The (new ?) basics of a teacher professional learning community

This paper argues for the need to further theorise the concept of teacher professional learning communities and provides empirical evidence to support this case. The paper presents findings from an ongoing research project, which investigates the nature of teacher professional learning communities. The study reveals that actual communities do not conform to a normailized articulation of features, as outlined in much of the literature on this topic. Consequently, it represents an attempt to engage in the difficult but necessary task of simultaneously fashioning theory from practice, whilst interpreting theory, in practice. The study proposes that current functionalist understandings of teacher professional learning communities are based upon a literature base which is insufficiently nuanced to capture the complexity inherent within these bodies. A broader base of a more critical sociological literature is also drawn upon to better understand actual, "lived" teacher communities, which are somewhat difficult to describe. In part, such communities exhibit features of functionalist conceptions but they are also organic entities which may be quite unpredictable in their outcomes and cannot be reduced to specific features; they each have their own specific "logic of practice" (Bourdieu, 1990) which influences their activities, in their particular field. The argument proposed here is that in one particular community, this complexity may be represented by the many purposes which the community served, arguably often unbeknown to its members, which fashioned the actual community. This paper tries to add to the existing theoretical base of literature, at the same time as providing evidence to support this theorisation.

The corporatization of community pharmacy:implications for service provision, the public health function, and pharmacy's claims to professional status in the United Kingdom

Background Pharmacy has experienced both incomplete professionalization and deprofessionalization. Since the late 1970s, a concerted attempt has been made to re-professionalize pharmacy in the United Kingdom (UK) through role extension—a key feature of which has been a drive for greater pharmacy involvement in public health. However, the continual corporatization of the UK community pharmacy sector may reduce the professional autonomy of pharmacists and may threaten to constrain attempts at reprofessionalization. Objectives The objectives of the research: to examine the public health activities of community pharmacists in the UK; to explore the attitudes of community pharmacists toward recent relevant UK policy and barriers to the development of their public health function; and, to investigate associations between activity, attitudes, and the type of community pharmacy worked in (eg, supermarket, chain, independent). Methods A self-completion postal questionnaire was sent to a random sample of practicing community pharmacists, stratified for country and sex, within Great Britain (n = 1998), with a follow-up to nonresponders 4 weeks later. Data were analyzed using SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) (v12.0). A final response rate of 51% (n = 1023/1998) was achieved. Results The level of provision of emergency hormonal contraception on a patient group direction, supervised administration of medicines, and needle-exchange schemes was lower in supermarket pharmacies than in the other types of pharmacy. Respondents believed that supermarkets and the major multiple pharmacy chains held an advantageous position in terms of attracting financing for service development despite suggesting that the premises of such pharmacies may not be the most suitable for the provision of such services. Conclusions A mixed market in community pharmacy may be required to maintain a comprehensive range of pharmacy-based public health services and provide maximum benefit to all patients. Longitudinal monitoring is recommended to ensure that service provision is adequate across the pharmacy network.

Clinical pharmacy:post-registration learning trends of community pharmacists

While CPD is now a mandatory requirement for Australian pharmacists, there has been little research to identify preferred learning resources, or barriers and motivators for continuing education and CPD participation. This study aimed to identify post-registration learning trends of community pharmacists in western Australia, as well as their opinions on post-registration learning.

Post-registration learning trends of community pharmacists

Background: Some Australian pharmacists use continuing education to maintain knowledge and acquire new information. There has been a progression from continuing education to continuing professional development (CPD) - a mandatory requirement for pharmacists in all jurisdictions of Australia. Aim: To identify post-registration learning trends of community pharmacists in Western Australia. Method: A questionnaire was developed and administered by face-to-face interviews with community pharmacists in metropolitan Perth. Pharmacists registered for less than 12 months and pharmacists working in hospitals were excluded. Results: 103 pharmacists were approached with a response rate of 95%. Journals (41%), reference books (23%) and the Internet (18%) were the most commonly used educational resources cited by pharmacists. Keeping scientific information up-to-date (39%) and gathering practical knowledge (22%) were the leading motivators for pharmacists to participate in continuing education. Factors that hindered participation in continuing education included lack of time (34%), family commitments (21%) and business commitments (21%). 79% of pharmacists agreed with the concept of mandatory CPD. 47% of pharmacists suggested that the primary sanction for not complying with mandatory CPD should be counselling to determine reasons for non-compliance. Conclusion: Community pharmacists preferred educational resources that were easily accessible at convenient times. Most pharmacists were able to fulfil the requirements of CPD, however, further educational support and promotion would ensure the successful uptake of CPD by community pharmacists in Western Australia.

The Library of Birmingham project:lifelong learning for the digital age

The Library of Birmingham (LoB) is a £193million project designed to provide a new space for lifelong learning and knowledge growth, a physical and virtual portal for Birmingham's citizens to the wider world. In cooperation with a range of private, public, and third-sector bodies, as well as individual citizens, the library, due to open in June 2013, will articulate a continuing process of organic growth and emergence. Key delivery themes focus on: arts and creativity, citizenship and community, enterprise and innovation, learning and skills and the new media ecology. A landmark design in the heart of the cultural district of the city, the LoB aims to stimulate sustainable economic growth, urban regeneration and social inclusion by offering a wide range of new digital learning services, real and virtual community spaces, and new opportunities for interpreting and exploiting internationally significant collections of documentary archives, photography, moving image, and rare printed books. Additionally, the LoB will offer physical space for creative, cultural, enterprise, and knowledge development. This paper outlines the cultural and educational thinking that informs the project and the challenges experienced in developing innovative service redesign.

Training staff in voluntary organisations:challenges in providing a service to adults with learning disabilities

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“Showing off” your mobile device:adult literacy learning in the classroom and beyond

For a very large number of adults, tasks such as reading. understanding, and using everyday items are a challenge. Although many community-based organizations offer resources and support for adults with limited literacy skills. current programs have difficulty reaching and retaining those that would benefit most. In this paper we present the findings of an exploratory study aimed at investigating how a technological solution that addresses these challenges is received and adopted by adult learners. For this, we have developed a mobile application to support literacy programs and to assist low-literacy adults in today's information-centric society. ALEX© (Adult Literacy support application for Experiential learning) is a mobile language assistant that is designed to be used both in the classroom and in daily life in order to help low-literacy adults become increasingly literate and independent. Through a long-term study with adult learners we show that such a solution complements literacy programs by increasing users' motivation and interest in learning, and raising their confidence levels both in their education pursuits and in facing the challenges of their daily lives.

Supply chain learning needs:towards a port community perspective

The traditional role of ports in the wider supply chain context is currently being subject to a process of radical review. In broad terms, the traditional model is being replaced by a model which focuses on higher value and more knowledge intensive activities. This trend requires a change in the way in which new knowledge and skills are developed by staff in companies of all kinds within port communities. Traditional models need to be re-evaluated to reflect the increasing importance of knowledge and skills acquisition, particularly in relation to the supply chain management (SCM) concept and the evolving role of information and communications technology (ICT) in improving supply chain capability. This paper describes the case of NITL’s Foundation Certificate Programme (FCP) learning programme with specific reference to its use in addressing some of current shortcomings related to supply chain knowledge and skills in port communities. The FCP rationale is based on the need to move from traditional approaches of supply chain organisation where the various links in the chain were measured and managed in isolation from each other and thus tended to operate at cross purposes, towards more cooperative and integrated approaches.