The Stormont Papers: 50 years of Northern Ireland Debates Online

This website offers access to the Parliamentary Debates of the devolved government of Northern Ireland from June 7 1921 to the dissolution of Parliament in March 28 1972.

These papers cast a unique and valuable light on the development of the Province. The 92,000 printed pages of Parliamentary Debates are held by few institutions and they have no comprehensive subject index. Hence they have been inaccessible and difficult to use. This project, with the support of academics, archivists and politicians, has taken the Papers and fully digitised them. The resource has been available online since October 2006.

Visitors to the site can search either the full text or specific keywords (for example Prisons, Westminster or Drunkenness), or they can browse particular debates according to the combined subject index, or they can simply view the volumes.

Online Multiperson Tracking With Occlusion Reasoning and Unsupervised Track Motion Model

We address the problem of multi-target tracking in realistic crowded conditions by introducing a novel dual-stage online tracking algorithm. The problem of data-association between tracks and detections, based on appearance, is often complicated by partial occlusion. In the first stage, we address the issue of occlusion with a novel method of robust data-association, that can be used to compute the appearance similarity between tracks and detections without the need for explicit knowledge of the occluded regions. In the second stage, broken tracks are linked based on motion and appearance, using an online-learned linking model. The online-learned motion-model for track linking uses the confident tracks from the first stage tracker as training examples. The new approach has been tested on the town centre dataset and has performance comparable with the present state-of-the-art

A systematic review protocol on the use of online learning and blended learning for teaching clinical skills to undergraduate health professional students

Aim: This paper is a review protocol that will be used to identify, critically appraise and synthesize the best current evidence relating to the use of online learning and blended learning approaches in teaching clinical skills in undergraduate nursing.

Background: Although previous systematic reviews on online learning versus face to face learning have been undertaken (Cavanaugh et al. 2010, Cook et al. 2010), a systematic review on the impact of online learning and blended learning for teaching clinical skills has yet to be considered in undergraduate nursing. By reviewing nursing students’ online learning experiences, systems can potentially be designed to ensure all students’ are supported appropriately to meet their learning needs.

Methods/Design: The key objectives of the review are to evaluate how online-learning teaching strategies assist nursing students learn; to evaluate the students satisfaction with this form of teaching; to explore the variety of online-learning strategies used; to determine what online-learning strategies are more effective and to determine if supplementary face to face instruction enhances learning. A search of the following databases will be made MEDLINE, CINAHL, BREI, ERIC and AUEI. This review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for systematic reviews of quantitative and qualitative research.

Conclusion: This review intends to report on a combination of student experience and learning outcomes therefore increasing its utility for educators and curriculum developers involved in healthcare education.

Effectiveness of the Construction Management Courses

This research assesses the effectiveness of current MSc. Construction Project Management programmes within the UK and Ireland. A review of published prospectuses is used to create questionnaires for universities, graduates and employers. Responses provide an insight into programme creation and their relative success in addressing the needs of industry and in achieving other educational objectives. Since the majority of learning institutions have attained professional accreditation, it is useful to review these awards and to assess their potential value to both graduates and industry alike. Interviews are conducted with representatives from the main professional accrediting bodies to understand their procedures and rigour in enforcing standards of education and training. The results show that project management education could be further enhanced by the inclusion of more practical learning and that current programmes place greater emphasis on hard skills at the expense of the softer human skills. There is clearly a need for a closer working relationship between academics and practitioners to tackle the perceived gap between theoretical learning and construction practice. Learning institutions can use the findings to improve their programmes and address the education deficiencies identified by the industry, by the professional institutions and by graduates.

Taiwanese Learners’ Motivation and Attitude Towards Completing an Online Distance Education Course During a One Year Industrial Placement

This mixed methods study investigated language learning motivation in an one-year e-learning course for technological university students to bridge the geographical divide between students on industrial placements when studying graded readers using an e-learning course to improve their English competence and to pass the General English Proficiency Test. Data was collected through questionnaires and course feedback. The results of this study extend Gardner’s socio-educational model in an e-learning environment by adding the new category, Computer Attitudes, which was proven to be highly correlated with Motivation. Although the low proficiency English students had good computer skills, their habits of using the computer for entertainment and their lack of the skill of “technological communication efficacy” caused increased anxiety when using computers and thus provided them with a lower computer confidence over time. Consequently, it is recommended that sound e-learning training should be provided to all of the students prior to embarking on an e-leaning course so that these learners can benefit from online language learning in the future.

Genetic basis of Congenital Erythrocytosis:mutation update and online databases

Congenital Erythrocytosis (CE), or congenital polycythemia, represents a rare and heterogeneous clinical entity. It is caused by deregulated red blood cell production where erythrocyte overproduction results in elevated hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Primary congenital familial erythrocytosis is associated with low erythropoietin (Epo) levels and results from mutations in the Epo receptor gene (EPOR). Secondary congenital erythrocytosis arises from conditions causing tissue hypoxia and results in increased Epo production. These include hemoglobin variants with increased affinity for oxygen (HBB, HBA mutations), decreased production of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate due to BPGM mutations, or mutations in the genes involved in the hypoxia sensing pathway (VHL, EPAS1 and EGLN1). Depending on the affected gene, CE can be inherited either in an autosomal dominant or recessive mode, with sporadic cases arising de novo. Despite recent important discoveries in the molecular pathogenesis of CE, the molecular causes remain to be identified in about 70% of the patients. With the objective of collecting all the published and unpublished cases of CE the COST action MPN&MPNr-Euronet developed a comprehensive internet-based database focusing on the registration of clinical history, hematological, biochemical and molecular data (http://www.erythrocytosis.org/). In addition, unreported mutations are also curated in the corresponding Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A systematic review evaluating the impact of online or blended learning vs. face-to-face learning of clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education.

Aim: To determine whether the use of an online or blended learning paradigm has the potential to enhance the teaching of clinical skills in undergraduate nursing.

Background: The need to adequately support and develop students in clinical skills is now arguably more important than previously considered due to reductions in practice opportunities. Online and blended teaching methods are being developed to try and meet this requirement, but knowledge about their effectiveness in teaching clinical skills is limited.

Design: Mixed methods systematic review, which follows the Joanna Briggs Institute User guide version 5.

Data Sources: Computerized searches of five databases were undertaken for the period 1995-August 2013.

Review Methods: Critical appraisal and data extraction were undertaken using Joanna Briggs Institute tools for experimental/observational studies and interpretative and critical research. A narrative synthesis was used to report results.

Results: Nineteen published papers were identified. Seventeen papers reported on online approaches and only two papers reported on a blended approach. The synthesis of findings focused on the following four areas: performance/clinical skill, knowledge, self-efficacy/clinical confidence and user experience/satisfaction. The e-learning interventions used varied throughout all the studies.

Conclusion: The available evidence suggests that online learning for teaching clinical skills is no less effective than traditional means. Highlighted by this review is the lack of available evidence on the implementation of a blended learning approach to teaching clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education. Further research is required to assess the effectiveness of this teaching methodology.

Adaption and adjustment of military spouses to overseas postings: An online forum study

Little research has examined the impact of being an accompanying spouse on British military foreign postings. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences of 13 military spouses from 11 different overseas locations. Data were collected via an online forum and thematic content analysis was conducted. Key findings revealed that, regardless of the location, reactions to overseas posting varied considerably and were related to the military spouse's personality and personal circumstances, as well as their relationship with family, husband and their support networks. Spouses experienced a loss of control over their lives that was in some cases psychologically distressing. The findings corroborate and extend the findings from a previous study that was limited to one location, further highlighting the need for pre-established support resources from the military and healthcare professionals to be readily accessible for all military spouses. Importantly, such support provision may also facilitate the military spouse in regaining some control over their everyday life, enhancing their well-being and the experience for the family.