How do primary pre‐service teachers in a regional Australian university plan for teaching,learning and acting in environmentally responsible ways?

Integrated unit plans with an environmental focus can provide opportunities for school students to develop critical thinking skills, and to act in responsible ways – that is, to develop ‘action competence’. In this study, environmentally focused integrated unit plans, developed and implemented by final year pre‐service teachers at an Australian regional university, were analysed to determine the extent to which they contained concepts that promoted action competence. Results here suggest that more work could be done in the area of pre‐service education to prepare teachers for teaching, learning and acting responsibly in relation to complex environmental issues. In particular, there could be more emphasis on developing integrated unit plans that empower school students and promote critical thinking, democratic processes and action‐oriented knowledge.     

A Survey of MNC Succession Planning Effectiveness in China,Summer 2001

A survey based on Rothwell's (1994) Effective Succession Planning was administered to several worldclass multi‐national corporations (MNCs) operating in China. Subsidiary MNCs were found to have HRD succession planning problems. Responses regarding succession planning efforts and cultural issues were rigorously tested for significance. The organizational goals for total localization were found to be weak or absent.     

The effect of consistent and varied follow-through practice schedules on learning a table tennis backhand

In table tennis the follow-through action after a shot is an important part of skill execution. In this experiment, we aimed to extend literature around the contextual interference effect by investigating whether the way the follow-through is organised in practice affects learning of the backhand shot in table tennis. Thirty unskilled participants were allocated to blocked-variable practice, random-variable practice or a control-constant group and aimed backhand shots towards a target following ball projection from a machine. Each group completed these shots in a pre-test, a training phase with follow-through manipulations, a post-test, and a retention test. The random-variable group improved their shot accuracy from pre-test to post-test and from pre-test to retention test (both P < 0.01, d = 1.03), whereas neither the blocked-variable nor the control-constant group displayed any change in shot accuracy. Practising the follow-through in a random-variable fashion enhanced learning of the preceding shot compared with blocked-variable practice or no follow-through instructions. The benefits of learning motor skills under conditions of high contextual interference also apply to how follow-through actions are organised. The findings are valuable to coaches and suggest that instructions related to the follow-through action should be considered as well as the primary skill itself.     

Expansive framing as pragmatic theory for online and hybrid instructional design

Educational technology research and development - This article explores the complex question of how instruction should be framed (i.e., contextualized). Reports from the US National Research...     

MY MOTHER,YOUR MOTHER: EMBRACING “SLOW MEDICINE”: THE COMPASSIONATE APPROACH TO CARING FOR YOUR AGING LOVED ONES By Dennis McCullough

Dysphagia, or disordered swallowing, is explained relative to normal swallowing. Social, psychological, medical, and economic consequences of dysphasia are discussed with note of the particular prevalence of the disorder among the elderly. A multidisciplinary team approach to treatment is presented with roles of the various professionals defined. Case studies demonstrating the benefits of treatment are presented.     

A Cardiopulmonary Instructor's Perspective on a Standardized Patient Experience: Implications for Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Education

Purpose: Standardized patients (SP) in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curricula are increasingly used for students to practice developing clinical reasoning, communication, and professional skills in an authentic learning environment. The purposes of this article are to: (1) describe an instructional model that synthesized SPs, Internet-based communities of practice, and reflection to teach clinical reasoning in DPT students; and (2) a cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy (CPPT) instructor''s perspective on the educational process and student clinical skill development. Summary of Key Points: The model, employed in a course: “Integrative Physical Therapy Practice,” enabled the instructor to document student clinical performance and reasoning during an SP interaction. For students, clinical reasoning was illuminated through the model''s assessment process. Data collected through the assessment process provided important feedback to the instructor on classroom instructional effectiveness. Conclusions: Examination of student learning experiences enabled the instructor to consider: (1) key aspects of examination and management for persons with cardiovascular or pulmonary disorders, (2) methods for visualizing clinical reasoning, (3) the impact of teaching on student learning, and (4) strategies for teaching CPPT. More research is indicated to investigate pedagogy for the development of clinical reasoning in DPT students.Key Words: standardized patient, clinical reasoning, reflection, physical therapy education, cardiovascular, pulmonary     

Instructor-provided summary infographics to support online learning

Infographics are a visualisation tool that can be used to improve retention, comprehension and appeal of complex concepts. The rise of infographic use in education has facilitated new forms of application and design of these tools. Instructor-provided summary infographics are a new form of infographic, whereby key learning objectives and content are summarised in graphical form at the end of a lesson. However, it is unknown whether these types of infographics can support learning in online environments. This exploratory research investigates student perceptions, retention, applications and activity generation of instructor-provided summary infographics in a massive online learning environment. Using both post-course learner survey data (n = 1,899) and text mining analysis (n = 72,490 words), results present how learners perceived instructor-provided summary infographics as useful and appealing for retaining, clarifying and understanding learning concepts. The research contributes a novel understanding of summary infographics in online learning environments, and supports their use as a design tool for educational delivery in the online space.     

Sporting shades of green: a comparative analysis of sponsored national mythmaking in Irish rugby and soccer

This paper derives from an ongoing study of how modern sports contribute to the (re)definition of national identities in the context of increasing marketization and mediatization of sport at different levels. In this paper, we examine the symbolic tensions surrounding Three Ireland’s concurrent sponsorship of the Irish international football and rugby union teams via an analysis of two television commercials commissioned by the sponsor. We suggest that although different signifiers of Irish identity are employed in the football and rugby commercials examined – and that each ostensibly represents a different ‘version’ of Irish identity – both campaigns draw largely from a common fund of cultural authenticity. Our analysis suggests that Three Ireland has constructed broad texts that comfortably accommodate differing signifiers of Irish identity and that permit the sponsor to trade in limited and controllable degrees of cultural difference. More broadly, our paper demonstrates how national identity can function as a ‘multi-directional symbol’.     

Is it natural or processed? Elementary school teachers and conceptions about materials

This paper explores the science content knowledge of elementary school teachers, and its possible role in helping them teach effectively. These issues are explored in the context of an investigation of the views of 106 elementary school teachers who had participated in professional development courses which focused on the topic “natural and processed materials.” These practising teachers revealed a range of conceptions about materials, which have been categorized into broad types. Some of the teachers showed shifts in conceptions, from what could be described as “naïve” conceptions to more scientific views, after a 2‐day professional development activity. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 1154–1170, 2000