Vocational training and knowledge development:a deeper understanding

Construction management research literature has identified the importance of understanding the practical realities of skills and training provision and the role of reflective practice in the development of knowledge. This paper examines vocational training of experienced site staff in the development of their knowledge through SVQ training to investigate the primary factors for successful learning in site-based construction staff with a supervisory/management role. Using semi-structured interviews the impact of vocational training on individual candidates and other sitebased staff are investigated. The paper explores, through the reflections of 26 SVQ candidates (20 SVQ3 and 6 SVQ4), a deeper understanding of how site supervisors and site managers learn through the SVQ process and develop tacit knowledge through formal reflection. Reflective practice develops practical wisdom (Phronesis). The investigation explains aspects of practical wisdom and how knowledge, practice and skills are developed through vocational training. There is a clear perception by those completing the qualification that it has enabled them to perform their job better identifying numerous examples relating to problem solving, critical thinking, making decisions and leadership. It has been found that Phronesis is evident on a day-to-day basis on site activities developed through reflective practice in personal development. The reflective practice in developing knowledge also builds, within individuals, a better understanding of themselves and their capabilities through the learning achieved in the SVQ. Future work is identified around analysing the role of the assessor in facilitating Phronesis in the SVQ context

Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports Students’ Learning

Much evaluation of teaching focuses on what teachers do in class. This article focuses on the evaluation of assessment arrangements and the way they affect student learning out of class. It is assumed that assessment has an overwhelming influence on what, how and how much students study. The article proposes a set of ‘conditions under which assessment supports learning’ and justifies these with reference to theory, empirical evidence and practical experience. These conditions are offered as a framework for teachers to review the effectiveness of their own assessment practice

Past speculations of the future: a review of the methods used for forecasting emerging health technologies

OBJECTIVES: Forecasting can support rational decision-making around the introduction and use of emerging health technologies and prevent investment in technologies that have limited long-term potential. However, forecasting methods need to be credible. We performed a systematic search to identify the methods used in forecasting studies to predict future health technologies within a 3–20-year timeframe. Identification and retrospective assessment of such methods potentially offer a route to more reliable prediction. DESIGN: Systematic search of the literature to identify studies reported on methods of forecasting in healthcare. PARTICIPANTS: People are not needed in this study. DATA SOURCES: The authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO and grey literature sources, and included articles published in English that reported their methods and a list of identified technologies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Studies reporting methods used to predict future health technologies within a 3–20-year timeframe with an identified list of individual healthcare technologies. Commercially sponsored reviews, long-term futurology studies (with over 20-year timeframes) and speculative editorials were excluded. RESULTS: 15 studies met our inclusion criteria. Our results showed that the majority of studies (13/15) consulted experts either alone or in combination with other methods such as literature searching. Only 2 studies used more complex forecasting tools such as scenario building. CONCLUSIONS: The methodological fundamentals of formal 3–20-year prediction are consistent but vary in details. Further research needs to be conducted to ascertain if the predictions made were accurate and whether accuracy varies by the methods used or by the types of technologies identified

Condiciones para una evaluación continuada favorecedora del aprendizaje

Podeu consultar la versió catalana a recurs relacionat.Gran parte de la evaluación de la docencia se centra en lo que los docen-tes hacen en clase. Este artículo, en cambio, se ocupa de evaluar cómo se realiza la evaluación y cómo ésta influye en la forma de aprender y estudiar fuera de clase. Generalmente se asume que la manera de eva-luar determina poderosamente qué, cómo y cuánto estudian los alum-nos. Este artículo propone un conjunto de «condiciones bajo las cuales la evaluación favorece el aprendizaje» y las argumenta con referencias teóricas, evidencias empíricas y experiencias prácticas. Estas condicio-nes ofrecen, además, un marco de referencia a los docentes dispuestos a revisar la efectividad de su propia práctica evaluativa

Best Practices for Community Food System Projects

Communities with robust local food systems are more resilient - better able to adapt to change - because they can maintain influence over their resources and reduce their dependence on factors out of their control. This resilience is even more critical in times of crisis, as we've seen during the COVID-19 pandemic

Advance Statements for Black African and Caribbean people (AdStAC):protocol for an implementation study

Background Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) have been recommended for inclusion in new mental health legislation for England and Wales. This is based on evidence-based interventions to reduce compulsory psychiatric admission, with particular benefit for Black people, whose rates of compulsory psychiatric admission in the UK are over three times higher than those of White British people. Our aim was to explore potential barriers and enablers to effective implementation of ACDs for use by Black people with previous experience of compulsory admission. Methods Seven online and in-person workshops were held with: Black service users who had previously been compulsorily admitted, carers/supporters of Black service users, and mental health professionals. Workshops were recorded and transcribed. Results Inductive analysis was employed to identify recommendations and determine where there was a lack of consensus. Thematic analysis identified key themes of ‘people’, ‘process’ and ‘power’ pertaining to ACD implementation. Discussion Our results reinforce the need for independent facilitation for ACD creation and their potential to empower Black service users in relation to their care. They suggest that explicit acknowledgement of, and time spent listening to, the historical and individual poor experiences that underlie the treatment preferences Black people express are important aspects of ACD creation

Randomised trial of glutamine, selenium, or both, to supplement parenteral nutrition for critically ill patients

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Triggers of Breathlessness in Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction and Asthma

BackgroundInducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) is often misdiagnosed as, or may coexist with, asthma. Identifying differences in triggering factors may assist clinicians to differentiate between the two conditions, and could give mechanistic insights.ObjectiveTo identify and compare patient‐reported triggers in ILO and asthma.MethodsThis was a two‐part study. Initially we conducted a retrospective case note review of the triggers of ILO from endoscopically‐confirmed ILO patients to generate a Breathlessness Triggers Survey (BrTS). Triggers were categorised as: scents, environmental factors, temperature, emotions, mechanical factors and daily activities. Secondly, ILO and/or asthma patients completed the BrTS prospectively, rating the likelihood of each item triggering their symptoms using a five‐point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Chi‐square testing was performed to compare responses by cohort.ResultsData from 202 patients with ILO [73% female, mean (SD) age 53(16) years] were included in the case note review. For the prospective study, 38 patients with ILO‐only [63% females, age 57(16) years], 39 patients with asthma‐only [(56% female, age 53(13) years] and 12 patients with both ILO and asthma [83% female, mean age, 57 (14) years)] completed the BrTS. The triggers identified in the case note review were confirmed in the independent sample of patients with ILO and/or asthma and identified several difference in prevalence of the triggers between disease types. Mechanical factors [talking (