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The aim for 95% maternal health care coverage and zero-unmet need for family planning in Pacific Island countries by 2030 could be achieved by strengthening the midwifery workforce. To enable health services to provide accessible, locally acceptable, and high-quality care, the midwifery workforce must be regulated and educated to global standards and supported to practice in enabling environments. In 2019, around 64,000 live births occurred in Pacific Island countries, yet information regarding the state the midwifery workforce and midwifery education is limited. Using data from recent reports and country case studies, this paper provides an overview of the current midwifery education situation in Pacific Island countries and discusses strategic directions for strengthening quality midwifery education and therefore quality midwifery care provision in Pacific Island countries. Six Pacific Island countries have midwifery curricula, all post-nursing programs, although few offer midwifery education programs on a regular annual basis. Current programs do not meet ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education. Critical areas for strengthening include making underpinning philosophical frameworks, the vision for midwifery education, and program intended learning outcomes explicit in curricula documents and ensuring integration of these in program implementation. Fortunately, five of six midwifery education programs are under processes of renewal and strengthening against global, regional, and national standards. Strengthening the midwifery workforce in the Pacific to meet maternal and newborn health targets can be achieved through supporting the existing midwifery education programs to meet global standards. Strengthened midwifery education programs in Pacific Island countries offer an opportunity to meet each country's maternal and newborn health targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current nursing professional development programs include online education related to caring for COVID-19-positive patients. However, these resources failed to attract significant uptake of knowledge acquisition mainly because of poorly structured web pages. This discussion paper presents a unique perspective to designing professional development programs for frontline nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond through the use of interactive digital content (IDC). An overview of IDC is provided, followed by strategies for transforming existing nursing professional development education into IDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The EEG is one of the most useful technologies for brain research and clinical neurology. • The acquired traces are visibly displayed, but various studies investigate the translation of brain waves in sound. • The analog EEG was equipped with an auditory output, the pen-on-paper noise made by the writer unit, useful to facilitate the diagnosis of epileptic disorders. • Early digital EEG devices could be equipped with special software to duplicate the pen-on-paper noise digitally. • Nowadays, auditory neurofeedback has applications in therapeutic interventions, cognitive improvement, and basic research. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the most useful technologies for brain research and clinical neurology, characterized by non-invasiveness and high time resolution. The acquired traces are visibly displayed, but various studies investigate the translation of brain waves in sound (i.e., a process called sonification). Several articles have been published since 1934 about the sonification of EEG traces, in the attempt to identify the "brain-sound." However, for a long time this sonification technique was not used for clinical purposes. The analog EEG was in fact already equipped with an auditory output, although rarely mentioned in scientific papers: the pen-on-paper noise made by the writer unit. EEG technologists often relied on the sound that pens made on paper to facilitate the diagnosis. This article provides a sample of analog video-EEG recordings with audio support representing the strengths of a combined visual-and-auditory detection of different types of seizures. The purpose of the present article is to illustrate how the analog EEG "sounded," as well as to highlight the advantages of this pen-writing noise. It was considered so useful that early digital EEG devices could be equipped with special software to duplicate it digitally. Even in the present days, the sonification can be considered as an attempt to modify the EEG practice using auditory neurofeedback with applications in therapeutic interventions, cognitive improvement, and basic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As humanity reaches the 5.0 industrial revolution, education plays a critical role in boosting the quality of human resources. This paper reports bibliometric research on emerging TiP during 1993-2022 in the educational field to analyse its development on any level of education during the last three decades. This study employed a Scopus database. The findings are that the trend of TiP publication in educational fields has tended to increase every year during the past three decades and conference paper became the most published document type, the USA is the country which produces the most publications; 'Students' being the most occurrences keyword and total link strength. The publication of the TiP is ranked to the Quartile 1, which implies that a publication with the cited performance is a publication with credibility because the publisher has a good reputation. Researchers can find the topics most relevant to other metadata sources such as Web of Science, Publish, and Perish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to present the possibilities of nurse education in the use of the Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) tool to support the documentation process. The success of the nursing process is based on the accuracy of nursing diagnoses, which also determine nursing interventions and nursing outcomes. Educating nurses in the use of artificial intelligence in the nursing process can significantly reduce the time nurses spend on documentation. Discussion paper. We used a case study from Train4Health in the field of preventive care to demonstrate the potential of using Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) to educate nurses in documenting the nursing process using generative artificial intelligence. Based on the case study, we entered a description of the patient's condition into Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) and asked questions about nursing diagnoses, nursing interventions and nursing outcomes. We further synthesized these results. In the process of educating nurses about the nursing process and nursing diagnosis, Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) can present potential patient problems to nurses and guide them through the process from taking a medical history, setting nursing diagnoses and planning goals and interventions. Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) returned appropriate nursing diagnoses, but these were not in line with the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association – International (NANDA-I) classification as requested. Of all the nursing diagnoses provided, only one was consistent with the most recent version of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association – International (NANDA-I). Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) is still not specific enough for nursing diagnoses, resulting in incorrect answers in several cases. Using Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT) to educate nurses and support the documentation process is time-efficient, but it still requires a certain level of human critical-thinking and fact-checking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution is devoted to the development of international student mobility in the framework of the Erasmus+ and Non-European Mobility programmes, while the focus is also on the interest and experience of students from the Faculty of Economics and Management of the Czech University of Live Sciences Prague. At work, the development of the number of students arriving and leaving in 2008-2019 and the interest in destination countries and universities are assessed using statistical methods. Based on time series models, the expected development of indicators in the coming years was predicted. The work is also based on the results of a questionnaire survey carried out on the population of students of the Faculty of Economics and Management and focused on the perception and evaluation of the programme. The survey showed that students take foreign mobility as a unique asset that will make it easier for them to find adequate employment in the future in terms of their education. For international mobility, improvements in language skills, knowledge of new cultures and the creation of foreign social connections are highly regarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Chinese joss paper tradition for art educators. Particular focus is given to how this paper tradition can be implemented into multicultural or integrative education programs. Additional topics discussed include how art education can increase cultural awareness, the spiritual aspects of the joss paper tradition, and how paper money is burned in the joss tradition as an offering to deceased ancestors.

The majority of pediatric emergency patients are seen in mixed-age emergency departments and triaged by general emergency nurses. Educational methods for teaching pediatric triage education to general emergency nurses have not been well studied, and previous studies of the use of the Emergency Severity Index in children have been performed primarily in centers that are high volume for pediatrics. A repeated-measures, randomized crossover study comparing 2 different methods of pediatric triage education was conducted. Participants were general emergency nurses recruited from a general emergency department that is classified as low volume for pediatrics. Each participant was exposed in a random order to both educational methods: paper-based cases and high-fidelity simulation. All participants had substantial improvement in pediatric triage accuracy as measured by a standardized set of pediatric triage cases. The previously reported trend toward undertriage of the pediatric patient was observed despite a mean triage agreement rate of 73% at the end of the study period. No differences were observed between groups; the order of the educational intervention did not result in statistically significant differences in triage accuracy. A combined approach of paper-based cases and high-fidelity simulation was effective at improving pediatric triage accuracy among a group of general ED nurses with limited exposure to pediatric patients. The results from this study suggest that combining both methods of education may be a viable means of providing general emergency nurses with additional knowledge in pediatric triage; however, persistent trends in undertriage should be studied further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big Data research has rapidly developed in the last 10 years, making it an interesting topic to investigate to understand the trends and developments of Big Data in Education. This study aims to analyze source documents and state contributions, and visualize research trends on the subject of Big Data in education during the last 10 years and identify potential research topics related to Big Data in Education in the future. This study uses a literature review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method associated with bibliometric analysis using the Scopus and VOSviewer databases, through which 1,076 documents were obtained. The results of the bibliometric analysis show that Big Data research in education has increased significantly in the last 10 years. However, in the last year, it has decreased, this is the next challenge, and an opportunity for future research. The most common types of documents are conference papers, the source of most documents is conference proceedings, and the country that contributes the most is China. English is the most widely spoken language, and the authors with the highest contribution are Daniel, B. K. Further research related to Big Data can be used and implemented in the business world for Big Data analysis in education. Big Data can also be integrated with Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) which can be a further research opportunity that can be applied to education because analyzing Big Data requires STEM learning skills. Thus, this research recommends finding updates in the study of Big Data in education by integrating STEM in education because analyzing Big Data again requires STEM learning expertise. This study has limitations in using only one database, namely Scopus, to obtain research data. Therefore, it is recommended that Big Data in Education research be conducted using other databases besides Scopus to obtain more extensive data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To achieve the highest possible level of health for individuals and societies involved in the crisis, a high level of individual and professional competency is needed in nurses for their active participation in the crisis. The acquisition of professional qualifications by nurses to provide care in the crisis is very important. The present study aimed to determine the effect of disaster and accident response training on the enhancement of professional competence of nurses in response to the crisis. Materials and Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test design. The statistical population consisted of all nurses working in Shahid Chamran Hospital in Saveh City, Iran, in 2017. In total, 80 nurses were selected through the convenience sampling method and were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received training through lectures and workshops for 16 hours in 4 days. The samples completed a professional nursing competency assessment questionnaire before and one month after the intervention. The obtained data were analyzed by the Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact-test, Independent samples t-test, and Paired samples t-test in SPSS. Results: The findings revealed no significant difference between the two groups concerning demographic variables. After the intervention, the average improvement of professional competence of nurses in their ability to manage the accident scene increased from 63.3 to 74.07, teamwork skill from 56.7 to 74, individual specific abilities from 61.4 to 70, ethical performance from 67.8 to 76.9, and professional skills from 54 to 60. The Mean±SD pretest score of professional competency of nurses in the intervention and control groups were 163.5±28.6 and 155.73±34, respectively. After the intervention, these scores increased to 185.13±28.8 and 158.48±33.3 in the intervention and the control groups, respectively. The difference was statistically significant in the intervention group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the competence of nurses to provide care in crises was not at a desirable level. Thus, assessing the competence of nurses and identifying the gaps in their knowledge and skills before attending crises is essential. Also, the incident and disaster education can dramatically increase nurses' professional competence in responding to the crisis. Therefore, we suggest the method used in this study as a feasible, simple, low cost and effective method in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education et Societes is the property of INRP and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to determine pre-service elementary school teachers' capabilities of deciding the viewpoint and perspective in geometrical drawing. The study examined geometrical drawings the participants did on isometric paper. This is a case study, a qualitative study method, and the study data were analyzed using written documents. The study sample included 34 senior students in the Education Faculty's Elementary School Teaching Program at a Turkish public university. They were selected from approximately 205 pre-service teachers. The students participated in the study on a voluntary basis. The study results revealed that the pre-service teachers generally had weak skills in geometrical drawing. The participants had better skills in building structures which they saw from the air using unit blocks, and forming a structure of which they had the direct views (left and right; front and back) using unit blocks. However, the participants had weaker skills in drawing the direct views of the structures they had built, recognizing the connections between the left-right views and front-back views of the structures and drawing the structures they built on isometric paper in perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the extent, motives and impact of mobile phone photo note-taking on students' learning at Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) in Tanzania. It employed the mixed methods approach. A sample of 310 respondents was drawn using a multi stage sampling technique which involved stratified random sampling at the first stage and convenient sampling at the second stage. Questionnaires and interviews were used to obtain data for the study. The findings revealed that mobile photo note-taking was a common practice at DUCE. The time consuming nature of handwritten notes, Speedy lecturing, easy access to notes, peer and technological influence were claimed to be the motives behind students' fondness to the practice. It was also revealed that the distraction of concentration, impairment of handwriting skills and speed, poor attendance to the lecture sessions, and distortion of students' ability to compose and organize their own work were the impact of the practice. The study recommends that the University should create better teaching and learning environment to allow university students to use variables and multiple note-taking methods for best results underlying each method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education et Societes is the property of INRP and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article offers information on the introduction of a National Year 1 Literacy and Numeracy Check by the Australian Government. Topics discussed include relationship between literacy, reading and phonics; use of diagnostic tools to assess children's literacy abilities in schooling; and impact of country policies on preschool funding and types of standardized tests for children.

Copyright of Chinese University Education Journal is the property of Chinese University of Hong Kong and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Empathy development is an integral aspect of nurse education in several countries. Empathy supports person-centred care provision by aiding effective communication and promoting feelings of wellbeing by helping people feel understood. The development of empathy in nursing students is best facilitated through experiential learning and reflective practice, although to date, there are no reflective models specifically designed for this purpose. It is the aim of this paper to present a model designed to promote reflection on the development of empathy. The authors have developed an approach to empathic reflection based on the philosophy of Edith Stein. In this paper we outline the Empathic Reflection model which emphasises the need for educator support and an appreciative approach. We then present a narrative example of the model in action in an acute care setting. We have developed a three-stage model to support experiential learning about the development of empathy for nursing students. This discussion paper explores an interesting area for future nursing research about empathy development through experiential learning and reflective practice. Educators can contribute to the promotion of empathy by working in partnership with students to explore previously held beliefs which might act as barriers to empathic care provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background In Japan, the departments of nursing were established by 2004, and graduate school programs for master's degree were established by 2008, in 42 national universities. With these changes, a more academic mission has been pursued, and the need for writing papers in English has increased. Aim To investigate the numbers of papers published in English from the nursing departments of national universities in Japan over the past ten years. Methods The lists of teachers who have nursing licenses in the departments of nursing in the 42 national universities (n = 2292) were obtained from the Japan Association of Nursing Programs in Universities. The number of papers published in English by these teachers from 2004 to 2013 was counted using the SCOPUS database. Results The average number of total papers, in which at least one of the authors was a nursing teacher, and first-authored papers, in which the first author was a nursing teacher, were 211.4 and 69.9 per year, respectively; both increased approximately two-fold during the past ten years. The means and standard deviations of the number of total papers and first-authored papers were 50.3 ± 63.8 (range: 1–382) and 18.3 ± 23.4 (range: 0–147) according to universities, and 1.39 ± 5.84 (range: 0–140) and 0.33 ± 1.28 (range: 0–21) according to teachers, respectively. When journals with the highest number of papers were analyzed, 12 of the top 20 (total papers) and 12 of the top 16 (first-authored papers) were in journals whose editorial offices are in Japan. Conclusion The number of papers published in English has increased over the past ten years, varied markedly depending on the universities and teachers, and many papers were published in Japanese journals. To our knowledge, this is the first report anywhere to determine the average number of nursing papers “per teacher” in a specific population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexia is a type of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) that affects the educational development of a student, as it is the reason of difficulties not only in writing or reading but also in other disciplines like Mathematics. Research has proven that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can have a positive effect to the educational development of a dyslexic student. In this paper, twenty 6 th -grade primary-school students were observed while using computers during exams - ten with Dyslexia and ten with no SLDs. All students were called to solve a digital test and a paper test that were including some basic mathematic operations. The researcher recorded and examined the differences between the results from the two tests. Descriptive and deductive statistical analysis showed that students had better results when examined via a computer compared to a traditional written examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents selected papers from the Elsa Leo-Rhynie (ELR) Symposium which was held on November 9-11, 2008 at the Mona Visitors' Lodge and Conference Centre in Mona, Jamaica, in celebration of the Centre for Gender and Development Studies' (CGDS) 15th anniversary.

In this article we argue that in South Africa the current format of legitimised participation and practice in the examination papers for Mathematical Literacy restricts successful apprenticeship in the discipline of scientific mathematics and limits empowered preparation for real-world functioning. The currency of the subject, then, is brought into question. We further argue that the positioning of the subject as a compulsory alternative to Mathematics and the differential distribution of these two subjects to differing groups of learners facilitates the (re)production and sustainment of educational disadvantage. We draw on Dowling's theoretical constructs of differing domains of mathematical practice and positions and focus analysis on a collection of nationally set exemplar Grade 12 examination papers to identify legitimised forms of participation in the subject. We conclude by arguing for a reconceptualised structure of knowledge and participation in Mathematical Literacy and make preliminary recommendations in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional graduate capabilities and discipline threshold learning outcomes require science students to demonstrate ethical conduct and social responsibility. However, neither the teaching nor the assessment of these concepts is straightforward. Australian chemistry academics participated in a workshop in 2013 to discuss and develop teaching and assessment in these areas and this paper reports on the outcomes of that workshop. Controversial issues discussed included: How broad is the mandate of the teacher, how should the boundaries between personal values and ethics be drawn, and how can ethics be assessed without moral judgement? In this position paper, I argue for a deep engagement with ethics and social justice, achieved through case studies and assessed against criteria that require discussion and debate. Strategies to effectively assess science students' understanding of ethics and social responsibility are detailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's experience in a kindergarten classroom at Mills Elementary School in the U.S. southern states which shared stories of teacher-to-teacher and peer-to-peer mentoring. Topics mentioned include the witness of social mentoring, the observing of academic mentoring during journal time with the struggle of the teacher on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, and the reflect of the game "Rock, Paper, Scissors" where students are the active members in the classroom.

Summary: High-fidelity patient simulation is a method of education increasingly utilised by educators of nursing to provide authentic learning experiences. Fidelity and authenticity, however, are not conceptually equivalent. Whilst fidelity is important when striving to replicate a life experience such as clinical practice, authenticity can be produced with low fidelity. A challenge for educators of undergraduate nursing is to ensure authentic representation of the clinical situation which is a core component for potential success. What is less clear is the relationship between fidelity and authenticity in the context of simulation based learning. Authenticity does not automatically follow fidelity and as a result, educators of nursing cannot assume that embracing the latest technology-based educational tools will in isolation provide a learning environment perceived authentic by the learner. As nursing education programmes increasingly adopt simulators that offer the possibility of representing authentic real world situations, there is an urgency to better articulate and understand the terms fidelity and authenticity. Without such understanding there is a real danger that simulation as a teaching and learning resource in nurse education will never reach its potential and be misunderstood, creating a potential barrier to learning. This paper examines current literature to promote discussion within nurse education, concluding that authenticity in the context of simulation-based learning is complex, relying on far more than engineered fidelity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• In Italy, recent regulation has updated the post-mortem body disposition. • Body donation is admitted for study, training and scientific research purposes. • Unsolved issues concern the grantees of teaching and training activities. • The Italian College of Anatomists has made constructive criticisms to the law. • Suggestions are provided to manage the donation process and use of the body. In Italy, recent legislation (Law No. 10/2020) has tuned regulations concerning the donation of one's postmortem body and tissues for study, training, and scientific research purposes. This study discusses several specific issues to optimise the applicability and effectiveness of such an important, novel regulatory setting. Critical issues arise concerning the learners, the type of training and teaching activities that can be planned, the position of academic anatomy institutes, the role of family members in the donation process, the time frame of the donation process, the eligibility of partial donation, or the simultaneous donation of organs and tissues to patients awaiting transplantation. In particular, a universal time limit for donations (i.e., one year) makes it impossible to plan the long-term use of specific body parts, which could be effectively preserved for the advanced teaching and training of medical students and surgeons. The abovementioned conditions lead to the limited use of corpses, thus resulting in the inefficiency of the whole system of body donation. Overall, the donors' scope for the donation of their body could be best honoured by a more flexible and tuneable approach that can be used on a case-by-case basis. Furthermore, it is deemed necessary to closely monitor the events scheduled for corpses in public nonacademic institutions or private enterprises. This paper presents useful insights from Italian anatomists with the hope of providing inspiration for drafting the regulations. In conclusion, this paper focuses on the critical issues derived from the recently introduced Italian law on the donation and use of the body after death and provides suggestions to lawmakers for future implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content analysis of the studies of both Turkish and foreign authors on PBL in science education in national and international journals was made considering such variables as the research subject, method, sample, diversity of data collection tools and the data analysis methods. To this end, content analysis of 104 papers - 42 by Turkish authors and 62 by foreign authors - which were carried out between the years 1986- 2012, was made. All these papers were accessed in full text. It was identified that in 40.4% of the studies whose content analysis was made, the focus was on the effect of PBL on learning, while in 35.6% the focus was on concept analysis. It is seen that while Turkish authors worked on teaching studies in 59.5% of their studies, foreign authors focused on concept analysis in 41.9% of their studies. Also while Turkish authors mostly preferred quantitative research methods (61.9%) in their studies, foreign authors preferred qualitative research methods (66.1%). The commonly used data collection tools for Turkish authors were questionnaire and achievement test, while foreign authors preferred interview and alternative data collection tools. In terms of choosing a sample group, it is seen that studies with undergraduate and secondary school students (9-12) were preferred more often. The findings of the study reveal that studies on PBL were not very common in our country until 2005; that they reached the highest number between the years 2005-2009, and that foreign authors published the highest number of papers in 2006. While the foreign authors had a superiority over Turkish authors in terms of their papers on PBL in science education until 2005, it is seen that as of 2005, except the year 2006, the number of papers of Turkish authors has been equal to/higher than the number of papers by foreign authors until 2012. Besides, it is also identified that most of these studies were mixed and in the field of chemistry education. It is believed that this study is significant in terms of providing an opinion to young researchers working in the field of PBL and to those who are planning to work in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making personalized paper recommendations to users in an educational domain is not a trivial task of simply matching users' interests with a paper topic. Therefore, we proposed a context-aware multidimensional paper recommendation system that considers additional user and paper features. Earlier experiments on experienced graduate students demonstrated the significance of this approach using modified collaborative filtering techniques. However, two key issues remain: (1) How would the modified filtering perform when target users are inexperienced undergraduate students who have a different pedagogical background and contextual information-seeking goals, such as task- and course-related goals, from those of graduate students?; (2) Should we combine graduates and undergraduates in the same pool, or should we separate them? We conducted two studies aimed at addressing these issues and they showed that (1) the system can be effectively used for inexperienced learners; (2) recommendations are less effective for different learning groups (with different pedagogical features and learning goals) than they are for the same learning groups. Based on the results obtained from these studies, we suggest several context-aware filtering techniques for different learning scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper seeks to extend research on gender differences in spoken discourse into the domain of written academic discourse. A corpus of 78 conference papers written by education researchers for a conference in Australia in 2001 was examined to determine whether there were significant differences in the use of hedges and boosters. It was found that male authors were more likely to use boosters although there was no significant difference in the frequency of hedges. It was noted, however, that men were more likely to use the less common and women the more common hedges. Collaboration and first author effects were also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents a yearlong pilot study, conducted by teacher education faculty, to evaluate methods for creating, sustaining, and assessing teaching portfolios. Selected issues with paper-based and software-based programs are compared. Key design, instructional, anti procedural problems that arose during this study are discussed as well. The findings of this study support the need for a flexible electronic portfolio system in which students play a key role in the design, development, and content of their portfolios as well as the need for a clearly articulated academic purpose and requirements for the teaching portfolio with implications for students in all disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year several hundred non-geology majors, mostly juniors and seniors, take our Environmental Geology classes (Geology 300) to meet their Upper Division General Education course requirements. In order to encourage environmental curiosity and personal responsibility, in lieu of a traditional term-paper, a 30-page homework packet, which is based on ongoing environmental issues and realistic data, has been developed. The packet was initiated in the spring semester of 2002 and has been revised several times to reflect top environmental issues, the course's general requirements/expectations, students' writing and mathematical skills and their general environmental background knowledge. Through the assessment of this newly developed packet, although more than half of the students surveyed (58.8%) indicated that the packet is more challenging than doing a traditional term paper and some had difficulties with mathematical sections of the packet, 88.7% of those surveyed recommended the continuation of the packet. The packet contains several components in which the students are given the opportunity to conduct research on some specific local environmental issues and through their documentation to advance their writing and mathematical skills. Through up to four in-class small group 30-minute discussions, the students help each other to improve their mathematical skills and exchange ideas on understanding the related concepts and initiate original discussions on various environmental issues. The packet is flexible enough to be readily adapted to other geographical regions and various educational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of medical education research is growing rapidly, but educational research has been widely criticized for its lack of a scientific approach, poor theoretical frameworks or study designs, deficient research methods and reporting quality, and lack of meaningful outcomes that would inform practice. There have been recent calls for greater accountability and return on investment for all research efforts and clinical practice. The impact of medical education on important health outcomes such as patient care is unclear but likely underestimated. A better understanding of the role and the structure of medical education research is called for, and in this review, the author outlines a framework for reading, reviewing, and (hopefully) pursuing and carrying out medical education research. Medical education research methodologies are discussed, along with guidelines for reading articles. A structured guideline is suggested and provided for interested readers and reviewers of educational research. Although there are challenges to be faced, they provide endless possibilities to expand and improve on medical education research and to bring it to its full fruition, alongside traditional clinical research. Education is critical to important outcomes, and a greater emphasis should be placed on understanding medical education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a series of interrelated hands-on geometry activities that can be used to help primary and middle grades students develop spatial reasoning, encourage geometric problem-solving, and promote increasingly more sophisticated levels of thinking in the van Hiele hierarchy. In particular, the activities can help primary students move from seeing shapes holistically to thinking of shapes using properties. The activities can help middle grade students move from using unrelated sets of properties to interrelating properties and classes of shapes. One of the activity is the "Cutting Loops" problem. To launch an investigation of the "Cutting Loops" problems, students are first provided with two congruent rectangular strips of construction paper. For convenience, one can typically cut the strips from two different colored pieces of standard paper. Next, students are asked to join the shorter sides of their rectangular strips. Once joined, the shorter sides intersect at a single line segment. Next, students make this intersection permanent with adhesive tape. This forms two congruent cylinders. Once students have constructed two separate loops, the loops are taped together such that their taping lines intersect at right angles. Students are typically willing to share hunches, educated guesses and observations about the "Loops" activity.

This study investigated the effect of several different modes of test administration on scores and completion times. In Experiment 1, paper-based assessment was compared to computer-based assessment. Undergraduates completed the computer-based assessment faster than the paper-based assessment, with no difference in scores. Experiment 2 assessed three different computer interfaces that provided students various levels of flexibility to change and review answers. No difference in scores was observed among the three modes, but students completed the least-flexible mode faster than the other two modes. It appears that less flexible test modes are faster and do not result in poorer performance than more flexible modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses some relevant issues in relation to the involvement of the Department of Education and Science in the education of children under four and examines the White Paper's proposals with specific reference to the target groups of young children who are disadvantaged, and young children with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the usage of Swales's ‘Moves’ in research paper assignment by composition students in the U.S. Most first-year composition students do not define the research paper task the way college teachers would like them to. The students do not necessarily produce papers overwhelmingly superior to their previous essays and worthy of publication in a scholarly journal. They do learn to view themselves as original researchers. The author does not require that all students adopt the localized-field-research approach, let alone that they all use Swales's moves in their introductions.

Copyright of History in Africa: A Journal of Method is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

After distinguishing a culture of peace from a consumer culture, elucidating the challenges of finding peace in a consumer society and comparing consumer education to peace education, the paper proposes potential synergy to be gained from merging aligned concepts from peace education and consumer education so we can view consumer education in and of itself as a vehicle for peace. It presents, for the first time, a novel approach to consumer education, framing it as a way to strive for peace. Education about consuming (fact-based) and education for consuming (value- and ideologically-based) are juxtaposed against peace through consumer education, drawing insights from well-established approaches in peace education and sustainability education. Peace through the consumer education process would lead people from being focused on their own self-interest to being concerned for the welfare of others, other species and the planet - peace through consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Training in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) requires undergraduate degrees in both medicine and dentistry. When trainees in other surgical specialties may be pursuing a higher degree in research or education, OMFS trainees will be studying for their second undergraduate degree. It is possibly therefore that the specialty is weak in terms of doubly qualified university academics who have been trained in the full and extended curriculum OMFS. Research is recognised in all applications to United Kingdom and Ireland specialist training programmes, and points are awarded, though many juniors who enter these will have found it difficult to do any research during their careers to date. With changes in specialist training it may become even more difficult to obtain a research degree, although with the introduction of the National Institute for Health Research Integrated Academic Training (academic clinical fellowships/clinical lectureships) there is renewed hope that enthusiasm for academic OMFS will be reignited. In this paper we try to provide an idea of the opportunities available to OMFS trainees in academia and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of the three papers in this issue discuss and analyze the practice underlying "critical exploration," a research pedagogy applied in common within their separate art, science, and teacher education classrooms. Eleanor Duckworth developed critical exploration as a method of teaching by involving students so actively and reflectively with a subject that they have "wonderful ideas" that arise from their own questioning. Teachers who encourage critical exploration support their students in encountering complex materials, experiencing confusion, considering multiple possibilities, and constructing new understandings. Teachers refrain from providing answers, or even implying that there is an acceptable answer or technique, and instead facilitate the personal process of development that Jean Piaget, Bärbel Inhelder, and others documented and analyzed. Applying Piaget's findings requires teachers to sustain what David Hawkins described as "triangular relationships" of trust and respect among teacher, learners, and subject matter. The three classroom studies that follow narrate these exploratory qualities in the contexts of middle school girls learning Chinese brush painting, undergraduates investigating mirrors, and teacher education students exploring seeds, pendulums, and the moon. In teaching art and science via critical exploration, curiosity and a sense of beauty reinforce one another, and open a window into the processes of—and connections between—art and science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Educacao & Sociedade is the property of Centro de Estudos de Educacao e Sociedade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Presents the author's views on possibilities and pragmatism of a research paper as an act of citizenship. Information that one has seen the rising status of service-learning and an allied emergence of what is being termed variously civic engagement, rhetorical democracy, or community writing; View that many instructors are drawn to service-learning and civic-engagement writing projects because they sense that these types of writing assignments make their instruction "real" in the sense that students see the effect of their rhetorical practice; Opinion that service-learning tied to composition has created changes in how instructors teach, making them seriously rethink instructional methods.

Copyright of Revista Katharsis is the property of Institucion Universitaria de Envigado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)