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Background Continuing professional development stakeholders are continually searching for better ways of collecting and using data to determine the educational needs of physicians. Research questions1) What, if any, family physician learning needs are revealed through the reflective process prompted by the Information Assessment Method (IAM)?2) What is the meaning of the Highlight ratings for the identification and prioritization of Canadian family physician learning needs? Methods A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was employed. Quantitative IAM data was collected from a family medicine web based e-Therapeutics+ 'Highlights' continuing medical education program over a 22-week period. Six senior Canadian continuing professional development key informants were interviewed about the meaning and potential uses of this IAM data in the context of current needs assessment practices. Results 3690 family physicians rated at least one highlight (31.4% participation rate). A mean of 675.2 (range 414-1176) ratings per highlight was recorded. On average, 54.5 % of participants learned something new, 45.7 % were motivated to learn more and 59.3% found topics to be relevant to at least one patient in practice. Key informants found that ratings 'motivation to learn more' may suggest participants' learning needs when combined with data from other sources, and that 'learning' and 'relevance' ratings can reveal information about participants' knowledge base. Conclusions With data from other sources, IAM data may suggest learning needs, and reveal topics where physician knowledge was confirmed. / Contexte Les personnes impliquées dans le domaine du développement professionnel continu (DPC) cherchent constamment des meilleurs moyens de collecter et d'utiliser des données pour déterminer les besoins des médecins en éducation continue. Questions de recherche1) Est-ce que des besoins d'apprentissage des médecins de famille sont révélés à travers le processus de réflexion suscitée par la Méthode d'évaluation des informations (MEI)?2) Quelle est la signification des évaluations des « Highlights » pour l'identification et le choix des priorités concernant les besoins d'apprentissage des médecins de famille canadiens? Méthodes Une recherche utilisant des méthodes mixtes a été conduite (devis séquentiel explicatif). Des données quantitatives ont été collectées avec la MEI sur une période de 22 semaines via un programme d'éducation continue en médecine familiale avec une ressource internet, e-Therapeutics+ 'Highlights'. Six informateurs clés experts en DPC ont été interrogés sur la signification des données obtenues avec la MEI, et les utilisations possibles de ces données pour évaluer les besoins d'apprentissage. Résultats 3690 médecins de famille ont participé (taux de participation : 31.4%). En moyenne, 675,2 questionnaires MEI ont été complétés par 'Highlight' (414 - 1176). En moyenne, 54,5% des participants ont appris quelque chose de nouveau, 45,7% étaient motivés pour en savoir plus, et 59,3% ont trouvé des informations pertinentes pour au moins un de leurs patients. Les informateurs clés ont trouvé que les réponses 'motivation pour en savoir plus' peuvent suggérer des besoins d'apprentissage des participants lorsqu'elles sont combinés avec des données provenant d'autres sources, et que les réponses 'j'ai appris' et 'information pertinente' peuvent révéler des informations sur les connaissances des participants. Conclusions Avec des données d'autres sources, les données obtenues avec la MEI peuvent suggérer des besoins d'apprentissage, et révéler des sujets pour lesquels les médecins ont amélioré ou confirmé leurs connaissances.

As a practicing dietitian, I am reminded by the dietetics and education literatures of just how important it is for me, and for the profession, to develop skills to continue to learn and improve practice. Although reflection is an integral step of professional development strategies in dietetics, little is known about it in our context. The study's purpose is to assist dietitians in their quest for continuous learning and improved practice by documenting experiences of dietitians and exploring the reflection process embedded in this data. Research questions guiding this exploration focused on 1) the process through which dietitians reflect on their practice, 2) the outcomes of dietitians' reflection on practice and, 3) conditions influencing dietitians' reflection. Reflection is defined as a process of turning experience into knowledge about practice and improving it. The study was designed based on grounded theory to allow for detailed exploration of dietitians' reflection and theory generation. Data collection consisted of a) a pilot study to determine effectiveness of instruments and procedures, b) formal interviews to document participant experiences and thinking during and following it, and, c) follow-up interviews to verify interpretation of data and to pursue themes arising from analysis. Interview questions invited participants to recall and relate a time when they experienced something uncertain, puzzling, surprising or satisfying, an experience in which learning about prenatal nutrition occurred or one that had an impact on their thinking or approach. Participants were six dietitians practicing in prenatal projects sponsored by community organizations or in prenatal initiatives of governmental departments, both of which targeted pregnant women facing challenging social, economic or cultural situations. Data analysis centered on identification of concepts and constant comparisons within and between participants. Study findings suggest participan / Les litératures en diététique et en éducation nous rapellent, qu’en tant que diététiste, nous nous devons de développer les habiletés pour continuer à apprendre et pour améliorer notre pratique. Bien que la réflexion soit une étape intégrale des stratégies de développement professionnel en diététique, nous en savons peu sur ce processus dans notre domaine. Le but de cette étude est de faciliter l’apprentissage continu des diététistes et le développement de leur compétence. Dans ce but, des expériences de diététistes sont recueillies et le processus de réflexion contenu dans ces données est examiné. Les questions guidant cette exploration portent sur 1) le processus utilisé par des diététistes pour réfléchir à leur pratique, 2) le résultat des réflexions sur leur pratique et, 3) les conditions favorisant leur réflexion. La réflexion se définit comme un processus de transformation d’expériences en connaissances sur la pratique et d’amélioration. L’étude a été conçu selon la théorie ancrée puisque cette approche permet un examen détaillé des réflexions de diététistes et le développement d’une théorie. La collecte de données comprenaient a) une étude pilote pour déterminer l’efficacité des instruments ainsi que des procédures, b) des entrevues permettant de recueillir des expériences de participantes et leurs pensées pendant, et après une expérience, et, c) des suivis pour vérifier l’interprétation des données et explorer des thèmes ayant surgit lors de l’analyse. L’entrevue invitait les participantes à se remémorer et à détailler une situation incertaine, énigmatique, surprenante ou satisfaisante, une expérience ayant influencé le développment de leur savoir, leur conception ou leur approche en nutrition prénatale. Six diététistes, pratiquant en nutrition prénatale dans le cadre de projets d’organismes communautaires ou de programmes gouvernementaux ciblant$

Throughout adulthood, the brain continuously generates new neurons in two neurogenic regions: the subgranular zone of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone on the lateral wall of the lateral ventricles. These neurons have been shown to integrate into hippocampal and olfactory bulb circuitry, respectively. Nevertheless, their specific contribution to hippocampal or olfactory function remains unclear. Previous studies have tried to assess adult born neuron contribution to memory function by suppressing neurogenesis and examining the impact on memory acquisition. Although ablation of neurogenesis has been shown to impair performance in hippocampus dependent and olfactory tasks, many studies fail to see an effect. Compensation from residual cells in either system after ablation may underlie these contradictory findings. Thus, a more direct approach to answer this question would be to ablate adult born neurons after their incorporation into the memory trace. To do this, we established a double transgenic strategy to tag and selectively ablate adult born neurons with temporal control. Ablation of a population of predominantly mature, adult generated dentate granule cells did not prevent acquisition of contextual fear conditioning or Morris Water Maze memories. Removal of that same population of cells after training, however, led to memory degradation in three hippocampus dependent tasks. Similarly, post-training ablation of a population of adult generated olfactory interneurons iii impaired performance in an associative odour memory task, whereas pre-training ablation had no impact. Together, these data show that adult generated neurons form a crucial component of both hippocampal and olfactory memory traces.

This thesis constitutes an overview and analysis of social justice oriented non-formal education. It draws together research on four distinct social justice educational projects in which the author was involved. Reading multiculturalism, citizenship education and global education against the grain, the author describes the limitations of projects and discourses that are easily appropriated into the logic of neo-liberalism that is dominant in our era. In a case study of the educational strategy of economic and political literacy, the author also provides an analysis of pedagogy that distinguishes between didactic and dialogic approaches to community based education. / Cette thèse constitue une vue d'ensemble et une analyse de certains aspects de l'éducation non formelle orientée vers la justice sociale Elle résume les recherches sur quatre projets d'éducation pour la justice sociale, dans lesquelles l'auteure était impliquée. En lisant à contre-courant les thèmes du multi-culturalisme, de l'éducation civique, et de l'éducation à l'échelle mondiale, l'auteure décrit les limites de projets et de discours trop facilement integrés à la logique du néo-libéralisme qui domine notre époque. Dans une etude de cas sur les stratégies éducatives pour les connaissances économique et politique, elle fournit ausssi l'analyse d'une pédagogie qui fait la différence entre les approches didactique et dialogique à l'éducation communautaire.

The thesis will establish, through philosophical argument, particularly in philosophical psychology, that professional practitioners in adult education are those who see themselves (and indeed are also seen) as agents of the integration of (a) adults' learning from their experiences (the authenticity aspect), with (b) the values of 'education' (the integrity aspect). That is, such practitioners employ 'know how' to bring such integration about, and they may ideally exemplify a kind of wisdom in 'knowing why' they act as they do. We will call this the 'integrationist' model of adult education practice. This integrationist thesis, drawing mainly upon Wittgenstein, Kant and Aristotle: * takes the very phenomenon of the practices of adult educators as its starting point, rather than analyse concepts or language per se, and treats ethical and epistemological dimensions of this practice as interwined and equally central in such phenomena; * requires extensive treatment of the formation of the 'appropriateness' or efficacy of the ethical and epistemological ingredients of professional practice, and subsumes this 'know how' in the significance of sociocultural location; * assumes such people are still 'students' in the broad sense that they are integratively learning from their practical experience and that socio-culturally located workplaces provide the most significant context for their practice (intentionality and competence are especially addressed); * re-examines the emphasis in adult education on the role of experience and the self, and accordingly revitalises a constructivist approach more firmly based in ontological considerations; * accordingly, moves beyond an atomistic conception of professional competence and the sovereignty of the agency of the individual practitioner, * develops an emphasis on teleological considerations - adding 'knowing why' to a more holistic 'know how' and, in that sense, signals a retrieval of the notion of 'vocation', with an orientation towards the attainment of the 'rightness' of practical wisdom (phronesis) as the purpose of adult education as professional practice. Integrationism is thus also constructivist: professionals in any field are expected to make a positive difference. There are general features of the analysis pertinent to any practice where adults' circumstances are up for amelioration.

The exegesis will elaborate on the research process undertaken this year to write a fictional draft novel. The creative work is a young adult fantasy novel, and is part one of what will eventually be a three part series. At this stage, its working title is Phaze One. The introduction of the exegesis discusses what may possibly be the attraction of the fantasy genre to many writers; especially in light of what some critics refer to as the ‘light-weight genre’, and why fantasy has attracted me. There is an overview of Phaze One and why I have chosen to write part one of a three part series. The landscape of contemporary young adult fantasy, as well as, the categories of science fiction and fantasy literature and how they overlap will be discussed, with reference to academic literature. I will also discuss the relevance of mythic conventions and archetypes common in fantasy, and how these conventions have been adapted to the novel. Thus, positioning the creative work within its wider context. The exegesis includes reference to various writers who were relevant to the creative process; however, significant reference will be to the young adult fantasy writer Garth Nix and his ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ series. Various fantasy elements within the work will be discussed, as well as, the ideas for some settings, and the integration of Campbell’s ‘Heroes Journey’ in the novel.

The exegesis will elaborate on the research process undertaken this year to write a fictional draft novel. The creative work is a young adult fantasy novel, and is part one of what will eventually be a three part series. At this stage, its working title is Phaze One. The introduction of the exegesis discusses what may possibly be the attraction of the fantasy genre to many writers; especially in light of what some critics refer to as the ‘light-weight genre’, and why fantasy has attracted me. There is an overview of Phaze One and why I have chosen to write part one of a three part series. The landscape of contemporary young adult fantasy, as well as, the categories of science fiction and fantasy literature and how they overlap will be discussed, with reference to academic literature. I will also discuss the relevance of mythic conventions and archetypes common in fantasy, and how these conventions have been adapted to the novel. Thus, positioning the creative work within its wider context. The exegesis includes reference to various writers who were relevant to the creative process; however, significant reference will be to the young adult fantasy writer Garth Nix and his ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ series. Various fantasy elements within the work will be discussed, as well as, the ideas for some settings, and the integration of Campbell’s ‘Heroes Journey’ in the novel.

The exegesis will elaborate on the research process undertaken this year to write a fictional draft novel. The creative work is a young adult fantasy novel, and is part one of what will eventually be a three part series. At this stage, its working title is Phaze One. The introduction of the exegesis discusses what may possibly be the attraction of the fantasy genre to many writers; especially in light of what some critics refer to as the ‘light-weight genre’, and why fantasy has attracted me. There is an overview of Phaze One and why I have chosen to write part one of a three part series. The landscape of contemporary young adult fantasy, as well as, the categories of science fiction and fantasy literature and how they overlap will be discussed, with reference to academic literature. I will also discuss the relevance of mythic conventions and archetypes common in fantasy, and how these conventions have been adapted to the novel. Thus, positioning the creative work within its wider context. The exegesis includes reference to various writers who were relevant to the creative process; however, significant reference will be to the young adult fantasy writer Garth Nix and his ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ series. Various fantasy elements within the work will be discussed, as well as, the ideas for some settings, and the integration of Campbell’s ‘Heroes Journey’ in the novel.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-07, Section: A, page: 2765. Adviser: Douglas H. Knapp. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 28, 2008).