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Workplace learning has developed as a field both of practice and of research over the past decade. The increase in interest is due in part to heightened awareness that workplace knowledge and skills contribute to enterprise and national competitiveness, but it is also due to an increased focus on the connections to be made between theory and practice as part of an education or training experience. At the same time, new learning technologies have enhanced delivery of instruction and learning materials in workplaces. This article reviews some of the conceptualizations of workplace learning and its cognitive bases. It also examines workplaces as learning environments and considers the special challenges involved in the flexible delivery of training to workplaces. KEYWORDS: computer-mediated communication, flexible delivery, flexible learning, situated cognition, situated learning, workplace learning.

Biologically active CAM may detrimentally interfere with chemotherapy treatment, so cancer patients require targeted, evidence-based information on chemotherapy-CAM integration consequences. The object of this study was to investigate the potential for medical doctor recommendation and patient acceptance of a purpose-designed patient educational brochure on the safe use of CAM with chemotherapy. Cancer care doctors (n=17) were provided a draft version of a patient educational brochure developed by the authors and completed a structured feedback form. Cancer patients receiving treatment (n=12) were provided with the brochure and completed the local health service consumer testing feedback form. All 17 doctors perceived a need for the brochure and all would recommend the brochure to their patients. Approximately 59% of the doctors indicated they would recommend the brochure to all patients receiving chemotherapy and 41% preferred that only patients using CAM or who enquired about CAM be given the brochure. Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy reported that the brochure information answered their questions and was easy to understand. This evidence-based CAM-chemotherapy patient brochure may be a useful adjunct for use by cancer care health professionals to educate patients on the potential dangers of biologically active CAM use with chemotherapy and to provide patients with safe CAM alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Since 1982, pediatric residency programs have been asked to evaluate trainees for ethical behavior. In 2007, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education required documenting teaching and evaluation of professionalism. Pediatric residency program directors were surveyed to ascertain what they know about the content and process of their ethics and professionalism curricula. METHODS: From February to May 2008, 394 program directors from the Association of Pediatric Program Directors were surveyed. RESULTS: Of 386 eligible survey respondents, 233 (60%) returned partial or complete surveys. Programs were evenly divided on whether ethics was taught as an organized curriculum or integrated. Professionalism was combined with the ethics curriculum in 27% of programs and taught independently in 38% of programs, but 35% had no professionalism curriculum. More than one third of the respondents did not answer each content and structure question. Approximately two thirds of those who responded stated that their program dedicated <10 hours per year to ethics and professionalism, respectively. Nearly three fourth of programs identified crowding of the curriculum and one third identified lack of faculty expertise as curricular constraints. Respondents expressed interest in more curricular materials from the American Board of Pediatrics or Association of Pediatric Program Directors. CONCLUSIONS: Despite requirements to train and evaluate residents in ethics and professionalism, there is a lack of structured curriculum, faculty expertise, and evaluation methodology. Effectiveness of training curricula and evaluation tools need to be assessed if the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for competencies in these areas are to be meaningfully realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sample of 314 Australian university students the Readiness for Online Learning questionnairewas tested for its technical characteristics of reliability and factorability, with resultsindicating the instrument has promise both for research and for practice. The factor analysisidentified a factor associated with self-management of learning, and one of comfort withe-learning. These factors are interpreted and discussed within a framework of the broaderliterature on learning preferences associated with flexible delivery and resource-based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the advocacy of visual culture study in place of art education. Definition of visual culture study; Pattern of theoretical emphasis in art education; Irrelevance of aesthetics to visual culture studies.

The learning preferences of three hundred and thirty eight technology students enrolled in sub-degree programs at an Australian institution of Technical and Further Education were tested using the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory (CLSI). The results have been interpreted in a learning preferences framework and provide supportive evidence for the preferences factors of print-nonprint, collaborative, dependent, and autonomous learning identified by Sadler-Smith & Riding (1999). Although the research focussed on learning preferences the analysis also indicated support for the Wholist-Analytic cognitive style proposed by Riding & Cheema (1991). Gender differences were shown for the Interest subscales of the CLSI. Age-group differences were shown for several Conditions of Learning and Modes of Learning subscales. Implications for the design of training programs, and the skills that may need to be developed in technology learners to enable effective use of flexible delivery, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses the development and progress of the collaboration of the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association and Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand which celebrates its 10th year of partnership. Notable milestones achieved by the collaboration with focus on growing the Indigenous medical workforce are noted. The real progress in growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctor and medical student numbers which reflect the importance of partnership is also noted.

Presents a response to the comments by author Paul Duncun to the article "Visual Culture Studies versus Art Education," which appeared in the March/April 2003 issue of "Arts Education Policy Review." Reaction to Duncun's claim that he knew Monica Lewinsky; Comments on Duncun's explication of visual culture and material culture studies.