Search

BREAKING THROUGH DEPRESSION New treatments and discoveries for healing PHILIP GOLD 272pp. Allen Lane. 25 [pounds sterling]. THE ANXIETY PROJECT A journey to the centre of our deepest fears DAAN [...]

SOCIOPATH A memoir PATRIC GAGNE 368pp. Bluebird. 18.99 [pounds sterling]. Neurodiversity is a key concern of contemporary politics, education and healthcare. The term encompasses numerous early-onset conditions, including autism, ADHD, [...]

MY FATHER'S BRAIN Understanding life in the shadow of Alzheimer's SANDEEP JAUHAR 256pp. Oneworld. 18.99 [pounds sterling]. TRAVELLERS TO UNIMAGINABLE LANDS Dementia, carers and the hidden workings of the mind [...]

Organisms are constantly extracting information from the temporal structure of the environment, which allows them to select appropriate actions and predict impending changes.  Several lines of research have suggested that interval timing is modulated by the dopaminergic system.  It has been proposed that higher levels of dopamine cause an internal clock to speed up, whereas less dopamine causes a deceleration of the clock.  In most experiments the subjects are first trained to perform a timing task while drug free.  Consequently, most of what is known about the influence of dopaminergic modulation of timing is on well-established timing performance.  In the current study the impact of altered DA on the acquisition of temporal control was the focal question.  Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were distributed randomly into three different groups (haloperidol, d-amphetamine or vehicle).  Each animal received an injection 15 min prior to the start of every session from the beginning of interval training.  The subjects were trained in a Fixed Interval (FI) 16s schedule followed by training on a peak procedure in which 64s non-reinforced peak trials were intermixed with FI trials.  In a final test session all subjects were given vehicle injections and 10 consecutive non-reinforced peak trials to see if training under drug conditions altered the encoding of time.  The current study suggests that administration of drugs that modulate dopamine do not alter the encoding temporal durations but do acutely affect the initiation of responding.

Background: The Optimal Care Pathways (OCP) are a framework to promote high-quality and integrated cancer care for all Australians, from prevention through to end-of-life-care. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience disproportionate cancer incidence and mortality, but little research has addressed whether cancer care for Aboriginal people meets the standards prescribed by the OCPs. This study aims to consider barriers and facilitators to quality cancer care for Aboriginal people. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 health professionals who deliver care to Aboriginal people with cancer in primary care and hospital settings in New South Wales, Australia. Health professionals included Aboriginal Health Workers, nurses, general practitioners, and community workers. Interviews were conducted in 2019–2020 and explored participant perspectives of barriers and facilitators of optimal cancer care, particularly related to prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment for Aboriginal people. Data were qualitatively analysed using framework analysis. Results: In general, participants perceived Aboriginal patients to have good access to preventive care. In terms of early detection and diagnosis, access to primary care, pathology, radiology, and some specialists (e.g. respiratory physicians) was seen as optimal. However, access to hospital-based gastroenterologists for colonoscopy was perceived to be poor due to long wait times. Access to optimal care for cancer treatment was perceived to be hindered due to the lack of bulk-billing for bowel cancer, breast cancer, and cardiothoracic surgery. Other barriers to care identified by participants included unclear referral pathways, poor communication between patient and the treating team, and a lack of timely provision of discharge summaries. Conclusions: Facilitators of optimal care during treatment and survivorship included: the Integrated Team Care and Close the Gap programs, and presence of key health workers to help patients navigate the health system. The major barriers to quality cancer care for Aboriginal people appeared to be to specialist and procedural access, demonstrating that the 'Inverse Care' law applied in reducing access for populations at higher risk of cancer. This qualitative project involves Yarns with 30 health professionals in Aboriginal community-controlled services and other services, and addresses barriers and facilitators to adherence to Optimal Care Pathways for diagnosis and treatment of cancer for Aboriginal people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, Eleanor Drago-Severson has authored or coauthored four books on adult learning as key to leadership development in schools. organizations--is evident in each of the publications. The titles include the following: (1) "Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development"; (2) "Leading Adult Learning: Supporting Adult Development in Our Schools"; (3) "Helping Educators Grow: Strategies and Practices for Leadership Development"; and (4) "Learning for Leadership: Developmental Strategies for Building Capacity in Our schools" ( Drago-Severson, E., Blum-DeStefano, J., & Asghar, A.). In this article, reviewers Kathleen Taylor, and Catherine Marienau, write that over the last decade, these books authored or co authored by Eleanor Drago-Severson reveal her passion for development--of individuals, groups, and organizations. The fundamental premise of Drago-Severson's important work in leadership development is that to be most effective, adult professionals must continue to learn in ways she describes as transformative, rather than primarily informative. In making that distinction, Drago-Severson notes that informative learning involves adding to what one already knows, while transformative learning involves ways to deal more effectively with life's complexities. Having taught in renowned graduate programs, such as Columbia University's Teachers College and Harvard Graduate School of Education, Drago-Severson has described and refined through the series of four books an approach focused on two core elements: Robert Kegan's (1994) cognitive-developmental theory and her own learning-oriented leadership model.

Adult educators are committed to learning that encourages adults to see themselves and the world around them in more complex ways. They have therefore focused their practice on teaching with development in mind (Taylor, 2000; Lamoreaux, 2005). Recently, however, a colleague (Johnson, 2003) pointed the authors to a body of research that examines how the brain changes as it learns. They found it offered them a new perspective on teaching and learning. This chapter describes aspects of brain function that suggest ways to teach with the brain in mind.

The Liberal Education for Arts Professionals (LEAP) program, now entering its tenth year, has achieved success by providing access to a particular group of underserved adult learners and by tailoring a bachelor's degree program to their unique needs. This article discusses the LEAP program, an innovative degree program for professional dancers. The authors describe professional dancers' needs as they transition to a post-performing career and how the LEAP program addresses barriers to access and provides an innovative program to meet their needs. The article concludes with a description of program outcomes.

This qualitative study compares experiences of two groups of senior women undergraduates: those who did and those who did not have a postgraduation plan. From analysis based on two constructive-developmental models, different paths emerged along the continuum from exploration to commitment. These findings suggest implications for career centers, pedagogy, and experiential education. (Contains 1 table.)

Recent discoveries about brain function explain how best practices in adult learning may lead to adult learners' developmental growth.

Balancing the need for separation and connection is an ongoing challenge for adults. Theories by Erikson, Peck, Kegan, and others attempt to resolve the tensions that have implications for adult learning. (SK)

Constructive-developmental theory, with its emphasis on epistemology and cognitive complexity, explicitly links learning and developmental growth. One model, which identifies five shifts in perception throughout the life span, describes some of higher education's values and objectives. The theory offers a promising direction for student evaluation in higher education. (MSE)

Addresses Courtenay's reservations about adult development models by arguing that different models evince underlying similarities; development that is not fully achieved need not imply abnormality; and more developmentally advanced adults need not be considered "more worthy." Suggests that models offer support, encouragement, and hope to adults in transition rather than requiring or dictating growth. (SK)