Staff and student views of the usefulness of information technology materials within an integrated curriculum: are these educational resources effective in promoting student learning?

This paper reports on a study on the perceived effectiveness of educational resources within the context of a single course in a first-year biology program at the University of Sydney (Australia). The overall study examined the dynamic state of perceptions towards these resources by the major stakeholders involved with the course (students, teaching staff, and technical staff). A major focus of the research was the extent to which the students used the computer-based resources made available to them, and staff and students' perceptions of the usefulness of these resources in supporting their learning. Specifically, results are discussed related to student use of computers and the Internet, use of biology online materials in the virtual learning environment, use and perceptions of communication technologies, and use and perceptions of computer-based online resources. Data were collected from the students using surveys and focus groups and from staff using surveys and interviews within an action-research paradigm. While the majority of students found the resources to be of use in supporting learning, some did not find them useful, and some did not use them at all. In comparison, the staff had higher expectations of both usage and usefulness. The level of student use was not a function of access to computers or the Internet, so the findings suggest that the provision of online resources will not necessarily generate value-added learning.

Examination of the validity and usefulness of the video suggestibility scale for children

The Video Suggestibility Scale for Children (VSSC) was developed by Scullin and colleagues (Scullin & Ceci, 2000; Scullin & Hembrooke, 1998) as a tool for discriminating between children who have different levels of suggestibility. The scale requires children to view a 5-minute video about a birthday party, and to subsequently participate in an interview consisting of 18 yes/no questions. The VSSC consists of two main subscales; Yield (a measure of children's willingness to respond affirmatively to misleading questions about the video) and Shift (a measure of the children's tendency to change their responses after negative feedback from the interviewer). Preliminary research by Scullin and colleagues suggested that the scale possesses satisfactory internal consistency and that children's scores on the VSSC can predict their performance in another suggestibility paradigm. This thesis presents two studies, which further examine the validity and usefulness of the VSSC in an Australian sample of 3- to-5-year-old children. In Study One, children's performance on the VSSC (N = 77) was compared to their performance using other measures of suggestibility. These measures included children's willingness to assent to a false event as well as the number of false interviewer suggestions and new false details that the children provided in their accounts about an independent true-biased and an independent false (non-experienced) event. An independent samples t-test revealed that those children who assented to the false activity generated higher scores on the Yield measure. This pattern was also observed for the Shift subscale although it was not significant. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that Yield was a significant predictor of the number of false details reported about the false activity, but not the true-biased activity. There was no significant relationship between the Shift Vlll subscale and any of the dependent variables. Overall this study provided partial support for the construct validity of the VSSC. However, it indicated that children's performance on this scale may not be generalisable across different contexts and interview paradigms, and that the Yield subscale is more generalisable than the Shift subscale. Study Two examined whether various group and individual factors that have previously been shown to relate suggestibility (i.e., age, IQ, memory, socio-economic status, gender, temperament) could predict suggestibility as measured by the VSSC. Two hundred and twenty children were recruited from kindergartens, and were divided into two broad socio-economic categories (based predominantly on income). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that age, intelligence and memory inversely predicted children's Yield suggestibility. Further, children of low socio-economic backgrounds were more suggestible than children of high socio-economic background, and boys were more suggestible than girls on the Yield measure. Although shyness and other internalised and externalised characteristics were explored, no reliable significant relationships were found with Yield. With regard to the Shift subscale, no reliable relationships were found for any of the independent variables except for SES. Overall, results of Study 2 indicated that the VSSC is a potentially useful measure for discriminating between children's suggestibility on the basis on their individual characteristics, although benefits were observed mainly in relation to the Yield subscale. With reference to the findings of these two studies, the potential contribution of the VSSC for research and applied forensic contexts was discussed.

The usefulness of suggestibility scales in predicting children's false reports of events

This thesis examined the nature and strength of the relationship between children's performance on suggestibility scales and their recall of independent events. It demonstrated that whilst standardised scales of suggestibility may be useful in predicting children's reporting of false information, there are clear boundaries to their usefulness. The clinical portfolio examines and discusses the impact that exposure to family violence has on children's functioning across development.

Introducing mental health and substance use screening into a community-based health service in Australia : usefulness and implications for service change

Mental health issues such as depression or anxiety and alcohol or other drug (AOD) problems often remain undiagnosed and untreated despite their prevalence in the community. This paper reports on the implementation and evaluation of an AOD and depression/anxiety screening programme within two Community Health Services (CHS) in Australia. Study 1 examined results from 5 weeks of screening (March–April 2008) using the Patient Health Questionnaire (two- and nine-item, Kroenke et al. 2001, 2003), the Conjoint Screen for Alcohol and other Drug Problems (Brown et al. 2001) and the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (Humeniuk & Ali 2006). Of the 55 clients screened, 33% were at risk of depression or anxiety, 22% reporting moderate-severe depression. Thirteen per cent were at risk of substance use disorders. A substantial proportion of at-risk clients were not currently accessing help for these issues from the CHS and therefore screening can facilitate identification and treatment referral. However, the majority of eligible clients were not screened, limiting screening reach. A second study evaluated the screening implementation from a process perspective via thematic analysis of focus group data from six managers and 14 intake/assessment workers (April 2008). This showed that when screening occurred, it facilitated opportunities for education and intervention with at-risk clients, although cultural mores, privacy concerns and shame/stigma could affect accuracy of screen scores at times. Importantly, the evaluation revealed that most decisions not to screen were made by workers, not by clients. Reasons for non-screening related to worker discomfort in asking sensitive questions and/or managing client distress, and a reluctance to spend long periods of time screening in time-pressured environments. The evaluation suggested that these problems could be resolved by splitting screening responsibilities, enhancing worker training and expanding follow-up screening. Findings will inform any community-based health system considering introducing screening.

Sources, perceived usefulness and understanding of information disseminated to families who entered home quarantine during the H1N1 pandemic in Victoria, Australia: a cross-sectional study

Background Voluntary home quarantine of cases and close contacts was the main non-pharmaceutical intervention used to limit transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza (pH1N1) in the initial response to the outbreak of the disease in Australia. The effectiveness of voluntary quarantine logically depends on affected families having a clear understanding of what they are being asked to do. Information may come from many sources, including the media, health officials, family and friends, schools, and health professionals. We report the extent to which families who entered home quarantine received and used information on what they were supposed to do. Specifically, we outline their sources of information; the perceived usefulness of each source; and associations between understanding of recommendations and compliance. Methods Cross-sectional survey administered via the internet and computer assisted telephone interview to families whose school children were recommended to go into home quarantine because they were diagnosed with H1N1 or were a close contact of a case. The sample included 314 of 1157 potentially eligible households (27% response rate) from 33 schools in metropolitan Melbourne. Adjusting for clustering within schools, we describe self-reported 'understanding of what they were meant to do during the quarantine period'; source of information (e.g. health department) and usefulness of information. Using logistic regression we examine whether compliance with quarantine recommendations was associated with understanding and the type of information source used. Results Ninety per cent understood what they were meant to do during the quarantine period with levels of understanding higher in households with cases (98%, 95% CI 93%-99% vs 88%, 95% CI 84%-91%, P = 0.006). Over 87% of parents received information about quarantine from the school, 63% from the health department and 44% from the media. 53% of households were fully compliant and there was increased compliance in households that reported that they understood what they were meant to do (Odds Ratio 2.27, 95% CI 1.35-3.80). Conclusions It is critical that public health officials work closely with other government departments and media to provide clear, consistent and simple information about what to do during quarantine as high levels of understanding will maximise compliance in the quarantined population.

Usefulness of catheter tip culture in the diagnosis of neonatal infections

Objective: To determine the number of colony-forming units (CFU) that best correlates with catheter-related infections (CRI) in newborns.Methods: This was a prospective study of semiquantitative cultures of catheter tips obtained from newborns in the neonatal unit at Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The microorganisms isolated from catheter and peripheral blood cultures were identified and submitted to a drug susceptibility test. The optimal cutoff point was determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results: A total of 85 catheters obtained from 63 newborns were studied. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the predominant species in the catheters (75%). Eight of 11 (72.7%) CRI episodes were associated with coagulase-negative staphylococci, six of which were of the S. epidermidis type. ROC curve analysis indicated that the optimal cutoff point for the diagnosis of CRI was 122 CFU.Conclusions: The cutoff point of 122 CFU correlated best with the diagnosis of CRI in newborns.

Usefulness of Mycobacterium tuberculosis molecular typing in a tuberculosis low-endemic agro-industrial setting of Brazil

To highlight the transmission and major phylogenetic clades of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a retrospective study was carried out at two health facilities in a small agro-industrial area in São Paulo, Brazil, that has a low tuberculosis incidence rate. IS6110-RFLP and spoligotyping were performed on the isolates, with the former revealing that 31.3% (35/112) of strains were clustered. Epidemiological links were found in 16 of the 35 clustered patients and were associated with transmission among patients living in public housing. Spoligotyping grouped 62.8% of the strains. The T genetic family predominated among the isolates. Of interest is that five strains had a pattern characteristic of African or Asian origin (ST535), and two others were of the rare localized type ST1888 (BRA, VEN). In addition, three new types-1889, 1890, and 1891-were identified. Spoligotyping showed that some ST may be circulating to or from Brazil, and RFLP revealed ongoing transmission in inadequately ventilated public-housing buildings. This may point to a failure in tuberculosis control policy.

Goals for children, exclusion and vulnerability: expanding the usefulness of household surveys

Includes bibliography

Mercados de futuros: su utilidad y sus limitaciones para el comercio de productos básicos de América Latina = Future markets: their usefulness and limitations for Latin American commodity trade

Incluye Bibliografía

Usefulness of Clinical, Ultrasonographic, Hysteroscopic, and Immunohistochemical Parameters in Differentiating Endometrial Polyps From Endometrial Cancer

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The Usefulness of the Sting Apparatus in Phylogenetic Reconstructions in Vespids, with Emphasis on the Epiponini: More Support for the Single Origin of Eusociality in the Vespidae

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Predictive Usefulness of Urinary Biomarkers for the Identification of Cyclosporine A-Induced Nephrotoxicity in a Rat Model

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)