scholarly journals Virtual knowledge production within a physician educational outreach program

2011 ◽  
pp. 24-34
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Educational Outreach ◽  
Physician Education ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Academic Detailing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Web Conferencing ◽  
Face To Face

This paper describe the impacts and lessons learned of using conferencing technologies to support knowledge production activities within an academic detailing group. A three year case study was conducted in which 20 Canadian health professionals collaborated on developing educational outreach materials for family physicians. The groups communicated in face-to-face, teleconferencing, and web-conferencing environments. Data was collected over three years (2004-2007) and consisted of structured interviews, meeting transcripts, and observation notes. The analysis consisted of detailed reviews and comparisons of the data from the various sources. The results revealed several key findings on the on the impacts of conferencing technologies on knowledge production activities of academic detailers. The study found that: 1) The rigid communication structures of web-conferencing forced group members to introduce other tools for communication 2) Group discussions were perceived to be more conducive in face-to-face meetings and least conducive teleconferencing meetings; 3) Web-conferencing had an impact on information sharing; 4) Web-conferencing forces group interaction “within the text”. The study demonstrates the impacts and lessons learned of academic detailing groups collaborating at a distance to produce physician education materials. The results can be used as the bases for future research and as a practical guide for collaborative academic detailing groups working within a virtual collaborative and educational environment.

Running With Your Hair on Fire: Lessons Learned From Transitioning a National University Sales Competition From Face-to-Face to Virtual in 16 Days

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-271
Author(s):  
Scott Inks ◽  
Kenyatta Barber ◽  
Terry W. Loe ◽  
Lukas P. Forbes
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Educational Environment ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Past ◽  
National University ◽  
Virtual Sales

Since their inception, university sales competitions have been key learning and educational components of university sales education. Over the past two decades, the oldest and one of the largest sales competitions in the United States has been held in a face-to-face format. However, due to the educational environment created from the COVID-19 pandemic, this competition was forced to convert to a virtual format over a 16-day period. This research outlines the steps taken to convert this event to virtual format and presents insights for other universities endeavoring to produce virtual sales competition events. Finally, research implications and direction for future research are presented.

ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE AND THE INFORMAL ECONOMY IN CAMEROON

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 1450024 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHER F. ACHUA ◽  
ROBERT N. LUSSIER
Keyword(s):  
Informal Economy ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Formal Economy ◽  
Curve Effect ◽  
Street Corner ◽  
Do So

There is a growing appreciation for the value and impact of the informal economy on the lives and livelihood of many in developing economies. A key question for researchers has been whether those operating in it do so out of necessity or voluntarily as opportunity seekers? Unlike previous studies that have examined the informal economy as one large block, this paper took a slightly different tangent. First, we analyzed and identified three distinct sub-groups within the informal entrepreneurial sector — the street walker (st. walker), the street corner (st. corner) and store owner (st. owner) — and then examined each group's motives. Reporting the results of face-to-face structured interviews with 200 informal entrepreneurs in Cameroon (West Africa), the finding is that the majority, especially st. walker and st. corner informal entrepreneurs, are predominantly necessity-driven while st. owner entrepreneurs are predominantly opportunity-driven. Our study also revealed a progression pattern whereby st. walkers do progress to st. corner and ultimately to st. owner entrepreneurs. The assumption is that this does create a learning curve effect in the entrepreneurial abilities and effectiveness of store owners. This is an area for future research. There are policy implications for institutional support that can grow the informal economy into the formal economy.

scholarly journals Measuring transnational social fields through binational link-tracing sampling

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253042
Author(s):  
Marian-Gabriel Hâncean ◽  
Miranda Jessica Lubbers ◽  
José Luis Molina
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Personal Networks ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Fields ◽  
Transnational Social Fields ◽  
Layered Complex

We advance bi-national link-tracing sampling design, an innovative data collection methodology for sampling from so-called “transnational social fields”, i.e. transnational networks embedding migrants, returned migrants and non-migrants. This paper describes our contributions to this methodology and its empirical implementation, and evaluates the features of the resulting networks (sample), with the aim to guide future research. We performed 303 face-to-face structured interviews on sociodemographic variables, migration trajectories and personal networks of people living in a Romanian migration sending community (Dâmbovița) and in a migration receiving Spanish town (Castellón). Inter-connecting the personal networks, we built a multi-layered complex network structure embedding 4,855 nominated people, 5,477 directed ties (nominations) and 2,540 edges. Results indicate that the link-tracing nomination patterns are affected by sex and residence homophily. Our research contributes to the emerging efforts of applying social network analysis to the study of international migration.

Online synchronous Focus Groups and research continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gabriela Calvo-Valderrama ◽  
Arturo Marroquín-Rivera ◽  
Erin Burn ◽  
Laura Ospina-Pinillos ◽  
Victoria Bird ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Web Conferencing ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
E Mail

BACKGROUND Although focus groups are a valuable qualitative research tool, face-to-face meetings may be difficult to arrange and time consuming. This has been further compounded by the COVID-19 global pandemic, where the subsequent lockdown and physical distancing measures implemented, caused exceptional challenges to all human activity. Online Focus Groups (OFGs) are an example of one alternative strategy, requiring investigation. At present, OFGs have mostly been studied and used in high-income countries with little information relating to their implementation in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVE Our aim is to share our experiences of conducting OFGs through a web conferencing service and provide recommendations for future research. METHODS As part of a broader study, OFGs were developed with adults and adolescents (13-16) in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a convenience sampling method, we invited eligible participants via e-mail in two different cities of Colombia to take part in OFGs conducted via Microsoft Teams®. Researcher notes and discussion were used to capture the participant and facilitator experiences as well as practical considerations. RESULTS We conducted 10 OFGs with a total of 42 participants. Data obtained met our expectations and the online methodology did not compromise the quality of our results. Technical issues arose but different measures were taken to minimize them: using a web conferencing service that was familiar to participants, sending written instructions and performing a trial meeting prior to the OFG. Adolescent participants unlike their adult counterparts, were fluent in using web conferencing platforms and did not encounter technical challenges. CONCLUSIONS OFGs have great potential in research settings especially during the current and any future public health emergencies. It is important to keep in mind that even with the advantages that they offer, technical issues (i.e., internet speed and access to technology) are major obstacles in LMICs. Further research is required and should carefully consider the appropriateness of OFGs in different settings.

Connecting Caregivers to Support: Lessons Learned From the VA Caregiver Support Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 368-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Bruening ◽  
Nina Sperber ◽  
Katherine Miller ◽  
Sara Andrews ◽  
Karen Steinhauser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Supportive Services ◽  
Caregiver Support ◽  
National Priority ◽  
Caregiver Interventions

Development and evaluation of supportive caregiver interventions has become a national priority. This study’s aim was to evaluate how caregivers participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Caregiver Support Program (CSP) use and value supportive services. Qualitative semi-structured interviews ( N = 50 caregivers) were the core of a mixed-methods design, and surveys ( N = 160) were supplemental. Caregivers who had used CSP services valued emotional, functional, and health care navigational support, calling support groups and the program coordinator their “lifeline.” However, many described a lack of connection with the program—not knowing about or successfully engaging in program services—and needed more information about available resources. Caregivers in rural areas or caring for individuals with specific diseases reported needing tailored services to meet their unique needs. Policy makers and practitioners should proactively promote supportive services for caregivers. Future research should explore strategies for reducing barriers to accessing tailored support to meet the needs of a diverse caregiver population.

scholarly journals Shining a light on the daily occupational experiences of lesbian and gay adults’ in Ireland: applying an occupational justice lens

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-132
Author(s):  
Letitia Hadden ◽  
Aisling O’Riordan ◽  
Jeanne Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Recent Change ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Minority Population ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Occupational Justice ◽  
Qualitative Phenomenological

Purpose Equality of rights for individuals who identify as being lesbian or gay (LG) have emerged over recent years, and significant advancements have been made in recognition and support of LG rights in Ireland. Given the recent change in legal rights for the LG population, Civil Partnership 2010 and Marriage Equality 2015, this paper aims to explore the lived experience of daily occupations of LG adult’s in Ireland today, by applying an occupational justice lens. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative phenomenological research study, examined the concept of occupational justice as experienced by eight adults, who identified as being LG. Data was collected through face to face, semi-structured interviews. Findings Four themes capturing the complexity of each participant’s experience of daily occupations and occupational justice emerged, namely, transitions and personal journeys, celebrating differences, empowerment through occupation and inner conflict. Findings demonstrate how occupational justice is experienced as a complex, contextually embedded and dynamic process specific to each individual. Originality/value Future research in this area should aim to explore the experiences of both a younger and older LG population, along with those who identify as bisexual, transgender, queer or intersex to continue to raise awareness of the potential for occupational injustice within this minority population.

Bugscope: Online K–12 Microscopy Outreach

2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Robinson ◽  
Chas Conway ◽  
Cate Wallace ◽  
Ann M. Ray ◽  
Umesh Thakkar
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Educational Outreach ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Broadband Internet ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Scanning Electron

Bugscope is a free online microscopy outreach program that offers K–12 classrooms anywhere in the world the ability to remotely operate a high-resolution scanning electron microscope, collect images of insects and other similar arthropods, and chat simultaneously with a team of scientists. It was conceived and implemented in the late 1990s when K–12 schools were beginning to gain broadband Internet access, many as a result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. One of several projects that took advantage of this opportunity to use the Internet to bring the laboratory into the classroom, Bugscope began as an NSF grant to purchase a field-emission scanning electron microscope and develop sophisticated client and server software to control it via a standard web browser. Inspired by the success of and lessons learned from the Chickscope remote magnetic resonance imaging project and from having successfully established remote web-based control of a transmission electron microscope, Clint Potter and Bridget Carragher created the Bugscope project with the goal of developing a remote microscopy educational outreach project that would be sustainable over the long term. This goal led to two significant design decisions. First, the software involved in setting up and running the live outreach sessions was purpose-built to ensure that only one staff member, if necessary, would be required at the instrument (as opposed to Chickscope, which required staff at the remote location as well as at the instrument). Second, students from a local high school would be employed as a renewable resource to help with pre-session sample preparation and to participate in live chat, answering questions from the remote classrooms. Although we now operate with permanent staff at the instrument, these efficiencies in the original concept/design have allowed Bugscope to operate continuously since March 1999, long after the original funding was exhausted.

scholarly journals Towards emotional responsive mentoring of at-risk students in last-resort programs

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rineke Keijzer ◽  
Roeland van der Rijst ◽  
Erik van Schooten ◽  
Wilfried Admiraal
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
At Risk Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Constant Attention ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Alternative Perspective ◽  
Support Relationships ◽  
Bonding Characteristics ◽  
Practical Implications

Abstract Background Mentors guide students in their challenges at school and in life. At-risk students in last-resort programs who are at a high risk of leaving school unqualified are especially in need of highly competent and adaptive mentors. This study therefore aimed to identify mentor qualities as perceived by at-risk students and their mentors that meet students’ needs and mentors’ capabilities. Methods Face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with students and mentors of two specialized programs in the Netherlands. Sensitizing concepts, derived from literature, were used to identify themes. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analyses and was validated by performing an audit. Results The mentor qualities that at-risk students and their mentors reported were classified in three different themes. Mentor tasks consisted of guiding and motivating students and providing them with tangible methods of support. Relationships between mentor and student were based on levels of respect, equality, and bonding. Characteristics of mentors related to empathy, care, and trust. Research implications Emotional responsiveness deserves further exploration as it appears to be an underlying concept of being a good mentor. Future research might explore mentor qualities in the context of other last-resort programs for at-risk students. Practical implications Findings implicate that mentors have to walk a tightrope between keeping professional distance and being sensitive, suggesting constant attention to their professional development is needed. Originality In the context of last-resort programs, an alternative perspective on mentoring at-risk students is outlined, based on perceptions of both students and mentors.

scholarly journals Recruitment and Retention of Vulnerable Populations: Lessons Learned from a Longitudinal Qualitative Study

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evalina van Wijk
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Rape Victims ◽  
Intimate Partners ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Study Participants

The main focus of the researcher’s study was to examine the lived experiences of intimate partners of female rape victims within the first six months post rape. Yet, many publications describing longitudinal qualitative studies of sexual assault fail to provide a detailed report on the processes followed, the difficulties experienced, as well as the reasons for such difficulties. To fill theses gaps, in this paper, the researcher describes the strategies applied to recruit and retain the participants for the entire six-month period post rape. The lessons learned during recruitment and data collection are also described. The research question that guided the study was: what are the lived experiences of intimate partners of female rape victims during the six months following the rape? The selection of study participants involved purposeful sampling. After providing their informed consent, nine intimate partners of female rape victims living in Cape Town, South Africa, participated in four separate face-to-face, semi-structured interviews as follows: (a) within 14 days of, (b) a month after, (c) three months after and (d) six months after the rape. Recommendations were made for future researchers to make them aware of the difficulties encountered in accessing, recruiting, and retaining vulnerable populations in longitudinal studies, especially in the field of research into sexual violence.

scholarly journals 5D BIM: an investigation into the integration of quantity surveyors within the BIM process

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mayouf ◽  
Michael Gerges ◽  
Sharon Cox
Keyword(s):  
3D Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Information Requirements ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Modelling ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Building Information ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the integration of a quantity surveyor (QS) role and practice within the building information modelling (BIM) process to enable better implementation of five-dimensional building information modelling (5D BIM) (D is a result of the data/information dimension integrated in a BIM model). It proposes the use of a “level of development and level of detail” to provide a structured approach for QSs’ integration within the BIM process for an improved implementation of 5D BIM. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses semi-structured interviews with QSs from academic and industry in the UK. A total of 20 face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with two groups (industrial and academic) of ten participants from the West Midlands region in the UK. The interview questions have focussed on gaining perspectives on BIM, BIM and government protocols for the QS profession, expectations and challenges when implementing 5D BIM. Findings The findings show that BIM is perceived differently, and limitation of information obtained from the 3D models in BIM reduce the reliability of 5D BIM for QSs and implementing of 5D BIM needs an understanding of BIM workflow and information requirements. Research limitations/implications Although the findings reveal many of the complexities that face QSs within the BIM process and the shortfalls of 5D BIM technology, the results may lack generalisation. Thus, future research seeks to test the proposed framework further. Practical implications This paper elicits implications of shortfalls that impact the implementation of 5D BIM technology and the complexities that face QSs within the BIM process. Originality/value This paper reveals the need to understand the process of integrating stakeholders and their information requirements for better implementation of technologies within BIM.

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