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This study investigated selected problem areas in student teaching experienced by teachers of academic and nonacademic subjects. The Student Teacher Problems Inventory (STPI) was administered to 270 secondary education student teachers in the last week of their student teaching experience. The mean scores for each of the problem areas were compared and an analysis of variance revealed significant differences in the scores. Results showed that language arts and social science teachers consistently had more difficulty in certain problem areas than industrial arts and physical education teachers. Mathematics and foreign language teachers sometimes experienced more difficulty than the nonacademic teachers. Specific problem areas were discussed. (The report includes the STPI and two tables of statistical data.) (Author/BRB)

This document reports on a study that assessed the attitude of pre- and post-student teachers toward individualizing instruction. The subjects were 110 secondary school student teachers. The research instrument was the individualized Instruction Inventory, designed to provide a total individualization score and reveal attitudes toward individualizing instruction in four specific areas: a) intra-class grouping; b) variety of materials; c) student autonomy; d) differentiating assignments. The study included the following findings: student teachers were more positive in their attitude toward individualized instruction before student teaching than they were after student teaching; both pre- and post-student teaching females were more positive in their attitudes towards individualized instruction than were pre- and post-student teaching males. The authors suggest that part of the difficulty may be attributed to the cooperating teacher, who may have minimized the importance of individualizing instruction through both his attitude and classroom activity. A more careful selection of cooperating teachers is recommended and special efforts should be made in teacher preparation programs to educate males in the theory, philosophy, methods, and techniques of individualizing instruction. (JA)

Objective: Vaccinations in Australia are reportable to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Following major immunisation policy initiatives, the New South Wales (NSW) Public Health Network undertook an audit to estimate true immunisation coverage of NSW children at one year of age, and explore reasons associated with under‐reporting. Methods: Cross‐sectional survey examining AIR immunisation records of a stratified random sample of 491 NSW children aged 12≤15 months at 30 September 2017 who were >30 days overdue for immunisation. Survey data were analysed using population weights. Results: Estimated true coverage of fully vaccinated one‐year‐old children in NSW is 96.2% (CI:95.9‐96.4), 2.1% higher than AIR reported coverage of 94.1%. Of the children reported as overdue on AIR, 34.9% (CI:30.9‐38.9) were actually fully vaccinated. No significant association was found between under‐reporting and socioeconomic status, rurality or reported local coverage level. Data errors in AIR uploading (at provider level) and duplicate records contributed to incorrect AIR coverage recording. Conclusions: Despite incentives to record childhood vaccinations on AIR, under‐reporting continues to be an important contributor to underestimation of true coverage in NSW. Implications for public health: More reliable transmission of encounters to AIR at provider level and removal of duplicates would improve accuracy of reported coverage.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) updated recommendations on the use of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in the Australian Immunisation Handbook in 2018, regarding the use of the recently available 9-valent (9vHPV) vaccine, Gardasil 9, and a 2-dose schedule for young adolescents for HPV vaccines. This report provides an overview of the relevant scientific evidence that underpinned these updated recommendations. The 9vHPV vaccine includes 5 HPV types (HPV 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58) additional to the 4 that are also covered by the 4vHPV (Gardasil) vaccine (HPV 6,11,16,18). Accordingly, the 9vHPV vaccine is expected to prevent an additional 15% of cervical cancers and up to 20% of other HPV-related cancers. Non-inferior antibody responses after two 9vHPV vaccine doses given 6–12 months apart in girls and boys aged 9–14 years compared to women aged 16–26 years after three doses support the 2-dose schedule for adolescents of this age group. In clinical trials 9vHPV vaccine was well-tolerated with a similar safety profile to 4vHPV vaccine. The switch to 9vHPV vaccine and a 2-dose schedule is anticipated to improve public acceptability of the program and reduce HPV-related disease in the long-term.

Background An online education programme was developed to support midwives and maternity staff to implement the New South Wales antenatal pertussis vaccination programme from March 2015. Aims To determine if an educational programme met the needs of midwives and maternity staff to conduct an immunisation appointment confidently with a pregnant woman. Methods Pre- and post-surveys were conducted with learners completing the programme. Findings Before completing the programme, 57% of respondents reported feeling ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ in conducting a vaccination encounter with a pregnant woman. This increased to 94.1% after completion of the programme. Conclusion The education programme met the needs of midwives and maternity staff in New South Wales. An informed and confident maternity workforce will increase vaccine uptake in pregnant women and ensure that pertussis vaccination is incorporated consistently into routine antenatal care, to protect vulnerable infants from life-threatening diseases such as pertussis and influenza.

Objectives To assess vaccination coverage and timeliness among Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in New South Wales and the rest of Australia, with a particular focus on changes in the vaccination coverage gaps after the introduction of the Aboriginal Immunisation Healthcare Worker (AIHCW) Program in NSW in 2012. Design Cross-sectional analysis of Australian Immunisation Register data (2008-2016). Main outcome measures Annual estimates of full vaccination coverage at 9, 15 and 51 months of age for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in NSW and the rest of Australia; differences in coverage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children at each milestone. Results The proportion of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children classified as fully vaccinated at 9, 15, and 51 months increased significantly in both NSW and the rest of Australia after the introduction of the AIHCW Program. The mean annual difference in full vaccination coverage between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in NSW aged 9 months declined from 6.6 (95% CI, 5.2-8.0) during 2008-2011 to 3.7 percentage points (95% CI, 2.5-4.8) during 2012-2016; for those aged 15 months it declined from 4.6 (95% CI, 3.1-6.0) to 2.2 percentage points (95% CI, 1.0-3.4), and for those aged 51 months it declined from 8.5 (95% CI, 7.2-9.8) to 0.6 percentage points (95% CI, -0.6 to 1.8). Reductions in the differences in coverage were not as marked in the rest of Australia. In 2016, there was no statistically significant difference in coverage at any of the three milestones in NSW: at 9 months the difference was 1.6 percentage points (95% CI, -1.0 to 4.1); at 15 months, 0.4 percentage points (95% CI, -2.2 to 2.9); and at 51 months, -1.8 percentage points (95% CI, -4.4 to 0.8). Conclusion Our findings suggest that a dedicated program can help overcome barriers to timely vaccination and significantly improve timely vaccination rates in Indigenous Australian children.

Problem Typically there is limited opportunity for stakeholder engagement to determine service delivery gaps when implementing an outbreak or supplementary vaccination program. Background In response to increasing pertussis notifications in NSW, Australia, an antenatal pertussis vaccination program was introduced offering pertussis containing vaccine to all pregnant women in the third trimester. Aim To explore the effectiveness of consulting with midwives prior to and during a new state-wide vaccination program. Methods A pre-program needs analysis was conducted through an online audit of the NSW Clinical Midwifery Consultants followed by a post-implementation audit at 18 months. Findings Information received from the midwives was utilised during program planning which facilitated program implementation without any major issues in all Local Health Districts. The post-implementation audit provided feedback to program planners that that implementation was continuing consistently and Midwives were found to be very supportive and engaged. Discussion Education and support of clinicians is vital for high vaccine uptake in new vaccination programs which can be enabled through appropriate educational packages and program resources. Conclusion Consulting with the midwives in advance of a new vaccination program was a new initiative and highly recommended as it was time well spent gaining essential information on program resourcing and operational needs. Conducting a post-implementation audit is also strongly recommended as a check-point for issues and recommendations, to empower frontline staff and support consistent program implementation. Frontline staff engagement before and during implementation of a new vaccination program is a powerful mechanism for effective, efficient and consistent program delivery.

Rankings of the importance of five competency areas (classroom instruction, human relations, planning, evaluation, and professionalism) deemed necessary for supervising teachers were obtained from university faculty members, public school placement directors, school principals, and teachers. (Author/NQ)

The purpose of this article is to use the vehicle of a controversial issue--abortion--as a means of illustrating the advantages of teaching such issues through a problem-solving method. Discussion ideas and resources are presented. (Author/JR)

Pre- and post-student teaching scores of student teachers in secondary education were compared in terms of a continuum of humanistic to custodial ideology of pupil control. It was found that student teachers became significantly more custodial after student teaching and that males were more custodial than females both before and after student teaching. (JC)

Two approaches to teaching the same unit of study are described. The author favors the approach that allows for student involvement and student-centered teaching. (Author/DS)