scholarly journals INDUCTION OF WOMEN BEGINNER TEACHERS AT TWO SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOLS

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 774-789
Author(s):  
Happy Ngwira ◽  
Onoriode Collins Potokri
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Beginner Teachers

The quest of beginner teachers becoming experienced teachers remains a major issue within the educational terrain. Induction experience(s) of beginner teachers particularly women in selected community secondary schools in South Africa was the focus of this research. In this research, the problems that women beginner teachers face at some selected schools, as well as the types of induction programmes used to support them, as they grappled with the problems, were explored. A qualitative research approach involving semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation was used in the collection of the requisite data. A sample comprising two community secondary schools and four women beginner teachers were selected to take part in the research. To make meaning of the data which were collected, inductive analysis of the data was conducted. Communities of Practice was used as the theory that underpinned the research findings reported in this paper. Based on the data analysis and the communities of practice theory that served as the framework, the paper among other findings reports that induction programmes used in sampled/selected schools were highly ineffective in supporting the women beginner teachers to overcome the problems revealed. The research contributes to the body of knowledge on the lived experiences of beginner teachers at the beginning of their teaching career and provides recommendations on classroom management and dealing with ill-disciplined learners. Keywords: beginner teacher; community practice; education leadership; teachers’ induction; women teacher.

scholarly journals Guidelines for Theory Development using Qualitative Research Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. pp95-103
Author(s):  
Noel Pearse
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Field Work ◽  
The Body ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Research Propositions

Qualitative research has been criticised for not building a distinctive body of knowledge, leading to fewer publications and citations. In the light of this critique, this paper offers guidance on how qualitative researchers can contribute to developing a distinctive and cumulative body of knowledge, thereby attracting more attention to their research. In pursuit of this aim, there are four objectives addressed in this paper. The first objective is to explain the relevance and value of deductive qualitative approaches to theory building. Secondly, to illustrate how examining the maturation of a concept can help decide the appropriateness of a particular research approach. This paper explains how in their planning, researchers need to confirm their intention to contribute to theory development and to ensure that this is appropriate, given the stage of maturation of the concept to be investigated. The third objective is to offer guidance on the philosophical assumptions of the researcher and how to test research propositions. Therefore, it is advised that data collection and analysis should take place within a post-positivist paradigm, and that the field work should be designed and carried out with research propositions as a point of departure. The final research objective is to explain how the findings of a deductive qualitative study should be handled to demonstrate the contribution of the study to the body of knowledge. Here guidance is offered on the contextualisation and generalisation of research findings.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the learning process of informational competencies in university students

Apertura ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-53
Author(s):  
Jorge Espinoza-Colón ◽  
◽  
Luis Medina-Gual ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Declarative Knowledge ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Goals ◽  
Jose Vasconcelos ◽  
Qualitative Changes

This article aims to present the results of a study on the learning process of informational competence in the Universidad José Vasconcelos, Oaxaca, Mexico. From a qualitative research approach, semi-structured interviews, and requests for drawings were applied, and non-participant observation of six students’ information search practices was carried out. The findings made it possible to identify quantitative and qualitative changes in the declarative, procedural and attitudinal components of the competence, which differentiate three levels of performance: low, medium, and high. The critical element to understand the competence learning process is in its attitudinal component since this determines the amount and type of declarative knowledge, as well as the procedures that the student is willing to deploy in a coordinated way to search, evaluate and use the information to achieve your academic goals.

Exploring the emotional experience of lean

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhan Taylor ◽  
Robert McSherry ◽  
Susy Cook ◽  
Emma Giles
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Symbolic Interactionist ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thematic Network Analysis ◽  
New Framework

PurposeThis research aims to contribute to the literature on Lean implementation in healthcare by studying the emotional experiences of the relevant actors related to a Rapid Process Improvement Workshop (RPIW) in a UK healthcare context. The purpose of this study was to go beyond what people think about Lean and towards an exploration of their subjective, emotional and “feeling” experience and whether that emotional experience influenced Lean implementation.Design/methodology/approachA phenomenological and symbolic interactionist qualitative case study was undertaken. Data related to participants' emotional experience were collected through non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic network analysis.FindingsThis paper provides novel insights into the emotional experience of Lean as experienced through an RPIW. The findings reveal that participation in an RPIW is much more than a technical process. It influences how people feel about themselves, is based on relationships with others, and requires mental, physical and emotional effort. All of these factors influence engagement with, initiation of and sustainability of the RPIW.Research limitations/implicationsA new conceptual framework for the planning and implementation of RPIWs has been developed. However, because of the chosen research approach, the results may lack generalisability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the framework and proposed practice implications.Originality/valueDespite emotions being an integral part of individual and social everyday life, emotional experience has not been studied in relation to Lean. This study is the first to explore emotions in relation to Lean, with implications for practice as to how RPIWs are managed with a new framework for implementation being proposed.

scholarly journals Gender identity: Exploring struggles & school support among New Zealand senior secondary students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Krishn Chandra
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Diverse Students ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Senior Secondary ◽  
Academic And Social Experiences

<p>This research was undertaken with an intention to contribute to the existing literature and research on issues related to struggles and support for gender diverse students in New Zealand secondary schools. Gender diversity is a classification of individuals who do not see themselves as just male or female. LGBTQIA [lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgender and Queer] has been an acronym used to describe individuals of alternative lifestyles. The main objective of this study was to investigate in-depth to understand the positive and negative experiences of gender diverse students in New Zealand Secondary schools. A qualitative research approach was utilised and pragmatics as the research paradigm, as the focus was on the experiences of the learners and view of the teachers. Semi-structured interviews were used as this is regarded as a process of in-depth inquiry which has generated detailed descriptions. The outcomes of this research have been in line with the current and existing literature related to the experiences of gender diverse students in secondary schools in New Zealand. A review of existing literature indicates that gender diverse students are subjected to negative academic and social experiences such as verbal slurs, emotional harassment and abuse. Further, the disengagement of the curriculum and the support of the teachers in schools. The positive indication of this research was the support of the heterosexual students and teachers in the school however, there is a need for more support. It is recommended from this research that the school needs to provide professional development for its teachers and design their curriculum to create equality in the school.</p>

scholarly journals Gender identity: Exploring struggles & school support among New Zealand senior secondary students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Krishn Chandra
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Diverse Students ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Senior Secondary ◽  
Academic And Social Experiences

<p>This research was undertaken with an intention to contribute to the existing literature and research on issues related to struggles and support for gender diverse students in New Zealand secondary schools. Gender diversity is a classification of individuals who do not see themselves as just male or female. LGBTQIA [lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgender and Queer] has been an acronym used to describe individuals of alternative lifestyles. The main objective of this study was to investigate in-depth to understand the positive and negative experiences of gender diverse students in New Zealand Secondary schools. A qualitative research approach was utilised and pragmatics as the research paradigm, as the focus was on the experiences of the learners and view of the teachers. Semi-structured interviews were used as this is regarded as a process of in-depth inquiry which has generated detailed descriptions. The outcomes of this research have been in line with the current and existing literature related to the experiences of gender diverse students in secondary schools in New Zealand. A review of existing literature indicates that gender diverse students are subjected to negative academic and social experiences such as verbal slurs, emotional harassment and abuse. Further, the disengagement of the curriculum and the support of the teachers in schools. The positive indication of this research was the support of the heterosexual students and teachers in the school however, there is a need for more support. It is recommended from this research that the school needs to provide professional development for its teachers and design their curriculum to create equality in the school.</p>

scholarly journals Decision Domains and Teacher Participation: A Qualitative Investigation of Decision-Making in Egyptian Schools

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waheed Hammad
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Teacher Participation ◽  
Student Discipline ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Discipline Policy ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Central Administrators

The purpose of this paper is to explore the gap between actual and desired decision domains as a potential factor affecting teacher participation in decision-making in Egyptian schools. In order to explore this gap, the study sets out to answer three questions: (1) what would a typology of school decisions look like in Egypt’s secondary schools? (2) How do Egyptian teachers perceive actual decisions made in their schools? (3) What decision domains are most desired by Egyptian teachers? The study employed a qualitative, descriptive research approach based on individual, semi-structured interviews with a sample of 85 school teachers and senior and middle management members in nine general secondary schools in Damietta County, Egypt. School documents were also collected and analyzed. These included minutes of meetings of school boards and Boards of Trustees (BOTs). A typology of school decisions was developed which revealed the absence of significant decisions related to curriculum. Teachers’ responses showed that they regarded school decisions as insignificant and irrelevant to their concerns, and that significant decisions are retained by central administrators. Desired decision areas were identified which included curriculum and student discipline policy. As this study is consistent with the current interest in decentralization and increased participation in Egypt’s schools, it is hoped that the findings will be useful to educational policy makers as well as practitioners as they implement decentralization initiatives in Egypt. The findings may also have relevance and applicability to comparable secondary schools in other parts of the world.

The current practices of food and beverage photography and styling in food business

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Duran Cankul ◽  
Ozlem Peksen Ari ◽  
Bendegul Okumus
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Data ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emotional Appeal ◽  
Career Opportunities ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Current Practices

Purpose This study aims to analyze the current practices of food and beverage (F&B) photography and styling through the eyes of professionals involved in the food business. Design/methodology/approach A phenomenological research approach was used and empirical data were collected via a series of semi-structured interviews with professional food photographers. Purposive and snowballing sampling methods were used and the participants of this study consisted of 26 F&B photographers and stylists who were actively and professionally working in this field. Content analysis was applied to the empirical data. Findings The research findings reveal several key themes in F&B photography and styling: emotional appeal, key trends, career opportunities, required skills and abilities and interventions and ethical considerations. Three specific roles were identified in F&B photography and styling: food and beverage photographer, food and beverage stylist and prop stylist. Research limitations/implications This study offers discussions on the pros and cons of F&B photography beginners and professionals and the food business. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to offer empirical findings and discussions on the concept of F&B photography and styling.

Influences on proactive classroom management: Views of teachers in government secondary schools, Queensland

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-46
Author(s):  
Lorna Hepburn ◽  
Wendi Beamish
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Teacher Wellbeing ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Disciplinary Procedures

Proactive classroom management is associated with increased teacher wellbeing and improved student learning outcomes. Yet research indicates that many teachers over-report and underuse practices associated with this approach. The research findings reported here were drawn from semi-structured interviews conducted with 26 government secondary school teachers in Queensland, Australia. These teachers favoured a classroom management approach based on establishing positive relationships with students, but they raised challenges related to cultivating student engagement, meeting the diverse needs of learners and adherence to school disciplinary procedures. Although they felt generally confident with classroom management and were relatively satisfied with student behaviour, they identified a need for better initial teacher preparation, improved induction support and opportunities for ongoing professional development for classroom management.

A Conceptual Framework to improve the design of sustainable off-grid microgrid systems for remote communities in developing countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Abhi Chatterjee
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
The Body ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Grid Systems ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Standard Framework

<p>From job creation to economic development, from security concerns to the full empowerment of women, energy lies at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - agreed to by the world’s leaders in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda. In the words of former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, “Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, increased social equity, and an environment that allows the world to thrive." Approximately 1 billion people in the world today have no access to electricity, and the issues are dominating in the remote communities of the developing countries.  Decentralized systems have existed over a couple of decades to provide electricity provisions in the off-grid communities devoid of the necessary energy services. The literature, however, suggests that off-grid systems have failed in delivering the tasks set forth to curb the electricity crisis. The crisis has resulted in communities primarily residing in the remote/islanded areas having lower social and economic status compared to the urban areas with centralized grid connectivity. A further review of the literature points to a lack of a detailed standard framework for cross-sectional evaluation of sustainability and reliability of the off-grid systems, which results in non-uniformity of the universal electricity access.   Given this, the main objective of the thesis is to establish a conceptual framework to improve the design of remote off-grid microgrid systems through a Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) approach, by implementing a mixed-research approach. The research strategy adopted to advance knowledge and for achieving the objective of the research follows the Technology and Policy Assessment (TPA) approach, developed by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKREC). The research evaluation design involves formative evaluations where questionnaires designed for investigating failure cases of remote microgrids are introduced, and a conceptual framework is developed, based on the lessons learned.   The conceptual framework comprising of modules incorporates essential features of improving the TEA of the remote microgrids and emphasizes on features like stakeholder assessments, sustainability aspects, energy management, and improving energy efficiency as well as overall system autonomy of the rural off-grid systems. Furthermore, following the TPA approach, the conceptual framework has been verified by involving a focus group. IEEE-Sustainable Energy Systems for Developing Communities (SESDC) was involved in the research verification process. The proposed conceptual framework was validated by incorporating a quantitative analysis to situate the research findings.  The research findings in the thesis contribute extensively to the body of knowledge by establishing a standard framework indicating the importance of energy-efficient approaches towards scaling up sustainable remote microgrids for solving energy crisis issues. As it were, the practical contribution of the thesis is critical in identifying and characterizing the dimensions of the Sustainable Developing Goal 7 for “affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” and its impact on the other SDGs, thereby enabling progress towards the target 2030 of the United Nations.</p>

Body symbolics, obstetric practices, and the improvement of maternal health in Cambodia

2020 ◽  
pp. 450-471
Author(s):  
Clémence Schantz
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Phnom Penh ◽  
Frequent Use

Cambodia is one of the nine countries worldwide to have reduced its maternal mortality rate by more than 75 per cent between 1990 and 2015. Whilst prior to the 2000s, childbirth in Cambodia used to be a private event, it has now become a biomedical event for women and their families. This chapter describes the findings of mixed-method research challenging the idealized vision of the United Nations regarding maternal health in Cambodia by describing obstetrical practices on the ground, from an empirical study led in several clinical settings in Phnom Penh, through participant observation, semi-structured interviews with health-care professionals and patients, questionnaires with pregnant women, to the examination of medical records from four Phnom Penh maternity wards. The findings demonstrate that the biomedicalization of childbirth in Cambodia has been accompanied by technologized delivery with extremely frequent use of surgical practices. In order to understand the population’s adherence to these practices, the chapter draws out a number of anthropological and demographic arguments. These biomedical practices are part of a symbolism of the body where the body is conceived as a receptacle, where the body humours must be able to circulate appropriately, and where the hot/cold balance must be respected. Childbirth as an opening of the body represents a danger for women because it threatens this equilibrium.

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