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The PM Benchmark Reading Assessment Resource (PM Benchmarks) provides information about primary students' level of achievement in reading accurately, fluently, and in understanding unseen texts. As part of the assessment, students have to orally retell what they have read and orally answer comprehension questions. This oral use of language assesses skill in language use beyond that required in reading comprehension and may disadvantage English-language learners (ELLs). This article outlines how one teacher drew on the principles of dynamic assessment to modify how this assessment tool was used with a group of four ELLs. The findings indicate that "scaffolding" assessment in this way has the potential to ensure fairer outcomes when ELLs sit assessments designed for students for whom English is a first language. [This article was written with Rosemary Erlam.]

Across Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic placed considerable stress on territorial and provincial healthcare systems. For Nunavut, the need to continue to provide access to critical care to its citizens meant that medical travel to provincial points of care (Edmonton, Winnipeg and Ottawa) had to continue through the pandemic. This complexity created challenges related to the need to keep Nunavut residents safe while accessing care, and to manage the risk of outbreaks in Nunavut resultant from patients returning home. A number of strategies were adopted to mitigate risk, including the expansion of virtual care, self-isolation requirements before returning from Winnipeg, and a level of cross-jurisdictional coordination previously unprecedented. Structural limitations in Nunavut however limited opportunities to expand virtual care, and to allow providers from Manitoba to access the Nunavut's electronic medical records of patients requiring follow up. Thus, known and long-standing issues exacerbated vulnerabilities within the Nunavut healthcare system. We conclude that addressing cross-jurisdictional issues would be well served by the development of a more formal Nunavut-Manitoba agreement (with similar agreements with Ontario and Alberta), outlining mutual obligations and accountabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We document community responses to the COVID-19 pandemic among Inuit living in the province of Manitoba, Canada. This study was conducted by the Manitoba Inuit Association and a Council of Inuit Elders, in partnership with researchers from the University of Manitoba. We present findings from 12 health services providers and decision-makers, collected in 2021.Although Public Health orders led to the closure of the Manitoba Inuit Association's doors to community events and drop-in activities, it also created opportunities for the creation of programming and events delivered virtually and through outreach. The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing health and social system's shortcomings (limited access to safe housing, food insecurity) and trauma-related tensions within the community. The Manitoba Inuit Association achieved unprecedented visibility with the provincial government, receiving bi-weekly reports of COVID-19 testing, results and vaccination rates for Inuit. We conclude that after over a decade of advocacy received with at best tepid enthusiasm by federal and provincial governments, the Manitoba Inuit Association was able effectively advocate for Inuit-centric programming, and respond to Inuit community's needs, bringing visibility to a community that had until then been largely invisible. Still, many programs have been fueled with COVID-19 funding, raising the issue of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The lives of Aboriginal women have been deeply affected by Government policy. The Indian Act (1) (the Act) was enacted in 1876 and continues to govern the lives of [...]

The article reports on the relevance of applying the concept of replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs) in the field of science and animal welfare in the modern world.

The Future of Animal Farming: Renewing the Ancient Contract. Marian Stamp Dawkins and Roland Bonney, eds. Wiley, 2008.256 pp., illus. $32.50 (ISBN 9781405177825 paper). For centuries, humans have domesticated animals. [...]

The article reports on the dynamics of deliberative mapping with emphasis on its ability to document divergent views and judgments. According to the author, deliberative mapping is an appraisal process which utilize a novel approach in so far as usage of quantitative decision analysis is concerned. Moreover, the process also uses several innovations in participatory deliberation. The author further argues that deliberative mapping is a multi-criteria, option appraisal process.

The deficiencies of technocratic approaches to governing emergent risks and technologies in the face of radical uncertainty, political controversy and public distrust, has brought about increasing calls, and in some quarters concerted action, to democratise science across western democracies. This paper discusses some recent Uk examples of participation in contested science and technology decision-making, focusing on a number of high profile cases which are helping policy-political, business and civil society actors gain a better understanding of what precisely may be gained from bringing a much wider range of know ledges and values into the process. The Uk experience suggests that pressures are growing for more "upstream" (i.e. very early) engagement in opening up contentious issues to much wider societal framings than hitherto. The paper explores the contributions being made by an emerging epistemic community of academics and practitioners in the design, implementation and evaluation of participatory processes that are fit-for-purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the use of contingent valuation (CV) methodology on monetary valuation of public goods in Great Britain. Application of CV in Pevensey Levels Wildlife Enhancement Scheme valuation; Arguments on the scientific parameters of CV surveys; Importance of CV in environmental policies valuation.

Recent work within the sociology of science proposes that what is distinctive about science is its ability to escape from its local conditions of production and travel long distances. Its ability to work far from home allows scientists to promote their knowledge as universal, as distinct from more localized forms of ‘traditional’ knowledge. In this paper we examine work conducted within the new sociology of science and consider its account of how science moves into, or colonizes, local contexts. We outline three case studies—Callon's study of scallop fishing, Wynne's analysis of Cumbrian sheep farmers and Chernobyl fallout, and our own work on conservation in the Pevensey Levels—which show that in practice the extension of the networks is precarious. A common feature of these studies, however, is the way scientists tend to ignore local understandings of particular places. We conclude by arguing that problem solving in local contexts might be better achieved if scientists were more attuned to local forms of knowledge. The extension of science into the field should therefore be considered as a collective process involving both local and scientific actors working in concert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social scientists frequently find science and technology within their subject matter but, by and large, they do not subject them to critical analysis. This paper first shows how various approaches so explaining agriculture and environment all treat science and technology naively as black boxes. It then goes on to indicate how science and technology might be opened up to social scientific scrutiny, and a framework for doing so in the context of farm pollution regulation is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3Rs—replacement, reduction, and refinement—are aimed at minimizing the welfare costs to animals used in research. Some neuroscientists fear that implementing the 3Rs will prohibit essential studies. Others view them as fundamental ethical principles that improve the quality of research. A regulatory system that integrates science and welfare is most likely to deliver public confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphocyte transformation responses of unstimulated and mitogen-stimulated cells from normal subjects were measured in vitro in the presence of itraconazole, at therapeutic and at much higher concentrations. No differences in response from those of control cell cultures were detected at any concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flinders Island is located in the north of Tasmania, with population of approximately 700 residents. Flinders Islanders are significantly older than Tasmanian and Australian averages, with high rates of avoidable mortality and living in one of Tasmania's most socioeconomically disadvantaged regions. They have a large Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, sparsely situated communities, a lack of public transport paired, costly fuel, fragmented service funding streams and intermittent fly-in outreach services. Stakeholders identified that coordinating available care was a critical factor to ensure a high risk population received care that was both appropriate to its needs and efficient in terms of local resourcing. The Flinders Island Aboriginal Association Inc. (FIAAI), government funded Multipurpose Centre (MPC) and Primary Health Tasmania (PHT) convened 10 multidisciplinary working group meetings to review 11 case studies of Flinders Islanders living with complex health needs between November 2015 and May 2016. The local general practice participated in working groups and an independent clinical facilitator interviewed consenting local residents for case study material. An applied continuous quality improvement (CQI) approach was used to identify barriers, enablers and opportunities. The aim was to improve the coordination of care for the people on Flinders Island living with complex health needs. The theory of change was that bringing stakeholders together to review common cases would enable them to identify common opportunities and the feasibility of testing these to improve the coordination of care for Flinders Islanders. Patient stories, combined with the facilitator's clinical expertise, focussed case review sessions on problem solving for actual patients whom the providers around the table could identify with. Working group participants reporting increased motivation to involve patients and be stronger advocates for systems level processes that might contribute to improving their care. Noticeable cultural change was achieved within the provider group that participated in this project; improved inter-personal and interorganisational provider relationships are a key requirement to ensure the sustainability of activity towards improved coordination of care for Flinders Islanders. The degree to which this cultural change is sustained is dependent upon multiple ongoing factors including staff availability and stability within the three organisations, the maintenance of cooperative interpersonal and inter-organisational relationships and sustained momentum. The CQI methodology is applicable and transferable to other scenarios where multiple providers service patient groups due to the use of patient centred case reviews which aid in focussing provider perspectives on common challenges and opportunities. This project brought together stakeholders to review current local practices and identify opportunities to overcome existing barriers to coordination of patient care on Flinders Island. It enhanced communication, coordination and planning between previously disparate providers. It enabled local identification of activities to sustain gains using a time delimited, locally sustainable and transferrable methodology. It has highlighted the importance of inter-provider relationships, the justification for change, change readiness and patient centred care in efforts to improve the coordination of health care delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports about the role of a professional inspectorate in animal research specifically in Great Britain. This paper highlights the use of animals in research where fish and genetically modified mice are tested in the laboratory. Upward trend in this area is continuing and statistics back up the figures. Animal research is a necessary part in looking for solutions to human diseases and the author reports that it is relatively small but demand is increasing as diseases continue to rise in fast pace. The downside of animal research is discussed but the benefit side may take on a significant effect to the human race.

The article offers information on a convention of the Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance to be held in Virginia Beach from November 3 to 5, 2006.

The article offers information on the VAHPERD convention to be held at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Virginia from November 9 to 11, 2007.

Presents a letter to the editor announcing the seminar sponsored by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Research Committee in Great Britain.