Education and the historiography of Ibero-American independence: elusive presences, many absences

This contribution analyses recent historiographical tendencies in research in the field of education at the time of the political emancipation of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in Latin America. The article briefly presents the complex educational scene in Latin America on the eve of the movements for independence. Due to the revolutionary character of the process of independence, it identifies educational history as one of the most significant absences in the historiography of independence. Notwithstanding, education has certainly been addressed by historians of education, mostly focusing on the colonial or postcolonial period, while largely neglecting the two decades after 1808. This indicates both the divide prevalent between historians of education and historians of independence and the rather nationalistic conceptual frame of existing scholarship.

The impact of simple donor education on donor behavioral deferral and infectious disease rates in Sao Paulo, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) residual risk is higher in Brazilian than in US and European blood donors, probably due to failure to defer at-risk individuals in Brazil. This study assessed the impact of an educational brochure in enhancing blood donors` knowledge about screening test window phase and reducing at-risk individuals from donating. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This trial compared an educational intervention with a blood center`s usual practice. The brochure was distributed in alternating months to all donors. After donating, sampled participants completed two questions about their HIV window period knowledge. The impact on HIV risk deferral, leaving without donation, confidential unit exclusion (CUE) use, and test positivity was also analyzed. RESULTS: From August to November 2007 we evaluated 33,940 donations in the main collection center of Fundacao Pro-Sangue/Hemocentro de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A significant (p < 0.001) pamphlet effect was found on correct responses to both questions assessing HIV window phase knowledge (68.1% vs. 52.9%) and transfusion risk (91.1% vs. 87.2%). After adjusting for sex and age, the pamphlet effect was strongest for people with more than 8 years of education. There was no significant pamphlet effect on HIV risk deferral rate, leaving without donation, use of CUE, or infectious disease rates. CONCLUSION: While the educational pamphlet increased window period knowledge, contrary to expectations this information alone was not enough to make donors self-defer or acknowledge their behavioral risk.

Performance of Brazilian long and short IQCODE on the screening of dementia in elderly people with low education

Background: Dementia screening in elderly people with low education can be difficult to implement. For these subjects, informant reports using the long (L) (26 items) and short (C) (16 items) versions of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) can be useful. The objective of the present study was to investigate the performance of Brazilian versions of the IQCODE L, S and a new short version (SBr) (15 items) in comparison with the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) for dementia screening in elderly people with low education. Methods: Thirty-four patients with mild to moderate dementia, diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria, and 57 controls were evaluated and divided into three groups based on their socioeconomic status and level of education. Patients were evaluated using the MMSE and the informants were interviewed using the IQCODE by interviewers blind to the clinical diagnosis. Results: Education was correlated with MMSE results (r = 0.280, p = 0.031), but not with the versions of the IQCODE. The performance of the instruments, evaluated by the ROC curves, was very similar, with good internal consistency (Cronbach`s alpha = 0.97). MMSE correctly classified 85.7% of the subjects while the three IQCODE versions (L, S and SBr) correctly classified 91.2% of the subjects. Conclusions: The long, short and the new short Brazilian IQCODE versions can be useful as a screening tool for mild and moderate patients with dementia in Brazil. The IQCODE is not biased by schooling, and it seems to be an adequate instrument for samples with low levels of education.

Evaluation of the performance of normal elderly in a limb praxis protocol: Influence of age, gender, and education

Limb praxis can be influenced by age, gender, and education. The present Study investigated the influence of these variables on gesture production by healthy elderly Subjects. We evaluated 96 individuals divided into two age groups (60-74 and 75-88 years). Each group contained 48 men and 48 women and was subdivided into four groups according to education: illiterates and 1-3, 4-7, and 8 or more years of education. Individuals were requested to carry Out tasks oil verbal command and imitation. There were no differences between the performance of men and women, while older individuals performed worse than their younger counterparts. Regarding educational level, three major groups emerged: illiterates, individuals with 1-7 years of education, and those with 8 or more years of education. In conclusion, age and education significantly influenced the performance of individuals in limb praxis tests. (JINS, 2009, 157 618-622.)

Introducing ethnomethodological analysis to the field of music education

In recent years qualitative research methods have been adopted within in the field of music education and have received widespread acceptance. However, the theoretical framework provided by ethnomethodology (Garfinkel, 1974, in R. Turner, Ethnomethodology , Penguin, Middlesex, UK) and the tools of conversational analysis (Sacks, 1992, Lectures on Conversation , edited by Gail Jefferson, Blackwell, Oxford, UK) have, to this point, been overlooked by researchers in the field of music education. In this paper I argue that the application of ethnomethodological and conversation analytical approaches in the field of research in music education can provide fresh insights into the work of music teachers and how this work is accomplished in institutional settings. Here I demonstrate how a conversation analytical perspective drawing on an ethnomethodological framework might be used to investigate transcripts of audio-recorded interview talk. This type of analysis can illuminate aspects of members' roles in relation to, and perceptions about music education in school settings that might be overlooked in other types of analysis. A conversation analytical approach to the examination of talk-in-interaction explicates in fine-grained detail how members orient to matters at hand in the context of research settings, as well as revealing features of the cultural world of music teaching. Further application of the approach to research problems in other school settings, I argue, will inform the field of music education in ways yet to be realised.

Occupational therapists' use and perceptions of written client education materials

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to examine occupational therapists' use and perceptions of written education materials for clients and the factors that therapists consider before distributing written materials to clients This study also aimed to determine whether use and perceptions of these materials differed for older clients METHOD. A random sample of 50 occupational therapists from Queensland, Australia, working in adult physical disabilities settings was surveyed with a structured questionnaire Data were analyzed descriptively and with nonparametric statistics RESULTS. Of 49 participants who used written materials, 54% had given them to more than halt of their last 10 clients, regardless of the clients' age Written materials, most often information sheets developed by the participants themselves; handwritten notes; and pamphlets were principally used to reinforce verbal information. Clients' cognitive abilities, primary language, communication skills, vision, and level of education most often were considered before distributing written materials Although participants generally were positive about the content and effectiveness of materials, ratings were significantly less positive related to older clients CONCLUSION. Client education was a core treatment modality for participants in this study, with written media most commonly being used to supplement verbal education Because participants were least positive about the effectiveness of written materials for older clients, further development of materials for this audience may be indicated.