14,607 results
Search Results
2. Learning with Treescapes in Environmentally Endangered Times. Occasional Paper Series 50
- Author
-
Bank Street College of Education, Samyia Ambreen, Kate Pahl, Samyia Ambreen, Kate Pahl, and Bank Street College of Education
- Abstract
Issue #50 of the Bank Street Occasional Paper Series, "Learning With Treescapes in Environmentally Endangered Times Learning with Treescapes in Environmentally Endangered Times," is intended to be hopeful. Articles in this issue contribute to the envisioning of new practices and to an architecture of knowledge to waymark a more sustainable route into the future. Trees are vital for the present and future health of the planet, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. They store carbon and breathe out oxygen. Their leaves filter dangerous pollutants. Their branches provide shade and a shelter for a myriad of other beings, allowing diverse species to thrive. They provide cooling, control erosion, and filter water. Articles in this issue include stories from teachers and their students about learning with trees, and descriptions of how engagements with trees can transform research and ways of thinking, feeling, and being. Across multiple pieces, authors reflect on how connecting with trees facilitates greater connection among humans and between humans and the more-than-human occupants of our planet.
- Published
- 2023
3. Autonomous Schools, Achievement and Segregation. Discussion Paper No. 1968
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Natalie Irmert, Jan Bietenbeck, Linn Mattisson, and Felix Weinhardt
- Abstract
We study whether autonomous schools, which are publicly funded but can operate more independently than government-run schools, affect student achievement and school segregation across 15 countries over 16 years. Our triple-differences regressions exploit between-grade variation in the share of students attending autonomous schools within a given country and year. While autonomous schools do not affect overall achievement, effects are positive for high-socioeconomic status students and negative for immigrants. Impacts on segregation mirror these findings, with evidence of increased segregation by socioeconomic and immigrant status. Rather than creating "a rising tide that lifts all boats," autonomous schools increase inequality
- Published
- 2023
4. The Changing Nature and Role of Vocational Education and Training in Europe. Volume 7: VET from a Lifelong Learning Perspective: Continuing VET Concepts, Providers and Participants in Europe 1995-2015. Cedefop Research Paper No. 74
- Author
-
Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI)
- Abstract
This research paper is one in a series produced as part of the Cedefop project The changing nature and role of VET (2016-18). The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of how CVET is conceptualised in various international level policy documents and how it is referred to across countries. It discusses national conceptions of CVET, the providers, participation by IVET graduates in non-formal education and training (NFE), and participation of adults in VET education institutions in European Union Member States, Iceland and Norway. The paper describes how the provision of CVET by different types of provider has changed over the past two decades, discussing the main drivers of this change and speculating about possible future trends. One of the main findings is that there are many dominant conceptions of CVET across Europe and the use of this term is not consistent, sometimes not even within countries. [The research was carried out by a consortium led by 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH, led by Dr Jorg Markowitch; the consortium includes the Danish Technological Institute, the Institute of Employment Research (University of Warwick), the Institute of International and Social Studies (Tallinn University) and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in Germany is supporting the project as a subcontractor.]
- Published
- 2019
5. Economic Benefits of Meeting the Ambitions Set out in the Schools White Paper
- Author
-
Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom)
- Abstract
This government's Levelling Up mission for schools is that, by 2030, 90% of children will leave primary school having achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, up from 65% in 2019. In addition, this white paper sets an ambition to increase the national GCSE average grade in both English language and in maths from 4.5 in 20193 to 5, for all secondary school pupils by 2030. In this report it is estimated the economic returns associated with achieving these ambitions. To achieve the Levelling Up mission, around one in four pupils will need to make sufficient improvements in Key Stage 2 (KS2) attainment by 2030 to reach the expected standard. It is estimated that the size of the attainment improvement will need to be equivalent to 0.87 of a standard deviation, or around 10 months of progress.
- Published
- 2022
6. A Framework for Developing Student-Faculty Partnerships in Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes Assessment. Occasional Paper No. 53
- Author
-
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, Curtis, Nicholas, and Anderson, Robin
- Abstract
In her April 2010 NILOA paper, "Opening Doors to Faculty Involvement in Assessment," Pat Hutchings called for institutions to involve students in assessment, citing the potential to increase faculty engagement. In Curtis and Anderson (2020), the first author interviewed numerous partnership experts in both the United Kingdom and the United States regarding student-faculty partnerships and the extent to which students currently engage in the assessment process. Findings from the study make it clear that there currently exists little student-faculty partnership in assessment at the program- or system-levels. Combining existing research on partnership and the expert responses from the Curtis et al. study, we present a framework, based on prototyping, for developing student-faculty partnerships in program-level student learning outcomes assessment.
- Published
- 2021
7. Singing from the Same Hymn Sheet? UK Policy Responses to the NEET Agenda. SKOPE Research Paper No. 130
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE), Maguire, Sue, and Keep, Ewart
- Abstract
This paper provides an overview of government policy on young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) across the four UK nations. The paper argues that policy in England on this topic is less well-developed and coherent than in the other UK nations, and that the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic will serve to amplify the negative impacts of a set of underlying changes that have been taking place in the youth labour market and in employers' recruitment and selection practices. In addition, the paper notes that in much of the activity directed at reducing those with NEET status has been funded through the EU's European Social Fund and that uncertainty now clouds the continuance of these schemes, and that in England government has increasingly relied on the charities to help fill gaps in outreach and provision.
- Published
- 2021
8. COVID-19 -- Potential Consequences for Education, Training, and Skills. SKOPE Issues Paper 36
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) and Keep, Ewart
- Abstract
The main focus of the paper is on youth unemployment and wider transitions into work, but it also has some thoughts on adult unemployment and re-training. This paper is founded upon a basic assumption -- namely that if the public money available across the United Kingdom to support measures around skills and unemployment is finite, then targeting those most at risk and defining which kinds of measures are the most cost-effective will be important. The information already available (Wilson et al, 2020) suggests that it is known which sectors, occupations, localities and kinds of people will most likely be hardest hit by the coming recession. The main issues will be deciding: (1) What groups to prioritise, which interventions will work best and most cost-effectively, and also which can be delivered to swiftly address the immediate problems liable to emerge as the furlough scheme is wound down and school, college and university leavers hit a disrupted labour market; and (2) what additional measures will be needed in the longer term as some groups experience extended periods of unemployment.
- Published
- 2020
9. A Half Century of Progress in U.S. Student Achievement: Ethnic and SES Differences; Agency and Flynn Effects. Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series. PEPG 21-01
- Author
-
Harvard University, Program on Education Policy and Governance, Shakeel, M. Danish, and Peterson, Paul E.
- Abstract
Principals (policy makers) have debated the progress in U.S. student performance for a half century or more. Informing these conversations, survey agents have administered seven million psychometrically linked tests in math and reading in 160 waves to national probability samples of selected cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. This study is the first to assess consistency of results by agency. We find results vary by agent, but consistent with Flynn effects, gains are larger in math than reading, except for the most recent period. Non-whites progress at a faster pace. Socio-economically disadvantaged white, black, and Hispanic students make greater progress when tested in elementary school, but that advantage attenuates and reverses itself as students age. We discuss potential moderators.
- Published
- 2021
10. The True Returns to the Choice of Occupation and Education. Discussion Paper No. 1746
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Clark, Andrew E., Cotofan, Maria, and Layard, Richard
- Abstract
Which occupations are best for wellbeing? There is a large literature on earnings differentials, but less attention has been paid to occupational differences in non-pecuniary rewards. However, information on both types of rewards is needed to understand the dispersion of wellbeing across occupations. We analyse subjective wellbeing in a large representative sample of UK workers to construct a measure of "full earnings", the sum of earnings and the value of non-pecuniary rewards, in 90 different occupations. We first find that the dispersion of earnings underestimates the extent of inequality in the labour market: the dispersion of full earnings is one-third larger than the dispersion of earnings. Equally, the gender and ethnic gaps in the labour market are larger than data on earnings alone would suggest, and the true returns to completed secondary education (though not to a degree) are underestimated by earnings differences on their own. Finally, we show that our main results are similar, and stronger, for a representative sample of US workers. [Funding for this report was provided by an Écoles Universitaires de Recherche, EUR (University Research Schools, EUR) grant.]
- Published
- 2021
11. Generation COVID: Emerging Work and Education Inequalities. A CEP COVID-19 Analysis. Paper No. 011
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Major, Lee Elliot, Eyles, Andrew, and Machin, Stephen
- Abstract
The purpose of this brief paper is to present initial findings from the recently collected London School of Economics and Political Science-Centre for Economic Performance (LSE-CEP) Social Mobility survey, which was undertaken as part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) project 'Generation COVID and Social Mobility: Evidence and Policy'. These are the first results from a project that is producing a detailed assessment of COVID-19's impact on education and economic inequalities and offering an assessment for the longer term consequences for social mobility in the UK. Alongside the survey findings, the authors have also analysed economic and education outcomes of individuals in April 2020 in the Understanding Society (USoc) national household panel data. Before the pandemic, younger generations were already facing declining absolute social mobility and real wage decline (Elliot Major and Machin, 2018, 2020a). Education inequalities were also widening. Here new findings are presented on inequalities in the workplace and the classroom that have emerged following the pandemic.
- Published
- 2020
12. Perspectives on the Year Abroad: A Selection of Papers from YAC2018
- Author
-
Research-publishing.net (France), Salin, Sandra, Hall, Damien, Hampton, Cathy, Salin, Sandra, Hall, Damien, Hampton, Cathy, and Research-publishing.net (France)
- Abstract
This volume draws together a selection of papers from YAC2018, the first meeting in the annual Year Abroad Conference series, which took place at Newcastle University in September 2018. The contributions collected here examine some of the opportunities, gains, and challenges the Year Abroad brings for both students and staff. They are presented around the five broad themes around which YAC2018 was organised: mental health, year abroad preparation, student perception of the year abroad, year abroad assessment, and employability. This volume will be of interest to academics and professional services staff involved in the preparation, administration, and management of the year abroad. [Newcastle University and the School of Modern Languages in particular provided organisational and financial support in the preparation of the event.]
- Published
- 2020
13. Key Competences in Initial Vocational Education and Training: Digital, Multilingual and Literacy. Cedefop Research Paper. No 78
- Author
-
Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
- Abstract
Key competences are important for personal development, employment, integration into society and lifelong learning. They are transversal and form the basis for all other competences. Acquiring key competences is possible through various learning pathways, including vocational education and training (VET). However, little is known at the European level of how VET supports the key competence development. This research paper investigates three key competences: digital, multilingual and literacy. It analyses the extent to which they are included in initial upper secondary VET in the EU-27, Iceland, Norway and the UK, as well as national policies supporting their development since 2011. It focuses on four areas of intervention: standards, programme delivery, assessment and teacher/trainer competences.
- Published
- 2020
14. Neo-Nationalism and Universities in Europe. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.7.2020
- Author
-
University of California, Berkeley. Center for Studies in Higher Education and van der Wende, Marijk
- Abstract
The European Union is likely the most far-developed cross-border public space for higher education. The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Research Area (ERA) both span an even larger number of countries including associate and partner countries of the EU. Based on shared European values, such as academic freedom, cross-border cooperation, and mobility, these policy frameworks have been developed in Europe over the last decades and with much success. HE systems in this area are thus well-positioned to benefit from cross-border mobility and collaboration but may at the same time face a certain loss of control over HE, for instance with respect to access due to the cross-border flows of students. This seems to make them vulnerable to populist tendencies and neo-nationalist politics seeking to inhibit the free movement of students, scholars, and data. Such tendencies have never been completely absent on the "old continent" but resurged over the uneven outcomes of globalization, the effects of the global financial and consequent Euro crisis, and the refugee crisis. Meanwhile, the impact of the coronavirus crisis is still by and large unknown. Populist tendencies seem now to be turning against the EU, with its freedom of movement for persons (i.e. open borders) as one of its cornerstones and are therefore of concern for the HE sector. Countries such as the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands have a different position in the European landscape but are all struggling with the complexity of combining the virtues of an open system with constrained national sovereignty. Sovereignty is required in terms of steering capacity in order to balance access, cost, and quality, i.e. the well-known "higher education trilemma." In open systems this is challenged by the "globalization trilemma", which states that countries cannot have national sovereignty, (hyper)globalization and democracy at the same time. How are the EU, its Member States, and the HE sector responding? Will the Union stay united (i.e. Brexit)? Are the legal competencies of the EU in HE strong enough? What about the many European university associations, leagues, and networks? And what do the millions of (former) Erasmus students have to say?
- Published
- 2020
15. Inequalities in Student to Course Match: Evidence from Linked Administrative Data. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1647
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Campbell, Stuart, Macmillan, Lindsey, Murphy, Richard, and Wyness, Gill
- Abstract
This paper examines inequalities in the match between student quality and university quality using linked administrative data from schools, universities and tax authorities. We analyse two measures of match at the university-subject (course) level, based on student academic attainment, and graduate earnings. We find that students from lower socio-economic groups systematically undermatch for both measures across the distribution of attainment, with particularly stark socio-economic gaps for the most undermatched. While there are negligible gender gaps in academic match, high-attaining women systematically undermatch in terms of expected earnings, largely driven by subject choice.
- Published
- 2019
16. The Prospects for Skills and Employment in an Age of Digital Disruption: A Cautionary Note. SKOPE Research Paper No. 127
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE), Brown, Phillip, Lloyd, Caroline, and Souto-Otero, Manuel
- Abstract
Almost in a blink of the eye the policy focus on the 'knowledge' economy, with mass ranks of high skilled workers, has given way to claims of widespread 'technological unemployment'. This Working Paper will examine competing claims on the relationship between automation, skills and the future of work. It examines the research evidence on the scale of job losses anticipated as a consequence of digital disruption. It presents three scenarios of the impact of digital disruption on future skill requirements, before considering how evidence on automation and digital disruption is used to influence and inform UK government policy interventions on skills, employment and labour markets. In conclusion, we recommend caution in interpreting existing evidence. While high profile reports on digital disruption make for eye-catching headlines, they make for poor policy formulation. A key message is that technology is not destiny. It is human decisions that will determine the future of work.
- Published
- 2018
17. Empowering Individual Workers through Skills -- A New Labour Project Revisited. SKOPE Research Paper No. 129
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) and Keep, Ewart
- Abstract
This article explores the efficacy and cost effectiveness of New Labour's skills-based policies to help low paid workers adjust to the pressures generated by globalisation, of which the leading example was Train to Gain (T2G). It also analyses the more general issue of how, why and under what circumstances education, training and skills can help imbue low paid workers with greater bargaining power within the labour market.
- Published
- 2019
18. Widening the High School Curriculum to Include Soft Skill Training: Impacts on Health, Behaviour, Emotional Wellbeing and Occupational Aspirations. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1630
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Lordan, Grace, and McGuire, Alistair
- Abstract
From 2020 the health and relationships aspects of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education will be compulsory in UK schools for adolescents. However less is known about how it can be taught in an effective manner. We examine, through a randomised trial, the impact of an evidenced based health related quality of life (HRQoL) curriculum called "Healthy Minds" that ran in 34 high schools in England over a four-year period. We find robust evidence that "Healthy Minds" positively augments many physical health domains of treated adolescents. We also find some evidence that "Healthy Minds" positively affects behaviour, but has no significant impact on emotional wellbeing. We find notable gender effects, strongly favouring boys. We also present evidence that "Healthy Minds" changes career aspirations, with those exposed to treatment being less likely to choose competitive work and more likely to choose work that involves "people-skills". Overall our work illustrates the potential for later childhood interventions to promote HRQoL and develop the career aspirations of adolescents.
- Published
- 2019
19. Teaching Assistants, Computers and Classroom Management: Evidence from a Randomised Control Trial. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1562
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (United Kingdom), Johnson, Helen, McNally, Sandra, Rolfe, Heather, Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer, Savage, Robert, Vousden, Janet, and Wood, Clare
- Abstract
Many students still leave school without a good grasp of basic literacy, despite the negative implications for future educational and labour market outcomes. We evaluate a programme that involves changing how resources are used within classrooms to reinforce the teaching of literacy. Specifically, the programme involves training teaching assistants to deliver a tightly structured package of materials to groups of young children. Further, we compare the effectiveness of computer-aided instruction using available software with the paper equivalent. We implement the experiment in the context of a Randomised Control Trial in English schools. Both interventions have a short-term impact on children's reading scores, although the effect is bigger for the paper intervention and more enduring in the subsequent year. This paper shows how teaching assistants can be used to better effect within schools, and at a low cost.
- Published
- 2018
20. The Changing Nature and Role of Vocational Education and Training in Europe. Volume 5: Education and Labour Market Outcomes for Graduates from Different Types of VET System in Europe. Cedefop Research Paper. No 69
- Author
-
Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI)
- Abstract
This research paper is the fifth in a series produced as part of the Cedefop project The changing nature and role of VET (2016-18). Based on comparative analysis of labour force survey data from 2014, the report analyses the vocational effect on labour market and education outcomes, asking whether any advantages conferred by vocational qualifications in early career would be offset by disadvantages later in life. The report explores the functioning of the safety net and the diversion effects across countries, demonstrating how these vary considerably with the specific institutional structure of schooling and work-based training. The results indicate that VET graduates are potentially sacrificing the longer-term gains associated with further education in favour of short-term benefits. [This research was carried out by a consortium led by 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH and including the Danish Technological Institute, the Institute of Employment Research (University of Warwick), the Institute of International and Social Studies (Tallinn University) and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in Germany is supporting the project as a subcontractor.]
- Published
- 2018
21. Titles of Scientific Letters and Research Papers in Astrophysics: A Comparative Study of Some Linguistic Aspects and Their Relationship with Collaboration Issues
- Author
-
Méndez, David I. and Alcaraz, M. Ángeles
- Abstract
In this study we compare the titles of scientific letters and those of research papers published in the field of astrophysics in order to identify the possible differences and/or similarities between both genres in terms of several linguistic and extra-linguistic variables (length, lexical density, number of prepositions, number of compound groups, number of authors and number of countries mentioned in the paper bylines). We also carry out a cross-genre and cross-journal analysis of the referred six variables. Our main findings may be summarized as follows: (1) When compared to research paper titles, scientific letter titles are usually shorter, they have a lower lexical density, they include a higher number of prepositions per number of words and a lower number of compound groups per number of words, although they have more up to 4-word compound groups, i.e. the simplest ones. As a consequence, scientific letter titles include less information, which is also less condensed, than research paper titles. (2) The predominance of compound adjectives over compound nouns in the titles of both genres highlights the scientificity of astrophysical discourse. (3) In general terms, our data show a positive correlation between title length and the number of countries mentioned in the bylines for both genres. The positive correlation between title length and number of authors is only met in the case of research papers. In light of these findings, it may be concluded that scientific letters are a clear example of a timeliness and more "immediate" science, whereas research papers are connected to a more timeless and "elaborate" science. It may also be concluded that two different collaboration scenarios are intertwining on the basis of three separate geographic and linguistic publication contexts (Mainland Europe, The United Kingdom and The United States of North America).
- Published
- 2017
22. Engineering Graduates for UK Manufacturing: 'Further Confirmation of the Evident Minimal Impact of Possible Workforce-Planning Policy Responses to Sectoral Shortage Reports.' SKOPE Research Paper No. 125
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) and Dixson, Matthew
- Abstract
This paper examines evidence from the HESA DLHE six-month Censuses and 3½ year ('longitudinal') surveys relating to three aspects of the flows of those who have left university with Higher Education Engineering qualifications, to test the robustness of the conclusions of SKOPE Research Paper No. 122 (Dixon, 2015), which showed strong evidence that most Engineering graduates do not go on to work in the sectors of the economy that might be expected, in particular in the 'natural' Manufacturing sub-sector. Specifically, the paper examines three questions: (1) whether evidence of starting salary levels for those from particular disciplines going into particular sectors could explain the relative flows (on the assumption that higher salaries for graduate vacancies in a particular sector would attract more applications); (2) whether evidence of sector destinations three years on from the (six-month after graduation) Census data analysed in Dixon (2015) would show up significantly different levels of 'leakage'; and (3) whether those entering employment having completed Taught Masters (as opposed to First Degree) courses in particular Engineering disciplines would tend (in the light of their apparent greater interest and deeper understanding in the specific discipline) to enter the "expected" sectors more than their Bachelors colleagues. The "bottom line" answers to these questions is that -- with rather minor exceptions -- none of the relevant broader evidence from HESA DLHE data over a ten-year period significantly questions the very considerable 'leakage', away from the 'natural' Manufacturing sub-sector, that was found and presented in Dixon (2015). (1) There is "some" correlation between the "average salaries offered" (by employers in each 'destination' sector to cohorts from each Engineering discipline examined) and the "size of the flows" from each discipline into each sector, but it is limited and rarely strong. While there might be reasons why average salary differences might not be large enough to provide a sufficient incentive for Engineering graduates to choose one sector over another, evidence of considerably greater correlation would have been helpful to justify the traditional response of classical economics to employers' concerns about shortages: "offer more money"! (2) While there are sample size issues constraining the statistical precision of comparisons between the two DLHE surveys, these have been addressed, and comparisons of the "linear flows" of graduates from each discipline into the natural Manufacturing sub-sector show (a) comparatively very small differences, and (b) on balance, slightly "greater" 'leakage' three years on; and (3) More MSc's in "Automotive" and "Aerospace Engineering" have, over the ten years examined, then gone into the "Manufacture of Motor Vehicles"... and "Air and Space craft manufacture" (respectively) than BEng's from these disciplines. However, for the other disciplines compared, there is little difference, and -- in terms of entry into Manufacturing as a whole, for the most recent year in the period - the fraction of the disciplinary cohorts entering "any type of Manufacturing" is slightly "higher" for MSc's than First Degree (FD) graduates in "three" Engineering disciplines, though "lower" for MSc's than FD's in "four"! This new evidence, therefore, only serves to "strengthen" the great importance of NOT assuming linear flows of Engineering graduates into the "natural" Manufacturing sub-sectors corresponding to their discipline, in particular in policy responses to reports of shortages from such sub-sectors.
- Published
- 2017
23. Identifying Work Skills: International Approaches. Discussion Paper
- Author
-
National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia), Siekmann, Gitta, and Fowler, Craig
- Abstract
The digital revolution and automation are accelerating changes in the labour market and in workplace skills, changes that are further affected by fluctuations in international and regional economic cycles and employment opportunity. These factors pose a universal policy challenge for all advanced economies and governments. In the workplace, people seek to acquire contemporary and relevant skills to gain employment and retain transferable skills to maintain employment. The central purpose of this paper is to investigate how other nations or regions are dealing with these issues. What approaches are they taking to understanding the mix and dynamics of the skills attained by individuals and, more broadly, the totality of skills that in aggregate constitute a highly capable and adaptable labour force, one that supports firm viability and greater national productivity. This research has examined a range of initiatives and approaches being developed or in use in selected countries, including the United States, Singapore and New Zealand, and agencies/organisations; for example, the European Commission and the Skills for the Information Age Foundation. In doing so, it showcases the good practices used to ensure that occupational-level skills information remains current and widely accessible. [For "Identifying Work Skills: International Case Summaries. Support Document," see ED579875.]
- Published
- 2017
24. Developing a data repository to support interdisciplinary research into childhood stunting: a UKRI GCRF Action Against Stunting Hub protocol paper.
- Author
-
Conway-Moore K, Tetsa Tata D, Wood P, Katerinchuk V, Yadav DMD, Augustine LF, Munikumar M, Diop A, Tairou F, Jobarteh ML, Kulkarni B, Faye B, Haggarty P, and Heffernan C
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, United Kingdom epidemiology, Databases, Factual, Child, Preschool, Growth Disorders epidemiology, Growth Disorders prevention & control, Interdisciplinary Research
- Abstract
Introduction: As a topic of inquiry in its own right, data management for interdisciplinary research projects is in its infancy. Key issues include the inability of researchers to effectively query diverse data outputs and to identify potentially important synergies between discipline-specific data. Equally problematic, few semantic ontologies exist to better support data organisation and discovery. Finally, while interdisciplinary research is widely regarded as beneficial to unpacking complex problems, non-researchers such as policy-makers and planners often struggle to use and interrogate the related datasets. To address these issues, the following article details the design and development of the UKRI GCRF Action Against Stunting Hub (AASH)'s All-Hub Data Repository (AHDR)., Methods and Analysis: The AHDR is a single application, single authentication web-based platform comprising a data warehouse to store data from across the AASH's three study countries and to support data querying. Four novel components of the AHDR are described in the following article: (1) a unique data discovery tool; (2) a metadata catalogue that provides researchers with an interface to explore the AASH's data outputs and engage with a new semantic ontology related to child stunting; (3) an interdisciplinary aid to support a directed approach to identifying synergies and interactions between AASH data and (4) a decision support tool that will support non-researchers in engaging with the wider evidence-based outputs of the AASH., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval for this study was granted by institutional ethics committees in the UK, India, Indonesia and Senegal. Results will be disseminated via publications in peer-reviewed journals; presentations at international conferences and community-level public engagement events; key stakeholder meetings; and in public repositories with appropriate Creative Commons licences allowing for the widest possible use., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Education and Skills: The UK Policy Agenda. Election Analyses Series. Paper No. CEPEA041
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), McNally, Sandra, and Wyness, Gill
- Abstract
The UK's overall school budget has been protected in real terms but does not provide for funding per pupil to increase in line with inflation. Because pupil numbers are increasing, large falls in expenditure per pupil are expected over the next few years unless more funding is allocated. The situation facing post-16 education is a lot worse. A more widespread adoption of grammar schools is very likely to increase socio-economic segregation by school type and is unlikely to lead to any increase in average educational attainment in the country. Although increasing intermediate skills among young people and adults is needed, many concerns have been raised about the how apprenticeship policy is being implemented. This includes an emphasis on quantity over quality and differences in the provision of training opportunities for large employers compared with small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Published
- 2017
26. Teacher Quality, Test Scores and Non-Cognitive Skills: Evidence from Primary School Teachers in the UK. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1472
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) and Flèche, Sarah
- Abstract
Schooling can produce both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, both of which are important determinants of adult outcomes. Using very rich data from a UK birth cohort study, I estimate teacher value added (VA) models for both pupils' test scores and non-cognitive skills. I show that teachers are equally important in the determination of pupils' test scores and non-cognitive skills. This finding extends the economics literature on teacher effects, which has primarily focused on pupils' test scores and may fail to capture teachers' overall effects. In addition, the large estimates reveal an interesting trade-off: teacher VA on pupils' test scores are weak predictors of teacher VA on non-cognitive skills, which suggests that teachers recourse to different techniques to improve pupils' cognitive and non-cognitive skills. Finally, I find that teachers' effects on pupils' non-cognitive skills have long-run impacts on adult outcomes such as higher education attendance, employment and earnings, conditional on their effects on test scores. This result indicates that long-run outcomes are improved by a combination of teachers increasing pupils' test scores and non-cognitive skills and has large policy implications.
- Published
- 2017
27. Evaluation of Dried Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Filter Paper Spots for Storing and Transporting Clinical Material for the Molecular Diagnosis of Invasive Meningococcal Disease.
- Author
-
Kwambana-Adams, Brenda A., Clark, Stephen A., Tay, Nicole, Agbla, Schadrac, Chaguza, Chrispin, Kagucia, Eunice W., Borrow, Ray, and Heyderman, Robert S.
- Subjects
- *
MENINGOCOCCAL infections , *FILTER paper , *MOLECULAR diagnosis , *CEREBROSPINAL fluid examination , *CEREBROSPINAL fluid , *NEISSERIA meningitidis , *NUCLEOTIDE sequencing , *WHOLE genome sequencing - Abstract
To improve the storage and transport of clinical specimens for the diagnosis of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) infections in resource-limited settings, we have evaluated the performance of dried blood spot (DBS) and dried cerebrospinal fluid spot (DCS) assays. DBS and DCS were prepared on filter paper from liquid specimens previously tested for Nm in the United Kingdom. Nm was detected and genogrouped by real-time PCR performed on crude genomic DNA extracted from the DBS (n = 226) and DCS (n = 226) specimens. Targeted whole-genome sequencing was performed on a subset of specimens, DBS (n = 4) and DCS (n = 6). The overall agreement between the analysis of liquid and dried specimens was (94.2%; 95% CI 90.8–96.7) for blood and (96.4%; 95% CI 93.5–98.0) for cerebrospinal fluid. Relative to liquid specimens as the reference, the DBS and DCS assays had sensitivities of (89.1%; 95% CI 82.7–93.8) and (94.2%; 95% CI 88.9–97.5), respectively, and both assays had specificities above 98%. A genogroup was identified by dried specimen analysis for 81.9% of the confirmed meningococcal infections. Near full-length Nm genome sequences (>86%) were obtained for all ten specimens tested which allowed determination of the sequence type, clonal complex, presence of antimicrobial resistance and other meningococcal genotyping. Dried blood and CSF filter spot assays offer a practical alternative to liquid specimens for the molecular and genomic characterisation of invasive meningococcal diseases in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Simultaneous and Comparable Numerical Indicators of International, National and Local Collaboration Practices in English-Medium Astrophysics Research Papers
- Author
-
Méndez, David I. and Alcaraz, M. Ángeles
- Abstract
Introduction: We report an investigation on collaboration practices in research papers published in the most prestigious English-medium astrophysics journals. Method: We propose an evaluation method based on three numerical indicators to study and compare, in absolute terms, three different types of collaboration (international, national and local) and authors' mobility on the basis of co-authorship. Analysis: We analysed 300 randomly selected research papers in three different time periods and used the student's t-test to determine whether the paired two-sample differences observed were statistically significant or not. Results: International collaboration is more common than national and local collaboration. International, national and local authors' mobility and intra-national collaboration do not seriously affect the indicators of the principal levels of collaboration. International collaboration and authors' mobility are more relevant for authors publishing in European journals, whereas national and intra-national collaboration and national mobility are more important for authors publishing in US journals. Conclusions: We explain the observed differences and patterns in terms of the specific scope of each journal and the socio-economic and political situation in both geographic contexts (Europe and the USA). Our study provides a global picture of collaboration practices in astrophysics and its possible application to many other sciences and fields would undoubtedly help bring into focus the really big issues for overall research management and policy.
- Published
- 2016
29. The Other 17 Hours: Valuing Out-of-School Time. Occasional Papers 30
- Author
-
Bank Street College of Education, Teitle, Jennifer, Teitle, Jennifer, and Bank Street College of Education
- Abstract
This issue of "Bank Street Occasional Papers" explores the value of time outside of school. Educators have given relatively little scholarly attention to young people's nonschool lives. Ignored or valorized, nonschool spaces show up in educational research only as a backdrop, implying that school learning is the yardstick by which to measure the young people's lives. Even scholars who focus primarily on nonschool spaces are limited by their inability to theorize nonschool learning without framing it in terms of school learning (Sefton-Green, 2012; Teitle, 2012). Yet this myopic view of school outcomes only serves to narrow the purpose and possibilities of nonschool time. Therefore, the editors of "Bank Street Occasional Papers" asked authors to expand the conversation about young people's lives outside of school. Contributing authors both engage with current literature on nonschool spaces and offer new and exciting ways to conceptualize nonschool activity and learning. Articles in this issue include: (1) What (and Where) Is the "Learning" When We Talk About Learning in the Home? (Julian Sefton-Green); (2) Global Childhoods, Asian Lifeworlds: After School Time in Hong Kong (Nicola Yelland, Sandy Muspratt, and Caja Gilbert); (3) Becoming-Belieber: Girls' Passionate Encounters with Bieber Culture (Kortney Sherbine); (4) Building After-School Islands of Expertise in "Wrestling Club" (Victor Sensenig); (5) Mapping the Social Across Lived Experiences: Relational Geographies and After-School Time (Jennifer A. Vadeboncoeur and Louai Rahal); (6) Changing Through Laughter with "Laughter for a Change" (Laurel J. Felt and Ed Greenberg); (7) Enhanced Participation: Creating Opportunities for Youth Leadership Development (Clara Waloff); (8) Witnessing the Power of El Sistema in Urban Communities: Sister Cities Girlchoir (Erika Kitzmiller); and (9) Playing Outdoors: The Importance of the City as a Playground for Skateboarding and Parkour (Michael Jeffries, Sebastian Messer, and Jon Swords). Individual articles contain references.
- Published
- 2015
30. The Use of Independent Training Providers in Vocational Education and Training--Wider Considerations for Employers and Policy Makers. SKOPE Issues Paper 34
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) and Morris, Gary
- Abstract
The employer benefits arising from the direct participation of employees in learning at work are clear: apart from developing the requisite skills and abilities to be productive, both task discretion and organisational participation are significantly related to better quality training. Against a background of falling employer investment in education and training the Government has supported the growth of independent training providers (ITPs) in the hope that this will drive up employer engagement in formal vocational education and training (VET) schemes. The case for doing so is, on the face of it, persuasive but when account is taken of the variable impact that outsourcing VET can have on organisations it becomes clear that this is dependent on how well it is managed. The factors that affect the success with which organisations engage ITPs appear to be poorly understood. This report highlights some of the associated areas that need to be looked at more closely to inform the development of best practice and public policy.
- Published
- 2016
31. Nutrition Tea Club; Engaging Students in Reading Scientific Papers
- Author
-
Cameron, E., Hamdi, R., Idowu, A., and Mulrooney, H. M.
- Abstract
Many students do not engage with reading the scientific literature, which is a core skill in undergraduate students. The learning environment has an important impact upon learning. It was postulated that taking reading out of the formal learning environment might impact upon students' willingness to engage with the literature, and confidence in doing so. A staff-student research partnership initiative funded by Kingston University allowed this hypothesis to be tested. Three Tea Club sessions, informal drop-in reading sessions were offered in a student-owned space within the Students' Union. Refreshments were supplied, aiming for a 'coffee house' feel. Although the numbers of students who engaged with the Tea Club were small, evaluations were positive. In particular students valued the opportunity for peer learning. However the chosen environment was too noisy. Future sessions will be offered within a different, less noisy environment with facilities for refreshments, and will be offered throughout the academic year to facilitate student engagement.
- Published
- 2016
32. Graduate Returns, Degree Class Premia and Higher Education Expansion in the UK. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1392
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Naylor, Robin, Smith, Jeremy, and Telhaj, Shqiponja
- Abstract
We investigate the extent to which graduate returns vary according to the class of degree achieved by UK university students and examine changes over time in estimated degree class premia. Using a variety of complementary datasets for individuals born in Britain around 1970 and aged between 30 and 40, we estimate an hourly wage premium for a "good" (relative to a "lower") class of degree of 7% to 9%, implying a wide spread around the average graduate premium. We also estimate the premium for a good relative to a lower degree for different cohorts (those born between the mid-1960s and early-1980s) and find evidence that the premium for a good degree has risen over time as the proportions of cohorts participating in higher education have increased. Tables and a list of university types are appended.
- Published
- 2015
33. Paying for Higher Education. Paper No. EA026
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) and Wyness, Gill
- Abstract
The United Kingdom (UK) has dramatically increased the supply of graduates over the last four decades. The university system has successfully produced a huge increase in mass higher education over the last 40 years to meet an increased demand for skilled workers. It is one of the UK's most successful export industries in terms of attracting foreign students and is second only to the US in terms of scientific prestige. The coalition government's efforts to transfer the financial burden of higher education away from the taxpayer and towards graduates, and create a more efficient, competitive sector, have not yet materialised. In fact, the current system has almost no price variation and is almost as expensive as the one it replaced. This report discusses the costs and growth of higher education in the UK.
- Published
- 2015
34. Schools: The Evidence on Academies, Resources and Pupil Performance. Paper No. EA023
- Author
-
London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) and McNally, Sandra
- Abstract
England's performance in international tests of student achievement continues to be disappointing. Further improvement is essential not only for students' themselves but also for economic growth. This briefing considers the impact of Academies, school spending and teacher quality. Research evidence suggests that it is right to protect school budgets but too early to judge the Coalition's Academies policy. Although there was a large improvement in the first 200 schools (about 4 years after conversion), those schools were disadvantaged and underperforming (unlike the more recent academies) and the current programme is much larger scale. There is broad agreement that high quality teaching matters hugely for student achievement, but there is no magic national formula to bring this about.
- Published
- 2015
35. Implementation of major trauma app: usability and data completeness.
- Author
-
Butler, Miss Joanna, Arneil, Clare, Whitelaw, Alan S., Thomson, Kevin, Gordon, Malcolm W. G., Thorburn, Josh, Shiels, Darren, and Lowe, David J.
- Subjects
DIGITAL transformation ,ELECTRONIC paper ,TIMESTAMPS ,ELECTRONIC records ,ACQUISITION of data ,TRAUMA centers - Abstract
Background : The current UK standard for major trauma patients is to record notes in a paper trauma booklet. Through an innovative collaboration between a major trauma centre and a digital transformation industry partner, a TraumaApp was developed. Electronic notes have been shown to have fewer errors, granular data collection and enable time stamped contemporaneous record keeping. Implementation of digital clinical records presents a challenge within the context of trauma multidisciplinary trauma resuscitation. Data can be easily accessible and shared for quality improvement, audit and research purposes. This study compared paper and electronic notes for completeness and for acceptability data following the implementation of the TraumaApp. Methods: Trauma team members who performed scribe function attended training for the newly launched TraumaApp. Two staff members acted as scribe, using either the paper trauma booklet or TraumaApp, and attended major trauma calls. A framework for comparison of paper and electronic notes was created and used for a retrospective review of major trauma patients' notes. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-tailed t-test. Staff using the TraumaApp completed a System Usability Score questionnaire. Results: There was a total of 37 data points for collection per case. The mean numbers collected were paper notes 24.1 of 37 (65.1%) and electronic notes, 25.7 of 37 (69.5%). There was no statistical significance between the completeness of paper and electronic notes. The mean System Usability Score was 68.4. Discussion: Recording accurate patient information during a major trauma call can be challenging and the role of the scribe to accurately record events is critical for immediate and future care. There was no statistically significant difference in completeness of paper and electronic notes, however the mean System Usability Score was 68.4, which is greater than the internationally validated standard of acceptable usability. Conclusion: It is feasible to introduce digital data collection tools enabling accurate record keeping during trauma resuscitation and improve information sharing between clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Developing a disease-specific patient reported outcome measure to enhance understanding of the lived experiences of ANCA associated vasculitis: A protocol paper.
- Author
-
Floyd, Lauren, Dhaygude, Ajay, Mitra, Sandip, and Rowland, Christine
- Subjects
- *
PATIENT reported outcome measures , *PATIENT experience , *RENAL replacement therapy , *ANTINEUTROPHIL cytoplasmic antibodies , *PATIENTS' attitudes - Abstract
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) is a chronic, relapsing-remitting condition associated with increased morbidity. Previous research has shown patients with AAV report high levels of fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety. Over recent years successful work has been carried out to improve clinical outcomes, resulting in reduced mortality and end stage kidney disease (ESKD). Despite this, little work has been done to better understand the role of the patient within this condition. The prevalence of AAV is increasing and to date, there is a shortage of specific tools that assess and measure key features relating to patient reported outcomes (PROs). This protocol details how we can better understand the lived experiences of those with AAV through the development of a disease specific, patient reported outcome measure (PROM), to be used in clinic practice. This will allow us to recognise and validate PROs and the impact the disease and its treatment has on patients' health related quality of life (HRQoL). In addition, we aim to identify potential differences in PRO's between demographics, organ involvement and treatment subgroups in AAV as well as outcomes relating to the patient experience. Patients from a single centre in the UK will be recruited to take part in the exploratory qualitative study which will include focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The inclusion criteria comprise anyone with a diagnosis of AAV and willing to participate, including those who have active or relapsing disease, those are economically active, unemployed, retired and patients receiving renal replacement therapy. The aim of the project is to identify key issues patients experience in relation to their disease and its management and how these can be better assessed in a new PROM developed for use in the clinic setting. This will enable better delivery of individualised care and inform shared decision making, while also serving as a platform for future research looking at PROs in other glomerulonephritides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. "The Will to Survive": The Lives of Young People with "No Papers" in the United Kingdom.
- Author
-
Deveci, Yeṣim
- Subjects
- *
YOUNG adults , *WELL-being , *RESEARCH personnel - Abstract
This article considers how undocumented youth in the UK survive and construct their everyday lives in precarious circumstances. Drawing on multiple in-depth narrative interviews with (n = 7) undocumented youth, I illustrate how these young people focus on the future and engage in purposeful activities as a way of enduring the everyday challenges of living with no papers. I reflect on the relationships, which young people draw on to enable them to endure adversity and rebuild their everyday lives. I conclude that the presence of love and community is critical for young people's survival, safety and wellbeing, and I suggest how practitioners and researchers might make use of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Use of filter paper to measure alcohol biomarkers among opioid-dependent patients on agonist maintenance treatment: A community-based study.
- Author
-
Quraishi, Rizwana, Varshney, Mohit, Singh, Amit, Singh, Dharamveer, Kumar, Mukesh, Rao, Ravindra, Jain, Raka, and Ambekar, Atul
- Subjects
- *
FILTER paper , *BIOMARKERS , *INTRACLASS correlation , *ALCOHOL drinking , *ALANINE aminotransferase , *DRUG abstinence - Abstract
Background: Harmful Alcohol use is frequent among opioid dependents patients undergoing agonist maintenance treatment. The objective assessment of harmful alcohol use can be done using laboratory measures of serum biomarkers. For community-based patients, there is often a requirement of an alternative method due to lack of onsite laboratory services. The aim of the study was to examine filter paper as a matrix to measure serum biomarkers of harmful alcohol use. Methods: The initial phase involved standardization of the filter-paper-based assay. Conditions were optimised for extraction and estimation of alcohol biomarkers (Aspartate Aminotransferase; AST, Alanine Aminotransferase; ALT, Gamma Glutamyl transferase; GGT and Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin; CDT) from the filter paper. For clinical validation, serum samples were collected from community clinics. Biomarker levels obtained from both the methods were correlated using linear regression analysis. Limits of agreement between the two methods was estimated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Results: The extraction of enzymes (AST, ALT and GGT) from filter paper was carried out using the substrate buffer available with the reagent kit (Randox, UK). CDT was readily extracted from filter paper using deionised water. Serum biomarker levels measured from samples collected from community clinics correlated well with filter paper extracted levels (ICC 0.97-0.99). More than 90% of alcohol biomarker levels were recovered from the filter paper matrix using this method. Conclusion: Filter paper has the potential to be used as a matrix to objectively measure alcohol biomarkers among opioid-dependent patients from community settings lacking onsite laboratory facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Effectiveness of Tutorials for Promoting Educational Integrity: A Synthesis Paper
- Author
-
Stoesz, Brenda M. and Yudintseva, Anastassiya
- Abstract
The prevalence of plagiarism, cheating, and other acts of academic dishonesty may be as high as 80% in populations of high school and post-secondary students. Various educational interventions have been developed and implemented in an effort to educate students about academic integrity and to prevent academic misconduct. We reviewed the peer-reviewed research literature describing face-to-face workshops, e-learning tutorials, or blended approaches for promoting academic integrity and the effectiveness of these approaches. In general, the educational interventions were described as effective in terms of satisfaction with the intervention, and changes in students' attitudes and knowledge of academic integrity. Few studies provided evidence that the educational interventions changed student behaviour or outcomes outside the context of the intervention. Future research should explore how participation in educational interventions to promote academic integrity are linked to long-term student outcomes, such as graduate school admission, alumni career success, service to society, and personal stability.
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. The UK Gambling White Paper: comments on implementation and timing.
- Author
-
Chamberlain SR, Ioannidis K, and Bowden-Jones H
- Subjects
- Humans, United Kingdom epidemiology, Gambling diagnosis, Gambling epidemiology
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Nature of the evidence base and approaches to guide nutrition interventions for individuals: a position paper from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences.
- Author
-
Hickson, Mary, Papoutsakis, Constantina, Madden, Angela M, Smith, Mary Anne, and Whelan, Kevin
- Subjects
DIETETICS ,MEDICAL protocols ,PROFESSIONAL practice ,NATURAL foods ,PROFESSIONAL associations ,FOOD security ,NUTRITIONAL requirements ,MISINFORMATION ,INFORMATION resources ,NON-communicable diseases ,DIETETICS research ,NUTRITION services ,EVIDENCE-based medicine ,DIET ,DISEASE progression ,NUTRITION education - Abstract
This Position Paper from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences is the third in a series which describe the nature of the scientific evidence and frameworks that underpin nutrition recommendations for health. This paper focuses on evidence which guides the application of dietary recommendations for individuals. In some situations, modified nutrient intake becomes essential to prevent deficiency, optimise development and health, or manage symptoms and disease progression. Disease and its treatment can also affect taste, appetite and ability to access and prepare foods, with associated financial impacts. Therefore, the practice of nutrition and dietetics must integrate and apply the sciences of food, nutrition, biology, physiology, behaviour, management, communication and society to achieve and maintain human health. Thus, there is huge complexity in delivering evidence-based nutrition interventions to individuals. This paper examines available frameworks for appraising the quality and certainty of nutrition research evidence, the development nutrition practice guidelines to support evidence implementation in practice and the influence of other sources of nutrition information and misinformation. The paper also considers major challenges in applying research evidence to an individual and suggests consensus recommendations to begin to address these challenges in the future. Our recommendations target three groups; those who deliver nutrition interventions to individuals, those funding, commissioning or undertaking research aimed at delivering evidence-based nutrition practice, and those disseminating nutritional information to individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Multidisciplinary paper on patient blood management in cardiothoracic surgery in the UK: perspectives on practice during COVID-19.
- Author
-
Al-Attar N, Gaer J, Giordano V, Harris E, Kirk A, Loubani M, Meybohm P, Sayeed R, Stock U, Travers J, and Whiteman B
- Subjects
- Humans, State Medicine, Blood Transfusion, United Kingdom, COVID-19, Specialties, Surgical
- Abstract
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted all surgical specialties significantly and exerted additional pressures on the overburdened United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service. Healthcare professionals in the UK have had to adapt their practice. In particular, surgeons have faced organisational and technical challenges treating patients who carried higher risks, were more urgent and could not wait for prehabilitation or optimisation before their intervention. Furthermore, there were implications for blood transfusion with uncertain patterns of demand, reductions in donations and loss of crucial staff because of sickness and public health restrictions. Previous guidelines have attempted to address the control of bleeding and its consequences after cardiothoracic surgery, but there have been no targeted recommendations in light of the recent COVID-19 challenges. In this context, and with a focus on the perioperative period, an expert multidisciplinary Task Force reviewed the impact of bleeding in cardiothoracic surgery, explored different aspects of patient blood management with a focus on the use of haemostats as adjuncts to conventional surgical techniques and proposed best practice recommendations in the UK., (© 2023. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Worth the paper it's written on? A cross-sectional study of Medical Certificate of Stillbirth accuracy in the UK.
- Author
-
Rimmer MP, Henderson I, Parry-Smith W, Raglan O, Tamblyn J, Heazell AEP, and Higgins LE
- Subjects
- Infant, Newborn, Female, Pregnancy, Humans, Cross-Sectional Studies, Fetal Death etiology, Gestational Age, United Kingdom epidemiology, Stillbirth epidemiology, Placenta
- Abstract
Background: The Medical Certificate of Stillbirth (MCS) records data about a baby's death after 24 weeks of gestation but before birth. Major errors that could alter interpretation of the MCS were widespread in two UK-based regional studies., Methods: A multicentre evaluation was conducted, examining MCS issued 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018 in 76 UK obstetric units. A systematic case-note review of stillbirths was conducted by Obstetric and Gynaecology trainees, generating individual 'ideal MCSs' and comparing these to the actual MCS issued. Anonymized central data analysis described rates and types of error, agreement and factors associated with major errors., Results: There were 1120 MCSs suitable for assessment, with 126 additional submitted data sets unsuitable for accuracy analysis (total 1246 cases). Gestational age demonstrated 'substantial' agreement [K = 0.73 (95% CI 0.70-0.76)]. Primary cause of death (COD) showed 'fair' agreement [K = 0.26 (95% CI 0.24-0.29)]. Major errors [696/1120; 62.1% (95% CI 59.3-64.9%)] included certificates issued for fetal demise at <24 weeks' gestation [23/696; 3.3% (95% CI 2.2-4.9%)] or neonatal death [2/696; 0.3% (95% CI 0.1-1.1%)] or incorrect primary COD [667/696; 95.8% (95% CI 94.1-97.1%)]. Of 540/1246 [43.3% (95% CI 40.6-46.1%)] 'unexplained' stillbirths, only 119/540 [22.0% (95% CI 18.8-25.7%)] remained unexplained; the majority were redesignated as either fetal growth restriction [FGR: 195/540; 36.1% (95% CI 32.2-40.3%)] or placental insufficiency [184/540; 34.1% (95% CI 30.2-38.2)]. Overall, FGR [306/1246; 24.6% (95% CI 22.3-27.0%)] was the leading primary COD after review, yet only 53/306 [17.3% (95% CI 13.5-22.1%)] FGR cases were originally attributed correctly., Conclusion: This study demonstrates widespread major errors in MCS completion across the UK. MCS should only be completed following structured case-note review, with particular attention on the fetal growth trajectory., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Impact of sampling and data collection methods on maternity survey response: a randomised controlled trial of paper and push-to-web surveys and a concurrent social media survey.
- Author
-
Harrison, Siân, Alderdice, Fiona, and Quigley, Maria A.
- Subjects
- *
RANDOMIZED controlled trials , *SOCIAL media , *ACQUISITION of data - Abstract
Background: Novel survey methods are needed to tackle declining response rates. The 2020 National Maternity Survey included a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and social media survey to compare different combinations of sampling and data collection methods with respect to: response rate, respondent representativeness, prevalence estimates of maternity indicators and cost. Methods: A two-armed parallel RCT and concurrent social media survey were conducted. Women in the RCT were sampled from ONS birth registrations and randomised to either a paper or push-to-web survey. Women in the social media survey self-selected through online adverts. The primary outcome was response rate in the paper and push-to-web surveys. In all surveys, respondent representativeness was assessed by comparing distributions of sociodemographic characteristics in respondents with those of the target population. External validity of prevalence estimates of maternity indicators was assessed by comparing weighted survey estimates with estimates from national routine data. Cost was also compared across surveys. Results: The response rate was higher in the paper survey (n = 2,446) compared to the push-to-web survey (n = 2,165)(30.6% versus 27.1%, difference = 3.5%, 95%CI = 2.1–4.9, p < 0.0001). Compared to the target population, respondents in all surveys were less likely to be aged < 25 years, of Black or Minority ethnicity, born outside the UK, living in disadvantaged areas, living without a partner and primiparous. Women in the social media survey (n = 1,316) were less representative of the target population compared to women in the paper and push-to-web surveys. For some maternity indicators, weighted survey estimates were close to estimates from routine data, for other indicators there were discrepancies; no survey demonstrated consistently higher external validity than the other two surveys. Compared to the paper survey, the cost saving per respondent was £5.45 for the push-to-web survey and £22.42 for the social media survey. Conclusions: Push-to-web surveys may cost less than paper surveys but do not necessarily result in higher response rates. Social media surveys cost significantly less than paper and push-to-web surveys, but sample size may be limited by eligibility criteria and recruitment window and respondents may be less representative of the target population. However, reduced representativeness does not necessarily introduce more bias in weighted survey estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Institutional choice among medical applicants: a profile paper for The United Kingdom Medical Applicant Cohort Study (UKMACS) prospective longitudinal cohort study.
- Author
-
Harrison D, McManus IC, Rees EL, and Woolf K
- Subjects
- Career Choice, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Prospective Studies, Schools, Medical, United Kingdom, School Admission Criteria, Students, Medical
- Abstract
Purpose: To generate a large cohort of those in 2019 seriously considering applying to study Medicine, collecting data on a range of socioeconomic and other demographic factors that influence choice of medical schools and to link to other datasets to form a longitudinal study of progress through medical school and careers in medicine., Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire studies, part of the longitudinal UK Medical Applicant Cohort Study (UKMACS)., Setting: UK medical school admissions in 2020., Participants: UK residents aged 16+ and seriously considering applying to study Medicine. The cohort was primarily drawn from those registering in 2019 for the U(K)CAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test (formerly the UK Clinical Aptitude Test)) with additional potential applicants responding to an open call. Participants consented to their data being linked within the UK Medical Education Database., Findings to Date: UKMACS Wave 1 questionnaire respondents consisted of 6391 consenting respondents from across the UK. In 2019, 14 980 of the 17 470 UK-domiciled medicine applicants were first-time applicants. The questionnaires show that many of these applicants have a need for more help and guidance to make informed choices, with less advantaged groups reporting themselves as being at a disadvantage when applying due to limited understanding of information and limited access to guidance to enable informed and effective decision-making., Future Plans: To link the cohort with successive Universities and Colleges Admissions Service and other datasets to analyse outcomes of applications and establish national longitudinal evidence to understand how medical choices are made and how they impact on educational, career and workforce outcomes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Preventing unscheduled hospitalisations from asthma: a retrospective cohort study using routine primary and secondary care data in the UK (The PUSH-Asthma Study)-protocol paper.
- Author
-
Simms-Williams N, Nagakumar P, Thayakaran R, Adderley N, Hotham R, Mansur A, Nirantharakumar K, and Haroon S
- Subjects
- Adrenal Cortex Hormones therapeutic use, Hospitalization, Humans, Retrospective Studies, United Kingdom epidemiology, Asthma drug therapy, Asthma epidemiology, Secondary Care
- Abstract
Introduction: Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in children and adults. Asthma results in significant disease-related morbidity, healthcare costs and, in some cases, death. Despite efforts through implementation of national guidelines to improve asthma care, the UK has one of the highest asthma-related morbidity and mortality rates in the western world. New approaches are necessary to prevent asthma attacks in children and adults. The objectives of this study are to assess the association between demographic and clinical factors and asthma-related hospital admissions in children and adults, describe the epidemiology of asthma phenotypes among hospital attenders, and externally validate existing asthma risk prediction models., Methods and Analysis: This is a retrospective cohort study of children and adults with asthma. Data will be extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum database, which holds anonymised primary care data for over 13 million actively registered patients and covers approximately 19% of the UK population. The primary outcome will be asthma-related hospital admissions. The secondary outcomes will be prescriptions of short courses of oral corticosteroids (as a surrogate measure for asthma exacerbations), a composite outcome measure including hospital admissions and prescriptions of short courses of oral corticosteroids and delivery of asthma care management following hospital discharge. The primary analysis will use a Poisson regression model to assess the association between demographic and clinical risk factors and the primary and secondary outcomes. Latent class analysis will be used to identify distinct subgroups, which will further our knowledge on potential phenotypes of asthma among patients at high risk of asthma-related hospital admissions. A Concordance statistic (C-statistic) and logistic regression model will also be used to externally validate existing risk prediction models for asthma-related hospitalisations to allow for the optimal model to be identified and evaluated provide evidence for potential use of the optimal performing risk prediction model in primary care., Ethics and Dissemination: This study was approved by the CPRD Independent Scientific Advisory Committee (reference number: 21_000512). Findings from this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated at national and international conferences., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Worth the paper they are printed on? Findings from an independent evaluation of the understandability of patient information leaflets for antiseizure medications.
- Author
-
Noble, Adam J., Haddad, Sara, Coleman, Niamh, and Marson, Anthony G.
- Subjects
- *
READABILITY (Literary style) , *PEOPLE with epilepsy , *PAMPHLETS , *DRUGS , *PREGABALIN , *COLLEGE students - Abstract
Objective: The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is an authoritative document that all people with epilepsy in the EU receive when prescribed antiseizure medication (ASM). We undertook the first independent, comprehensive assessment to determine how understandable they are. Regulators state that when patients are asked comprehension questions about them, ≥80% should answer correctly. Also, recommended is that PILs have a maximum reading requirement of US grade 8. Methods: Study 1: We obtained 140 current ASM PILs written in English. "Readability" was assessed using four tests, with and without adjustment for influence of familiar, polysyllabic words. A total of 179 online materials on epilepsy were also assessed. Study 2: Two PILs from Study 1 were randomly selected (Pregabalin Focus; Inovelon) and shown to 35 people from the UK epilepsy population. Their comprehension was assessed. Study 3: To understand whether the student population provides an accessible alternative population for future examination of ASM PILs, Study 3 was completed, using the same methods as Study 2, except that participants were 262 UK university students. Results: Study 1: No PIL had a reading level of grade 8. Median was grade 11. Adjusting for context, the PILs were still at grade 10.5. PILs for branded ASMs were most readable. PILs were no more readable than (unregulated) online materials. Study 2: Users struggled to comprehend the PILs' key messages. The eight questions asked about pregabalin were typically answered correctly by 54%. For Inovelon, it was 62%. Study 3: Most student participants comprehended the PILs' key messages. The questions about Inovelon were answered correctly by 90%; for pregabalin it was 86%. Significance: This is the first independent and comprehensive examination of ASM PILs. It found that PILs being used fail to meet recommendations and regulatory requirements and risk not being understandable to a substantial proportion of users. In finding that people from the epilepsy population differ markedly in comprehension of PILs compared to students, this study highlights the importance of completing user testing with the target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes: A Bibliometric Analysis of the 100 Most-cited Publications.
- Author
-
Dayal, Devi, Gupta, Brij Mohan, Mamdapur, Ghouse Modin, Vaishya, Raju, Gupta, Atul, and Bansal, Madhu
- Subjects
TYPE 1 diabetes ,SERIAL publications ,SOCIAL network analysis ,INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,MENTAL illness ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,TREATMENT effectiveness ,CITATION analysis ,PEDIATRICS ,MEDICAL research ,BIBLIOMETRICS ,QUALITY of life ,PSYCHOLOGICAL stress ,DATA analysis software ,GENETICS ,MENTAL depression ,DISEASE complications - Abstract
Background: The most impactful research on pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains unknown. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the characteristics and impact of the 100 most-cited articles on pediatric T1D. Materials and Methods: Using a predefined bibliometric strategy, the Scopus database was searched for high-cited papers (HCPs) published from 2001 to 2020. Articles were evaluated for data on the publication year, countries, authors, journals, topics, and types. Social network analysis was performed to visualize the interaction among countries, organizations, and authors using VOSviewer software. Results: The top 100 HCPs received 390 to 4634 citations, averaging 773.5 citations per paper (CPP). The funded HCPs (n = 50) had a higher impact (CPP 791.5). The majority of HCPs (n = 83) were collaborative. Classifying by research type, 65 studies were clinical (n = 65), risk factors (n = 27), epidemiology (n = 26), pathophysiology (n = 16), treatment outcome (n = 13), genetics (n = 12), complications (n = 3), quality of life (n = 2), and prognosis (n = 1). The number of authors involved was 1,101, affiliated with 545 organizations in 27 countries; the USA (n = 64) and the UK (n = 24) were the most productive countries, whereas Australia and the UK were the most impactful. D.M. Nathan and J.M. Lawrence were the most prolific authors, while P. Raskin and J.M. Lachin were the most impactful. Conclusions: High-income countries such as the USA, UK, and Australia contribute significantly to high-impact pediatric T1D research. Funding and collaboration improve the impact of citations in publications. Less researched areas such as treatment outcomes, genetics, complications, quality of life, and prognosis should be the focus of future research on pediatric T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Festschrift for Mike Jackson: Call for papers for a special issue of Systems Research and Behavioral Science.
- Author
-
Flood, Robert L. and Midgley, Gerald
- Subjects
CRITICAL thinking ,SYSTEM analysis ,SPECIAL days - Abstract
The article announces the submission of papers about systems thinking and operational research in commemoration of the contribution of Emeritus Professor Mike Jackson.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Hey ChatGPT, give me a title for a paper about degree apathy and student use of AI for assignment writing.
- Author
-
Playfoot, David, Quigley, Martyn, and Thomas, Andrew G.
- Subjects
- *
APATHY , *CHATGPT , *ARTIFICIAL intelligence , *ACADEMIC achievement , *STUDENT surveys , *MACHIAVELLIANISM (Psychology) - Abstract
ChatGPT could allow students to plagiarize the content of their coursework with little risk of detection. Little is known about undergraduate willingness to use AI tools. In this study, psychology undergraduates (N = 160) from the United Kingdom, indicated their willingness to use, and history of using, ChatGPT to write university assignments. Almost a third (32%) indicated that they would use such tools; 15% indicated that they had used them already. Neither personality (conscientiousness, agreeableness, Machiavellianism, narcissism), academic performance, nor study skills self-efficacy could predict future use of AI tools. A novel Degree Apathy Scale was the only significant predictor. Willingness to use AI tools was greater when the risk of getting caught was low, and punishment was light, particularly for those high in degree apathy. Findings suggest that degree apathy is a key risk factor in academic misconduct. Wider research and pedagogical applications of degree apathy are discussed. • Thirty-two percent of students surveyed reported that they would use ChatGPT on future academic assignments. • Future use of AI tools was significantly predicted by a new Degree Apathy Scale. • Big Five and Dark Triad scores were not significant predictors, nor was previous academic performance. • Likelihood of cheating using ChatGPT was reduced with increasing risk of detection or severity of punishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.