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Parker Palmer (2003) describes an activity in the book "Teaching" where he asks people to introduce themselves by talking about a teacher who made a difference in their lives. He suggests that as the stories are told, the imprint of good teachers remains long after the facts that they have given us have faded. He goes on to say, "Then I ask the question that opens the deeper purpose…'What was it about you that allowed great mentoring to happen (Palmer, 2004, p. 14)?'" Palmer suggests that it is more than meeting the right teacher; the teacher must meet the right student. As I read Palmer's chapter on "The Heart of a Teacher," I began to consider his questions and to think about an educator who had made a significant difference in my life. His second question was more difficult--what was it about me that made the positive connection with this educator?

A provincial initiative to encourage interprofessional education and research resulted in the implementation of three interprofessional PBL (iPBL) modules at the University of Saskatchewan. The ambitious target of 1200 student iPBL experiences over three years presented a substantial teaching development challenge. Training incorporated many of the elements of effective workshops recommended in the literature. One effective feature of the tutor training program was a tutor support program offered both before and after the actual iPBL tutorial sessions. All three sources of evaluation data indicated that the iPBL tutor training was effective: participant satisfaction, student evaluations of tutors, and tutor self-assessments. (Contains 5 tables.)

Background: This paper aimed to describe the modification, translation, and psychometric testing of the Arabic version of the Belongingness Scale-Clinical Placement Experience (BES-CPE). Methods: This study included the following phases: modification of the original BES-CPE based on the qualitative findings from a previous study; translation and back-translation of the scale; evaluation of the content validity by experts from Saudi Arabia; evaluation of the internal consistency reliability; and other psychometric properties of the Arabic BES-CPE. Result: The results demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. The Cronbach' s alpha ranged from 0.68 to 0.92. Conclusion: The Arabic BES-CPE is a promising tool that can be used to assess Saudi nursing students' sense of belonging. However, testing the tool with other undergraduate nursing students in a different context is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author presents a personal narrative on Great Depression and farming communities of Saskatchewan.

It is recognized that community development efforts are often impacted and subjected to the realities of a range of inequities. In the slums of Kibera, Kenya, the challenges of gender inequities amongst young men and women were considered using a participatory diagramming approach. Such a critical technique rigorously delayers the contexts and issues which create, embed, and sustain the inequities. This research used four diagrams in an effort to fully explore and reveal the issues, increase awareness of the social injustices, and probe for desired actions towards the preferred futures for the 49 youth participants involved in the study. The key learnings from the participants included their understanding that social status and roles were highly influenced by age, gender, marital status, and ethnicity. These participants felt that, with the exception of marital status, these factors were outside of their control, which limited their ability to change the structures and situations in which they lived. Further, the participants acknowledged the differential for risks for poverty, health, employment, and social status across genders. They clearly articulated systemic barriers such as resource ownership, inheritance, and entitlements which clearly disempowered women. A clear distinction across genders was in the perception of political will, in which women felt that the government was bringing people together whereas their male counterparts felt the government was ineffectual and perpetuated the inequalities. The participants strongly articulate the need for visibility and voice in the political context in order to affect social change. It is through education and training that these individuals felt they could overcome the inequities they experience and contribute fully to their families, communities, and nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A team comprised of members from Regina Métis Sports and Culture Centre (RMSCC), First Nations University of Canada, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, and University of Saskatchewan have established a community-based participatory research relationship. This article reflects on the early formation and capacity building of the RMSCC. It will provide an overview of the community, the project intent, and findings of a series of public consultations. It will also highlight the ongoing efforts to build capacity and share knowledge across community, provider, and academic sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personal narrative is presented which relates the author's experience in as a graduate student in a Masters of Education degree summer course where the educator had embraced an instructional strategy of teaching that engages students in the process.

In an attempt to address the shortage of northern and, particularly, Aboriginal healthcare providers, northern Canada educational institutions have been researching solutions for self-paced study with up-to-date information for remote students. Current statistics show that nearly 12 million Canadians live in northern provinces and territories. A pilot PDA program initiated and implemented in northern British Columbia and Saskatchewan is expected to enhance northern nursing education, attract and recruit regional nursing students and provide better patient outcome.

The Southern Saskatchewan/Urban Aboriginal Health Coalition is an interdisciplinary, intersectoral team of researchers and communities dedicated to exploring culturally respectful care in Aboriginal communities. Through a community-based research approach, the communities and the Coalition used sharing circles to determine the key elements that 2 Saskatchewan Aboriginal communities see as requisite for culturally competent care. Through triangulation and thematic analysis, 9 initial themes and 4 broad thematic groupings were derived. The lessons from this study could inform further research with these communities and other culturally diverse groups with respect to cultural competency in terms of both health-care providers and health services.