The implementation of a literacy intervention 'Station Teaching' in infant classes in Irish primary schools

Background: I conducted my research in the context of The National Literacy Strategy (DES, 2011), which maintains that every young person should be literate and it outlines targets for improving literacy in schools from 2011 to 2020. There has been much debate on the teaching of literacy and in particular the teaching of reading. Clark (2014) outlines how learning to read should be a developmental language process and that the approaches in the early years of schooling will colour the children’s motivation and their perception of reading as a purposeful activity. The acquisition of literacy begins in the home but this study focuses on the implementation of a literacy intervention Station Teaching in the infant classes in primary school. Station Teaching occurs when a class is divided into four or five small groups of pupils and they receive intensive tuition at four or five different Stations with the help of Support teachers: New Reading, Familiar Reading, Phonics, Writing and Oral Language. Research Questions: These research questions frame my study: How is Station Teaching implemented? What is the experience of the intervention Station Teaching from the participants’ point of view: teachers, pupils, parents? What notion of literacy is Station Teaching facilitating? Methods: I chose a pragmatic parallel mixed methods design as suggested by Mertens (2010). I collected and analysed both the quantitative and qualitative data to answer the study’s research questions. In the study the quantitative data were collected from a questionnaire issued to 21 schools in Ireland. I used Excel as a data management package and thematic analysis to analyse and present the data in themes. I collected qualitative data from a case study in a school. This data included observations of two classes over a period of a year; interviews with teachers, pupils and parents; children’s drawings, photographs, teachers’ diaries and video evidence. I analysed and presented the evidence from the qualitative data in themes. Main Findings: There are many skills and strategies that are essential to effective literacy teaching in the early years including phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and writing. These skills can be taught during Station Teaching. Early intervention in the early years is essential to pupils’ acquisition of literacy. The expertise of the teacher is key to improving the literacy achievement of pupils Teachers and pupils enjoy participating in ST. Pupils are motivated to read and engage in meaningful activities during ST. Staff collaboration is vital for ST to succeed ST facilitates small group work and teachers can differentiate accordingly while including all pupils in the groups. Pupils’ learning is extended in ST but extension activities need to be addressed in the Writing Station. More training should be provided for teachers on the implementation of ST and more funding for resources should be available to schools Significant contribution of the work: The main significance of the study includes: insights into the classroom implementation of Station Teaching in infant classes and extensive research into characteristics of an effective teacher of literacy.

University Teaching of entrepreneurship: a practitioner's analysis

This is a practitioner doctorate aimed at both Universities about to introduce Entrepreneurship as a subject and practitioners who may be turning to teaching what they know building on their business experience. In this Portfolio the transition from Entrepreneur to Lecturer in Entrepreneurship is explored and several approaches were used to support the transition. A Professional Development Memoir offers a review of the life of an entrepreneur through the lens of Meaning Making Systems in order to bring clarity to the theories used by the Entrepreneur implicitly in his practice. Reflecting on these theories offers insight as to how the entrepreneur perceived and acted on market opportunities. Imparting some of the knowledge accumulated from practice is one goal in teaching. Economics and pedagogical theories were identified, researched and applied to inform the structure, design and delivery of a module in Entrepreneurship within a post graduate programme that focussed on business practice. Theories of Entrepreneurship grounded in Economics indicate the importance of this business function within the broad Economic System for economic development. The role of theory is to offer students ways of organising how they think about entrepreneurship. Gardner’s Teaching for Understanding framework is used to bring structure to the development of the module. Several leading exemplars on the teaching of Entrepreneurship are attended to offer a context both for the content of the Module and its subsequent implementation within a framework of best practice in the teaching of Entrepreneurship. The practical running of a business by the students as a central element of the Module provided a deep and valuable learning experience allowing them to experience Entrepreneurship in a real way for themselves.

Ultrasound imaging in teaching cardiac physiology

This laboratory session provides hands-on experience for students to visualize the beating human heart with ultrasound imaging. Simple views are obtained from which students can directly measure important cardiac dimensions in systole and diastole. This allows students to derive, from first principles, important measures of cardiac function, such as stroke volume, ejection fraction, and cardiac output. By repeating the measurements from a subject after a brief exercise period, an increase in stroke volume and ejection fraction are easily demonstrable, potentially with or without an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume (which indicates preload). Thus, factors that affect cardiac performance can readily be discussed. This activity may be performed as a practical demonstration and visualized using an overhead projector or networked computers, concentrating on using the ultrasound images to teach basic physiological principles. This has proved to be highly popular with students, who reported a significant improvement in their understanding of Frank-Starling's law of the heart with ultrasound imaging.

Addressing the theory practice gap in nurse education: evaluating teaching through audit against NMC standards and final management placement

Introduction
This paper outlines an innovative approach to auditing and evaluating the content of a management and leadership module for undergraduate nursing students after their final management clinical placement. Normally evaluations of teaching in a module take place at the end of a teaching module and therefore do not properly reflect the value of the teaching in relation to practical clinical experience.
Aim
This audit and evaluation sought to explore both the practical value of the teaching and learning, and also the degree to which it the teaching reflected against the NMC Standards of Education and Learning (2010 domain 3).
Methods
Having piloted the evaluative tool with an earlier cohort of nursing students, this evaluation explored both a quantitative assessment employing a Personal Response System (n =172), together with a qualitative dimension (n=116), thus delivering paper-based comments and reflections from students on the value and practicality of the module teaching theory to their final clinical management experience. The quantitative audit data were analysed for frequencies and cross tabulation and the qualitative audit data were thematically analysed.
Results
Results suggest a significant proportion of the students, appreciated the quality of the standard of teaching, but more importantly, ‘valued or highly valued’ the teaching and learning in relation to how it helped to significantly inform their management placement experience. A smaller proportion of the students underlined limitations and areas in which further improvement can be made in teaching and learning to the module.
Conclusion
Significantly positive evaluation by the students of the practical value of teaching and learning, to the theoretical management module. This has proved a useful auditing approach in assessing the theoretical teaching to student’s Level 3 clinical experience, and facilitated significant recommendations as far as developing the teaching and learning to better reflect the practice needs of nursing students

The Evolution of 'Design Build Fly' Led Teaching in Aerospace Engineering

This paper describes the evolution of a ‘Design - Build-Fly’ (DBF) approach to the delivery and assessment of a Stage Three Aircraft Design module. It focuses on the primary learning outcomes around the design and manufacturing functions associated with the development of a remotely controlled aircraft. The work covers a six year period from 2011 to present mapping the transformation of the module from report based assessment to a more hands on approach resulting in a fully functioning remotely controlled aircraft. Results show that both the staff and student experience improved across key performance metrics including student feedback, learning and competency development. Challenges still remain in methods of placing students within teams and maintaining technical rigour in reporting as students develop vocational skills and more reflective writing styles.

The Impact of Student Response Systems on the Learning Experience of Undergraduate Psychology Students

Student response systems (SRS) are hand-held devices or mobile phone polling systems which collate real-time, individual responses to on-screen questions. Previous research examining their role in higher education has highlighted both advantages and disadvantages of their use. This paper explores how different SRS influence the learning experience of psychology students across different levels of their programme. Across two studies, first year students’ experience of using Turningpoint clickers and second year students’ experience of using Poll Everywhere was investigated. Evaluations of both studies revealed that SRS has a number of positive impacts on learning, including enhanced engagement, active learning, peer interaction, and formative feedback. Technical and practical issues emerged as consistent barriers to the use of SRS. Discussion of these findings and the authors’ collective experiences of these technologies are used to provide insight into the way in which SRS can be effectively integrated within undergraduate psychology programmes.

Understanding the Patient Experience Through the Power of Film: a Mixed Method Qualitative Research Study

Background For decades film has proved to be a powerful form of communication. Whether produced as entertainment, art or documentary, films have the capacity to inform and move us. Films are a highly attractive teaching instrument and an appropriate teaching method in health education. It is a valuable tool for studying situations most transcendental to human beings such as pain, disease and death. Objectives The objectives were to determine how this helps students engage with their role as health care professionals; to determine how they view the personal experience of illness, disease, disability or death; and to determine how this may impact upon their provision of patient care. Design, Setting and Participants The project was underpinned by the film selection determined by considerate review, intensive scrutiny, contemplation and discourse by the research team. 7 films were selected, ranging from animation; foreign, documentary, biopic and Hollywood drama. Each film was shown discretely, in an acoustic lecture theatre projected onto a large screen to pre-registration student nurses (adult, child and mental health) across each year of study from different cohorts (n = 49). Method A mixed qualitative method approach consisted of audio-recorded 5-minute reactions post film screening; coded questionnaires; and focus group. Findings were drawn from the impact of the films through thematic analysis of data sets and subjective text condensation categorised as: new insights looking through patient eyes; evoking emotion in student nurses; spiritual care; going to the moves to learn about the patient experience; self discovery through films; using films to link theory to practice. Results Deeper learning through film as a powerful medium was identified in meeting the objectives of the study. Integration of film into pre registration curriculum, pedagogy, teaching and learning is recommended. Conclusion The teaching potential of film stems from the visual process linked to human emotion and experience. Its impact has the power to not only help in learning the values that underpin nursing, but also for respecting the patient experience of disease, disability, death and its reality.

Music teacher biography and its impact on teaching practice

This paper describes research carried out as part of a wider doctoral study on ‘the biography of music teachers, their understanding of musicality and the implications for secondary music education’. Music teachers will come from a range of diverse backgrounds, though research data would suggest that most seem to have been educated as ‘classical’ music performers which will have an affect on what they perceive to be central competencies in the development of young musicians. In turn, this will determine, to some extent, what is taught and learned in the secondary music classroom. This study explores the impact of the biography of secondary music teachers as they seek to develop the musicianship of their pupils and present the activities in which the young people will be expected to participate. A mixed methods approach has been taken, including surveys, observation and interviews. Surveys amongst a sample of experienced and trainee teachers have produced a range of quantitative data on respondents’ experience of and values related to music education; whilst qualitative data in the form of lesson observation notes and transcription of semi-structured interviews have been the result of working with a small sub-set of participants. The outcomes of study have suggested a clear link between biography and classroom practice but that there are also other potential tensions which arise, such as in the subject knowledge development of practitioners as they move from musician to teacher. Implications for a variety of stakeholders in secondary music education include a consideration of the development of subject knowledge together with potential review of national and local education policy, the nature of undergraduate music study and the ‘shape’ of initial teacher training in England.

Mental health nurses’ attitudes, behaviour, experience and knowledge regarding adults with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder: systematic, integrative literature review

Aims and objectives To establish whether mental health nurses responses to people with borderline personality disorder are problematic and, if so, to inform solutions to support change. Background There is some evidence that people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder are unpopular among mental health nurses who respond to them in ways which could be counter-therapeutic. Interventions to improve nurses’ attitudes have had limited success. Design Systematic, integrative literature review. Methods Computerised databases were searched from inception to April 2015 for papers describing primary research focused on mental health nurses’ attitudes, behaviour, experience, and knowledge regarding adults diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Analysis of qualitative studies employed metasynthesis; analysis of quantitative studies was informed by the theory of planned behaviour. Results Forty studies were included. Only one used direct observation of clinical practice. Nurses’ knowledge and experiences vary widely. They find the group very challenging to work with, report having many training needs, and, objectively, their attitudes are poorer than other professionals’ and poorer than towards other diagnostic groups. Nurses say they need a coherent therapeutic framework to guide their practice, and their experience of caregiving seems improved where this exists. Conclusions Mental health nurses’ responses to people with borderline personality disorder are sometimes counter-therapeutic. As interventions to change them have had limited success there is a need for fresh thinking. Observational research to better understand the link between attitudes and clinical practice is required. Evidence-based education about borderline personality disorder is necessary, but developing nurses to lead in the design, implementation and teaching of coherent therapeutic frameworks may have greater benefits. Relevance to clinical practice There should be greater focus on development and implementation of a team-wide approach, with nurses as equal partners, when working with patients with borderline personality disorder.

From crime to court - an experience report of a digital forensics group project module.

This paper discusses the large-scale group project undertaken by BSc Hons Digital Forensics students at Abertay University in their penultimate year. The philosophy of the project is to expose students to the full digital crime "life cycle", from commission through investigation, preparation of formal court report and finally, to prosecution in court. In addition, the project is novel in two aspects; the "crimes" are committed by students, and the moot court proceedings, where students appear as expert witnesses for the prosecution, are led by law students acting as counsels for the prosecution and defence. To support students, assessments are staged across both semesters with staff feedback provided at critical points. Feedback from students is very positive, highlighting particularly the experience of engaging with the law students and culminating in the realistic moot court, including a challenging cross-examination. Students also commented on the usefulness of the final debrief, where the whole process and the student experience is discussed in an informal plenary meeting between DF students and staff, providing an opportunity for the perpetrators and investigators to discuss details of the "crimes", and enabling all groups to learn from all crimes and investigations. We conclude with a reflection on the challenges encountered and a discussion of planned changes.

Teaching by chat

This paper discusses some didactical aspects of chat usage for instructional purposes. Areas covered range from the choice of course type and student group for using chats, to the preparation and moderation of chats, and discussing how to manage both troublemaking students and systems. In February 1998 I was the chair of a committee at my previous university that was authoring a recommendation list about the Internet to the president of the school. One of our recommendations was to eliminate the IRC server (Internet Relay Chat), since it was only causing traffic and was just being used for games. We stated that we could not envision a use for chatting either for research or for instructional purposes. Five years later here I am: teaching 4 of my 5 courses by way of chat. There has been an enormous growth in the use of chat-based instruction, but also quite a lot of problems encountered. Much of the available literature addresses technical problems, or discusses chats from an educational psychology perspective. This paper will address ten of the didactical issues in chat-based instruction, summarizing the experiences that I have made in many years of chat experience (DIPF/Orig.)

Humor in mathematics teaching

HUMOR: OUR VIEW FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHING Our assumptions and context. Process humor and be able to produce is clearly a sign of intelligence, revealing, when done well, complex reasoning. Humor has an important social role, assuming as a cognitive experience that as well as creating a sense of well-being, predisposes people to work and can improve the productivity of that work. Mathematics is a discipline in which the reasoning occupies a very prominent place, both as a science as a school area. At the same time, students' interest for mathematics is not always the same and some have initially not very favorable feelings (Toh, 2009; Wanzer, Frymier & Irwin, 2010). Recent curriculum changes to the teaching of mathematics have been, in most countries of the world, showing the need for students to develop skills of critical nature, such as communication, thinking and problem solving along with the acquisition of mathematical knowledge. Also in Portugal, it is claimed the importance of promoting learning that combine the construction of mathematical knowledge with its use, when performing mathematical tasks and communicating mathematical ideas and mathematical reasoning. In the early years of schooling, corresponding to primary education in many countries, the use of texts such as short stories or comics, from which we can develop challenging mathematical tasks, is reported in the literature as having potential to promote learning specified in curricular documents (Wanzer, Frymier., & Irwin, 2010). In particular, some texts focus on mathematical topics in a humorous way and to be understood, students must develop their mathematical competence. The development of mathematical tasks from stories and other humorous presents big challenges to teachers (Flores & Moreno, 2011). Our questions. In this context, we put some questions: Primary teachers use in their classes tasks or situations that present, in a humorous way, mathematical ideas? What resources do they use? Also: How to select, adapt or build texts and tasks which have, in a humorous way, mathematical ideas with didactic potential for education in the early years of schooling? If the resources for this purpose have been produced and if teachers have been sensitized for their use, are they able to integrate them in their classes? Our intentions. This research project seeks to address these questions, focused on: (i ) assessment of teachers’ practices and underlying knowledge, resources available for the use of texts with mathematical ideas presented in a humorous way; (ii) selection, adaptation and construction of mathematical tasks from texts that present, in a humorous way, mathematical ideas with didactic potential in education for the early years of schooling; and ( iii ) integration and use, by primary school teachers, of texts that present , in a humorous way, contexts for the teaching of mathematics. So, the project is organized into three tasks and as a methodological design that combines qualitative elements with quantitative elements, the first one prevailing.

Geography, History and Natural Sciences: an interdisciplinary teaching approach with GIS

Geographic Information System (GIS) is a technology that deals with location to support better representations and decision making. It has a long tradition in several planning areas, such as urbanism, environment, riskiness, transportation, archeology or tourism. In academics context higher education has followed that evolution. Despite of their potentialities in education, GIS technologies at the elementary and secondary have been underused. Empowering graduates to learn with GIS and to manipulate spatial data can effectively facilitate the teaching of critical thinking. Likewise it has been recognized that GIS tools can be incorporated as an interdisciplinary pedagogical tool. Nevertheless more practical examples on how GIS tools can enhance teaching and learning process, namely to promote interdisciplinary approaches. The proposed paper presents some results obtained from the project “Each thing in its place: the science in time and space”. This project results from the effort of three professors of Geography, History and Natural Sciences in the context of Didactics of World Knowledge curricular unit to enhance interdisciplinarity through Geographic Information Technologies (GIT). Implemented during the last three years this action-research project developed the research practice using GIS to create an interdisciplinary attitude in the future primary education teachers. More than teaching GIS the authors were focused on teaching with GIS to create an integrated vision where spatial data representation linked the space, the time and natural sciences. Accumulated experience reveals that those technologies can motivate students to learn and facilitating teacher’s interdisciplinary work.

Histologic response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma: experience from Sudan.

Background: Locally advanced rectal cancer can be down staged by neoadjuvant therapy and the resultant tumor response can be quantified histologically. This study aimed to assess pathological response of neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced rectal cancers treated in Wad Medani Teaching Hospital (WMTH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI), Wad Medani, Sudan. Patients and Methods: A total of 36 consecutive patients with locally advanced rectal cancer that were managed in WMTH and NCI during the period from 2006-2011 were reviewed. Preoperative pelvic radiotherapy was delivered. Total of 46 Gray were delivered concurrently with 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) on the first and last week of radiation. Total mesorectal excision of the rectal tumour either by anterior or abdominoperineal resections was planned at 6-8 weeks from completion of preoperative treatment. The pathological response to therapy was assessed by histopathology examination of the surgical specimen. Results: Initial clinical staging of patients revealed 58.3% of them were stage T3/T4N2M0 and 41.7% were stage T3N0M0. Down-staging to stage T1/T2N0M0 was found in 36.1% and stage T3N0M0 in 30.6%. No response was seen in 8.3% of cases with stage T3/T4N2M0 while complete clinical response (no residual) was seen in 25.0%. Complete histological response was observed in 13.8%. Positive lymph-nodes metastasis was confirmed in 8.3% of cases. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation is a reasonable option for cases of rectal cancer and deserves further evaluation.