Examining Home and International Students’ Awareness of, Attitudes Towards and Participation in Intercultural Activities on Campus

2021 ◽  
pp. 102831532199074
Author(s):  
Art Tsang ◽  
Rui Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
International Students ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Intercultural Interaction ◽  
Awareness Raising ◽  
Internationalization In Higher Education

Internationalization in higher education and the promotion of intercultural interaction are becoming increasingly prevalent globally. Conducted in Hong Kong, this mixed-methods study investigated one facet of these initiatives, namely intercultural activities on campus. Both home ( n = 305) and international ( n = 127) students’ awareness of, attitudes toward, and participation in these activities were examined. The results showed that these three variables were significantly inter-correlated, and awareness and attitude together explained 36% of the variance in participation. While both groups had similar levels of awareness and participation, the international students were slightly more positive toward these activities than the home students were. Lack of time, absence of company, and uninteresting activities were found to be the top three reasons for low/no participation. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 participants, who elaborated on awareness-raising promotion platforms for these activities, motivators, and demotivators for participation, and the general differences between home and international students. The article ends with a discussion on these findings.

scholarly journals Does Sense make sense? Mixed methods study of a Dutch sexual health program

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Joosten ◽  
L Jochems ◽  
C Wijsen ◽  
T Heijman ◽  
A Timen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Open Atmosphere ◽  
Study Results

Abstract In the Netherlands, the Sense program addresses several key elements of sexual health for young people <25 year. This program offers free consultations at the PHS concerning STI, contraceptives, pregnancy or sexuality. The performance of this program has not been studied yet. This mixed methods study investigates facilitators and barriers of a Sense consultation from the perspective of clients and health care professionals (HCP) and investigates the outcome of the consultation at three points in time. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after consultation among 16 clients and 6 HCP. Questionnaires were collected directly after consultation and at 3, 6 and 12 months after consultation. Two cohorts were recruited; clients with STI consultation only and clients with questions related to sexuality, contraception and pregnancy (Sense consultation, SC). Satisfaction of the consultation and applicability of the given advice was measured. In the follow up presence of STI, pregnancy, sexual problem and contraceptive use was measured. A minority of the interviewed clients were familiar with Sense, highly valued the expertise of the HCP and the open atmosphere during the consultation. Reasons for visiting Sense included expertise, more anonymity and feeling more comfortable than at the GP. The questionnaire after consultation was returned by 144 STI clients and 32 SC clients. Both type of consultation were highly valued and advice was easily applicable. The follow up cohort included 97 STI clients and 23 SC clients. Response rate of the 3- and 6 month-questionnaires was 61%. Results of the full one year follow-up are expected in September 2019. Study results provide evidence for a highly valued Sense program, by both clients and HCP. Sense is a platform to discuss STI, contraception and sexuality in an open atmosphere, though familiarity with Sense is low. A major conclusion is that an STI consultation provides the opportunity to address questions related to sexuality. Key messages The Sense program is highly valued by young people, and yet the program is not widely known among young people. There is need for more publicity to the program to enable more young people to use this program and to improve the sexual health care of young Dutch people.

scholarly journals Examining the literacy histories of doctoral students in an educational studies program through surveys and interviews: A mixed methods study

2013 ◽  
pp. 109-125
Author(s):  
Melissa Eileen Adams-Budde ◽  
Christy Maranda Howard ◽  
Grant Douglas Jolliff ◽  
Joy Kammerer Myers
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Literacy Experiences ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to explain the relationship between literacy experiences over time and the literacy identities of the doctoral students in a teacher education and higher education program. The quantitative phase, surveying 36 participants, revealed a positive correlation between participant’s present and past literacy experiences, suggesting that past literacy experiences impacted their present perception of themselves as successful doctoral students. In the qualitative follow up multiple case study analysis, four major themes emerged from the interviews and participants’ visual representations: (1) past literacy experiences; (2) present literacy experiences; (3) support systems; and (4) social experiences. The findings suggest that early feelings of success in literacy contribute to strong literacy identities in higher education programs. Implications for the faculty of higher education will be discussed.

Risk perception on the labour ward: A mixed methods study

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-63
Author(s):  
Claire McCarthy ◽  
Sarah Meaney ◽  
Marie Rochford ◽  
Keelin O’Donoghue
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Emergency Obstetric Care ◽  
Obstetric Care ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Staff Support ◽  
Staff Wellbeing

Healthcare providers commonly experience risky situations in the provision of maternity care, and there has been increased focus on the lived experience in recent years. We aimed to assess opinions on, understanding of and behaviours of risk on the LW by conducting a mixed methods study. Staff working in a LW setting completed a descriptive questionnaire-based study, followed by qualitative structured interviews. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS on quantitative data and thematic analysis performed on qualitative data. Nearly two thirds of staff (64%; 73/114) completed the questionnaire, with 56.2% (n = 47) experiencing risk on a daily basis. Experiencing risk evoked feelings of apprehension (68.4%; n = 50) and worry (60.2%; n = 44) which was echoed in the qualitative work. Structured clinical assessment was utilised in risky situations, and staff described “ going on autopilot” to manage these situations. A large number of respondents reflected on their provision of care following an adverse event (87.7%; n = 64). Debriefing was mentioned as an important practice following such events by all respondents. This study describes the negative terminology prevailing in emergency obstetric care. These experiences can have a profound impact on staff. Risk reduction strategies and the provision of increased staff support and training are crucial to improve staff wellbeing in stressful scenarios.

scholarly journals An intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses: a mixed methods study of acceptability and feasibility

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Brook ◽  
Leanne M. Aitken ◽  
Julie-Ann MacLaren ◽  
Debra Salmon
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Healthcare Organisation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Aims To understand the experiences of nursing students and academic staff of an intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses, in order to identify acceptability and feasibility in a single centre. Background Internationally, retention of nurses is a persistent challenge but there is a dearth of knowledge about the perspectives of stakeholders regarding the acceptability and feasibility of interventions to resolve the issue. This study reports an intervention comprising of mindfulness, psychological skills training and cognitive realignment to prepare participants for early careers as nurses. Methods This is an explanatory sequential mixed methods study, conducted by a UK university and healthcare organisation. Participants were final year pre-registration nursing students (n = 74) and academics (n = 7) involved in the implementation of the intervention. Pre and post measures of acceptability were taken using a questionnaire adapted from the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to assess change in acceptability over time. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, focus groups and field notes were thematically analysed, adhering to COREQ guidelines. Data were collected February to December 2019. Results One hundred and five questionnaires, 12 interviews with students and 2 focus groups engaging 7 academic staff were completed. The intervention was perceived as generally acceptable with significant positive increases in acceptability scores over time. Student nurses perceived the intervention equipped them with skills and experience that offered enduring personal benefit. Challenges related to the practice environment and academic assessment pressures. Reported benefits align with known protective factors against burnout and leaving the profession. Conclusion Planning is needed to embed the intervention into curricula and maximise relationships with placement partners. Evaluating acceptability and feasibility offers new knowledge about the value of the intervention for increasing retention and decreasing burnout for early career nurses. Wider implementation is both feasible and recommended by participants.

scholarly journals Satisfaction with Fertility Preservation Decisions among Adolescent Males with Cancer: A Mixed Methods Study

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3559
Author(s):  
Charleen I. Theroux ◽  
Kylie N. Hill ◽  
Anna L. Olsavsky ◽  
James L. Klosky ◽  
Nicholas D. Yeager ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Fertility Preservation ◽  
Childhood Cancer Survivors ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Decision Quality ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Decisional Satisfaction ◽  
Ongoing Support

Half of male childhood cancer survivors experience treatment-related fertility impairment, which can lead to distress. Survivors often regret forgoing fertility preservation (FP), and decisional dissatisfaction is associated with a lower quality of life. This mixed methods study examined short-term FP decisional satisfaction among families of male adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer who received an initial fertility consult and completed an FP values clarification tool. One-two months after the FP decision, thirty-nine families completed the Brief Subjective Decision Quality measure. Decisional satisfaction was compared for participants (mothers, fathers, adolescents) who did and did not attempt to bank. Semi-structured interviews included the following question: How do you/your family feel about the banking decision now/in the future? Decisional quality scores were moderate-high (M = 5.74–6.33 out of 7), with no significant differences between non-attempter (n = 15) and attempter (n = 24) families (adolescents: p = 0.83, d = 0.08; mothers: p = 0.18, d = 0.45; fathers: p = 0.32, d = 0.44). Three qualitative themes emerged among non-attempter families: (1) satisfaction with decision (50% of participants), (2) acceptance of decision (60%), and (3) potential for future regret (40%). Satisfaction with decision was the only theme identified in attempter families (93%). Quantitively, short-term decisional satisfaction was high regardless of the banking attempt. However, the qualitative findings suggest that the experiences of families who did not bank may be more nuanced, as several participants discussed a potential for future regret, highlighting the importance of ongoing support.

scholarly journals Evaluating the motivation of Red Cross Health volunteers in the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e042579
Author(s):  
Leonardo W Heyerdahl ◽  
Muriel Vray ◽  
Vincent Leger ◽  
Lénaig Le Fouler ◽  
Julien Antouly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Volunteer Motivation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
French Red Cross

IntroductionVoluntary organisations provide essential support to vulnerable populations and front-line health responders to the COVID-19 pandemic. The French Red Cross (FRC) is prominent among organisations offering health and support services in the current crisis. Comprised primarily of lay volunteers and some trained health workers, FRC volunteers in the Paris (France) region have faced challenges in adapting to pandemic conditions, working with sick and vulnerable populations, managing limited resources and coping with high demand for their services. Existing studies of volunteers focus on individual, social and organisational determinants of motivation, but attend less to contextual ones. Public health incertitude about the COVID-19 pandemic is an important feature of this pandemic. Whether and how uncertainty interacts with volunteer understandings and experiences of their work and organisational relations to contribute to Red Cross worker motivation is the focus of this investigation.Methods and analysisThis mixed-methods study will investigate volunteer motivation using ethnographic methods and social network listening. Semi-structured interviews and observations will illuminate FRC volunteer work relations, experiences and concerns during the pandemic. A questionnaire targeting a sample of Paris region volunteers will allow quantification of motivation. These findings will iteratively shape and be influenced by a social media (Twitter) analysis of biomedical and public health uncertainties and debates around COVID-19. These tweets provide insight into a French lay public’s interpretations of these debates. We evaluate whether and how socio-political conditions and discourses concerning COVID-19 interact with volunteer experiences, working conditions and organisational relations to influence volunteer motivation. Data collection began on 15 June 2020 and will continue until 15 April 2021.Ethics and disseminationThe protocol has received ethical approval from the Institut Pasteur Institutional Review Board (no 2020-03). We will disseminate findings through peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations and recommendations to the FRC.

Assessing a Trauma-Informed Approach to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Liza Barros-Lane ◽  
Dana Smith ◽  
Dawn McCarty ◽  
Sandra Perez ◽  
Leslie Sirrianni
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Trauma Informed

scholarly journals Ringing the changes: the role of telephone communication in a helpline and befriending service targeting loneliness in older people

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1528-1551 ◽  
Author(s):  
CLAIRE PRESTON ◽  
STEPHEN MOORE
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Voice Communication ◽  
Telephone Communication ◽  
The United Kingdom

ABSTRACTThe drive to deliver services addressing loneliness in older people by telephone and online makes it increasingly relevant to consider how the mode of communication affects the way people interact with services and the capacity of services to meet their needs. This paper is based on the qualitative strand of a larger mixed-methods study of a national phoneline tackling loneliness in older people in the United Kingdom. The research comprised thematic analysis of four focus groups with staff and 42 semi-structured interviews with callers. It explored the associations between telephone-delivery, how individuals used the services and how the services were able to respond. To understand these associations, it was useful to identify some constituent characteristics of telephone communication in this context: namely its availability, reach and non-visual nature. This enabled various insights and comparison with other communication media. For example, the availability of the services attracted people seeking frequent emotional support but this presented challenges to staff. More positively, the ability of the services to connect disparate individuals enabled them to form different kinds of satisfying relationships. The evolution of mixed communication forms, such as internet-based voice communication and smartphone-based visual communication, makes analysis at the level of a technology's characteristics useful. Such a cross-cutting perspective can inform both the design of interventions and assessment of their suitability for different manifestations of loneliness.

scholarly journals Development of a tool for identifying and addressing prioritised determinants of quality improvement projects led by healthcare professionals: a mixed-methods study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne van Tuijl ◽  
Hub C. Wollersheim ◽  
Cornelia R.M.G. Fluit ◽  
Petra. J. van Gurp ◽  
Hiske Calsbeek
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Quality Improvement Initiative ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Priority Score ◽  
A Priority

Abstract Background: Several frameworks have been developed to identify essential determinants for healthcare improvement. These frameworks aim to be comprehensive, leading to the creation of long lists of determinants that are not prioritised based on being experienced as most important. Furthermore, most existing frameworks do not describe the methods or actions used to identify and address the determinants, limiting their practical value. The aim of this study is to describe the development of a tool with prioritised facilitators and barriers supplemented with methods to identify and address each determinant. The tool can be used by those performing quality improvement initiatives in healthcare practice. Methods: A mixed-methods study design was used to develop the tool. First, an online survey was used to ask healthcare professionals about the determinants they experienced as most facilitating and most hindering during the performance of their quality improvement initiative . A priority score was calculated for every named determinant, and those with a priority score ≥ 20 were incorporated into the tool. Semi-structured interviews with implementation experts were performed to gain insight on how to analyse and address the determinants in our tool Results: The 25 healthcare professionals in this study experienced 64 facilitators and 66 barriers when performing their improvement initiatives. Of these, 12 facilitators and nine barriers were incorporated into the tool. Sufficient support from management of the department was identified as the most important facilitator, while having limited time to perform the initiative was considered the most important barrier. The interviews with 16 experts in implementation science led to various inputs for identifying and addressing each determinant. Important themes included maintaining adequate communication with stakeholders, keeping the initiative at a manageable size, learning by doing and being able to influence determinants. Conclusions: This paper describes the development of a tool with prioritized determinants for performing quality improvement initiatives with suggestions for analysing and addressing these determinants. The tool is developed for those engaged in quality improvement initiatives in practice, so in this ways it helps to bridging the research to practice gap of determinants frameworks. More research is needed to validate and develop the tool further.

scholarly journals Pursuing goals of sustainable development and internationalization in higher education context

2021 ◽  
Vol 296 ◽  
pp. 08024
Author(s):  
Elena Makarova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
International Students ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Internationalization In Higher Education

The article concerns internationalization of higher education as a factor for pursuing sustainable development goals by developing university students’ global competences. A review of modern research on internationalization processes in different national contexts allowed to highlight the main challenges of interaction between domestic and international students as well as discuss possible solutions. Analyses of survey results, aimed at identifying the factors preventing effective cross-cultural communication in a non-linguistic Russian university, confirm the demand for students’ development of intercultural competence, which is considered to be most effective through the study of a foreign language. The paper shows significance of involvement of Russian and international students in joint classroom and extracurricular activities, which can become the basis for their future international cooperation in the field of implementation of innovative technologies and foster sustainable development goals. The leading role of university foreign languages departments in tackling issues of university internationalization is emphasized.

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