Instructional change through collaboration and reflection

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Facilitator-Collaborative-Reflective Model, a strategic plan for changing teachers' practices and beliefs, on a selected group of middle school teachers. This model of staff development training was based on Corey's (1953) Cooperative-Action-Research Model and Anders and Richardson (1994) Collaborative-Reflective Model. It supports the notion that earning a teachers' commitment to change by focusing on collaboration, reflection and the normative-re-educative process aids in altering teachers' beliefs and practices especially crucial to the change process. The year-long training provided for reflection, inquiry, and learning that was useful to teachers as they pursued their goals with their students. The lead teacher, as a change agent and transformational leader, assisted in this commitment to change by improving the teachers' self-concepts as they slowly changed. The collaborative and receptive environment of the staff development fostered acceptance and stimulation of ideas.^ Given the collaborative nature of the change process, qualitative research methods were used in the investigation. The research process was based on Stufflebeam's Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) Evaluation Model (Madaus, Scriven & Stufflebeam, 1983). This allowed for all three factors of the staff development model to be evaluated. The case studies and focus group were effective in discerning any actual change in practices or beliefs.^ The findings of the qualitative evaluation, consisting of a baseline survey, case studies, questionnaire and modified focus group interviews, concluded that all of the teachers were strongly influenced by the intervention model which was the subject of this study. From this evaluation, three distinct indicators were looked at to determine if any change in the teachers' practices and beliefs emerged: (1) change in practice and belief, (2) reflective feedback and (3) collaborative reflection. These indicators were common throughout the teacher responses thus substantiating the infusion of the Facilitator-Collaborative-Reflective Model at the school level for effective staff development. ^

Perceptions of collaboration between emergency nurses and paramedics

Collaboration between emergency room (ER) nurses and paramedics is vital due to the increasing number of critically ill patients entering the hospital via the "911" system. This descriptive study examined the perception of the collaborative relationship using the Revised Pehl Collaboration Scale (RPCS) and by qualitative data from four free response questions. The results of this study indicated that the overall relationship between the ER nurses and paramedics was friendly but not fully trusting. The content analysis of the free response questions identified that the "report" of patient information was the origin the most conflict. The nurses felt that paramedic patient assessment, patient priorities, and by-pass protocol were problems. Whereas, the paramedics identified the nurses condescending manner and mistrust, not being "listened" to, and overcrowded emergency rooms as the source of conflict. Data was not statistically significant with regards to personal attributes or social demographics from the RPCS.

Émergence et développement de l’oncologie au Québec : collaboration, compétition et défis organisationnels, 1900-2005

Objectifs : le principal objectif de notre projet doctoral consiste à mettre en relief les transformations qui ont marqué le développement de l’oncologie et de la lutte contre le cancer au Québec au 20e siècle. Pour ce faire, nous nous sommes penchées sur trois niveaux d’analyse : 1) le niveau micro aborde l’organisation des services médicaux au sein d’une organisation hospitalière, soit l’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec. 2) Le niveau méso analyse une lutte professionnelle, soit la lutte entre les hématologues et les oncologues médicaux pour la reconnaissance de l’oncologie médicale. 3) Le niveau macro s’intéresse à l’organisation de la lutte contre le cancer à travers la province de Québec et aux différents modèles organisationnels créés. Principale hypothèse : l’émergence et la transformation de l’oncologie et de la lutte contre le cancer ont été influencées des rapports de collaboration et de compétition entre les acteurs impliqués en oncologie. En effet, il apparaît que ce champ se trouve en tension entre l’obligation de collaborer pour offrir des services de qualité aux patients et les dynamiques professionnelles et/ou organisationnelles. Cadre théorique : un cadre théorique a été développé pour chacun des niveaux d’analyse. Le niveau micro s’inspire des travaux de Frickel, Abbott et Strauss et s’intéresse plus particulièrement aux négociations entourant l’ordre social au sein d’un hôpital universitaire; le niveau méso emploie les travaux de Bourdieu et Abbott pour analyser la lutte entre deux spécialités médicales pour le contrôle des agents de chimiothérapie; et le niveau macro, de la sociologie des organisations et de la théorie néo-institutionnaliste pour mettre en relief l’émergence et la transformation de la lutte contre le cancer au Québec au 20e siècle. Méthodologie : l’approche de l’étude de cas a été adoptée et chaque niveau d’analyse constitue une étude de cas à part entière. Le corpus de données se compose de données archivistiques recueillies dans 10 centres d’archives canadiens, et de données d’entrevues. Une soixantaine d’entrevues avec des oncologues, des professionnels de la santé, des gestionnaires, des chercheurs et des fonctionnaires ont été réalisées. Conclusion : les différents niveaux d’analyse offrent différentes contributions qui leurs sont propres, mais l’ensemble de la thèse tend à mettre en relief la complexité du changement organisationnel à travers un perpétuel processus de définition et de redéfinition des frontières professionnelles et des organisations en raison du développement des connaissances scientifiques, des technologies, des expertises professionnelles et de l’environnement social, politique et économique.

Concomitance de violence conjugale et de mauvais traitements envers les enfants : représentations des intervenants et défis de collaboration pour l'offre d'une aide cohérente

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Analyse des processus de collaboration entre les infirmières en région isolée d'une communauté autochtone et les médecins d'organisations extérieures à la communauté

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Exploration des connaissances relatives à la collaboration interprofessionnelle chez les finissants d'une école de service social

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Measuring the impact of a quality improvement collaboration to decrease maternal mortality in a Ghanaian regional hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of a continuous quality improvement collaboration at Ridge Regional Hospital, Accra, Ghana, that aimed to halve maternal and neonatal deaths. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental, pre- and post-intervention analysis, system deficiencies were analyzed and 97 improvement activities were implemented from January 2007 to December 2011. Data were collected on outcomes and implementation rates of improvement activities. Severity-adjustment models were used to calculate counterfactual mortality ratios. Regression analysis was used to determine the association between improvement activities, staffing, and maternal mortality. RESULTS: Maternal mortality decreased by 22.4% between 2007 and 2011, from 496 to 385 per 100000 deliveries, despite a 50% increase in deliveries and five- and three-fold increases in the proportion of pregnancies complicated by obstetric hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, respectively. Case fatality rates for obstetric hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy decreased from 14.8% to 1.6% and 3.1% to 1.1%, respectively. The mean implementation score was 68% for the 97 improvement processes. Overall, 43 maternal deaths were prevented by the intervention; however, risk severity-adjustment models indicated that an even greater number of deaths was averted. Mortality reduction was correlated with 26 continuous quality improvement activities, and with the number of anesthesia nurses and labor midwives. CONCLUSION: The implementation of quality improvement activities was closely correlated with improved maternal mortality.

Concomitance de violence conjugale et de mauvais traitements envers les enfants : représentations des intervenants et défis de collaboration pour l'offre d'une aide cohérente

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Analyse des processus de collaboration entre les infirmières en région isolée d'une communauté autochtone et les médecins d'organisations extérieures à la communauté

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Exploration des connaissances relatives à la collaboration interprofessionnelle chez les finissants d'une école de service social

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Shared education in Northern Ireland: school collaboration in divided societies

During the years of political violence in Northern Ireland many looked to schools to contribute to reconciliation. A variety of interventions were attempted throughout those years, but there was little evidence that any had produced systemic change. The peace process provided an opportunity for renewed efforts. This paper outlines the experience of a series of projects on 'shared education', or the establishment of collaborative networks of Protestant, Catholic and integrated schools in which teachers and pupils moved between schools to take classes and share experiences. The paper outlines the genesis of the idea and the research which helped inform the shape of the shared education project. The paper also outlines the corpus of research which has examined various aspects of shared education practice and lays out the emergent model which is helping to inform current government practice in Northern Ireland, and is being adopted in other jurisdictions. The paper concludes by looking at the prospects for real transformation of education in Northern Ireland.

Improving Science literacy through interdisciplinary collaboration using media reported science.

The capability to respond critically to science in the news is recognised as one aspect of science literacy. Consequently, science-related news reports are an essential resource for science teachers wishing to promote critical reading as the foundation of a critical response to media reported science. Consequently Science education in schools should prepare students to engage with informal sources of science, including news media, in the world beyond formal science education. An interest in science news media is not limited to the science specialist. Science news provides an authentic context for teachers of science and English to collaborate in promoting interdisciplinary learning. The challenges of using science related news, as a context for cross-curricular collaboration, highlight the professional development needs of both science and English teachers working in this context. This qualitative study with over 150 pupils involved secondary school science and English teachers working collaboratively using media reported science resources and collated data from interviews, pre and post intervention tasks, pupils’ classwork and teacher notes. The outcomes of the project showed pupil engagement and greater capacity to carry knowledge and skills across traditional subject boundaries. Teachers reported increased understanding of the pedagogy of the alternative subject specialist and increased confidence to move outside their subject in order to facilitate pupil learning. This study would suggest that adopting an interdisciplinary approach could enhance learning for pupils and increase the confidence and capability of teachers. Additionally teachers’ engagement in professional conversations focusing on pupil progress was noteworthy.