SaFaRI: sacral nerve stimulation versus the FENIX (TM) magnetic sphincter augmentation for adult faecal incontinence: a randomised investigation

Purpose Faecal incontinence is a physically, psychologically and socially disabling condition. NICE guidance (2007) recommends surgical intervention, including sacral nerve stimulation (SNS), after failed conservative therapies. The FENIX™ magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) device is a novel continence device consisting of a flexible band of interlinked titanium beads with magnetic cores that is placed around the anal canal to augment anal sphincter tone through passive attraction of the beads. Preliminary studies suggest the FENIX™ MSA is safe, but efficacy data is limited. Rigorous evaluation is required prior to widespread adoption. Method and design The SaFaRI trial is a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA)-funded UK multi-site, parallel group, randomised controlled, unblinded trial that will investigate the use of the FENIX™ MSA, as compared to SNS, for adult faecal incontinence resistant to conservative management. Twenty sites across the UK, experienced in the treatment of faecal incontinence, will recruit 350 patients randomised equally to receive either SNS or FENIX™ MSA. Participants will be followed-up at 2 weeks post-surgery and at 6, 12 and 18months post-randomisation. The primary endpoint is success, as defined by device in use and ≥50 % improvement in the Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score (CCIS) at 18 months post-randomisation. Secondary endpoints include complications, quality of life and cost effectiveness. Discussion SaFaRI will rigorously evaluate a new technology for faecal incontinence, the FENIX™ MSA, allowing its safe and controlled introduction into current clinical practice. These results will inform the future surgical management of adult faecal incontinence

Trends in education technology in higher education

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Authorship practices in educational technology research

Authoring documents and academic articles is a key means by which researchers share new knowledge and is closely tied to academic progression, prestige for individuals and institutions, and continued funding of research. In this editorial we continue our discussion around ensuring quality research and publication practices, with a focus on authorship. There are concerning trends emerging around practices in relation to authorship across the publishing landscape. In the field of educational technology research, projects can involve teams of people in a variety of roles. This can result in a particular risk, that important contributions of learning designers and technologists are overlooked, despite their involvement in the creation of the tools tested, or the infrastructure with which we collect data. In this editorial we will consider the importance of authorship, explore the common issues related to how authorship is determined and represented, and relate the debate currently in play across different disciplines around authorship to our context of educational technology research. We will conclude by introducing our revised guidelines for authorship at AJET</p

AJET in 2021: Change, bibliometrics and future directions

This is the first issue of AJET for 2021 and the first for the new Lead Editors. We introduce ourselves and celebrate the contributions of the outgoing team. In this editorial, we then present the AJET bibliometric data updated for 2020 and describe the changes to the team of Associate Editors that support the work of this journal. Finally we outline the articles that are included in this issue and present our plans for 2021 and into the future.</p

Open Science and Educational Technology Research

Over the last decade a spate of issues has been emerging in empirical research spanning diverse fields such as biology, medicine, economics, and psychological science. The crisis has already led to fundamental shifts in how research is being conducted in several fields, particularly psychological science. Broadly labelled the ‘replication crisis’, these issues place substantial doubt on the robustness of peer-reviewed quantitative research across many disciplines. In this editorial, we will delve into the replication crisis and what it means for educational technology research. We will address two key areas, describing the extent to which the replication crisis applies to educational technology research and suggestions for responses by our community.</p

The importance of choosing the right keywords for educational technology publications

Keywords refer to important words or concepts that represent the research foci and theoretical backgrounds of an academic study. They enable readers to glean a quick impression about what they are going to read from an academic article. Keywords also provide valuable information for researchers who intend to search for articles related to a particular field or conduct a survey related to a specific topic. Therefore, in selected academic journals, detailed guidelines are provided to help authors choose appropriate keywords for highlighting their research. In this editorial, we examine the role of keywords from several perspectives by reviewing the keywords adopted by AJET authors in recent years. Accordingly, we attempt to provide recommendations to AJET authors for their future submissions. It is expected that, via using proper keywords, the authors and readers as well as the journal can be benefited.</p

The role of change in AJET in 2021 : Reflections, bibliometrics, and future plans

The end of 2021 marks the first anniversary of the new AJET Lead Editor Team. In this editorial we explore the role of change in the past two years of educational technology in tertiary education, and what this has meant for AJET. We also present the bibliometrics for the year, a summary of what was published in AJET in 2021, and what we have learned as the new lead editor team. We conclude with a look at what is next for AJET as we move into 2022 and a thank you to all the important people who make AJET a success</p