Teacher assessment practices and perceptions : the use of alternative assessments within the Quebec education reform

Avec la réforme québécoise de l'éducation en toile de fond, cette recherche étudie les perceptions des enseignants des évaluations en classe et de leurs pratiques actuelles d'évaluation en classe. Plus particulièrement, ce projet de thèse a cherché à avoir une meilleure compréhension de l'étendue avec laquelle les enseignants utilisent différents outils et méthodes d'évaluation pour comprendre et soutenir à la fois les processus d'apprentissage et d'enseignement. Les trois objectifs suivants ont guidé la recherche : 1) Documenter les pratiques d'évaluation les plus souvent utilisées pendant l'année par des enseignants des Cycles Un et Deux dans deux matières : Langage (français ou anglais) et Mathématiques. 2) Explorer les perceptions des élèves concernant les évaluations tenues par les enseignants des Cycles Un et Deux. 3) Évaluer les connaissances, perception et l'enthousiasme des enseignants des Cycles Un et Deux à utiliser des formes variées d'Évaluations alternatives dans différentes situations d'apprentissage. Un échantillon de 65 enseignants en français, anglais et mathématiques des Cycles Un et Deux du primaire, affiliés à la commission scolaire Lester B. Pearson et les Écoles Indépendantes Juives de Montréal, ont participé à la recherche. Un questionnaire a été développé pour établir les perceptions des enseignants et des élèves concernant les pratiques évaluatives, de même que pour mesurer leurs connaissances, perceptions et utilisation de méthodes alternatives d'évaluation. Le questionnaire requiert que les participants complètent plusieurs échelles de Likert, transcrivent des réponses à des questions et répondent verbalement à plusieurs questions posées par le chercheur. L'analyse des données obtenues à partir des questionnaires est de nature qualitative (analyse de contenu) et quantitative (pourcentage, chi-carré). Les enseignants perçoivent généralement que les pratiques d'évaluation qu'ils utilisent en classe avec leurs élèves, qu'elles soit des techniques traditionnelles ou des types d'évaluation plus alternatives, retiennent à la fois des avantages et des inconvénients à leur utilisation. Plusieurs participants à l'étude ont rapporté qu'avec l'avènement de la réforme d'éducation au Québec, la façon qu'ils perçoivent les apprentissages des élèves et, par extension, l'évaluation des élèves, a quelque peu changé au cours des dernières années. Les données obtenues ont également révélé que certains facteurs ont plus de chance d'influencer les pratiques d'évaluation des enseignants. Par exemple, les pratiques d'évaluation actuelles des enseignants varient selon la matière enseignée. Les résultats démontrent aussi que le fait, pour les enseignants, d'être prêts à essayer de nouvelles idées et différentes formes d'évaluation semble dépendre de la qualification académique. Les enseignants qui avaient des qualifications académiques plus élevées étaient plus enclins à essayer de nouvelles idées que ceux qui avaient des qualifications académiques plus faibles. Les données recueillies font également ressortir que les intervenants possédant une meilleure compréhension des différences entre les évaluations traditionnelles et alternatives sont plus enclins à utiliser des évaluations alternatives dans leur répertoire d'outils d'évaluation. De plus, les enseignants de la commission scolaire publique étaient plus portés à utiliser des méthodes d'évaluation alternatives en comparaison aux enseignants des écoles juives. Il semble également y avoir une division entre les méthodes d'évaluation utilisées au Cycle Un et au Cycle Deux, l'utilisation de méthodes alternatives étant plus prévalent dans le second cas. Finalement, les enseignants avec une éducation plus formelle (c.à.d. niveau universitaire) semblaient être plus ouverts aux possibilités de nouvelles méthodes d'évaluation, alors que ceux avec moins d'éducation semblaient plus portés vers les méthodes plus traditionnelles. Les résultats obtenus sont essentiellement discutés à la lumière des écrits recensés en matière d'évaluation, soit chez les auteurs faisant le point sur les travaux récents en psychologie cognitive et en évaluation alternative, soit chez ceux associés aux récentes réformes éducatives mises en place et plus particulièrement celle présentement en voie d'implantation ici au Québec

Halitose: considerações clínicas

Introdução: Na sociedade em que é dada importância primária à imagema halitose é sentida como uma vergonha e se torna uma desvantagem real para as pessoas que sofrem com ela. Poucos pacientes consultam um especialista para esse problema, enquanto estudos epidemiológicos mostraram que 50% da população mundial sofre de halitose crónica, metade da qual é grave. O objetivo deste trabalho é entender os componentes químicos da respiração e conhecer as causas que perturbarão esse equilíbrio e, portanto, levarão à halitose. Materiais e métodos: A revisão da literatura realizada para este trabalho de final de estudo foi baseada nas plataformas Pubmed, ScienceDirect e Google Scholar e pesquisa de bibliotecas universitária da UFP. Os palavras-chave introduzidas para a pesquisa são: halitose, etiologia da halitose, tratamento da halitose, diagnóstico da halitose, halitose e compostos orgânicos voláteis. Resultados: A revisão da literatura foi realizada com 996 resultados, dos quais 24 foram selecionados e dois livros. Discussão: Os principais culpados pelo mau hálito são os compostos voláteis de enxofre. A origem da halitose é oral em 85 a 90% dos casos. As estruturas envolvidas na produção de um odor ruim são dentes, língua, saliva, periodonto e tecidos moles. Quando uma origem oral é destacada, o tratamento consiste em eliminar a causa e melhorar a higiene bucal. Caso a anamnese e o exame intraoral não permitam destacar uma causa da halitose, o dentista encaminhará o paciente ao médico. Conclusão: O cirurgião-dentista parece estar na melhor posição para gerenciar um paciente com halitose e poderá, graças a uma anamnese precisa e um exame intraoral rigoroso, encontrar a causa na maioria dos casos.Introduction: In the society where primary importance is given to the image Halitosis is experienced as a shame and becomes a real handicap for people who suffer from it. Few patients consult a specialist for this problem, while epidemiological studies have shown that 50% of the world’s population suffers from chronic halitosis, half of which is severe. The objective of this work is to understand the chemical components of the breath and to know the causes which will disturb this balance and thus lead to halitosis. Materials and methods: The literature review carried out for this end-of-study work was based on Pubmed, Science Direct and Google Scholar and university library research at UFP. The key words introduced for the research are: halitosis, halitosis etiology, halitosis treatment, halitosis diagnosis, halitosis and volatile organic compounds. Results: The literaturere view was carried out using 996 results, of which 24 were selected with two books. Discussion: The main culprits for bad breath are volatile sulfur compounds. The origin of halitosisis oral in 85 to 90% of cases the structures involved in the production of a bad odor are teeth, tongue, saliva, periodontium and soft tissues. When an oral origin is highlighted, the treatment will consist in eliminating the cause and improving oral hygiene. In the even that the anamnesis and the intraoral examination do not make it possible to highlight a cause of the halitosis the dentist will direct the patient to his doctor Conclusion: The dental surgeon seems to be in the best position to manage a patient suffering from halitosis and will be able, thanks to a precise anamnesis and a rigorous intraoral examination, to find the cause in the majority of cases

Experiences with HPTN 067/ADAPT Study-Provided Open-Label PrEP Among Women in Cape Town: Facilitators and Barriers Within a Mutuality Framework.

Placebo-controlled trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have reported challenges with study-product uptake and use, with the greatest challenges reported in studies with young women in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a qualitative sub-study to explore experiences with open-label PrEP among young women in Cape Town, South Africa participating in HTPN 067/Alternative Dosing to Augment Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Pill Taking (ADAPT). HPTN 067/ADAPT provided open label oral FTC/TDF PrEP to young women in Cape Town, South Africa who were randomized to daily and non-daily PrEP regimens. Following completion of study participation, women were invited into a qualitative sub-study including focus groups and in-depth interviews. Interviews and groups followed a semi-structured guide, were recorded, transcribed, and translated to English from isiXhosa, and coded using framework analysis. Sixty of the 179 women enrolled in HPTN 067/ADAPT participated in either a focus group (six groups for a total of 42 participants) or an in-depth interview (n = 18). This sample of mostly young, unmarried women identified facilitators of and barriers to PrEP use, as well as factors influencing study participation. Cross-cutting themes characterizing discourse suggested that women placed high value on contributing to the well-being of one's community (Ubuntu), experienced a degree of skepticism towards PrEP and the study more generally, and reported a wide range of approaches towards PrEP (ranging from active avoidance to high levels of persistence and adherence). A Mutuality Framework is proposed that identifies four dynamics (distrust, uncertainty, alignment, and mutuality) that represent distinct interactions between self, community and study and serve to contextualize women's experiences. Implications for better understanding PrEP use, and non-use, and intervention opportunities are discussed. In this sample of women, PrEP use in the context of an open-label research trial was heavily influenced by underlying beliefs about safety, reciprocity of contributions to community, and trust in transparency and integrity of the research. Greater attention to factors positioning women in the different dynamics of the proposed Mutuality Framework could direct intervention approaches in clinical trials, as well as open-label PrEP scale-up

Rate-dependent propagation of cardiac action potentials in a one-dimensional fiber

Action potential duration (APD) restitution, which relates APD to the preceding diastolic interval (DI), is a useful tool for predicting the onset of abnormal cardiac rhythms. However, it is known that different pacing protocols lead to different APD restitution curves (RCs). This phenomenon, known as APD rate-dependence, is a consequence of memory in the tissue. In addition to APD restitution, conduction velocity restitution also plays an important role in the spatiotemporal dynamics of cardiac tissue. We present new results concerning rate-dependent restitution in the velocity of propagating action potentials in a one-dimensional fiber. Our numerical simulations show that, independent of the amount of memory in the tissue, waveback velocity exhibits pronounced rate-dependence and the wavefront velocity does not. Moreover, the discrepancy between waveback velocity RCs is most significant for small DI. We provide an analytical explanation of these results, using a system of coupled maps to relate the wavefront and waveback velocities. Our calculations show that waveback velocity rate-dependence is due to APD restitution, not memory.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

The feasibility of an intensive case management program for injection drug users on antiretroviral therapy in St. Petersburg, Russia

Abstract Background The majority of HIV-infected individuals requiring antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Russia are Injection Drug Users (IDU). Substitution therapy used as part of a comprehensive harm reduction program is unavailable in Russia. Past data shows that only 16% of IDU receiving substance abuse treatment completed the course without relapse, and only 40% of IDU on ART remained on treatment at 6 months. Our goal was to determine if it was feasible to improve these historic outcomes by adding intensive case management (ICM) to the substance abuse and ART treatment programs for IDU. Methods IDU starting ART and able to involve a “supporter” who would assist in their treatment plan were enrolled. ICM included opiate detoxification, bi-monthly contact and counseling with the case, weekly group sessions, monthly contact with the “supporter” and home visits as needed. Full follow- up (FFU) was 8 months. Stata v10 (College Station, TX) was used for all analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all baseline demographic variables, baseline and follow-up CD4 count, and viral load. Median baseline and follow-up CD4 counts and RNA levels were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The proportion of participants with RNA < 1000 copies mL at baseline and follow-up was compared using Fisher’s Exact test. McNemar’s test for paired proportions was used to compare the change in proportion of participants with RNA < 1000 copies mL from baseline to follow-up. Results Between November 2007 and December 2008, 60 IDU were enrolled. 34 (56.7%) were male. 54/60 (90.0%) remained in FFU. Overall, 31/60 (52%) were active IDU at enrollment and 27 (45%) were active at their last follow-up visit. 40/60 (66.7%) attended all of their ART clinic visits, 13/60 (21.7%) missed one or more visit but remained on ART, and 7/60 (11.7%) stopped ART before the end of FFU. Overall, 39/53 (74%) had a final 6–8 month HIV RNA viral load (VL) < 1000 copies/mL. Conclusions Despite no substitution therapy to assist IDU in substance abuse and ART treatment programs, ICM was feasible, and the retention and adherence of IDU on ART in St. Petersburg could be greatly enhanced by adding ICM to the existing treatment programs

Antiretroviral Therapy for the Prevention of HIV-1 Transmission

An interim analysis of data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 trial showed that antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevented more than 96% of genetically linked infections caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in serodiscordant couples. ART was then offered to all patients with HIV-1 infection (index participants). The study included more than 5 years of follow-up to assess the durability of such therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission

Role of the Alternans of Action Potential Duration and Aconitine-Induced Arrhythmias in Isolated Rabbit Hearts

Under conditions of Na+ channel hyperactivation with aconitine, the changes in action potential duration (APD) and the restitution characteristics have not been well defined in the context of aconitine-induced arrhythmogenesis. Optical mapping of voltage using RH237 was performed with eight extracted rabbit hearts that were perfused using the Langendorff system. The characteristics of APD restitution were assessed using the steady-state pacing protocol at baseline and 0.1 µM aconitine concentration. In addition, pseudo-ECG was analyzed at baseline, and with 0.1 and 1.0 µM of aconitine infusion respectively. Triggered activity was not shown in dose of 0.1 µM aconitine but overtly presented in 1.0 µM of aconitine. The slopes of the dynamic APD restitution curves were significantly steeper with 0.1 µM of aconitine than at baseline. With aconitine administration, the cycle length of initiation of APD alternans was significantly longer than at baseline (287.5 ± 9.6 vs 247.5 ± 15.0 msec, P = 0.016). The functional reentry following regional conduction block appears with the progression of APD alternans. Ventricular fibrillation is induced reproducibly at pacing cycle length showing a 2:1 conduction block. Low-dose aconitine produces arrhythmogenesis at an increasing restitution slope with APD alternans as well as regional conduction block that proceeds to functional reentry