Teaching Clinical Social Work in Spanish: Cultural Competency in Mental Health

We have developed a new graduate elective in the MSW degree program called Evaluación e Intervención en Español (Assessment and Intervention in Spanish). This class, taught entirely in Spanish, is designed to train Spanish-speaking MSW students in culturally and linguistically competent clinical practice with Hispanic clients. In this case study, we summarize the course.     

Special education in Pakistan

The aim of this research was to examine the type of activities as well as the challenges faced by befrienders supporting persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Twenty-nine volunteers befriending an equal number of families with children with ASD participated in this study. Content analysis was applied on visit logs (n = 465) completed by befrienders during a nine month period, supplemented by thematically analysed evidence derived from semi-structured interviews with befrienders at the end of their volunteering experience. In agreement with our expectations, findings indicate a variation in the type, number and location of activities as well as the challenges of befrienders, depending on the level of ability of persons with ASD. Befrienders in both groups were mostly involved in leisure activities, had greater social interaction with the high functioning autistic group and carried out more structured 1:1 activities with individuas with low functioning autism. Interestingly, befrienders in both groups did not differ significantly on their reported challenges. The implications of this befriending service as a means of social support for families with persons with ASD are discussed.     

Holding the Line: Sustaining an SEL-Driven Whole-School Approach in a Time of Transition

Recently, a growing body of research has focused on the sustainability of evidence-based interventions aimed at promoting the social emotional and character development of children (SEL) and preventing or reducing problem behaviors in schools. Current discussions of systemic reform in the education system address the capacity of individual schools to adopt innovations and maintain them despite inevitable environmental changes. A small elementary school in northern Israel embarked on a radical change in its pedagogic style, intentionally adopting a holistic SEL approach. After 3 intensive years of training and implementation supported by the local community and involving all major stakeholders, a series of events threatened to weaken the chances of sustaining the approach. In a qualitative research study, data were collected primarily through in-depth interviews with full-time faculty members. Constant comparison analyses were performed. The results illustrate the salient concerns and benefits of attempting such a radical change through the eyes of the faculty members. The depth of identification with SEL among faculty and other stakeholders is shown to be the basis for sustaining the SEL approach in spite of difficulties. This narrative of events demonstrates the obstacles encountered on the road to approach sustainability. This identification of possible challenges is valuable to those introducing change in the school environment.     

Perception of self-selected running speed is influenced by the treadmill but not footwear

In this study, we examined whether self-selected overground running speed was consistent (1) with perceived overground speed on the treadmill and (2) among barefoot and three footwear conditions. Participants ran across a 20-m runway 10 times for each overground condition, with running speed calculated from kinematic data. For the treadmill condition, the participants were instructed to run at a speed that felt similar to their overground speed. This treadmill speed was chosen upon perception, with the display covered from the participant's view. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to detect differences in speed between overground and treadmill running, and also among barefoot and footwear conditions. Coefficient alpha (α) was calculated to determine repeatability of observations in each overground condition. The speed was higher during overground (3.65 ± 0.40 m/s) than treadmill (2.25 ± 0.75 m/s) running but did not differ among the barefoot and the three footwear conditions. Overall, overground speed was highly repeatable within an individual (α = 0.96–0.98). Researchers might consider using self-selected speed when investigating overground running mechanics with different foot–ground interface conditions. The influence of treadmill on the perception of speed may be related to shear force, running duration, joint load control, and/or other psychological factors.     

Narratives of ‘doing,knowing, being and becoming’: examining the impact of an attachment-informed approach within initial teacher education

The Scottish Government’s vision of improving outcomes for children prioritises attachment theory and research in promoting children’s well-being across children’s services. This theme is also noted as increasing international relevance. Our narrative research springs from the experience of designing and delivering the first course within initial teacher education in Scotland to focus on the application of attachment theory to the role and identity of the teacher – particularly, in supporting children vulnerable through experiences of trauma and adversity. We capture students’ ‘real time’ learning moments through reflective journaling during school experience within the analytic ‘Doing, knowing, being and becoming’. Emergent themes include: looking behind and responding to behaviours, making links with ‘lived lives’, understanding teachers’ potential as attachment figures and ‘secure base’, understanding the relevance of adult attachment theory and resilience/self-care to teachers’ emotions and their own attachment experiences.     

THE INFLUENCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS OF PHYSIOTHERAPY

The majority of physiotherapists are trained in hospital‐based schools outside the mainstream of further and higher education. It has been assumed that professional standards of competence are maintained through central control of the syllabus, nationally set examinations and centrally appointed examiners.

During the last decade, a small number of schools have transferred to polytechnics and begun to develop internally examined courses. It is essential that students who are successful in these examinations are automatically eligible for Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

This paper describes the planning of an internally examined course which is acceptable to the professional bodies as well as to the Sheffield City Polytechnic. It explores some of the conflicts which have arisen concerning the extent to which control of the profession should extend to control of the curriculum in any and every institution. It concludes that the Chartered Society's need to control right of entry to the profession and to monitor standards of competence is reconcilable with lecturers’ desire to design a course and appropriate methods of assessment which reflect their overall rationale.