Evaluation of the computers for pupils initiative: final report

The Computers for Pupils (CfP) initiative aimed to help overcome the digital divide, which can prevent young people from disadvantaged backgrounds from enjoying the benefits of access to information and communications technology. The initiative provided funding for schools in deprived areas to invest in home access to ICT for their neediest pupils in order to: • give eligible learners the same opportunities as their peers • contribute to raising educational achievement • support personalised learning • encourage the development of ICT skills among learners and families. In December 2006, Becta commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to undertake a national evaluation of the CfP initiative. The main aim of the two-year evaluation was to assess the impact of CfP on learners and their families and to explore how schools and teachers had developed their pedagogic practices in order to support and capitalise on the new educational opportunities afforded by the technology. The evaluation involved distinct though interrelated strands of quantitative and qualitative research: • Questionnaire surveys of teachers in CfP schools, learners selected for CfP, and learners’ parents, which were conducted twice (autumn 2007 and 2008) in order to explore changes in general access to and use of computers and ICT, and assess the impact of the CfP initiative • In-depth case-study research across 13 schools within eight local authorities (LAs) in the spring and summer terms 2008 and again in the autumn term 2008 (including the same LAs and schools at all time points), in order to explore through detailed interviews perceptions of the implementation and impact of CfP. Key findings in relation to the aims of CfP

Birds as bioindicators of plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments:A 30-year review

Plastic pollution is a global concern that has grown ever more acute in recent years. Most research has focused on the impact of plastic pollution in marine environments. However, plastic is increasingly being detected in terrestrial and freshwater environments with key inland sources including landfills, where it is accessible to a wide range of organisms. Birds are effective bioindicators of pollutants for many reasons, including their high mobility and high intra- and interspecific variation in trophic levels. Freshwater and terrestrial bird species are under-represented in plastic pollution research compared to marine species. We reviewed 106 studies (spanning from 1994 onwards) that have detected plastics in bird species dwelling in freshwater and/or terrestrial habitats, identifying knowledge gaps. Seventy-two studies focused solely on macroplastics (fragments >5 mm), compared to 22 microplastics (fragments <5 mm) studies. A further 12 studies identified plastics as both microplastics and macroplastics. No study investigated nanoplastic (particles < 100 nm) exposure. Research to date has geographical and species’ biases while ignoring nanoplastic sequestration in free-living freshwater, terrestrial and marine bird species. Building on the baseline search presented here, we urge researchers to develop and validate standardised field sampling techniques and laboratory analytical protocols such as Raman spectroscopy to allow for the quantification and identification of micro- and nanoplastics in terrestrial and freshwater environments and the species therein. Future studies should consistently report the internalised and background concentrations, types, sizes and forms of plastics. This will enable a better understanding of the sources of plastic pollution and their routes of exposure to birds of terrestrial and freshwater environments, providing a more comprehensive insight into the potential impacts on birds

Research into nurse staffing levels in Wales

This report presents a review of the evidence associated with setting and monitoring safe nurse staffing levels. It also includes analysis of findings related to developing a better understanding of the availability and accessibility of nurse staffing data in medical and surgical wards in Wales. The review of evidence on safe nurse staffing levels includes, for example, nurse-to-patient ratios and skill mix, the role played by nurse staffing levels in influencing patient safety, unintended consequences of mandatory nurse staffing levels and the use of staffing level tools. Availability and accessibility of relevant data focuses on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR), public availability of Welsh NHS staff data, data quality in the ESR database system and possible other sources of data. In addition, a data acquisition exercise with Local Health Boards is outlined, setting out methods, data quality, findings from an initial analysis of the data returned and lessons for future practice

Managing User Involvement in the Early Stages of New Product Development (RIKON Group)

The literature primarily focuses on two aspects of user involvement in the new product development process. Firstly, how new product development (NPD) relationships form and mature (Milson, Raj and Wilemon, 1996) and secondly the variables that impact on collaborative user involvement (Gruner and Homburg, 2000; Biemans, 1992). However, research on user participation is incomplete as little if any research has been devoted to determining how widespread or deeply embedded partnerships are in the NPD process. Additionally, managerial models for the involvement of users in the new product development process are scarce (Labahn and Krappel, 2000). The purpose of this exploratory investigation is to develop a conceptual model for the management of user involvement in the early stages of the NPD process