Research into how and why language teachers use literature as content is presented to explore one aspect of various pedagogical and collaborative practices open to language teachers in CLIL contexts. Language teachers’ beliefs and practices are examined based on a literature review, focus group study, survey, and multiple-case study.The question how and why language teachers shape practices using literature as content is considered, drawing on research into the pedagogical and collaborative practices of language teachers in CLIL contexts. The presentation brings together findings from a literature review, focus group study, survey, and multiple-case study to exemplify and explain the practices of language teachers in CLIL who turn to literature as their content. A dynamic framework for locating and explicating the pedagogical and collaborative practices of language teachers in CLIL contexts (Dale, Oostdam, & Verspoor, 2017) derived from a literature review is presented. The views of different stakeholders in CLIL in the Netherlands in relation to the teaching of literature, based on a focus group study are discussed (Dale, Oostdam, & Verspoor, 2018a). The findings of a survey into the stated beliefs and practices of Teachers of English in Bilingual Streams (TEBs) in the Netherlands with regard to the teaching of literature (Dale, Oostdam, & Verspoor, 2018b) are presented. Two case descriptions representing prototypical practices of language teachers taking literature as content are introduced (Dale, Oostdam, & Verspoor, submitted). ]
Background: In the Netherlands, the distinction between Bachelor degree and diploma nursing educational levels remains unclear. The added value of Bachelor degree nurses and how they develop professionally after graduation are subject to debate. Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate whether Bachelor degree nurses have higher critical thinking skills than diploma nurses do and whether there is a positive relationship between higher critical thinking skills and self-efficacy beliefs. Outcomes might provide instruments that are helpful in positioning of nursing levels in education and practice. Participants: Questionnaire data were used of a sample of 95 registered mental health staff nurses (62 diploma nurses and 33 Bachelor degree nurses). Methods: First, ANOVAwas performed to testwhether the two groupswere comparablewith respect to elements of work experience. Second, t-tests were conducted to compare the two groups of nurses on self-efficacy, perceived performance and critical thinking outcomes. Third, relationships between the study variables were investigated. Finally, structural equation modelling using AMOS was applied to test the relationships. Results: The hypothesis that Bachelor degree nurses are better critical thinkers than diploma nurseswas supported (pb0.01). Years in function turned out to be positively related to self-efficacy beliefs (pb0.01). No significant relation was found between the level of education and self-efficacy beliefs. Conclusions: The results of this study support career development and facilitate more efficient positioning of nursing levels.
L1 grammar teaching worldwide often takes the form of traditional grammar teaching with decontextualized parsing exercises and rules of thumb. Some researchers have proposed enriching such forms of grammar teaching by relating traditional grammatical concepts to underlying metaconcepts from linguistic theory. The merits of such an approach have become apparent in recent intervention studies, but the question remains how teachers perceive such forms of grammar teaching, which is of particular importance for curriculum development. The present study investigated Dutch teachers’ beliefs in focus groups and a national survey (N = 127). It is found that Dutch language teachers see important benefits of a metaconceptual approach to grammar teaching, particularly as a means to improve students’ grammatical understanding. However, results also indicate that while teachers may see clear pedagogical and conceptual advantages of working based on underlying metaconcepts, their own teaching practice appears to be much more traditional. This discrepancy is explained by assuming that contextual factors have a restraining effect on what teachers can or want to do in reality. Once such contextual factors no longer play a part, teachers’ views tend to be much more geared towards a metaconceptual approach. The paper concludes with some implications for future research.
The project is a field study for several diverse hotel chains, including individual properties operated under the Marriott brand, Postillion Hotels. Each brand has unique values, missions, and visions. Therefore, this integration will lead to the development of company-specific sustainability strategies and processes. The study will use the model of levers of control to provide such tailor-made solutions and determine if a generic approach can be developed to match a corporate sustainability strategy with a corporate strategy and develop a supporting management control system for operationalizing the sustainability strategy. Research question: How can a hotel brand formulate and implement a sustainability strategy with a supporting management control system that not only complies with the new CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) legislation but also emphasizes the creation of substantial value in financial and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) aspects, based on double materiality, in line with the organization's corporate values and beliefs? Objective The aim is to develop a validated method, including tools, that hotels can use to create a sustainability strategy in line with the CSRD guidelines. This strategy should create value for the organization, the environment, and society, while aligning with the hotel's values and beliefs. Merely being compliant with the CSRD is not enough for hotels. Instead, they should view the implementation of the CSRD as an opportunity to stand out in terms of sustainability. By creating value in areas such as environment, safety, and governance, or through the six capitals (financial, manufactured, intellectual, human, social and relationship, and natural) that align with the UN-SDGs, and explicitly taking both an inside-out and an outside in perspective (double materiality), hotels can significantly enhance their sustainability reputation.
Kinderfysiotherapeuten begeleiden baby's waarbij er zorgen zijn over de motorische ontwikkeling. Een goed ontwikkelde motoriek is belangrijk voor o.a. de cognitieve en de taalontwikkeling, en maakt het gemakkelijker om een fysiek actieve leefstijl te ontwikkelen die voorwaardelijk is voor een lang gezond leven. Interventies van kinderfysiotherapeuten bij baby’s met een bewegingsprobleem richten zich op het ondersteunen van ouders in een gelijkwaardige samenwerking. Kinderfysiotherapeuten zien daarbij een diversiteit in ideeën en overtuigingen die ouders hebben over ontwikkeling. Deze ideeën en overtuigingen, ook wel Parental Beliefs genoemd, vormen de basis van hun doen en laten in het zorgen voor hun baby (Parental Practices). Om een interventie goed te laten aansluiten bij het gezin, is het belangrijk dat kinderfysiotherapeuten zicht hebben op de Parental Beliefs. Kinderfysiotherapeuten ervaren echter belemmeringen om dit uit te vragen en werken hierin nu vaak intuïtief, omdat goede instrumenten ontbreken. In het project PEBBLES (ParEntal Beliefs concerning their Baby, Lifestyle and Experience Study) staat daarom de volgende onderzoeksvraag centraal: Hoe kunnen we samen met ouders en kinderfysiotherapeuten tools voor het in kaart brengen van Parental Beliefs & Practices ten aanzien van de motorische ontwikkeling van kinderen van 0-2 jaar ontwikkelen, die ingezet kunnen worden in de kinderfysiotherapeutische beroepspraktijk en in interventiestudies? In het PEBBLES-project ontwerpen we een toolbox om kinderfysiotherapeuten te ondersteunen bij het in kaart brengen van het denken en doen van ouders. In een iteratief proces ontwikkelen we dit samen met co-designers, Living Labs van zes MKB-kinderfysiotherapiepraktijken, ouders en onderzoekers. Een co-design-aanpak met aandacht voor de menselijke waarden borgt dat er tijdens het ontwerpproces voldoende aandacht is voor de impact van deze innovaties op de ouders en kinderfysiotherapeuten. Ook doen kinderfysiotherapeuten ervaring op met ontwerpprocessen en ontwikkelen daarbij ontwerpend vermogen.
