Teacher Qualification Characteristics and Secondary School Students’ Mathematics Achievement: A Quantitative Study

Many Grade 12 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Mathematics examination registrants are consistently underperforming due to their inability to grasp basic mathematical concepts (Caribbean Examinations Council, 2006-2016). The purpose of this research was to examine the relation and association between five Teacher Qualification Characteristics (TQCs) and students’ 2016 CSEC Mathematics achievement at two secondary schools in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). A sample size of 113 participants were incorporated in this research (N=105 students and N=8 teachers). These teachers taught these students CSEC Mathematics during the year of examination, 2015-2016. The Spearman’s rho correlation revealed that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between teacher qualification, teacher certification, and teacher Mathematics teaching experience and students’ ordinal grades at [r=.416; p=.000 < ?=.001], [r=.235; p=.016 < ?=.05], and [r=.20; p=.041 < ?=.05] respectively. Similarly, the chi-square output showed a statistically significant association between teacher qualification, teacher certification, and teacher Mathematics teaching experience and students’ ordinal grades at [p=.000 < ? =.001], [p=.010< ? =.05], and [p=.003< ? =.05] respectively. On two occasions, the Bonferroni adjustment was used. For both tests, professional development and academic coaching were not statistically significant

Qualitative Research Methods: A Critical Analysis

Creswell (2014) noted that qualitative research is an approach for exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. The article embodies a critical analysis of chapters one to twelve of Stake (2010). In chapter one, Qualitative research: How things work is seen as qualitative, is based on a comprehensive aim seeking to answer the questions why and how. It analyzes actions and interactions, taking into account the intentions of the actors. An analytic perspective on the interpretation of the Person as an instrument is the thrust of chapter two. Chapter three examines the experiential understanding: Most qualitative study is experiential, in this chapter stake (2010) discusses two common research approaches, qualitative and quantitative methods. Chapter four Stating the Problem: Questioning How This Thing Works. Chapter five deals with the Methods-Gatherings Data, while chapter six illuminates the Review of Literature: Zooming to See the Problem. In chapter seven, the author implores the evidence: Bolstering Judgment and Reconnoitering. Chapter eight propels Analysis and Synthesis: How Things Work. Chapter nine acts as a mirror that invites the researcher to examine their action research and Self-­Evaluation: Finding our Own How our Place Works. Finally, in chapters ten to twelve, the author compels Storytelling: Illustrating How Things Work, Writing the Final Report: An Iterative Convergence, and Advocacy and Ethics: Making Things Work Better. This work is expected to guide future researchers in developing their research in qualitative research

Teacher Collaboration: The Need for Trust in the Classroom Context

Teacher coaching in schools takes various forms, but is commonly conceived as a means of providing personalised professional support to teachers through discussion about their practice (Lofthouse, Leat &amp; Towler, 2010, p. 5). This paper fact resulted into a critical analysis of chapters two, four, and eight of the book "The Coaching Approach for Teaching and Learning" by Newell-McLymont (2015).&nbsp;For this reason, the paper reviewed Collaboration in the Classroom Context.Collaboration in the classroom context is a vital part of meeting the diverse needs of students in building an inclusive education system. Collaboration between teachers, parents, and specialists dealing with students with special needs in a context of school integration. Collaborative problem solving is a skill valued by the professional community, looking for people who can solve complex problems with their colleagues in the era of robotization of jobs. However, Collaboration remains a daunting challenge for students and professionals alike, where fairness, creativity, and people-to-people relationships can quickly become obstacles. Chapter four deals with the tools of cognitive coaching. These tools are the basis for the main ideas in this chapter. Some of these tools are "diagnostic" in nature Newell-McLymont (, 2015, p. 56-63). Finally, chapter eight of Newell-McLymont (2015) explores flexibility and the Nonjudgmental Nature of Cognitive Coaching. It has thus far been realized that the "cognitive coaching approach is a flexible approach for teaching and learning. It is "nonjudgmental" in nature. As a result, "trust can be established, and transformation can be experienced in the teaching and learning context" (p. 135). Where teacher-student relation is concerned, "whatever path a student may use to come up with a solution, the teacher can see it as valid or invalid and will be able to offer the necessary suggestions concerning its correctness" (p. 138). In the wake of the education reform, the school environment's renewal seems to be moving towards greater openness to working team consultation. Seen as a way to break isolation between teachers and other types of staff in complementary services, collaborative work can contribute to the overall development of students by ensuring better consistency in interventions

Best Practices: Lessons Learned by a South Florida Non-Profit Community Based Organization while Designing and Implementing a Career Exploration Evidence Informed Framework in Urban Communities

All A’s was designed to support of the agency’s family strengthening initiatives in South Florida. All A’s uses evidence informed strategies poised to be an inclusive curriculum that teaches self-determination and adaptive behavior skills. The framework incorporates problem based learning and adult learning theory and follows the Universal Design for Learning. Since 2012, the agency has served over 8500 youth and 4,000 adults using the framework. The framework addresses educational underachievement and career readiness in at risk populations. It is used to enhance participants AWARENESS of setting SMART goals to achieve future goals and career aspirations. Participants are provided with ACCESS to resources and opportunities for creating and implementing an ACTION plan as they pursue and ACHIEVE their goals. All A’s promotes protective factors and expose youth to career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related fields. Youth participate in college tours, job site visits, job shadowing, high school visits, online college and career preparation assistance, service learning projects, STEM projects, and the Winning Futures© mentoring program. Adults are assisted with résumé development; learn job search strategies, interview techniques, job shadowing experiences, computer and financial literacy programs. Adults and youth are also given the opportunity to complete industry-recognized certifications in high demand industries (food service, general labor, and construction), and test preparation for the General Educational Development Test

Assessment of foodservice quality and identification of improvement strategies using hospital foodservice quality model

The purposes of this study were to assess hospital foodservice quality and to identify causes of quality problems and improvement strategies. Based on the review of literature, hospital foodservice quality was defined and the Hospital Foodservice Quality model was presented. The study was conducted in two steps. In Step 1, nutritional standards specified on diet manuals and nutrients of planned menus, served meals, and consumed meals for regular, diabetic, and low-sodium diets were assessed in three general hospitals. Quality problems were found in all three hospitals since patients consumed less than their nutritional requirements. Considering the effects of four gaps in the Hospital Foodservice Quality model, Gaps 3 and 4 were selected as critical control points (CCPs) for hospital foodservice quality management. In Step 2, the causes of the gaps and improvement strategies at CCPs were labeled as "quality hazards" and "corrective actions", respectively and were identified using a case study. At Gap 3, inaccurate forecasting and a lack of control during production were identified as quality hazards and corrective actions proposed were establishing an accurate forecasting system, improving standardized recipes, emphasizing the use of standardized recipes, and conducting employee training. At Gap 4, quality hazards were menus of low preferences, inconsistency of menu quality, a lack of menu variety, improper food temperatures, and patients' lack of understanding of their nutritional requirements. To reduce Gap 4, the dietary departments should conduct patient surveys on menu preferences on a regular basis, develop new menus, especially for therapeutic diets, maintain food temperatures during distribution, provide more choices, conduct meal rounds, and provide nutrition education and counseling. The Hospital Foodservice Quality Model was a useful tool for identifying causes of the foodservice quality problems and improvement strategies from a holistic point of view

E-menus – Managing Choice Options in Hospital Foodservice

This study examined an initiative in which e-menus and touch screen technology were piloted in a large UK hospital, with the aim of improving food service and satisfaction. Current practice often means that patients may receive the wrong meals, resulting in dissatisfaction and plate waste. An alternative approach is for patients to use electronic menus (e-menus) to make their order, using touch screen technology on the TVs, which in many hospitals are provided at every bedside. A pre-test, post-test questionnaire, which elicited scaled responses and written comments (n=90) was administered to a comparable group of patients. Results from both types of data suggested that most patients used e-menus effectively, although for older patients, it was more challenging. However the biggest difference in the effectiveness of the new technology was between the wards, which also showed substantial differences in service standards. It is concluded that e-menus are an effective way of imparting information about the food, and that they tend to produce greater satisfaction in recipients. However, the results suggest that more training of foodservice staff will be required in order to make the most of initiatives of this kind

How Do Mothers With a History of An Eating Disorder Manage Their Children's Diet?: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis.

Objective: To explore women who had a history of eating disorders experiences of managing their children’s diet. This is an under-researched area within the field. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with fourteen women who had a history of an eating disorder. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1999). Results: Six super-ordinate themes emerged from participants’ accounts: Gold standard, described how mothers fed their children a healthy balanced diet. Food Control, explained how mothers kept control over what their children ate. Food contact, described how mothers had difficulties with preparing food. Social eating, described how many mothers had difficulty with social eating. Eating disorder transmission, showed how the mothers were concerned their children would develop an eating disorder and the strategies they used to prevent this. Weight concerns caused by motherhood, described how motherhood caused further weight concern. Discussion: The findings of this study were that the mothers were very motivated to provide their children with a healthy balanced diet and controlled what they ate and restricted their unhealthy food. Some mothers had difficulty with food contact and social eating. The mothers were concerned that their eating disorder would be transmitted to their children and adopted strategies to prevent this transmission

Metabolic signatures of sepsis in critical care: an individualised approach to diagnosis and management

Sepsis is a clinical syndrome of great importance associated with a high rate of multiple organ failure and death and currently no accurate means of predicting those at particular risk of such outcomes. Energy metabolism involves many interdependent processes performed by the liver and kidneys and adequate function is essential to survival; conversely detrimental changes are associated with adverse outcomes. Thus, changes in energy metabolism in sepsis have the potential to be utilised in the early diagnosis of sepsis-related liver and kidney injury and general risk stratification. This thesis describes the metabolic response of a cohort of critically ill patients (n=50) with severe sepsis, specifically sepsis-related organ dysfunction and survival using metabolic profiling techniques based on 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and multivariate statistical analyses. This consisted of three parts: (1) demonstration of the feasibility of 1H-NMR analyses of urine as a method of global metabolic profiling in a cohort of critically ill patients including the development of a 1H-NMR spectroscopy drug standards database to aid drug metabolite identification. (2) Characterisation of metabolic changes associated with sepsis-related liver injury (SRLI) using 1H-NMR of urine and serum samples from the sepsis cohort. (3) Characterisation of lipid changes associated with SRLI using lipid profiling based on UPLC-MS analyses of plasma from the sepsis cohort. The feasibility of metabolic profiling based on 1H-NMR analyses of urine was demonstrated in the critically ill cohort. Together, 1H-NMR analyses of serum and lipid profiling of plasma demonstrated changes in lysine and methionine and 18 plasma lipids associated with liver dysfunction in severe sepsis that were in keeping with our current understanding, and provided further insights into the pathophysiology of SRLI. These findings could also be used in the early diagnosis of SRLI and improve its prognosis and warrants further investigation.Open Acces

How Do Mothers With a History of An Eating Disorder Manage Their Children's Diet?: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis.

Objective: To explore women who had a history of eating disorders experiences of managing their children’s diet. This is an under-researched area within the field. Method: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with fourteen women who had a history of an eating disorder. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1999). Results: Six super-ordinate themes emerged from participants’ accounts: Gold standard, described how mothers fed their children a healthy balanced diet. Food Control, explained how mothers kept control over what their children ate. Food contact, described how mothers had difficulties with preparing food. Social eating, described how many mothers had difficulty with social eating. Eating disorder transmission, showed how the mothers were concerned their children would develop an eating disorder and the strategies they used to prevent this. Weight concerns caused by motherhood, described how motherhood caused further weight concern. Discussion: The findings of this study were that the mothers were very motivated to provide their children with a healthy balanced diet and controlled what they ate and restricted their unhealthy food. Some mothers had difficulty with food contact and social eating. The mothers were concerned that their eating disorder would be transmitted to their children and adopted strategies to prevent this transmission