In May 2000, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni contaminated the drinking water supply in Walkerton, Ontario. Seven people died and over 2,000 were ill as a result. The Ontario Provincial Government set up a judicial Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the outbreak and also moved quickly to introduce a new Drinking Water Regulation that incorporated some significant requirements for drinking water providers. The Inquiry itself was in three parts: (a) part 1 related to the events that occurred in Walkerton and why the water contamination occurred; (b) part 1A related specifically to the role of the Provincial Government in the event; and (c) part 2 related to the future of drinking water safety in Ontario with potential to influence regulation on a wider basis. A number of other actions were taken after Walkerton. In August 2000, the Ontario Government, through the Regulatory body, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) (a) re-issued and revised the Ontario Drinking Water Objectives (ODWO) as the Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWS) and (b) introduced new regulations governing drinking water in Ontario--the Ontario Drinking Water Protection Regulation. One of the key features of the Drinking Water Protection Regulation was the requirement to produce an independent Engineers' Report on all water systems. This paper provides a unique perspective on the Walkerton tragedy and its aftermath. The author was active in many aspects of the resulting activity (Chair of the Ontario Water Works Association's (a section of the AWWA) Special Committee involved in Part 2 of the Walkerton Inquiry; author of several of the Engineers' Reports mandated by Regulation; reviewer on behalf of the Regulator of Engineers' Reports submitted by others). The Engineers' Reports were of interest because (1) the drinking water providers (mostly municipalities) were mandated by regulation to complete the Reports by specific dates and are paying for the Reports, (2) the work had to be done by a registered professional engineer who is not an employee of the owner or the operator if a different entity and (3) the engineer had to sign a declaration that the Regulator could rely on the accuracy of the Report. In other words, the Municipality retained the Engineer and paid them to produce the Report--the Engineer essentially carried the liability while the Regulator had the final say in the acceptability of the Report, a sort of eternal triangle of responsibilities. The paper will outline how the drinking water profession in North America worked together to provide the Walkerton Inquiry with the benefit of its experience and knowledge of best practices to the benefit of consumers and the drinking water providers. It will also outline the procedures adopted to produce the independent Engineers' Reports and how the findings are being applied to further improve drinking water safety in Ontario, across Canada and in similar situations around the world.

No abstract

This study explores the factors that influenced the transition made by three participants from primary class teacher (or first-order practitioner) to Teacher Education (TE) lecturer (or second-order practitioner) in a Scottish Teacher Education Institution (TEI). The selfstudy case study methodology explored the factors that encouraged, and potentially inhibited, this career change. Data collection utilised auto-ethnographic narrative and findings were reviewed using a thematic analysis. Results are considered using a theoretical framework provided by Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT).The study identified three common, key themes leading to the participants career change: exploration and reinvention, key figures and lifelong learners. The findings suggest the participants were largely intrinsically motivated to make the career change. The results provide an insight for teachers considering this move and administrators within teacher education. The personal development implications for the participants are also considered. KeywordsTeacher Educators; Reflective Practice; Motivation; Early Career Lecturer; Scotland IntroductionA career in primary teaching is often viewed as an attractive career option however data relating to teacher attrition has suggested that 30-50% of teachers leave the profession within the first 3 to 5 years (Cooper and Alvardo 2006). Although most of these teachers will change career completely some may make the move to become a teacher educator within a HEI. Recent experience, gathered via conversations with staff directly involved with Higher Education Institution (HEI) recruitment, has suggested that recruitment to teacher educator posts can sometimes be problematic and that experienced teachers are reluctant to make the move to become teacher educators although the reasons are not immediately obvious. the reasons for making the change from primary teacher to higher education and identifies issues relating to career progression and leadership. Despite these examples, research into teacher education has been described as a relatively 'young sub-field of education research' (Menter et al. 2010, 135) and more specifically there is a lack of literature focussing on why teachers may make the transition from school teacher to university lecturer. This case study also contributes to the international discussion considering the development of teacher education in terms of efficacy and professional development. Specifically it explores the influencing factors that led to three people making the transition from primary class teacher to becoming a TE lecturer in a Scottish TEI. In doing so this paper raises issues relating to wider national and international teacher education policy and implications for career progression or pathways between school teaching and TE.Although there are many similar issues and challenges within the international teacher education landscape these national systems can differ considerably. Within the UK the situation has been described as divergent (Oancea a...

No abstract

As a result of the report Teaching Scotland's Future (Donaldson, 2010), Scottish Government made available £1.7million for projects that would facilitate an increase in Masters-level learning for teachers (Scottish Government, 2013). One of the projects involved teachers, from a single local authority in Scotland, undertaking a 30 credit module at Masters-level and a distinct element of this project was that participants had the choice to submit the assignment at Masters-level.Two group interviews were conducted with a non-probability volunteer sample taken from the total project group (n= 30). The two research groups comprised of either students who submitted (n= 6), or chose not to submit (n= 6). Resulting data was then analysed taking into account Evans' (2014) conceptualised model of professionalism and professional development to determine how attitudinal components relate to the participants' assessment submission decision. The study concludes by suggesting that a deeper understanding of motivation of teachers is essential when planning such CPD/PL programmes.