Teachers' perceptions of accountability and professionalism in newly created specialist schools

This study aimed to determine the nature of teachers' views on to whom, how, and why they felt accountable, as a school adopted specialist status. Two case study schools were identified who had recently achieved specialist school status. Two sets of questionnaires were issued to teachers in both schools with an interval of twelve months between them. A series of interviews were also carried out with a stratified sample of teachers. Results showed that the specialist school status made little difference to teachers’ perceptions of accountability. The primary target for teachers’ accountability was the pupil followed by subject colleagues and line managers. Governors and local authorities, although acknowledged as being teachers’ employers were not identified strongly as targets for accountability. Teachers expressed a dominant feeling of professional accountability in their relationships with stakeholders, and considered themselves to be part of a teaching profession. Business involvement in state education was regarded with strong suspicion by all. The research therefore poses questions about the government’s aim to devolve more power to governors and headteachers, and to involve businesses in raising standards in schools. It also raises concerns about how effective leadership can combine greater accountability to the school’s leaders without losing the benefits of teachers’ sense of professionalism

Dysentery among Prisoners of War: Singapore 1942-45

The history of dysentery and of its treatment from the earliest times to the end of 1941 has been reviewed. The conditions of life of Allied Prisoners of War in the hands of the Japanese in Singapore from February 1942 to September 1945 have been described. The incidence of dysentery in this community has been estimated. Acute Bacillary Dysentery. (1) The survey covers some 15,000 cases of acute bacillary dysentery. 202 fatal cases have been reviewed. (2) In most cases of severe acute bacillary dysentery (75%) the onset was sudden with acute abdominal pain immediately followed by diarrhoea. In 25% there was a prodromal period varying from 12 hours to 6 days. (3) The ileum was involved in 50% of fatal cases. (4) The symptoms and signs have been discussed. (5) In severe cases persistent hiccoughs and persistent vomiting were of grave prognostic significance. (6) 39% of fatal cases died between the 10th and 15th days. (7) The complications which were encountered have been described. (8) Fatal haemorrhage occurred during the 2nd and 3rd weeks in 17 cases out of a series of 117. (9) Two forms of peritonitis occurred (a) by direct spread of the infection through the bowel wall and (b) secondary to perforation. Sudden cessation of diarrhoea always accompanied the onset of peritonitis. (10) The appearance of the stools of acute cases and the microscopic picture of the bacillary exudate have been described in detail. (11) The paramount importance of copious fluids and adequate rest has been stressed In the treatment of acute bacillary dysentery. (12) Treatment by saline cathartics and by sulphonamides has been compared. (13) Sulphapyridine was used in a total dosage of 5 grammes for cases of moderate severity and 10 grammes for very severe toxic cases. (14) Sulphaguanidine was used at first in a dosage of 0. 1 gramme per kilo of body weight followed by 0. 05 grammes per kilo every four hours. It was later used in a total dosage of 15 grammes in cases of moderate severity. Chronic Bacillary Dysentery. (1) Some hundreds of cases of chronic bacillary dysentery were seen. (2) The appearance of the patient and the symptoms and signs have been described and complications enumerated. (3) All cases were sigmoidoscoped as a diagnostic procedure and as a check on treatment. The sigmoidoscopic appearances have been described. (4) The condition of post-dysenteric colitis was not uncommon. (5) The difficulties of dieting dysentery cases in a Prisoner of War Camp and some methods of supplying an increased vitamin intake have been described. ( 6) Methods of treatment have been described. The disappoint- ing results obtained with most methods of treatment in severe cases have been mentioned. (7) Sulphonamides were used in 50 intractable cases with a 90% recovery rate. Sulphapyridine was chiefly used, in a dosage of 1 gramme thrice daily for one week. Amoebiasis. (1) Approximately 600 cases of amoebiasis occurred. (2) The symptoms were extremely variable. Pour typical varieties of cases have been described. The principal symptoms in 150 cases have been tabulated and analysed. (3) The daily number of stools in 100 cases have been tabulated. (4) The macroscopic and microscopic appearances of amoebic stools have been described in detail. (5) The methods of examining for vegetative and cystic forms of E. histolytica which were used have been described. It was found to be quite inadequate in many cases to examine two or three stools. The average number of careful microscopic examinations required was found to be 6. 5. 39 exhaustive but fruitless searches were carried out in one fatal case which was found to have amoebic ulcers at post mortem. (6) The value of the sigmoidoscope as a diagnostic aid has been discussed, and the sigmoidoscopic appearances in 100 active cases tabulated. A second similar table includes 530 cases of amoebiasis. (7) The reaction of the stools in cases of amoebiasis, bacillary dysentery and in normal persons was investigated. All acid stools were from cases of amoebiasis or cases which were later found to be suffering from amoebiasis. (8) The complications of amoebiasis which occurred have been discussed. The cause of death in 29 fatal cases has been indicated. (9) The position of amoebic ulceration in 24 fatal cases has been tabulated. The ileum was involved in 2 cases

The application of the Theory of Constraints Thinking Process to manufacturing managers in implementing change

This research is concerned with the problems faced by managers within manufacturing when they are expected to successfully implement a major change within their organisation. It uses, as the vehicle for the research, the Theory of Constraints Thinking Process (TOC/TP) first developed by Dr Goldratt between 1986 and 1994. The TOC is used by managers to determine what requires to be changed within their organisation and then to develop both the solution and the implementation strategy. The research has used the access obtained by the researcher to examine the approaches adopted by manufacturing managers in implementing improvement projects, which involve significant change. The primary focus of the research was to confirm the existence of a significant barrier to change and to determine whether this was a function of the individual. Once the obstacle had been identified in specific situations, the second step was to consider whether the obstacle could be described in a generic form with application to a much wider range of change environments. The final stage was to replicate the exploratory stage in other companies in other countries through the involvement of colleagues of the researcher and then consider what might be included in any change project, which would overcome the obstacle so defined. The primary method of data collection was through the application of action research and the development of the data in the form of case studies. The number and types of companies that took part in the study and the range of countries was intended to ensure a reasonable spread of data. The results suggest that one of the key obstacles to change is that outlined in the research problem and that the TOC/TP, through the use of the cloud technique, can describe this obstacle and give direction to the way of successfully dealing with it

The Autistic Experience of Higher Education: “My Autism is a contributing factor in all experiences I have"

This research project looked to gather data on the experiences of Autistic students in Higher Education in order to provide accurate and relevant recommendations to improve their experiences

Glycine decarboxylase deficiency causes neural tube defects and features of non-ketotic hyperglycinemia in mice.

Glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) acts in the glycine cleavage system to decarboxylate glycine and transfer a one-carbon unit into folate one-carbon metabolism. GLDC mutations cause a rare recessive disease non-ketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH). Mutations have also been identified in patients with neural tube defects (NTDs); however, the relationship between NKH and NTDs is unclear. We show that reduced expression of Gldc in mice suppresses glycine cleavage system activity and causes two distinct disease phenotypes. Mutant embryos develop partially penetrant NTDs while surviving mice exhibit post-natal features of NKH including glycine accumulation, early lethality and hydrocephalus. In addition to elevated glycine, Gldc disruption also results in abnormal tissue folate profiles, with depletion of one-carbon-carrying folates, as well as growth retardation and reduced cellular proliferation. Formate treatment normalizes the folate profile, restores embryonic growth and prevents NTDs, suggesting that Gldc deficiency causes NTDs through limiting supply of one-carbon units from mitochondrial folate metabolism

Assessment for learning : a model for the development of a child’s self competence in the early years of education

In recent years policy documents, curricula and other educational initiatives have promoted a pedagogy founded on the concept of independent learning. This is broadly defined as ‘having the belief in yourself to think through learning activities, problems or challenges, make decisions about your learning and act upon those decisions (Blandford and Knowles, 2009:336). The central role of Assessment for Learning (AfL) in this process is often overlooked in practice. By considering the findings from a small scale research study this article addresses the central role of the teacher /practitioner in developing effective AfL in the early years classroom (3-5 years)

MRPS18CP2 alleles and DEFA3 absence as putative chromosome 8p23.1 modifiers of hearing loss due to mtDNA mutation A1555G in the 12S rRNA gene

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations account for at least 5% of cases of postlingual, nonsyndromic hearing impairment. Among them, mutation A1555G is frequently found associated with aminoglycoside-induced and/or nonsyndromic hearing loss in families presenting with extremely variable clinical phenotypes. Biochemical and genetic data have suggested that nuclear background is the main factor involved in modulating the phenotypic expression of mutation A1555G. However, although a major nuclear modifying locus was located on chromosome 8p23.1 and regardless intensive screening of the region, the gene involved has not been identified.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>With the aim to gain insights into the factors that determine the phenotypic expression of A1555G mutation, we have analysed in detail different genetic and genomic elements on 8p23.1 region (<it>DEFA3 </it>gene absence, <it>CLDN23 </it>gene and <it>MRPS18CP2 </it>pseudogene) in a group of 213 A1555G carriers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Family based association studies identified a positive association for a polymorphism on <it>MRPS18CP2 </it>and an overrepresentation of <it>DEFA3 </it>gene absence in the deaf group of A1555G carriers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although none of the factors analysed seem to have a major contribution to the phenotype, our findings provide further evidences of the involvement of 8p23.1 region as a modifying locus for A1555G 12S rRNA gene mutation.</p