scholarly journals An evaluation of sensory processing training on the competence, confidence and practice of teachers working with children with autism

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-17
Author(s):  
Aideen Ruttledge ◽  
John Cathcart

Purpose At present, there is no research to support teachers’ use of sensory interventions in the classroom. This study aims to investigate the extent to how participation in a sensory processing training session would improve teachers’ competence, confidence and practice towards supporting children with autism. Design/methodology/approach A pilot study design with mixed qualitative and quantitative methods was used to evaluate the impact of sensory processing training on six teachers who taught at least one child with autism in a mainstream school. The Autism Education Trust Competency Framework and face-to-face semi-structured interviews were completed with participants both pre (Time 1) and post (Time 2) training session. Findings Quantitative findings presented statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in results with large effect sizes in the areas of confidence, knowledge, implementing sensory strategies, adjusting sensory environments, reviewing and reflecting. Qualitative data provided by participants corroborated this and indicated a need for further and more detailed training in the area. There was no change in the practice of teachers consulting with pupils about their sensory needs. Practical implications This study found that the attendance of teachers at sensory processing training is justified and the promotion of sensory processing training is therefore warranted. Originality/value Findings of this pilot study indicate that sensory processing training for teachers does improve competence, confidence and practice towards supporting children with autism. Review of the session to allow more detail, including consulting with the children themselves, is recommended.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Wagstaff ◽  
Jamie Burton ◽  
Judy Zolkiewski

PurposeAn abundance of literature suggests that organisations adopting a cooperative approach achieve greater rewards than those that act in opposition or isolation. An emerging body of work also highlights the multiple actors involved in servitization. Despite this, in some contexts the benefits of servitization are not apparent. This paper examines business relationships in the oil industry and how they affect levels of servitization.Design/methodology/approachA mixed method study employing qualitative and quantitative methods was used to fully explore the context. In the quantitative phase, 48 oil industry specialists responded to a scenario based on game theory. This aimed to determine if the relationships between their respective organisations are cooperative or adversarial. Abduction drove a second qualitative phase. This consisted of a series of semi-structured interviews used to explore the servitization level and influence of servitization on relationships and vice versa.FindingsThe statistical results suggest that all parties used adversarial strategies despite the publicised intent to work cooperatively. The interviews suggested that increasing (decreasing) servitization could increase (decrease) cooperation and, in turn, value co-creation but revealed nuances to this effect. It also adds to our understanding of the darker side of servitization by illustrating the impact of mimetic isomorphism.Originality/valueThe findings add to understanding of the complex dynamics around servitization by showing that it is only at advanced levels of servitization that cooperative behaviour is observed, and base and intermediate levels result in non-cooperative behaviour and thus illustrate the importance of adopting a multi-actor lens to explore servitization.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Ann Potter

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of fathers in the management of sleeping problems in children with autism and their perspectives of the impact of these difficulties on family life. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews with 25 UK-based fathers of children with autism were undertaken. Findings Two-thirds of fathers reported that their children experienced severe sleeping problems in the areas of bed-time resistance, sleep onset and night-time waking. Fathers were significantly involved in the management of these difficulties and reported a range of associated deleterious impacts on the family, including significant negative effects on paternal and maternal health, father’s employment, couple relationship and sibling experiences. Research limitations/implications The interview sample cannot be said to be representative of all fathers of children with autism since the backgrounds of those taking part were relatively homogeneous in respect of ethnicity, marital status and level of education. Practical implications Improvements in effective, family-centred provision are urgently needed which employ a co-parenting, gender-differentiated methodology. Social implications Given the severity and frequency of difficulties, sleeping problems in children with autism should be viewed as a significant public health concern. Originality/value This is one of the first studies, qualitative or quantitative, to explore the role and perspectives of fathers of children with autism in the important area of sleep management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 819-832
Author(s):  
Sirajo Yakubu ◽  
Mohammed Kyari Dikwa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is a holistic assessment of the impact of whistleblowing policy adopted by the Nigerian Government in fighting corruption and an evaluation of the whistleblowing and witness protection bill. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a critical analysis of the whistleblowing policy and the draft whistleblowing and witness protection bill. The paper combines both qualitative and quantitative methods. It is conducted through the study of the policy and the draft bill and the critical examination of the data released by the federal Ministry of Finance. Moreover, the personal experience of the authors in the civil service and in formulating and implementing the whistleblower policy account significantly. Findings The whistleblowing policy adopted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria is promising in controlling corruption and other economically motivated crimes. However, while efforts to give whistleblowing a legal backing will strengthen the fight against corruption in Nigeria, the National Assembly must subject the bill to rigorous debate to avoid having many lacunas in would be act. Research limitations/implications The use of whistleblowing in combatting corruption in Nigeria is still at its infancy. A policy document backs implementation of the policy – there is no legislation or case law to consider. Thus, analysis is based on the policy document, the bill, statistics from the FMF and personal experience of the authors. Originality/value There is no comprehensive study on the adoption of and efforts to give legal backing to, the whistleblowing policy adopted in Nigeria. This paper is of value to the Nigerian Government and the National Assembly considering the latest efforts to institutionalise whistleblowing in Nigeria.


Author(s):  
Sandra Dunbar ◽  
Jennifer Carr-Hertel ◽  
Helene Lieberman ◽  
Belinda Perez ◽  
Kristi Ricks

This exploratory pilot study was conducted to evaluate outcome differences between traditional individualized sensory integration treatment and integrated sensorimotor activities for preschool children with autism spectrum disorders. Pre- and post test measures of play were evaluated for two small groups of children who met criteria for exhibiting sensory processing issues. Results indicated positive differences in play behavior for both groups of children. Overall, further research is indicated to better understand the impact of various treatment approaches on participation in preschool occupations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Long Chen

PurposeResearchers in supply chain (SC) payment management have long sought to understand how project contractors, project owners, specialist contractors, and suppliers behave in the context of negotiating payment terms that improve contractors' SC cash flow.Design/methodology/approachUsing a single case study approach, semi‐structured interviews with contract and project managers identify behavioral patterns. An analysis of categorical experiments and Spearman's correlation tests on 118 surveys from Taiwanese project contracting corporations generalizes the case findings.FindingsThe findings suggest that payment terms of project owners, specialists, and suppliers have an important impact on contractors' working capital. The findings also reveal that contractors pass project owners' payment terms down to specialists and suppliers, suggesting that contractors' behavior depends on that of the project owners.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper generalizes the case findings via surveys, but does not assume that the reported behavior patterns apply to all business enterprises. Future research could triangulate the findings.Originality/valueThis study combines qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how the project owner‐contractor‐supplier (or owner‐contractor‐specialist) triad behaves. Particularly, it focuses on an economic sector – real estate and construction – that receives less research interest than processing or manufacturing.


Facilities ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 46-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dore Steenhuizen ◽  
Inês Flores-Colen ◽  
A.G. Reitsma ◽  
Pedro Branco Ló

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into facility management in Portugal as well as in Europe and what a facility management study programme must entail in Portugal in order to implement this. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes the mixed-methods approach. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used based on extensive literature research of the subject. Semi-structured interviews were held with ten professionals from the FM field. The quantitative method was in the shape of a questionnaire sent to 40 professionals in Europe. Findings – The results show that Portugal is not on the same level as the rest of Europe when it comes to FM. Also, FM is rather of a technical nature and lacks service orientation and managerial elements. Moreover, Portugal should first focus on creating awareness about the field of FM and provide FM study programmes accordingly. Research shows that this could be a lengthy process. Originality/value – Currently there is no facility management study programme offered in Portugal. However, by gaining insight into this field and how facility management is of great added value to the market, a step closer to implementing a study programme is taken.


Author(s):  
Pubali Ghosh ◽  
Mark Bray

Purpose Private supplementary tutoring is expanding fast around the world. Recognising that examination boards are major shapers of curricular load, the purpose of this paper is to identify the roles of examination boards at Grades 8, 9 and 10 in Bengaluru, India. Two boards were chosen, with one having a heavier perceived curricular load than the other. Design/methodology/approach The study used mixed methods with a questionnaire survey of 687 students in Grades 8, 9 and 10, and 51 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Findings Perhaps surprisingly, the findings did not reveal significant differences in tutoring demand by students. Both groups viewed the board examinations as having high stakes, and accordingly invested in extensive private tutoring. Competition emanating from credentialism was the main driver of the decision to receive tutoring among both cohorts. Originality/value Although previous studies have explored various components of demand for tutoring, to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first to explore the impact of examination boards on demand for tutoring. Since the system of schools being affiliated to examination boards is common not only in India but also in many other countries, the study has broad international relevance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeinab Abbas Zaazou ◽  
Doaa Salman Abdou

Purpose The impact of COVID-19 outbreak freeze economic actors and hold innovative startups. This triggered the researchers to investigate the effect of the pandemic on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt and how do these start-ups deal on the whole with this serious situation. Design/methodology/approach The research in hand used both qualitative and quantitative methods. It started first with semi-structured interview questions addressed to a number of participants, then a quantitative study took place, ending with conclusion and recommendations. Findings There is an agreement among all participants that entrepreneurs should always be flexible and seek for investments in innovation. However, there is a discrepancy among participants’ opinions regarding the measurements taken by the Egyptian Government post the pandemic outbreak. Research limitations/implications The field study results and the exploratory research results would have come out more accurate if it was not confined only to geographical limitation (Cairo Governorate). Practical implications The research in hand suggests that practical measurements should not only provide first aid to start-ups by alleviating the pressure caused by constrained cash flow but also consider long-term measures embedded in and supported by the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem to ensure start-ups rapid recovery and growth. Social implications SMEs attribute to social and economic change and have an impact on the local public and social services sector as a result of the business’s activities. Originality/value This study first illustrates the challenges entrepreneurs are facing because of the pandemic, then it presents how entrepreneurs are dealing with the effects of the crisis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Kallas ◽  
Carlos A. Caldeira ◽  
Rodrigo Bandeira-de-mello ◽  
Rosilene Marcon

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of institutional changes on business landscapes and companies performance in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – The authors have developed a multiple empirical strategy, including qualitative and quantitative methods. As a qualitative method, we used business landscapes to describe how clustered firm performance varies across industries. We collected return on equity (ROE) and equity data from Brazilian listed companies in a 24-years range, and compared three different 8-years institutional periods. As a quantitative method, the authors compared variance across periods and developed a panel analysis assuming fixed and random effects models. Findings – The main results indicate that ROE differences among institutional periods in Brazil are relevant, indicating that there is an important institutional effect on performance and the impacts of those institutional effects may be different across industries. The impact of institutional changes seems to be considerable in understanding industry and firm performance. In addition, the improvement of the institutional framework increases the variance of firm performance around the mean. Research limitations/implications – The limitations are related to the sample, classification treatment for missing values and outliers. Practical implications – Managers should consider that institutional settings affect industries in a different manner when developing their strategies. Originality/value – Despite the fact that the importance of industry, firm and time effects has been empirically examined, there is still an empirical gap concerning if and how institutional changes affect industries and the configuration of business landscapes.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vibhash Kumar ◽  
Ashima Verma

Purpose This study aims to address the state of teaching-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic by assessing the pedagogies used, evidence collected, best practices used and technologies used for instruction by the academics in higher education institutions (HEIs). This study also analyses the impact of online academic motivation (OAM) and online academic amotivation of the teachers on the online student engagement (OSE) during the emergency remote teaching (ERT) period. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a mixed methodology by incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods for analysis. Data used in this study have been drawn from a pool of educationists teaching in various HEIs in different parts of India (n = 900). Sentiment analysis, project map and mind map have been used to analyze the teachers’ experiences in the new teaching environment. Further, this study uses exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis to measure and validate the study’s scales. Findings The combination of empirical and qualitative analysis captured the ERT model followed by the teachers. The overall experience of teachers regarding the online mode of teaching-learning is moderately positive. This study reports a direct positive and significant impact of teachers’ motivation on perceived student engagement in the online mode. Originality/value This research proposes and validates scales to measure perceived OSE and the teachers’ OAM. This study also establishes an impact assessment of the teachers’ motivation levels on the students’ engagement from an educator’s perspective.


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