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Engaging Indigenous Knowledge Holders in Teaching Preservice Teachers in IKS Food Production and Practices: Implications for Higher Education
Get PDFThis paper explores preservice science teachers’ views and reflections of science, Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and their perspectives on the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge holders as teachers in the academy, in the context of teaching Environmentally sustainable development practices. Forty-nine preservice teachers were engaged in a Science Education university module that prepared them for transformative pedagogy for the new South African school Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) curriculum. This module included the teaching and learning of IKS, scientific issues pertaining to IKS, and preparing students to establish gardens on campus and in their communities, using agriculturally sustainable practices. Two African izinyanga (medicinal knowledge holders) shared their knowledge and skills of agriculture and sustainable development during the teaching of the Science Education module. Data were collected from 49 preservice teachers about their views of science and IKS using open-ended questionnaires, and 29 reflections on the inclusion of IKS holders as indigenous knowledge teachers in the academy. The data were analysed for the emergence of major themes or issues. The findings indicate that preservice teachers’ views of science, IKS and their relationships are complementary. The study has implications for planning responsive and innovative pedagogies in Higher Education curricula
IPICT - An Explanatory Scheme About The Innovation Phenomena Towards Integrated Care Enhanced By Digital Technologies
Get PDFThe introduction of innovative models of care, especially in the management of chronic diseases and other long-term conditions, responds to an urgent need of economic sustainability of the health and social system, while maintaining or increasing the level of quality of the system. In this context it is crucial to assure the proper co-evolution of organizational models and technological solutions. This paper presents an explanatory scheme about Innovation Phenomena towards Integrated Care enhanced by digital Technologies (IPICT), developed in the context of the European project STOPandGO: organisational and informational integration may be achieved both vertically among care settings and horizontally between healthcare and social care. Full integration may be the final goal of a long process made by a progressive local deployment of several initiatives, possibly coherent with regional or national plans. Within each initiative, innovation has not to be necessarily present in each individual activity or in each technological component, but it may be triggered by the appropriate combination of activities and technologies according a suitable model of care. The proposed scheme identifies six layers, ranging from a technological approach on enabling infrastructures in Layers L1 and L2, to a perspective on organizational models co-designed with technological solutions in Layers L3 and L4, up to the comprehensive vision of the overall (regional) strategies on Integrated Care in Layers L5 and L6. In particular, Layer L4 regards the measures able to “reify the innovation” in the models of care deployed within the initiatives of Layer L5. The list of L4 measures worked out by STOPandGO project was tested on the production of a coherent set of local tenders to improve the health and well-being of citizens across hetero-geneous organisational/clinical circumstances
Description of Factors Related to the Use of the Teleconsultation System of a Large Telehealth Service in Brazil – the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais
Get PDFIntroduction: The teleconsultation service of Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais (TNMG), Brazil, has expanded gradually since its implementation in 2007. However, since 2013, there has been a decline in the number of teleconsultations. The objective of this study was to compare features of user and non-user cities and healthcare practitioners, in order to investigate the factors related to non-use of the TNMG teleconsultation service and assess users’ satisfaction with the service. Methods: Cities were classified as users and non-users according to the utilization of the service from June 2013 to May 2014; 160 healthcare practitioners were interviewed in each group. Among the user cities, 80 user healthcare practitioners (UHP-UC) and 80 non-user healthcare practitioners (NUHP-UC) were selected. Results: There was a significant difference in support and motivation by the local healthcare manager to use the teleconsultation service (67.5% in UHP-UC vs. 34.4% in HP-NUC, p ?0.0001; and 53.8 % in NUHP-UC vs. 34.4% in HP-NUC: p = 0.013), and with respect to training. (67.5% in UHP-UC vs. 45.8% in HP-NUC: p = 0,002). In multinomial logistic regression, (i) male gender, (ii) training and (iii) support and motivation from the local healthcare manager were independently associated with teleconsultation use. Conclusion: This study showed that training, and support and motivation from the local healthcare manager were the most important factors related to the teleconsultation use. This is an important finding that will assist in future development of approaches to increase the use and quality of teleconsultation services
Depiction of African Indigenous Education in Akiki Nyabongo’s Africa Answers Back (1936)
Get PDFIn most African societies language reflects the subordination of women to men and the respect they must show to men and their elders. This paper is a preliminary investigation which aims to examine how women are portrayed in selected Zulu proverbs. The proverbs discussed in this article reflect how Zulu society perceives men as intelligent in conflict resolution and skilled in societal disputes. Proverbs discussed in this paper are informed by the way Zulu men are socialised and the manner in which young girls are brought up. Men are socialised into thinking that women need to start preparing themselves for marriage from a young age. Female behaviour needs to be socially acceptable, as every person encountered by an unmarried female is a potential husband and potential in-law. This grooming is evident in the proverbs frequently used in Zulu society. This article uses the African womanism theory which argues for a feminist critique of gender that draws from the experiences of African women, and also rejects the male dominance in African societies
Using Transcontinental Telementoring to Train Laryngoscopy to Medical Students in Hanoi, Vietnam from Omaha Nebraska
No full textThe use of a direct laryngoscope can lead to obstructed views of the airway, resulting in misplacement of the endotracheal tube. Advancements in telemedicine have resulted in the development of the video laryngoscope, an instrument, which utilizes video technology in order to obtain a clearer view of the glottic opening. Researchers compared these two intubation techniques by training students to use the instruments via distance communication. After training, 100% of the students successfully intubated a mannequin using the video laryngoscope and 75% of the students successfully intubated a mannequin using the direct laryngoscope. It is believed that these results indicate that distance communication can be used to train and mentor students during medical procedures
eLearning for Health in Brazil - UNA-SUS in Numbers
Get PDFUse of technology enabled learning for distance education in the health field is growing, and new challenges are emerging related to reaching health professionals working in remote areas. The Open University of the Unified Health System (UNA-SUS) promotes Continuing Professional Development and uses Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) for distance education to theBrazilian health workforce, mainly in primary care. Methods: As part of ongoing quality assurance assessments, we performed a descriptive analysis of courses, learners, and completion rates from all enrolments in UNA-SUS for Qualification and Specialisation Courses. Data were collected directly from the UNA-SUS information system. Results: From March 2008 to October 2015 (91 months), UNA-SUS had 206,834 enrolments in 40 Specialisation Courses and 60 Qualification Courses, reaching 119,109 professionals (mean - 1.7 courses per person). These were distributed amongst 5,199 Brazilian municipalities, 59% of which had a population of 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants. Learners were mainly women (80.6%), nurses (26.4%), and working in primary care (39.8%). Completion rates were 67.3% for Specialisation Courses and 37.9% for Qualification Courses, which were self-instructional. Reaching 93% of all Brazilian cities and 119,109 learners, UNA-SUS was able to deliver health education to health professionals (physicians, nurses, and others) in rural and other areas of shortage such as indigenous districts and metropolitan outskirts. UNA-SUS has succeeded in expanding ten-fold the seats for Specialisation Courses for family health, and has good results in TEL Qualification Courses. UNA-SUS has innovated Continuing Professional Development for health professionals in Brazil. These courses responded to the previously unattended educational needs of the workforce, focusing on reaching primary care professionals in smaller towns and remote areas. UNA-SUS is consolidating itself as a nationwide provider of continuing education
Transforming Healthcare With Information Technology and 21st ISfTeH International Conference 2016
No full textCultural and Social Festivity as a Silent Contributor to HIV Infections: A Moral Challenge of the Easter Festivity to the Kwahuman Leadership in Ghana
Get PDFThis article takes a look at cultural and social festivals celebrations, particularly the Easter festival celebrated amongst the people of Kwahu in Ghana. It argues that the festival has the potential to become a silent contributor to HIV infection in Ghana. This claim is based on recent incidence during the celebrations. The three day Easter observance among the Kwahu in the Eastern region of Ghana has become one of the most celebrated festivals in Ghana, far exceeding any other festivals in terms of popularity and participation. Currently the festival attracts both local and international tourists with many activities on offer including paragliding and street carnival, jam night and the like. Drawing on a personal observation as well as available literature on the current developments of the festival, the article argues that notwithstanding the economic boost that may accompany the festival, as a result of the tourist attraction and other activities, the growing presence of people from different communities and countries who travel to the festival presents a chance for unintended, unprotected sexual networks. This and many more activities and occurrences can be a major contributing factor to the increase risk of HIV infections in the country. This is because during the Easter festivities, most of the people who travel to the Kwahu area engage in excessive drinking of alcohol, and abuse of drugs which makes them vulne-rable to HIV infections. Others also use this opportunity to showcase their wealth with the view of attracting potential girls and women as life partners.
These behaviours do not only compromise the cultural and religious values of the festival, but also pose a serious risk to HIV infections. This unintended activities, ultimately challenges the gatekeepers of the Kwahu communities and other stakeholders to offer a contextual and relevant voice within the complex challenge of tourism, cultural and social festivity, morality and HIV
Language of Learning: Policy, Personal Preference, and Professional Identity
Get PDFThis article explores medical students’ preference to study in English rather than their home language as an index of identity formation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Data were produced through interviews with 19 third-year medical students and 6 lecturers. Data were recorded, transcribed, submitted to respondents for checking, then analysed thematically using NVivo. Analysis of their class’s assessment marks according to demographic characteristics was performed using SPSS. The analysis showed a statistical and sustained difference between first- and second-language English speakers. However, the latter preferred English as their medium of teaching and learning. They saw terminology as being more problematic than language, stated that their own languages did not have sufficient technical vocabulary, and felt that their professional interactions would be conducted largely in English. The author concludes that language influences, and is influenced by, an individual’s identity. Professional identity is a powerful shaping force in young adulthood when one’s personal identity is being de-and re-constructed. The status of English, and the developmental state of other South African languages, are also salient factors. While these findings support policies to develop the technical vocabularies of indigenous languages, they also signal the ways in which language use may be constrained by students’ personal perceptions and professional goals