scholarly journals Successful young adults are asked – ‘In your experience, what builds confidence?’

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-18
Author(s):  
Karen Fagan ◽  
Helen Simmons ◽  
Mary Nash
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The Family ◽  
Core Components ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Lao Tse ◽  
The Universe

This article summarises the findings from Karen Fagan’s research (Successful young adults are asked – In your experience, what builds confidence? (2010)) in which focus group discussions explored young adults’ perceptions of the concept of ‘confidence’, and the ‘building of confidence’, both in themselves and in others. The research participants were Year 13 students attending a co-educational state high school in a provincial town of Aotearoa/New Zealand during 2009. This article outlines core components of the research journey, including underpinning philosophies, the research methodology and the research design. Key findings are then highlighted, research limitations are noted, recommendations are made and the emergent definition of confidence is proposed, namely that ‘confidence is knowing who you are, having pride in who you are (inside and out), and being able to portray who you are to others’. In the words of the sixth-century philosopher Lao-Tse: If there is radiance in the soul, it will abound in the family If there is radiance in the family, it will be abundant in the communityIf there is radiance in the community, it will grow in the nationIf there is radiance in the nation, the universe will flourish.(cited in Pransky and McMillan, 2009, p. 257). 

scholarly journals Exploring the Preparedness of Ghanaians for Retirement and Ageing: A Case Study of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Area

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Korkoi Aboh ◽  
Busisiwe P. Ncama
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Cape Coast ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Traditional System ◽  
The Family

Introduction: There is evidence of the inability of older people in Nigeria, Ghana and other developing countries to sustain themselves through savings, assets or pensions. This situation highlights the minimal benefit of pensions, savings or assets as income sources for older people; old age very often brings poverty and disability. Methodology: A qualitative interpretive design informed the study. The study area was categorized into three distinct ecological areas namely urban, periurban and rural areas. Twenty interviews and three focus group discussions with 68 elderly persons were conducted in ten sub-districts in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana. The forty-eight elderly individuals were put into groups of 8, 20 and 20 for the focus group discussions. Data was thematically analysed.Results: Four major themes and subthemes were identified to reflect the pertinent issue of exploring and defining the preparedness of people for their retirement and ageing. There was evidence that preparing for old age is not an active precedent for the people of Cape Coast and they still believe in the traditional system of caring where it is the sole responsibility of the family to care for its own aged members.Conclusion: It is evident that formal care is not practiced in Ghana and that the aged therefore find the idea bewildering. They want to experience this care, but existing norms expect the family members to single-handedly provide care for their aged.

Identity and Externalities toward Sustainability

2012 ◽  
pp. 100-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Francesca Spadaro ◽  
Gianvito D’Aprile ◽  
Maria Beatrice Ligorio ◽  
Neil Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Negotiation Of Identity ◽  
Framework Technology ◽  
Definition Of

Two focus group discussions involving 14 entrepreneurs and 106 questionnaires administered to employees were analyzed to explore various parameters of externalities, such as: (1) how externality is conceived; (2) the interplay between a sense of community and a re-definition and negotiation of identity; (3) the role of technology; the sense of belonging, and (4) the propensity to collaborate. Data are analyzed through both thematic discourse analysis and quantitative frequencies analysis. Results show that entrepreneurs hold a multidimensional definition of externality, meditated by their professional and private experience. Ultimately, the reflection on externalities sustains a sense of innovation connected to multi-membership and to re-negotiation of the sense of identity. Within this framework, technology is conceived as a tool supporting the appropriation and sharing of externalities.

How Else Would You Take a Photo? #SelfieAmbivalence

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 503-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Carolina Cambre ◽  
Christine Lavrence
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Popular Discourse ◽  
Personal Empowerment ◽  
Epistemological Shifts

Popular discourse describing selfies as the “narcissistic”2 practice of teenagers or a tool of personal empowerment, minimize the structural constraints under which selfies operate as a ubiquitous mode of sociality. Based on focus group discussions in two Canadian cities, we explore how young adults describe their selfie experiences and explore three discursive tensions expressed in the transcripts. First, how questions of “control” were taken up; second, how “visibility” was understood as fragile, and animated by an anxiety of invisibility; third, the nature of “fun” that selfies generate. We conclude by exploring some of the epistemological shifts that these practices indicate.

scholarly journals Barriers to asymptomatic screening and other STD services for adolescents and young adults: focus group discussions

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C Tilson ◽  
Victoria Sanchez ◽  
Chandra L Ford ◽  
Marlene Smurzynski ◽  
Peter A Leone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions

scholarly journals HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS’ EXPERIENCES OF GANGSTERISM IN HANOVER PARK

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mufaro Magidi ◽  
Rinie Schenk ◽  
Charlene Erasmus
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High School ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Exploratory Approach

The culture of gang violence has become deeply entrenched in South Africa. The present study explored the experiences of non-gang school-going adolescents regarding gangs and gangsterism in Hanover Park in the Western Cape. A qualitative exploratory approach was used. Data collection instruments were focus group discussions supported by qualitative semi-structured interviews involving 18 adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 from two secondary schools in Hanover Park, Cape Town. The data were thematically analysed. The results have shown that the presence of gangs affects the learners’ school attendance, restricts their mobility, increases bullying at school and seriously disrupts family and community life.

scholarly journals GAMBARAN DUKUNGAN SOSIAL DARI GURU YANG DIRASAKAN OLEH SISWA SMA “X”

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (02) ◽  
pp. 77-86
Author(s):  
Anisah Aninditya Rahmaputri ◽  
Dianti Endang Kusumawardhani
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
High School ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
School Engagement ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Data Retrieval ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions

Teachers have an important role in educating students well. One way that teachers can do to be able to increase motivation and school engagement is by providing social support to students. This study aims to find out the overview of perceived social support from teachers by high school “X” students in South Tangerang. The research method is descriptive qualitative research with data collection techniques through focus group discussions and structured interviews. The results of data retrieval show that the perceived social support from some teachers by high school "X" students is quite satisfying for students but not from every teachers. This means it can still be improved again. This is because not all teachers are considered good enough at providing social support to students. The total number of teachers are 17 people and for students are 67. It should be able to be improved in communication skills so that they can provide better social support to students. Keywords : Adolescent, School, Social support. Abstrak Guru memiliki peran penting dalam mendidik siswa dengan baik. Salah satu cara yang dapat guru lakukan untuk dapat meningkatkan motivasi serta keaktivan siswa di sekolah adalah dengan memberikan dukungan sosial kepada siswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mencari tahu gambaran dukungan sosial dari guru yang dirasakan oleh siswa SMA “X” di Tangerang Selatan. Metode penelitian berupa penelitian kualitatif deskriptif dengan teknik pengambilan data melalui focus group discussion dan wawancara terstruktur. Hasil pengambilan data menunjukkan bahwa gambaran dukungan sosial dari guru yang dirasakan oleh siswa SMA “X” cukup memuaskan bagi siswa tetapi masih dapat ditingkatkan lagi. Hal ini dikarenakan belum semua guru dianggap sudah bagus dalam memberikan dukungan sosial kepada siswa. Total guru yang berjumlah 17 orang untuk siswa sebanyak 67 orang seharusnya dapat ditingkatkan dalam kemampuan komunikasi sehingga mampu memberikan dukungan sosial kepada siswa dengan lebih baik lagi.

scholarly journals Self-reliance

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 183-190
Author(s):  
Appoline Kabera Bazubagira ◽  
Christine Kapita Umumararungu
Keyword(s):  
Family Environment ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Street Children ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Self Reliance ◽  
Children’S Wellbeing ◽  
The Family ◽  
Local Leaders

This study examines the extent to which family environment influences children’s behavior and how an evening of parents serves as a platform for rehabilitating the family environment, preventing and decreasing street children's number. This descriptive study intends to create awareness of the prevention and reintegration of street children. Researchers purposively selected 58 respondents: 40 street children, 12 parents, and 6 local leaders. Data were collected through interviews, storytelling, and focus group discussions and qualitatively analyzed using content analysis. Results revealed domestic violence, identity crisis, born from sex workers, children abuse, poor parenting, and poverty to be factors contributing to street children as emphasized by 100% of children, 87% of local leaders, and 67% of parents. Street children can only be controlled if major stressors that push them to develop self-reliance are socially and economically addressed. It was revealed that the Evening of Parents is a platform of family transformation to successfully prevent and rehabilitate street children focusing on parents’ responsibilities towards children’s wellbeing and better future.

Analysis of Expert Readers in Three Disciplines

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Shanahan ◽  
Timothy Shanahan ◽  
Cynthia Misischia
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
High School Teachers ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Think Aloud ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Reading Behaviors ◽  
Think Aloud Protocols

The purpose of this study is to describe educationally relevant differences in literacy use among three subject-matter disciplines—history, chemistry, and mathematics. These analyses were drawn from an investigation of the teaching of disciplinary literacy in high schools. The purpose of the overall project was to improve the literacy-teaching preparation in a secondary preservice teacher education program, but this study sought to identify specific features of literacy and literacy use only in the three disciplines. It is the first expert-reader study to consider the reading of mathematicians and chemists (though other kinds of scientists have been studied in this way). To conduct this investigation, three teams were assembled, one for each discipline, including two disciplinary experts (historians, chemists, and mathematicians), two teacher educators who prepare high school teachers to teach those disciplines, and two high school teachers from each discipline. Using think-aloud protocols, transcripts from focus group discussions, a recursive process of member checking, and a cross-disciplinary consideration of reading approaches identified in each discipline, the study identified important differences in the reading behaviors of the six disciplinary experts. Although much of the work was based on think-aloud protocols and interviews with the disciplinary experts, the teachers and teacher educators participated with the disciplinary experts in focus-group discussions of the protocols, and their reactions and insights helped the disciplinary experts to articulate their approaches and to determine implications of the reading behaviors that were observed. Differences were evident in sourcing, contextualization, corroboration, close reading and rereading, critical response to text, and use of text structure or arrangement and graphics.

“Negotiating partnerships:” parents’ experiences of collaboration in community mental health and substance use services

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 130-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ottar Ness ◽  
Marit Borg ◽  
Randi Semb ◽  
Alain Topor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Field ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Parents Experiences

Purpose The importance of collaboration in the mental health field is a well established theoretical principle, but there has so far been less attention to its practical implications from a parents’ perspective. The purpose of this paper is to describe parents’ experiences of collaboration with mental health practitioners. Design/methodology/approach This was a qualitative study based on thematic analysis of multi-stage focus group discussions with ten parents of young adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems. Findings The authors identified three major themes related to family member’s experiences of collaborative practices: negotiating partnerships, incomprehensible services and being the young adult’s advocate. Research limitations/implications A potential limitation of this study is that the parents who agreed to take part in this study were all part of the population who really want to be involved in their relative’s care; other family members who did not take part may have different feelings. It would be interesting to interview the siblings and partners of young adults with mental health and substance abuse problems. A last limitation is that only family parents participated in these focus group discussions; it would be interesting to invite service users and practitioners to elicit information about similarities and differences in their experiences of collaborative practices. Practical implications This study emphasises that parents should be seen as unique individuals as well as families. Parents are persons in different contexts. This creates different needs in their collaboration with the professionals. Parents want to be invited to contribute with their experiences and knowledge, being a collaborative partner in the service provision, and not a burden for their young adults, or to the professionals. Social implications This study emphasises that it may be important to understand the complex situations of each family parent, supporting their loved ones and at the same time living lives of their own. Families are in demanding and stressful situations often over many years. They want to be invited to contribute with their experiences and knowledge, being a collaborative partner in the service provision, and not a burden for their young adults, or to the professionals. Originality/value The importance of collaboration is well established in in the mental health field. However, there has been less attention to what collaboration with parents might involve in practice. This paper describes the collaborative experiences of parents of young adults (18-28 years) with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems.

scholarly journals How convenient!? Adolescents’ vistas on food competences in a convenience context

2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (11) ◽  
pp. 2828-2838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Wahlen ◽  
Hilje van der Horst ◽  
Roosje Pothoff
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
School Context ◽  
Participatory Approach ◽  
Classroom Context ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Convenience Food ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Education

Purpose Adolescents are at a stage in their life course in which they increasingly become choosers, buyers and preparers of food. Hence, they develop and employ required competences. Current food-related competences of adolescents are shaped in an environment with an abundance of convenience foods. Simultaneously food education has been limited in many western countries. The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize how young practitioners engage with the notion of convenience in a context with a strong presence of convenience foods. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data for this paper have been collected in a Dutch high school context following a participatory approach in focus group discussions. Data have been gathered from different food-related exercises within a classroom context. Findings The findings indicate that adolescents’ food competences and meanings are heavily shaped by the abundant presence of convenience foods. Adolescents perceive a nuanced picture of a skilful consumer that incorporates convenience foods in ways that minimize time efforts, preserves some preparatory tasks for fun cooking and has knowledge about health effects of fatty and salty foods. Originality/value The investigation takes a novel look on convenience food consumption from a practice perspective scrutinizing competences through the lens of adolescent practitioners. The authors make a plea for tapping into the potential of research on children and adolescents as novice performers of practices to understand how practices are shaped and changed and how practices recruit new practitioners.

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