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Like other health care practices, the increasing complexity in dentistry signals the need for a reconceptualisation of dentist professional learning. Professional dental bodies, at large, still privilege formal continuing professional development (CPD) provisions focusing on off-the-job activities despite growing evidence that much invaluable learning occurs through and at work. In exploring the two common dentist CPD approaches, this article critiques the narrow conceptions of learning inscribed in these frameworks, which are individualistic and acquisition oriented. Drawing on a vignette of dentists' professional practice at work, this paper argues for a shift in discussion from an emphasis on which CPD models work best to what counts as professional learning for dentists. To flesh out these arguments, the paper proposes using an innovative conceptual approach through the lens of 'complexity thinking' and the concept of 'co-present group'. Through this lens, the reframing of thinking brings out two key features of learning: Emergent learning cannot be specified in advance and much significant learning is typically beyond an individual's learning. Given the learning potentials of group practice and group learning, the paper concludes with suggestions to support dentists' lifelong learning at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to unveil opportunities for promoting teacher ethics through quality school-based professional development (S-BPD) programmes to improve teachers' ethical conduct in Tanzanian primary schools. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study uses an institutional ethnography design. The data were collected through interviews, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review. Data analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke's (2006) framework of thematic analysis. Findings: Opportunities to promote teacher ethics drew on quality S-BPD programmes. These opportunities include interactions with morally committed teachers, introduction of the civic and moral subject, prevalence of teacher misconduct, ideal school leadership and development and access to affordable technology. Practical implications: The study provides useful insights into how to reshape teachers' ethical competences and to link theory and practice in teaching. Moreover, the study suggests school-based solutions to the problem of resource scarcity for teachers to retool their professional competences. Originality/value: The opportunities revealed are critical for promoting teacher ethics through quality S-BPD programmes in primary schools because teacher ethics is learned. The study offers insights into how to improve teacher ethics in primary schools. It concludes that internalising these opportunities as a whole is vital, as they have the potential to promote teacher ethics in Tanzanian public primary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the integration of the Professional Capability Framework (PCF) in England's social work education and its potential applicability in the Czech Republic. As England has advanced its social work training through holistic approaches and continuous professional development [1], this paper explores the feasibility of adapting such reforms to enhance the Czech educational system. By conducting a comparative analysis, the research identifies gaps in the Czech framework and suggests tailored adaptations from the English model. This streamlined examination not only furthers the international discourse on social work education but also proposes actionable strategies for cross-cultural educational enhancements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation as the driving force for achieving success, pursuing goals and fulfilling objectives, is shaped and affected by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, psychological contract and work attitude. Like other professionals, English language teachers also need to be motivated for continuous professional improvement in order to achieve organizational goals and ultimately reach high educational quality. Thus, it is of high importance to investigate teachers' (de)motivation toward CPD. This paper focuses on the (de)motivational reasons as to why English language teachers at a university do not take part in professional development despite their awareness of its significance for their career, institution's development and their students' learning. The data from EFL teachers were collected through an online questionnaire consisting of three open-ended questions. The majority of the teachers were found to feel that the continuing professional development events were organized without considering their current workload, needs and contextual factors. It was also found out that the general organizational atmosphere and work attitudes of their colleagues led to decreased motivation and psychological contract. These results offer certain implications for the administrators of educational institutions regarding the importance of considering motivational factors, psychological contract and work attitude in planning continuing professional development for English language teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting professional development of in-service language teachers is key to maintaining education quality. However, extant studies on test-based continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers do not emphasise primary school contexts in China, leading to difficulties in the professional development of this teacher group. Therefore, this paper reports the influences of CPD, based on the Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) programme for in-service primary school English teachers in China, particularly concerning dynamic changes in their professional beliefs and self-efficacy due to participation in the programme. In this study, 42 English teachers were recruited from 15 primary schools to participate in the CPD programme. Through focus groups and teachers' journals, the findings showed that the teachers experienced complex transformations in their professional beliefs and self-efficacy, and revealed some influential factors of the change. This paper provides suggestions to optimise CPD programmes and facilitate long-term professional development for teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the topic of military ethics, what we mean by that term, what it covers, how it is understood, and how it is taught. It suggests that the unifying factor that makes this a coherent subject beyond individual national interpretations of it is the core idea of military professionalism. The paper draws out the distinction between training and education and draws on research conducted by a number of different people and agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to establish what factors contribute to effective pedagogy and the inculcation of appropriate attitudes and behaviours. The paper concludes by looking at the way military ethics contributes to military outcomes from protecting civilians and the vulnerable to building resilience in our own military personnel to protect their mental health, through to the strategic costs of losing the moral high ground if behaviour is seen to fall short of that expected from military professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five years ago we conducted a study of continuing professional development (CPD) among community pharmacists at the time the pharmacists' professional body was beginning to pilot its CPD framework. We found that most pharmacists were engaged in continuing education (CE) rather than CPD, and were confused about the difference between them. Few pharmacists based their learning activity on identified needs, and both the concept and practice of reflection were poorly understood and rarely carried out. Almost half of the pharmacists said they were recording their CPD, although we were not able to ascertain exactly what was being recorded. Since our original study there has been a great deal of activity to raise pharmacists' awareness and understanding of CPD and to encourage recording of CPD. In this article we reflect on the findings of our original study and draw on recent material from pharmacy journals to assess where progress has been made and where further work is still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In accordance with the focus on patient safety and quality in healthcare, continuing professional development (CPD) has received increasing levels of attention as a means to ensure physicians maintain their clinical competencies and are fit to practice. There is some evidence of a beneficial effect of CPD, though few studies have evaluated its effect within anesthesia. The primary aim of this systematic review was to establish which CPD activities anesthetists are engaged in and their effectiveness. The secondary aim was to explore which methods are employed to evaluate anesthetists' clinical performance. Methods: Databases searched: Medline, Embase and Web of Science, in May 2023. Additional papers were identified through searching the references of included studies. Eligible studies included anesthetists, either exclusively or combined with other healthcare professionals, who underwent a learning activity or assessment method as part of a formalized CPD program or a stand‐alone activity. Non‐English language studies, non‐peer reviewed studies and studies published prior to 2000 were excluded. Eligible studies were quality assessed and narratively synthesized, with results presented as descriptive summaries. Results: A total of 2112 studies were identified, of which 63 were eligible for inclusion, encompassing more than 137,518 participants. Studies were primarily of quantitative design and medium quality. Forty‐one studies reported outcomes of single learning activities, whilst 12 studies investigated different roles of assessment methods in CPD and ten studies evaluated CPD programs or combined CPD activities. A 36 of the 41 studies reported positive effects of single learning activities. Investigations of assessment methods revealed evidence of inadequate performance amongst anesthetists and a mixed effect of feedback. Positive attitudes and high levels of engagement were identified for CPD programs, with some evidence of a positive impact on patient/organizational outcomes. Discussion: Anesthetists are engaged in a variety of CPD activities, with evidence of high levels of satisfaction and a positive learning effect. However, the impact on clinical practice and patient outcomes remains unclear and the role of assessment is less well‐defined. There is a need for further, high‐quality studies, evaluating a broader range of outcomes, in order to identify which methods are most effective to train and assess specialists in anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Method Data Analysis Results Implications Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is used to explore how people make sense of their personal and social world, although a search of recent literature suggests that it has not been applied to better understand self‐injury (SI). The goal of this paper was to employ an IPA methodology to gain a deeper understanding of the impact witnessing the physical manifestations of SI has on therapists.The study recruited a purposive sample of nine English‐speaking psychotherapists. Questions designed to relate to the participant's experience of witnessing the physical manifestations of SI were piloted with non‐participating psychotherapists whose experience matched those of the sample. Individual interviews were conducted by the primary researcher.Analysis involved the hermeneutic circle, moving between the part and the whole to capture and record the unique experience of the individual participants. This entailed the following: reading and re‐reading the transcripts; initial noting; developing emergent themes; connecting emergent themes; and pattern identification across cases.Two superordinate themes were identified that encapsulated how participants experienced, perceived and understood their own reactions to clients’ SI presentation. The first, Shock, included the subordinate themes of Controlling reactions, Managing physical revulsion, Therapeutic holding and Revisiting and ruminating. The second, Responsibility, included the subordinate themes of Client responsibility, Professional responsibility, Personal responsibility and Responsibility for hope.Implications relate to core training for psychotherapists, the focus on continuing professional development, and the policies and procedures needed to support psychotherapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reiterates the importance of the role of multisource feedback (MSF) in continuing medical education/continuing professional development (CME/CPD) and its impact on doctors' performance and patient experience globally. It summarises a unique initiative of robust utilisation of internationally recognised multisource feedback tools in an outpatient child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in Qatar. The process involved the effective adoption and administering of the General Medical Council's (GMC) self-assessment questionnaire (SQ), patient questionnaire (PQ), and colleague questionnaire (CQ) followed by the successful incorporation of these tools in CME/CPD. The original version of the PQ questionnaire and the instructions to the patient document were translated into Arabic through the blind back-translation technique. This initiative of introducing gold-standard MSF tools and processes into clinical practice, among other quality-improvement projects, has contributed to the improvement of service standards and doctors' clinical practice. Patient satisfaction was measured through the annual patient experience analysis using the Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ) whereas changes in doctors' performance were evaluated by comparing annual appraisal scores before and after implementation of this initiative. We have demonstrated that when MSF is obtained impartially and transparently using recognised and valid tools, it can improve patient experience and enhance doctors' performance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic created an environment where the majority of continuing medical education (CME) and continuing professional development (CPD) activities needed to be delivered digitally. Producing digital materials for 16 separate learning activities (four learning journeys for each of four topic areas) in 2021 provided challenges and raised points of interest and discussion for a small, Italy-based provider of CME and CPD. This study presents outcome metrics from four live, interactive webinars. A variety of promotional efforts, including the strategic use of social media, generated interest and participation; feedback from the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education standard questionnaire to participants provided rates of satisfaction; subject knowledge and self-reported competence was measured by responses to pre- and post-event and follow-up (after 3 months) questionnaires. Post-event analysis of processes prompted introspection on the learning journey outcomes and methods of analysis. This paper discusses these observations, including potential innovations for future activities (e.g. reconfiguring the e-learning platform to capture time spent on learning activities), and also discusses issues in learner behaviour that impact CME provision and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geography is a subject in the Primary Curriculum in Ireland. It is taught in all schools with some examples of engaging and challenging practices, characterised by enquiry-based learning (EBL) of a range of content, with learning occurring inside and out. In other settings, Geography is more limited in scope and children's geographical experiences in school are minimal. There is a myriad of reasons for this range of practice. One significant feature is the lack of funding or provision for continuing professional development (CPD) for primary teachers in Geography. This paper outlines a project to create school-based CPD for teachers in primary geography. The results of the project are that the school-based CPD, designed by teachers can provide support them to enact the curriculum as well as providing engaging, interesting and enjoyable experiences for teachers. The findings also suggest that such CPD can also have a positive impact on children's experiences of Geography, through enhanced practices by teachers. The implications for such findings are discussed in relation to curriculum change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging people with lived experience of mental health system encounters in the design and actualization of continuing professional development initiatives for mental health professionals can have transformative systemic impacts. Yet, despite evidence that involving people with lived experience benefits mental health professional education, far less focus has been placed on how to engage people with lived experience in continuing professional development initiatives. Tensions persist regarding the role of lived experience perspectives in continuing professional development, as well as how to establish people with lived experience as partners, educators and leaders in a thoughtful way. We propose that meaningful and equitable partnerships with people with lived experience can be realized by engaging in critical reflexivity and by systematically challenging assumptions. This paper explores three topics: (1) the current state of engagement with people with lived experience in continuing professional development initiatives; (2) barriers to meaningful engagement and (3) recommendations for using critical reflexivity to support the involvement and leadership of people with lived experience in continuing professional development for mental health professionals. Patient or Public Involvement: This viewpoint manuscript was co‐designed and co‐written by people with diverse lived and learned experiences. Each author's professional roles involve meaningfully and equitably partnering with and centring the perspectives of those with lived experience of mental health system encounters. In addition, approximately half of the authorship team identifies as having lived experience of accessing the psychiatric system and/or supporting family members who are navigating challenges related to mental health. These lived and learned experiences informed the conception and writing of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher and headteacher assessments and professional development are deemed critical levers for improving quality education in an increasing number of countries and contexts. However, prioritising improvement is not always evident, given that sometimes those subjected to assessments are not effectively informed about their performance (e.g. from national teacher examinations) or how to improve their work via feedback. This paper explores the bridging role of feedback concerning teacher and headteacher assessments and continuing professional development in the Mexican context, where scarce research exists. This mixed-methods research contributes evaluation evidence of Mexico's 2013–2018 education reform, including high-stakes staff assessments and individual feedback reports. Survey data from 122 primary school teachers and headteachers and thirteen interviews with teachers, headteachers and policymakers indicate the feedback report made it difficult to distinguish between poor and proficient performance and identify strengths and weaknesses. Challenges regarding suitable continuing professional development following assessment feedback are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide the population of older persons is growing. Relatedly, there is an increasing demand for suitable medical care, social security (e.g. government grants), social services and care. In South Africa, the focus of this study, social services to older persons are mainly provided by two social service professional groups, namely social workers and social auxiliary workers. This paper argues that practitioners in the social service professions must have appropriate knowledge and a fitting attitude towards older persons to provide effective gerontological services. This argument is aligned with an international commitment by signatories to the UN Decade of Healthy Aging 2021–2030 to change the way people think, feel and act towards age and ageing in order to ensure the delivery of integrated person-centred gerontological services. In South Africa, older persons are considered a vulnerable group on which social services must focus (cf. Framework for Social Welfare Services, 2013). There is also specific legislation in this regard, namely the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, as amended. After consultation of various international and national databases, it was confi rmed that, in contrast to various surveys among students in the helping professions, there is still a lack of studies that explore and describe professionals’ knowledge of and attitude towards older persons. According to the available literature, there is only one study within the South African context that dealt with the attitude of medical practitioners towards older persons (Ntusi & Ferreira, 2004). With this knowledge gap in mind, the research question that this study seeks to answer is as follows: “What are professionals in social service professions’ knowledge of and attitude towards older persons?” This study was undertaken within the ambit of the modernisation theory. A cross-sectional survey was implemented with social service professionals in the employ of a private South African welfare organisation with a footprint over fi ve of the nine provinces. The total population of 140 professionals was invited to complete a web-based survey. Sixty-three respondents (N=63) responded to the invitation and answered the questionnaire in full via QualtricsXM, a web-based programme. Section 1 comprised a holistic profi le of the respondents. In Section 2, the knowledge of respondents pertaining to older persons and ageing was determined by means of Palmore’s First Facts on Aging Quiz in multiple-choice format. Incorrect answers determine positive or negative bias towards ageing. Section 3 determined the respondents’ attitudes towards older persons, using Fraboni’s Scale of Ageism. The scale measures overall attitude/ageism, and three sub-scales, namely antilocution, avoidance and discrimination. More specifi cally, this study determined the impact of nine factors (i.e. age, area of childhood residence, growing up with an older person, qualifi cation, completed course in gerontology, working exclusively with older persons, considering working with older persons, province of employment, and task description) on the knowledge and attitudes of respondents by calculating either the independent T-test or the one-way ANOVA. Both scales were found to be valid and reliable within the South African context. After written permission from the management of the welfare organisation, the research ethics committee of the university provided ethical approval for the study. Based on the profi le of the respondents, this study mainly offers a glimpse of female persons in their middle years, with an average of 15 years of experience as social workers and practising in family-centred services. The results show that the respondents have poor overall knowledge of ageing with a mean of 9.4 out of 25 (SD=2.6). In answering the quiz, incorrect answers tended toward negative bias towards older persons. Overall the respondents hold positive attitudes toward older persons with a mean of 80.6 out of 145 (SD=11.8) for ageism. Furthermore, the sub-scales antilocution (x̅=25.2) and avoidance (x̅=24.9) scored around the midpoint, while discrimination scored high (x̅=30.4). Three factors were identifi ed as having a statistically signifi cant impact on the respondents’ overall knowledge of ageing: “Age group” (p=0.02), “Qualifi cation” (p=0.03) and “Task description” (p=0.03). Furthermore, “Growing up with an older person in the household” had a statistically signifi cant impact on the subscale “positive bias” (p=0.02). In addition, “Currently working exclusively with older persons” showed a statistically signifi cant impact on both the overall attitude/ageism (p=0.04) and antilocution (p=0.04) measured among the respondents. With reference to the factors that showed a statistically signifi cant impact (p<0.05) on respondents’ knowledge of ageing and attitudes towards older persons, recommendations for continuing professional development (CPD) are delineated. As per the policy of the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP, 2021), registered social workers must achieve at least 20 CPD points each year (or 40 spread over two years) and registered social auxiliary workers 10 points (20 over two years). The policy of the SACSSP makes provision for a variety of group and individual activities whose award of points varies between two and twenty. All professionals also carry out their tasks under a supervisor. Both CPD and supervision offer a familiar context within which social services to older persons can be dealt with. The fi eld of service of professionals should determine the extent to which the focus on older persons should be. In connection with the aforementioned policy and supervision, some recommendations are offered to improve professionals’ knowledge of and attitude towards older persons. For example, expert lectures focusing on different aspects of ageing and the completion of professional online development courses. Attitudes could be addressed during individual supervision and with creative activities such as role plays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher research (TR) has become popular as a transformative continuing professional development (CPD) activity for in-service teachers. In Vietnam, English as a foreign language teachers carry out TR through a top-down national scheme called ‘Sang kien kinh nghiem’ (‘initiatives–experiences’ (I-E)) to explore and attempt to resolve classroom issues through the application of ‘innovative solutions.’ This paper reports a part of a larger study which examines I-E scheme implementation. It focuses on the narratives of two teachers who engaged with the I-E scheme. The narratives, constructed through narrative analysis from narrative frames, semi-structured interviews, and the teachers’ I-E reports, reveal the affordances and hindrances in the experience of the teachers when engaging with the I-E scheme. The paper offers insights into TR for teachers’ CPD in Vietnam and has implications for effective implementation of TR for teachers’ CPD elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When centred on the professional exchange of skills and knowledge, overseas volunteering can be a beneficial form of professional development. In contrast to voluntourism where volunteers buy an overseas experience, professional-based overseas volunteering centres on professional collegiality and skill exchange which leads to greater professional engagement for all participants. This research identifies the learning arising from a short-term overseas volunteering exchange between Ireland and India. The volunteers are Irish teachers working with their professional colleagues in India. Intentional professional learning related to their professional contexts can be seen through the themes of the theory/practice divide, experimentation and innovation, and the uncovering of knowledge. It is argued that the recruitment and selection of volunteers by the NGO are viewed as essential stage where attitudes are addressed. Data were collected by in-depth interviews as well as accompanying volunteer groups to India. The paper concludes with a summary of how volunteer professional exchanges need to be distinguished from other forms of volunteering; the work undertaken has benefit to both communities as it reflects collegial values and provides opportunities for professional learning through collaboration and reflection. Differentiation between forms of overseas volunteering is necessary to recognise the positive outcomes of professional volunteering exchanges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The outgoing Editor in Chief of BJPsych Advances considers the 30-year history of the journal, outlining its development from a slim four-paper issue to an authoritative publication offering blended learning approaches for consultant psychiatrists and also for trainees preparing for their examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is mandatory in most European countries and evidence shows a move towards mandatory CPD across all Member States in the near future. Malta is one of seven Member States where dental CPD is still voluntary. Discussion: Although dental CPD is a legal requirement for recertification in many countries, integral aspects of dental CPD remain under debate, like whether CPD is truly effective. This is because the methods with which CPD programmes are evaluated are not sufficiently robust to give concrete evidence to determine whether CPD will actually improve quality of care, treatment outcomes and safety for the public. Evaluating the effect of CPD programmes on the public is an extremely difficult task that would require an enormous amount of resources and logistics. The minimum requirements for the number of compulsory CPD hours imposed by regulatory bodies are not evidence‐based but purely arbitrary, and the core topics selected for CPD programmes, although supported by research to some extent, may not reflect the public's and profession's needs. The Dental Association of Malta recognised need for further research on dental CPD and embarked on a 3‐year Dental CPD Research Project. This project will be presented in a two‐part series of articles. This first article is focused on the background of dental CPD in Europe. An understanding of the current issues with CPD and flaws in methods of evaluation formed the basis of the Malta CPD Pilot Project, which will be covered in the next paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the models of lifelong learning, Continuing Professional Development is a targeted, systematic, and tailored form of professional development. This paper aims to show the pharmacists' preferences, interests and experiences about models and areas of education. Moreover, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted through an online survey posted on the website of the Serbian Chamber of Pharmacy. Besides, a questionnaire was created with 11 questions for the purpose of the research. The survey was completed by 565 pharmacists, and 93.4% were employed by a community pharmacy. More than half of the respondents (56.7%) felt they needed to develop their professional competences. In addition, for most pharmacists surveyed, direct interaction with the lecturer was significant. Over twothirds of the respondents showed the highest affinity for the "case report", labelling it as "the most interesting", followed by workshops and lectures. The most interesting were the education via the Internet (57.7%), where the digital choices available on the Internet with the possibility of automatic podcast download were the first choice among half of the respondents. When asked about participation in continuing education (CE) the previous year, pharmacists responded that 95% had participated in CE, of which nearly half were at more than 5 CE. According to the results of this research, the development of information technologies, the availability and diversity of educational content and models, the choice and active participation in education, were recognized by pharmacists in Serbia as an appropriate approach in professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results of an empirical research project on the status of Online Learning from the Perspective of German Audit Companies (Big4 and Next10). The theoretical basis links elements of knowledge management and professional service firms (cf. Kühnel, 2002; Farkas - Kühnel, 2016). Results are based on interviews performed by the authors and representatives of the firms. Conclusions on the future structure of Continuing Professional Education or Development initiatives may be drawn from the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical education (PE) researchers demonstrate the benefits of collaborative continuing professional development (CPD) through the cultivation of professional learning communities (PLCs). Furthermore, this body of research reflects teachers' empowerment as a current concern in the literature about PLCs. Although the importance of teachers' empowerment in PLCs is recognised, there is much to learn about the facilitator's actions to create spaces for empowerment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the facilitator's actions in supporting PE teachers' empowerment in a PLC. Action research framed this project in Brazil. Participants included six PE teachers, a facilitator, and a critical friend. Data sources included daily observations and reflections from weekly meetings with the teachers and the critical friend. Data were analysed using inductive and thematic methods. By engaging a Freirean view as a theoretical framework, it was understood that the teachers needed to empower themselves to survive in their reality, learn in order to be recognised at school, and act to change their micro-context. Accordingly, three themes represented the facilitator's actions to support teachers' empowerment: (a) creating a horizontal relationship with teachers through dialogue; (b) understanding and respecting teachers' learning and (c) struggling with teachers in their reality as an act of solidarity. These facilitator actions contributed primarily to building a democratic space where the teachers could name, critique and negotiate the barriers they faced. Although creating spaces for teachers' empowerment provided the opportunity for improving teachers' PE knowledge, these spaces fundamentally supported teachers in seeking better professional conditions, organising themselves as a community and pursuing social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the role of teacher clusters in improving classroom practices specifically focusing of distinctions and challenges. It is assumed that improving teachers' knowledge, skills and dispositions is one of the most critical steps to improving student achievement. Finding effective ways of encouraging teacher understanding and change has therefore become a priority for many governments. Hence, the need for teacher professional development models such as cluster system. As much as the literature shows how cluster systems may serve as innovative programmes that can bring quality education, they (clusters) have not been used as expected and teachers are generally not satisfied with the way they are offered to them. This paper explores the reflections of teachers on clusters as models to improving their teaching and learning. Qualitative case study design was used with a sample of six participants purposely selected. Results display that teachers express dissatisfaction with the cluster programmes due to limited time taken during their participation in clusters, and that there is lack of planning, monitoring and refreshments. The paper concludes and recommends that, transformation can only occur if the teachers' voices are heard, acknowledged and incorporated into planning and implementation of the cluster programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports baseline data on the current state of continuing professional development (CPD) in public university libraries in Uganda. The study seeks to determine the types of CPD activities, provision of CPD, reasons for pursuing CPD and challenges. A social survey method of research was adopted and an online questionnaire was used to collect data from librarians working in five public university libraries in Uganda. The survey results show that librarians participate in different CPD activities to develop professionally. Workshops, conferences and seminars are the common types of CPD. Majority of librarians pursue CPD in order to improve their knowledge and skills. However, inadequate funding, lack of awareness of the available CPD opportunities, time constraint and inadequate support from library management participation hinder librarians‟ participation in CPD activities. The results have implications for the future development of information professionals in academic libraries in Uganda. The data reported in this paper are quantitative; yet some findings raise questions that require further qualitative research in a follow-up phase to this report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the processes of creating a 'Storymaker Wheel', a creativity evaluation tool conceptualised with input from a children's book author, a children's book illustrator, academics and teachers, for teachers and pupils to use to support and develop their creative writing. It documents the ways in which teachers and pupils engaged with the Wheel in three schools in England: a primary pupil referral unit, a primary school and a secondary school. Interviews with teachers and pupils about the Storymaker Wheel, and classroom observations of the Wheel in use, expose some challenges of teaching creative writing within the current English educational context, which we discuss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among other benefits, continuing professional development (CPD) is an adventure to keep current with developments in the profession and be reskilled for challenges that may rear up in the industry. The objectives of the study were to ascertain the kinds of CPD activities that academic librarians in Botswana are involved in; examine different ways in which academic institutions support CPD activities; investigate the perceived impact of CPD activities and challenges faced by the academic librarians in their endeavor to keep abreast with developments in the profession. A survey design with a questionnaire was used to assess continuing professional development (CPD) and institutional support amongst academic librarians in both public and private tertiary institutions in Botswana. A total of 188 copies of the questionnaire were distributed, 116 copies were returned. Responses point to an environment with minimal management support for CPD. The findings revealed that academic librarians mainly participate in conferences (52.9%), workshops and in-house training. There is very limited external training. A total of 43 (37%) respondents stated that their employers support them in terms of 'paid time to attend' to attend training or conferences. This means that respondents are paid their usual salary while attending training. Twenty-nine (25%) respondents stated that they received support in terms of travel expenses being paid by the employer. Whilst librarians decry a lack of mentoring and funding for CPD, management is of the view that the staff did not make the best use of CPD opportunities availed to them. The paper provide some useful recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the use of Learning Language and Loving It™ - The Hanen Program® for Early Years Educators/Teachers (LLLI) with Early Years Educators (EYEs) as part of a community-based early years Continuing Professional Development (CPD) intervention. Trainer sensitivity to the cultural use of questions by EYEs was used as a means to raise awareness of their interactions with young children, and this emerged as a key catalyst for reflective practice and improved interaction with children. EYEs reported increased awareness of their own interaction skills while recognizing the limiting effect of directive questioning in conversations with children. In sessions, they shared their challenges and outlined positive effects of child-led interactions. This paper argues that LLLI provided time and space in group and individual sessions to allow participants to explore their own communication practices and concludes that CPD with EYEs should place more emphasis on their role in developing oral language, literacy and social skills through interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the process of creating an educational workshop, as a way of implementing an accredited program within the context of continuing professional development in Serbian librarianship. The analysis is based on three different psychological workshops created and conducted in different libraries, in the period 2014-2018. In the initial part of the paper, general principles and the best practice examples from the IFLA Guidelines for Continuing Professional Development are outlined, as well as practical guidelines for the efficient creation of workshops. In the research part, the paper deals with the case study analysis of functional fluency in the behavior of the person who conducted the workshops. The profile interpretation is based on the anonymous evaluation carried out after the workshop Motivated Librarians Can Move the World - Motivational Skills for Librarians (2017-2018). In the first phase, following the applied model of functional fluency, the main categories are defined. The analysis included 665 adjectives (collected from 400 questionnaires), used by librarians to describe the behaviour of the person who conducted the workshop. The profile shows that she behaved in a positive way, mainly spontaneously, enthusiastically, and consequently, created a positive working atmosphere which motivated librarians. Also, her professionalism, readiness, and expertise were frequently observed. The low score in the nurturing mode could be a guideline for giving/seeking more feedback, showing empathy, support, praisal, or sensitivity for participants needs. Additionally, it was pointed out that factors like dishonesty, giving socially desirable answers, or projection, could affect the validity of data from the questionnaire. Finally, the supervision is suggested as a method for the programme quality improvement. The main aim of the paper is to emphasize the necessity of continuing professional and personal development of the authors/persons who conduct workshops, which will consequently improve the quality of their workshops. Workshops could be an efficient method for experience-based learning, developing the social skills and creativity of librarians, furthermore, a method for improving services and attracting more users to the library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an investigation examining provision of physical education continuing professional development (CPD) in European countries undertaken to identify the types of practices being employed. We begin by providing a brief overview of what we currently know about CPD internationally in general education and physical education. Data are reported to reflect Parker and Patton's (2017) key characteristics of CPD that highlight effective CPD, summarise current trends and issues in physical education, and are intended to serve as a guide to how teachers learn and how they might be better served in that learning in these European countries. Studying current practices in CPD provision identified in this study provided modest insight to inform teacher education programmes and CPD providers on the current status of physical education CPD currently being employed in Europe. We propose these findings might inform international and comparative education with respect to CPD and set the foundation for physical education colleagues in Europe to develop a CPD network where endeavours such as sharing of CPD practices, engaging in discussion of those practices, and the design of collaborative research on such CPD practices are based. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous Peoples in Canada continue to experience racism and discrimination when accessing health care. Competencies of health care staff urgently need to be improved through cultural safety education and training programs to inform culturally appropriate and safe care practice among care providers serving Indigenous individuals and families. This paper explores current educational strategies, the perspectives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous care providers on training approaches, and recommendations for improving training. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 participants to explore the current provision of culturally appropriate and safe care. Interviews were voice recorded and transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was completed. The three key themes related to training that emerged from data analysis were (a) addressing the knowledge gaps, (b) challenges of current training approaches, and (c) recommendations for improvements in training. Each key theme had three subthemes that were further explored. Cultural safety training is a long and iterative process that has the potential to change care providers' behaviours and attitudes. Various challenges to existing education and training included issues with implementation, limited follow up with health care staff to support practice changes, and/or limited commitment from senior leadership to change organizational policies and practices. As such, there is a clear need for systemic change within health care institutions to support staff participating in cultural safety training and to put that training into practice to create a culturally safe space for Indigenous individuals seeking health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the significant roles Shane Godbolt played in promoting partnerships and collaborations and strengthening the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA). It presents the personal reflections of each author about Shane, the part she played in their professional and personal lives as well as Shane's vital support for AHILA and AHILA members during her lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the experience of working with Shane Godbolt when she was a practising Medical librarian, her mentorship to younger librarians/information professionals, her personal and professional support to African librarians and the role she played as the Director of Partnerships in Health Information (Phi). These activities led to successful collaboration between Phi and African librarians. Indeed Shane widened the networks and opened up opportunities for many. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vocational education and training (VET) teachers and trainers have a key role in ensuring that workers in business and industry are upskilled and up-to-date in a rapidly changing industrial, economic and technological environment. It follows that the VET practitioners should themselves keep up to date, not only with industry developments but also with the pedagogical skills needed to embrace technology and adapt to new sites for learning. However, in Australia and other Western nations, continuing professional development for VET practitioners has been spasmodic and not always well supported, in contrast to the ways it has been established and accepted in other professions. This paper examines the professional development approaches of some of those other professions and identifies the key features that might be adopted in any genuine attempt to develop a more purposeful and systematic provision of ongoing learning for teachers and trainers in VET. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations aimed at Australian VET practitioners in particular, but which might be applicable to VET in any developed country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers are the cornerstone of teaching and learning. They hold prominent positions that dictate that schools improve based on their (teachers) skills and abilities. Having high quality teachers is therefore one of the key obligatory elements for the enhancement of quality education hence the need for teachers' continuing professional development. The purpose of Teachers Continuing Professional Development is to equip teachers with meeting the challenges and demands of not only the democratic South Africa but also globally in the 21st century. The critical issue is however, the fact that much of the literature still show how professional development has not been able to change teachers' classroom practices and that teachers are mostly not satisfied with the professional development that is offered to them. Using qualitative case study research design, this paper explores in detail the reflections of teachers on continuing professional development programmes. The findings reveal that teachers are not satisfied with their participation due to the poor planning and lack of monitoring of the programmes, which results in the programmes being non-continuous and repetitively leaving no mark of change in the education system as a whole. The paper concludes that non-involvement of teachers in the planning of their professional development results in the above findings. We therefore recommend that, teachers are provided with opportunity to not only attend but also plan the professional development programs that they believe will change their classroom practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Whilst telesupervision (clinical supervision undertaken using communication technology) is being used more frequently, there is limited information on what factors influence its effectiveness and quality. We undertook this systematic review to address this gap. Methods Eligible telesupervision studies were identified following targeted search of electronic databases and the grey literature. Data were synthesised thematically, resulting in development of core themes. Results We identified 286 papers for initial relevancy screening by title and abstract. The full text of 36 papers were then retrieved and assessed for further relevance. A total of 11 papers were included in the final analysis. We identified eight themes that contribute to effective and high-quality telesupervision: supervisee characteristics, supervisor characteristics, supervision characteristics, supervisory relationship, communication strategies, prior face-to-face contact, environmental factors and technological considerations. Conclusion From the available evidence, telesupervision can be a feasible and acceptable form of clinical supervision if set up well. Further studies with robust designs are required to strengthen the existing evidence on what makes telesupervision effective, as well as to examine its cost-effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 'Older People's Shoes' is a training intervention designed for healthcare assistants (HCAs) to improve the relational care of older people in hospital. The intervention formed part of a broader evaluation, in this paper we describe its development from a learning design and methodological perspective.Methods: Learning theory and an instructional design model were key components of the In-PREP (Input, Process, Review and Evaluation, Product) development methodology used in the design of the 'Older People's Shoes' training intervention to improve the delivery of relational care by front-line hospital staff. An expert panel, current evidence, and pedagogical theory were used to co-design a training programme tailored to a challenging work environment and taking account of trainees' diverse educational experience. Peer review and process evaluation were built into the development model.Results: In-PREP provided a methodological scaffold for producing evidence-based, peer-reviewed, co-designed training. The product, 'Older People's Shoes', involved a one-day Train the Trainers event, followed by delivery of a two-day, face-to-face training programme by the trainers, with accompanying handbooks underpinned by a range of digital resources. Evaluation found the approach met learner needs, was applicable in practice and won approval from trainers.Discussion: In-PREP enables high quality learning content, alignment with learner needs and a product that is relevant, practical and straightforward to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conceptualizations of workplace learning have moved from knowledge acquisition to learning as participation in the practices and cultures of the workplace environment. Along with this has come an appreciation of applicability of sociocultural learning theories, which frame learning as occurring within "communities of practice" or learning being "situated" within a workplace environment where collaboration and social interaction are fundamental to the learning process. These conceptualizations of workplace learning are ideally suited to health professions where learners are supervised in clinical work environments and then continue to work in team-based environments as graduates. However, what happens to workplace learning for novice practitioners who have limited periods of clinical supervision and then graduate into solo or small group practices (which may also be in rural or remote locations) and embark on long working careers without supervision? This paper argues workplace learning needs to be scaffolded and supported to reach its full potential in these environments. Drawing on workplace-based learning theory, we highlight the ubiquitous nature of learning in the workplace, the importance of active engagement, reflection, and individual meaning making. Through this reframing of traditional notions of continuing professional development, we emphasize the importance of patients, students, and other practitioners as partners in workplace learning for solo practitioners. We also focus on the role of educators, professional associations, and regulators in helping solo practitioners recognize, access, and maximize the learning opportunities inherent in relatively isolated practice environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performing female genital mutilation (FGM) is prohibited within the UK by the FGM Act of 2003. A mandatory reporting duty for FGM requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to report known cases of FGM in under 18-year-olds to the police. An application to the court for an FGM protection order (FGMPO) can be made to keep individual women and girls safe from FGM. This paper reveals the significant disconnect between the number of FGMPO applications and known recorded cases of FGM. The introduction of FGMPOs requires critical exploration as there is insufficient evidence to show that FGMPOs are effective in protecting women and girls from FGM. It is therefore unclear what impact, if any, FGMPOs are having upon the protection of women and girls at risk of FGM. The barriers to the implementation of FGMPOs and possible solutions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UK higher education has seen a shift towards greater businesslike operations and accountability, with increasingly specialised support roles and fewer 'generalist' administrators; however, professional training, structured career development and planning, and opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) have been less well prioritised than similar activities in the academic and research staff groups, and little research currently exists to consider how professional services staff undertake and engage with professional development activities. A quantitative study of professional services staff was conducted in a large Russell Group university, where a significant number of professional services staff reported inequity of treatment compared to their academic colleagues. This paper examines the relationship between effective development review and institutional support for training and engagement with CPD activities by non-academic administrators, and aims to provide practical recommendations for improvements to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe physiotherapists' involvement, confidence and training needs in the provision of student clinical education (CE) in Australia. Methods: A valid and reliable cross-sectional online survey instrument was used to collect data from physiotherapists employed in public and private healthcare facilities in Australia. Survey questions included participant personal and professional characteristics, participation in CE-related continuing professional development (CPD) and confidence in components of CE. Results: In all, 170 (34%) physiotherapists (mean age 37 years; mean years clinical experience 13 years) completed the survey. Most participants (68%) were currently involved in CE, over half (56%) had completed CE-related CPD and many (56%) reported a need for more CPD. Participants with no previous CE experience were less confident (P ≤ 0.05) in all components of CE. Participants with less clinical experience were less confident in managing challenging students (P = 0.003), multiple students (P = <0.001) and competing workplace and education duties (P = <0.001). Conclusions: Physiotherapists with varying professional characteristics were involved in CE. Although many participants had attended CE-related CPD, many reported that more training was required. Future training for clinical educators should be tailored to participants' level of experience and focus on the components of CE in which they feel least confident. What is known about the topic?: The ability of physiotherapists to confidently assume a clinical educator role may affect their willingness to be clinical educators in the future and the students' perceptions of clinical placement quality. CPD relating to CE may help prepare physiotherapists for the clinical educator role. What does this paper add?: There is a lack of information regarding physiotherapists' involvement in CE, completion of CE-related CPD or perceived levels of confidence in various aspects of the clinical educator role, such as placement organisation, teaching, assessment and the provision of feedback. This study describes the involvement of physiotherapists in CE in Australia, including their demographic and professional characteristics, participation in CE-related CPD and confidence in various components of CE. What are the implications for practitioners?: Several recommendations regarding future CE-related CPD have resulted from this study, including tailoring CPD to the needs of physiotherapists based on their level of clinical or CE experience, focusing CPD on the aspects of CE in which physiotherapists feel least confident and raising the awareness of and improving accessibility to CPD opportunities in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Requirements to renew a state or national license or certification can impact the selected professional learning experiences of psychologists. As a result, most credentialing agencies maintain some requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) or continuing education (CE) to renew or maintain a credential. Nevertheless, requirements across different credentialing agencies lack consistency in the type of activities required, as well as the number of hours mandated, and are regularly changing. Further, despite evidence on the value of varied types of CPD/CE activities to the promotion of lifelong learning, many state agencies' CPD/CE requirements include a limited or restricted set of allowable activities for renewal. The current paper reviewed CPD/CE requirements across state education agencies that credential school psychologists, state boards of psychology that credential psychologists for independent practice, and agencies that issue a national credential. Results reveal considerable variability, though with more consistency and alignment with best practices among state boards of psychology when compared with state education agencies. State agencies should aim to increase consistency, and utilize national standards and existing national credentials for setting renewal requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to describe, examine, and make a case for the value of a Continuing Professional Development week-long summer institute offered to teachers from across the education continuum - from early childhood, through primary, secondary, further and higher education. At the institute participants could meet, learn and share good practice about their own writing and the teaching of writing. The institute was inspired by the United States National Writing Project model and was designed by staff of the Maynooth University Writing Centre, in partnership with the Bay Area Writing Project, University of California Berkeley, and in consultation with a range of Irish teaching and learning networks. This paper presents the background to and rationale for the institute, considers its effectiveness in terms of the model, the 'personality' and the impact of the summer institute, and suggests how the summer institute is transformative for participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The paper presents the research results aimed at investigating the participation of the librarians employed in different types of library institutions in the Republic of Croatia in various continuing professional development activities (reading professional literature, participation in conferences and scientific research), and identifying their perception of domestic scientific research in librarianship (relevance, weaknesses, research problems, etc.). Methodology. The research was conducted in May 2018 using the anonymous online questionnaire (13 questions with multiple choice answers and open questions). The study used the convenience sampling method. The quantitative analysis was conducted on 227 correctly completed questionnaires using the SPSS statistical package. The qualititative data were analysed with the help of the content analysis method. Findings. The findings have given an insight into the amount of time the respondents have devoted to reading the professional literature and participation in the conferences. In addition, their participation in scientific research, collaboration with scholars, and their perception of scientific research in librarianship in Croatia have been analyzed. Limitations. The size and the representativity of the sample.Originality/Value. Although continuing professional education of librarians has already been discussed before, the Croatian professional literature seems to lack studies into librarians' perception of scientific research. This study reveals original findings on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of harmonizing laboratory testing is contributing to improving the quality of patient care and ultimately ameliorating patient outcome. The complete blood and leukocyte differential counts are among the most frequently requested clinical laboratory tests. The morphological assessment of peripheral blood cells (PB) through microscopic examination of properly stained blood smears is still considered a hallmark of laboratory hematology. Nevertheless, a variable inter-observer experience and the different terminology used for characterizing cellular abnormalities both contribute to the current lack of harmonization in blood smear revision. In 2014, the Working Group on Diagnostic Hematology of the Italian Society of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (WGDH-SIBioC) conducted a national survey, collecting responses from 78 different Italian laboratories. The results of this survey highlighted a lack of harmonization of interpretative comments in hematology, which prompted the WGDH-SIBioC to develop a project on "Harmonization of interpretative comments in the laboratory hematology report", aimed at identifying appropriate comments and proposing a standardized reporting system. The comments were then revised and updated according to the 2016 revision of the World Health Organization classification of hematologic malignancies. In 2016, the Working Group on Diagnostic Hematology of the Italian Society of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (WGDH SIBioC) published its first consensus based recommendation for interpretative comments in laboratory hematology reporting whit the purpose of evaluating comments and the aim to (a) reducing their overall number, (b) standardizing the language, (c) providing information that could be easily comprehended by clinicians and patients, (d) increasing the quality of the clinical information, and (e) suggesting additional diagnostic tests when necessary. This paper represents a review of the recommendations of the former document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher recruitment and retention is an international challenge. In England the government have reported that more teachers leave before retirement age than five years ago, 30% within five years and schools are finding it difficult to fill posts with quality teachers. This paper evaluates the contribution of the research-informed RETAIN Early Career Teacher (ECT) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme for developing and retaining quality teachers. RETAIN was a yearlong CPD pilot for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) in primary schools in Cornwall, UK (a region with high levels of socio-economic disadvantage). The programme design was informed by research and based on factors shown to support the retention of ECTs. It was contextualised using the precept that teachers should be active researchers, influencing curriculum development as ‘reflective practitioners’, focussed with a Professional Learning Community lens and theorised within a social constructivist frame. In addition, RETAIN utilised robust evidence-informed practice approaches to support teacher development in schools with persistently disadvantaged pupils. The programme was independently evaluated using multiple-methods over the course of the programme to generate data. The theory-based evaluation suggests that the contribution of this intervention to the field is the specific combination of development; taught workshops, coaching and collaborative professional learning, which improved the self-efficacy, confidence and quality of teaching of ECTs in differing but complementary ways. All ECTs who completed the programme have been retained in teaching and all have achieved a leadership role in their school. We argue that these outcomes are of international significance and the promise of the programme can be utilised for developing and retaining high quality teachers in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the experience of educators who participated in a Train the Trainer programme with the aim of supporting teachers in the implementation of the Learning Outcomes Framework (LOF). Empirical data collected through interviews and narratives from a number of LOF Trainers, are analysed through a grounded theory approach. The insights of the participants on the effectiveness of the programme led the authors to identify which factors helped to render this programme a rewarding and meaningful experience, how this programme has equipped and empowered educators with the required skills to support their peers, and how the nature of the programme has led to the development of a professional learning community. The results lead to a consideration of how teacher learning environments can be transformed in order to build educator proficiencies, enhance their leadership capacities and make them more participative in the processes which impact on their professional lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the nature of reflective writing through the experience of the researchers in running a series of writing workshops with a group of higher education practitioners working in a UK further education college. The focus here is on reflective writing, which was chosen to start the sequence of workshops, as it was perceived as a form of writing with which the participants would be familiar, given its role in the education and development of teachers within the sector. Our assumption was that this familiarity would facilitate the writing process and participants would readily respond by engaging in reflective writing. However, in practice this proved not to be the case, despite being introduced to a variety of different forms of writing over a series of workshops, it took the participants longer than we expected to begin to write. This led us to question our assumptions about the starting point for the writing workshops and what they might achieve. The paper draws on field notes made during the writing initiative and data gathered through focus groups and interviews with the participants, as well as extracts of their writing to examine their experiences. Different conceptualisations of reflective writing are identified and their implications are explored in relation to the participants’ engagement with writing and their experience of professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to expound on an innovative approach to cultivating work-based Doctorates and Masters of Philosophy degrees, which involves close collaboration between industry organisations and a tertiary institution. This paper also reports on an examination of the programme's structural ability to help develop the learning capability of the candidates involved. This network model inspires and facilitates these work-based candidates’ research actions and builds individual (and organisational) knowledge while enhancing their learning capability. The primary considerations for higher education practice revolve around work-based research degrees being actively and fittingly supported by all direct stakeholders and the management of those stakeholder relationships. This approach to fostering work-based research degrees provides tertiary institutions pragmatic avenues to be more relevant to and valued by industry, while facilitating the development of highly educated and skilled industry-based scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:There is worldwide interest in improving the effectiveness of teachers and teaching. This paper considers two strands of that interest. It revisits the impact of using enhanced feedback from teachers to pupils as a way of improving attainment, and it looks at the feasibility of teachers using research evidence to create their own interventions. Current evidence on the causal impact of effective feedback on learning is unclear: many studies have mixed results, are small in scale, lack randomisation or are not conducted in real classroom conditions.Purpose:The aim of this paper is to describe the experience of schools as they engage with research evidence to support their own enquiry into the effectiveness of feedback in the classroom.Research design:This study took place over one academic year, involving nine treatment schools in one local authority. The study involved teachers themselves using research findings to create an intervention, which took, as its focus, enhanced feedback in the classroom. Test results from these schools were compared to the results in 5 participating comparator schools, to the 49 other schools in the borough and to all state-funded primary schools in England.Results:Although teachers showed that they could engage with research evidence, the study indicated that the process was complex in practice. In addition, the independent impact evaluation suggested that enhanced feedback in itself does not necessarily lead to improved pupil test performance.Discussion and conclusions:The paper considers some of the challenges faced by teachers as they attempted to use research evidence, and discusses implications for schools wishing to use research evidence in practice. The findings of the study suggest that it may be feasible for practitioners to use research evidence to inform their own practice. However, to do it well would require clearer guidance, professional development and modelling of any strategies suggested. These findings have implications for policy on teacher development, and for the research community to make research outputs more comprehensible and accessible to research users. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper focuses on the need to ensure that all archaeologists receive focused training and development opportunities from the start of their professional careers. The paper describes simple routes to provide relevant archaeological training for all site staff, within their day-to-day work environment in the working week. A 'training hour' is proposed as a mutual commitment to embed training within the working week and throughout the year, with shared ownership of training and a personal log linked to a scheme such as the BAJR skills passport. This paper is based on a presentation made at the Winchester University 2012 day conference '21st Century Archaeologists'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]