All our Christmases Come at Once: War, Peace and the Fin de Siècle

See articl

Clinical measures of paediatric foot posture: a critical review

Background: \ud The paediatric flat foot is a common concern and has long been regarded as a problem, and feared to be potentially disabling. Definition of what exactly constitutes a flat foot remains surprisingly debatable, given its common presentation. Estimates of flat foot prevalence in children have been influenced by the varied the methods of assessment used to assess the foot posture, and the subsequent criteria employed to delineate feet as flat versus not flat. The aim of this literature review was therefore to evaluate the techniques of foot posture assessment in children and the reported reliability and validity of these measures.\ud \ud Method: \ud A systematic search of electronic databases including Medline (1966-present), CINAHL, SportDiscus, Embase, Scopus and Pedro occurred between 02/01/10 and 14/08/10. Eligible articles were selected according to pre-determined criteria. Methodological quality was evaluated by use of the Quality Index as described by Downs & Black, followed by critical analysis according to outcome variables.\ud \ud Results: \ud The most widely reported measures of paediatric foot posture were footprints and measures of the heel angle and arch height. The current evidence suggests that the reliability of all measures of paediatric foot posture is highly variable and mostly poor to moderate. The only measures on which validity has been explored are navicular height and footprints.\ud \ud Conclusion: \ud Whilst no definitive conclusions can currently be drawn from the existing evidence, the trend from the current literature indicates that static paediatric foot posture may be best-assessed using RCSP, NH or FPI-6. However the relationship between static measures and pain, static measures and gait function remain largely unsubstantiated in children. The direction of future research is to establish a universal method of assessment of paediatric foot posture, and the subsequent relevance of foot posture to pain and function across age groups. Continuation of research in this field will enable targeting of design parameters towards variables that are supported by evidence, and which may directly advance clinical decision-making

Using Screen Recording and Compression Software to Support Online Learning

This Article has supplementary content. View the full record on NSUWorks here

Widening participation: does cultural capital really make a difference for first year students?

Paper reproduced with permission of the publisherGovernment policy to widen participation at university is aimed at producing significant changes in the student demographic. This will likely increase the number of students from non-traditional backgrounds such as those with low socio-economic status and those from rural or isolated areas. Many of these commencing students will also be the first member of their immediate family to attend university. By drawing on Bourdieu’s (1991) notion of cultural capital the convenors will lead a discussion of how prior knowledge and experience of tertiary education can impact upon student’s understandings and expectations of university study. In particular, the discussion will examine the debate in the literature as to whether first in family students are significantly disadvantaged and compare these outcomes with findings from a large multi institutional ALTC project examining the expectations and experiences of over 3000 first year students

The significance of being first: A consideration of cultural capital in relation to “first in family” student’s choices of university and program. A Practice Report

The is an open access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC-BY).This presentation explored the differences between expectations of first in family students and students who have immediate family members (parents, care givers, or siblings) who have attended university before them. The authors draw on Bourdieu’s notion of cultural capital to examine how being first in family influences student expectations. Data from a large survey of over 3,000 first year students conducted in 2010 across the three South Australian universities is used to explore the demographic make-up of first in family students, and the choices they make as to what type of university and program they enroll in. Based on qualitative and quantitative data, the authors compare choices of first in family students with those made by non-first in family students. Determining these differences provides opportunities for staff at universities to consider how they may better support students who have the ability, drive and determination to succeed at university but lack the cultural capital and may therefore be thwarted by unforeseen hurdles

What do commencing undergraduate students expect from first year university?

The expectations of students entering their first year of undergraduate study in South Australia were investigated. Responses from 3,091 students allowed a comprehensive understanding of students’ expectations. Most respondents (70%) were entering university directly from secondary school and most (78%) were studying in their program of first choice. The major factor in program choice was interest in the topic, followed by career prospects. The need to understand the expectations of students commencing university is becoming even more important with many universities aiming to increase participation from previously under-represented groups. Only 30% of students had realistic expectations about the amount of study required to succeed at university. Most students felt that feedback on submitted work, and on drafts of work, would be important for their learning. Having easy and convenient access to teaching staff outside of face-to-face teaching was seen as an important factor in success. Ninety-one percent of students felt that having friends studying at the same university would provide support, but 25% did not know anyone studying at the same university

To Podcast or not to Podcast? Pedagogical decision making in the use of new technologies

Podcasting is a cheap and portable technology that allows students to download and listen to lectures when and wherever convenient. Most students provided with Podcasts have embraced this technology and many view Podcasts as a useful additional learning resource. Hence, an increasing number of students are requesting lecture Podcasts from academic staff. This study investigated the pedagogical decision making of health science educators in the use of Podcasting technology. Data were gathered from interviews and via an online survey sent to all teaching staff within the Division of Health Sciences. Two thirds of the staff who responded (92/167; 55%) elected to Podcast their lectures. Most did so in response to staff or student expectations rather than pedagogically-based reasons. This study has shown that the decision making inherent in using Podcasting technology is based on student demand and anecdotal evidence rather than a sound pedagogical basis