Types Of Professional Support Research Articles

What’s Computational Thinking?: Secondary Science Teachers’ Conceptualizations of Computational Thinking (CT) and Perceived Barriers to CT Integration

ABSTRACT Recognizing that the power of computation has changed the practice of science, science education standards in a number of countries have included a call for the inclusion of computational thinking (CT) in K-12 science education. As CT is a relatively new construct, preparing inservice science teachers to implement CT-infused learning experiences depends on the creation of robust CT professional development (CT-PD) initiatives. Given that teachers’ understandings, attitudes and beliefs impact their teaching, an important step in the development of these programs is identification of teachers’ conceptualizations of CT and its role in science education as well as their perceived barriers to CT/science integration. Additionally, scholars have noted that teacher PD is more effective when it is tailored to the needs of participating teachers. To this end, this survey study examined secondary science teachers’ conceptualizations of CT, perceived barriers to CT/science integration, and the types of professional support they believe is needed to overcome these perceived barriers. Analysis of 123 open-ended surveys revealed that secondary science teachers: (1) conceptualize CT as a specific type of thinking that can be used to build science students’ problem-solving skills; (2) view their lack of CT understanding as a primary barrier to CT/science integration; (3) believe their students are academically unprepared for CT-infused science; and (4) want CT-PD focusing on the what, why, and how of CT/science integration. Drawing upon these findings, multiple implications for supporting science teachers in bringing CT-infused experiences to their students are provided.

Stress and burnout for helping professionals. Counselors navigating the COVID pandemic

Helping professionals are givers by vocation, and this generous trait is abundantly displayed by their commitment and determination to support others. Caring for others is their central business, which many times, in the absence of a solid training and various types of professional support, might affect their capacity to regroup and heal. This article addresses the most common sources of stress and burnout for helping professionals, with a special focus on counselors. Concepts like compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress are explored. The current pandemic is adding to those common stressors, making us consider the helping services from a different perspective. COVID Stress Syndrome is presented and potential implications for caregivers’ work are discussed. Special consideration is given to the counseling occupation in Romania.

Переконання щодо різних видів психологічної допомоги та батьківське ставлення у батьків дітей із дислексією

The artcile is devoted to the problems of contemporary psychology – beliefs, various forms of psychological support and the speci0cxFB01ity of parental atttiudes of parents of children with dyslexia. The aim of this artcile is to analyze the pa­ rents’ beliefs about typical forms of psychological support in the context of the developmental dyslexia in their children and in terms of parental atttiudes mani- fested by parents. The artcile shows that the parents’ beliefs about the validity, e0exFB00ctvieness and necessity of psychological support are of great importance, because they determine the level of the child’s commitment in the o0exFB00red help. The study was carried out on 50 adults aged 25–45 (25 parents of children with dyslexia, 25 parents of nondyslexic children), with the use a self­designed survey which examined the beliefs concerning typical forms of psychological support and the Parental Attitudes Scale by M. Plopa. The study did not show any di0exFB00rences between the parents of dyslexic and non­dyslexic children in terms of the validity and e0exFB00ctiveness of the diag­ nosis, consultations and psychotherapy, regardless of their own experience with regard to the child’s use of help. It was found that the parents’ experience regarding to the frequency of using psychological, logopedic and pedagogical care by their children is not a decisive factor in parents’ convictions relating to various types of professional support. There are single links between some parental attitudes and parents’ be- liefs about various aspects of psychological support; there are no di0exFB00rences in intensity of these links in parents of dyslexic and non­dyslexic children. It was found that parents’ beliefs regarding psychological support may be due to the other factors that we have not taken into consideration and will be in- vestigated in our further research.

\u2018To be able to support her, I must feel calm and safe\u2019: pregnant women\u2019s partners perceptions of professional support during pregnancy

BackgroundProfessional support does not always meet the needs of expectant fathers or co-mothers. The way in which professional support is offered during pregnancy varies internationally, depending on the country. In order to attain a greater understanding of partners’ experiences of professional support, it is necessary to further illuminate their perceptions of it. The aim of this study was therefore to explore pregnant women’s partners’ perceptions of professional support during pregnancy.MethodsQualitative research design. Partners of pregnant women were interviewed during gestational week 36–38. Individual semi-structured interviews were used to explore the partners’ perceptions. The data was analysed using a phenomenographic approach. The study was performed in a county in south-western Sweden; the data collection was conducted from November 2014 to February 2015. Fourteen partners (expectant fathers and co-mothers) of women who were expectant first-time mothers with singleton pregnancies, were interviewed.ResultsThe findings of the study are presented through four descriptive categories: Ability to absorb adequate information; Possibility to meet and share with other expectant parents; Confirmation of the partner’s importance; and Influence on the couple relationship. Using a theoretical assumption of the relationship between the categories showed that the fourth category was influenced by the other three categories.ConclusionsThe partners perceived that professional support during pregnancy could influence the couple relationship. The partners’ ability to communicate and to experience togetherness with the women increased when the expectant couple received professional support together. The support created also possibilities to meet and share experiences with other expectant parents. In contrast, a lack of support was found to contribute to partners’ feelings of unimportance. It was essential that the midwives included the partners by confirming that they were individuals who had different needs for various types of professional support. The partners perceived it easier to absorb information when it was adequate and given with a pedagogic that made the partners become interested and emotionally engaged.

Physics teachers: a holistic plan for professional education during both the pedagogical stage and the probation year

Despite the Bologna agreement implementation in 2008, teachers' education in Portugal has not changed significantly from earlier practice. The major modification in the requirements of master’s level teacher education programmes was the introduction of a strong component of educational research in a master’s degree; this is designed to replace an educational monograph in the typical 5-year ‘Licenciatura’. Both a professional one-year in-school pedagogical stage and a fifth year as a university student continue to be mandatory, as well as the stage co-supervision of the university and the school. However, existing government regulations imply that in the very near future the full professional education of teachers will have to be complemented with an in-service probation year conducted under the supervision of a school mentor. The current study has been designed to try to determine: (a) how the activities of the probation year should be organised in order to improve this stage of professional education; and (b) how probation years could be used to promote school–university partnerships that could provide for more effective in-service teacher education and/or possible shared educational action research. Drawing on the survey data from pre-service students from four different universities, novice teachers, stage supervisors and school principals, information was collected on the perceptions of the quality and scope of the professional education of future teachers from the beginning of their programmes through their pedagogical stage. A high degree of agreement among all the respondents enables us to point towards the perceived high quality of several components of the teacher education programmes, e.g, teachers’ ability to plan a lesson using different teaching strategies and the high value-accorded school–university collaborations. The results also show the weaknesses of other components, e.g, teachers’ skill with controlling badly behaved students and their ability to capture students’ attention and motivation. Based on these results and on our knowledge about the type of professional support needed to promote teaching practice, we conclude with a holistic plan designed for teachers’ professional education during the pre-service pedagogical stage and the in-service probation year.

Appropriate training and retention of community doctors in rural areas: a case study from Mali

BackgroundWhile attraction of doctors to rural settings is increasing in Mali, there is concern for their retention. An orientation course for young practicing rural doctors was set up in 2003 by a professional association and a NGO. The underlying assumption was that rurally relevant training would strengthen doctors' competences and self-confidence, improve job satisfaction, and consequently contribute to retention.MethodsProgramme evaluation distinguished trainees' opinions, competences and behaviour. Data were collected through participant observation, group discussions, satisfaction questionnaires, a monitoring tool of learning progress, and follow up visits. Retention was assessed for all 65 trainees between 2003 and 2007.Results and discussionThe programme consisted of four classroom modules – clinical skills, community health, practice management and communication skills – and a practicum supervised by an experienced rural doctor. Out of the 65 trained doctors between 2003 and 2007, 55 were still engaged in rural practice end of 2007, suggesting high retention for the Malian context. Participants viewed the training as crucial to face technical and social problems related to rural practice. Discussing professional experience with senior rural doctors contributed to socialisation to novel professional roles. Mechanisms underlying training effects on retention include increased self confidence, self esteem as rural doctor, and sense of belonging to a professional group sharing a common professional identity. Retention can however not be attributed solely to the training intervention, as rural doctors benefit from other incentives and support mechanisms (follow up visits, continuing training, mentoring...) affecting job satisfaction.ConclusionTraining increasing self confidence and self esteem of rural practitioners may contribute to retention of skilled professionals in rural areas. While reorientations of curricula in training institutions are necessary, other types of professional support are needed. This experience suggests that professional associations dedicated to strengthening quality of care can contribute significantly to rural practitioners' morale.

Types, availability, and perception of social support among parents of young children with cognitive delays in Vietnam

Parents of young children with disabilities experience increased parenting stress owing to the caregiving demands the children place on them and concern over how they will raise and care for their children in the future. Support or understanding from others can be helpful in relieving the psychological and physical strain that caregivers experience. The project examined the types and availability of social support for Vietnamese parents of young children with cognitive delays, and their perceived social support and parenting stress. Fourteen types of informal support (spouse, wife's father, wife's mother, husband's father, husband's mother, wife's siblings, husband's siblings, sons, daughters, other relatives, friends, neighbors, and parents of other children with disabilities and social helpers) and eight types of professional support (teachers, therapists, doctors, private therapists, home helpers, social agencies, babysitters, and doctors in community health clinics) were available. When the level of intellectual functioning among children was lower, both mothers and fathers reported less availability of support from most types of informal support and teachers. For both mothers and fathers, a larger network of informal and professional support reduced the amount of stress they experienced. Specifically, however, when immediate family members were not available, mothers were more likely to experience parenting stress whereas the unavailability of friends and neighbors increased fathers' parenting stress. While addressing the stigma in society that affects the lives of the families of the children with disabilities in gaining informal support, the need for developing professional services in developing countries is discussed.