Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is characterized by substantial delay in motor development, despite intact neuromuscular, intellectual, and social functions. Although it is estimated there is one child with DCD in every elementary school classroom, sufficient remedial treatment has not yet been provided in medical or educational systems. This article reports on the development of a family-focused tele-intervention program for children with DCD. Unlike conventional direct service delivery, the tele-intervention program offers parents a workbook, DVDs, telephone support, and a blog to teach children at home. This pilot work involved the development of prototype materials (Phase 1), trialing and process evaluation with 3 children and their families (Phase 2), refinement of the program, and a further trial with two other groups of 4 children and their families (Phases 3-4). The outcome of the pilot intervention was satisfactory, but more work is needed to resolve some outstanding issues regarding assessment, diagnosis, telephone consultation, Internet support systems, and discrepant intervention outcomes before tele-intervention is offered to a wider community.
Recent legislative changes, that affect all healthcare practitioners in New Zealand, have resulted in mandatory audits of practitioners who are now required to provide evidence of competence and continued professional development in the form of a professional portfolio. These changes were the motivation for our development of an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) suitable for both undergraduate and life-long learning. Bachelor of Oral Health (BOH) students, studying to qualify as Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists, and BOH teaching staff (who held registrations in Dental Hygiene, Dental Therapy and Dentistry) trialled the use of a personal ePortfolio for advancing their academic and professional development. The ePortfolio enables BOH students to collect evidence of their achievements and personal reflections throughout their 3 years of undergraduate study, culminating in registration and the award of an Annual Practising Certificate (APC). The ePortfolio was designed to allow users to store information and then select appropriate material to be displayed or published, thus assisting health practitioners to present high-quality evidence of their participation and achievements, and to meet the professional requirements for their APC.
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