The Planet, 1999, Fall

https://cedar.wwu.edu/planet/1025/thumbnail.jp

The Planet, 2000, Spring/Summer

https://cedar.wwu.edu/planet/1029/thumbnail.jp

The Planet, 2000, Winter

https://cedar.wwu.edu/planet/1088/thumbnail.jp

“They seem to listen more now I have an advocate”: a study into the implementation of parental advocacy in Wales

Purpose: Parental advocacy is an emerging area of research and policy interest in Wales and across the UK. Although there is little research in the UK context to date, international research has indicated that parental advocacy can improve the relationship between parent and professional in the field of child protection social work. This paper aims to ascertain how the implementation of a parental advocacy programme supports parents to play a meaningful role in decision-making when children’s services are working with them and their families. Design/methodology/approach: This study used interviews, surveys and focus groups to obtain qualitative data from 18 parents, seven parent advocates, two advocacy managers and four social workers, to explore the potential impact of parental advocacy on decision-making. The study identified challenges in implementing parental advocacy, particularly relating to awareness of the service. Participants also discussed experiences of the child protection system and how parents are supported by advocates. Findings: Despite challenges surrounding implementation, initial findings were encouraging, and generated examples of how parental advocacy services have helped parents to understand children’s services and develop relationships of trust with social care professionals. In doing so, this study identified potential mechanisms that may be useful to support future service delivery. Originality/value: This paper and research is novel as it explores parental advocacy within the Welsh context. Although there has been research conducted into parental advocacy, this has largely come from the USA. This research comes from the evaluation of an innovative and promising parental advocacy scheme in Wales

Developing a faculty wide WIL program for science

Problem Uptake of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is far less in the natural and physical sciences than other STEM disciplines at the University of Tasmania, many of which have a requirement for WIL for professional accreditation, including ICT, Engineering, surveying and agriculture. This disparity is consistent with national trends. Despite these pockets of activity in specific disciplines, we currently lack a generic WIL program suited to broad implementation across the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology and a mechanism for students and academic staff to identify and engage with industry partners. Plan This is one of six ‘Lighthouse Projects’ co-funded by the Australian Council of Deans of Science, in the sub-theme of ‘Setting up Faculty WIL programs’ with the project undertaking a review of WIL programs, including student preparation and program delivery and support, to inform the development of a generic science unit for on- and off-campus WIL in our Faculty. WIL is generally understood to be the approaches and strategies that integrate theory with its practice in the workplace. WIL allows students to develop depth of understanding through the application of the knowledge and skills of their chosen discipline, while enabling students to improve their future employability outcomes. The University of Tasmania aims to provide graduates with the skills required for participation in the national and international work environments, and this project aims to extend the curriculum by providing real world experiences for our students. Our project aims to include provision for student placement in industry, but also for on-campus simulation of the workplace, combining an authentic experience with critical reflective practice. Action Phase 1 of the project involved a review of established placement and project-based WIL units and/or programs in Science or related disciplines. Three of these units are offered by our Faculty in the disciplines of Agriculture and Food Systems, Engineering, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with one other from the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics. Another three WIL programs were from the Science faculties at Deakin University, Monash University and The University of Melbourne. Collated information was used to inform the development of learning outcomes, support, delivery and assessment of a generic WIL elective unit for the natural and physical sciences at the University of Tasmania. Our reflections on the project A common assessment strategy in WIL is for students to critically self-reflect on the application of knowledge and skills in their professional work. Our review of existing programs indicated that students are taught and practice critical self-reflection to understand their strengths and development needs in the context of their readiness for work. Academics and students in the Faculty will be consulted in the next phase of the project to benchmark the use of critical self-reflection and authentic assessment. A Faculty Industry Reference Group will be formed for consultation and networking purposes. Collated information will inform the development of activities to ensure that students from diverse science disciplines can achieve the intended learning outcomes in the generic WIL unit. Focus group discussions with academic staff will be a precursor to developing a framework for a program in WIL in the Faculty that is aligned with the strategic aims of the university

Co-creation of a complex, multicomponent rehabilitation intervention and feasibility trial protocol for the PostUraL tachycardia Syndrome Exercise (PULSE) study

Background: There is a dearth of research to support the treatment of people with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). Despite expert consensus suggesting exercise is recommended for this patient group, there are no randomised control trials examining this rigorously. The aim was to co-create a feasibility trial protocol and a rehabilitation intervention for people living with PoTS. // Methods: The intervention and feasibility trial design were co-created as part of the PostUraL tachycardia Syndrome Exercise (PULSE) study. We used the ‘three co’s framework’ of co-define, co-design and co-refine. Recruitment included key national charities and National Health Service Trusts treating people living with PoTS in the UK. Eighteen patient and public involvement members attended the co-define session, and 16 co-creators with a mix of expertise attended the subsequent co-design and co-refine sessions. Seven intervention practitioners were trained in the rehabilitation intervention, providing feedback for further co-refinement. // Results: The final co-created intervention comprises online physical activity, and lifestyle and behaviour change support sessions. It is based on functional movement activities using a patient-centred approach tailored to individual needs. Physical activity intensity is guided by individuals’ perception of effort rather than by objective measures. Recumbent bikes are provided for home use. Patients deemed randomisation to be acceptable because research in this area was considered important. // Conclusions: An innovative approach was used to co-create the PULSE intervention and feasibility trial protocol to meet the evidence-based and logistical needs of people living with PoTS, clinicians, service deliverers, third-sector organisations, academics and funders. This can be used as a successful example and template for future research internationally. People living with PoTS were recognised as experts and involved in every aspect of conceptualisation, design and refinement. This complex rehabilitation intervention is currently being tested in a randomised feasibility trial comparing the PULSE intervention with best-practice usual care for people living with PoTS. // Trial registration: ISRCTN45323485 was registered on April 7, 2020

Patients\u27 and Caregivers\u27 Needs, Experiences, Preferences and Research Priorities in Spiritual Care: A Focus Group Study Across Nine Countries.

Background: Spiritual distress is prevalent in advanced disease, but often neglected, resulting in unnecessary suffering. Evidence to inform spiritual care practices in palliative care is limited. Aim: To explore spiritual care needs, experiences, preferences and research priorities in an international sample of patients with life-limiting disease and family caregivers. Design: Focus group study. Setting/participants: Separate patient and caregiver focus groups were conducted at 11 sites in South Africa, Kenya, South Korea, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland and Poland. Discussions were transcribed, translated into English and analysed thematically. Results: A total of 74 patients participated: median age 62 years; 53 had cancer; 48 were women. In total, 71 caregivers participated: median age 61 years; 56 were women. Two-thirds of participants were Christian. Five themes are described: patients’ and caregivers’ spiritual concerns, understanding of spirituality and its role in illness, views and experiences of spiritual care, preferences regarding spiritual care, and research priorities. Participants reported wide-ranging spiritual concerns spanning existential, psychological, religious and social domains. Spirituality supported coping, but could also result in framing illness as punishment. Participants emphasised the need for staff competence in spiritual care. Spiritual care was reportedly lacking, primarily due to staff members’ de-prioritisation and lack of time. Patients’ research priorities included understanding the qualities of human connectedness and fostering these skills in staff. Caregivers’ priorities included staff training, assessment, studying impact, and caregiver’s spiritual care needs. Conclusion: To meet patient and caregiver preferences, healthcare providers should be able to address their spiritual concerns. Findings should inform patient- and caregiver-centred spiritual care provision, education and research

The Matsu Wheel: A Cloud-Based Framework for Efficient Analysis and Reanalysis of Earth Satellite Imagery

Project Matsu is a collaboration between the Open Commons Consortium and NASA focused on developing open source technology for cloud-based processing of Earth satellite imagery with practical applications to aid in natural disaster detection and relief. Project Matsu has developed an open source cloud-based infrastructure to process, analyze, and reanalyze large collections of hyperspectral satellite image data using OpenStack, Hadoop, MapReduce and related technologies. We describe a framework for efficient analysis of large amounts of data called the Matsu "Wheel." The Matsu Wheel is currently used to process incoming hyperspectral satellite data produced daily by NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite. The framework allows batches of analytics, scanning for new data, to be applied to data as it flows in. In the Matsu Wheel, the data only need to be accessed and preprocessed once, regardless of the number or types of analytics, which can easily be slotted into the existing framework. The Matsu Wheel system provides a significantly more efficient use of computational resources over alternative methods when the data are large, have high-volume throughput, may require heavy preprocessing, and are typically used for many types of analysis. We also describe our preliminary Wheel analytics, including an anomaly detector for rare spectral signatures or thermal anomalies in hyperspectral data and a land cover classifier that can be used for water and flood detection. Each of these analytics can generate visual reports accessible via the web for the public and interested decision makers. The result products of the analytics are also made accessible through an Open Geospatial Compliant (OGC)-compliant Web Map Service (WMS) for further distribution. The Matsu Wheel allows many shared data services to be performed together to efficiently use resources for processing hyperspectral satellite image data and other, e.g., large environmental datasets that may be analyzed for many purposes