Introducing e-developers to support a university’s blended learning developments

Introducing technology in higher education raises questions about staff roles and the organisation of development practices. This article presents the findings from a case study that was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of introducing three centrally supported e-developers to work with academic teams to provide specialist support. The e-developer role is explained, and related to existing literature about learning technologists. The case illustrates how the e-developers worked collaboratively with academic staff and the perceptions of the academic staff, e-developers and educational technology leaders of the e-developer model used in a university in southwest London. The findings offer an opportunity to understand this kind of role, and the value of a model of staff development that does not involve taking academic staff out of the teaching area to become e-developers. The model supports ‘situative’ professional development, which helps promote technology integration into teaching and suggests that e-developers provided cost-effective mentorship which participants believed would have a positive impact on student learnin

Sporting programs for inactive population groups:factors influencing implementation in the organized sports setting

BACKGROUND: The organized sports sector has received increased attention as a setting to promote health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) to the general population. For significant public health impact, it is important that successful HEPA programs are widely adopted, implemented and continued as ongoing practice. The importance of evaluating the context in which programs are implemented has been identified as critical. However, little research has focused on understanding the organized sports implementation context, including factors facilitating and impeding implementation. In this study, the main factors influencing implementation of HEPA programs in the organized sports setting were studied. METHODS: Fourteen sporting programs in the Netherlands aimed at increasing participation in sports by inactive population groups and funded within the National Action Plan for Sport and Exercise (NAPSE) were investigated. The programs were developed by ten Dutch National Sports Federations (NSFs) and implemented by different sports clubs in the Netherlands over a 3-year implementation period (June 2008-June 2011). The qualitative research component involved yearly face-to-face interviews (i.e. fourteen interviews each year, n = 12 program coordinators) and a group meeting with the program coordinators of the NSFs (n = 8). Cross-case comparisons and thematic analyses were performed to identify and categorize important facilitating and impeding factors respectively. The quantitative research component, used to identify the most important facilitating and impeding factors across all sporting programs, consisted of ranking of factors according to importance by the program coordinators (n = 12). RESULTS: Different factors act during six identified (implementation) phases. When comparing factors across phases, several key learnings were evident. Successful implementation relied, for example, on program design and enthusiastic individuals within sporting organizations. On the other hand, inactive people were hard to reach and participation of sports clubs was not self-evident. The findings were discussed in a broader context. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the knowledge base concerning the implementation of sporting programs, aimed at inactive people, in the organized sports setting. The main factors facilitating and impeding implementation were identified. The results of this study can be used by sports practitioners and policy makers when developing and implementing HEPA programs in this setting

Health promoting sports federations: theoretical foundations and guidelines

BackgroundResearchers and policy-makers have highlighted that the potential for organized sports to promote health has been underexploited. Sports clubs have limited capacity to promote health due to their voluntary nature and have called for support from their national sports federations. The present article provides guidelines, based on the theoretical principles of health promoting sports clubs and an analysis of practical tools and proven strategies, to support national sports federations to invest in health promotion (HP).MethodsA qualitative iterative study was undertaken, based on five 2-h meetings of a group of 15 international researchers in HP in sports clubs. Notes and minutes from meetings, as well as shared outputs were analyzed based on the health promoting sports club framework.ResultsGuidelines developed for national sports federations to promote health includes a definition of a health promoting sports federation (HPSF), a description of how the settings-based approach to HP adapts to national sports federations, as well as practical applications of health promoting sports club’s intervention strategies. The analysis of existing tools also demonstrated that most tools are centered on a single dimension of health (social, mental, physical, spiritual or community), and often on a specific health topic. Furthermore, they do not cover HP as a continuous long-lasting process, but are generally short-term programs. The HPSF clarifies theoretical concepts, their practical implementation via case studies and outlines intervention components and tools useful for sports federations in their implementation of HP.ConclusionThe guidelines developed in this study are intended to facilitate national sports federations to acknowledge/understand, reinforce/underpin and foster current and further investment in HP

Activating inactive citizens through the organized sports setting: a hurdle race

Physical inactivity increases the risk for chronic diseases and mortality, and is a problem faced by countries worldwide. Strategies to promote physical activity among inactive target groups are therefore necessary. In this regard, a settings-based approach towards physical activity promotion has been encouraged. The organized sports setting, in particular sports clubs, is seen as a promising setting to increase physical activity among inactive groups within a population. The main focus of this thesis was to understand if and how the organized sports setting can successfully contribute to increasing physical activity levels among inactive people. Fourteen Dutch sporting programs aimed at increasing sport participation in inactive population groups, were studied during the three-year funded implementation period and six and half years thereafter. These programs were developed by ten National Sports Federations (NSFs) as part of the National Action Plan for Sport and Exercise (NAPSE) and implemented by sports clubs in the Netherlands (period 2008-2011). The research in this thesis focused on the effectiveness of two programs within the NAPSE and characteristics of insufficiently active participants who benefited the most from these programs in terms of increasing health-enhancing physical activity. Furthermore, factors influencing the implementation and long-term sustainability of all NAPSE programs were examined. The results showed that sporting programs that are few weeks in duration may be used to increase physical activity levels of inactive people in the sports clubs setting. Moreover, programs were more effective in increasing physical activity when participants received familial support with regard to their sport participation. Therefore, strategies that promote familial support, such as including family members as sporting buddies or involving them in other club activities (e.g. social activities, volunteering), could enhance the effectiveness of the programs. In general, it was difficult to attract large numbers of inactive people to the sporting programs. Therefore, NSFs and sports clubs should collaborate more with organizations or people in the community that are connected to the inactive target group, to recruit more inactive people. Furthermore, the implementation and long-term sustainability of these programs is influenced by many factors. For successful implementation and long-term sustainability of programs, it is, for example, important to involve the inactive target group and sports clubs in program design. Also, NSFs should support sports clubs in implementing these programs. Based on the research results, recommendations are provided for policy makers, NSFs and sports clubs to enhance the impact of sporting programs aimed at inactive people in the future

Activating inactive citizens through the organized sports setting: a hurdle race

Physical inactivity increases the risk for chronic diseases and mortality, and is a problem faced by countries worldwide. Strategies to promote physical activity among inactive target groups are therefore necessary. In this regard, a settings-based approach towards physical activity promotion has been encouraged. The organized sports setting, in particular sports clubs, is seen as a promising setting to increase physical activity among inactive groups within a population. The main focus of this thesis was to understand if and how the organized sports setting can successfully contribute to increasing physical activity levels among inactive people. Fourteen Dutch sporting programs aimed at increasing sport participation in inactive population groups, were studied during the three-year funded implementation period and six and half years thereafter. These programs were developed by ten National Sports Federations (NSFs) as part of the National Action Plan for Sport and Exercise (NAPSE) and implemented by sports clubs in the Netherlands (period 2008-2011). The research in this thesis focused on the effectiveness of two programs within the NAPSE and characteristics of insufficiently active participants who benefited the most from these programs in terms of increasing health-enhancing physical activity. Furthermore, factors influencing the implementation and long-term sustainability of all NAPSE programs were examined. The results showed that sporting programs that are few weeks in duration may be used to increase physical activity levels of inactive people in the sports clubs setting. Moreover, programs were more effective in increasing physical activity when participants received familial support with regard to their sport participation. Therefore, strategies that promote familial support, such as including family members as sporting buddies or involving them in other club activities (e.g. social activities, volunteering), could enhance the effectiveness of the programs. In general, it was difficult to attract large numbers of inactive people to the sporting programs. Therefore, NSFs and sports clubs should collaborate more with organizations or people in the community that are connected to the inactive target group, to recruit more inactive people. Furthermore, the implementation and long-term sustainability of these programs is influenced by many factors. For successful implementation and long-term sustainability of programs, it is, for example, important to involve the inactive target group and sports clubs in program design. Also, NSFs should support sports clubs in implementing these programs. Based on the research results, recommendations are provided for policy makers, NSFs and sports clubs to enhance the impact of sporting programs aimed at inactive people in the future

Does goal orientation relate to changes in sports club participation from adolescence to early adulthood?

Background Sports club participation begins to decrease in adolescence. There is a lack of knowledge, how sports club participation changes from adolescence to early adulthood in Finland, and how goal orientation influences on it. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine if goal orientation is associated to changes in sports club participation during afore mentioned critical years. Methods The study design is longitudinal. A sample of 366 (140 boys, 226 girls) adolescents were followed from age 15 (year 2014) to age 19 (year 2018). Sports club participation (yes/no) and goal orientation (no competitive goal, sports for hobby or physical development/regional, national or international success in adolescence/national, international or professional success in adulthood) were measured using questionnaires. In order to study changes in sports club participation, and goal orientation, descriptive statistics were performed. Gender differences were estimated using Chi-squared tests. A binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the association between sports club participation, goal orientation and gender. Results By the age 19, 33% of boys and 43% of girls had dropped out from sports club, 45% of boys and 26% of girls had continued participation, and 21% of boys and 31% of girls never participated (p > 0.01). More boys (57%) than girls (31%) had a success in adulthood as a goal, and more girls (48%) than boys (27%) had a success in adolescence as a goal (p > 0.001). Adolescents with success in adulthood as a goal continued participation in sports club more likely than adolescents without competitive goal (OR = 4.81; 95% CI 2.26-10.23). Furthermore, boys were more likely to continue participation than girls (OR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.02-3.01). Conclusions The dropout from sports club activities from adolescence to early adulthood is obvious. Especially the adolescents without a competitive goal and girls are in danger to drop out. This indicates that contemporary forms of sports club activities support adolescents with strong competitive orientation. Therefore, there is a need for sports clubs to develop activities suitable for adolescents with less competitive orientation to ensure their continuous participation in sports club.nonPeerReviewe

Additional file 1: of The Start2Bike program is effective in increasing health-enhancing physical activity: a controlled study

Additional study results Start2Bike. In this file, some additional results of the Start2Bike study (not shown in the results section of this article) are presented. (DOC 27 kb

Providing writing and language support for students who have English as a second language – a pilot study

This paper reports on a pilot project which provided writing support for registered nurses undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and for preregistration nursing students. Both groups of students have English as a second language (ESL). The aims of the project were to extend the scope of the available writing support within the faculty for ESL students through the provision of one-to- one sessions and workshops. In addition, workshops were provided for lecturers to improve their understanding of the barriers faced by ESL students. Literature indicates that communication with tutors and the need for clear feedback are important factors for ESL students. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from questionnaires completed by participants after teaching sessions and were analysed against pre-agreed success criteria. Findings indicate that students were very positive about the effectiveness of the sessions in helping them improve their academic writing. Additionally, three themes emerged from the student data: reasons for using the ELS support service; what they liked most about the ELS service and suggestions for improvements to the service. Data from staff show that the sessions have given staff a greater insight into the problems faced by ESL students