The role of the Initial Teacher Training Coordinator in the school based element of partnership: to what extent does the Co-ordinator undertake supervision of aspects of quality assurance?

Over the last 14 years, Universities and colleges have organised school placements and award qualifications whilst teachers, acting as mentors take the lead in guiding, supervising and assessing students on lengthy teaching placements. Partnership developed quickly in response to legislation and Sheffield Hallam University was among the first of the Universities to 'sign up' to the new partnership model in 1992. The Partnership Survey 2006 reported on in this paper has focussed on the Senior Liaison Tutor with a view to finding out their views on their role, and perceived contributions to the quality assurance of the partnership. The survey focussed on some of the key issues identified in previous studies and meetings of the Partnership Management Board.</p

The role of the initial teacher training co-ordinator: secondary headteachers' and ITT co-ordinators' perspectives

The roles of ITT co-ordinator (ITTC) and CPD co-ordinator have become well established in secondary schools in England. However there is usually a separation of responsibilities for these areas within schools. The introduction of a new Standards Framework and other government policies such as the remodelling of the workforce in schools (DfES, 2003, TDA, 2007a) provide schools with opportunity to revisit these roles. A consequence of remodelling has been a rapid expansion of support staff in schools to assist teachers and one aspect of this contractual change is that support staff are taking on administrative tasks, formerly done by teachers. A further aspect is that CPD Coordinators now have responsibility for staff development cross the wider workforce. During 2007, Schools have used remodelling as an opportunity to review their management structures throughout the school including the organisation of staff development and how the school is contributing to the training of new teachers. In this paper we consider how the role of the ITTC is changing using data from interviews with Head Teachers and ITTCs from a sample of secondary schools that are in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University. Data collection took place in April and May 2007.</p

Software for researching of stress-strain state of the spine

В работе рассматривается архитектура и результаты работы приложения для моделирования напряженно-деформированного состояния позвоночника на основании данных, полученных с помощью оборудования DIERS formetric.The paper discusses the architecture and results of the application for modeling the stress-strain state of the spine based on data obtained using DIERS formetric equipment

Biomarker testing in oncology - Requirements for organizing external quality assessment programs to improve the performance of laboratory testing:revision of an expert opinion paper on behalf of IQNPath ABSL

In personalized medicine, predictive biomarker testing is the basis for an appropriate choice of therapy for patients with cancer. An important tool for laboratories to ensure accurate results is participation in external quality assurance (EQA) programs. Several providers offer predictive EQA programs for different cancer types, test methods, and sample types. In 2013, a guideline was published on the requirements for organizing high-quality EQA programs in molecular pathology. Now, after six years, steps were taken to further harmonize these EQA programs as an initiative by IQNPath ABSL, an umbrella organization founded by various EQA providers. This revision is based on current knowledge, adds recommendations for programs developed for predictive biomarkers by in situ methodologies (immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization), and emphasized transparency and an evidence-based approach. In addition, this updated version also has the aim to give an overview of current practices from various EQA providers

Evaluation of changes in drug susceptibility and population genetic structure in Haemonchus contortus following worm replacement as a means to reverse the impact of multiple-anthelmintic resistance on a sheep farm

A population of Haemonchus contortus that was highly resistant to benzimidazoles and avermectin/milbemycins with a subpopulation that was resistant to levamisole, was replaced with a susceptible laboratory isolate of H. contortus in a flock of sheep. The anthelmintic susceptibility and population genetics of the newly established population were evaluated for 3.5 years using in vivo, in vitro, and molecular methods. Successful replacement of the resistant population with a susceptible population was confirmed using phenotypic and genotypic measurements; larval development assay indicated full anthelmintic susceptibility; albendazole treatment yielded 98.7% fecal egg count reduction; pyrosequence genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms in positions 167 and 200 of the isotype-1 beta tubulin gene were present at 0.0 and 1.7%, respectively; microsatellite genotyping indicated the background haplotype was similar to the susceptible isolate; and haplotypes of the isotype-1 beta tubulin gene were similar to the susceptible isolate. To sustain the susceptibility of the new population, targeted selective treatment was implemented using albendazole. Surprisingly, within 1.5 years post-replacement, the population reverted to a resistant phenotype. Resistance to albendazole, ivermectin, and moxidectin was confirmed via fecal egg count reduction test, larval development assay, and pyrosequencing-based genotyping. Targeted selective treatment was then carried out using levamisole. However, within one year, resistance was detected to levamisole. Population genetics demonstrated a gradual change in the genetic structure of the population until the final population was similar to the initial resistant population. Genetic analyses showed a lack of diversity in the susceptible isolate, suggesting the susceptible isolate had reduced environmental fitness compared to the resistant population, providing a possible explanation for the rapid reversion to resistance. This work demonstrates the power of combining molecular, in vitro, and in vivo assays to study phenotypic and genotypic changes in a field population of nematodes, enabling improved insights into the epidemiology of anthelmintic resistance

Measuring quality of life of people with predementia and dementia and their caregivers: a systematic review protocol

Introduction Dementia is the fastest growing major cause of disability globally and may have a profound impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of both the patient with dementia and those who care for them. This review aims to systematically identify and synthesise the measurements of HRQoL for people with, and their caregivers across the full spectrum of, dementia from its preceding stage of predementia to end of life. Methods and analysis A systematic literature review was conducted in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online , ExcerptaMedicadataBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews , Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effect, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database and PsycINFO between January 1990 and the end of April 2017. Two reviewers will independently assess each study for inclusion and disagreements will be resolved by a third reviewer. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form following best practice. Study quality will be assessed with the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool. HRQoL measurements will be presented separately for people with dementia and caregivers by instrument used and, when possible, HRQoL will be reported by disease type and stage of the disease. Descriptive statistics of the results will be provided. A narrative synthesis of studies will also be provided discussing differences in HRQoL measurements by instrument used to estimate it, type of dementia and disease severity. Ethics and dissemination This systematic literature review is exempt from ethics approval because the work is carried out on published documents. The findings of the review will be disseminated in a related peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences. They will also contribute to the work developed in the Real World Outcomes across the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum for better care: multimodal data access platform (ROADMAP)

A positive deviant approach to examining the impact of Covid-19 on ethnic inequalities in maternal and neonatal outcomes

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordOBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid and heterogeneous changes were made to maternity care. Identification of changes that may reduce maternal health inequalities is a national priority. The aim of this project was to use data collected about care and outcomes to identify NHS Trusts in the UK where inequalities in outcomes reduced during the pandemic and explore through interviews how the changes that occurred may have led to a reduction in inequalities. METHODS: A Women's Reference Group of public advisors guided the project. Analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics Admitted Patient Care data of 128 organisations in England identified "positive deviant" organisations that reduced inequalities, using maternal and perinatal composite adverse outcome indicators. Positive deviant organisations were identified for investigation, alongside comparators. Senior clinicians, heads of midwifery and representatives of women giving birth were interviewed. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed. RESULTS: The change in the inequality gap for the maternal indicator ranged from a reduction of -0.24 to an increase of 0.30 per 1000 births between the pre-pandemic and pandemic period. For the perinatal composite indicator, the change in inequality gap ranged from -0.47 to 0.67 per 1000 births. Nine Trusts were identified as positive deviants and 10 as comparators. We conducted 20 interviews from six positive deviant and four comparator organisations. Positive deviants reported that necessary shifts in roles led to productive and novel use of expert staff; comparators reported senior staff 'stepping in' where needed and no benefits of this. They reported proactivity and quick reactions, increased team working, and rapid implementation of new ideas. Comparators found constant changes overwhelming, and no increase in team working. No specific differences in care processes were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Harnessing proactivity, flexibility, staffing resource, and increased team working proves vital in reducing health inequalities.THIS institut

If there’s going to be a subject that you don’t have to do …’ Findings from a mapping study of PSHE education in English secondary schools

This article discusses some key findings about secondary schools from a mapping study of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education in England. The secondary school elements of the study combined a nationally representative survey of 617 secondary schools with follow-up in-depth case studies in five of these schools. These case studies involved interviews and discussion groups with pupils, parents and key school staff members, as well as governors and school improvement partners, and local authority support staff. Results reported here relate to the models and methods of delivery; frequency and curriculum coverage; the purpose and value of schooling, and PSHE education, and issues about staffing, expertise and credibility. Where appropriate, comparisons are made with primary schools. In doing so, the article raises issues about the diminished status and priority of PSHE education in secondary as compared with primary schools, and how this may stem from the ways in which schools do/do not value the subject, and its relationship to broader attainment and education policy contexts

Long-Term Functionality of Rural Water Services in Developing Countries: A System Dynamics Approach to Understanding the Dynamic Interaction of Causal Factors

Research has shown that sustainability of rural water infrastructure in developing countries is largely affected by the dynamic and systemic interactions of technical, social, financial, institutional, and environmental factors that can lead to premature water system failure. This research employs systems dynamic modeling, which uses feedback mechanisms to understand how these factors interact dynamically to influence long-term rural water system functionality. To do this, the research first identified and aggregated key factors from literature, then asked water sector experts to indicate the polarity and strength between factors through Delphi and cross impact survey questionnaires, and finally used system dynamics modeling to identify and prioritize feedback mechanisms. The resulting model identified 101 feedback mechanisms that were dominated primarily by three and four-factor loops that contained some combination of the factors: Water System Functionality, Community, Financial, Government, Management, and Technology. These feedback mechanisms were then scored and prioritized, with the most dominant feedback mechanism identified as Water System Functionality – Community – Finance – Management. This research offers insight into the dynamic interaction of factors impacting sustainability of rural water infrastructure through the identification of these feedback mechanisms and makes a compelling case for future research to longitudinally investigate the interaction of these factors in various contexts