143,739 research outputs found
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What would learning in an open world look like? A vision for the future
The pace of current technological advancement is phenomenal. In the last few years we have seen the emergence of ever more sophisticated gaming technologies, rich, immersive virtual worlds and new social networking services that enable learners and teachers to connect and communicate in new ways. The pace of change looks set to continue as annual Horizon reports testify (http://www.nmc.org/horizon). Clearly new technologies offer much in an educational context, with the promise of flexible, personalised and student-centred learning. Indeed research over the past few years, looking at learners' use of technologies, has given us a rich picture of how learners of all ages are appropriating new tools within their own context, mixing different applications for finding/managing information and for communicating with others (Sharpe and Beetham, forthcoming)
Differences a Day Can Make: Exploring the Effects of Abbreviated Intervention on Improving Financial Management for Youth-serving Organizations
This report by the management consulting firm CFAR examines the effectiveness of a one-day workshop and series of webinars offered to nonprofits by the consulting firm FMA as part of a Wallace Foundation initiative to strengthen the financial management of afterschool nonprofits. CFAR provides suggestions for the development of future training events to help nonprofits improve their financial stability and planning
Developing the scales on evaluation beliefs of student teachers
The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the validity and the reliability of a newly developed questionnaire named âTeacher Evaluation Beliefsâ (TEB). The framework for developing items was provided by the two models. The first model focuses on Student-Centered and Teacher-Centered beliefs about evaluation while the other centers on five dimensions (what/ who/ when/ why/ how). The validity and reliability of the new instrument was investigated using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis study (n=446). Overall results indicate that the two-factor structure is more reasonable than the five-factor one. Further research needs additional items about the latent dimensions âwhatâ âwhoâ âwhenâ âwhyâ âhowâ for each existing factor based on Student-centered and Teacher-centered approaches
A survey of parental self-efficacy experiences: maximising potential through health visiting and universal parenting support
Aims:
To examine parental self-efficacy experiences for users of a parenting support programme and consider the pertinence of self-efficacy theory to health visiting (public health nursing) practice.
Background:
Commonly, successful parenting training programmes are underpinned by social learning principles and aim to strengthen parental self-efficacy. However, research examining programme effectiveness rarely discusses how self-efficacy outcomes are achieved.
Design:
A descriptive survey was completed as the first part of a realistic evaluation study examining how a UK parenting support programme worked.
Method:
The first part of the realistic evaluation involved validating outcome measures (the Parenting Self-Agency Measure and Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index subscales) and administering a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was completed by adults accessing a parenting support programme during a 10-month period (n = 168). Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results. Women were the main users of the programme, which included informal drop-in groups as well as more formalised health visiting services and parenting training courses. The Parenting Self-Agency Measure results indicated good general parental self-efficacy; however, the task-specific Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Indexes scales suggested that parents were less self-efficacious in disciplining children. Lower self-efficacy scores correlated with high ratings for âfeeling tiredâ, âreceiving negative commentsâ and âgiving-in to a childâs demandsâ.
Conclusions:
Study results indicate that the domain general and task-specific measures provide different, but helpful, insights into parental self-efficacy experiences. By identifying factors associated with the levels of general and task-specific parental self-efficacy, health visitors can gain a fuller appreciation of support needs.
Relevance to practice:
To maximise potential through parenting support, attention should be given to addressing factors associated with poorer self-efficacy experiences, including parental tiredness. Equally, practice should be directed at developing community environments that offer exposure to positive praise and the opportunity to practice new skills without facing criticism
Exploring the causes of adverse events in hospitals and potential prevention strategies
Objectives
To examine the causes of adverse events
(AEs) and potential prevention strategies to minimise the
occurrence of AEs in hospitalised patients.
Methods
For the 744 AEs identified in the patient record
review study in 21 Dutch hospitals, trained reviewers
were asked to select all causal factors that contributed
to the AE. The results were analysed together with data
on preventability and consequences of AEs. In addition,
the reviewers selected one or more prevention strategies
for each preventable AE. The recommended prevention
strategies were analysed together with four general
causal categories: technical, human, organisational and
patient-related factors.
Results
Human causes were predominantly involved in
the causation of AEs (in 61% of the AEs), 61% of those
being preventable and 13% leading to permanent
disability. In 39% of the AEs, patient-related factors were
involved, in 14% organisational factors and in 4%
technical factors. Organisational causes contributed
relatively often to preventable AEs (93%) and AEs
resulting in permanent disability (20%). Recommended
strategies to prevent AEs were quality assurance/peer
review, evaluation of safety behaviour, training and
procedures. For the AEs with human and patient-related
causes, reviewers predominantly recommended quality
assurance/peer review. AEs caused by organisational
factors were considered preventable by improving
procedures.
Discussion
Healthcare interventions directed at human
causes are recommended because these play a large
role in AE causation. In addition, it seems worthwhile to
direct interventions on organisational causes because the
AEs they cause are nearly always believed to be
preventable. Organisational factors are thus relatively
easy to tackle. Future research designs should allow
researchers to interview healthcare providers that were
involved in the event, as an additional source of
information on contributing factors.
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BERA-TACTYC Early Childhood Research Review 2003-2017
BERA/TACTYC Review of Early Childhood Education and Care in the UK, 2003-2017 has involved a wide range of early childhood specialists, both in the early consultation stages, and in writing the five main sections of the Review. Teams of authors and their reference groups came together from TACTYC â the Association for Professional Development in Early Years, and the BERA Early Childhood Education and Care SIG. Using specific questions to interrogate the literature, each team worked on one of five main themes: Professionalism; Parenting and Family; Play and Pedagogy; Learning, Development and Curriculum, and Assessment and School Readiness. These themes are contextualised within broad policy issues in the UK.
The Introduction shows the working methods for the Review, and the Conclusion brings together key messages and suggestions for future research. We hope that the Review will prove useful to a range of early childhood specialists, including students, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and teachers in further and higher education. We intend to create a User Review that will be aimed at practitioners and to engage other stakeholders in current trends and debates.
The Review is being launched at a time of change and uncertainty within early childhood education and care, and we hope that the Review will provide a focal point for discussions about future directions in the four UK policy frameworks, the importance of research, and how we use research evidence to inform provision and practice
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