The mediation of teaching through central curriculum controls: Four case studies of history teaching in year 12 in Western Australia

The work of scholars on pedagogical content knowledge has drawn attention to the importance of mastery of subject matter. Good teachers are able to make clever transitions between their knowledge of content and their pedagogy. The examples of these transitions in the literature usually assume that teachers have a large measure of control over the content: lessons are exploratory and concerned with understanding the deeper meanings and fundamental concepts that underpin the discipline base. The reality of most classrooms is otherwise; teachers are guided by syllabus statements, textbooks and end of year examinations. Sequence and pace of instruction are often implicitly or explicitly controlled. Teachers are required to make choices: either teach towards the examination or teach for deeper understanding and jeopardise the completion of the examinable content. The purpose of this study was to examine how experienced Year 12 history teachers in Western Australia managed the tension between content coverage and teaching for deeper understanding of the subject matter. To examine this question, four experienced history teachers in four high schools in Perth, Western Australia took part in the study. These teachers were observed teaching history in Year 12 during the 1994 school year and they were also interviewed on aspects of their teaching, the syllabus and the TEE examination. The students in these classrooms were also interviewed during the data collection period. The stories of these teachers are presented in four case studies. Evidence from this study indicates that the experienced Year 12 teachers have learned to make compromises in the way they teach and manage content coverage in such a way that they are able to achieve high levels of examination performance while maintaining a focus on conceptual learning. The teachers managed this balancing act by (a) representing high examination performance and conceptual understanding of the subject matter as a single objective rather than as two objectives in opposition, (b) ensuring that students had a broad conceptual understanding of the key issues contained in the examination syllabus so that the students could independently construct answers to the kinds of questions contained in examinations and (c) selectively emphasising and teaching in depth some parts of the syllabus though the whole syllabus was covered at least superficially. Though the teachers would have preferred more personal control over the selection of content and assessment procedures, they nevertheless saw the external examination to have merit; however, as this study has demonstrated, the external examination is clearly a fallible means of student evaluation

Book reviews

Musgrave, P.W. (1992). From Humanity to Utility: Melbourne University and Public Examinations 1856-1964. Hawthorn: ACER. 340 pages. Batten, M, Marland, P. & Khamis, M. (1993). Knowing How to Teach Well: Teachers Reflect on Their Classroom Practice. Hawthorn: ACER Research Monograph, 84 pages. Griffin, P. (1991). Monitoring School Achievements. Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press. 76 pages. Izard, J. (1991). Assessment of Learning in the Classroom. Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press. 62 pages. Ormell, C. (1991). Behavioural Objectives in the Classroom. Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press. 73 pages. Owens, A. (1991). Assessment in Specific Circumstances. Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press. 46 pages. Withers, G. (1991). From Marks to Profiles and Records of Achievement. Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press. 74 pages. Brady, L. (1992). Curriculum Development (4th ed.). Sydney: Prentice-Hall, 308 pages

Discrepancy between Mtb-specific IFN-γ and IgG responses in HIV-positive people with low CD4 counts

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of death worldwide and treating latent TB infection (LTBI) with TB preventative therapy is a global priority. This study aimed to measure interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA) positivity (the current reference standard for LTBI diagnosis) and Mtb-specific IgG antibodies in otherwise healthy adults without HIV and those living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: One-hundred and eighteen adults (65 without HIV and 53 antiretroviral-naïve PLWH), from a peri-urban setting in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were enrolled. IFN-γ released following stimulation with ESAT-6/CFP-10 peptides and plasma IgG antibodies specific for multiple Mtb antigens were measured using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT) and customized Luminex assays, respectively. The relationships between QFT status, relative concentrations of anti-Mtb IgG, HIV-status, sex, age and CD4 count were analysed. Findings: Older age, male sex and higher CD4 count were independently associated with QFT positivity (p = 0.045, 0.05 and 0.002 respectively). There was no difference in QFT status between people with and without HIV infection (58% and 65% respectively, p = 0.06), but within CD4 count quartiles, people with HIV had higher QFT positivity than people without HIV (p = 0.008 (2nd quartile), <0.0001 (3rd quartile)). Concentrations of Mtb-specific IFN-γ were lowest, and relative concentrations of Mtb-specific IgGs were highest in PLWH in the lowest CD4 quartile. Interpretation: These results suggest that the QFT assay underestimates LTBI among immunosuppressed people with HIV and Mtb-specific IgG may be a useful alternative biomarker for Mtb infection. Further evaluation of how Mtb-specific antibodies can be leveraged to improve LTBI diagnosis is warranted, particularly in HIV-endemic areas. Fundings: NIH, AHRI, SHIP: SA-MRC and SANTHE

Optimising perioperative care for hip and knee arthroplasty in South Africa: a Delphi consensus study

Background A structured approach to perioperative patient management based on an enhanced recovery pathway protocol facilitates early recovery and reduces morbidity in high income countries. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the feasibility of implementing enhanced recovery pathways and its influence on patient outcomes is scarcely investigated. To inform similar practice in LMICs for total hip and knee arthroplasty, it is necessary to identify potential factors for inclusion in such a programme, appropriate for LMICs. Methods Applying a Delphi method, 33 stakeholders (13 arthroplasty surgeons, 12 anaesthetists and 8 physiotherapists) from 10 state hospitals representing 4 South African provinces identified and prioritised i) risk factors associated with poor outcomes, ii) perioperative interventions to improve outcomes and iii) patient and clinical outcomes necessary to benchmark practice for patients scheduled for primary elective unilateral total hip and knee arthroplasty. Results Thirty of the thirty-three stakeholders completed the 3 months Delphi study. The first round yielded i) 36 suggestions to preoperative risk factors, ii) 14 (preoperative), 18 (intraoperative) and 23 (postoperative) suggestions to best practices for perioperative interventions to improve outcomes and iii) 25 suggestions to important postsurgical outcomes. These items were prioritised by the group in the consecutive rounds and consensus was reached for the top ten priorities for each category. Conclusion The consensus derived risk factors, perioperative interventions and important outcomes will inform the development of a structured, perioperative multidisciplinary enhanced patient care protocol for total hip and knee arthroplasty. It is anticipated that this study will provide the construct necessary for developing pragmatic enhanced care pathways aimed at improving patient outcomes after arthroplasty in LMICs

Students Perspectives of Effective Teaching in Selected High Schools in Swaziland

The student perspective on teaching and learning is too often neglected or underrated in educational research. The aim of the study was to find out what qualities students valued from their teachers. More specifically, what are qualities of good teachers as perceived by the students? What is the relationship between the subjects taught and the qualities? Are there any gender differences in the perceptions of the students? 910 students took part in the survey. The study found that indeed high school students were qualified to make judgments about the effectiveness of their teachers. Several good teachers were identified. The study also found that there were differences in perception between the different subject areas. The effect of gender was very minimal

Developments in History teaching at secondary school level in Swaziland: lessons from classroom research.

History is a complex subject and teaching history is even much more complex than people think. It is more propositional than procedural in nature and involves adductive reasoning, where historical evidence and facts are reconstructed through speculation, imagination and empathy (Nichol, 1984; Booth, 1983). The effective teaching of history is more than the transmission of knowledge, but rather it is a process where students and teachers interact in the classroom as they share ideas, reflect and engage in reasoning. It is through this interaction that thinking and understanding will occur. This paper is a reflection on the developments in the teaching of history at secondary and high school level in Swaziland. The paper is based on research on a new history curriculum introduced in Swaziland in January 2006. In particular, the paper will highlight the research on the implementation of the new history syllabus. The paper will highlight the major challenges facing history teaching in the context of the new curriculum. Implications for the preparation of history teachers in Swaziland will be identified

Iso-Mukaadial Acetate from Warburgia salutaris Enhances Glucose Uptake in the L6 Rat Myoblast Cell Line

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder which has become a major risk to the health of humankind, as its global prevalence is increasing rapidly. Currently available treatment options in modern medicine have several adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop alternative cost-effective, safe, and active treatments for diabetes. In this regard, medicinal plants provide the best option for new therapeutic remedies desired to be effective and safe. Recently, we focused our attention on drimane sesquiterpenes as potential sources of antimalarial and antidiabetic agents. In this study, iso-mukaadial acetate (Iso) (1), a drimane-type sesquiterpenoid from the ground stem bark of Warburgia salutaris, was investigated for glucose uptake enhancement in the L6 rat myoblast cell line. In vitro assays with L6 skeletal muscle cells were used to test for cytotoxicity, glucose utilisation, and western blot analysis. Additionally, the inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzymes and 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity were analysed in vitro. The cell viability effect of iso-mukaadial acetate was the highest at 3 &micro;g/mL with a percentage of 98.4. Iso-mukaadial acetate also significantly and dose-dependently increased glucose utilisation up to 215.18% (12.5 &micro;g/mL). The increase in glucose utilisation was accompanied by enhanced 5&rsquo; adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)and protein kinase B (AKT) in dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, iso-mukaadial acetate dose-dependently inhibited the enzymes &alpha;-amylase and &alpha;-glucosidase. Scavenging activity against DPPH was displayed by iso-mukaadial acetate in a concentration-dependent manner. The findings indicate the apparent therapeutic efficacy of iso-mukaadial acetate isolated from W. salutaris as a potential new antidiabetic agent

Biomaterials developments for brain tissue engineering

The Central Nervous System (CNS) is a highly complex organ that works as the control centre of the body, managing vital and non-vital functions. Neuro-diseases can lead to the degeneration of neural tissue, breakage of the neuronal networks which can affect vital functions and originate cognitive deficits. The complexity of the neural networks, their components and the low regenerative capacity of the CNS are on the basis for the lack of recovery, having the need for therapies that can promote tissue repair and recovery. Most brain processes are mediated through molecules (e.g. cytokines, neurotransmitters) and cells response accordingly and to surrounding cues, either biological or physical, which offers molecule administration and/or cell transplantation a great potential for use in brain recovery. Biomaterials and in particular, of natural origin are attractive candidates owed to their intrinsic biological cues and biocompatibility and degradability. Through the use of biomaterials, it is possible to protect the cells/molecules from body clearance, enzymatic degradation while maintaining the components in a place of interest. Moreover, by means of combining several components, it is possible to obtain a more targeted and controlled delivery, to image the biomaterial implantation and its degradation over time and tackling simultaneously occurring events (cell death and inflammation) in brain diseases. In this chapter, it is reviewed some brain-affecting diseases and the current developments on tissue engineering approaches for a functional recovery of the brain from those diseases.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio