scholarly journals Peer group, educational distinction and educational biographies

Childhood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinz-Hermann Krüger ◽  
Sina-Mareen Köhler ◽  
Nicolle Pfaff ◽  
Maren Zschach

The article presents selected results of a reconstructive study on the significance of the peer group for children’s educational biography. Based on the analysis of qualitative interviews and group discussions with c. 11-year-old children from different educational milieus in Germany it is first shown how, in general, groups of friends in different social contexts exert influence on the children’s school careers. In a second part, the text pursues the question of how children produce social inequality themselves, what processes of distinction they practise and on the basis of which traits and criteria. Thereby the study demonstrates that internal and external distinction practices refer to entirely different concepts of achievement.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
CAROLIN FREIER ◽  
MONIKA SENGHAAS

Abstract Employees of the public employment services (PES) are street-level bureaucrats who shape activation policy on the ground. This paper examines how PES staff use enhanced discretion in an innovation project carried out by the German Federal Employment Agency. Applying a bottom-up perspective, we reconstruct PES employees’ logic of action and the dilemmas they face in improving counselling and placement services. According to our findings, placement staff use enhanced discretion to promote more individualised support and an adequate matching of jobseekers and employers. The use of discretion is framed by organisational norms and reward mechanisms and by the current labour market situation. Our analyses are based on qualitative interviews and group discussions with placement staff.


1992 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy June Leal

This study investigated first-, third-, and fifth-grade children's talk about three types of text during peer group discussions. The researcher read aloud, and children discussed, a storybook, an information book, and an informational storybook to 54 children in groups of 6 students each (18 at each grade level). Children's utterances were then coded for five categories: the source of information used, manner of topic maintenance, acknowledgement given to the preceding utterance, thinking form used, and textual element in focus during the utterance. Results indicated significant grade level and/or text type differences for each category investigated and revealed that older students were more collaborative, drawing more often on peer information, participating in longer group discussions, and making more confirming and challenging responses. When discussing the informational storybook children stayed on topic longer, used speculation twice as often, relied on peer information more often, and were more likely to discuss related extra-textual topics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. I-IV
Author(s):  
Sarah Geber ◽  
Tobias Frey ◽  
Thomas N. Friemel

Health and health-related behaviours are embedded in social contexts in various ways which comprise both risks and opportunities for health communication. We propose a research agenda on social aspects of health communication and introduce the articles of the present special issue. Owing to the complexity of individuals’ social contexts, the research agenda addresses questions lying at the individual, interpersonal, and societal levels. The issue’s articles cover different and highly relevant questions of this research agenda, ranging from stigmatisation to impression management to collective action and from experimental designs to qualitative interviews and netnography. In sum, the articles demonstrate not only the diversity but also the relevance of academic research on social aspects of health communication. We expect that this topic will continue gaining importance, given the ongoing digitalisation of the media environment and the increasing interconnectedness of producers and users, doctors and patients, and experts and laypersons.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e023951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Delaney ◽  
Andrew MacGregor ◽  
Amanda Amos

ObjectiveTo explore young adults’ perceptions and experiences of smoking and their smoking trajectories in the context of their social and occupational histories and transitions, in a country with advanced tobacco control.DesignIndepth qualitative interviews using day and life grids to explore participants’ smoking behaviour and trajectories in relation to their educational, occupational and social histories and transitions.SettingScotland.ParticipantsFifteen ever-smokers aged 20–24 years old in 2016–2017.ResultsParticipants had varied and complex educational/employment histories. Becoming and/or remaining a smoker was often related to social context and educational/occupational transitions. In several contexts smoking and becoming a smoker had perceived benefits. These included getting work breaks and dealing with stress and boredom, which were common in the low-paid, unskilled jobs undertaken by participants. In some social contexts smoking was used as a marker of time out and sociability.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that while increased tobacco control, including smokefree policies, and social disapproval of smoking discourage smoking uptake and increase motivations to quit among young adults, in some social and occupational contexts smoking still has perceived benefits. This finding helps explain why smoking uptake continues into the mid-20s. It also highlights the importance of policies that reduce the perceived desirability of smoking and that create more positive working environments for young adults which address the types of working hours and conditions that may encourage smoking.


Author(s):  
Limbani R. Kalumbi ◽  
Chisomo Thaulo ◽  
Eleanor E. MacPherson ◽  
Tracy Morse

People living in fishing communities have a high burden of preventable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) related diseases but have often been neglected in research and policy. We explored practices and perspectives on WASH among fishing villages around Lake Malombe, Malawi. We employed a mixed methods design, and data were initially collected through participant observations (five weeks), followed by a second phase of qualitative interviews (n = 16), focus group discussions (n = 7), and quantitative surveys (n = 242). We observed that safe water sources were scarce; latrines were basic; and handwashing facilities were limited. Seventy-one percent (n = 174) of households collected water from unsafe sources (open wells and the lake). Eighty-six percent (n = 207) of households had basic short-term latrines. Twenty-four percent (n = 59) of households had handwashing facilities with soap. Qualitative data supported these observations and identified additional factors which compounded poor WASH practices including, a high transient population associated with the fishing trade, poor infrastructure design and construction which lacked consideration of the environmental factors, context and social and cultural norms. As such, fishing communities are underserved and marginalised with constrained access to WASH services, which must be addressed through behaviour-centered and context appropriate solutions.


Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Emiel de Lange ◽  
E. J. Milner-Gulland ◽  
Vichet Yim ◽  
Chantheavy Leng ◽  
Sithan Phann ◽  
...  

Abstract In northern Cambodia, threatened wildlife, livestock and people are being poisoned by pesticides deposited in seasonal waterholes. Addressing this critical conservation threat requires understanding the drivers of poisoning behaviours and the social contexts in which they occur. This study across 10 communities in two protected areas aimed to provide a first assessment of this phenomenon. We used the theory of planned behaviour to measure socio-psychological determinants of behaviour and deepened this understanding using informant interviews and focus group discussions. Informants reported that so-called termite poisons, including powerful carbamates, are deliberately deposited at waterholes to catch wildlife for consumption. This method is perceived to be low effort and high efficacy, and perceptions of the health risks vary. Predominant users are young men and children, but it is unclear whether the practice is related to food insecurity. Threatened wildlife species reported as affected include the giant ibis Pseudibis gigantea and vulture species. Overall, social norms are strongly negative towards poisoning; 75% of survey respondents perceived negative norms because of impacts on human and livestock health, environmental quality, and risks of legal sanctions. This has led to interventions by local authorities in half of the studied villages. We suggest that future interventions should raise the salience of negative norms by providing a non-conflictual mechanism for community members to participate in monitoring and sanctioning, such as a reporting hotline. Regulatory interventions are also required to control the supply of restricted pesticides.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Wu ◽  
Tai Pong Lam ◽  
Hoi Yan Chan ◽  
Kwok Fai Lam ◽  
Xu Dong Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Public toilets are a common transmission vector of infectious diseases due to environmental contamination. Research on Chinese people’s hygiene practices in public lavatories are lacking. This study examined Chinese people’s hygiene practices in public lavatories in Hong Kong. Methods We conducted qualitative interviews and a self-administered questionnaire survey with local residents from June 2016 to April 2018. Four focus group discussions and three individual interviews informed the design of the questionnaire. We recruited interviewees and survey respondents via social service centers. The interviews and questionnaire focused on the public’s daily practices and hygiene behaviors in public toilets. Content analysis of qualitative data was conducted. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine the association between age and toilet hygiene behaviors. Results Our qualitative component revealed a range of handwashing practices, from not washing at all, washing without soap, to washing for a longer time than instructions. Other toilet use practices were identified, such as not covering toilet lid before flushing and stepping on toilet seats due to dirtiness, and spitting into toilet bowls or hand basin. Totally, 300 respondents completed the questionnaire. Among them, 212 (70.9%) were female and 246 (86.1%) were aged 65 or below. More than two thirds always washed hands with soap (68.7%) and dried hands with paper towels (68.4%). Up to 16.2% reported stepping on toilet seats and 43.9% never covered the toilet lid before flushing. Over one fourth (26.4%) spit into squat toilets/ toilet bowl. Regression analyses showed that the elderly group were less likely to report stepping on toilet seats (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 0.17, 95%CI 0.03–0.88), flushing with the toilet lid closed (AOR = 0.40, 0.16–0.96), but more likely to spit into squat toilets/ toilet bowl (AOR = 4.20, 1.50–11.74). Conclusions Hong Kong Chinese’s compliance to hygiene practices in public toilets is suboptimal. Stepping on toilet seat is a unique Chinese practice due to the dirtiness of toilet seats. Spitting practices may increase the risk of airborne infectious diseases and need improvement. Measures are needed to improve toilet hygiene behaviors, including public education campaigns and keeping toilet environment clean.


1970 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-167
Author(s):  
Carol H. Kipps

Can teachers capture by themselves the excited enthusiasm shown by children in classes sponsored by such curriculum groups as the Madison Project or Nuffield Project? Can a teacher reared on lecturedrill-homework classes feel and show the drama inherent in “I do and I understand” activities, in peer-group discussions, and in concepts such as the concrete-ikonic foundation of abstraction? A new course at UCLA is focusing on these dynamic factors on that teachers will know their value from their own personal experiences and feelings.


2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berthollet Bwira Kaboru ◽  
Phillimon Ndubani ◽  
Torkel Falkenberg ◽  
Anastasia Pharris ◽  
Maureen Muchimba ◽  
...  

Collaboration between traditional and biomedically trained health workers is regarded as key in HIV/AIDS control. However, few studies have focused on exploring ways of enhancing this collaboration. Using a pre- and postintervention questionnaire, the authors assessed changes in attitudes to and practices of collaboration among 19 biomedical and 28 traditional health care providers following a 12-month dialogue-building intervention in Ndola, Zambia. The intervention consisted of peer group discussions, interactive group discussions, training sessions, and peer-influenced networking. The results show that although both groups of providers had fairly positive attitudes toward each other before the intervention, further improvements in attitudes were observed after the intervention. Referrals between the two sectors and cross visits increased. However, some attitudes to collaboration became more negative and cautious after the intervention. Dialogue-building interventions involving traditional and biomedical providers are not only feasible but also complex. Intersectoral collaboration needs time and coordination between all relevant actors in the community.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swati Panda ◽  
Satyendra C. Pandey

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to explore various motivations that influence college students to spend more time binge watching and the subsequent gratifications. Video streaming websites such as Netflix and Amazon Video have changed the viewing habits of consumers. Viewers have more control and can enjoy on-demand content as per their convenience. This has resulted in viewers watching multiple episodes of television shows in a compressed time frame – a phenomenon termed as binge watching. College students engage in binge watching because of the various gratifications that it promises. This paper investigates the various triggers and consequences of binge watching. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a mixed method approach. The first stage involved qualitative interviews and focused group discussions with college students to understand the phenomenon of binge watching. The second stage involved administering a questionnaire to address our research question. Findings Findings indicate that social interaction, escape from reality, easy accessibility to TV content and advertising motivate college students to spend more time binge watching. If students are negatively gratified after binge watching, then they intend to spend more time doing it. Originality/value The findings have important implications on the overall wellbeing of college students and strategic implications for video streaming companies.


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