Previous research has examined the effects of more structured somatic practices, sometimes referred to as codified or structural integrity techniques, on contemporary dance education, yet few researchers have addressed the effects of open- or semi-structured somatic frameworks. This article is presented in two parts: the first part examines previous research as a ground from which to develop a method to deliver and study the effects of less codified somatic frameworks within a contemporary dance technique; the second part presents a short piece of practical research which developed from this basis. The research, conducted within a first-year college dance programme, consisted of a series of somatically informed contemporary dance technique classes. Results of the study included students' displaying enhanced bodily connection, creativity, confidence and critical understanding of tenets underlying somatic work, as well as some implications for dance technique. It also addresses some of the issues arising from introducing semi-structured frameworks within a contemporary technique class.

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Teaching moral reasoning to students is a challenge for all nursing educators. The National League for Nursing and American Nurses' Association emphasize the importance of ethical content within the curriculum. Review of the literature indicates that ethics has been part of the nursing curriculum since the early 1900s. However, the focus of nursing ethics has changed to more critical reflective thinking versus duties and etiquette. Educators have used a variety of methods for teaching ethics and integrating it into the curriculum. Yet nursing graduates still lack adequate skills to be morally accountable practitioners. This creates a dilemma for the educator to find ways to integrate more ethics content into an already crowded curriculum. The code of ethics of holistic nurses may serve as a basis to guide nurse educators in resolving some of the problems encountered in promoting moral education.

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Domestic violence is one of the major health problems facing families today. Women in rural areas often are an overlooked population at high risk for this problem. Domestic violence is a concern for women, who may be patients or healthcare workers. Teaching about domestic violence is a very sensitive issue because it is often difficult for the abused to admit or confront that she is being abused. The authors developed an effective interactive workshop to teach nurses how to assess and intervene with women who have experienced domestic violence.