Sustainable development and African local government: can electronic training help build capacities?

A recent study carried out by European and African organizations into the potential for electronic distance training (EDT) on sustainability in African local governments concluded that EDT was both 'useful and feasible'. This article reflects on some of the theoretical and practical implications of that study. It focuses on the connection between learning and sustainability and how EDT programmes might be designed and promoted. The paper argues that, while resource issues and poor access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) create considerable constraints and point to the need for policies to improve access, in general the most important factors for successful capacity building relate to the design of learning programmes that take account of the work contexts and skill and capability requirements of those targeted as learners. 'Useful' and 'feasible' depend on (i) how work-based and work-related learning processes are understood and (ii) the conditions to promote learning within African local government. Keywords: Africa; Electronic distance training; Local government; Sustainability; Workplace learnin

PREMM: Preterm early massage by the mother: Protocol of a randomised controlled trial of massage therapy in very preterm infants

© 2016 Lai et al.Background: Preterm infants follow an altered neurodevelopmental trajectory compared to their term born peers as a result of the influence of early birth, and the altered environment. Infant massage in the preterm infant has shown positive effects on weight gain and reduced length of hospital stay. There is however, limited current evidence of improved neurodevelopment or improved attachment, maternal mood or anxiety.The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of infant massage performed by the mother in very preterm (VPT) infants.Effects on the infant will be assessed at the electrophysiological, neuroradiological and clinical levels. Effects on maternal mood, anxiety and mother-infant attachment will also be measured. Methods/Design: A randomised controlled trial to investigate the effect of massage therapy in VPT infants. Sixty VPT infants, born at 28 to 32weeks and 6days gestational age, who are stable, off supplemental oxygen therapy and have normal cranial ultrasounds will be recruited and randomised to an intervention (infant massage) group or a control (standard care) group. Ten healthy term born infants will be recruited as a reference comparison group. The intervention group will receive standardised massage therapy administered by the mother from recruitment, until term equivalent age (TEA). The control group will receive care as usual (CAU). Infants and their mothers will be assessed at baseline, TEA, 12months and 24months corrected age (CA), with a battery of clinical, neuroimaging and electrophysiological measures, as well as structured questionnaires, psychoanalytic observations and neurodevelopmental assessments. Discussion: Optimising preterm infant neurodevelopment is a key aim of neonatal research, which could substantially improve long-term outcomes and reduce the socio-economic impact of VPT birth. This study has the potential to give insights into the mother-baby relationship and any positive effects of infant massageon neurodevelopment. An early intervention such as massage that is relatively easy to administer and could alter the trajectory of preterm infant brain development, holds potential to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in this vulnerable population. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12612000335897. Date registered: 22/3/2012