Teaching and learning for the future

This is the final report of the Committee on MultiMedia in Teacher Training (COMMITT), which offers a strategic framework to support efforts of teacher training institutes in the Netherlands to develop their own plans for enhancing the teaching and learning process as well as its outcomes through the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The purpose of the plan of action, called "a leap for the future," is to serve as a catalyst for teacher training institutes, elementary and secondary schools, and universities to work together on a common goal: improving teaching and learning through the application of ICT. This report consists of seven chapters. The first chapter is an introduction to the initiative to revitalize teacher training and the committee's activities. Chapter 2 describes an analysis of the transformation of society and consequences for learning in the future. Chapter 3 discusses key elements in the teaching and learning process. A conceptual model is presented which serves as a frame of reference for COMMITT. The role of ICT in teaching and learning is also discussed. Chapter 4 outlines the scope of COMMITT and provides examples illustrating the impact of ICT as a medium for education. Chapter 5 describes the challenges, opportunities and possible threats of implementing ICT in the education system and teacher training institutes. Guidelines for a program of action are elaborated in Chapter 6. The role of government, vision underlying the program, strategy and program of action, management and organization, and budget are discussed. Chapter 7 includes concluding remarks with a special emphasis on issues and factors which are expected to influence the implementation of the "leap for the future." Appendices present a list of the COMMITT members; a discussion on the Dutch education system; Committee statements; statements developed and judged by ICT coordinators; and different types of use of ICT as a medium. (AEF

Scrub typhus ecology: a systematic review of Orientia in vectors and hosts

Abstract Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is an important and neglected vector-borne zoonotic disease with an expanding known distribution. The ecology of the disease is complex and poorly understood, impairing discussion of public health interventions. To highlight what we know and the themes of our ignorance, we conducted a systematic review of all studies investigating the pathogen in vectors and non-human hosts. A total of 276 articles in 7 languages were included, with 793 study sites across 30 countries. There was no time restriction for article inclusion, with the oldest published in 1924. Seventy-six potential vector species and 234 vertebrate host species were tested, accounting for over one million trombiculid mites (‘chiggers’) and 83,000 vertebrates. The proportion of O. tsutsugamushi positivity was recorded for different categories of laboratory test and host species. Vector and host collection sites were geocoded and mapped. Ecological data associated with these sites were summarised. A further 145 articles encompassing general themes of scrub typhus ecology were reviewed. These topics range from the life-cycle to transmission, habitats, seasonality and human risks. Important gaps in our understanding are highlighted together with possible tools to begin to unravel these. Many of the data reported are highly variable and inconsistent and minimum data reporting standards are proposed. With more recent reports of human Orientia sp. infection in the Middle East and South America and enormous advances in research technology over recent decades, this comprehensive review provides a detailed summary of work investigating this pathogen in vectors and non-human hosts and updates current understanding of the complex ecology of scrub typhus. A better understanding of scrub typhus ecology has important relevance to ongoing research into improving diagnostics, developing vaccines and identifying useful public health interventions to reduce the burden of the disease.</jats:p

Assessing Fitness for Military Enlistment, Physical, Medical, and Mental Health Standards

The document of record as published may be found at https://doi.org/10.17226/11511Assessing Fitness for Military Enlistment examines the current physical, medical, and mental health standards for military enlistment in light of (1) trends in the physical condition of the youth population; (2) medical advances for treating certain conditions, as well as knowledge of the typical course of chronic conditions as young people reach adulthood; (3) the role of basic training in physical conditioning; (4) the physical demands and working conditions of various jobs in today's military services; and (5) the measures that are used by the Services to characterize an individual's physical condition. The focus is on the enlistment of 18- to 24-year-olds and their first term of service