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This paper reports on the parental perspective on one school's implementation of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program to ensure students had access to a personalized computer. Often studies of one computer to one student (1:1) Programs focus on students and or teachers while parent compliance in the Program is assumed. Consequently, there is limited literature that explores parental perceptions and concerns, and subsequent decision-making process, in the implementation of a BYOD Program. The aim of this study was to document the parental voice in the implementation of one such BYOD program. This case study focused on one large co-educational school with 130 parents completing a questionnaire that provided both quantitative and qualitative responses. This enabled an exploration of the effect of the BYOD Program as reported by parents themselves, as well as the examination of a range of related issues, such as textbook use, the financial burden and choice of device. The findings provided insight, through the lens of the parents, into how the BYOD Program was deployed. Three trends emerged from the study: parents clearly expected some kind of trade-off in terms of expenditure, they clearly wanted reassurances that their investment was worthwhile and that the devices would be used for improving learning. Further research needs to be undertaken about parental perspectives, expectations, and concerns of BYOD Programs.

IntroductionSurgery is the primary treatment for resectable, non-metastatic recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We explore the safety and oncologic benefit of intraoperative Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy combined with salvage local and/or regional surgical resection.Methods and materialsFindings were reported from a single arm multi-institutional prospective phase 1/2 trial involving surgery plus Cs-131 (surgery + Cs-131) treatment. The results of two retrospective cohorts-surgery alone and surgery plus intensity modulated radiation therapy (surgery + ReIMRT)-were also described. Included patients had recurrent HNSCC and radiation history. Safety, tumor re-occurrence, and survival were evaluated.ResultsForty-nine patients were enrolled in the surgery + Cs-131 prospective study. Grade 1 to 3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 18 patients (37%), and grade 4 AEs occurred in 2 patients. Postoperative percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes were needed in 10 surgery + Cs-131 patients (20%), and wound and vascular complications were observed in 12 patients (24%). No cases of osteoradionecrosis were reported in the surgery + Cs-131 cohort. We found a 49% 2-year disease-free survival at the site of treatment with a substantial number of patients (31%) developing metastatic disease, which led to a 31% overall survival at 5 years.ConclusionsAmong patients with local/regional recurrent HNSCC status-post radiation, surgery + Cs-131 demonstrated acceptable safety with compelling oncologic outcomes, as compared to historic control cohorts.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifiers NCT02794675 and NCT02467738.

This paper reports on how the Digital Education Revolution (DER) funding enabled one school to transition from having shared computers amongst students to personalised one computer to one student ratio. The aim of this study was to explore how the unexpected funding impacted on the school and was the catalyst for change that affected many stakeholders including students, teachers and parents. Whilst this case study focused on one school, this school was typical of many other Australian secondary schools that did not have an already established 1:1 program prior to the funding. Teachers in the school were interviewed and their perspectives of the implementation of the 1:1 program were documented. The paper explored the school's computer situation prior, during and post funding to illustrate how funding had significant changes in practice both in many classrooms in the teaching and learning program, and professional staff learning.

Implementing successful one-to-one computer programs where all students have access to mobile devices throughout the school day requires major stakeholders such as students, teachers and parents to support the initiative. However, parents are often the silent stakeholder when 1:1 programs are initiated and there is limited literature that explores their expectations, perceptions and concerns. In this longitudinal study, based at one school, 121 parents were surveyed across four years using a mixed methodology. The data collected consisted of qualitative interview data and questionnaires to provide quantitative responses. This enabled an exploration of the effect of the 1:1 program as reported by parents themselves as well as the examination of a range of related issues, such as the use of the devices and issues about the implementation of the program. The findings provided insight, through the lens of the parents, into how the 1:1 program was deployed. Three trends emerged from the study: a lack of understanding by parents of how their child would learn "with" the device, their belief that the mobile devices did not assist the child to be motivated, and that the devices were a distraction both at school and at home. The paper concludes with recommendations for the successful implementation of a 1:1 program to alleviate parental concerns and ensure that they are an equal stakeholder in these program. Further research needs to be undertaken about parental perspectives, expectations and concerns of 1:1 programs.

This paper documents a study of the role of superintendents in fostering and enabling the growth of teacher leadership. It is presented in two parts. The First part was designed to study teacher leadership programs in select universities in Michigan in which professors of educational administration described the extent to which the concept of teacher leadership is included in administrative training programs at their universities. The second part of the study reviewed the perceptions of a select group of educators who had either been trained as teacher leaders (Galileo Academy) or were administrators in buildings with trained teacher leaders (Galileo Consortium) as to the role of superintendents in fostering this concept. The study used qualitative and quantitative measures, in survey form. This paper presents the preliminary data, which suggest that universities are beginning to include teacher leadership as a unit of study, and superintendents are seen as key figures in the transformation to utilizing teacher leadership.

This longitudinal study explores one secondary school's approach towards implementing a one computer to one student (1:1) program, which commenced in 2011. Prior to 2011, the school was not very technologically advanced, mainly due to financial constraints which impacted on infrastructure, procurement of hardware and software, the availability of computers to students and learning and teaching. This study considers the perceptions of student and teachers about the integration of the 1:1 program across the School. A mixed methodology was employed comprising qualitative interview data and questionnaires to provide quantitative responses. This enabled an exploration of the effect of the 1:1 program as reported by teachers and the students themselves, as well as the examination of a range of related issues, such as the use of the devices, as well as issues about the implementation of the program. The findings are presented in a thematic style and provide insight into how the 1:1 program was deployed each year through the lens of students and teachers. The paper concludes with recommendations for the successful implementation of a 1:1 program.

Educators, government bodies and employers have acknowledged the need for modern learners to acquire 21st century skills using information and communication technologies, to personalise student learning. Students need broader skills than the 3Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic) to operate in the 21st century. These broader skills known as the 4Cs include: creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking. The use of information and communication technologies is crucial in developing the 4Cs in conjunction with understanding how learning takes place. However, simply using technology does not guarantee that deep learning will occur. The use of technology needs to align and adapt with our knowledge of learning to be able to operate in a transformative space. This paper is designed to link the understandings of deep learning, 21st century skills and appropriate use of information and communication technologies to provide direction to educators who wish to lead in a technological environment of change.

This article integrates the research about professional learning communities (PLCs) with research about second-order change for the purposes of reviewing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that administrators need to transform their schools into learning communities. As such, this article describes the components of PLCs and addresses the issues and challenges that confront administrators leading efforts to change the culture of the school to advocate for the success of every student. Finally, the article gives suggestions for university preparation programs in educational leadership.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are places where teachers work with intentionality to improve their own craft for the benefit of students. Teachers and administrators study collaboratively and analyze student learning results to improve academic achievement for all students. Administrators working to implement PLCs seek to expand leadership roles for teachers. They protect time needed for the deep reflection about learning results and their causes. They encourage and expect that teachers begin to collaborate by sharing and studying best educational practice. Superintendents are the conductors of the district orchestra, inspiring movement and alignment of all the forces within the school system. A systems approach is essential in the guidance of a school system. Where and how does this journey begin? What are the insights and wisdom from systems thinking that can assist superintendents in implementing PLCs in their districts? Senge's landmark book, "The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization" (2004), has some advice that can be applied to the challenges of creating PLCs. Senge places a high value on understanding the history or the patterns that happen in organizations; he calls these the "laws" of systems thinking. This article explores the relationship of these insights to the successful development of PLCs.

Summary: In the past, bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) occurred most commonly after thyroidectomy. However, no large series documenting the etiology of adult BVFI has been published within the past [...]

The antihypertensive drug losartan can slow the progression of kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, according to a study of 1,513 patients. This drug belongs to a new class of drugs called angiotensin II-receptor blockers.