Improving Teachers' Knowledge of Functional Assessment-Based Interventions: Outcomes of a Professional Development Series

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Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Oakes, Wendy Peia; Powers, Lisa; Diebold, Tricia; Germer, Kathryn; Common, Eric A.; Brunsting, Nelson

2015-01-01

This paper provides outcomes of a study examining the effectiveness of a year-long professional development training series designed to support in-service educators in learning a systematic approach to functional assessment-based interventions developed by Umbreit and colleagues (2007) that has met with demonstrated success when implemented with…

Mobile learning for teacher professional learning: benefits, obstacles and issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Aubusson

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This paper reflects on the role of mobile learning in teachers' professional learning. It argues that effective professional learning requires reflection and collaboration and that mobile learning is ideally suited to allow reflection-inaction and to capture the spontaneity of learning moments. The paper also argues for the value of collaborations between teachers and students in professional learning. It suggests that authentic artefacts and anecdotes, captured through mobile technologies, can enable the sharing, analysis and synthesis of classroom experiences by teachers and students. Such analysis and synthesis helps to encourage collaborative reflective practice and is likely to improve teacher and student learning as a result. Ethical issues that might arise through using mobile technologies in this way are also discussed. Teacher voice is presented to indicate the range of views about mobile learning and to indicate current practices. Practical, school systemic, attitudinal and ethical factors may inhibit mobile technology adoption; these factors need to be researched and addressed to realise the potential of teacher mobile professional learning.

Professional Learning in Unlikely Spaces: Social Media and Virtual Communities as Professional Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen P. King

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this case study, results demonstrate that an individual’s use of social media as professional learning spans understanding, networking, professional identity development, and transformative learning. Specifically, virtual online communities facilitated through social media provide professional networks, social relationships and learning beyond the scope of the individual’s usual experience. Case study method reveals strategies, extent, and impact of learning providing insight into this phenomenon. The significance of the research includes purposefully facilitating professional learning through informal learning contexts, including social media and online communities beyond technology-centric fields. Discussion and recommendations include using social media and virtual communities as instructional strategies for graduate studies and continued learning beyond formal education.

Myths about Technology-Supported Professional Learning

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Killion, Joellen; Treacy, Barbara

2014-01-01

The future of professional learning is shaped by its present and past. As new technologies emerge to increase affordability, access, and appropriateness of professional learning, three beliefs are visible in current practices related to online learning. Each contains a premise that merits identification and examination. The authors call these…

A Case Study Examination of Best Practices of Professional Learning Communities

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Akopoff, Tanya M.

2010-01-01

A current trend in education is that small teacher groups, called professional learning communities (PLC), are being advocated as a tool to help teachers reach struggling students. Educators planning to use PLC as an intervention strategy can benefit from research-based information about PLC best practices. This multiple case study addressed the…

Understanding teachers’ professional learning goals from their current professional concerns

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Louws, Monika L.; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Veen, Klaas; van Driel, Jan H.

In the day-to-day workplace teachers direct their own learning, but little is known about what drives their decisions about what they would like to learn. These decisions are assumed to be influenced by teachers’ current professional concerns. Also, teachers in different professional life phases

Creating Professional Learning Communities: The Work of Professional Development Schools

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Doolittle, Gini; Sudeck, Maria; Rattigan, Peter

2008-01-01

If professional learning communities offer opportunities for improving the teaching and learning process, then developing strong professional development school (PDS) partnerships establish an appropriate framework for that purpose. PDS partnerships, however, can be less than effective without proper planning and discussion about the aims of those…

Collaborative Professional Learning: Contributing to the Growth of Leadership, Professional Identity and Professionalism

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Colmer, Kaye

2017-01-01

This article contributes to understanding of professionalism in early childhood education and argues that in working to implement a mandated curriculum framework, professional identity and professionalism can be enhanced. While primarily focused on examining the nature of leadership practice during professional development and learning to…

Learning Networks for Professional Development & Lifelong Learning

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Brouns, Francis; Sloep, Peter

2009-01-01

Brouns, F., & Sloep, P. B. (2009). Learning Networks for Professional Development & Lifelong Learning. Presentation of the Learning Network Programme for a Korean delegation of Chonnam National University and Dankook University (researchers dr. Jeeheon Ryu and dr. Minjeong Kim and a Group of PhD and

Professional Learning in Unlikely Spaces: Social Media and Virtual Communities as Professional Development

OpenAIRE

Kathleen P. King

2011-01-01

In this case study, results demonstrate that an individual’s use of social media as professional learning spans understanding, networking, professional identity development, and transformative learning. Specifically, virtual online communities facilitated through social media provide professional networks, social relationships and learning beyond the scope of the individual’s usual experience. Case study method reveals strategies, extent, and impact of learning providing insight into this phe...

THE LET ME LEARN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROCESS FOR TEACHER TRANSFORMATION

OpenAIRE

Calleja, Colin

2013-01-01

This research set out to explore how a group of nine educators from a Catholic Church school in Malta, who have attended the Let Me Learn professional Learning process (LMLpLp), experienced personal and professional transformation. This study investigates those factors influencing participants in their transformative learning journey. It also explores the dynamics of transformative learning and whether individual transformation affects the school’s transformative learning experience. More spe...

Learning Networks for Professional Development & Lifelong Learning

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Sloep, Peter

2009-01-01

Sloep, P. B. (2009). Learning Networks for Professional Development & Lifelong Learning. Presentation at a NeLLL seminar with Etienne Wenger held at the Open Universiteit Nederland. September, 10, 2009, Heerlen, The Netherlands.

Exploring educational interventions to facilitate health professional students' professionally safe online presence.

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Henning, Marcus A; Hawken, Susan; MacDonald, Joanna; McKimm, Judy; Brown, Menna; Moriarty, Helen; Gasquoine, Sue; Chan, Kwong; Hilder, Jo; Wilkinson, Tim

2017-09-01

To establish the most effective approach and type of educational intervention for health professional students, to enable them to maintain a professionally safe online presence. This was a qualitative, multinational, multi-institutional, multiprofessional study. Practical considerations (availability of participants) led us to use a combination of focus groups and individual interviews, strengthening our findings by triangulating our method of data collection. The study gathered data from 57 nursing, medical and paramedical students across four sites in three countries (Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia and Wales). A content analysis was conducted to clarify how and why students used Facebook and what strategies they thought might be useful to ensure professional usage. A series of emergent codes were examined and a thematic analysis undertaken from which key themes were crystallized. The results illuminated the ways in which students use social networking sites (SNS). The three key themes to emerge from the data analysis were negotiating identities, distancing and risks. Students expressed the wish to have material about professional safety on SNS taught to them by authoritative figures to explain "the rules" as well as by peers to assist with practicalities. Our interactive research method demonstrated the transformative capacity of the students working in groups. Our study supports the need for an educational intervention to assist health professional students to navigate SNS safely and in a manner appropriate to their future roles as health professionals. Because health professional students develop their professional identity throughout their training, we suggest that the most appropriate intervention incorporate small group interactive sessions from those in authority, and from peers, combined with group work that facilitates and enhances the students' development of a professional identity.

Student Preparation for Professional Practice in Early Intervention

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Francois, Jennifer R.; Coufal, Kathy L.; Subramanian, Anu

2015-01-01

The preparation of students for professional practice in the field of early intervention has changed as a result of mandates through Part C, Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this survey research was to describe the knowledge and skill areas, specific to early intervention, included in pre-professional curricula…

Professional development for radiographers and post graduate nurses in radiological interventions: Building teamwork and collaboration through drama.

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Lundén, M; Lundgren, S M; Morrison-Helme, M; Lepp, M

2017-11-01

The rapid development within Interventional Radiology presents new challenges. Hybrid operating rooms consist of interventional radiology, open surgery, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and other techniques. This means that several disciplines and professionals need to work in new constellations creating a multidisciplinary team around the patient. In accordance with this development, higher professional education must provide new pedagogic strategies to successfully address the knowledge expected in today's complex working life. To explore the use of Applied Drama as a learning medium, focusing on the use of Forum Theatre, to foster team work and collaboration in the field of radiography and learning. A qualitative approach, closely related to Ethnography, was utilized. The Drama Workshop utilising Forum Theatre created a dynamic learning environment and enabled the participants from three professions to understand each other's priorities better. The use of drama within health care education allows the students to take different roles in order to find the best way to co-operate. Forum Theatre is a useful learning medium in order to promote teamwork and collaboration in the radiological intervention field. By choosing a personal working experience, Forum Theatre seem to engage the participants at a deeper level and to experience various communication strategies and how the outcome changed depending on the approach. This can lead to improved teamwork and collaboration. Copyright © 2017 The College of Radiographers. All rights reserved.

Professional learning versus interprofessional learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Cathrine Sand

2014-01-01

to improve quality in the Danish healthcare system (1). Cooperation between patients and professionals is challenged when patients are transferred between department, hospitals or sectors (2). Sharing and developing knowledge inter-professionally and in particular across sectors is inadequate (3......, which is necessary for development of the future undergraduate health professional education programmes. The PhD project intends to generate knowledge of: - the contributions of InterTværs to the quality of future health professional education programmes and to the future healthcare system....... The transition challenges in the healthcare system do not seem to only affect patients and knowledge, but also the students and learning. References: (1) Institute for Quality and Accreditation in Healthcare. 2012. The Danish Healthcare Quality Programme. Accreditation Standards for Hospitals (2) Siemsen IMD...

A Collaborative Action Research Approach to Professional Learning

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Bleicher, Robert E.

2014-01-01

The field of professional development is moving towards the notion of professional learning, highlighting the active learning role that teachers play in changing their knowledge bases, beliefs and practice. This article builds on this idea and argues for creating professional learning that is guided by a collaborative action research (CAR)…

Informed consent to healthcare interventions in people with learning disabilities--an integrative review.

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Goldsmith, Lesley; Skirton, Heather; Webb, Christine

2008-12-01

This paper is a report of an integrative review of informed consent to healthcare interventions in people with learning disabilities. Consent to treatment lies at the heart of the relationship between patient and healthcare professional. In order for people with learning disabilities to have equity of access to health care, they need to be able to give informed consent to health interventions--or be assessed as incompetent to give consent. The British Nursing Index (BNI), CINAHL, MEDLINE, Social Care Online, ERIC and ASSIA and PsycINFO databases were searched using the search terms: Consent or informed choice or capacity or consent to treat* or consent to examin* AND Learning disab* or intellectual* disab* or mental* retard* or learning difficult* or mental* handicap*. The search was limited to papers published in English from January 1990 to March 2007. An integrative review was conducted and the data analysed thematically. Twenty-two studies were reviewed. The main themes identified were: life experience, interaction between healthcare professionals and participants, ability to consent, and psychometric variables. A consensus seemed to emerge that capacity to consent is greater in people with higher cognitive ability and verbal skills, but that the attitudes and behaviour of healthcare professionals was also a crucial factor. The findings support use of the functional approach to assessing mental capacity for the purpose of obtaining informed consent. Future research into informed consent in people with learning disabilities is needed using real life situations rather than hypothetical vignettes.

Understanding Teachers' Professional Learning Goals from Their Current Professional Concerns

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Louws, Monika L.; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Veen, Klaas; van Driel, Jan H.

2018-01-01

In the day-to-day workplace teachers direct their own learning, but little is known about what drives their decisions about what they would like to learn. These decisions are assumed to be influenced by teachers' current professional concerns. Also, teachers in different professional life phases have different reasons for engaging in professional…

Professional Learning in Higher Education: Making Good Practice Relevant

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Daniels, Jeannie

2017-01-01

Professionals working in a range of contexts are increasingly expected to engage in ongoing professional learning to maintain their skills and develop their practices. In this paper, I focus on professional learning in Higher Education and challenge the standardisation of professional learning that is becoming prevalent in a number of countries. I…

Professional Learning and Collaboration

OpenAIRE

Greer, Janet Agnes

2012-01-01

The American education system must utilize collaboration to meet the challenges and demands our culture poses for schools. Deeply rooted processes and structures favor teaching and learning in isolation and hinder the shift to a more collaborative paradigm. Professional learning communities (PLCs) support continuous teacher learning, improved efficacy, and program implementation. The PLC provides the framework for the development and enhancement of teacher collaboration and teacher collaborat...

Distance learning: the future of continuing professional development.

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Southernwood, Julie

2008-10-01

The recent development of a market economy in higher education has resulted in the need to tailor the product to the customers, namely students, employers and commissioning bodies. Distance learning is an opportunity for nurse educators and institutions to address marketing initiatives and develop a learning environment in order to enhance continuing professional development. It provides options for lifelong learning for healthcare professionals--including those working in community settings--that is effective and cost efficient. Development of continuing professional development programmes can contribute to widening the participation of community practitioners in lifelong learning, practice and role development. This paper considers the opportunities that web-based and online education programmes can provide community practitioners to promote professional skills while maintaining a work-life balance, and the role of the lecturer in successfully supporting professionals on web-based learning programmes.

A suicide awareness and intervention program for health professional students.

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De Silva, Eve; Bowerman, Lisa; Zimitat, Craig

2015-01-01

Many emergency service professionals and health professionals play important roles in the assessment and management of suicide risk but often receive inadequate mental health training in this area. A 'Suicide Awareness and Intervention Program' (SAIP) was developed for first year medical, paramedical and pharmacy students at the University of Tasmania, Australia. The program aimed to increase students' knowledge and awareness about suicide-related issues, develop interpersonal skills around suicide screening and increase awareness of available support services. A 5-hour experiential SAIP was embedded within the curriculum. A pre and post evaluation of knowledge, skills and attitudes was conducted, with an open-ended follow-up survey regarding use of what was learned in the program. Pre and post SAIP surveys showed significant improvement inknowledge and practical skills. Feedback from students and the counselling service indicated enduring impact of the program. Participation in the SAIP increased knowledge, skills and attitudes related to the assessment and management of individuals at risk for suicide, and the application of this ability to students' personal and professional lives.

Internet-Based Assessment of Oncology Health Care Professional Learning Style and Optimization of Materials for Web-Based Learning: Controlled Trial With Concealed Allocation.

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Micheel, Christine M; Anderson, Ingrid A; Lee, Patricia; Chen, Sheau-Chiann; Justiss, Katy; Giuse, Nunzia B; Ye, Fei; Kusnoor, Sheila V; Levy, Mia A

2017-07-25

Precision medicine has resulted in increasing complexity in the treatment of cancer. Web-based educational materials can help address the needs of oncology health care professionals seeking to understand up-to-date treatment strategies. This study aimed to assess learning styles of oncology health care professionals and to determine whether learning style-tailored educational materials lead to enhanced learning. In all, 21,465 oncology health care professionals were invited by email to participate in the fully automated, parallel group study. Enrollment and follow-up occurred between July 13 and September 7, 2015. Self-enrolled participants took a learning style survey and were assigned to the intervention or control arm using concealed alternating allocation. Participants in the intervention group viewed educational materials consistent with their preferences for learning (reading, listening, and/or watching); participants in the control group viewed educational materials typical of the My Cancer Genome website. Educational materials covered the topic of treatment of metastatic estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer using cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors. Participant knowledge was assessed immediately before (pretest), immediately after (posttest), and 2 weeks after (follow-up test) review of the educational materials. Study statisticians were blinded to group assignment. A total of 751 participants enrolled in the study. Of these, 367 (48.9%) were allocated to the intervention arm and 384 (51.1%) were allocated to the control arm. Of those allocated to the intervention arm, 256 (69.8%) completed all assessments. Of those allocated to the control arm, 296 (77.1%) completed all assessments. An additional 12 participants were deemed ineligible and one withdrew. Of the 552 participants, 438 (79.3%) self-identified as multimodal learners. The intervention arm showed greater improvement in posttest score compared to the control group (0.4 points

Teaching language teachers scaffolding professional learning

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Maggioli, Gabriel Diaz

2012-01-01

Teaching Language Teachers: Scaffolding Professional Learning provides an updated view of as well as a reader-friendly introduction to the field of Teaching Teachers, with special reference to language teaching. By taking a decidedly Sociocultural perspective, the book addresses the main role of the Teacher of Teachers (ToT) as that of scaffolding the professional learning of aspiring teachers.

The sustainability of improvements from continuing professional development in pharmacy practice and learning behaviors.

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McConnell, Karen J; Delate, Thomas; Newlon, Carey L

2015-04-25

To assess the long-term sustainability of continuing professional development (CPD) training in pharmacy practice and learning behaviors. This was a 3-year posttrial survey of pharmacists who had participated in an unblinded randomized controlled trial of CPD. The online survey assessed participants' perceptions of pharmacy practice, learning behaviors, and sustainability of CPD. Differences between groups on the posttrial survey responses and changes from the trial's follow-up survey to the posttrial survey responses within the intervention group were compared. Of the 91 pharmacists who completed the original trial, 72 (79%) participated in the sustainability survey. Compared to control participants, a higher percentage of intervention participants reported in the sustainability survey that they had utilized the CPD concept (45.7% vs 8.1%) and identified personal learning objectives (68.6% vs 43.2%) during the previous year. Compared to their follow-up survey responses, lower percentages of intervention participants reported identifying personal learning objectives (94.3% vs 68.6%), documenting their learning plan (82.9% vs 22.9%) and participating in learning by doing (42.9% vs 14.3%) in the sustainability survey. In the intervention group, many of the improvements to pharmacy practice items were sustained over the 3-year period but were not significantly different from the control group. Sustainability of a CPD intervention over a 3-year varied. While CPD-trained pharmacists reported utilizing CPD concepts at a higher rate than control pharmacists, their CPD learning behaviors diminished over time.

Analyzing Learning in Professional Learning Communities: A Conceptual Framework

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Van Lare, Michelle D.; Brazer, S. David

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to build a conceptual framework that informs current understanding of how professional learning communities (PLCs) function in conjunction with organizational learning. The combination of sociocultural learning theories and organizational learning theories presents a more complete picture of PLC processes that has…

E-learning on the road: online learning and social media for continuing professional competency.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan M Batt

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background The impact of social media and online learning in health professions education has previously shown generally positive results in medical, nursing and pharmacy students. To date there has not been any extensive research into social media and online learning use by prehospital health care professionals such as paramedics. Aim & Methods We sought to identify the extent to which Irish pre-hospital practitioners make use of online learning and social media for continuous professional competency (CPC, and the means by which they do so. A cross-sectional online survey of practitioners was conducted to obtain both quantitative and qualitative data. The release of the survey was in a controlled manner to PHECC registrants via various channels. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Results A total of 248 respondents completed the survey in full by closing date of 31 March 2015, representing 5.4% of all registrants (n=4,555. 77% of respondents were male, and the majority were registered as Emergency Medical Technicians (49%, followed by Advanced Paramedics (26%. Over 78% of respondents used a mobile device in the course of their clinical duties; the majority used an iOS device. Social media and online learning were considered learning tools by over 75% of respondents, and over 74% agreed they should be further incorporated into prehospital education. The most popular platforms for CPC activities were YouTube and Facebook. The majority of respondents (88% viewed self-directed activities to constitute continuous professional development activity, but 64% felt that an activity that resulted in the awarding of a certificate was better value. Over 90% of respondents had previous experience with online learning, but only 42% indicated they had previously purchased or paid for online learning. Conclusion Prehospital practitioners in Ireland in the population studied consider online learning and social media acceptable for CPC purposes. The main

An organisational perspective on professionals' learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkjær, Bente; Brandi, Ulrik

2014-01-01

that they are connected with. These are a behavioural, a cognitive and a practice-based perspective on organisational learning respectively. We propose that these lenses on organisations and learning may help us see professionals’ learning as contextualised in both their work practices and their places of work, i......The purpose and contribution of our chapter is to provide a vision for professionals’ learning in the light of the field of organisational learning, and through this lens to incorporate various understandings of the organisational dynamics that professionals work and learn in and through. Inspired...... by some of the founding fathers of the field of organisational learning, Chris Argyris and Donald Schön (Argyris & Schön, 1978; 1996: 3), we ask: “what is an organisation that professionals may learn?” We answer this question by introducing three understandings of organisations and the learning theories...

Learning, Motivation, and Transfer: Successful Teacher Professional Development

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McDonald, Lex

2012-01-01

In this article, I am concerned with three key issues of teacher professional development--teacher learning, motivation, and transfer of learning. Each issue has received minimal attention in teacher professional development literature. The three issues are discussed, and a model of an integrative professional development approach is outlined,…

professional development through informal learning' : workshop

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dr.ir. Quinta Kools

2013-01-01

professional development through informal learning In planning professional development for teachers or teacher educators, very often a formal course or training is offered. There is a lack of attention for the fact that a lot of professional development takes place at work through so-called

Perceptions of School Principals on Participation in Professional Learning Communities as Job-Embedded Learning

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Gaudioso, Jennifer A.

2017-01-01

Perceptions of School Principals on Participation in Professional Learning Communities as Job-Embedded Learning Jennifer Gaudioso Principal Professional Learning Communities (PPLCs) have emerged as a vehicle for professional development of principals, but there is little research on how principals experience PPLCs or how districts can support…

New Standards Put the Spotlight on Professional Learning

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Mizell, Hayes; Hord, Shirley; Killion, Joellen; Hirsh, Stephanie

2011-01-01

Learning Forward introduces new Standards for Professional Learning. This is the third iteration of standards outlining the characteristics of professional learning that lead to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results. The standards are not a prescription for how education leaders and public officials…

Parenting Interventions for Children with Tic Disorders: Professionals' Perspectives.

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Evans, Gemma A L; Wittkowski, Anja; Butler, Hannah; Hedderly, Tammy; Bunton, Penny

Tic disorders can have an emotional and social impact on children and families, which can in turn have a reciprocal impact on tics. Research into parenting interventions within this population is limited. Twenty-five professionals' views on the acceptability, effectiveness, feasibility and utility of parenting interventions were explored using Q-methodology. Three highly correlated factors emerged, indicating three viewpoints with discrete elements that were underpinned by similar general perspectives. All factors endorsed a psychological approach, the importance of parenting practices, and theoretical and clinical justifications for parenting interventions. Discrete elements of the viewpoints debated the advocated focus, barriers and audience of interventions. Multidisciplinary professionals endorsed parenting interventions as a therapeutic tool within tic disorders. Results provide suggestions to further develop and implement interventions.

Exploring Instructional Strategies and Learning Theoretical Foundations of eHealth and mHealth Education Interventions.

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Tamim, Suha R; Grant, Michael M

2016-05-19

This qualitative study aimed at exploring how health professionals use theories and models from the field of education to create ehealth and mhealth education interventions in an effort to provide insights for future research and practice on the development and implementation of health promotion initiatives. A purposeful sample of 12 participants was selected, using criterion and snowballing sampling strategies. Data were collected and analyzed from semistructured interviews, planning materials, and artifacts. The findings revealed that none of the participants used a specific learning theory or an instructional model in their interventions. However, based on participants' description, three themes emerged: (1) connections to behaviorist approaches to learning, (2) connections to cognitivist approaches to learning, and (3) connections to constructivist approaches to learning. Suggested implications for practice are (1) the design of a guidebook on the interplay of learning theories, instructional models, and health education and (2) the establishment of communities of practice. Further research can (1) investigate how learning theories and models intertwine with health behavior theories and models, (2) evaluate how the different instructional strategies presented in this study affect learning outcomes and health behavior change processes, and (3) investigate factors behind the instructional strategies choices made by health professionals. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

An instructional intervention to encourage effective deep collaborative learning in undergraduate veterinary students.

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Khosa, Deep K; Volet, Simone E; Bolton, John R

2010-01-01

In recent years, veterinary education has received an increased amount of attention directed at the value and application of collaborative case-based learning. The benefit of instilling deep learning practices in undergraduate veterinary students has also emerged as a powerful tool in encouraging continued professional education. However, research into the design and application of instructional strategies to encourage deep, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary undergraduates has been limited. This study focused on delivering an instructional intervention (via a 20-minute presentation and student handout) to foster productive, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary education. The aim was to instigate and encourage deep learning practices in a collaborative case-based assignment and to assess the impact of the intervention on students' group learning. Two cohorts of veterinary students were involved in the study. One cohort was exposed to an instructional intervention, and the other provided the control for the study. The instructional strategy was grounded in the collaborative learning literature and prior empirical studies with veterinary students. Results showed that the intervention cohort spent proportionally more time on understanding case content material than did the control cohort and rated their face-to-face discussions as more useful in achieving their learning outcomes than did their control counterparts. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the assignment evolved differently for the control and intervention students from start to end of the assignment. This study provides encouraging evidence that veterinary students can change and enhance the way they interact in a group setting to effectively engage in collaborative learning practices.

Holding the Reins of the Professional Learning Community: Eight Themes from Research on Principals' Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities

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Cranston, Jerome

2009-01-01

Using a naturalistic inquiry approach and thematic analysis, this paper outlines the findings of a research study that examined 12 Manitoba principals' conceptions of professional learning communities. The study found that these principals consider the development of professional learning communities to be a normative imperative within the…

In the Round: Supporting Teachers' Authentic Professional Learning

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Strand, Matt

2013-01-01

This is a study of teachers' authentic professional learning at a public school in Poudre School District in northern Colorado. At Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, teachers and administrators have developed a form of school-based instructional rounds referred to herein as PLC rounds (professional learning community rounds). In PLC rounds,…

Professional International Service Learning as an International Service Learning Opportunity Appropriate for Graduate or Professional Students

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Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Lee, Hee Yun

2015-01-01

Graduate and professional schools are increasingly using short-term international study abroad courses as one way for internationalizing their curriculum. While international service learning can be a means for improving students' engagement in international learning experiences and providing a structure for learning, it is difficult to design…

Harnessing the Power of Learning Management Systems: An E-Learning Approach for Professional Development.

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White, Meagan; Shellenbarger, Teresa

E-learning provides an alternative approach to traditional professional development activities. A learning management system may help nursing professional development practitioners deliver content more efficiently and effectively; however, careful consideration is needed during planning and implementation. This article provides essential information in the selection and use of a learning management system for professional development.

Ethics interventions for healthcare professionals and students: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Stolt, Minna; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Ruokonen, Minka; Repo, Hanna; Suhonen, Riitta

2018-03-01

The ethics and value bases in healthcare are widely acknowledged. There is a need to improve and raise awareness of ethics in complex systems and in line with competing needs, different stakeholders and patients' rights. Evidence-based strategies and interventions for the development of procedures and practice have been used to improve care and services. However, it is not known whether and to what extent ethics can be developed using interventions. To examine ethics interventions conducted on healthcare professionals and healthcare students to achieve ethics-related outcomes. A systematic review. Five electronic databases were searched: CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Philosopher's Index, PubMed and PsycINFO. We searched for published articles written in English without a time limit using the keywords: ethic* OR moral* AND intervention OR program OR pre-post OR quasi-experimental OR rct OR experimental AND nurse OR nursing OR health care. In the four-phased retrieval process, 23 full texts out of 4675 citations were included in the review. Data were analysed using conventional content analysis. Ethical consideration: This systematic review was conducted following good scientific practice in every phase. It is possible to affect the ethics of healthcare practices through professionals and students. All the interventions were educational in type. Many of the interventions were related to the ethical or moral sensitivity of the professionals, such as moral courage and empowerment. A few of the interventions focused on identifying ethical problems or research ethics. Patient-related outcomes followed by organisational outcomes can be improved by ethics interventions targeting professionals. Such outcomes are promising in developing ethical safety for healthcare patients and professionals.

The Future of Professional Learning

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Burns, Mary

2013-01-01

What will technology-based teacher professional development look like in the next few years? In this article, teacher training curriculum designer Mary Burns presents her 5 top picks from the professional learning technologies now emerging around the world: (1) IPTV; (2) Immersive Environments; (3) Video; (4) Social Media; and (5) Mobile…

"Follow" Me: Networked Professional Learning for Teachers

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Holmes, Kathryn; Preston, Greg; Shaw, Kylie; Buchanan, Rachel

2013-01-01

Effective professional learning for teachers is fundamental for any school system aiming to make transformative and sustainable change to teacher practice. This paper investigates the efficacy of Twitter as a medium for teachers to participate in professional learning by analysing the tweets of 30 influential users of the popular medium. We find…

Teacher Professional Learning: Developing with the Aid of Technology

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Kyprianou, Marianna; Nikiforou, Eleni

2016-01-01

Education is a field that constantly changes, which dictates the need for continuing teacher professional learning and development. Teacher professional learning and development can be divided into two categories: formal learning/ development and informal learning/development. This paper focuses on the experience of the presenters as coordinators…

Music Therapy as a Caring Intervention: Swedish Musicians Learning a New Professional Field

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Petersson, Gunnar; Nystrom, Maria

2011-01-01

The question of competence in providing music therapy has rarely been the focus of interest in empirical research, as most music therapy research aims at measuring outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse and describe musicians' learning processes when they study music therapy as a caring intervention. An initial presumption is…

Preservice Training in Response to Intervention: Learning by Doing an Interdisciplinary Field Experience

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Hawkins, Renee O.; Kroeger, Stephen D.; Musti-Rao, Shobana; Barnett, David W.; Ward, Justine E.

2008-01-01

Marking major changes in professional role performance, response to intervention (RTI) is now in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) as a possible method to improve the identification of specific learning disabilities. Moreover, RTI and related concepts and initiatives have fundamentally influenced more general methods of…

Supporting Professional Learning in a Massive Open Online Course

Science.gov (United States)

Milligan, Colin; Littlejohn, Allison

2014-01-01

Professional learning, combining formal and on the job learning, is important for the development and maintenance of expertise in the modern workplace. To integrate formal and informal learning, professionals have to have good self-regulatory ability. Formal learning opportunities are opening up through massive open online courses (MOOCs),…

National board certification as professional development: What are teachers learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Lustick, David Scott

This study investigated the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' (NBPTS) assessment process in order to identify, quantify, and substantiate possible learning outcomes from the participants. One hundred and twenty candidates for the Adolescent and Young Adult Science (AYA Science) Certificate were studied over a 2-year period using the recurrent institutional cycle research design. This quasi-experimental methodology allowed for the collection of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data insuring a good measure of internal validity regarding observed changes both between and within group means. Multiple assessors scored transcripts of structured interviews with each teacher using the NBPTS' assessment framework according to the 13 standards accomplished science teaching. The scores (aggregated to the group level) provided the quantitative evidence of teacher learning in this study. Significant changes in mean scores from pre to post are reported at the overall, standard group, and individual standard levels. Findings suggest that the intervention had an overall effect size of .475 upon candidates' understanding of science teaching related knowledge. More specifically, most learning was associated with the standards of Scientific Inquiry and Assessment. The results support the hypothesis that the certification process is an effective standards based professional learning opportunity. The learning outcomes discussed in this report (including the identification of Dynamic, Technical, and Deferred Learning categories) should inform debate between educational stakeholders regarding the financial and ideological support of National Board certification as a means of improving teacher quality, provide suggestions for the improvement of the assessment process, and contribute insight into the current divisive state of science education in public education.

Healthcare professionals and managers' participation in developing an intervention: A pre-intervention study in the elderly care context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bergman Howard

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to increase the chances of success in new interventions in healthcare, it is generally recommended to tailor the intervention to the target setting and the target professionals. Nonetheless, pre-intervention studies are rarely conducted or are very limited in scope. Moreover, little is known about how to integrate the results of a pre-intervention study into an intervention. As part of a project to develop an intervention aimed at improving care for the elderly in France, a pre-intervention study was conducted to systematically gather data on the current practices, issues, and expectations of healthcare professionals and managers in order to determine the defining features of a successful intervention. Methods A qualitative study was carried out from 2004 to 2006 using a grounded theory approach and involving a purposeful sample of 56 healthcare professionals and managers in Paris, France. Four sources of evidence were used: interviews, focus groups, observation, and documentation. Results The stepwise approach comprised three phases, and each provided specific results. In the first step of the pre-intervention study, we gathered data on practices, perceived issues, and expectations of healthcare professionals and managers. The second step involved holding focus groups in order to define the characteristics of a tailor-made intervention. The third step allowed validation of the findings. Using this approach, we were able to design and develop an intervention in elderly care that met the professionals' and managers' expectations. Conclusion This article reports on an in-depth pre-intervention study that led to the design and development of an intervention in partnership with local healthcare professionals and managers. The stepwise approach represents an innovative strategy for developing tailored interventions, particularly in complex domains such as chronic care. It highlights the usefulness of seeking out the

Designing Professional Learning Communities through Understanding the Beliefs of Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Jie; Kang, Rui; Liu, Di

2016-01-01

This study was designed to initiate the process of building professional development learning communities for pre-service math teachers through revealing those teachers' conceptions/beliefs of students' learning and their own learning in China. It examines Chinese pre-service math teachers' conceptions of student learning and their related…

Understanding the Context of Learning in an Online Social Network for Health Professionals' Informal Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Gray, Kathleen; Verspoor, Karin; Barnett, Stephen

2017-01-01

Online social networks (OSN) enable health professionals to learn informally, for example by sharing medical knowledge, or discussing practice management challenges and clinical issues. Understanding the learning context in OSN is necessary to get a complete picture of the learning process, in order to better support this type of learning. This study proposes critical contextual factors for understanding the learning context in OSN for health professionals, and demonstrates how these contextual factors can be used to analyse the learning context in a designated online learning environment for health professionals.

Establishing Time for Professional Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Staff Development, 2013

2013-01-01

Time for collaborative learning is an essential resource for educators working to implement college- and career-ready standards. The pages in this article include tools from the workbook "Establishing Time for Professional Learning." The tools support a complete process to help educators effectively find and use time. The following…

E-learning and professional development--never too old to learn.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Anthony

A growing concern among healthcare professionals is the need to continually update knowledge and skills in order to enhance clinical practice. It is recognized that there are major concerns about recruitment and retention of staff within health care, and an increasing need for greater emphasis on valuing the existing workforce. This article contributes to the debate about the role of e-learning in conjunction with continuing professional development (CPD) and personal professional development. It describes how healthcare professionals utilized an innovative, self-managed, pick-up and put-down distance learning module delivered online or by CD-ROM. Staff enrolled on the module were encouraged to complete a questionnaire online or by post upon completion of each unit; to enhance validity, telephone interviews were also conducted with selected staff. Results indicate that participants showed some improvement in all categories, especially patient care where 90% of staff reported some improvement after completing the course. This particular method of teaching and learning was shown to be favoured by staff as a method of CPD, and thus has the potential to enhance patient care.

Planning for Technology Integration in a Professional Learning Community

Science.gov (United States)

Thoma, Jennifer; Hutchison, Amy; Johnson, Debra; Johnson, Kurt; Stromer, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Barriers to technology integration in instruction include a lack of time, resources, and professional development. One potential approach to overcoming these barriers is through collaborative work, or professional learning communities. This article focuses on one group of teachers who leveraged their professional learning community to focus on…

[Adult learning, professional autonomy and individual commitment].

Science.gov (United States)

Pardell-Alentá, H

The concept of 'andragogy' is the basis of the adult education which is different from pedagogy in several aspects, particularly in the autonomy of the adult learner in choosing the educational programmes and the methodologies and sites in where learning occurs. This happens very often in the worksite. The professionals have to learn permanently during their active lives in order to maintain their competence updated. In this sense, continuing education correlates with continuing professional development, which is an attempt to enlarge the traditional domains of continuing education. Continuing education must be clearly differentiated from formal education, which is a requirement for granting professional degrees or titles. Very often it arises from the changing health needs and for this reason is necessary to avoid the institutionalization of continuing education programmes. Professional associations should be actively involved in providing and accrediting continuing education-continuing professional development programmes, because this involvement is an essential component of the professionals' self-regulation in the context of the current medical professionalism ideology.

5 CFR 551.208 - Learned professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... chemistry. However, the learned professional exemption is not applicable to occupations that customarily may... engineers, and performs work using knowledge acquired through on-the-job and classroom training rather than... will not qualify as exempt professionals. (f) Engineering. Engineers generally meet the duties...

Development of professional practice through problem-based learning in human nutrition and Dietetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romero-López Ma Carmen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Although competency-based education is well established in health care education, research shows that the competencies do not always match the reality of clinical workplaces, especially in nutrition area. Student of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, have reported shortcomings in their general competencies, such as organizational skills, teamwork, knowledge to develop proposals for intervention. Were given to students a problem-based learning (PBL activity with collaborative learning competence for to investigate their evolutions in collaborative learning and the knowledge in nutrition education. The results suggest that the PBL provided better preparation with respect to several of the competencies. The effect of PBL for the experienced students' collaborative learning and education nutrition competencies is especially promising in the professional development of future nutritionists.

OBSERVATIONS ON ENGLISH LEARNING MOTIVATION IN PROFESSIONAL COLLEGES

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

GuoShixiang

2004-01-01

The study was carried out on 78 students majoring in tourism in a professional college based on their fourth-term final English achievements. A small scale questionnaire investigated students' English learning motivation. The study reveals that:1) Most of the professional college students English learning motivation is instrumental motivation or certificate motivation.2)Successful learners have intrinsic motivation.3)unsuccessfull earners have extrinsic motivation.4)Both successful learners and unsuccessful learners spend nearly the same time learning English. In the light of social constructivism,the thesis analyzes the students' English learning motivation in professional colleges on the basis of the result of the investigation. It also illustrates causes of formed motivation. Four education suggestions are put forward based on the study.

Professional, structural and organisational interventions in primary care for reducing medication errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, Hanan; Bell, Brian; Chambers, Helen; Sheikh, Aziz; Avery, Anthony J

2017-10-04

Medication-related adverse events in primary care represent an important cause of hospital admissions and mortality. Adverse events could result from people experiencing adverse drug reactions (not usually preventable) or could be due to medication errors (usually preventable). To determine the effectiveness of professional, organisational and structural interventions compared to standard care to reduce preventable medication errors by primary healthcare professionals that lead to hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and mortality in adults. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, three other databases, and two trial registries on 4 October 2016, together with reference checking, citation searching and contact with study authors to identify additional studies. We also searched several sources of grey literature. We included randomised trials in which healthcare professionals provided community-based medical services. We also included interventions in outpatient clinics attached to a hospital where people are seen by healthcare professionals but are not admitted to hospital. We only included interventions that aimed to reduce medication errors leading to hospital admissions, emergency department visits, or mortality. We included all participants, irrespective of age, who were prescribed medication by a primary healthcare professional. Three review authors independently extracted data. Each of the outcomes (hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and mortality), are reported in natural units (i.e. number of participants with an event per total number of participants at follow-up). We presented all outcomes as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used the GRADE tool to assess the certainty of evidence. We included 30 studies (169,969 participants) in the review addressing various interventions to prevent medication errors; four studies addressed professional interventions (8266 participants) and 26 studies described

Imbuing medical professionalism in relation to safety: a study protocol for a mixed-methods intervention focused on trialling an embedded learning approach that centres on the use of a custom designed board game.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ward, Marie

2017-07-17

Healthcare organisations have a responsibility for ensuring that the governance of workplace settings creates a culture that supports good professional practice. Encouraging such a culture needs to start from an understanding of the factors that make it difficult for health professionals to raise issues of concern in relation to patient safety. The focus of this study is to determine whether a customised education intervention, developed as part of the study, with interns and senior house officers (SHOs) can imbue a culture of medical professionalism in relation to patient safety and support junior doctors to raise issues of concern, while shaping a culture of responsiveness and learning.

A blended-learning programme regarding professional ethics in physiotherapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar-Rodríguez, Marta; Marques-Sule, Elena; Serra-Añó, Pilar; Espí-López, Gemma Victoria; Dueñas-Moscardó, Lirios; Pérez-Alenda, Sofía

2018-01-01

In the university context, assessing students' attitude, knowledge and opinions when applying an innovative methodological approach to teach professional ethics becomes fundamental to know if the used approach is enough motivating for students. To assess the effect of a blended-learning model, based on professional ethics and related to clinical practices, on physiotherapy students' attitude, knowledge and opinions towards learning professional ethics. Research design and participants: A simple-blind clinical trial was performed (NLM identifier NCT03241693) (control group, n = 64; experimental group, n = 65). Both groups followed clinical practices for 8 months. Control group performed a public exposition of a clinical case about professional ethics. By contrast, an 8-month blended-learning programme regarding professional ethics was worked out for experimental group. An online syllabus and online activities were elaborated, while face-to-face active participation techniques were performed to discuss ethical issues. Students' attitudes, knowledge and opinions towards learning professional ethics were assessed. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the University Ethic Committee of Human Research and followed the ethical principles according to the Declaration of Helsinki. After the programme, attitudes and knowledge towards learning professional ethics of experimental group students significantly improved, while no differences were observed in control group. Moreover, opinions reported an adequate extension of themes and temporization, importance of clinical practices and interest of topics. Case study method and role playing were considered as the most helpful techniques. The blended-learning programme proposed, based on professional ethics and related to clinical practices, improves physiotherapy students' attitudes, knowledge and opinions towards learning professional ethics.

Professional Learning 101: A Syllabus of Seven Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Fogarty, Robin; Pete, Brian

2010-01-01

Seven elements found in professional development research are necessary for successful professional development programs. High-quality professional learning must be sustained, job-embedded, collegial, interactive, integrative, practical, and results-oriented.

Model United Nations and Deep Learning: Theoretical and Professional Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Susan; Pallas, Josh; Lambert, Sarah

2017-01-01

This article demonstrates that the purposeful subject design, incorporating a Model United Nations (MUN), facilitated deep learning and professional skills attainment in the field of International Relations. Deep learning was promoted in subject design by linking learning objectives to Anderson and Krathwohl's (2001) four levels of knowledge or…

Viewpoint: learning professionalism: a view from the trenches.

Science.gov (United States)

Brainard, Andrew H; Brislen, Heather C

2007-11-01

The authors, medical students immersed in learning professionalism, observe that most of the professionalism literature misses the mark. Their views on professionalism education, although not the result of qualitative research, were gained from four years of conversations with students from a dozen medical schools, plus online student discussions, focus groups, and meetings with supervisors from five schools. The authors propose that the chief barrier to medical professionalism education is unprofessional conduct by medical educators, which is protected by an established hierarchy of academic authority. Students feel no such protection, and the current structure of professionalism education and evaluation does more to harm students' virtue, confidence, and ethics than is generally acknowledged. The authors maintain that deficiencies in the learning environment, combined with the subjective nature of professionalism evaluation, can leave students feeling persecuted, unfairly judged, and genuinely and tragically confused. They recommend that administrators, medical educators, residents, and students alike must show a personal commitment to the explicit professionalism curriculum and address the hidden curriculum openly and proactively. Educators must assure transparency in the academic process, treat students respectfully, and demonstrate their own professional and ethical behavior. Students overwhelmingly desire to become professional, proficient, and caring physicians. They seek professional instruction, good role models, and fair evaluation. Students struggle profoundly to understand the disconnect between the explicit professional values they are taught and the implicit values of the hidden curriculum. Evaluation of professionalism, when practiced in an often unprofessional learning environment, invites conflict and compromise by students that would otherwise tend naturally toward avowed professional virtues.

GP and pharmacist inter-professional learning - a grounded theory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, David E; Ferguson, Julie; Wakeling, Judy; Zlotos, Leon; Power, Ailsa

2016-05-01

Practice Based Small Group Learning (PBSGL) is an established learning resource for primary care clinicians in Scotland and is used by one-third of general practitioners (GPs). Scottish Government and UK professional bodies have called for GPs and pharmacists to work more closely together to improve care. To gain GPs' and pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of learning together in an inter-professional PBSGL pilot. Qualitative research methods involving established GP PBSGL groups in NHS Scotland recruiting one or two pharmacists to join them. A grounded theory method was used. GPs were interviewed in focus groups by a fellow GP, and pharmacists were interviewed individually by two researchers, neither being a GP or a pharmacist. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory methods. Data saturation was achieved and confirmed. Three themes were identified: GPs' and pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of inter-professional learning; Inter-professional relationships and team-working; Group identity and purpose of existing GP groups. Pharmacists were welcomed into GP groups and both professions valued inter-professional PBSGL learning. Participants learned from each other and both professions gained a wider perspective of the NHS and of each others' roles in the organisation. Inter-professional relationships, communication and team-working were strengthened and professionals regarded each other as peers and friends.

Beyond Performativity: A Pragmatic Model of Teacher Professional Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Margaret; Davis, James P.

2018-01-01

The intent and content of teacher professional learning has changed in recent times to meet the demands of performativity. In this article, we offer and demonstrate a pragmatic way to map teacher professional learning that both meets current demands and secures a place for teacher-led catalytic learning. To achieve this, we position identified…

Developing a Professional Learning Community among Preservice Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Nathan

2013-01-01

This action research study examined the development of a professional learning community (PLC) among 20 preservice secondary teachers as they met regularly during a semester-long, field-based education course to share artifacts of learning from their professional portfolios. The PLC model described by Hord and Tobia (2012) served as a framework…

Coaching Discourse: Supporting Teachers' Professional Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Heineke, Sally F.

2013-01-01

Although coaching is used in many schools to facilitate teachers' professional learning, few studies look closely at coaching discourse. Exploring how coaching facilitates teachers' professional development, this study used tape-recorded coaching sessions and individual post-interviews to examine the one-on-one coaching interactions of 4…

Imbuing medical professionalism in relation to safety: a study protocol for a mixed-methods intervention focused on trialling an embedded learning approach that centres on the use of a custom designed board game.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Marie; McAuliffe, Eilish; Ní Shé, Éidín; Duffy, Ann; Geary, Una; Cunningham, Una; Holland, Catherine; McDonald, Nick; Egan, Karen; Korpos, Christian

2017-07-17

Healthcare organisations have a responsibility for ensuring that the governance of workplace settings creates a culture that supports good professional practice. Encouraging such a culture needs to start from an understanding of the factors that make it difficult for health professionals to raise issues of concern in relation to patient safety. The focus of this study is to determine whether a customised education intervention, developed as part of the study, with interns and senior house officers (SHOs) can imbue a culture of medical professionalism in relation to patient safety and support junior doctors to raise issues of concern, while shaping a culture of responsiveness and learning. We will use quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data. The sample size will be approximately 200 interns and SHOs across the two hospital sites. Two surveys will be included with one measuring leadership inclusiveness and psychological safety and a second capturing information on safety concerns that participants may have witnessed in their places of work. The PlayDecide embedded learning intervention will be developed with key stakeholders. This will be trialled in the middle stage of data collection for both interns and SHOs. A detailed content analysis will be conducted on the surveys to assess any changes in reporting following the PlayDecide intervention. This will be compared with the incident reporting levels and the results of the preintervention and postintervention leadership inclusiveness and psychological safety survey. Statistical analysis will be conducted using SPSS. Differences will be considered statistically significant at pethics approval from University College Dublin (Ref. LS-15-19-Ward-McAuliffe: Imbuing Medical Professionalism in Relation to Safety). The study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No

Professional development in sport psychology : relating learning experiences to learning outcomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hutter, R. I. (Vana); Oldenhof-Veldman, Tanja; Pijpers, J. R. (Rob); Oudejans, Raôul R.D.

2017-01-01

To enhance the training of sport psychology consultants, it is important to know which learning experiences are useful for which components of professional development. We interviewed 15 novice consultants on their learning experiences related to 13 different topics. Traditional learning experiences

Transfer of learning: Radiographers' perceptions of simulation-based educational intervention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aura, S.; Jordan, S.; Saano, S.; Tossavainen, K.; Turunen, H.

2016-01-01

Aim: The aims of this qualitative descriptive study were to 1) explore and define radiographers' competence in intravenous pharmacotherapy before and after a simulation-based education, 2) examine radiographer's perceptions of transfer of learning into clinical practice. Method: Sixteen diagnostic radiographers in one hospitals' Clinical Radiology Unit were individually interviewed before a multidisciplinary simulation-based pharmacotherapy education intervention in 2012 and fourteen were re-interviewed after the intervention 6–7 months later. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Before education the participants reported uncertain competence in pain management during imaging procedures and acute situations. These weak competence areas identified were strengthened and self-confidence grew. The intervention improved the domains of pharmacotherapy-related patient safety; teamwork development and communication skills. In addition, the radiographers indicated that the iv. pharmacotherapy knowledge from simulation learning was transferred to routine work. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest simulation-based education is suitable for radiographers' pharmacotherapy learning. Adequate pain measurement and management are essential during invasive procedures and these skills can be realistically learned in simulations and transferred to clinical practice. - Highlights: • Simulation education is suitable for professionals' pharmacotherapy education. • Radiographers felt education empowered them to manage acute situations. • Skills in pain measurement, analgesia and patient monitoring enhanced. • Communication and teamwork skills were enhanced. • Simulation-based learning was transferred to clinical practice.

Learning Design for Sustainable Educational and Professional Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Godsk, Mikkel; Bjælde, Ole Eggers; Caspersen, Michael E.

2015-01-01

This poster presents the impact of two learning design initiatives at Faculty of Science and Technology, Aarhus University: the professional development module ‘Digital Learning Design’ (DiLD) for assistant professors and postdocs, and the STREAM learning design model for enhancing and transformi...... modules. Both DiLD and the STREAM model have proven to be effective for encouraging educators across all career steps to embrace the potential of educational technology in science higher education and for improving teaching and learning.......This poster presents the impact of two learning design initiatives at Faculty of Science and Technology, Aarhus University: the professional development module ‘Digital Learning Design’ (DiLD) for assistant professors and postdocs, and the STREAM learning design model for enhancing and transforming...

Batterer intervention programs in Spain: The professionals perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria A. Ferrer-Perez

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The Organic Law 1/2004 of 28 December on Integrated Protection Measures against Gender Violence has had, among other consequences, the generalization of intervention programs for batterers in cases of gender violence. The objective of this research is to explore the point of view of specialized professionals about these programs. For this purpose a qualitative methodology was used, by applying semi-structured interviews to 65 key informants, i.e. professionals with experience in implementing and/or managing and evaluating such programs. In general, these professionals were satisfied with the programs in which they had participated and they valued them positively. They considered that certain characteristics of participants and of the programs themselves contribute to promoting or hindering their success and also that they could obtain better results by customizing interventions. These results provide valuable information for understanding the difficulties encountered in implementing these programs and to improve them.

Effective Strategies for Sustaining Professional Learning Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Patricia R.

2010-01-01

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), in which educators work collaboratively to improve learning for students, need effective strategies to sustain them. PLCs promote continuous improvement in student learning and build academic success with increased teacher expertise. Grounded in organizational systems theory, participative leadership…

Workplace Learning in Dual Higher Professional Education

Science.gov (United States)

Poortman, Cindy L.; Reenalda, Marloes; Nijhof, Wim J.; Nieuwenhuis, Loek F. M.

2014-01-01

Workplace learning is considered an effective strategy for the development of vocation, career and professional identity. Dual training programs, in which learning at a vocational school and learning at work in a company are combined, are seen as strong carriers for skill formation processes. In this study we explore workplace learning in dual…

A Grounded Theory of Professional Learning in an Authentic Online Professional Development Program

Science.gov (United States)

Teräs, Hanna; Kartoglu, Umit

2017-01-01

Online professional development (OPD) programs have become increasingly popular. However, participating in professional development does not always lead to profound professional learning. Previous research endeavours have often focussed on measuring user acceptance or on comparing the effectiveness of OPD with a face-to-face delivery, but there is…

Professional development for design-based learning in engineering education: a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez Puente, Sonia M.; van Eijck, Michiel; Jochems, Wim

2015-01-01

Design-based learning (DBL) is an educational approach in which students gather and apply theoretical knowledge to solve design problems. In this study, we examined how critical DBL dimensions (project characteristics, design elements, the teacher's role, assessment, and social context) are applied by teachers in the redesign of DBL projects. We conducted an intervention for the professional development of the DBL teachers in the Mechanical Engineering and the Electrical Engineering departments. We used the Experiential Learning Cycle as an educational model for the professionalisation programme. The findings show that the programme encouraged teachers to apply the DBL theoretical framework. However, there are some limitations with regard to specific project characteristics. Further research into supporting teachers to develop open-ended and multidisciplinary activities in the projects that support learning is recommended.

Workplace Learning in Dual Higher Professional Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poortman, Cindy Louise; Reenalda, Marloes; Nijhof, W.J.; Nieuwenhuis, Loek

2014-01-01

Workplace learning is considered an effective strategy for the development of vocation, career and professional identity. Dual training programs, in which learning at a vocational school and learning at work in a company are combined, are seen as strong carriers for skill formation processes. In

Workplace Learning in Dual Higher Professional Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reenalda, Marloes; Poortman, Cindy; Nijhof, Wim; Nieuwenhuis, Loek

2018-01-01

Workplace learning is considered an effective strategy for the development of vocation, career and professional identity. Dual training programs, in which learning at a vocational school and learning at work in a company are combined, are seen as strong carriers for skill formation processes. In

Professional identity development: Learning and journeying together.

Science.gov (United States)

Bridges, Stephanie J

2018-03-01

Pharmacy students start to develop their professional values through engagement with the course, practice exposure, staff and fellow students. Group working is an element of pedagogy which draws on the social aspects of learning to facilitate knowledge and skills development, but its potential role in facilitating professional identity formation has as yet been under researched. This study aimed to explore the potential of mutual learning through group work to contribute not only to academic knowledge and understanding, but also to the development of students' professional values and selves. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 home and international first year undergraduate pharmacy students in a UK School of Pharmacy, to explore their experiences of interacting for learning with other students on the course. Thematic analysis of the interview data highlighted four main benefits of mutual learning, which are that it: promotes friendly interactions; aids learning about the subject and the profession; opens the mind through different opinions and ways of thinking; and enables learning about other people. Through working together students developed their communication skills and confidence; reflectively considered their own stance in the light of others' experiences and healthcare perspectives; and started to gain a wider worldview, potentially informing their future interactions with patients and colleagues. Some difficulties arose when group interactions functioned less well. Opportunity for collaboration and exchange can positively influence development of students' professional outlook and values. However, careful management of group working is required, in order to create a mutually supportive environment wherein students feel able to interact, share and develop together. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Closer to Learning: Social Networks, Trust, and Professional Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, Yi-Hwa; Daly, Alan J.

2014-01-01

Researchers, educators, and policymakers suggest the use of professional learning communities as one important approach to the improvement of teaching and learning. However, relatively little research examines the interplay of professional interactions (structural social capital) around instructional practices and key elements of professional…

[RIU project: perceived changes by health agents and professionals after a health intervention in an urban area of socioeconomic disadvantage].

Science.gov (United States)

Aviñó, Dory; Paredes-Carbonell, Joan J; Peiró-Pérez, Rosana; La Parra Casado, Daniel; Álvarez-Dardet, Carlos

2014-12-01

To describe how health agents and professionals working in a community project perceive the changes related to the population health status and their use of health-care services after the RIU intervention in an urban area of socioeconomic disadvantage. A qualitative descriptive study based on individual and group interviews and participant observation conducted between October 2008-July 2009. Raval (Algemesí-Valencia) We selected by purposive sample 7 women health agents, all persons who completed the intervention, and 10 professionals for their involvement in the intervention. We conducted a group interview with the women at 6 months and a group and 7 individuals interviews both at 9 months of intervention. We realized a thematic descriptive analysis from health promotion framework. We used participant observation in a meeting with professionals at 9 months and analyzed field notes as: appraisal project, detected changes, challenges and recommendations. Women acquired information about health, contraception, pregnancy and heath services; they noted changes in self-care and social skills and leadership; they internalized the role of health worker disseminating what they learned and showed improvement in self-esteem and social recognition. They caused changes in the people related on health care and access to services. Professionals didn't incorporate at their work the community perspective; they valued positively the project; professionals and women agreed on improving access and use of services and closeness population-professionals. RIU increases the capabilities of the participants, their social recognition and improves access and use of health services. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Active Learning and Self-Regulation Enhance Student Teachers’ Professional Competences

OpenAIRE

Virtanen, Päivi; Niemi, Hannele M.; Nevgi, Anne

2017-01-01

The study identifies the relationships between active learning, student teachers’ self-regulated learning and professional competences. Further, the aim is to investigate how active learning promotes professional competences of student teachers with different self-regulation profiles. Responses from 422 student teachers to an electronic survey were analysed using statistical methods. It was found that the use of active learning methods, such as goal-oriented and intentional learning as well a...

The State of Educators' Professional Learning in Canada. Executive Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Carol; Osmond-Johnson, Pamela; Faubert, Brenton; Zeichner, Kenneth; Hobbs-Johnson, Audrey

2016-01-01

Coinciding with the 2016 Annual Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Learning Forward commissioned and supported a study of professional learning across the nation of Canada. "The State of Educators' Professional Learning in Canada" was researched by a team led by Carol Campbell, Associate Professor of Leadership and Educational…

Mastery learning for health professionals using technology-enhanced simulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, David A; Brydges, Ryan; Zendejas, Benjamin; Hamstra, Stanley J; Hatala, Rose

2013-08-01

Competency-based education requires individualization of instruction. Mastery learning, an instructional approach requiring learners to achieve a defined proficiency before proceeding to the next instructional objective, offers one approach to individualization. The authors sought to summarize the quantitative outcomes of mastery learning simulation-based medical education (SBME) in comparison with no intervention and nonmastery instruction, and to determine what features of mastery SBME make it effective. The authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, key journals, and previous review bibliographies through May 2011. They included original research in any language evaluating mastery SBME, in comparison with any intervention or no intervention, for practicing and student physicians, nurses, and other health professionals. Working in duplicate, they abstracted information on trainees, instructional design (interactivity, feedback, repetitions, and learning time), study design, and outcomes. They identified 82 studies evaluating mastery SBME. In comparison with no intervention, mastery SBME was associated with large effects on skills (41 studies; effect size [ES] 1.29 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.50]) and moderate effects on patient outcomes (11 studies; ES 0.73 [95% CI, 0.36-1.10]). In comparison with nonmastery SBME instruction, mastery learning was associated with large benefit in skills (3 studies; effect size 1.17 [95% CI, 0.29-2.05]) but required more time. Pretraining and additional practice improved outcomes but, again, took longer. Studies exploring enhanced feedback and self-regulated learning in the mastery model showed mixed results. Limited evidence suggests that mastery learning SBME is superior to nonmastery instruction but takes more time.

Barriers to Change: Findings from Three Literacy Professional Learning Initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, Allison Ward; Parsons, Seth A.; Morewood, Aimee; Ankrum, Julie W.

2016-01-01

In this article, we describe lessons learned from three separate literacy professional learning initiatives that took place in elementary schools in three different locations: high-poverty urban, medium-poverty rural, and low-poverty suburban. The professional learning initiatives were also diverse in scope: one was a three-year, school-wide…

Professional Vision and the Politics of Teacher Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Lefstein, Adam; Snell, Julia

2011-01-01

This article explores the political dimensions of teacher learning, both in theoretical work on teacher professional vision, and in an empirical study of video-based teacher professional development. Theoretically, we revisit the origins of "professional vision" in linguistic anthropology and trace the concept's evolution in teacher…

Transformative Learning: Patterns of Psychophysiologic Response and Technology-Enabled Learning and Intervention Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-01

Psychophysiologic Response and Technology -Enabled Learning and Intervention Systems PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Leigh W. Jerome, Ph.D...NUMBER Transformative Learning : Patterns of Psychophysiologic Response and Technology - Enabled Learning and Intervention Systems 5b. GRANT NUMBER...project entitled “Transformative Learning : Patterns of Psychophysiologic Response in Technology Enabled Learning and Intervention Systems.” The

Transfer of Online Professional Learning to Teachers' Classroom Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Herrington, Anthony; Herrington, Jan; Hoban, Garry; Reid, Doug

2009-01-01

Professional learning is an important process in enabling teachers to update their pedagogical knowledge and practices. The use of online technologies to support professional learning has a number of benefits in terms of flexibility and scalability. However, it is not clear how well the approach impacts on teachers' classroom practices. This…

Implementing Action Research and Professional Learning Communities in a Professional Development School Setting to Support Teacher Candidate Learning

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Shanks, Joyce

2016-01-01

The paper reviews teacher candidates' use of action research and the Professional Learning Community (PLC) concept to support their work in their pre-student teaching field experience. In this research study, teacher candidates are involved in a professional development school relationship that uses action research and PLCs to support candidate…

Developing critical reflection for professional practice through problem-based learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, B

2001-04-01

To explore the influence of current learning traditions in nursing on the development of reflection and critical reflection as professional practice skills and to offer suggestions for nursing education that will specifically facilitate the development of critical reflection. ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRUCTS: Mezirow's transformative learning theory, Barrows conceptualization of problem-based learning (PBL). Integrative literature review of published literature related to nursing, health science education and professional education from 1983-2000. Professional education scholars concur that specialized knowledge is clearly essential for professional practice, however, they also suggest that self-consciousness (reflection) and continual self-critique (critical reflection) are crucial to continued competence. While strategies to facilitate reflection have been outlined in the literature, specific strategies to facilitate the development of critical reflection and implications for nursing education are much less clear. Advocates of reflective and critically reflective practice suggest that the development of these abilities should be inextricably linked to professional development and can be developed through active repeated guided practice. In health care, PBL based on constructivism, has been identified as one way to facilitate the development of these skills. Nursing learners exposed to PBL develop the ability to be reflective and critically reflective in their learning and acquire the knowledge and skill within the discipline of nursing by encountering key professional practice situations as the stimulus and focus of their classroom learning. The learners' ability to be both reflective and critically reflective in their learning is developed by critical questioning of the faculty tutor during situational analysis, learning need determination, application of knowledge, critique of resources and personal problem-solving processes, and summarization of what was learned.

Blogging for educators writing for professional learning

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Sackstein, Starr

2015-01-01

Join the education blogosphere with this easy, go-to guide! This engaging, all-in-one resource from expert blogger Starr Sackstein takes educators by the hand and guides them through the easy, step-by-step process of blogging. You'll quickly turn snippets of writing time into a tool for reflective and collaborative professional growth. With instructive sample blog posts from sites like Blogger and Wordpress and generous examples and resource listings, this guide helps busy educators learn: The value of blogging for professional learning Best practices for safe digital citizenship How to deal w

Designing Dialogic E-Learning in Pharmacy Professionalism Using Calibrated Feedback Loops (CFLs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sue Roff

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The feedback analytics of online software including Articulate and Bristol Online Surveys can be used to facilitate dialogic learning in a community of practice such as Pharmacy and, thereby, promote reflective learning by the creation of formative calibrated feedback loops. Based on work with medical, dental, nursing, osteopathic, and social work students, trainees, and registrants, the paper shows how an online learning community can be created along the continuum from undergraduate to registrant to develop authentic dialogic e-learning around standards of Professionalism. The Dundee PolyProfessionalism inventories and Situational Judgement Scenarios (SJSs can be customised for Pharmacy Professionalism learning to support evidence-based curriculum design along benchmarked learning curves and to profile Professionalism learning in individuals and cohorts.

Teacher Collaboration and Student Learning in a Professional Learning Community

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Vaughan, Mary Elaine

2013-01-01

Researchers have endorsed teacher collaboration within a professional learning community (PLC) that is focused on student learning. Despite these research-based endorsements, several Algebra 1 teachers in a southeastern high school implemented components of a PLC with little or no results in student achievement. The purpose of this study was to…

More than "Continuing Professional Development": A Proposed New Learning Framework for Professional Accountants

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Lindsay, Hilary

2016-01-01

This paper explores literature relating to continuing professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning to develop an understanding of how the learning landscape has evolved in recent years, both in the accountancy profession and more widely. Three different perspectives on learning are drawn together and this synthesis is used to develop a…

Storytelling and Professional Learning

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Doecke, Brenton

2015-01-01

This essay explores the role that storytelling might play in the professional learning of English teachers. It begins by reflecting on the ways that stories shape our everyday lives, and then considers how the meaning-making potential of storytelling might enable us to gain insights into our work as educators. This is in contradistinction to the…

Learning in professionally 'distant' contexts: opportunities and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Mausz, Justin; Tavares, Walter

2017-08-01

The changing nature of healthcare education and delivery is such that clinicians will increasingly find themselves practicing in contexts that are physically and/or conceptually different from the settings in which they were trained, a practice that conflicts on some level with socio-cultural theories of learning that emphasize learning in context. Our objective was therefore to explore learning in 'professionally distant' contexts. Using paramedic education, where portions of training occur in hospital settings despite preparing students for out-of-hospital work, fifty-three informants (11 current students, 13 recent graduates, 16 paramedic program faculty and 13 program coordinators/directors) took part in five semi-structured focus groups. Participants reflected on the value and role of hospital placements in paramedic student development. All sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. In this context six educational advantages and two challenges were identified when using professionally distant learning environments. Learning could still be associated with features such as (a) engagement through "authenticity", (b) technical skill development, (c) interpersonal skill development, (d) psychological resilience, (e) healthcare system knowledge and (f) scaffolding. Variability in learning and misalignment with learning goals were identified as potential threats. Learning environments that are professionally distant from eventual practice settings may prove meaningful by providing learners with foundational and preparatory learning experiences for competencies that may be transferrable. This suggests that where learning occurs may be less important than how the experience contributes to the learner's development and the meaning or value he/she derives from it.

Active Learning Promoting Student Teachers' Professional Competences in Finland and Turkey

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Niemi, Hannele; Nevgi, Anne; Aksit, Fisun

2016-01-01

This study investigates student teachers' active learning experiences in teacher education (TE) in Finnish and Turkish contexts and attempts to determine how active learning methods' impact student teachers' professional competences. Student teachers (N = 728) assessed their active learning experiences and the professional competences they…

Active Learning and Self-Regulation Enhance Student Teachers' Professional Competences

Science.gov (United States)

Virtanen, Päivi; Niemi, Hannele M.; Nevgi, Anne

2017-01-01

The study identifies the relationships between active learning, student teachers' self-regulated learning and professional competences. Further, the aim is to investigate how active learning promotes professional competences of student teachers with different self-regulation profiles. Responses from 422 student teachers to an electronic survey…

Professional Learning Experiences and Administrator Practice: Is There a Connection?

Science.gov (United States)

Bickmore, Dana L.

2012-01-01

This study identified the formal and informal professional learning experiences in which school administrators engaged and the relationship between these professional learning experiences and administrator practice. The researcher developed an instrument that solicited school administrators' engagement and perceived value of formal and informal…

Adoption, adaptation, and abandonment: Appropriation of science education professional development learning

Science.gov (United States)

Longhurst, Max L.

Understanding factors that impact teacher utilization of learning from professional development is critical in order maximize the educational and financial investment in teacher professional learning. This study used a multicase mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology to investigate the factors that influence teacher adoption, adaption, or abandonment of learning from science teacher professional development. The theoretical framework of activity theory was identified as a useful way to investigate the phenomenon of teacher appropriation of pedagogical practices from professional development. This framework has the capacity to account for a multitude of elements in the context of a learning experience. In this study educational appropriation is understood through a continuum of how an educator acquires and implements both practical and conceptual aspects of learning from professional development within localized context. The variability associated with instructional changes made from professional development drives this inquiry to search for better understandings of the appropriation of pedagogical practices. Purposeful sampling was used to identify two participants from a group of eighth-grade science teachers engaged in professional development designed to investigate how cyber-enabled technologies might enhance instruction and learning in integrated science classrooms. The data from this investigation add to the literature of appropriation of instructional practices by connecting eight factors that influence conceptual and practical tools with the development of ownership of pedagogical practices in the appropriation hierarchy. Recommendations are shared with professional development developers, providers, and participants in anticipation that future science teaching experiences might be informed by findings from this study.

Exploring informal workplace learning in primary healthcare for continuous professional development.

Science.gov (United States)

Joynes, Viktoria; Kerr, Micky; Treasure-Jones, Tamsin

2017-07-01

All health and social care professionals learn on the job through both formal and informal learning processes, which contributes to continuous professional development (CPD). This study explored workplace learning in General Practices, specifically looking at the role of informal learning and the workplace practices that appear to support or restrict that learning, as well as how technology was integrated into these learning processes. Three focus groups with general practitioners, practice nurses, managerial and administrative staff were conducted followed by twelve individual semi-structured interviews with participants drawn from the focus groups. Three observations of multi-disciplinary team meetings were used to establish potential team-based learning activities. Triggers for informal workplace learning included patients presenting challenging or unusual conditions; exposure to others' professional practice; and policy driven changes through revised guidance and protocols. By exploring how these triggers were acted upon, we identified mechanisms through which the primary care workplace supports or restricts informal learning through working practices, existing technologies and inter-professional structures. Informal workplace learning was identified as arising from both opportunistic encounters and more planned activities, which are both supported and restricted through a variety of mechanisms. Maximising informal learning opportunities and removing barriers to doing so should be a priority for primary care practitioners, managers and educators.

The State of Educators' Professional Learning in British Columbia: Executive Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Sherri; Hales, Anne; Kuehn, Larry; Steffensen, Karen

2016-01-01

Coinciding with the 2016 Annual Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Learning Forward commissioned and supported a study of professional learning across the nation of Canada entitled "The State of Educators' Professional Learning in Canada." A research team led by Carol Campbell, Associate Professor of Leadership and Educational…

Global Blended Learning Practices for Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Hilliard, Ann Toler

2015-01-01

Blended learning is a combination of online and face-to-face activities for classroom instruction or other training modalities to help develop new knowledge and skills that can be transferred to the workplace environment. The use of blended learning is expanding globally (Vaughn, 2007). Blended learning is evident in professional development…

A Professional Learning Community Approach

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper provides insights into how Life Sciences teachers in the Eastern Cape can be supported through professional learning communities (PLCs) as a potential approach to enhancing their biodiversity knowledge. PLCs are communities that provide the setting and necessary support for groups of classroom teachers to ...

Effect of an EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions: an RCT on professional performance, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy of occupational physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Hugenholtz, Nathalie I R; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; van Dijk, Frank J H

2008-10-01

An intervention existing of an evidence-based medicine (EBM) course in combination with case method learning sessions (CMLSs) was designed to enhance the professional performance, self-efficacy and job satisfaction of occupational physicians. A cluster randomized controlled trial was set up and data were collected through questionnaires at baseline (T0), directly after the intervention (T1) and 7 months after baseline (T2). The data of the intervention group [T0 (n = 49), T1 (n = 31), T2 (n = 29)] and control group [T0 (n = 49), T1 (n = 28), T2 (n = 28)] were analysed in mixed model analyses. Mean scores of the perceived value of the CMLS were calculated in the intervention group. The overall effect of the intervention over time comparing the intervention with the control group was statistically significant for professional performance (p Job satisfaction and self-efficacy changes were small and not statistically significant between the groups. The perceived value of the CMLS to gain new insights and to improve the quality of their performance increased with the number of sessions followed. An EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions is perceived as valuable and offers evidence to enhance the professional performance of occupational physicians. However, it does not seem to influence their self-efficacy and job satisfaction.

The future of e-learning in healthcare professional education: some possible directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kieran Walsh

2014-12-01

Full Text Available E-learning in healthcare professional education still seems like it is a new innovation but the reality is that e-learning has been around for as long as the internet has been around. This is approximately twenty years and so it is probably appropriate to now take stock and consider what the future of e-learning in healthcare professional education might be. One likely occurrence is that there will be more formats, more interactive technology, and sometimes game-based learning. Another future of healthcare professional education will likely be in simulation. Like other forms of technology outside of medicine, the cost of e-learning in healthcare professional education will fall rapidly. E-learning will also become more adaptive in the future and so will deliver educational content based on learners' exact needs. The future of e-learning will also be mobile. Increasingly in the future e-learning will be blended with face to face education.

Bridging the Gap from Classroom-based Learning to Experiential Professional Learning: A Hong Kong Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bertha Du-Babcock

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper describes and evaluates a funded longitudinal teaching development project that aims to bridge the gap from classroom-based theory learning to experiential professional learning, and thereby prepare ideal and competent world class graduates. To align with the University's shared mission to foster links with the business community, the design of the internship program has a threefold purpose and was implemented in stages. It intends to enhance students' professional awareness-knowledge-skills through a multi-leveled approach integrating classroom learning with professional practice. A debriefing mechanism was also built in enabling students to share their learning and professional challenges, and theory application to problem-solving scenarios. A 360 degree multiple evaluation procedure were used to measure the project effectiveness, including the use of industry consultants, student interns, hosts, and academic supervisors.   The project has proved to promote closer ties with the business community and enhance students' professional competencies to increase future success in the competitive job market. The impact of the internship program is significant in two aspects.  From the perspective of student learning, the internship allows students to understand how they can improve business efficiency by applying communications theories.  From the teaching perspective, the successful and unsuccessful intern experiences can be drawn upon in developing class-room teaching. These lessons can focus on preparing students to solve real-world business communication problems.

The Use of Twitter in the Creation of Educational Professional Learning Opportunities

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Ross, Carrie R.; Maninger, Robert M.; LaPrairie, Kimberly N.; Sullivan, Sam

2015-01-01

This study sought to examine how educators are using Twitter to increase their professional learning opportunities beyond the boundaries of traditional professional development offers, and whether educators feel a greater sense of fulfillment receiving professional development through networking and community learning than they do through…

Designing effective eLearning for healthcare professionals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delf, P.

2013-01-01

Overview: eLearning has been identified as a versatile, economic method of delivering education, adopted by many education providers. Yet, little research has been undertaken into its impact as a sole method of delivery and effectiveness for imparting new knowledge or skills. This may have particular implications for busy healthcare practitioners wishing to access an educational programme to maintain, or extend their knowledge base in response to service needs. Aims and methodology: Following an action research approach and using an instructional design methodology, a discrete eLearning resource was devised and constructed to prepare non-medical healthcare practitioners to report radionuclide bone scans. Volunteers were recruited from across the UK to assess and establish the feasibility and efficacy of the module. Results: In terms of versatility, access, design and content, the module achieved resonance, with knowledge gains and transferability demonstrated, particularly amongst less experienced volunteers, suggesting a positive influence of the eLearning approach. Conclusions: Owing to the small-scale nature of the study, the capability of eLearning, as a sole educational medium to establish emergent skills, can only be cautiously expressed. However, as a tool for blended learning, continuing professional development, or audit purposes, it demonstrated its potential, confirming the place for this type of resource within the professional learning arena

Practice stories in natural resource management continuing professional education: springboards for learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stummann, Cathy Brown

2014-01-01

in supporting professional learning of new concepts. These uses of practice stories are not evident in public natural resource management (NRM) continuing professional education. In light of greater public involvement in NRM practice over the last 20 years, however, the use of practice stories could now...... practice. Feedback from workshop participants suggests that practice stories may be able to support NRM professionals in reflecting on previous experiences, learning from colleague's practice experiences and serving as a springboard for learning by fostering linkages between social science knowledge......The use of stories from professional experience in continuing professional education has been on the rise in many fields, often aimed at bolstering capacity through sharing professional knowledge and/or supporting reflective practice. Practice stories are also suggested to be beneficial...

Impact of eLearning course on nurses' professional competence in seclusion and restraint practices: a randomized controlled study (ISRCTN32869544).

Science.gov (United States)

Kontio, R; Lahti, M; Pitkänen, A; Joffe, G; Putkonen, H; Hätönen, H; Katajisto, J; Välimäki, M

2011-11-01

Education on the care of aggressive and disturbed patients is fragmentary. eLearning could ensure the quality of such education, but data on its impact on professional competence in psychiatry are lacking. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of ePsychNurse.Net, an eLearning course, on psychiatric nurses' professional competence in seclusion and restraint and on their job satisfaction and general self-efficacy. In a randomized controlled study, 12 wards were randomly assigned to ePsychNurse.Net (intervention) or education as usual (control). Baseline and 3-month follow-up data on nurses' knowledge of coercion-related legislation, physical restraint and seclusion, their attitudes towards physical restraint and seclusion, job satisfaction and general self-efficacy were analysed for 158 completers. Knowledge (primary outcome) of coercion-related legislation improved in the intervention group, while knowledge of physical restraint improved and knowledge of seclusion remained unchanged in both groups. General self-efficacy improved in the intervention group also attitude to seclusion in the control group. In between-group comparison, attitudes to seclusion (one of secondary outcomes) favoured the control group. Although the ePsychNurse.Net demonstrated only slight advantages over conventional learning, it may be worth further development with, e.g. flexible time schedule and individualized content. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing.

Reflections of health care professionals on e-learning resources for patient safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Kieran

2018-01-01

There is a paucity of evidence on how health care professionals view e-learning as a means of education to achieve safer health care. To address this gap, the reflections of health care professionals who used the resources on BMJ Learning were captured and analyzed. Key themes emerged from the analysis. Health care professionals are keen to put their e-learning into action to achieve safer health care and to learn how to follow guidelines that will help them achieve safer health care. Learners wanted their learning to remain grounded in reality. Finally, many commented that it was difficult for their individual learning to have a real impact when the culture of the organization did not change.

Self-regulatory Behaviors and Approaches to Learning of Arts Students: A Comparison Between Professional Training and English Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Min-Chen; Chen, Chia-Cheng

2017-06-01

This study investigated the self-regulatory behaviors of arts students, namely memory strategy, goal-setting, self-evaluation, seeking assistance, environmental structuring, learning responsibility, and planning and organizing. We also explored approaches to learning, including deep approach (DA) and surface approach (SA), in a comparison between students' professional training and English learning. The participants consisted of 344 arts majors. The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire and the Revised Learning Process Questionnaire were adopted to examine students' self-regulatory behaviors and their approaches to learning. The results show that a positive and significant correlation was found in students' self-regulatory behaviors between professional training and English learning. The results indicated that increases in using self-regulatory behaviors in professional training were associated with increases in applying self-regulatory behaviors in learning English. Seeking assistance, self-evaluation, and planning and organizing were significant predictors for learning English. In addition, arts students used the deep approach more often than the surface approach in both their professional training and English learning. A positive correlation was found in DA, whereas a negative correlation was shown in SA between students' self-regulatory behaviors and their approaches to learning. Students with high self-regulation adopted a deep approach, and they applied the surface approach less in professional training and English learning. In addition, a SEM model confirmed that DA had a positive influence; however, SA had a negative influence on self-regulatory behaviors.

Learning about Teacher Professional Learning: Case Studies of Schools at Work in New South Wales

Science.gov (United States)

McCulla, Norman; Gereige-Hinson, Josephine

2005-01-01

The extent of the human and financial resources that teachers have access to for their professional development, and the extent to which they have the capacity to determine when, how and with whom learning takes place, are key factors in determining the quality of professional learning that results. The New South Wales Department of Education and…

Evaluating the Effect of a Web-Based E-Learning Tool for Health Professional Education on Clinical Vancomycin Use: Comparative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Stuart Evan; Crowther, Shelley P; Adhikari, Suman; Chubaty, Adriana J; Yu, Ping; Borchard, Jay P; Boutlis, Craig Steven; Yeo, Wilfred Winston; Miyakis, Spiros

2018-02-26

Internet-based learning for health professional education is increasing. It offers advantages over traditional learning approaches, as it enables learning to be completed at a time convenient to the user and improves access where facilities are geographically disparate. We developed and implemented the Vancomycin Interactive (VI) e-learning tool to improve knowledge on the clinical use of the antibiotic vancomycin, which is commonly used for treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of the VI e-learning tool on (1) survey knowledge scores and (2) clinical use of vancomycin among health professionals. We conducted a comparative pre-post intervention study across the 14 hospitals of two health districts in New South Wales, Australia. A knowledge survey was completed by nurses, doctors, and pharmacists before and after release of a Web-based e-learning tool. Survey scores were compared with those obtained following traditional education in the form of an email intervention. Survey questions related to dosing, administration, and monitoring of vancomycin. Outcome measures were survey knowledge scores among the three health professional groups, vancomycin plasma trough levels, and vancomycin approvals recorded on a computerized clinical decision support system. Survey response rates were low at 26.87% (577/2147) preintervention and 8.24% (177/2147) postintervention. The VI was associated with an increase in knowledge scores (maximum score=5) among nurses (median 2, IQR 1-2 to median 2, IQR 1-3; Pe-learning tool achieved higher overall scores than those who did not (Pe-learning tool was not shown to be significantly more effective than the comparator email in the clinical use of vancomycin, as measured by plasma levels within the therapeutic range. The e-learning tool was associated with improved knowledge scores among nurses, whereas the comparator email was associated with

841 Square Miles of Commitment: Districtwide Plan Makes Professional Learning a Priority

Science.gov (United States)

Slabine, Nancy Ames

2012-01-01

Without adequate time and resources, it is impossible for school districts and schools to support professional learning that leads to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results. That's why one of the seven new standards in Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning focuses specifically on…

Exploring Practice-Research Networks for Critical Professional Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Appleby, Yvon; Hillier, Yvonne

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the contribution that practice-research networks can make to support critical professional development in the Learning and Skills sector in England. By practice-research networks we mean groups or networks which maintain a connection between research and professional practice. These networks stem from the philosophy of…

Toward a Freedom to Learn in Continuing Professional Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, Cheryl

1986-01-01

A hybrid of professional continuing education and Carl Rogers's humanistic philosophy supporting freedom in learning is proposed, and the five principles of the philosophy are examined for their potential for transfer to professional education. (MSE)

Parenting Interventions for Children with Tic Disorders: Professionals? Perspectives

OpenAIRE

Evans, Gemma A. L.; Wittkowski, Anja; Butler, Hannah; Hedderly, Tammy; Bunton, Penny

2015-01-01

Tic disorders can have an emotional and social impact on children and families, which can in turn have a reciprocal impact on tics. Research into parenting interventions within this population is limited. Twenty-five professionals? views on the acceptability, effectiveness, feasibility and utility of parenting interventions were explored using Q-methodology. Three highly correlated factors emerged, indicating three viewpoints with discrete elements that were underpinned by similar general per...

On-line Professional Learning Communities: Increasing Teacher Learning and Productivity in Isolated Rural Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dora Salazar

2010-08-01

Full Text Available On-line and distance professional learning communities provides teachers with increased access and flexibility as well as the combination of work and education. It also provides a more learner-centered approach, enrichment and new ways of interacting with teachers in isolated rural areas. For educational administrators, on-line learning offers high quality and usually cost-effective professional development for teachers. It allows upgrading of skills, increased productivity and development of a new learning culture. At the same time, it means sharing of costs, of training time, increased portability of training, and the exchange of creativity, information, and dialogue.

The future of e-learning in healthcare professional education: some possible directions. Commentary.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Kieran

2014-01-01

E-learning in healthcare professional education still seems like it is a new innovation but the reality is that e-learning has been around for as long as the internet has been around. This is approximately twenty years and so it is probably appropriate to now take stock and consider what the future of e-learning in healthcare professional education might be. One likely occurrence is that there will be more formats, more interactive technology, and sometimes game-based learning. Another future of healthcare professional education will likely be in simulation. Like other forms of technology outside of medicine, the cost of e-learning in healthcare professional education will fall rapidly. E-learning will also become more adaptive in the future and so will deliver educational content based on learners' exact needs. The future of e-learning will also be mobile. Increasingly in the future e-learning will be blended with face to face education.

MODEL OF INTERVENTION FOCUSED ON CHILDHOOD AND THEIR PROTAGONISM IN THEIR OWN LEARNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Morera-Castro

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper was to systematize the methodological experience acquired during the Psychomotricity and Intervention Project taught at Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. This model of intervention aims at strengthening the different areas of human development in children ages 2 to 7, being perceptual-motor development and self-regulation the central axes. As a result of the implementation of this model children were able to become protagonists of their own learning.  They were exposed to different spaces and situations that, through movement, autonomy, analysis and resolution of situations, they were able to learn, face and improve daily tasks, skills and emotions.  The foregoing is according to the perception of the adult in charge of the child, project staff and the child’s own comments. It is concluded that the creation of this model is a contribution for professionals and the general community interested in children’s education and their overall formation.

Learning Nursing in the Workplace Community: The Generation of Professional Capital

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbi, Mary

This chapter explores the connections between learning, working and professional communities in nursing. It draws on experiences and research in nursing practice and education, where not only do isolated professionals learn as a result of their actions for patients and others, but those professionals are part of a community whose associated networks enable learning to occur. Several characteristics of this professional community are shared with those found in Communities of Practice (CoPs) (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998), but the balance and importance of many elements can differ. For instance, whilst Lave and Wenger (1991) describe many aspects of situated learning in CoPs that apply to nurses, their model is of little help in understanding the ways in which other professions as well as patients/clients and carers influence the development of nursing practice. Therefore, I shall argue that it is not just the Community of Practice that we need to consider

Cinemeducation: A pilot student project using movies to help students learn medical professionalism.

Science.gov (United States)

Lumlertgul, Nuttha; Kijpaisalratana, Naruchorn; Pityaratstian, Nuttorn; Wangsaturaka, Danai

2009-07-01

Using movies has been accepted worldwide as a tool to help students learn medical professionalism. In the second year, a group of medical students conducted the "Cinemeducation" project to promote professionalism in the "Medical Ethics and Critical Thinking" course. Five movies with professionalism issues were screened with 20-30 students attending each session. After the show, participants then were asked to reflect on what they had learned in terms of professionalism. Two students led group discussion emphasizing questioning and argumentation for 60 min. Additional learning issues emerging from each session were also explored in more depth and arranged into a report. In the Cinemeducation Project, medical students have learned five main ethical issues in each film, which were the doctor-patient relationship, informed consent and clinical trials in patients, management of genetic disorders, patient management, and brain death and organ transplantation. In addition to issues of professionalism, they also developed critical thinking and moral reasoning skills. Using a case-based scenario in movies has proven to be an effective and entertaining method of facilitating students with learning on professionalism.

Blended learning versus traditional teaching-learning-setting: Evaluation of cognitive and affective learning outcomes for the inter-professional field of occupational medicine and prevention / Blended Learning versus traditionelles Lehr-Lernsetting: Evaluierung von kognitiven und affektiven Lernergebnissen für das interprofessionelle Arbeitsfeld Arbeitsmedizin und Prävention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eckler Ursula

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Blended learning is characterised as a combination of face-to-face teaching and e-learning in terms of knowledge transfer, students’ learning activities and reduced presence at the teaching facility. The present cohort study investigated long-term effects of blended learning regarding cognitive outcomes as well as self-indicated estimates of immediate learning effects on the affective domain in the inter-professional field of occupational medicine. Physiotherapy students (bachelor degree at FH Campus Wien – University of Applied Sciences completed the course Occupational Medicine/Prevention either in a traditional teaching-learning setting entirely taught face-to-face (control-group, n=94, or with a blended learning model (intervention-group, n=93. Long-term effects (1.5 year follow-up on the cognitive learning outcomes were assessed according to four levels of Bloom’s learning objectives. In addition, students estimated potential benefits resulting from blended learning based on four Krathwohl’s learning objectives for the affective domain by means of a six-option Likert scale (n=282. Concerning cognitive outcomes, significant results favouring both groups were found with effect sizes from small to medium. The traditional teaching-learning setting resulted in significantly better results in the upmost aspired learning objective (analysis at the long-term (p<0,01; r=-0,33. In contrast, the intervention group resulted in significantly better long-term results on learning objective levels 1 (knowledge and 2 (understanding (p=0,01; r=-0,20 and, p=0,02; r=-0,17, respectively. Hence, no general recommendation favouring either the classical setting or blending learning can be drawn regarding the cognitive domain. However, students’ self-indications on the affective domain give preference to blended learning, particularly if inter-professional teamwork is a course objective.

Enrolling science teachers in continual professional development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

2010-01-01

The theoretical paper presents a model of how science teachers working in small groups can use video to diagnose the challengees that students face when learning science content, and how they can then design and refine appropriate teaching interventions. The analysis and discussion suggest...... that the proposed professional development program, based around group learning, should be formatively assessed, researched and refined over time following the principles of design based research, likewise the teachers' classroom interventions....

Learning, assessment and professional identity development in public health training.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Annette

2016-06-01

Professional identity formation is important for new recruits to training programmes. The integration of the accumulation of knowledge and assessment is a key aspect in its acquisition. This study assessed this interaction in Public Health Training in one English region. Semi-structured interviews were held with 15 registrars from the West Midlands Public Health Training Programme. Pre-interview questionnaires gathered background information. A thematic content analysis approach was taken. There was a lack of integration between academic and workplace learning, the professional examination process and professional identity development. Registrars considered sitting the examination and their workplace learning as two parallel processes. Passing the examination was considered a key part in the early development of a professional identity but this was replaced by the opinions of others by the third year of training. Having a Masters' in Public Health was less important but played a different role in their perceived acceptance by the wider Public Health workforce. The lack of integration between assessment and learning seemed to have a detrimental effect on professional identity development. A review of how these two aspects might combine in a more positive manner is needed.

Professional Learning as a Predictor for Instructional Quality: A Secondary Analysis of TALIS

Science.gov (United States)

Dogan, Selçuk; Yurtseven, Nihal

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of teachers' professional learning opportunities on instructional quality, which represents a combined approach of behaviorist, cognitivist, and constructivist principles in teaching. We incorporated professional learning communities (PLCs), professional development (PD) days, as well as 3 PD…

Effectiveness of an intervention for prevention and treatment of burnout in primary health care professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Gascón, Tomás; Martín-Fernández, Jesús; Gálvez-Herrer, Macarena; Tapias-Merino, Ester; Beamud-Lagos, Milagros; Mingote-Adán, José Carlos

2013-11-17

Burnout syndrome is an important health problem that affects many professionals and must be addressed globally, with both organizational measures and personal interventions. Burnout of health professionals can be prevented in order to avoid personal, familial, and social consequences, as well as repercussions for patients. This work describes a protocol for a controlled, pragmatic, randomized clinical trial in 2 parallel groups: intervention and control. All health professionals from 7 health care centers will form the intervention group, and all health professionals from 7 different health care centers will form the control group. The intervention group will receive 16 hours of training at their work place. The Maslach's burnout inventory, the Cuestionario de Desgaste Profesional Médico or the Cuestionario de Desgaste Profesional de Enfermería, and the 28-item Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire, validated for our setting, will be used as measurement tools. Change in the average scores from the Maslach's burnout inventory emotional exhaustion scale will be compared between the intervention and control groups, measured as intention-to-treat, and the intervention will be considered effective if a minimum decrease of 20% is achieved. Due to the deleterious consequences of burnout syndrome for people suffering from it and for the organization where they work, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of certain interventions for its prevention. Organizational measures are important for preventing burnout syndrome, but so is providing professionals with coping strategies, as this group intervention intends to do. ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on June 10, 2013. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01870154.

Evidence-Based Principles for Using Technology-Enhanced Learning in the Continuing Professional Development of Health Professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Karen M; Baur, Louise; Barrett, Jenny

2017-01-01

Increasingly, health professional training involves the use of educational technologies through what is broadly termed "Technology-Enhanced Learning" (TEL). TEL includes hardware, such as computers and mobile devices, and software, such as software applications (apps), learning management systems, and discussion boards. For many years, TEL has formed an integral part of health professional programs and is growing in acceptance, if not expectation, in postgraduate training and continuing education. TEL generally aims to be flexible, engaging, learner focused and interactive, and may involve collaboration and communication. It offers many benefits for learning and teaching, whether used on its own or in conjunction with face-to-face teaching through blended learning. The ubiquity of mobile devices in clinical settings means TEL is ideal for busy clinicians, both as learners and teachers. TEL enables participants to learn at a time and place that is convenient to them, so learners living in geographically dispersed locations can access standardized courses. To realize these potential benefits, we recommend that those developing TEL programs for health professionals take a systematic approach to planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. To that end, we propose 10 principles: clarify purpose and conduct a needs assessment; allocate adequate time and technology; incorporate proven approaches to improve learning; consider the need for a skills component; enable interaction between learners and with others; create different resources for different groups; pilot before implementing; incorporate measures to retain learners; provide opportunities for revision to aid retention; and evaluate learning outcomes, not just satisfaction.

Sustainable school development: professional learning communities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prof.Dr. E. Verbiest

2008-01-01

In this contribution we report about a project about Professional Learning Communities.This project combines development and research. In this contribution we pay attention to the effect of the organisational capacity of a school on the personal and interpersonal capacity and to the impact of a

Teachers' Personal Learning Networks (PLNs): Exploring the Nature of Self-Initiated Professional Learning Online

Science.gov (United States)

Tour, Ekaterina

2017-01-01

In the field of Literacy Studies, online spaces have been recognised as providing many opportunities for spontaneous and self-initiated learning. While some progress has been made in understanding these important learning experiences, little attention has been paid to teachers' self-initiated professional learning. Contributing to the debates…

Pedagogical innovation from the perspective of professional learning communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sánchez-Cortés, Ana María

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to verify the relationship between the participation of teachers in professional learning communities and the teaching practices related to the socio-constructivist model. For this purpose, a quantitative non-experimental model with a cross-sectional design was implemented, using the results of the survey entitled "Teaching and learning international survey", which was applied by the OECD in 2008 in 24 countries. The results of the conducted study determined that the dimensions of professional learning communities have a weak positive relationship with the categories of teaching practices. Additionally, the investigation addressed the differences in the responses of teachers according to variables, such as age, gender, teaching experience, and level of education.

Observation of influences of mental health promotion and mental intervention on mental health status of professionals

OpenAIRE

Jiang, Shu-Qiang; Zhang, Jian-Ling

2015-01-01

Objective: To observe the influences of mental health promotion and mental intervention on mental health status of professionals. Method: 2878 professionals for physical examination were selected and randomly divided into treatment group and control group, with 1443 professionals and 1435 professionals, respectively. Then, the difference of mental health status before and after mental intervention between two groups was compared. Results: In treatment group, the proportion of people with heal...

Designing blended learning interventions for the 21st century student.

Science.gov (United States)

Eagleton, Saramarie

2017-06-01

The learning requirements of diverse groups of students in higher education challenge educators to design learning interventions that meet the need of 21st century students. A model was developed to assist lecturers, especially those that are new to the profession, to use a blended approach to design meaningful learning interventions for physiology. The aim of the model is to encourage methodical development of learning interventions, while the purpose is to provide conceptual and communication tools that can be used to develop appropriate operational learning interventions. A whole brain approach that encourages challenging the four quadrants is encouraged. The main arguments of the model are to first determine the learning task requirements, as these will inform the design and development of learning interventions to facilitate learning and the assessment thereof. Delivery of the content is based on a blended approach. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Pain assessment and management in the NICU: analysis of an educational intervention for health professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen L.G. de Aymar

2014-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to study the perception of a Neonatal Intensive Care team on pain assessment and management before and after an educational intervention created and implemented in the unit. METHODS: intervention study developed as action research, in three phases. In Phase 1, a quantitative study was performed to identify how professionals perceive pain management in the unit. In Phase 2, an educational intervention was carried out, using the Operational Group (OG, which defined strategies to be adopted to seek improvements in pain assessment and management. In Phase 3, the initial questionnaire was reapplied to assess professionals' perceptions about the subject after the intervention. All professionals directly working in newborn care were included. RESULTS: the perception of professionals about pain management and assessment in the unit showed a statistically significant difference between the two phases of research, highlighting the increase in frequency of reference for evaluation and use of some method of pain relief procedures for most analyzed procedures. Participation in training (one of the strategies defined by the operational group was reported by 86.4% of the professionals. They reported the use of scales for pain assessment, established by the protocol adopted in the service after the intervention, with a frequency of 94.4%. Changes in pain assessment and management were perceived by 79.6% of the participants. CONCLUSION: the professionals involved in the educational intervention observed changes in pain management in the unit and related them to the strategies defined and implemented by the OG.

Health Professionals' Explanations of Suicidal Behaviour: Effects of Professional Group, Theoretical Intervention Model, and Patient Suicide Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothes, Inês Areal; Henriques, Margarida Rangel

2017-12-01

In a help relation with a suicidal person, the theoretical models of suicidality can be essential to guide the health professional's comprehension of the client/patient. The objectives of this study were to identify health professionals' explanations of suicidal behaviors and to study the effects of professional group, theoretical intervention models, and patient suicide experience in professionals' representations. Two hundred and forty-two health professionals filled out a self-report questionnaire. Exploratory principal components analysis was used. Five explanatory models were identified: psychological suffering, affective cognitive, sociocommunicational, adverse life events, and psychopathological. Results indicated that the psychological suffering and psychopathological models were the most valued by the professionals, while the sociocommunicational was seen as the least likely to explain suicidal behavior. Differences between professional groups were found. We concluded that training and reflection on theoretical models in general and in communicative issues in particular are needed in the education of health professionals.

Interviews with psychiatric inpatients about professional intervention with regard to their children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, A R; Goldschmidt, V V

1996-01-01

A description of mentally ill parents' experience and points of view concerning professional intervention in relation to their young children is presented in this paper. The results are from an interview survey designed with the purpose of improving the basis for cooperation between mentally ill......% of the children. In most cases their views were in accordance with those of the mentally ill parents. Clinical implications concerning planning of intervention in regard to children of mentally ill parents are discussed....... patients and professionals, when intervention in relation to these patients' children is needed. Fifty consecutively admitted psychiatric inpatients with children 0-10 years old were interviewed by child psychiatrists and their information constitutes the study material. Data concerning the family...

Non-formal learning and tacit knowledge in professional work.

Science.gov (United States)

Eraut, M

2000-03-01

This paper explores the conceptual and methodological problems arising from several empirical investigations of professional education and learning in the workplace. 1. To clarify the multiple meanings accorded to terms such as 'non-formal learning', 'implicit learning' and 'tacit knowledge', their theoretical assumptions and the range of phenomena to which they refer. 2. To discuss their implications for professional practice. A largely theoretical analysis of issues and phenomena arising from empirical investigations. The author's typology of non-formal learning distinguishes between implicit learning, reactive on-the-spot learning and deliberative learning. The significance of the last is commonly overemphasized. The problematic nature of tacit knowledge is discussed with respect to both detecting it and representing it. Three types of tacit knowledge are discussed: tacit understanding of people and situations, routinized actions and the tacit rules that underpin intuitive decision-making. They come together when professional performance involves sequences of routinized action punctuated by rapid intuitive decisions based on tacit understanding of the situation. Four types of process are involved--reading the situation, making decisions, overt activity and metacognition--and three modes of cognition--intuitive, analytic and deliberative. The balance between these modes depends on time, experience and complexity. Where rapid action dominates, periods of deliberation are needed to maintain critical control. Finally the role of both formal and informal social knowledge is discussed; and it is argued that situated learning often leads not to local conformity but to greater individual variation as people's careers take them through a series of different contexts. This abstract necessarily simplifies a more complex analysis in the paper itself.

Interventions for sustained healthcare professional behaviour change: a protocol for an overview of reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Dombrowski, Stephan U; Campbell, Pauline; Frost, Helen; Pollock, Alex; McLellan, Julie; MacGillivray, Steve; Gavine, Anna; Maxwell, Margaret; O'Carroll, Ronan; Cheyne, Helen; Presseau, Justin; Williams, Brian

2016-10-13

Failure to successfully implement and sustain change over the long term continues to be a major problem in health and social care. Translating evidence into routine clinical practice is notoriously complex, and it is recognised that to implement new evidence-based interventions and sustain them over time, professional behaviour needs to change accordingly. A number of theories and frameworks have been developed to support behaviour change among health and social care professionals, and models of sustainability are emerging, but few have translated into valid and reliable interventions. The long-term success of healthcare professional behavioural change interventions is variable, and the characteristics of successful interventions unclear. Previous reviews have synthesised the evidence for behaviour change, but none have focused on sustainability. In addition, multiple overlapping reviews have reported inconsistent results, which do not aid translation of evidence into practice. Overviews of reviews can provide accessible succinct summaries of evidence and address barriers to evidence-based practice. We aim to compile an overview of reviews, identifying, appraising and synthesising evidence relating to sustained social and healthcare professional behaviour change. We will conduct a systematic review of Cochrane reviews (an Overview). We plan to systematically search the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. We will include all systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials comparing a healthcare professional targeted behaviour change intervention to a standard care or no intervention control group. Two reviewers will independently assess the eligibility of the reviews and the methodological quality of included reviews using the ROBIS tool. The quality of evidence within each comparison in each review will be judged based on the GRADE criteria. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion. Effects of interventions will be systematically tabulated and the

Reflection-Based Learning for Professional Ethical Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Branch, William T; George, Maura

2017-04-01

One way practitioners learn ethics is by reflecting on experience. They may reflect in the moment (reflection-in-action) or afterwards (reflection-on-action). We illustrate how a teaching clinician may transform relationships with patients and teach person-centered care through reflective learning. We discuss reflective learning pedagogies and present two case examples of our preferred method, guided group reflection using narratives. This method fosters moral development alongside professional identity formation in students and advanced learners. Our method for reflective learning addresses and enables processing of the most pressing ethical issues that learners encounter in practice. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Toward Mobile Assisted Language Learning Apps for Professionals That Integrate Learning into the Daily Routine

Science.gov (United States)

Pareja-Lora, Antonio; Arús-Hita, Jorge; Read, Timothy; Rodríguez-Arancón, Pilar; Calle-Martínez, Cristina; Pomposo, Lourdes; Martín-Monje, Elena; Bárcena, Elena

2013-01-01

In this short paper, we present some initial work on Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) undertaken by the ATLAS research group. ATLAS embraced this multidisciplinary field cutting across Mobile Learning and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a natural step in their quest to find learning formulas for professional English that…

Bridging the Gap from Classroom-based Learning to Experiential Professional Learning: A Hong Kong Case

OpenAIRE

Bertha Du-Babcock

2016-01-01

This paper describes and evaluates a funded longitudinal teaching development project that aims to bridge the gap from classroom-based theory learning to experiential professional learning, and thereby prepare ideal and competent world class graduates. To align with the University's shared mission to foster links with the business community, the design of the internship program has a threefold purpose and was implemented in stages. It intends to enhance students' professional awareness-knowle...

When does food refusal require professional intervention?

OpenAIRE

Dovey, Terence M.; Farrow, Claire V.; Martin, Clarissa I.; Isherwood, Elaine; Halford, Jason C.G.

2009-01-01

Food refusal can have the potential to lead to nutritional deficiencies, which increases the risk of a variety of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Deciding when food refusal requires professional intervention is complicated by the fact that there is a natural and appropriate stage in a child's development that is characterised by increased levels of rejection of both previously accepted and novel food items. Therefore, choosing to intervene is difficult, which if handled badly can ...

Effectiveness of an intervention for prevention and treatment of burnout in primary health care professionals

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Burnout syndrome is an important health problem that affects many professionals and must be addressed globally, with both organizational measures and personal interventions. Burnout of health professionals can be prevented in order to avoid personal, familial, and social consequences, as well as repercussions for patients. Methods/design This work describes a protocol for a controlled, pragmatic, randomized clinical trial in 2 parallel groups: intervention and control. All health professionals from 7 health care centers will form the intervention group, and all health professionals from 7 different health care centers will form the control group. The intervention group will receive 16 hours of training at their work place. The Maslach's burnout inventory, the Cuestionario de Desgaste Profesional Médico or the Cuestionario de Desgaste Profesional de Enfermería, and the 28-item Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire, validated for our setting, will be used as measurement tools. Change in the average scores from the Maslach's burnout inventory emotional exhaustion scale will be compared between the intervention and control groups, measured as intention-to-treat, and the intervention will be considered effective if a minimum decrease of 20% is achieved. Discussion Due to the deleterious consequences of burnout syndrome for people suffering from it and for the organization where they work, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of certain interventions for its prevention. Organizational measures are important for preventing burnout syndrome, but so is providing professionals with coping strategies, as this group intervention intends to do. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on June 10, 2013. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01870154. PMID:24237937

Teacher education program explores building professional learning ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2016-05-02

May 2, 2016 ... Teacher education program explores building professional learning ... table in the Bengaluru Rural District Institute of Education and Training ICT lab. ... more people go online in Asia, digital privacy is increasingly seen as an ...

A professional learning community model: a case study of primary teachers community in west Bandung

Science.gov (United States)

Sari, A.; Suryadi, D.; Syaodih, E.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to provide an alternative model of professional learning community for primary school teachers in improving the knowledge and professional skills. This study is a qualitative research with case study method with data collection is an interview, observation and document and triangulation technique for validation data that focuses on thirteen people 5th grade elementary school teacher. The results showed that by joining a professional learning community, teachers can share both experience and knowledge to other colleagues so that they can be able to continue to improve and enhance the quality of their learning. This happens because of the reflection done together before, during and after the learning activities. It was also revealed that by learning in a professional learning community, teachers can learn in their own way, according to need, and can collaborate with their colleagues in improving the effectiveness of learning. Based on the implementation of professional learning community primary school teachers can be concluded that teachers can develop the curriculum, the students understand the development, overcome learning difficulties faced by students and can make learning design more effective and efficient.

Using learning materials for design-based interventions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gissel, Stig Toke

2015-01-01

This article considers a methodological issue concerning the use of learning materials for interventions in design-based research. When the researcher uses existing or creates new didacticised learning materials for research purposes and tests their applicability in authentic contexts, many...... variables are in play. When using or designing a learning material a lot of choices have to be made and effects are difficult to isolate. The advantage of using learning materials for interventions is that results could have high ecological validity. In the article this methodological issue is exemplified...... through a research project using and developing digital learning materials for developing literacy in the early grades. One of many important choices to be made in elaborating this learning material concerns which texts should be used for supporting students’ literacy development in the lower grades...

Effect of audience response system technology on learning outcomes in health students and professionals: an updated systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Atlantis, Evan; Cheema, Birinder S

2015-03-01

: Audience response system (ARS) technology is a recent innovation that is increasingly being used by health educators to improve learning outcomes. Equivocal results from previous systematic review research provide weak support for the use of ARS for improving learning outcomes at both short and long terms. This review sought to update and critically review the body of controlled experimental evidence on the use of ARS technology on learning outcomes in health students and professionals. This review searched using all identified keywords both electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science) and reference lists of retrieved articles to find relevant published studies for review, from 2010 to April 2014. A descriptive synthesis of important study characteristics and effect estimates for learning outcomes was done. Three controlled trials in 321 participants from the United States were included for review. ARS knowledge retention scores were lower than the control group in one study, higher than control group provided that immediate feedback was given about each question in one study, and equivalent between intervention and control groups in another study. There is an absence of good quality evidence on effectiveness of ARS technologies for improving learning outcomes in health students and professionals.

Effect of an EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions: an RCT on professional performance, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy of occupational physicians

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hugenholtz, Nathalie I. R.; Schaafsma, Frederieke G.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; van Dijk, Frank J. H.

2008-01-01

Objective An intervention existing of an evidence-based medicine (EBM) course in combination with case method learning sessions (CMLSs) was designed to enhance the professional performance, self-efficacy and job satisfaction of occupational physicians. Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial

Developing Professional Identity in an Online Learning Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, Line Helverskov

2015-01-01

identity as the outcome for the intern. This paper describes the interactions in an online learning environment. The online platform sought to enable peer interaction between younger and older students in a discussion of the professional identity of Natural and Cultural Heritage Management (NCHM......From a socio-cultural perspective, the development of a professional identity is an on-going process that is social in nature and negotiated in communities of practice (Wenger, 1998). Internships in higher education function as such communities of practice, with an improved sense of professional...

Police Bodies and Police Minds: Professional Learning through Bodily Practices of Sport Participation

Science.gov (United States)

Lindberg, Ola; Rantatalo, Oscar; Stenling, Cecilia

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature concerned with bodily perspectives on professional learning by reporting on a study of Swedish police officers' sport participation as a form of occupational learning. The study seeks to answer how ideals of work practice and sport participation intersect, how professional learning is…

Retail Executives’ Professional Learning Contents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo de Aquino Lucena

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The research question that is addressed in this article is the following: what do the executives from small retailing firms learn in their work environment? The theoretical framework of the study is based on texts from the field of learning. This is a qualitative investigation. Ten interviews with clothing retail executives were carried out. Later, these interviews were transcribed and analyzed. In the data analysis stage, two categories were established in response to the research question. Regarding the first, respondents perceived difficulties (problems in their work environments and obtained specific information and knowledge in order to deal with these situations. So as to overcome different professional difficulties, respondents learned about colors and types of fabric and about certain manufacturing process aspects referring to the clothing sold by their companies. They also declared to have learned about their companies’ suppliers and about certain issues referring to sales, and to the accounting and the financial management of their companies. The second category refers to a change in some of the respondents’ habits. This learning content refers to predispositions to respond and/ or act in situations at their work environments. Respondents reported having changed the way they related to other people. They emphasized that they had learned how to interact with the employees at their stores and how to carry out supervision. Differently from other studies, we found that the retailers’ learning (individual learning affected their companies’ learning (organizational learning through changes in certain aspects of the analyzed companies’ organizational structures.

Learning Flash CS4 Professional

CERN Document Server

Shupe, Rich

2009-01-01

Learning Flash CS4 Professional offers beginners and intermediate Flash developers a unique introduction to the latest version of Adobe's powerful multimedia application. This easy-to-read book is loaded with full-color examples and hands-on tasks to help you master Flash CS4's new motion editor, integrated 3D system, and character control using the new inverse kinematics bones animation system. No previous Flash experience is necessary.

Patterns in Teacher Learning in Different Phases of the Professional Career

Science.gov (United States)

Vermunt, Jan D.; Endedijk, Maaike D.

2011-01-01

This paper reviews recent research on learning patterns of student teachers and experienced teachers, mostly in the context of educational innovation and teachers' professional development. The discussion is structured along a model of teacher learning patterns comprising learning activities, regulation of learning, beliefs on own learning about…

Learning Pelvic Examination with Professional Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Shrestha

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Performing pelvic examination is a vital skill to learn during gynecological and obstetrical training. It's a difficult maneuver to master as there is very little to see and more to feel and interpret. In addition, learning PE in usual clinical set-up has been found to induce lot of stress and anxiety among both the patients and the students. Students fear of hurting the patients and being judged inept, whereas patients feel embarrassed having to expose their most intimate body parts for learning purpose. This hampers effective learning. Learning PE on sedated women before surgery or on mannequins has been practiced as alternative learning models. But, they have been found to miss out on teaching the communication skills, which are as important as the palpation skills. However, there exists another model of learning PE--the professional patients, who are specially trained to act as patients and also guide the students on how to make a proper PE. They provide stress-free environment for the students to learn PE and at the same time, provide immediate feedback on each of their maneuvers. They form a complete learning model and help students to see patients as partner and not just a person seeking help. Keywords: learning model, pelvic examination, stress, students.

Through the eyes of professional developers: Understanding the design of learning experiences for science teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Tara Eileen

Professional development is important for improving teacher practice and student learning, particularly in inquiry-oriented and technology-enhanced science instruction. This study examines professional developers' practices and their impact on teachers' classroom instruction and student achievement. It analyzes professional developers designing and implementing a five-year professional development program designed to support middle school science teachers. The professional developers are four university-based researchers who worked with sixteen science teachers over three years, setting program goals, facilitating workshops, providing in-classroom support for teachers, and continually refining the program. The analysis is guided by the knowledge integration perspective, a sociocognitive framework for understanding how teachers and professional developers integrate their ideas about teaching and learning. The study investigates the professional developers' goals and teachers' interpretations of those goals. It documents how professional developers plan teacher learning experiences and explores the connection between professional development activities and teachers' classroom practice. Results are based on two rounds of interviews with professional developers, audio recordings of professional developers' planning meetings and videotaped professional development activities. Data include classroom observations, teacher interviews, teacher reflections during professional development activities, and results from student assessments. The study shows the benefit of a professional development approach that relies on an integrated cycle of setting goals, understanding teachers' interpretations, and refining implementation. The professional developers based their design on making inquiry and technology accessible, situating professional development in teachers' work, supporting collaboration, and sustaining learning. The findings reflect alignment of the design goals with the

Physical Education Teachers' Career-Long Professional Learning: Getting Personal

Science.gov (United States)

Makopoulou, Kyriaki; Armour, Kathleen M.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to build upon previous PE-CPD (Physical Education Continuing Professional Development) research by exploring Greek case study physical education (PE) teachers' engagement in professional learning. It is argued that in the contemporary European context, where the teaching profession is viewed as central to achieving wider…

A Professionalism Curricular Model to Promote Transformative Learning Among Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Foshee, Cecile M; Mehdi, Ali; Bierer, S Beth; Traboulsi, Elias I; Isaacson, J Harry; Spencer, Abby; Calabrese, Cassandra; Burkey, Brian B

2017-06-01

Using the frameworks of transformational learning and situated learning theory, we developed a technology-enhanced professionalism curricular model to build a learning community aimed at promoting residents' self-reflection and self-awareness. The RAPR model had 4 components: (1) R ecognize : elicit awareness; (2) A ppreciate : question assumptions and take multiple perspectives; (3) P ractice : try new/changed perspectives; and (4) R eflect : articulate implications of transformed views on future actions. The authors explored the acceptability and practicality of the RAPR model in teaching professionalism in a residency setting, including how residents and faculty perceive the model, how well residents carry out the curricular activities, and whether these activities support transformational learning. A convenience sample of 52 postgraduate years 1 through 3 internal medicine residents participated in the 10-hour curriculum over 4 weeks. A constructivist approach guided the thematic analysis of residents' written reflections, which were a required curricular task. A total of 94% (49 of 52) of residents participated in 2 implementation periods (January and March 2015). Findings suggested that RAPR has the potential to foster professionalism transformation in 3 domains: (1) attitudinal, with participants reporting they viewed professionalism in a more positive light and felt more empathetic toward patients; (2) behavioral, with residents indicating their ability to listen to patients increased; and (3) cognitive, with residents indicating the discussions improved their ability to reflect, and this helped them create meaning from experiences. Our findings suggest that RAPR offers an acceptable and practical strategy to teach professionalism to residents.

Inconvenient Truths about Teacher Learning: Towards Professional Development 3.0

Science.gov (United States)

Korthagen, Fred

2017-01-01

Based on recent findings about teacher learning, a critical analysis of traditional and new approaches to professional development is presented. To a large degree, teacher learning takes place unconsciously and involves cognitive, emotional and motivational dimensions. Moreover, teacher learning takes place at various levels. Although these…

A web-based intervention for health professionals and patients to decrease cardiovascular risk attributable to physical inactivity: development process.

Science.gov (United States)

Sassen, Barbara; Kok, Gerjo; Mesters, Ilse; Crutzen, Rik; Cremers, Anita; Vanhees, Luc

2012-12-14

Patients with cardiovascular risk factors can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing their physical activity and their physical fitness. According to the guidelines for cardiovascular risk management, health professionals should encourage their patients to engage in physical activity. In this paper, we provide insight regarding the systematic development of a Web-based intervention for both health professionals and patients with cardiovascular risk factors using the development method Intervention Mapping. The different steps of Intervention Mapping are described to open up the "black box" of Web-based intervention development and to support future Web-based intervention development. The development of the Professional and Patient Intention and Behavior Intervention (PIB2 intervention) was initiated with a needs assessment for both health professionals (ie, physiotherapy and nursing) and their patients. We formulated performance and change objectives and, subsequently, theory- and evidence-based intervention methods and strategies were selected that were thought to affect the intention and behavior of health professionals and patients. The rationale of the intervention was based on different behavioral change methods that allowed us to describe the scope and sequence of the intervention and produced the Web-based intervention components. The Web-based intervention consisted of 5 modules, including individualized messages and self-completion forms, and charts and tables. The systematic and planned development of the PIB2 intervention resulted in an Internet-delivered behavior change intervention. The intervention was not developed as a substitute for face-to-face contact between professionals and patients, but as an application to complement and optimize health services. The focus of the Web-based intervention was to extend professional behavior of health care professionals, as well as to improve the risk-reduction behavior of patients with

A Web-Based Intervention for Health Professionals and Patients to Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Attributable to Physical Inactivity: Development Process

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Patients with cardiovascular risk factors can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing their physical activity and their physical fitness. According to the guidelines for cardiovascular risk management, health professionals should encourage their patients to engage in physical activity. Objective In this paper, we provide insight regarding the systematic development of a Web-based intervention for both health professionals and patients with cardiovascular risk factors using the development method Intervention Mapping. The different steps of Intervention Mapping are described to open up the “black box” of Web-based intervention development and to support future Web-based intervention development. Methods The development of the Professional and Patient Intention and Behavior Intervention (PIB2 intervention) was initiated with a needs assessment for both health professionals (ie, physiotherapy and nursing) and their patients. We formulated performance and change objectives and, subsequently, theory- and evidence-based intervention methods and strategies were selected that were thought to affect the intention and behavior of health professionals and patients. The rationale of the intervention was based on different behavioral change methods that allowed us to describe the scope and sequence of the intervention and produced the Web-based intervention components. The Web-based intervention consisted of 5 modules, including individualized messages and self-completion forms, and charts and tables. Results The systematic and planned development of the PIB2 intervention resulted in an Internet-delivered behavior change intervention. The intervention was not developed as a substitute for face-to-face contact between professionals and patients, but as an application to complement and optimize health services. The focus of the Web-based intervention was to extend professional behavior of health care professionals, as well as to improve the risk

Combining forces. Distributed Leadership and a professional learning community in primary and secondary education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulsbos, Frank; Van Langevelde, Stefan; Evers, Arnoud

2018-01-01

This report describes an in depth case study of two good practice schools where a professional learning community and distributed leadership are highly developed. The goal of this study was to learn what conditions in the school support a professional learning community and distributed leadership.

Putting the PLE into PLD: Virtual Professional Learning and Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hazel Owen

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The range of affordances that a virtual environment offers can provide opportunities for more formal Professional Learning and Development (PLD that has flexibility of choice, time and approach for educators. It was this potential that inspired the design of the Virtual Professional Learning and Development (VPLD program that was instigated in October 2009 by the NZ Ministry of Education, who also funded the project. The findings from the pilot of the VPLD program in 2010 indicated that when professional learning was situated within the practitioner's context, and with complementary, easily-accessible opportunities for sharing of practice within an online Community of Practice, participants demonstrated high levels of engagement as well as changes in their own teaching practice. The VPLD Programme was facilitated and researched again during 2011, building on findings from 2010. Findings to date suggest that the educators developed a sense of self-efficacy that motivated them to trial alternative approaches, and to initiate iterative cycles of trial, error, and improvement.

Enrolling science teachers in continual professional development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

2010-01-01

The theoretical paper presents a model of how science teachers working in small groups can use video to diagnose the challengees that students face when learning science content, and how they can then design and refine appropriate teaching interventions. The analysis and discussion suggest that t...... that the proposed professional development program, based around group learning, should be formatively assessed, researched and refined over time following the principles of design based research, likewise the teachers' classroom interventions.......The theoretical paper presents a model of how science teachers working in small groups can use video to diagnose the challengees that students face when learning science content, and how they can then design and refine appropriate teaching interventions. The analysis and discussion suggest...

Learning about Makerspaces: Professional Development with K-12 Inservice Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Lana; Scharber, Cassandra

2018-01-01

Makerspaces are the latest educational movement that may disrupt the "grammar of schooling." Makerspaces may change the ways schools use technology; change the ways schools engage in learning and teaching; and change the forms of learning that count in schools. However, without deliberate professional learning and planning, the glamor of…

Team-Based Professional Development Interventions in Higher Education: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gast, Inken; Schildkamp, Kim; van der Veen, Jan T

2017-08-01

Most professional development activities focus on individual teachers, such as mentoring or the use of portfolios. However, new developments in higher education require teachers to work together in teams more often. Due to these changes, there is a growing need for professional development activities focusing on teams. Therefore, this review study was conducted to provide an overview of what is known about professional development in teams in the context of higher education. A total of 18 articles were reviewed that describe the effects of professional development in teams on teacher attitudes and teacher learning. Furthermore, several factors that can either hinder or support professional development in teams are identified at the individual teacher level, at the team level, and also at the organizational level.

A palliative care resource for professional carers of people with learning disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddall, C

2010-07-01

People with learning disabilities who have a life-threatening illness, are as entitled as other members of the population to receive good palliative care in their home of choice. However, professional carers of people with learning disability are generally unaware of the meaning of palliative care, and how they can access palliative care support. More importantly, they may feel they are not capable of caring for a resident with a life-threatening illness in the home environment. This article uses a case study to help illustrate the value of compiling a resource booklet for professional carers of people with learning disabilities. By providing information on palliative care, that is easy to understand and easily accessible, professional carers of these people can have a valuable resource which will enable them to provide general palliative care when needed. (I use the term professional carers to refer to carers who are paid to look after people with learning disabilities either in care homes, or in supported living homes in the general community).

Virtual reality skills training for health care professionals in alcohol screening and brief intervention.

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Fleming, Michael; Olsen, Dale; Stathes, Hilary; Boteler, Laura; Grossberg, Paul; Pfeifer, Judie; Schiro, Stephanie; Banning, Jane; Skochelak, Susan

2009-01-01

Educating physicians and other health care professionals about the identification and treatment of patients who drink more than recommended limits is an ongoing challenge. An educational randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the ability of a stand-alone training simulation to improve the clinical skills of health care professionals in alcohol screening and intervention. The "virtual reality simulation" combined video, voice recognition, and nonbranching logic to create an interactive environment that allowed trainees to encounter complex social cues and realistic interpersonal exchanges. The simulation included 707 questions and statements and 1207 simulated patient responses. A sample of 102 health care professionals (10 physicians; 30 physician assistants or nurse practitioners; 36 medical students; 26 pharmacy, physican assistant, or nurse practitioner students) were randomly assigned to a no training group (n = 51) or a computer-based virtual reality intervention (n = 51). Professionals in both groups had similar pretest standardized patient alcohol screening skill scores: 53.2 (experimental) vs 54.4 (controls), 52.2 vs 53.7 alcohol brief intervention skills, and 42.9 vs 43.5 alcohol referral skills. After repeated practice with the simulation there were significant increases in the scores of the experimental group at 6 months after randomization compared with the control group for the screening (67.7 vs 58.1; P virtual reality simulation to demonstrate an increase in the alcohol screening and brief intervention skills of health care professionals.

Professionals learning together with patients: An exploratory study of a collaborative learning Fellowship programme for healthcare improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Myron, Rowan; French, Catherine; Sullivan, Paul; Sathyamoorthy, Ganesh; Barlow, James; Pomeroy, Linda

2018-05-01

Improving the quality of healthcare involves collaboration between many different stakeholders. Collaborative learning theory suggests that teaching different professional groups alongside each other may enable them to develop skills in how to collaborate effectively, but there is little literature on how this works in practice. Further, though it is recognised that patients play a fundamental role in quality improvement, there are few examples of where they learn together with professionals. To contribute to addressing this gap, we review a collaborative fellowship in Northwest London, designed to build capacity to improve healthcare, which enabled patients and professionals to learn together. Using the lens of collaborative learning, we conducted an exploratory study of six cohorts of the year long programme (71 participants). Data were collected using open text responses from an online survey (n = 31) and semi-structured interviews (n = 34) and analysed using an inductive open coding approach. The collaborative design of the Fellowship, which included bringing multiple perspectives to discussions of real world problems, was valued by participants who reflected on the safe, egalitarian space created by the programme. Participants (healthcare professionals and patients) found this way of learning initially challenging yet ultimately productive. Despite the pedagogical and practical challenges of developing a collaborative programme, this study indicates that opening up previously restricted learning opportunities as widely as possible, to include patients and carers, is an effective mechanism to develop collaborative skills for quality improvement.

Managing informal learning learning in professional contexts: the learner's perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marques, Maria A.; Viegas, Maria C.; Alves, Gustavo R.; Zangrando, Valentina; Galanis, Nikolas; Janssen, José; Waszkiewicz, Elwira; Conde, Miguel Á.; García-Peñalvo, Francisco J.

2013-01-01

Marques, M. A., Viegas, M. C., Alves, G., Zangrando, V., Galanis, N., Janssen, J., Waszkiewicz, E., Conde González, M. Á., & García-Peñalvo, F. J. (2013). Managing Informal Learning in professional contexts: the learner's perspective. In F. J. García-Peñalvo, M. Á. Conde, & D. Griffiths (Eds.).

Social constructivist learning environment in an online professional practice course.

Science.gov (United States)

Sthapornnanon, Nunthaluxna; Sakulbumrungsil, Rungpetch; Theeraroungchaisri, Anuchai; Watcharadamrongkun, Suntaree

2009-02-19

To assess the online social constructivist learning environment (SCLE) and student perceptions of the outcomes of the online introductory module of pharmacy professional practice that was designed based on social constructivism theory. The online introductory module of pharmacy professional practice in pharmaceutical marketing and business was carefully designed by organizing various activities, which were intended to encourage social interaction among students. The Constructivist Online Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) was applied to assess the SCLE. Course evaluation questionnaires were administered to assess student perceptions of this online module. The result from the COLLES illustrated the development of SCLE in the course. The students reported positive perceptions of the course. An online introductory module of pharmacy professional practice in pharmaceutical marketing and business was effective in promoting SCLE.

Practice Stories in Natural Resource Management Continuing Professional Education: Springboards for Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Stummann, Cathy Brown

2014-01-01

The use of stories from professional experience in continuing professional education has been on the rise in many fields, often aimed at bolstering capacity through sharing professional knowledge and/or supporting reflective practice. Practice stories are also suggested to be beneficial in supporting professional learning of new concepts. These…

From Professional Practice to Practical Leader: Teacher Leadership in Professional Learning Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Adrianne

2016-01-01

The primary purpose of this research is to illuminate perceptions and lived experiences of secondary teachers through their involvement in a Professional Learning Community (PLC). Teachers' experiences within a PLC were examined for patterns of cultivated leadership. The second purpose of the study was to identify variables that either promote or…

A Critical Analysis of Job-Embedded Professional Learning within a Distributed Leadership Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Campoli, Ashley Jimerson

2011-01-01

Leadership style and professional learning have been linked to student achievement. Studies have linked leadership styles such as distributed leadership to job-embedded professional learning. However, research is mixed when these two constructs are related to student achievement. This study evaluated the relationship between distributed…

Transformative Learning and Professional Identity Formation During International Health Electives: A Qualitative Study Using Grounded Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawatsky, Adam P; Nordhues, Hannah C; Merry, Stephen P; Bashir, M Usmaan; Hafferty, Frederic W

2018-03-27

International health electives (IHEs) are widely available during residency and provide unique experiences for trainees. Theoretical models of professional identity formation and transformative learning may provide insight into residents' experiences during IHEs. The purpose of this study was to explore transformative learning and professional identity formation during resident IHEs and characterize the relationship between transformative learning and professional identity formation. The authors used a constructivist grounded theory approach, with the sensitizing concepts of transformative learning and professional identity formation to analyze narrative reflective reports of residents' IHEs. The Mayo International Health Program supports residents from all specialties across three Mayo Clinic sites. In 2015, the authors collected narrative reflective reports from 377 IHE participants dating from 2001-2014. Reflections were coded and themes were organized into a model for transformative learning during IHEs, focusing on professional identity. Five components of transformative learning were identified during IHEs: a disorienting experience; an emotional response; critical reflection; perspective change; and a commitment to future action. Within the component of critical reflection three domains relating to professional identity were identified: making a difference; the doctor-patient relationship; and medicine in its "purest form." Transformation was demonstrated through perspective change and a commitment to future action, including continued service, education, and development. IHEs provide rich experiences for transformative learning and professional identity formation. Understanding the components of transformative learning may provide insight into the interaction between learner, experiences, and the influence of mentors in the process of professional identity formation.

Mentoring and Informal Learning as Continuing Professional Education

Science.gov (United States)

Hansman, Catherine A.

2016-01-01

This chapter examines the role of mentoring in continuing professional education from a critical perspective, addressing informal and formal mentoring relationships while highlighting their potential to encourage critical reflection, learning, and coconstruction of knowledge.

Professional Learning Communities: Teachers Working Collaboratively for Continuous Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, Louise Ann

2009-01-01

Current research indicates that a professional learning community (PLC) is an effective means for helping teachers to bridge the gap between research and practice. A PLC is a team of educators systematically working together to improve teaching practice and student learning. This study evaluated the PLC formed by teachers at a public elementary…

Dyslexia and early intervention: what did we learn from the Dutch Dyslexia Programme?

Science.gov (United States)

van der Leij, Aryan

2013-11-01

Part of the Dutch Dyslexia Programme has been dedicated to early intervention. The question of whether the genetically affected learning mechanism of children who are at familial risk (FR) of developing dyslexia could be influenced by training phoneme awareness and letter-sound associations in the prereading phase was investigated. The rationale was that intervention studies reveal insights about the weaknesses of the learning mechanisms of FR children. In addition, the studies aimed to gather practical insights to be used in the development of a system of early diagnosis and prevention. Focused on the last period of kindergarten before formal reading instruction starts in Grade 1, intervention methods with comparable samples and designs but differences in delivery mode (use of computer or manual), tutor (semi-professional or parent), location (at school or at home), and additional practices (serial rapid naming or simple word reading) have been executed to test the hypothesis that the incidence and degree of dyslexia can be reduced. The present position paper summarizes the Dutch Dyslexia Programme findings and relates them to findings of other studies. It is discussed that the Dutch studies provide evidence on why prevention of dyslexia is hard to accomplish. It is argued that effective intervention should not only start early but also be adapted to the individual and often long-lasting educational needs of children at risk of reading failure. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Designing an E-Learning Application to Facilitate Health Care Professionals' Cross-Cultural Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramaniam, Nagadivya; Kujala, Sari; Ayzit, Dicle; Kauppinen, Marjo; Heponiemi, Tarja; Hietapakka, Laura; Kaihlanen, Anu

2018-01-01

In recent times, health care professionals (HCP) have come across a number of migrants as their patients. The cultural differences lead to communicational challenges between the migrant patients and health care professionals. Our project aimed to discover HCPs' attitudes, challenges and needs on cross-cultural communication, so that we can develop an e-learning solution that would be helpful for them. By conducting interviews with HCPs, we identified five crucial categories of problems and the current solutions that experienced professionals use to tackle those problems. These interviews also helped us in understanding the motivational factors of HCPs, when using e-learning application. Health care professionals prefer a focus on examples and themes such as death and pain that they face in their everyday work. Changing attitudes by e-learning application is challenging. However, e-learning was recognized as a flexible way for supporting traditional training with HCPs who are busy at work most of the time.

Internships as case-based learning for professional practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Piihl, Jesper; Rasmussen, Jens Smed; Rowley, Jennifer

2014-01-01

be designed to integrate differences in conceptions of knowledge in professional practices and pressures from short deadlines. The chapter explores how internship can enhance students’ learning and how students develop their role as academics-in-practice. Internships qualify as case based learning when......Internship programs can enhance generic learning outcomes by develop-ing students’ ability to interact with stakeholders in real world complexi-ties and contribute to changes in knowledge and practice. Experience from Denmark and Australia is used as background to show how intern-ship programs can...... the design of the program focuses on generic learning outcomes over specific solutions to specific problems in the specific context....

Learning Strategies at Work and Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Haemer, Hannah Deborah; Borges-Andrade, Jairo Eduardo; Cassiano, Simone Kelli

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the prediction of current and evolutionary perceptions of professional development through five learning strategies at work and through training and how individual and job characteristics predict those strategies. Design/methodology/approach: Variables were measured in a cross-sectional survey, with 962…

[Impact of an informative intervention on the colorectal cancer screening program in primary care professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Benito-Aracil, Llúcia; Binefa-Rodriguez, Gemma; Milà-Diaz, Núria; Lluch-Canut, M Teresa; Puig-Llobet, Montse; Garcia-Martinez, Montse

2015-01-01

To evaluate the impact of an intervention in primary care professionals on their current knowledge about colorectal cancer screening, subsequent surveillance recommendations and referral strategies. Cluster randomized controlled trial. Primary Care Centers in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona). Primary Care Professionals (doctors and nurses). Training session in six of the 12 centers (randomly selected) about the colorrectal cancer screening program, and three emails with key messages. Professionals and centers characteristics and two contextual variables; involvement of professionals in the screening program; information about colorectal cancer knowledge, risk factors, screening procedures, surveillance recommendations and referral strategies. The total score mean on the first questionnaire was 8.07 (1.38) and the second 8.31 (1.39). No statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups were found, however, in 9 out of 11 questions the percentage of correct responses was increased in the intervention group, mostly related to the surveillance after the diagnostic examination. The intervention improves the percentage of correct answers, especially in those in which worst score obtained in the first questionnaire. This study shows that professionals are familiar with colorectal cancer screening, but there's a need to maintain frequent communication in order to keep up to date the information related to the colorectal cancer screening. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Contextual complexity: The professional learning experiences of seven classroom teachers when engaged in “quality teaching”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ken Edge

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This research study interrogates the self-reported perceptions of seven experienced Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE teachers about the professional learning influencing their classroom teaching after being involved in a number of initiatives to improve their teaching in New South Wales (Australia. The results indicated that the teachers’ professional learning experiences, ways of thinking about professional learning and responses to implementation of new approaches to professional learning were dominated by traditional training models even while operating under a new state-wide professional learning model (Quality Teaching approach. While the teachers acknowledged the value of reflective practice, collaborative networking and teaming, they found that difficulties in implementing these strategies within faculties and across schools lessened their impact. It was apparent that local institutional history, context and politics had an enormous impact on the success of the professional learning programme. The findings of this study are significant because leadership aimed at acknowledging and addressing the teaching context at the school level is a critical factor if we are to develop twenty-first-century teachers.

Think "E" for Engagement: Use Technology Tools to Design Personalized Professional E-Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Farris, Shari

2015-01-01

As faculty chair of early childhood education at Vanguard University of Southern California, the author was challenged each day by questions: How to provide high-impact online professional learning to adult continuing education students? What barriers exist for adult learners seeking meaningful professional learning? How does practice as a…

The Challenge of Assessing Professional Competence in Work Integrated Learning

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Judith

2013-01-01

A fundamental aspect of work integrated learning (WIL) is the development of professional competence, the ability of students to perform in the workplace. Alignment theory therefore suggests that the assessment of WIL should include an assessment of students' demonstration of professional competence in the workplace. The assessment of professional…

Social Constructivist Learning Environment in an Online Professional Practice Course

Science.gov (United States)

Sakulbumrungsil, Rungpetch; Theeraroungchaisri, Anuchai; Watcharadamrongkun, Suntaree

2009-01-01

Objective To assess the online social constructivist learning environment (SCLE) and student perceptions of the outcomes of the online introductory module of pharmacy professional practice that was designed based on social constructivism theory. Design The online introductory module of pharmacy professional practice in pharmaceutical marketing and business was carefully designed by organizing various activities, which were intended to encourage social interaction among students. The Constructivist Online Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) was applied to assess the SCLE. Course evaluation questionnaires were administered to assess student perceptions of this online module. Assessment The result from the COLLES illustrated the development of SCLE in the course. The students reported positive perceptions of the course. Conclusion An online introductory module of pharmacy professional practice in pharmaceutical marketing and business was effective in promoting SCLE. PMID:19513147

Networked Learning and Network Science: Potential Applications to Health Professionals' Continuing Education and Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Margolis, Alvaro; Parboosingh, John

2015-01-01

Prior interpersonal relationships and interactivity among members of professional associations may impact the learning process in continuing medical education (CME). On the other hand, CME programs that encourage interactivity between participants may impact structures and behaviors in these professional associations. With the advent of information and communication technologies, new communication spaces have emerged that have the potential to enhance networked learning in national and international professional associations and increase the effectiveness of CME for health professionals. In this article, network science, based on the application of network theory and other theories, is proposed as an approach to better understand the contribution networking and interactivity between health professionals in professional communities make to their learning and adoption of new practices over time. © 2015 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Empowerment interventions, knowledge translation and exchange: perspectives of home care professionals, clients and caregivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Voyer Louis

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Few studies have examined empowerment interventions as they actually unfold in home care in the context of chronic health problems. This study aims to document the empowerment process as it plays out in interventions with adults receiving home care services. Methods/design The qualitative design chosen is a fourth generation evaluation combined with case studies. A home care team of a health and social services center situated in the Eastern Townships (Québec, Canada will be involved at every step in the study. A sample will be formed of 15 health care professionals and 30 of their home care clients and caregiver. Semi-structured interviews, observations of home care interventions and socio-demographic questionnaires will be used to collect the data. Nine instruments used by the team in prior studies will be adapted and reviewed. A personal log will document the observers' perspectives in order to foster objectivity and the focus on the intervention. The in-depth qualitative analysis of the data will illustrate profiles of enabling interventions and individual empowerment. Discussion The ongoing process to transform the health care and social services network creates a growing need to examine intervention practices of health care professionals working with clients receiving home care services. This study will provide the opportunity to examine how the intervention process plays out in real-life situations and how health care professionals, clients and caregivers experience it. The intervention process and individual empowerment examined in this study will enhance the growing body of knowledge about empowerment.

Scaling-up an efficacious school-based physical activity intervention: Study protocol for the ‘Internet-based Professional Learning to help teachers support Activity in Youth’ (iPLAY cluster randomized controlled trial and scale-up implementation evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris Lonsdale

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the health benefits of regular physical activity, most children are insufficiently active. Schools are ideally placed to promote physical activity; however, many do not provide children with sufficient in-school activity or ensure they have the skills and motivation to be active beyond the school setting. The aim of this project is to modify, scale up and evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention previously shown to be efficacious in improving children’s physical activity, fundamental movement skills and cardiorespiratory fitness. The ‘Internet-based Professional Learning to help teachers support Activity in Youth’ (iPLAY study will focus largely on online delivery to enhance translational capacity. Methods/Design The intervention will be implemented at school and teacher levels, and will include six components: (i quality physical education and school sport, (ii classroom movement breaks, (iii physically active homework, (iv active playgrounds, (v community physical activity links and (vi parent/caregiver engagement. Experienced physical education teachers will deliver professional learning workshops and follow-up, individualized mentoring to primary teachers (i.e., Kindergarten – Year 6. These activities will be supported by online learning and resources. Teachers will then deliver the iPLAY intervention components in their schools. We will evaluate iPLAY in two complementary studies in primary schools across New South Wales (NSW, Australia. A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT, involving a representative sample of 20 schools within NSW (1:1 allocation at the school level to intervention and attention control conditions, will assess effectiveness and cost-effectiveness at 12 and 24 months. Students’ cardiorespiratory fitness will be the primary outcome in this trial. Key secondary outcomes will include students’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (via accelerometers, fundamental movement

Mentoring and Coaching in Schools: Professional Learning through Collaborative Inquiry

Science.gov (United States)

Burley, Suzanne; Pomphrey, Cathy

2011-01-01

Can mentoring and coaching really improve professional practice? How can research and inquiry improve mentoring and coaching practice? "Mentoring and Coaching in Schools" explores the ways in which mentoring and coaching can be used as a dynamic collaborative process for effective professional learning. It demonstrates how the use of practitioner…

Contributions of blended learning training to teacher professional development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Duarte Hueros

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The central theme of this study is the analysis of a balanced integrated teaching methodology (face-to-face and virtual, as blended learning and the extent of its implementation in teacher training, as well as the importance of leadership in planning, supervising and coordinating this process. We began with a systematic review of the literature of the last 15 years (2002-2017 on the Web of Science (WOS, the most highly rated database in the scientific community. We identified 190 studies related to blended learning, professional teaching development and leadership in education. We then selected 163 documents that fell specifically into the educational research category, of which 75 were articles. We further fine-tuned the search by excluding those articles related to research fields other than teachers’ professional development, and arrived at 35 articles that fulfilled our preliminary criteria. We reduced the sample to the 24 articles that contained all the features required by our investigation. The results show that blended learning is a valuable training tool that enables teachers to acquire competences and which can aid their professional development; it can also foment collaborative work, augment teachers’ technical and didactic skills around technology, promote interdisciplinary experiences and help teachers to share innovations, etc., among other potential outcomes.

Cross-situational statistically based word learning intervention for late-talking toddlers.

Science.gov (United States)

Alt, Mary; Meyers, Christina; Oglivie, Trianna; Nicholas, Katrina; Arizmendi, Genesis

2014-01-01

To explore the efficacy of a word learning intervention for late-talking toddlers that is based on principles of cross-situational statistical learning. Four late-talking toddlers were individually provided with 7-10 weeks of bi-weekly word learning intervention that incorporated principles of cross-situational statistical learning. Treatment was input-based meaning that, aside from initial probes, children were not asked to produce any language during the sessions. Pre-intervention data included parent-reported measures of productive vocabulary and language samples. Data collected during intervention included production on probes, spontaneous production during treatment, and parent report of words used spontaneously at home. Data were analyzed for number of target words learned relative to control words, effect sizes, and pre-post treatment vocabulary measures. All children learned more target words than control words and, on average, showed a large treatment effect size. Children made pre-post vocabulary gains, increasing their percentile scores on the MCDI, and demonstrated a rate of word learning that was faster than rates found in the literature. Cross-situational statistically based word learning intervention has the potential to improve vocabulary learning in late-talking toddlers. Limitations on interpretation are also discussed. Readers will describe what cross-situational learning is and how it might apply to treatment. They will identify how including lexical and contextual variability in a word learning intervention for toddlers affected treatment outcomes. They will also recognize evidence of improved rate of vocabulary learning following treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving Science and Literacy Learning for English Language Learners: Evidence from a Pre-service Teacher Preparation Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Jerome M.; Lyon, Edward G.; Stoddart, Trish; Mosqueda, Eduardo; Menon, Preetha

2014-08-01

This paper present findings from a pre-service teacher development project that prepared novice teachers to promote English language and literacy development with inquiry-based science through a modified elementary science methods course and professional development for cooperating teachers. To study the project's impact on student learning, we administered a pre and post assessment to students (N = 191) of nine first year elementary teachers (grades 3 through 6) who experienced the intervention and who taught a common science unit. Preliminary results indicate that (1) student learning improved across all categories (science concepts, writing, and vocabulary)—although the effect varied by category, and (2) English Language Learner (ELL) learning gains were on par with non-ELLs, with differences across proficiency levels for vocabulary gain scores. These results warrant further analyses to understand the extent to which the intervention improved teacher practice and student learning. This study confirms the findings of previous research that the integration of science language and literacy practices can improve ELL achievement in science concepts, writing and vocabulary. In addition, the study indicates that it is possible to begin to link the practices taught in pre-service teacher preparation to novice teacher practice and student learning outcomes.

Developing health science students into integrated health professionals: a practical tool for learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duncan Madeleine

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An integrated sense of professionalism enables health professionals to draw on relevant knowledge in context and to apply a set of professional responsibilities and ethical principles in the midst of changing work environments 12. Inculcating professionalism is therefore a critical goal of health professional education. Two multi-professional courses for first year Health Science students at the University of Cape Town, South Africa aim to lay the foundation for becoming an integrated health professional 3. In these courses a diagram depicting the domains of the integrated health professional is used to focus the content of small group experiential exercises towards an appreciation of professionalism. The diagram serves as an organising framework for conceptualising an emerging professional identity and for directing learning towards the domains of 'self as professional' 45. Objective This paper describes how a diagrammatic representation of the core elements of an integrated health professional is used as a template for framing course content and for organising student learning. Based on the assumption that all health care professionals should be knowledgeable, empathic and reflective, the diagram provides students and educators with a visual tool for investigating the subjective and objective dimensions of professionalism. The use of the diagram as an integrating point of reference for individual and small group learning is described and substantiated with relevant literature. Conclusion The authors have applied the diagram with positive impact for the past six years with students and educators reporting that "it just makes sense". The article includes plans for formal evaluation. Evaluation to date is based on preliminary, informal feedback on the value of the diagram as a tool for capturing the domains of professionalism at an early stage in the undergraduate education of health professional students.

An empirical approach to selecting community-based alcohol interventions: combining research evidence, rural community views and professional opinion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shakeshaft Anthony

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Given limited research evidence for community-based alcohol interventions, this study examines the intervention preferences of rural communities and alcohol professionals, and factors that influence their choices. Method Community preferences were identified by a survey of randomly selected individuals across 20 regional Australian communities. The preferences of alcohol professionals were identified by a survey of randomly selected members of the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs. To identify preferred interventions and the extent of support for them, a budget allocation exercise was embedded in both surveys, asking respondents to allocate a given budget to different interventions. Tobit regression models were estimated to identify the characteristics that explain differences in intervention preferences. Results Community respondents selected school programs most often (88.0% and allocated it the largest proportion of funds, followed by promotion of safer drinking (71.3%, community programs (61.4% and police enforcement of alcohol laws (60.4%. Professionals selected GP training most often (61.0% and allocated it the largest proportion of funds, followed by school programs (36.6%, community programs (33.8% and promotion of safer drinking (31.7%. Community views were susceptible to response bias. There were no significant predictors of professionals' preferences. Conclusions In the absence of sufficient research evidence for effective community-based alcohol interventions, rural communities and professionals both strongly support school programs, promotion of safer drinking and community programs. Rural communities also supported police enforcement of alcohol laws and professionals supported GP training. The impact of a combination of these strategies needs to be rigorously evaluated.

Professional Online Presence and Learning Networks: Educating for Ethical Use of Social Media

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Forbes, Dianne

2017-01-01

In a teacher education context, this study considers the use of social media for building a professional online presence and learning network. This article provides an overview of uses of social media in teacher education, presents a case study of key processes in relation to professional online presence and learning networks, and highlights…

Professionals' positive perceptions of fathers are associated with more favourable attitudes towards including them in family interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

de Montigny, Francine; Gervais, Christine; Meunier, Sophie; Dubeau, Diane

2017-12-01

This Université du Québec en Outaouais study examined professionals' attitudes towards fathers, their perceived self-efficacy when working with them and their perceptions of the importance of including fathers in family interventions. Professionals in Québec, Canada, working in childcare fields such as education, social services, health, community services and management answered a self-report questionnaire between 2013 and 2015. The 296 respondents (90% females) had a mean age of 39 (20-65), were from urban, semi-urban and rural settings and provided services to families with children up to five years of age. Social service professionals perceived fathers more negatively than did other professionals. Even though male professionals perceived fathers more negatively, they felt more confident working with them than did their female counterparts. Positive perceptions of fathers were associated with more favourable attitudes towards including them in family interventions, and this association was mediated by the professionals' perceptions of their own self-efficacy. The most negative attitudes were reported by social service professionals. Male professionals viewed fathers more negatively but were more confident working with them than were female colleagues. Improving professionals' perceptions of fathers could help to promote their inclusion in family interventions. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Implementing simulated learning modules to improve students’ pharmacy practice skills and professionalism

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Fejzic J

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Effective communication enables healthcare professionals and students to practise their disciplines in a professional and competent manner. Simulated-based education (SBE has been increasingly used to improve students’ communication and practice skills in Health Education. Objective: Simulated learning modules (SLMs were developed using practice-based scenarios grounded in effective communication competencies. The effect of the SLMs on Pharmacy students’ (i Practice skills and (ii Professionalism were evaluated. Methods: SLMs integrating EXCELL competencies were applied in the classroom to study their effect on a number of learning outcomes. EXcellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL Program is a schematic, evidence-based professional development resource centred around developing participants’ self-efficacy and generic communication competencies. Students (N=95 completed three hours of preliminary lectures and eight hours of SLM workshops including six scenarios focused on Pharmacy Practice and Experiential Placements. Each SLM included briefing, role-plays with actors, facilitation, and debriefing on EXCELL social interaction maps (SIMs. Evaluations comprised quantitative and qualitative survey responsed by students before and post-workshops, and post-placements, and teachers’ reflections. Surveys examine specific learning outcomes by using pharmacy professionalism and pharmacy practice effectiveness scales. Responses were measured prior to the commencement of SLMs, after completion of the two workshops and after students completed their block placement. Self-report measures enabled students to self-assess whether any improvements occurred. Results: Student responses were overwhelmingly positive and indicated significant improvements in their Pharmacy practice and professionalism skills, and commitment to professional ethics. Qualitative feedback strongly supported students’ improved communication

Not just another multi-professional course! Part 2: nuts and bolts of designing a transformed curriculum for multi-professional learning.

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Mayers, Pat; Alperstein, Melanie; Duncan, Madeleine; Olckers, Lorna; Gibbs, Trevor

2006-03-01

Multi-professional education has traditionally aimed to develop health professionals who are able to collaborate effectively in comprehensive healthcare delivery. The respective professions learn about their differences in order to work together, rather than developing unity in their commitment to a shared vision of professionalism and service. In this, the second of two papers, the 'nuts and bolts' or practicalities of designing a transformed curriculum for a multi-professional course with a difference is described. Guidelines for the curriculum design process, which seeks to be innovative, grounded in theory and relevant to the learning of the students and the ultimately the health of the patients, include: valuing education; gaining buy-in; securing buy-out; defining of roles; seeking consensus; negotiating difference and expediting decisions. The phases of the design process are described, as well as the educational outcomes envisaged during the process. Reflections of the designers, in particular on what it means to be a multi-professional team, and a reconceptualization of multi-professional education are presented as challenges for educators of health professionals.

Exploring the Relation between Teachers' Perceptions of Workplace Conditions and Their Professional Learning Goals

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Louws, Monika L.; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Veen, Klaas; van Driel, Jan H.

2017-01-01

Schools' structural workplace conditions (e.g. learning resources and professional development policies) and cultural workplace conditions (e.g. school leadership, teachers' collaborative culture) have been found to affect the way teachers learn. It is not so much the objective conditions that support or impede professional learning but the way…

Teachers' Engagement in Professional Learning: Exploring Motivational Profiles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen in de Wal, Joost; Den Brok, Perry; Hooijer, Janneke; Martens, Rob; Van den Beemt, Antoine

2017-01-01

This study investigated to what extent secondary school teachers are motivated to work on their professional learning. To this end, profiles ofmotivational dimensions fromself-determination theorywere explored in a sample of 2360 teachers by means of latent profile analysis. The motivational

[Contract learning: effects of professionalization on the student nurse].

Science.gov (United States)

Jubin, Patricia

2013-03-01

The reengineering of nurse training implies the implementation of self-development, empowering tools and a reshaping of the function of accompaniment during training which becomes a shared function. This work is part of a psycho-socio-educational approach of the accompaniment to self-directed learning and also in the field of practices of health and social work. This study contributes to the identification of the conditions of efficiency of contracting between student nurses, tutors and instructors. It aims to explore the interest of a triangular steering of the learning contract centered on the student's individual project and also the interest of meetings during training as triggers to a process of self-construction of competences. Moreover, the study aims to identify the effects of contract on professionalization. Our study reverts to the basic question of learning by contract as a pillar for the self-directed learning in an alternating training context. The empirical approach takes into account a qualitative study carried out with 15 people (tutors, managers, student nurses and instructors) in 3 health care structures and a quantitative study based on 78 first year students, 106 second year students, and 47 third year students at the same nursing education institute. The study shows that learning by contract is empowering and professionalizing, if the student is placed in favorable conditions of learning and contractual relationship.

Towards Professionalism in Music: Self-assessed Learning Strategies of Conservatory Music Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esa Virkkula

2017-09-01

Full Text Available One of the current spearhead projects in Finnish education is learning to learn. Learning strategies have been examined from a variety of perspectives. They are policies that either promote or hinder learning. They are any behaviours or thoughts that facilitate encoding in such a way that knowledge integration and retrieval are enhanced. Strategies can be practiced and learnt. Direct and indirect learning strategies formed the model of defining music students’ self-assessed learning habits in this research. The strategies dealt with here are memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective and social strategies. Critical thinking strategies as well as deep and surface learning strategies were also observed. In this paper, a theoretical background and methodological solutions will first be presented. A significant finding comes from cross-professional collaboration of students, teachers, and professionals during the research period: it enhanced the use of strategies. Another finding, the profitable use of the workshop method, can be adopted by other fields of learning and make processes flexible and fruitful.

Continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa and social learning systems: conflicting conceptual frameworks of learning

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G.M. Steyn

2008-07-01

Full Text Available To transform education in this country, South African teachers need to be appropriately equipped to meet the evolving challenges and needs of the country. The national policy framework for teacher education and development is an attempt to address the need for suitably qualified teachers in South Africa. Its aim is to improve the quality of education by focusing on the professional development of teachers. This article attempts to address the following research problem: Does continuing professional development for teachers (CPDT, as stipulated by the national policy framework, have the potential to contribute to the development of teachers as proposed by social learning systems? The answer to this question has the potential to inform and influence the policy and its implementation. The answer also describes how conceptual frameworks for learning in Wenger’s social learning systems conflict with effective professional development (PD programmes and CPDT.

Science Professional Learning Communities: Beyond a singular view of teacher professional development

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Jones, M. Gail; Gardner, Grant E.; Robertson, Laura; Robert, Sarah

2013-07-01

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are frequently being used as a vehicle to transform science education. This study explored elementary teachers' perceptions about the impact of participating in a science PLC on their own professional development. With the use of The Science Professional Learning Communities Survey and a semi-structured interview protocol, elementary teachers' perceptions of the goals of science PLCs, the constraints and benefits of participation in PLCs, and reported differences in the impact of PLC participation on novice and experienced teachers were examined. Sixty-five elementary teachers who participated in a science PLC were surveyed about their experiences, and a subsample of 16 teachers was interviewed. Results showed that most of the teachers reported their science PLC emphasized sharing ideas with other teachers as well as working to improve students' science standardized test scores. Teachers noted that the PLCs had impacted their science assessment practices as well as their lesson planning. However, a majority of the participants reported a differential impact of PLCs depending on a teacher's level of experience. PLCs were reported as being more beneficial to new teachers than experienced teachers. The interview results demonstrated that there were often competing goals and in some cases a loss of autonomy in planning science lessons. A significant concern was the impact of problematic interpersonal relationships and communication styles on the group functioning. The role of the PLC in addressing issues related to obtaining science resources and enhancing science content knowledge for elementary science teachers is discussed.

Understanding the Construction of Personal Learning Networks to Support Non-Formal Workplace Learning of Training Professionals

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Manning, Christin

2013-01-01

Workers in the 21st century workplace are faced with rapid and constant developments that place a heavy demand on them to continually learn beyond what the Human Resources and Training groups can meet. As a consequence, professionals must rely on non-formal learning approaches through the development of a personal learning network to keep…

Making the Most of Professional Learning Communities

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Hughes-Hassell, Sandra; Brasfield, Amanda; Dupree, Debbie

2012-01-01

As more and more schools implement professional learning communities (PLCs), school librarians often ask: What is the role of school librarians in PLCs? What should they be doing to contribute? What are their colleagues in other schools doing? In this article the authors explore these questions by first describing eight potential roles for school…

Definitions of midwifery competence: implications for professional learning

OpenAIRE

Butler, Michelle

2001-01-01

This study explores the nature of competence required to fulfil the role of the midwife, learning to become competent, and professional learning beyond registration. The research was undertaken through a qualitative, case study approach, exploring competence as a phenomenon, as experienced by thirty-nine student midwives as they went through the final stages of pre-registration midwifery education programmes, were assessed to be competent, and took on the role of the midwife. The views of the...

An evaluation of a community dietetics intervention on the management of malnutrition for healthcare professionals.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kennelly, S

2010-12-01

Healthcare professionals working in the community setting have limited knowledge of the evidence-based management of malnutrition. The present study aimed to evaluate a community dietetics intervention, which included an education programme for healthcare professionals in conjunction with the introduction of a community dietetics service for patients \\'at risk\\' of malnutrition. Changes in nutritional knowledge and the reported management of malnourished patients were investigated and the acceptability of the intervention was explored.

Professional Learning in Mathematical Reasoning: Reflections of a Primary Teacher

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Herbert, Sandra; Widjaja, Wanty; Bragg, Leicha A.; Loong, Esther; Vale, Colleen

2016-01-01

Reasoning is an important aspect in the understanding and learning of mathematics. This paper reports on a case study presenting one Australian primary teacher's reflections regarding the role played by a professional learning program in her developing understanding of mathematical reasoning. Examination of the transcripts of two interviews…

3-D Teaching of Climate Change: An innovative professional learning model for K-12 teachers

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Stapleton, M.; Wolfson, J.; Sezen-Barrie, A.

2017-12-01

In spite of the presumed controversy over the evidence for climate change, the recently released Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K-12 include a focus on climate literacy and explicitly use the term `climate change.' In addition to the increased focus on climate change, the NGSS are also built upon a new three dimensional framework for teaching and learning science. Three dimensional learning has students engaging in scientific and engineering practices (Dimension 1), while using crosscutting concepts (Dimension 2) to explore and explain natural phenomena using disciplinary core ideas (Dimension 3). The adoption of these new standards in many states across the nation has created a critical need for on-going professional learning as in-service science educators begin to implement both climate change instruction and three dimensional teaching and learning in their classrooms. In response to this need, we developed an innovative professional learning model for preparing teachers to effectively integrate climate change into their new curriculum and engage students in three dimensional learning. Our professional learning model utilized ideas that have emerged from recent science education research and include: a) formative assessment probes for three dimensional learning that monitor students' progress; b) collaboration with scientists with expertise in climate science to understand the domain specific ways of doing science; and c) development of a community of practice for in-service teachers to provide feedback to each other on their implementation. In this poster presentation, we will provide details on the development of this professional learning model and discuss the affordances and challenges of implementing this type of professional learning experience.

Functions of behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork at an emergency department: a comparative case study.

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Frykman, Mandus; Hasson, Henna; Athlin, Åsa Muntlin; von Thiele Schwarz, Ulrica

2014-05-15

While there is strong support for the benefits of working in multi-professional teams in health care, the implementation of multi-professional teamwork is reported to be complex and challenging. Implementation strategies combining multiple behavior change interventions are recommended, but the understanding of how and why the behavior change interventions influence staff behavior is limited. There is a lack of studies focusing on the functions of different behavior change interventions and the mechanisms driving behavior change. In this study, applied behavior analysis is used to analyze the function and impact of different behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork. A comparative case study design was applied. Two sections of an emergency department implemented multi-professional teamwork involving changes in work processes, aimed at increasing inter-professional collaboration. Behavior change interventions and staff behavior change were studied using observations, interviews and document analysis. Using a hybrid thematic analysis, the behavior change interventions were categorized according to the DCOM® model. The functions of the behavior change interventions were then analyzed using applied behavior analysis. The two sections used different behavior change interventions, resulting in a large difference in the degree of staff behavior change. The successful section enabled staff performance of teamwork behaviors with a strategy based on ongoing problem-solving and frequent clarification of directions. Managerial feedback initially played an important role in motivating teamwork behaviors. Gradually, as staff started to experience positive outcomes of the intervention, motivation for teamwork behaviors was replaced by positive task-generated feedback. The functional perspective of applied behavior analysis offers insight into the behavioral mechanisms that describe how and why behavior change interventions influence staff

Functions of behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork at an emergency department: a comparative case study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background While there is strong support for the benefits of working in multi-professional teams in health care, the implementation of multi-professional teamwork is reported to be complex and challenging. Implementation strategies combining multiple behavior change interventions are recommended, but the understanding of how and why the behavior change interventions influence staff behavior is limited. There is a lack of studies focusing on the functions of different behavior change interventions and the mechanisms driving behavior change. In this study, applied behavior analysis is used to analyze the function and impact of different behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork. Methods A comparative case study design was applied. Two sections of an emergency department implemented multi-professional teamwork involving changes in work processes, aimed at increasing inter-professional collaboration. Behavior change interventions and staff behavior change were studied using observations, interviews and document analysis. Using a hybrid thematic analysis, the behavior change interventions were categorized according to the DCOM® model. The functions of the behavior change interventions were then analyzed using applied behavior analysis. Results The two sections used different behavior change interventions, resulting in a large difference in the degree of staff behavior change. The successful section enabled staff performance of teamwork behaviors with a strategy based on ongoing problem-solving and frequent clarification of directions. Managerial feedback initially played an important role in motivating teamwork behaviors. Gradually, as staff started to experience positive outcomes of the intervention, motivation for teamwork behaviors was replaced by positive task-generated feedback. Conclusions The functional perspective of applied behavior analysis offers insight into the behavioral mechanisms that describe how and why behavior

Virtual Reality Skills Training for Health Care Professionals in Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention

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Fleming, Michael; Olsen, Dale; Stathes, Hilary; Boteler, Laura; Grossberg, Paul; Pfeifer, Judie; Schiro, Stephanie; Banning, Jane; Skochelak, Susan

2009-01-01

Background Educating physicians and other health care professionals to identify and treat patients who drink above recommended limits is an ongoing challenge. Methods An educational Randomized Control Trial (RCT) was conducted to test the ability of a stand alone training simulation to improve the clinical skills of health care professionals in alcohol screening and intervention. The “virtual reality simulation” combines video, voice recognition and non branching logic to create an interactive environment that allows trainees to encounter complex social cues and realistic interpersonal exchanges. The simulation includes 707 questions and statements and 1207 simulated patient responses. Results A sample of 102 health care professionals (10 physicians; 30 physician assistants [PAs] or nurse practitioners [NPs]; 36 medical students; 26 pharmacy, PA or NP students) were randomly assigned to no training (n=51) or a computer based virtual reality intervention (n=51). Subjects in both groups had similar pre-test standardized patient alcohol screening skill scores – 53.2 (experimental) vs. 54.4 (controls), 52.2 vs. 53.7 alcohol brief intervention skills, and 42.9 vs. 43.5 alcohol referral skills. Following repeated practice with the simulation there were significant increases in the scores of the experimental group at 6 months post-randomization compared to the control group for the screening (67.7 vs. 58.1, pvirtual reality simulation to demonstrate an increase in the alcohol screening and brief intervention skills of health care professionals. PMID:19587253

Language learning interventions | Kilfoil | Journal for Language ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The results for that intervention show that the hypothesis was correct and students need more time and structure if they are to improve their language competence sufficiently. Keywords: language learning interventions, English for specific purposes, language competence, fossilization. Journal for Language Teaching Vol.

Supporting Professional Development in Special Education with Web-Based Professional Learning Communities: New Possibilities with Web 2.0

Science.gov (United States)

Hardman, Elizabeth L.

2012-01-01

This article describes the challenges in organizing professional learning communities (PLCs) in special education, identifies the teacher and student benefits of using a PLC approach to professional development, and discusses the promise and pitfalls of organizing web-based PLCs to engage distributed stakeholders in the practice of special…

A transformative perspective on learning and professional development of Afghan physiotherapists.

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Wickford, Jenny; Edwards, Ian; Rosberg, Susanne

2012-05-01

The aim of this article is to explore factors that impacted learning of Afghan physiotherapists in a development project to improve the physiotherapy services in a disability programme implemented by a Swedish nongovernmental organisation in Afghanistan. Participant observation, recorded as field notes, was used to document the process, to gain a better understanding of professional development of physiotherapists in Afghanistan. Field notes were analysed and factors affecting learning were interpreted from a perspective inspired by transformative learning. Various factors were identified: a pattern approach to treatment, linear thinking, and socially oriented decision making affected how new things learned were put into practice; concrete representations and an instrumental view of knowledge characterised learning approaches; language barriers, different interpretations of meaning, and cultural codes challenged communication; and a prescriptive, encouraging approach of the expatriate physiotherapy development worker affected teaching and learning. Working with professional development across cultural borders is challenging, and the identified factors impacting learning can help expatriate physiotherapists in adapting training to the Afghan context. Exploring meaning perspectives and communicative learning could enhance understanding of these factors for both expatriate and Afghan physiotherapists and should be a focus in future development activities.

Educating for Digital Futures: What the Learning Strategies of Digital Media Professionals Can Teach Higher Education

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Bridgstock, Ruth

2016-01-01

This article explores how universities might engage more effectively with the imperative to develop students' twenty-first century skills for the information society, by examining learning challenges and professional learning strategies of successful digital media professionals. The findings of qualitative interviews with professionals from…

Learning experiences for the transition to professional work

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Leigh N. Wood

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A better educated workforce contributes to a more informed and tolerant society with higher economic output, and this is also associated with higher levels of personal health, interpersonal trust and civic and social engagement. Against this backdrop, the role of universities has expanded, as university learning has moved beyond providing an education to preparing students for leadership positions within society. This article examines the effectiveness of final-year learning experiences from the perception of recent graduates. The aim is to improve undergraduate curriculum to facilitate the transition to professional employment. An online quantitative and qualitative survey instrument was developed to investigate graduates’ perceptions of their different learning experiences and assessment types in their senior year. Four hundred and twelve alumni from five universities completed the survey. Our results indicate that graduates value case studies, group work and oral presentations, and that graduates rate lectures and guest lectures from practitioners as the least important in their transition to work. The results validate the use of graduate capability frameworks and mapping the development of the skills over the curriculum. These results are useful for curriculum designers to assist with designing programmes on the transition to professional work.

Ecological literacy and beyond: Problem-based learning for future professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewinsohn, Thomas M; Attayde, José Luiz; Fonseca, Carlos Roberto; Ganade, Gislene; Jorge, Leonardo Ré; Kollmann, Johannes; Overbeck, Gerhard E; Prado, Paulo Inácio; Pillar, Valério D; Popp, Daniela; da Rocha, Pedro L B; Silva, Wesley Rodrigues; Spiekermann, Annette; Weisser, Wolfgang W

2015-03-01

Ecological science contributes to solving a broad range of environmental problems. However, lack of ecological literacy in practice often limits application of this knowledge. In this paper, we highlight a critical but often overlooked demand on ecological literacy: to enable professionals of various careers to apply scientific knowledge when faced with environmental problems. Current university courses on ecology often fail to persuade students that ecological science provides important tools for environmental problem solving. We propose problem-based learning to improve the understanding of ecological science and its usefulness for real-world environmental issues that professionals in careers as diverse as engineering, public health, architecture, social sciences, or management will address. Courses should set clear learning objectives for cognitive skills they expect students to acquire. Thus, professionals in different fields will be enabled to improve environmental decision-making processes and to participate effectively in multidisciplinary work groups charged with tackling environmental issues.

Teachers' engagement in professional learning : exploring motivational profiles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen in de Wal, J.; Brok, den P.J.; Hooijer, J.G.; Martens, R.L.; Beemt, van den A.A.J.

2014-01-01

This study investigated to what extent secondary school teachers are motivated to work on their professional learning. To this end, profiles of motivational dimensions from self-determination theory were explored in a sample of 2360 teachers by means of latent profile analysis. The motivational

Professional Learning in Initial Teacher Education: Vision in the Constructivist Conception of Teaching and Learning

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Tang, Sylvia Y. F.; Wong, Angel K. Y.; Cheng, May M. H.

2012-01-01

With the constructivist view of learning as a conceptual lens, this paper examines student teachers' professional learning in initial teacher education (ITE). A mixed-method study was conducted with student teachers of a Bachelor of Education Programme in Hong Kong. The quantitative element of the study reveals that student teachers held a…

Three Cases of Hashtags Used as Learning and Professional Development Environments

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Veletsianos, George

2017-01-01

Hashtags offer exciting opportunities for professional development, teaching, and learning. However, their use reflects users' needs and desires. To illustrate and problematize the ways hashtags are used in professional development settings, this study reports on users' participation patterns, users' roles, and content contributed to three unique…

Transforming beginner teacher mentoring interventions for social ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Transforming beginner teacher mentoring interventions for social reform. ... for developing scholarship of teaching, as it is aligned with the role of scholar and ... Keywords: Action research; learning styles; mentoring practice; professional ...

The Professional Learning of Grade Six Teachers of Mathematics Implementing the Flipped Classroom Approach

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Goodnough, Karen; Murphy, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to make sense of the professional learning of four teachers implementing a flipped classroom approach in their grade six mathematics class. The professional learning took place within a two-year Action Research (AR) project that engaged teachers in collaborative and iterative planning, implementation, observation and…

Learning Outcomes in Professional Contexts in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Prøitz, Tine S.; Havnes, Anton; Briggs, Mary; Scott, Ian

2017-01-01

With the policy of developing a transparent and competitive European higher education sector, learning outcomes (LOs) are attributed a foundation stone role in policy and curriculum development. A premise for their implementation is that they bear fundamental similarities across national, institutional or professional/disciplinary contexts. In…

The Challenge of Four-Status Model of eLearning: Principles Toward a New Understanding for Healthcare Professionals

OpenAIRE

Turnbull, Niruwan; Wills, Gary; Gobbi, Mary

2011-01-01

This paper presents the critical reviews of the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning for healthcare professionals. The impact of learning on healthcare professionals is explored; the focus is on healthcare professionals in rural Thailand. Literature suggests that there are four main topics related to the drivers and barriers in eLearning, they are: Infrastructure; Finance; Policies; and Culture (IF-PC). IF-PC model of barriers and drivers of eLearning is being adopted as a template for t...

Learning of Teaching in the Professional Socialization in Physical Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel de Souza Neto

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract AIMS to investigate how the professional socialization happens through teacher education. METHODS a qualitative research, descriptive, was developed using exploratory interview and narrative interview to clarify and deepen the collected information. Two Physical Education teachers with different stories of personal and professional development participated in this study. Through content analysis the data was organized in themes: the cultural capital and the learning of teaching, as a social, spatial and temporal process; a cognitive, plural and heterogenic process and a human, moral and relational process. RESULTS life settings can be viewed as the building scaffoldings of a professional socialization with the aim of understanding teachers and their practices in the knowledge of their lives, as influenced by social interactions. In this process of successive socializations, teachers build their professional identity, valuing social interactions in the environments they inhabit. In this study, practice was viewed as a site for training, the production of knowledge, and professional socialization in the acquisition of cultural capital. The knowledge of teachers was conceived as having a social nature, bringing underlying sources of acquisition associated with the family, school, and university because they decisively contribute to the structure of the educational practice. CONCLUSION the professional socialization is a dynamic process which involves not only the learning, but the acquisition of a professional ethos and, mainly, a teacher's identity and a base of knowledge that support the social interaction and the teaching culture in the activities and individual socialization in the habitus perspective.

All for one and one for all: understanding health professionals' experience in individual versus collaborative online learning.

Science.gov (United States)

MacNeill, Heather; Telner, Deanna; Sparaggis-Agaliotis, Alexandra; Hanna, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) may facilitate continuing interprofessional education while overcoming barriers of time and place for busy health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences, advantages, and challenges of group versus individual online learning. Fifteen multidisciplinary health professionals participated in a 12-week online course on either diabetes or traumatic brain injury. This consisted of background e-modules and a longitudinal build-a-case exercise, done either individually or as a group. Focus group sessions exploring participants' experiences after course completion and at 4 months were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring themes. Participant reflection homework and video-recorded group sessions were used for triangulation of results. Individual learners appreciated the flexibility and control, but experienced decreased motivation. Group learners appreciated the immediate feedback from their co-learners and felt social pressure to come to the weekly sessions prepared but expressed challenges in determining group goal-setting for the session. Both groups felt they learned about interprofessional roles; however, group learners described a richer learning experience and understanding of interprofessional roles through the online collaboration exercise. The intense resources necessary for interprofessional CSCL, including time, faculty development, and technological issues, are described. CSCL is a valuable educational strategy in online learning. While individual online learning may be better suited for short and simple educational interventions such as knowledge acquisition, CSCL seems to allow for richer and deeper learning in complex and interprofessional educational experiences. However, strategies, resources, and faculty development required to enhance CSCL need to be addressed carefully. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society

A professional approach to English language teaching and learning in teacher’s training education

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Rodríguez, Orlando

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This article deals with the demands for giving a professionalized approach to the English teaching-learning process for future teachers at the universities of pedagogical sciences of Cuba, specifically at “Jose Marti” University of Camagüey. The treatment to the professionalized learning approach has generally been related to technical courses in the technical professional teaching. This approach needs contextualizing in the different courses or disciplines of higher education with the purpose of achieving the goal demanded by society of graduated teachers from higher education at their working scenarios. The teacher of English is no exception to this demand. Key words: professional approach, professional competency, users, analyst, professor

Learning Goals Achievement of a Teacher in Professional Development

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Siti Marfu’ah

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to describe the achievement of teacher learning in cognitive, affective and psychomotor in conducting professional development. This study was categorized as a descriptive study. The respondents of this study were teachers and students in the Department of Electrical Engineering at a Vocational Secondary School in Bangka Belitung. Methods of data collection used questionnaires. The data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. The results of this study consisted of: (1 teachers’ opinion, most teachers had worked very well in learning of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor, (2 students’ opinion, several teachers had succeeded in cognitive learning, and managed very well on affective and psychomotor learning.

Using Virtual Patient Simulations to Prepare Primary Health Care Professionals to Conduct Substance Use and Mental Health Screening and Brief Intervention.

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Albright, Glenn; Bryan, Craig; Adam, Cyrille; McMillan, Jeremiah; Shockley, Kristen

2017-07-01

Primary health care professionals are in an excellent position to identify, screen, and conduct brief interventions for patients with mental health and substance use disorders. However, discomfort in initiating conversations about behavioral health, time concerns, lack of knowledge about screening tools, and treatment resources are barriers. This study examines the impact of an online simulation where users practice role-playing with emotionally responsive virtual patients to learn motivational interviewing strategies to better manage screening, brief interventions, and referral conversations. Baseline data were collected from 227 participants who were then randomly assigned into the treatment or wait-list control groups. Treatment group participants then completed the simulation, postsimulation survey, and 3-month follow-up survey. Results showed significant increases in knowledge/skill to identify and engage in collaborative decision making with patients. Results strongly suggest that role-play simulation experiences can be an effective means of teaching screening and brief intervention.

Pastors and the "Perpetuum Mobile": The Dynamics of Professional Learning in Times of Reform

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Reite, Ingrid Chr.

2015-01-01

In a changing knowledge society, many workplaces experience a great number of reforms, implying improvement, new ways of working and professional learning. When a reform is introduced, however, does a professional act as an ever-moving machine--a "perpetuum mobile"--always learning with full energy? In this article, I ask the following:…

The Framework of Intervention Engine Based on Learning Analytics

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Sahin, Muhittin; Yurdugül, Halil

2017-01-01

Learning analytics primarily deals with the optimization of learning environments and the ultimate goal of learning analytics is to improve learning and teaching efficiency. Studies on learning analytics seem to have been made in the form of adaptation engine and intervention engine. Adaptation engine studies are quite widespread, but intervention…

Effects of healthcare professional delivered early feeding interventions on feeding practices and dietary intake: A systematic review.

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Matvienko-Sikar, Karen; Toomey, Elaine; Delaney, Lisa; Harrington, Janas; Byrne, Molly; Kearney, Patricia M

2018-04-01

Childhood obesity is a global public health challenge. Parental feeding practices, such as responsive feeding, are implicated in the etiology of childhood obesity. This systematic review aimed to examine of effects of healthcare professional-delivered early feeding interventions, on parental feeding practices, dietary intake, and weight outcomes for children up to 2 years. The role of responsive feeding interventions was also specifically examined. Databases searched included: CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Maternity and Infant Care. participants are parents of children ≤2 years; intervention includes focus on early child feeding to prevent overweight and obesity; intervention delivered by healthcare professionals. Sixteen papers, representing 10 trials, met inclusion criteria for review. Six interventions included responsive feeding components. Interventions demonstrated inconsistent effects on feeding practices, dietary intake, and weight outcomes. Findings suggest some reductions in pressure to eat and infant consumption of non-core beverages. Responsive feeding based interventions demonstrate greater improvements in feeding approaches, and weight outcomes. The findings of this review highlight the importance of incorporating responsive feeding in healthcare professional delivered early feeding interventions to prevent childhood obesity. Observed inconsistencies across trials may be explained by methodological limitations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early Childhood Professional Development: An Experimental Study of Adult Teaching Practices Derived from Adult Learning Theory

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Weber-Mayrer, Melissa M.

Research that describes how adults acquire and use new information, collectively called adult learning theory, has potentially important implications for facilitating such adult learning experiences as educator professional development. The purpose of this study was to examine whether integrating adult teaching practices derived from adult learning theories into early childhood educators professional development would result in better gains in educator engagement in professional development, phonological awareness abilities, phonological awareness knowledge, and language and literacy beliefs. The impact on educator engagement and educator proximal knowledge was analyzed using one way ANOVA. The impact on educator phonological awareness abilities, phonological awareness general knowledge, and beliefs was analyzed using a 3 X (2 X S) mixed analyses of variance to examine the pretest to posttest change between educators participating the three conditions. Results revealed significant findings for increased engagement in professional learning and gains in educators general knowledge. This study is a first step in understanding effective adult teaching practices that may or may not contribute to better educator outcomes and promoting more effective professional learning experiences for early childhood educators.

Improving adult learning and professional development in a post-conflict area: the case of Cambodia

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Berkvens, J.; Kalyanpur, M.; Kuiper, Wilmad; van den Akker, Jan

2012-01-01

All over the world, international development organizations try to increase professional capacity of local staff. These attempts are thought to fail because of financial constraints, but this is just part of the story. Professional development and adult learning theories approach learning from a

How do medical educators design a curriculum that facilitates student learning about professionalism?

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Mason, Glenn; Wang, Shaoyu

2016-01-01

Objectives This study analyses the ways in which curriculum reform facilitated student learning about professionalism. Methods Design-based research provided the structure for an iterative approach to curriculum change which we undertook over a 3 year period. The learning environment of the Personal and Professional Development Theme (PPD) was analysed through the sociocultural lens of Activity Theory. Lave and Wenger’s and Mezirow’s learning theories informed curriculum reform to support student development of a patient-centred and critically reflective professional identity. The renewed pedagogical outcomes were aligned with curriculum content, learning and teaching processes and assessment, and intense staff education was undertaken. We analysed qualitative data from tutor interviews and free-response student surveys to evaluate the impact of curriculum reform. Results Students’ and tutors’ reflections on learning in PPD converged on two principle themes - ‘Developing a philosophy of medicine’ and ‘Becoming an ethical doctor’- which corresponded to the overarching PPD theme aims of communicative learning. Students and tutors emphasised the importance of the unique learning environment of PPD tutorials for nurturing personal development and the positive impact of the renewed assessment programme on learning. Conclusions A theory-led approach to curriculum reform resulted in student engagement in the PPD curriculum and facilitated a change in student perspective about the epistemological foundation of medicine. PMID:26845777

Material matters for learning in virtual networks: a case study of a professional learning programme hosted in a Google+ online community

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Aileen Ackland

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we draw on Actor–Network Theories (ANT to explore how material components functioned to create gateways and barriers to a virtual learning network in the context of a professional development module in higher education. Students were practitioners engaged in family learning in different professional roles and contexts. The data comprised postings in the Google+ community, email correspondence, meeting notes, feedback submitted at the final workshop and post-module evaluation forms. Our analysis revealed a complex set of interactions, and suggests multiple ways human actors story their encounters with non-human components and the effects these have on the learning experience. The aim of this paper is to contribute to a more holistic understanding of the components and dynamics of social learning networks in the virtual world and consider the implications for the design of online learning for continuous professional development (CPD.

Effectiveness of distance learning strategies for continuing professional development (CPD) for rural allied health practitioners: a systematic review.

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Berndt, Angela; Murray, Carolyn M; Kennedy, Kate; Stanley, Mandy J; Gilbert-Hunt, Susan

2017-07-12

Allied health professionals working in rural areas face unique challenges, often with limited access to resources. Accessing continuing professional development is one of those challenges and is related to retention of workforce. Effectiveness of distance learning strategies for continuing professional development in rural allied healthcare workers has not been evaluated. We searched 17 databases and the grey literature up to September 2016 following the PRISMA guidelines. Any primary studies were included that focussed on allied health and distance delivery regardless of education topic or study design. Two independent reviewers extracted data and critically appraised the selected studies. The search returned 5257 results. With removal of duplicate references, we reviewed 3964 article titles and abstracts; n = 206 appeared potentially eligible and were scrutinised via full text screening; n = 14 were included. Studies were published between 1997 and 2016, were of varied methodological quality and were predominantly from Australia, USA and Canada with a focus on satisfaction of learners with the delivery method or on measures of educational outcomes. Technologies used to deliver distance education included video conference, teleconference, web based platforms and virtual reality. Early papers tended to focus more on the technology characteristics than educational outcomes. Some studies compared technology based delivery to face to face modes and found satisfaction and learning outcomes to be on par. Only three studies reported on practice change following the educational intervention and, despite a suggestion there is a link between the constructs, none measured the relationship between access to continuing professional development and workforce retention. Technology based options of delivery have a high utility, however the complex inter-relatedness of time, use, travel, location, costs, interactivity, learning outcomes and educational design suggest a need

Leading for Change: Creating a Professional Learning Community for Collaborative Relationships and Shared Leadership

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Martin, Linda

2013-01-01

This action research study examines school reform through the development of a professional learning community for teacher-leaders. Through action research, this study organized a select group of teacher-leaders into a professional learning community to engage in a series of readings through a book club. The purpose of the book club was to develop…

Learning disabilities: definitions, epidemiology, diagnosis, and intervention strategies.

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Lagae, Lieven

2008-12-01

Learning problems occur in about 5% of school-aged children. Learning disabilities are specific and life-long but present with different school problems at different ages, depending on such factors as age, medical history, family history, and intelligence quotient. Proper individualized diagnosis and treatment plans are necessary to remediate these problems and to offer adequate coping strategies. Many children who have learning problems can be classified into one of two major categories: the dyslexia group or the nonverbal learning disability group. The role of the medical professional is important to guide parents in the diagnostic and therapeutic process.

Educational interventions to train healthcare professionals in end-of-life communication: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Chung, Han-Oh; Oczkowski, Simon J W; Hanvey, Louise; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; You, John J

2016-04-29

Practicing healthcare professionals and graduates exiting training programs are often ill-equipped to facilitate important discussions about end-of-life care with patients and their families. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions aimed at providing healthcare professionals with training in end-of-life communication skills, compared to usual curriculum. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from the date of inception to July 2014 for randomized control trials (RCT) and prospective observational studies of educational training interventions to train healthcare professionals in end-of-life communication skills. To be eligible, interventions had to provide communication skills training related to end-of-life decision making; other interventions (e.g. breaking bad news, providing palliation) were excluded. Our primary outcomes were self-efficacy, knowledge and end-of-life communication scores with standardized patient encounters. Sufficiently similar studies were pooled in a meta-analysis. The quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Of 5727 candidate articles, 20 studies (6 RCTs, 14 Observational) were included in this review. Compared to usual teaching, educational interventions to train healthcare professionals in end-of-life communication skills were associated with greater self-efficacy (8 studies, standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.57;95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40-0.75; P communication scores (8 studies, SMD 0.69; 95% CI 0.41-0.96; p communication training may improve healthcare professionals' self-efficacy, knowledge, and EoL communication scores compared to usual teaching. Further studies comparing two active educational interventions are recommended with a continued focus on contextually relevant high-level outcomes. PROSPERO CRD42014012913.

Examining Professional Learning and the Preparation of Professionally Competent Teachers in Initial Teacher Education

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Tang, Sylvia Y. F.; Wong, Angel K. Y.; Cheng, May M. H.

2016-01-01

The relative contributions of higher education and schools, and hence the conceptual and practical aspects of ITE, to student teachers' professional learning have been an issue of concern in teacher education. This article reports a mixed-methods study showing the relationship between student teachers' engagement with the practical and conceptual…

Material Matters for Learning in Virtual Networks: A Case Study of a Professional Learning Programme Hosted in a Google+ Online Community

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Ackland, Aileen; Swinney, Ann

2015-01-01

In this paper, we draw on Actor-Network Theories (ANT) to explore how material components functioned to create gateways and barriers to a virtual learning network in the context of a professional development module in higher education. Students were practitioners engaged in family learning in different professional roles and contexts. The data…

Learning Culture, Line Manager and HR Professional Practice

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Harrison, Patricia

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to focus on the role of line management and learning culture in the development of professional practice for the human resource (HR) practitioner. Design/methodology/approach: Three-year longitudinal, matched-pair study involving five participants and their line managers. Findings: Two of the five participants experienced…

Professional Learning and the Materiality of Social Practice

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Makitalo, Asa

2012-01-01

This article addresses professional learning as intrinsic to social practices. It takes its point of departure in a sociocultural notion of mediation and communication in human activity and addresses the constitutive nature of language and artefacts as material-semiotic tools in the social coordination of perspectives and action, meaning-making…

Unpacking the Roles of the Facilitator in Higher Education Professional Learning Communities

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Margalef, Leonor; Pareja Roblin, Natalie

2016-01-01

Facilitators are central for the success of professional learning communities (PLCs). Yet, their specific roles in supporting teacher learning remain still largely underexplored. To address this gap, the current multiple case study examines the roles of 4 university PLC facilitators, the strategies they used to support teacher learning, and the…

THE RELEVANCE OF LEARNING APPLIED ENGLISH FOR ACADEMICS TO FOSTER PROFESSIONALISM

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Lubna Algadrie

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Academics who are not competent in communication skills, particularly language skills, will develop less compared to those who are. Communication skills in general and language skills in particular will foster professionalism since professionals will spend less time doing and more time managing as experience grows. Professionalism grows from qualities that can be learned and developed as well as information learned and acquired. Negotiating skills will enable them to win deals more readily. Moreover, internet based realms of communications are mostly English speaking creations, which vary in terms of level of formality and choice of words. In this paper the writer shares her experience in materials preparations and a classroom-centered research done on a group of academics of non-English majors who came to ITS Language Centre to improve their English language competence for career development and further studies.

The power of mindful learning in professional development course

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Sonia Piscayanti Kadek

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Mindful Learning has been widely used in education nowadays, due to its significant and valuable impacts towards learning. Mindful learning is an effective tool to enhance students’ awareness of learning, students’ engagement with the context of learning and students’ flexibility towards new ideas in learning. The three main characteristics of mindful learning above raise students’ motivation and ownership of learning. It is shaping the students new perspective and leading them to powerful impact of learning. This is a descriptive qualitative research on the use of mindful learning in Professional Development Course in English Education Department Ganesha University of Education. The subjects are 73 students of sixth semester in academic year 2016/2017. Mindful Learning is used as a powerful strategy to enhance the students’ achievement in learning. It is implemented through 16 meetings consisted of lectures, discussions, presentations and final projects. They are assessed by reflective journal, presentation notes, and final projects. At the end, the result showed that the power of mindful learning gives significant effect towards learning achievement. It showed that not only the mindful learning is effective for the learning but also productive in improving the students’ creativity and critical thinking.

Feasibility of an Online Professional Development Program for Early Intervention Practitioners

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Kyzar, Kathleen B.; Chiu, Caya; Kemp, Peggy; Aldersey, Heather Michelle; Turnbull, Ann P.; Lindeman, David P.

2014-01-01

This article reports findings from 2 studies situated within a larger scope of design research on a professional development program, "Early Years," for Part C early intervention practitioners, working with families in home and community settings. Early Years includes online modules and onsite mentor coaching, and its development has…

Learning to Become a Learning Professional: Reflections on One Year of Teaching

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Attard, Karl; Armour, Kathleen M.

2005-01-01

This research aims to study the ways in which a teacher learns through and about professional practice. Data presented here is drawn from one year of teaching and focuses on pedagogical practices, critical reflection upon those practices and the impact of the implementation of a new physical education syllabus in Maltese secondary schools. The…

Fostering Self-Reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

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Monet, Julie A.; Etkina, Eugenia

2008-10-01

This paper describes the analysis of teachers’ journal reflections during an inquiry-based professional development program. As a part of their learning experience, participants reflected on what they learned and how they learned. Progress of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge was assessed though surveys and pre- and posttests. We found that teachers have difficulties reflecting on their learning and posing meaningful questions. The teachers who could describe how they reasoned from evidence to understand a concept had the highest learning gains. In contrast those teachers who seldom or never described learning a concept by reasoning from evidence showed the smallest learning gains. This analysis suggests that learning to reflect on one’s learning should be an integral part of teachers’ professional development experiences.

Remix as Professional Learning: Educators’ Iterative Literacy Practice in CLMOOC

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Anna Smith

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The Connected Learning Massive Open Online Collaboration (CLMOOC is an online professional development experience designed as an openly networked, production-centered, participatory learning collaboration for educators. Addressing the paucity of research that investigates learning processes in MOOC experiences, this paper examines the situated literacy practices that emerged as educators in CLMOOC composed, collaborated, and distributed multimediated artifacts. Using a collaborative, interactive visual mapping tool as participant-researchers, we analyzed relationships between publically available artifacts and posts generated in one week through a transliteracies framework. Culled data included posts on Twitter (n = 678, a Google+ Community (n = 105, a Facebook Group (n = 19, a blog feed (n = 5, and a “make” repository (n = 21. Remix was found to be a primary form of interaction and mediator of learning. Participants not only iterated on each others’ artifacts, but on social processes and shared practices as well. Our analysis illuminated four distinct remix mobilities and relational tendencies—bursting, drifting, leveraging, and turning. Bursting and drifting characterize the paces and proximities of remixing while leveraging and turning are activities more obviously disruptive of social processes and power hierarchies. These mobilities and tendencies revealed remix as an emergent, iterative, collaborative, critical practice with transformative possibilities for openly networked web-mediated professional learning.

Integration of gender-transformative interventions into health professional education reform for the 21st century: implications of an expert review.

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Newman, Constance; Ng, Crystal; Pacqué-Margolis, Sara; Frymus, Diana

2016-04-12

Gender discrimination and inequality in health professional education (HPE) affect students and faculty and hinder production of the robust health workforces needed to meet health and development goals, yet HPE reformers pay scant attention to these gender barriers. Gender equality must be a core value and professional practice competency for all actors in HPE and health employment systems. Peer-review and non-peer-review literature previously identified in a review of the literature identified interventions to counter gender discrimination and inequality in HPE and tertiary education systems in North America and the Caribbean; West, East, and Southern Africa; Asia; the Middle East and North Africa; Europe; Australia; and South America. An assessment considered 51 interventions addressing sexual harassment (18), caregiver discrimination (27), and gender equality (6). Reviewers with expertise in gender and health system strengthening rated and ranked interventions according to six gender-transformative criteria. Thirteen interventions were considered to have transformational potential to address gender-related obstacles to entry, retention, career progression, and graduation in HPE, when implemented in core sets of interventions. The review identified one set with potential to counter sexual harassment in HPE and two sets to counter caregiver discrimination. Gender centers and equal employment opportunity units are structural interventions that can address multiple forms of gender discrimination and inequality. The paper's broad aim is to encourage HPE leaders to make gender-transformative reforms in the current way of doing business and commit to themselves to countering gender discrimination and inequality. Interventions to counter gender discrimination should be seen as integral parts of institutional and instructional reforms and essential investments to scale up quality HPE and recruit and retain health workers in the systems that educate and employ them

Ready for eHealth? Health Professionals' Acceptance and Adoption of eHealth Interventions in Inpatient Routine Care.

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Hennemann, Severin; Beutel, Manfred E; Zwerenz, Rüdiger

2017-03-01

eHealth interventions can be effective in treating health problems. However, adoption in inpatient routine care seems limited. The present study therefore aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators to acceptance of eHealth interventions and of online aftercare in particular in health professionals of inpatient treatment. A total of 152 out of 287 health professionals of various professional groups in four inpatient rehabilitation facilities filled out a self-administered web-based questionnaire (response rate: 53%); 128 individuals were eligible for further data analysis. Acceptance and possible predictors were investigated with a complex research model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Acceptance of eHealth interventions was rather low (M = 2.47, SD = 0.98); however, acceptance of online aftercare was moderate (M = 3.08, SD = 0.96, t(127) = 8.22, p eHealth literacy was elevated. Social influence, performance expectancy, and treatment-related internet and mobile use significantly predicted overall acceptance. No differences were found between professional and age groups. Although acceptance of eHealth interventions was limited in health professionals of inpatient treatment, moderate acceptance of online aftercare for work-related stress implies a basis for future implementation. Tailored eHealth education addressing misconceptions about inferiority and incongruity with conventional treatment considering the systemic aspect of acceptance formation are needed.

Enhancing Self-Efficacy in Elementary Science Teaching with Professional Learning Communities

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Mintzes, Joel J.; Marcum, Bev; Messerschmidt-Yates, Christl; Mark, Andrew

2013-01-01

Emerging from Bandura's Social Learning Theory, this study of in-service elementary school teachers examined the effects of sustained Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) on self-efficacy in science teaching. Based on mixed research methods, and a non-equivalent control group experimental design, the investigation explored changes in…

Intervention in health care teams and working relationships

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Laurenson M

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Mary Laurenson, Tracey Heath, Sarah GribbinUniversity of Hull, Faculty of Health and Social Care, Department of Health Professional Studies, Cottingham, Hull, United KingdomIntroduction: Communication is an intrinsic part of collaborative working but can be problematic when the complexities of professional and personal identities inhibit quality care provision. This paper investigates these complexities and recommends interventions to facilitate collaborative working.Methods: A qualitative comparative approach examined data collected from participants using purposive non-probability sampling. Perspectives were obtained from four professional groups (nurses, social workers, care managers, and police, from different organizations with different theoretical and practice frameworks, and from a fifth group (informal carers.Results: Curriculum change and leadership initiatives are required to address the complexities inhibiting collaborative working relationships. Integrating complexity theory, personality typology, and problem-based learning into the curriculum to understand behavioral actions will enable interventions to effect change and promote the centrality of those being cared for.Keywords: interprofessional education and working, complexity, communication, personality, problem-based learning

"A Lifelong Classroom": Social Studies Educators' Engagement with Professional Learning Networks on Twitter

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Noble, Anna; McQuillan, Patrick; Littenberg-Tobias, Josh

2016-01-01

Growing numbers of educators are using social media platforms to connect with other educators to form professional learning networks. These networks serve as alternative sources of professional development for teachers who seek to enrich their professional growth beyond school-based programs. This study aims to add to the small but growing body of…

Examining the effects of a mindfulness-based distance learning professional training module on personal and professional functioning: a qualitative study

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Simon Whitesman

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Training people to deliver mindfulness-based interventions (MBI is becoming an important activity as mindfulness has been shown to have clinical benefits across a variety of conditions. Training courses must not only address the principles, skills and theory of mindfulness, but the trainers themselves must be able to embody the practice. There is limited research on the ability of teachers-in-training to embody the practice as a result of teacher training programmes. This study explored the extent to which a short course enabled future teachers to embody mindfulness practice. This first module was part of a larger course of four modules to prepare future teachers of MBIs. Methods Qualitative data was obtained from 10 out of 35 end of course written assignments that asked respondents to reflect on their experience of mindfulness practice during the course. These were systematically selected and a focus group interview was also conducted with local participants. Data was analysed by means of the framework method and key themes identified. Results The combination of a retreat and on-line learning was perceived to be effective. Students reported significant changes in personal functioning as a result of daily mindfulness practice: self-awareness, improved relationships, enhanced connectedness, better self-regulation, enhanced compassion and curiosity towards self and others and self-acceptance. Participants began to introduce elements of mindfulness into their professional practice. Conclusions The first module of a post-graduate training programme for health professionals who want to teach MBIs successfully supported students to embody, explore and apply mindfulness in their lives. The integrated teaching modalities of residential retreat and distance-based on-line learning appeared effective.

It takes a village: supporting inquiry- and equity-oriented computer science pedagogy through a professional learning community

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Ryoo, Jean; Goode, Joanna; Margolis, Jane

2015-10-01

This article describes the importance that high school computer science teachers place on a teachers' professional learning community designed around an inquiry- and equity-oriented approach for broadening participation in computing. Using grounded theory to analyze four years of teacher surveys and interviews from the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) program in the Los Angeles Unified School District, this article describes how participating in professional development activities purposefully aimed at fostering a teachers' professional learning community helps ECS teachers make the transition to an inquiry-based classroom culture and break professional isolation. This professional learning community also provides experiences that challenge prevalent deficit notions and stereotypes about which students can or cannot excel in computer science.

Supporting health care professionals to improve the processes of shared decision making and self-management in a web-based intervention: randomized controlled trial.

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Sassen, Barbara; Kok, Gerjo; Schepers, Jan; Vanhees, Luc

2014-10-21

Research to assess the effect of interventions to improve the processes of shared decision making and self-management directed at health care professionals is limited. Using the protocol of Intervention Mapping, a Web-based intervention directed at health care professionals was developed to complement and optimize health services in patient-centered care. The objective of the Web-based intervention was to increase health care professionals' intention and encouraging behavior toward patient self-management, following cardiovascular risk management guidelines. A randomized controlled trial was used to assess the effect of a theory-based intervention, using a pre-test and post-test design. The intervention website consisted of a module to help improve professionals' behavior, a module to increase patients' intention and risk-reduction behavior toward cardiovascular risk, and a parallel module with a support system for the health care professionals. Health care professionals (n=69) were recruited online and randomly allocated to the intervention group (n=26) or (waiting list) control group (n=43), and invited their patients to participate. The outcome was improved professional behavior toward health education, and was self-assessed through questionnaires based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Social-cognitive determinants, intention and behavior were measured pre-intervention and at 1-year follow-up. The module to improve professionals' behavior was used by 45% (19/42) of the health care professionals in the intervention group. The module to support the health professional in encouraging behavior toward patients was used by 48% (20/42). The module to improve patients' risk-reduction behavior was provided to 44% (24/54) of patients. In 1 of every 5 patients, the guideline for cardiovascular risk management was used. The Web-based intervention was poorly used. In the intervention group, no differences in social-cognitive determinants, intention and behavior were found

Professional Learning Communities' Impact on Science Teacher Classroom Practice in a Midwestern Urban School District

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Carpenter, Dan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this reputation-based, multiple-site case study was to explore professional learning communities' impact on teacher classroom practice. The goal of this research was to describe the administrator and teachers' perceptions with respect to professional learning communities as it related to teacher practice in their school. Educators…

An integrative review of e-learning in the delivery of self-management support training for health professionals.

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Lawn, Sharon; Zhi, Xiaojuan; Morello, Andrea

2017-10-10

E-learning involves delivery of education through Information and Communication Technology (ITC) using a wide variety of instructional designs, including synchronous and asynchronous formats. It can be as effective as face-to-face training for many aspects of health professional training. There are, however, particular practices and skills needed in providing patient self-management support, such as partnering with patients in goal-setting, which may challenge conventional practice norms. E-learning for the delivery of self-management support (SMS) continuing education to existing health professionals is a relatively new and growing area with limited studies identifying features associated with best acquisition of skills in self-management support. An integrative literature review examined what is known about e-learning for self-management support. This review included both qualitative and quantitative studies that focused on e-learning provided to existing health professionals for their continuing professional development. Papers were limited to those published in English between 2006 and 2016. Content analysis was used to organize and focus and describe the findings. The search returned 1505 articles, with most subsequently excluded based on their title or abstract. Fifty-two full text articles were obtained and checked, with 42 excluded because they did not meet the full criteria. Ten peer-reviewed articles were included in this review. Seven main themes emerged from the content analysis: participants and professions; time; package content; guiding theoretical framework; outcome measures; learning features or formats; and learning barriers. These themes revealed substantial heterogeneity in instructional design and other elements of e-learning applied to SMS, indicating that there is still much to understand about how best to deliver e-learning for SMS skills development. Few e-learning approaches meet the need for high levels of interactivity, reflection

A New Professionalism for a Collaborative Culture of Organizational Learning in a Contemporary Society.

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Quicke, John

2000-01-01

Evaluates professionalism in contemporary context and suggests ways to enhance educational institutions' learning capability. The new professionalism stresses use of democratic collaboration to confront bureaucratic constraints and disciplinary power in an uncertain age. New professionals must self-consciously create and recreate collaborative…

Analyzing Principal Professional Development Practices through the Lens of Adult Learning Theory

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Zepeda, Sally J.; Parylo, Oksana; Bengtson, Ed

2014-01-01

This qualitative study sought to identify current principal professional development practices in four school systems in Georgia and to examine them by applying the principles of adult learning theory. The cross-case analysis of principal professional development initiatives in four school districts revealed nine common practices: connecting…

Intervention in the learning process of second year medical students

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Fariba Haghani

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: It has been demonstrated that educational programs that focus on study skills could improve learning strategies and academic success of university students. Due to the important role of such supportive programs aimed at the fresh students, this survey was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of an optional course of learning and study skills on learning and study skills of second year medical students. Methods: This quasi-experimental research was performed on 32 eligible medical students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, who chose the optional course of learning and study skills. Both of intervention and control groups completed Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI at the beginning and the end of semester. Students in the intervention group studied different components of reading and learning skills using team working. Their final scores were calculated based on written reports on application of study skills in exams (portfolio, self-evaluation form and their progress in LASSI test. The mean differences of scores before and after intervention in each of ten test scales were compared between two groups. Results: The results showed that the mean difference scores in attitude, time management, information processing, main ideas selection, study aids and self-testing scales were significantly higher in the intervention group (p < 0.05 for all. Conclusions: This optional course successfully improved learning strategies in the corresponding classroom activities. However, there was no improvement in the motivational scale which is tightly related to the educational success. Therefore, the implementation of educational programs with an emphasis on meta-cognitional aspects of learning is recommended.

Practitioner of Cooperative Learning as Part of Novice Teachers' Professional Identity

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Astuti, Puji

2016-01-01

This paper identifies challenges that English as a foreign language (EFL) novice teachers in Indonesia may face in developing a professional identity, which, in this paper, refers to becoming a practitioner of cooperative learning. Cooperative learning is a mandated teaching method both in the 2006 and 2013 Indonesian curriculum, and is under the…

Using the Instructional Core to Implement a Professional Learning Programme for Primary Science Teachers in Australia: Teacher Learning and Student Skill Outcomes

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Loughland, Tony; Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai

2016-01-01

There has been a call for effective professional learning to improve the quality of the science teaching of primary teachers in Australia. It seems from the literature that teaching science effectively is a challenging endeavour for primary teachers. Professional learning based on the instructional core framework is an emerging approach that has…

Learning a Music Instrument in Early Childhood: What Can We Learn from Professional Musicians' Childhood Memories?

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Smith, Wyverne

2008-01-01

Professional early childhood educators are often asked for advice about whether or when a young child should learn to play a music instrument. Many educators who do not have a background in music education may not be confident in providing such advice. A range of overseas research has supported learning a music instrument in the early childhood…

Feasibility of a psychosis information intervention to improve mental health literacy for professional groups in contact with young people.

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Sutton, Marie; O'Keeffe, Donal; Frawley, Timothy; Madigan, Kevin; Fanning, Felicity; Lawlor, Elizabeth; Roche, Eric; Kelly, Aine; Turner, Niall; Horenstein, Arielle; O'Callaghan, Eadbhard; Clarke, Mary

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a psychosis information intervention for professionals in contact with young people in Ireland. A quasi-experimental pre- and post-intervention design was used. One thousand and thirty-two professionals received an information intervention designed to improve mental health literacy (MHL) and confidence in providing help to people with psychosis. Seven hundred and fifty-five participants completed the Psychosis Information and Confidence Questionnaire pre- and post-intervention. The information intervention significantly improved participants': (1) knowledge of psychosis; (2) ability to recognize signs and symptoms of psychosis; (3) awareness of how to access services; and (4) confidence in providing help to people experiencing psychosis. Findings provide promising support for the intervention's feasibility and acceptability. The intervention enhanced MHL regarding psychosis among professionals in contact with young people. Further research assessing if such improvements translate to the facilitation of appropriate help seeking, the enhanced early detection of psychosis and a reduction of the duration of untreated psychosis is required. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Declarative knowledge and professional vision in teacher education: effect of courses in teaching and learning.

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Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D; Seidel, Tina

2013-09-01

Teachers' professional vision includes the ability to apply general pedagogical knowledge about components of effective teaching and learning to reason about significant features of classroom practice. It requires teachers to (a) describe, (b) explain, and (c) predict classroom situations. Although the acquisition of underling knowledge can be considered as a key element of university-based teacher education programmes, to date, there has been little empirical research on teacher candidates' development of professional vision. This study aims to improve understanding of how different university-based courses in teaching and learning impact the development of professional vision. Participants were teacher candidates (N= 53) attending the same teacher education programme at a German university. They were enrolled in one of three different compulsory courses in teaching and learning, lasting one semester. In a pre-test-post-test design, participants' declarative knowledge about teaching and learning was measured with a test, professional vision with the online tool Observer. Analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. Teacher candidates in all three courses showed significant gains both in declarative knowledge and professional vision. Patterns of results differed depending on the course attended. A video-based course with a focus on effective teaching resulted in highest gains in prediction of the consequences of observed events for student learning processes, which is the highest level of knowledge transfer. The development of professional vision is a strongly knowledge-guided process. In line with their content and aims, university-based courses can enhance teaching-relevant knowledge for teacher candidates. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Factors Influencing Teacher Appropriation of Professional Learning Focused on the Use of Technology in Science Classrooms

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Longhurst, Max L.; Jones, Suzanne H.; Campbell, Todd

2017-01-01

Understanding factors that impact teacher implementation of learning from professional development is critical in order to maximize the educational and financial investment in teacher professional learning. This multi-case qualitative investigation elucidates factors that influence the appropriation of instructional tools associated with…

Powered mobility intervention: understanding the position of tool use learning as part of implementing the ALP tool.

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Nilsson, Lisbeth; Durkin, Josephine

2017-10-01

To explore the knowledge necessary for adoption and implementation of the Assessment of Learning Powered mobility use (ALP) tool in different practice settings for both adults and children. To consult with a diverse population of professionals working with adults and children, in different countries and various settings; who were learning about or using the ALP tool, as part of exploring and implementing research findings. Classical grounded theory with a rigorous comparative analysis of data from informants together with reflections on our own rich experiences of powered mobility practice and comparisons with the literature. A core category learning tool use and a new theory of cognizing tool use, with its interdependent properties: motivation, confidence, permissiveness, attentiveness and co-construction has emerged which explains in greater depth what enables the application of the ALP tool. The scientific knowledge base on tool use learning and the new theory conveys the information necessary for practitioner's cognizing how to apply the learning approach of the ALP tool in order to enable tool use learning through powered mobility practice as a therapeutic intervention in its own right. This opens up the possibility for more children and adults to have access to learning through powered mobility practice. Implications for rehabilitation Tool use learning through powered mobility practice is a therapeutic intervention in its own right. Powered mobility practice can be used as a rehabilitation tool with individuals who may not need to become powered wheelchair users. Motivation, confidence, permissiveness, attentiveness and co-construction are key properties for enabling the application of the learning approach of the ALP tool. Labelling and the use of language, together with honing observational skills through viewing video footage, are key to developing successful learning partnerships.

Promoting professional behaviour change in healthcare: what interventions work, and why? A theory-led overview of systematic reviews.

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Johnson, Mark J; May, Carl R

2015-09-30

Translating research evidence into routine clinical practice is notoriously difficult. Behavioural interventions are often used to change practice, although their success is variable and the characteristics of more successful interventions are unclear. We aimed to establish the characteristics of successful behaviour change interventions in healthcare. We carried out a systematic overview of systematic reviews on the effectiveness of behaviour change interventions with a theory-led analysis using the constructs of normalisation process theory (NPT). MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO and the Cochrane Library were searched electronically from inception to July 2015. Primary and secondary care. Participants were any patients and healthcare professionals in systematic reviews who met the inclusion criteria of having examined the effectiveness of professional interventions in improving professional practice and/or patient outcomes. Professional interventions as defined by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Review Group. Success of each intervention in changing practice or patient outcomes, and their mechanisms of action. Reviews were coded as to the interventions included, how successful they had been and which NPT constructs its component interventions covered. Searches identified 4724 articles, 67 of which met the inclusion criteria. Interventions fell into three main categories: persuasive; educational and informational; and action and monitoring. Interventions focusing on action or education (eg, Audit and Feedback, Reminders, Educational Outreach) acted on the NPT constructs of Collective Action and Reflexive Monitoring, and reviews using them tended to report more positive outcomes. This theory-led analysis suggests that interventions which contribute to normative restructuring of practice, modifying peer group norms and expectations (eg, educational outreach) and relational restructuring, reinforcing modified peer group norms by emphasising the

Professional Learning in Human Resource Management: Problematising the Teaching of Reflective Practice

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Griggs, V.; Holden, R.; Rae, J.; Lawless, A.

2015-01-01

Reflection and reflective practice are much discussed aspects of professional education. This paper conveys our efforts to problematise teaching reflective practice in human resources (HR) education. The research, on which the paper is based, engages with stakeholders involved in the professional learning and education of reflective practice in…

The Effects of a STEM Professional Development Intervention on Elementary Teachers' Science Process Skills

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Cotabish, Alicia; Dailey, Deborah; Hughes, Gail D.; Robinson, Ann

2011-01-01

In order to increase the quality and quantity of science instruction, elementary teachers must receive professional development in science learning processes. The current study was part of a larger randomized field study of teacher and student learning in science. In two districts in a southern state, researchers randomly assigned teacher…

Effects of an Intervention on Math Achievement for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Kitchens, Vivian D.; Deris, Aaron R.; Simon, Marilyn K.

2016-01-01

Students with learning disabilities score lower than other at-risk groups on state standardized assessment tests. Educators are searching for intervention strategies to improve math achievement for students with learning disabilities. The study examined the effects of a mathematics intervention known as Cover, Copy, and Compare for learning basic…

Exploring How Health Professionals Create eHealth and mHealth Education Interventions

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Tamim, Suha R.; Grant, Michael M.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study aimed at exploring how health professionals use instructional design principles to create health education interventions. A purposeful sample of 12 participants was selected, using criterion and snowballing sampling strategies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which were later analyzed through…

Novice Music Teachers Learning to Improvise in an Improvisation Professional Development Workshop

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Filsinger, Mark H.

2013-01-01

With the intent of improving music improvisation pedagogy, the purpose of this research was to examine experiences of six novice music teachers and a professional development facilitator in an eight-week Improvisation Professional Development Workshop (IPDW). The research questions were: 1. How do teachers learn to improvise within the context of…

Continuing Professional Development and Learning in Primary Science Classrooms

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Fraser, Christine A.

2010-01-01

This article explores the effects of continuing professional development (CPD) on teachers' and pupils' experiences of learning and teaching science in primary classrooms. During 2006-2007, quantitative and qualitative data were elicited from two primary teachers in Scotland using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video-stimulated…

Factors That Develop Effective Professional Learning Communities in Taiwan

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Chen, Peiying; Lee, Che-Di; Lin, Hongda; Zhang, Chun-Xi

2016-01-01

This research aimed to investigate the key factors of developing effective professional learning communities (PLCs) within the Taiwanese context. Four constructs--supportive and shared leadership, shared visions, collegial trust, and shared practices--were adopted and developed into an instrument for measuring PLC function. A stratified random…

Doping Among Professional Athletes in Iran: A Test of Akers's Social Learning Theory.

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Kabiri, Saeed; Cochran, John K; Stewart, Bernadette J; Sharepour, Mahmoud; Rahmati, Mohammad Mahdi; Shadmanfaat, Syede Massomeh

2018-04-01

The use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED) is common among Iranian professional athletes. As this phenomenon is a social problem, the main purpose of this research is to explain why athletes engage in "doping" activity, using social learning theory. For this purpose, a sample of 589 professional athletes from Rasht, Iran, was used to test assumptions related to social learning theory. The results showed that there are positive and significant relationships between the components of social learning theory (differential association, differential reinforcement, imitation, and definitions) and doping behavior (past, present, and future use of PED). The structural modeling analysis indicated that the components of social learning theory accounts for 36% of the variance in past doping behavior, 35% of the variance in current doping behavior, and 32% of the variance in future use of PED.

Assessing the Factors Impacting Professional Learning for Teachers in Seventh-Day Adventist Schools: A Comparison of Millennials and Non-Millennials

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Bayer, Betty L.

2017-01-01

Problem and Purpose: Much research over several decades has established the importance of ongoing professional learning for teachers and has identified what effective professional learning should look like. Little research has been done, however, on the professional learning practices of teachers in faith-based schools, and few studies have…

Using Non-Extension Volunteering as an Experiential Learning Activity for Extension Professionals

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Andrews, Kevin B.; Lockett, Landry L.

2013-01-01

Extension professionals can gain much-needed competencies in volunteer administration through experiential learning by participating in volunteer activities. Experiential learning is a means of behavior change that allows the individual learner to reflect on, abstract, and apply their experiences to new situations. This article expands on…

Teachers' Professional Learning: The Role of Knowledge Management Practices

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Niehoff, Karissa

2010-01-01

This qualitative study explored the degree to which knowledge management strategies addressed teacher professional learning at the high school level. In the setting of a Connecticut public high school, interviews were conducted which explored teacher perceptions of knowledge sharing practices in the school and how those practices influenced their…

The Role of Departmental Leadership for Professional Learning Communities

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Vanblaere, Bénédicte; Devos, Geert

2018-01-01

Purpose: Department heads play a pivotal role in the functioning of departments in secondary schools. However, quantitative research about the role of departmental leadership for the development of professional learning communities (PLCs) in subject departments in secondary schools remains scarce. As PLCs are seen as promising contexts for…

Professional Discussion Groups: Informal Learning in a Third Space

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Jordan, Robert A.

2013-01-01

In this ethnographic study, I explored two discussion groups and discovered Third Space elements such as cultural hybridity, counterscript, and sharing of experiences and resources contributed to a safe learning environment existing at the boundaries between participant personal and professional spaces. The groups operated under the auspices of a…

Generation Y Health Professional Students ’ Preferred Teaching and Learning Approaches: A Systematic Review

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Caroline Mary Hills

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Generation Y or Millennials are descriptors for those born between 1982 and 2000. This cohort has grown up in the digital age and is purported to have different learning preferences from previous generations. Students are important stakeholders in identifying their preferred teaching and learning approaches in health professional programs. This study aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize the best available evidence regarding the teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y health professional students. The review considered any objectively measured or self-reported outcomes of teaching and learning reported from Generation Y health professional student perspectives. In accordance with a previously published Joanna Briggs Institute Protocol, a three-step search strategy was completed. Two research articles (nursing and dental hygiene students and three dissertations (nursing were critically appraised. All studies were cross-sectional descriptive studies. A range of pedagogical approaches was reported, including lecture, group work, and teaching clinical skills. Based on the Joanna Briggs Institute levels of evidence, reviewers deemed the evidence as Level 3. Some generational differences were reported, but these were inconsistent across the studies reviewed. There is, therefore, insufficient evidence to provide specific recommendations for the preferred educational approaches of health professional students and further research is warranted.

Identification of the Learning Styles and "On-the-Job" Learning Methods Implemented by Nurses for Promoting Their Professional Knowledge and Skills.

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Rassin, Michal; Kurzweil, Yaffa; Maoz, Yael

2015-05-09

The aim of this study was to identify the learning styles and methods used by nurses to promote their professional knowledge and skills. 928 nurses from 11 hospitals across Israel completed 2 questionnaires, (1) Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, Version 3.1. and (2) the On-The-Job Learning Styles Questionnaire for the Nursing Profession. The most common learning style was the convergent style. The other learning styles were rated in the following descending order: accommodation, assimilation, and divergence. The on-the-job learning style consistently ranked highest was experience of relevant situations. On the other hand, seeking knowledge from books, journals, television, or the Internet was ranked lowest on all the indicators examined. With respect to general and on-the-job learning styles, statistically significant differences were found between groups of nurses by: country of birth, gender, department, age, education, and role. Nurses required to take more personal responsibility for their own professional development by deepening their self-learning skills.

[Intervention of psychological and ethical professionals of human science in obstetrical morbidity and mortality conferences].

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Clavel, B; Dupont, C; Perrotin, C; Barbier, A; Blaise Kopp, F; Gaucher, J; Branger, B; Winer, N; Lansac, J; Morin, X; Dubois, C; Deiber, M; Saliba, E; Rudigoz, R-C; Colin, C

2013-06-01

To identify the defence mechanisms manifested by medical staff which could disturb the decision making, revealed by professionals of human science (PHS) in morbidity and mortality conferences (MMC). Application of two methods of psychological intervention in MMC, conducted between March 1st, 2009 and November 30, 2010, in 20 randomized maternity among five perinatal networks: the method of inter-active problem solving targeted at the functioning of the teams and the method for developing professional practice centred on individual. The data collection was realized during analyse of case in MMC, with note-taking by two pair PHS. The oral expressions of RMM' participant were secondarily re-written, analyzed and classed by theme. Fifty-four MMC were performed. The mechanisms of defence have been identified by PHS intervention in MMC: denial of situation, pact of denegation, rift and overprotection. They were be identified by two PHS intervention methods, this consolidates these results. This intervention began staff medical to transformation at different level, in particular to improve the capacity of cooperation. The identification of the mechanisms of defence in MMC enables staff medical to improve communication and quality relationship between healthcare professionals. This could constitute an actual factor of practices improvement. However, complementary studies must be performed to confirm this hypothesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A study to enhance medical students’ professional decision-making, using teaching interventions on common medications

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Jane Wilcock

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Aim: To create sustained improvements in medical students’ critical thinking skills through short teaching interventions in pharmacology. Method: The ability to make professional decisions was assessed by providing year-4 medical students at a UK medical school with a novel medical scenario (antenatal pertussis vaccination. Forty-seven students in the 2012 cohort acted as a pretest group, answering a questionnaire on this novel scenario. To improve professional decision-making skills, 48 students from the 2013 cohort were introduced to three commonly used medications, through tutor-led 40-min teaching interventions, among six small groups using a structured presentation of evidence-based medicine and ethical considerations. Student members then volunteered to peer-teach on a further three medications. After a gap of 8 weeks, this cohort (post-test group was assessed for professional decision-making skills using the pretest questionnaire, and differences in the 2-year groups analysed. Results: Students enjoyed presenting on medications to their peers but had difficulty interpreting studies and discussing ethical dimensions; this was improved by contextualising information via patient scenarios. After 8 weeks, most students did not show enhanced clinical curiosity, a desire to understand evidence, or ethical questioning when presented with a novel medical scenario compared to the previous year group who had not had the intervention. Students expressed a high degree of trust in guidelines and expert tutors and felt that responsibility for their own actions lay with these bodies. Conclusion: Short teaching interventions in pharmacology did not lead to sustained improvements in their critical thinking skills in enhancing professional practice. It appears that students require earlier and more frequent exposure to these skills in their medical training.

A study to enhance medical students’ professional decision-making, using teaching interventions on common medications

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Wilcock, Jane; Strivens, Janet

2015-01-01

Aim To create sustained improvements in medical students’ critical thinking skills through short teaching interventions in pharmacology. Method The ability to make professional decisions was assessed by providing year-4 medical students at a UK medical school with a novel medical scenario (antenatal pertussis vaccination). Forty-seven students in the 2012 cohort acted as a pretest group, answering a questionnaire on this novel scenario. To improve professional decision-making skills, 48 students from the 2013 cohort were introduced to three commonly used medications, through tutor-led 40-min teaching interventions, among six small groups using a structured presentation of evidence-based medicine and ethical considerations. Student members then volunteered to peer-teach on a further three medications. After a gap of 8 weeks, this cohort (post-test group) was assessed for professional decision-making skills using the pretest questionnaire, and differences in the 2-year groups analysed. Results Students enjoyed presenting on medications to their peers but had difficulty interpreting studies and discussing ethical dimensions; this was improved by contextualising information via patient scenarios. After 8 weeks, most students did not show enhanced clinical curiosity, a desire to understand evidence, or ethical questioning when presented with a novel medical scenario compared to the previous year group who had not had the intervention. Students expressed a high degree of trust in guidelines and expert tutors and felt that responsibility for their own actions lay with these bodies. Conclusion Short teaching interventions in pharmacology did not lead to sustained improvements in their critical thinking skills in enhancing professional practice. It appears that students require earlier and more frequent exposure to these skills in their medical training. PMID:26051556

Views of Women and Health Professionals on mHealth Lifestyle Interventions in Pregnancy: A Qualitative Investigation.

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Willcox, Jane C; van der Pligt, Paige; Ball, Kylie; Wilkinson, Shelley A; Lappas, Martha; McCarthy, Elizabeth A; Campbell, Karen J

2015-10-28

Evidence suggests that women are failing to meet guidelines for nutrition, physical activity, and weight gain during pregnancy. Interventions to promote a healthy lifestyle in pregnancy demonstrate mixed results and many are time and resource intensive. mHealth-delivered interventions offer an opportunity to provide trusted source information in a timely and cost-effective manner. Studies regarding women's and health professionals' views of mHealth in antenatal care are limited. This study aimed to explore women's and health professionals' views regarding mHealth information sources and interventions to assist women to eat well, be physically active, and gain healthy amounts of weight in pregnancy. A descriptive qualitative research approach employed focus groups and in-depth interviews with 15 pregnant or postpartum women and 12 in-depth interviews with health professionals including two from each category: obstetricians, general practitioners, midwives, dietitians, physiotherapists, and community pharmacists. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. Women uniformly embraced the concept of mHealth information sources and interventions in antenatal care and saw them as central to information acquisition and ideally incorporated into future antenatal care processes. Health professionals exhibited varied views perceiving mHealth as an inevitable, often parallel, service rather than one integrated into the care model. Four key themes emerged: engagement, risk perception, responsibility, and functionality. Women saw their ability to access mHealth elements as a way to self-manage or control information acquisition that was unavailable in traditional care models and information sources. The emergence of technology was perceived by some health professionals to have shifted control of information from trusted sources, such as health professionals and health organizations, to nontrusted sources. Some health professionals were concerned about the

A PLG (Professional Learning Group): How to Stimulate Learners' Engagement in Problem-Solving

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Sheety, Alia; Rundell, Frida

2012-01-01

This paper aims to describe, discuss and reflect the use of PLGs (professional learning groups) in higher education as a practice for enhancing student learning and team building. It will use theories supporting group-learning processes, explore optimal social contexts that enhance team collaboration, and reflect on the practice of PLG. The…

Workplace Learning Strategies and Professional Competencies in Innovation Contexts in Brazilian Hospitals

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Antonio Isidro-Filho

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Competencies mobilized by service providers form an element of hospital services insofar as scientific and technological procedures that are part of the service become tangible. In view of the fact that hospitals have adopted Information and Communication Technologies (ICT, it would be logical to assume that learning contributes towards acquiring competencies related to changes in hospitals resulting from the adoption of new technologies. This paper aims to analyze relationships between workplace learning strategies and professional competencies after the adoption of innovations supported ICT in hospitals. Eleven interviews were carried out with professionals from three different hospitals and identifying the professional competencies resulting from innovations supported by ICT. This was followed by a cross-sectional survey involving 425 employees at the hospitals surveyed. The data analysis was undertaken by means of structural equation modeling (SEM. The results confirm the hypothesis and indicate that the performance of professional competences based on new ICT is determined by the way the respondents think, change and apply their knowledge, skills and attitudes in the workplace by use of new information and communication technologies.

Assessing the Change Process in Comprehensive High Schools Implementing Professional Learning Communities

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Shaner, Robert G.

2009-01-01

Professional learning communities (PLC) have been identified as scaffolds that can facilitate, support, and sustain systemic change focused on improving student achievement. PLCs represent the application of the theoretical constructs of the learning organization within the framework of schools and school systems. Little is known about the change…

Two Related Approaches to Teacher Professional Learning in the Asia Pacific Region

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White, Allan

2007-01-01

This paper examines the similarities and differences between two successful programmes of teacher professional learning. Firstly, Lesson Study developed in Japan over 40 years ago. It examines practice either through direct observation or through classroom artefacts and case studies. It assumes that teacher learning will be more meaningful and…

Systematic review of the effectiveness of continuing dental professional development on learning, behavior, or patient outcomes.

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Firmstone, Victoria R; Elley, Karen M; Skrybant, Magdalena T; Fry-Smith, Anne; Bayliss, Sue; Torgerson, Carole J

2013-03-01

This study is based on a systematic review of studies using a randomized controlled trial or quasi-experimental design in order to synthesize existing evidence evaluating the effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) interventions in dentistry on learning gains, behavior change, or patient outcomes. The authors searched a range of electronic databases from 1986 to the present and screened all potentially relevant studies for inclusion, using pre-established inclusion/exclusion criteria. Following data extraction and quality appraisal of all included studies, a narrative synthesis of the studies was undertaken. Ten studies (in fourteen articles) were included. All were evaluation studies of CPD interventions targeted exclusively at dentists. The ten included studies evaluated a range of interventions: courses/workshops, written information, CAL, audit/self-reflection, face-to-face support, and black box combinations of these interventions. Two high- and moderately high-quality studies evaluated CAL CPD for dentists and found equivocal impact of CAL for dentists. A black box combination of interventions was rigorously evaluated and showed moderate impact on patient care. This finding suggests that multimethod and multiphased CPD has potential for the greatest impact. There is a need for more high-quality randomized controlled trials evaluating CPD interventions in dentistry. It is important that future evaluations of CPD interventions clarify the nature of the interventions such that they are explicit and replicable and that appropriate outcomes are selected (health of patients and change in practice or behavior as well as knowledge and understanding) in order to move the evidence base of effective practice forward in this area of dental education.

Forging Professional Learning Communities: The Role of External Agency

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Sperandio, Jill; Kong, Peggy A.

2018-01-01

This article explored the effects of external agency on the establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs). The research was undertaken in the context of schools that have chosen to adopt the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) worldwide. The study employed a two-stage qualitative sequential design…

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

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Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children’s math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators’ provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children (n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children’s math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children’s learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age. PMID:26257434

THE DISTANCE EDUCATION TO PROMOTE CONTINUOUS LEARNING OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: REVIEW

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Lívia Lima Ferraz

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The results of many articles and researches showed thatemploymenthavean importantrolefor continuous learning. The main factors that made possible this continuous education were:the technology information advanced and distance education flexibilities.Theevolutionofon-line continuing education helps the health care professionals development manyfundamental learning skillsas self-assessment and self-criticism.Therefore, this articlesobjective is to identify howpublic policiescould promote continuous learning of healthprofessionals through distance education(DEand the contributions of this education formatfor transformationhealth activities.In conclusion, the results were that distance education(DE was an important strategy for permanent education, because(DEdevelopments goodskills of learning and breaksterritories barriers. Wherefore, distance education became aneffective learning format

Developmental Learning Disorders: From Generic Interventions to Individualized Remediation

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David eMoreau

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Developmental learning disorders affect many children, impairing their experience in the classroom and hindering many aspects of their life. Once a bleak sentence associated with life-long difficulties, several learning disorders can now be successfully alleviated, directly benefiting from promising interventions. In this review, we focus on two of the most prevalent learning disorders, dyslexia and ADHD. Recent advances have refined our understanding of the specific neural networks that are altered in these disorders, yet questions remain regarding causal links between neural changes and behavioral improvements. After briefly reviewing the theoretical foundations of dyslexia and ADHD, we explore their distinct and shared characteristics, and discuss the comorbidity of the two disorders. We then examine current interventions, and consider the benefits of approaches that integrate remediation within other activities to encourage sustained motivation and improvements. Finally, we conclude with a reflection on the potential for remediation programs to be personalized by taking into account the specificities and demands of each individual. The effective remediation of learning disorders is critical to modern societies, especially considering the far-reaching ramifications of successful early interventions.

Mathematics Intervention Utilizing Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor® and Compass Learning's Odyssey Math®

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Barton, James M.

2016-01-01

Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor®The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test achievement scores when Compass Learning's Odyssey Math® is used together with Carnegie Learning's Math Cognitive Tutor® in a mathematics intervention program at ABC Middle School. The…

Error perspective and consequences evaluation of the professional intervention in physical education: a content analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeane Barcelos Soriano

2007-12-01

and generate an increasing search for better professional education and responsibility for tasks specifi c to the area, as well as a concern with the ethical factors of professional intervention in physical education. The purpose of this study was to understand how physical education professionals describe and interpret the consequences of their professional intervention, based on the error perspective. Information was obtained by means of a semi-structure interview, conducted with 11 professionals who were not part of the school system, and who had 7 – 25 years of professional education. The data treatment followed the characteristics of the content analysis, establishing later the analysis categories, namely: 1 Academic Education and Professional Identity, which includes the characteristics and circumstances of professional education, identity and culture and 2 Professional intervention and Accreditation, which includes aspects connected to professional legitimacy and the accreditation process. This study allowed us to consider that, while Physical Education professionals are concerned with the quality of the services offered in the area, they do not clearly defi ne what constitutes a professional error in the area, and neither do they evaluate the consequences of their professional intervention based on this perspective.

Great Expectations: Teacher Learning in a National Professional Development Programme

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Armour, Kathleen M.; Makopoulou, Kyriaki

2012-01-01

This paper reports findings from an evaluation of a national continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teachers in England. Data showed that the localised implementation, opportunities for interactive learning, and "collective participation" were positive factors. Research participants reported difficulties, however, in…

Beyond Hammers versus Hugs: Leveraging Educator Evaluation and Professional Learning Communities into Job-Embedded Professional Development

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Woodland, Rebecca H.; Mazur, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Educational evaluation (Ed Eval) and professional learning communities (PLCs) are two of the nation's most predominant approaches to widespread instructional improvement. Yet key attributes of these reform initiatives are too often experienced by teachers as burdensome, or even detrimental, rather than helpful. The authors of this article contend…

Medical Complications of the Critically Ill Newborn: A Review for Early Intervention Professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

McNab, Theresa C.; Blackman, James A.

1998-01-01

Provides early-intervention professionals with a basic familiarity and understanding of some of the newest technologies employed in the neonatal intensive care units for neonates with respiratory distress syndrome, persistent fetal circulation, retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage, and periventricular leukomalacia. Early…

Mentoring, coaching and action learning: interventions in a national clinical leadership development programme.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Martin S; Fealy, Gerard M; Casey, Mary; O'Connor, Tom; Patton, Declan; Doyle, Louise; Quinlan, Christina

2014-09-01

To evaluate mentoring, coaching and action learning interventions used to develop nurses' and midwives' clinical leadership competencies and to describe the programme participants' experiences of the interventions. Mentoring, coaching and action learning are effective interventions in clinical leadership development and were used in a new national clinical leadership development programme, introduced in Ireland in 2011. An evaluation of the programme focused on how participants experienced the interventions. A qualitative design, using multiple data sources and multiple data collection methods. Methods used to generate data on participant experiences of individual interventions included focus groups, individual interviews and nonparticipant observation. Seventy participants, including 50 programme participants and those providing the interventions, contributed to the data collection. Mentoring, coaching and action learning were positively experienced by participants and contributed to the development of clinical leadership competencies, as attested to by the programme participants and intervention facilitators. The use of interventions that are action-oriented and focused on service development, such as mentoring, coaching and action learning, should be supported in clinical leadership development programmes. Being quite different to short attendance courses, these interventions require longer-term commitment on the part of both individuals and their organisations. In using mentoring, coaching and action learning interventions, the focus should be on each participant's current role and everyday practice and on helping the participant to develop and demonstrate clinical leadership skills in these contexts. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Learning to teach mathematics with technology: A survey of professional development needs, experiences and impacts

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Bennison, Anne; Goos, Merrilyn

2010-04-01

The potential for digital technologies to enhance students' mathematics learning is widely recognised, and use of computers and graphics calculators is now encouraged or required by secondary school mathematics curriculum documents throughout Australia. However, previous research indicates that effective integration of technology into classroom practice remains patchy, with factors such as teacher knowledge, confidence, experience and beliefs, access to resources, and participation in professional development influencing uptake and implementation. This paper reports on a large-scale survey of technology-related professional development experiences and needs of Queensland secondary mathematics teachers. Teachers who had participated in professional development were found to be more confident in using technology and more convinced of its benefits in supporting students' learning of mathematics. Experienced, specialist mathematics teachers in large metropolitan schools were more likely than others to have attended technology-related professional development, with lack of time and limited access to resources acting as hindrances to many. Teachers expressed a clear preference for professional development that helps them meaningfully integrate technology into lessons to improve student learning of specific mathematical topics. These findings have implications for the design and delivery of professional development that improves teachers' knowledge, understanding, and skills in a diverse range of contexts.

Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans: Legal Requirements and Professional Recommendations

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Collins, Lauren W.; Zirkel, Perry A.

2017-01-01

Functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) are critical components in the education of students with, or at risk for, emotional disturbance (ED). The purpose of this article is to compare the legal requirements with the professional requirements for FBAs and BIPs. The comparison is first according to the…

Lifelong Learning and the Professional Development of Geography Teachers: A View from Slovenia

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Kolenc Kolnik, Karmen

2010-01-01

Lifelong learning and continuing professional development (CPD) are considered important activities for geography teachers. However, research in Slovenia shows that many lose their enthusiasm for these activities when they leave university and enter professional practice. In Slovenia, whilst geography teachers have a sound undergraduate education,…

Design-Based Research for Professional Learning for "Cultural Mathematics"

Science.gov (United States)

Kravia, Geori; Owens, Kay

2014-01-01

Design-based research is being used to develop and refine the principles used in professional learning workshops with teachers from three different Papua New Guinean ecologies: highlands, coastal, and inland in a coastal province. The appropriateness of the design of principles for Papua New Guinean Elementary Schools is tried over several phases…

Strengths and weaknesses of Problem Based Learning from the professional perspective of registered nurses

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María Cónsul-Giribet

2014-10-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to identify competency strengths and weaknesses as perceived by nursing professionals who graduated with a integrated curriculum and competency-based through Problem Based Learning in small groups.METHOD: an intrinsic case study method was used, which analyzes this innovation through former students (from the first class with three years of professional experience. The data were collected through a questionnaire and discussion groups.RESULTS: the results show that their competency level is valued in a very satisfactory manner. This level paradoxically contrasts with the lack of theoretical knowledge they perceived at the end of their education, when they started working in clinical practice.CONCLUSIONS: the teaching strategy was key to motivate an in-depth study and arouse the desire to know. In addition, Problem Based Learning favors and reinforces the decision to learn, which is that necessary in the course of professional life.

METHODS OF STATISTICAL MONITORING OF PROFESSIONAL ORIENTATION WORK OF SOCIAL EDUCATORS IN PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

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Oleksandr M. Korniiets

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the application of social services WEB 2.0 for personal learning environment creation that is used for professional orientation work of social educator. The feedback is must be in personal learning environment for the effective professional orientation work. This feedback can be organized through statistical monitoring. The typical solution for organizing personal learning environment with built-in statistical surveys and statistical data processing is considered in the article. The possibilities of the statistical data collection and processing services on the example of Google Analytics are investigated.

Dose to patients and professionals in cardiology interventional: Progress of multicenter group Doccaci

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, R. M.; Vano, E.; Fernandez, J. M.; Goicolea Ruigomez, J.; Pifarre, X.; Escaned, J.; Rovira, J. J.; Garcia del Blanco, B.; Carrera, F.; Diaz, J. F.; Ordiales, J. M.; Nogales, J. M.; Hernandez, J.; Bosa, F.; Rosales, F.; Saez, J. R.; Soler, M. M.; Romero, M. A.

2013-01-01

The multidisciplinary group and multicenter DOCCACI (dosimetry and quality assurance in interventional cardiology), sponsored by the section of haemodynamics of the Spanish society of Cardiology, is intended to propose reference levels to doses received by patients in interventional cardiology procedures such as recommended by the International Commission on radiological protection It also investigates the doses received by professionals, in particular dose in Crystallyne whose recommended limit dose has been reduced recently from 150 to 20 mSv/year. (Author)

SAIDO learning as a cognitive intervention for dementia care: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawashima, Ryuta; Hiller, Deborah Lewis; Sereda, Sheryl L; Antonczak, Michelle; Serger, Kara; Gannon, Denise; Ito, Shinji; Otake, Hiroshi; Yunomae, Daisaku; Kobayashi, Akihito; Muller, Christopher; Murata, Hiroyuki; FallCreek, Stephanie

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the beneficial effects on cognitive function by a cognitive intervention program designed for dementia care called Learning Therapy in Japan and SAIDO Learning in the United States (hereinafter "SAIDO Learning," as appropriate). SAIDO Learning is a working memory training program that uses systematized basic problems in arithmetic and language, including reading aloud, as well as writing. Twenty-three nursing home residents with dementia were assigned as an intervention group, and another 24 people with dementia at another nursing home were assigned as a control group. Both nursing homes were operated by the same organization, and residents of both nursing homes received essentially the same nursing care. Thirteen and 6 subjects of the intervention and control groups, respectively, were clinically diagnosed as Alzheimer disease (AD). After the 6-month intervention, the participants with AD of the intervention group showed statistically significant improvement in cognitive function, as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) compared with the control participants. In addition, post hoc analysis revealed that the Frontal Assessment Battery at Bedside (FAB) scores of the intervention group tended to improve after 6-month intervention. Based on MDS scores, improvements in total mood severity scores also were observed, but only in the intervention group of the participants with AD. These results suggest that SAIDO Learning is an effective cognitive intervention and is useful for dementia care. An additional outcome of this intervention, which has not yet been evaluated in detail, appears to be that it promotes greater positive engagement of a diversity of nursing home staff in the residents' individual progress and care needs. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A self-directed learning intervention for radiographers rating mammographic breast density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekpo, E.U.; Hogg, P.; Wasike, E.; McEntee, M.F.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Subjective methods of mammographic breast density (MBD) assessment are prone to inter-reader variability. This work aims to assess the impact of a short self-directed, experiential learning intervention on radiographers' reproducibility of MBD assessment. Method: The study used two sets of images (test and learning intervention) containing left craniocaudal and left mediolateral oblique views. The test set had MBD ratings from Volpara™ and radiologists using the fourth edition Breast Imaging and Data Systems (BI-RADS ® ). Seven radiographers rated the MBD of the test set before and after a self-directed learning intervention using the percentage descriptors in the fourth edition BI-RADS ® Atlas. The inter-reader agreement, the agreement between radiographers and Volpara™ as well as radiologists, was assessed using a Weighted Kappa (κ w ). Results: Overall, radiographers' inter-reader agreement (κ w ) was substantial (0.79; 95% CI: 0.70–0.87) before the intervention and almost perfect (0.84; 95% CI: 0.77–0.90) after the intervention. Before the intervention, radiographers demonstrated fair agreement with radiologists (0.24; 95% CI: −0.46–0.61) and Volpara™ (0.24; 95% CI: −0.41–0.59). A fair but slightly improved agreement was also observed between radiographers and radiologists (0.31; 95% CI: −0.33–0.64) as well as Volpara™ (0.28; 95% CI: −0.34–0.61) after the intervention. Conclusion: Findings demonstrate that a short duration self-directed, experiential learning intervention reduces inter-reader differences in MBD classification, but has a negligible impact on improving the agreement between inexperienced and expert readers. - Highlights: • Radiographers' MBD rating show fair agreement with radiologists and Volpara™. • Experiential learning intervention improved reproducibility of MBD classification. • Enhanced MBD rating training may be required to develop a standard fit for practice.

Effect of Digital Nutrition Education Intervention on the Nutritional Knowledge Levels of Information Technology Professionals.

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Sharma, Priya; Rani, M Usha

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the changes in knowledge of information technology (IT) professionals after receiving a nutrition education intervention for a month. The sample comprised of 40 IT professionals (29 males and 11 females). The sample was drawn from four IT companies of Hyderabad city using random sampling techniques. The data on the general information of the subjects was collected. The data regarding the commonly accessed sources of nutrition and health information by the subjects was also obtained from the study. The intervention study group received nutrition education by distribution of the developed CD-ROMs to them followed by interactive sessions. To assess the impact of nutrition education intervention, the knowledge assessment questionnaire (KAQ) was developed and administered before and after the education programme. A significant improvement in the mean nutritional knowledge scores was observed among the total study subjects from 22.30 to 40.55 after the intervention (p educated groups on nutrition, physical activity and overall health education to improve their health, lifestyle and eating habits.

Group Interventions to Promote Mental Health in Health Professional Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

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Lo, Kristin; Waterland, Jamie; Todd, Paula; Gupta, Tanvi; Bearman, Margaret; Hassed, Craig; Keating, Jennifer L.

2018-01-01

Effects of interventions for improving mental health of health professional students has not been established. This review analysed interventions to support mental health of health professional students and their effects. The full holdings of Medline, PsycINFO, EBM Reviews, Cinahl Plus, ERIC and EMBASE were searched until 15th April 2016.…

Active Adult Lives for Persons with Learning Disabilities--The Perspectives of Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Witsø, Aud Elisabeth; Kittelsaa, Anna M.

2018-01-01

Background: Living active adult lives is both a value and a right, but the right to do so is associated with restrictions among adults with learning disabilities. This research aimed to capture professionals' understanding and perception of active adult living for people with learning disabilities living in clustered housing in a Norwegian…

Educational games for health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Akl, Elie A; Kairouz, Victor F; Sackett, Kay M; Erdley, William S; Mustafa, Reem A; Fiander, Michelle; Gabriel, Carolynne; Schünemann, Holger

2013-03-28

group that was randomized to the game had statistically higher scores on the knowledge test (P = 0.02). The second study compared game-based learning ("Snakes and Ladders" board game) with traditional case-based learning of stroke prevention and management. The effect on knowledge was not statistically different between the two groups immediately and 3 months after the intervention. The level of reported enjoyment was higher in the game-based group. The findings of this systematic review neither confirm nor refute the utility of games as a teaching strategy for health professionals. There is a need for additional high-quality research to explore the impact of educational games on patient and performance outcomes.

Factors influencing indirect speech and language therapy interventions for adults with learning disabilities: the perceptions of carers and therapists.

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, Judy

2007-03-01

The working context for speech and language therapists (SLTs) delivering interventions to adults who have a learning disability has changed following the reorganization of care provision from hospitals to the community. Consequently, SLTs often deliver their care within a social model of disability through indirect intervention in collaboration with carers. However, there has been little research into how this approach works in practice. To gain insight into the working context by identifying the key factors that influence indirect SLT interventions as perceived by SLTs and by paid carers from a range of service providers. To explore the implications of the results for the delivery of indirect SLT interventions and provide direction for further research. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from an opportunistic sample of five SLTs working in Community Learning Disability Teams (CLDTs) and 12 carers from residential and day care services who had had experience of working with SLTs. The data were analysed inductively using a grounded theory framework. Two broad themes emerged for SLTs: roles and expectations, and changing carer behaviour through training. The key themes for carers were roles and values, awareness of communication needs, and motivation and opportunity to implement interventions. Four broad factors are suggested as having the potential to influence indirect interventions: diversity in the working context; possible conflict between the guiding values of SLTs and carers, particularly residential carers; collaboration and support for implementation; and SLT doubts about the effectiveness of formal carer communication training. The results add to the evidence that the delivery of indirect speech and language therapy interventions to people with learning disabilities is a complex activity demanding specialist skills from SLTs. The findings suggest that these should include expertise in professional collaborative and relational skills, and

The challenge to the four-status eLearning model for healthcare professionals: a critique on a developing world case study

OpenAIRE

Turnbull, Niruwan; Wills, Gary; Gobbi, Mary

2010-01-01

This paper presents the critical reviews of the advantages and disadvantages of eLearning for health professionals. The impact of eLearning on healthcare professionals is explored; the focus is on health professionals in rural Thailand. Literature suggests that there are four main topics related to the drivers and barriers in eLearning, they are: Infrastructure; Finance; Policies; and Culture (IFPC). Because of the reports of online learning success and the growing use in all areas of higher ...

Teachers' professional development in a community: A study of the central actors, their networks and web-based learning

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Jiri Lallimo

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The goal of this article was to study teachers' professional development related to web-based learning in the context of the teacher community. The object was to learn in what kind of networks teachers share the knowledge of web-based learning and what are the factors in the community that support or challenge teachers professional development of web-based learning. The findings of the study revealed that there are teachers who are especially active, called the central actors in this study, in the teacher community who collaborate and share knowledge of web-based learning. These central actors share both technical and pedagogical knowledge of web-based learning in networks that include both internal and external relations in the community and involve people, artefacts and a variety of media. Furthermore, the central actors appear to bridge different fields of teaching expertise in their community.According to the central actors' experiences the important factors that support teachers' professional development of web-based learning in the community are; the possibility to learn from colleagues and from everyday working practices, an emotionally safe atmosphere, the leader's personal support and community-level commitment. Also, the flexibility in work planning, challenging pupils, shared lessons with colleagues, training events in an authentic work environment and colleagues' professionalism are considered meaningful for professional development. As challenges, the knowledge sharing of web-based learning in the community needs mutual interests, transactive memory, time and facilities, peer support, a safe atmosphere and meaningful pedagogical practices.On the basis of the findings of the study it is suggested that by intensive collaboration related to web-based learning it may be possible to break the boundaries of individual teachership and create such sociocultural activities which support collaborative professional development in the teacher

The Correlation between Teacher Professional Competence and Natural Science Learning Achievement in Elementary School

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I Ketut Ngurah Ardiawan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This present study aims at investigating the correlation between teachers’ professional competence and natural science learning achievement in elementary schools in Buleleng regency. The population in this study are all sixth grade teachers, which it is further narrowed down to 30 teachers as the sample. In order to gather the data, the researcher employs questionnaire regarding teacher professional competence and document study toward students’ achievement on national examination in academic year 2016/2017. Further, ex post facto is chosen as the design of the study. Meanwhile, the data are analysed through correlation analysis with assistance of SPSS 16 software. Based on the analysis, it was obtained that the correlation between teacher professional competence and the learning achievement on natural science subject is in the interval of 0.40-0.59 with correlation coefficient at rho=0.506. This means there is a significant correlation between teacher professional competence and students’ learning achievement on natural science in national examination in academic year 2016/2017 (tcount = 3.103 > ttable =2.048 with significance level at α = 0,05 and coefficient of determination at 0.2560 (25.60%

Investigating the experience: A case study of a science professional development program based on Kolb's experiential learning model

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Brian L.

Professional development for educators has been defined as the process or processes by which teachers achieve higher levels of professional competence and expand their understanding of self, role, context and career (Duke and Stiggins, 1990). Currently, there is limited research literature that examines the effect a professional development course, which uses David Kolb's experiential learning model, has on the professional growth and teaching practice of middle school science teachers. The purpose of this interpretive case study is to investigate how three science teachers who participated in the Rivers to Reef professional development course interpreted the learning experience and integrated the experience into their teaching practice. The questions guiding this research are (1) What is the relationship between a professional development course that uses an experiential learning model and science teaching practice? (2) How do the Rivers to Reef participants reflect on and describe the course as a professional growth experience? The creation of the professional development course and the framework for the study were established using David Kolb's (1975) experiential learning theory and the reflection process model designed by David Boud (1985). The participants in the study are three middle school science teachers from schools representing varied settings and socioeconomic levels in the southeastern United States. Data collected used the three-interview series interview format designed by Dolbere and Schuman (Seidman, 1998). Data was analyzed for the identification of common categories related to impact on science teaching practice and professional growth. The major finding of this study indicates the years of teaching experience of middle school science teachers significantly influences how they approach professional development, what and how they learn from the experience, and the ways in which the experience influences their teaching practices.

Pathways of professional learning for elementary science teachers using computer learning environments

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Latonya Michelle

This dissertation reports on a three year study designed to investigate the trajectories of two urban elementary school teachers---a novice and an experienced teacher---learning to teach a science curriculum unit using an inquiry approach supported by the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE). This research investigated teachers' development in knowledge and practice. Through analyses of video records of classroom instruction and professional development meetings, repeated interviews, and student assessments, I have produced case studies of teachers' journeys as they implement the technological inquiry-based instructional model. This study captures the interplay between the teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, enacted practice, and insights into students' thinking about complex science ideas. I trace the factors that encouraged and supported the teachers' development, in addition to the kinds of struggles they faced and overcame. I discuss the social supports I provided for the teachers, including scaffolding them in reflecting on their practice, assisting them with curriculum customizations, and supporting their learning such as arranging online interactions with scientists. I analyze spontaneous activities such as teachers' own reflections. The results suggest that the novice and experienced teacher's classroom practices became more inquiry oriented across time. For both teachers, use of technology accompanied an increase in science dialogue with small groups in years two and three. The novice teacher began asking inquiry questions in her second year of classroom experience, after a great deal of professional support. Both teachers improved in their pedagogical content knowledge from years one through three as a result of the varied professional development supports. The results suggest that teachers' improvement in instructional strategies and pedagogical content knowledge accompanied students' improvement in understanding of the science content.

Implementing a New Model for Teachers' Professional Learning in Papua New Guinea

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Honan, Eileen; Evans, Terry; Muspratt, Sandy; Paraide, Patricia; Reta, Medi; Baroutsis, Aspa

2012-01-01

This article reports on a study that investigates the possibilities of developing a professional learning model based on action research that could lead to sustained improvements in teaching and learning in schools in remote areas of Papua New Guinea. The issues related to the implementation of this model are discussed using a critical lens that…

Investments in Professional Learning Must Change: The Goals Are Ambitious, the Stakes Are High--And Resources Are the Key

Science.gov (United States)

Killion, Joellen; Hirsh, Stephanie

2013-01-01

Adapted from the brief "Meet the Promise of Content Standards: Investing in Professional Learning," this article draws on the work of Learning Forward's initiative, Transforming Professional Learning to Prepare College- and Career-Ready Students: Implementing the Common Core. This multidimensional initiative is focused on developing…

A Qualitative Analysis of Pesantren Educational Management: School Culture and Leadership of a Professional Learning Community

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Nyimas Mu'azzomi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to explore supportive and shared leadership structures at one Indonesian Islamic boarding school (Pesantren as a function of school culture policies and procedures in a professional learning community in the disctrict. A qualitative study was conducted at one Pesantren located in Jambi, an Indonesian province in west part of Sumatra island. We interviewed three administrators and five teachers to get in-depth information about the purpose of this paper. The interview transcriptions were translated, coded, divided into themes, and elaborated in the findings of the paper. The findings of study conclude that Pesantren leaders in the perspective of the participants must provide supportive and shared leadership structures for teachers in order to create positive cultures and effective a professional learning community for the development of the Pesantren. Leaders of the Pesantren must directly cooperate with teaching staff to provide policies and procedures for teachers in the leadership structure to directly impact school improvement through professional learning community collaborative attempts. This study was conducted based on the school culture and professional learning communities literature by exploring existent policies and practices in schools as unique cases. This study is significant to the community as specific cases informing educational leaders especially in Islamic education on mechanisms that may be leveraged to ensure successful implementation of policies and procedures on the leadership and school culture of a professional learning community literature.

Course redesign for blended learning: modern optics for technical professionals.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Collis, Betty; Bruijstens, Huib; van der Veen, Jan Kees

2003-01-01

Philips Centre for Technical Training (CTT) is responsible for the on-going professional education of scientific staff in Philips Research Laboratories worldwide. This article addresses the 'why' and 'how' of an evolution toward more flexible learning at the CTT in which various models for blended

Andragogy And Pedagogy Theories Of Learning In Joint Professional Military Education

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-27

needs of joint military leaders. This research examines each theory and its fundamental design in an attempt to determine if pedagogy alone can meet... Abraham H. Maslow , known largely for his studies in motivation and personality, saw the goal of learning to be self-actualization, or a person’s...AU/ACSC/MCMAHON, S/AY16 AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY ANDRAGOGY AND PEDAGOGY THEORIES OF LEARNING IN JOINT PROFESSIONAL

Networks of Learning : Professional Association and the Continuing Education of Teachers of Mathematics in Pakistan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baber, Sikunder Ali

" and shows how a number of professional associations have become as networks of learning to encourage the continuing professional education of both pre-service and in-service teachers in the context of Pakistan. A case of the Mathematics Association of Pakistan (MAP) as a Network of Learning is presented....... The formation and growth of this network can be viewed as developing insights into the improvement of mathematics education in the developing world. The contributions of the association may also add value to the learning of teacher colleagues in other parts of the world. This sharing of the experience may......Importance of the professional development of teachers has been recognized and research has contributed greatly in terms of proposing variety of approaches for the development of teachers,both pre-service and in-service. Among them, networking among teachers, teacher educators,curriculum developers...

Insights into Contextualised Learning: How Do Professional Examiners Construct Shared Understanding through Feedback?

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Martin

2014-01-01

This project uses the community of practice metaphor to explore some of the discursive characteristics of learning that take place when a group of United Kingdom-based professional examiners engage in joint-work activity in both face-to-face and remote computer-mediated communication contexts. Professional examiners are all subject experts, and…

Promoting readiness to practice: which learning activities promote competence and professional identity for student social workers during practice learning?

OpenAIRE

Roulston, Audrey; Cleak, Helen; Vreugdenhil, Anthea

2016-01-01

Practice learning is integral to the curriculum for qualifying social work students. Accreditation standards require regular student supervision and exposure to specific learning activities. Most agencies offer high quality placements but organisational cutbacks may affect supervision and restrict the development of competence and professional identity. Undergraduate social work students in Northern Ireland universities (n = 396) were surveyed about the usefulness of the learning activities t...

Professional Vision of Classroom Management and Learning Support in Science Classrooms--Does Professional Vision Differ across General and Content-Specific Classroom Interactions?

Science.gov (United States)

Steffensky, Mirjam; Gold, Bernadette; Holdynski, Manfred; Möller, Kornelia

2015-01-01

The present study investigates the internal structure of professional vision of in-service teachers and student teachers with respect to classroom management and learning support in primary science lessons. Classroom management (including monitoring, managing momentum, and rules and routines) and learning support (including cognitive activation…

Considering a Twitter-Based Professional Learning Network in Literacy Education

Science.gov (United States)

Colwell, Jamie; Hutchison, Amy C.

2018-01-01

This study explored how 26 preservice secondary content teachers perceived their experiences participating in and developing a Twitter-based professional learning network focused on disciplinary literacy. Participants completed blog reflections and anonymous online surveys to reflect on their experiences, which served as data for this study. A…

Teachers' Motivation to Learn: Implications for Supporting Professional Growth

Science.gov (United States)

Appova, Aina; Arbaugh, Fran

2018-01-01

In this study, we investigated teachers' motivation to learn following in the footsteps of emergent research efforts in the field. This qualitative study was grounded in the intersection of four research fields: policy, educational psychology, andragogy and professional development (PD). Findings indicate that teachers' dissatisfactions with their…

Teachers Learning: Engagement, Identity, and Agency in Powerful Professional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Noonan, James

2016-01-01

Professional development (PD) is seen by a broad cross-section of stakeholders--teachers, principals, policymakers--as essential for instructional improvement and student learning. And yet, despite deep investments of time and money in its design and implementation, the return on investment and subjective assessments about PD's effectiveness…

Measuring Satisfaction with Family-Professional Partnership in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Programs in Qatar

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hadad, Nawal Khalil

2010-01-01

Family-professional partnership has been considered a recommended practice in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) programs for young children with disabilities and their families for the past two decades. The importance of establishing successful partnerships between families and professionals in educational planning has…

Barriers to successful recruitment of parents of overweight children for an obesity prevention intervention: a qualitative study among youth health care professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerards Sanne MPL

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The recruitment of participants for childhood overweight and obesity prevention interventions can be challenging. The goal of this study was to identify barriers that Dutch youth health care (YHC professionals perceive when referring parents of overweight children to an obesity prevention intervention. Methods Sixteen YHC professionals (nurses, physicians and management staff from eleven child health clinics participated in semi-structured interviews. An intervention implementation model was used as the framework for conducting, analyzing and interpreting the interviews. Results All YHC professionals were concerned about childhood obesity and perceived prevention of overweight and obesity as an important task of the YHC organization. In terms of frequency and perceived impact, the most important impeding factors for referring parents of overweight children to an intervention were denial of the overweight problem by parents and their resistance towards discussing weight issues. A few YHC professionals indicated that their communication skills in discussing weight issues could be improved, and some professionals mentioned that they had low self-efficacy in raising this topic. Conclusions We consider it important that YHC professionals receive more training to increase their self-efficacy and skills in motivating parents of overweight children to participate in obesity prevention interventions. Furthermore, parental awareness towards their child’s overweight should be addressed in future studies.

Developing a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum for professionalism and scientific integrity training for biomedical graduate students.

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Jones, Nancy L; Peiffer, Ann M; Lambros, Ann; Guthold, Martin; Johnson, A Daniel; Tytell, Michael; Ronca, April E; Eldridge, J Charles

2010-10-01

A multidisciplinary faculty committee designed a curriculum to shape biomedical graduate students into researchers with a high commitment to professionalism and social responsibility and to provide students with tools to navigate complex, rapidly evolving academic and societal environments with a strong ethical commitment. The curriculum used problem-based learning (PBL), because it is active and learner-centred and focuses on skill and process development. Two courses were developed: Scientific Professionalism: Scientific Integrity addressed discipline-specific and broad professional norms and obligations for the ethical practice of science and responsible conduct of research (RCR). Scientific Professionalism: Bioethics and Social Responsibility focused on current ethical and bioethical issues within the scientific profession, and implications of research for society. Each small-group session examined case scenarios that included: (1) learning objectives for professional norms and obligations; (2) key ethical issues and philosophies within each topic area; (3) one or more of the RCR instructional areas; and (4) at least one type of moral reflection. Cases emphasised professional standards, obligations and underlying philosophies for the ethical practice of science, competing interests of stakeholders and oversight of science (internal and external). To our knowledge, this is the first use of a longitudinal, multi-semester PBL course to teach scientific integrity and professionalism. Both faculty and students endorsed the active learning approach for these topics, in contrast to a compliance-based approach that emphasises learning rules and regulations.

Rural New Zealand health professionals' perceived barriers to greater use of the internet for learning.

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Janes, Ron; Arroll, Bruce; Buetow, Stephen; Coster, Gregor; McCormick, Ross; Hague, Iain

2005-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate rural North Island (New Zealand) health professionals' attitudes and perceived barriers to using the internet for ongoing professional learning. A cross-sectional postal survey of all rural North Island GPs, practice nurses and pharmacists was conducted in mid-2003. The questionnaire contained both quantitative and qualitative questions. The transcripts from two open questions requiring written answers were analysed for emergent themes, which are reported here. The first open question asked: 'Do you have any comments on the questionnaire, learning, computers or the Internet?' The second open question asked those who had taken a distance-learning course using the internet to list positive and negative aspects of their course, and suggest improvements. Out of 735 rural North Island health professionals surveyed, 430 returned useable questionnaires (a response rate of 59%). Of these, 137 answered the question asking for comments on learning, computers and the internet. Twenty-eight individuals who had completed a distance-learning course using the internet, provided written responses to the second question. Multiple barriers to greater use of the internet were identified. They included lack of access to computers, poor availability of broadband (fast) internet access, lack of IT skills/knowledge, lack of time, concerns about IT costs and database security, difficulty finding quality information, lack of time, energy or motivation to learn new skills, competing priorities (eg family), and a preference for learning modalities which include more social interaction. Individuals also stated that rural health professionals needed to engage the technology, because it provided rapid, flexible access from home or work to a significant health information resource, and would save money and travelling time to urban-based education. In mid-2003, there were multiple barriers to rural North Island health professionals making greater

Using findings in multimedia learning to inform technology-based behavioral health interventions.

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Aronson, Ian David; Marsch, Lisa A; Acosta, Michelle C

2013-09-01

Clinicians and researchers are increasingly using technology-based behavioral health interventions to improve intervention effectiveness and to reach underserved populations. However, these interventions are rarely informed by evidence-based findings of how technology can be optimized to promote acquisition of key skills and information. At the same time, experts in multimedia learning generally do not apply their findings to health education or conduct research in clinical contexts. This paper presents an overview of some key aspects of multimedia learning research that may allow those developing health interventions to apply informational technology with the same rigor as behavioral science content. We synthesized empirical multimedia learning literature from 1992 to 2011. We identified key findings and suggested a framework for integrating technology with educational and behavioral science theory. A scientific, evidence-driven approach to developing technology-based interventions can yield greater effectiveness, improved fidelity, increased outcomes, and better client service.

The development of a professional development intervention for mathematical problem-solving pedagogy in a localised context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brantina Chirinda

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This article reports on the design and findings of the first iteration of a classroom-based design research project which endeavours to design a professional development intervention for teachers’ mathematical problem-solving pedagogy. The major outcome of this study is the generation of design principles that can be used by other researchers developing a professional development (PD intervention for mathematical problem-solving pedagogy. This study contributes to the mathematical problem-solving pedagogy and PD body of knowledge by working with teachers in an under-researched environment (an informal settlement in Gauteng, South Africa. In this iteration, two experienced Grade 9 mathematics teachers and their learners at a public secondary school in Gauteng, South Africa, participated in a 6-month intervention. Findings from the data are discussed in light of their implications for the next cycle and other PD studies.

Interventions to Improve the Response of Professionals to Children Exposed to Domestic Violence and Abuse: A Systematic Review.

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Turner, William; Hester, Marianne; Broad, Jonathan; Szilassy, Eszter; Feder, Gene; Drinkwater, Jessica; Firth, Adam; Stanley, Nicky

2017-01-01

Exposure of children to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a form of child maltreatment with short- and long-term behavioural and mental health impact. Health care professionals are generally uncertain about how to respond to domestic violence and are particularly unclear about best practice with regards to children's exposure and their role in a multiagency response. In this systematic review, we report educational and structural or whole-system interventions that aim to improve professionals' understanding of, and response to, DVA survivors and their children. We searched 22 bibliographic databases and contacted topic experts for studies reporting quantitative outcomes for any type of intervention aiming to improve professional responses to disclosure of DVA with child involvement. We included interventions for physicians, nurses, social workers and teachers. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria: three randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 18 pre-post intervention surveys. There were 18 training and three system-level interventions. Training interventions generally had positive effects on participants' knowledge, attitudes towards DVA and clinical competence. The results from the RCTs were consistent with the before-after surveys. Results from system-level interventions aimed to change organisational practice and inter-organisational collaboration demonstrates the benefit of coordinating system change in child welfare agencies with primary health care and other organisations. Implications for policy and research are discussed. © 2015 The Authors. Child Abuse Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 'We searched 22 bibliographic databases and contacted topic experts'. We reviewed published evidence on interventions aimed at improving professionals' practice with domestic violence survivors and their children.Training programmes were found to improve participants' knowledge, attitudes and clinical competence up to a year after delivery.Key elements of

Professional Learning Community Process in the United States: Conceptualization of the Process and District Support for Schools

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Olivier, Dianne F.; Huffman, Jane B.

2016-01-01

As the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process becomes embedded within schools, the level of district support has a direct impact on whether schools have the ability to re-culture and sustain highly effective collaborative practices. The purpose of this article is to share a professional learning community conceptual framework from the US,…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) for early childhood science education

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Eum, Jungwon

This study explored the content, processes, and dynamics of Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions. This study also investigated changes in preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching after they participated in two different forms of PLCs including workshop and face-to-face PLC as well as workshop and online PLC. Multiple sources of data were collected for this study including participant artifacts and facilitator field notes during the PLC sessions. The participants in this study were eight teachers from NAEYC-accredited child care centers serving 3- to 5-year-old children in an urban Midwest city. All teachers participated in a workshop entitled, "Ramps and Pathways." Following the workshop, the first group engaged in face-to-face PLC sessions and the other group engaged in online PLC sessions. Qualitative data were collected through audio recordings, online archives, and open-ended surveys. The teachers' dialogue during the face-to-face PLC sessions was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed for emerging themes. Online archives during the online PLC sessions were collected and analyzed for emerging themes. Four main themes and 13 subthemes emanated from the face-to-face sessions, and 3 main themes and 7 subthemes emanated from the online sessions. During the face-to-face sessions, the teachers worked collaboratively by sharing their practices, supporting each other, and planning a lesson together. They also engaged in inquiry and reflection about their science teaching and child learning in a positive climate. During the online sessions, the teachers shared their thoughts and documentation and revisited their science teaching and child learning. Five themes and 15 subthemes emanated from the open-ended survey responses of face-to-face group teachers, and 3 themes and 7 subthemes emanated from the open-ended survey responses of online group teachers. Quantitative data collected in this study showed changes in teachers' attitudes and

Primary care interventions to reduce childhood obesity and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: Food for thought for oral health professionals.

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Dooley, Diane; Moultrie, Nicolette M; Sites, Elsbeth; Crawford, Patricia B

2017-06-01

Childhood obesity remains a significant threat to America's children. Health care leaders have increasingly called upon oral health professionals to integrate healthy weight promotion and enhanced sugar-sweetened beverage counseling into their professional practices. The aim of this scoping review is to examine recent evidence regarding the effectiveness of primary care childhood obesity interventions that have potential for adoption by oral health professionals. Medine, and PubMed were searched from 2010 to 2016 for review articles and studies reporting patient outcomes or policy outcomes relevant to primary care childhood obesity interventions for children ages 2-11 years. Additional articles were accessed through relevant websites, journals, and references. Our screening criteria included interventions that could be adopted by oral health professionals. Forty-two articles met inclusion criteria. Effective interventions fell into four domains: family-based programs, motivational interviewing, office-based practice tools, and policy interventions. Despite strong evidence linking the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to childhood obesity, our review did not find evidence of primary care programs effectively targeting and reducing childhood sugary drinks. Effective primary care interventions for addressing childhood obesity have been identified, although only short-term effectiveness has been demonstrated. Dissemination of these practices as well as further research and advocacy are needed. Childhood obesity and poor oral health share many common risk factors. Additional research should focus on the benefits and feasibility of widespread interdisciplinary medical-oral health collaboration in addressing the two most prevalent diseases of childhood. © 2017 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Relationships between Teacher Value Orientations, Collegiality, and Collaboration in School Professional Learning Communities

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Ning, Hoi Kwan; Lee, Daphnee; Lee, Wing On

2015-01-01

Unlike past research which has mainly examined whole school or whole department professional learning communities, this study focused on factors related to effective collaborative practices within teacher learning teams. Our main objective was to ascertain the roles of team value orientations (collectivism and power distance) and team collegiality…

Supporting Evidence Use in Networked Professional Learning: The Role of the Middle Leader

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LaPointe-McEwan, Danielle; DeLuca, Christopher; Klinger, Don A.

2017-01-01

Background: In Canada, contemporary collaborative professional learning models for educators utilise multiple forms of evidence to inform practice. Commonly, two forms of evidence are prioritised: (a) research-based evidence and (b) classroom-based evidence of student learning. In Ontario, the integration of these two forms of evidence within…

Development of students learning capabilities and professional capabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ringtved, Ulla Lunde; Wahl, Christian; Belle, Gianna

This paper describes the work-in-progress on a project that aims todevelop a tool that via learning analytic methods enable studentsto enhance, document and assess the development of their learningcapabilities and professional capabilities in consequence of theirself-initiated study activities...... during their bachelor educations. Thetool aims at enhancing the development of students’ capabilities toself-initiate, self-regulate and self-assess their study activities.The tool uses the concept of collective intelligence as source formotivation and inspiration in self-initiating study activities...... as wellas self-assessing them. The tool is based on a heutagogical approachto support reflection on learning potential in these activities. Thisenhances the educational use of students self-initiated learningactivities by bringing visibility and evidence to them, and therebybringing value to the assessment...

Developing a Comparative Measure of the Learning Climate in Professional Schools

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Bowen, Donald D.; Kilmann, Ralph H.

1975-01-01

The Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ) compares the objective properties of schools with measures of overall student satisfaction. The validity of the instrument suggests its use for substantive research investigations into the organizational dynamics of professional schools. (Author/JR)

A longitudınal study on the effect of tailored training and counseling on the professional attitude of nursing students.

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Karadağ, Ayise; Hisar, Filiz; Göçmen Baykara, Zehra; Çalışkan, Nurcan; Karabulut, Hatice; Öztürk, Deniz

2015-01-01

The development of professional attitudes in nursing students is influenced by their learning experiences (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) and instructors' professional behaviors. Instructors can enhance students' professional attitude by organizing the training environment, being a role model, and providing counseling. This study was conducted as a tailoring intervention study over 4 years (2010-2013) examining 73 nursing students (34 intervention, 39 control) to determine the effect of training and counseling on nursing students' professional attitudes. Data were collected utilizing the Introductory Characteristics Form and the Instrument of Professional Attitude for Student Nurses. Intervention group students were provided training and counseling complementing their current education to develop their professional attitudes. Controls proceeded with their current education. Instrument for Professional Attitude for Student Nurses posttest scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of control group students. Furthermore, intervention group scores on all subscales other than "competence and continuous education" significantly increased after training. Controls showed no growth in professional attitudes, other than in "contribution to scientific knowledge." The training and counseling program had a positive influence on the professional attitudes of nursing students. Thus, providing tailored training and counseling associated to professionalism throughout the educational process at schools providing nursing training is recommended. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aligning professional skills and active learning methods: an application for information and communications technology engineering

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Llorens, Ariadna; Berbegal-Mirabent, Jasmina; Llinàs-Audet, Xavier

2017-07-01

Engineering education is facing new challenges to effectively provide the appropriate skills to future engineering professionals according to market demands. This study proposes a model based on active learning methods, which is expected to facilitate the acquisition of the professional skills most highly valued in the information and communications technology (ICT) market. The theoretical foundations of the study are based on the specific literature on active learning methodologies. The Delphi method is used to establish the fit between learning methods and generic skills required by the ICT sector. An innovative proposition is therefore presented that groups the required skills in relation to the teaching method that best develops them. The qualitative research suggests that a combination of project-based learning and the learning contract is sufficient to ensure a satisfactory skills level for this profile of engineers.

Effective Professional Development for Physical Education Teachers: The Role of Informal, Collaborative Learning

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Armour, Kathleen M.; Yelling, Martin

2007-01-01

This paper reports data from the third phase of a 2-year investigation into continuing professional development (CPD) for physical education teachers in England. The purpose of this phase was to examine the ways in which 10 case study teachers engaged in professional learning over the course of 1 academic year. Data were collected from a series of…

A Peer Coaching-Based Professional Development Approach to Improving the Learning Participation and Learning Design Skills of In-Service Teachers

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Ma, Ning; Xin, Shuang; Du, Jia-Yuan

2018-01-01

Personalized learning based on learning analytics has become increasingly important for teachers' development via providing adaptive contents and strategies for teachers by identifying their questions and needs. Currently, most studies on teachers' professional development focus on pre-service teachers, and studies on teachers' personalized…

Opportunities and Challenges for Teacher Professional Development: A Case of Collaborative Learning Community in South Korea

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Park, Minjeong; So, Kyunghee

2014-01-01

This study investigates how characteristics of a collaborative professional learning activity support and hinder teacher learning and growth by examining the experiences of three Korean secondary teachers who participated in a school-initiated collaborative teacher learning project. The findings demonstrated that this learning opportunity…

Group supervision for healthcare professionals within primary care for patients with psychosomatic health problems: a pilot intervention study.

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Bullington, Jennifer; Cronqvist, Agneta

2018-03-01

In primary health care, efficacious treatment strategies are lacking for these patients, although the most prominent symptoms accounting for consultation in primary care often cannot be related to any biological causes. The aim was to explore whether group supervision from a specific phenomenological theory of psychosomatics could provide healthcare professionals treating patients with psychosomatic health issues within primary care a deeper understanding of these conditions and stimulate profession-specific treatment strategies. Our research questions were as follows: (i) What is the healthcare professionals' understanding of psychosomatics before and after the intervention? (ii) What are the treatment strategies for this group of patients before and after the intervention? The study was an explorative qualitative intervention pilot study. The six participants from a primary healthcare setting in a medium-sized city in Sweden participated in the study. A supervision group was formed, based on a mix of professions, age, gender and years of clinical experience. Supervision consisted of one 75-minutes meeting every month during the course of 6 months. Participants were interviewed before and after the supervision intervention. The study showed two distinct categories emerged from the data. One category of healthcare professionals espoused a psycho-educative approach, while the other lacked a cohesive approach. The supervision improved the second category of healthcare professionals' understanding of psychosomatics. The psycho-educative group did not change their understanding of psychosomatics, although they felt strengthened in their approach by the supervision. Profession-specific strategies were not developed. This pilot study indicates that a relatively short supervision intervention can aid clinicians in their clinical encounters with these patients; however, further research is necessary to ascertain the value of the specific phenomenologically based

Contextual Mobile Learning: A Step Further to Mastering Professional Appliances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

René Chalon

2007-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper we describe our approach whose objective is to apply MOCOCO concepts to e-learning. After a short presentation of MOCOCO (Mobility, Cooperation, Contextualization and IMERA (Mobile Interaction in the Augmented Real Environment principles we will discuss their use in a project called HMTD (Help Me To Do whose aim is to use wearable computer for a framework of activities of better use, maintenance and repairing of professional appliances. We will successively describe m-learning scope, contextualization and cooperation advantages as well as learning methods. A case study of configuration of wearable computer and its peripherals, taking into account context, in-situ storage, traceability and regulation in these activities finishes this paper.

Exploring the relation between teachers’ perceptions of workplace conditions and their professional learning goals

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Louws, Monika L.; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Veen, Klaas; van Driel, Jan H.

2017-01-01

Schools’ structural workplace conditions (e.g. learning resources and professional development policies) and cultural workplace conditions (e.g. school leadership, teachers’ collaborative culture) have been found to affect the way teachers learn. It is not so much the objective conditions that

A View of Professional Learning Communities through Three Frames: Leadership, Organization, and Culture

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Mullen, Carol A.; Schunk, Dale H.

2010-01-01

In this discussion of professional learning communities (PLCs) in North American public schools, we examine three theoretical frames--leadership, organization, and culture. Issues related to learning are infused throughout our presentation of the frames. Based on our analysis of the current literature on this topic, PLCs offer a promising tool for…

A Professional Learning Program for Enhancing the Competency of Students with Special Needs

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Kantavong, Pennee; Sivabaedya, Suwaree

2010-01-01

This study used a quasi-experimental research design to examine the impact of a professional learning program designed to enhance the competency of children with Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities and to develop knowledge, understanding and skills of teachers and parents in helping them. Data were collected…

Learning from Educator Experiences in a Hawaiian School: Peak Professional Learning and A'O

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Seto, Laurie U'ilani

2016-01-01

Due to rapid advancements in the world and shifting priorities at the school level, educators must keep abreast of current developments and how to continue to engage and challenge students in creative ways. This study examined the experiences 21 Kamehameha Schools educators indicated best support their professional learning to gain further…

The effectiveness of case-based learning in health professional education. A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 23.

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Thistlethwaite, Jill Elizabeth; Davies, David; Ekeocha, Samilia; Kidd, Jane M; MacDougall, Colin; Matthews, Paul; Purkis, Judith; Clay, Diane

2012-01-01

Case-based learning (CBL) is a long established pedagogical method, which is defined in a number of ways depending on the discipline and type of 'case' employed. In health professional education, learning activities are commonly based on patient cases. Basic, social and clinical sciences are studied in relation to the case, are integrated with clinical presentations and conditions (including health and ill-health) and student learning is, therefore, associated with real-life situations. Although many claims are made for CBL as an effective learning and teaching method, very little evidence is quoted or generated to support these claims. We frame this review from the perspective of CBL as a type of inquiry-based learning. To explore, analyse and synthesise the evidence relating to the effectiveness of CBL as a means of achieving defined learning outcomes in health professional prequalification training programmes. We focused the review on CBL for prequalification health professional programmes including medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing and midwifery, social care and the allied health professions (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc.). Papers were required to have outcome data on effectiveness. The search covered the period from 1965 to week 4 September 2010 and the following databases: ASSIA, CINAHL, EMBASE, Education Research, Medline and Web of Knowledge (WoK). Two members of the topic review group (TRG) independently reviewed the 173 abstracts retrieved from Medline and compared findings. As there was good agreement on inclusion, one went onto review the WoK and ASSIA EndNote databases and the other the Embase, CINAHL and Education Research databases to decide on papers to submit for coding. Coding and data analysis: The TRG modified the standard best evidence medical education coding sheet to fit our research questions and assessed each paper for quality. After a preliminary reliability exercise, each full paper was read and graded by one

Positive and Negative Impacts of a Continuing Professional Development Intervention on Pharmacist Practice: A Balanced Measure Evaluation.

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Sidhu, Sukhjinder; Gorman, Sean K; Slavik, Richard S; Ramsey, Tasha; Bruchet, Nicole; Murray, Sarah

2017-01-01

Evaluations of behavior change interventions aimed at improving professional practice are increasingly focused on impacts at the practice and patient outcome levels. Many of these evaluations assume that if the intended changes occur, the result represents an improvement. However, given the systemic nature of clinical practice, a change in one area can produce changes in other areas as well, some of which may adversely affect the patient. Balancing measures are used to determine whether unintended consequences of an intervention have been introduced into other areas of the system. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of behavior change intervention-based continuing professional development (CPD) on pharmacist interventions (resolution of drug therapy problems-DTPs) and resolution of quality indicator DTPs and knowledge change for urinary tract infections (UTI) and pneumonia. As a balancing measure, we aimed to determine whether delivery of behavior change interventions targeting pneumonia and UTI practice results in a negative impact on other important pharmacist interventions, specifically the resolution of heart failure DTPs. A quasiexperimental study was conducted at a Canadian health authority that evaluated the impacts of an 8-week multifaceted behavior change intervention delivered to 58 ward-based pharmacists. The primary outcome was change in proportion of UTI and pneumonia DTPs resolved from the 6-month preintervention to 6-month postintervention phase. Secondary outcomes were changes in proportion of UTI and pneumonia quality indicator DTPs resolved, knowledge quiz scores, and proportion of quality indicator DTPs resolved for heart failure as a balancing measure. A total of 58 pharmacists were targets of the intervention. The proportion of resolved UTI and pneumonia DTPs increased from 17.8 to 27.2% (relative risk increase 52.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 42.8-63.6%; P UTI and pneumonia quality indicator DTPs increased from 12.2% to 18

Enabling the Development of Student Teacher Professional Identity through Vicarious Learning during an Educational Excursion

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Steenekamp, Karen; van der Merwe, Martyn; Mehmedova, Aygul Salieva

2018-01-01

This paper explores the views of student teachers who were provided vicarious learning opportunities during an educational excursion, and how the learning enabled them to develop their teacher professional identity. This qualitative research study, using a social-constructivist lens highlights how vicarious learning influenced student teachers'…

A mixed-methods study of interprofessional learning of resuscitation skills.

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Bradley, Paul; Cooper, Simon; Duncan, Fiona

2009-09-01

This study aimed to identify the effects of interprofessional resuscitation skills teaching on medical and nursing students' attitudes, leadership, team-working and performance skills. Year 2 medical and nursing students learned resuscitation skills in uniprofessional or interprofessional settings, prior to undergoing observational ratings of video-recorded leadership, teamwork and skills performance and subsequent focus group interviews. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered pre- and post-intervention and again 3-4 months later. There was no significant difference between interprofessional and uniprofessional teams for leadership, team dynamics or resuscitation tasks performance. Gender, previous interprofessional learning experience, professional background and previous leadership experience had no significant effect. Interview analysis showed broad support for interprofessional education (IPE) matched to clinical reality with perceived benefits for teamwork, communication and improved understanding of roles and perspectives. Concerns included inappropriate role adoption, hierarchy issues, professional identity and the timing of IPE episodes. The RIPLS subscales for professional identity and team-working increased significantly post-intervention for interprofessional groups but returned to pre-test levels by 3-4 months. However, interviews showed interprofessional groups retained a 'residual positivity' towards IPE, more so than uniprofessional groups. An intervention based on common, relevant, shared learning outcomes set in a realistic educational context can work with students who have differing levels of previous IPE and skills training experience. Qualitatively, positive attitudes outlast quantitative changes measured using the RIPLS. Further quantitative and qualitative work is required to examine other domains of learning, the timing of interventions and impact on attitudes towards IPE.

Case Study: Using Contemporary Behaviour Change Science to Design and Implement an Effective Nutritional Intervention within Professional Rugby League.

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Costello, Nessan; McKenna, Jim; Sutton, Louise; Deighton, Kevin; Jones, Ben

2018-01-18

Designing and implementing successful dietary intervention is integral to the role of sport nutrition professionals as they attempt to positively change the dietary behaviour of athletes. High-performance sport is a time-pressured environment where immediate results can often supersede pursuit of the most effective evidence-based practice. However, efficacious dietary intervention necessitates comprehensive, systematic and theoretical behavioural design and implementation if the habitual dietary behaviours of athletes are to be positively changed. Therefore, this case study demonstrates how the Behaviour Change Wheel was used to design and implement an effective nutritional intervention within professional rugby league. The eight-step intervention targeted athlete consumption of a high quality dietary intake of 25.1 MJ each day, to achieve an overall body mass increase of 5 kg across a twelve-week intervention period. The Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour model and APEASE criteria were used to identify population-specific intervention functions, policy categories, behaviour change techniques and modes of intervention delivery. The resulting intervention was successful, increasing the average daily energy intake of the athlete to 24.5 MJ, which corresponded in a 6.2 kg body mass gain. Despite consuming 0.6 MJ less per day than targeted, secondary outcome measures of diet quality, strength, body composition and immune function all substantially improved, supporting a sufficient energy intake and the overall efficacy of a behavioural approach. Ultimately, the Behaviour Change Wheel provides sport nutrition professionals with an effective and practical step-wise method via which to design and implement effective nutritional interventions for use within high-performance sport.

The Effectiveness of Blended Learning in Health Professions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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Liu, Qian; Peng, Weijun; Zhang, Fan; Hu, Rong; Li, Yingxue; Yan, Weirong

2016-01-04

Blended learning, defined as the combination of traditional face-to-face learning and asynchronous or synchronous e-learning, has grown rapidly and is now widely used in education. Concerns about the effectiveness of blended learning have led to an increasing number of studies on this topic. However, there has yet to be a quantitative synthesis evaluating the effectiveness of blended learning on knowledge acquisition in health professions. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of blended learning for health professional learners compared with no intervention and with nonblended learning. We also aimed to explore factors that could explain differences in learning effects across study designs, participants, country socioeconomic status, intervention durations, randomization, and quality score for each of these questions. We conducted a search of citations in Medline, CINAHL, Science Direct, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and ERIC through September 2014. Studies in any language that compared blended learning with no intervention or nonblended learning among health professional learners and assessed knowledge acquisition were included. Two reviewers independently evaluated study quality and abstracted information including characteristics of learners and intervention (study design, exercises, interactivity, peer discussion, and outcome assessment). We identified 56 eligible articles. Heterogeneity across studies was large (I(2) ≥93.3) in all analyses. For studies comparing knowledge gained from blended learning versus no intervention, the pooled effect size was 1.40 (95% CI 1.04-1.77; Pblended learning with nonblended learning (pure e-learning or pure traditional face-to-face learning), the pooled effect size was 0.81 (95% CI 0.57-1.05; PBlended learning appears to have a consistent positive effect in comparison with no intervention, and to be more effective than or at least as effective as nonblended instruction for knowledge acquisition in health professions

Opening the Classroom Door: Professional Learning Communities in the Math and Science Partnership Program

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Hamos, James E.; Bergin, Kathleen B.; Maki, Daniel P.; Perez, Lance C.; Prival, Joan T.; Rainey, Daphne Y.; Rowell, Ginger H.; VanderPutten, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

This article looks at how professional learning communities (PLCs) have become an operational approach for professional development with potential to de-isolate the teaching experience in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The authors offer a short synopsis of the intellectual origins of PLCs, provide multiple…

Professional learning: teachers’ narratives of experience. It is what you do and the way that you do it…

OpenAIRE

Chappell, Anne

2014-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London. Professional learning, commonly referred to in policy and practice as continuing professional development, is presented to teachers as both a requirement and an entitlement in current education policy (Gewirtz, 2002; Ball, 2003). This work explores the ways in which professional learning is experienced by three teachers, and the meanings they attribute to those experiences. The stud...

Learning processes in the professional development of mental health counselors: knowledge restructuring and illness script formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Strasser, Josef; Gruber, Hans

2015-05-01

An important part of learning processes in the professional development of counselors is the integration of declarative knowledge and professional experience. It was investigated in-how-far mental health counselors at different levels of expertise (experts, intermediates, novices) differ in their availability of experience-based knowledge structures. Participants were prompted with 20 client problems. They had to explain those problems, the explanations were analyzed using think-aloud protocols. The results show that experts' knowledge is organized in script-like structures that integrate declarative knowledge and professional experience and help experts in accessing relevant information about cases. Novices revealed less integrated knowledge structures. It is concluded that knowledge restructuring and illness script formation are crucial parts of the professional learning of counselors.

Multiple Learning Approaches in the Professional Development of School Leaders -- Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Findings on Self-assessment and Feedback

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Huber, Stephan Gerhard

2013-01-01

This article investigates the use of multiple learning approaches and different modes and types of learning in the (continuous) professional development (PD) of school leaders, particularly the use of self-assessment and feedback. First, formats and multiple approaches to professional learning are described. Second, a possible approach to…

Professional and pre-professional pharmacy students' perceptions of team based learning (TBL) at a private research-intensive university.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Danielle M; Khalil, Karen; Iskaros, Olivia; Van Amburgh, Jenny A

2017-07-01

Pharmacy students need to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as be a valuable team member. The use of team based learning (TBL) fosters effective team collaboration, enables continuous active and self-directed learning, and requires both individual and team accountability. The purpose was to evaluate pharmacy students' perceptions and experiences related to TBL in different years of the pharmacy curriculum. Two classes, Introduction to the Profession of Pharmacy (intro), a required course, and Self-Care/Non-Prescription Medications (self-care), an elective course, utilize the TBL approach. Students enrolled in both courses were recruited to complete a validated questionnaire during the last class. There was 100% participation; the majority of students, regardless of course, expressed positive attitudes towards TBL. Variations, relevance of TBL activities and the use of TBL as a learning strategy, between the required intro class and the elective self-care class were observed using a Mann-Whitney U test (peffectiveness. It's important to consider the differences in professional development in these students and how this may impact their perceptions of TBL. TBL imparts more responsibility and accountability on the individual student allowing for the development of self-directed learners. Students, regardless of their year, found TBL to be an effective learning strategy. Third professional year (P3) pharmacy students further along in the curriculum are more accepting of TBL and are better able to appreciate the benefits of active and self-directed learning as well as working within a team. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Change Management in Dental Education: A Professional Learning Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Palatta, Anthony M

2018-06-01

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are defined as "a group of people sharing and critically interrogating their practice in an ongoing, reflective, collaborative, inclusive, learning-oriented, growth-promoting way." PLCs have been found to be an effective change management strategy in business and education when confronted by rapid change. The American Dental Education Association's Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education new national program-ADEA CCI 2.0-includes the development of a PLC. By employing an "engage and learn" model PLC centered on continuous quality improvement and systems thinking, dental faculty can identify internal and external barriers to change that could lead to innovative solutions to complex issues. This article argues that a PLC is a viable change management strategy to counteract the effect of multiple external forces impacting dental education and thus to develop future-ready faculty.

The impact of eLearning on health professional educators' attitudes to information and communication technology.