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Experience is an important requirement to apply for a qualified job. While employers need to find workers with the required skills, education institutions must design curricula which provide the skills demanded by the job market. Besides, along their careers, workers need to make good choices on continuing education courses. Current Bachelor and Master degrees follow programs which attempt to offer a practical perspective, but still from the academia point of view. To bridge the gap between academia and industry, University Extension Diploma in Food Technology (DEUTA) deepens into the Food sector seeking professional capacitation of participants. This is achieved by both first-hand know-how of food sector professionals and academics, along with an internship period in a food company. This paper reports the experience for more than fifteen years of this Diploma. Curriculum, students background, food sectors where internships are taken, student's opinion on the course management as well as on issues related to employability, development of professional skills and life-long learning are discussed. The analysis demonstrates how collaborative courses strengthen academia-industry bonds, and employability is boosted thanks to internships and the network created. This experience may be extrapolated to many sectors other than food, such as the chemical, environmental or biotechnological, and may help lecturers and institutions organize similar courses or diplomas to prepare competent and efficient technical workers, as well as help students and professionals orient their training and continuing education choices. • Collaborative courses strengthen academia-industry bonds. • Internships and collaborative courses boost employability. • Academia-industry collaboration enhances professional networks. • Students were interested in accessing de labour market or redirecting their careers. • DEUTA is a successful experience in the food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background, Motivation, and Objective – Inculcating critical thinking, teamwork, and lifelong learning are the basic tenets of Outcome Based Engineering Education (OBEE). Collaborative learning is one such pedagogy of engagement to achieve the same. In addition, the implementation of OBEE demands the adoption of corporate best practices in deploying new initiatives, which streamlines the process, removes waste in the process, and ensures sustainment of the improved process. Lean Thinking is one such approach adopted by the industry to ensure productivity, performance, and sustainment of new initiatives. The objective of this paper is to study the scope of collaborative learning in OBEE based on the Lean Thinking approach, and to explore its successful deployment in Indian higher education. Statement of Contribution/Methods – The research reported in this paper is based on Action Research methodology carried out using the Lean Thinking PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach and its application in improving OBEE through collaborative learning in India. STAD (Student-Teams-Achievement-Division) collaborative learning was deployed through heterogeneous group formation for enhancing the teaching-learning process. The Indo-Universal Collaboration on Engineering Education (IUCEE) consortium knowledge base and assistance has been effectively used to chalk out the strategy for effective deployment. Basic statistics and outlier analysis is used to draw the inferences. Results, Discussion, and Conclusions – The study describes the effective deployment of collaborative learning to enhance the effectiveness of the OBEE ecosystem through students' performance by utilizing the power of Lean Thinking. The study shows that not only Turn-Around-Time (TAT) of the deployment process is enhanced, but also the attainment of the students' performance. Moreover, it improves team spirit and team performance during the process. The paper is based on a single case study executed in an engineering college and hence, there is limitation in generalizing the specific results from the study. But the approach adopted and the learning from this study can be generalized. The study is of use to academicians, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to implement collaborative learning for an OBEE set- up with optimal utilization of the available resources based on the Lean Thinking platform in their organizations. This approach ensures value-added activity throughout the process and effective utilization of industrial best practices to higher education. Although collaborative learning and Lean Thinking have been extremely successful in the education sector and the corporate sector, respectively, the application of both to the engineering education has been limited. In addition, it describes the end-to-end implementation strategy of OBEE starting from planning, execution, meticulous assessment, and sustainment of the improved process in a step-by-step approach. This study illustrates how its application can improve the performance of the process and thus, productivity in the course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological distress can occur following diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer, compromising psychosocial wellbeing. Improved recognition and management of distress by healthcare professionals can enhance clinical practice and promote evidence-based prostate cancer care. This paper explores the effectiveness and feasibility of the online Distress Screening for Prostate Cancer course, designed to improve healthcare professionals' understanding of screening for prostate cancer-related distress. It aims to evaluate whether this e-learning course increases learners' knowledge of distress screening for prostate cancer. Healthcare professionals were invited to enroll in the online course and complete optional evaluation questions. The pretest posttest design identified changes in learners' knowledge about distress screening for people with prostate cancer, including prevalence, risk factors, assessment and management strategies for distress (n = 149). Learners also rated satisfaction in a cross-sectional survey (n = 116). Most respondents were nurses, including Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses. Learners' knowledge of distress screening was higher after course completion. Improvement between pre- and posttest results was statistically significant for four of ten items, including risk of prostate cancer-related distress, and suicidality, and the purpose of distress screening. Learners reported high satisfaction with course content, structure, engagement, relevance, and approach. They particularly valued the narrative-based approach and interactivity. Small numbers encountered technological problems and some offered suggestions to improve learner feedback. The course improved healthcare professionals' knowledge of distress among people affected by prostate cancer. Learners found the e-learning format feasible and acceptable. Deeper understanding of the psychological implications of diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer can help healthcare professionals respond to and manage distress among men and their families, and provide supportive care to improve health-related quality of life. Access to an online course can offer effective, feasible education on distress screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research recommended to have training programs for nurse preceptors. • This paper introduces what content need to be included in the training program. • Nursing schools can adapt the content covered in this manuscript to create their own continue education modules for nurse preceptors. Nurse preceptors are crucial in the education of prelicensure nursing students. They need continued education and support to serve as competent preceptors. This article introduces a continuing education module to better prepare them for this role. It covers the initial assessment of the students, the schedule development, how to set boundaries and model clinical reasoning skills, and how to handle some special situations. With training and ongoing support from the hospital and nursing faculty, the nurse preceptors will help produce safe and competent nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a talent shortage has been one of the biggest threats facing chemical and petrochemical organizations. This, together with declining employment, looming retirements, and large demographic age gaps in the workforce has made us, together with industry, determine to tackle the problem and bridge the gap by developing a formal course between a low-skill operator level and that of the process engineer. The course needed to address the technical knowledge of introductory chemical and mechanical engineering principles, the chemistry involved in process chemistry, and mathematics. On the 'softer' side, modules such as Academic and Professional Skills and essential Computer Skills were introduced to develop an all-round chemical operator / technician. This paper describes the course materials in brief to provide insight into how this course has been developed and implemented. Feedback from student groups and industry partners on course content and relevance to today's industry needs confirms the relevance and value of the course. [Display omitted] • Motivation for course development and implementation of the Diploma Chemical Process Technology course. • Curriculum outline to follow a golden thread throughout the program. • Feedback from industry partners and students on program's progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gameful education can foster students' lifelong learning perspectives, which is vital in the 21st century. However, implementation strongly depends on teachers' views about gameful practices. This scoping review aims to identify the characteristics of relevant studies and explore factors influencing gameful practices. Following the PRISMA protocol, 143 studies were analysed that focused on in-service teachers' beliefs, attitudes, or practices concerning gamification or game-based learning; published between 2013 and 2023; written in English; contained primary source; and peer-reviewed. The study introduces a typology of supporting and inhibiting factors, emphasising the importance of professional development and supportive communities. • Teachers usually hold positive attitudes towards gameful education but often do not implement it. • Research on gameful education mainly focuses on the digital context instead of traditional approaches. • This research paper introduces a typology of factors influencing gameful practices. • Individual, and institutional or system-level factors can influence teachers' gameful practices. • External barriers are more hindering factors than internal beliefs in teachers' gameful practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzed the adoption of using mobile learning (m-learning) in higher education. Mobile Learning as a model of e-learning refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes by utilizing mobile technologies. With the increasing coverage of mobile networks, learning services can play the increasing and effective role in education at any time and place. Continuous access via mobile devices creates special facilities like sending and saving the learning content to learners etc, it is accompanied with continuous education. This paper, with a study of “what is the impact of the mobile phone usage in education?” provides approaches and theories of mobile learning in training. The paper aimed to evaluate the essential factors for the adoption and application of education information system that has been created by students. The survey was based on the history of technology adoption and covered students. Furthermore, a case study from students of K. N. Toosi University in Iran was presented to indicate the performance of this method in practice. The statistical society included 300 members from Information Technology students of Iran's K. N. Toosi University of Technology. The factors related to adoption of mobile learning in higher education was classified into seven main categories as: ease of use, trust, characters and personal qualities, context, perceived usefulness of using, behavioral intention, and culture of using a research model. From the results, mobile learning could be one of the promising educational technologies for development in educational environments and culture of using. The context of applications has a significant positive effect on the ease of use factor and usefulness and the ease of use has a positive effect on the usefulness factor. The trust factor has a positive and significant effect on the behavioral intention. The personal features and characters factor have a significant positive effect on the culture of using and the culture of using the application has a significant positive effect on the behavioral intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a path model of professional development (PD) to explore the relationship between teacher PD and teacher careers and retention. A focussed literature review frames the study, which is based on a survey of 500 + teachers and interviews with 25 teachers. The findings provide evidence of the influence of PD on intermediate outcomes within the model and some evidence of influence on career progression. The paper concludes that a path model can provide a useful frame for examining the influence of PD on career, but the approach is limited given the complex, situated nature of teachers' careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers a cognitive architecture that revolves around a network memory based Long-Term Memory and how it can lead to a working lifelong learning system that can deal with open-ended learning. It focuses on the mutual interaction between the Motivational Engine and the Long-Term Memory and, in particular, on autonomously producing high-level utility representations in order to allow for development. Thus, the main point is to study how this architecture allows to start from primitive policies and models operating over continuous and large state/action spaces and progressively move towards higher level structures defined over smaller and discrete state/action spaces. This progression is demonstrated in a series of experiments carried out on a real robotic setup that involves different contexts, both in terms of domains (worlds) and tasks (goals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite reports that asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism and the third leading cause of hospitalization in children under 15 years, little is known about how school nurses are educated and trained to manage asthma in schools. The current scoping review sought to describe the published literature on available asthma education programs for school nurses to manage asthma in schoolchildren. This paper used Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) scoping review framework to identify the existing literature on the education and training received by school nurses to provide evidence-based practice care to school students with asthma, aged 5 to 18 years. A search strategy was developed and implemented in 6 electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO, from 1980 to 2020. A total of 1012 citations were identified, 27 full-text articles were retrieved and assessed for eligibility, and eight studies were finally reviewed and synthesized. The educational programs throughout four interventional studies consisted of a one-time training session, followed by a practical demonstration. Four out of 8 included studies assessed school nurses' previous exposure to an asthma educational programs through needs assessment surveys. The education delivery methods need to be synchronized with global technological advances and the availability of smartphones. There is a need to highlight school nurses' asthma educational needs and the preferred ways of delivering asthma programs to school nurses. The review also called for ongoing skill and knowledge assessment strategies to ensure the delivery of evidence-based practice care. There is a need to standardize asthma education programs delivered to school nurses. Future empirical research is recommended to investigate and evaluate such programs. • Research on asthma education programs available to school nurses is limited. • Existing programs lack consistency in strategies, assessments, and evaluation methods. • Nurses' challenges regarding receiving continuing education must be considered. • Use of technology will further remove barriers to continuing education. • School nurse interventions improve the health and well-being of children with asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose CDLRL-ZPG algorithm to improve generalization ability of policy knowledge extraction method from learned tasks to learned task domain • CDLRL-ZPG could directly generate approximate optimal policy of new task given system environmental coefficients without added learning costs of computing time and storage space Lifelong reinforcement learning (LRL) is an important approach to achieve continual lifelong learning of multiple reinforcement learning tasks. The two major methods used in LRL are task decomposition and policy knowledge extraction. Policy knowledge extraction method in LRL can share knowledge for tasks in different task domains and for tasks in the same task domain with different system environmental coefficients. However, the generalization ability of policy knowledge extraction method is limited on learned tasks rather than learned task domains. In this paper, we propose a cross-domain lifelong reinforcement learning algorithm with zero-shot policy generation ability (CDLRL-ZPG) to improve generalization ability of policy knowledge extraction method from learned tasks to learned task domains. In experiments, we evaluated CDLRL-ZPG performance on four task domains. And our results show that the proposed algorithm can directly generate satisfactory results without needing a trial and error learning process to achieve zero-shot learning in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to reconceptualize teacher assessment literacy (AL) by connecting two fields of research: educational assessment and teacher education. It begins with a scoping review of AL studies. By synthesizing and analyzing 100 studies on teacher AL, a new conceptual framework of teacher assessment literacy in practice (TALiP) is proposed. This framework is illustrated by a discussion of the various components of teacher AL and their interrelationships. This paper concludes with the theoretical contributions of the framework, a working definition of TALiP, and implications for policy and practice of assessment education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's rapidly changing environment, lifelong learning is becoming a part of everyday life. Latvian regions face problems due to the fact that many well-educated people choose to work in the capital. There is no comprehensive strategy or technological support for lifelong learning in the Latvian regions which could upgrade people's competences and allow them to combine learning with work and family life. In this regard, it is important to create an overall strategy for lifelong learning which would incorporate learning as part of an ongoing lifelong process. The goal of the paper is to create a theoretical framework and provide new perspectives on the development of lifelong learning in the Vidzeme region. The paper is focused on identifying the major steps needed to make lifelong learning technologically viable in the Vidzeme region. The requirements and potential of each Vidzeme municipality have been researched for the purpose of improving the efficiency and quality of lifelong learning in the region. The paper represents the theoretical preconditions for qualitative development of lifelong learning in the region and presents a technological model which would provide the lifelong learning process with ongoing technological support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the area of continuing education, computer network has been an important part of people's lives in the growth and advancement of quality education. This challenge explores the function of the information system in sustaining technology workers for social and economic growth in human communities worldwide and analyzes computer network applications and major features of continuing education. Continuing education is anticipated to employ the usage of other new wireless technologies in the immediate future, through the use of modern cell technology, smartphones or related products. However, this does not sideline the use of the simple computer network to support information, as ever less developed countries also keep up with today's and future sophisticated technology in e-education, especially ongoing education for working people and adults, without leaving their own offices or homes. This paper explores the issue of global ICT and its implementation in sustainable education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Language development is a causal contributor to lifelong learning and competence. • Gaps in language development persist, and are a threat to the public health. • We must leverage existing research and programs to develop broadscale interventions. • Where research is sparse we should look to procedures and results of exemplary cases. • Existing practices are scaling up, and research needs to follow suit. This paper summarizes and comments on emerging, but important, developments in practice, policy, and research focused on population-level interventions to address disparities in language development among young American children. This examination draws parallels between the need for broad scale Word Gap interventions and existing public health approaches to prevention and early intervention across many dimensions of child well-being. The authors conducted a review of the literature showing both the limited evidence base and promising aspects that predict efficacious implementation in pediatric and public health systems. Based on the results of a literature search, as well as the authors' experiences in reviewing and developing interventions designed for implementation at scale, we describe some of the important considerations and challenges associated with designing and implementing a population-level effort. After a summarizing the results of the formal literature review, we present case studies of 2 community-based interventions with an evidence base for addressing the word gap as well as 4 promising programs that suggest innovative and scalable ideas for broader implementation, dissemination and research exploration. Further, we highlight the ways in which these interventions, individually and collectively, are showing promise and evidence for implementation in pediatric and public health settings. Interventions include components of universal contact with populations of interest, early and continuous contact with individuals within these populations, coordinated and aligned messaging and intervention across multiple service sectors, and use of both stakeholder engagement in intervention design and trusted messengers in intervention delivery. We close by providing suggestions for population-level interventions aimed at the word gap, including: universal contact with populations of interest, early and continuous contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developing an inclusive school culture is a core dimension of inclusion in education. • Home-school communication and partnership affect parents' attitudes towards inclusion. • Interaction and communication between parents lead to more positive attitudes towards inclusion. • Teacher training plays a central role in developing positive attitudes toward inclusive education. • Pre- and in-service teacher training programs need to balance the theory and practice of inclusive education. Inclusive education is one of the key educational reforms introduced by the Ministry of Education and Science in Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan, 2011). Although many studies have explored the attitudes of key stakeholders towards inclusive education in various educational settings, research has yet to explore the attitudes of key stakeholders towards inclusive education in early childhood education settings in Kazakhstan. This paper examined the attitudes of key stakeholders toward inclusive early childhood education in Kazakhstan. The sample comprised 986 parents, 963 teachers, and 97 senior managers. The surveys are composed of several sections covering themes ranging from attitudes and beliefs to the quality of educational services and the inclusivity culture of the setting. The teacher and senior manager surveys included an additional section on initial teacher training, continued professional development and assessment. A stepwise regression analysis revealed that a high inclusivity culture of early childhood settings was a potent factor leading to positive attitudes towards inclusion across all key stakeholders. Several teacher-related background variables were associated with teachers' positive attitudes toward inclusion (e.g., education qualifications, age, previous work experience and class size). This research provided rich insights into key stakeholders' attitudes and teachers' and senior managers' views on pre-and in-service teacher training for early childhood educators. Recommendations are made to inform future policy development to strengthen inclusive early childhood education for all children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Challenge the monolingual English norm in intercultural doctoral education. • Motivate bilingual doctoral researchers' translingual capabilities for theorising. • Develop a translingual pedagogy for bilingual doctoral researcher education by drawing upon the Chinese character jiāo/jiào 教. • Resolve bilingual doctoral researchers' doubts and concerns about translingual theorising. • Highlight supervisors' three roles when supervising bilingual doctoral researchers. The transcultural and translingual diversity of bilingual doctoral researchers who speak languages other than English, in particular those with non-Anglophone backgrounds, has been emphasised in recent years to challenge the monolingual English norm. To explore effective pedagogies to motivate these bilingual doctoral researchers to theorise translingually, this paper draws upon methodologies about translingualism and intercultural doctoral education to dispel the recurrent doubts raised by these bilingual doctoral researchers. Thus, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Chinese bilingual doctoral researchers and their supervisors in Australia and China to understand their perceptions and practices regarding using the linguistic and epistemological resources buried in Chinese for academic purposes. In response to the concerns expressed by the participants, three critical roles of supervisors are highlighted, namely exemplifying, teaching and demanding translingual theorising. These three roles are further developed into a pedagogical framework inspired by the Chinese word jiāo/jiào 教, which itself is an example of translingual theorising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines professional development activities for new academic librarians. The authors review and critique various professional development activities including publishing, presentations, involvement in professional organizations, continuing education, and institutional and community service. Includes descriptions of activities and a resource list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper discusses the relationship between international agendas for lifelong learning and financial aid for low income countries, especially those on the African continent. It argues that there are subtle differences in terminology written by policymakers respectively in Europe and South Africa for lifelong learning but that international development agendas reinscribe lifelong learning for countries in receipt of development aid. Taking a postcolonial perspective the paper provides a textual analysis of case examples from policy documents in two African countries to demonstrate how international aid priorities negatively affect government choices and policies for lifelong learning, in spite of more regional analyses of the role of education and lifelong learning for the continent''s development needs. It argues that the inclusion of indigenous worldviews from the south have potential to enhance a global agenda for the social purpose element of lifelong learning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Network embedding or network representation learning aims at learning a low-dimensional vector for each node in a network. The learned embeddings could advance various learning tasks in the network analysis area. Most existing embedding methods focus on plain and static networks while ignoring network dynamics. However, in real world networks, structure often evolves over time. In addition, many networks contain rich attributes and their attributes are changing over time. Naively applying existing embedding algorithms to each snapshot of dynamic network independently usually leads to unsatisfactory performance. In this paper, we present a Lifelong Dynamic Attributed Network Embedding Framework – LDANE. LDANE has a good mechanism to automatically expand the deep neural networks with the sizes of network growing and preserving what have learned from previous time steps. Furthermore, the proposed framework is carefully designed to flexibly incorporate the topology and attribute of nodes. We perform extensive experiments on both synthetic and real attributed networks to corroborate the significant advantages of the proposed framework compared with the existing state-of-the-art embedding techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coined in 1982, the term productive aging is commonly associated with active participation in work, although it has since expanded beyond employment to include other dimensions of work, such as volunteering, caregiving and other activities that "produce(s) good/service for society, whether paid or unpaid" (Caro, Bass and Chen, 1993, p. 6). In this paper focusing on examining lifelong learning as one of the other activities in what comprises productive aging, we seek to explore the connections of lifelong learning to the notions of productive aging from the perspective of baby-boomers in Singapore. Using data from the qualitative study of Lifelong Learning among Older Adults in Singapore, which included 64 interviews with learners and non-learners of the baby-boomer generation (age 50–64), we first explore the grounded meanings of productive aging as articulated through lifelong learning. Next, we examine the benefits of lifelong learning as perceived by the baby-boomers, in particular, focusing on general wellbeing in enhancing productive aging. This is followed with a section examining barriers to lifelong learning to provide insight into deterrence to learning. Through the discussion of older adults' perceptions on lifelong learning and their engagement or lack of engagement especially with formal and non-formal learning, we hope to provoke a further re-thinking of what constitutes being productive in later life. Finally, we argue that beyond just another component to productive aging, lifelong learning should perhaps be further recognized as an enabler contributing to capacity-building of the other components including economic production, family care and volunteer services in enhancing productive aging. • Lifelong learning constitutes an important component to productive aging. • Lifelong learning enables capacity-building of different aspects of productive aging. • Non-formal and informal learning are important forms of learning engagements. • An awareness of the barriers help guide policies to promote lifelong learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A prenatal care provider's recommendation for maternal vaccines is one of the strongest predictors of vaccine acceptance during pregnancy. Aside from basic talking points, few resources exist to help obstetric care providers effectively navigate conversations with vaccine hesitant patients. This paper describes the development and acceptability of "VaxChat," an hour-long, evidence-based video tutorial aimed at improving obstetric care providers' ability to promote maternal vaccines. Between June and November 2017, 62 obstetric care providers registered to receive continuing medical education credit for viewing VaxChat. Of the post-tutorial responses received, over 90% said VaxChat increased their knowledge of what to say to vaccine hesitant patients, increased their confidence in addressing vaccinations with their pregnant patients, and will help them improve their practice culture regarding maternal vaccine promotion. Eighty percent intend to change how they approach vaccine conversations. These data suggest VaxChat may be a welcome complement to existing provider-to-patient talking points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite remarkable similarities to different-sex couples in terms of core relationship processes and outcomes, same-sex couples differ from different-sex couples in important ways, including relational strengths (e.g., more egalitarian) and challenges associated with their sexual minority identity (e.g., discrimination). Given that most cognitive-behavioral relationship interventions have been designed for and tested on different-sex couples, clinicians wishing to serve same-sex couples will need to make appropriate adaptations to these interventions in order to remove heterosexist bias and sensitively meet the unique needs of same-sex couples. Further, clinicians should strive to be culturally competent in serving this population by developing knowledge of same-sex couple dynamics and issues, and by building a sense of comfort working with these families, which may involve addressing personal biases. The current paper seeks to provide an introduction to same-sex couple relational processes, and offers clinical recommendations and intervention adaptations to better serve this population. Some examples will refer to the development of the Strengthening Same-Sex Relationships programs, culturally sensitive relationship education programs specifically designed for and successfully piloted with male and female same-sex couples. Highlights • Core relational processes of different-sex and same-sex couples are similar. • Same-sex couples develop relationships outside of heteronormative expectations. • Sexual minority stress impacts dyadic experiences. • Relationship-focused interventions require appropriate adaptations. • Clinical recommendations are proposed to serve same-sex couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edcamp unconferences are a non-traditional participant-driven form of educator professional learning. Although Edcamp participation has typically been voluntary, this mixed-methods paper presents participants' ( N  = 252) perceptions regarding their experiences at Edcamps run by their school districts and where their attendance was required. The majority of participants rated their Edcamp experiences positively. Many participants compared the content and format of their Edcamps favorably to the professional development available to them. Participants also offered feedback regarding how their Edcamp experiences could have been improved. We discuss these results and their implications for the Edcamp model and educator professional learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsinghua University in Beijing, a leading Chinese university, has emerged as a pioneer in the decentralisation and marketisation of adult and continuing education in China. Recent development at Tsinghua has had a significant influence on the ways in which other universities in China have approached change. The university has decentralised power to the (continuing education) school level, implemented a corporate style of management and adopted market-driven programme development and management. This paper explores the ways in which decentralisation and marketisation has reshaped the provision of adult and continuing education at Tsinghua University, and its implications for China's higher educational institutions. After examining both the promise and the perils of adopting Western models for application in a diversity of Chinese contexts, the paper suggests that the decentralisation and marketisation of adult and continuing education in China will not lead to the complete withdrawal of government control over this sector of the educational system for both practical and political reasons. This Chinese case study therefore helps to improve theoretical understanding of the process of globalisation and the fact that the globalisation of neo-liberal decentralisation and marketisation does not necessarily imply or lead to homogenisation in policy or practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper offers analysis and evaluation of ‘Creative Science Teaching (CST) Labs III’, a unique and immersive approach to science teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) designed and run by a London-based organisation, Performing Arts Labs (PAL), involving specialists from the arts, science and technology as integral. Articulating the key features of the experience and its perceived influences and by setting these in the wider context of the literatures in continuing professional development and creative teaching and learning, the paper seeks to demonstrate novel dimensions that this initiative has to offer CPD in creative teaching and the ensuing learning, highlighting key questions for further developing these new dimensions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Against a backdrop of some two decades of sustained economic growth in Ghana, this paper argues that there are a series of sustainability challenges related to technical and vocational skills development (TVSD) that need to be addressed. This paper analyses several sustainability dimensions of TVSD related to: promoting the sustainability of education-for-all achievements through expanding post-basic education and TVSD; identifying sustainable financing mechanisms for an expansion of TVSD; promoting and sustaining equitable access; ensuring that expansion in quantity does not lead to a compromise on the achievement and sustainability of quality and relevance issues; promoting the sustainability of TVSD expansion by widening opportunities for lifelong learning; creating an enabling environment for skills utilization through sustainable employment growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of continuing professional education (CPE) in nursing using a case study approach operationalised within an illuminative evaluation model. Using a short focussed programme as an instrumental case study, the project gathered data from three major groups of stakeholders over an 18 month period in order to explore the context within which CPE operates, and to highlight those factors which appear to influence the outcomes of CPE over time. Data were collected using documentary analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews with educators, students on the programme (the ENB 941), and their managers. The latter two groups were interviewed at four points in time (prior to the course, immediately post course, 6 and 12 months post course). Data analysis revealed that a complex set of factors interact to influence the outcomes of CPE, including the nature of the selection process, students’ expectations of the programme, the nature of the educational experience, and the receptivity of the practice environment to change. This paper identifies those factors that shape the outcomes of CPE and considers their implications for policy and practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines one model of professional development, the use of video clubs in which groups of teachers watch and discuss videotapes of their classrooms. Specifically, the paper investigates the learning that occurred as four middle-school mathematics teachers participated in a year-long series of video club meetings. Over time, discourse in the video clubs shifted from a primary focus on the teacher to increased attention to students’ actions and ideas. In addition, discussions of student thinking moved from simple restatements of students’ ideas to detailed analyses of student thinking. Furthermore, teachers began to reframe their discussions of pedagogical issues in terms of student thinking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As teachers become increasingly positioned as change agents in educational and social transformation, they need continuing professional development (CPD) to support their transition to this new role. Recent innovations in the objectives and processes of CPD programs have responded to this need, but less work has focused on program evaluation. This paper presents the development and application of an evaluation framework within a CPD program in sustainability education. The results demonstrate the value of the framework for investigating how the intentions and expectations of participants and instructors shape experiences and outcomes of CPD programs. • More robust evaluation research is needed to advance practice in CPD in sustainability education. • Participants' and instructors' intentions and expectations are important in CPD program design and evaluation. • Participants' and instructors' intentions and expectations converge and conflict in ways that shape CPD program outcomes. • A sociorelational evaluation framework is developed to explore how CPD programs meet the needs of participants. • The evaluation framework highlights individual, social, and programmatic factors for consideration in CPD program evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the various teaching and learning modalities for the delivery of Continuing Professional Development activities for health care professionals in the long-term care sector. Continuing Professional Development is a key activity that organisations undertake to achieve effective workforce planning, recruitment, retention and upskilling strategies in long-term care settings. During the Covid-19 pandemic there was a rapid move to online modalities of Continuous Professional Development, but there is a paucity of evidence in relation to their effectiveness compared with face-to-face, or in-class learning. A rapid synthesis review. MEDLINE, CINAHL and HEALTH BUSINESS ELITE databases were used to identify relevant articles that were published between 2016 and 2022. Original studies of any design investigating Continuing Professional Development activities, with or without a comparison between interventions or activities were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was followed. The Kirkpatrick model was adopted as a globally recognised method for evaluating training programmes. After a full text analysis, 34 papers were included in the review. Face to face was the most common method of delivery followed by online, while blended (a mix of face-to-face and online delivery) was the least common method used. The teaching modalities were not associated with specific learning contents, but were used for a range of content. Most studies obtained positive outcomes following implementation of the educational interventions. Kirkpatrick Level 4 (results) was the most commonly measured outcome. While blended learning was the least common method of delivery, it was found to be more beneficial for learners than face-to-face or online exclusively. There are now new spaces to learn and new technologies that allow us to 'reimagine' where, when and how we teach. This requires Continuing Professional Development providers to design and tailor their courses according to health professionals' learning needs and the clinical contexts where they work. We recommend that Continuing Professional Development providers involve employers when designing teaching and learning activities for Long Term Care workers, to decide which modalities enable effective knowledge translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details a model of teacher professional growth and relates the model to the research data on which the model is empirically founded. A key feature of the model is its inclusion of four analytic domains in close correspondence to those employed by Guskey (Educational Researcher 15(5), 1986) and others, but the model proposed in this paper identifies the specific mechanisms by which change in one domain is associated with change in another. The interconnected, non-linear structure of the model enabled the identification of particular “change sequences” and “growth networks”, giving recognition to the idiosyncratic and individual nature of teacher professional growth. One major value of a change model grounded in empirical data lies in its capacity to stimulate speculation, research and development regarding possible change mechanisms as yet unexplored and unexploited. In its current form, this model offers a powerful framework to support the analyses of those studying teacher change (or growth) and the planning of those responsible for teacher professional development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Forensic facial comparison (FFC) is a scientific technique used to link suspects to a crime scene based on the analysis of photos or video recordings from that scene. While basic guidelines on practice and training are provided by the Facial Identification Scientific Working Group, details of how these are applied across the world are scarce. FFC is frequently used in South Africa, with more than 700 comparisons conducted in the last two years alone. In this paper the standards of practice are outlined, with new proposed levels of agreement/conclusions. We outline three levels of training that were established, with training in facial anatomy, terminology, principles of image comparison, image science, facial recognition and computer skills being aimed at developing general competency. Training in generating court charts and understanding court case proceedings are being specifically developed for the South African context. Various shortcomings still exist, specifically with regard to knowledge of the reliability of the technique. These need to be addressed in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evidence about differences in digital competencies (digital divide) is contextualized with other core competencies, esp. literacy and numeracy. • The generation a person is born to/in is a factor for digital divide for all subgroups. • The effect of education on digital competency is larger than the effect of generation. • Rather mitigating digital divide as its impact on digital competencies is smaller compared to the impact of literacy and numeracy. • Migration background has a higher impact on digital divide for persons without computer use at the workplace digital divide than for those who use. This paper takes an intersectional perspective to investigate the effect of socio-demographic variables that may constitute to digital divide. The concept of digital divide emerged from a perspective on unequal access to digital technology and relates nowadays primarily the differences in the competencies necessary to handle this technology. To investigate digital divide, the present paper uses the PIAAC framework of digital competencies which is called p roblem s olving in t echnology- r ich e nvironments (PS-TRE). It introduces the approach of intersectionality that describes persons impaired by multiple inequalities. The paper analyzes the impact of these factors on PS-TRE for three subsamples of the German study: (1) employed people who use computers at work and at home, (2) employed people who use computers only at home, and (3) people that are out of the labor force. It analyzes furthermore contributions to digital divide by a comparison of these impacts with literacy and numeracy scores. While employed people with computer use at work and home only had generation as a factor for constituting digital divide, employed people with computer use only at home had migration background as a further factor. Education and cultural capital showed lower impacts on PS-TRE than on literacy and numeracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To record the variation of perceptions of midwifery faculty in terms of the possibilities and challenges related to the completion of their first online master's level programme in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Somaliland. The informants included in this phenomenongraphical focus group study were those well-educated professional women and men who completed the master's program. The informant perceived that this first online master's level programme provided tools for independent use of the Internet and independent searching for evidence-based information, enhanced professional development, was challenge-driven and evoked curiosity, challenged professional development, enhanced personal development and challenged context-bound career paths. Online education makes it possible for well-educated professional women to continue higher education. It furthermore increased the informants' confidence in their use of Internet, software and databases and in the use of evidence in both their teaching and their clinical practice. Programmes such as the one described in this paper could counter the difficulties ensuring best practice by having a critical mass of midwives who will be able to continually gather contemporary midwifery evidence and use it to ensure best practice. An increase of online education is suggested in South-central Somalia and in similar settings globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the potential costs and benefits associated with a risk-sharing policy imposed on all higher education institutions. Under such a program, institutions would be required to pay for a portion of the student loans among which their students defaulted. I examine the predicted institutional responses under a variety of possible penalties and institutional characteristics using a straightforward model of institutional behavior based on monopolistic competition. I also examine the impact of a risk-sharing program on overall economic efficiency by estimating the returns to scale for undergraduate enrollment (as well as other outputs) among each of ten educational sectors. My estimates suggest that a risk-sharing program would induce only a modest tuition increase, with considerable heterogeneity across sectors. Two different penalty structures are analyzed in the context of the model, and alternative institutional responses such as tuition discounting and credit rating students are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Because patients in disaster areas require the most critical care, mobilising hospital nurses has become a pivotal strategy. Given the importance of disaster nursing training programmes, understanding how well prepared hospital nurses are to provide disaster care is vital. Objectives This paper analyses the perceived readiness of hospital nurses for a disaster response and the factors influencing their report for work outside the hospital environment. Design A cross-sectional research design was used. Settings This study was conducted at a military hospital in Taiwan. Participants A sample of 311 registered nurses participated in this study. Methods Data were collected on readiness for disaster responses using a 40-item researcher-designed, self-administered questionnaire found to have satisfactory reliability and validity. The questionnaire has four domains: personal preparation (16 items), self-protection (11 items), emergency response (6 items), and clinical management (7 items). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent t -tests and generalised linear models. Results The majority of hospital nurses demonstrated poor readiness for disaster responses. Scores on the four domains were most associated with nurses' disaster-related training, experience in disaster response and emergency/intensive care experience. Conclusions Our results indicate that disaster-related training should be included in undergraduate programmes and continuing education courses to help hospital nurses recognise and improve their own readiness for disaster responses outside the hospital environment. Future research is needed to improve hospital nurses' disaster-response readiness in Taiwan and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the data use professional development (PD) component of a whole-school intervention that has been replicated in 53 schools over eight years. Quasi-experimental designs were used to test for intervention impact. The intervention improved achievement in reading comprehension, writing and high school qualifications. Effect sizes were generally higher than international comparisons. The data use PD involved collaboratively analyzing data to determine the achievement problems; identifying and testing the causes of the problems using theory evaluation principles; and co-creating solutions. The relative contribution of the data use PD to the intervention and the importance of content knowledge are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education programs leading to professional licencing need to ensure assessments throughout the program are constructively aligned and mapped to the specific professional expectations. Within the final year of an undergraduate degree, a student is required to transform and prepare for professional practice. Establishing assessment items that are authentic and able to reflect this transformation is a challenge for universities. This paper both describes the considerations around the design of a capstone assessment and evaluates, from an academics perspective, the quality and applicability of an e-portfolio as a capstone assessment item for undergraduate courses leading to a professional qualification. The e-portfolio was seen to meet nine quality indicators for assessment. Academics evaluated the e-portfolio as an authentic assessment item that would engage the students and provide them with a platform for ongoing professional development and lifelong learning. The processes of reflection on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, comparison of clinical experiences with national statistics, preparation of professional philosophy and development of a curriculum vitae, whilst recognised as comprehensive and challenging were seen as highly valuable to the student transforming into the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the learning experiences and the trajectories of EFL teachers' professional development in Chinese secondary schools under a socio-cultural framework. The findings indicate that social and individual affordances are both essential to individual teachers’ professional development, and to the sustainable growth of the teacher learning community (TLC). The former is prerequisite to the latter, whereas the latter determines the route and pace of development. This paper also demonstrates the usefulness of activity theory in analysing the affordances of TLC, and advocates that all parties involved should understand, identify and create positive affordances for teacher professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a national, school-based professional development intervention in which large student achievement gains were previously signaled using single-level regression analyses and effect sizes. However, such analyses can be misleading since educational data typically do not meet independence assumptions. The current study investigates the effectiveness of the professional development intervention using hierarchical linear modelling, with particular focus on whether disparities were reduced for groups typically under-served by the New Zealand education system. Results indicated that students from all learner groups made large gains, especially in writing, but additional targeting would be required to improve equity across student groupings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The contemporary health workforce has a professional responsibility to maintain competency in practice. However, some difficulties exist with access to ongoing professional development opportunities, particularly for staff in rural and remote areas and those not enrolled in a formal programme of study. E-learning is at the nexus of overcoming these challenges. The benefits of e-learning have been reported in terms of increased accessibility to education, improved self-efficacy, knowledge generation, cost effectiveness, learner flexibility and interactivity. What is less clear, is whether improved self-efficacy or knowledge gained through e-learning influences healthcare professional behaviour or skill development, whether these changes are sustained, and whether these changes improve patient outcomes. Objective To identify, appraise and synthesise the best available evidence for the effectiveness of e-learning programmes on health care professional behaviour and patient outcomes. Design A systematic review of randomised controlled trials was conducted to assess the effectiveness of e-learning programmes on clinician behaviour and patient outcomes. Electronic databases including CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, Mosby's Index, Scopus and Cochrane – CENTRAL were searched in July 2014 and again in July 2015. Quality assessment and data extraction Studies were reviewed and data extracted by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute standardised critical appraisal and data extraction instruments. Data synthesis Seven trials met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. Due to substantial instructional design, subject matter, study population, and methodological variation between the identified studies, statistical pooling was not possible and a meta-analysis could not be performed. Consequently, the findings of this systematic review are presented as a narrative review. Results The results suggest that e-learning was at least as effective as traditional learning approaches, and superior to no instruction at all in improving health care professional behaviour. There was variation in behavioural outcomes depending on the skill being taught, and the learning approach utilised. No papers were identified that reported the effectiveness of an e-learning programme on patient outcomes. Conclusion This review found insufficient evidence regarding the effectiveness of e-learning on healthcare professional behaviour or patient outcomes, consequently further research in this area is warranted. Future randomised controlled trials should adhere to the CONSORT reporting guidelines in order to improve the quality of reporting, to allow evaluation of the effectiveness of e-learning programmes on healthcare professional behaviour and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback constitutes an important component of assessment in learning environments, as it allows learners to evaluate their progress in the learning process and helps tutors to personalize learning content according to learners' needs and profiles. In this paper we propose an intelligent personalized feedback framework based on Semantic Web technologies, one that provides personalized feedback for self-assessment and that is appropriate for Lifelong Learning environment. The framework takes into consideration the level of complexity of each question in a self assessment test in order to decide on the type of individual feedback required. This process provides accurate information about the learner's level based on the result of their own participation in the assessment. The framework is based on semantic models for user information and feedback generation that ensure interoperability and reuse of Assessment and learning resources. In our approach, a personalized feedback framework based on web services uses the information contained in the learner's profile to proactively assist them by suggesting personalized feedback and helping them overcome their shortcomings in a particular field of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade the Internet has played a growing role in the resolution strategies of many of those who face civil justice problems. Drawing on data from a novel experiment capturing the online information-seeking behaviours of 208 students, this paper explores how young people in England use the Internet when faced with a hypothetical civil justice problem relating to housing or employment law. The study finds that while the Internet holds potential as a Public Legal Education (PLE) tool, exposure to online legal information does not directly equate to improved knowledge of rights or knowledge of how to handle a civil justice problem. The Internet's utility in this respect, continues to be constrained by the quality of information provided and the public's capacity to use it and apply it in a meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to contribute to teacher professional development (TPD) on ICT by exploring socio-cultural factors such as places, activities and relevant others, which constitute teachers' complete sets of contexts that provide opportunities for learning. This set of contexts is defined as “learning ecology”. An important aspect of learning ecology is the development over time of how people cope with their learning environment. By result, analysing a person's learning ecology entails investigating the start and development of teachers' ICT use, related beliefs and attitudes, and relevant others influencing this development. Our research question reads: What lessons can be learnt for TPD on ICT from knowledge of teachers' learning ecology, with an emphasis on sparks of interest, beliefs, relevant others, and pathways of participation? This question is answered by biographical interviews that in a narrative manner map life trajectories related to ICT. Following existing research we opted for ICT minded and non-ICT minded pre-service and in-service teachers. The results show the importance of a number of TPD aspects: siblings and friends for the ignition and development over time of types of ICT-use, the importance of informal learning approaches and development of bridging social capital, and the creation of ICT rich social environments. The biographical interview may serve as a tool to find elements in the narratives such as reflection on ICT use, learning trajectories and resulting pedagogical beliefs, which foster TPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the collaboration of nurses from five specialty units within a large tertiary care pediatric hospital in the development and presentation of Nursing Grand Rounds (NGR). NGR was generated, prepared, and presented quarterly by bedside nurses to their peers in a professional format. NGR lasted 2 hours, were simultaneously offered via Webinar, and incorporated literature reviews, guest/expert speakers, and case studies. In addition, attendees were eligible for continuing education credits (CEUs). Based on favorable evaluations, NGR is purported as a creative method for nurses to be kept up-to-date about evidence and knowledge unique to their patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of medical equipment is growing in healthcare, resulting in an increased need for resources to educate users in how to manage the various devices. Learning the practical operation of a device is one thing, but learning how to work with the device in the actual clinical context is more challenging. This paper presents a computer-based simulation prototype for learning medical technology in the context of critical care. Properties from simulation and computer games have been adopted to create a visualization-based, interactive and contextually bound tool for learning. A participatory design process, including three researchers and three practitioners from a clinic for infectious diseases, was adopted to adjust the form and content of the prototype to the needs of the clinical practice and to create a situated learning experience. An evaluation with 18 practitioners showed that practitioners were positive to this type of tool for learning and that it served as a good platform for eliciting and sharing knowledge. Our conclusion is that this type of tools can be a complement to traditional learning resources to situate the learning in a context without requiring advanced technology or being resource-demanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lifelong learning (LLL) is an essential feature for the doctor to keep clinically updated and has been described as an indicator of competence and professionalism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between career satisfaction in psychiatry, lifelong learning, and commitment in scientific activities, taking into account other personal and professional effects. The survey was sent to 453 national psychiatrists and 190 surveys (41.9%) were completed online and validated. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Lifelong Learning (JSPLL) was used to assess the level of LLL for each doctor. The results of the analysis of JSPLL showed that participants more satisfied with their career have greater motivation and invest more in the LLL. Furthermore, participants who were more satisfied with their career had a higher percentage of scientific activity in the last year. Multiple linear regression with these two effects in the model revealed a positive association between career satisfaction in psychiatry, LLL and the publication of scientific papers, leading to the main conclusion that satisfaction with a career in psychiatry has a significant correlation with LLL and with involvement in scientific activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Academic staff working in higher education environments perform a wide variety of roles which are each integral to their professional identity. A fundamental constituent of this identity is the relative place and value of research and scholarship. The way in which such an identity transpires in a ‘HE in FE’ context is less understood, particularly in cases where academic responsibilities differ from the HE norm. This paper presents a study that details the perceptions and experiences of academic staff in a ‘HE in FE’ context in regards to their engagement in scholarly activity. Forty-four questionnaire respondents detailed both personal and institutional factors that contribute to the practical and philosophical challenges relating to the conduct of research. The value which is placed upon opportunities to engage in scholarly work often appeared unfulfilled; a range of barriers were described which ranged from workload related issues, issues of self-confidence and a perceived lack of institutional support. This study further emphasises the need to facilitate opportunities for research and scholarly activities within a growing segment of the HE marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate professional development of teachers in the online context, the online community of practice (CoPs) has become an important platform in which individuals with similar interests or common goals get together to share their resources, develop working strategies, solve problems, and improve individual as well as organizational performance. In this study, we have collected self-reported knowledge-sharing behaviors from 321 members of the largest online professional CoP of teachers in Taiwan. The results show that closer connections among online CoP members can lead to greater recognition of and altruism towards others. Moreover, performance expectation and self-efficacy belief play essential roles in knowledge-sharing participation. Thus, the development of social relationships among online teacher members helps them obtain potential resources and reliable support through their social network. Also, teachers' membership in the online professional CoP fosters a prosocial attitude that heightens their willingness to share useful resources and solve other members' problems, both emotionally and instrumentally. Consequently, knowledge-sharing behaviors, in terms of knowledge giving and knowing receiving, are significantly predicted by prosocial commitment and performance expectation respectively. The implications to both research and practice are provided in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]