Teaching mathematics at a distance: Trialling a wiki community to focus reflection and share resources

Professional development for academic staff in Higher Education is always more interesting and inspiring if good practice can be embedded in a way which is meaningful and relevant to the individual. The current project focuses on raising awareness of significant or difficult parts of a course, and promoting the exchange of good practice using a wiki environment. Our findings suggest that this methodology has promise, and is particularly valuable to new tutors, or at the start of a new course. The wiki can be used to host a repository of teaching materials and we illustrate a number of examples. We have also learnt a number of useful lessons on the ways in which a wiki might be used to support a staff community in the future, and offer a list of recommendations

Why colorectal screening fails to achieve the uptake rates of breast and cervical cancer screening : a comparative qualitative study

Funding: National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative Grant (C9227/A17676) awarded to co-PIs KR and CMcC.Background In Scotland, the uptake of clinic-based breast (72%) and cervical (77%) screening is higher than home-based colorectal screening (~60%). To inform new approaches to increase uptake of colorectal screening, we compared the perceptions of colorectal screening among women with different screening histories. Methods We purposively sampled women with different screening histories to invite to semistructured interviews: (1) participated in all; (2) participated in breast and cervical but not colorectal (‘colorectal-specific non-participants’); (3) participated in none. To identify the sample we linked the data for all women eligible for all three screening programmes in Glasgow, Scotland (aged 51–64 years; n=68 324). Interviews covered perceptions of cancer, screening and screening decisions. Framework method was used for analysis. Results Of the 2924 women invited, 86 expressed an interest, and 59 were interviewed. The three groups’ perceptions differed, with the colorectal-specific non-participants expressing that: (1) treatment for colorectal cancer is more severe than for breast or cervical cancer; (2) colorectal symptoms are easier to self-detect than breast or cervical symptoms; (3) they worried about completing the test incorrectly; and (4) the colorectal test could be more easily delayed or forgotten than breast or cervical screening. Conclusion Our comparative approach suggested targets for future interventions to increase colorectal screening uptake including: (1) reducing fear of colorectal cancer treatments; (2) increasing awareness that screening is for the asymptomatic; (3) increasing confidence to self-complete the test; and (4) providing a suggested deadline and/or additional reminders.PostprintPeer reviewe

Comparing uptake across breast, cervical and bowel screening at an individual level:a retrospective cohort study

Funding: CR-UK through its National Awareness & Early Diagnosis Initiative C9227/A17676.Background We investigated demographic and clinical predictors of lower participation in bowel screening relative to breast and cervical screening. Methods Data linkage study of routinely collected clinical data from 430,591 women registered with general practices in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board. Participation in the screening programmes was measured by attendance at breast or cervical screening or the return of a bowel screening kit. Results 72.6% of 159,993 women invited attended breast screening, 80.7% of 309,899 women invited attended cervical screening and 61.7% of 180,408 women invited completed bowel screening. Of the 68,324 women invited to participate in all three screening programmes during the study period, 52.1% participated in all three while 7.2% participated in none. Women who participated in breast (OR = 3.34 (3.21, 3.47), p < 0.001) or cervical (OR = 3.48 (3.32, 3.65), p < 0.001) were more likely to participate in bowel screening. Conclusion Participation in bowel screening was lower than breast or cervical for this population although the same demographic factors were associated with uptake, namely lower social deprivation, increasing age, low levels of comorbidity and prior non-malignant neoplasms. As women who complete breast and cervical are more likely to also complete bowel screening, interventions at these procedures to encourage bowel screening participation should be explored.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Speculative Practicescapes of Learning Design and Dreaming

This article addresses a serious issue that besets learning design: its over-reliance on frameworks that promise particular outcomes for individual learners that accord with pre-defined metrics. This is partly a function of the nature of learning design and development itself which is commonly seen as outcome-oriented activity that should benefit individual learners in specific ways. An alternative approach is adopted here which calls attention to other happenings at the heart of education, including positive emotions we experience that are made known through less measurable and more fleeting points of reference. Hence, we draw on sources such as poems and personal reflections in order not just to design learning but to dream it. The concept of a practicescape is invoked which serves not just to situate learning but to remind the learner that their learning experience only happens within the context of their finite lifetime. Seven practicescapes are presented and reflected on by the authors as a conversation framework for interrogating ideas of learning that owe more to dreams, poems, and possibilities than aims, objectives, or outcomes. Drawing on early Buddhist philosophy, the practicescapes attempt to honour particular affective states and conjure a heart-centred framework on which to hang speculative questions and provocations for learning design that are focused on cultivating and sustaining the most positive forms of human experience. These practicescapes are offered as a speculative learning design climbing frame that could take us from dreams of possibility to enlivened and embodied presents

Screening Women in Glasgow: Comparing uptake across cancer screening programmes at an individual patient level

Introduction Population-based screening has been shown to reduce cancer specific mortality. Within Scotland, three national screening programmes exist: breast, cervical and bowel. Despite being a common and preventable form of cancer, the uptake for bowel cancer screening among women lags behind that for breast and cervical cancer. Objectives and Approach Since the benefits of screening accrue with participation, it is important to understand why differences in screening uptake exist. In this study, data on women aged 24-74 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, invited to take part in one or more screening programme during the period 2009-2013, were linked to demographic and medical data. Uptake was determined based on the presence of a screening attendance or result; the impact of age, deprivation and co-morbidity on uptake was determined using logistic regression for each individual programme, and for the cohort of women invited to participate in all three programmes. Results Overall, 430,591 women were invited to take part in one or more screening programme during the study period. The uptake for bowel screening was, at 61.7%, lower than that seen in either the breast (72.6%) or cervical (80.7%) programme. Despite these differences, the same demographic factors were associated with uptake of each individual screening programme: older women and those living in affluent areas were most likely to attend. Medical factors did differentially influence uptake, those with multi-morbid illness being less likely to participate in breast and bowel, but not the cervical programme. For the 68,324 women invited to participate in all programmes, 52.1% took part in all three while 7.2% participated in none. Conclusion/Implications Uptake of bowel screening was confirmed as lower than uptake of other programmes, although all were similarly impacted by demographic, clinical and socioeconomic factors. Individuals were more likely to complete bowel screening if they participate in another programme, suggesting these may serve as a vehicle for improving bowel screening uptake

Which Behaviour Change Techniques Lead to Completion of Bowel Cancer Screening? Participants’ and Non-participants’ Descriptions of their Experience

No abstract available

Identifying Micro Actions in Colorectal Cancer Screening: a Secondary Analysis of Qualitative Data

No abstract available

Work in Progress: What Can We Learn About How to Improve Uptake of Bowel Cancer Screening From Higher Rates of Uptake in Breast and Cervical Screening Programmes?

Background: Screening can reduce deaths from cervical, bowel and breast cancer if the people invited participate. Among women in Scotland, uptake of screening is 58% for bowel, compared to 74% for breast, 71% for cervical. Little research has examined why bowel screening fails to achieve the uptake rates of breast and cervical screening. The relative ‘newness’ of the bowel screening programme does not appear to explain the low participation rate. It is therefore important to understand why bowel screening is failing to achieve the uptake rates of breast and cervical screening. Aims: This study aims to compare women’s accounts of the NHS Scotland’s breast, cervical and bowel screening programmes, in order to identify barriers specific to bowel screening. Methods: We will conduct individual semi-structured interviews with 30 to 60 women aged 50 to 60 years. Our purposive sample will include women from areas of high and low deprivation and we will interview women who have participated in all three screening programmes, in none, and in breast and/ or cervical, but not bowel screening. Results: The interview transcripts will be analysed using Framework Analysis, which permits comparisons across pre-identified categories, such as socio-economic deprivation level and uptake patterns, but also allows for additional themes to emerge. Dual-Process Theory will also inform the analysis. Conclusions: The findings of this study will further existing knowledge and inform new approaches to increase uptake of bowel screening