Testing an analogue game to promote peer support and person-centredness in education for people with type 2 diabetes: a realist evaluation

Aim To explore the outcomes of testing an analogue game to incorporate person-centredness and peer dialogues in group-based diabetes education targeting people with type 2 diabetes Design A quasi-experimental design inspired by realistic evaluation focusing on context, mechanisms and outcomes of the intervention Methods In March-July 2019, the game was tested among 76 people with type 2 diabetes and 17 healthcare professionals in 19 settings across nine Danish municipalities. Data consisted of audio recordings, individual and group interviews and questionnaires. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation and descriptive statistics. Results Outcomes of using the analogue game in diabetes education were: 1) a playful and relaxed atmosphere; 2) active engagement 3) reflections on diabetes-specific experiences; 4) structured and focused dialogues; 5) healthcare professionals gaining insight into the preferences and needs of participants; and 6) healthcare professionals experiencing peer dialogue as important to incorporate into education. Questionnaire responses showed that 92% of people with type 2 diabetes and 94% of healthcare professionals found that the game incorporated person-centredness and peer dialogues into diabetes education. Conclusion Implementing the analogue game as part of patient education facilitated peer support and person-centredness in a fun and playful way. Lack of time in diabetes education programmes and complicated game rules inhibited person-centeredness and peer dialogue.

Evaluating the Impact of Two Dialogical Feedback Methods for Improving Pre-Service Teacher's Perceived Confidence and Competence to Teach Physical Education Within Authentic Learning Environments

This novel study investigates the effectiveness of two dialogical feedback methods, peer dialogue assessment and dialogical feedback provided by an academic, when they are used as assessment as learning tools in undergraduate physical education courses. Education students from the University of Newcastle, Australia (n=288), participated in this investigation and completed eight weeks of face-to-face on-campus physical education studies followed by a 3 or 4 week in-school teaching program (~1.5 hrs/week). Students engaged in either peer dialogue assessment or dialogue provided by an academic at the completion of each concurrent teaching session with their respective peer group or academic. Both feedback groups exhibited equivalent and significant improvements in teaching self-efficacy, teaching competence and teaching confidence. This study provides support for embedding formative assessment tasks in an authentic teaching environment in undergraduate physical education courses, and using dialogical feedback (peer or academic) to facilitate reflection and furthering learning in this context.

“Audience exchange”: cultivating peer-to-peer dialogue at unfamiliar arts events

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of the “audience exchange” approach for audience development and research, and to highlight the insights offered by peer-to-peer dialogue in understanding experiences of unfamiliar arts. Design/methodology/approach Using a case study with contemporary arts audiences, and setting this in the wider context of studies with other first-time attenders at a range of arts events, the paper explores the use of the “audience exchange” method, in which facilitated conversations after performance events allow newcomers to reflect upon and deepen their first-time encounters with live arts. Findings The study demonstrates the way in which conversations about arts events can enrich audience experience, and shows how participants use exploratory and emotional language to articulate their understanding of unfamiliar arts events. Peer-to-peer learning occurs through these conversations, in ways that could be further supported by arts organisations as a valuable tool for audience development. The audience exchange discussions also reveal the varieties of participation from “drifting” to full attention that are all part of audience engagement. Research limitations/implications This is a small-scale, qualitative study, and the method has potential to be tested in future studies with a greater variety of participants (e.g. younger or more ethnically diverse groups). Practical implications Use of the audience exchange for enriching experiences of first-time attendance could be adopted by arts organisations as a regular part of their audience engagement. Greater understanding of how new audience members draw on prior cultural experiences in finding the language to articulate their first impressions of an unfamiliar arts event could be valuable for targeted marketing and increasing accessibility. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in its elaboration of the audience exchange method, and its focus on the language and peer-to-peer learning evident in the facilitated post-performance discussions.