Professional Development Program for Science Teachers in International Cooperation : Case Study in JICA Training Program for Young Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

The mission of Ochanomizu University, which has a history of women's education stretching back 130 years, is to support the growth of women, regardless of nationality or age, and the development of their qualifications and skills. Ochanomizu University has been conducting the Afghanistan Women Teacher's Training program on behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) since FY2002. This is the tenth year of our project working to strengthen education for Afghanistan. We designed an appropriate training program for Afghanistan science teachers to improve the quality of science teaching in elementary and secondary schools. This study presents the curriculum of a professional development program for science teachers from Afghanistan containing science practices, lectures, and visiting an elementary school and Board of Education. In order to examine the effectiveness of this program, we carried out a survey using a questionnaire for 20 trained participants. The questionnaire results showed that participants felt that our program met their expectations regarding acquiring skills for ‘syllabus planning', ‘lesson planning' and ‘teaching methods.' Also, we found that the program has had a positive impact on the participants' attitudes toward improving the quality of science teaching in elementary and secondary schools

Effects of home-based exercise on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients: a randomized pilot and feasibility trial

Abstract Background Only a few research is available on the effects of home-based exercise training on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the effect of home-based exercise therapy on kidney function and arm and leg muscle strength in pre-dialysis CKD patients. Methods Thirty-six male stage 3–4 pre-dialysis CKD patients (age, 68.7 ± 6.8 years; estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 39.0 ± 11.6 ml/min/1.73 m2) who were being treated as outpatients were included. The subjects were randomly assigned to an exercise intervention group (Ex group: 18) and a control group (C group: 18). The Ex group wore accelerometer pedometers and were instructed to perform home-based aerobic and resistance exercises, such as brisk walking for 30 min per day, for 12 months. The C group subjects wore accelerometer pedometers but received no exercise therapy guidance; the number of steps covered during normal daily activities was recorded for the C group. The outcome measures were changes in kidney function and handgrip and knee extension muscle strength. Values at the baseline (T1) and 12 months later (T2) were compared. Results There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups; however, the C group was more physically active than the Ex group. Eight subjects dropped out, and 28 subjects (14 in each group) were included in the final analysis. Physical activity increased significantly only in the Ex group. Grip strength (F = 7.0, p = 0.01) and knee extension muscle strength (F = 14.3, p < 0.01) were found to improve only in the Ex group. Further, the changes in eGFR were not significantly different between the two groups (F = 0.01, p = 0.93). Conclusions Home-based exercise therapy for pre-dialysis CKD patients was feasible and improved arm and leg muscle strength without affecting kidney function. Trial registration UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ( UMIN000005091 ). Registered 2/15/2011