Resilient internet connectivity at Myerscough College

Myerscough College, a land-based further and higher education college in the north west, is one of the approximately 160 further education colleges in England to take additional connections to Jisc’s Janet network. Ian Brown, director of IT and MIS at the college, talks to us about why they’ve taken an extra four connections.

Análise estratificada da atenção à saúde na prevenção secundária da doença coronariana

Trata-se de estudo transversal sem modelo de intervenção, que tem como objeto a atenção à saúde na prevenção secundária da doença coronariana a pacientes com ou sem tratamento ambulatorial especializado. O objetivo primário foi: Avaliar se há diferença na atenção à saúde entre pacientes portadores de doença arterial coronariana em sua forma aguda ou crônica com ou sem acompanhamento ambulatorial especializado. Os objetivos secundários foram: a) apresentar o perfil de cada grupo de pacientes a partir de dados sócio-demográficos e econômicos; b) descrever as característica clínicas dos pacientes e identificar a que fatores de risco cada grupo de pacientes está exposto; c) descrever a regularidade na utilização de medicamentos e como se dá o acesso à mesma; d) identificar o tipo e principais dificuldades enfrentadas pelo paciente para seguir o tratamento. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado formulário desenvolvido e previamente testado para atender os objetivos propostos para o estudo, além de informações coletadas diretamente do prontuário do paciente. A coleta de dados foi realizada em três unidades públicas de saúde localizadas no município do Rio de Janeiro. A amostra selecionada foi composta por 112 pacientes divididos igualmente entre os dois grupos existentes na pesquisa. Os dados foram transcritos para planilha do programa Statistic Package for the Social Science e análise realizada através dos testes estatísticos de diferença entre proporção, odds-ratio e qui-quadrado. Quanto ao perfil sócio-demográfico e econômico verificou-se diferença estatística significativa quanto ao grau de instrução entre os grupos I e II, com predomínio de pacientes de nível fundamental incompleto para o grupo I e médio completo no grupo II (p=0,0434), foi também verificada diferença significativa entre os grupos relacionada ao rendimento mensal, embora o maior percentual encontrado em ambos os grupos tenha sido observado na faixa de dois salários mínimos, uma vez que o grupo II apresentou maior concentração de renda entre a faixa de dois a três salários mínimos (p=0,0044). Ao que se refere aos fatores de risco para doença coronariana, observou-se diferença estatística entre os grupos para a variável tabagismo (p= 0,0001) e sedentarismo (p=0,0025). Verificou-se para pacientes do grupo I valor estatístico significativo quanto a regularidade em utilizar medicamentos (p=0,0010). Concluiu-se, portanto, que o acompanhamento de pacientes pós-síndrome coronariana aguda em ambulatório especializado de coronariopatias apresentou benefícios significativos quando comparado ao grupo de pacientes não cobertos por este tipo de assistência. Verificou-se ainda que o enfermeiro poderá contribuir e atuar amplamente para a prevenção secundária da doença coronariana, enquanto membro da equipe multidisciplinar.

A reforma curricular de Psicologia na Universidade Estadual da Paraíba: as recontextualizações institucionais

A análise em tela investiga a construção do projeto político pedagógico do Departamento de Psicologia da Universidade Estadual da Paraíba (2011), tendo como parâmetros o projeto político pedagógico inicial do curso (1999) e a produção de textos, discursos e documentos no cenário nacional que versam sobre a reforma curricular da graduação em Psicologia no Brasil. A abordagem do ciclo contínuo de políticas, proposta por Stephen Ball e a vertente analítica das comunidades epistêmicas são a base teórico-metodológica escolhida. Também há uma interlocução com o campo da Psicologia da Educação, em uma perspectiva multidisciplinar, apoiada nas contribuições de Michel Foucault sobre discurso e poder. Compreendemos, a partir desta perspectiva, que as políticas curriculares são pensadas e produzidas num processo complexo que envolve diversas ações nos contextos da influência, produção e da prática (BALL e BOWE, 1992). Ainda que o foco de nossa pesquisa seja no contexto da prática (reforma curricular do curso de Psicologia), a análise considera os outros contextos pelas relações de interdependência que há entre eles. O intervalo cronológico definido para compreensão das políticas curriculares para a formação em Psicologia (1999-2011) foi atento às definições ocorridas, neste período, as quais permitem a análise mais precisa do nosso objeto: as recontextualizações institucionais na reforma curricular da Psicologia da UEPB. Elas são analisadas a partir da identificação de dois projetos de formação em disputa no cenário nacional: um projeto generalista e outro especialista. O primeiro tem como características principais a defesa de um curso com denominação única (Curso de Psicologia), formação focada na profissionalização, substituição das antigas áreas de habilitação para ênfases curriculares, dissociação entre formação profissional e formação do professor e, por fim, extinção da terminologia de bacharel. Já o segundo defende dois aspectos que dizem respeito a reivindicação da formação do bacharel e a formação do professor. Identificamos que o projeto de formação generalista que tem como maior representante o CFP, tornou-se vencedor, no cenário nacional, tendo repercussões no contexto da prática na UEPB. Há algumas sintonias entre as diretrizes curriculares construídas para a Psicologia na universidade e as diretrizes do CFP que defendem a inclusão das práticas emergentes ao currículo da graduação em Psicologia no país. Esta constatação atesta a ação de uma comunidade epistêmica que defendeu um projeto de formação focado na profissionalização na área clínica. Assim, concluímos que, ainda que haja a definição da profissionalização como meta do curso de Psicologia da UEPB, é a área/ênfase de Psicologia Organizacional e do Trabalho que aparece como dominante; a área/ênfase de Psicologia Clínica tem suas horas diminuídas; as ênfases curriculares são correlatas das áreas de formação do PPPI (1999) e a formação do professor de Psicologia é excluída do NPPP (2011), ficando para o futuro a construção de um projeto específico para esta formação. Portanto, a reforma curricular de Psicologia da Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, apesar de pretender uma formação generalista, reproduz uma lógica especialista e o perfil do curso foca na profissionalização, mas com uma ascensão da área/ênfase Psicologia Organizacional e do Trabalho.

学习困难儿童智力结构及其与心理语言、视动能力关系的研究

IQ Structure, Psycholinguistic and Visual-motor Abilities Study on Children Learning Disability TONG Fang Directed by professor Zhu Liqi (Developmental and educational psychology) ABSTRACT Objective To comprehensive analyze the IQ structures, and relationships among IQ, psychometric characteristics and visual-motor integration on children disability. At same time, to probe into the family factors that influenced IQ, psycholinguistic abilities and behavior of LD children. Method (1) Downloading the papers on children learning disability from www.cqvip.com and www.wanfangdata.com, in which, the articles were collected by key words from 1985 to 2005. To conduct meta-analysis on IQ construction, compare the case group and the control group, including full IQ, verbal and practice IQ. (2) Designed with model compared and self-compared, 59 diagnosed learning disability children, tested themes with WISC, ITPA and Berry’s VMI. WISC included 10 items, 5 of which subtotal to verbal and practice IQ respectively. IPTA included 10 items, too, 5 process of which subtotal to auditory and visual perception. The first 3 items shared representation level, the other 2 of that shared automatic level.VMI had one score. Analyzed factors and levels with description and Pearson Correlation. To probe to linguistic internal alternately functions of LD children, and compare the scores of groups in different IQ. (3) Analyzed the perspective questionnaire filled by parents. Early development facts compared with model groups. Factors relationships analyzed with Kendall correlation, KOM and Bartlett’s test of sphericity, Promax Rotation. Results: (1) There have been 319 papers related with LD, in which 36 with IQ and 14 valid reports have been analyzed by Meta. FIQ’s 95%CI (confidence interval) is 2.418 ~ 0.172, VIQ between the difficulty and non- difficulty group. C-WISC-R reports were 10 papers, of which, 95%CI of FIQ is 2.424 ~ 0.676, of VIQ is 2.314 ~ 1.196, of PIQ is 2.176 ~ 0.176. The VIQ comparing the PIQ, 95%CI is 1.1 ~ -0.07 in difficulty group and 0.5 ~ -0.0046 in non-difficult group. Nevertheless, in the other 4 tests, FIQ’s 95%CI is 2.00 ~ -0.818 between LD and NLD. (2) Children psycholinguistic abilities had strong relation with Berry’s VMI test excluding auditory reception, and with perceptive factor of intelligence excluding verbal expression. Auditory reception and visual closure had strong relation with FIQ and PIQ. Grammatic closure, visual association and manual expression had strong relation with concept factor. The representational and automatic levels are depended on integration of auditory and visual procession. Lower verbal expression (VE) let to lower expression process and low scores on representational level. Lower visual sequential memory (VSM) let to lower memory process and influenced automatic level. Groups compared by IQ 90 show that LD children with under IQ 90 had lower scores on items of IPTA than with up IQ 90 excluded verbal expression. It was proved that IQ administrated the linguistic ability. Nevertheless, general abilities deficiency didn’t show influencing on the types of the perceptive delay. There was mutual function among linguistic ability on LD children. Auditory and visual level are overlapped each other. Not only show higher Decoding and lower Encoding on Auditory perception, lower Decoding and higher Encoding on Visual perception, in representation, but also higher Sequential remember, lower Closure on Audition, and lower Sequential member, higher Closure on Vision, in Automation. Nevertheless, there was no different between Representational and Automatic level, which may be the relationship of parallel or evolution. (3) Major family factors were father’s education, occupation. Lower auditory perception related to unconcerned, lower visual perception related to premature delivery and written slowly. Threatened–abortion, childbirth-suffocated were known as influencing children’s IQ and later linguistic abilities. It wasn’t shown that dosage relationship with the types of perceptive delay. Conclusion: (1) The FIQ, VIQ and PIQ of Children with LD is lower than that of NLD group. There is no significantly different between VIQ and PIQ in LD and NLD groups. (2) The objectives of ITPA and WISC tests are differently. The psycholinguistic abilities had strong relation with perceptive factor and VMI. Some facts of IPTA related with FIQ. IQ had strong administration on linguistic abilities. There was mutual function among linguistic internal abilities. (3) Family facts on IQ and psycholinguistic abilities were Father’s education, abnormal pregnant and abortion. It would be pre-show development delay in early period.

Automatic detection of learner-style for adaptive eLearning

The advent of modern wireless technologies has seen a shift in focus towards the design and development of educational systems for deployment through mobile devices. The use of mobile phones, tablets and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) is steadily growing across the educational sector as a whole. Mobile learning (mLearning) systems developed for deployment on such devices hold great significance for the future of education. However, mLearning systems must be built around the particular learner’s needs based on both their motivation to learn and subsequent learning outcomes. This thesis investigates how biometric technologies, in particular accelerometer and eye-tracking technologies, could effectively be employed within the development of mobile learning systems to facilitate the needs of individual learners. The creation of personalised learning environments must enable the achievement of improved learning outcomes for users, particularly at an individual level. Therefore consideration is given to individual learning-style differences within the electronic learning (eLearning) space. The overall area of eLearning is considered and areas such as biometric technology and educational psychology are explored for the development of personalised educational systems. This thesis explains the basis of the author’s hypotheses and presents the results of several studies carried out throughout the PhD research period. These results show that both accelerometer and eye-tracking technologies can be employed as an Human Computer Interaction (HCI) method in the detection of student learning-styles to facilitate the provision of automatically adapted eLearning spaces. Finally the author provides recommendations for developers in the creation of adaptive mobile learning systems through the employment of biometric technology as a user interaction tool within mLearning applications. Further research paths are identified and a roadmap for future of research in this area is defined.

Body image and body satisfaction differ by race in overweight postpartum mothers.

BACKGROUND: Body image (BI) and body satisfaction may be important in understanding weight loss behaviors, particularly during the postpartum period. We assessed these constructs among African American and white overweight postpartum women. METHODS: The sample included 162 women (73 African American and 89 white) in the intervention arm 6 months into the Active Mothers Postpartum (AMP) Study, a nutritional and physical activity weight loss intervention. BIs, self-reported using the Stunkard figure rating scale, were compared assessing mean values by race. Body satisfaction was measured using body discrepancy (BD), calculated as perceived current image minus ideal image (BD<0: desire to be heavier; BD>0: desire to be lighter). BD was assessed by race for: BD(Ideal) (current image minus the ideal image) and BD(Ideal Mother) (current image minus ideal mother image). RESULTS: Compared with white women, African American women were younger and were less likely to report being married, having any college education, or residing in households with annual incomes >$30,000 (all p < 0.01). They also had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.04), although perceived current BI did not differ by race (p = 0.21). African Americans had higher mean ideal (p = 0.07) and ideal mother (p = 0.001) BIs compared with whites. African Americans' mean BDs (adjusting for age, BMI, education, income, marital status, and interaction terms) were significantly lower than those of whites, indicating greater body satisfaction among African Americans (BD(Ideal): 1.7 vs. 2.3, p = 0.005; BD(Ideal Mother): 1.1 vs. 1.8, p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences exist in postpartum weight, ideal images, and body satisfaction. Healthcare providers should consider tailored messaging that accounts for these racially different perceptions and factors when designing weight loss programs for overweight mothers.

Ambitious mothers – successful daughters: Mothers’ early expectations for children’s education and children’s earnings and sense of control in adult life

Background. Mothers' expectations for their children's educational attainment are related to children's educational and occupational attainment. Studies have yet to establish, however, the long-term links between maternal expectations and offspring earnings, which are not always related to occupational attainment especially in women, or between maternal expectations and offspring sense of control and self-efficacy, which are pivotal factors in career choice and development. Aims. To explore the role of mothers' expectations for their children's educational attainment in children's earnings attainment and sense of control later in life. Method. Data from sweeps of the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) were used. The study sample was those cohort members with complete information on all the variables of interest. The study sample (N = 3,285) was more educated and less disadvantaged than the whole sample. If cohort members of this type are more likely to have a mother who has high expectations, then our results are biased downwards, which suggests that we underestimate the effect of expectations on our two outcome variables. Results. Mothers' expectations at the age of 10 were positively related to daughters' sense of control at the age of 30 even after controlling for ethnicity, educational attainment, and concurrent partner, parent, and labour market participation status, as well as the following confounding variables (measured at the ages of 0–10): general ability and general ability squared, locus of control, emotional and behavioural problems and emotional and behavioural problems squared, socio-economic disadvantage, parental social class, parental family structure, and mothers' education, child-rearing attitudes, and mental health. Mothers' expectations had no effect on sons' adult outcomes. Conclusions. Given that women are particularly at risk for poor psychological and economic outcomes in adulthood, and that this study likely underestimated the effect of expectations on these two outcomes, this is an important conclusion.

Reception and schooling of children in schools in Catalonia: Beyond Educational Welcome Facilities

The ways of incorporating newcoming students into schools and colleges have been at the center of debate in most OECD countries in recent years. In Spain, the set of measures developed for the reception of immigrant pupils in different Autonomous Communities has also been the subject of specific research, pointing out the similarities and contradictions between pedagogic discourses and school practices. This article takes into account these considerations and presents the reflections from the results of research on the Educational Welcome Facilities (and specifically the EBE) conducted during the school years 2008-2010. This device was created in Catalonia to attend newcomers before enrolling them in the school. It was a pilot project which took place in Vic and Reus for two consecutive years. The research of the EBE has enabled us to explain the relationship between educational assessment that schools made about this facility and reception processes that schools were implementing. The conclusions that emerge from this analysis allowed us to establish relationships between educational host practices of the seven centers analyzed with three different conceptual and educational frameworks of reception.

Analysis of the reading and comprehension control in scientific texts in high school students

Students' learning process can be negatively affected when their reading and comprehension control is not appropriated. This research focuses on the analysis of how a group of students from high school evaluate their reading comprehension in manipulated scientific texts. An analysis tool was designed to determine the students' degree of comprehension control when reading a scientific short text with an added contradiction. The results have revealed that the students from 1st and 3rd ESO do not properly self-evaluated their reading comprehension. A different behavior has been observed in 1st Bachillerato, where appropriate evaluation and regulation seem to be more frequent. Moreover, no significant differences have been found regarding the type of text, year or gender. Finally, as identified by previous research, the correlations between the students' comprehension control and their school marks have shown to have a weak relationship and inversely proportional to the students' age.

Health status of children with cerebral palsy living in Europe: a multi-centre study

Aim The aim of this report is to describe the health status of 8–12-year-old children with cerebral palsy (CP) of all severities in Europe using the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ).

Method A total of 818 children with CP from nine centres in defined geographical areas participated. CP type, gross and fine motor function, additional impairments were classified and family data were obtained. The CHQ was used to measure the parent's perception of their child's physical (PHY) and psychosocial (PSY) health.

Results PHY scores were lower than the reference samples with a median of 46. The severity of gross motor function influenced the CHQ scores significantly in the PHY scale with the lowest scores for children with least gross motor function. There were significant differences between the CP types in PHY with the higher scores for children with unilateral spastic and the lowest scores for children with bilateral spastic and dyskinetic CP type. Fine motor function severity significantly affected both the PHY and PSY scales. The severity of intellectual impairment was significantly associated with CHQ scores in most dimensions with higher scores for higher IQ level in PHY and PSY. Children with seizures during the last year had a significantly lower health compared with children without seizures. The results of the multivariate regression analyses (forward stepwise regression) of CHQ scores on CP subtype, gross and fine motor function, cognitive function, additional impairments, seizures, parental education and employment revealed gross motor function, cognitive level and type of school attended were significant prognostic factors.

Conclusion This report is based on the largest sample to date of children with CP. Health status as measured using the CHQ was affected in all children and was highly variable. Gross motor function level correlates with health from the PHY well-being perspective but the PSY and emotional aspects do not appear to follow the same pattern.

The L Pack: Addressing the Sexual Health Needs of Young Lesbians

Concerns about the sexual health of women who identify as other than heterosexual have been highlighted in numerous research reports, yet access to information, advice and services remains limited within Northern Ireland. In response to this, a group of young women have produced a sexual health resource (‘‘The L Pack’’) specifically for those who identify as lesbian or bisexual. This article discusses the issue of lesbian sexual health and the rationale for the production of The L Pack. Drawing upon discussions with the young women involved and the various partners, it outlines the participatory process of producing information for young women by young women, the meaning and value of this and the nature of learning for all involved. Illustrating feminist and related principles through practice examples, the article outlines how the project moved from a focus on individual learning to one where the young women involved gained the knowledge, skills and confidence to take their learning to their peers and others.

Young Women’s Positive and Negative Perceptions of Self in Northern Ireland

This paper represents analysis of one aspect of a larger research project examining the everyday lives and experiences of young women in Northern Ireland. As an introductory exercise within focus groups, 48 young women considered and discussed the good and not so good things about being a young woman in Northern Ireland. Through these accounts many issues emerged, some in direct contrast and contradiction to one another. The area focused upon for the purpose of this paper is the body, particularly with regard to body image (self-expression versus pressure) and becoming a woman (growing up versus menarche). The aim is to illustrate that what young women cite as being potentially positive aspects of growing up or being a young woman often have negative experiences and implications attached to them. In light of the advancements made by young women in Northern Irish society, an opening of opportunities and their awareness of the persistence of gendered messages regarding their bodies, many young women are of the belief that such messages have less impact upon them today and that gender is a barrier that can be overcome. It is illustrated and argued here, however, that dominant cultural messages regarding women’s bodies are more subtle, confusing and perhaps pervasive than they ever have been. As a consequence, this has created more pressure and confusion for young women and tensions exist in terms of young women’s beliefs and their actions. In light of these research findings, this paper considers practice implications for those working with and for young women.

‘Care just changes your life’: Factors impacting on the mental health of children and young people in care in Northern Ireland.

This paper represents one element of a research project carried out into the mental health needs of children and young people with experiences of care in Northern Ireland. Focusing exclusively on qualitative data collected from 51 young people in care and aftercare, it discusses in the first instance how the challenges and difficulties faced by young people can manifest themselves in feelings and behaviours that may exemplify poor mental well-being. In doing so it provides an understanding of mental health in the context of these young people’s lives. Through offering a more detailed account of some of the specific issues that put these young people at increased risk, it highlights areas for further work and consideration as a means of protecting them against these risks. These include: dealing with experiences prior to care; easing and ‘‘normalising’’ the experience of living in care; and enhancing ‘‘safety nets’’ after care. A key objective of the research is to inform policy and practice through the accounts of children and young people. It is argued that more work needs to be done to find creative ways of enhancing the day-to-day experiences of young people while in care and when leaving care.

Possible futures for social work with children and families in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States

There has been considerable interest in recent years in comparing the operation of social work services to children and families internationally, particularly between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Reviewing the respective policy environments and drawing on recent research experience in these three nations the author speculates as to how such services may be placed to respond to a converging agenda to tackle the high social and economic costs of social exclusion. It is argued that a conspiracy of circumstances have led child and family social work away from its more general child welfare objectives of the past and created consolidation of functions in relation to child protection work. This has left services ill prepared to play a central role within a new and resurgent child welfare agenda.