scholarly journals Teachers’ Readiness to Implement Digital Curriculum in Kuwaiti Schools

10.28945/3685 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 105-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Mubarak Al-Awidi ◽  
Fayiz M Aldhafeeri
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Digital Curriculum ◽  
Effectiveness Of Teacher Education

Aim/Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate how Kuwaiti teachers perceive their own readiness to implement digital curriculum in public schools, and the factors that affect Kuwaiti teachers’ readiness to implement digital curriculum from their perspectives. Background: In order to shift from the traditional instructional materials to digital and more innovative resources, teachers have to be prepared for the transformational curriculum. Teachers need to acquire all the technical and pedagogical skills that enable them to integrate digital technology effectively and efficiently into the school curriculum. Methodology : Using a mixed-method research methodology, a random sample of 532 teachers participated in an online survey to determine the level of their readiness. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sub sample of the participants (21) to explore the factors that affect their readiness. The researchers developed and implemented a technology readiness survey in two domains (technical and pedagogical). Contribution: The study demonstrated that Kuwaiti teachers were not highly ready to im-plement the digital curriculum, and some issues should be considered to ensure the digital curriculum is effectively implemented. Findings Teachers are moderately ready for implementation of the digital curriculum in both components of readiness (technical and pedagogical). Teachers identified some factors that that hinder their readiness. These factors are related to time constraints, knowledge and skills, infrastructure, and technical support. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper will guide curriculum decision makers to find the best ways to help and support teachers to effectively implement the digital. Future Research: Follow up studies may examine the effectiveness of teacher education pro-grams in preparing students teachers to implement the digital curriculum, and the role of education decision makers in facilitating the implementation of the digital curriculum.

scholarly journals Does the public feel prepared to be substitute decision-makers? Gaps in preparedness and support for a high school curriculum: a national survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael K Y Wong ◽  
Mengzhu Jiang ◽  
Maria Cassandre Medor ◽  
Katerina Yelle Labre ◽  
Jason R Frank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
High School Curriculum ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Values And Beliefs ◽  
Substitute Decision Makers

Abstract Background Substitute decision-makers (SDMs) make decisions on behalf of patients who do not have capacity, in line with previously expressed wishes, values and beliefs. However, miscommunications and poor awareness of previous wishes often lead to inappropriate care. Increasing public preparedness to communicate on behalf of loved ones may improve care in patients requiring an SDM. Methods We conducted an online survey in January 2019 with a representative sample of the Canadian population. The primary outcome was self-reported preparedness to be an SDM. The secondary outcome was support for a high school curriculum on the role of SDMs. The effect of socio-demographics, known enablers and barriers to acting as an SDM, and attitudes towards a high school curriculum were assessed using multivariate analysis. Results Of 1,000 participants, 53.1% felt prepared to be an SDM, and 75.4% stated they understood their loved one’s values. However, only 55.6% reported having had a meaningful conversation with their loved one about values and wishes, and only 61.7% reported understanding the SDM role. Engagement in advance care planning for oneself was low (23.1%). Age, experience, training and comfort with communication were associated with preparedness in our multivariate analysis. A high school curriculum was supported by 61.1% of respondents, with 28.3% neutral and 10.6% against it. Interpretation There is a gap between perceived and actual preparedness to be an SDM. Many report understanding their loved one’s values yet have not asked them about wishes in illness or end of life. The majority of respondents support high school education to improve preparedness.

Implementation of Lean Six Sigma in Saudi Arabian organisations

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 508-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saja Ahmed Albliwi ◽  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Norin Arshed ◽  
Abhijeet Ghadge
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Lean Six Sigma ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Although the popularity of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology has illustrated many benefits over the years for those organisations who have implemented it, this strategy has received less attention in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to critically assess the current status of LSS implementation in Saudi Arabian organisations. Design/methodology/approach This research is based on a descriptive survey questionnaire which has been derived from two systematic literature reviews. The survey was distributed to 400 organisations in Saudi Arabia using Qualtrics online software. In total, 146 responses were received where 102 responses were completed and analysed. Findings The findings of the survey highlighted that the implementation of LSS is still in the early stages in organisations within Saudi Arabia. This was clearly shown by many factors such as years of deploying LSS, LSS infrastructure, level of awareness of LSS, impact of LSS on business functions and so on. Research limitations/implications The primary limitation of this study is that data has been collected from an online survey and therefore no deeper insights could have been captured from the survey. This calls for future research to be undertaken by executing semi-structured interviews in selective organisations within Saudi Arabia. Originality/value This paper contributes to the current status of LSS in Saudi Arabian organisations. It also gives recommendations to guide the future of LSS in Saudi organisations by comparing LSS literature with best practice.

Will high school students ‘rethink their drink’? Findings from an impact evaluation of a healthy beverage curriculum

2021 ◽  
pp. 001789692110457
Author(s):  
Ron Strochlic ◽  
Gail Woodward-Lopez ◽  
Kaela Plank ◽  
Sridharshi Hewawitharana ◽  
Jackie Richardson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Northern California ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Students ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverage ◽  
Beverage Consumption

Objective: To promote healthy beverage consumption among 9–12 grade students (ages 14–18) by means of a 4-week curriculum promoting increased awareness of drinks containing added sugar and the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and health risks. Design: Quasi-experimental pre–post design. Setting: High schools in Northern California with at least 50% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Method: A 4-lesson version of the Rethink Your Drink high school curriculum was piloted in three high schools in two northern California counties. Two high schools in the same area served as comparison sites. A survey of beverage-related knowledge, behaviours, perceptions and self-efficacy was administered to intervention and comparison students before and after the intervention. Focus groups with students and an online survey and semi-structured interviews with teachers were conducted following the intervention. Results: Intervention students reported significantly greater frequency of reading Nutrition Facts labels and understanding of beverage choice influences and decreased consumption of diet soda than comparison students. A decrease of 0.26 times per day in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages relative to the comparison group was not significant. Conclusion: The intervention resulted in some positive outcomes, but improvements in targeted beverage consumption were not significant. Students and teachers want shorter, more engaging and experiential curricula that build on previous learning. Findings point to actionable recommendations for improvement of high school healthy beverage curricula and suggest the need for reinforcement using a multi-level approach.

Future strategic considerations and development priorities for national museum libraries

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1204-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rupert Nicholas Williams
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
National Museum ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Qualitative Phase

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the main strategic considerations facing the libraries of national museums over the next decade, and to examine anticipated future service and resource development priorities. Design/methodology/approach An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was undertaken, consisting of a quantitative research phase followed by a qualitative phase. An online survey was sent to the head librarians of two hundred national museum libraries for the quantitative phase. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with the head librarians at seven national museum libraries for the qualitative phase. The survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the interview data were analysed through use of recursive abstraction. Mixing of the data occurred following the qualitative phase. Findings National museum libraries are facing a complex array of future challenges and opportunities as a result of a rapidly changing socio-technical landscape, evolving organisational needs and priorities and ongoing operational constraints. The main strategic considerations for many national museum libraries relate to their preparedness for these issues, and their ability to deliver services and resources that are relevant, required, and responsive to the future research needs of internal and external users. It seems likely that development priorities will focus on consolidating high impact services and resources, whilst also expanding provision into new areas that have the greatest potential for growth. Originality/value This study identifies issues of strategic importance for national museum libraries and examines the main priority areas being considered by museum librarians as they prepare to develop their libraries into the third decade of the twenty-first century.

scholarly journals The Transition from Print to Electronic Journals: A Study of College and University Libraries in Indiana

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo McClamroch
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
College And University ◽  
Student Preference ◽  
Small Collection ◽  
Print Journal

Objectives – This study examines what factors are considered by college and university libraries in Indiana when making the decision to cancel subscriptions to print journals when an electronic equivalent is available. The study also looks at who the primary decision makers are in this regard. Libraries at public and private institutions of varying sizes were included in the study. Methods – An online survey was sent to seventy-three libraries in the consortium, Academic Libraries of Indiana. Structured interviews with administrators at nine libraries were also conducted. Results – Academic libraries in Indiana use subscription cost, redundancy of formats, student preference, budget reductions and usage as the primary factors in canceling print journal subscriptions in favor of their electronic counterparts. There is also a preference for the electronic format for new subscriptions even when a print version is also available. Conclusions – The study indicates that subscription cost is the most important consideration in the journal cancelation process with other factors also having an effect on the preference of libraries for electronic versions of journals. The study also shows that libraries at public and private colleges and universities are at different stages of moving away from print to an online-only journal format. At the same time, there is consensus that a small collection of print titles will still be needed. The primary decision-makers are librarians, faculty, and library administrators.

scholarly journals Experiences of renal healthcare practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-methods approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Mc Keaveney ◽  
Joanne Reid ◽  
Claire Carswell ◽  
Ann Bonner ◽  
Ilaria de Barbieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Mental Health Distress ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Globally, renal healthcare practitioners provide intensive and protracted support to a highly complex multi-morbid patient population however knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on these practitioners is extremely limited. Objective This study aimed to explore the experiences of COVID-19 with renal healthcare practitioners during the first global lockdown between June 2020 and September 2020. Methods A multi-methods approach was carried out including a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. This was a multinational study of renal healthcare practitioners from 29 countries. Quantitative: A self-designed survey on COVID-19 experiences and standardised questionnaires (General Health Questionnaire-12; Maslach Burnout Inventory). Descriptive statistics were generated for numerical data. Qualitative: Online semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data was subjected to thematic analysis. Renal healthcare practitioners (n = 251) completed an online survey. Thirteen renal healthcare practitioners took part in semi-structured interviews (12 nurses and 1 dietician). Results The majority of participants surveyed were female (86.9 %; n = 218), nurses (86.9 %; n = 218) with an average 21.5 (SD = 11.1) years’ experience since professional qualification, and 16.3 years (SD = 9.3) working in renal healthcare. Survey responses indicated a level of preparedness, training and satisfactory personal protective equipment during the pandemic however approximately 40.3 % experienced fear about attending work, and 49.8 % experienced mental health distress. The highest prevalence of burnout was emotional exhaustion (35.9 %). Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis highlighting the holistic complexities in managing renal healthcare, a neglected specialist workforce, and the need for appropriate support at work during a pandemic. Conclusions Results have highlighted the psychological impact, in terms of emotional exhaustion and mental health distress in our sample of renal healthcare practitioners. As the pandemic has continued, it is important to consider the long-term impact on an already stretched workforce including the risk of developing mental health disorders. Future research and interventions are required to understand and improve the provision of psychological support for specialist medical and nursing personnel.

scholarly journals Towards “Operating Within” the Field: Doctoral Students’ Views of Supervisors’ Discipline Expertise

10.28945/3641 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 001-016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Gube ◽  
Seyum Getenet ◽  
Adnan Satariyan ◽  
Yaar Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
The Right ◽  
High Level

Aim/Purpose: This paper considers the role of supervisors’ discipline expertise in doctoral learning from a student perspective. Background: Doctoral students need to develop expertise in a particular field of study. In this context, developing expertise requires doctoral students to master disciplinary knowledge, conventions and scholarship under the guidance of supervisors. Methodology : The study draws on a mixed-method approach, using an online survey and semi-structured interviews conducted with doctoral students. Contribution: The paper brings to the fore the role of supervisors’ discipline expertise on doctoral students’ research progress. Findings: The survey data suggest that doctoral students nominate their supervisors on the basis of their discipline expertise. They also view supervisors’ expertise as key to the development of ‘insider’ knowledge of their doctoral research. Recommendations for Practitioners: Supervisors play a pivotal role in helping doctoral students overcome intellectual barriers by imparting their discipline knowledge as well as balancing satisfactory doctoral completion rate and high quality student experience. Impact on Society : Doctoral supervision equips doctoral students with the right arsenal to be able to competently operate within their field and prepares them for their future research or professional career that demands a high level of discipline expertise. Future Research: The scope of the findings leaves open a discussion about the experiences of doctoral students matched with non-discipline expert supervisory teams; for example, the extent of the mismatch and its ramifications.

scholarly journals Exploring the Design Preferences of Neurodivergent Populations for Quiet Spaces

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toar Sadia
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Sensory Profile ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Restorative Environment ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Design Preferences ◽  
Sensory Overload

Quiet spaces warrant scrupulous design consideration as they offer a sensitive restorative environment to the experience of sensory overload. Currently there is a lack of guidance on how to design inclusive quiet spaces and ambiguity regarding the factors which influence design preferences. Neurodivergent populations provide valuable perspectives on how to design for sensory needs, especially considering their susceptible to sensory overload. An online survey was administered globally to neurodivergent populations to elicit their design preferences for quiet spaces, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to enrich the study with professional perspectives. 312 survey responses and six interviews were analyzed to draw inferences. There was consensus on sound and lighting as the most important design considerations for quiet spaces, on education as the most critical place to implement them, and on nature as a favorable guiding principle in their design. However, there was a diversity of perspectives, often contradictory, regarding most design preferences. Many of these preferences are correlated with the frequency at which the person experiences sensory overload and thus people’s sensory profile may be an underlying mechanism which guides design preferences. In light of these findings it is recommended to design quiet spaces as neutral environments for the most sensitive users, with optional stimulating design features for the least sensitive, while ensuring that the experience of one does not compromise the experience of the other. Moreover, variety, flexibility and control emerged as critical themes for facilitating inclusive design and empowering users by providing them with autonomy over their environment. Given the positive association between the frequency in which sensory overload is experienced and the person’s desire for quiet spaces, it is advisable to consider additional populations which may be susceptible to sensory overload in future research on quiet spaces.

scholarly journals Full-Time Faculty View Information Literacy as Important but Are Unlikely to Incorporate it Into Their Teaching

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eamon C. Tewell
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Research University ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Faculty Attitudes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Time Faculty

A Review of: Bury, S. (2011). Faculty attitudes, perceptions and experiences of information literacy: A study across multiple disciplines at York University, Canada. Journal of Information Literacy, 5(1). Retrieved from http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL/article/view/PRA-V5-I1-2011-1 Objective – To explore faculty attitudes towards information literacy (IL); in particular, faculty perception of student IL competencies, importance of IL skills and instruction, and ideal means of planning and delivering IL instruction. Design – Online survey questionnaire. Setting – Large public research university located in Toronto, Canada. Subjects – 221 full-time faculty. Methods – The author designed and distributed an online survey to all full-time York University faculty (n=1,451) in March 2007 using Zoomerang software. The survey consisted of between 26 and 36 questions depending on responses selected by respondents, and included both open- and closed-ended questions. The author hand coded the qualitative data and used SPSS to analyze the quantitative data. The survey had 221 usable responses giving a response rate of 15.2%. Main Results – The study revealed a high degree of concern among survey respondents regarding undergraduate students’ information literacy skills, accompanied by a perceived gradual increase in IL abilities corresponding to student year. Faculty ranked each of the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education as being extremely important. No ACRL standard ranked below 6 on a scale of 1 to 7, suggesting full agreement with the value of IL proficiency. Of the faculty 78.7% felt that IL education should be a joint collaboration between faculty and librarians. A considerable majority of respondents (81.7%) answered that IL instruction should be required for all students. Far fewer faculty incorporated IL teaching in practice, with 52.9% engaging in IL instruction and 47.1% not incorporating IL instruction at all. Of the faculty who incorporated librarian-led IL sessions into their courses, 85% of faculty perceived a “substantial impact” or “some impact” on their students’ IL competencies. Conclusions – The author concludes that this study adds evidence to the claim that a disconnect exists between faculty beliefs about the importance of IL and their teaching practices. Faculty consistently express concern regarding student IL abilities and support collaborative IL instruction, yet the rate of IL integration within their classes remains low. The results corroborate that faculty perceptions and attitudes towards IL remain relatively consistent when compared with other studies. The author recommends that librarians be flexible regarding IL instruction models and encourage further investigation of faculty development models to achieve wider IL integration. A stronger advocacy role is also advised to increase instruction opportunities and the promotion of information literacy at the institutional level. The author identifies four areas for future research, including examining why faculty do not incorporate IL instruction into their classes, disciplinary differences in IL attitudes and adoption, which IL instruction models faculty view as most effective, and replication of this study to test generalizability. As of the study’s publication, the author was conducting a qualitative follow-up study in the form of semi-structured interviews with faculty.

scholarly journals Improvements needed to support people living and working with a rare disease in Northern Ireland: current rare disease support perceived as inadequate

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie McMullan ◽  
Ashleen L. Crowe ◽  
Caitlin Bailie ◽  
Kerry Moore ◽  
Lauren S. McMullan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Rare Disease ◽  
Rare Diseases ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Collaborative Groups ◽  
Related Information

Abstract Background Many people living and working with rare diseases describe consistent difficulties accessing appropriate information and support. In this study an evaluation of the awareness of rare diseases, alongside related information and educational resources available for patients, their families and healthcare professionals, was conducted in 2018–2019 using an online survey and semi-structured interviews with rare disease collaborative groups (charities, voluntary and community groups) active across Northern Ireland (NI). Methods This study had 2 stages. Stage 1 was an online survey and stage 2 involved semi-structured interviews both with rare disease collaborative groups in Northern Ireland. The surveys and interviews were used to locate existing resources as well as identify gaps where the development of further resources would be appropriate. Results Ninety-nine rare disease collaborative groups engaged with the survey with 31 providing detailed answers. Resources such as information, communication, ‘registries’, online services, training and improvements to support services were queried. Excellent communication is an important factor in delivering good rare disease support. Training for health professionals was also highlighted as an essential element of improving support for those with a rare disease to ensure they approach people with these unique and challenging diseases in an appropriate way. Carers were mentioned several times throughout the study; it is often felt they are overlooked in rare disease research and more support should be in place for them. Current care/support for those with a rare disease was highlighted as inadequate. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with rare disease collaborative groups. Reoccurring themes included a need for more effective information and communication, training for health professionals, online presence, support for carers, and involvement in research. Conclusions All rare disease collaborative groups agreed that current services for people living and working with a rare disease are not adequate. An important finding to consider in future research within the rare disease field is the inclusion of carers perceptions and experiences in studies. This research provides insight into the support available for rare diseases across Northern Ireland, highlights unmet needs, and suggests approaches to improve rare disease support.

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