Explores the ways in which two secondary school science teachers used the framework of an action research project to take a language focus in the teaching of science, involving devising, implementing ...and evaluating a work plan which enabled them to challenge their beliefs and practices. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Concern has been raised globally that a lack of interest by teachers towards teaching science has a negative impact on the children they teach. While attention has been paid to the teacher as a ...contributing factor to students' attitudes, less has been written about the attitudes of teachers. To bridge this gap, the current study examines six Year 8 teachers' attitudes towards teaching science in a New Zealand intermediate school. Biographical data was gathered and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted that explored the teachers' attitudes. van Aalderen-Smeets et al.'s (2012) framework, which takes a multidimensional view of attitudes, is used as a lens to examine the attitudes of the participants in the current study. In general, the participants had a positive attitude towards teaching science. The dimensions contributing to their positivity or negativity are discussed. Implications for supporting teachers to teach science through professional learning and development opportunities in order to create positive attitudes to teach science are proposed.
Self-efficacious teachers are critical in the development of students' positive attitudes towards science and scientific literacy yet to date little attention has been given to studies of experienced ...teachers of primary science and development of their self-efficacy (SE) beliefs. The aim of this study was to explore how two experienced teachers of primary science built their SE beliefs and outcome expectancy. Bandura's (1977) SE framework provided the conceptual lens to understand participants' experiences and beliefs. Findings suggest that teachers' SE beliefs had developed over time, creating a foundation for a strong expectancy outcome. Each of the sources of influence made a significant contribution to their beliefs about their science teaching capability and the value of science. Seemingly, their strong outcome expectancy enabled them to be persistent and resilient, overcoming challenges as they arose. We argue that a strong expectancy outcome is necessary to ensure SE does not weaken over time.
To assess the feasibility and potential impact on target delineation of respiratory-gated (4D) contrast-enhanced
Fluorine fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography - computed tomography ...(PET-CT), in the treatment planning position, for a prospective cohort of patients with lower third oesophageal cancer.
Fifteen patients were recruited into the study. Imaging included 4D PET-CT, 3D PET-CT, endoscopic ultrasound and planning 4D CT. Target volume delineation was performed on 4D CT, 4D CT with co-registered 3D PET and 4D PET-CT. Planning target volumes (PTV) generated with 4D CT (PTV
4D CT co-registered with 3D PET-CT (PTV
and 4D PET-CT (PTV
) were compared with multiple positional metrics.
Mean PTV
, PTV
and PTV
were 582.4 ± 275.1 cm
, 472.5 ± 193.1 cm
and 480.6 ± 236.9 cm
respectively (no significant difference). Median DICE similarity coefficients comparing PTV
with PTV
PTV
with PTV
and PTV
with PTV
were 0.85 (range 0.65-0.9), 0.85 (range 0.69-0.9) and 0.88 (range 0.79-0.9) respectively. The median sensitivity index for overlap comparing PTV
with PTV
PTV
with PTV
and PTV
with PTV
were 0.78 (range 0.65-0.9), 0.79 (range 0.65-0.9) and 0.89 (range 0.68-0.94) respectively.
Planning 4D PET-CT is feasible with careful patient selection. PTV generated using 4D CT, 3D PET-CT and 4D PET-CT were of similar volume, however, overlap analysis demonstrated that approximately 20% of PTV
and PTV
are not included in PTV
, leading to under-coverage of target volume and a potential geometric miss. Additionally, differences between PTV
and PTV
suggest a potential benefit for 4D PET-CT.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier - NCT02285660 (Registered 21/10/2014).
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Postgraduate study provides teachers with opportunities to become critical consumers of research as well as generators of their own knowledge, enabling them to fulfil the mandate of teaching being a ...research-informed and evidenced-based profession. This article pays attention to 18 practising teachers' reasons for undertaking a master's degree and the type of workplace support offered during their enrolment. Findings suggest that teachers' reasons for undertaking academic study were very much tied to their perceptions of what it means to be a teacher and how teaching and learning can be improved. As such, teachers' professional identity seemed to reflect the discourse of teaching as a complex and professional activity. Such an identity seemed contradictory to those of many of their workplace colleagues and senior managers who provided the teachers with subtle messages regarding the importance and value of study and research to teachers' professional practice. Author abstract
Introduction:
The top 10 priorities for occupational therapy research in the United Kingdom were identified via a priority setting partnership and published in 2020. This study aimed to evaluate ...utilisation of the top 10 priorities since 2020 and identify recommendations to re-focus research efforts.
Method:
A mixed methods approach involving evidence checking and stakeholder consultation was undertaken. Direct and selective methods were used to recruit stakeholders, including previous steering group members, who were invited to take part in 30-minute semi-structured interviews.
Results:
Eighty-one evidence sources were included and addressed the research priorities 127 times. Stakeholders (N = 7) discussed the top 10 priorities in relation to five key themes: (1) what has been done; (2) the most addressed priorities; (3) the least addressed priorities; (4) barriers to using the priorities (three barriers emerged); and (5) what should be done next (six strategies emerged).
Conclusion:
There was strong agreement that research priority 1 (how does occupational therapy have an impact and make a difference on everyday lives?) was the most addressed; however, all research priorities require more attention. Recommendations to refocus research efforts included continuing to support priority-driven research and greater promotion of the priorities.
Introduction
Developmental coordination disorder is a common disorder of childhood. Little is known about adolescence, however, and research typically reflects professionals’ and parents’ ...perspectives. This study explored how life is experienced by teenagers with developmental coordination disorder from their own contemporaneous perspective.
Methods
The study was guided by the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis and a reference group of older teenagers with developmental coordination disorder. A total of 16 interviews were carried out with nine teenagers aged 13–15 years over a 2-year period, offering the opportunity to examine changes in their experience over time. Accounts were subjected to a systematic process of ideographic, inductive and interpretative analysis.
Findings
Themes revealed were: ‘Doing everything the hard way’; ‘I didn’t want to be seen as anyone different’; ‘I’m an intelligent person but I can’t even write’; ‘Right help, right time’ and ‘Making sense of the diagnosis’. Self-efficacy was a strong recurring theme, influencing participants’ motivation for and participation in daily activities, and affecting teenagers’ sense of resilience, agency, ambition and identity.
This article describes the development of a conceptual framework illustrating patterns and connections that occurred across the study themes. The conceptual framework is offered as a novel means of illustrating the complex interaction of factors representing the lived experience of teenagers with developmental coordination disorder.
Conclusion
This study furthers understanding of developmental coordination disorder in adolescence. The conceptual framework is firmly grounded in teenagers’ experience and illustrates the complex interaction of factors influencing teenagers’ lives. The study suggests avenues for intervention and research, and highlights the need for interventions that build teenagers’ self-efficacy to promote positive futures for teenagers with developmental coordination disorder.
If feedback is to be framed as purposeful dialogue then both students and teachers have significant roles to play. Students must be willing and able to provide feedback to teachers not only about ...their learning needs but also about the teaching they experience. In turn, teachers must create the conditions that support active student learning and disclosure. It is against this backdrop that the current interpretive, qualitative research was carried out. Set within the final year of secondary schooling in New Zealand (Year 13) this paper draws on data generated from two semi-structured, focus group interviews. It provides insights into 14 students' perspectives about the role feedback plays in the enhancement of their learning, the kinds of experiences and interactions needed to support their disclosure of learning needs and the dispositions teachers need to exhibit to create a trustful, mutually respectful environment. Author abstract
This article draws on two studies that examined primary children’s attitudes towards science in the classroom and their experiences of science. Through the data drawn from semi-structured interviews, ...it was evident that the children were mostly positive about science, but their experiences of science in the classroom were not always how they would prefer their science learning to proceed. The findings highlight aspects of their experiences that enhanced or detracted from their interest in science. In particular, the students stated the importance of being taught relevant and meaningful science in a collaborative context. Children’s out-of-school contexts also became important in their learning of science. These findings are discussed, and suggestions are made for ways in which teachers can make changes to their planning and teaching in order to support positive attitudes to science within the classroom.
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