Public communication and pandemic crisis: the case of the Municipality of Peccioli

2021 ◽  
pp. 159-168
Author(s):  
Manuela Farinosi ◽  
Chiara Piccolo
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Quantitative Approach ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Public Communication ◽  
Positive Perception ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Traditional Media ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Proportional Allocation ◽  
Research Questions

In the last twenty years public communication has profoundly changed, and institutions have begun to increasingly use methods based on listening, participa-tion and citizen engagement. This paper explores public communication during the Covid-19 crisis, focusing on the local context of Peccioli. In light of the initiatives implemented by the Municipality, it addresses these research questions: how do citizens consider public communication during the emergency, and which channels have been mostly used to stay updated on municipal initiatives? How do citizens evaluate the emergency management by the municipality, and how do they sug-gest improving it in the event of a return of the virus? Through a quali-quantitative approach 268 structured interviews were conducted. Participants were selected from the municipal registry following a proportional allocation based on three so-ciodemographic variables: age, gender and place of residence. The findings high-lighted a) information practices based on the integration of official and unofficial channels and traditional media and digital platforms; b) preference for one-to-one communication, mediated and not; and c) highly positive perception of the work of the municipality.

What is the host community perception of slum tourism in Colombia?

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-146
Author(s):  
María Dolores Herrero Amo ◽  
Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena ◽  
Salomé Laloum Gaultier
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Community Perception ◽  
Positive Perception ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Slum Tourism ◽  
Research Questions

Purpose This paper aims to find answers to two research questions: What is the perception of the Moravia community on tourism in their neighbourhood? What are the conditions under which they can accept slum tourism? Design/methodology/approach The foundation of this paper was laid during a field trip to Medellin, Colombia, in March 2018. More than three weeks were spent in the neighbourhood of Moravia, one of Medellin’s “barrios” or slums, where a qualitative study was led. Semi-structured interviews with the local community were done around the neighbourhood. Findings The main finding of this research is the positive perception of slum tourism within the Moravia community. The researchers found that the locals are proud when outsiders visit to see their neighbourhood. The locals felt that, it breaks the prejudice surrounding their homes, and tourists are seen as spokespeople for the barrio. There are visible improvements made to the barrio owing to tourism. This research drew attention to the conditions under which this type of tourism can be accepted in the neighbourhood: community participation, interaction between hosts and tourists, education and respect of tourists and the visible improvements to the neighbourhood. Originality/value Slum tourism is an understudied topic in Colombia, especially in Medellin. By researching on the host perception on slum tourism, this paper contributes to literature on slum tourism from a new angle.

scholarly journals EFL Teachers' Experiences During the Pandemic: Stories From Rural Area in Tungkal Ilir District

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-308
Author(s):  
Pahrozi Ahmad ◽  
Anita Triastuti
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Questions

ABSTRACTThis article explores the implementation of online learning by English teachers in the age of the coronavirus pandemic in the Tungkal Ilir district, West Tanjung Jabung Regency. This article examines two research questions: (1) How do EFL teachers describe their practices and perceptions of online learning during the pandemic, and (2) What challenges EFL teachers face while implementing online learning during the pandemic. In this small-scale qualitative study, three English teachers took part. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather information. The result revealed that teachers in remote areas used social media and digital platforms to carry out their online teaching. On the other hand, these teachers had some issues incorporating online learning. The problems can be divided into two categories: (a) unfamiliarity with the platforms and (b) inability to respond to students quickly. In addition, some suggestions are also given for further researchers to conduct a similar study. ABSTRAKArtikel ini membahas tentang implementasi pembelajaran online oleh guru bahasa Inggris di era pandemi virus corona di kecamatan Tungkal Ilir, Kabupaten Tanjung Jabung Barat. Artikel ini membahas dua pertanyaan penelitian: (1) Bagaimana guru EFL menggambarkan praktik dan persepsi mereka tentang pembelajaran online selama pandemi, dan (2) Apa tantangan yang dihadapi guru EFL saat menerapkan pembelajaran online selama pandemi. Tiga guru Bahasa Inggris diambil sebagai responden dalam studi kualitatif skala kecil ini.  Wawancara semi terstruktur digunakan untuk mengumpulkan informasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa guru di daerah terpencil telah menggunakan media sosial dan platform digital untuk melaksanakan pengajaran online mereka. Disisi lain, guru memiliki beberapa masalah dalam penerapan pembelajaran online. Masalah dapat dibagi menjadi dua kategori: (a) ketidaktahuan dengan platform dan (b) ketidakmampuan untuk merespon siswa dengan cepat. Selain itu, beberapa saran juga diberikan bagi peneliti selanjutnya untuk melakukan penelitian serupa.

scholarly journals A National Evaluation of State and Territory Roles in Hazard Mitigation: Building Local Capacity to Implement FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Gavin Smith ◽  
Olivia Vila
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Hazard Mitigation ◽  
Grant Applications ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Resilient Infrastructure ◽  
Survey Responses

This article describes the findings of a national survey of State Hazard Mitigation Officers (SHMOs) in U.S. states and territories in order to gain a greater understanding of the roles that they play in assisting local governments to build the capacity required to successfully develop and implement Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-funded Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants, an important but understudied aspect of hazard mitigation governance. The research questions focus on: (1) How states and territories enable local governments to develop and implement HMA grants and (2) SHMOs’ opinions regarding their perceived capacity and effectiveness in assisting local governments to develop and implement HMA grants. Results show that while states and territories are relatively well-equipped to perform general administrative duties required by FEMA, SHMOs expressed wide variation in their capacity to assist local governments to develop and implement HMA grants. This was particularly evident with regard to the delivery of specific technical assistance measures required to develop HMA grants. Survey responses also highlight modest levels of participation in FEMA-designed efforts to delegate responsibility to states and territories and low levels of participation in programs that offer pre-application funding to local governments to help them develop HMA grant applications. These findings should concern FEMA as the agency embarks on the implementation of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, an ambitious pre-disaster hazard mitigation grant initiative.

scholarly journals A qualitative study of organisational response to national quality standards for 7-day services in English hospitals

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Sutton ◽  
Julian Bion ◽  
Russell Mannion ◽  
Janet Willars ◽  
Elizabeth Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organisational Culture ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Improvement Strategy ◽  
Senior Staff ◽  
National Quality ◽  
History Of ◽  
Day Services ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background National standards are commonly used as an improvement strategy in healthcare, but organisations may respond in diverse and sometimes negative ways to external quality demands. This paper describes how a sample of NHS hospital trusts in England responded to the introduction of national standards for 7-day services (7DS), from an organisational behaviour perspective. Methods We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with executive/director level and clinical staff, in eight NHS trusts that varied in size, location, and levels of specialist staffing at weekends. We explored approaches to implementing standards locally, and the impact of organisational culture and local context on organisational response. Results Senior staff in the majority of trusts described a focus on hitting targets and achieving compliance with the standards. Compliance-based responses were associated with a hierarchical organisational culture and focus on external performance. In a minority of trusts senior staff described mobilising commitment-based strategies. In these trusts senior staff reframed the external standards in terms of organisational values, and used co-operative strategies for achieving change. Trusts that took a commitment-based approach tended to be described as having a developmental organisational culture and a history of higher performance across the board. Audit data on 7DS showed improvement against standards for most trusts, but commitment-focused trusts were less likely to demonstrate improvements on the 7DS audit. The ability of trusts to respond to external standards was limited when they were under pressure due to a history of overall poor performance or resource limitations. Conclusions National standards and audit for service-level improvement generate different types of response in different local settings. Approaches to driving improvement nationally need to be accompanied by resources and tailored support for improvement, taking into account local context and organisational culture.

scholarly journals Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Hartley ◽  
Robert D. J. Smith ◽  
Adam Kokotovich ◽  
Chris Opesen ◽  
Tibebu Habtewold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Control ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Control Programme ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Risk Governance ◽  
Malaria Control Programme ◽  
Gene Drive ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
New Directions ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background The African Union’s High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies identified gene drive mosquitoes as a priority technology for malaria elimination. The first field trials are expected in 5–10 years in Uganda, Mali or Burkina Faso. In preparation, regional and international actors are developing risk governance guidelines which will delineate the framework for identifying and evaluating risks. Scientists and bioethicists have called for African stakeholder involvement in these developments, arguing the knowledge and perspectives of those people living in malaria-afflicted countries is currently missing. However, few African stakeholders have been involved to date, leaving a knowledge gap about the local social-cultural as well as ecological context in which gene drive mosquitoes will be tested and deployed. This study investigates and analyses Ugandan stakeholders’ hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control and explores the new directions needed for risk governance. Methods This qualitative study draws on 19 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Ugandan stakeholders in 2019. It explores their hopes for the technology and the risks they believed pertinent. Coding began at a workshop and continued through thematic analysis. Results Participants’ hopes and concerns for gene drive mosquitoes to address malaria fell into three themes: (1) ability of gene drive mosquitoes to prevent malaria infection; (2) impacts of gene drive testing and deployment; and, (3) governance. Stakeholder hopes fell almost exclusively into the first theme while concerns were spread across all three. The study demonstrates that local stakeholders are able and willing to contribute relevant and important knowledge to the development of risk frameworks. Conclusions International processes can provide high-level guidelines, but risk decision-making must be grounded in the local context if it is to be robust, meaningful and legitimate. Decisions about whether or not to release gene drive mosquitoes as part of a malaria control programme will need to consider the assessment of both the risks and the benefits of gene drive mosquitoes within a particular social, political, ecological, and technological context. Just as with risks, benefits—and importantly, the conditions that are necessary to realize them—must be identified and debated in Uganda and its neighbouring countries.

scholarly journals “What is the actual goal of the pathway?”: examining emergency department physician and nurse perspectives on the implementation of a pediatric concussion pathway using the theoretical domains framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anh Ly ◽  
Roger Zemek ◽  
Bruce Wright ◽  
Jennifer Zwicker ◽  
Kathryn Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Clinical Pathways ◽  
Theoretical Domains Framework ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Emergency Department Physician ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pediatric Concussion

Abstract Background Multiple evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist to guide the management of concussion in children, but few have been translated into clinical pathways (CP), which operationalize guidelines into accessible and actionable algorithms that can be more readily implemented by health care providers. This study aimed to identify the clinical behaviours, attitudinal factors, and environmental contexts that potentially influence the implementation of a clinical pathway for pediatric concussion. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted from October 2017 to January 2018 with 42 emergency department clinicians (17 physicians, 25 nurses) at five urban emergency departments in Alberta, Canada. A Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)-informed interview guide contained open-ended questions intended to gather feedback on the proposed pathway developed for the study, as well as factors that could potentially influence its implementation. Results The original 14 domains of the TDF were collapsed into 6 clusters based on significant overlap between domains in the issues discussed by clinicians: 1) knowledge, skills, and practice; 2) professional roles and identity; 3) attitudes, beliefs, and motivations; 4) goals and priorities; 5) local context and resources; and 6) engagement and collaboration. The 6 clusters identified in the interviews each reflect 2–4 predominant topics that can be condensed into six overarching themes regarding clinicians’ views on the implementation of a concussion CP: 1) standardization in the midst of evolving research; 2) clarifying and communicating goals; 3) knowledge dissemination and alignment of information; 4) a team-oriented approach; 5) site engagement; and 6) streamlining clinical processes. Conclusion Application of a comprehensive, evidence-based, and theory-driven framework in conjunction with an inductive thematic analysis approach enabled six themes to emerge as to how to successfullly implement a concussion CP.

scholarly journals Why do Students Seek Help in an Age of DIY? Using a Qualitative Approach to Look Beyond Statistics

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Vinyard ◽  
Colleen Mullally ◽  
Jaimie Beth Colvin
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Statistics ◽  
Library Research ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Do It Yourself ◽  
Consultation Services

National statistics indicate that academic libraries are experiencing declines in reference transactions, but the references services in some libraries continue to thrive. While many studies explore reasons that students do not seek assistance from librarians, there is limited research explaining why students do ask for help. The authors conducted a study to answer two questions: (1) How do undergraduate students look for information? (2) What prompted the students to seek out help from a librarian? To answer these questions, the authors conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students who had received reference assistance. An important theme that emerged from the interviews was students’ preferences to search independently without assistance. Despite this “do-it-yourself” mentality, students aware of library research consultation services still continue to seek out assistance for librarians when stressful and time-consuming research questions arise. The findings from this study will help librarians better market their research services and understand how students perceive the help-seeking process.

scholarly journals Understanding Pasifika Educational Aspirations and Conceptions of Development in Wainuiomata

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Holly McLeod
Keyword(s):  
Educational Aspirations ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Educational Experiences ◽  
Alternative Conceptions ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Education And Development ◽  
Time And Energy ◽  
The Way

<p>Education is good for development. This positive relationship between education and development is often stated without challenge, resulting in education being posited at the forefront of global development strategies. Yet, within the subject of Development Studies, postdevelopment theorists have questioned the very basis of ‘development’, not only its definition but also the inherent assumption that it is necessarily desirable and positive. Instead, they point to examples such as Buen Vivir and argue that we should explore different ways of conceptualising what is a good life.  The present research has sought to examine the way the Pasifika community in Wainuiomata, Aotearoa perceives and engages with education to fulfil its own vision of development. Some 30 research participants contributed their valuable time and energy to this project through semi-structured interviews, offering insight into their own educational experiences and aspirations. Through employing a methodological approach informed by the ethos of talanoa and participatory research, this research has privileged the narratives of participants, giving voice to their experiences within an academic context.  This research has identified that while the experiences of these families within Aotearoa’s education system have been frustrating and challenging, such adversity has not served to disenfranchise Pasifika families from engaging within this educational system. Rather, it has served as motivation to create better educational experiences for youth in this community today. Furthermore, the vision of development aspired toward by this community is one that draws both similarities and contrasts with mainstream conceptions of development. The existence of alternative conceptions of development supports post-development’s call for development practise to examine local context and community aspirations, and to value community knowledge and action. In examining the way this community has engaged with education to progress their own vision of development, it was found that Pasifika families in Wainuiomata are taking ownership of their own development, and are actively involved in creating better educational outcomes for their youth.</p>

scholarly journals MAPPING THE CONCEPT OF A GOOD SCHOOL WITH TEACHERS’ CHARACTERISTICS IN THE CONTEXT OF A GOOD SCHOOL CONCEPT

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-42
Author(s):  
Roma KRIAUČIŪNIENĖ ◽  
VILIJA TARGAMADZĖ
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
General Education ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Good School ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
School Concept

Aim. The concept of Good School was formed in 2015, however, the implementation of it has been rather slow. Therefore, the research aim of this article is to identify the educational experts’ viewpoints on the concept. The following questions have been raised to specify the aim: if the concept of the school of general education, presented as Good School, is adequately understood, what features should a teacher have in order to implement the concept of Good School? Methods. To answer the research questions a qualitative research by using structured interviews was carried out, i.e. experts’ written surveys were analyzed. The study revealed three positions that are discussed in this article: the concept of Good School, the mission and teachers’ features, which are interpreted in the context of the concept of Good School, albeit in a particular way. Results. The analysis of the empirical research data revealed that insufficient emphasis is placed on the value aspect, modelling of community-based school activities and their reflection. The research findings also showed that there has been a considerable lack of attention paid to some of the teacher's competences – there has been a lack of experts’ focus on the personalization of the educational content, its construction in the interaction with the elements of the pedagogical system, the reflection of pedagogical activities, and others. Conclusions. The concept of Good School is understood by the experts as a map, a conceptual idea, a guideline unfolding the schools’ specificity. The implementation of the concept of Good School should be based on the ideas of constructionism  that open the pathways of common  development,  realization, and improvement of Good School.

scholarly journals COVID-19 guidance in humanitarian settings: The need for dynamic guidelines adapted to changing humanitarian crisis contexts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Odlum ◽  
Rosemary James ◽  
Audrey Mahieu ◽  
Karl Blanchet ◽  
Chiara Altare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiences ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Humanitarian Crisis ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Global Guidance ◽  
Guidance Documents ◽  
Context Specific

Abstract Background: For humanitarian organisations to respond effectively to complex crises, they require access to up-to-date evidence-based guidance. In addition, the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of adapting and updating global guidance to context-specific and evolving needs in fragile and humanitarian settings. Our study aimed to understand the use of evidence in humanitarian responses during COVID-19.Methods: We collected and analysed COVID-19 guidance documents, and conducted semi-structured interviews remotely with a variety of humanitarian organisations responding and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the COVID-19 Humanitarian platform, a website established by three universities in March 2020, to solicit, collate and document these experiences and knowledge.Results: We collected 180 guidance documents, and after excluding those that did not meet our inclusion criteria, analysed 131. We conducted 80 interviews with humanitarian organisations in the field, generating 61 published field experiences. Although COVID-19 guidance was quickly developed and disseminated in the initial phases of the crisis (from January to May 2020), updates or ongoing revision of the guidance has been limited. Interviews conducted between April and September 2020 showed that humanitarian organisations have responded to COVID-19 in innovative and context-specific ways, but have often had to adapt existing guidance to inform their operations in complex humanitarian settings.Conclusion: Experiences from the field indicate that adopting guidance to respond and adapt to COVID-19 is a complex process requiring innovation and collaboration based on the local context and resource availability. Global guidance aimed at humanitarian actors could be improved through responsive incorporation of contextualised field experiences in a timely manner using real-time feedback loops through online platforms like the COVID-19 Humanitarian platform.

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