Preparing teachers to support inclusion: The benefits of interaction between a group of pre-service teachers and a teaching assistant who is disabled.

This qualitative study investigates the development of preservice teachers' attitudes toward people with disabilities during a semester-long unit. Ten students enrolled in a special education teaching elective were interviewed before and after they were engaged in a teaching program designed to expose them to direct, structured interactions with a teaching assistant who was physically disabled. The teaching assistant interacted with students in both small and large group tutorial discussions throughout the semester. Also, students kept a reflective journal on their experiences with people with disabilities throughout the teaching program. Data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and journals, and analysis indicated that: (i) students developed a more positive attitude and became more comfortable in interacting with the teaching assistant during the semester, and (ii) learning experience improved their knowledge about disability issues

The Law and Policy of Civil Rights: A Tactical Perspective for Educators

This article is presented to share with fellow professional teacher-scholars the preparation of a freshly-formulated teaching project. The aim of this project is to provide a classroom public policy study program wherein students debate policy issues in a carefully structured and professional fashion. This structure encompasses hands-on study of actually-litigated minority set-aside/affirmative action controversies before the U.S. Supreme Court, with every student always utilizing the primary documents (the litigants\u27 briefs) used by the Supreme Court Justices themselves. These briefs provide readymade resources fueling policy debate on either side of each case

A near-peer teaching program designed, developed and delivered exclusively by recent medical graduates for final year medical students sitting the final objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)

Abstract Background The General Medical Council states that teaching doctors and students is important for the care of patients. Our aim was to deliver a structured teaching program to final year medical students, evaluate the efficacy of teaching given by junior doctors and review the pertinent literature. Methods We developed a revision package for final year medical students sitting the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The package was created and delivered exclusively by recent medical graduates and consisted of lectures and small group seminars covering the core areas of medicine and surgery, with a focus on specific OSCE station examples. Students were asked to complete a feedback questionnaire during and immediately after the program. Results One hundred and eighteen completed feedback questionnaires were analysed. All participants stated that the content covered was relevant to their revision. 73.2% stated that junior doctors delivered teaching that is comparable to that of consultant - led teaching. 97.9% stated the revision course had a positive influence on their learning. Conclusions Our study showed that recent medical graduates are able to create and deliver a structured, formal revision program and provide a unique perspective to exam preparation that was very well received by our student cohort. The role of junior doctors teaching medical students in a formal structured environment is very valuable and should be encouraged.</p

Are there any winners in high-stakes mathematics testing? A qualitative case study exploring student, parent and teacher attitudes towards NAPLAN numeracy tests in years 3 and 5

Through the annual implementaion of National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), testing of mathematical standards across Australia invokes questions about the impact that high-stakes testing has for the teaching and learning of mathematics. According to recent studies on high-stakes testing, the role of the teacher is instrumental in children\u27s achievement results. The purpose of this case study is to explore perspectives about NAPLAN from key participants at one Western Australian Primary School, namely: students, teachers, and parents. The paper will report on the extent to which instructional pedagogy at one school has been affected by the implementation of NAPLAN testing and subsequent publication of results. Consistent with a phenomenological perspective, the qualitative data for this investigation were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes. These data offered particular insights into how key participants viewed the impact of NAPLAN testing has had on the instructional pedagogy in Year 3 and Year 5 classrooms

University Supervisors\u27 Perspectives on the Student Teaching Timeframe

Structured Abstract Objective: The purpose of this research study was to describe university supervisors’ perception of extending the student teaching time frame in a family and consumer sciences (FCS) teacher education program. Background: Recently, a Midwestern State University FCS teacher education program extended the length of student teaching from 10 to 16 weeks. To verify if the student teaching timeframe mattered in enhancing the development of FCS teacher candidates, this study sought the perspectives of university supervisors who worked in both timeframes. Method: Using a qualitative design, interviews were conducted with two FCS university supervisors who supervised student teachers in Spring 2013 for the 10 week duration and Spring 2014 for the 16 week timeframe. The data was transcribed and analyzed for themes. Results: The most notable finding was that student teachers were just as prepared for entering the teaching workforce in both timeframes however the additional weeks allowed for more time to develop under supervision. Conclusion: The increase to 16 weeks enhanced the development of FCS teacher candidates from the university supervisor’s perspective. Application: The findings provide empirical data for justifying extending the student teaching timeframe for program evaluation and add to the lacking voice among university supervisors in teacher education. Additionally, the findings can be a data resource to review for other teacher education programs considering extending or shortening the student teacher timeframe

Visual and Textual Programming Languages: A Systematic Review of the Literature

It is well documented, and has been the topic of much research, that Computer Science courses tend to have higher than average drop out rates at third level. This is a problem that needs to be addressed with urgency but also caution. The required number of Computer Science graduates is growing every year but the number of graduates is not meeting this demand and one way that this problem can be alleviated is to encourage students at an early age towards studying Computer Science courses. This paper presents a systematic literature review on the role of visual and textual programming languages when learning to program, particularly as a first programming language. The approach is systematic, in that a structured search of electronic resources has been conducted, and the results are presented and quantitatively analysed. This study will give insight into whether or not the current approaches to teaching young learners programming are viable, and examines what we can do to increase the interest and retention of these students as they progress through their education.Comment: 18 pages (including 2 bibliography pages), 3 figure

Framework for sustainable TVET-Teacher Education Program in Malaysia Public Universities

Studies had stated that less attention was given to the education aspect, such as teaching and learning in planning for improving the TVET system. Due to the 21st Century context, the current paradigm of teaching for the TVET educators also has been reported to be fatal and need to be shifted. All these disadvantages reported hindering the country from achieving the 5th strategy in the Strategic Plan for Vocational Education Transformation to transform TVET system as a whole. Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework for sustainable TVET Teacher Education program in Malaysia. This study had adopted an Exploratory Sequential Mix-Method design, which involves a semi-structured interview (phase one) and survey method (phase two). Nine experts had involved in phase one chosen by using Purposive Sampling Technique. As in phase two, 118 TVET-TE program lecturers were selected as the survey sample chosen through random sampling method. After data analysis in phase one (thematic analysis) and phase two (Principal Component Analysis), eight domains and 22 elements have been identified for the framework for sustainable TVET-TE program in Malaysia. This framework was identified to embed the elements of 21st Century Education, thus filling the gap in this research. The research findings also indicate that the developed framework was unidimensional and valid for the development and research regarding TVET-TE program in Malaysia. Lastly, it is in the hope that this research can be a guide for the nations in producing a quality TVET teacher in the future

Development and Implementation of a Pharmacist-managed Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Program

Purpose The development and implementation of a pharmacist-managed outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) program in a county teaching hospital are described. Summary A pharmacist-managed OPAT program was developed and implemented at a county teaching hospital to provide consistent evaluation, approval, and monitoring of patients requiring OPAT for the treatment of infection. The developmental and implementation stages of the OPAT program included (1) a needs assessment, (2) the identification of resources necessary for program operation, (3) delineation of general OPAT program operations and activities of individual OPAT clinicians, (4) the development of patient selection criteria, including a plan of care algorithm, and (5) acquisition of administrative support to approve the program. In this program, the OPAT pharmacist plays an integral role in the management and oversight of OPAT patients, working under a collaborative agreement with infectious diseases physicians. The OPAT pharmacist assists with appropriate patient and regimen selection, confirmation of orders on discharge, assuring that laboratory tests for safety surveillance are performed and evaluated, performing routine monitoring for adverse events and line complications, and assuring the removal of the vascular access device upon the completion of OPAT. Conclusion: The OPAT program provides structured monitoring, patient follow-up, and led to improvements in patient outcome with minimization of treatment and line-related adverse events