Equipping Language Educators at Scale: Open Educational Resources and Institutional Collaboration for Professional Development and Practice

In much of South Asia (e.g. India, Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka) there had been a post-colonial emphasis on the use of mother tongue. For instance, in Bangladesh, a nation almost solely founded on the basis of the language movement (Bhasa Andolon) of 1952. About 98% of the country’s population speak Bangla . Bangla was the medium of education at all levels except in a small number of schools (Hossain and Tollefson, in Power and Shrestha, 2009). However, in an increasingly globablised world, English Language is now re-emerging as a significant factor in economic development. It is widely perceived that many graduates fail to gain employment because their English skills or qualifications fall below the required level of functional literacy. (British Council, 2009). It has therefore become paramount to develop effective skills in the use of spoken and written English and some governments have been taking measures to address this need. For instance, the Bangladeshi government in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK government jointly funded the English Language Teaching Improvement Project (ELTIP). (Power and Shrestha, 2009, p.2). But research evidence (Power and Shrestha, 2009, p.2) show that, despite the huge investments since the early 2000s, the quality of English remains low. This indicates that more needs to be done, or it needs to be done differently. There is therefore a need to train or upskill large numbers of English Language Teachers (ELTs), both in relation to their own level of English Language proficiency, and in relation to their teaching skills and practices. The situation calls for responses that are effective, imaginative, and capable of operating scale. It may possible for such responses to transcend national boundaries, whilst recognizing local teacher identities and contexts

Physical and Psychological Childbirth Experiences and Early Infant Temperament

Objective: To examine how physical and psychological childbirth experiences affect maternal perceptions and experiences of early infant behavioural style (temperament).Background: Unnecessary interventions may disturb the normal progression of physiological childbirth and instinctive neonatal behaviours that facilitate mother-infant bonding and breastfeeding. While little is known about how a medicalised birth may influence developing infant temperament, high impact interventions which affect neonatal crying and cortisol levels could have longer term consequences for infant behaviour and functioning.Methods: A retrospective internet survey was designed to fully explore maternal experiences of childbirth and her postnatal perceptions of infant behaviour. Data collected from 999 mother-infant dyads were analysed using Pearson’s correlations and multiple analyses of covariance, employing the Bonferroni method of correction to establish initially significant variables. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine major perinatal contributors to perceived early infant temperament.Results: Multiple regression analyses on each of the eight Mother and Baby Scales outcome variables indicated that early infant behavioural style (0-6 months) was largely predicted by subjective maternal states during and post childbirth, postnatal depression scores, maternal personality traits and infant age. For example, infant age (Beta = .440, p = .000) was the most significant predictor of Alert-Responsive infant behaviour, followed by maternal Postnatal Positive experience (Beta = .181, p = .000). In contrast, depression (EPDS) scores (Beta = .370, p = .000) were the most significant predictor of Unsettled-Irregular infant behaviour, followed by Anxious-Afraid Birth Emotions (Beta = .171, p = .000) and infant age (Beta = -.196, p = .000). Mothers also perceived their infants as more Alert-Responsive (Beta = .080, p = .010) and Easier overall (Beta = .085, p = .008) after a Supported birth experience.Conclusion: Maternal and infant outcomes were influenced by multiple physical and psychological perinatal variables. The mother’s subjective experience appeared to be of equal significance to more objective factors (e.g., birthplace/mode). Social support enhanced the mother’s childbirth experience, benefitting her perceptions of her baby’s early temperament. These findings provide further support for current World Health Organisation intrapartum guidelines (2018) on the importance of making childbirth a ‘positive experience’ for women

Mobile. Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning

In response to the challenge to education systems presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF and the World Bank have created a set of seven Resource Packs about remote learning. The packs are designed to support government officials and staff in national and international agencies tasked with designing and implementing effective remote learning opportunities for children in development and humanitarian contexts. Remote learning is the process of teaching and learning performed at a distance. Rather than having learners meet their teachers in person, learners are distanced from their teacher and possibly their peers as well. One of the consequences of COVID-19 is that almost every country has had to put in place remote learning programmes. The packs are therefore designed primarily to help you to enhance and improve the effectiveness of existing remote learning programmes. There are over 5 billion mobile users in the world today. Unsurprisingly, many countries are turning to mobile technology for remote learning. This pack is about creating and strengthening effective remote learning programmes using mobile technology. It overlaps with the Resource Pack about digital learning

Digital. Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning

In response to the challenge to education systems presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF and the World Bank have created a set of seven Resource Packs about remote learning. The packs are designed to support government officials and staff in national and international agencies tasked with designing and implementing effective remote learning opportunities for children in development and humanitarian contexts. Remote learning is the process of teaching and learning performed at a distance. Rather than having learners meet their teachers in person, learners are distanced from their teacher and possibly their peers as well. One of the consequences of COVID-19 is that almost every country has had to put in place remote learning programmes. The packs are therefore designed primarily to help you to enhance and improve the effectiveness of existing remote learning programmes. This Resource Pack is intended to help you design new digital remote learning programmes or strengthen existing programmes. This pack will help evaluate your digital learning options by placing your learning purpose and the context of your learners at the heart of your decision making

Values-based recruitment and the NHS Constitution: making sure student midwives meet the brief

Since publication of the findings from the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (Francis, 2013), which identified levels of substandard care and failings from staff in exhibiting core values such as care and compassion, it became evident that improvements in levels of care were needed. In response, Health Education England (2014) published its national values-based recruitment (VBR) framework to encourage higher education institutions to complement their existing recruitment processes with VBR, to ensure applicants to undergraduate health-care programmes, such as midwifery, demonstrate values aligning with the principles of the NHS Constitution (Department of Health, 2015). This article will discuss how the University of Northampton piloted the integration of the VBR framework into its interview process through adopting a multiple mini interview approach

Print. Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning

In response to the challenge to education systems presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF and the World Bank have created a set of seven Resource Packs about remote learning. The packs are designed to support government officials and staff in national and international agencies tasked with designing and implementing effective remote learning opportunities for children in development and humanitarian contexts. Remote learning is the process of teaching and learning performed at a distance. Rather than having learners meet their teachers in person, learners are distanced from their teacher and possibly their peers as well. One of the consequences of COVID-19 is that almost every country has had to put in place remote learning programmes. The packs are therefore designed primarily to help you to enhance and improve the effectiveness of existing remote learning programmes. Despite advances in technology, print remains a crucial medium for many learners around the world. This pack discusses some of the major strengths and limitations of print as a medium for delivery of remote learning and identifies some of the approaches that can be taken when planning for the use of print within remote learning

Realising the potential of online teacher development courses to improve student learning: lessons for Local Education Officers

The Government of Bangladesh is making substantial investment in blended learning for teachers. Teachers undertake face-to-face trainings in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) priority areas, such as supporting students’ foundational learning. In parallel, teachers access TPD courses on Muktopaath, an eLearning platform, focused on these same priority areas. Local Education Officers have a pivotal role in the delivery of these trainings and in supporting their practical application in schools and classrooms. This Policy Brief explores teachers’ participation in one set of eLearning courses, Anonde Gonit Shikhi (AGS). It makes evidence-based recommendations on how Local Education Officers at District and Upazila levels can encourage and support teachers to translate learning from both the online courses and face-to-face trainings into the intended changes in teaching practices and student learning in the classroom

Build It and They Will Come: Making Recreational Collections Matter at Mary Livermore Library

Can DVDs, comics and “juvenile” books entice today’s students to visit the library for the first time and keep them coming back? This panel presentation will be the inspiration to make popular collections matter. UNCP’s Library thinks outside the suggestion box to make user interests matter when it comes to recreational collections. Community patrons are grateful for the large selection of bestsellers, graphic novels, major motion pictures and television series, but the students (and faculty) are the biggest consumers. This panel presentation will outline the game plan that makes the magic happen. June Power, Access Services/Reference Librarian and big fan of the graphic novel collection, will provide insight into the popularity of new releases displayed near the library entrance. The graphic novel collection, started as a joint venture with the student anime/manga club, has boomed in recent years, both in circulation and size. New editions are available next to the heavily used and perused New York Times bestsellers. David Young, Catalog Librarian, will present statistical documentation and reveal in detail the design, development and execution of the unique features and processes contributing to the continued, huge popularity of the media collection. From reference desk queries to shelving practices and circulation policies, public and technical services staff collaborate and coordinate to provide popular and curricular films quickly and efficiently.Claire Clemens, Instructional Services/Reference Librarian, will discuss college student readership of young adult novels. Moving outside the realm of PreK-12 curriculum materials, young adult literature is now sought after for pleasure reading

Maximising the impact of online teacher development courses to improve teaching and learning: lessons for national directors and education officers

The Government of Bangladesh is making substantial investment in blended learning for teachers. Teachers undertake face-to-face trainings in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) priority areas, such as supporting students’ foundational learning. In parallel, teachers access CPD courses on Muktopaath, an eLearning platform, focused on these same priority areas. This Policy Brief explores teachers’ participation in one set of eLearning courses, Anonde Gonit Shikhi (AGS), and makes evidence-based recommendations on how the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) central team can encourage and support teachers to translate learning from both the online courses and face-to-face trainings into the intended changes in teaching practices and student learning in the classroom

Protective Immunity against Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Early Life after Murine Maternal or Neonatal Vaccination with the Recombinant G Fusion Protein BBG2Na

Maternal and neonatal immunization were evaluated for their capacity to induce protective immunity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract infections in early life. Murine models were studied by use of a novel recombinant vaccine candidate, designated BBG2Na, which was derived in part from the RSV (Long) G protein. Maternal immunization resulted in the passive transfer of high levels of RSV-A antibodies to the offspring, which protected them from RSV challenge for up to 14 weeks. Indeed, protection correlated with the detection of RSV antibodies in the serum. Neonatal immunization with BBG2Na induced significant antibody responses even in the first week of life. Most importantly, these neonatal responses were not inhibited by the presence of RSV maternal antibodies. Consequently, the combination of maternal and neonatal immunization with BBG2Na resulted in the continual presence of protective levels of antibodies in the offsprin