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Background and objectives The University of Manchester's undergraduate curriculum was reorganised in 1994. Problem-based learning (PBL) was chosen as the central educational method throughout the 5 years. A thematic interdisciplinary style provided a framework around which to select and integrate content. The theme for family, reproductive and child health for the 14-week Families and Children Module (FCM) in year 4 integrated content from obstetrics-gynaecology, paediatrics (including child psychiatry), genetics and public health. This paper focuses on the FCM which has put to test some of the principles of integration. Methods The educational process and outcome of the FCM was evaluated with information from (1) Open Forum feedback sessions (2) student questionnaires and (3) students' performance in an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Results Significant problems were encountered during the first year of the FCM (1997–98). An Open Forum for all students and staff was convened after each module in order to address the level of concern. Students' responses to questionnaires reflected the overall impression obtained from the Open Forum. Difficulties appeared to be more than the anxieties and challenges inherent in organisational change and were not simple practical timetabling problems. Tutors perceived a loss of coherence and student contact; students reported difficulties maintaining sufficient continuity of focus in clinical and academic learning experiences. The intended level of integration of paediatrics and obstetrics-gynaecology was unmanageable. Consequently, the FCM (1998–99) was divided into separate attachments for clinical learning and experience in paediatrics and obstetrics-gynaecology, each of 7 weeks' duration. Further open feedback sessions revealed that the modifications implemented in 1998–99 were associated with positive experiences for students and tutors. Comparison of responses to the evaluation... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing threat of climate change has created a pressing need for cities to lower their carbon footprints. Urban laboratories are emerging in numerous cities around the world as a strategy for local governments to partner with public and private property owners to reduce carbon emissions, while simultaneously stimulating economic growth. In this article, we use insights from laboratory studies to analyse the notion of urban laboratories as they relate to experimental governance, the carbonization agenda and the transition to low-carbon economies. We present a case study of the Oxford Road corridor in Manchester in the UK that is emerging as a low-carbon urban laboratory, with important policy implications for the city's future. The corridor is a bounded space where a public-private partnership comprised of the City Council, two universities and other large property owners is redeveloping the physical infrastructure and installing monitoring equipment to create a recursive feedback loop intended to facilitate adaptive learning. This low-carbon urban laboratory represents a classic sustainable development formula for coupling environmental protection with economic growth, using innovation and partnership as principal drivers. However, it also has significant implications in reworking the interplay of knowledge production and local governance, while reinforcing spatial differentiation and uneven participation in urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents new data on mill location in Manchester in 1850 to show that water-transport infrastructure played a key role in determining the intra-urban pattern of factory development. The shift from water to steam power introduced new patterns of industrial water use, rather than the relocation of factories away from waterways. Five new public canals and 23 private canal branches activated a major expansion of Manchester's waterfront, providing the majority of the manufacturing sites that enabled the town to become the world's foremost factory centre. Without effective municipal water supplies, canals were the best available water source for steam engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several issues discussed at a meeting of the stakeholders of dental education in the Great Britain, hosted by the Council of Heads and Deans of Dental Schools (CHDDS) in Manchester, England on October 4-5, 2007 is presented. Topics include trends of dental education in the region, curriculum reform and development, and the challenges in dental education. Several professionals attended the meeting including Paul Cook, Dr. Barry Cockcrofit and professor Chris Franklin.

BackgroundIn 1994, Manchester University Medical School introduced a new integrated curriculum using problem-based learning and which places an increased emphasis on community-based education. AimsStudents commonly use a particular label (‘a good GP’ (general practitioner)) to describe a positive experience in the community. The purpose of the study was to explore what students mean by ‘a good GP’ and how this relates to their perceptions of the value of the community aspect of the course. MethodThree single-year focus groups were run with year 3, 4 and 5 students. A model was then derived which was explored and checked against the views of a cross-year focus group. ResultsA theoretical model based on student conceptualization of ‘a good GP’ was developed. ‘A good GP’ was found to consist of the GP as a teacher, as a role model and as an indicator of a positive learning environment. With regard to ‘good teacher’, students felt that the GP’s enthusiasm about teaching and involving the student in an active learning process was important. For ‘good role model’, students emphasized communication skills and non-judgmental attitudes. With regard to ‘good learning environment’, a friendly atmosphere, variety of activities, and flexibility shown by the staff of the health centre were important. ConclusionsStudents hold a complex conceptual model of ‘a good GP’ which the label does not convey. We suggest that for evaluations of student experiences it is important to explore in depth what students mean by particular terms or labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the anonymous, attributable code which is applied to different individuals in the United Kingdom when they are reported to the regional drug misuse databases using the University of Manchester system. Background on the University of Manchester Drug Misuse Database (DMD); Reporting requirements of DMD; Accuracy of distinguishing new users and multiple users.