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Aim NICE guidance advocates 6 monthly CEA blood testing following curative colorectal resection. This usually takes place through face to face appointments with a phlebotomist, with associated monetary and resource cost to local services, as well as impacting on patient lives. This project piloted use of self-taken finger-prick blood tests in this patient population, to assess feasibility, patient perspectives and preferences. Methods During colorectal outpatient clinics, patients undergoing face to face CEA surveillance in primary care were offered postal finger-prick assessment. Recruitment stopped once 50 patients had been recruited. Recruited patients were sent finger-prick blood testing kits with pre-paid return packaging. Follow-up questionnaires were undertaken to assess patient perspectives and future preferences. Results 67.6% (50/74) of eligible patients agreed to participate. 76.0% (38/50) of patients successfully completed finger-prick CEA assessment. 46.8% (22/47) of patients felt they would prefer finger-prick rather than phlebotomy for future CEA testing, whilst 19.1% (9/47) had no preference. 38.3% (18/47) patients felt finger-prick testing was worse than their previous experience. No significant differences in preference existed between patients aged Conclusions Whilst some patients prefer finger-prick CEA assessment, there are significant numbers for whom it is challenging, unnecessary or less preferable. Finger-prick CEA testing may represent a future strategy for reducing burden of follow-up blood tests on resources, but this would currently be acceptable only to limited patient groups.

Since the 1990s, the majority of post-primary schools in Ireland have had an online presence. For many schools this is now a school website. Everyone involved in the school community will have some interaction with the school website, whether it is to check the school calendar or to read a school policy (Gilleece & Eivers, 2018; Lalchandani et al, 2022). However, for some, this task is much more difficult than for others (Orero & Quested, 2022).

The European Accessibility Act and the EU Directive on Web Accessibility require that the online experience be made more accessible and inclusive for everyone. Currently, the focus is primarily centered on websites and online services associated with the public sector. However, as these online products and services improve these same legal requirements are likely to also impact digital teaching and learning materials created for and by educators in the coming years. There are many online and on campus courses (accredited and unaccredited) available to help to guide and inform educators on the importance of using high quality digital materials that are truly accessible. Many courses also provide the instruction that is necessary in creating such digital resources. However, a “knowing-doing” gap still prevails. This article discusses the impact of the new regulations associated with the European Accessibility Act and the EU Directive on Web Accessibility for the education sector in Ireland and provides some recommendations on what can be done to address the “knowing-doing gap” and support faculty to create high quality digital teaching and learning materials.

Summary Background The longevity and durability of implant-based reconstruction is limited and many patients who develop complications seek alternative reconstruction. Recent studies have shown tertiary reconstruction with autologous tissue to be safe in the short term. But no study has looked in-depth at the motivation for seeking referral and its long-term outcome. Methods This was a retrospective study using patient case-notes and a prospectively-collated database. One hundred and fifteen patients underwent tertiary breast reconstruction with a Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap between 1998 and 2016. Results Mean age was 49 (23–67). The predominant initial reconstruction was expander (71%). Twenty nine percent received a definitive reconstruction (implant with acellular dermal matrix or pedicled latissimus dorsi). The proportion of patients who received post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) to their implant was 72%. Thirty four percent underwent surgical salvage prior to referral for autologous tissue and this was significantly higher in the group that did not receive PMRT (29% vs 40, p = 0.04). Predominant motivation for autologous reconstruction was poor cosmesis (62%) and/or grade III/IV capsular contracture (27%). Mean time from implant to DIEP was 4 years 5 months. Ten percent had complications requiring re-operation. Flap loss was 0.7%. Fifty five percent required an additional ipsilateral procedure and 47% required symmetrization. Median follow-up was 20-months (6-months to 7-years). Conclusions We present the largest UK series of tertiary breast reconstruction. Tertiary reconstruction is safe with a surgical outcome comparable to delayed autologous reconstruction. Patients with implant complications often had multiple failed attempts at salvage prior to referral. We advocate careful consideration of implants in the setting of PMRT and early referral for autologous tissue once complications become apparent.

non-peer-reviewed no abstract available

There are a multitude of methods of providing third level students with feedback on their performance. Feedback can take many forms, from handwritten comments, to individual verbal feedback delivered face to face, and some educators are providing recorded audio feedback delivered using an institutional Virtual Learning Environment. One of the challenges at third level is providing substantive and constructive formative and/or terminal feedback in a timely fashion. Students are becoming more self-directed in terms of their learning and they are becoming more demanding regarding feedback. This paper discusses the use of a free open source solution (Auto Multiple Choice, AMC) to provide constructive feedback to students in an effective and timely manner. This method of automated assessment feedback has been used by faculty in Physics at the University of Limerick to reduce the turnaround time in making comments available to students since 2014. The experience of using AMC has also resulted in a number of unanticipated results around student motivation and prediction of exam performance which are also discussed. Esplorare le possibilità di feedback automatizzato per gli studenti universitari. Esistono numerosi metodi per fornire feedback agli studenti universitari sulle loro prestazioni. Il feedback può assumere molte forme, dai commenti scritti a mano al feedback verbale individuale in presenza. Alcuni educatori forniscono feedback audio registrati usando un ambiente di apprendimento virtuale istituzionale. Una delle sfide universitarie consiste nel fornire un feedback formativo e/o finale in modo tempestivo. Gli studenti stanno diventando semore più “apprendisti” auto-diretti e stanno diventando sempre più esigenti in termini di feedback. Il contributo riflette sull’uso di un dispositivo gratuito open source (Auto Multiple Choice, AMC) per fornire feedback costruttivi agli studenti in modo efficace e tempestivo. Il metodo di feedback di valutazione automatizzato è stato utilizzato dalla facoltà di Fisica dell’Università di Limerick per ridurre i tempi di consegna dei commenti disponibili per gli studenti dal 2014. L’ utilizzo dell’AMC ha inoltre consentito di realizzare una serie di risultati imprevisti sulla motivazione degli studenti e sulla previsione delle prestazioni degli esami, discussi nel paper., Form@re - Open Journal per la formazione in rete, Vol. 19 No. 3 (2019): Interaction, Feedback and Active Learning: where we are and where we want to go

Research problem: Studies by the American Institute of Medicine and the European Health Literacy Survey describe considerable levels of either inadequate or problematic health literacy. This health literacy problem is intensified when frontline healthcare practitioners must rely on printed education materials to compensate for the lack of time to instruct patients about their health management. Applying plain-language guidelines to health promotion materials may increase their effectiveness, particularly for patients with low health literacy. Research questions: 1. In what ways have plain-language guidelines been applied in health information materials for patients with varying degrees of health literacy, according to recent studies? 2. Have studies found that materials that apply plain-language guidelines are effective in health information promotion? Methodology: This article presents the findings from an integrative literature review of research into the use of plain language to promote health literacy. The systematic review identified scholarly, evidence-based studies that included reference to the use of plain-language guidelines. This article describes the detailed selection process and characterizes the corpus of articles along four dimensions: objectives, methodology, plain-language guidelines used, and findings. Results and conclusions: The review identified 13 articles that explored the use of plain-language guidelines in health literacy promotion. Analysis of these articles demonstrates that plain-language guidelines could play a strategic role in educating patients. Use of plain language could help healthcare practitioners to communicate critical and sometimes very complex health information effectively.

peer-reviewed There is a significant movement towards digital learning internationally. However, policymaking in Ireland regarding the use of ICT in education, specifically second-level education, has been lacking. Students’ experience of technology at school varies hugely. The current debate has become device focussed rather than content focussed. This paper examines how the lack of clear policy by the Department of Education and Skills has led to resistance by many stakeholders in embedding the use of technology into schools, and particularly teaching and learning.

This article reports on the possibilities afforded by the availability of high-quality Open Educational Resources (OERs) for traditional Humanities subjects such as English. The OERs provided a rich multimedia environment that enabled students to explore a range of selected poems. This paper reports on the design, development and usability testing of OERs for the teaching of poetry at Junior Certificate level in Irish post-primary schools. The potential impact of such OERs is also addressed.

This paper focuses on the significant developments in the area of open education, in particular the role that Open Educational Repositories (OER) can play in higher education, teaching, learning and scholarship. The National Digital Learning Resources service (NDLR) in Ireland is presented as a case study of a best practice model for such an OER service.

There is a growing body of work advocating the use of open educational resources (OERs) to enhance teaching and learning across all sectors: primary, second level and third level (Boyle & Ravenscroft, 2012; Ljubojevic & Laurillard, 2011; Smith & Casserly, 2006). The role of OERs in the development and improvement of teaching skills is also growing. However, there are still barriers preventing teachers from integrating OERs into their classroom (Ertmer et al., 2007; Taylor, 2008; West & Victor, 2011). One possible solution to overcoming these barriers is raising awareness of ICT and recognising the potential of OERs either by placing an emphasis on them during accredited initial teacher education programmes or through continuing professional development programmes aimed at existing teachers. Both national and international repositories (JORUM, MERLOT, MIT Open Courseware) offer educators free access to high-quality teaching resources which have been designed and developed by educators for educators. Therefore, the OERs are primarily pedagogically driven and not driven solely by the available technology. The majority of these OERs in these repositories are also shared under an open creative commons license allowing equitable access to all. This chapter discusses why it is necessary to put a policy in place to actively advocate and promote the use of OERs at second level.