of resources, societal challenges and personal struggles. A feeling of demoralization was especially prevalent and was caused by a lack of support from the leaders and little appreciation from the patients. Shortage of resources, and shortage of personnel in particular, was also highlighted as it led to an excessive workload resulting in difficulties with providing adequate care. These difficulties were intensified by lack of equipment, facilities and a non-optimal organization of the healthcare system. The challenges revealed during the FGDs prevent the midwives from providing sufficient midwifery care. To improve the situation, measures such as supportive leadership, reduction of workload, increasing availability of equipment and increasing knowledge of reproductive health in society, should be taken.

Four Challenges That Global Health Networks Face

PubMed Central

Shiffman, Jeremy

2017-01-01

Global health networks, webs of individuals and organizations with a shared concern for a particular condition, have proliferated over the past quarter century. They differ in their effectiveness, a factor that may help explain why resource allocations vary across health conditions and do not correspond closely with disease burden. Drawing on findings from recently concluded studies of eight global health networks—addressing alcohol harm, early childhood development (ECD), maternal mortality, neonatal mortality, pneumonia, surgically-treatable conditions, tobacco use, and tuberculosis—I identify four challenges that networks face in generating attention and resources for the conditions that concern them. The first is problem definition: generating consensus on what the problem is and how it should be addressed. The second is positioning: portraying the issue in ways that inspire external audiences to act. The third is coalition-building: forging alliances with these external actors, particularly ones outside the health sector. The fourth is governance: establishing institutions to facilitate collective action. Research indicates that global health networks that effectively tackle these challenges are more likely to garner support to address the conditions that concern them. In addition to the effectiveness of networks, I also consider their legitimacy, identifying reasons both to affirm and to question their right to exert power. PMID:28812801

Teaching Domestic Violence Online: A Step Forward or a Step Backward?

PubMed

Danis, Fran S

2016-10-01

With the increasing number of courses and degree programs available online, faculty may be interested in developing an online course on domestic violence. This article analyzes the similarities and differences involved in teaching about domestic violence online versus face-to-face. Highlights of course activities and notable online resources are identified including YouTube videos, webinars, online training modules, and websites. The limitations and challenges of teaching domestic violence in an asynchronous online course and recommendations for future teaching are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Health Care Consumerism: Lessons My 401(k) Plan Taught Me.

PubMed

Steinberg, Allen T

2015-01-01

Changes to the U.S. health care system are here. As we think about how individuals will pay for health care--while actively employed and while retired--our experiences with 401(k) plans provide some valuable lessons. In order to support employees in this new health care world--a challenge arguably more daunting than the 401(k) challenge we faced 20 years ago--some very different types of support are needed. Employers should consider providing their employees with the resources to manage health care changes.

USGS Research on Saline Waters Co-Produced with Energy Resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1997-01-01

The United States energy industry faces the challenge of satisfying our expanding thirst for energy while protecting the environment. This challenge is magnified by the increasing volumes of saline water produced with oil and gas in the Nation's aging petroleum fields. Ultimately, energy-producing companies are responsible for disposing of these waters. USGS research provides basic information, for use by regulators, industry, and the public, about the chemistry of co-produced waters and environmentally acceptable ways of handling them.

Black swans, wicked problems, and science during crises

USGS Publications Warehouse

Machlis, G.E.; McNutt, M.K.

2011-01-01

Oceanic resources face challenges that are significant and widespread, including (but not limited to) overharvesting, climate change, selected stock collapse, coral reef decline, species extinction, pollution, and more. These challenges are the focus of much ocean science, which is helping to inform policy and guide management actions. The steady growth of research results and the emergence of new research needs have been systematically reviewed through periodic assessments, such as those of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (Valdés et al., 2010).

Challenges Faced and Support Received: Older Adults' Perceptions of Hurricane Sandy.

PubMed

Heid, Allison R; Schug, Seran; Cartwright, Francine P; Pruchno, Rachel

2017-02-01

Individuals exposed to natural disasters are at risk for negative physical and psychological outcomes. Older adults may be particularly vulnerable; however, social support can act as a resource to help individuals respond to severe stressors. This study explored the challenges older people faced before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and the people they turned to for support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 older adults in New Jersey drawn from the ORANJ BOWL (Ongoing Research on Aging in New Jersey - Bettering Opportunities for Wellness in Life) research panel, who experienced high levels of primary home damage during Hurricane Sandy. Content analysis of interview transcripts classified older adults' perceptions on how they "made it" through-the challenges they faced and the support they received. The findings suggested that older adults experienced emotional, instrumental, social, and financial challenges before, during, and after the storm. However, by relying on family and friends, as well as neighbors and community networks, older people were able to respond to stressors. Our findings carry implications for ensuring that older adults are connected to social networks before, during, and after disasters. The role of neighbors is particularly important when disasters strike. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:39-47).

Faculty experiences with providing online courses. Thorns among the roses.

PubMed

Cravener, P A

1999-01-01

This article presents a review of the literature summarizing faculty reports of their experiences with computer-mediated distance education compared with their traditional face-to-face teaching experiences. Both challenges and benefits of distance learning programs contrasted with classroom-based teaching are revealed. Specific difficulties and advantages identified by online faculty were categorized into four broad areas of impact on the teaching/learning experience: (a) faculty workload, (b) access to education, (c) adapting to technology, and (d) instructional quality. Challenges appear to be related predominantly to faculty workloads, new technologies, and online course management. Benefits identified by online educators indicate that computer-mediated distance education has high potential for expanding student access to educational resources, for providing individualized instruction, and for promoting active learning among geographically separated members of learning groups.

Complex Challenges in the Less-Developed World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webster, P. J.

2016-12-01

The developing world faces special challenges in a changing climate. The immediate impacts of possible increased precipitation, more frequent and severe hazard events and sea-level rise are compounded by lack of resources and, often, rapidly growing populations. We examine the concept that the society that learns to deal with hazards in the current climate will be best placed to deal with possibly more frequent and more intense hazards in the future. We use as an example the conundrum facing Bangladesh where global sea-level rise is exaggerated by delta subsidence of river sediment. Sedimentation is expected to increase with increased river flow. We explore how authorities may deal with these multifaceted threats and how they need to carefully thread a strategy that leads to solutions and not exaggerations of the problem.

Future implications of eHealth interventions for chronic pain management in underserved populations.

PubMed

DeMonte, Colette M; DeMonte, William D; Thorn, Beverly E

2015-01-01

Many underserved communities, especially those in rural settings, face unique challenges that make high quality healthcare less accessible. The implementation of eHealth technologies has become a potentially valuable option to disseminate interventions. The authors' work in rural Alabama Federally Qualified Health Centers provide insights into the access to technology as well as the likelihood of utilizing eHealth technology in underserved communities. This paper will review current challenges related to digital dissemination of behavioral health interventions for chronic pain. Two major concerns are the lack of technological resources and the lack of appropriate materials for patients who may have low levels of reading, health and/or digital literacy. We will propose some recommendations to address common barriers faced by those providing care.

Global-minded Human Resources and Expectations for Universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, Hiroshi

Under the globalized economy, Japanese corporations compete with rivals of the western countries and emerging economies. And domestically, they face with deflation, falling birth-rate, an aging society, and shrinking market. So they need to foster and retain global-minded human resources who can play an active role in global business, and who can drive innovation. What Japanese corporations expect for global-minded human resources are ability to meet challenges, ability to think independently free from conventional wisdom, communication skills in foreign languages, interests in foreign cultures and different values, and so on. In order to foster global-minded human resources, Keidanren work with the 13 universities selected under the Japanese Government‧s “Global 30” projects to undertake “Global-minded Human Resources Development Projects” .

Controlling health costs: physician responses to patient expectations for medical care.

PubMed

Sabbatini, Amber K; Tilburt, Jon C; Campbell, Eric G; Sheeler, Robert D; Egginton, Jason S; Goold, Susan D

2014-09-01

Physicians have dual responsibilities to make medical decisions that serve their patients' best interests but also utilize health care resources wisely. Their ability to practice cost-consciously is particularly challenged when faced with patient expectations or requests for medical services that may be unnecessary. To understand how physicians consider health care resources and the strategies they use to exercise cost-consciousness in response to patient expectations and requests for medical care. Exploratory, qualitative focus groups of practicing physicians were conducted. Participants were encouraged to discuss their perceptions of resource constraints, and experiences with redundant, unnecessary and marginally beneficial services, and were asked about patient requests or expectations for particular services. Sixty-two physicians representing a variety of specialties and practice types participated in nine focus groups in Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota in 2012 MEASUREMENTS: Iterative thematic content analysis of focus group transcripts Physicians reported making trade-offs between a variety of financial and nonfinancial resources, considering not only the relative cost of medical decisions and alternative services, but the time and convenience of patients, their own time constraints, as well as the logistics of maintaining a successful practice. They described strategies and techniques to educate patients, build trust, or substitute less costly alternatives when appropriate, often adapting their management to the individual patient and clinical environment. Physicians often make nuanced trade-offs in clinical practice aimed at efficient resource use within a complex flow of clinical work and patient expectations. Understanding the challenges faced by physicians and the strategies they use to exercise cost-consciousness provides insight into policy measures that will address physician's roles in health care resource use.

Opportunities and Challenges of Cloud Computing to Improve Health Care Services

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Cloud computing is a new way of delivering computing resources and services. Many managers and experts believe that it can improve health care services, benefit health care research, and change the face of health information technology. However, as with any innovation, cloud computing should be rigorously evaluated before its widespread adoption. This paper discusses the concept and its current place in health care, and uses 4 aspects (management, technology, security, and legal) to evaluate the opportunities and challenges of this computing model. Strategic planning that could be used by a health organization to determine its direction, strategy, and resource allocation when it has decided to migrate from traditional to cloud-based health services is also discussed. PMID:21937354

Urban infrastructure and water management—Science capabilities of the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Shawn C.; Fanelli, Rosemary M.; Selbig, William R.

2016-04-29

Managing the urban-water cycle has increasingly become a challenge for water-resources planners and regulators faced with the problem of providing clean drinking water to urban residents. Sanitary and combined sanitary and storm sewer networks convey wastewater to centralized treatment plants. Impervious surfaces, which include roads, parking lots, and buildings, increase stormwater runoff and the efficiency by which runoff is conveyed to nearby stream channels; therefore, impervious surfaces increase the risk of urban flooding and alteration of natural ecosystems. These challenges will increase with the expansion of urban centers and the probable effects of climate change on precipitation patterns. Understanding the urban-water cycle is critical to effectively manage water resources and to protect people, infrastructure, and urban-stream ecosystems. As a leader in water-supply, wastewater, and stormwater assessments, the U.S. Geological Survey has the expertise and resources needed to monitor, model, and interpret data related to the urban-water cycle and thereby enable water-resources managers to make informed decisions.

Ethics in radiology: wait lists queue jumping.

PubMed

Cunningham, Natalie; Reid, Lynette; MacSwain, Sarah; Clarke, James R

2013-08-01

Education in ethics is a requirement for all Royal College residency training programs as laid out in the General Standards of Accreditation for residency programs in Canada. The ethical challenges that face radiologists in clinical practice are often different from those that face other physicians, because the nature of the physician-patient interaction is unlike that of many other specialties. Ethics education for radiologists and radiology residents will benefit from the development of teaching materials and resources that focus on the issues that are specific to the specialty. This article is intended to serve as an educational resource for radiology training programs to facilitate teaching ethics to residents and also as a continuing medical education resource for practicing radiologists. In an environment of limited health care resources, radiologists are frequently asked to expedite imaging studies for patients and, in some respects, act as gatekeepers for specialty care. The issues of wait lists, queue jumping, and balancing the needs of individuals and society are explored from the perspective of a radiologist. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Association of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resource allocation for epidemic control in metapopulations.

PubMed

Ndeffo Mbah, Martial L; Gilligan, Christopher A

2011-01-01

Deployment of limited resources is an issue of major importance for decision-making in crisis events. This is especially true for large-scale outbreaks of infectious diseases. Little is known when it comes to identifying the most efficient way of deploying scarce resources for control when disease outbreaks occur in different but interconnected regions. The policy maker is frequently faced with the challenge of optimizing efficiency (e.g. minimizing the burden of infection) while accounting for social equity (e.g. equal opportunity for infected individuals to access treatment). For a large range of diseases described by a simple SIRS model, we consider strategies that should be used to minimize the discounted number of infected individuals during the course of an epidemic. We show that when faced with the dilemma of choosing between socially equitable and purely efficient strategies, the choice of the control strategy should be informed by key measurable epidemiological factors such as the basic reproductive number and the efficiency of the treatment measure. Our model provides new insights for policy makers in the optimal deployment of limited resources for control in the event of epidemic outbreaks at the landscape scale.

Human Resources for Health Challenges in Nigeria and Nurse Migration.

PubMed

Salami, Bukola; Dada, Foluke O; Adelakun, Folake E

2016-05-01

The emigration of sub-Saharan African health professionals to developed Western nations is an aspect of increasing global mobility. This article focuses on the human resources for health challenges in Nigeria and the emigration of nurses from Nigeria as the country faces mounting human resources for health challenges. Human resources for health issues in Nigeria contribute to poor population health in the country, alongside threats from terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and political corruption. Health inequities within Nigeria mirror the geographical disparities in human resources for health distribution and are worsened by the emigration of Nigerian nurses to developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Nigerian nurses are motivated to emigrate to work in healthier work environments, improve their economic prospects, and advance their careers. Like other migrant African nurses, they experience barriers to integration, including racism and discrimination, in receiving countries. We explore the factors and processes that shape this migration. Given the forces of globalization, source countries and destination countries must implement policies to more responsibly manage migration of nurses. This can be done by implementing measures to retain nurses, promote the return migration of expatriate nurses, and ensure the integration of migrant nurses upon arrival in destination countries. © The Author(s) 2016.

Challenges faced in rural hospitals: the experiences of nurse managers in Uganda.

PubMed

Kakyo, T A; Xiao, L D

2018-04-19

The aim of this study was to understand nurse ward managers perceived challenges in the rural healthcare setting in Uganda. The health workforce, essential medicines and equipment and political unrest are the main factors affecting the international community in addressing the hefty disease burden in World Health Organization African regions. Nurse ward managers have an important role to play to mitigate these factors in health facilities in these regions through leadership, supervision and support for staff. This study utilized interpretive phenomenology based on Gadamer's hermeneutical principles. Eleven nurse managers from two rural public hospitals in Uganda were interviewed. Those with more than a 2-year experience in their management role were invited to participate in the study. Nurse managers pointed out four major challenges with staffing, while they worked in the rural healthcare settings. These are summarized into themes: 'Numbers do matter'; 'I cannot access them when I need them at work'; 'Challenges in dealing with negative attitudes'; and 'Questioning own ability to manage health services'. Health facilities in rural areas face extremely low staff-to-patient ratio, a high level of workload, lack of essential medicines and equipment, low salaries and delayed payment for staff. Nurse managers demonstrated situation-based performance to minimize the impact of these challenges on the quality and safety of patient care, but they had less influence on policy and resource development. It is imperative to mobilize education for nurse ward managers to enable them to improve leadership, management skills and to have a greater impact on policy and resource development. © 2018 International Council of Nurses.

Sustainable development: challenges and opportunities for the natural sciences (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutter, J. C.; Fishman, R.; Anttila-Hughes, J. K.; Hsiang, S. M.

2009-12-01

The challenges of sustainable development -- equitably improving global human welfare while ensuring that the environment is preserved for future generations - demand research at the nexus of the social and natural sciences. Massive and inevitable changes in climate, ecosystem functions, and human interaction with the environment will perturb societies throughout the world in different ways over the coming century. The changes faced by poor societies and their ability to cope differs markedly from those that face the richest. Yet in all regions the dynamic interaction of social and natural drivers will govern the prospects for human welfare and its improvement. Developing an understanding of these phenomena will require field research together with analytical and modeling capabilities that couple physical and social phenomena, allowing feedback between the two to manifest and permit forecasting over long time scales. Heterogeneous income and population growth further complicate this need through their consequences for food security, migration, resource allocation, and conflict. In this contribution, we identify some key concepts of sustainable development, open research questions and outline how scientific research might engage this emerging discipline. Using recent examples of interaction, we discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the further development of this dialogue.

Challenges in the management of breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Yip, Cheng-Har; Taib, Nur Aishah

2012-12-01

The incidence of breast cancer is rising in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to 'westernization' of risk factors for developing breast cancer. However, survival remains low because of barriers in early detection and optimal access to treatment, which are the two main determinants of breast cancer outcome. A multidisciplinary approach to treatment gives the best results. An accurate diagnosis is dependent on a reliable pathology service, which will provide an adequate pathology report with prognostic and predictor information to allow optimal oncological treatment. Stratification of clinical practice guidelines based on resource level will ensure that women will have access to treatment even in a low-resource setting. Advocacy and civil society play a role in galvanizing the political will required to meet the challenge of providing opportunities for breast cancer control in LMICs. Collaboration between high-income countries and LMICs could be a strategy in facing these challenges.

Surviving the Downturn: Challenges Faced by Appalachian Regional Collections during a Time of Reduced Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodsky, Marc; Hyde, Gene

2012-01-01

How have college and university-based archives and special collections fared over the past few years in the midst of an historically grim economic downturn? The authors conducted in-depth interviews with directors of 13 archival repositories at state universities and private colleges in the Appalachian region of Virginia, West Virginia, North…

Issues and Concerns for Local Government: Virginia in the 1990s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crockett, Mark

Many challenges face local governments in Virginia and nationwide in the 1990s. As federal funding has decreased, local governments have been forced to take on greater responsibilities. This increased workload has created a greater demand for resources and forced many localities to raise taxes. Citizens have often voiced opposition to these tax…

Technology in Education. The Progress of Education Reform, 2006. Volume 6, Number 6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Suzanne

2006-01-01

For policymakers, educators and others interested in learning more about the one-to-one computing movement, this issue of "The Progress of Education Reform" spotlights three particularly useful resources: (1) a detailed review of the challenges faced by states and districts implementing laptop programs, and of lessons learned to date in…

Sudanese Young People of Refugee Background in Rural and Regional Australia: Social Capital and Education Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Jae; Wilkinson, Jane; Langat, Kip; Santoro, Ninetta

2013-01-01

This article discusses literature pertaining to the settlement of African refugees in regional and rural Australia, particularly focusing on the specific challenges and opportunities faced by Sudanese young people of refugee background in education. Drawing on a pilot study of the out-of-school resources of regionally located young Sudanese…

Responding to Diversity: Examination of a Small, Rural School's Response to a Changing Demographic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Joelle Wall

2009-01-01

As the nation's schools continue to increase in diversity, teachers are faced with numerous challenges regarding how to meet the needs and strengths of diverse student populations. In addition, small, rural schools tend not only to lack in resources, but may not be adequately prepared to understand student backgrounds, unable to support diverse…

Helping Children at Home and School II: Handouts for Families and Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canter, Andrea S., Ed.; Paige, Leslie Z., Ed.; Roth, Mark D., Ed.; Romero, Ivonne, Ed.; Carroll, Servio A., Ed.

2004-01-01

This document builds on the success of earlier editions. It includes a number of substantially revised handouts updated from the previous editions, plus many new topics that reflect the challenges parents and educators face in the 21st century. Many handouts for families are also provided in Spanish. This document is a comprehensive resource for…

Institutional Culture and OER Policy: How Structure, Culture, and Agency Mediate OER Policy Potential in South African Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Glenda; Trotter, Henry

2016-01-01

Several scholars and organizations suggest that institutional policy is a key enabling factor for academics to contribute their teaching materials as open educational resources (OER). But given the diversity of institutions comprising the higher education sector--and the administrative and financial challenges facing many institutions in the…

Analysis of potential impacts of climate change on wildlife habitats in the U.S.

Treesearch

Linda A. Joyce; Curtis H. Flather; Marni Koopman

2008-01-01

Resource managers face many challenges in developing management recommendations for wildlife habitat under a changing climate. Our research results offer states a more consistent and holistic approach to analyzing potential threats of climate change to terrestrial wildlife habitat. This process integrates a review of the scientific literature, the State Wildlife Action...

Influencing Graduation Rates through Resource Allocation: A Correlation Analysis of Institutional Expenditures and Six-Year Graduation Rates at Private Colleges and Universities in New England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Promades, Frederick C.

2012-01-01

The challenges facing higher education are great given the current economic environment, the shift of enrollment from private to public institutions, changing student demographics, globalization of institutions, and technology (Goldstein, 2006; Jansen & Bielak, 2008; Newman, Couturier, & Scurry, 2004a). Society's expectations that…

Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in Mississippi's Community Colleges. Report #C417

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Cynthia; Krohn, Sylvia; Reichlin, Lindsey; Román, Stephanie; Gault, Barbara

2014-01-01

Community colleges are a critical resource for women seeking to achieve economic security and stability, yet many women who are community college students face challenges that make it difficult to persist in their education and complete their degrees. To understand the circumstances and experiences of female community college students in…

Access and Inclusion for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: "Let Me In."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesmondhalgh, Matthew; Breakey, Christine

Based on pioneering work at a school in Sheffield, England, this book explores the universal issues of access and inclusion in employment and education for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). It describes the challenges educators faced in establishing and running an integrated resource room for children with ASD within…

Setting the Bar for High-Ability Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Buck; Cross, Tracy L.

2013-01-01

Secondary school principals face no shortage of issues and challenges when it comes to ensuring that their teachers and students are ready for the Common Core State Standards. With so many issues competing for scarce time and resources, it is understandable that for many school leaders, the needs of high-ability and high-potential students are not…

Using the Arts to Raise Awareness and Communicate Environmental Information in the Extension Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, David J.

2011-01-01

Extension services face an increasing challenge as the state of Australia's environment declines. It is, therefore, opportune to explore some innovations in the way extension is traditionally delivered. This paper introduces the concept of the visual and performing arts being useful in extension of natural resources management issues such as land…

Wayne School of Engineering: Case Study of a Rural Inclusive STEM-Focused High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters Burton, Erin; Kaminsky, Samuel E.; Lynch, Sharon; Behrend, Tara; Han, Edmund; Ross, Kathleen; House, Ann

2014-01-01

Rural schools face challenges that are often different than nonrural schools. Resource constraints are particularly acute in rural schools, and they struggle to offer advanced courses and extracurricular programs. The purpose of this paper is to present a descriptive, instrumental case study of an inclusive rural science, technology, engineering,…

The Big Money Question: Action Research Projects Give District a Clear Picture of Professional Learning's Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dill-Varga, Barbara

2015-01-01

How do districts know if the resources they have allocated to support professional learning in their school district are actually improving the quality of teaching and impacting student performance? In an increasingly challenging financial environment, this is important to know. In this article, a Chicago-area district facing a budget deficit…

Kids at Hope: All Children Are Capable of Success--No Exceptions!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tipps, Christine R.

2006-01-01

How has our society typically responded to the challenging problems facing youths? Communities have, more often than not, focused resources on prevention programs that have attempted to stop youths from taking drugs, joining gangs, getting pregnant, and dropping out of school, among other things. A problem is identified, and the response is to…

"The Open Library at AU" (Athabasca University): Supporting Open Access and Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Colin; Fabbro, Elaine

2015-01-01

To address challenges that learners, course creators, librarians and academics involved with OER and MOOCs are facing when looking for scholarly materials, Athabasca University Library has initiated the development of "the Open Library at AU." This open library is a full library website that provides easy access to open and free…

The Impact of Economic Crises on American Universities: Lessons from the Past

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Khawas, Elaine

2011-01-01

Universities around the world have been affected by the recent global economic crisis. Many are challenged by reduced resources, yet they also face greater demands to help spur recovery in their respective countries. This paper explores how colleges and universities in the United States were affected by, and subsequently responded to, several 20th…

The next century of wood products utilization : a call for reflection and innovation

Treesearch

John A. Youngquist; Thomas E. Hamilton

1999-01-01

Sustainable development has become the umbrella objective for forest management in many countries of the world, and managers are increasingly faced with the challenges of balancing environmental and economic health in their forest management and resource utilization decisions. It can no longer be assumed that abundant raw materials are available simply for the taking....

Choice, Challenge, and Collaboration: Giving Teachers of Gifted Students What They Need in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Bonnie Rhyne

2013-01-01

Since the implementation of NCLB initiatives, rural K-12 teachers in Middle Georgia have been working to gain highly qualified status in their area of certification. These educators have faced struggles that are characteristic of rural schools to include: limited resources, isolated geographic locations, and lack of funds. The In-field Gifted…

Towards a Good Education in Very Remote Australia: Is it Just a Case of Moving the Desks Around?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guenther, John; Bat, Melodie

2013-01-01

The education system, as it relates to very remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia, faces challenges. While considerable resources have been applied to very remote schools, results in terms of enrollments, attendance and learning outcomes have changed little, despite the effort applied. The Cooperative Research…

Natural resources research and management issues: 2007

Treesearch

Christine Vogt; James Absher; Alan Graefe; Bill Hammitt; Linda Kruger; Jerry Vaske

2008-01-01

This year (2007) at the Northeastern Recreation Research (NERR) Symposium, we took the opportunity to reflect on the past 15 to 20 years of recreation research and discuss the opportunities and challenges that might face us in the next decade. The session utilized a panel to entertain four primary questions focused on recreation research. Following a panel presentation...

The Parenting Challenge: Selecting Technology and Non-Technology Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis-Cole, Demetria; Parkman, Cheryl

2012-01-01

Autism is a Spectrum of Disorders (ASD) that affects 1 in 88 children. The issues and decisions parents face are almost insurmountable depending on the child's diagnosis, available interventions, the knowledge of parents, proximity to professionals and interventions, financial resources, and the individual needs of the child. There is no cure for…

Interactive-GIS-Tutor (IGIST) Integration: Creating a Digital Space Gateway within a Textbook-Bound South African Geography Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleischmann, E. M-L.; van der Westhuizen, C. P.; Cilliers, D.

2015-01-01

Currently there is a global drive among political and educational institutions to implement geographic information system (GIS) practice in secondary schools. However, Geography teachers worldwide, including in South Africa, face significant practical challenges in this regard. Lack of curriculum aligned GIS resources, funds and teacher GIS…

School-Based Meditation Practices for Adolescents: A Resource for Strengthening Self Regulation, Emotional Coping, and Self-Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisner, Betsy L.; Jones, Barbara; Gwin, David

2010-01-01

Schools are searching for innovative ways to meet the unique academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs of adolescents, many of whom face serious personal and family challenges. An innovative practice that is currently being introduced into school settings is meditation. Types of meditation offered in school-based settings include…

Radar Resource Management in a Dense Target Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

problem faced by networked MFRs . While relaxing our assumptions concerning information gain presents numerous challenges worth exploring, future research...linear programming MFR multifunction phased array radar MILP mixed integer linear programming NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization PDF probability...1: INTRODUCTION Multifunction phased array radars ( MFRs ) are capable of performing various tasks in rapid succession. The performance of target search

The Fire Learning Network: A promising conservation strategy for forestry

Treesearch

Bruce E. Goldstein; William H. Butler; R. Bruce Hull

2010-01-01

Conservation Learning Networks (CLN) are an emerging conservation strategy for addressing complex resource management challenges that face the forestry profession. The US Fire Learning Network (FLN) is a successful example of a CLN that operates on a national scale. Developed in 2001 as a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, the US Forest Service, and land-...

Net Zero Fort Carson: Integrating Energy, Water, and Waste Strategies to Lower the Environmental Impact of a Military Base

EPA Science Inventory

Military bases resemble small cities and face similar sustainability challenges. As pilot studies in the U.S. Army Net Zero program, 17 locations are moving to 100% renewable energy, zero depletion of water resources, and/or zero waste to landfill by 2020. Some bases target net z...

Mobility as an Intercultural Training Agenda: An Awareness-Raising Programme for Youth Workers and Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davcheva, Leah

2011-01-01

This self-study intercultural learning resource has been created for facilitators of mobility programmes for young people. It helps youth facilitators to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that face the mobile young people they work with. Users explore the intercultural aspects of the "mobility" phenomenon from…

Toys Redesigned: The Intersection of Industrial Technology and Service-Learning Principles. Resources in Technology and Engineeering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefaniak, Jill; Katsioloudis, Petros; Matrood, Basim

2017-01-01

This project promoted students' understanding of the importance of diversity of communities and cultures, and educated them on the challenges faced by children who are undergoing cancer treatments. To provide students with a situated learning experience that encouraged them to develop creative design solutions, the authors created a…

Leadership, Motivation, and Teamwork Behaviors of Principal Investigator's in Interdisciplinary Teams: A Synthesis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Brittany L.; Cain, Holly Reed; Giraud, Vivana; Stedman, Nicole L. P.

2012-01-01

Increased demand, limited resources, knowledge gaps, and seemingly less time to produce results are the challenges facing researchers and others in higher education today. Working together across disciplines is almost a requirement to stay afloat in the competitive arena most principal investigators are finding themselves in. This study sought to…

Research to guide trail management at Acadia National Park, Maine

Treesearch

Kelly Goonan; Robert Manning; William Valliere

2009-01-01

Acadia National Park, Maine, is the tenth most-visited national park in the United States. Managers face the challenge of protecting the park's trail system from damage while maintaining a high quality recreation experience. For this study, an initial phase of research was conducted to identify potential indicators of quality for trail resources and the visitor...

Snapshots of Sustainability: Profiles of Successful Strategies for Financing Out-of-School Time Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandel, Kate, Ed.

2007-01-01

Sustainability is a critical issue for out-of-school programs. Time-limited grants, narrow categorical funding streams, and difficult economic conditions leave program leaders in a continual struggle to find a stable base of resources to continue their program over time. In the face of these challenges, many out-of-school initiatives have…

Using OER as a Tool for Agribusiness Management Training for Hard-to-Reach Rural Farmer Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muniafu, Maina; Wambalaba, Francis; Wanyama, Walter; Nduati, Gidraph; Ndirangu, Dalton

2013-01-01

Agriculture is the mainstay of Kenya's economy and contributes significantly to the gross domestic product. A great majority of this contribution comes from smallholder farmers who paradoxically face numerous obstacles ranging from a lack of support structures to poor policies and inadequate resources. A major challenge is assisting these farmers…

Leading Change: Transitioning to the Common Core

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Brian

2012-01-01

For many school districts in the United States, making the transition to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is proving to be a challenge at a time when they are already facing many obstacles, not the least of which is dwindling financial resources. A change of this magnitude cannot be made haphazardly; to be successful in its goal of helping…

Venturing beyond the Gates: Facilitating Successful Reentry with Entrepreneurship. Summer 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindahl, Nicole

2007-01-01

The rising number of individuals returning to communities from prison and jail represents one of the defining issues of time. Individuals reentering society face myriad challenges, not the least of which is securing viable employment; in addition, each individual has a unique set of experiences, needs and resources. This project stems from the…

Understanding Middle School Students' Difficulties in Explaining Density Differences from a Language Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seah, Lay Hoon; Clarke, David; Hart, Christina

2015-01-01

This study examines how a class of Grade 7 students employed linguistic resources to explain density differences. Drawing from the same data-set as a previous study by, we take a language perspective to investigate the challenges students face in learning the concept of density. Our study thus complements previous research on learning about…

Stewardship and fireshed assessment: a process for designing a landscape fuel treatment strategy.

Treesearch

Bernhard Bahro; Klaus H. Barber; Joseph W. Sherlock; Donald A. Yasuda

2007-01-01

Natural resource land managers today face a difficult challenge of developing a cohesive fuels and vegetation management strategy that addresses the widely acknowledged wildfire threat. Treatments must also be compatible with a wide variety of other land management goals, such as managing for wildlife habitat, watersheds, and forest health. In addition, funding will...

Alabama High-Risk Youth Resource Directory. Tools for Prevention: Building Healthy Youths.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Washington, DC. School Improvement Programs.

Like many other southern states, Alabama faces serious social and economic challenges. The 1993 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, undertaken to assess the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among students grades 9 through 12 across the United States, found that of all Alabama students: 18.2% reported that someone had offered, sold or given them illegal…

Introduction to SWAT+, a completely restructured version of the soil and water assessment tool

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

SWAT+ is a completely revised version of SWAT that was developed to face present and future challenges in water resources modeling and management and to meet the needs of the growing worldwide user community. SWAT+ addresses several of the limitations of the model reported in the large body of peer...

Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology: Textbook for Multidisciplinary Care | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

This textbook walks clinicians through the psychosocial issues and challenges faced by children and adolescents with cancer and their families. Through a developmental lens, the text provides guidance and resources that will enable clinicians to understand the physical and emotional impact of the disease from diagnosis onwards, to work with families in distress, and to

Intersections between School Reform, the Arts, and Special Education: The Children Left Behind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hourigan, Ryan M.

2014-01-01

Arts education and special education within public schools have faced similar challenges in the wake of school reform. Services and programming have been reduced, leaving a larger gap in resources and accessibility. Because of loopholes in policy, new reform initiatives such as vouchers and charter schools will continue to marginalize students…

In the First Few Years: Reflections of a Beginning Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Tina

In the ever-changing world of education, beginning teachers need resources to turn to as they face new, daily challenges. In a collection of 22 essays, the book's author shares insights and experiences from her first three years of teaching, using humor, honesty, and compassion to cover diverse topics. The essays can make new teachers feel like…

Community College Leaders for Tomorrow: Emerging Problems and Leadership Strategies to Avert Declining Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeCroy, Jan; Shaw, Ruth

Similar problems and challenges face community colleges and their leaders throughout the United States. Even in areas of high growth and relatively low unemployment, such as Dallas, which has witnessed a rapid growth in community college education, colleges must deal with issues such as their appropriate role and mission, the type of educational…

Financing EU Student Mobility: A Proposed Credit Union Scheme for Europe. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.17.10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoareau, Cecile

2010-01-01

Governments worldwide face the challenge of financing a growing student population with limited resources, especially in the current context of difficult economic recovery. Student loan schemes, because they appear as cost-efficient and are defendable on the lines of social equity (students invest in their future), are increasingly politically…

An Enduring Presence: Special Collections of the Barr Smith Library at the University of Adelaide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoskin, Cheryl

2009-01-01

This paper is a practical and personal perspective on the challenges faced by special collections in an increasingly digital environment, and the strategies employed to promote their unique resources to the academic and wider communities, including the value of promoting heritage through reconstructing collections and the place of expertise in the…

Digital Technology: A Double-Edged Sword for a School Principal in Rural Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotok, Stephen; Kryst, Erica L.

2017-01-01

This case study was inspired by visits to several different rural high schools in Pennsylvania. The case illuminates the challenges faced by rural principals and superintendents who want to integrate digital technology into their curriculum, but who lack certain financial and human capital resources. Although this case occurred in a remote, rural…

Work and Family: The Crucial Balance = Travail et la Famille: Un Equilibre Delicat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, Toronto.

The dynamics of the Canadian workforce have changed. Demographic, social and employment trends, coupled with the changing face of the Canadian family, will increasingly challenge business and industry in the '90s. This practical resource guide for employers explores the changing relationship between family and paid work, and how that new…

When Health Systems Are Barriers to Health Care: Challenges Faced by Uninsured Mexican Kidney Patients

PubMed Central

Kierans, Ciara; Padilla-Altamira, Cesar; Garcia-Garcia, Guillermo; Ibarra-Hernandez, Margarita; Mercado, Francisco J.

2013-01-01

Background Chronic Kidney Disease disproportionately affects the poor in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Mexico exemplifies the difficulties faced in supporting Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) and providing equitable patient care, despite recent attempts at health reform. The objective of this study is to document the challenges faced by uninsured, poor Mexican families when attempting to access RRT. Methods The article takes an ethnographic approach, using interviewing and observation to generate detailed accounts of the problems that accompany attempts to secure care. The study, based in the state of Jalisco, comprised interviews with patients, their caregivers, health and social care professionals, among others. Observations were carried out in both clinical and social settings. Results In the absence of organised health information and stable pathways to renal care, patients and their families work extraordinarily hard and at great expense to secure care in a mixed public-private healthcare system. As part of this work, they must navigate challenging health and social care environments, negotiate treatments and costs, resource and finance healthcare and manage a wide range of formal and informal health information. Conclusions Examining commonalities across pathways to adequate healthcare reveals major failings in the Mexican system. These systemic problems serve to reproduce and deepen health inequalities. A system, in which the costs of renal care are disproportionately borne by those who can least afford them, faces major difficulties around the sustainability and resourcing of RRTs. Attempts to increase access to renal therapies, therefore, need to take into account the complex social and economic demands this places on those who need access most. This paper further shows that ethnographic studies of the concrete ways in which healthcare is accessed in practice provide important insights into the plight of CKD patients and so constitute an important source of evidence in that effort. PMID:23349868

Engaging African American Faith-Based Organizations in Adolescent HIV Prevention.

PubMed

Woods-Jaeger, Briana A; Carlson, Mamie; Taggart, Tamara; Riggins, Linda; Lightfoot, Alexandra F; Jackson, Melvin R

2015-08-01

To reduce current HIV disparities among African American youth, it is imperative to find effective ways to extend the reach of evidence-based HIV prevention. One promising community resource to support this effort is faith-based organizations (FBOs), a credible and respected resource in the African American community. This paper describes the experiences, perceptions, and challenges that African American FBOs and faith leaders face in engaging in adolescent HIV prevention and highlights facilitators and barriers to implementing HIV prevention in African American FBOs. The findings suggest that African American FBOs and faith-based leaders are uniquely positioned to be instrumental resources in reducing African American youth HIV disparities.

Implementing an interprofessional first-year teamwork project: some key reflections.

PubMed

McNaughton, Susan Maree

2013-09-01

Implementing an interprofessional teamwork project for first-year students presents pedagogical and practical challenges. While transferable skills and attributes are important, engagement of students with limited professional experience in teamwork depends on relevance to current learning needs. This report outlines principles learned from planning and implementing a teamwork project for an interprofessional health administration and service development course. Practising interprofessional teamwork as leaders and teachers, aligning with previous, current and future teamwork content and processes and responding to student feedback and achievement have been the key factors in shaping the project over three semesters. Face-to-face and online interprofessional teamwork learning has necessitated developing resources that support self-direction, using familiar technology and providing enabling physical environments. Implications for first-year interprofessional teamwork are that structured well-resourced processes, responsiveness and alignment of learning all improve student outcomes.

Use of short messaging services to assess depressive symptoms among refugees in South Africa: Implications for social services providing mental health care in resource-poor settings

PubMed Central

Tomita, Andrew; Kandolo, Ka Muzombo; Susser, Ezra; Burns, Jonathan K

2016-01-01

Few studies in developing nations have assessed the use of short messaging services (SMS) to identify psychological challenges in refugee populations. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of SMS-based methods to screen for depression risk among refugees in South Africa attending mental health services, and to compare its reliability and acceptability with face-to-face consultation. Of the 153 refugees enrolled at baseline, 135 were available for follow-up assessments in our cohort study. Depression symptomatology was assessed using the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) instrument. Nearly everyone possessed a mobile phone and utilized SMS. Furthermore, low incomplete item response in QIDS and high perceived ease of interacting via SMS with service providers supported the feasibility of this method. There was a fair level of reliability between face-to-face and SMS-based screening methods, but no significant difference in preference rating between the two methods. Despite potential implementation barriers (network delay/phone theft), depression screening using SMS may be viable for refugee mental health services in low-resource settings. PMID:26407989

The status of US multi-campus colleges and schools of pharmacy.

PubMed

Harrison, Lauren C; Congdon, Heather Brennan; DiPiro, Joseph T

2010-09-10

To assess the current status of multi-campus colleges and schools of pharmacy within the United States. Data on multi-campus programs, technology, communication, and opinions regarding benefits and challenges were collected from Web sites, e-mail, and phone interviews from all colleges and schools of pharmacy with students in class on more than 1 campus. Twenty schools and colleges of pharmacy (18 public and 2 private) had multi-campus programs; 16 ran parallel campuses and 4 ran sequential campuses. Most programs used synchronous delivery of classes. The most frequently reported reasons for establishing the multi-campus program were to have access to a hospital and/or medical campus and clinical resources located away from the main campus and to increase class size. Effectiveness of distance education technology was most often sited as a challenge. About 20% of colleges and schools of pharmacy have multi-campus programs most often to facilitate access to clinical resources and to increase class size. These programs expand learning opportunities and face challenges related to technology, resources, and communication.

The Status of US Multi-campus Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Harrison, Lauren C.; DiPiro, Joseph T.

2010-01-01

Objective To assess the current status of multi-campus colleges and schools of pharmacy within the United States. Methods Data on multi-campus programs, technology, communication, and opinions regarding benefits and challenges were collected from Web sites, e-mail, and phone interviews from all colleges and schools of pharmacy with students in class on more than 1 campus. Results Twenty schools and colleges of pharmacy (18 public and 2 private) had multi-campus programs; 16 ran parallel campuses and 4 ran sequential campuses. Most programs used synchronous delivery of classes. The most frequently reported reasons for establishing the multi-campus program were to have access to a hospital and/or medical campus and clinical resources located away from the main campus and to increase class size. Effectiveness of distance education technology was most often sited as a challenge. Conclusion About 20% of colleges and schools of pharmacy have multi-campus programs most often to facilitate access to clinical resources and to increase class size. These programs expand learning opportunities and face challenges related to technology, resources, and communication. PMID:21088729

Sickle Cell Disease: Management Options and Challenges in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Ansong, Daniel; Akoto, Alex Osei; Ocloo, Delaena; Ohene-Frempong, Kwaku

2013-01-01

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common genetic disorder of haemoglobin in sub-Saharan Africa. This commentary focuses on the management options available and the challenges that health care professionals in developing countries face in caring for patients with SCD. In a developing countries like Ghana, new-born screening is now about to be implemented on a national scale. Common and important morbidities associated with SCD are vaso-occlusive episodes, infections, Acute Chest Syndrome (ACS), Stroke and hip necrosis. Approaches to the management of these morbidities are far advanced in the developed countries. The differences in setting and resource limitations in developing countries bring challenges that have a major influence in management options in developing countries. Obviously clinicians in developing countries face challenges in managing SCD patients. However understanding the disease, its progression, and instituting the appropriate preventive methods are paramount in its management. Emphasis should be placed on early counselling, new-born screening, anti-microbial prophylaxis, vaccination against infections, and training of healthcare workers, patients and caregivers. These interventions are affordable in developing countries. PMID:24363877

Suburban wildlife: Lessons, challenges, and opportunities

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeStefano, S.; Deblinger, R.D.; Miller, C.

2005-01-01

The United States, as well as most developed and many developing nations worldwide, is becoming increasingly urban and suburban.Although urban, suburban, and commercial development account for less than one percent to just over 20% of land use among states, 50-90% of the residents of those states can be classified as urban or suburban dwellers. The population of the U.S. as a whole has risen from being > 95% rural in the 1790s to about 80% urban-suburban today. With these changes in land use and demographic patterns come changes in values and attitudes; many urbanites and suburbanites view wildlife and nature differently than rural residents. These are among the challenges faced by wildlife biologists and natural resource managers in a rapidly urbanizing world. In 2003, we convened a symposium to discuss issues related to suburban wildlife. The papers presented in this special issue of Urban Ecosystems address the lessons learned from the early and recently rapidly expanding literature, the challenges we face today, and the opportunities that can help deal with what is one of the biggest challenges to conservation in a modernizing world. ?? 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

A secure medical data exchange protocol based on cloud environment.

PubMed

Chen, Chin-Ling; Yang, Tsai-Tung; Shih, Tzay-Farn

2014-09-01

In recent years, health care technologies already became matured such as electronic medical records that can be easily stored. However, how to get medical resources more convenient is currently concern issue. In spite of many literatures discussed about medical systems, but these literatures should face many security challenges. The most important issue is patients' privacy. Therefore, we propose a secure medical data exchange protocol based on cloud environment. In our scheme, we use mobile device's characteristics, allowing peoples use medical resources on the cloud environment to seek medical advice conveniently.

Study of sandy soil grain-size distribution on its deformation properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antropova, L. B.; Gruzin, A. V.; Gildebrandt, M. I.; Malaya, L. D.; Nikulina, V. B.

2018-04-01

As a rule, new oil and gas fields' development faces the challenges of providing construction objects with material and mineral resources, for example, medium sand soil for buildings and facilities footings of the technological infrastructure under construction. This problem solution seems to lie in a rational usage of the existing environmental resources, soils included. The study was made of a medium sand soil grain-size distribution impact on its deformation properties. Based on the performed investigations, a technique for controlling sandy soil deformation properties was developed.

Health care for undocumented immigrants in Texas: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Kuruvilla, Rohit; Raghavan, Rajeev

2014-07-01

Providing health care to the 1.6 million undocumented immigrants in Texas is an existing challenge. Despite continued growth of this vulnerable population, legislation between 1986 and 2013 has made it more difficult for states to provide adequate and cost-effective care. As this population ages and develops chronic illnesses, Texas physicians, health care administrators, and legislators will be facing a major challenge. New legislation, such as the Affordable Care Act and immigration reform, does not address or attempt to solve the issue of providing health care to this population. One example of inadequate care and poor resource allocation is the experience of undocumented immigrants with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In Texas, these immigrants depend on safety net hospital systems for dialysis treatments. Often, treatments are provided only when their conditions become an emergency, typically at a higher cost, with worse outcomes. This article reviews the legislation regarding health care for undocumented immigrants, particularly those with chronic illnesses such as ESRD, and details specific challenges facing Texas physicians in the future.

The Benefits of Physician Training Programs for Rural Communities: Lessons Learned from the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.

PubMed

Lee, Marshala; Newton, Helen; Smith, Tracey; Crawford, Malena; Kepley, Hayden; Regenstein, Marsha; Chen, Candice

2016-01-01

Rural communities disproportionately face preventable chronic diseases and death from treatable conditions. Health workforce shortages contribute to limited health care access and health disparities. Efforts to address workforce shortages have included establishing graduate medical education programs with the goal of recruiting and retaining physicians in the communities in which they train. However, rural communities face a number of challenges in developing and maintaining successful residency programs, including concerns over financial sustainability and the integration of resident trainees into existing clinical practices. Despite these challenges, rural communities are increasingly interested in investing in residency programs; those that are successful see additional benefits in workforce recruitment, access, and quality of care that have immediate and direct impact on the health of rural communities. This commentary examines the challenges and benefits of rural residency programs, drawing from lessons learned from the Health Resources and Services Administration's Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program.

Restraint of children with additional needs in motor vehicles: knowledge and challenges of paediatric occupational therapists in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Baker, Anne; Galvin, Jane; Vale, Lisa; Lindner, Helen

2012-02-01

This research project aimed to understand the challenges faced by occupational therapists when making recommendations regarding the restraint of children with additional needs in motor vehicles in Victoria, Australia. A cross-sectional survey design was used to explore current practice in relation to the prescription of motor vehicle restraints in Victoria, Australia. An electronic survey was sent to occupational therapists working with children aged from birth to 18 years in early intervention services, hospitals, schools, community services or private practice.   Challenges faced by occupational therapists related to a lack of knowledge of relevant standards and legal requirements, issues seating children with behavioural difficulties, families' inability to purchase recommended equipment and constraints as a result of funding issues. Further work is required to develop appropriate resources which support occupational therapists to make car seating recommendations for children with additional needs which comply with Australian legal requirements and standards. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2011 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Ethical challenges in pain management post-surgery.

PubMed

Rejeh, Nahid; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Mohamadi, Eesa; Anoosheh, Moniereh; Kazemnejad, Anooshirvan

2009-03-01

This qualitative study describes ethical challenges faced by Iranian nurses in the process of pain management in surgical units. To address this issue, semistructured interviews were conducted with 26 nurses working in surgery units in three large university hospitals in Tehran. An analysis of the transcripts revealed three main categories: institutional limitations; nurses' proximity to and involvement with pain and suffering; and nurses' fallibility. Specific themes identified within the categories were: insufficient resources, medical hierarchy; difficulties with believing patients' complaints regarding pain and suffering; and experiencing the consequences of poor judgments. Our findings lead us to conclude that, as nurses are much closer to patients' pain and suffering than other health professionals, being aware of their ethical problems, and being able to reflect on them and discuss and learn from them, will reduce the burden of the ethical challenges faced. The findings will help nurses in other countries to devise suitable ways to reduce the ethical burdens they bear in their daily practice.

Guide to Cybersecurity, Resilience, and Reliability for Small and Under-Resourced Utilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ingram, Michael; Martin, Maurice

Small electricity utilities -- those with less than 100 employees or 50,000 meters -- provide essential services to large parts of the United States while facing a number of challenges unique to their mission. For instance, they often serve areas that are sparsely populated, meaning that their per-customer cost to provide service is higher. At the same time, they often serve customers that have moderate or fixed incomes, meaning that they are under strong pressure to keep costs down. This pressure puts them on a strict budget and creates a need for innovative solutions to common problems. Further, their servicemore » areas may include extreme climates, making severe weather events more frequent and their aftermaths more expensive to address. This guide considers challenges that small utilities face while ensuring the reliability, resilience, and cybersecurity of their electric service; approaches to address those challenges using existing guidance documents; ways that the federal government could provide support in these areas.« less

The Hidden Work of Exiting Homelessness: Challenges of Housing Service Use and Strategies of Service Recipients

PubMed Central

Mayberry, Lindsay S.

2015-01-01

This study explored the experiences of parents attempting to re-attain housing after a shelter stay. Eighty parents participated in semistructured face-to-face interviews approximately six months after being recruited from shelters in four states across the U.S. Qualitative analyses identified common challenges of service use, strategies of service recipients, and characteristics of positive and negative service experiences. Challenges of service use included “catch-22s” resulting from incongruity between service policies/procedures and participants’ contexts and/or requirements of other services, confusion and uncertainty resulting from absent or insufficient communication about services, and long waitlists. Participants demonstrated persistence and determination, networked with service providers, and activated formal resources. Positive service experiences were tailored to families’ needs and marked by clear and consistent communication between providers and with service recipients. Findings suggest effective health communication tactics should be applied to housing services. Providers should collaborate to ensure service attainment does not impede other pathways to stability. PMID:26997682

A day in the life of a junior doctor: everyday ethical encounters.

PubMed

Quarini, Catherine J

2010-11-01

This paper presents a hypothetical 'day in the life' of junior doctors working on a busy hospital ward. It illustrates the fact that, although the everyday ethical encounters faced by doctors are generally not as dramatic as some of the ethical issues discussed at medical school, the underlying principles, such as consent, confidentiality and resource allocation, are highly relevant to daily practice. After presenting some of the ethical challenges faced by junior doctors, from patients confused by poor explanations to inadequate consent procedures, the paper ends with suggestions on how to improve the situation.

Comparing the role of selective and divided attention in the composite face effect: Insights from Attention Operating Characteristic (AOC) plots and cross-contingency correlations.

PubMed

Fitousi, Daniel

2016-03-01

Composite faces combine the top half of one face with the bottom half of another to create a compelling illusion of a new face. Evidence for holistic processing with composite faces comes primarily from a matching procedure in a selective attention task. In the present study, a dual-task approach has been employed to study whether composite faces reflect genuine holistic (i.e., fusion of parts) or non-holistic processing strategies (i.e., switching, resource sharing). This has been accomplished by applying the Attention Operation Characteristic methodology (AOC, Sperling & Melchner, 1978a, 1978b) and cross-contingency correlations (Bonnel & Prinzmetal, 1998) to composite faces. Overall, the results converged on the following conclusions: (a) observers can voluntarily allocate differential amounts of attention to the top and bottom parts in both spatially aligned and misaligned composite faces, (b) the interaction between composite face halves is due to attentional limitations, not due to switching or fusion strategies, and (c) the processing of aligned and misaligned composite faces is quantitatively and qualitatively similar. Taken together, these results challenge the holistic interpretation of the composite face illusion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From Nonclinical Research to Clinical Trials and Patient-registries: Challenges and Opportunities in Biomedical Research

PubMed Central

de la Torre Hernández, José M.; Edelman, Elazer R.

2018-01-01

The most important challenge faced by human beings is health. The only way to provide better solutions for health care is innovation, true innovation. The only source of true innovation is research, good research indeed. The pathway from a basic science study to a randomized clinical trial is long and not free of bumps and even landmines. These are all the obstacles and barriers that limit the availability of resources, entangle administrative-regulatory processes, and restrain investigators’ initiatives. There is increasing demand for evidence to guide clinical practice but, paradoxically, biomedical research has become increasingly complex, expensive, and difficult to integrate into clinical care with increased barriers to performing the practical aspects of investigation. We face the challenge of increasing the volume of biomedical research and simultaneously improving the efficiency and output of this research. In this article, we review the main stages and methods of biomedical research, from nonclinical studies with animal and computational models to randomized trials and clinical registries, focusing on their limitations and challenges, but also providing alternative solutions to overcome them. Fortunately, challenges are always opportunities in disguise. PMID:28838647

Assessment of Biomass Resources in Afghanistan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Milbrandt, A.; Overend, R.

2011-01-01

Afghanistan is facing many challenges on its path of reconstruction and development. Among all its pressing needs, the country would benefit from the development and implementation of an energy strategy. In addition to conventional energy sources, the Afghan government is considering alternative options such as energy derived from renewable resources (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal). Biomass energy is derived from a variety of sources -- plant-based material and residues -- and can be used in various conversion processes to yield power, heat, steam, and fuel. This study provides policymakers and industry developers with information on the biomass resource potential in Afghanistanmore » for power/heat generation and transportation fuels production. To achieve this goal, the study estimates the current biomass resources and evaluates the potential resources that could be used for energy purposes.« less

Modeling Resource Hotspots: Critical Linkages and Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daher, B.; Mohtar, R.; Pistikopoulos, E.; McCarl, B. A.; Yang, Y.

2017-12-01

Growing demands for interconnected resources emerge in the form of hotspots of varying characteristics. The business as usual allocation model cannot address the current, let alone anticipated, complex and highly interconnected resource challenges we face. A new paradigm for resource allocation must be adopted: one that identifies cross-sectoral synergies and, that moves away from silos to recognition of the nexus and integration of it. Doing so will result in new opportunities for business growth, economic development, and improved social well-being. Solutions and interventions must be multi-faceted; opportunities should be identified with holistic trade-offs in mind. No single solution fits all: different hotspots will require distinct interventions. Hotspots have varying resource constraints, stakeholders, goals and targets. The San Antonio region represents a complex resource hotspot with promising potential: its rapidly growing population, the Eagle Ford shale play, and the major agricultural activity there makes it a hotspot with many competing demands. Stakeholders need tools to allow them to knowledgeably address impending resource challenges. This study will identify contemporary WEF nexus questions and critical system interlinkages that will inform the modeling of the tightly interconnected resource systems and stresses using the San Antonio Region as a base; it will conceptualize a WEF nexus modeling framework, and develop assessment criteria to inform integrative planning and decision making.

Refugee Health: An Ongoing Commitment and Challenge

PubMed Central

Efird, Jimmy T.; Bith-Melander, Pollie

2018-01-01

Refugees represent a diverse group of displaced individuals with unique health issues and disease risks. The obstacles facing this population have their origins in war, violence, oppression, exploitation, and fear of persecution. Regardless of country of origin, a common bond exists, with refugees often confronting inadequate healthcare resources, xenophobia, discrimination, and a complex web of legal barriers in their new homelands. In many cases, the plight of refugees is multigenerational, manifesting as mental health issues, abuse, poverty, and family disruption. The health trajectory of refugees remains an ongoing commitment and challenge. PMID:29342831

New challenges for palliative nursing.

PubMed

Aranda, Sanchia

1997-05-02

Editorials by Jeanette Webber and Libby White (IJPN 2(3)) explored threats to both the nursing profession and palliative nursing as the health system faces the reality of limited resources and expanding client needs. I wish to pick up on these issues in the light of changes proposed for palliative care in one Australian state, Victoria. My central argument is that to secure the future of palliative nursing, efforts must focus on demonstrating clearly the value and contribution of nurses to client and family outcomes. Why do I think we are challenged to do this?

Growing pains: Hank Chamberlin and the Arkansas A&M forestry program, 1946-1957

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg

2017-01-01

Almost immediately after he started in the fall of 1945, Henry H. "Hank" Chamberlin faced many challenges in getting the two-year applied forestry program at Arkansas A&M College (AA&M) up and running. As the newly hired director of the one-mandepartment, Chamberlin needed to build this program with virtually no financial resources...

Farming Chicago: Prospects for Higher Education Support of Sustainable Urban Food Systems in the U.S. Heartland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosing, Howard; Block, Daniel R.

2017-01-01

The article highlights recent food policies in Chicago with the goal of exploring how higher education institutions can contribute to development of sustainable food resources for residents of North American cities. Thousands of Chicago residents face daily challenges accessing fresh food due to income constraints and/or lack of proximity to food…

Looking at IT through a New Lens: Achieving Cost Savings in a Fiscally Challenging Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Claffey, George F., Jr.

2009-01-01

Information technology (IT) departments must cut costs and justify expenditures in the face of shrinking budgets. To promote greater cost savings, it is important to look at IT through a new "lens." This article discusses four broad categories that can be evaluated to determine if IT resource alignment is appropriate and if savings can…

Examining the Role of Principals in the Retention of New Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, Katherine

2011-01-01

New teachers are faced with many challenges during the first few years of teaching. They have to adjust to a new work environment, interact with parents, resolve a variety of conflicts, and design stimulating lessons for their students--often with few resources at hand. The large and varied workload that teachers carry during their first few years…

Supporting New Special Education Teachers: How Online Resources and Web 2.0 Technologies Can Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingsley, Bonnie; Israel, Maya; Smith, Sean

2011-01-01

New special education teachers (SETs) face some typical challenges as well as ones that are specific to their particular work settings. Providing support that addresses teachers' unique needs is important for increasing their effectiveness, helping them make a smooth entry into teaching, and reducing their stress and turnover. Nearly 20 years ago,…

The Youngest Nebraskans: A Statistical Look at Infants and Toddlers in Nebraska. Publication #2015-06

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphey, David; Cooper, Mae

2015-01-01

Like all states, Nebraska faces distinct challenges in how it allocates resources to meet the most immediate needs of its citizens while investing responsibly in long-term social and economic growth. This report presents selected indicators that describe the status of infants and toddlers in Nebraska; Often comparable data for the U.S. as a whole…

A Library Response to the Massification of Higher Education: The Case of the University of Zambia Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanyengo, Christine Wamunyima

2009-01-01

This paper looks at the challenges that libraries in Africa face in responding to massification of higher education by discussing the University of Zambia library's response in library and information resources provision. As a result of massification of higher education, libraries have been forced not only to employ new and different strategies to…

Needs-Based Training and Online Resource for Managers of Rural Festivals, Fairs, and Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Eric D.; Rajagopal, Lakshman

2018-01-01

Festivals, fairs, and events (FFEs) provide rural communities with economic and noneconomic benefits. For the project described in this article, we conducted a needs assessment of Iowa FFE managers by surveying them about the challenges they face in event management and then used the results of the assessment as the basis for training sessions…

Adaptable Network Cooperate Catalog for Complex Information Objects. From Single Library to a Consortium: Sharing the Management and Distribution of Information Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morag, Azriel

Libraries faced with the challenge of cooperative cataloging must maintain a high degree of unification within the library network (consortium) without compromising local libraries' independence. This paper compares a traditional model for cooperative catalogs achieved by means of a Union Catalog that depends entirely on replication of data…

Braking and Entering: A New CFO's Transition into A K-12 Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trautenberg, David Herbert

2016-01-01

In this autoethnography, I examine the challenges I faced as a private-to-public-sector novice CFO entering a resource-constrained 41-thousand-student K-12 urban school district in Colorado. This study chronicles how I deliberately slowed down my interactions within a complex adaptive system (CAS) through ethnographic interviewing to identify the…

Traditional vs. Simulated Guided Methodology in Teaching Vital Sign Assessment of the Normal Newborn to the Nursing Student: A Clinical Outcome Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivers, Joynelle L.

2012-01-01

Nursing education faces many challenges such as faculty shortages, inadequate clinical site placements, the inability to accept qualified students because of limited resources, and how to effectively educate students who are tech savvy, confident, highly motivated yet have differing needs from previous generations. This study sought to explore how…

A Workshop to Resolve Conflicts in the Conservation of Migratory Landbirds in Bottomland Hardwood Forests

Treesearch

Winston Paul Smith; David N. Pashley; [Editors

1994-01-01

Today's land stewards are faced with the challenge of managing natural resources in a social climate with increasing expectations of accountability for an even broader spectrum of ecological and social values. The "buzz" words of days past (i.e., biodiversity, wetland values and functions) are becoming the realities of ecosystem management. Nowhere is...

e-Learning in Higher Education Makes Its Debut in Cambodia: Implications of the Provincial Business Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdon, Buenafe R.; Ninomiya, Seishi; Raab, Robert T.

2007-01-01

Developing countries face a number of challenges in their efforts to compete successfully in the new global economy. Perhaps the most critical resource needed to achieve these goals is trained human capital. While many developing countries are trying to address this need through traditional means, this may not be the most effective or efficient…

e-Learning in Higher Education Makes Its Debut in Cambodia: The Provincial Business Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdon, Buenafe R.; Ninomiya, Seishi; Raab, Robert T.

2007-01-01

Developing countries face a number of challenges in their efforts to compete successfully in the new global economy. Perhaps the most critical resource needed to achieve these goals is trained human capital. While many developing countries are trying to address this need through traditional means, this may not be the most effective or efficient…

Designing and Delivering an e-Presessional Course in EAP for the 21st First Century International Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Julie; White, Steven

2012-01-01

Summer pre-sessional courses in English for academic purposes (EAP), which prepare growing numbers of international students for degree programmes at UK universities, are facing greater challenges in how to provide the physical space and human resources for their effective and efficient delivery. The affordances of the internet now make other…

Perceptual Learning Styles Modalities Utilizing the Multimodal Paired Associates Learning Test: An Analysis of Latinos Born in Central and South America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Matias

2017-01-01

Businesses and Human Resources professionals face the ongoing challenge of continuously upskilling and developing employees. Changes to processes or procedures, changes in technology, changes in job functions, and updates or changes to compliance laws or regulations are all reasons that employees must attend and complete employer-developed…

Branding the Green Education: Challenges Facing Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development in Egypt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramzy, Omar; Wahieb, Rasha

2012-01-01

Due to the scarcity in natural resources and the demand for green labour and economy, education for sustainable development (ESD) gained a great importance in developed countries, let alone developing ones. From this point of view, this paper is studying the possibility of infusing ESD in Egypt after one and a half years since January 2011 youth…

Three Essays on the Impact of Cost-Saving Strategies on Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Di

2013-01-01

For two decades, state financing of higher education has been on the decline and the situation has exacerbated since the onset of the economic recession, where the US state systems have resorted to a substantial cut of funding for higher education. Faced with the challenges of limited resources for financial pressure and an increasing demand,…

Housing Resources and Programs for Single Student Parents at Community and Technical Colleges. Fact Sheet #C396

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorman, Abby; Otto, Jessica; Gunn-Wright, Rhiana

2012-01-01

Parents with dependent children now make up almost one in four students pursuing higher education in the United States (Miller, Gault, and Thorman 2011). Single parents face particular challenges pursuing higher education, including securing safe and affordable housing. Single mothers often must spend over half of their income on housing expenses,…

Evaluative Case Study of the Effectiveness of Professional Development Elements When Implementing a Learning Management System in Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beams, Tara E.

2017-01-01

As school districts across the country attempt to comply with federal and state mandates to effectively integrate technology into today's teaching and learning, they must face the challenge of also developing professional development plans which will adequately and successfully prepare teachers for implementing these new resources and these new…

A fuzzy model for achieving lean attributes for competitive advantages development using AHP-QFD-PROMETHEE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roghanian, E.; Alipour, Mohammad

2014-06-01

Lean production has become an integral part of the manufacturing landscape as its link with superior performance and its ability to provide competitive advantage is well accepted among academics and practitioners. Lean production helps producers in overcoming the challenges organizations face through using powerful tools and enablers. However, most companies are faced with restricted resources such as financial and human resources, time, etc., in using these enablers, and are not capable of implementing all these techniques. Therefore, identifying and selecting the most appropriate and efficient tool can be a significant challenge for many companies. Hence, this literature seeks to combine competitive advantages, lean attributes, and lean enablers to determine the most appropriate enablers for improvement of lean attributes. Quality function deployment in fuzzy environment and house of quality matrix are implemented. Throughout the methodology, fuzzy logic is the basis for translating linguistic judgments required for the relationships and correlation matrix to numerical values. Moreover, for final ranking of lean enablers, a multi-criteria decision-making method (PROMETHEE) is adopted. Finally, a case study in automotive industry is presented to illustrate the implementation of the proposed methodology.

The experience of older people living independently in Singapore.

PubMed

Tan, K-K; He, H-G; Chan, S W-C; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K

2015-12-01

Globally, older people are living independently either alone or with their spouse, population continues to age. In Singapore, some may live with an unrelated older person in a public rental apartment. In Asia, these older people are associated with increased risks of poor health and social isolation, have poorer social support and a poor quality of life. Few studies have explored why these older people choose such living arrangements, the challenges they encountered and what has helped or may help them overcome these challenges. To explore older people's experiences of living independently or with an unrelated older person. This descriptive qualitative study involved face-to-face interviews with 25 informants, 65 years or older in Singapore. Thematic analysis was adopted. Five themes emerged: (1) making own choice--participants decided to live apart from their families, (2) contending with concerns--the availability of external resources for participants was shrinking, (3) coping with the available assistance--depending on available external resources from the community, (4) holding on to their values--participants rely on their internal resources to manage, and (5) preparing for the inevitable--participants were planning for their final years of life and for their death. Older people have such living arrangements for many reasons. They attain well-being and quality of life by devising strategies, tapping on their limited external resources and relying on their values to manage their diminishing resources and the foreseeable death. Understanding older people's experiences may help nurses and health professionals to develop health promotion programmes that support older people's everyday needs and help them to stay healthy. Public health policy must support older people to live in a safe environment near their extended family to reduce their need to relocate. © 2015 International Council of Nurses.

Skills and attributes required by clinical nurse specialists to promote evidence-based practice.

PubMed

Campbell, T Diane; Profetto-McGrath, Joanne

2013-01-01

The purposes of this article were to describe the challenges that clinical nurse specialists (CNS) face in their role and to examine how CNSs describe the skills and attributes that are needed to promote the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) in their workplaces. This article is based on findings from a dissertation regarding how CNSs promote EBP in a western Canadian province. A sequential explanatory participant selection mixed-methods design was used for this study. The study took place in a western Canadian province that has a population of 1 million people, with 42.7% of the population residing in the 2 largest cities. The sample was drawn from a provincial registered nurse database. The sample for the survey was 23, and for the interviews, there were 11 participants. The telephone survey contained 113 questions grouped into several subcategories. SPSS 18 was used to analyze the survey data. The semistructured interviews were conducted face to face, transcribed, and reviewed for recurrent themes. Interpretive description was used to analyze the themes. The major challenges faced by CNSs are role strain, lack of support and resources, and role ambiguity. The skills and attributes required to be a CNS are graduate preparation, clinical expertise, and people/communication skills. Clinical nurse specialists can improve patient outcomes by promoting EBP; to do so, they need to work in supportive contexts that give those in the CNS role a set of clear role expectations. There are challenges faced by CNSs in Canada, and there is a need to strengthen the CNS's role by standardizing the regulatory requirements at a national level.

Operation Protective Edge - A Unique Challenge for a Civilian EMS Agency.

PubMed

Jaffe, Eli; Strugo, Refael; Wacht, Oren

2015-10-01

During July through August 2014, Operation Protective Edge, a military conflict between Israel and the Hamas regime in Gaza, dramatically affected both populations. Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli national Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and a member of the Red Cross, faced a unique challenge during the conflict: to continue providing crucial service to the entire civilian population of Israel, which was under constant missile threat. This challenge included not only providing immediate care for routine EMS calls under missile threat, but also preparing and delivering immediate care to civilians injured in attacks on major cities, as well as small communities, in Israel. This task is a challenge for a civilian EMS agency that normally operates in a non-military environment, yet, in an instant, must enhance its capability to respond to a considerable threat to its population. During Operation Protective Edge, MDA provided care for 842 wounded civilians and utilized a significant amount of its resources. Providing EMS services for a civilian population in a mixed civilian/military scenario is a challenging task on a national level for an EMS system, especially when the threat lasts for weeks. This report describes MDA's preparedness and operations during Operation Protective Edge, and the unique EMS challenges and dilemmas the agency faced.

Health Professionals Facing Burnout: What Do We Know about Nursing Managers?

PubMed

Heeb, Jean-Luc; Haberey-Knuessi, Véronique

2014-01-01

Objective. To address the degree of burnout in nursing managers in hospitals of Western Switzerland, including comparison with medical managers, and its relationship with personal, work-related, and organizational characteristics. Methods. Statistical analysis of the scores of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey from 257 nursing managers who answered a standardized electronic questionnaire. Results. Nursing managers showed a low degree of burnout, which was similar to that of medical managers. Most of them had a low level of emotional exhaustion and a low level of depersonalization, while personal accomplishment was contrasted. Only 2.3% had a high degree of burnout. These findings challenge the hypothesis of high stress being associated with high burnout, as nursing managers can be supposed to have a highly demanding job due to their intermediary position within the hospital hierarchy. Variations of burnout by personal, work-related, and organizational characteristics mainly concerned emotional exhaustion. Conclusion. Though nursing managers face a highly demanding job, they may benefit from resources (including coping strategies and empowerment) which help counterbalance job stress. Unequal distribution of resources may play a central role when facing burnout.

Health Professionals Facing Burnout: What Do We Know about Nursing Managers?

PubMed Central

Haberey-Knuessi, Véronique

2014-01-01

Objective. To address the degree of burnout in nursing managers in hospitals of Western Switzerland, including comparison with medical managers, and its relationship with personal, work-related, and organizational characteristics. Methods. Statistical analysis of the scores of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey from 257 nursing managers who answered a standardized electronic questionnaire. Results. Nursing managers showed a low degree of burnout, which was similar to that of medical managers. Most of them had a low level of emotional exhaustion and a low level of depersonalization, while personal accomplishment was contrasted. Only 2.3% had a high degree of burnout. These findings challenge the hypothesis of high stress being associated with high burnout, as nursing managers can be supposed to have a highly demanding job due to their intermediary position within the hospital hierarchy. Variations of burnout by personal, work-related, and organizational characteristics mainly concerned emotional exhaustion. Conclusion. Though nursing managers face a highly demanding job, they may benefit from resources (including coping strategies and empowerment) which help counterbalance job stress. Unequal distribution of resources may play a central role when facing burnout. PMID:24804090

The FLEXGene repository: exploiting the fruits of the genome projects by creating a needed resource to face the challenges of the post-genomic era.

PubMed

Brizuela, Leonardo; Richardson, Aaron; Marsischky, Gerald; Labaer, Joshua

2002-01-01

Thanks to the results of the multiple completed and ongoing genome sequencing projects and to the newly available recombination-based cloning techniques, it is now possible to build gene repositories with no precedent in their composition, formatting, and potential. This new type of gene repository is necessary to address the challenges imposed by the post-genomic era, i.e., experimentation on a genome-wide scale. We are building the FLEXGene (Full Length EXpression-ready) repository. This unique resource will contain clones representing the complete ORFeome of different organisms, including Homo sapiens as well as several pathogens and model organisms. It will consist of a comprehensive, characterized (sequence-verified), and arrayed gene repository. This resource will allow full exploitation of the genomic information by enabling genome-wide scale experimentation at the level of functional/phenotypic assays as well as at the level of protein expression, purification, and analysis. Here we describe the rationale and construction of this resource and focus on the data obtained from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae project.

Ecosystem services and integrated water resource management: different paths to the same end?

PubMed

Cook, Brian R; Spray, Christopher J

2012-10-30

The two concepts that presently dominate water resource research and management are the Global Water Partnership's (GWP, 2000) interpretation of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and Ecosystem Services (ES) as interpreted by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA, 2005). Both concepts are subject to mounting criticism, with a significant number of critiques focusing on both their conceptual and methodological incompatibility with management and governance, what has come to be known as the 'implementation gap'. Emergent within the ES and IWRM literatures, then, are two parallel debates concerning the gap between conceptualisation and implementation. Our purpose for writing this review is to argue: 1) that IWRM and ES have evolved into nearly identical concepts, 2) that they face the same critical challenge of implementation, and 3) that, if those interested in water research and management are to have a positive impact on the sustainable utilisation of dwindling water resources, they must break the tendency to jump from concept to concept and confront the challenges that arise with implementation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them.

PubMed

Sushama, Preeti; Ghergu, Cristian; Meershoek, Agnes; de Witte, Luc P; van Schayck, Onno C P; Krumeich, Anja

2018-01-01

While any type of field-based research is challenging, building action-oriented, participatory research in resource-constrained settings can be even more so. In this article, we aim to examine and provide insights into some of the practical challenges that were faced during the course of a participatory project based in two non-notified slums in Bangalore, India, aiming to build solutions to indoor air pollution from cooking on traditional cook stoves. The article draws upon experiences of the authors as field researchers engaged in a community-based project that adopted an exploratory, iterative design to its planning and implementation, which involved community visits, semi-structured interviews, prioritization workshops, community forums, photo voice activities, chulha-building sessions and cooking trials. The main obstacles to field work were linked to fostering open, continued dialogue with the community, aimed at bridging the gap between the 'scientific' and the 'local' worlds. Language and cultural barriers led to a reliance on interpreters, which affected both the quality of the interaction as well as the relationship between the researchers and the community that was built out of that interaction. The transience in housing and location of members of the community also led to difficulties in following up on incomplete information. Furthermore, facilitating meaningful participation from the people within the context of restricted resources, differing priorities, and socio-cultural diversity was particularly challenging. These were further compounded by the constraints of time and finances brought on by the embeddedness of the project within institutional frameworks and conventional research requirements of a fixed, pre-planned and externally determined focus, timeline, activities and benchmarks for the project. This article calls for revisiting of scientific conventions and funding prerequisites, in order to create spaces that support flexible, emergent and adaptive field-based research projects which can respond effectively to the needs and priorities of the community.

Adapting to the health impacts of climate change in a sustainable manner.

PubMed

Hoy, Damian; Roth, Adam; Lepers, Christelle; Durham, Jo; Bell, Johann; Durand, Alexis; Lal, Padma Narsey; Souares, Yvan

2014-12-11

The climate is changing and this poses significant threats to human health. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing Pacific Island countries and territories due to their unique geophysical features, and their social, economic and cultural characteristics. The Pacific region also faces challenges with widely dispersed populations, limited resources and fragmented health systems. Over the past few years, there has been a substantial increase in international aid for health activities aimed at adapting to the threats of climate change. This funding needs to be used strategically to ensure an effective approach to reducing the health risk from climate change. Respecting the principles of development effectiveness will result in more effective and sustainable adaptation, in particular, 1) processes should be owned and driven by local communities, 2) investments should be aligned with existing national priorities and policies, and 3) existing systems must not be ignored, but rather expanded upon and reinforced.

CE: Epilepsy Update, Part 1: Refining Our Understanding of a Complex Disease.

PubMed

Smith, Gigi; Wagner, Janelle L; Edwards, Jonathan C

2015-05-01

Epilepsy is a serious, common neurologic disease that affects people of all ages. As underscored in the 2012 Institute of Medicine report Epilepsy Across the Spectrum: Promoting Health and Understanding, the millions of people living with epilepsy in the United States face the challenges of seeking out high-quality, coordinated health care and community services; overcoming epilepsy misinformation and stigma; and finding understanding and support in their communities. This article, the first in a two-part series, discusses new research that has increased our understanding of epilepsy's etiology and pathophysiology, new definitions that are changing the ways we evaluate and treat this disease, conditions that frequently present with epilepsy, and psychosocial challenges faced by people with epilepsy. Part 2, which will appear in next month's issue, reviews comprehensive nursing care and evidence-based treatment for epilepsy and presents resources for people with epilepsy and their families.

The Changing Landscape of Library and Information Services: What Presidents, Provosts, and Finance Officers Need to Know. White Paper. CLIR Publication No. 162

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmgren, Richard; Spencer, Gene

2014-01-01

In December 2013, the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) sponsored a workshop that explored the ways in which library and information technology services (LITS) organizations and academic institutions will need to evolve in the face of new challenges and opportunities. The workshop discussions, reflected in this paper, offer…

The 2015 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation's Schools. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosciw, Joseph G.; Greytak, Emily A.; Giga, Noreen M.; Villenas, Christian; Danischewski, David J.

2016-01-01

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) "National School Climate Survey" is our flagship report on the school experiences of LGBTQ youth in schools, including the extent of the challenges that they face at school and the school-based resources that support LGBTQ students' well-being. The survey has consistently indicated…

The 2015 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation's Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosciw, Joseph G.; Greytak, Emily A.; Giga, Noreen M.; Villenas, Christian; Danischewski, David J.

2016-01-01

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) "National School Climate Survey" is our flagship report on the school experiences of LGBTQ youth in schools, including the extent of the challenges that they face at school and the school-based resources that support LGBTQ students' well-being. The survey has consistently indicated…

A Geographic Glimpse of Central Texas and the Borderlands: Images and Encounters. Pathways in Geography Resource Publication No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, James F., Ed.; Tuason, Julie A., Ed.

This guide seeks to provide a closer look at the diversity found within central Texas and the borderlands and offers a good general background to understanding some of the challenges facing the region. The book is divided into two parts with articles and lesson plans written by several authors. Part 1, "Views and Viewpoints," includes:…

A Priority for California's Future: Science for Students. Analysis of Public Opinion Research. Strengthening Science Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning, 2010

2010-01-01

California's public schools have struggled since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, and today face enormous challenges to try to regain lost quality and standing as a national education leader. In light of the current economic crisis, competition for limited resources is fierce and the pressure is on to eliminate all but the basic "Three…

ASTM Committee D-7 : Wood : promoting safety and standardization for 100 years

Treesearch

David W. Green; Robert L. Ethington

2004-01-01

In October 2004, Committee D-7 on Wood of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is celebrating 100 years of contributions to the safe and efficient use of wood as a building material. Born during a period of rapid social, economic, and technological change, the Committee faced controversial issues and the challenge of a changing forest resource. This...

Game Theory and Uncertainty Quantification for Cyber Defense Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chatterjee, Samrat; Halappanavar, Mahantesh; Tipireddy, Ramakrishna

Cyber-system defenders face the challenging task of protecting critical assets and information continually against multiple types of malicious attackers. Defenders typically operate within resource constraints while attackers operate at relatively low costs. As a result, design and development of resilient cyber-systems that can support mission goals under attack while accounting for the dynamics between attackers and defenders is an important research problem.

Secondary "At-Risk" Students' Perceptions of Experiences within a Comprehensive High School and a Continuation High/Alternative High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loomis, Corey Campbell

2011-01-01

Comprehensive high schools have been unable to meet the needs of all students (Cotton, 2004). Students face challenges, and some have been labeled "at risk" for various reasons. These students constitute a unique group who often require more time, energy, and resources than large, comprehensive schools can offer. Consequently, they fall behind on…

New Television Documentary Underscores Challenges Faced by Adults Living with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exceptional Parent, 2011

2011-01-01

Over the next 10 to 15 years, an estimated 800,000 children with autism will age out of their school systems and look to state and federal governments for support services and resources to meet their many needs. "Autism: Coming of Age" provides an inside look at the lives of three adults with autism and their families. The film delves into the…

SPACE PHYSICS: Developing resources for astrophysics at A-level: the TRUMP Astrophysics project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swinbank, Elizabeth

1997-01-01

After outlining the astrophysical options now available in A-level physics syllabuses, this paper notes some of the particular challenges facing A-level teachers and students who chose these options and describes a project designed to support them. The paper highlights some key features of the project that could readily be incorporated into other areas of physics curriculum development.

The Role of Urban Primary and Secondary Schools in Minimizing Disease Outbreak Caused by Environmental Contamination: A Case of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutungwe, Edlight; Tsvere, Maria; Dondo, Beauty; Munikwa, Simbarashe

2011-01-01

Waste management is a major challenge facing urban councils in Zimbabwe and Chinhoyi Municipality is no exception. Lack of resources and technical and administrative know-how is hindering proper waste management. Raw sewage and industrial waste flow into streams and rivers and uncollected rubbish bins and strewn litter is a common feature in the…

Design Principles for Equity and Excellence at Hispanic-Serving Institutions. PERSPECTIVAS: Issues in Higher Education Policy and Practice. Issue No. 4, Spring 2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malcom-Piqueux, Lindsey E.; Bensimon, Estela Mara

2015-01-01

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) shoulder unique responsibilities, including the education of post-traditional student populations, while facing distinct resource-related challenges. Any efforts to assess the performance of HSIs must be done with these facts in mind. This brief offers design principles for equity and excellence at HSIs that…

Defense Management: U.S. Southern Command Demonstrates Interagency Collaboration, but Its Haiti Disaster Response Revealed Challenges Conducting a Large Military Operation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile , Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica...19The international liaisons at SOUTHCOM include representatives from eight countries— Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile ...Nongovernmental Participants Agua Viva Alliance for Rabies Control FACE Food for the Poor Haiti Resource Development Foundation Hugs Across America

The Relationship between per Pupil Expenditure in Maricopa County K-12 Public School Districts and Student Preparedness at the Post-Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamperez, Edmond Allen, Jr.; Dereshiwsky, Mary

2016-01-01

Student under preparedness is one of the major challenges facing community colleges in the United States. A contributing factor of student under preparedness at the postsecondary level is an inequitable and inadequate distribution of resources at the K-12 level. Students residing in socio-economically disadvantaged school districts that often…

An overview of the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership Science and Research Synthesis [Chapter 1] (Executive Summary)

Treesearch

Jeanne C. Chambers; Matthew L. Brooks; Kent Turner; Carol B. Raish; Steven M. Ostoja

2013-01-01

Maintaining and restoring the diverse ecosystems and resources that occur in southern Nevada in the face of rapid socio-economic and ecological change presents numerous challenges to Federal land managers. Rapid population growth since the1980s, the land uses associated with that growth, and the interactions of those uses with the generally dry and highly variable...

The Counterinsurgency Policies of the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party of India and the Naxalite Insurgency

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

amnesty. The government is allocating needed resources to implement its strategy effectively. In the last two years, Naxalite violence has decreased...Naxalite violence has decreased, although the government still faces many challenges such as coordinating efforts and controlling corruption and other...90 Table 4. State-wise Extent of LWE Violence during 2011 to 2016 (up to October 15, 2016

Monitoring post-wildfire vegetation response with remotely sensed time-series data in Spain, USA and Israel

Treesearch

Willem J.D. van Leeuwen; Grant M. Casady; Daniel G. Neary; Susana Bautista; Jose Antonio Alloza; Yohay Carmel; Lea Wittenberg; Dan Malkinson; Barron J. Orr

2010-01-01

Due to the challenges faced by resource managers in maintaining post-fire ecosystem health, there is a need for methods to assess the ecological consequences of disturbances. This research examines an approach for assessing changes in post-fire vegetation dynamics for sites in Spain, Israel and the USA that burned in 1998, 1999 and 2002 respectively. Moderate...

Franchising Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Coping with the Economic Recession and the Provision of Higher Education in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Paul; Shotte, Gertrude

2010-01-01

When the global economic recession hit the world some 18 months ago, very few could predict the impact this would have on government spending on higher education. Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom face spending cuts. Notwithstanding, they are expected to deliver quality education with fewer resources. This article discusses…

Stability and Scalability of the CMS Global Pool: Pushing HTCondor and GlideinWMS to New Limits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Balcas, J.; Bockelman, B.; Hufnagel, D.

The CMS Global Pool, based on HTCondor and glideinWMS, is the main computing resource provisioning system for all CMS workflows, including analysis, Monte Carlo production, and detector data reprocessing activities. The total resources at Tier-1 and Tier-2 grid sites pledged to CMS exceed 100,000 CPU cores, while another 50,000 to 100,000 CPU cores are available opportunistically, pushing the needs of the Global Pool to higher scales each year. These resources are becoming more diverse in their accessibility and configuration over time. Furthermore, the challenge of stably running at higher and higher scales while introducing new modes of operation such asmore » multi-core pilots, as well as the chaotic nature of physics analysis workflows, places huge strains on the submission infrastructure. This paper details some of the most important challenges to scalability and stability that the CMS Global Pool has faced since the beginning of the LHC Run II and how they were overcome.« less

Stability and scalability of the CMS Global Pool: Pushing HTCondor and glideinWMS to new limits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcas, J.; Bockelman, B.; Hufnagel, D.; Hurtado Anampa, K.; Aftab Khan, F.; Larson, K.; Letts, J.; Marra da Silva, J.; Mascheroni, M.; Mason, D.; Perez-Calero Yzquierdo, A.; Tiradani, A.

2017-10-01

The CMS Global Pool, based on HTCondor and glideinWMS, is the main computing resource provisioning system for all CMS workflows, including analysis, Monte Carlo production, and detector data reprocessing activities. The total resources at Tier-1 and Tier-2 grid sites pledged to CMS exceed 100,000 CPU cores, while another 50,000 to 100,000 CPU cores are available opportunistically, pushing the needs of the Global Pool to higher scales each year. These resources are becoming more diverse in their accessibility and configuration over time. Furthermore, the challenge of stably running at higher and higher scales while introducing new modes of operation such as multi-core pilots, as well as the chaotic nature of physics analysis workflows, places huge strains on the submission infrastructure. This paper details some of the most important challenges to scalability and stability that the CMS Global Pool has faced since the beginning of the LHC Run II and how they were overcome.

Water management challenges in the context of agricultural intensification and endemic fluorosis: the case of Yuanmou County.

PubMed

Fang, Jing; Wu, Xinan; Xu, Jianchu; Yang, Xuefei; Song, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Guangan; Yan, Maosheng; Yan, Mei; Wang, Danni

2011-12-01

Yuanmou County in Yunnan Province, China is situated in a dry hot valley where annual evaporation is almost six times the annual rainfall and thus the county suffers from chronic water shortages. Since the early 1980s the county has taken advantage of local warm climate and focused its economic development strategy on commercial vegetable plantations. This strategy successfully brings high income to the local government and farmers, but increases water consumption and adds an extra stressor to the already diminished water resources. Yuanmou County is one of the endemic fluorosis hotspots in China where both dental and skeletal fluorosis cases have been found among local villagers that were diagnosed as being water-borne. Despite measures to adapt to water shortages and control fluorosis taken by the local government and communities, new challenges are emerging. Herein, we describe the water management challenges facing the county as well as document the coping strategies adopted by the government and communities, analyze remaining and emerging challenges, and suggest an ecohealth framework for better management of water resources in Yuanmou.

Web-Based Learning Information System for Web 3.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rego, Hugo; Moreira, Tiago; García-Peñalvo, Francisco Jose

With the emergence of Web/eLearning 3.0 we have been developing/adjusting AHKME in order to face this great challenge. One of our goals is to allow the instructional designer and teacher to access standardized resources and evaluate the possibility of integration and reuse in eLearning systems, not only content but also the learning strategy. We have also integrated some collaborative tools for the adaptation of resources, as well as the collection of feedback from users to provide feedback to the system. We also provide tools for the instructional designer to create/customize specifications/ontologies to give structure and meaning to resources, manual and automatic search with recommendation of resources and instructional design based on the context, as well as recommendation of adaptations in learning resources. We also consider the concept of mobility and mobile technology applied to eLearning, allowing access by teachers and students to learning resources, regardless of time and space.

The development of a blended learning approach to delivering information skills training to large health related student audiences with limited staff resource.

PubMed

Ware, Fiona

2011-09-01

This feature considers the challenges that academic librarians are increasingly being faced with in the delivery of information skills training to large student numbers with limited time and staff resources. A case study is presented of how an academic liaison librarian used a blended learning approach and innovative teaching practice to successfully deliver information skills training to large student numbers within the Faculty of Health and Social Care at Hull University. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

Data Center Consolidation: A Step towards Infrastructure Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Markus

Application service providers face enormous challenges and rising costs in managing and operating a growing number of heterogeneous system and computing landscapes. Limitations of traditional computing environments force IT decision-makers to reorganize computing resources within the data center, as continuous growth leads to an inefficient utilization of the underlying hardware infrastructure. This paper discusses a way for infrastructure providers to improve data center operations based on the findings of a case study on resource utilization of very large business applications and presents an outlook beyond server consolidation endeavors, transforming corporate data centers into compute clouds.

Breaking down information barriers: a guide to international research of medical resources on the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Risin, J A

1998-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to facilitate international research of medical resources on the World Wide Web. International research consists of overcoming a unique set of obstacles and challenges that are not involved when undertaking research tasks using only U.S.-based information. Utilizing the World Wide Web can help us to overcome most of the restraints we would have to face when we perform research outside of our local geography. Currently, there are a number of Internet Web sites that may assist us in breaking down the barriers to undertaking international research.

Leveraging technology and staffing in developing a new liaison program.

PubMed

Williams, Jeff; McCrillis, Aileen; McGowan, Richard; Nicholson, Joey; Surkis, Alisa; Thompson, Holly; Vieira, Dorice

2014-01-01

With nearly all library resources and services delivered digitally, librarians working for the New York University Health Sciences Library struggled with maintaining awareness of changing user needs, understanding barriers faced in using library resources and services, and determining knowledge management challenges across the organization. A liaison program was created to provide opportunities for librarians to meaningfully engage with users. The program was directed toward a subset of high-priority user groups to provide focused engagement with these users. Responsibility for providing routine reference service was reduced for liaison librarians to provide maximum time to engage with their assigned user communities.

Provider Experiences with Prison Care and Aftercare for Women with Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Treatment, Resource, and Systems Integration Challenges.

PubMed

Johnson, Jennifer E; Schonbrun, Yael Chatav; Peabody, Marlanea E; Shefner, Ruth T; Fernandes, Karen M; Rosen, Rochelle K; Zlotnick, Caron

2015-10-01

Incarcerated women with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD) face complex psychosocial challenges at community reentry. This study used qualitative methods to evaluate the perspectives of 14 prison and aftercare providers about service delivery challenges and treatment needs of reentering women with COD. Providers viewed the needs of women prisoners with COD as distinct from those of women with substance use alone and from men with COD. Providers described optimal aftercare for women with COD as including contact with the same provider before and after release, access to services within 24-72 hours after release, assistance with managing multiple social service agencies, assistance with relationship issues, and long-term follow-up. Providers also described larger service system and societal issues, including systems integration and ways in which a lack of prison and community aftercare resources impacted quality of care and reentry outcomes. Practice and policy implications are provided.

Provider Experiences with Prison Care and Aftercare for Women with Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Treatment, Resource, and Systems Integration Challenges

PubMed Central

Johnson, Jennifer E.; Schonbrun, Yael Chatav; Peabody, Marlanea E.; Shefner, Ruth T.; Fernandes, Karen M.; Rosen, Rochelle K.; Zlotnick, Caron

2014-01-01

Incarcerated women with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD) face complex psychosocial challenges at community reentry. This study used qualitative methods to evaluate the perspectives of 14 prison and aftercare providers about service delivery challenges and treatment needs of reentering women with COD. Providers viewed the needs of women prisoners with COD as distinct from those of women with substance use alone and from men with COD. Providers described optimal aftercare for women with COD as including contact with the same provider before and after release, access to services within 24–72 hours after release, assistance with managing multiple social service agencies, assistance with relationship issues, and long-term follow-up. Providers also described larger service system and societal issues, including systems integration and ways in which a lack of prison and community aftercare resources impacted quality of care and reentry outcomes. Practice and policy implications are provided. PMID:24595815

Opportunities and challenges for public libraries to enhance community resilience.

PubMed

Veil, Shari R; Bishop, Bradley Wade

2014-04-01

This study bridges a gap between public library and emergency management policy versus practice by examining the role of public libraries in the community resource network for disaster recovery. Specifically, this study identifies the opportunities and challenges for public libraries to fulfill their role as a FEMA-designated essential community organization and enhance community resilience. The results indicate there are several opportunities for libraries to enhance community resilience by offering technology resources and assistance; providing office, meeting, and community living room space; serving as the last redundant communication channel and a repository for community information and disaster narratives; and adapting or expanding services already offered to meet the changing needs of the community. However, libraries also face challenges in enhancing community resilience, including the temptation to overcommit library capacity and staff capability beyond the library mission and a lack of long-term disaster plans and collaboration with emergency managers and government officials. Implications for library and emergency management practice and crisis research are discussed. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Building Better Environmental Risk Assessments

PubMed Central

Layton, Raymond; Smith, Joe; Macdonald, Phil; Letchumanan, Ramatha; Keese, Paul; Lema, Martin

2015-01-01

Risk assessment is a reasoned, structured approach to address uncertainty based on scientific and technical evidence. It forms the foundation for regulatory decision-making, which is bound by legislative and policy requirements, as well as the need for making timely decisions using available resources. In order to be most useful, environmental risk assessments (ERAs) for genetically modified (GM) crops should provide consistent, reliable, and transparent results across all types of GM crops, traits, and environments. The assessments must also separate essential information from scientific or agronomic data of marginal relevance or value for evaluating risk and complete the assessment in a timely fashion. Challenges in conducting ERAs differ across regulatory systems – examples are presented from Canada, Malaysia, and Argentina. One challenge faced across the globe is the conduct of risk assessments with limited resources. This challenge can be overcome by clarifying risk concepts, placing greater emphasis on data critical to assess environmental risk (for example, phenotypic and plant performance data rather than molecular data), and adapting advances in risk analysis from other relevant disciplines. PMID:26301217

Building Better Environmental Risk Assessments.

PubMed

Layton, Raymond; Smith, Joe; Macdonald, Phil; Letchumanan, Ramatha; Keese, Paul; Lema, Martin

2015-01-01

Risk assessment is a reasoned, structured approach to address uncertainty based on scientific and technical evidence. It forms the foundation for regulatory decision-making, which is bound by legislative and policy requirements, as well as the need for making timely decisions using available resources. In order to be most useful, environmental risk assessments (ERAs) for genetically modified (GM) crops should provide consistent, reliable, and transparent results across all types of GM crops, traits, and environments. The assessments must also separate essential information from scientific or agronomic data of marginal relevance or value for evaluating risk and complete the assessment in a timely fashion. Challenges in conducting ERAs differ across regulatory systems - examples are presented from Canada, Malaysia, and Argentina. One challenge faced across the globe is the conduct of risk assessments with limited resources. This challenge can be overcome by clarifying risk concepts, placing greater emphasis on data critical to assess environmental risk (for example, phenotypic and plant performance data rather than molecular data), and adapting advances in risk analysis from other relevant disciplines.

Aligning USGS senior leadership structure with the USGS science strategy

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is realigning its management and budget structure to further enhance the work of its science programs and their interdisciplinary focus areas related to the USGS Science Strategy as outlined in 'Facing Tomorrow's Challenges-U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007-2017' (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007). In 2007, the USGS developed this science strategy outlining major natural-science issues facing the Nation and focusing on areas where natural science can make a substantial contribution to the well being of the Nation and the world. These areas include global climate change, water resources, natural hazards, energy and minerals, ecosystems, and data integration.

Genomic dissection of host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions for advanced plant breeding.

PubMed

Kroll, Samuel; Agler, Matthew T; Kemen, Eric

2017-04-01

Agriculture faces many emerging challenges to sustainability, including limited nutrient resources, losses from diseases caused by current and emerging pathogens and environmental degradation. Microorganisms have great importance for plant growth and performance, including the potential to increase yields, nutrient uptake and pathogen resistance. An urgent need is therefore to understand and engineer plants and their associated microbial communities. Recent massive genomic sequencing of host plants and associated microbes offers resources to identify novel mechanisms of communal assembly mediated by the host. For example, host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions are involved in niche formation, thereby contributing to colonization. By leveraging genomic resources, genetic traits underlying those mechanisms will become important resources to design plants selecting and hosting beneficial microbial communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness analysis and efficient use of the pharmaceutical budget: the key role of clinical pharmacologists

PubMed Central

Edlin, Richard; Round, Jeff; Hulme, Claire; McCabe, Christopher

2010-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide information about cost-effectiveness analysis and the roles of clinical pharmacologists generally in providing efficient health care. The paper highlights the potential consequences of ‘off-label prescribing’ and ‘indication creep’ behaviour given slower growth (or potential cuts) in the NHS budget. This paper highlights the key roles of clinical pharmacologists in delivering an efficient health care system when resources are allocated using cost-effectiveness analyses. It describes what cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is and how incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) are used to identify efficient options. After outlining the theoretical framework within which using CEA can promote the efficient allocation of the health care budget, it considers the place of disinvestment within achieving efficient resource allocation. Clinical pharmacologists are argued to be critical to providing improved population health under CEA-based resource allocation processes because of their roles in implementation and disinvestment. Given that the challenges facing the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) are likely to increase, this paper sets out the stark choices facing clinical pharmacologists. PMID:20716234

Cost-effectiveness analysis and efficient use of the pharmaceutical budget: the key role of clinical pharmacologists.

PubMed

Edlin, Richard; Round, Jeff; Hulme, Claire; McCabe, Christopher

2010-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide information about cost-effectiveness analysis and the roles of clinical pharmacologists generally in providing efficient health care. The paper highlights the potential consequences of 'off-label prescribing' and 'indication creep' behaviour given slower growth (or potential cuts) in the NHS budget. This paper highlights the key roles of clinical pharmacologists in delivering an efficient health care system when resources are allocated using cost-effectiveness analyses. It describes what cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is and how incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) are used to identify efficient options. After outlining the theoretical framework within which using CEA can promote the efficient allocation of the health care budget, it considers the place of disinvestment within achieving efficient resource allocation. Clinical pharmacologists are argued to be critical to providing improved population health under CEA-based resource allocation processes because of their roles in implementation and disinvestment. Given that the challenges facing the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) are likely to increase, this paper sets out the stark choices facing clinical pharmacologists.

Subsurface Hydrology: Data Integration for Properties and Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyndman, David W.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Singha, Kamini

Groundwater is a critical resource and the PrinciPal source of drinking water for over 1.5 billion people. In 2001, the National Research Council cited as a "grand challenge" our need to understand the processes that control water movement in the subsurface. This volume faces that challenge in terms of data integration between complex, multi-scale hydrologie processes, and their links to other physical, chemical, and biological processes at multiple scales. Subsurface Hydrology: Data Integration for Properties and Processes presents the current state of the science in four aspects: • Approaches to hydrologie data integration • Data integration for characterization of hydrologie properties • Data integration for understanding hydrologie processes • Meta-analysis of current interpretations Scientists and researchers in the field, the laboratory, and the classroom will find this work an important resource in advancing our understanding of subsurface water movement.

Facing Global Challenges with Materials Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, Fernando

2017-10-01

The path of society evolution has long been associated with a growing demand for natural resources and continuous environmental degradation. During the last decades, this pace has accelerated considerably, despite the general concern with the legacy being left for the next generations. Looking ahead, the predicted growth of the world population, and the improvement of life conditions in most regions, point to an increasing demand for energy generation, resulting in additional pressure on the Earth's sustainability. Materials have had a key role in decreasing the use of natural resources, by either improving efficiency of existing technologies or enabling the development of radical new ones. The greenhouse effect (CO2 emissions) and the energy crisis are global challenges that can benefit from the development of new materials for the successful implementation of promising technologies and for the imperative replacement of fossil fuels by renewable sources.

Challenges faced by health-care providers offering infant-feeding counseling to HIV-positive women in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of current research.

PubMed

Tuthill, Emily L; Chan, Jessica; Butler, Lisa M

2015-01-01

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has been identified as the optimal nutrition and critical behavior in attaining human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-free infant survival in resource-limited settings. Health-care providers (HCPs) in clinic- and community-settings throughout sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) provide infant-feeding counseling. However, rates of EBF at 6 months of age are suboptimal. HCPs are uniquely positioned to educate HIV-positive mothers and provide support by addressing known barriers to EBF. However, limited evidence exists on the experiences faced by HCPs in providing counseling on infant feeding to HIV-positive women. Our objective is to describe experiences faced by HCPs when delivering infant-feeding counseling in the context of HIV in program settings in sSA. We searched a range of electronic databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO from January 1990 to February 2013, in addition to hand-searching, cross-reference searching, and personal communications. The search was limited to publications in English. Empirical studies of HCP experiences providing infant-feeding counseling in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV programs in sSA were selected. We identified 10 peer-reviewed articles reporting HCP challenges in infant-feeding counseling that met inclusion criteria. Articles included qualitative, cross-sectional and mixed-method studies, and cumulatively reported 31 challenges faced by HCPs. Among the challenges identified, the most commonly reported were personal beliefs held by the HCPs toward infant feeding in the context of HIV, contradictory messages, staff workload, directive counseling styles, and a lack of practical strategies to offer mothers, often leading to improvised counseling approaches. Counseling strategies need to be developed that are relevant, meaningful, and responsive to the needs of both HCPs and mothers.

Characteristics of value-based health and social care from organisations’ perspectives (OrgValue): a mixed-methods study protocol

PubMed Central

Ansmann, Lena; Hillen, Hendrik Ansgar; Kuntz, Ludwig; Stock, Stephanie; Vennedey, Vera; Hower, Kira Isabelle

2018-01-01

Introduction Health and social care systems are under pressure to organise care around patients’ needs with constrained resources. Several studies reveal that care is constantly challenged by balancing economic requirements against individual patients’ preferences and needs. Therefore, value-based health and social care aims to facilitate patient-centredness while taking the resources spent into consideration. The OrgValue project examines the implementation of patient-centredness while considering the health and social care organisations’ resource orientation in the model region of the city of Cologne, Germany. Methods and analysis First, the implementation status of patient-centredness as well as its facilitators and barriers—also in terms of resource orientation—will be assessed through face-to-face interviews with decision-makers (at least n=18) from health and social care organisations (HSCOs) in Cologne. Second, patients’ understanding of patient-centredness and their preferences and needs will be revealed by conducting face-to-face interviews (at least n=15). Third, the qualitative results will provide the basis for a quantitative survey of decision-makers from all HSCOs in Cologne, which will include questions on patient-centredness, resource orientation and determinants of implementation. Fourth, qualitative interviews with decision-makers from different types of HSCOs will be conducted to develop a uniform measurement instrument on the cost and service structure of HSCOs. Ethics and dissemination For all collected data, the relevant data protection regulations will be adhered to. Consultation and a positive vote from the ethics committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne have been obtained. All personal identifiers (eg, name, date of birth) will be pseudonymised. Dissemination strategies include a feedback report as well as research and development workshops for the organisations with the aim of initiating organisational learning and organisational development, presenting results in publications and at conferences, and public relations. Trial registration number DRKS00011925. PMID:29703859

The real challenges: the orphan generation and employment creation.

PubMed

Whiteside, A

2000-01-01

A baby born to an HIV-positive mother has close to a 100% chance of being orphaned before reaching the age of 10. In South Africa, nearly 1 million children under the age of 15 are projected to lose their mothers by 2005 due to AIDS. These orphans are less likely to receive adequate parenting, education, and nutrition; others will seek to survive on the streets and thus will be more likely to face sexual abuse and exploitation. The long-term impact of HIV/AIDS on both the children and society will be severe. The orphans that AIDS is creating pose serious social, economic, political, and developmental challenges for South Africa. There are two options left for the government: 1) dramatically increasing welfare grants and staffing of welfare departments in order to care for the orphans; 2) find new imaginative measures of meeting the challenge. In addition, provision of employment for its population is another challenge the region is facing. Having the required resources and infrastructure, a potential intervention for South Africa would be training and employing a new cadre of workers to care for AIDS orphans. This type of response would also help build a civil society.

Adolescent health literacy and the Internet: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Jain, Anuja V; Bickham, David

2014-08-01

Adolescents have increasingly turned to the Internet as a resource for insight into their health questions and concerns. However, the extent to which adolescents will benefit from using the Internet as a source for health information will be determined in great part by their level of media literacy and health literacy. The purpose of this review is to explore challenges that adolescents face when using the Internet to access health information and opportunities for intervention. Adolescents must be able to access, understand, analyze, and evaluate health information on the Internet and then apply this information to make appropriate health decisions. Challenges faced by adolescents fall into the realm of functional literacy (e.g., not being able to spell a medical term needed in a search), critical literacy (e.g., not being able to differentiate accurate from inaccurate online health information), and, lastly, interactive literacy (e.g., translating online health information to appropriate health behaviors). More research is needed in this field to better understand the challenges and to propose effective solutions. However, a multifaceted approach that engages policymakers, educators, healthcare providers, online health information providers, and parents may be positioned to make the largest impact.

Code Grey: Stained Surgical Instruments and Their Impact on One Canadian Health Authority.

PubMed

Kean, Rob; Johnson, Ron; Doyle, Michael

2017-01-01

In 2016, NL's largest RHA was faced with serious challenges stemming from the discovery of stained surgical instruments at its two largest hospitals. This discovery prompted a series of postponed surgeries, an extensive internal mobilization of labour and the purchase of millions of dollars of new equipment. In tackling these challenges, the organization not only acquired a better understanding of its surgical tools, but it also gained renewed appreciation for the resilience of its human resources. By describing this incident and the lessons learned, we hope to offer insight to providers in similar circumstances.

Deep brain stimulation and ethics: perspectives from a multisite qualitative study of Canadian neurosurgical centers.

PubMed

Bell, Emily; Maxwell, Bruce; McAndrews, Mary Pat; Sadikot, Abbas; Racine, Eric

2011-12-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an approved neurosurgical intervention for motor disorders such as Parkinson disease. The emergence of psychiatric uses for DBS combined with the fact that it is an invasive and expensive procedure creates important ethical and social challenges in the delivery of care that need further examination. We endeavored to examine health care provider perspectives on ethical and social challenges encountered in DBS. Health care providers working in Canadian DBS surgery programs participated in a semistructured interview to identify and characterize ethical and social challenges of DBS. A content analysis of the interviews was conducted. Several key ethical issues, such as patient screening and resource allocation, were identified by members of neurosurgical teams. Providers described challenges in selecting patients for DBS on the basis of unclear evidence-based guidance regarding behavioral issues or cognitive criteria. Varied contexts of resource allocation, including some very challenging schemas, were also reported. In addition, the management of patients in the community was highlighted as a source of ethical and clinical complexity, given the need for coordinated long-term care. This study provides insights into the complexity of ethical challenges that providers face in the use of DBS across different neurosurgical centers. We propose actions for health care providers for the long-term care and postoperative monitoring of patients with DBS. More data on patient perspectives in DBS would complement the understanding of key challenges, as well as contribute to best practices, for patient selection, management, and resource allocation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addressing global change challenges for Central Asian socio-ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Jiaguo; Bobushev, Temirbek S.; Kulmatov, Rashid; Groisman, Pavel; Gutman, Garik

2012-06-01

Central Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions on the planet earth to global climate change, depending on very fragile natural resources. The Soviet legacy has left the five countries (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) with a highly integrated system but they are facing great challenges with tensions that hinder regional coordination of food and water resources. With increasing climate variability and warming trend in the region, food and water security issues become even more crucial now and, if not addressed properly, could affect the regional stability. The long-term drivers of these two most critical elements, food and water, are climate change; the immediate and probably more drastic factors affecting the food and water security are land uses driven by institutional change and economic incentives. As a feedback, changes in land use and land cover have directly implications on water uses, food production, and lifestyles of the rural community in the region. Regional and international efforts have been made to holistically understand the cause, extent, rate and societal implications of land use changes in the region. Much of these have been understood, or under investigation by various projects, but solutions or research effort to develop solutions, to these urgent regional issues are lacking. This article, serves as an introduction to the special issue, provides a brief overview of the challenges facing the Central Asian countries and various international efforts in place that resulted in the publications of this special issue.

Medical Systems Engineering to Support Mars Mission Crew Autonomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antonsen, Erik; Mindock, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Human spaceflight missions to Mars face exceptionally challenging resource limitations that far exceed those faced before. Increasing transit times, decreasing opportunity for resupply, communications challenges, and extended time to evacuate a crew to definitive medical care dictate a level of crew autonomy in medical care that is beyond the current medical model. To approach this challenge, a medical systems engineering approach is proposed that relies on a clearly articulated Concept of Operations and risk analysis tools that are in development at NASA. This paper proposes an operational clinical model with key terminology and concepts translated to a controls theory paradigm to frame a common language between clinical and engineering teams. This common language will be used for design and validation of an exploration medical system that is fully integrated into a Mars transit vehicle. This approach merges medical simulation, human factors evaluation techniques, and human-in-the-loop testing in ground based analogs to tie medical hardware and software subsystem performance and overall medical system functionality to metrics of operational medical autonomy. Merging increases in operational clinical autonomy with a more restricted vehicle system resource scenario in interplanetary spaceflight will require an unprecedented level of medical and engineering integration. Full integration of medical capabilities into a Mars vehicle system may require a new approach to integrating medical system design and operations into the vehicle Program structure. Prior to the standing-up of a Mars Mission Program, proof of concept is proposed through the Human Research Program.

Water Resources Management and Hydrologic Design Under Uncertain Climate Change Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teegavarapu, R. S.

2008-05-01

The impact of climate change on hydrologic design and management of water resource systems could be one of the important challenges faced by future practicing hydrologists and water resources managers. Many water resources managers currently rely on the historical hydrological data and adaptive real-time operations without consideration of the impact of climate change on major inputs influencing the behavior of hydrologic systems and the operating rules. Issues such as risk, reliability and robustness of water resources systems under different climate change scenarios were addressed in the past. However, water resources management with the decision maker's preferences attached to climate change has never been dealt with. This presentation discusses issues related to impacts of climate change on water resources management and application of a soft-computing approach, fuzzy set theory, for climate-sensitive management of water resources systems. A real-life case study example is presented to illustrate the applicability of soft-computing approach for handling the decision maker's preferences in accepting or rejecting the magnitude and direction of climate change.

Distress experienced by nurses in response to the challenging behaviour of residents - evidence from German nursing homes.

PubMed

Schmidt, Sascha G; Dichter, Martin N; Palm, Rebecca; Hasselhorn, Hans Martin

2012-11-01

The aim of this research is to investigate the degree of distress experienced by nurses in response to the challenging behaviour of nursing home residents (residents' challenging behaviour) and their impact on nurses individual resources (general health, burnout and work ability). Because of the increasing and ageing population of nursing home residents, professional nursing care faces several challenges. One highly prevalent issue among nursing home residents is the so-called 'challenging behaviour'. However, to date, 'challenging behaviour' has not yet been recognised as an occupational stressor, and the extent of the impact of 'challenging behaviour' on nurses' well-being and functioning is not well understood. Cross-sectional study. Self-report questionnaire data collected from 731 registered nurses and nursing aides in 56 German nursing homes were used in a secondary data analysis. The level of residents' challenging behaviour-related distress that nurses experienced was assessed using a scale consisting of nine questions. Validated instruments were used for the assessment of individual resources. The mean score for residents' challenging behaviour-related distress was 41·3 (SD 21·2). Twenty-seven per cent of all nurses reported over 50 residents' challenging behaviour. Residents' challenging behaviour had a significant impact on all three measures of individual resources. Specifically, nurses exposed to frequent residents' challenging behaviour reported a significantly lower quality of general health, reduced workability and high burnout levels. Our findings indicate that residents' challenging behaviour-related distress is a significant work place stressor for nurses in nursing homes with a clear impact on general health, the risk of burnout and work ability. Our findings suggest that residents' challenging behaviour is a stressor for nurses in nursing homes. Further scientific and practical attention is necessary from the point of view of working conditions for nurses. The development of preventive concepts for nursing staff and residents is recommended. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Fishes in a changing world: learning from the past to promote sustainability of fish populations.

PubMed

Gordon, T A C; Harding, H R; Clever, F K; Davidson, I K; Davison, W; Montgomery, D W; Weatherhead, R C; Windsor, F M; Armstrong, J D; Bardonnet, A; Bergman, E; Britton, J R; Côté, I M; D'agostino, D; Greenberg, L A; Harborne, A R; Kahilainen, K K; Metcalfe, N B; Mills, S C; Milner, N J; Mittermayer, F H; Montorio, L; Nedelec, S L; Prokkola, J M; Rutterford, L A; Salvanes, A G V; Simpson, S D; Vainikka, A; Pinnegar, J K; Santos, E M

2018-03-01

Populations of fishes provide valuable services for billions of people, but face diverse and interacting threats that jeopardize their sustainability. Human population growth and intensifying resource use for food, water, energy and goods are compromising fish populations through a variety of mechanisms, including overfishing, habitat degradation and declines in water quality. The important challenges raised by these issues have been recognized and have led to considerable advances over past decades in managing and mitigating threats to fishes worldwide. In this review, we identify the major threats faced by fish populations alongside recent advances that are helping to address these issues. There are very significant efforts worldwide directed towards ensuring a sustainable future for the world's fishes and fisheries and those who rely on them. Although considerable challenges remain, by drawing attention to successful mitigation of threats to fish and fisheries we hope to provide the encouragement and direction that will allow these challenges to be overcome in the future. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Critical care in resource-poor settings: lessons learned and future directions.

PubMed

Riviello, Elisabeth D; Letchford, Stephen; Achieng, Loice; Newton, Mark W

2011-04-01

Critical care faces the same challenges as other aspects of healthcare in the developing world. However, critical care faces an additional challenge in that it has often been deemed too costly or complicated for resource-poor settings. This lack of prioritization is not justified. Hospital care for the sickest patients affects overall mortality, and public health interventions depend on community confidence in healthcare to ensure participation and adherence. Some of the most effective critical care interventions, including rapid fluid resuscitation, early antibiotics, and patient monitoring, are relatively inexpensive. Although cost-effectiveness studies on critical care in resource-poor settings have not been done, evidence from the surgical literature suggests that even resource-intensive interventions can be cost effective in comparison to immunizations and human immunodeficiency virus care. In the developing world, where many critically ill patients are younger and have fewer comorbidities, critical care presents a remarkable opportunity to provide significant incremental benefit, arguably much more so than in the developed world. Key areas of consideration in developing critical care in resource-poor settings include: Personnel and training, equipment and support services, ethics, and research. Strategies for training and retaining skilled labor include tying education to service commitment and developing protocols for even complex processes. Equipment and support services need to focus on technologies that are affordable and sustainable. Ethical decision making must be based on data when possible and on transparent articulated policies always. Research should be performed in resource-poor settings and focus on needs assessment, prognostication, and cost effectiveness. The development of critical care in resource-poor settings will rely on the stepwise introduction of service improvements, leveraging human resources through training, a focus on sustainable technology, ongoing analysis of cost effectiveness, and the sharing of context-specific best practices. Although prevention, public health, and disease-specific agendas dominate many current conversations in global health, this is nonetheless a time ripe for the development of critical care. Leaders in global health funding hope to improve quality and length of life. Critical care is an integral part of the continuum of care necessary to make that possible.

Improving local health through community health workers in Cambodia: challenges and solutions.

PubMed

Ozano, Kim; Simkhada, Padam; Thann, Khem; Khatri, Rose

2018-01-06

Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) are an important link between the public health system and the community. The 'Community Participation Policy for Health' in Cambodia identifies CHWs as key to local health promotion and as a critical link between district health centres and the community. However, research on the challenges CHWs face and identifying what is required to optimise their performance is limited in the Cambodian context. This research explores the views of CHWs in rural Cambodia, on the challenges they face when implementing health initiatives. Qualitative methodology was used to capture the experiences of CHWs in Kratie and Mondulkiri provinces. Two participatory focus groups with CHWs in Mondulkiri and ten semi-structured interviews in Kratie were conducted. Results from both studies were used to identify common themes. Participants were CHWs, male and female, from rural Khmer and Muslim communities and linked with seven different district health centres. Findings identify that CHWs regularly deliver health promotion to communities. However, systemic, personal and community engagement challenges hinder their ability to function effectively. These include minimal leadership and support from local government, irregular training which focuses on verticalised health programmes, inadequate resources, a lack of professional identity and challenges to achieving behaviour change of community members. In addition, the CHW programme is delivered in a fragmented way that is largely influenced by external aid objectives. When consulted, however, CHWs demonstrate their ability to develop realistic practical solutions to challenges and barriers. The fragmented delivery of the CHW programme in Cambodia means that government ownership is minimal. This, coupled with the lack of defined core training programme or adequate resources, prevents CHWs from reaching their potential. CHWs have positive and realistic ideas on how to improve their role and, subsequently, the health of community members. CHWs presented with the opportunity to share learning and develop ideas in a supportive environment would benefit health initiatives.

Water-energy-food security nexus: the road map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdy, Atef

2015-04-01

The world's growing population and increased prosperity will increase global demand for energy, as well as food and water supplies in the coming decades. In the arid and semi arid regions as in most of the world water and energy have historically been managed separately, with little consideration of cross sectoral interactions, yet in reality, water and energy are closely interconnected. By addressing water and energy together planners can identify crucial interactions, conflicting demands and potential synergies. For many countries around the world it is needed to establish a road map on: (i) how to implement nexus policies to increase efficiency of natural resources management? (ii) how to bridge science with policy and business? (iii) how governments be inspired by business? (iv) how can be business be inspired by science? (v) how can we learn from each other and how collaborate to address the challenges ahead? Such road map should seek to bring together stakeholders involved in the nexus implementation approach over the coming years to develop nexus tools for decision making to quantify water energy food resources on both national and regional level. However, experiences gained and learned lessons indicate clearly that numerous countries are facing several barriers in putting in action their nexus road map due to the lack of integrated resource management, lack of capacity for research development, lack of knowledge sharing across sectors, and not enough interaction between policy makers and scientists. Those are major challenges to be faced to achieve the water, energy and food security nexus. Furthermore, such goal cannot be reached without building and strengthening the synergy between education, research and innovation for sustainable resource management. Those issues beside others will be fully discussed in this paper. Keywords: water-energy-food security; nexus

Navigating a strange and complex environment: experiences of Sudanese refugee women using a new nutrition resource

PubMed Central

Mannion, Cynthia A; Raffin-Bouchal, Shelley; Henshaw, Christena Jane

2014-01-01

Background Refugees experience dietary changes as part of the daily challenges they face resettling in a new country. Sudanese women seek to care and feed their families, but face language barriers in the marketplace, limited access to familiar foods, and forced new food choices. This study aimed to understand the acceptability of a purse-sized nutrition resource, “The Market Guide”, which was developed to help recently immigrated Sudanese refugee women identify and purchase healthy foods and navigate grocery stores. Methods Eight women participated in a focus group, four of whom were also observed during accompanied grocery store visits. Individual interviews were conducted with four health care workers at the resettlement center to gather perceptions about the suitability of The Market Guide. Focus groups and interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Data from field notes and transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory for preliminary open codes, followed by selective and theoretical coding. Results The Market Guide was of limited use to Sudanese women. Their response to this resource revealed the struggles of women acculturating during their first year in Calgary, Canada. We discovered the basic social process, “Navigating through a strange and complex environment: learning ways to feed your family.” Language, transportation, and an unfamiliar marketplace challenged women and prevented them from exercising their customary role of “knowing” which foods were “safe and good” for their families. The nutrition resource fell short of informing food choices and purchases, and we discovered that “learning to feed your family” is a relational process where trusted persons, family, and friends help navigate dietary acculturation. Conclusion Emergent theory based on the basic social process may help health care professionals consider relational learning when planning health promotion and nutrition activities with Sudanese families. PMID:24790470

Identifying Curriculum Design Patterns as a Strategy for Focusing Geoscience Education Research: A Proof of Concept Based on Teaching and Learning with Geoscience Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastens, Kim; Krumhansl, Ruth

2017-01-01

The geoscience education research (GER) enterprise faces a challenge in moving instructional resources and ideas from the well-populated domain of "practitioners' wisdom" into the research-tested domains of St. John and McNeal's pyramid of evidence (this volume). We suggest that the process could be accelerated by seeking out clusters of…

Beyond Welfare and Work First: Building Services and Systems To Support California's Working Poor and Hard-to-Place. Conference Highlights (Sacramento, CA, January 17-19, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bliss, Steven

This publication highlights key messages and themes of a conference to discuss critical questions, challenges, and opportunities facing California's welfare and workforce development systems. It is intended as a resource manual that presents the most up-to-date thinking on how policies and services can be designed to better meet the needs of…