Future directions in urban design as public policy: reassessing best practice principles for design review and development management

his paper reassesses John Punter's ‘Best Practice Principles for Design Review and Development Management’ that were published in this journal in 2007. Placing a focused lens on British and North American practice, the paper argues that design control and review has been profoundly reshaped since 2007 by three contributing factors: the challenges associated with climate change, the growing role that communities can play in local decision making, and the impacts of the global economic crisis upon public sector finances and property development. In light of these trends, the paper uses a review of recent literature and design practices to argue for a series of amendments to the best practice principles. These focus on: (1) the potential for design control and review to be more fully informed by ecological design theory and practice; (2) the need for more rigorous multi-stakeholder collaboration in the design decision-making process; and (3) the opportunity for urban designers to become more competent ‘market actors’ with the necessary abilities to confidently shape property development decisions

Best Practice Statement : Use of Ankle-Foot Orthoses Following Stroke

The development of this Best Practice Statement (BPS) was a collaboration between NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS), National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics, University of Strathclyde and a multidisciplinary group of relevant specialists. NHS QIS is a strategic health board which has a lead role in supporting the NHS in Scotland to improve the quality of healthcare. It does this by producing advice and evidence in a number of different formats, including BPS. These statements reflect the commitment of NHS QIS to sharing local excellence at a national level, and the current emphasis on delivering care that is patient-centred, cost-effective and fair. As part of a scoping exercise commissioned by NHS QIS in 2007, allied health professionals (AHPs) across Scotland identified the use of AFOs following stroke in adults as a clinical improvement priority. Orthotic intervention following stroke has been recognised as a treatment option for many years, but there is wide variation in current practice, and a lack of evidence-based research to determine the optimal rehabilitation programme for individuals following stroke. Stroke is the most frequent cause of severe adult disability in Scotland, with approximately 8,500 diagnoses of first-ever stroke each year, and more than 70,000 individuals affected by the condition. A recent Scottish Government strategy document confirms stroke as a national clinical priority for the Scottish NHS. In addition to developing a BPS and sharing this with healthcare professionals across Scotland, the initiative also sought to develop resource material to support the implementation of the BPS and to share the work internationally. In order to inform the development of the BPS a systematic literature review on AFO use following stroke was undertaken, including work of both a qualitative and quantitative nature. The full literature review, together with recommendations for future research, was included in the BPS. As it was felt that many medical professionals and AHPs may be unfamiliar with the principles underpinning orthotic practice, additional educational resources that would improve understanding of the reasons why the recommendations were being made were developed and included in the BPS. In addition to the full BPS, the key recommendations were summarised as a two-page 'quick reference guide' for ease of use in a clinical setting

Collaboration between academics and teachers : a complex relationship

Collaboration between academics and teachers has become increasingly prevalent over recent years. Whether its aim is joint research or continuing professional development for teachers, collaboration seems to offer a realistic opportunity for reducing the perceived gap between theory and practice. However, collaboration is not merely academics and teachers working together on a common project. It is complex in nature and involves a range of requirements that must be satisfied in order to maximise the potential of the relationship. In this paper we will theorise on the nature of academics and teachers working together and suggest that a working relationship between academic researchers and teachers can be one of three models: client–supplier, a coercive relationship or a collaborative relationship. We identify and unpack specific factors that underpin collaboration and suggest a number of concrete actions to establish collaboration between academics and teachers. We draw heavily from existing literature and our own reflections on two collaborative projects with which we have recently been involved. We use data from these projects to provide a number of anecdotes from the teachers who participated to support our own reflections. Finally, we suggest that further research should investigate the different ways attempts to collaborate fail, to build a more complete sense of the problems and potential of this special relationship. Keywords: collaboration; continuing professional development; action research; science teacher

Research-practice interactions as reported in recent design studies: Still promising, still hazy

This study portrays recent research–practice connections found in 18 design research reports focusing on the creation of instructional solutions. Solutions in different stages of development varied greatly in duration, ranging from one lesson to a whole year curriculum, spanned all levels of education, many subjects (science, math, language, culture, teacher education, etc.). Close collaboration between researchers and practitioners was prominent in all of the 18 projects studied. Participants in primary and secondary education projects have quite distinct roles regarding the teaching and researching, but they design their instruction solutions often collaboratively. Nearly all projects reported on how designed solutions were anchored in research, either from literature or from in-house project data. All articles indicated that research fed (re-)design, but few specified how. Based on our findings, we call for increased research and reporting on the specific strategies employed by design research participants to facilitate the production of new theoretical understanding through design of instructional solution

Measuring the immeasurable: Understanding the effectiveness of anti-child trafficking transnational advocacy networks

Transnational advocacy networks’ anti-child trafficking efforts have led to significant progress in the Mekong Subregion by bringing the child trafficking issue onto the global social policy agenda, resulting in new child protection legislation and improved inter-agency collaboration in the region. However, a significant gap in both the literature on TANs and TAN practice is the lack of monitoring and evaluation of TAN ‘effectiveness’. This article discusses the recent literature on TAN effectiveness and discusses the ‘key elements’ of TAN effectiveness, as highlighted by child trafficking experts operating in TANs in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Research into the area of TAN effectiveness is important for improving our knowledge of what TANs are achieving in terms of preventing child trafficking and protecting victims, as well as improving our knowledge of the different meanings and interpretations of TAN ‘effectiveness’. Furthermore, research into this area is important for improving our understanding of how TANs are well positioned to provide an effective response to the child sex trafficking problem

Positioning quantity surveyors in a collaborative production system

The lack of trust and collaboration between Quantity Surveyors (QSs) with other project stakeholders, is impeding their ability to create value and minimize wastes in construction processes. Precisely, the adversity that exists between the client & contractor's quantity surveyors (PQS/CQS) and the rest of the key stakeholders has allowed 'self - interest' to thrive to an extent that it hinders the practicality of achieving true collaboration in practice. Traditionally, QSs within the UK system are popularly known for their commercial management functions i.e., contract advice and cost related roles. But, prevailing customer practice has brought about a 'duality' in the construction model where now QSs functions are separated from that of the project production team (client, designers, constructors). Accordingly, a recent industry report (Modernize or Die), cautioned that the UK industry need to transform to a much higher-level model i.e., manufactured led construction–delivering in a more integrated system (ideally through collaboration). Furthermore, the report also calls on the QS professionals to revalidate their core competencies for the industry to modernize. This shows that many of the QSs functions acting on either side, that amount to multiple transactional interfaces needs to disappear. Through a literature review and in-depth interviews, the study contributes by examining QSs position in a collaborative production setting, revealing how they might collaborate with other stakeholders in construction. In addition, it also revealed an example of practice that shows how QSs can challenge and improve their current position going into collaborative practice

Developing conceptual governance model for collaborative knowledge management system in public sector organisations

Nowadays most of the public sector organisations are implementing a knowledge management system (KMS) to assist the systematic creation and sharing of their knowledge resources. The recent technological needs, collaboration and cooperation among public sector organisations (PSO) serve a vital role in the development of knowledge management systems (KMS). However, in order to establish a successful and standardised collaborative KMS amongst Malaysian PSO (MPSO), proper governance needs to be in place. The aim of this study is to identify governance components for collaborative KMS (CKMS). Accordingly, the journal articles published within the period 1998-2013 were identified and analysed. The articles were sourced mainly from Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Science Direct, Emerald, MIS Quarterly, as well as from some other academic databases. Keywords used during the literature search were “governance”, “knowledge management system”, “collaboration”, “collaborative knowledge management system”, “knowledge sharing” and “knowledge management governance”. Moreover, expert opinion from the public sector expert teams and academic experts was also acquired from several consultation sessions to ensure that the components obtained from the readings meet the requirements of KMS collaborations. Based on the analysis and consultation, a conceptual model for governance of CKMS is constructed

Enriching the values of micro and small business research projects : two sides of a story

Copyright and all rights therein are retained by the authors. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and conditions invoked by each author's copyright. These works may not be re-posted without the explicit permission of the copyright holdersThe research aim was to critically examine the two sides of co-creation from the small business and GCU researcher perspectives. The interest is in the value created and delivered. Previous studies have suggested the importance of identity and trust in these types of collaborative projects. The approach used a single case study to explore indepth the development of identity and trust, and the subsequent movement of the project participants to the creation of value. The results of the study revealed important action learning and knowledge management developments. A strong focus at the beginning on identifying key propositional knowledge needs, later led to more opportunities to co-create value for both parties. The understanding of the processes and importance of trust in these significant knowledge exchange projects reveals both a strength and weakness in these university-business collaborative projects. The indepth undersrtanding and interpretation of the value derived in-action and on-action speaks highly of the role of these university-business collaborative projects. Suggesting that the university has a key role to play in future economic development. KeywordsFinal Published versio

Motivational Aspects of Teacher Collaboration

The mutual dependency of teacher collaboration and motivation has emerged as a promising research field. This article now sets out to systematically review peer-reviewed articles on the interconnection of these concepts. It looks at main findings, identifies ambiguities and contradictions in the constructs and highlights their contested nature. It is shown that many studies use different theoretical approaches and conceptual operationalizations. This leads to inconsistent empirical findings. In addition, teacher collaboration is often perceived as a threat to teacher autonomy. This is surprising considering that both teacher collaboration and teacher autonomy positively affect teacher motivation according to many empirical findings

Providing innovative planning education experience: teaching regional planning in an international context

Rapidly changing economic, social, and environmental conditions have created a need for urban and regional planning practitioners who are resilient, innovative, and able to cope with the increasingly complex and cosmopolitan nature of major metropolitan areas. This need should be reflected in planning education that allows students to experience a diverse range of approaches to problems and challenges, and that exposes students to the diverse array of perspectives on planning issues. This paper investigates the outcomes of a collaborative regional planning exercise organised jointly by planning academics from both Queensland University of Technology and the International Islamic University of Malaysia, and involving planning students from both universities. The regional planning exercise consisted of a regional appraisal and report topics of the area under investigation, Klang Valley – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It culminated with the presentation of regional development strategies for the area, with a field trip to Malaysia being the cornerstone of the project. The collaborative exercise involved a series of workshops and seminars organised locally, in which both Australian and Malaysian planning students participated, as well as meetings with local and federal planning officials, and also a forum for Young Planners of Australian and Malaysian Planning Institutes. The experience attempted to bridge the teaching of theoretical concepts of regional planning and development and the regional, more professional knowledge of planning practice, as it relates to specific political, institutional and cultural contexts. A survey of participating students, from both Queensland University of Technology and the International Islamic University of Malaysia, highlights the benefits of such project in terms of leaning experience and exposure to different cultural contexts