Investigating a Professional Development School Model of Teacher Education in Canada

We examined the effectiveness of a professional development school model of teacher education in Canada. Teacher education candidates responded positively to program features related to sustained participation and collaboration in school communities throughout the year. Their efficacy beliefs about developing professional knowledge were most strongly related to the school component of the program. This highlights the importance of careful selection and preparation of associate teachers where teacher candidates are placed in only one school. Nous avons fait l’examen de l’efficacité d’un modèle de développement professionnel de formation des enseignants en milieu scolaire au Canada. Les candidats enseignants ont réagi positivement aux dimensions du programme relatives à une participation soutenue et à la collaboration au sein des communautés scolaires tout au long de l’année. Leurs convictions relativement au développement efficace d’un savoir professionnel étaient fortement liées à la dimension scolaire du programme. Cette conclusion souligne l’importance de sélectionner et de préparer avec soin les maîtres associés lorsque les candidats à l’enseignement sont assignés à un seul établissement

Exploring the Relationship Between Self-Regulated Learning and Reflection in Teacher Education

Literature on teacher learning has shown links between being a self-regulated learner, reflecting effectively on one’s own practice, and being described as an “adaptive expert”. For instance, the metacognitive skills needed for effective reflection on teaching practice are seen as critically important to developing adaptive expertise in the context of the highly complex classroom environment. Similarly, self-regulated learning is often defined, at least in part, in terms of using metacognitive skill to adapt one’s approach to complex learning situations or problems. Although there is rich literature on reflective practice in teacher education, less is known about measuring teachers’ self-regulated learning or the relationship between self-regulated learning and teacher reflections. This research examines reflective practice and self-regulated learning through pre-service teachers’ written reflections. The study makes a novel adaptation of a rubric designed to evaluate teacher education candidates’ reflections to measure self-regulated learning. Findings suggest that the rubric could also be useful in understanding the self-regulated practices of teacher education candidates

Does level of training Influence the ability to detect hepatosplenomegaly in children with leukemia?

Background: Children with leukemia often have hepatosplenomegaly present. This can be diagnosed with physical examination and confirmed with ultrasound. We sought to determine if level of training influenced the ability to detect hepatosplenomegaly. Methods: All children diagnosed with leukemia during the past 5 years were reviewed. The training level of the examiner, the documentation of hepatosplenomegaly, and the ultrasound findings were collected and analyzed. Results: There were 245 examinations of the spleen and 254 of the liver. Splenomegaly was correctly diagnosed by medical students 54% of the time, by residents 81%, and by staff 79% of the time. First year residents diagnosed it correctly 68% of the time, R2s 64%, R3s 76% and R4s 86% of the time. Hepatomegaly was correctly diagnosed by medical students 44% of the time, by residents 73% and by staff 68% of the time. First year residents diagnosed it correctly 77% of the time, R2s 54%, R3s 81% and R4s 75% of the time. Conclusions: Pediatric residents had the best ability to detect hepatosplenomegaly, and were better than staff and medical students, although this was not statistically significant

How do coaches and clients create and experience a critical thinking environment?

Inspired by my own personal experience and the limited literature regarding critical thinking environments in coaching, this constructivist grounded theory research study aims for the coach to facilitate clients to become critical in their coaching environment and consider what enables that to happen. Critical thinking has been described as a core competency and skill that is needed in today’s leaders in organisations where there is constant and rapid change. A deficiency in critical thinking skills in coaches, in turn creates consequences for individuals as well as organisations themselves, as a deficiency of critical thinking skills transforms into a lack of ability to lead others. In answering this challenge both educators and employers are appealing for the development of critical thinking skills. To survive in the current age, people need to ask questions as well as challenge assumptions and find innovative ways to solve problems. Constructivist grounded theory methodology for this research offers a systematic and rigorous method for the data collection and analysis, allowing for the construction of a theory that is grounded in participants' views and experiences. Two sources of data were identified for this study, coaches and clients through a total of 40 interviews. The narratives of these experiences were used to develop a theoretical framework which conceptualised their experiences, and applied constructivist grounded theory coding cycles and strategies which identified, compared and connected different categories. The findings from this empirical research show a framework that is original and will guide coaches and business leaders to experience and create a critical thinking environment in coaching. The framework shows three elements that come together to create a critical thinking environment between the coach and client. Contracting – Establishing the relationship, Thinking space – Deepening the relationship and Physical environment – Situating the relationship. This framework can be used to raise awareness, deepen learning, and generate responsibility and building self-belief in the client by considering how to create a critical thinking environment in a coaching relationship

Connecting Through Summer Camp: Youth with Visual Impairments Find a Sense of Community

The social meaning of a one-week residential summer sports camp to young people with visual impairments is described. The experiences of 13 youths (7 females and 6 males) with visual impairments (3 B1, 1 B2, and 9 B3) between 9 and 15 years of age were gathered using the phenomenological methods of focus groups, conversational interviews, and field notes. The thematic analysis revealed three themes: connected, reaching out, and resisting and acquiescing. Experiences of group membership and shared emotional connection to others with visual impairments surfaced in a supportive sport context although resistance to others\u27 assumptions of ability was evident. The theory of psychological sense of community (McMillan & Chivas, 1986) provided the conceptual framework for interpreting the findings

Comprehensive Solid-State Characterization of Rare Earth Flouride Nanoparticles

The combination of multinuclear solid-state NMR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction has been applied to characterize the octahedron-shaped crystalline nanoparticle products resulting from an inverse micelle synthesis. Rietveld refinements of the powder X-ray diffraction data from the nanoparticles revealed their general formula to be (H3O)Y3F10·xH2O. 1H magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR experiments provided information on sample purity and served as an excellent probe of the zeolithic incorporation of atmospheric water. 19F MAS NMR experiments on a series of monodisperse nanoparticle samples of various sizes yielded spectra featuring three unique 19F resonances arising from three different fluorine sites within the (H3O)Y3F10·xH2O crystal structure. Partial removal of zeolithic water from the internal cavities and tunnels of the nanoparticles led to changes in the integrated peak intensities in the 19F MAS NMR spectra; the origin of this behavior is discussed in terms of 19F longitudinal relaxation. 19F–89Y variable-amplitude cross-polarization (VACP) NMR experiments on both stationary samples and samples under MAS conditions indicated that two distinct yttrium environments are present, and on the basis of the relative peak intensities, the population of one of the two sites is closely linked to the nanoparticle size. Both 19F MAS and 19F–89Y VACP/MAS experiments indicated small amounts of an impurity present in certain nanoparticles; these are postulated to be spherical amorphous YF3 nanoparticles. We discuss the importance of probing molecular-level structure in addition to microscopic structure and how the combination of these characterization methods is crucial for understanding nanoparticle design, synthesis, and application

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza in Canadian pediatric cancer and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients

Background The impact of pandemic H1N1 influenza (pH1N1) virus in pediatric cancer is uncertain. The objectives of this study were to characterize the clinical course of pH1N1 and identify factors associated with severe outcomes. Methods We conducted a Canadian multicenter retrospective review of children with cancer and stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients who were diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed pH1N1 infection between May 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010. Results We identified 100 (19 in wave 1 and 81 in wave 2) cases of pH1N1 infection. Median age was 8·7years. 71% had a hematologic malignancy, and 20% received SCT. Median duration of fever and illness was 2 and 12·5days, respectively. 51 (51·5%) were hospitalized for a median of 5days, with no deaths and only 1 requiring admission to the intensive care unit. Radiologically confirmed pneumonia was diagnosed in 10 (10%). Interruption of chemotherapy or conditioning occurred in 43 patients. In multivariable analyses, age \u3c5years (relative to ≥10years) and neutropenia were associated with hospitalization while neutropenia was associated with pneumonia. Despite oseltamivir use in 89%, viral shedding was prolonged (median, 46days) and often persisted after symptom resolution. However, an extended treatment course (\u3e5days) correlated with shortened duration of viral shedding (P=0·041). Conclusions pH1N1 infection in pediatric cancer and SCT patients infrequently caused complications but commonly interrupted cancer treatment. Persistent shedding of virus after illness resolution was common. Further research is needed to verify this finding as it could have implications for treatment guidelines and infection control practices. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd