scholarly journals The Current State of Communication Education in Ghana: A Critical Analysis of Stories from the Field

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-69
Author(s):  
Wincharles Coker
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Communication Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Communities ◽  
Current State ◽  
Language Research ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Education In Ghana

Narratives offer academic communities a moment of reflexivity. However, stories told by members in academic communities are  under-studied. Drawing on Wenger’s idea of community of practice, the present study examined the narratives of 12 senior  communication educators in three public universities in Ghana, and how the narratives shape the knowledge economy. Using field notes, technical documents, and structured interviews, the study revealed that community practice in the field of communication education in Ghanaian public universities is constrained by a not so vibrant community that faces challenges in localising a Western curriculum, and is yet to coordinate its local language research agenda.

The Current State of Analytics in the Corporation

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Coghlan ◽  
George Diehl ◽  
Eric Karson ◽  
Matthew Liberatore ◽  
Wenhong Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Business Intelligence ◽  
Round Table ◽  
Business Analytics ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Communities ◽  
Group Context ◽  
Current State ◽  
Villanova University ◽  
Disciplinary Group ◽  
Interview Questionnaire

Business intelligence and analytics in general are currently experiencing a resurgence in interest from both the business and academic communities. As a response, a Business Analytics Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed at Villanova University in 2007 to better link these two communities and support the growing needs of business. As a multi-disciplinary group composed of both analytics professionals and academics, one of the first tasks was to investigate how businesses viewed analytics and how they were incorporating them in actual practice. With this in mind, an interview questionnaire was developed and senior-level executives from a diverse group of sixteen different firms were interviewed in a group context. Their responses led to the development of a new, integrated analytics curriculum and the establishment of a new Analytics Round Table. The results from this series of semi-structured interviews are presented in this paper.

The Current State of Analytics in the Corporation

2012 ◽  
pp. 115-120
Author(s):  
Thomas Coghlan ◽  
George Diehl ◽  
Eric Karson ◽  
Matthew Liberatore ◽  
Wenhong Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Round Table ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
Business Analytics ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Communities ◽  
Group Context ◽  
Current State ◽  
Villanova University ◽  
Disciplinary Group ◽  
Interview Questionnaire

Business intelligence and analytics in general are currently experiencing a resurgence in interest from both the business and academic communities. As a response, a Business Analytics Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed at Villanova University in 2007 to better link these two communities and support the growing needs of business. As a multi-disciplinary group composed of both analytics professionals and academics, one of the first tasks was to investigate how businesses viewed analytics and how they were incorporating them in actual practice. With this in mind, an interview questionnaire was developed and senior-level executives from a diverse group of sixteen different firms were interviewed in a group context. Their responses led to the development of a new, integrated analytics curriculum and the establishment of a new Analytics Round Table. The results from this series of semi-structured interviews are presented in this paper.

scholarly journals Exploring the experiences related to postpartum changes: perspectives of mothers and healthcare providers in Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahboobeh Asadi ◽  
Mahnaz Noroozi ◽  
Mousa Alavi
Keyword(s):  
Postpartum Period ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Childbearing Age ◽  
New Period ◽  
Women's Lives ◽  
Field Notes

Abstract Background Numerous changes occur in different aspects of women’s lives in the postpartum period. Women’s adjusting with problems and taking advantage of this opportunity can develop their personality. In this regard, accurate knowledge of their experiences and feelings is necessary to help them to benefit from this period. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the experiences related to postpartum changes in women. Methods In the present qualitative study, 23 participants, including women of childbearing age who gave birth and healthcare providers (midwives and obstetricians) in Isfahan, Iran were selected using purposive sampling with a maximum variation strategy. Data were collected through in-depth semi structured interviews, field notes, and daily notes, and simultaneously analyzed using the conventional qualitative content analysis. Results The data analysis results led to the extraction of three main categories including “feeling of decreased female attractiveness” (with two sub-categories of “ feeling of decreased beauty” and “feeling of decreased sexual function”), “feeling of insolvency and helplessness” (with two sub-categories of “physical burnout”, and “mental preoccupations”) and “beginning a new period in life” (with three sub-categories of “changing the meaning of life”, “feeling of maturity” and “deepening the communication”). Conclusions Findings of this study can provide a good context for designing interventions to improve the women’s quality of life by explaining and highlighting their experiences in the postpartum period. In this regard, providing sufficient empathy, social and psychological support from family members (especially husband), performing appropriate educational interventions and also regular assessment of women’s psychological state by healthcare providers in postpartum period can reduce their concerns and help to improve their health.

scholarly journals Students’ perceptions of visibility in physical education

2021 ◽  
pp. 1356336X2110258
Author(s):  
Eli-Karin S Åsebø ◽  
Helga S Løvoll ◽  
Rune J Krumsvik
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Transaction Model ◽  
Lesson Content ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Ninth Grade Students ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
And Coping

The purpose of this study is to explore students’ perceptions of visibility in physical education (PE) using a single cumulative case study approach. Data were generated from the descriptive field notes of seven participant observations ( n = 77), individual semi-structured interviews ( n = 13) and five focus group interviews ( n = 18) with ninth-grade students (ages 14–15 years) from three classes in a public lower secondary school in Norway. The findings show that students perceive visibility differently depending on the context; some students like being visible in PE, while others dread it. Perceptions change rapidly and are situation-specific, influenced by the lesson content, the way the teacher facilitates the lessons, self-perception shaped by past experiences, the presence, actions, and attitudes of fellow students, body pressure and societal body ideals. The findings actualise the relevance of the transaction model of stress and coping ( Lazarus and Folkman, 1984 ) in determining when visibility in PE is and is not perceived as stressful. Consequently, the organization of the PE environment benefits from these insights.

scholarly journals Albanian National Action Plan for Roma Inclusion 2016–2020: A Study on the Program Achievements at the Halfway Mark

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110361
Author(s):  
Gentian Qejvanaj
Keyword(s):  
Action Plan ◽  
Communist Regime ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Action Plan ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Us ◽  
Implementation Period ◽  
Education And Employment

Roma segregation in Albania has been causing growing concern since the fall of the communist regime. In this study, we analyze the effectiveness of the Albanian national action plan for Roma inclusion 2016–2020, in 2018, halfway in its implementation period. We gathered data on education and employment from the pre-implementation period (2015) and compared it with the latest available data in 2018. Interviews with local experts and surveys by the Balkan Barometer will provide background information to assess the current state of Roma integration in Albania. Moreover, descriptive statistics from national and international institutions and structured interviews will draw an independent narrative of Roma affairs. In our conclusion, we suggest moving beyond the “us and them” approach with programs run on inertia; our findings highlight that although encouraging achievements have been reached under the 2016–2020 action plan, real inclusion is still far, as statistical achievements do not say much about the quality of the education or job training provided under the 2016–2020 action plan.

Beyond Posters and Pennants: College-Going Messaging at Three Racially and Economically Diverse Public Schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-42
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Martinez ◽  
Isaac Torres ◽  
Katherine Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Students Of Color ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
College Going ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
College Going Culture

Context It has been argued that high schools with a majority of students of color and from low-income backgrounds must be purposeful in fostering a college-going culture in order to address the challenges and inequities historically underserved students face in preparing for and accessing a higher education. However, what this looks and sounds like in practice is not always clear, leaving schools seeking common ground on how to create a college-going environment. Purpose Through a symbolic and ecological model of college readiness framework, the messaging associated with the college-going culture at three racially and economically diverse Texas high schools that had consistently high college ready graduate rates was examined. The research questions that guided the study included: What types of college-going culture messages are conveyed at the schools, and how? How might such messaging impact students, school staff and leaders? Research Design This study drew on data from a three-year, multi-site descriptive case study of three public high schools in different regions of Texas that all served approximately 50% or more of students with financial need and 72% to 97% students of color, specifically Latina/o and Black students. Data Collection and Analysis Data was collected during week-long, yearly visits to the three schools and included: school and district documents; individual and group semi-structured interviews with 194 individuals including administrators, teachers, support staff, students, parents, and community members; observations of common areas and classrooms; archival data; and researcher-derived documents including field notes, memos, and photographs of the school grounds and school activities. This paper primarily drew on the pictures taken of the schools (in hallways, classrooms, and shared spaces like cafeterias and libraries), field notes, memos, and interview data that specifically spoke to the visual and verbal messaging associated with the college-going culture. Analysis of data revealed six themes: college is a revered goal with many options; varying degrees of integration; support and resources are at your reach; think college and career; finding funding for college is vital; college is an individual and shared success. Conclusions This study's findings suggest the need to: reconsider what a strong college-going culture entails, re-envision college-going cultures as dynamic, multi-layered, and responsive, reframe postsecondary opportunities so they are more expansive and varied, and re-evaluate inequities in college-going messaging and academic rigor.

scholarly journals Questioning Facilities Management in Higher Education in Egyptian Context for Better Decision-Making Process of Funding Allocation

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Mona Mohamed Abd Elghany ◽  
Reem Aly Elharakany
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Quality Of Education ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Strategic Relationships

The quality of education is influenced by the managerialization of the universities, which refers to the introduction of substantial changes in the decision-making processes of the academic institutions, and the application of renewed information systems along with new managerial methodologies to restructure the organisational strategic relationships with stakeholders. This paper proposes a questionnaire to assess the importance of facilities in universities according to their financial budget consumed value. Semi Structured Interviews were conducted with the heads of logistic and financial departments in Egyptian universities, twenty public universities and twenty-three private universities, in order to identify criteria for the most significant university's facilities and appealing infrastructure that contributes to the quality of education.

scholarly journals Using graphic illustrations to uncover how a community of practice can influence the delivery of compassionate healthcare

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trisha Parsons ◽  
Deborah Tregunno ◽  
Mala Joneja ◽  
Nancy Dalgarno ◽  
Leslie Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Cultural Shift ◽  
Professional Educators ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Narrative Design ◽  
Field Notes

Our modern-day frenetic healthcare culture has progressed to a state where healthcare professionals tend to detach themselves from the emotions of their patients/clients, rather than embed compassion into their daily practice. The AMS Phoenix Project: A Call to Caring was implemented with the goal to instil and sustain empathy and compassion in environments where clinicians learn and work. The purpose of this study is to report on how an interprofessional community of practice (CoP) of healthcare educators can contribute to a cultural shift in promoting and delivering compassion in healthcare through health professionals education. Using an imaginative creative autoethnography that adopts a narrative design through graphic illustrations, data were collected from 25 members of the Phoenix@Queen’s CoP during a 1-day retreat. Data collection included a graphic recorder who visually depicted all retreat dialogue, field notes that highlighted emergent themes and artefacts produced during the day. Audio recordings of the discussions were used as secondary sources of data. Using thematic analysis, three themes emerged: the call to caring is a long and winding road with many barriers and rewards; CoP members experienced personal growth in and through the community; and the Phoenix@Queen’s CoP matters in terms of professional relationships, leadership and moving forward a shared agenda about practising compassionate healthcare. This study describes the development of a CoP that moves away from traditional committees and discussions to an experiential creation of connections and shared meaning by its members. By using autoethnography, and by demonstrating how graphic illustration can be an innovative and creative method for recording and interpreting group discussions, we have demonstrated the accelerated development of an authentic CoP. With a richer and more authentic community, the shared goals of healthcare professional educators are more likely to be achieved.

scholarly journals The Mechanisation and Automation of the IBS Construction Approach in Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 167-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Syariazulfa Kamaruddin ◽  
Mohammad Fadhil Mohammad ◽  
Rohana Mahbub ◽  
Khairani Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Publishing House ◽  
Modern Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Current State ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
International Publishing ◽  
Building System ◽  
Open Access Article

The objective of the main research is to investigate the current state of implementation of mechanisation and automation in the Industrialised Building System (IBS). The aim of this paper however, is to provide an overview on the implementation of mechanisation and automation in the IBS construction approach. Questionnaire survey and semi structured interviews were conducted to collect the viewpoints among contractors and manufacturers of IBS to ensure the richness of the data collected. The results illustrated that although most respondents have agreed on most critical issues in the implementation of mechanisation and automation, they were not ready to move forward. These responses were quite consistent across the professions. Keywords: Modern method of construction (MMC); industrialised building system (IBS); mechanisation and automation; environment. eISSN 2514-751X © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/aje-bs.v3i10.324

scholarly journals Implementasi program pembelajaran dalam lingkungan berbahasa Inggris pada playgroup and kindergarten

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Fitriani Kimalasari
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Study Planning ◽  
Inhibiting Factor ◽  
Study Implementation ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Teachers And Parents ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Descriptive Method

Penelitian ini untuk mendeskripsikan program pembelajaran dalam lingkungan berbahasa Inggris yang terdiri atas: perencanaan pembelajaran, pelaksanaan pembelajaran, dan evaluasi pembelajaran di kelas Kidergarten Ananda Mentari Playgroup and kindergarten Bumijo Yogyakarta. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Subjek dari penelitian ini yaitu 1 kepala sekolah, 1 guru kindergarten, 1 tenaga kependidikan, 1 trainer, dan 1 wali murid. Objek penelitian yaitu program pembelajaran dalam lingkungan berbahasa Inggris. Teknik pengumpulan data yang dilakukan menggunakan wawancara terstruktur, observasi, dokumentasi serta catatan lapangan. Instrument penelitian menggunakan model interaktif yang meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Keabsahan data penelitian diuji dengan menggunakan triangulasi teknik dan triangulasi sumber. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa: (1) Perencanaan program pembelajaran dalam lingkungan berbahasa Inggris menggunakan kurikulum adaptasi dari 4 negara, (2) Pelaksanaan kegiatan pembelajaran, metode dan materi untuk anak didik menggunakan bahasa Inggris dengan jenis kegiatan eksploratif. (3) Evaluasi pembelajaran dilakukan menggunakan checklist dan anekdot sesuai usia perkembangan anak. (4) Faktor pendukung program pembelajaran adalah kerjasama antar guru dan parents club. (5) Faktor penghambat program pembelajaran adalah persaingan dengan sekolah lain, lokasi tidak strategis, dan sulit mencari guru yang memenuhi kriteria AbstractThe purpose of this research is to describe a learning program based on English-language environment which consist of study planning, implementing, and evaluating that applied in kindergarten class at Ananda Mentari Playgroup and Kindergerten Bumijo Yogyakarta. This study requires descriptive method and qualitative approach. The subjects of this research are one of headmaster, one of kindergarten teacher, one trainer, and one of student guardian. The object of this study is about learning in an English-language environment. The data collection techniques used in this research are such as structured interviews, observations, documentations also field notes. The instrument has a interactive model consist of data reduction, data presentation, and data conclusion. This study shows that (1) the learning program based on English-language environment planning is adopted from 4 countries curriculums, (2) the english based study implementation, methods, and materials for the students are using a more explorative activities, (3) class evaluation used by checklist and anecdote suited for children growth, (4) the supporting factors of the learning program are cooperation between teachers and parents clubs. (5) the inhibiting factor of the learning program is competition with other schools, the location is not strategic, and it is difficult to find teachers who meet the criteria.

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