scholarly journals A Qualitative Exploration on the Challenges of Transfer Students in an Asian Educational Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3238
Author(s):  
Shirley Siu Yin Ching ◽  
Kin Yuen Tam ◽  
Lillian Weiwei Zhang ◽  
Jeremy Ng ◽  
Kin Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Transfer Students ◽  
Educational Context ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Induced Stress ◽  
Extra Curricular Activities ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

Limited research has been conducted on community college (CC) transfer students’ (TS) experiences in four-year universities, particularly in Asian contexts. To fill this research gap, in this qualitative study, 124 TS from various disciplines in a Hong Kong university participated in 39 focus groups and seven individual interviews. Unlike their Western counterparts, our TS were relatively better prepared and more academically adaptive. Nevertheless, their social integration was restricted by a lack of time for extra-curricular activities, a sense of inferiority and incompetence, and restricted social circles that did not enable interaction with non-TS. These challenges and their implications are discussed. In particular, this study has highlighted differences between the special education systems for CC transfer in Hong Kong and those in Western CC models. The study has also highlighted the study-induced stress, and poor self-perceptions that TS experience, despite their academic abilities.

scholarly journals Asexuals negotiate the ‘onslaught of the heteronormative’

Sexualities ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136346072199338
Author(s):  
Tiina Vares
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The Past ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Research Gap

Although theorizing and research about asexuality have increased in the past decade, there has been minimal attention given to the emotional impact that living in a hetero- and amato-normative cultural context has on those who identify as asexual. In this paper, I address this research gap through an exploration of the ‘work that emotions do’ (Sara Ahmed) in the everyday lives of asexuals. The study is based on 15 individual interviews with self-identified asexuals living in Aotearoa New Zealand. One participant in the study used the phrase, ‘the onslaught of the heteronormative’ to describe how he experienced living as an aromantic identified asexual in a hetero- and amato-normative society. In this paper I consider what it means and feels like to experience aspects of everyday life as an ‘onslaught’. In particular, I look at some participants’ talk about experiencing sadness, loss, anger and/or shame as responses to/effects of hetero- and amato-normativity. However, I suggest that these are not only ‘negative’ emotional responses but that they might also be productive in terms of rethinking and disrupting hetero- and amato-normativity.

scholarly journals Overcoming the “Trash Talk in Your Head”: Extending an Ethic of Care to Students Experiencing Intersectional Stigma in Community College

AERA Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233285842110063
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Brower ◽  
Tamara Bertrand Jones ◽  
Shouping Hu
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Community College ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Ethic Of Care ◽  
Community Resources ◽  
Institutional Improvement ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
History Of ◽  
Looking Glass

Intersectional stigma is experienced by individuals who share both a minoritized identity and a socially stigmatized identity. This study examines not only both types of intersectional stigma (e.g., homelessness, addiction, history of incarceration) that exist among students but also how campus personnel have extended an ethic of care to assist these students in changing their self-perceptions or “looking glass selves” to persist and succeed in community college. Recommendations for institutional improvement include flexibility in hiring staff with the expertise of lived experience, extending social support, improving access to campus and community resources, and horizontal peer mentoring for students with stigmatized identities.

scholarly journals What are the risk factors for avoidable transitions in the last year of life? A qualitative exploration of professionals’ perspectives for improving care in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Kasdorf ◽  
◽  
Gloria Dust ◽  
Vera Vennedey ◽  
Christian Rietz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Information Power ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Nursing Services ◽  
Value Based Care ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

Abstract Background Little is known about the nature of patients’ transitions between healthcare settings in the last year of life (LYOL) in Germany. Patients often experience transitions between different healthcare settings, such as hospitals and long-term facilities including nursing homes and hospices. The perspective of healthcare professionals can therefore provide information on transitions in the LYOL that are avoidable from a medical perspective. This study aims to explore factors influencing avoidable transitions across healthcare settings in the LYOL and to disclose how these could be prevented. Methods Two focus groups (n = 11) and five individual interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals working in hospitals, hospices and nursing services from Cologne, Germany. They were asked to share their observations about avoidable transitions in the LYOL. The data collection continued until the point of information power was reached and were audio recorded and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Four factors for potentially avoidable transitions between care settings in the LYOL were identified: healthcare system, organization, healthcare professional, patient and relatives. According to the participants, the most relevant aspects that can aid in reducing unnecessary transitions include timely identification and communication of the LYOL; consideration of palliative care options; availability and accessibility of care services; and having a healthcare professional taking main responsibility for care planning. Conclusions Preventing avoidable transitions by considering the multicomponent factors related to them not only immediately before death but also in the LYOL could help to provide more value-based care for patients and improving their quality of life.

Nurses’ attitudes toward female sex workers: A qualitative study

2020 ◽  
pp. 096973302096149
Author(s):  
Haixia Ma ◽  
Alice Yuen Loke
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Female Sex

Background: Stigma is considered a major barrier to accessing healthcare services by female sex workers. Current knowledge of nurses’ attitudes appears to imply a stigma toward female sex workers. But in-depth understanding of their perceptions is scarce. Furthermore, factors that inform a conceptual understanding of how this occurs are lacking. Objectives: The study aimed to explore nurses’ attitudes toward female sex workers and factors affecting caring for female sex workers. Research design: This was a qualitative study. A content analysis approach was adopted in analyzing the data. Participants and research context: Thirty-three practicing nurses participated in seven semi-structured focus group interviews and three key informants participated in three individual interviews in Hong Kong. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of one university in Hong Kong. Findings: The findings revealed three themes: (1) accept, stigmatize, or against sex work; (2) reluctance, hesitation, or willingness to care for female sex workers; and (3) factors affecting the care of female sex workers. Discussion and conclusion: This study found that nurses held different attitudes toward female sex workers, and they experienced feelings of reluctance, hesitation, or willingness to care for female sex workers. Multi-level factors could affect their level of comfort of caring for female sex workers. Intervention should be developed to encourage health professionals to examine their personal views toward female sex workers introspectively, how their attitude may have affected the provision of quality services, and to enhance the provision of sensitive non-discriminative services to female sex workers.

scholarly journals Resilience in physical education: A qualitative exploration of protective factors

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 284-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Tudor ◽  
Mustafa Sarkar ◽  
Christopher M Spray
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
School Students ◽  
Student Resilience ◽  
Extra Curricular Activities ◽  
Education Participation ◽  
The Common ◽  
Behavioural Factors ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

Resilience refers to findings that some individuals have good outcomes despite exposure to stressors, and protective factors are defined as influences that alter a person’s response to such stressors. Academic resilience research identifies factors that promote positive educational outcomes; however, no research to date investigates student resilience in the unique context of physical education. The current study sought to explore protective factors that alter secondary school students’ responses to the common stressors associated with physical education participation. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with six teachers and 54 students, and transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. In line with the conceptualisation of protective factors, higher-order themes of individual assets and environmental factors were identified. Individual assets included personality, cognitive factors (e.g. value of physical education activities) and behavioural factors (e.g. attending extra-curricular activities). Environmental factors included teacher and peer support and the relative importance of physical education promoted by the school and parents.

Critical supply chain vulnerabilities affecting supply chain resilience of industrialized construction in Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
E.M.A.C. Ekanayake ◽  
Geoffrey Qiping Shen ◽  
Mohan Kumaraswamy ◽  
Emmanuel Kingsford Owusu
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Resilience ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Significance Analysis ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
Selection Of

PurposeIndustrialized construction (IC) has been recognized as a game-changing approach in Hong Kong (HK). However, the increasing risks of disruptions in IC supply chains (SCs) raise SC vulnerability levels, prompting attention to developing supply chain resilience (SCR). Since SCR is only attainable through overcoming critical supply chain vulnerabilities (CSCV) with enhanced SC capabilities, this study first aimed to determine the most CSCV of ICSCs by addressing this current research gap and practical need.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on SCV factors identified from a precursor literature review, an empirical study of IC in HK was conducted using a questionnaire survey and interviews with industry experts. Focussed significance analysis of the data collected through questionnaire survey enabled the selection of 26 CSCV as appropriate to IC. Next, factor analysis was conducted, enabling the grouping of these CSCV under five components. The results were verified and reinforced by interview findings.FindingsThe results revealed 26 CSCV pertinent to resilient ICSCs in HK with five underlying components: economic, technological, procedural, organizational and production-based vulnerabilities. Loss of skilled labour is the most critical vulnerability, whereas organizational SCV is the most critical component identified.Originality/valueFindings of this study would motivate IC project professionals to appreciate and address the CSCV in the context of five components and thereby develop adequate specific capabilities to successfully withstand these CSCV. This should trigger future studies to map CSCV with appropriate capabilities in developing an envisaged powerful assessment model for evaluating the SCR in IC in HK.

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