Evaluation of the content and delivery of the student workbook for RIPH Level 2 award in understanding health improvement for health trainer champions in prisons and the wider community

The concept of Health Trainers (HT) being drawn from a given community is becoming well established and work has been on-going around this theme since 2005. At a national level the current focus of this work centres on the development of this model within the offender health context. In 2008 the North West and East Midlands Health Trainer Hubs, in partnership with Offender Health collaborated to produce an educational workbook based upon the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) training programme. The workbook was launched nationally in July 2008. The Hallam Centre for Community Justice was commissioned to conduct consultancy work regarding the appropriateness of workbook content for trainers delivering and students attending the RSPH Health Trainers programme in prisons and the wider community. This research identified the models of course delivery around the country and identifies the impacts of the workbook and the wider health trainer programme on both the teaching and learning experience

Ideas project evaluation, formerly known as Inside Innovation, year three

In the first year of program delivery (January to December 2006), the Ideas Project operated in two prisons, HMP Downview and HMP Wandsworth. During year two of this program delivery (January to December 2007), Inside Innovation expanded to work in HMP Brixton and HMP Highdown. In the third and fourth year of project delivery (January 2008 to December 2009) the Ideas project has rolled out its service to 6 further prisons around London. This report provides details of the projects successfully funded by UnLtd over the four years of the Ideas Project delivery, as well as evaluating the four-year pilot scheme as a whole

Inside innovation. Year 2. An evaluation of the second year of delivery of a project promoting innovative thinking amongst Prison Service staff

The Inside Innovation programme is the result of a partnership between Media For Development (MFD) and UnLtd. The Inside Innovation programme forms part of MFD’s multi-award winning Inside Job initiative that operates within the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom. MFD staff are responsible for supporting applications to UnLtd for funded awards for good project ideas generated from staff working in the prison sector. In line with equivalent posts at UnLtd, the Development Manager supports Award Winners throughout the lifespan of their projects. During the first year of service delivery, Inside Innovation operated in two prisons, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Downview. During the second year of service delivery, Inside Innovation has been established in two further prisons, HMP Brixton and HMP Highdown

An Evaluation of the Prison Radio Association’s Activity Final Report Year 1 The West Midlands Prison Radio Taster Project

The Prison Radio Association (PRA) was set up in 2005 and achieved charitable status in 2006. The PRA continues to contribute to the reduction of re-offending by capitalising on the opportunity prison provides to stop people offending for good. The Association is committed to the ways in which prison radio can provide a unique and innovative way to engage offenders (regardless of age, ethnic origin, gender or faith) in education; particularly those hard to reach offenders disenfranchised by the educational system. The PRA currently works with over 40 prisons across England and Wales. In 2007, the Prison Radio Association and partners1 developed a two week taster course in radio production for delivery in six prisons across the West Midlands, entitled: the West Midlands Prison Radio Taster Project2. The objectives of this project were firstly, overall project delivery, which consisted of the recruitment of a radio trainer, developing a radio training course which embeds basic skills and the delivery of the taster courses in six prisons. The wider objectives concerned raising awareness of the potential of radio training to embed basic skills and to examine sustainability within prison service education. The findings of the external evaluation conducted by the Hallam Centre for Community Justice are presented in this report

An Evaluation of the Prison Radio Association’s Activity Final Report Year 3: The way forward

The PRA developed a strategic three year activity plan (2007- 2009) which has been evaluated annually by the Hallam Centre for Community Justice at Sheffield Hallam University. In 2009, key PRA objectives were to continue to provide prisons with support to set up their own radio projects, to host the Second Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony, to develop a National Prison Radio Service (NPRS) and to develop a sustainable funding strategy and press strategy. The findings of the evaluation of these three activity areas are contained within the main body of this report

Teachers' Reported Utilization of Reading Disabilities Research

This study was conducted to explore elementary school teachers’ uses of reading disabilities research. A modified version of Knott and Wildavsky’s (1980) knowledge utilization framework underpinned the investigation. Teachers completed a questionnaire and participated in focus groups which elicited their reported uses of reading disabilities research. Results revealed that teachers read and understand, refer to, attempt, adopt into policy, implement, and implement with desired results research on reading disabilities “sometimes.”  The teachers’ acquisition of research through passive reception or “actively seeking and finding it” occurred less often than using, adopting, implementing or referring to the research “sometimes.” These findings are significant in light of the high incidence of reading disabilities. The findings suggest that students are not receiving evidence-based instruction that has the potential to alleviate or eliminate reading disabilities. This study has implications for increased research dissemination efforts and for continued investigations of obstacles to research use and means to facilitate the use of reading disabilities research.Cette étude visait à étudier l’emploi que font les enseignants à l’élémentaire de la recherche sur les troubles de lecture. Une version modifiée du cadre d’utilisation des connaissances de Knott et Wildavsky (1980) a servi de fondement à l’étude. Les enseignants ont complété un questionnaire et ont participé à des groupes de discussion portant sur l’emploi qu’ils faisaient de la recherche sur les troubles de lecture. Les résultats indiquent que, relativement à la recherche sur les troubles de lecture, les enseignants la lisent et la comprennent, s’y réfèrent, tentent de la mettre en œuvre, l’adopte comme politique et l’appliquent avec les résultats escomptés, et qu’ils font tout cela « parfois ». Quant à l’acquisition de la recherche de façon passive ou bien par une recherche active et réussie, les enseignants ont indiqué que cela se produisait moins fréquemment. Ces résultats sont importants en raison de l’incidence élevée des troubles de lecture. Ils portent à croire que les élèves ne reçoivent pas l’instruction que propose la recherche et qui aurait le potentiel d’atténuer ou d’éliminer les troubles de lecture. Les retombées de cette étude touchent les efforts visant la diffusion de la recherche, les études supplémentaires portant sur les obstacles à l’utilisation de la recherche et les moyens de faciliter l’utilisation de la recherche sur les troubles de lecture.  

The Integration of Cognitive and Sociocultural Theories of Literacy Development: Why? How?

Cognitive and sociocultural theories of literacy development are historically considered incommensurable in practice and in research. Cognitivists view literacy development as a succession of qualitatively varied skills whereas socioculturalists view literacy as socially and culturally embedded. Traditional educational discourses tend to reflect cognitivist perspectives, which risk creating and maintaining social inequities in our increasingly diverse society. The underpinnings and differences of these two theories are discussed. It is argued that integration of the theories is possible and desirable in educational practice and research in order to equalize the learning opportunities for all students

The United States’ and United Kingdom’s Responses to 2016 Russian Election Interference: Through the Lens of Bureaucratic Politics

Russia’s 2016 disinformation campaign during the U.S. elections represented the first large-scale campaign against the United States and was intended to cause American citizens to question the fundamental security and resilience of U.S. democracy. A similar campaign during the 2016 U.K. Brexit referendum supported the campaign to leave the European Union. This paper assesses the policy formation process in the United States and United Kingdom in response to 2016 Russian disinformation using a bureaucratic politics framework. Focusing on the role of sub-state organizations in policy formation, the paper identifies challenges to establishing an effective policy response to foreign disinformation, particularly in the emergence of leadership and bargaining, and the impact of centralization of power in the U.K. Discussion of the shift in foreign policy context since the end of the Cold War, which provided a greater level of foreign policy consensus, as well as specific challenges presented by the cyber deterrence context, supplements insights from bureaucratic politics. Despite different governmental structures, both countries struggled to achieve collaborative and systematic policy processes; analysis reveals the lack of leadership and coordination in the United States and both the lack of compromise and effective fulfillment of responsibilities in the United Kingdom. Particular challenges of democracies responding to exercises of sharp power by authoritarian governments point to the need for a wholistic response from public and private entities and better definition of intelligence agencies’ responsibility to election security in the U.K

The Research to Practice Gap in the Identification and Instruction of Students at Risk for Reading Disabilities: Teachers\u27 Perspectives

This study investigated teachers\u27 uses of research on the identification and instruction of students at risk for reading disabilities (RD). It identified obstacles to teachers\u27 uses of RD research and methods to bridge RD research and teachers\u27 practices. Two theoretical frameworks underpinned the study. The knowledge utilization framework consisted of eight stages of knowledge use (reception, search/find, cognition, reference, effort, adoption, implementation, and impact), and three categories of obstacles to knowledge use (supply, demand, and context). A critical perspective also informed the study\u27s methods, analyses, and implications. A mixed methodology was employed by way of: (a) a pre-pilot study which tested the efficacy of the knowledge utilization framework; (b) a narrative synthesis of RD research; (c) a pilot study of an online questionnaire; (d) an online teacher questionnaire; and (e) focus groups. Ten Ontario elementary school teachers participated in the pre-pilot and pilot studies; 204 elementary school teachers completed the questionnaire and eight teachers took part in focus groups. Results revealed underutilization of RD research across the eight stages of knowledge use. Variables within the three categories of obstacles contributed to the underuse of RD research. Research/researcher and user variables correlated most strongly with research uses; user variables were most predictive. Specialized teachers reported greater research use than intermediate grade teachers. Methods to bridge RD research and practice related to research, researcher, dissemination and context factors. Insights which may lead to improved evidence-based reading instruction for those at risk for RD were achieved. Further study of research use across the curriculum and disciplines is proposed