Reflections on eportfolio professional learning: harnessing an unconference approach

This practitioner-led article documents the journey of a cross-institutional multidisciplinary team to support the development of practitioners’ ePortfolio professional competencies through an “Unconference.” We describe the approach used to support an ePortfolio unconference hosted in January 2018 at Dublin City University. According to Budd et al. (2015), the most meaningful professional learning at conferences tends to occur at the cofee breaks when delegates are free to engage in open dialogue. An unconference is a dynamic participant-driven conference which features discussion and collaboration at its core to support professional learning. This approach was chosen to capture, develop and document current ePortfolio practice in Ireland and the United Kingdom. This article outlines key facets of professional learning generated as a result of the unconference including the promotion of ePortfolio competencies and the generation of collaborative research outputs. At the unconference, attendees participated in experiential learning opportunities which enhanced and extended their personal and professional ePortfolio competencies as well as developed practice-focused research outputs collaboratively in real time using a range of technological tools. Participant feedback highlights the impact of the unconference on their professional ePortfolio learning and practice, and the critical refections of unconference organizers inform future ePortfolio professional development

Sport as a vehicle for development in Vanuatu : a review of the literature and analysis of the Women's Island Cricket Project : a research project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of International Development, Development Studies, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Approaches to development delivery have changed significantly post World War II. Current development delivery practices are often referred to as the 4th paradigm of aid delivery. A focus on the concept of empowerment through the delivery of aid has become very popular, especially in relation to women’s development (Cornwall & Brock, 2005, Batliwala, 2007). The 3rd Millennium Development Goal with an aim to empower women is a good example of the increased international focus on and support for, the development of women around the world. This popularity has also surfaced within the new and emerging Sport-for-Development paradigm. The marrying of Sport for Development and empowerment seem to be synonymous in a number of aid projects. However due to the fact that empowerment is a multi-faceted and contested term, there are issues concerning implementation and effectiveness of Sports for Development projects. Monitoring and evaluating Sport for Development projects continues to be an issue many writers lament about. As many have empowerment as an end goal, this is something that causes disquiet in the development field. With the above-mentioned in mind, this research project aimed to investigate, via a desk-based study and field observations, in what ways the Women’s Island Cricket Project in Vanuatu has contributed to women’s empowerment and identify what some of the consequences of this empowerment of participants were at the personal, family and community level. Using Kabeer’s (1999, 2005) notion that empowerment is about the ability to make choices to improve one’s life, and transform one’s life, I consider whether the women involved in the cricket project had acquired agency – the ability to transform – and whether the women have changed the way they feel about themselves and have been able to improve their own self-efficacy. My research identified that Island cricket has considerable ‘buy-in’ by the participants of the Women’s Island Cricket Project and their families. I conclude that this project has been successful, resulting in empowerment-type behavioural change for participants. Whilst paternalistic attitudes towards women exist in Vanuatu, on Ifira Island, the project has challenged and transformed some of these historical attitudes. Development Alternatives for Women of a New Era’s idea that women’s solidarity adds to empowerment (Sen & Grown, 1988) was observed by me when attending the Women’s Island Cricket Committee meeting. Whilst Vanuatu women who play cricket are the focus of this aid project, the reality is that despite sport for women not being equal with empowerment opportunities available to male sports people, well-planned and well-organised Sport for Development projects that involve local women in the planning, implementation and evaluation, are meritorious and provide considerable scope to transform participant’s lives

Evaluation of Getting Ahead: the Symud Ymlaen/Moving Forward project Interim Report

The SY/MF project has been developed to target young care leavers and young people who have offended in Wales to enhance their chances of finding employment and accessing further learning or training. The project has been designed to reflect learning from other similar projects and take account of the complex range of needs often presented by young people who have offended and/or are in care – and who are rarely 'job ready'. It is to offer intensive, tailored support in the form of: pre-employability and basic skills training; a six month paid work placement for a minimum of 25 hours per week; and, mentor support. SY/MF is delivered through a consortium partnership led by homeless charity Llamau.This report presents the findings of an interim assessment of SY/MF during its first full year of operation, October 2013 to the end of September 2014. The interim evaluation largely focuses on understanding the processes put in place to deliver the project and whether services have been implemented as expected; it also begins to capture outcome information. A full evaluation will build on these findings and include an assessment of impact over the full project (please see Section 1 for full details of the evaluation approach and method)

Improving Communication between Doctors and Parents after Newborn Screening

Background: Newborn screening (NBS) enables early treatment, and some consider it a natural vehicle for genetic screening. Bioethicists argue for caution since families of infants with carrier status can develop psychosocial complications. This paper describes the methods and feasibility of Wisconsin’s statewide project for quality improvement of communication and psychosocial outcomes after NBS. Methods: When NBS identifies carrier status for cystic fibrosis or sickle cell, we contact primary care providers (PCPs), answer questions, and invite them to rehearse informing the parents. Three months later, we telephone the parents, assess knowledge and psychosocial outcomes, provide counseling, and assist with self-referral to further resources. Afterward, evaluation surveys are provided to the parents, to be returned anonymously. Results: Birthing facilities provided accurate PCP names for 73% of 817 infants meeting inclusion criteria; we identified PCPs for 21% more. We reached 47.3% of PCPs in time to invite a rehearsal; 60% of these accepted. We successfully called 50.2% of eligible parents; 61% recalled a PCP explanation, and 48.5% evaluated the explanation favorably. Evaluations by parents with limited health literacy were less favorable. Conclusion: It is feasible to follow parents for psychosocial outcomes after NBS. Preliminary data about communication is mixed, but further data will describe psychosocial outcomes and investigate outcomes’ associations with communication

Emergency rehabilitation of Brownsbarn bridge

This paper outlines the repair methodology of Brownsbarn Bridge situated over the N7 near Dublin. The repair strategy was formulated following impact damage to the soffit from a low- loader carrying an excavator passing underneath the bridge. Significant damage was observed to one of the beams. The repairs were carried out as emergency works over a bank holiday weekend in Ireland successfully. The rehabilitation methodology is based on preloading the bridge before repair followed by a removal of load to ensure the reestablishment of some of the lost prestress. This paper outlines the various stages of rehabilitation and establishes the timelines of significant events along with practical discussions on the execution of the rehabilitation methodology. The bridge was continuously monitored throughout the refurbishment process. This case study is expected to be of topical interest to researchers, practicing engineers, bridge owners and end-users alike

Confident and competent?: helping students to develop their practice based skills

The Competence in Practice Assessment (CiPA) Tool was designed and developed to support student self-assessment in a social care or health setting. It is one of many artefacts created as part of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning called ‘Assessment and Learning in Practice Settings’. Demonstration of competence is essential for courses leading to professional registration. This presentation will chart the development and evaluation of the CiPA tool into responsive software that students can self complete at stages throughout their course: In doing this we demonstrate how a research project became the springboard for the development of student centred learning and teaching innovation. 14 students from a range of health and social work courses, who responded to a job advertisement, worked in multiprofessional collaborative groups to design feedback, reflective prompts and resource links in response to students’ self assessment ratings. This was then built into a simple software package by a computing placement student. The result is that students complete the tool [with potential for PC, web or Mobile access] by assessing their perception of their own competency at their current stage in the course. The software provides them with feedback designed to support their own assessment and suggest actions: this is confidential and thus a safe activity, but linked to Personal Development Planning and so able to be incorporated into their record of professional growth, preparation for further placement experience and readiness for qualification. Taking responsibility for one’s own learning, and developing self assessment skills are parts of becoming a competent practitioner in any profession; thus whilst the questions as they stand relate to health and social care professions, the design principles apply to any placement experience, leading to opportunities for creative development of the tool

Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education on Physician Assistant Students Understanding of Pain and Attitudes and Beliefs About Pain.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of two different pain neuroscience education (PNE) lectures provided to physician assistant (PA) students. Primary outcomes explored were knowledge of pain and shift in attitudes and beliefs about chronic pain after the lecture. METHODS: A PNE lecture was provided at two separate university PA programs. One program received a two-hour PNE lecture with a case-based example. The other program received a one-hour PNE lecture without the casebased example. Measurement of change for pre and post-test pain knowledge and attitudes and beliefs about chronic pain were recorded. RESULTS: Students at both universities showed medium effect size improvements in pain knowledge following the lecture. Only students that received the longer two-hour lecture in the case-based example showed significant improvements with their attitudes and beliefs about patients with chronic pain. CONCLUSION: PA students can increase their knowledge about current pain science through lecture alone, however, case-based learning along with lecture, may be more effective in improving the attitudes and beliefs of PA students regarding patients with chronic pain