Teacher Roles in Personalized Learning Environments.

As school districts, major cities, and entire states in the United States adopt personalized learning as a reform strategy focused on the co-construction of learning opportunities between teachers and students, educators face shifting roles. This study examined the roles of teachers in personalized learning environments within a policy context of statewide legislation of personalized learning plans, flexible educational pathways, and proficiency-based assessment. The study used data from interviews with a purposefully selected group of 20 elementary and middle school teachers from 11 schools. Findings revealed teachers’ perceptions of their roles as (a) empowerers, (b) scouts, (c) scaffolders, and (d) assessors, as well as associated strategies within each role that participants perceived to be constructive. The use of role theory illuminated the potential for intrarole conflict and role strain between and among these roles along with the cultural dimensions of the shift to personalized learning

Breast Cancer Stage and Size Detected with Film versus Digital Mammography in New South Wales, Australia: A Population-Based Study Using Routinely Collected Data.

Digital mammography has replaced film mammography in breast-screening programs globally, including Australia. This led to an increase in the rate of detection, but whether there was increased detection of clinically important cancers is uncertain. We found increased detection of in situ cancer (3.36 per 10,000 screens), localized invasive, and smaller-sized breast cancers attributable to the change in mammography technology, whereas screen-detected intermediate-sized and metastatic breast cancers decreased. Rates of early-stage and intermediate-sized interval cancers increased, and late-stage (−1.62 per 10,000 screens) and large interval cancers decreased. In unscreened women, there were small increases in the temporal trends of cancers across all stages

Considerations for Evaluating the Introduction of New Cancer Screening Technology: Use of Interval Cancers to Assess Potential Benefits and Harms

This framework focuses on the importance of the consideration of the downstream intermediate and long-term health outcomes when a change to a screening program is introduced. The authors present a methodology for utilising the relationship between screen-detected and interval cancer rates to infer the benefits and harms associated with a change to the program. A review of the previous use of these measures in the literature is presented. The framework presents other aspects to consider when utilizing this methodology, and builds upon an existing framework that helps researchers, clinicians, and policy makers to consider the impacts of changes to screening programs on health outcomes. It is hoped that this research will inform future evaluative studies to assess the benefits and harms of changes to screening programs

Learning by Doing: Service Learning as a Means of Personal Growth in the Middle Grades

Does service learning impact the personal growth of middle grades students in grades 4-8? If so, in what ways? A review of the literature indicates that it does, in terms of the development of empathy, responsibility, civic engagement, and self-efficacy. In addition, findings include growth in students’ communication with parents and teachers. In this literature review the developmental match between service learning and early adolescence is analyzed, as well the research on personal growth and service learning among K-16 populations. In addition, the issues of reducing bias, possible pitfalls of service learning in relation to personal development, and a measurement tool for future studies are shared. Findings include the importance of reflection, project duration, and mutual understanding between those served and participants of service learning. With these components in place, service learning can lead to significant personal growth in students, especially middle level learners

Service Learning in the Middle Grades: Learning by Doing and Caring

Although service learning has been documented as a promising pedagogy for middle grades learners, it remains the exception rather than the rule in many middle schools. This qualitative study examined fifth grade students’ experience of a service-learning class. Using the tenets of service learning and experiential learning theory as the theoretical framework, we describe the findings of the study, identifying the importance of a culture of “doing” and problem solving; an integrated curriculum that was based in caring for others; a joyful environment in which to learn; and opportunities for competence and independence. We present the findings in relation to the theoretical framework and discuss the implications of this research for middle grades practice, teacher education, and future research

81 Has the transition to digital mammography in breast cancer screening resulted in real benefits?

Most breast screening programmes worldwide have replaced Screen-Film mammography (SFM) with Full-field Digital Mammography (FFDM). While FFDM provides significant technical and practical advantages over SFM in the provision of population screening programs, whether this move has had beneficial effects on health outcomes remains unclear. An increase in screen-detection rates is only beneficial if the additional cancers detected would have otherwise presented at a later stage and caused morbidity and premature mortality. An indirect measure of this is an observed decrease in the interval cancer rate. The objective of this study is to compare health outcomes before, during and after the transition from SFM to FFDM in women in NSW, Australia. To do this, we will use linked data to capture women’s journeys from screened/unscreened to cancer diagnosis/no cancer diagnosis to treatment/no treatment and to dead/alive. For the period 1988 to _, a cohort of women with records from Breastscreen NSW, and a second, but substantially overlapping, cohort of all women diagnosed with breast cancer will have their data linked with records in the NSW Central Cancer Registry, NSW Admitted Patient Data Collection, and the NSW Mortality Data

Considerations for Evaluating the Introduction of New Cancer Screening Technology: Use of Interval Cancers to Assess Potential Benefits and Harms

This framework focuses on the importance of the consideration of the downstream intermediate and long-term health outcomes when a change to a screening program is introduced. The authors present a methodology for utilising the relationship between screen-detected and interval cancer rates to infer the benefits and harms associated with a change to the program. A review of the previous use of these measures in the literature is presented. The framework presents other aspects to consider when utilizing this methodology, and builds upon an existing framework that helps researchers, clinicians, and policy makers to consider the impacts of changes to screening programs on health outcomes. It is hoped that this research will inform future evaluative studies to assess the benefits and harms of changes to screening programs

69 Impact of full-field digital mammography versus film-screen mammography: systematic review

Most breast screening programs worldwide have replaced screen-film mammography (SFM) with full-field digital mammography (FFDM) in expectation of technical, clinical and economic advantages. However, we are only just now able to begin to measure the effects of this practice shift in population screening on health outcomes among asymptomatic women eligible for population screening. This systematic review aims to assess the impact of digital mammography on breast cancer detection rates at screening and on interval cancer rates, as indicators of additional net benefit through early detection, or additional net harm from overdiagnosis