Further conceptualisations are needed on students' actual engagement with and perceptions of Twitter for learning. A United Kingdom-based study with a cohort of Year1 Physiotherapy students is reported, identifying: 1) the frequency of student self-initiated use of social media (SM) and Twitter, and 2) perceptions of Twitter and factors that would discourage or facilitate students to use Twitter for learning. An optional Twitter learning activity was created for one module, but students opted not to contribute. Forty-three students were surveyed, and two focus groups held with 12 students. Results suggest the perceived role of Twitter to reinforce student knowledge and power subordination as opposed to leading users in disciplines or professions and act as a career/business tool. These are discussed and problematised, suggesting a 'digital information activation' (Dig-Info-Act) pedagogy with SM in HE, an orientation of acting upon SM information towards relevant change.Highlights: Student-reported uses of SM and Twitter for 'learning' is low; There were two main obstacles to contributing to Twitter: student use of technology for learning and students' perceptions of the Twitter platform; Students perceived Twitter in two dominant manners: as an employability tool and an SM tool for and led by celebrity-like, knowledgeable others, the Academic and Professional Twitterati (APT); Students adopted a 'subordinate' position to the APT; 'Twitter for learning' obstacles and enablers are here presented at a micro level and further development of a Digital Information Activation (Dig-Info-Act) Pedagogy is proposed, towards critical education and social change, as a way to pedagogically challenge student Twitter and SM subordination.
In the current financial climate the NHS faces budget cuts. A good knowledge of the costs of the equipment used in theatres will allow more cost-efficient allocation of resources. The equipment used is dependent on the consultant surgeon leading the operation, with individual surgeons having their own preferences. For the efficient running of a department one would assume that the surgeons would have a working knowledge of the cost of equipment. This study looked at the awareness of surgeons of the cost of disposable equipment. It aimed to highlight the difference between the estimated and actual cost of disposable items, providing feedback to the surgeons so they become more aware of the real cost of their choices in order to help optimise use of equipment. This will hopefully lead to more cost-effective theatres.
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