Building portals for evidence informed education: lessons from the dead

This paper considers the creation of quality assured reviews to build sustainable quality assured evidence sources that inform the training and professional development of new and experienced teachers. This makes use of the experience and evaluations of portals developed in England as part of the Teacher Training Resource Bank (TTRB). The TTRB was developed by a consortium of Universities supported by a software company and funded by a government agency responsible for what it called ‘Teacher Training’. This project ran from 2006 and ended in 2010 due to a change of government. The project was then ‘archived’ in a very restrictive manner. The paper explores the lessons learned from the project

Learning and inclusion in the Early Years

This paper considers inclusion in the early years from the perspective of a social model of learning articulated by Wenger (1998). This model is used to highlight key areas of teaching and learning in the early years that enhance participation and achievement. Implications for change in early years settings are considered alongside some priorities for professional development

Creatividad, cultura y education: creativity culture and education

This paper considers the role of constructions of creativity in the classroom and their consequences for learning and, in particular, for the assessment of creativity. The implications of assessing creativity in order to aid its development within and across subject. Enablers for creative teaching and learning are considered in order to propose a model of assessment and development for creativity

The principles of Educational Robotic Applications (ERA): a framework for understanding and developing educational robots and their activities

The original educational robots were the Logo Turtles. They derived their rationale from constructionism. How has this changed? This paper postulates ten principles that underpin the effective utilisation of robotic devices within education settings. We argue that they form a framework still sympathetic to constructionism that can guide the development, application and evaluation of educational robots. They articulate a summary of the existing knowledge as well as suggesting further avenues of research that may be shared by educationists and designers. The principles also provide an evaluative framework for Educational Robotic Applications (ERA). This paper is an overview of the ideas, which we will develop in future papers

Research Treatments for Self Injurious Behavior with Unclear or Automatically Reinforced Causes and their Correlation to Least Restrictive Behavioral Interventions

Self injurious behavior (SIB) is one of the most perplexing and frightening behaviors exhibited by some students. SIB is defined as behavior wherein the individual is engaging in repetitive or stereotypical behaviors that may and in some cases does result in physical harm to the individual (Jacob-Timm, 1996). The behaviors are displayed in a variety of topographies. They can range from fingernail picking to head banging, and can be so destructive that the student can cause severe injury to themselves or even death. Individuals who display this type of behavior also display a variety of medical and clinical diagnosis which may include Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Autism, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy

Multiple sclerosis : living the reality and experiences of hope

This thesis is divided into three parts: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research, an empirical report and appendices.Part one is a descriptive meta-synthesis reviewing the contribution of phenomenologically informed qualitative literature regarding the lived experience of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The meta-synthesis aimed to provide insights for healthcare professionals working in person centred MS services, in addition to reviewing literature relating to the empirical paper. Individuals living with MS have diverse healthcare needs and person centred care offers a holistic approach to meeting these needs. Six broad themes regarding the lived experience of MS were identified following synthesis of findings from seven qualitative studies. Deficits in person centred care are highlighted and implications for future service provision are discussed.Part two is an empirical study investigating a deficit in person centred care highlighted in the meta-synthesis: the concept of hope. The study examines the subjective experience of hope by exploring what generates, diminishes, or maintains hope for individuals living with Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) who confront relapses and remission of MS symptoms over time. Six individuals were interviewed and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to identify themes from their narrative accounts of hope. The study considers the importance of family systems and relationships in the experience of hope in RRMS, in addition to exploring illness experiences which result in losing hope. Clinical implications are discussed including the role of hope-fostering interventions for individuals living with RRMS adopted from the Recovery Model currently operating in mental health services.Part three consists of appendices relating to the research, including a reflective statement discussing the process of research from conception to results

What forms of evidence do novice teachers need?

The Teacher Training Resource Bank (TTRB) is a project, funded by the English Teacher Development Agency for Schools (TDA). It aims to articulate, represent and enhance the professional knowledge bases that underpin teacher education through the development of a knowledge portal. The TTRB seeks to link theory, debate and practice and raise the profile of teacher training research and knowledge creation. Records of TTRB usage since its inception in 2006 demonstrate widespread use of the resource within English initial teacher education (ITE) and in schools. An independent evaluation (Chambers et al, 2009) indicated a positive impact on trainee teachers by making a large range of recent research resource material easily available. Trainee teachers were further enabled to make connections between theory and research, and the quality of their academic work was seen to be improved. The paper draws on a spiral model of knowledge management developed by Nonaka, I & Konno, N. (1998) to discuss the ways in which the TTRB can support and democratise the construction of professional knowledge in ITE from the perspectives of novice teachers and their mentors and tutors. This study has findings that illustrate successful mechanisms that bridge the perceived divide between theory and practice that can be seen to have potential across Europe

How Do Harm Reduction Efforts Affect Local Communities?

Harm reduction policy is an alternative approach to addressing opioid-related drug addiction with a focus on reducing the negative impacts of opioid use on users through rehabilitation efforts and communities as a whole. Opioid addiction and overdose is a growing epidemic in the United States. Drug overdose is a leading cause of death among individuals under 50 years old, and in 2017, more than 70,000 people died from drug overdose. Comparably, in 2017, 42,000 people died in traffic accidents. This research examines the potential of harm reduction policies to address the current opioid epidemic in the United States. Existing research on supervised injection facilities (SIF) shows benefits for both drug users and non-drug users: SIF offer drug users a safe place to inject illicit drugs and provides non-drug users a safer community through reduced drug-related harm. While there are upfront costs to build these facilities, research shows for every 10 years a SIF is in operation, there will be an estimated savings of 14 million dollars through reduced hospitalization expenses, fewer emergency department visits, and decreased ambulance expenses. InSite, a supervised injection facility in Vancouver serves an average of 415 injection room visits per day, and is a primary source demonstrating improved quality of life for those who frequent the facility. Being the first SIF in North America, it demonstrates what services future injection facilities in the U.S. could potentially provide. In an effort to accurately present research, we will emphasize the lives and money saved from implementing supervised injection facilities. Through presenting this research, we anticipate future policy discussions about the benefits SIFs could provide to communities around.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/fsrs2019/1000/thumbnail.jp

Raising aspirations: increasing the participation of students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (Social Communication Difficulties) in Higher Education: report of the HEFCE strand two disability ASPIHE project

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funded a Social Communication and Understanding Project in Higher Education (ASPIHE) for a period of two years during 2000-2002. This was a strand two disability project, which aimed to promote and disseminate existing expertise and good practice across the higher education community. The focus was on support for students in higher education who have difficulties in social understanding and communication. This largely consists of students who may have a diagnosis of High Functioning Autism/Asperger Syndrome