Description:
•Given the long-term recovery following BPI, consideration should be given to relevance of slow stream rehab and interdisciplinary care.•Consider upskilling or an interdisciplinary care model to assist hand therapists and the provision of pain management and psychological support.•Increased dissemination of resources to support hand therapists working with individuals following BPI and enhanced communication opportunities to develop networks both nationally and internationally. Traumatic, brachial plexus injuries (BPI) result represent a significant cost to the individual and society. Recovery involves multiple surgeries, takes years, and often results in permanent physical dysfunction. While the last couple of decades have seen advancements in surgical management, the BPI rehabilitation literature has not kept pace with these developments. We aim to explore the experience of public and privately employed hand therapists’ in delivering effective long-term rehabilitation services to inviduals with BPI in Australia. An interpretative qualitative study. Two focus groups were conducted with Australian hand therapists’ (n = 10). Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Three key themes were generated from the data. The first theme ‘Falling through the gaps: overlooked components of therapy for BPI’ captures participants’ thoughts on postinjury health care and rehabilitation services. The second ‘Developing a therapeutic alliance: underpinned by time and trust’ relates to the relationship building challenges and opportunities following trauma that will withstand the long-term recovery of individuals following BPI. The last theme, ‘Factors required for professional development: knowledge and support,’ considers the variation seen with these clients in relation to therapy needs and outcomes. The findings of this study highlight the need to better equip hand therapists’ skills and knowledge in responding to pain and psychological management post BPI. Our results reinforce the benefit of interdisciplinary models of care in the management of individuals with BPI.
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Abstract: This research aimed to explore the professional development of Physical Education (PE) teachers in a Brazilian municipal school. This study was constituted as an action research in which six PE teachers, a facilitator and a critical friend participated. Meetings with teachers and researchers; interviews; field notebook were the data sources. The results indicate that the community of practice (CP) was able to support teachers during their development. Teachers’ essential needs were met; the CP had autonomous decisions; and your voice heard. The support offered to teachers by CP originated through the process of building the teachers' own practice, supported by their own peers and the facilitator as they came together in a newly developed community.
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This report forms part of a comprehensive research program that has examined issues related to building the organisational capability of vocational education and training providers. In particular, this report focuses on the current state of human resource management practice in both technical and further education and private registered training organisations. It also provides an assessment of the extent to which human resource management plays a truly strategic role and proposes approaches to improve both human resource management practice and its impact.
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This study with 326 girls-school teachers developed and tested a model of predictors of the likelihood that teachers will intervene in indirect bullying, and evaluated a professional development presentation. Teachers responded to bullying vignettes before and after a presentation on indirect bullying (Experimentals) or adolescent mental health (Controls). In accord with the model, perceived seriousness of indirect bullying mediated between empathy for victims and likelihood of intervening. Self-efficacy also had a direct effect on likelihood of intervention, though level of knowledge of the impact of indirect bullying made only a small contribution. Compared with Controls, the Experimental Group scored more highly, after the presentation, on perceived seriousness of indirect bullying, empathy for victims, likelihood of intervening and self-efficacy, but not on knowledge of impact. It is concluded that teacher education about indirect bullying may be most effective if it focuses on feelings rather than facts, and provides practical intervention strategies.
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This article considers how the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) has responded to the recommendations made by accredited mental health social workers in the first national study on continuing professional development needs in 2010. The aim of the study was to ascertain the responsiveness of the AASW to the recommendations made so that members knew if their concerns had been listened to. A five-year timeframe was considered timely for such a review. An evaluative approach was used in August 2015 sourcing data from both public and private domains from 2010 to 2015 to identify, and not appraise or critique, how the AASW had responded to the recommendations in the 2010 review. This is in acknowledgment that there may be other reasons influencing changes made and that these may not be a direct response to the 2010 survey recommendations. The study found that all recommendations made in the 2010 review were responded to by the AASW. [Author abstract]
Description:
This article considers how the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) has responded to the recommendations made by accredited mental health social workers in the first national study on continuing professional development needs in 2010. The aim of the study was to ascertain the responsiveness of the AASW to the recommendations made so that members knew if their concerns had been listened to. A five-year timeframe was considered timely for such a review. An evaluative approach was used in August 2015 sourcing data from both public and private domains from 2010 to 2015 to identify, and not appraise or critique, how the AASW had responded to the recommendations in the 2010 review. This is in acknowledgment that there may be other reasons influencing changes made and that these may not be a direct response to the 2010 survey recommendations. The study found that all recommendations made in the 2010 review were responded to by the AASW. [Author abstract]
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This paper reports on the professional development of vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers in Australia. It utilises the data on professional development (PD) gathered from two national surveys undertaken in 2016 as part of a major ARC-funded national research project on VET teachers and their qualifications. Part of the first survey, which focused mainly on VET teachers’ qualifications and teaching approaches, examined the PD activities undertaken by the respondents. It explored the nature and frequency of the activities, the motivations for participation and the support provided for PD. The second survey was sent to VET teachers/trainers who had participated in PD activities offered by three major PD providers for VET. It focused on the external PD activities undertaken by respondents and explored the frequency, content and nature of activities. The paper provides evidence on the current state of professional development, both formal and informal, for teachers/trainers across the VET sector and compares differences among teachers working for different types of provider. Detailed data are presented on participation in a range of industry and VET PD activities (both within and external to the RTO), the motivations for participation, and who pays for PD. The findings show the type of PD activities that were valued, and what participants would like to see in the future. The findings are expected to inform policy discussions about VET teacher development and will be useful for managers in TAFE Institutes and RTOs; and for those external organisations delivering PD to the VET workforce.
Description:
This paper reports on the professional development of vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers in Australia. It utilises the data on professional development (PD) gathered from two national surveys undertaken in 2016 as part of a major ARC-funded national research project on VET teachers and their qualifications. Part of the first survey, which focused mainly on VET teachers’ qualifications and teaching approaches, examined the PD activities undertaken by the respondents. It explored the nature and frequency of the activities, the motivations for participation and the support provided for PD. The second survey was sent to VET teachers/trainers who had participated in PD activities offered by three major PD providers for VET. It focused on the external PD activities undertaken by respondents and explored the frequency, content and nature of activities. The paper provides evidence on the current state of professional development, both formal and informal, for teachers/trainers across the VET sector and compares differences among teachers working for different types of provider. Detailed data are presented on participation in a range of industry and VET PD activities (both within and external to the RTO), the motivations for participation, and who pays for PD. The findings show the type of PD activities that were valued, and what participants would like to see in the future. The findings are expected to inform policy discussions about VET teacher development and will be useful for managers in TAFE Institutes and RTOs; and for those external organisations delivering PD to the VET workforce.
Promoting quality learning and teaching pedagogy : evaluating a targeted localised academic induction program (AIP) for the impact on continuing professional development
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This paper describes a project to promote a research culture amongst nurses in Malaysia. The project, funded by the Australian Government’s Australia Malaysia Institute, and implemented by a group of Australian nurse academics, provided a rare professional development opportunity to nurses in urban and remote areas of Malaysia
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Summary Background To date, emergency nursing Transition to Specialty Practice Program (TSPP) evaluations have been single-site observational studies. The aim of this paper was to examine the professional development, recruitment and retention outcomes of Australian emergency nursing TSPPs. Methods An explanatory sequential design was used. Data were collected via online surveys and interviews of emergency Nurse Unit Managers and Nurse Educators. Survey data from EDs with TSPPs and EDs without TSPPs were compared. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results Data were collected from 118 EDs, and 13 interviews. TSPPs were offered in 72.1% of EDs. EDs with TSPPs had higher proportions of nurses with postgraduate qualifications (Mdn 28.3% vs. 22.1%, p=0.45) and Clinical Specialists (Mdn 16.4% vs. 6.3%, p=0.04). The median proportion of currently rostered nurses with TSPP completion was 34.2% in EDs with TSPPs introduced in 2000–2005 indicating ED high levels of retention. Conclusion Emergency nursing TSPPs have had a positive effect on nursing professional development, recruitment and retention. To ensure consistency in outcomes and optimise reliability of emergency nursing skills and knowledge, a national emergency nursing TSPP framework is needed.
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Given the new direction and focus toward education in the early childhood sector, this PhD research study will investigate the mathematically-rich interactions that are occurring in three early childhood settings. RQ1: What constitutes a mathematically-rich interaction in the early childhood centre? RQ2: How do early childhood educators plan and scaffold for mathematically-rich interactions? RQ3: What role does the physical and socio-cultural environment play in the mathematically-rich interactions? RQ4: What role do children play in scaffolding each other’s mathematically-rich interactions?