266 research outputs found
Explore the concept of âlightâ and its interaction with matter: an inquiry-based science education project in primary school
The exploration process leading to the understanding of physical phenomena, such
as light and its interaction with matter, raises great interest and curiosity in children. However,
in most primary schools, children rarely have the opportunity to conduct science activities in
which they can engage in an enquiry process even if by the action of the teacher. In this
context, we have organised several in-service teacher training courses and carried out several
pedagogic interventions in Portuguese primary schools, with the aim of promoting inquirybased
science education. This article describes one of those projects, developed with a class of
the third grade, which explored the curricular topic âLight Experimentsâ. Various activities
were planned and implemented, during a total of ten hours spread over five lessons. The
specific objectives of this paper are: to illustrate and analyse the teaching and learning process
promoted in the classroom during the exploration of one of these lessons, and to assess
childrenâs learning three weeks after the lessons. The results suggest that children made
significant learning which persisted. We conclude discussing some processes that stimulated
childrenâ learning, including the importance of teacher questioning in scaffolding children's
learning and some didactic implications for teacher training.CIEC â Research Centre on Child Studies, IE, UMinho (FCT R&D unit 317), Portuga
Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a decision aid for the management of pain in labour and childbirth [ISRCTN52287533]
BACKGROUND: Women report fear of pain in childbirth and often lack complete information on analgesic options prior to labour. Preferences for pain relief should be discussed before labour begins. A woman's antepartum decision to use pain relief is likely influenced by her cultural background, friends, family, the media, literature and her antenatal caregivers. Pregnant women report that information about analgesia was most commonly derived from hearsay and least commonly from health professionals. Decision aids are emerging as a promising tool to assist practitioners and their patients in evidence-based decision making. Decision aids are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions using information that is unbiased and based on high quality research evidence. Decision aids are non-directive in the sense that they do not aim to steer the user towards any one option, but rather to support decision making which is informed and consistent with personal values. METHODS/DESIGN: We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a Pain Relief for Labour decision aid, with and without an audio-component, compared to a pamphlet in a three-arm randomised controlled trial. Approximately 600 women expecting their first baby and planning a vaginal birth will be recruited for the trial. The primary outcomes of the study are decisional conflict (uncertainty about a course of action), knowledge, anxiety and satisfaction with decision-making and will be assessed using self-administered questionnaires. The decision aid is not intended to influence the type of analgesia used during labour, however we will monitor health service utilisation rates and maternal and perinatal outcomes. This study is funded by a competitive peer-reviewed grant from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (No. 253635). DISCUSSION: The Pain Relief for Labour decision aid was developed using the Ottawa Decision Support Framework and systematic reviews of the evidence about the benefits and risks of the non-pharmacological and pharmacological methods of pain relief for labour. It comprises a workbook and worksheet and has been developed in two forms â with and without an audio-component (compact disc). The format allows women to take the decision aid home and discuss it with their partner
Protecting Vulnerable Research Subjects in Critical Care Trials: Enhancing the Informed Consent Process and Recommendations for Safeguards
Although critically ill patients represent a vulnerable group of individuals, guidelines in research ethics assert that ethically acceptable research may proceed with such vulnerable subjects if additional safeguards are in place to minimize the risk of harm and exploitation. Such safeguards include the proper obtainment of informed consent that avoids the presence of the therapeutic misconception and the assessment of decisional capacity in critically ill patients recruited for research. Also discussed in this review are additional safeguards for such vulnerable subjects, as well as the issues involved with proxy consent. Heightened awareness to principles of ethics and provision of additional safeguards to enhance protections of vulnerable subjects would help to maintain the public trust in the research endeavor
Integrating Omic Technologies into Aquatic Ecological Risk Assessment and Environmental Monitoring: Hurdles, Achievements, and Future Outlook
Background: In this commentary we present the findings from an international consortium on fish toxicogenomics sponsored by the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (Fish ToxicogenomicsâMoving into Regulation and Monitoring, held 21â23 April 2008 at the Pacific Environmental Science Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada).
Objectives: The consortium from government agencies, academia, and industry addressed three topics: progress in ecotoxicogenomics, regulatory perspectives on roadblocks for practical implementation of toxicogenomics into risk assessment, and dealing with variability in data sets.
Discussion: Participants noted that examples of successful application of omic technologies have been identified, but critical studies are needed to relate molecular changes to ecological adverse outcome. Participants made recommendations for the management of technical and biological variation. They also stressed the need for enhanced interdisciplinary training and communication as well as considerable investment into the generation and curation of appropriate reference omic data.
Conclusions: The participants concluded that, although there are hurdles to pass on the road to regulatory acceptance, omics technologies are already useful for elucidating modes of action of toxicants and can contribute to the risk assessment process as part of a weight-of-evidence approach
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