Transforming the practitioners: an exploration of the application of Threshold Concepts to a multidisciplinary professional development Masters course in Christian Leadership

[Extract] This case study details the impact of the application of a Threshold Concept approach (Cousins, 2010; Myers & Land, 2006) on the experience and performance of Practitioner-Students on a professional development Masters Program (The Masters in Christian Leadership in Education (MACLE)) offered by Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick in 2010-2011). The students were professional educators and mostly Principals in second level education in Ireland

The effectiveness of MediaSite in higher education social psychology lectures

There is increased pressure on University Lecturers to incorporate audio/visual digital technologies (e.g. podcasts) into their teaching. The existing small, but growing body of published research in Higher Education is predominantly focussed on studies of perceived value, usage of the technology, and podcasts as supplementary teaching material (McGarr (2009); Baker (2008); Lazarus (2008)). The motivation for the current research was to evaluate the academic effectiveness of digitised lecture delivery in both Real Time (Live Streaming) and Delayed Time (Podcasts). Academic Effectiveness was operationally defined as the performance on tests designed to explore the degree of academic comprehension/retention of lecture material. The participants were first year Social Psychology students (n=157), randomly assigned to one of three conditions of lecture delivery. The three methods of delivery were live lecture (n=65), screened lecture in lecture theatre (n=69), and lecture delivered to individual work stations (n=23). The lecture was of 30 minutes duration, the topic chosen was unlikely to be familiar to the students and deemed to be conceptually difficult. Academic performance was tested using an MCQ test with both factual (3) and conceptual questions (2) administered following the lecture delivery. Student experience of the lecture was extracted from a Learning Experience Feedback Questionnaire (LEFQ). A Kruskal Wallis test indicated significant differences in academic performance across the three delivery methods (x2(2, N=157) =22.14, p<.001). Examination of the descriptive statistics suggested that those students at the screened lecture had poorer results on the MCQ test than those in the other lecture delivery conditions. The results of the study indicate that type of delivery can impact greatly on academic effectiveness. Factors to be controlled and/or manipulated in future studies include one/two way interaction with students, duration of digitised instruction, and repeat exposure

The effectiveness of digital technologies in Higher Education lectures

[Extract] There is increased pressure on University Lecturers to incorporate audio/visual digital technologies (e.g. podcasts) into their teaching. The existing small, but growing body of published research in is predominantly focused on: -Studies of perceived value -Usage of the technology -Podcasts as supplementary teaching materia

What Underpins Good Child-centred Practices in Children’s Social Services?

The children who engage with children’s social services are some of those who are at most risk of harm and abuse in society (Health Information and Quality Authority, 2012). The aim of the study was to identify what underpins good child-centred practice in children’s social services. This study was conducted to inform the development of National Standards for Children\u27s Social Services. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) undertook a public scoping consultation to consult with people who have experience of children’s social services. Also a literature review was conducted as part of a review and synthesis of literature and evidence. Findings show that all children’s individual needs should be assessed and each child requires an approach tailored to their individual strengths and needs in order to keep them safe and promote their wellbeing. Although standardisation of certain processes can be helpful, both staff and children benefit from a degree of flexibility in the provision of services. Relationships with staff and having meaningful social connections are significant for children, in order for them to understand how their views can shape their care and support. The findings also indicate that accountable children\u27s social services have strong leadership at both a national and local level to ensure that plans are carried out effectively across children’s social services

STEM education in schools: What can we learn from the research?

This report (Report #1) is as part of an Erasmus+ project entitled Assessment of Transversal Skills in STEM (ATS STEM), an innovative policy experimentation project being conducted across eight European Union countries through a partnership of 12 educational institutions. STEM education is a priority for all of the ATS STEM partners and each country/region is already engaged in implementing specific policy actions to promote the development of STEM knowledge and competences across their school sectors. The purpose of this first report is to provide a strong theoretical and research foundation regarding STEM Education, with particular respect to schools. The report aims to present examples of how STEM education has been defined and implemented in school curricula and how digital assessment of transversal skills and competences has been carried out

Contained/Contenu

An exhibition of ceramic and glass works by 7 international artists, in the ceramic museum Musée Ariana in Geneva, curated by Ana Quintero Perez, of the museum, and Monique Deul independent curator and founder of Taste Contemporary in Geneva. Alison Britton contributed 5 ceramic works to the exhibition

Towards the ATS STEM conceptual framework

This report (Report #5) was written as part of a research project titled, Assessment of Transversal Skills in STEM (ATS STEM). The project is funded by Erasmus+ (Call reference: EACEA/28/2017 - European policy experimentations in the fields of Education and Training, and Youth led by high-level public authorities). The development of the ideas, concepts and understandings presented in this final report is visually synthesised in Towards the ATS STEM Conceptual Framework. Towards the ATS STEM Conceptual Framework aims to inform the classroom practices of integrated STEM education topics and their assessment. Educators can benefit from such a conceptual framework encapsulating the key ideas from the literature and that helps to inform their understanding and subsequent classroom practice

Automatisierte Planung von digitalen Hochgeschwindigkeitsnetzen

Der Ausbau von digitalen Hochgeschwindigkeitsnetzen ist gekennzeichnet durch neuartige Anforderungen an den Planungsprozess. Diese Anforderungen erfordern wiederum den Einsatz von neuartigen Paradigmen, die eine effiziente und zugleich genaue Planung von flächendeckenden Glasfasernetzen ermöglichen. Hierbei können wiederkehrende Planungsaufgaben durch eine gezielte computergestützte Automatisierung effizienter und genauer ausgeführt, als es mit bisherigen Planungskonzepten möglich ist. Dieses Arbeitspapier beschreibt die computergestützte Ausführung eines Planungsprozesses auf Basis von fünf grundlegenden, iterativen Planungsschritten und gibt Empfehlungen für eine effiziente und genaue Planung von Glasfasernetzen. Der hier vorgestellte Ansatz ermöglicht es Netzbetreibern und Investoren, den Ausbau beliebiger Siedlungs- und Gewerbegebiete auf der zuverlässigen Basis von belastbarem Faktenwissen wirtschaftlich zu priorisieren

Memory Th1 Cells Are Protective in Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Mechanisms of protective immunity to Staphylococcus aureus infection in humans remain elusive. While the importance of cellular immunity has been shown in mice, T cell responses in humans have not been characterised. Using a murine model of recurrent S. aureus peritonitis, we demonstrated that prior exposure to S. aureus enhanced IFNγ responses upon subsequent infection, while adoptive transfer of S. aureus antigen-specific Th1 cells was protective in naïve mice. Translating these findings, we found that S. aureus antigen-specific Th1 cells were also significantly expanded during human S. aureus bloodstream infection (BSI). These Th1 cells were CD45RO+, indicative of a memory phenotype. Thus, exposure to S. aureus induces memory Th1 cells in mice and humans, identifying Th1 cells as potential S. aureus vaccine targets. Consequently, we developed a model vaccine comprising staphylococcal clumping factor A, which we demonstrate to be an effective human T cell antigen, combined with the Th1-driving adjuvant CpG. This novel Th1-inducing vaccine conferred significant protection during S. aureus infection in mice. This study notably advances our understanding of S. aureus cellular immunity, and demonstrates for the first time that a correlate of S. aureus protective immunity identified in mice may be relevant in humans

A case study in higher education: integrating multiple modules

Aim: We wanted to present our students (mostly PRINCIPALS of 2nd level schools or in senior management roles) with issues, tasks, problems and decision-making tasks that would be: - Pertinent to their professional practice - Complex & Realistic - Topical - Uphold the spirit and ethos of the Masters in Christian Leadership - Make students focus on staff and the community not only students - Students could only effectively address by integrating knowledge across multiple module