Gender and the Outdoors: An International Conversation

Over the past two to three decades in outdoor education circles, there has been a gradual swell of interest in bringing a gender lens to the examination of issues, theory and practice within the field. Although feminist theory has been subjected to lively debate and undergone sophisticated shifts in the ways of conceptualizing and analyzing gender, much of the literature coming out of the outdoor field and much of our practice is still centered on women and difference. As Bell (1997) so clearly asked, “Has the dialogue on the nature of gender and associated social issues not changed in the past decade?” A group of international researchers, educators and practitioners discussed gender theory and practice in their “neck of the woods” and challenged attendees to ask that question again today

Professional development online : showcasing good practice to support open, distance and flexible learning

Designing Electronic Learning and Teaching Approaches (DELTA) is an online professional development initiative to support pedagogically-appropriate teaching with technology by showcasing examples of good practice in e-learning. The site aims to increase appreciation of e-learning possibilities for teaching staff through an easy-to-access, just-in-time resource. This paper describes the site and introduces the modular evaluation approach which is being implemented to examine it from different stakeholder perspectives. It then focuses on the first evaluation module which investigates how users perceive and engage with DELTA. The paper provides the initial evaluation findings which will contribute to the ongoing improvement of DELTA as a professional development resource that supports open, distance and flexible learning.<br /

Evaluating records for free text content

The PREP team is interested in electronic health records. This project aims to make data in records more usable for researchers. We work on electronic health records with a particular focus on free text (unstructured data) that is not directly amenable to statistical analysis. Our aim is to develop strategies for making available, for research and audit purpose, medical information that is “concealed” from researchers in the free text notes, using primary care electronic patient record (EPR) as an example

The synthesis, characterization and reactivity of metallacycloalkanes and their precursors

Includes bibliographical references.The synthesis and characterization of a series of new osmium(ll)dibromido complexes of the type [(116-Ar)OsLBr2] (Ar = p-cymene and C6Me6, L = phosphines, phosphites and CO) have been carried out successfully. The complexes were obtained in good yields and characterized by 1 Hand 31 P NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The dibromido complexes were then used in the preparation of osmium bis(alkenyl) and osmacycloalkane complexes

Revolution and Really Being Alive

A short account of how poetry can arouse premonitions of "revolutionary subjective universality", with comments on Rosa Luxemburg and Marx

Six Pillars of Social Policy: The State of Pensions and Health Care in Canada

William B.P. Robson, a co-author with David Slater of a series of papers on pension issues, has written an ambitious survey of the state of Canadian economic policy in the areas of pensions and health care. He argues that it is appropriate to tackle both issues in the same paper because they are both major spending programs strongly related to the life cycle of Canadians, and face challenges arising from the aging of the population. Robson notes that the pension debate uses the metaphor of three pillars to describe a comprehensive pension system: a safety net to guard against destitution in old age; a mandatory employment-related system to provide basic replacement income; and a voluntary system supported by provisions that reduce the double-taxation of saving. The main elements of public policy related to pensions in Canada cover these pillars. He recognizes that all three of the pillars cannot be directly applied to health care, but he argues that the three-pillar metaphor is still a fruitful perspective because it facilitates constructive responses to the pressures confronting Canada’s health system and illuminates interactions between the pension and health systems. Hence his title “six pillars of social policy”. Based on his examination of Canada’s pension and health-care systems, Robson makes a number of recommendations. First, he advocates more prefunding in both the pension and health areas to cover the future cost of the aging baby-boom cohort. Second, he recommends a gradual increase in the normal age of eligibility for pension benefits. Third, he recommends the creation of a second pillar, a mandatory contribution scheme in the health area as a way to avoid the development of a means-tested system that would exacerbate the disincentives to work and save. Fourth, he puts forward the idea of a new type of saving vehicle that provides tax-relief on distributions rather than on contributions so that Canadians can avoid the high marginal effective tax rates associated with means-tested programs.Health, Health Care, Health-care, Healthcare, Canada, Pensions, CPP, Retirement, Mandatory Contribution, Aging, Ageing