A Turkish EFL teacher’s change processes through an OPD program: a case study

Online professional development (OPD) programs have become increasingly popular. However, participating in professional development does not always lead to profound professional learning. Previous research endeavours have often focussed on measuring user acceptance or on comparing the effectiveness of OPD with a face-to-face delivery, but there is little knowledge of how the process of professional learning actually occurs in OPD. This study explores how professional learning takes place in an OPD program designed according to the principles of authentic e-learning, and how the learning design and technologies used impact on the professional learning experienced by the participants. The context of the study is an international OPD program in vaccine management developed and offered by World Health Organization. A grounded theory approach was employed to develop a theorised model of the professional learning process in an authentic online learning environment. The findings show that professional learning was facilitated in a dynamic web of interactions rather than by covering content: the learner is at the centre of the process, actively engaged in authentic tasks in collaboration with peers, while mentors and content play a supporting role. Technology facilitates and enables the web of interactions. The learning process was found to bear resemblance to the type of professional learning that occurs in authentic workplace settings, which implies that the authentic e-learning principles provide a helpful learning design framework for OPD.

In Online Professional Development for Teachers, the authors look closely at exemplary online professional development programs, compare them carefully with one another, and draw helpful conclusions about them--both for those who develop online programs and for teachers and administrators in search of professional development programs that make a difference. How can professional development for teachers be more efficient and effective? This essential question lies at the heart of this timely and useful book. In an era marked by a heightened emphasis on school reform, the education and professional development of teachers is widely regarded as the keystone to educational improvement. Recently a bewildering array of online professional development programs has arisen. But how effective are these programs and how do they compare with one another? A book that brings clarity and insight to this burgeoning and influential field, Online Professional Development for Teachers will be of great value to researchers, policymakers, administrators, and teachers as they work to make the most of online professional development.

Objective: To investigate whether the myocardial performance index (MPI) can predict left ventricular functional outcome in patients with early recanalisation after anterior acute myocardial infarction (MI) and to determine when...

This research quantitatively examines how online professional development (OPD) affects cognitive development in special education instructors. 100 individuals took part in outpatient department activities for six months, undergoing cognitive ability examinations before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics, paired samples t-tests, multiple regression analysis, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data. The findings show a significant rise in post-test scores on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) after taking part in the OPD program. Years of experience and education level were important indicators of cognitive progress, emphasizing the significance of individual traits. Moreover, those with greater expertise and advanced levels of education often had better marks on the post-test. The results highlight the significance of cognitive growth as a crucial result of professional development for special education instructors, adding to the existing knowledge base. The research suggests giving priority to cognitive growth in professional development programs, customizing programs to meet individual requirements, and offering continuous support to educators. Future studies should investigate how OPD impacts cognitive development and analyze its lasting consequences on teacher efficacy and student results.

High-quality family childcare (FCC) can positively influence all areas of a child's growth and development. Thus, it is important to invest in efforts to increase quality, including providing professional development to enhance the skills of those caring for children in their homes. This study explores the characteristics of FCC providers who engage in an online professional development program. Findings show that a majority of these providers are female, had at least a high school diploma, and are licensed or registered. Content areas most frequently selected for professional development include ways to support children's social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development. The frequency of access and range of coursework completed implies that online learning is accessible for the FCC workforce audience and has the capacity to meet state requirements for professional development. Future directions to extend this research are discussed.

Research Findings: This is an evaluation study of the effectiveness of an online early mathematics professional development program for early childhood teachers. The eight online courses, along with the Math at Home: Early Math Matters website and resources, introduce early childhood teachers to mathematical concepts such as math literacy, number sense, patterns, geometry, measurement, data collection and math processes. Over 9,711 early childhood professionals participated in this professional development program, and a sample of 2,332 participants who gave consent to use their data reported on their course experiences, took quizzes, and provided qualitative feedback. In addition, a subsample of 95 participants took pre- and post-surveys on their attitudes, confidence, beliefs, and knowledge in teaching early math. The descriptive statistics of the participants’ self-reported course experiences, regression analysis of program effectiveness, and the pair wised t-test analysis of the survey data showed that program participants had positive experiences with this online professional development program, and that engagement in the program was effective in positively impacting their attitudes, confidence, beliefs, and knowledge in teaching early math. The participants’ positive experiences were associated with their demographic characteristics and their use and engagement with the course materials. Practice or Policy: Implications for future professional development efforts are identified, including scalability and the use of online professional development to impact early math learning and practice.

Professional development (PD) designed to accompany curriculum materials prepares teachers for specific classroom practices, guides them during practice, and creates opportunities for reflection. We present the theoretical underpinnings for our model of curriculum-linked PD and describe a hybrid (face-to-face and online) professional development program for curriculum materials that make use of the My World™ Geographic Information System software. Research-derived design principles for curriculum-aligned PD include the following: (1) identify goals for the professional development, (2) adopt a learning theory and use it, and (3) evaluate whether learning goals were met and then revise PD practices according to this feedback. We do not intend our design to be the model for online PD, but rather an example of an approach successfully applying our design principles.

Undernutrition is a major public health issue highlighted by the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, with target 2.2 aiming to ‘end hunger’ by 2030. On-going surveillance is essential detecting nutritional stress in a population and is key to planning consequent interventions. Whilst methodologies of nutritional surveillance systems vary across different settings, organisations and even within the same country, the direct evidence-base underpinning these practices is limited. This paper aims therefore to: 1) compare the performance of different anthropometric indices/measurements for detecting change in the nutritional situation at population level; 2) discuss their properties and appropriateness for use in a surveillance system. This systematic literature review considered peer-reviewed and grey literature. Evidence was compiled from standard electronic databases, websites and snowballing. The search was performed in November 2015 by a single reviewer using the following terms to capture two concepts: 1) Undernutrition and 2) Nutrition surveillance. The search was limited to children under five and the period considered started in 1980. Languages included English and French. Articles had to assess whether the changes or trend observed at population level were statistically significant. All study designs were included. A total of 4563 articles were retrieved from the electronic database search. Most articles (3137, 89%) were not directly relevant based on title and abstract; 39 articles were reviewed in full. A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria and an additional 4 papers were added after snowballing. A number of measures and indices such as weight, weight-for-height/length, triceps skinfold and middle-upper arm circumference performed well in the detection of short term changes in the nutritional situation of a population. Height/Length-for-age responded the most to long term change. Applying a standard set of criteria (simplicity, acceptability, cost, independence of age, reliability and accuracy) to determine which is the most appropriate measure or index identified middle-upper arm circumference as the one with the greatest net benefits. Limited available evidence suggests that mid-upper arm circumference is the best measure to detect short term changes in the nutritional state of a population: this should receive higher priority in surveillance systems.

The role of technology and engineering education in STEM integration: insights from an online professional development program

Few studies have examined the impact of the flipped classroom approach used in an online professional development program. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire distributed to 25 university instructors enrolled in a postgraduate certificate in higher education program (PGCHE). The findings reveal that the flipped classroom approach enhances the quality of teaching and learning in the delivery of the program as well as in the instructors' teaching practice. Instructors describe enhanced student learning, deeper learning, and self-regulated learning due to flipping their classrooms. The opportunity to achieve graduate attributes were also highlighted as a result of flipped classrooms.

Marine organisms mediate the formation of volatile inorganic (e.g. HOBr) and organic halogens (e.g. CHBr3) and contribute to the sea-to-air emission of bromine and iodine. This air-sea halogen exchange has implications for atmospheric chemistry. It is important to establish the physiological function of halogen metabolism in key groups of marine organisms to permit predictive model development. In this study a series of laboratory experiments was performed to investigate the link between the availability of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and brominating activity, as measured by the bromination of phenol red, in two cold-water marine diatoms (Thalassiosira antarctica, CCAP 1085/25; Porosira glacialis, CCMP 668). Brominating activity in T. antarctica was found to change in response to short term changes in photon flux density and to have a strong positive linear relationship with gross photosynthetic rate up to 260μmol O2 (mg chla)−1h−1. Experiments performed across multiple diel cycles showed that light-phase brominating activities in T. antarctica were a factor of 2.8 (±1.0) higher than those measured in the dark. Whilst P. glacialis showed no response to short term changes in PFD, measurements across a number of diel cycles revealed that light-phase brominating activities in this diatom were significantly higher than those in the dark by a factor of 1.3 (±0.3). The addition of 0.1μM H2O2 to the medium of T. antarctica cultures led to a significant increase in brominating activity by a factor of 2.4 (±0.3) relative to no-addition controls but no such response was seen in P. glacialis. These results suggest that there is a link between PAR light availability and brominating activity in marine diatoms but that the nature of this relationship differs between species. By establishing a potential link with common ecosystem model state variables (light and photosynthesis) this work provides the first step towards developing a predictive capability for brominating activity in the marine environment. More work is needed to assess the potential for developing generalised parameterisations between PAR light availability and brominating activity in diatom species representative of a wider range of ocean regions.

Through establishing VAR Model, and applying modern cointegration theory and such methods of measurements as impact decomposition, this article probes into long term and short term interactive relations between Chinese farm products import & export and growth of farmers’ income. It is shown, in the long run, a stable equilibrium relationship exists between the three factors, and farm products export is the Granger cause for growth of farmers’ income. In the short run, short term fluctuation of farmers’ income is affected by short term changes of farm products import and export. And influence of short term changes on the part of farm products export is more obvious. Impact decomposition indicates that, impact of growth of farmers’ income has a larger rate of contribution to farm products export and import.

Background: A limited number of studies have reported on a predictor of the onset of atrial fibrillation in ECG waveform changes during sinus rhythm. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to predict the onset of atrial fibrillation in ECG waveform changes during sinus rhythm. Methods and Results: We studied consecutive 336 patients who were diagnosed initial atrial fibrillation in the prevention center of our hospital from January 2004 to June 2010. In these patients whose ECG were in sinus rhythm admitted over 2 consecutive years and whose UCG findings were within normal limits, 43 patients [41 men (61.78±10.89 years) and 2 female (65±16.97 years)] were finally enrolled. We investigated the time-dependent changes in ECG waveforms (heart rate, P width in limb lead and V1, P depth in limb lead and V1, morris index, PQ interval, QRS width in V2, R amplitude in V5 and QTc length in V2 and V5) during sinus rhythm. No significant differences were observed in the time-dependent changes of all factors that were investigated. Conclusion: Short term changes in ECG waveforms during sinus rhythm were not predictable the onset of atrial fibrillation.

PII: S0022-510X(05)00019-5

The occurrence and spread of halophilic diatom taxa in freshwater lotic ecosystems are influenced both by natural processes and anthropogenic pollution. Diatom assemblages were regularly monitored in lowland lotic systems in Hungary (Central Europe) during the unusually dry year of 2012. Highly pronounced changes in diatom composition were observed from spring to autumn. Halophilic taxa (especially Nitzschia sensu lato species) appeared in the dry autumn. In addition, the total relative abundances of halophilic species also increased up to autumn. Abundance of Nitzschia cf. lorenziana and Nitzschia tryblionella showed a positive correlation with chloride and phosphate concentration, while that of other taxa like Tryblionella apiculata or Tryblionella calida showed a positive correlation with the concentration of nitrate. Our findings clearly demonstrated that these halophilic and mesohalophilic diatom taxa were sensitive indicators of even short-term changes in lowland lotic ecosystems, such as the increasing salt concentration from spring to autumn caused by the lack of rainfall and/or environmental loads.