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Understanding the emotions experienced by higher education instructors related to assessment feedback, how instructors understand student emotions, and how instructors might manage these emotions positively, can help to secure the educational benefits of feedback. In this research, we aimed to explore the emotional responses that instructors experienced through the giving and receiving of assessment feedback. We undertook qualitative data collection, carrying out individual semi-structured interviews with instructors from three universities who had administered a dialogic feed-forward intervention on one of their teaching units. The full interview transcripts were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Five main themes emerged from the interview data: 1. Summative written feedback aroused largely negative emotions in instructors because they felt distanced from their students; 2. Instructors experienced a broad range of emotions related to dialogic feedforward encounters, emerging from their proximity to students; 3. Dialogic feed-forward, as an affective encounter, was emotionally challenging for instructors; 4. Dialogic feed-forward built strong learning relationships between students and instructors, strengthening students' sense of belonging; 5. Dialogic feed-forward was transformational for instructors as educators. We consider the implications of our findings for instructors and wider assessment and feedback practices, including emotional labour, promotional reward, and instructor professional development.

The goal of the study is to overcome two main drawbacks of traditional science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pedagogical strategies using PBL - lack of student engagement and students who are not prepared for more complex problems. PBL teaching strategies practiced in an introductory class are assessed. Classroom observations and student surveys are used to determine at what level does the PBL affect students' problem-solving skills. For the first half of the semester of the course, traditional lectures were used, during the second half, students are divided into experimental (PBL strategy) and control groups. The results of the survey and student grades are analyzed to determine a statistically significant difference between pre/post-study results. From the students' perspective, there is a significant mean difference between their confidence level in solving problems before and after using PBL and the students earned higher grades compared to the students in the control group.

Background: Few studies have considered policies which underpin the promotion of positive behaviour support (PBS). The present study examined policy beliefs about PBS and their relationship to restrictive practices. Methods: Discourse network analysis (a combination of critical discourse analysis and social network analysis) was used. Results: A total of 11 policies were examined from which 38 belief statements were coded. One cluster was identified which promoted 13 dominant beliefs. Dominant discourses related to law, safety and the environment were evident. A conceptual representation of the shared PBS beliefs demonstrated contradictions in PBS policy. Conclusions: There is evidence that PBS policies have become informal rules for using restrictive practices, not reducing them. They are also acting as surrogates to debate conflicts between political, personal and bureaucratic interests. Three recommendations for improved PBS policy are provided.

Despite research investment and a growing body of diverse evidence there has been no comprehensive review and grading of evidence for public health emergency preparedness and response practices comparable to those in medicine and other public health fields. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an ad hoc committee to develop and use methods for grading and synthesizing diverse types of evidence to create a single certainty of intervention-related evidence to support recommendations for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Research. A 13-step consensus building method was used. Experts were first canvassed in public meetings, and a comprehensive review of existing methods was undertaken. Although aspects of existing review methodologies and evidence grading systems were relevant, none adequately covered all requirements for this specific context. Starting with a desire to synthesize diverse sources of evidence not usually included in systematic reviews and using GRADE for assessing certainty and confidence in quantitative and qualitative evidence as the foundation, we developed a mixed-methods synthesis review and grading methodology that drew on (and in some cases adapted) those elements of existing frameworks and methods that were most applicable. Four topics were selected as test cases. The process was operationalized with a suite of method-specific reviews of diverse evidence types for each topic. Further consensus building was undertaken through stakeholder engagement and feedback The NASEM committee's GRADE adaption for mixed-methods reviews will further evolve over time and has yet to be endorsed by the GRADE working group.

In order to realise career and personal goals, as well as financial autonomy and security, many women are pursuing higher education alongside the role of motherhood. Student-mothers face many challenges when engaging in higher education, and many fail to complete their studies. This phenomenological study applies a feminist lens to the choices, motivations and barriers experienced by student-mothers. Data from two focus groups were analysed inductively through a feminist lens to identify emerging themes. The three main themes emerging from the data were: (1) student-mothers' considerations for engaging in blended online learning; (2) the challenges for student-mothers studying through blended online learning; and (3) self-actualisation through blended online higher education. This research makes an important contribution to the literature by illuminating the study-work-life conflict experienced by student-mothers engaging in blended online learning. The findings of this research have implications for both higher education providers and policy makers. The findings highlight the barriers and facilitators facing mothers' return to study via blended online learning and provide key insights for addressing these. Future research would benefit from exploring these issues with a larger and more diverse sample considering the perspectives of mothers from different language, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Background: Little is known about networks for positive behaviour support (PBS) in disability services. This study explores a PBS network to identify influential persons in its promotion and communication. Methods: Quantitative sociometric methods were used to identify persons who occupy positions of either boundary spanning (those that link people and groups) and/or opinion leadership (those that are sought for advice). Results: Nineteen persons were identified. Boundary spanners met all criteria for the position while opinion leaders did not. Conclusions: This is the first published study of a PBS network in disability services and provides insights into persons involved in its systemic promotion. Boundary spanners are effectively bridging the PBS network, yet persons seeking information about PBS are doing so from opinion leaders that do not display a requisite characteristic for this role. These results have implications for the wider utility of PBS within disability service systems.