31 results
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2. Conspiracy in Senior School Mathematics
- Author
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Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia and Brown, Paul
- Abstract
Research across five countries has identified inability to pay attention to mathematical detail -- the discipline of noticing -- is an issue in senior secondary school mathematics teachers. The test and questionnaire completed by an Australian cohort further identifies a reluctance to employ non-routine questions in assessments, with teachers concerned about damaging the trust relationship they enjoy with their students. As teachers fail to demonstrate strong ability in non-routine written test questions themselves, this paper questions whether there exists a 'conspiracy' between teachers and their students to avoid scrutiny of conceptual understanding.
- Published
- 2018
3. On the Widespread Impact of the Most Prolific Countries in Special Education Research: A Bibliometric Analysis
- Author
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Sezgin, Aslihan, Orbay, Keziban, and Orbay, Metin
- Abstract
The aim of this study is to identify the most prolific countries in the field of special education and to discuss the widespread impact of their papers by taking into account the country's h-index. Through a bibliometric analysis, the data were collected in the Web of Science Core Collection category "Education, Special" in the Social Science Citation Index during 2011-2020. The 25 most prolific countries in the field of special education were determined in terms of paper productivity, and it was seen that the leading country was undisputedly the USA (54.42%). Meanwhile, a strong positive correlation was found between the h-index and the number of papers published by the countries (r=0.864). On the other hand, when the ranking in terms of the number of papers was reconfigured by the h-index, it was relatively changed. The possible reasons for this change for the countries with the most changing rankings were discussed by considering some definitive criteria such as the journal quartiles, the percentage of international and domestic, and the percentage of open access papers. This study reports a positive correlation between the quality and quantity in the field of special education for the publications of countries. It has been shown that where the positive correlation deviates, then especially, the journal quartiles, the percentage of international collaboration and the percentage of open access papers have a significant effect. The bibliometric findings may be useful to enrich the discussion about the widespread impact of papers and debate whether the use of h-index is acceptable for cross-national comparisons.
- Published
- 2022
4. Evaluating Eco-Innovation of OECD Countries with Data Envelopment Analysis
- Author
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Mavi, Reza Kiani and Standing, Craig
- Abstract
Government regulations require businesses to improve their processes and products/services in a green and sustainable manner. For being environmentally friendly, businesses should invest more on eco-innovation practices. Firms eco-innovate to promote eco-efficiency and sustainability. This paper evaluates the eco-innovation performance of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries with data envelopment analysis (DEA). Data were gathered from the world bank database and global innovation index report. Findings show that for most OECD countries, energy use and ecological sustainability are more important than other inputs and outputs for enhancing eco-innovation. [For full proceedings, see ED571459.]
- Published
- 2016
5. Employability Initiatives in Undergraduate Education and Application to Human Nutrition: A Scoping Review
- Author
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Murray, Emily, McLeod, Susan, Biesiekierski, Jessica, Ng, Ashley, Croxford, Sharon, Stirling, Emma, Bramley, Andrea, and Forsyth, Adrienne
- Abstract
Human nutrition is a growing field with an increasing job market and high demand for university study, yet graduates report feeling underprepared for and unaware of potential job opportunities. This scoping review aimed to identify employment initiatives used in undergraduate programs to support an evidence-based approach to the development of future initiatives for human nutrition courses. The scoping review following PRISMA-ScR criteria was initially conducted in October 2018 and updated in April 2020. Search terms were selected to identify studies that reported on employability or work-readiness embedded within the course curriculum for undergraduate students. Fourteen papers met the eligibility criteria. Papers included were from Australia (9), United Kingdom (2), United States (1), New Zealand (1) and Germany (1). Papers described initiatives fitting broad categories of placements, project-based industry collaboration, practice-based eLearning, mentoring and building graduate attributes. Placements were the most common type of initiative and project-based industry collaboration demonstrated the highest levels of student and employer satisfaction. The success of initiatives was often attributed to incorporating diverse approaches to real-world, problem-solving skills. Mentoring and eLearning were used to promote employability soft skills, while industry-based placements provided students with practical experience. Placement in specific workplace settings should be representative of the diverse job options for nutrition graduates. Human nutrition degrees should consider incorporating strategies that develop soft skills and project-based skills while exposing students to diverse workplace settings within industry.
- Published
- 2020
6. What the World Chemical Community Thinks about the Concept of Physical and Chemical Change?
- Author
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Palmer, W. P.
- Abstract
The concept of physical and chemical change is far from being the clearest and most self-explanatory concept in the world. If a number of chemists are asked to define physical and chemical change, there may well appear to be a fair degree of uniformity in their answers, until a few examples are suggested. When chemists are asked to place a variety of changes into the category of physical or chemical change, then differences inevitably arise. It is not difficult to demonstrate this by viewing school textbooks and articles about the topic. In spite of this, physical and chemical change is still taught in most in most secondary school courses. The problem arises from the definition and the historical layers of meaning that have grown around the concept, almost by accretion, without teachers being aware of their significance. The purpose of this paper is to describe the answers given by experienced educators to a questionnaire, which attempted to find out what the views of science educators/chemists worldwide about physical and chemical change now are. Four appendixes present: (1) List of Respondents; (2) List of Questionnaires Returned; (3) Physical and Chemical Change: An Information Sheet; and (4) Full Questionnaire: Interview Protocol or Basis for Written Response.
- Published
- 1996
7. Characteristics and Behaviors of Effective Social Studies Teachers in Selected Countries.
- Author
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Fraenkel, Jack R.
- Abstract
This research study: (1) looks at what happens in social studies classrooms; and (2) attempts to determine the characteristics and behaviors of effective teachers. To collect data, the researcher observed several high school (grades 9-12) social studies classes since the fall semester of 1991 in the San Francisco (California) Bay Area for 3 months and in five other countries (Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Poland, and Korea). In addition, teachers and students answered questionnaires and were interviewed. Teachers were asked about their expectations for students, what good or effective teaching is, how they characterized today's students, and whether or not they treat honors classes differently than they treat non-honors classes. Students were asked whether or not they liked social studies, and to define good and poor social studies teachers. Tests, lesson plans, teacher's notes, and student notebooks and assignments were examined. The study found that effective teachers behave similarly and share certain characteristics. They tend to maintain high expectations for their students, are able to explain things clearly to their students, and vary their teaching methods and classroom activities. The study also showed that effective teachers saw their courses as having an impact on their students' lives, and were concerned with not only course contents, but also with student learning processes. Tables throughout the paper describe types of research activities, compare classroom activities of effective teachers to those of ineffective teachers, show evidence of student learning, compare how frequently various classroom activities occurred in United States and overseas schools, list student ratings of classroom activities, and list characteristics and behaviors of effective social studies teachers. (LP)
- Published
- 1995
8. Special Issue: 'Getting of Wisdom', Learning in Later Life
- Author
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Krašovec, Sabina Jelenc, Golding, Barry, Findsen, Brian, and Schmidt-Hertha, Bernhard
- Abstract
This specially themed ""Getting of Wisdom," Learning in Later Life" Edition of the "Australian Journal of Adult Learning" ("AJAL") is not so much concerned with the issue of ageing itself, but more about quality of life regardless of age. It is about taking, but also giving back as best as possible at any age. This special issue is a result of the one week "The Getting of Wisdom Exchange", a collaboration between around 100 adult education practitioners and researchers from ten countries from Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe. In this issue, papers are presented from Sweden, Ireland, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, Slovenia, Poland, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Papers cover different topics and open questions about various issues in older people's learning.
- Published
- 2017
9. Speculative Futures on ChatGPT and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Collective Reflection from the Educational Landscape
- Author
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Bozkurt, Aras, Xiao, Junhong, Lambert, Sarah, Pazurek, Angelica, Crompton, Helen, Koseoglu, Suzan, Farrow, Robert, Bond, Melissa, Nerantzi, Chrissi, Honeychurch, Sarah, Bali, Maha, Dron, Jon, Mir, Kamran, Stewart, Bonnie, Costello, Eamon, Mason, Jon, Stracke, Christian M., Romero-Hall, Enilda, Koutropoulos, Apostolos, Toquero, Cathy Mae, Singh, Lenandlar, Tlili, Ahm, Lee, Kyungmee, Nichols, Mark, Ossiannilsson, Ebba, Brown, Mark, Irvine, Valerie, Raffaghelli, Juliana Elisa, Santos-Hermosa, Gema, Farrell, Orna, Adam, Taskeen, Thong, Ying Li, Sani-Bozkurt, Sunagul, Sharma, Ramesh C., Hrastinski, Stefan, and Jandric, Petar
- Abstract
While ChatGPT has recently become very popular, AI has a long history and philosophy. This paper intends to explore the promises and pitfalls of the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) AI and potentially future technologies by adopting a speculative methodology. Speculative future narratives with a specific focus on educational contexts are provided in an attempt to identify emerging themes and discuss their implications for education in the 21st century. Affordances of (using) AI in Education (AIEd) and possible adverse effects are identified and discussed which emerge from the narratives. It is argued that now is the best of times to define human vs AI contribution to education because AI can accomplish more and more educational activities that used to be the prerogative of human educators. Therefore, it is imperative to rethink the respective roles of technology and human educators in education with a future-oriented mindset.
- Published
- 2023
10. Higher Education in Australia: A Review of Reviews from Dawkins to Today
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Australian Government Department of Education and Training
- Abstract
The challenge of funding a high quality higher education system, ensuring it has the capacity to help meet the increasing demand for high level skills in our economy and the aspirations of our students, has been an ongoing concern for successive Australian governments over many years. This paper reviews the findings and recommendations of significant reviews of Australia's higher education funding system from the 1988 Dawkins white paper through to the 2014 "Review of the Demand Driven Funding System." It summarises the challenges identified and responses proposed across that period as well as some recent international literature about higher education reform. What is clear from the survey of major reviews from 1988 to the present is the similarity of issues that were of concern to governments of the day. Successive governments have sought to build and fund a higher education system to meet the need for high level skills and innovative research for the Australian economy. The challenge for all governments has been how to enable greater numbers of students to access the benefits higher education offers--in terms of employment, earnings, social and cultural opportunities--while ensuring the system remains fair, high quality and affordable for both individuals and taxpayers. The number of domestic higher education students has more than doubled since 1989, reaching just over a million in 2014. International students comprised another 350,000 students in 2014. As student numbers have grown, they have come from more diverse social, economic and academic backgrounds. The number of providers and their diversity has also grown, with around 20 new public universities since the late 1980s and the emergence of significant numbers of non-university providers. The proportion of the Australian working age population with a bachelor degree or higher qualification has tripled since 1989 to just over 25 per cent. Direct Australian Government funding for teaching, learning and research has grown both in absolute and real terms, rising from $3.2 billion in 1989 to $15.4 billion in 2014, more than doubling when adjusted for inflation. Australia is not unique in facing this growth and higher education systems around the world are increasingly moving from elite to mass systems, and beyond to universal systems.
- Published
- 2015
11. You Say IFRS, I Say FASB…Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
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Tickell, Geoffrey, Rahman, Monsurur, and Alexandre, Romain
- Abstract
This paper discusses the noticeable nervousness of many US-based financial statement issuers in adopting IFRS. For contextual purposes, the paper provides an overview of the FASB/IFRS convergence so far and its probable future. A detailed review of convergence in accounting standards is explained through the respective standards for "Pensions and Other Post-Employment Benefits". The paper concludes by suggesting that, while one set of global steps is a noble goal, it might not achieve the desired goal of comparability.
- Published
- 2013
12. Confidence in receiving medical care when seriously ill: a seven-country comparison of the impact of cost barriers.
- Author
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Wendt, Claus, Mischke, Monika, Pfeifer, Michaela, and Reibling, Nadine
- Subjects
INSURANCE -- History ,HEALTH insurance reimbursement ,CONFIDENCE ,CONFIDENCE intervals ,EPIDEMIOLOGY ,HEALTH services accessibility ,HEALTH status indicators ,MEDICAID ,HEALTH policy ,MEDICALLY uninsured persons ,MEDICARE ,RESEARCH funding ,STATISTICS ,DATA analysis ,EMPIRICAL research ,MULTIPLE regression analysis ,SECONDARY analysis ,SEVERITY of illness index ,DATA analysis software ,PATIENTS' attitudes ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics - Abstract
Objective This paper examines how negative experiences with the health-care system create a lack of confidence in receiving medical care in seven countries: Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Methods The empirical analysis is based on data from the Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey 2007, with nationally representative samples of adults aged 18 and over. For the analysis of the experience of cost barriers and confidence in receiving medical care, we conducted pairwise comparisons of group percentages as well as country-wise multivariate logistic regression models. Results Individuals who have experienced cost barriers show a significantly lower level of confidence in receiving safe and quality medical care than those who have not. This effect is most pronounced in the United States, where people who have foregone necessary treatment because of costs are four times as likely to lack confidence as individuals without the experience of cost barriers (adjusted odds ratio 4.00). In New Zealand, Germany, and Canada, individuals with the experience of cost barriers are twice as likely to report low confidence compared with those without this experience (adjusted odds ratios of 1.95, 2.19 and 2.24, respectively). In the Netherlands and UK, cost barriers are only a marginal phenomenon. Conclusions The fact that the experience of financial barriers considerably lowers confidence indicates that financial incentives, such as private co-payments, have a negative effect on overall public support and therefore on the legitimacy of health-care systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
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13. Part-Time Higher Education in Western Developed Countries.
- Author
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Tight, Malcolm
- Abstract
The paper looks at part-time higher educational services for students in the educational systems of Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A comparative examination of the nature and importance of part-time higher education is then presented. (DB)
- Published
- 1991
14. Research to Reality: Putting VET Research To Work. Proceedings of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) Conference (4th, Adelaide, Australia, March 28-30, 2001).
- Author
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Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association, Alexandria.
- Abstract
This document contains 95 papers and summaries of 5 poster sessions from an Australian conference on putting vocational education and training (VET) research to work. The following are among the areas covered in the papers: factors affecting VET graduates' employability over time; technical and further education (TAFE) institutes as models of learning organizations; school noncompleters' outcomes in VET; increasing disabled students' participation in VET; VET management; bringing research and policy development together; innovative and flexible approaches to training package implementation; online support for VET clients; work-based learning; self-determined learning in the workplace; quality control and employability; using statistical software to interpret educational research; moving from andragogy to heutagogy in VET; drivers of learning cultures within organizations; VET practices in foreign countries; action research as action learning; challenges facing TAFE teachers; urban disadvantage and provider equity strategies; factors preventing uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships among secondary school adolescents; literacy and first-line management; performance level assessment; linkages between adult continuing education and VET; using training indicators to improve VET planning; student experiences of generic competency learning; managing the transformation to an e-learning organization; learning from small enterprise structured work placements; and using research to inform business and strategic decisions. Many papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)
- Published
- 2001
15. Skill Standards: The Value for Industry and Instruction.
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Wills, Joan L.
- Abstract
In many countries throughout the world, efforts to articulate the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of workers have translated into the development of organizations with the specific charter to establish industry-based skill standards with attendant new and/or expanded forms of certification of competencies. The new emphasis on skill standards may be traced to many factors, including shifts in production processes and occupations, recognition of the fact that production must accommodate the environment, and the realities of the labor pool. Throughout the world, systems of initial preparation for work are undergoing significant change, and recognition that education and learning must take place in both schools and the workplace is increasing. The system in place to keep workers prepared for work (including lifelong learning, distance education, continuing professional development, and job training) is arguably the weakest link in almost every country's strategy to ensure a skilled work force. Australia's new system of occupational and industrial core and technical standards and eight competency levels provides a framework for accomplishing the following: identifying and developing transferable skills across industries; elaborating career paths within industries; and ensuring correspondence between earning a degree and acquiring the types of competencies required for working at various levels. (MN)
- Published
- 1995
16. Bibliometric Analysis of the Research on Seamless Learning
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Talan, Tarik
- Abstract
Seamless learning has a significance that has been increasing in recent years, and an increasing number of studies on the subject in the literature draws attention. This study aimed to examine the research on seamless learning between 1996 and 2020 with the bibliometric analysis method. The Scopus database was used in the collection of the data. After various screening processes, a total of 389 publications were included in the analysis. Descriptive analysis and bibliometric analysis were used in the analysis of the data. The distribution of publications by years, types of publications, sources, and languages were analyzed in the research. Additionally, visual maps were created with analyses of co-author, cocitation, and co-word. At the end of the study, it was seen that there has been an increase in the number of publications from the past to the present, articles and papers were predominant, and that most of the studies were carried out in English. As a result of bibliometric analysis, it was concluded that the most efficient countries in seamless learning were the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore. Also, it has been determined that the National Institute of Education, Center for International Education and Exchange, and Kyushu University institutions are dominant. The most frequently mentioned authors cited in studies in many different fields are M. Sharples, L.-H. Wong, and H. Ogata. According to the co-word analysis, the keywords seamless learning, mobile learning, ubiquitous learning, and mobile-assisted language learning stand out in the field of seamless learning.
- Published
- 2021
17. Efficiency Measurement with Network DEA: An Application to Sustainable Development Goals 4
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Koçak, Deniz, Türe, Hasan, and Atan, Murat
- Abstract
Education is the core of the factors that improved people for a better lifestyle and increases the level of society' development. Quality education is one of the most vital goals of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to actualizing these factors. Using relational network data envelopment analysis (DEA), which have three interrelated substages, this current paper computes the educational economy efficiency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries bearing in mind the characteristics related to SDGs. The contribution of our study is the use of a novel approach to computing the educational economy efficiency using relational network DEA with GAMS. Even though some interesting differences reveal in the efficiency of the countries, the findings show that countries with high-efficiency scores are clustered around countries like Latvia, Slovenia, and Korea.
- Published
- 2019
18. Feel, Think, Teach--Emotional Underpinnings of Approaches to Teaching in Higher Education
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Kordts-Freudinger, Robert
- Abstract
The paper investigates relations between higher education teachers' approaches to teaching and their emotions during teaching, as well as their emotion regulation strategies. Based on the assumption that the approaches hinge on emotional experiences with higher education teaching and learning, three studies assessed teachers' emotions, their emotion regulation strategies and their approaches to teaching with questionnaires. Study 1, with n = 145 German university teachers and teaching assistants, found relations between positive emotions and the student-oriented approach to teaching, but not with negative emotions. In addition, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression were related to the student-oriented approach. Study 2, with n = 198 German teachers, replicated these findings and, in addition, found relations between perspective taking, empathic concern and personal distress, and the student-oriented approach. Study 3, with n = 76 Australian and New Zealand teachers, again replicated and extended the findings by establishing a relation between negative emotions and the content-oriented approach to teaching. The results of all studies together indicate a significant emotional component of the approaches to teaching. Positive emotions are not only directly related to the student-oriented approach, but also partially mediate the relation between cognitive reappraisal and the student-oriented approach. This link seems to generalize to emotional components of empathy. In addition, the cultural-educational context seems to moderate the relations between negative emotions and the content-oriented approach to teaching. Limitations and directions for future research and educational practice are discussed.
- Published
- 2017
19. Factors That Drive RTO Performance: An Overview. Synthesis Report
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia) and Misko, Josie
- Abstract
This paper provides an overview of recent research on the factors that drive the performance of registered training organisations (RTOs), with a view to identifying areas for future research. Initially it explores the drivers of RTO performance; then discusses findings from available literature from Australia and from overseas, and discusses some implications for further research. The discussion is structured under the organising themes of: (1) high performance organisations and frameworks; (2) effectiveness and efficiency indicators of performance; (3) trials of RTO performance indicators; (4) international approaches (including for United State of America, United Kingdom, European Union, Germany, and New Zealand); and (5) concluding remarks. This is a companion piece to another National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) report, "Are We All Speaking the Same Language? Understanding "Quality" in the VET Sector", written by Tabatha Griffin (ED579516).
- Published
- 2017
20. Physician emigration from Germany: insights from a survey in Saxony, Germany.
- Author
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Pantenburg, Birte, Kitze, Katharina, Luppa, Melanie, König, Hans-Helmut, and Riedel-Heller, Steffi G
- Subjects
- *
COMPARATIVE studies , *EMIGRATION & immigration , *JOB satisfaction , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICAL cooperation , *MOTIVATION (Psychology) , *PHYSICIANS , *RESEARCH , *RESEARCH funding , *EMPLOYEES' workload , *EVALUATION research , *CROSS-sectional method - Abstract
Background: Physician migration has been gaining attention worldwide. In Germany, physician migration became a topic of interest in the context of the discussion about a shortage of physicians, for which one contributing factor may be physicians leaving the country. However, there is a lack of literature on "push" factors causing German physicians to leave. The present study seeks to provide current data in an effort to promote the identification of "push" factors motivating German physicians to emigrate.Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, all physicians ≤40 years of age registered with the State Chamber of Physicians of Saxony, Germany (n = 5956) were sent a paper-pencil questionnaire examining socio-demographics, job satisfaction, the wish to emigrate, and the likelihood of moving abroad in the near future. Variables associated with the wish to emigrate were assessed with multivariate logistic regression models.Results: Approximately 30% of participants wished to emigrate. The favourite destination countries were Switzerland, Scandinavian countries, and Australia or New Zealand. Of participants wishing to emigrate, approximately 52% thought it likely to emigrate for a limited, and 15% for an unlimited period of time. Participants with the wish to emigrate were significantly less satisfied with their job situation as compared to physicians without the wish to emigrate, the one exception being their "relationship with patients". The three aspects with the highest difference in satisfaction were the overall work situation, followed by work load, and time for family, friends, and leisure activities. Being a woman, being in a relationship, and having children were associated with a lower chance for wishing to emigrate. Higher satisfaction with the factors "work load", "patient care", and "structural aspects" was also associated with a lower chance for wishing to emigrate.Conclusions: Emigration seems to be a viable option for at least a subset of physicians. Preventive measures should address modifiable determinants associated with an increased chance for wishing to emigrate, such as job satisfaction. Especially satisfaction with the factor "work load" seems to play a crucial role as a "push" factor for physician emigration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2018
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21. The Self-Explanation Effect when Learning Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis
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Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) and Durkin, Kelley
- Abstract
Most people would agree that helping students learn new information is important; however, there are numerous methods for achieving this goal, and not all of them have been proven to be effective. One method with intuitive appeal and some empirical backing is prompting students to self-explain. A self-explanation can be defined as generating explanations to oneself in an attempt to make sense of new information (Chi, 2000). The self-explanation effect has been studied since the 1980s, and has been examined in many learning domains, from chemistry to mathematics to argumentation (e.g., Chi, Bassok, Lewis, Reimann, & Glaser, 1989). The purpose of the current meta-analysis reported in this paper is to determine if there is a significant, positive self-explanation effect in mathematics domains or not. In addition, this meta-analysis will examine the possibility that study setting might relate to the effectiveness of self-explanation in mathematics. This meta-analysis illustrates that there is some evidence for the benefits of self-explanation in math; however, the evidence is not as strong as some researchers might think. It seems that self-explanation is not harmful to students, but whether or not it is worth the time it takes to go through them is unclear. Future studies may want to include a control group that does not self-explain so that a direct comparison can be made to test for the self-explanation effect. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
- Published
- 2011
22. The Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Exposure From Mobile Phones: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study.
- Author
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Grell, Kathrine, Frederiksen, Kirsten, Schüz, Joachim, Cardis, Elisabeth, Armstrong, Bruce, Siemiatycki, Jack, Krewski, Daniel R., McBride, Mary L., Johansen, Christoffer, Auvinen, Anssi, Hours, Martine, Blettner, Maria, Sadetzki, Siegal, Lagorio, Susanna, Naohito Yamaguchi, Woodward, Alistair, Tynes, Tore, Feychting, Maria, Fleming, Sarah J., and Swerdlow, Anthony J.
- Subjects
BRAIN tumors ,COMPARATIVE studies ,COMPUTED tomography ,EAR canal ,ELECTROMAGNETIC fields ,GLIOMAS ,INTERVIEWING ,LONGITUDINAL method ,MAGNETIC resonance imaging ,POISSON distribution ,RESEARCH funding ,SELF-evaluation ,CELL phones ,ENVIRONMENTAL exposure ,DATA analysis software ,MEDICAL coding - Abstract
When investigating the association between brain tumors and use of mobile telephones, accurate data on tumor position are essential, due to the highly localized absorption of energy in the human brain from the radio-frequency fields emitted. We used a point process model to investigate this association using information that included tumor localization data from the INTERPHONE Study (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Our main analysis included 792 regular mobile phone users diagnosed with a glioma between 2000 and 2004. Similar to earlier results, we found a statistically significant association between the intracranial distribution of gliomas and the self-reported location of the phone. When we accounted for the preferred side of the head not being exclusively used for all mobile phone calls, the results were similar. The association was independent of the cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls. However, our model used reported side of mobile phone use, which is potentially influenced by recall bias. The point process method provides an alternative to previously used epidemiologic research designs when one is including localization in the investigation of brain tumors and mobile phone use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
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23. Association Between Alcohol Sports Sponsorship and Consumption: A Systematic Review.
- Author
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Brown, Katherine
- Subjects
ALCOHOLISM ,DRINKING behavior ,ALCOHOL drinking ,INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems ,MEDICAL databases ,MARKETING ,MEDLINE ,ONLINE information services ,SELF-evaluation ,SYSTEMATIC reviews ,ALCOHOL-induced disorders - Abstract
Aim: Concerns have been raised about the impact of alcohol sports sponsorship on harmful consumption, with some countries banning this practice or considering a ban. We review evidence on the relationship between exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship and alcohol consumption. Methods: Search of electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and International Alcohol Information Database) supplemented by hand searches of references and conference proceedings to locate studies providing data on the impact of exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship and outcomes relating to alcohol consumption. Results: Seven studies met inclusion criteria, presenting data on 12,760 participants from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Poland. All studies report positive associations between exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship and self-reported alcohol consumption, but the statistical significance of results varies. Two studies found indirect exposure to alcohol sports sponsorship was associated with increased levels of drinking amongst schoolchildren, and five studies found a positive association between direct alcohol sports sponsorship and hazardous drinking amongst adult sportspeople. Conclusion: These findings corroborate the results of previous systematic reviews that reported a positive association between exposure to alcohol marketing and alcohol consumption. The relationship between alcohol sports sponsorship and increased drinking amongst schoolchildren will concern policymakers. Further research into the effectiveness of restrictions on alcohol sports sponsorship in reducing harmful drinking is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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24. Skills, Earnings, and Employment: Exploring Causality in the Estimation of Returns to Skills
- Author
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Hampf, Franziska, Wiederhold, Simon, and Woessmann, Ludger
- Abstract
Ample evidence indicates that a person's human capital is important for success on the labor market in terms of both wages and employment prospects. However, unlike the efforts to identify the impact of school attainment on labor-market outcomes, the literature on returns to cognitive skills has not yet provided convincing evidence that the estimated returns can be causally interpreted. Using the PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills, this paper explores several approaches that aim to address potential threats to causal identification of returns to skills, in terms of both higher wages and better employment chances. We address measurement error by exploiting the fact that PIAAC measures skills in several domains. Furthermore, we estimate instrumental-variable models that use skill variation stemming from school attainment and parental education to circumvent reverse causation. Results show a strikingly similar pattern across the diverse set of countries in our sample. In fact, the instrumental-variable estimates are consistently larger than those found in standard least-squares estimations. The same is true in two "natural experiments," one of which exploits variation in skills from changes in compulsory-schooling laws across U.S. states. The other one identifies technologically induced variation in broadband Internet availability that gives rise to variation in ICT skills across German municipalities. Together, the results suggest that least-squares estimates may provide a lower bound of the true returns to skills in the labor market.
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
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25. Change and Continuity: A Quantitative Investigation of Trends and Characteristics of International Social Workers in England.
- Author
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Hussein, Shereen, Stevens, Martin, Manthorpe, Jill, and Moriarty, Jo
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CLINICAL competence ,AGE distribution ,ANALYSIS of variance ,CHI-squared test ,FOREIGN medical personnel ,RESEARCH funding ,SOCIAL workers ,QUANTITATIVE research - Abstract
The UK has long experienced a shortage of social workers and has recruited internationally to meet demand. There have been few specific data quantifying the scale of social work mobility to the UK through which such experiences can be set in context. The analysis reported in this article uses data from October 2008, relating to registered social workers working in England. As part of a wider study of migrant social care workers in England, the article reports analysis of data records of over 7,000 non-UK social workers registered to work in England and compares their characteristics to UK-qualified social workers. These analyses are supplemented by analysis of more recent application and registration data from the General Social Care Council pertaining to social workers qualified within and outside the European Union during 2008 and 2009. The findings highlight several important observations in terms of non-UK-qualified social workers' profile as well as some possible trends in migration and variations in rates of qualification verification. Over half of all international social workers in England were trained in four countries: Australia, South Africa, India and the USA. Findings are contextualised with qualitative data obtained from the wider study and policy debates. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
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26. Sharing decisions in breast cancer care: Development of the Decision Analysis System for Oncology (DAS-O) to identify shared decision making during treatment consultations.
- Author
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Brown, Richard F., Butow, Phyllis N., Juraskova, Ilona, Ribi, Karin, Gerber, Daniela, Bernhard, Jurg, and Tattersall, Martin H.N.
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BREAST tumor treatment ,COMMUNICATION ,COMPUTER software ,DECISION making ,DELPHI method ,EXPERIMENTAL design ,RESEARCH methodology ,PHYSICIAN-patient relations ,PHYSICIANS ,RESEARCH evaluation ,RESEARCH funding ,SOUND recordings ,STATISTICS ,PATIENT participation ,QUALITATIVE research ,DATA analysis ,INTER-observer reliability ,RESEARCH methodology evaluation - Abstract
Shared Decision Making (SDM) is widely accepted as the preferred method for reaching treatment decisions in the oncology setting including those about clinical trial participation: however, there is some disagreement between researchers over the components of SDM. Specific standardized coding systems are needed to help overcome this difficulty. The first objective was to describe the development of an oncology specific SDM coding system, the DAS-O. The second objective was to provide reliability and validity data supporting the DAS-O. Consultation data were available from tertiary cancer center out patient oncology clinics in: Australia, New Zealand (ANZ), Switzerland, Germany and Austria (SGA). Patients were women with a confirmed diagnosis of early stage breast cancer. Reliability data were from 18 randomly selected coded transcripts drawn from ANZ and SGA. Concurrent validity data are from 55 (ANZ) consultations. Inter and Intra rater reliability data was evaluated using Kappa correlation statistics and correlation coefficients. Correlation coefficients were used to assess concurrent validity between the DAS-O and two other SDM coding systems, OPTION and DSAT. Inter and Intra rater reliability for the system were high with average Kappas of 0.58 and 0.65 respectively. Correlation coefficients between DAS-O and OPTION was 0.73 and >0.5 for DSAT. We have developed a reliable and valid coding system for identifying and rating the quality of SDM in breast cancer consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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27. Into the Unknown: A Critical Reflection on a Truly Global Learning Experience
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Wolf, Katharina and Archer, Catherine
- Abstract
Over the past decade, industry relevance and connectedness have evolved into a key requirement for students and their parents, who increasingly perceive employability upon graduation as a critical factor in the degree selection process. Simultaneously, professional bodies emphasise the need for high levels of industry engagement as a condition for accreditation, which in turn further impacts on the "marketability" of a specific degree. However, many of the skills emphasised by potential employers and industry reference groups are more closely aligned with generic graduate attributes, rather than discipline specific knowledge and skills. This increasingly includes an emphasis on cultural awareness, excellent communication skills and the ability to work in dispersed, often even virtual teams. This observation is arguably particularly relevant within the business (degree) context, where workforces become increasingly multicultural, as traditional borders and limitations make way for transnational opportunities. This paper discusses the benefits and challenges associated with a third year student project that set out to combine the need for discipline specific knowledge, with the acquisition of versatile, culturally sensitive business skills. Students participating in the aptly titled "communications challenge" competed against their peers as part of multicultural teams, representing twelve countries, across five continents. The authors conclude that experiential learning opportunities like this global, real life client project may not necessarily be popular amongst the wider student cohort. Furthermore, the acquisition of discipline specific knowledge may be limited when compared to "traditional" teaching deliveries. However, projects like this provide a number of benefits, in particular in the context of capstone units that set out to prepare students for a diverse career in an increasingly global, multicultural and complex environment.
- Published
- 2013
28. Are National-Level Research Evaluation Models Valid, Credible, Useful, Cost-Effective, and Ethical?
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Coryn, Chris L. S. and Scriven, Michael
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The evaluation of government-financed research has become increasingly important in the last few decades in terms of increasing the quality of, and payoff from, the research that is done, reducing the cost of doing it, and lending public credibility to the manner in which research is funded. But there are very large differences throughout the world in the extent to which systems used promote these results. This paper briefly presents the dimensional results of a study designed to comparatively evaluate the national-level research evaluation models in sixteen countries on five merit-defining dimensions. (Contains 6 figures.)
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- 2007
29. Report of the Commissioner of Education for the Year Ending June 30, 1904. Volume 1
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Department of the Interior, United States Bureau of Education (ED)
- Abstract
Volume 1 begins with the Commissioner of Education's introduction and includes state school-system statistics. Chapter I covers education in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Chapter II presents children's growth statistics collected in Worcester, Mass., Toronto, Ontario, and Milwaukee. Chapter III addresses German university pension and insurance beneficiary regulations. Chapter IV presents a digest of school laws on governance, teachers, and schools for each state except Florida, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Chapter V discusses the University of Paris during the Middle Ages. Chapter VI presents the proceedings of an Armstrong Association meeting on the work and influence of Hampton Institute, including a letter from former U.S. president Grover Cleveland and addresses by Andrew Carnegie, Harvard president Charles W. Eliot, Hampton principal H.B. Frissell, and Booker T. Washington. Chapter VII addresses public school temperance instruction and the liquor question, with reports from Connecticut, New York State, and Massachusetts, as well as information on Prussian temperance instruction. Chapter VIII presents early English writers' notices on education from 1578 to 1603. Subsequent chapters address German juvenile criminality; Southeastern Alaska's Hlingit language grammar and vocabulary; the Swedish education system; British and Irish education in 1903; and English higher education, i.e., secondary, technical, and evening schools, and the 1902 law requiring councils to support schools higher than elementary schools. Chapters XIV and XV cover education at the St. Louis Exposition, including state and territorial and educational institution exhibits. Chapter XVI discusses the final establishment of the American common school system in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia between 1863 and 1900. Chapter XVII reprints the Alaskan-education general agent's 1890 preliminary report and 1892 report on introducing domestic reindeer into Alaska. Chapter XVIII offers "A Definition of Civilization," the Indian Industrial School commencement address by W.T. Harris, and papers by Harris on "Art Education the True Industrial Education" and "The Intellectual Value of Tool Work." Chapter XIX is a list of U.S. education periodicals. Chapter XX is a directory of chief state school officers, city superintendents, college presidents, pedagogy professors and university and college pedagogy department heads, and normal-school principals. [For Volume 2, see ED620501.]
- Published
- 1906
30. Equity of primary care service delivery for low income "sicker" adults across 10 OECD countries.
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Dahrouge, Simone, Hogg, William, Muggah, Elizabeth, and Schrecker, Ted
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HEALTH services accessibility ,HEALTH status indicators ,MEDICAL quality control ,PRIMARY health care ,SURVEYS ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,SOCIOECONOMIC factors ,PATIENT-centered care ,MIDDLE-income countries ,LOW-income countries ,ODDS ratio - Abstract
Background: Despite significant investments to support primary care internationally, income-based inequities in access to quality health care are present in many high-income countries. This study aims to determine whether low- and middle-income groups are more likely to report poor quality of primary care (PC) than high-income groups cross-nationally. Methods: The 2011 Commonwealth Fund Telephone Survey of Sicker Adults is a cross-sectional study across eleven countries. Respondents were recruited from randomly selected households. We used data from surveys conducted in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We identified all questions relating to primary care performance, and categorized these into five dimensions: 1) access to care, 2) coordination 3) patient-centered care, and 4) technical quality of care. We used logistic regression with low and middle-income as the comparison groups and high-income as the referent. Results: Fourteen thousand two hundred sixty-two respondents provided income data. Countries varied considerably in their extent of income disparity. Overall, 24.7% were categorized as low- and 13.9% as high-income. The odds of reporting poor access to care were higher for low- and middle-income than high-income respondents in Canada, New Zealand and the US. Similar results were found for Sweden and Norway on coordination; the opposite trend favoring the low- and middle-income groups was found in New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States. The odds of reporting poor patient-centered care were higher for low-income than high-income respondents in the Netherlands, Norway, and the US; in Australia, this was true for low- and middle-income respondents. On technical quality of care, the odds of reporting poor care were higher for the low- and middle-income comparisons in Canada and Norway; in Germany, the odds were higher for low-income respondents only. The odds of reporting poor technical quality of care were higher for high-income than low-income respondents in the Netherlands. Conclusion: Inequities in quality PC for low and middle income groups exist on at least one dimension in all countries, including some that in theory provide universal access. More research is needed to fully understand equity in the PC sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2018
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31. Factors associated with multiple barriers to access to primary care: an international analysis.
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Corscadden, L., Levesque, J. F., Lewis, V., Strumpf, E., Breton, M., and Russell, G.
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AGE distribution ,EMIGRATION & immigration ,HEALTH services accessibility ,HEALTH status indicators ,HELP-seeking behavior ,INCOME ,MENTAL illness ,MULTIVARIATE analysis ,PRIMARY health care ,SEX distribution ,SURVEYS ,WORLD health ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,SECONDARY analysis ,AT-risk people - Abstract
Background: Disparities in access to primary care (PC) have been demonstrated within and between health systems. However, few studies have assessed the factors associated with multiple barriers to access occurring along the care-seeking process in different healthcare systems. Methods: In this secondary analysis of the 2016 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Adults, access was represented through participant responses to questions relating to access barriers either before or after reaching the PC practice in 11 countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and United States). The number of respondents in each country ranged from 1000 to 7000 and the response rates ranged from 11% to 47%. We used multivariable logistic regression models within each of eleven countries to identify disparities in response to the access barriers by age, sex, immigrant status, income and the presence of chronic conditions. Results: Overall, one in five adults (21%) experienced multiple barriers before reaching PC practices. After reaching care, an average of 16% of adults had two or more barriers. There was a sixfold difference between nations in the experience of these barriers to access. Vulnerable groups experiencing multiple barriers were relatively consistent across countries. People with lower income were more likely to experience multiple barriers, particularly before reaching primary care practices. Respondents with mental health problems and those born outside the country displayed substantial vulnerability in terms of barriers after reaching care. Conclusion: A greater understanding of the multiple barriers to access to PC across the stages of the care-seeking process may help to inform planning and performance monitoring of disparities in access. Variation across countries may reveal organisational and system drivers of access, and inform efforts to improve access to PC for vulnerable groups. The cumulative nature of these barriers remains to be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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