The role and contribution of Nurture Groups in secondary schools: perceptions of children,parents and staff

Many secondary schools are now establishing Nurture Groups, an intervention primarily designed for infant school-aged children. However, there is little research indicating that this intervention can be applied effectively to secondary settings. The main aim of this research was to explore how Nurture Groups are implemented into the secondary sector and whether they can be a beneficial intervention for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The implementation of three secondary school Nurture Groups was examined through the views of 17 secondary school staff and eight parents using focus groups, and six children who had attended the Nurture Groups through individual interviews. Findings indicated that secondary school Nurture Groups can be a valued resource and have benefits for young people. However, they often have a different emphasis from those originally devised by Boxall, because of the developmental differences between sectors. Recommendations for secondary school Nurture Group practitioners are provided.     

Understanding disorganised attachment: theory and practice for working with children and adults,by David Shemmings and Yvonne Shemmings

Preschoolers with autism face a number of challenges in integrating into different community activities owing to behavioural, communication and emotional concerns. Since the year 2009, the Hong Kong Heep Hong Society has developed a training programme for enhancing community participation among individuals with autism. The current project reports findings of a qualitative study of special education teachers’ perceptions concerning a range of issues with regard to the programme. Semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted to gather information from eight teachers who used the community participation programme. The results indicated that teachers perceived the programme as a useful tool for promoting community participation among preschoolers with autism. However, participants pointed out a number of barriers to implementing the programme effectively. The participants suggested ways to improve the quality of community participation programmes. Implications for teachers and other professionals are discussed.     

Capturing the Nurture approach: experiences of young pupils with SEBD

In the UK, children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) may engage with the Nurture approach: a therapeutic model of educational intervention. Despite growing evidence that this approach can promote the developmental and educational attainment of these children, there has been little emphasis on how children might relate their own experiences here. In focusing on a group of young children with SEBD, this study used a combination of drawings and interviews to explore how these unique children perceived their immersion in this particular approach. Most children discerned differences in their past and present personal classroom experiences, and their understanding of the Nurture approach was of a positive nature. It is suggested that a combination of methods may be useful in helping to gauge pupil response and progress regarding this type of intervention. The benefits of acknowledging the perceptions of ‘challenging’ pupils and how this might inform future principles and practice are considered.     

Student‐teachers' perspectives on positive and negative social processes in school

In recent years, the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status in England have placed new emphasis on student‐teachers' ability to become integrated into the ‘corporate life of the school’ and to work with other professionals. Little research, however, has been carried out into how student‐teachers perceive the social processes and interactions that are central to such integration during their initial teacher education school placements. This study aims to shed light on these perceptions. The data, gathered from 23 student‐teachers through interviews and reflective writing, illustrate the extent to which the participants perceived such social processes as supporting or obstructing their development as teachers. Signals of inclusion, the degree of match or mismatch in students' and school colleagues' role expectations, and the social awareness of both school and student‐teacher emerged as crucial factors in this respect. The student‐teachers' accounts show their social interactions with school staff to be meaningful in developing their ‘teacher self’ and to be profoundly emotionally charged. The implications for mentor and student‐teacher role preparation are discussed in this article.     

Physica: A Computer Environment for Physics Problem-Solving

Physica is an integrated software package designed as part of a course for distance learning students from non-traditional educational backgrounds. It gives students access to an extensive hyperlinked physics glossary, computer algebra and graph-plotting tools. The package aims to give students a framework for solving physics problems and to help them acquire some higher level skills of quantitative problem-solving. This paper outlines rationales underlying various protocols for solving physics problems, and discusses the extent to which frameworks may be useful in helping students develop appropriate strategies for representing problems in formal terms, selecting targets, planning solutions and checking answers. Pedagogical issues underlying the design and implementation of the software are discussed.     

Students' perception of university teaching behaviours

The purpose of the paper is to explore Students' perception of university teaching behaviours in Pakistan. Three hundred and fifty students from the six public sector Pakistani universities returned questionnaires. Assessment framework, learning activities and instructional strategies emerged from factor analysis as common factors. Students' views on five conceptual variables were also analysed: instructional design, active teaching, learning activities, questioning styles; and assessment framework. University teaching in Pakistan was found to be driven by assessment. This is a matter of concern for all stake holders, including the administration of the universities, teachers, students and the Higher Education Commission. A teaching behaviour paradigm shift is required, switching from knowledge-oriented teaching behaviour focused on successful passage through assessment, to teaching behaviour focused upon the development of transferable skills demanded by external markets.     

人本主义理念下高校辅导员职业能力发展策略研究

辅导员是高等学校教师队伍的重要组成部分,是开展大学生思想政治教育的骨干力量。拟以人本主义理念为出发点,分析我国高校辅导员在专业发展、权责明确、发展路径及培养体系等方面存在的问题。在充分调动政府、高校及辅导员三方积极性的前提下,通过完善高校辅导员政策建设、提高高校辅导员评聘标准、建立健全辅导员培养机制与加快辅导员研修基地建设等各项措施,构建全方位、多维度的高校辅导员职业能力发展策略。     

Dissection in the Modern Medical Curriculum: An Exploration into Student Perception and Adaptions for the Future

For centuries cadaveric dissection has been a cornerstone of medical anatomy education. However, time and financial limitations in modern, compressed medical curricula, coupled with the abundance of alternate modalities, have raised questions about the role of dissection. This study was designed to explore student perceptions of the efficacy of a dissection program for learning musculoskeletal anatomy, and possible adaptations for appropriate inclusion of dissection in the modern medical curricula. A paper-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 174 medical students after completion of cadaveric dissections. Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students strongly believed that cadaver-based learning is essential to anatomy education and modern teaching modalities only complement this. Moreover, most students reported that dissection provided an additional, immersive learning experience that facilitated active learning and helped in developing manual competencies. Students with previous dissection experience or an interest in anatomy-related specialties were significantly more likely to attend dissection sessions. Students found that the procedural dissection components enhanced the knowledge of applied anatomy and is beneficial for the development of clinical skills. They welcomed the idea of implementing more procedure-based dissections alongside lectures and prosections-based practical (PBP) sessions. Cadaveric dissection plays an integral role in medical anatomy education. Time restraints and an increased focus on clinical significance, however, demand carefully considered adaptations of existing dissection protocols. The introduction of procedure-based dissection offers an innovative, highly engaging and clinically relevant package that would amalgamate skills essential to medical practice while retaining the benefits that have allowed dissection to stand the test of time.     

Rapid Feedback Assessment Methods: Can We Improve Engagement and Preparation for Exams in Large-enrollment Courses?

Scratch-off immediate feedback assessment technique (IF-AT) forms and classroom response systems (clickers) can increase student engagement and interaction and help students prepare for exams by indicating the type and level of questions they will encounter. We used the IF-AT throughout the semester in three sections of a lower-division biology class; in two, students worked on IF-AT questions in small permanent groups, and in one, students alternated between IF-AT and clickers each week. At the end of the semester, students answered surveys about instant feedback techniques. Students appreciated prompt feedback on their understanding of course material, enjoyed the group interaction and opportunities to learn from each other, and continued to have positive perceptions of instant feedback activities and to take them seriously throughout the semester. While appreciating the versatility of clicker questions, we find that the ease of use, low cost, effectiveness, and improved classroom climate of the IF-AT method are particularly commendable.     

地方高校辅导员队伍建设问题与对策研究

辅导员是大学生思想政治教育的骨干力量,是大学生健康成长的指导者和引路人。在新的时期,只有提高对辅导员队伍建设重要性的认识、客观分析地方高校在辅导员队伍建设中出现的问题及原因,通过增强政策的针对性、狠抓队伍源头建设等工作,才能进一步建设好地方高校高水平的辅导员队伍。